This is a gritty, dark page-turner perfect for readers looking for something to scratch that serial killer fiction itch.

This story has so many moving parts, lots of interesting characters that are flawlessly connected in a way that will catch you off guard. The supernatural elements are subtle and impactful . Horror stories often fall flat with character development, that is not the case here. . These characters are well written and really allow the reader insight into their thoughts and emotions, even the darkest ones. Malfi never disappoints, this is another winner!

4 ⭐️

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 3.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: thriller📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
Idk what it was but I feel like I just didn’t fully understand this one lol

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Psychological horror
Supernatural suspense
Unsettling storylines
Murder mysteries
Eerie atmospheric setting
Multiple POVs
Dark and haunting reads
Unreliable narrator
Slow unraveling of the truth
Fast paced crime stories

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
One of the storylines unraveled backwards
Emotionally heavy for a thriller added more depth

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
I’m not a fan of ambiguous endings
Confusing and hard to follow at first
Not all of the plot points were followed through

I found this book to be an enjoyable read. The story kept me engaged from start to finish and had some moments that really stood out. Overall, it offered an entertaining reading experience.

Senseless is a dark, emotional thriller that pulls you in right from the start. The main character, Evan, is dealing with some serious trauma, and you really feel his pain as he gets caught up in a twisted mystery. The story has this gritty, almost noir feel, but it’s also surprisingly emotional and thought-provoking.

Ronald Malfi does a great job balancing suspense with deeper themes like grief and guilt. It’s not just about solving a mystery—it’s about a guy trying to make sense of his life after everything falls apart. The writing is strong, and the pacing keeps you hooked without rushing things.

If you like thrillers that are a little darker and more character-driven, this one’s worth checking out.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Malfi’s books, this falls right in line with the rest.

The book takes you along the journey of several character’s lives. The array of characters is vast, from detective, to a Hollywood couple, to a gothic wannabe vampire.

I don’t try to guess where Malfi’s plots will take me because I am rarely correct. Buckle up for a horror thriller that takes to you a dark underworld filled with murder and crime while finding out how the characters are connected in this deliciously devious novel.

This was an interesting of a bit odd read for me. A unquote take on a police procedural type of story with a diverse cast of characters. The stand outs for me being the ‘Fly Guy” and his “Vampire”.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

Audiobook Review
🎧📖🩸🐒
thank you so much partner @recordedbooks @titanbooks @netgalley for the gifted audiobook!

Senseless
by Ronald Malfi
Narrated by Jenn Lee; Ray Greenley; Joe Hempel

About the book 👇🏽

When the mutilated body of a young woman is discovered in the desert on the outskirts of Los Angeles, the detective assigned to the case can't deny the similarities between this murder and one that occurred a year prior. Media outlets are quick to surmise this is the work of a budding serial killer, but Detective Bill Renney is struggling with an altogether different scenario: a secret that keeps him tethered to the husband of the first victim.

Maureen Park, newly engaged to Hollywood producer Greg Dawson, finds her engagement party crashed by the arrival of Landon, Greg's son. A darkly unsettling young man, Landon invades Maureen's new existence, and the longer he stays, the more convinced she becomes that he may have something to do with the recent murder in the high desert.

Toby Kampen, the self-proclaimed Human Fly, begins an obsession over a woman who is unlike anyone he has ever met. A woman with rattlesnake teeth and a penchant for biting. A woman who has trapped him in her spell. A woman who may or may not be completely human.

🐒 My thoughts:

Completely unhinged and addictive! Ronald Malfi is quickly becoming an autobuy author for me. I requested this audiobook so fast through Netgalley when I saw it was available. The narration on this was so good, the entire story was well paced and had me hanging onto every word. Although it’s not necessarily fast paced, I still couldn’t help but binge this. The whole meeting the monkey thing literally had me in shock! Like what the f. This felt different than others I’ve read by Malfi but still… so damn good. Dark, imaginative, and wildly gripping. I can’t wait to read what he writes next! Senseless is out now!!


Happy reading 📖 🎧🩸

From start to finish this book had me hooked. What a great fun and twisty listen. The narration really had me from the first word and kept me hooked all the way until the end. The way the stories wove through one another to really bring the whole plot to life was fantastic. Highly recommend.

Ronald Malfi delivers another hauntingly intricate tale in Senseless, blending Crime Fiction, Horror, and Suspense into a gripping narrative that kept me hooked. Told through the distinct voices of Detective Bill Renney, author Maureen Park, and the eerie Toby Kampen, the story unravels with precision and intensity. Renney, in particular, stood out—flawed yet compelling, he brought to mind King’s Bill Hodges with his raw humanity and personal struggles.

Malfi expertly weaves multiple storylines, gradually tightening the threads until everything clicks into place in a deeply satisfying way. Themes of grief, guilt, and obsession run deep, and there were scenes—especially through Maureen’s eyes—that genuinely unsettled me. The audiobook's narration helped bring out the emotional and psychological depth of each character, enhancing the experience.

Though the story may not resonate with everyone, for those who appreciate thoughtful, layered horror, this is a must-listen. Senseless is another powerful entry in Malfi’s growing legacy—dark, emotional, and beautifully written.

I’m still waiting for Ronald Malfi to disappoint me, but after finishing Senseless, it looks like I’ll keep on waiting. Seriously, I would read this guy’s grocery shopping list. As for Senseless? Wow. Just wow.

Detective Bill Renney is assigned to a brutal homicide that looks suspiciously like the same type of killing he investigated last year. The problem is that the killer is supposed to be dead.

Maureen Park is celebrating her engagement with Hollywood movie producer Greg Dawson. At the party, she unexpectedly meets Greg’s son, Landon, and the meeting is uncomfortable, to say the least. In fact, Maureen soon fears that Landon is involved in something much more violent than doing drugs and spending his daddy’s money.

Toby Kampen, a social outcast living out of a storage unit, meets the girl of his dreams. She has what looks like fangs, loves to bite, and Landon is convinced she’s a vampire. This is good, for Landon’s alter ego is The Fly, but The Fly would rather be turned into a vampire.

Three storylines interweaving in and out of the story in what you just know is headed on a collision course. Where? It’s hard to say. Malfi expertly weaves the tale together in a thrilling Gordion Knot waiting for you to untangle the mysteries. This is one you won’t be able to put down. As I’ve said, Malfi has yet to disappoint, and it doesn’t like he’s ever going to. He’s clicking on all cylinders with Senseless.

5 “The Wonderful Things” out of 5

I had a lot of fun with this book! A great mix of horror and suspense elements. I have become a huge fan of Ronald Malfi in recent years and this book did not disappoint. The narrator of this audio edition is also fantastic!

Ronald Malfi has expertise at weaving seemingly separate timelines into an intriguing package. His writing is dark and deep. You couldn't help but dislike all the seemingly narcissistic characters. Maureen's story was quite intriguing and alone kept me reading to find out how things would turn out.

Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for this alc in exchange for an honest review.

Senseless by Ronald Malfi is the first book I've read by this author and I sadly didn't like it at all. I've seen others talk about how wonderful his other horror stories are so I definitely want to give something else of his a try but I just couldn't enjoy this one. The plot didn't hold my attention and the characters came off very over the top and unrealistic for me. I did enjoy the author's writing style and how it changed with each point of view. But overall I was bored and uninterested. I do look forward to trying something else by Malfi in the future though.

3.5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Ronald Malfi for the ARC!

This book was so intriguing and I was honestly captivated by the 3 storylines. My main issue was how the 3 storylines came together at the end. I was left a little confused and it felt abrupt and not quite fleshed out enough. But with that being said the twist was quite fun and I loved the level of gory detail Malfi put in to some of the scenes. The book was really well written and I had a great time with it. I just wished there was a bit more clarity for the plot.

I would still recommend to anyone who loves a murder mystery with great characters and some fun psychological and atmospheric eeriness.

Good narration is difficult with multiple POV and this book does it well. I felt like every character was given attention. Will recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an audiocopy for my honest thoughts. There were many things I really liked about this book, but in some parts i felt myself tuning out because it either felt redundant or were downright weird and unappealing (its probably just a me thing). The narrators were fantastic and really brought the story to life. I enjoyed listening to it and it felt like my own little Law and Order: SVU episode playing through my mind. I enjoyed the POVs of Detective Renney and Maureen. While i 100% understood the detectives grief and undealt with feelings over his wife's death towards the end of the book i found myself thinking "here we go again" (maybe im just a butthole). Maureen's POV was the most interesting to me, mainly because of how much information other characters seemed to divulge to her. I DID NOT however like toby's POV. It became more bearable to me as the story went on but the first few chapters were ROUGH...If i hear the words "human fly" again i think i might actually throw up. I like the way the POVs all end up intersecting, those are my favorite kinds of stories and i appreciate how much forethought it takes to accomplish something like that. The descriptions of the victim were gag inducing, the procedural of interviews/other police business was entertaining and engrossing and the shifting POVs kept things interesting. Certain parts, mainly towards the end fell a little flat for me but i do not want to give anything away. Overall i enjoyed this book and would recommend it to someone who enjoys serial killer documentaries, true crime shows, etc.

This epic supernatural thriller is filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing. The narrators held my attention and enhanced the suspense. I appreciated the examination of the darker aspects of human nature and loved the gritty LA setting. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries and psychological horror.

Senseless. I didn't read the synopsis before starting this book. There's no need for me to do so. If I see Ronald Malfi's name on a cover, I am going to be reading it. It really makes no difference to me what it's actually about. I was delighted to discover this novel is a captivating blend of Crime Fiction, Horror and Suspense. This is a combination Malfi is so successful with, and brought to mind my favorite previous novel of his, Bone White.

This story is told via three perspectives: Detective Bill Renney, author Maureen Park, and the self-proclaimed human fly, Toby Kampen. My favorite of these was Detective Renney. He reminded me a lot of another of another one of my fictional favorites, Detective Bill Hodges. Renney is flawed, but also incredibly compelling and endearing.

At the start of this novel, the corpse of a heavily-mutilated woman is found in the desert outside of L.A. Called in on the case, Renney can't help but see glaring connections to a case he thought had been put to bed a year ago. Is this some sort of a copy-cat killing? But how could that be? This level of details, as far as the specifics of the woman's body, was never reported to the public.

Bill is disturbed by this and it ends up reopening some doors from the past he would rather have stayed closed.

Then we get Maureen's and Toby's perspectives. Besides living in and around the same area of the crime, how are these people connected? It's not immediately clear. You shouldn't concern yourself too much with all of that though. Just sit back and let the magic happen. Through Malfi's skill, all will become clear in the end.

Upon first completing Senseless, I was absolutely gobsmacked by how well-crafted it is. It gave me so many different themes to ponder, and reflect upon, both in the story, and just about life and human behavior in general. It's such a nuanced story, with many threads interwoven into a perfect blend of Crime Fiction, Thriller and Horror. The examination of grief and guilt is also expertly-explored, which is one of my favorite topics in Horror; just beautiful.

There were so many different threads of story here that had to be woven in and out, and placed at just the right time for the Reader to get maximum impact. I absolutely LOVED how Malfi pulled that off. Each character brought their own unique circumstances and personalities to the table, as we all do in life, and it was just so fascinating to see it all come together.

There were some deep moments of intensity, particularly for me surrounding Maureen's perspective, and some scenes in particular that horrified me and definitely got under my skin. I was so on edge for her. It was powerful. While I don't think this book will necessarily be for everyone, I think for the Readers who are able to connect with it, as I did, it's a memorable one indeed.

Thank you to the publisher, Titan Books and Tantor Audio, for providing me with copies to read and review. Ronald Malfi is one of my absolute favorite authors, and I always look forward to his new releases. IMO, he's one of the most talented voices in Horror Fiction today. There's such a classic feel to his writing. I find them to have a nostalgic feel, even though they're brand new.

couldn't hold my attention; too much like a standard police procedural to keep me interested, not enough horror elements.