April 8, 2024
Malfi (Black Mouth) refreshes a familiar horror trope—the surfacing of a long-hidden secret—with nuanced characterizations and a genuinely surprising reveal. Successful Manhattan attorney Andrew Larimer grows increasingly anxious about his wife Rebecca’s pregnancy as it progresses, and eventually comes to feel that a “dark wraith” has attached itself to their unborn child. Andrew works hard to conceal his stress, but his fears only solidify when he gets a late-night call from Dale Walls, a childhood friend, who insists Andrew return to his hometown of Kingsport, Md., to help Dale out of an undisclosed jam. Andrew lies to Rebecca about his destination, and, when he arrives in Kingsport, learns that Dale’s wife, Cynthia, has disappeared. Malfi doles out the details of the friends’ past gradually, illuminating a 20-year-old tragedy that they and several others, including the current deputy sheriff of Kingsport, were responsible for, and which involved a woman reputed to be the town witch. While some of the beats are predictable, Malfi impresses with his ability to maintain readers’ sympathy for Larimer despite the character’s past sins. Christopher Golden fans will be especially pleased.
Starred review from September 1, 2024
Malfi (Black Mouth) delves into the true horrors lurking behind small-town facades and teenage cruelty gone horribly wrong. The story follows Manhattan lawyer Andrew Larimer, who is becoming increasingly unsettled over his wife's troubling pregnancy. Then, he is called back to his hometown of Kingsport, MD, when he learns that his friend Dale's wife has gone missing. Once in town, he meets up with the rest of his high school friends, a complicated reunion that brings up long-held secrets and events from the past that are not forgiven or forgotten. Andrew's worries over his wife are upsetting, but they pale in comparison with the secret that this motley group has carried for years. Narrator Joe Hempel's performance is utterly gripping, pulling listeners in from the beginning and ratcheting up the tension from there. Hempel's varied tones and inflections make it easy to get lost in the storytelling, even as the book shifts back and forth from the past to the present. The shocking ending may come as a surprise, so listeners may want to brace for impact. VERDICT A familiar genre trope makes for a great home-grown horror story. Fans of Josh Malerman and Paul Tremblay will love it.--Victoria Kiszka
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