Fiend

by Alma Katsu

Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.

Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.

The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their rivals suffer strokes. Inconvenient buildings catch on fire. Earthquakes swallow up manufacturing plants, destroying harmful evidence. Things always seem to work out for the Berishas. They’re blessed.

At least that is what Zef, the patriarch, has always told his three children. And each of them knows their place in the family—Dardan, as the only male heir, must prepare to take over as keeper of the Berisha secrets, Maris’s most powerful contribution, much to her dismay, will be to marry strategically, and Nora’s job, as the youngest, is to just stay out of the way. But when things stop going as planned, and the family blessing starts looking more like a curse, the Berishas begin to splinter, each hatching their own secret scheme. They didn’t get to be one of the richest families in the world without spilling a little blood, but this time, it might be their own.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Fiction, Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller

256 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication September 16, 2025

About the author

"Hard to put down. Not recommended reading after dark." -- Stephen King

"Makes the supernatural seem possible" -- Publishers Weekly

Award-winning author of eight novels, including historical horror (The Hunger, The Deep, The Fervor) and spy novels (Red Widow, Red London). Coming September 2025: FIEND (Putnam)

Reviews

[Sadie Hartmann]

Like Succession meets The Fall of the House of Usher (Netflix) and Genie in a Bottle lore. More soon!

FIEND by Alma Katsu is a dark, cutthroat family drama of high-stakes wealth, unchecked ambition, and supernatural temptation, perfect for fans of Succession and The Fall of the House of Usher. I was transfixed by this modern Gothic masterpiece from one of my favorite voices in horror.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark family legacy comes to light in Fiend by Alma Katsu. The Berisha family is a powerful and wealthy family that runs one of the most successful companies in the world. No matter what happens in the world or who comes up against them, they always come out on top! A male heir must marry another Albanian to take the reins and be the keeper of family's dark secrets.

That might have worked in ancient times but Dardan, the male family heir, but his sister, Maris wants to be the one to run their company. Nora, their younger sister is happy to sit back and watch as her two older siblings compete to be the head of the family. But will be the head of the family be a blessing or a curse?

Welp! I so wanted to love this one. Alma Katsu has written some amazing and hard to put down books such as The Hunger and The Deep. I had a hard time putting those gripping books down. I had such high hopes for this book but sadly Fiend failed to wow me. I didn't mind this modern take on power and curses. I could not connect with any of the characters at all. I did not root for any of them. I didn't want to boo or hiss at any of them either. None failed to cause a strong emotion or reaction from me.

It pains me to say that this book wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wanted more horror or at least more horrific moments. I wanted more depth, more tension, more horror, more dread, and more atmosphere. This book felt very flat to me. I kept wondering when something BIG was going to happen. What did work in this book was the pursuit for power within a family. The competition to be the best and the one to run a company after the patriarch steps down.

Other reviews are enjoying this book more than I did so please read their reviews as well.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published September 16, 2025.

2.5 stars

The Albanian-American Berisha family runs one of the largest and most important import export businesses in the world. Things always seem to work out for them, whistleblowers die, records disappear, sometimes in mysterious ways.

Patriarch Zef is exacting and not always kind. Mother Olga supports Zef in all that he does, even though he doesn’t live with the family and only returns for Sunday dinner once a week. Dardan, the eldest child and only son is the heir apparent, but he seems ambivalent about taking over Berisha and becoming keeper of the family secrets. Maris, his younger sister, feels she is better suited for the role but her father won’t consider her because she is female. Youngest daughter Nora is a do-gooder and a party girl; she would like to see Berisha do more good in the world but doesn’t work for the company.

Things start to go awry when Dardan decides to make a move for himself and the family secrets? Maybe they aren’t so secret.

I loved Katsu’s THE HUNGER so I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near as good. There was build up to….not much. Everything was exactly as it seemed (kind of. I guess there was one twist but it wasn’t very shocking if you paid attention.) Katsu has skills but they weren’t shown to their best advantage here.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alma Katsu’s upcoming horror novel, FIEND, was my most anticipated book of the year. Thank you @mbc_books for this gifted copy! Katsu is delivering a modern-day story for the first time, with the Berisha family taking center stage.

The Berisha family is an Albanian family that makes the Sacklers look like angels. The family runs an extremely lucrative import-export business and has evaded the law for as long as anyone can remember. The family just seems to have the most luck in the world and somehow their foes end up being…handled. The family includes three siblings—Darden, the oldest son and heir to the family business; Maris, the second born daughter who lives up to the family’s potential, but doesn’t have the “look” to run the family enterprise; and Nora, the youngest daughter who wishes the family business did more for a sustainable and equitable future. The three siblings’s parents are trophy wife Olga and Berisha family CEO Zef. Without going into detail, FIEND dives into what happens when the world’s luckiest family all of a sudden has to deal when their luck suddenly dries up.

I really enjoyed this book and it’s being called a combination of Succession meets The Fall of the House of Usher, and I truly agree with that sentiment! It takes a bit longer than you’d expect to get to the action, but I enjoyed the backstory and build-up. At first you may not think this story is horror related, but by the final act you’ll definitely see this book’s sinister side. A little on the short side, I only wish we had more! STARS: 4, PUB: 9/16

[OutlawPoet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really, really, really like the author. I did not really, really, really like this book.

As I try to pin down what didn't work for me with this one it comes down to a few little things.

There wasn't a single character I liked, nor was there one I loved to hate. I just didn't really enjoy any of them.

As for the story, it was not as complex as I'd hoped. Exactly what you think is happening is happening. There were few surprises.

I did enjoy the cultural aspects, but I just kept expecting something more.

A miss for me, but I'll look forward to the author's next book.

[megs_bookrack ((struggling to catch up))]

ARC received! Thank you, G.P. Putnam's Sons!!



I'm excited to see what Horror Katsu will bring to a Contemporary setting!

[AgoraphoBook Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 / 5 stars

'Fiend' is a very different type of story than those written by Alma Katsu in the past.

If you enjoyed Mike Flanagan's The Fall of the House of Usher or David Bruckner's The Night House, you'll probably enjoy this book.

Does it feel super original? Not to me.
Did that ruin my reading experience?
Not at all.

Recommend. ✌🏻

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loads of fun, ate it right up.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the June 2025 Issue of Library Journal

Three Words That Describe This Book: Ancient Evil, Multiple Points of View, Thriller-Horror Hybrid

Draft Review:
The uber wealthy Berisha family has ruled the import-export industry for a thousand years. Over that millennium, any time someone tried to cross them, death and destruction came decisively and swiftly. Readers encounter the Berisha family in 21st century NYC through the eyes of current patriarch, Zef’s, three children: Dardan, eldest and only son, a reluctant heir; Maris, middle child who wants nothing more than to usurp Dardan; and Nora, youngest, who wants the family and use their power to put good into the world. Alternating between the three, in timelines set “Now” and during their childhood, “Then,” readers are able to get a full picture of each sibling while also watching them come to terms with the demon that both controls and blesses their family. All the more horrific for its realism, Katsu’s first contemporary Horror novel is oozing with dread as it accurately captures the evil required to obtain and retain exorbitant wealth at a moment in history when billionaires are destroying the world with their greed. The idea of an assist from an ancient demon feels chillingly possible.

Verdict: Critically acclaimed for both her Horror and Thriller novels Katsu presents a fast-paced story that will unite all of her readers. Fans hungry for readalikes to the TV show Succession will be lining up for this one, but it also pairs well with the terrifying satire of Sarah Langan’s A Better World as well.


This is a book about the Horror of greed and uber wealth, but it is also a terrifying tale of an ancient evil and the family that it is attached to.

Everyone in the world knows the uber rich Berishas family is blessed by the gods and only an idiot will cross them. Those who do-- terrible things happen to them. Every. Single. Time

3 siblings-- the next generation in the Berisha family. Their family-- Albanian-- has done import-exports better than anyone for 1,000 years. They are the wealthiest of the wealthy people in the world. They are also horrible. The have connections with factories where workers are abused and killed, they are ruthless.

The story is told through the perspective of the 3 sibilings-- all in their 20s. Dardan is the eldest and only son. He is being groomed to take over. He knows how heavy the burden is because he is being told the truth from his father to get him ready, but he doesn't want to do it. He knows he has to but still. Maris the middle child who wants desperately to be in charge. She will do anything for it. And Nora, the baby, the one who wants to change the legacy of the family and use their power to put good into the world.

Zef is the dad. He holds the power, his anger needs to be controlled or the family is at danger. He lives apart from them to protect them and his wife-- visiting every Sunday. He is like the head of a mafia family as well. Their connection to Albania and their very large family is important.

The now story line as everything is falling apart is juxtaposed by "then" when the kids were each smaller and a time when they started to understand what was really going on with their family but didn't fully understand.

All of the revelations from "then" are slowly revealed throughout the "now" storyline. Everything unfolds in a thriller type pacing and structure which works perfectly. We know there is a supernatural force of some kind early on, but the full power, fury, and history of it-- that is slowly unveiled at just the right speed.

This book is more terrifying because it feels so real at this moment in history where Billionaires with evil agendas are running our country and destroying it with their greed. Adding the power of an ancient evil doesn't seem that far fetched right now. Actually, it would be better than our current timeline. And that is saying a lot because this book is oozing with dread and horror from every page.

Fast read, but still plenty of character and world building. The three siblings are very distinct and the back story to the ancient evil and its powers is original and compelling.

Easy connections for all of your patrons who love Succession but also the dark fantasy, mafia drama of Fonda Lee's The Green Bone Saga which has more of the historical aspects, but probably the best readalike is-- A Better World by Sarah Langan-- From NoveList--An outside-the-box satirical thriller follows a family's odyssey into an exclusive enclave for the wealthy that might not be as ideal as it seems. Horror-Thriller-Satire excellence.

[Sophie Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Alma Katsu's historical horror novels - this is her first modern horror story and unfortunately I don't think it hits as hard as the likes of The Deep or The Hunger.
Fiend is a family drama story centred around a wealthy family which should be an interesting complex story however it lacks depth - it could have had a little more substance to make the outcome feel shocking. It's only around 210 pages so that could be the issue for me - we just needed more to the story to make it feel more fleshed out.

[Sierra Fallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Groups PUTNAM for the e-ARC.

‘Fiend’ was a modern day “be careful what you wish for” and “don’t bite off more than you can chew” type of story. The pace was quick without being unclear about what’s going on, the flashbacks left little tidbits to link everything in the end. The dynamic is exactly what you’d expect of a wealthy, powerful family with secrets to hide. Overall it was kind of like a modern ‘Fall of the House of Usher’.

Overall 3.5 ⭐️

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is power a blessing or a curse? If it’s a curse then, can a curse that’s lasted generations be broken? What does it take to break it? This novel had me at the edge of my seat the entire time.

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Fiend, Alma Katsu proves that she is as much the queen of modern horror as historical. This book is so well-done, and I absolutely loved it. It’s a relatively quick read, but the story is so compelling I will be thinking about the book for a very long time.

The Berisha Family have always been the most powerful ones in the room. They succeed at everything they do, and they always win. Of course, sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to truly succeed in business and keep your power; but the head of the Berisha clan has more blood on his hands than your typical CEO. As his three adult children fight for his attention, his power, and his love, they begin to realize that it’s not just luck and will that have kept their family on top for so long; there is something working for their family behind the scenes. As the family begins to fracture, the question evolves from what this mysterious power is, to who will end up commanding it… and if they will be able to control it.

Alma Katsu is a genius at writing supernatural monsters, but the wonderful thing about Fiend is the way it shows how humans can be the real monsters (even when there’s an actual monster around). The corrupting influence of power on even good motivations is a central theme of this book that feels uncomfortably relevant in this era where the ultra-rich seem to have no personal or legal boundaries. There were a few parts in this book where I cringed as I read, because the parallels between actual messed-up things corporations have done recently were frighteningly close to the fiction. But horror is most effective when it displays the fears of the era, so a horror book about a ruthless CEO and his messed-up family is incredibly relevant, and will resonate with readers.

My favorite part of this book was the Berisha siblings, and their relationships. Without saying too much and possibly spoiling anything, the Berishas are a very, very messed up family. Each sibling’s character is complex and well-written with vastly different yet intense personal motivations, and it was frightful fun to watch them scheme around each other. The storylines and vibes of the books are wildly different, but the detailed sibling relationships reminded me of The Bog Wife, one of my favorite reads from last year. Again, they are very different stories, but if you enjoy books that focus on fractured sibling relationships, you will enjoy Fiend.

I would recommend Fiend to fans of Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher, as well as to any readers who enjoy stories about badly behaved characters, powerful families, and supernatural thrillers. If you enjoyed Alma Katsu’s previous historical horror, I think you will also love this book; while different tonally, I found it recognizable as her work, and I hope she continues exploring this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc! All thoughts & opinions in this review are my own.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Fiend" is the first book I've read by author Alma Katsu but it definitely will not be my last. I'm hooked! The powerful Berisha family has always been very successful in business, amassing a fortune in the billions. They've also been very lucky; accidents at rival businesses, evidence disappearing, the convenient deaths of competitors, etc. As Maris, the eldest daughter, seeks to ingratiate herself to her father to become his heir apparent, she begins to have an inkling that perhaps the family's good fortune isn't due to luck alone but rather something much more ancient and dark.

This book was wildly entertaining and I absolutely devoured it. It's the perfect book to curl up with on a rainy day and read cover to cover in one sitting. Many thanks to NetGalley for introducing me to a new-to-me horror novelist and I can't wait to read more from Alma Katsu.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read that pulled me in pretty quickly. The premise is unique and kept me curious the whole way through. It’s a quick read with just enough horror to keep things tense and eerie without being too scary or overwhelming.

The characters aren’t exactly likable, but in a way that works—I wanted to keep turning the pages just to see what they’ll do next. The ending had a great twist that left me satisfied.

If you like horror that’s more unsettling than terrifying, and enjoy character-driven stories with a dark edge, this one’s worth picking up.

[John J Questore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, as always, I need to thank G. P. Putnam, and Megan Beatie for the opportunity to read Alma Katsu's forthcoming (September) novel, FIEND.

Having only read THE DEEP (and thoroughly enjoyed it), I jumped at the chance to read something else - especially before the general public.

I'm not sorry I grabbed it.

FIEND is a delightfully haunting story about curses, family, and greed - very much in the same gothic feel of The Fall of the House of Usher.

Long story short, this extremely rich and successful family seem to always get what they want, or need. Troublemakers to the family tend to wind up dead, in extremely mysterious, and often unsolvable, ways. Is it luck, or something more sinister? Well, read the book and decide for yourself.

It was mentioned in a different review that one of the negative points to the story is that there is no character that you feel for. The Berisha family make Gordon Gekko seem like a upstanding citizen, and are just ruthless, uncaring, and, well, plain evil. Exactly what you would expect from a family that's obscenely rich, and has been for over 1,000 years. They have no friends, many enemies, and no meaningful relationships. By the end of the story, you're actually rooting for... oops, almost put a spoiler in there. Suffice to say, you're hoping every member of the Berisha family goes the way of the Dodo.

There were some twists, and turns, and enough plot to keep the story line going; and the end was perfect for the way the story went.

If you're a fan of gothic thrillers, and/or supernatural thrillers, you won't go wrong with this one.

[Laura Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

If Succession had a demon in the boardroom and a taste for blood, you'd get Fiend. Alma Katsu’s latest is a sleek, corporate horror novella that’s as chilling as it is addictive. It’s got family drama, supernatural menace, and a whole lot of moral rot—and I devoured it like a cursed cocktail at a power lunch.

The Berisha family is rich, powerful, and absolutely cursed. Their empire runs on secrets, shady deals, and something ancient scratching at the walls of their penthouse. Maris, the middle child, is stuck in a sexist legacy that demands she marry strategically while her brother Dardan is groomed to inherit the family’s dark throne. Nora, the youngest, wants out—but privilege is a hard thing to quit cold turkey.

Katsu’s writing is razor-sharp and laced with dread. The dual timeline adds depth, showing how these twisted siblings weren’t born monsters—they were made. The horror here isn’t just supernatural; it’s systemic. Greed, corruption, and misogyny drip from every page, and the demon? It’s just the cherry on top of a very rotten sundae.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC!

[Chelsea Pittman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed almost all of Katsu’s other books and I was excited to get an early copy of Fiend.

The beginning intrigued me and I felt the story was really interesting. Unfortunately for me, the rest of the story didn’t live up to my expectations. It was fine but lacked more of a horror aspect. Don’t get me wrong, there’s horror elements but I needed it to be laid on more heavily.

If you are looking for more of a cutthroat family dynamic with a sprinkle of horror, you may enjoy this. I flew through it so fast it felt more like a novella than a fully fledged novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alma Katsu, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read Fiend. I have written this review voluntarily and honestly!

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Non-linear timeline, three Berisha siblings- shifting narrators, toxic powerful family dynamics with political intrigue

Fiend didn't grab me the way Alma Katsu's other books have. It felt more like a thriller than horror, with a splash of paranormal and even that wasn't satisfying. The main characters are largely unsympathetic and the crescendo of events fell flat. I hate to give this a bad review because I adored The Fervor and The Wehr Wolf but Fiend was disappointing. I wanted more horror. It certainly does have some horror elements but not enough. The prose being solid is the only part that kept it out of two star range. Sadly this was a pass for me.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prose: basic
Pacing: slow
Scary: not
Gore: one scene
Spice: 🌶
Character Development: Minimal
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berisha family is the picture of success. Wealth and power exude from their pores, but at what cost?

Fans of Succession will love this family drama with a touch of supernatural horror. The layers of the story are expertly revealed in the hands of Alma Katsu, an author whom I have loved reading over the years. I didn't love any of the characters, nor did I despise them, but I was helplessly pulled into their web of greed and deceit.

This was a slow burn of a book, lagging a bit at times, but the conclusion was chilling and well done. An overall satisfying read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alma Katsu, and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this before publication date.

[AndaReadsTooMuch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Alma Katsu wastes no time launching you into the story. From a brief glimpse of childhood to the second in line of a powerful company, the way the rich and powerful move is just different.

And I’ll be honest. Not a single one of the characters is redeemable. They are awful. They are reprehensible. And I think that’s the point. It’s written very well. You genuinely hate the family from page 1. I was mostly rooting for the protector in this novel. And well, I won’t spoil the ending for you.

[Joanne Hale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap that was good! Like "Fall of the house of usher" or "Succession " but with a demon and twists and turns I was not ready for.

The Barisha Family: Father Zef, Mother Olga, Dardan, the older brother who is set to inherent the family business and sisters Maris, and Nora, the youngest. An Albanian family with a lot of secrets and an inheritance larger than money.

And then there's the smoke. And the protector, an evil entity who has more to do with the family than just protection.

This novel is sticking to my bones like a wet leech. Alma Katsu is fantastic. This was definitely a hit for me, even from page one.

Thank you, Netgalley.com, for the ARC. Fantastic!!

[Brandon Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Alma Katsu for the eARC.

3.5 stars

This is a story very much centered around the greed of one family. It shares heavy undertones of The Fall of the House of Usher and the HBO tv series, Succession. It's a quick read and tbh, left me wanting more. I never fully attached to any of the characters, and it was for the best, as the body count quickly starts to pile up. The ending had a nice little payoff.

I loved the concept and I love Alma's ability to write an "easy to follow" story.

[Melissa Joulwan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun… eerie and clever, not scary. The ending is a little abrupt but it’s such a fun ride, I didn’t care. If you liked the TV series Fall of the House of Usher, you’ll probably like this, too.

[Ryan LaBee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Fiend
Author: Alma Katsu
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: September 16, 2025
Genre: Horror / Literary Fiction / Supernatural Thriller
Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.8)
Length: 239 Pages
Review by Ryan Thomas LaBee
Succession meets Supernatural in this tale of greed, dynastic rot, and the demons we inherit. With Fiend, Alma Katsu confidently steps into contemporary horror, crafting a blood-soaked corporate allegory wrapped in folklore, family trauma, and a quietly brooding supernatural presence. It’s ambitious, smartly built, and darkly stylish—though not without its flaws.
Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s Sons, the editor, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Fiend in exchange for an honest review.
At the center of the story is the Berisha family, a powerful Albanian-American dynasty whose wealth and survival are fueled by a chilling secret: a demonic entity, “the protector,” that grants generational prosperity in exchange for soul-level corruption. It’s an undeniably juicy premise, and Katsu leans into it with conviction, drawing from her extensive intelligence background and fascination with Balkan mythology.
The novel’s anchor is Maris Berisha—an overlooked daughter with ambition sharp enough to cut glass. Her arc, as she vies for power within the family and the entity itself, is captivating in concept but too often oversimplified in execution. She reads more like a character from prestige TV than a deeply lived-in protagonist, with emotional beats sometimes delivered in italics rather than action. Her brother Dardan, the moral compass, is saddled with too much indecision to be memorable, though his private struggles with legacy and duty offer needed contrast.
Still, Katsu succeeds where it counts: in mood and metaphor. The horror here is less about jump scares and more about the insidious nature of power—how it's passed down, protected, and justified. The protector, as an allegorical force, evokes everything from the opioid epidemic (Katsu directly cites the Sackler family as inspiration) to the unchecked greed of political dynasties. The real-life echoes hit hard, especially in light of Katsu’s intelligence and national security career. You can feel her anger beneath the page—and it works.
Prose-wise, Fiend walks the line between literary and commercial. It’s accessible, atmospheric, and often sharp, though sometimes weighed down by redundant internal monologue and overly explanatory dialogue. Scenes that should land with dread sometimes fizzle into melodrama. But when Katsu locks into her groove—especially in the novel’s colder, quieter horrors—she delivers.
From boardrooms to Balkan blood feuds, Fiend blends genres in a way that’s uniquely Katsu: a political horror novel with mythic bones. As Silvia Moreno-Garcia puts it, “Katsu ventures into contemporary horror with panache.” And Victor LaValle calls it what it is: “an amorality tale.” Just don’t expect a conventional horror novel—this one plays the long game.
Final Verdict:
Fiend is a razor-edged, slow-burn supernatural thriller about the darkness of dynastic power, both inherited and chosen. While the characters and pacing don’t always match the strength of its allegory, Alma Katsu delivers a stylish and timely horror novel that will resonate with fans of Mexican Gothic, Dopesick, and Succession. It’s imperfect—but bold, relevant, and worth the ride.
Recommended for readers who enjoy:
Corporate horror with supernatural stakes


Literary thrillers with mythological undercurrents

Stories about toxic legacies and blood-bound curses

Political horror with sharp allegory

Authors like Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Victor LaValle, and Catriona Ward

Fiend drops September 16. Thank you to MB Communications and Netgalley for the ARC for this review.

[Kristine Gift · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Disclaimer:* A digital ARC of this book was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Fiend is the story of the Berisha family, and the series of internal and external tragedies that find them and threaten the family in rapid succession. We closely follow middle child Maris as she tries to find a way to maneuver herself to the top of the pecking order. And also there's a demon, tied to the family, which has paved the way to their success for generations.

It is pretty sad when the epigraph is the best part of a book. I saw the three quotes preceding the novel and I was like, "Yes! Game on!" And then the book fell flat on the first page and continued to be flat, bland and hollow. At first, I thought perhaps Katsu's style doesn't work for me, but I wanted to give the book a fair shake and get to 20-30%. And though the writing persisted in being oddly bland and devoid of almost any depth of feeling, I did want to know if the telling of the story improved or if the plot ever materialized (it does, between the 50-70% mark).

I found this to be a very dull plot that moved in a strange, jump-cut sort of way. A character would be texting someone at the office, and then a sentence later (with no transition), they are in a bar together. A character would say/think something and then 2-3 pages later completely contradict themselves. Character arcs/timelines were not consistent. Any scheming was quickly concocted and resolved, as well as any sources of tension. Anything that arose as an impediment or threat would resolve in a page or two, or in just a few brief sentences. Feelings were told, not shown. There was no atmosphere and the setting was a cardboard cut-out; I didn't even know what season we were in until past the 90% mark. The writing at every turn felt lackluster and shallow.

Sadly, for an alleged horror novel, this had no jump scares, no chills, no tension. Nothing really happened of note. I guessed all the deaths and twists, and I felt nothing about these characters at all. There is just something missing from Fiend for me. There was nothing to sink my teeth into. Honestly, if the book hadn't been so short, I would have DNF'd it.

And as a final note, I think the blurb tagline "Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call" should not mention the demon. As the reader, you then go into the book knowing there's a demon, but then it's not confirmed until way too late in the book, so all the "oh is this real? no it couldn't be" waffling that the characters do feels silly because we already know that it's real because of that promo line.

Note: I would typically use a copius # of examples in a review like this to illustrate my points, however the ARC I read is a proof copy not a final edition so there may be changes to the text. Also because an ARC is an ePub, not a kindle file, the notes/highlights are handled differently on kindle and trying to review them is a nightmare so I am not even going to bother, sorry!

[Conni Guffey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Berisha family is blessed.
Or cursed.
It really depends on which side of the table you happen to be sitting at the time.
What they are is uber-wealthy, uber-powerful, and a family not to be trifled with because bad things happen to anyone who isn't on the same page.

Patriarch Zef rules the empire, his immediate family, and anyone he comes in contact with with an iron fist.
His wife Olga is a beautiful object, seen but not heard
Dardan is the oldest son, as handsome as his mother is beautiful, and heir to the empire when Zef can no longer continue his reign. Except Dardan isn't really sure he wants to be next in line.
Maris is the oldest daughter. She takes after Zef's side of the family. Not beautiful like her mother, but ruthless and cutthroat like her father. She wants to become the next head of the family, but women do not rule in the Berisha line. They are, at best, breeders. Marrying the correct mate to further the lineage.
Nora is the youngest daughter. Wild. Beautiful. Willful. Prone to create issues that have caused Zef to estrange her from the family until she is willing to make amends and become the dutiful child he demands. She has also had an imaginary friend since she was very young. Something that has turned her into a laughing stock in the family and seen her virtually ousted by her siblings.

When a whistleblower that is to testify against one of the family's businesses turns up dead, hanged in his motel room, suspected suicide, the pot starts to boil. From this point, the story is a breakneck race to see who is next, who is to blame, and who is expendable.
Corporate ogliarchs vs. the supernatural. Summon the otherworldly big guns and let's shoot it out in the boardroom, rather than the OK Corral.

Backstabbing, dysfunctional family dynamics, murder, suicide, spirits...it's all in there.

This is my third Alma Katsu novel and I'm a fan. She's a "buy on sight" for me. But that doesn't mean I always love her endings.
Honestly, this one felt a little rushed. Another 10-15 pages to "meat" up the follow-through would have pleased me a little more.
But it was a good read. I started it and finished it in just a few hours, picking it back up every time I had a couple of free minutes. I guess that's what a good book is supposed to do.
Will it stay with me at the end of the day? I doubt it. But I enjoyed the ride.
3 stars for the story. 4 because I love this author and will read anything she publishes.

[Gerika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: Very interesting plot and this is what drove me to read this book. The Berisha family owns a large, very old export business and for some reason, everything turns out their way, especially when there are people who plot against them or try to do anything that will ruin the reputation of the company, they end up dead or just disappearing. Is it just luck or is there something sinister or even mysterious behind it. We can guess from the name of the novel, but what are the details?

The novel, I would say is a slow build, but it really kept me turning the pages. It is not really scary, but it was dark and mysterious. Has a modern gothic setting in the family home, along with a contemporary setting, like in other settings.

The ending surprised me. Without ruining anything, I didn't expect a particular character to do what he/she did. The story focuses more on the human characters more than the fiend. The only thing I was bummed about is not seeing more action with the fiend or knowing it more.

Setting: The setting is appropriate for the story or plot. It takes place between mainly the family home, the family business, and a few other settings, but mainly the first two. It goes between the present and past and it does this in a beneficial way in order for the reader to grasp the history of the family, the characters, and story.

Characters: The characters are well built. There is Zef, who is the patriarch of the family...the very strong and ruthless father of the three children (Dardan, Maris, and Nora). He is holding secrets. Then the story splits between the three children, but it is mostly in Maris' point of view, who is the middle child (daughter) who has dreams of taking over the family business. The characters, I felt were very well developed. They had strong present and backstories...strong personalities (whether the character is passive, ruthless, carefree, etc), and their relationships between each other. Their feelings show. There are side characters and even though we don't get into their heads, we can get a feeling on how they may feel and how close they are to a person or to the family.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern take on the old aphorism "Be Careful What You Wish For," Fiend is a fast-paced dark thriller that defies its reader to stop turning the pages. In her latest work, Alma Katsu captures the essence of the corporate villain epitomized by the Sackler family, whose legacy of greed with Purdue Pharma led to an addiction epidemic. Katsu draws this parallel explicitly for the reader with a direct reference, but little else in the book borrows from or owes credit to history. This inventive tale of class conflict, indoctrination and isolation in a gilded cage is original and convincing.

The author mentions in her acknowledgments that the book is fairly different from her previous novels, and it's true, Fiend is an ambitious departure from the dark fantasies and dark historical fiction she wrote early in her career, even more so from the international intrigue and espionage of her recent novels. The story revolves around family loyalty and lust for power, the natural drive of human ambition, that, left uncontrolled, can lead to all-consuming greed. Here, that bottomless appetite is manifested physically, leaving the flawed and formerly coddled robber-barons corrupted absolutely, literally cursed, by unnatural power. The mythology behind the phenomenon is enjoyable, but lacks depth as the nature of the curse is revealed.

Fiend is a satisfying parable, punctuated by visceral scenes of greed and brutality. Readers will find it hard to root for even the least culpable actors in this morality play, but the underlying lesson is clear, that benefitting from the suffering others, despite short-term gains, will ultimately result in ruin.

Fans of Rachel Harrison's The Return will find familiar territory here and Katsu readers will be pleasantly surprised by the new dimensions she's added to this return to form.

A thoroughly philanthropic thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

[Kali Hecate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Alma Katsu since her enchanting The Taker trilogy. That series introduced me to Katsu's beautiful writing, and I've been hooked since, eagerly devouring everything she puts out. I love her historical horror, so when I heard she had a new book, I had to read it. I'll admit that when I saw that Fiend was modern-day horror instead of her usual historical horror, I was somewhat skeptical. I shouldn't have been because a writer as talented as Ms. Katsu doesn't miss and Fiend was no exception.

We follow the Berishas, an Albanian American family that runs a successful import-export company. The Berishas are cold-blooded, ruthless, and ridiculously wealthy. Everything seems to go their way. Success follows them, but so do violence and death. In Fiend evil begets evil and nothing is as it seems.

When the novel begins the two oldest Berishas are jockeying for position within the company. The oldest son, Dardan, has grown weary of his family's ruthlessness and wants to go his own way. His sister and middle child, Maris, thinks Dardan is soft and unfit to lead the family's empire. The youngest daughter, Nora, seems different and has no outward aspirations to run the family business. Instead, she parties, takes drugs, and generally disassociates from her family's machinations. When Dardan decides to stand up to the family patriarch, Zef, and plot his own path things take a tragic and violent turn. Maris sees this as her opportunity to take the reins and have everything she's ever dreamed of. She only needs to convince Zef that she can do everything her brother could, but better. From there the story hurtles towards the family's eventual reckoning with each other and the supernatural forces that bind them.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys supernatural horror, messed-up families, and Succession-style scheming. In fact, the story gave me Succession meets Wishmaster vibes. Fiend reminds us to be careful what we wish for. Because sometimes getting everything you ever wanted isn't quite the fairytale ending you may have dreamed of.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alma Katsu and Penguin Group Putnam for the arc of Fiend.