Book: I Know A Place
Author: Nat Cassidy
Publisher: Shortwave (now an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Estimated Publication Date: May 5th 2026
Capone’s Rating: 4 of 5 ⭐s

Of the first story in this collection of Nat Cassidy gems, “Rest Stop,” I had this to say in 2024: “You should take an afternoon to read it. Maybe read it twice.” I waxed poetic about the author’s having investigated culture amid the shock and gore of an awful, awful side-of-the-road convenience store. This time around, “Rest Stop” leads a group of tales that manage, with greater or lesser humor but always with exacting nuance, to get us thinking about culture—about masculinity, about care and concern, and about social expectations. Nat Cassidy's particular is doing so in the most interesting way possible.
When one character meets another for a drink for what they assumed was a kind of blind date, the audience learns why the other had been so entranced—so intrigued that they’d had to ask for the meetup. After a sex-revenge video makes the rounds and people start dying, we’re forced to ponder what kind of virus is spread by people sharing such things. When a woman makes space in her life for her long-estranged father and visits the family’s estate, she learns what comes with the family name via a direct experience of the impact of its heritage.
There’s more, of course. But what makes this collection stand out, for this reader, is that the author—Cassidy—is always doing more than one thing. Sure, the monster just ate that dude, but which of these characters was the real monster? Yes, Carole is under the sway of a false prophet, but just because the prophet is a false one doesn’t mean he’s mistaken when he talks up her spiritual connectedness (“Into the Life of Things” is my favorite among this bunch, I think). And at each turn, we can appreciate these as entertaining little ditties suitable for almost any reader… but we can also ask ourselves: Am I like that person? Just what do I assume of others? Do I trade in innuendo and libel? What about our society needs changing? Because there’s more going on in these stories than a monster attack, a pseudo-guru taking new-agers’ money, a rest stop villain torturing a passerby. Or maybe, to paraphrase a famous line, a fungal spore is just a fungal spore. But it never is, right? It takes over.
I’ll be honest: When I stumbled into this collection, I wasn’t in a short story mood. I wanted a big world into which I can sink my metaphorical teeth. I wanted a commitment. But this is also true: Nat Cassidy’s work is compelling for me in a way that many others’ stories are not. Once I start, I want to keep going. He’s got a vision of society that is simultaneously more twisted and clearer than my own, and the sometimes awful choices his characters make ring true for me.

I Know A Place combines The Twilight Zone’s twists and The X-Files’ reality. And like this work's lead-off story as reviewed by Whisper House Press two years ago, Cassidy's latest is well worth your time. If you're like me, you'll be compelled in a true sense and will have trouble turning to anything else.

I've been dibbling and dabbling in horror and this has me up all night for days!!!! Really creepy but really good stories!!! I absolutely need this on my shelf & I'm thankful to net galley and the author for this opportunity to read this arc !!!

This is book of short stories was incredible, though nat Cassidy has a way with words and really gets the reader to feel like they are part of the story.

This book was like being stuck in a never-ending fever dream In the very best way possible. The entire way through this book you question what your eyes were relaying to you. I stayed unsettled on edge and cringing the entire read. This book is very uncomfortable in best Nat Cassidy way. Highly recommend!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nat Cassidy delivers a wonderfully strange and unsettling collection with I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours. Each story explores moments where everyday places become something darker, stranger, and sometimes deeply unsettling.
Cassidy has a unique talent for blending dark humor with creeping dread. Many of these stories lean into uncomfortable fears and anxieties, often pushing situations into truly unhinged territory in ways I didn’t always see coming. The mix of horror and humor keeps the stories feeling fresh while still delivering that lingering sense of unease that good short horror thrives on.
My personal favorites in the collection were “Rest Stop,” “Generations,” “Laughlines,” and “Run for Your Life.” These stories especially stood out for their creativity and the way they got under my skin while still managing to surprise me. They were the ones that stuck in my mind long after finishing them.
The rest of the stories were strong as well, but those favorites were the ones that really captured the unsettling tone that Cassidy does so well. Reading them late at night definitely added to the experience.
Overall, this is a darkly entertaining collection that will appeal to readers who enjoy horror with sharp humor, strange situations, and stories that are willing to push into the uncomfortable.
Thank you to NetGalley, Shortwave Books, and Nat Cassidy for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: May 5, 2026

If you enjoy horror stories then this is definitely the book for you! Mr. Cassidy starts out with an unputdownable novella, Rest Stop which will chill you with every fear you can imagine horrors from spiders and snakes to psycho killers and claustrophobia! I was hooked and couldn't wait to read the others! He has a special way of taunting you, like with stories like The Unluckiest Girl who meets a handsome stranger in a bar who's quite infamous! He's an excellent writer and while this is the first of his books I've read, it most definitely won't be my last!

Short story collections are fun. They give us a glimpse into an author’s brain and let us see the multitude of characters hiding away in there. I never seem to catch the independent publications of short stories, so I love when a favorite writer puts them together in one volume.

From a late-night gas station stop gone horribly wrong to an alternate universe in which The Beatles are just The Beatle, “I Know a Place,” (Shortwave Publishing, May 2026) Nat Cassidy shows how adept he is at this format. Each story is as riveting, horrifying, and fun as his novel-length work.

Preorder from your favorite indie bookstore now.

Nat Cassidy nailed this collection of shorts and short shorts. A must read author for sure. This one has a great mix of horrific and weird. Collections are sometimes are hit or miss for me, but Nat manages to not have a sour grape in the bunch. Highly Recommended 4+ Stars rounded up to 4-1/2+ rounded up to 5 based on the audiobook narrator. Excellent.

I basically read every Nat Cassidy book when it comes out and I honestly haven't read a collection of short stories in a couple years maybe (coincidentally, the last one was also from Netgalley and I ended up not liking it). I had already read Rest Stop awhile ago (and really liked it).

This is going to be a good summer or Halloween horror hit, I can already see it! I don't want to give too much away but if you've loved all of Nat Cassidy's other works, you will love this one!

I will say Meet Cute will stick with me for awhile though, just like Mary pops into my head randomly and it's been about 2 years since I've read it so thanks for that!

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the copy. 4.75 stars out of 5 stars. I’ve previously had enjoyed When the Wolf Comes Home, so I was excited to read more from Nat Cassidy. Typically I struggle with short stories, but I really enjoyed these for the most part. I took my time with them and the only one that didn’t work for me was A Fruiting Body. Some standouts for me was Rest Stop, Laughlines, and The Art Of What You Want.

As my first Nat Cassidy book I can tell everyone I am definitely a fan. This book of stories starts out with a bang 💥 The stories range from body horror to psychological horror.

Since the arrival of Mary on the scene, Nat Cassidy has blended this beautiful blur of classic and modern horror, telling stories that would be at home on a drugstore spinner rack in 1985 with intricate, thoughtful sensibilities that account for his success over the last few years. I Know a Place is all that wrapped in a portable bundle. Readers who missed Rest Stop can find collected here (I enjoyed the reread) a weird-as-hell, poignant take on how to perfectly pace and cram just the right amount of material into a novella. You'll find the slow, dreadful unraveling of a bleak and horrible truth in "Generation", found footage used in a way that elicits wicked paranoia in "Laughlines", and even some performance art in "A Fruiting Body".
I love reading a collection a slice at a time, a story a night, but when a book contains so much variety, not just in subject matter, but point-of-view, format, length, and voice that you can tear through it like a novel, sign me up. As an aside, Let's bring back Skeleton Crew-esque doorstopper collections.

Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up

Dude, Nat... Laughlines literally almost broke my kindle, it couldn't handle the 🤣🤣🤣 I had to restart it and skip over the story, it kept glitching and wigging out.

A brilliant complication of short stories that will shock you to your core. Also, I will never say no to a Rest Stop reread!

Thank you @netgalley and @shortwavebooks for the gifted ARC.

One thing that I’ve come to know about myself is I love most of Nat Cassidy’s releases - which is why I was so excited to check out “I Know A Place”! I was familiar with “Rest Stop” and hadn’t yet gotten to check it out for myself - just based on this, “I Know A Place” is a win!

I never got to read Rest Stop standalone, but let me tell you - this story was worth the wait. It had everything from murders to creepy-crawlies and everything in between! My favorite stories in this volume were “Rest Stop”, “Nice”, and “Run for Your Life” (which is saying something, because I am not one of those people who is into the Beatles in any way).

Every single one of these stories evokes a reaction - from visceral “ew” to “wtf” and everything in between. Another phenomenal showing from Nat Cassidy - you’ll want to grab this one - because it’ll grab you!

A tense, atmospheric thriller that trades shock for slow-burn unease, exploring guilt, memory, and the fragile lines within friendship. Quietly haunting and sharply character-driven.

Mary was my first ever book I read from Nat Cassidy. It was wonderful, and ever since I’ve been eagerly reading any release from this author. The long form stories are great.

That being said - this short story collection is amazing. It starts off with Rest Stop, the longest story in the collection, which had previously been released as a novella. What follows are several stories of varying lengths, where not a word or page is wasted. The stories don’t overstay or drag out, and manage to remain intriguing and enthralling. No story is like the other, each deserving of individual praise.

Some stories are lighter than others, while some are decidedly darker. There’s humor in the right places. Many stories tackle different topics. “The Lunar Eclipse” is my favorite, however. It’s a little more melancholy and quiet, where a woman details her first love and the promise they made.

Do not skip this - I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5: I Know A Place

Let's be honest, most short story collections are pretty MEH. This one is fantastic.

It's a collection of 12 short stories. Some of them were terrifying, others gory; some hit your heartstrings, while a couple left me scratching my head a bit (hence 4.5 vs the full 5 stars).

My personal favorites were

Rest Stop: as a gal who HATES spiders this one literally made me shudder. (snakes and other ickies also make an appearance on this gore-ride, fyi). I legit think I might have a hard time going into a gas station bathroom now. (Thank you for that, Mr. Cassidy).

Laughlines: this somehow gave me strong Rachel Harrison vibes (in the best of ways). A young woman is invited to visit a castle in the UK after getting connected via an Ancestry DNA test... and her new-found family has things to say. I could have read an entire full length book with this storyline!

Come: bahahaha a cursed sex tape is just hilarious. This is goofy but I loved it.

Other stories include themes such as a time traveling Beatles imposter, ventriloquists, and a crazy yoga retreat.

Highly recommend. Each story has a slightly different vibe than the last, so if one isn't your thing (for example if you are not a fan of the gore in "Rest Stop" (the first of the 12 stories), just flip onto the next story).

......
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All views expressed are my own.

ARC review ✨ I don’t read short story collections very often because they’re usually hit or miss for me, I like a lot of world building, I like time to get attached to characters, short stories sometimes feel like being shoved into a room and immediately asked to care, ✨but✨ Nat Cassidy pulls it off.

His voice is so strong that it carries through every single story and makes it feel complete (and in his unique voice that instantly makes you recognise his writing), each one manages to do something interesting with horror despite the tiny amount of space 🤏🏻 they’re wildly creative, uncomfortable, tense... occasionally deeply weird 👀

A lot of the horror comes from suggestion, everything feels normal, yet the entire time you feel like something is off 🫠 some part of you quietly whispers something is wrong here and you can’t explain why, its that quiet, creeping feeling that makes your shoulders slowly climb toward your ears until its right in front of you.

My three favourites were:
⛽ rest stop: a claustrophobic survival fever dream that immediately throws you into panic mode and sets the tone for the book perfectly
🤡 laughlines: a modern haunted house story with genuinely creepy imagery and comedy that is dark and wild all told via emails
🧘🏻‍♀️ into the life of things: a weird yoga retreat story with cult vibes, a love triangle + a twist I absolutely did not see coming

Every story landed at three stars or higher for me (individual ratings below), which feels suspicious for a short story collection, together though? ✨ easy five stars ✨ they weirdly interact with each other and make each other 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳. Cassidy is clearly having a great time ruining everyones sense of safety and I am here for it 👏🏻

Rest Stop - 5✨
Meet Cute #1: The Unluckiest Girl - 3.5✨
Generation - 4.5✨
Nice - 3✨
The Art of What You Want - 4✨
The Lunar Eclipse - 3✨
Laughlines - 5✨
Run For Your Lives - 4.5✨
Jubilee Juncture - 4✨
Come - 3.5✨
Into The Life Of Things - 5✨
Meet Cute #2: The Scariest Thing - 3✨
A Fruiting Body - 3.5✨

I'm generally NOT a fan of short story collections, but when they work for me, horror is my favorite format. This is no different! Nat Cassidy is an incredible horror writer - he builds so much suspense, keeps it weird (in the best possible ways), and knows how to create a visceral reaction in the reader with the particularly gory bits. Some of the standout stories for me were Rest Stop, Nice, Laughlines (my absolute favorite of the collection), Run for Your Life, Jubilee Juncture (DELIGHTFULLY HORRIFYING), and Come.

Grab this book when it becomes available May 5, 2026!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shortwave Publishing, and Nat Cassidy for an advanced reader's digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Hot diggity gas station hot dog. This collection was absolutely gripping. Rest Stop drags you in immediately and Nat Cassidy doesn't let you go.

Each and every story, once started, was compelling in a way that I could not put the book down until I finished it. And every time I picked it up, the story was a terrifying surprise. I never knew where it was going to go. Puppets, time travel, fame, pregnancy, and elves... and now I have so many new things to be afraid of. Some of the formats were also really unexpected, including a story told through email correspondence and a story best spoken aloud with a group. It kept the collection fresh and fun the whole way through. I was in for a surprise in every single story, which is terrifying in its own way.

Between the TWO bonus stories that some editions are getting and he intro by Stephen King, I'm looking forward to picking up a copy on release day. It feels like the perfect book to reread for the Summer spookies.

4.25/5

Thanks to Nat Cassidy, Shortwave Publishing, and NetGalley for access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought I was obsessed with Nat Cassidy before reading this collection. Now I am DEFINITELY obsessed. I love his writing style, his characters, and how he makes me question my existence. This was such a fun read!

This collection completely pulled me in.

I thought I might need a break between stories, but honestly? I never did. It was easy to jump straight into the next. Every story felt immersive right away.

What I love most about Nat Cassidy’s writing is the balance between dark humor, unsettling horror, and genuine emotion. These stories had me going from LOL to WHAT THE HELL? to just sitting there appreciating how cleverly they were written.

If anyone can make you fall in love with short stories, it’s Nat Cassidy. The amount of talent it takes to pack atmosphere, emotion, humor, and horror into something this brief is honestly wild.
These stories are everything from laugh-out-loud funny to deeply unsettling to genuinely beautiful pieces of horror. They’re imaginative, strange, incredibly clever, and even meaningful.

I actually started this book a while ago and quickly realized it wasn’t one I wanted to read alongside other books. I usually bounce between several at once, but this was different. I wanted to sit down and read it straight through and really sink into it, and I’m glad I did.

Even though they’re short, they stick with you.

My personal favorites:
Rest Stop
Nice
Laughlines

Rest Stop blew me away. I can't stop thinking about it. My fear of snakes definitely added to the dread. And I have a googly eye stuck on my work computer (my daughter put it there), and now it will be a constant reminder of this story.

Laughlines was extremely atmospheric, inside this creepy England castle. I loved it. But also… funny story. I thought my kindle was broken. Ask my husband. At one point I told him I was about to chuck my Kindle into the backyard. I was furious. I was ranting to my husband because I had to finish the story and my Kindle wasn’t functioning.

Nice is about a kid and his elf and it’s bizarre in the best way.
But… the possible cat? Or terrier? WHY.


It’s only March, but I’m calling it now. This will end up in my favorite reads of 2026.
Thank you Shortwave & NetGalley for the advance reading copy!

Nat Cassidy continues to prove what a strong writer of horror he is with this short story collection! A few with very unique premises and a few that make you take pause. The novella that opens the collection creates such a sense of tension and dread! I was horrified to see what would come next but also didn’t want to stop reading. Lovers of the genre will definitely appreciate this collection!

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in return for an honest review.

I was so excited to be approved for this as Nat Cassidy's self-proclaimed biggest fan. I was NOT disappointed. If you love horror, you MUST read.

Individual story ratings are as follows:

Rest Stop: 4
The Unluckiest Girl: 2.5 (weakest story in the collection, but not bad just short)
Generation: 4
Nice: 4
The Art of What You Want: 4.5
The Lunar Eclipse: 5
Laughlines: 5
Run for Your Life: 3
Jubilee Juncture: 5
Come: 4.5
Into The Life Of Things: 4
The Scariest Thing: 3
A Fruiting Body: 5

I loved EVERYTHING about this novella. EVERYTHING. Only Nat Cassidy can make terrified and laughing at the same time. I truly enjoyed every story, but Rest Stop and Laughlines were my absolute favorites! Rest stop made me NEVER want to use a gas station bathroom again! Haha I highly recommended this book of short stories to all horror lovers!

As a fan of both Nat Cassidy's work and short horror stories, I excitedly opened this book, ready for the adventure this was sure to be and an adventure it was.

Chilling and weird, <i>I Know a Place</i> is an unputdownable collection of short horror that had me gasping in surprise, enjoyment, and serious dread. Exploring everything from a horrific gas station stop, serial killers, and stalkers to odd time travel and everything in between.

If you are a fan of Cassidy's other works, you're sure to enjoy this!

4,5/5 ⭐

Let me start by saying that this was my introduction to Nat Cassidy’s work (though I had heard of him before), and what a delight it was.

This collection of dark, twisted, and deeply creepy stories was completely up my alley. Cassidy gives each story its own distinct voice and tone, which makes the reading experience consistently engaging and hard to put down.

As often happens with story collections, some tales stayed with me more than others—but that’s part of the beauty of it. Every reader will likely come away with different favorites and stories that resonate more strongly with them. If I had to choose, “Nice” is at the top of my list, very closely followed by “The Art of What You Want” (which is fitting, since they appear right after each other in the collection).

Overall, this is a fantastic collection that I would happily recommend to anyone looking to dip their toes into gory, eerie horror in short-story form.

I Know A Place is my first foray into the world of Nat Cassidy - I've been eyeing his books up for a while, so was excited to give this short story collection a whirl.
My favourites were:
Run For Your Life - a messed up tribute to Beatles-mania and the cost of fame.
Laughlines - the CREEPIEST story in the whole collection (in my opinion). Castles, long-lost-family, and revenge.
Nice - the WEIRDEST Christmas story I've ever read.
Each story is wholly unique. There isn't a dud amongst them. A fun, whirlwind horror collection.

In this collection of stories some were absolutely fantastic and I wonder if the author will one day revisit them and carry on with the story, maybe giving it a different end. I do think the majority of them had a lackluster ending although the ideas were great. They were all entertaining and the majority darkly funny (which is always a given from Nat Cassidy in my opinion) so I do recommend you pick this one up.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC.

4.25*

What a strange and unsettling collection of horror stories we have in 'I Know a Place'. Nat Cassidy displays his talent for blending psychological unease with visceral horror here and with each story he gradually pulls you into something far darker and more disturbing than at first appears.

As always with collections like this there are some weaker stories but the stand outs really do pack a punch. 'Rest Stop' is rightfully held up as a great example of Cassidy's writing and it encompasses everything you would hope from a horror tale - weirdness, truly disturbing imagery at times and a real sense of disquiet and unease as you never know what's going to happen next. 'Landlines' also stood out for me for many of the same reasons but you won't go far wrong with most of the stories on offer which range from a serial killer date night to cursed sex tape to a yoga cult.

There are many different destinations on this journey, most of them being places you wouldn't want to stop at and all of them making for a memorable collection that is bold, unsettling and genuinely eerie.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for a digital review copy of "I Know A Place" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

I've only read 1 cassidy book before and loved it so I knew I had to give this a shot!
I did enjoy that they were all pretty different short stories so there was something for every mood.
they were all new to me and they all had me hooked, so much so some I wished were longer!

Nat Cassidy has mastered the art of writing horror that is speculative, gory, and witty. These short stories draw the reader in through multiple approaches to horror, making the collection feel varied and engaging. There truly feels like something here for every reader who enjoys the genre.

I really enjoyed the range of stories included in this collection. While some were stronger than others based on my personal horror preferences, the author’s ability to shift writing style, tone, and narrative approach across the stories is impressive.

That versatility is what truly sets Cassidy apart from many authors in the genre and makes this collection stand out. Overall, this was a very strong collection and one I would rate 4.5 stars.

This collection of short stories was good, even surprisingly good. I really enjoyed the longest piece here (Rest Stop) and all the other stories were also enjoyable, even when they were very unsettling. The author does an excellent job of balancing chaos and creeping dread, which is fun for those of us weirdos who like that kind of thing. Give it a shot!

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.
This is my first Cassidy book, and as I've said before, I'm determined to try out more horror books and when I noticed this short story collection I knew I needed to give it a go. Although, perhaps I didn't know what I was letting myself in for.

The first story, 'Rest Stop,' has been published before, but for me, experiencing all of these together was extraordinary. It was quite a wild ride and set a strong precedent for what to expect from the rest of the book.

Each novella was equally as brilliant as the others and provided true incisive horror turmoil. Usually, I struggle with stories being on the shorter side, but these were flawless and utterly terrifying. They were packed with enough vibrant details to bring everything to life and complete with the finishing touches that satisfied my reading needs. I felt immersed in the settings that were mind-stimulating and inventive.

A fabulous work of fiction that is superior in its horror themes. I loved how each singular story began as something mundane, a glance into normal human life, but then soon propelled you into a living nightmare.

Each tale is unique and unlike anything I've read before. The grim nature of horror is captured sublimely. They are deliciously dark and packed with gore. The elective matters become exciting and propulsive.
I really enjoyed the exploration of fear, grief, obsession, and even human brutality. Although vicious in context, it comes with a benevolent mood and tone.

These are the type of stories where you expect to feel uneasy, but these filled me with dread, and I loved them all the more for it.

The writing is razor-sharp, and for the majority of the book, I felt my skin crawling. What I did find quite refreshing was the relaxed communication and how something so dark can have some side-splitting, laugh-out-loud moments.

This is one horror short collection that could haunt your nightmares. They are unforgettable tales and have certainly piqued my interest in reading more from this author.

this one started out with a bang with Rest Stop, then continues. Nat is quickly becoming a favorite.
will be moving this one for sure. thanks to Shortwave for allowing me to read this one.

I’ll be honest, short story collections usually aren’t my thing. I tend to prefer full novels where I can really settle into the story and the world. Because of that, I went into I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy not expecting it to grab me as much as it did.

But this collection ended up being a really fun and creepy surprise.

Each story drops you into a different place - some ordinary, some strange and slowly twists it into something unsettling. The stories are short and easy to get through, but they still manage to build atmosphere and deliver some genuinely eerie moments. A few of them gave me that quiet kind of horror where something just feels off, and that feeling sticks with you longer than you expect.

What I appreciated most was the creativity. Even though the stories are quick reads, they don’t feel rushed. Each one has its own idea, tone, and weird little corner of horror to explore. It’s the kind of book where you think you’ll just read one story… and then suddenly you’ve read three or four.

Even though I’m still not the biggest short-story reader, this collection definitely worked for me. It’s perfect if you like bite-sized horror, strange little detours into the dark, and stories that make everyday places feel a little more sinister.

If you’re looking for something creepy you can read in small bursts, this one is worth the stop.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Nat Cassidy is talented beyond measure. I Know A Place is a rip roaring smorgasbord of short stories that display his range and cement him as a horror icon. Nat’s books always feel fresh, never repetitive and this is no exception. Give him all the stars and then some for this one. Truly the best short story compilation I have ever read.

Thanks to Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’d like to start by saying thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave for receiving a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book features Nat Cassidy’s story “Rest Stop” and a collection of other short horror stories.

Rest Stop is around 100 pages of a chilling and disturbing story of a man on his way to visit his dying grandmother. When he makes a late night stop at a secluded gas station things go VERY wrong. I read all of Rest Stop in one sitting. It was so disturbing, I couldn’t look away.

I enjoyed the rest of the stories in this collection as well. Some of them will stick with me for years to come! Nat Cassidy does an excellent job at creating an eerie vibe with chilling visuals. He also has a great sense of humor that comes across in his writing in the best way.

I would highly recommend this to anyone that already loves horror or even someone that is looking to get into it. Nat Cassidy is brilliant and deserves every bit of the praise he receives.

Short story collections can be a bit hit or miss for me, but when I saw Nat Cassidy had a new book on NetGalley, I requested it so damn fast! 🤩 And wow, this is probably the best collection I’ve read in a long time.

This is one of those rare collections where every. single. story. lands. Even the very short ones manage to leave an impression. I had previously read Rest Stop, but it was really fun to revisit. What begins as a simple stop at a roadside gas station quickly becomes a claustrophobic, gore-soaked nightmare full of crawling things and some seriously gnarly body horror. Beneath all the blood and chaos, there’s also a thread of identity and starting over that gives the story more depth than you might expect from something this brutal.

The rest of the collection takes you down some very strange roads. We get cursed sex tapes, weird encounters in bars, desert yoga cults, fungal horror that made my skin crawl, creepy love stories, and plenty of moments that swing from genuinely funny to incredibly disturbing.

What I love about Cassidy’s writing is that even when things get bizarre or grotesque, the stories always feel grounded in very real human emotions. Fear, grief, obsession, loneliness, cruelty. It’s all there under the surface, which makes the horror hit even harder. Some moments are genuinely funny, others are disturbing, and quite a few made me physically uncomfortable while reading. Exactly what I want from horror!!

Nat Cassidy has quickly become one of my favourite voices in modern horror, and this collection is packed with dark little nightmares that will absolutely stick in your brain. Add this to your TBR immediately! 🙌🏼🤩

Thank you to @netgalley and @shortwavebooks for the early access! 🫶🏼

4.5 stars rounded up

I love a short story collection. Especially for an author I haven’t read much of. Collections tend to give you an assortment of an author’s range which I love. I honestly feel like if I read a collection by an author and like some of it, I will definitely find more by that author I will like.

I have only read one other book by Nat Cassidy and that was Mary. I really liked it and became very interested to check out more of Cassidy’s work. I got very lucky when this book was offered as an advanced reader copy by Shortwave Publishing on NetGalley. Huge thank you to Shortwave and NetGalley for this opportunity.

This collection includes 13 stories, the main story is the popular Novella Rest Stop. Funny thing is, I already had Rest Stop on my to-read list and I didn’t even know it. Rest Stop was unhinged!!! We follow the main character who is having family issues and stops at a gas station to unload and refuel on his long drive. As he searches fur munchies he finds the place is empty. Stopping at the bathroom and planning on getting the heck out of there plans changed when he gets locked in. What happens next was impossible to look away from. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to come next. This collection is worth it just for this story.

I wasn’t able to get to reading this when it first came out for ARC but I enjoyed the fact that Nat Cassidy was on social media reading the reviews as they came in. He said he really enjoyed seeing all the different storied that connected with people. I thought this was really cool. I love that people connect with different stories instead of everyone liking the same ones.

I’m going to get full on Dad here and say all of these stories were a trip. Pun intended. One of the ones that I really liked was “Nice”. This is a good Christmas read and I might even replace The Night Before Christmas reading to the kids this year. Just kidding. Mitchell is just a kid obsessed with Santa. All he wants is for it to be Christmas so all his hard work being nice and championing Santa will be worth it. Mitchell is visited by an elf who paints a tragic picture of slave labor and poor living conditions. The elf asks Mitchell to be naughty so the elves can get a break. The elf had no idea how far Mitchell would go to help.

Tough call on what other story was a favorite because all the others were great for their own reasons. Looking at the rating for this book. I Know a Place will be released on May 5, 2026, so get your pre-orders in now. I will always champion Indie Bookstores so please find your favorite local Indie Bookstore to place your order, or my favorite ships. You can get your copy of this 🥃🥃🥃🥃🥃 collection here. My ARC didn’t have the introduction by Stephen King so I will be ordering my copy as soon as I post this.

"Because even though I knew I was being Naughty? It all just felt so...nice."

Nat Cassidy's new collection of short stories is a buffet of terrors offering something for everyone. These tales each take the reader down a route that will leave them unnerved but also wanting more.

Featured in this collection are:

Rest Stop
Meet-Cute #1 - The Unluckiest Girl
Generation
Nice
The Art of What You Want
The Lunar Eclipse
Laughlines
Run for Your Life
Jubillee Juncture
Come
Into the Life of Things
Meet Cute #2 - The Scariest Thing
A Fruiting Body

This was the first time I've read this author's works and enjoyed how dark and unhinged some of these were. It is definitely a great introduction to his writing. There are a few of these that are still stuck in my mind.

I will definitely be exploring more of this authors other books.

Nat Cassidy's voice shines in I Know A Place. It's like hanging out with that one guy at the party who's a born storyteller, spinning the next "you won't believe this $?!†" and gathering a crowd dying to hear what happens next. Sometimes he leaves you hanging before going onto the next tale, and sometimes you're left thinking about one of these stories for days.

"Rest Stop," the first story in the collection, knocks you back on your heels in the best way, while others like "Come" and "Into the Life of Things" delve into social issues and turn them inside out. The traditional narratives end with a chef's kiss in the pentultimate story, "Meet Cute 2: The Scariest Thing."

The literary nerd in me finds all sorts of places—all sorts of inner rooms—that reflect the way we seek out meaning. How we strive for spirituality or finding our higher selves, and fail so miserably. That failure is a mirror to our humanity, repeating in an endless dark hallway of doors. What is God? Why does religion distort and corrupt? How do we get connection so wrong, so often?

I Know a Place is a solid anthology of short stories easily devoured one after another. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review the ARC.

I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours by Nat Cassidy is a horror short story collection that basically says: what if we took normal situations and made them deeply horror-filled? Mission accomplished. These stories are creepy, weird, sometimes funny, and often grotesque in the most creative ways. Standout for me was “Rest Stop,” which is a slasher story so vivid I wish I could uninstall the imagery from my brain. We’re talking injuries described like a bottle opener scraping skin, noses hanging like a cleft palate situation… yeah. I’m still unwell. Also, the killer leaving googly eyes everywhere? Adorable. Disturbing. Iconic. “Nice” is a cheerful little Christmas tale — and by cheerful, I mean Santa’s exhausted elf deciding to turn good kids bad so he has fewer toys to make. Capitalism has reached the North Pole, apparently. The visual of a Christmas tree decorated with intestines will live rent-free in my head forever.

Other favorites: “Run for Your Life,” where a musician time-travels, releases all the Beatles’ music early, and starts beef with Paul McCartney and John Lennon before things turn dark (chaotic, loved it). “Laughlines” is told through emails between a girl, her estranged father, and her best friend, and slowly reveals a family tradition involving jokes that get extremely sinister. Picture a castle and a laughing ball of melted flesh rolling around. Horrifying! “Jubilee Juncture” reminds us that puppets are never to be trusted. Ever. “Come” is basically The Ring but horny — watch a tape, have sex, die — which feels like something teens would absolutely ignore the warning about. And “Meet Cute 2” is modern dating horror filtered through the most Reddit-coded nightmare imaginable.

Overall: creepy, funny, wildly imaginative, and packed with body horror that will stick with you whether you want it to or not. One story at the end didn’t totally land for me, but even the author admits it’s not for everyone — which honestly feels fair after everything else in here. Perfect if you like your horror disturbing, a little chaotic, and occasionally very amusing.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for gifting me this advance reader copy!

Nat Cassidy does it again. Every book I’ve read from his been a 4/5 star. There’s truly something so magnetic about his writing. The concepts of his books are always so unique and truly different from anything I’ve read before. I’m such a big fan of his and I love everything that goes on in that big brain of his!

This short story collection was no exception. Rest stop was one of my 5 star reads from last year and hearing that it was being republished in a short story collection was so exciting for me! I’m not always the biggest fan of short story collections but I was a big fan of this!

Some stories hold up more than others but my favorites were Nice, Laughlines, Jubilee Juncture, and Come. I would absolutely love to read a full length novel of Laughlines or jubilee juncture. Laughlines genuinely scared me and I had to flip my lamp back on because I got so wigged out. My kindle also froze and started freaking out right when I got to the ending and it helped scare me.

Over all I’m a big fan and can’t wait to get my grubby little hands on a physical copy of this!

The talent of Nat Cassidy speaks for itself in his amazing books, so a collection of short stories by said author is a no-brainer of a read. I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is simply one of the best and horrifying collections I have read in recent memory. Plus, it includes one of my a favorite novella's too boot.

There are locations in this world where the light doesn’t seem to reach. Where, no matter how illuminated the place might be, shadows creep in too strongly to fight back.

A suspiciously empty gas station rest stop in the middle of the night, littered with googley eyes... A doctor’s office, where a bottle of booze and a tear-stained folder wait on the desk... A tech millionaire’s haunted kitchen... A Bible-quoting ventriloquist’s dingy apartment... A yoga retreat in the middle of the desert, silent except for the screaming...

Now, I mentioned off the top that I Know a Place features one of my favorite stories, so it goes without saying that Rest Stop is also my favorite story in this collection. An outstanding addition to the horror genre. An intense atmospheric story with complex themes and heart-stopping scares that kept me on edge. This story will stay with you long after you turn to the next tale, making you think differently about public restrooms in the future.

In addition, I Know a Place goes places you wouldn't expect with stories that have you scratching your head to those with a little more emotional, tugging at your heart strings. There is a story that should connect with each and every horror fan inside this book. This collection is relentless in all the right places making you think twice about everyday locations and more.

I Know a Place is just the kind of collection we all need while we wait for the next outstanding horror novel from Nat Cassidy. This book lurks in the shadows with stories that will leaving you in awe for many different reasons. While some collections may have one or two stories that fall a bit short, Cassidy hits on every single tale in I Know a Place.

This collection is fantastic. There is one story — "Come" — that sets a new standard for the haunted media trope. Other stories are fast-paced and hard-hitting, with layers of introspective. These stories are deep, thoughtful, and at times humorous in the darkest way possible. His voice rises above many current writers, redefining the craft of horror.

This collection of short horror stories is another absolute winner from Nat Cassidy. I love how creative and unique each of the stories is. For example, there’s a story about a cursed sex tape, another about a meddling Elf on the Shelf, and one about a very creepy puppet. Some of them feature cringe-inducing body horror, while others feel more existential. Some are fun, while others are haunting.

It’s hard to choose favourites but I think my top two are:
Laughlines—told entirely over email, this story sees a woman visit a creepy castle in England to explore her noble heritage.
Run For Your Life—a musician obsessed with The Beatles travels back in time and decides to mess with history.

This is a unsettling book of short stories by Nat Cassidy. There's a lot of variety here, and some hidden gems. My favorites were Laughlines, Run For Your Life, Into the Life of Things, and the novella, Rest Stop. It's a terrific intro to this author if you aren't already a fan, and if you are, go ahead and pick this one up!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I Know A Place is a ferocious, dynamic collection that delights in turning familiar places into the stuff of nightmares. Across these darkly inventive stories, Cassidy transforms everyday spaces, like gas stations, bars, and schools, into pressure points where fear and violence collide. The result is a book that is gleefully unhinged and sharply observant, and at times even beautiful, balancing visceral horror and insightful social commentary. Cassidy's greatest strength is his ability to fuse physical and psychological terror without sacrificing momentum. Every horrific scene is not on page, leaving the reader to sit with the images we conjure. The stories move quickly but remain impactful, burrowing under your skin through their emotional honesty and great unease. There is a wicked sense of humor at play as well, one that never undercuts the horror but sharpens it, exposing the shadows embedded in everyday spaces. What makes I Know A Place particularly effective is the the use of cumulative fear, built from small, overlooked dangers and the quiet dread of being trapped where you do not want to be. The collection crackles with energy, confidence, and a clear love of the genre, refusing to offer easy comforts or resolutions. This horror knows exactly where its taking the reader and Cassidy takes us there at full speed. He delivers a relentless, memorable collection that leaves the reader exhilarated, unsettled, and looking twice at the places they once considered harmless. I for one can never look at a gas station bathroom the same again. I loved each and every story but a few highlights for me were "Come", "Laughlines", and "The Art of What You Want" (which was previously published as a chapbook from Shortwave Books). Thank you so much Shortwave & NetGalley for the ARC. Any horror fan should add this book to their TBR. I Know A Place publishes May 05, 2025 so go and get your pre-orders in over at the Shortwave Shop!

So far, I have enjoyed everything I have read written by Nat Cassidy, including this collection.   The opening novella, Rest Stop, was one of my favorite reads of 2025, and one of the only books I have read that made me feel physical revulsion. Rest Stop expertly plays with some of the more classic phobias; the dark, spiders, and (my number one) snakes. There was one moment that triggered my fight or flight, and my skeleton wanted to run out of my body to get away. As for the rest of the stories new to this collection, there was only one that didn't really resonate with me. However, there were so many hits, two in particular were so weird and unhinged, I loved every second I spent reading them. Nat Cassidy remains on my Read Immediately list.

Usually, I am not a huge fan of short stories because I like to have depth and development in a story, but Nat Cassidy knows how to make reflective horror in long and short form. I would have to take breaks from reading this because I was worried that I would end up having nightmares after reading too many of these at once. Some fears were newer and reflected in the stories, but also things that just being a human brings. I also always enjoy Nat's characters because they feel real and modern, and it's easy to imagine them in these intense situations.

People will come for Rest Stop but will stay locked in for the rest of these gems. Many short story collections will have a few good stories with a bunch of fluff but not this collection. They all pack a punch but largely in different ways. Generation hits the emotional buttons while Laughlines will give you straight up chills. Nice is an unhinged Christmas story while Come is about a cursed sex tape. A must read for any Nat Cassidy fan and I look forward to covering this in a future episode of my library's Books and Bites podcast.

Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!


This was really great, and the first short story collection I've enjoyed in a long time (maybe new mom brain). I particularly enjoyed the story about the Beatles. Cassidy really knows how to turn an idea on its head!

Nat Cassidy is one of horror's more unique voices. I know a place is terrifying and filled with relatable characters. It's as if he slides up next to you at a bar and starts telling these wild tales. You can't stop listening.

A solid, unsettling collection with a wide range of horror styles. Some stories worked better for me than others, but none felt underdeveloped, and the writing stayed sharp throughout. The strongest pieces really linger, leaning more into discomfort and unease than shock value. Overall, a strong collection that’s well worth reading.

I am typically not a fan of short stories but, when it is Nat Cassidy, you clearly have to give it a go. I did enjoy the wide range of subjects, emotions and characters. Each story absolutely stood alone, completely unique from the rest. Some of them left me feeling like what the fuck did I just read? And those were probably my favorite. A few didn't land for me personally but several were really great and some would even make brilliant longer stories if Cassidy had chosen to write them as novellas. As always, I love his weird brain and I was definitely entertained the whole way through.

Thank you to Netgalley and Shortwave Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed reading these short stories. Sometimes I read a book of short stories and feel unfulfilled, wanting more closure, but these were great. My favorite was the one about the rest stop, that one was just messed up, but in a good way. I enjoyed this book so much that I immediately checked out another book by this author.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. IT WAS SO SHOCKING
FIVE STARS
THE CHARACTERS ARE SO FUN AND MAKE THE STORY EVEN MORE GRIPPING

Nat Cassidy has become an absolute go-to author for me. I was super pumped to read a book of his short stories, and was not disappointed. I'd read Rest Stop as a novella and loved it! The rest of the stories vary in traditional to experimental formats and tones. I read it much faster than I thought, I couldn't put it down. Also, I love his ties to theatre and improv. This is a great collection for the dark soul who needs a little macabre company.

There once was a time where I thought short stories weren't anything to brag about. Pfft. Big deal! Write something longer, young me thought. Nat showed me the way and I have never looked back. You have to be one hell of a creepy son of a bitch if you can jolt my heart into overtime with just a few short pages. Also, I will never laugh the same way ever again. Thanks, Nat!

This collection of short stories is a true horror masterpiece. Even though, none of these were new to me, I loved every single one of them. They all truly have something twisted and f**ked up inside and I would expect nothing less. No matter what he writes, you know that you're in for a killer good time.

This book explores sinister and supernatural locations where darkness prevails. It features the novella *Rest Stop*, recognized as one of Esquire’s Best Horror Books of 2024, alongside original short stories. The narrative takes readers through eerie settings, such as an empty gas station, a doctor's office with unsettling items, a haunted kitchen, a ventriloquist's apartment, and a silent yoga retreat, emphasizing the potential dangers lurking in these places.

This book is packed with short, creepy stories that will send chills down your spine. Some tales left me needing my nightlight, while others were okay. However, this collection truly delivers on the eerie experience! Each story is fast-paced and chilling, and I appreciate the variety of ways in which they evoke fear. You'll find terror where you least expect it or in places you would expect it, which adds to the thrill.

These short stories are great for anyone looking to dive back into reading or explore a new genre. You can enjoy each tale separately at your own pace without feeling like you're missing out, as they stand alone as individual novellas. So, if you're feeling adventurous and want to try something new, this is your sign!

This book is ideal for those who already love this author or are drawn to dark, haunting narratives that linger long after you’ve read them—enough to make you check under your bed before sleeping. I typically don't watch horror films, but there's something about reading these stories that feels different. I find comfort in thinking that the monsters, ghosts, and nightmares will only emerge when I reopen the book. But the nagging question remains: will they truly wait, or will they slowly creep off the pages and into my soul? Boo!

Thank you, Shortwave Publishing and NetGalley, for the DRC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book feels like taking a wrong turn at 2 a.m. and just committing to it. I Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours takes everyday places—gas stations, kitchens, offices—and somehow makes them feel cursed forever. Nat Cassidy is really good at building that “something is very wrong here” vibe, and once it shows up, it does not leave.

What I loved most is how weird and uncomfortable these stories get. There’s gore, sure, but also a lot of emotional messiness—grief, guilt, bad decisions—that makes the horror hit harder. Quirky, dark, and deeply unsettling, Cassidy’s talent really shines here. This collection left me feeling like the real horror isn’t the monsters—it’s how easily these stories make the familiar feel unsafe.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for providing an eARC prior to publication in exchange for an honest review.

Nat Cassidy's stories span all of the things that make the horror genre so wonderful. His novella Rest Stop, which opens this collection, is a brilliant locked room masterpiece of tension and dread, and all of the stories that follow carry that same signature wit and imagination. Cassidy has such a fantastic way with situations that should seem completely unbelievable but somehow makes them so human and emotional that you are sucked in, laughing and screaming the whole way. This is a must read collection for anyone that loves horror or just really good short fiction.

4.5/5 Stars

Normally in a collection of short stories, you have some hits, some misses, and some just okay stories. But “I Know A Place” continued to have hit after terrifying hit. Many of the stories start out normally enough, draw you in with their simplicity, and then snowball their way into tension and terror. I found it hard to put down and read the entire collection over two days. Nat Cassidy is brilliant; he finds a way to make the normal horrifying. He fills the reader with a sense of dread, all while keeping his writing style simple and easy to flow with. Out of the entire collection, there was only one short story that didn’t keep me gripped the whole time. Nat Cassidy is definitely an author to keep an eye on going forward!

Wow! Nat Cassidy does it again! I thoroughly enjoyed this set of short stories. Cassidy has a unique ability to blend horror and humor, and he can make just about any situation amusing in some capacity. These novellas and short stories connected through the common theme of “detours”: rest stops, bars, hospitals, a resort, etc. and I enjoyed the varying settings, characters, and subject content. My favorite story was “Unluckiest Girl.” It was short, sweet, and with a shock at the end to boot. I also enjoyed one of the stories that had a sci-fi, time traveling element to it. Cassidy appeals to a variety of readers, and I would urge those who shy away from horror to still try out these stories as they offer much more than what a traditional horror story contains. I will continue to be a Nat Cassidy fan and look forward to reading more from him in the future.

I was sitting in my house, watching the weather predict that an ice storm was headed my way knowing that I would be stuck inside my house for several days and low and behold I got approved to read this spooky collection of short stories by Nat Cassidy. The timing was perfection. I'm so happy I got to read this. As with any short story collection, there were some I liked more than others but this being my first book by Nat Cassidy, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I love the writing. I wouldn't compare his style to Stephen King, but I can say that I enjoyed it almost as much as I enjoy the master of horror. I will definitely be checking out more by this author.

Wow. This is my first Nat Cassidy, and it certainly won't be my last.

These short stories were creepy, nasty, gross and absolutely perfect for the Stephen King loving horror fan (ME!)

Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Shortwave for providing me with an arc of this book!

I truly believe that no one is out there doing horror the way that Nat Cassidy is doing horror. When I saw that he was coming out with a short story anthology I knew I had to read it because who doesn't enjoy micro-dosing fear from time to time. Suffice to say I was not disappointed. Cassidy does an amazing job of blending together your typically horror fare while also blending in elements of camp and making you reflect on the human condition in a bizarrely beautiful way. One of the things I always appreciate about horror is that it so often holds up a mirror to society and forces us to come to terms with our own roles within it.

Some of these stories you walk away from feeling...hopeful? Others you walk away questioning why you wanted to read it in the first place. As a long-time horror fan, what more could you ask for?

I received this book as an ARC thanks to Shortwave Publishing. I just want to start off by saying that Nat is one of my top favorite authors. That being said, this collection of short stories did not disappoint. The first story Rest Stop I read previously and it’s one of my favorite novellas. It actually made me scared. The claustrophobia in that story is next level. I made a friend go with me to the rest stop bathroom on a road trip last summer because of that story.

The rest of the collection was a good mix of scary, intriguing, some sad, and a whole lot of fun. Some honorable mentions that were my favorites: Nice, Laughlines, Run for Your Life (such an interesting concept and story, especially if you like the Beatles), and Come.

I thoroughly enjoyed each story and I’m usually not one to enjoy short story collections!

This was a fun, terrifying read which I inhaled in four days. If i didn’t have to work I’d have finished it probably in two. You know it’s good when you go to bed and lie awake staring into the dark unseeing thinking about what you just read.

Clever, unsettling and wildly imaginative horror collection with varied, punchy stories and unforgettable settings – dark, surprising and hugely entertaining. A richly twisted 4‑star read.

Two for Tuesday - Review and Food Style!

If you want to see photos taken everywhere Tony and I read this incredible collection by @catnassidy, go check out his review. If you want to see a bunch of food I ate over my birthday weekend, swipe on through. Now, onto how much I loved this collection.

Quite a bit of I Know A Place wasn’t new to me. I’d read Rest Stop and the four Cassidy Catacombs chapbooks, but that wasn’t a drawback. It was a draw. I knew just how GOOD Nat’s short works can be. I couldn’t wait for more. With so many known hits surely some of the new ones would be duds, right? Nope. Not a bad story in the bunch.

These stories are humorous, they’re heartbreaking, they’re chill-inducing, thought-provoking, life-inspiring works. I feel so lucky to have been able to discuss them while reading and tie so many memories to them so that they’re cemented more in my mind. Even if that means whenever I eat certain bar fries I’ll always think of The Beatles.

The collection is called I Know A Place, and Nat, does for her. But he also knows a Person, a Feeling, an Impulse, a Desire, a Fear. Recently, he posted that short stories are keys (and look at that gorgeous cover inspired by it!) and man, Nat sure has them all. I look forward to revisiting these down the line and am excited for anyone reading them for the first time.

Thanks to @shortwavebooks for the early read and indulging Nat is all his additions. We want more stories!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! I really enjoyed this collection. Some stories were stronger than others but overall, I thought the plots were very creative. I also appreciated that they were unsettling but not over the top. I recommend this collection to anyone wanting to read more in the horror genre

This has to be the best collection of Short Stories I have ever Read. Everyone is very distinctive and humorous. It's fun tot have short stories not be totaly open ended to make you think the author is being mysterious. I'd rather have an author who knows where he is going and what he wants. This was such a Fun Read and a Definite Day one Buy for me!!

I've had a copy of Rest Stop (the first and longest story, which was published on its own in 2024 by Shortwave) since it first came out and I loved it. It was a short but very complete novella with an excellent story arc that didn't feel cut off or like it needed to be further fleshed out.

I'm generally not a big fan of the short story format, as it seems most do have those feelings of just ending without any real conclusion, or like there was a half-formed idea that could have used some fleshing out.

I did find that most of the other short stories in this volume did leave me with those feelings. But, I'd say that's a personal taste issue, not a failing of this particular book. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. But I won't be replacing my copy of Rest Stop on its own with this collection.

This was a great short story collection. I loved rest stop. It was weird, quirky, suspenseful, and gross. I also liked how the title story was actually 2 stores in here. And how nothing really happened in the first one, but it was still creeper vibes. It was so smart. I enjoyed most of the stories in here. So great.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this collection of short horror stories; I typically never reach for short story collections. More specifically, I was surprised by how well Nat Cassidy is able to seamlessly interweave humour into these eerie and disturbing concepts. It made for a very entertaining read. No two stories were alike at all, and for that reason, I think there's something in here for everyone. My personal standouts were Rest Stop (obviously), Laughlines, and Jubilee Juncture. I didn't absolutely love every single one–some of them missed the landing for me. But again, it didn't really matter because I think his writing made up for it.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This is my first exposure to Nat Cassidy writing & I have to say I am thoroughly entranced! Something about this writing makes you forget you are even reading. This is a collection of short stories and it was really fun to come back to in-between other readings! I found the stories so seemingly normal at first & then they would always have a big twist almost never in the way you thought. They deff stick with you and have that scary story goosebumps paranoia creepy feel! 10/10 Horror read for me! If you like dark humor, horror, & are looking for a bloody thrilling time deff pick this up!

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this arc!

If, like me, you became a horror fan thanks to short stories by authors like Shirley Jackson, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and, of course, Stephen King, you'll need this collection on your shelf.

The stories vary in length and tone, but they're consistent in that they're tightly constructed and genuinely scary.

I hadn't yet had a chance to read "Rest Stop," the novella that begins this collection, and I'm so glad I finally did. It's a wild ride that balances heart, gore, and humor in the way only Nat Cassidy can. And it's a great introduction to an equally exciting collection.

Other favorites include "Laugh Lines," which fans of Ottessa Moshfegh's Lapvona will love, "Run For Your Life" (for fellow Beatles fans), and "Come," a fun and disturbing twist on the cursed tape trope.

But rest assured, like a good album, this thing has no skips. I was fortunate to read an arc, but I will be buying a physical copy when it comes out, because I know my horror collection will be incomplete without it.

Nat Cassidy is a powerhouse of a horror writer, and I deeply enjoyed this collection of short stories. Not all are bangers, but there's not a stinker in the bunch. They run the gamut from humorous to deeply terrifying; of particular note is "Laughlines" and "Rest Stop".

I will read anything Nat Cassidy puts into the world. Period. The second I found out he had a short story collection coming, I knew I had to get my hands on an ARC. Rest Stop is INCREDIBLE!! I genuinely haven’t stopped talking about it. Getting multiple Cassidy stories in I Know a Place was so fun.

I came to this after really enjoying the novel When The Wolf Comes Home. What won me over there was the playful invention on display, and that quality carries through to these stories. Don’t get me wrong, some very unpleasant things happen, and Cassidy doesn’t shy away from describing them, but it’s all done with a kind of ebullience. You can tell he’s having a great time writing these, loving each new horror he thinks of. It’s a difficult balancing act to pull off, but he manages it, revelling in the revolting in the classic EC style. He’s now a must read author for me.

This was my first time reading anything by Nat Cassidy, and it was a genuinely great introduction!

I Know a Place is a collection of horror short stories that showcases an engaging writing style and a strong understanding of atmosphere. Each story feels distinct, unsettling, sharp, and often quietly disturbing rather than relying solely on shock, which is such a good change of pace.

The stories don’t overstay their welcome, but they also don’t feel rushed. Many of them linger in your mind after finishing, which is exactly what I want from horror. Some stories are eerie and psychological, others more overtly unsettling, but all of them feel intentional and well-crafted.

I’ll definitely be picking up more of Nat Cassidy’s work in the future.

Emotionally raw, psychologically intense, and deliberately uncomfortable. It doesn’t soften its edges, but the thematic payoff makes the intensity worthwhile.

I Know a Place is the kind of horror collection that makes you deeply suspicious of everyday locations for weeks afterward. Gas stations. Doctor’s offices. Kitchens. Retreats that promise “wellness.” Nat Cassidy takes places you think you know and peels them open to reveal something gnashing, laughing, and very ready to hurt you—but somehow, miraculously, also very human.

This collection is a platter of phobias in the best way. Each story feels precise and intentional, zero filler, all teeth. Cassidy’s voice is gleefully unhinged without ever losing control; he knows exactly when to make you laugh, when to make you flinch, and when to let dread quietly pool in your stomach. The settings do so much of the work here—these aren’t just scary things happening somewhere, they’re places that feel cursed by proximity alone, like the darkness was already waiting for the characters to arrive.

And Rest Stop absolutely deserves every bit of its hype. It’s relentless, strange, darkly funny, and emotionally sharper than you expect, the kind of story that escalates so smoothly you don’t realize how trapped you are until it’s far too late. But what really elevates the collection is the thread of resilience running through it—fear is everywhere, but so is defiance, humor, and the refusal to look away.

Overall, I Know a Place is smart, vicious, unsettling horror that lingers long after you close the book. Read it—but maybe don’t stop at any rest areas afterward. 😈📖

Meetcutes, crime scenes, eclipses and killer sex tapes - is there anything Nat Cassidy can't write?

What a treat this was. Fresh from reading When The Wolf Comes Home, which is such an intense journey, I was curious to see how Nat would work with the tighter leash of short fiction. The stories range from horror to the uncanny - an email exchange during a stay in the castle really creeped me out, a story about a time traveler who steals The Beatles' career is more a character study of an unravelling narcissist.

Wherever each story sits in the scariness scale, they all share Nat Cassidy's captivating style and dialogue that draws you in. The worlds he's created are so believable - and many of them feel connected, which is satisfying if you're a Read Straight Through person like me. This is an author I am confident in, confident to follow him down the rabbit hole and find out what horrors await at the bottom.

They are intimate stories - a confessional voice in your ear, a conversation between two people which peels the interaction back to reveal the dark secrets below. A theme of possession runs through this collection; people surrendering control of their bodies - be it to another person or something else entirely. Many of these I desperately wished to be full novels (give me more alien baby fiction) and none of the stories felt repetitive; it's a really well selected collection.

Faves: Generation, Come, Reststop, Laughlines

📝ARC Book Review📝
Title: I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours
Author: Nat Cassidy
Publication Date: May 05, 2026
Rating: 5/5 stars

I Know A Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is an exceptional horror collection that understands exactly how fear works. Nat Cassidy takes ordinary, often overlooked spaces and twists them into settings charged with menace, where tension simmers and danger feels uncomfortably close. I constantly felt that quiet tension, the sense that something was wrong even when nothing was happening yet.

What impressed me most was how deliberate and controlled the writing felt. Each piece feels distinct, yet the collection remains cohesive in tone and intent. Cassidy isn’t just interested in shock value; he’s fascinated by human vulnerability, desperation, and the quiet choices that spiral into terror.

A must-read for horror fans who appreciate immersive storytelling, psychological intensity, and fear that lingers long after the book is closed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m obsessed. I absolutely loved the novella and short stories. Nearly every one I wanted turned into a full novel. Absolutely worth the read if you like twists, shock, and horror.

I received a free advanced copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This guy nails it every time! The perfect entry point to his work. Every story is an absolute marvel, jaw-dropping ideas, razor-sharp dialogue, chilling endings.

"Rest Stop," the longest tale, opens the volume, it's a blend of survival horror and game show suspense. I guess pretty much anyone who loves horror has already read this novella; if not, I quote my original, one-sentence review of it: "Don't read any review beforehand, just go in blind and enjoy!" Incredible premise, flawless execution.

Among the other dozen tales, some I'd read before ("Generation" - pregnancy horror, extremely heavy emotionally and psychologically; "Nice" - yuletide horror with creepy children and acerbic humor; and "The Art of What You Want" - a ghost story with strong thriller vibes, ends on a vile body horror note), but the ones I hadn't were >>chef's kiss<< and can't recommend them enough! "Laughlines" and "Run For Your Life" are awe-inspiring standouts: "Laughlines" is presented in email format (I love that form of presentation) and it develops bit by bit into gruesome vacation horror, taking the notion of dark humor into urban legend/folklore territory (watch out for those laughing emojis!); "Run For Your Life" reads like a time travel story at first, but in truth it's a rare gem about ambition, envy, and greed, hitting all the right notes (pun intended) when it comes to the Beatles, 1970s rock, and the cost of second chances. Cassidy's vast musical knowledge makes this story a must-read by any standard.

A couple of stories that deserve special mention: "Meet-Cute #1: The Unluckiest Girl," a truly chilling and disturbing short for all the things it does NOT say - a masterclass in implication, and, perhaps, in dark irony as well (incidentally, it also provides the title of the collection); "Come," a urban legend story about a cursed sex video going around the internet, and getting picked up by highschoolers, to their utter detriment - this was like The Ring meets American Pie, if you replace the VHS tape with a revenge porn vid.

There's a non-horror story included as well, perhaps more of a thriller or dark social drama than horror outright, "Meet-Cute #2: The Scariest Thing," a extremely intelligent tale, easily imagined as a theatrical play, going deep into relationship issues, stalking, and toxicity. The less you know about it, the better.

"A Fruiting Body" closes the collection, a prose poem? a play? a eco-horror tale? Whatever it is, it's intelligent, weird, short, and moody, going for atmosphere and feeling rather than plotting twists or an easy resolution. An unusual reading experience, to be sure (to the point that the author has to intervene and give reading instructions himself).

It's rare to find a collection full of stories with so many layers, so much irony, the author trying to make things as difficult as he can for himself, without giving up on sense or resorting to familiar and predictable gimmicks. There's a touch of the crazy in every story! Highly recommend.

I absolutely love Nat's work! I had already read Rest Stop previously (and have a signed copy) but I really enjoyed the added stories. If you have not read Rest Stop definitely read, I Know A Place, so you get the added stories as well. Gory and suspenseful-it touches on so many phobias! I will always think twice before stopping to use a gas station restroom that is for sure. Check trigger warnings beforehand (or be like me and go in blind!) and happy (not really lol) reading!!

If you're after classic horror that respects the tradition — campfire dread, liminal spaces, that creeping wrongness in ordinary places — Cassidy delivers. In 'I Know A Place' - his prose is vivid and confident. He makes you side-eye rest stops and doctor's offices, which is honestly a gift.
The gore is visceral but earns its place. The humor lands more than it misses and the themes around resilience don't preach, they just sit there underneath the scares, doing their quiet work.
The novella titled: Rest Stop is the anchor.
Laughlines - has the best atmosphere.
Jubilee Juncture - goes gleefully disgusting.
Run For Your Life - is absurdist fun built around Beatles theft, of all things.
Fair warning though — not every story hits the same depth. Some feel like quick yarns that could've gone further. And if bugs, blood, or body horror make you queasy rather than thrilled, a handful of these will test you. The collection also leans hard into humanity's dark side, which can feel relentless by the end. But that's horror. It's supposed to cost you something. If you like King or LaRocca, this is a no-brainer.

I Know a Place by Nat Cassidy feels like being lured off the highway by a flickering sign you know you shouldn’t trust…and going anyway.

This book understands places the way horror should: not just as settings, but as traps. Liminal, decaying, hungry. Every story feels soaked in dread you can’t quite name, the kind that creeps in slowly and then refuses to leave. Cassidy has a way of making the familiar feel wrong—like you’ve been here before, but something bad happened and your body remembers even if your brain doesn’t.

Standouts for me were Rest Stop, Laughlines, Jubilee Juncture, and Run for Your Life. Rest Stop is pure roadside nightmare fuel mixed with inter generational trauma. Laughlines sinks its teeth in quietly and doesn’t let go, absurd and spooky. Jubilee Juncture feels cursed in that old, whispering-ghost-town way. And Run for Your Life? Relentless. Breathless. Mean. Heartbreaking.

This collection doesn’t scream…it murmurs, it watches, it waits until you’re alone. It’s horror that understands isolation, obsession, and the terrible pull of places you shouldn’t return to but do anyway.

I know a place.
And after reading this?
I’m not sure I want to anymore, especially not alone.

Nat Cassidy is one of my favorite authors, I have enjoyed every novel he has he has published. This book is a fantastic collection of short stories with the highlight being rest stop. It is a fast paced, moving bloody, gory read. I recommend this book 100%. 5/5

Short story collections can be hit or miss for me. Lucky for me, I Know a Place was a hit for me. I really enjoyed the vast majority of these stories. The first one, Rest Stop, even made me squirm, which doesn't happen often. If you're a fan of 11/22/63, I think you'll enjoy Run for Your Life. I think there is a little bit of something for most readers in this collection.

This was my first experience reading Nat Cassidy's writing. I had a few of his previous novels on my TBR prior to reading I Know a Place and I look forward to reading those sooner than later.

Thank you to Shortwave and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

This is one of the best short story collections I've ever read. Every single story made me want to keep reading and I could have read a novel-length version of any of them. Each story had its own unique creeping sense of dread. Cassidy has solidified himself as a master of horror and I'll officially read anything he writes!

As someone who audibly shrieked when I was approved for this ARC, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I looooved this collection of stories. I had to stop myself from devouring this book in one go and made myself read it piece by piece, fully absorbing each story, world, and character. And each time I was met with another twisted tale that had me excited for the next.

From the novella, Rest Stop, that had me turning page after page with increasing speed, to the more eerie and esoteric stories that haunt you after the final word, l Know a Place: Rest Stop and Other Dark Detours is a masterclass on how to nail a horror short story. Nat Cassidy, how do you do it!!

This is a wickedly horrifying collection of short stories. The opening novella oozes with originality and kept me up way past my bedtime because I needed to know what happened next. I will NEVER leave my phone in the car again when I go into a gas station; I can promise you that much.

After starting with that strong of a story, I thought the rest of them might be lackluster comparatively, but I was pleasantly surprised that that was not the case. I continued to be impressed, one after another. A few of these reinforced pre-existing notions I had — like how you can’t trust hippies or elves on any sort of shelf — and that was both vindicating and slightly comical. The Beatles' story was absolutely unhinged and I loved every second of it.

I’ve loved everything I have read by Nat Cassidy and this collection is no different. I was on the edge of my couch, riddled with anxiety for most of it.

Nat Cassidy is top tier.

Rest Area was phenomenal when I read it as a standalone. It was just as good when I did a reread for this compilation. And damnit, Nat, you sure can write a short story too.

Forever an Auto-Buy author. Keep 'em coming.

Well, he’s gone and don’t it again. If you’ve never read Nat Cassidy before, do yourself a favor and just read this collection of short stories. Each one packs it’s own punch in a totally different way. Regardless of the story itself, Cassidy writes as if he’s in conversation with you (perhaps sitting around a campfire) in such an easy yet terrifying way – so much so that when you’re reading it you’re on the edge of your seat waiting for the ball to drop with the twist at the penultimate end. Ugh, it’s amazing.

My favorite short story in this collection (which was reallllly hard to narrow down to just one) was “Nice”. Without any spoilers, this story focuses on a boy who’s OBSESSED with Santa, and a magical elf named Jingle who… does not view Mr. Claus in the same light.

All said, each one of these stories wasn’t some cosmic far-fetched never-in-a-million-years type of horror (okay maybe the magical elf is but still), but rather it was all pure human. Cassidy is able to make familiar things such as religion, nostalgia, romance, the internet, etc. and drop you into the theme with such a twist that even the thought that IT COULD happen makes it creeptastic.

I give all the credit to my sister in law for introducing me to Cassidy’s books, and man on man I just can’t get enough. Auto-read author for life.
Thank you to NetGalley Shortwave Publishing, and the GOAT Nat Cassidy for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own and shared voluntarily.

I don't think I've ever given five stars to an anthology before, but here we are.

Sometimes short stories just don't have as much of an impact - at least with me personally - because there's not enough time to really get to know anyone or get attached, or to care. And sometimes with anthologies, it's so hit or miss, but every single story in this was a hit. Some were better than others, sure, but there wasn't one that didn't have me hooked. I love Nat's voice so much, and he knows how to get me invested immediately.

I had no idea where some of these were going - most of them, actually - but they still had a grip on me from the start. I think Jubilee Juncture is literally going to give me nightmares, that one was especially unsettling. And so was the ending of The Art of What You Want. Those two, along with Laughlines and Come, were my top four of the stories that were new to me. I'd read both Rest Stop and Nice before, and they held up. Still a big fan.

The Lunar Eclipse and Meet Cute #2 were probably the weakest of the bunch, but like I said, still enjoyed them. Had a great time with this. I love Nat Cassidy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave for the ARC!