Dathan Auerbach

You can easily tell apart people who read a lot and people who spend a lot of time on reddit when you read reviews of this book. The redditors rave about it, but the readers are all too aware of its many flaws.

It was the redditors who caused me to buy this novel. In a thread that asked ‘what’s the scariest book you’ve ever read’ a great many posters mentioned this book, about a kid who is stalked for his entire childhood. It's creepy, terrifying, you won't sleep for weeks they show more said.

And they weren’t entirely wrong. The book is definitely creepy, and a few weeks after finishing it I find myself musing uneasily on some of the events within it, but here’s the thing; it’s not really a novel. It started life as a series of reddit posts, and that’s exactly how it reads. It’s all tell and no show, the characterisation is basically non existent, and the whole thing just feels unfinished. The author claims to have worked hard at turning his original posts into a novel, but it doesn’t show. I suspect most of his effort went into the vocabulary and sentence structure, because it reads like someone trying very hard to sound like a “real writer.” Even when the sections are being narrated by a five year old it reads like an adult taking themselves very seriously.

Each chapter of the book is an important event in the main characters life, but there’s nothing linking them together. It’s all ‘when I was five, this happened. When I was 9, this happened,” and so on. It feels very disjointed and the absence of any kind of bridging scenes stops you from really caring about the characters, and it stops it from feeling like an actual novel.

I mean, yeah, these scene are all creepy in a formulaic kind of way. They remind me a lot of urban legends, with each one having a “twist” ending. Problem is that the twists only work if you don’t think about them too hard, because if you do think about them you realise they make no logical sense. Any kind of realism or is pushed aside for the creepy factor and characters act in ways no sane human would so the twist endings can work.

I’m sure if you came across these stories in some dark corner of the internet late one night you would be completely freaked out by them. But packaged as a novel they don’t really work. It wasn’t a chore to read and like I said, if you don’t think about the twists are pretty effective, which is why I gave it as many stars as I did. Still, I would be careful of being taken in by the many five star reviews it has received. show less

With a second griping and terrifying novel, Dathan Auerbach continues to perfect his blend of childhood innocence, the background weirdness of mundane life, and paralyzing horror. It'll leave you feeling hollow and with nothing to do but curl up into the fetal position and stare at the wall. I've been waiting for five years to be able to read a second novel and Bad Man more than loved up to my expectations. It would be a disservice to the genre if Auerbach doesn't become recognized as one of show more the best modern horror Writers. show less

It is extremely rare I read something solid enough to terrify me.
I mean TERRIFY. I looked at my hands while reading this at 2am and realized I was literally shaking! HOW? Me scared? The creep master ice queen? Yes friends, TERRIFIED and in fact traumatized. I loved every second of it!
This story is 100% believable, In fact I am pretty sure this is exactly what happens all the time when children go missing. Especially if you are a parent that loves your child, guaranteed this will shake you show more right down to your BONES, creep into your soul and become your new boogeyman that counters with some extreme paranoia.
In good news, while yes, bad things happen to children in this book, there is nothing too graphic that turns your stomach and groan at the author. NO.
This is extremely clever and well written. The author has sprinkled clues all over the place so its very important you pay attention. I bet you finish this book in a day or 2 because there is no way you can set it down, absolutely no way. You can feel the fear from the child's point of view when weird things start happening, but it is WAY WAY more terrifying when you read it from the adults perspective who has finally pieced it all together and the weight of this madness all comes at you full force.

Solid. Five. Stars.
In fact I need an extra star!
This landed as an immediate favorite, and I must revisit it soon!
Yes you read that right, Victoria actually wants to reread a book, despite being buried in 1,000 of waiting novels! I want to re-read to catch every last clue I might have glazed over! show less

Penpal by Dathan Auerbach is an excellent psychological thriller and hair-raising horror novel that lingers in your mind long after you've turned the last page. I had this book on my TBR list for quite some time, and finally getting around to it was well worth the wait. From the very first page, it grips you with an eerie, unsettling atmosphere that only intensifies as the story unfolds. It's a chilling descent into the unknown, and it doesn't let up until the very end.

What makes Penpal show more stand out is its simplicity—limited characters, yet so deeply fleshed out that you feel their fear, confusion, and helplessness. The storytelling is raw and emotional, building layer upon layer of unease. The events unravel like a puzzle, each piece darker than the last, leaving your brain spinning and your spine tingling. Despite the horror, the story manages to touch your heart, especially in how it captures the vulnerability of childhood and the weight of forgotten memories.

I was completely hooked and ended up finishing the book in a single day. It’s not just a thriller—it’s an experience. If you're a fan of psychological horror that messes with your mind, Penpal is a must-read. show less