Emily Zinnikas delivers a genuinely creepy supernatural horror thriller that kept me turning pages from the unsettling prologue to its fast-paced finale. If you’re looking for buckets of gore, this isn’t that kind of horror. Instead, it leans into creeping dread, eerie atmosphere, and the unsettling question of whether the ghosts haunting this story are real—or whether the true monsters are the ones we carry within ourselves.
Seventeen years ago, Willa was the lone survivor after she and six friends disappeared into the woods outside her hometown of Rapture. Since then, she’s reinvented herself as the reclusive, world-famous artist W. Sloan, carefully keeping her past hidden. When a journalist exposes her true identity, she’s forced to return home for the funeral of her beloved art teacher, Mrs. Sloan. Planning only a brief visit, Willa instead finds herself staying to prepare her parents’ house for sale, where old memories—and perhaps something far more sinister—refuse to stay buried.
The opening chapters are wonderfully unsettling, and I appreciated how the novel sustained that sense of unease throughout. The mystery kept me invested, and the pacing is relentless, especially during the final act. Zinnikas has a talent for creating an atmosphere where every creaking floorboard and dark hallway feels threatening, making me question right alongside Willa whether the supernatural presence is real.
Where the novel lost me a bit was in its emotional depth. The large supporting cast never felt fully developed, and a few plot holes left me wishing the story had spent more time exploring its characters instead of racing toward the conclusion. Even so, the compelling mystery and constant feeling of dread made this a fun, fast read.
If you enjoy the atmospheric horror of Stephen King or Nat Cassidy, and prefer supernatural chills over graphic violence, this is a great choice to kick off spooky season.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reading copy. I Am the Monster Under the Bed publishes September 15, 2026.
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