The Pale House Devil by Richard Kadrey

(Titan Books, 2023)

Reviewed by Kate Onyett

This novella may be shorter in length, but it is long on heart and has some fantastically revolting moments that drop you right into a very special type of “ick”. Fans of darkly humorous, supernatural, violent urban fantasy will love this story. Hey, that’s not so niche if each type of fan got together and agreed to a movie night, because if this was on screen, they would all have a baller of a time.

This is what I hope is the first in a new series for Kadrey, who earned his dark fantasy/horror chops with the highly enjoyable Sandman Slim series. Likewise, this book is set in a world where magic and monsters are real, and properly applied violence can be a force for good. Well, a force for better. C’mon, you’re reading fantasy horror, morals take a seat at the door (it’s more fun that way).

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Review from BSFA Review 23 - Download your copy here.