he's done it again, folks! LaRocca is one of the most unique horror authors of our time and I never know what to expect other than to trust the process because, most of the time, it'll all come together in such a tragically haunting way and this one is no different. What an intelligent exploration of how grief can consume us and alter our memories with his iconic multimedia and lyrical prose

Dark, surreal, and deeply emotional. Wretch is a twisted journey through grief and obsession with a unique premise and haunting prose. Not for the faint of heart, but unforgettable.

I absolutely devoured this novel. I'm an avid reader of LaRocca at this point and I have to say, this might be my favorite. In "Wretch," we're following Simeon as he deals with the grief of losing his husband. A mysterious stranger in an online chat room tells him about a support group that could help him sort through the pain of his loss. However, the relief that this group offers proves to provide more questions than answers and leads Simeon down a road that increasingly takes over his life.

I want to keep things vague because seeing how it all came together was so rewarding for me. Having said that, the thing I loved most about this novel is that it took its time. The majority of the story is just about Simeon and his relationships. I feel like it lives somewhere in the world between literary fiction and horror. It is absolutely character driven more than anything else and that's what hooked me.

LaRocca's writing has always been impeccable, but this felt like an elevation in his style. It had the lush and gruesome beauty that often reminds me of Poppy Z. Brite, but also channeled a Donna Tartt-esque atmosphere, with confident pacing that firmly settles you into the character's life and makes you feel like you're a part of their world.

The desperation of grief and loss is captured in such a real and tangible way, throughout this novel. The character work is so strong with this one that LaRocca could've dropped them into any plot and I would've been hooked.

Eric LaRocca is a bit of a divisive author and he's known for going to quite dark places his writing, so as always, check your triggers and make sure you're up for it before you pick up one of his novels. Having said that, if you're already a fan, or if you're up for the ride, this is an excellent read that I absolutely recommend it.

Viscera meets vulnerability. Twisted, sharp, and steeped in shame. Not as polished as Things Have Gotten Worse…, but it still cuts in the best way. I loved it.

Eric LaRocca’s “Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke” came out of nowhere and grabbed the horror world by the throat—in a good way. It was weird, bold, and made me think, “Okay, we might be witnessing the rise of someone great.” This is my fifth LaRocca read. It will be my last.

The premise has promise: After the death of his husband, Simeon Link is swallowed by grief and finds himself in a secretive support group called The Wretches. Through them, he’s introduced to Porcelain Khaw, a strange figure who offers the grieving one final, intimate moment with their deceased loved one… for a price. It’s a setup that should’ve been gut-wrenching, darkly poetic, haunting. What we get instead is a disjointed mess that feels like it’s cosplaying as better horror. The attempt at Clive Barker-esque body horror and dream logic is glaringly unoriginal and poorly executed. LaRocca credits his influences—which is honest, I guess—but unfortunately, you don’t need the acknowledgements page to spot them. "Fight Club"? Check. "Hereditary"? Check. Secret grief group meets violence-as-evolution meets contact-the-dead séance tropes. But it never becomes its own thing.
One of the biggest issues: this book feels reverse-engineered to include “quotable” lines. You know the type—Instagrammable misery-poetry that looks deep on a dark background. But when you fill a book with those lines without earning them emotionally, it just reads like you’re trying too hard. Whole chapters exist just to deliver one of these hollow mic-drops. Meanwhile, the first-person narration is a slog of irrelevant inner monologue and meandering asides. A character reminds Simeon of someone? Buckle up for a four-page tangent that goes nowhere and does nothing.
If there’s a plot, it’s buried under literary affectation and overwritten metaphors. The vibe is "trauma-core Mad Libs". It’s frustrating, because there "could" have been something here. But I finished the book feeling like I’d watched a magician explain a trick, then still fumble it onstage.

So why two stars instead of zero? Because most readers I know don’t read one-star reviews. They assume it’s just someone venting. I’m giving it two stars NOT because it earned them—but because I want readers to actually read this review. It deserves a zero. But I’d rather be heard than right.

As only he can do Eric LaRocca has made me read something I cringed during. Raged during. and Gagged during. Although every word he puts on paper is not my favorite... I cannot stop reading him. He makes me upset. and I come back. He grosses me out. And I come back. I am so glad Eric is putting out unabashedly his version of horror. Fiction like anyone else. and an instantly recognizable vibe. Congrats you have done it again!

3 stars

Simeon Link’s husband has died and he is caught in a horrible grief spiral. He comes across an unusual grief support group called the Wretches and hopes they will be able to offer solace. They introduce the possibility that he could have one, final contact with his beloved.

So, is Eric LaRocca under some sort of blood oath contractural provision to put out a novel every month? I JUST read a new book from him (WE ARE ALWAYS TENDER WITH OUR DEAD, releasing September 9, 2025, and now, another? Maybe slow that roll (I don’t even know what that means) and focus on quality. . I liked this book better than TENDER, but neither is as good as the book before both, AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME.

And I get that this is LaRocca and all, but, um, love is not sex, right?

I don’t even have words for this book. This book ripped me apart and made me feel every emotion. The writing is beautiful and next level, the story is so utterly tragic and eerie but also kept me on edge waiting to see what was to come. Definitely my favorite by LaRocca.

A chance to reunite with a lost loved one, who wouldn’t jump at such an opportunity - especially our miserable Simeon, who is reeling from the loss of his beloved husband Jonathan. The unconventional support group The Wretches presents itself as a balm to assuage Simeon's inner turmoil, but the stakes are high and the cost beyond what he can imagine.

This story plunges into the desperate depths of grief and a unique perspective on what it means to be haunted. The storytelling is masterful, the horror elements absolutely bizarre in the best way possible. You can expect psychological horror, supernatural horror, body horror, and a general Twilight Zone/Black Mirror sense of unreality. The ending ties together the story elements in a satisfying conclusion that you will absolutely not expect - I will be thinking about this book for a long time.

Horror fans, you need to read this one, especially if you are a fan of Iain Reid, Josh Malerman, or Ira Levin (to reach back to a classic). I enjoyed LaRocca's novella Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, but I like Wretch even better. This is a fantastic horror read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Eric LaRocca, and S&S/Saga Press for sending me an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I think LaRocca has written two of my favorite books of the last ten yrs or so: Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, and At Dark, I Become Loathsome. Great collections too.

Some of his recent works are feeling a little more bloated than usual. The stories unfold at a much slower rate, with LaRocca's pondering style taking over. More "literary," if you will. WRETCH is one of these.

Some readers like it. It isn't for me. I will continue to read his work though, because when he's good, HE IS GOOD.