Savage Indulgence: A Grisly Short Story with a Twist Ending

by Shayla Raquel

"Savage Indulgence will stun you over and over again and would make a very chilling movie for horror fans—a blockbuster." —Kameron Brook, Reedsy Reviews

Joyce has a taste for the forbidden.

After years of reveling in the finer things life has to offer, she invites four dinner guests to partake in an exquisite feast.

As her guests morph into victims, Joyce prepares for the next phase of her dinner. But her long-awaited plans crumble before her very eyes when she realizes her victims may be defective.

Despite the setbacks, Joyce will stop at nothing to satiate her hunger.

Savage Indulgence is a skin-crawling short story with an acquired taste.

"A fantastic treat that quenched my inner True Crime fan girl." —Plus Size Bibliophile

"Not for the faint of heart…or stomach!" —Louise Pachella, Embalming for Amateurs

"This is one of the craziest books I have ever read. I have read books before [like Savage Indulgence] but never an elderly lady who reminded me of June Cleaver." —Janalyn Prude

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

53 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 22, 2022

About the author

A self-publishing mentor, best-selling author, and public speaker, Shayla Raquel works one-on-one with writers every day. A lifelong lover of books, she has been in the publishing industry for a dozen years and teaches on author branding, indie publishing, book marketing, and the craft of writing.

Her award-winning blog teaches new and established authors how to write, publish, and market their books.

She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, “The Rotting” (in Shivers in the Night), The Suicide Tree, The 10 Commandments of Author Branding, All the Things I Should’ve Told You, and “Savage Indulgence.” In her not-so-free time, she studies all things true crime and obsesses over squirrels. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three fur babies.

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savage Indulgence is a wickedly delicious short, horror story with all the ingredients of a tasty and twisted tale. This is a perfect combination of suspense, macabre, and a dash of humor. I will definitely never look at a steak the same way again after reading this disturbing, frightening and humorous story. I enjoyed every morsel. Thank you BookSirens for my copy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Beth Roger aka Katiebella_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this short story. I went into it expecting blood and guts and horror and was presently surprised to find that was not the case!

It's more of a dark satyr. Joyce is throwing a dinner party where the party is the dinner. When unexpected guest turn up, and unknown diseases become apparent, she must think on her feet to save herself and the night.

I read this book about 10min after downloading it and it took me less then an hr. I couldn't be more happy with the quick read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[♡ JULIANNE ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror short story Savage Indulgence by Shayla Raquel is full of dark humor at a steady, satisfying pace, with a twisted main character who deliciously disturbed me throughout the entire story. The way the main character described her relationship with cannibalism and the gruesome things she was going to do was so engaging; I would even venture to say lyrical, and these things especially made it beautifully unsettling to read. I think the title of the book is perfectly fitting for the story. The main reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I felt the ending was too abrupt and did not correlate enough into what came before it in the story.

[Tissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my. This is a peculiar story, one I decided to read on a whim and that left me with a satisfied feeling. As I already said once or twice in previous reviews, sometimes a good horror is just what the doctor ordered.

First of all, I’m so pleased to see an elderly woman as 1. the MC 2. the villain and 3. the narrating voice. I know I’m not wild about first POVs; I’m also able to praise them when they’re done well. Plus, Raquel gives Joyce a powerful voice and an impressive personality.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]

[Haley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

This is no dinner party you want to be invited to.

I really enjoyed this short story. The writing flowed nicely and so did the story itself. I enjoyed the humorous bits which added an extra something.

The main draw back to me was the ending “twist” which I thought was pretty obvious.

I received an ARC from book sirens & am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW, what a delicious little amuse bouche of horror! The plot was intense, powerful and thrilling and held me captive all the way through! The characters fairly leaped off the page, and the tension was palpable. If you are looking for a cleverly-twisted read that you just CAN’T put down, then this is DEFINITELY the book for you!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[M.R. Pin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll never trust dinner invitation ever again after this one!

I was searching for my next ARC and wanted something different, not the usual fantasy, sci-fi, or even the normal thriller kind of story...

And I stumbled inside Joyce's house!!

This short story from Shayla Raquel was something else! Never have I ever read any kind of cannibal related book, not even zombies if those count at all... All I have consumed in terms of media related to cannibalism was the Hannibal series... And let me tell you Shayla, Joyce could easily be a new modern and improved version of him... I believe that for her that would be an achievement of some sort...

I wouldn't say the story is straightforward, simply because it doesn't go dinner-kill-dinner as you'd probably expect! Oh no... Murphy's first law all the way, quote "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." , and our poor Joyce suffers a lot in one night... Yes you'll feel sorry for a 60-something year old cannibal, mainly because she's the best person around......... Discarding the fact that she would want a bite out of you that is... Just get a tattoo or two to be safe!

All and all, it's a really nice, short story, a thriller with some comedic condiments laid on top, easily read in one sitting, plus it's not gross! There's no gory details or bloody descriptions! It's all very... Civilized, just like Joyce! And that twist at the end?? My GOD! What a beautiful and twisted moment that was!!

Thank you Shayla Raquel for the opportunity to read and review this awesome story!

This ebook was freely given to me through Booksirens in exchange for an honest review!

[Viktorija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savage Indulgence is a delectable little morsel that can be devoured in one sitting. Our first-person narrator, Joyce, is a widowed woman over sixty. We join her as she hosts her first ever dinner party for four carefully selected guests. The preparations took weeks, but the charming hostess is ready to serve a meal unlike anything they’ve tasted before.

“I’m not a bad woman.”

Joyce has a very detailed plan for the course of their evening (and also for several other courses in the near future). However, as is often the case with the best laid plans, things get derailed and the night holds several unpleasant surprises for everybody involved. Will Joyce’s resilience bring home the bacon?

Many of the characters only take to the stage for a short time, but they are portrayed convincingly, each bringing a distinct flavor to the story. The choice of a main character over sixty works especially well, and the tone is just right to bring Joyce out just as she is. The gore is tastefully done and suited to the needs of the story, detailed enough to enable full immersion while steering well away from slaughter and carnage for shock value. The pace is satisfying, with many nail-biting moments of tension interspersed with truly funny bits. The horror and humor combine to make for a delicious dish that melts in your mouth. It leaves you sated for a while, until the cravings return.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Savage Indulgence follows Joyce, a 60-year-old ish woman that had "unique" and "different" choice of the meats she devoured. It was a captivating but also disturbing read at the same time. Definitely sent me over the edge from the very first page. The backstory of the protagonist was tragic for me. That makes me wonder was it her choice to become a cannibal or was there other reason behind it?

I like the cover design of this book. Low-key gave off the vibe of having a grand dinner party! Good job to both author and cover designer.

I'm SO ready to dig into the list of resources the author provided of her research in writing this book. If you like bloody, gory and twisted stuff, this book is for you.

Content warnings: blood, body horror, cannibalism, drug use/drug abuse, gore, gaslighting, injury details, medical content, murder.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to Joyce she is a culinary expert so when she invites Patrick the artist and her new friends Beth and Ken she cook something she knows that never had. Unfortunately Michelle said she couldn’t come in even more unfortunate her event was canceled and she just showed up late. By then Patrick, Beth and Ken were all drugged laying on the floor Joyce’s home at first choice acts like a victim but then when Michelle insist they called the police she’s triangles are with the bowtie. Her first victim and the one she wants most Patrick turns out to be a disappointment because he has tattoos but that’s no big deal to Joy she lays them on the sofa and will eventually tell him he drank too much and passed out. She’s doing all this because the meat she had in her freezer is all gone and she needs more. She is A cannibal not to worry though she cooked them in reduction sauce and that’s her deceased husband Theo told her she has a real talent for that. This is one of the craziest books I have ever read. I have read books before with people who eat other people but never an elderly lady who reminded me of June Cleaver. If you like the truly distasteful and horrific you love Savage Indulgence I found it quite entertaining. I received this book from Book Siren and the author but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a thrill of a short story! I am glad too the author had some afterward notes because I really wanted to know about her research for such a gruesome topic.

I’d honestly love to see more of this story or like a series with the other cannibals in the community within the book. Like how does one really come to decide to become one? But for a short story, this was concise and a pleasant read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a nurse, I have also grossed out many family members during dinner. Sharing tales that are under appreciated unless you work in healthcare, or write horror I suppose.

Joyce is having a dinner party for some delectable guests. Things don’t go according to plan, will the meat be spoilt?

This is a fantastic & disturbing tale, well written and goes into the “seemingly” authentic details/struggles of a senior cannibal.

Thank you to BookSirens and Shayla Raquel for a copy!

[Plus Size Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fantastic treat that quenched my inner True Crime fan girl. Our girl Joyce is funny, relatable, lovable, and just has the worst luck. All she wants to do is have a nice dinner party and stock her deep freezer.

The struggle is real in this one. I greatly enjoyed watching the events of the night play out, completely oblivious to the gem that awaited at the end.

Kudos to the author for providing a very detailed yet lighthearted and funny look at the obstacles that everyday cannibals deal with.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Find me on Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/plus.size.b...

[Miranda YEUNG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let the meat sit….

Never read a cannibal story in my life. Tbh I was shocked by these dark humors intertwined with the plot.

Everything started with a dinner invitation…I bet we will think twice before accepting any party invitation from now on.

This short story is compacted. Full of surprises. The contents involved some butchering and drugging scenes. Last I have to thank booksirens and the author Shayla for this copy.

Don’t invite me for dinner… (I’m not ready….thrilled…☠️)

[Jennifer Denneny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super creepy quick read. Not for the faint of heart. Very well written and engaging. I read a free arc from book sirens and am posting this review voluntarily.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was recommended to me. I've been slowly exploring the horror genre over the last year or so...and I'm definitely enjoying figuring out what works for me and what doesn't. Personally, nothing in this story really appeals to me. I get that it's not supposed to be 'appealing', but there is something to be enjoyed in every story and I didn't get a 'pull' with this one. The topic wasn't super interesting. That said, there's a shock factor to it that I like. While I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this to someone, I think it's a story that does a good job at what it was intending to do. The writing was good and I would read more from this author.

[For The Novel Lovers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review
Title: Savage Indulgence by Shayla Raquel
Genre: Short Story, Horror
Rating: 5 Stars
I am a lover of short story for horror especially when they are darker and gorier so I was excited to pick up Savage Indulgence which seems like a Hannibal type short story around a cannibalistic dinner host named Joyce. Obviously, this review isn’t going to be long considering the story itself is only 53 pages long but I will do my best. This story is about Joyce, a 60-something woman who is a cannibal preparing for a dinner party much like Hannibal Lecter. Joyce is throwing the dinner party for Patrick, Beth, Ken and Michelle but Michelle has to cancel at the last minute leaving Joyce with only three guests all of which she is planning to kill and eat.
The dinner party itself seems to be going smoothly as Joyce drugs them before feeding them human meat and confessing what she is doing as they begin to pass out. The only one who doesn’t hear the confession is Patrick since he was the first to pass out. Joyce immediately begins preparing them for her workspace where she is going to dissect them for their meat but things quickly go south. The first problem comes when she realises that Patrick has tattoos which makes him useless to her so she leaves him to sleep of the drugs on her sofa while she deals with the others. The second problem comes when Michelle arrives and Joyce has to strangle her until she passes out but she comes out of this encounter injured. By the time she gets the remaining three down to her basement workspace, Patrick is waking up so she explains he drank to much and gets him to leave. Back in the basement Ken wakes up because she didn’t give him enough of the drugs and she has to beat him to death meaning he is now useless to her as well leaving her with the women. Upon dissecting Michelle, Joyce realises that she has blood disorder making her blood toxic and the meat unusable.
At this point Joyce is extremely frustrated and this is made worse when her neighbour, Betty asks for help in finding her dog. Joyce obviously helps and ends up running into Patrick again who left his wallet at Joyce’s. They return and find the wallet but Patrick confronts Joyce about drugging him and she uses her age as a weapon to deflect his attention away from her. She does manage to convince Patrick and gets him to leave once more before turning to her final victim, Beth. Beth is the only one that is usable for meat and Joyce makes quick work of this before marinating the meat and heading to bed. We also get a short scene of three months before where Joyce kills her husband Theo at his request after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s which led to her becoming a cannibal in the first place. I really enjoyed this story and it was perfect for Halloween, I also felt the concept would be great as a novella or full length novel much like the Hannibal series which is one of my favourites. This was a solid 5 stars from me, I don’t usually like short stories but this one was creepy, atmospheric and did exactly what it said on the tin.

[pasuht · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joyce has planned a dinner party, including the butchering (alive) and subsequent eating of the honored guests. But as perfectly as the evening is planned, her guests turn out more uncooperative than politeness would demand.

Savage Indulgence is a delicious snack, a perfectly prepared desert for the horror-hungry. In its 50 pages it avoids any superfluous sentence, any imprecision. It succeeds in all its objectives.

The characterization of the few inhabitants of this story is done with such precision, I feel I have a clearer impression of them than with some 400 page novels I read. Joyce’s narrating voice is so charming, in a nonchalant way, that I couldn’t help to but to feel along with her, not her victims. The plot is both constructed and executed with such skill that this story might make excellent teaching material for a creative writing class.

Of course cannibalistic dinner parties with exquisite cooking makes one think of Hannibal Lecter and his different adaptations. The scenes of food preparation and serving in the tv show Hannibal especially have a close parallel in Savage Indulgence . But Shayla Raquel has - with her choice of character motivation and backstory for Joyce - created a foundation different enough to make it a comparison, but not a copy.

Admittingly, the story is not very complex. What I admire in it is the clarity of execution. In a way, how Savage Indulgence is great because of its precise crafting and not because of anything extravagant reminds me of why I liked Curse Corvus by Alex Ebenstein so much- even though the content of the two works couldn’t be more different.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short story “Savage Indulgence”, by Shayla Raquel, is an entertaining, (if creepy), offering concerning a widow named Joyce. She is a lady in her 60’s who’s a cannibal. The story takes place entirely during the evening of her very first dinner party.

It’s more amusing than grotesque. It reminded me of a cross between some sort of bizarre Shirley Jackson tale and a crazed episode of the Julia Child show. The author does indeed know how to cook and is a bit of a wine expert as well. I was curious to know how they would have liked their dessert if Joyce hadn’t sprung her nefarious plan. I believe they thoroughly would have enjoyed it. She seemed to be that good a cook, and she certainly was snobby about the cookies one of her guests brought too!

Our protagonist Joyce has gathered them all together to enjoy her steak in reduction sauce, her fresh garden salad in homemade vinaigrette, and her baked potatoes with sour cream. She intends to celebrate her prowess as a chef. Ultimately she will give them the big shocker (no spoiler here!). Get ready for it…it could make you squirm!

Then things begin to go wrong for her, and this story gets more and more amusing.

Joyce is a bit of a jerk. It’s not the fact that she’s a cannibal, it’s more her belief system in general. I suppose if she cut people more slack, she wouldn’t eat them.

I liked this short story. It has just the correct amount of wit and tons of humor. Half the time I rooted for Joyce because she was trying so hard, and the other half the time I hoped someone would take her down because… really?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Two Odd Socks · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: "Savage Indulgence" by Shayla Raquel

RATING: 🥩🥩🥩🥩🥩

SUMMARY:

Joyce has planned out her evening of fine dining for weeks. With one guest arriving early and the other two on their way, the preparations are almost done; the meat is cooked, the salad is tossed.

However, do the guests really know what their hostess is serving?

*SPOILERS*





REVIEW:

This was a short story and I absolutely loved it.

Joyce was fun to follow; her night just keeps getting worse and worse. One of her guests, Patrick, I was really invested in. I don't want to go into a lot of detail because I think this needs to be read without prior knowledge.

I enjoyed Joyce. I feel like she was oddly realistic for the story that she is in. She's got standards, she knows what she is doing which I think makes the whole book funny because of how many things go wrong. I'm not sure if this was supposed to be funny, but I kept laughing. I had a stupid smile on my face while reading.

I feel like, the audience isn't being told everything little thing. The author allows the audience to make conclusions; I actually jumped to the wrong conclusion at one point but that's my brain over working.

It's a wild read. Would recommend for a quick read. Some discussion of drugs, blood, and death so be wary of that.

I recieved this through BookSirens for an honest review, so thank you to them. I may check out more short stories after this. A very pleasant surprise.

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original.

The author outdid herself with this creepy book. The POV centers around Joyce, an old woman who bites off more than she can chew. I don't want to spoil this chronicle for you. If you are into macabre and don't mind short stories, then this book is for you.

The twists in this book make it stand out. The narrative flows well, the descriptions are vivid, the atmosphere is dark, the cliffhangers are on point, the murders are realistic, and the scene break illustration makes sense. The killer's insatiable appetite seduces and compels them to do deranged things. Their devilish delight in the extraordinary, and the need to feed… Horror fanatics will undoubtedly be thrilled while reading this.

This terrifying tale will put you on edge, as you'll realize that sometimes you don't know people. An unhinged villain reminiscent of Hannibal Lecter feasts on bloody red meat like a vampire. The finale is astounding, the Q&A is jaw-dropping, and her last sentence at the end of the book regarding reviews made me laugh out loud.

I recommend devouring this book at nighttime for the ultimate scare… if you can stomach it. Test yourself!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[the vault · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an e-ARC of this book via booksirens. I am leaving this review for free and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I like that the main character was an older woman and she wasn't painted in this childish way that a lot of people will write older people or painted as a grumpy, lonely, overly critical type of person. I didn't really think this story was anything special and i don't think the ending was some shocking twist but whatever.
The book is full of humour and a main character you kind of find yourself routing for by the end even though she's objectively a bad person, but her personality just makes her so likeable. I don't know what genre I would put this in but horror or thriller don't really fit right.
Anyways this was an enjoyable and short read and i think that I just wasn't the best audience for it, especially seeing as i'm the only one giving below 4 stars.

[Puteri Iffah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this book!! this is my first time reading a cannibal-themed book, and it's not at all a disappointment! the story is short and straightforward, and I liked that the author chose a 60-ish woman to be the main character as it gives more impact to the theme of the story. of course cannibalism- in any possible way- is a devilish thing, and reading this book made me googled all the hidden easter eggs mentioned by the author-- and reading all the past cannibalism cases made me scared to my core. the author added a bit of a backstory to the ending, and I enjoyed it so much! it was shocking and unexpected. this is a short horror book, but there were not many gory scenes that made me want to puke or gag, so it's manageable, at least for a beginner horror reader like me

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Casey S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story quickly starts, with a woman hosting a dinner party, intending to prep a meal carefully chosen for her invited guests. If you're thinking this is simple enough... you would be wrong!

This short novella pleasantly surprised me! The book cover was the first thing I noticed and it pulled me in as intended, however unsuspectingly the well written plot at times reminded me of a murder-mystery with the extra added flare of #extremehorror or shock value if you will...or at least touches the surface.

Being the horror enthusiast that I am, this is not my first time to touch on the subject matter of this read, however it is my first time coming across one as the main charachter being senior in age, which was a fun take.

This read was widely "twisty," and I enjoyed every lip smacking bit of it!

[Gabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story was simply fantastic, from the cover to the writing style.
I love the main character, Joyce, and her little mannerisms. It really brings the story to life, especially when she talks about her furniture.
I definitely indulge in grisly and - what others might call - disgusting things. It's fascinating reading about the thought process of someone in a situation like this. This book is ridiculously funny, considering it's about cannibalism, and it reminds me of when I used to be obsessed with true crime and serial killers, which should be concerning, but I really enjoy consuming content about this.

I received an advance review copy for free - from BookSirens - and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kamini · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was just fantastic. I so wish I could go back and read this for the first time again. It is darkly humorous, satirical, disturbing, twisted and all this so well executed. This was just such a gruesome, yet non gory thrill.

As a vegetarian, it really twisted the issue of flesh eating on its head and made me think about the slaughter of animals and the many drawbacks and pitfalls, if you will, of eating flesh.

This short horror story follows 60ish year old Joyce as she carefully selects her four dinner guests and the cannibalistic dinner that ensues.

I had a great time reading this. It went from funny to thought provoking to shocking to doubtful to many other things. I read this in under an hour and I highly, highly recommend.

Thank you BookSirens for the ARC.

[Rita Reali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't read this before bed... or at breakfast! Shayla Raquel is a master storyteller. I'm not normally a fan of the horror genre, but Savage Indulgence drew me in right from the opening line! It impelled me onward and didn't release me 'til I reached "The End." The story was exquisitely researched – but it didn't read as though the author was dropping in information simply to prove how much research she'd done. Details were seamlessly woven through the narrative and within the dialogue. Despite the subject matter, this was a beautifully crafted piece of (I hope) fiction.

[Jess | dapper.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and gripping short story. I’ve read similar stories before and this one fits right in!

What is it with little old ladies and dinner parties? I love it when stories start this way. The way the author describes the cooking process and everything I felt like I could smell the meal the dinner guests were going to be consuming - it was fantastic.

I don’t want to say to much as most of what I want to say takes us into spoiler territory, but this short story is absolutely worth your time!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Joana · Rating 5 out of 5]

As weird as it may sound, Savage Indulgence was a really refreshing read: dark yet witty, fast-paced but still detailed and left me yearning for more - I keep finding myself wanting to know more about our dear, dark main character and their life, after that ending.
How is this main character so lovable and funny despite everything else? I loved this whole "keeping it real" vibe. I will definitely re-read this book for sure.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sydnie Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thoroughly satisfied with this short shot of a horror story novella. It had many elements that engaged me without disgusting me or scarring me and kept me interested from its first page until its last. I really appreciated reading from the point of view of the villain, and one who is in the later half of her life as well. The premise is nicely set up and has the killer having to think on her feet in multiple scenarios and then the ending takes us back to where it all began, which I really enjoyed. I received an ARC of this story but all opinions expressed are my own.