I didn't mean to read this in a day but here we are!

The thing about novellas is that they tend to be exactly as long as needed when the author has a handle on everything. T. Kingfisher, now three deep into the Sworn Soldier series, absolutely has a handle on everything: from character to pacing to surprises. This might be my second favorite so far: a twisty, claustrophobic tale of a mystery in a mine, with enough creepy moments to keep a reader invested.

Thank you to both NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!

I've yet to read a Kingfisher book I didn't like, and this one kept the streak going. Combining the characters we all love from the Sworn Soldier series with a different flavor of horror this time, Lt. Easton travels to America to experience Appalachian dread with a hefty scoop of Lovecraftian vibes to go round out the trip.

It's short, it's sweet, it's deeply unsettling, and aside from the absolute tragedy of leaving Hob on the far side of the Atlantic for this story, it manages keep you laughing and unnerved for the entire ride.

I’ve enjoyed this series of bite-sized horror novellas, and I think – to a point – this one’s the strongest. It’s certainly the scariest initially – there’s nothing quite like the terrors of an abandoned mine that might not be actually abandoned, the claustrophobia, the insidious gases choking the life out of you… Yes, this one started off quite frightening, reminding me of such films as “The Descent”. Unfortunately, about 70% of the way through, one revelation really kneecaps this one and the story never quite recovers its groove. While I enjoyed it overall as a novella, letting the air out of the tension so early on made the ending fall apart for me. Still – its Kingfisher doing what Kingfisher does best, with likable characters and a strange, eerie mystery.

The only problem with reading this as an ARC is that I have to wait even longer for a (hypothetical) fourth book. This entry into the Sworn Soldier series is incredible, as expected. Alex's narration is a pitch perfect blend of snark and world-weariness. The antagonist (or believed antagonist) was weirdly adorable, which is not a word I generally associate with T. Kingfisher's books. It just highlights the excellent quality of her writing.

T. Kingfisher did it again! Another winner with ‘What Stalks the Deep’. I stayed up all night to finish it and was not disappointed—I adore the protagonist, Alex Easton, and could read an entire book just about the tidbits they drop regarding their past. I loved that this story(unlike the previous 2) was set in the US rather than Europe—it was delightful to watch Alex grapple with America and its inhabitants. The story was perfectly paced, just scary and tense *enough*, and the setting and characters were richly drawn and absolutely my favorite bits of the book. Would absolutely recommend this to any Sworn Soldier fans—you won’t be disappointed. 4 Stars!

Thanks very much to Tor and NetGalley for the advance copy, all opinions are my own,

I loved this book with the entirety of my heart and then some. I could read Alex Easton books every day for the rest of my life and never get enough. This book was clever, and scary, and also heartwarming. Yes, all of those things fit into this novella. I love this slightly alternate world so much and Alex Easton continues to be a character that I love and has great people around that I also love. The fact these adventures are also spooky and occasionally inspired by other stories (H.P. Lovecraft in this case) is just a bonus. The way these stories are told is so clever I can't get enough of it.