I truly, truly love Nat Cassidy. I've adored every single one of his books, so I was pumped to see When the Wolf Comes Home available here. I'm happy to say, I was not disappointed. It is an absolute masterclass in horror and suspense; I can’t recommend it enough.

From the moment struggling actress Jess finds the five-year-old runaway outside her apartment, you're hooked, desperate to figure out just what the hell is going on. What seems like a simple (but terrifying) rescue from an abusive father turns into a nightmarish struggle for survival as they’re chased by the boy’s violent, unhinged father, who may or may not even be human anymore. But trust me, this is just the beginning of a much darker, more complex story. One that is unhinged in the best way possible.

Cassidy’s writing is top-notch, as usual. As the story unfolds, it takes a supernatural turn that was insane yet so well-written that it was completely believable. The way Cassidy layers tension, terror, and mystery is brilliant. I think I devoured this entire audiobook in a day.

What really makes this book stand out is how well-developed the characters are. Jess is relatable and complex— her survival instincts are razor-sharp, and you can’t help but root for her as she faces unimaginable horrors. The relationship she forms with the boy, and the bond that grows between them, adds so much emotional weight to the story amidst the chaos and bloodshed. And the supernatural elements are done so well, ar so eerie and unpredictable that my jaw was on the floor many times. I never knew what to expect next, and every twist was both terrifying and exhilarating.

This book is everything I love about horror—it’s intense, beautifully written, and terrifying as hell. An easy 5-star read for me, and if your taste is anything like mine, you need to pick this one up asap. It’s easily one of the best and most creative horror novels I’ve read in a long time. Phenomenal.

Nat Cassidy has become an auto buy author for me and if you asked me today who my favourite horror author is I might have to say it is him. He never misses! I think he just gets it and that is clear in his afterwards.
I don't normally love horror centered around children but this was unique and chilling. I could not stop listening and felt the tension the entire time. I was so invested in the characters and the outcome. Sat with it for days afterward before I was able to read something else.

Book Review: When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy

A charismatic and emotionally complicated waitress finds a tramarized young boy outside her home. Chaos explodes, and Suddenly they are are the run from the law, foundational fears, the past, and the boy's father... a werewolf...or is he?....

The novel is crazy. And good.

There’s something deeply unsettling about When the Wolf Comes Home. It creeps under your skin, burrows in, and stays there. Nat Cassidy has crafted a novel that’s part psychological horror, part supernatural thriller, and part sci-fi nightmare—familiar yet entirely its own beast.

Drawing from The Twilight Zone’s It’s a Good Life (both the TV and Movie version) as well as Charlie X from Star Trek, Cassidy taps into the terror of unchecked power. This trip moves with the breakneck pace of Dean Koontz’s Velocity or Intensity, balancing action with eerie, slow-burning dread. The prose is sharp, the storytelling relentless, and the narration fantastic. The themes of fatherhood, failure, and fear both live on the surface and ferment between the lines no matter the focus of page or the perspective of the person we're following.

Yes, you’ll hear echoes of Stephen King, Frank Herbert, DC Fontana, and especially Jerome Bixby via Richard Matheson. But Cassidy isn’t copying; he’s channeling, reshaping, and making it his own. It’s a love letter to genre-bending horror, a reminder that stories don’t have to fit in neat little boxes. The only misstep? A bloated, meandering ending that loses momentum. But by then, the wolf has already sunk its teeth in.

I give it a B+.
If you're in the mood for tense absurd terror, touching emotional trauma, and a box of good and plenty, you'd dig this puppy.

This one had a bit of a turn that threw me out if it - I was ready for a rip and tear wolf story and then it took a hard left. I don’t know if it was even a bad turn, it just didn’t go where I wanted or thought I wanted.

Not my favorites of Nat’s but I am still a big fan. The story was written well with the trademark Cassidy style and wit. While this was not my favorite, I will read whatever Nat puts out there and I am sure that plenty of people will dig this one.

“No one will be safe when the wolf comes home”.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook. The honest review is all my own.

2.5 - 3 Stars

This was a fast-paced, well written, character study of fear. What a wild ride this book was! I really loved the main characters and following their journey as they run away from the things that scare them. Nat Cassidy is a truly unique writer and I’ll read anything he writes. Highly recommend this work for all horror lovers!

The audiobook narrator was particularly great - highly recommend via audio. The author makes cameos as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Oh My, Oh My! This book was an absolute banger. From the very first page, it grabs you by the throat and does not let go. It’s one of those stories where you think you know what’s happening—runaway kid, terrifying dad, desperate actress caught in the middle—but ohhh no. The layers just keep peeling back, and what’s underneath? Nightmare fuel. And I loved every second of it.

It’s giving high-speed horror thriller with a side of “what the hell did I just read?” in the best way. The action is relentless, the scares are gnarly, and the emotional punches? Whew. Devastating. It’s about fear—how it shapes us, how it twists us, how we fight against it (or don’t). Jess is such a fantastic protagonist, equal parts scrappy and deeply flawed, and her dynamic with the kid?? So well done. Plus, the atmosphere. Every scene is dripping with tension, and the horror elements are chef’s kiss unsettling.

This is my fave kind of horror—fast, brutal, a little weird, and packed with heart. If you love chase thrillers with a supernatural edge, trust me, you need this in your life.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

It pains be to say this just wasn’t for me. I suppose it’s my fault for not looking into this synopsis more, but the storyline was just too silly for me to enjoy. I was expecting more of a domestic horror, but this was supernatural and very over the top. I’m all for the gore but prefer to read stories that are more realistic.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book. The narrator was fantastic, I just didn’t enjoy the story itself.

WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME by Nat Cassidy is an absolute action-packed, face-melting wild ride. For a man, Nat writes women pretty well and I would say that both Jess and Cookie were standout characters. This makes me want to go backwards in his catalogue and try out both MARY and NESTLINGS, especially after reading his heartfelt afterword where he binds his books together as a trilogy of sorts. I really, really enjoyed this spunky horror.

When The Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy is an audiobook that I couldn’t stop listening to and also one that I didn’t want it to end. I had all the feelings while listening to it and cried after the afterword, which was read by the author. I was having major FOMO about the book because all the horror authors and influencers were raving about it on Instagram. The praise is well deserved. I loved the narration by Helen Laser. She brought the characters to life with perfect pacing and exceptional emotional delivery. The story is bonkers in the best way. Nat Cassidy is an auto-buy author for me. I will add this to my 2025 favorites. ALC was provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. I received an advance listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My first 5 star read of the year and it earned every last star and then some. When The Wolf Comes Home is a relentless, hilarious, horrifying picaresque exploring themes of parenthood, “shapeshifting,” imagination, detestation, anxiety, and, most powerfully, the nature of fear. Despite being formatted as a classic chase novel and its nods to The Twilight Zone, this is anything but your typical chase novel. With fully fleshed out characters with relatable flaws and familiar personal struggles and a plot that never let up, I was captivated for the entire duration of this story.

I won’t spoil it by giving a detailed description of the plot, but when struggling actress Jess finds a little boy fleeing from an abusive home life, both of their worlds are flipped upside down when a gruesome attack takes place right before their eyes. On the run from more than monsters, Jess and Kiddo run into more impossible road blocks as the lines between the possible and the impossible become increasingly blurred. This book is everything!

Side bar: don’t miss the afterward. The author’s personal connections to this story make the whole thing that much more meaningful.

I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this book on April 22, 2025. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC.

“Love is a shapeshifting monster.”
No one will be spared— not even the reader— when the wolf comes home!
Love werewolves, body horror, gore with a splash of dark fairytales/Sci-Fi? Do you have a strained/nonexistent relationship with a parental figure—specifically a father? This book just might be for you. It’s definitely written exactly to my taste

Cassidy has quickly become a favorite author of mine— his writing is so immersive, and When the Wolf Comes Home is no exception. I was already excited to read this, but became even MORE excited when I saw that his influences for this book included Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones and Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison— two of my favorite werewolf books! I see the nods to Firestarter and IT by Stephen King as well!

This story holds you firmly in its blood-dripping maw from page one and doesn’t relent. It’s genre bending and action packed, yet tender when it needs to be. The incredible Helen Laser really brings the characters to life in the audiobook and adds so much to the reading experience! I would be lying if I said I didn’t sob while reading this. It resonated so deeply with me and my own experiences. I don’t believe this book will be leaving my mind or heart any time soon, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

GET THE AUDIOBOOK!! The brilliant Nat Cassidy is one of the readers and it is fantastic! I was hooked from the reading of the trigger warnings- before the book even began. If you don’t like trigger warnings, here’s your warning.

I almost cannot put into words how good this book is. A young boy’s fears can fully manifest and the horror that ensues is absolutely captivating. Somehow, Nat Cassidy manages to balance the perfect amount of horror, gore, humor, nostalgia, and touching moments. Jessa, the protagonist who protects the young boy, is so lovable and real. This is a must must must read. 5 stars.

So that book was craaaazy…
I don’t think any trigger warnings were really necessary, but this eery sci-fi audiobook is exactly what you’re looking for. I normally avoid the sci-fi/horror genre, but went into this one blindly and absolutely loved it. It has the same vibe as the show Stranger Things, without actually being Stranger Things. I also normally can’t envision what I read, but was able to do so with the vivid imagery the author described.

The narrators were great as well.

Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley, and Macmillan audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great horror story! I’ve loved all of the books from this author and this one was no exception. The narration on the audiobook production is excellent. I particularly enjoyed the author’s sense of humor sprinkled throughout the gore!

Nat Cassidy has made me rethink my own fears and anxieties in a profound way. When the Wolf Comes Home was absolutely gripping. The tension was perfectly relentless, keeping me on the edge the entire time. Unforgettable!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Helen Laser did an amazing job!

WOW. Nat Cassidy and his big brain hit home. If you were a lover of Goosebumps when you were younger, then this matches those vibes. I can't even put into words how much I enjoyed this book. In this chase style horror, Cassidy leaves NO CRUMBS. Character development, thick plot, and unputdownable!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC of this audio in exhange for my honest review.

Struggling actress Jessa stumbles upon a boy on the run, and what follows is a horrific jaunt into fear as a both a mental game and a physical manifestation.

This book started off with an absolute bang, dropping us right into the action. The first half had me on the edge of my seat with one piece of action after another, and although the second half I found to be a little bit slower, I was overall very invested. The descriptions were vivid, and I was easily able to imagine the scenes and settings. The audiobook was very immersive and well done.

The themes around family and fear were explored brilliantly, and although I think there were a few times that I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on, especially toward the end, some of the ambiguity was kind of fun.

This was my first book by Nat Cassidy and definitely will not be my last.

4.75/5. Thanks to Nat Cassidy, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the ALC/ARC!

This is my first Nat Cassidy book, but not the first on my wishlist, and it's made me move the rest up to "buy next." I can certainly see where the comparison to Stephen King comes in. Nat Cassidy manages to take a mundane life, mix in some childhood trauma and baggage, and then inject a bit of supernatural/out-of-the-ordinary in a way that results in a novel you can't put down (or pause, in my case). Definitely one that I could see in my mind as I listened, even though I may have wanted to skip seeing some of the graphic bits.

After a stressful event at work, Jess finds a young boy outside her apartment in the bushes and takes him in to figure out what to do with him. But when the boy's father comes looking for him, things get turned on their heads. The path the two take twists and turns and flips upside down through the novel, bringing in life-like characters that try to help, try to explain, or try to cause even more trouble. But what happens to them, well, it is fitting that this story is a horror novel.

I think this would be an excellent read for anyone who really misses that old fashioned Stephen King vibe. The characters are real, in their own way. The emotions are thick. And I will never forgive Mr. Cassidy for making me relive some of my own elder millennial nightmares of that movie.

As far as the narration goes, I think Helen Laser did an excellent job. I appreciated how she laced emotion into Jess's thoughts and even changed her voice for Cookie's character. Each one was different, even when read by the same person. Kudos to the scenes with Nat Cassidy and Ms. Laser reading together; it was very well done.

Oh my goodness what did I just listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the eARC.

First, Helen Laser may be my favorite audiobook narrator of all time. She is so good.
Second, this book is horrifying. It was gruesome and gory it was descriptive and painful. You were rooting for characters only for everything to completely shift. "No one will be spared" is an apt tag line for this book.

I felt such heartache throughout this entire novel.

My first Nat Cassidy, but certainly not my last. 5/5. But this is absolutely not for the faint of heart.

The story wastes no time sinking its teeth in and plunges the reader into nightmares we all feel. The story has a strong dose of adrenaline and fear, so hold on. We meet Jess, a struggling actress working in a diner, when the unthinkable happens. Her life takes a brutal turn when she discovers a five-year-old boy hiding outside her apartment and the thing chasing him. After a harrowing confrontation, Jess and the boy flee for their lives. Their horror gives chase, and they must get out of this blood-soaked torment, where every step forward reveals a deeper layer.

The pacing is a standout feature, maintaining a relentless momentum that refuses to let up. Each chapter ramps up the storyline, and you can't stop turning the pages. There's a doomed claustrophobic intensity to how the narrative unfolds—like being trapped in a room that keeps shrinking. Jess and the boy forge a raw and authentic bond, grounding the supernatural elements with human emotion. This book excels in blending psychological horror with visceral, stomach-churning, grotesque scenes. The concept of fears manifesting into reality is probed with a suspenseful, unflinching, and horrifying creativity. The atmosphere is oppressive and eerie, turning the mundane into potential death traps. Beneath the gore and terror lies an exploration of trauma, survival, and the primal fears that live in all of us.

While the ending was satisfying, the mercilessness of the story preceded no easy resolutions, just the stark reality of survival. It was a savage, pulse-pounding ride, and I will be thinking about this book for years to come.

The narration of this audiobook is nothing short of masterful. The narrator's voice effortlessly pulls you in from the first chapter, creating instant suspense and tension. Their pacing is impeccably timed, allowing the dread to seep in. Each character is given a distinct voice, making it easy to follow the story without ever feeling lost. They turned an already great story into an unforgettable experience.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group, Tor Nightfire, for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.