Senseless was my first novel by Ronald Malfi and it definitely left me wanting to read more. The atmosphere of the novel was deeply unsettling: from the man who believes he is a human fly, to Maureen's stepson who gives off a creepy and menacing vibe from his first introduction. The appearance of a mysterious book that may tie aspects of the various stories together was something I really enjoyed, too.

Senseless definitely made me see similarities between Malfi's writing style and Stephen King's and I mean that in the best possible way as a huge Stephen King fan. I will be picking up more books by this author. In fact, I have already purchased a copy of Small Town Horror!

Note: I received a free unpublished proof of this book, for a limited time, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.

As with many of the horror titles I review, this book contains a great deal of NSFW and violent content and is hence only appropriate for adult readers (18+). The book contains graphic depictions of murder, violence, corpses, injury, blood, mental illness, self-harm, knives, torture, loss of a spouse/partner, loss of a child. There is a lot of graphic gore in relation to these topics. There are also some graphic sexual scenes. Topics that are portrayed or mentioned but not graphically shown: misogyny, sexism, guns, toxic relationships, bullying, child abuse, sexual abuse. Cancer and child death are mentioned/discussed but not graphically portrayed. Virtually every common content warning applies to this book.

I really enjoyed this book, but I also think the content warning is really necessary for this one. The book made me deeply uncomfortable, which I thought was a plus and not a minus given that I enjoy viscerally scary horror books, but I realize not everybody wants to read that. If you are looking for a more straightforward Gothic/noir/crime novel with some atmosphere and mild supernatural themes…this is not it.

I requested this after reading Malfi’s excellent earlier book Black Mouth, mostly because the library had it and I was under the impression that a lot of Malfi’s work had been nominated for some sort of award. It turns out I was only thinking of Small Town Horror and its Locus nomination, but I’m glad I read Black Mouth because I had to return Small Town Horror to the library several times since it was so popular and, well, I’ll get to it eventually. Black Mouth familiarized me with Malfi’s style and got me interested in reading more of his writing in general, and I wholeheartedly recommend that one as well.

Senseless is one of those books that follows several plotlines and perspectives at a time, slowly crossing them over throughout the book. This writing style was very fitting for the subject matter because it built suspense and successfully withheld certain information from the reader until the author decided to reveal it. I liked this approach a lot better than that of some books, like Stephen King’s Holly, where the reader spends a lot of time waiting for the protagonist to catch up to what the reader knows from the perspective switches.

Malfi takes a somewhat similar approach to King, in a good way, in that he introduces characters who are similar to the kinds of people we might know and puts them in a bizarre situation. (Well, we probably don’t know many Hollywood film producers, but we are aware that they exist in the real world.) That said, the plot in this book is somewhat more ambitious and fast-paced than some of King’s more recent work (yes, I’m aware his classics are supposed to be better, but I’m mostly familiar with Revival and You Like It Darker). Malfi also creates a much stronger atmosphere of fear and suspense, with a lot of focus on both the overarching tone of the setting and the gory details of the plot.

Some parts of the book are written like a more straightforward noir or police procedural book, though this is definitely a narrative in which all of the characters are flawed—the cops and detectives are not unambiguously the “good guys.” The storyline definitely portrays ways in which the system allows individuals to go against the public’s interests and abuse their power. Hence, while I felt the book was mild copaganda in that it was not really critical of the institution of policing in the US as a whole—it focuses more on individuals breaking rules than on questioning the rules to begin with—it is not the sort of “rah rah” copaganda that many of us are tired of in which cops are America’s heroes saving us all from serial killers every week and achieving superb results from practices that are ineffective in real life. Your mileage may vary.

There is a lot of gore, including some scenes that I practically couldn’t read. The use of gore is appropriate given that violence and the desire for visceral experiences are central themes of the book, so it doesn’t feel gratuitous or unnecessary, like some of the “graphic horror” stuff I’ve read for reviews in the past couple years. There wasn’t crude gross-out humor or things only put in there for the effect of “look how messed-up this is.” These themes are also developed over the course of the book across multiple perspectives, which aids in not feeling like all the gross stuff is being thrown at you at once.

I don’t want to talk about the plot in detail because it unfolds gradually and would be easy to spoil, but the main three plotlines focus on a detective trying to solve the murder of a woman found mutilated in the desert, a woman who has just married a famous Hollywood producer and comes into conflict with his reckless adult son, and a young man in an unstable housing and employment situation who sees himself as a “human fly.” This third character is by far the most interesting, but maybe that is just me and my interest in stories about lonely, obsessive characters with a questionable grip on reality. From a more technical perspective, this character’s arc does introduce most of the supernatural horror that really keeps the book moving, so maybe I am onto something here.

Overall, this wasn’t the best or most imaginative horror book I’ve read, but it was good for what it was, and I give it a solid three stars.

What a great book, very unique in its prose and overall layout. loved it. the hinting at a Vampire was a great idea and what it turned out to be was pretty cool. Malfi is an amazing story teller and i really enjoyed this one. really enjoyed the different point of views and how they ended up coming together. some really fd up characters in this one! just wait to meet the monkey. I mean wtf. lol.

Told from three perspectives; Bill Renney, a Homicide Detective; Maureen Park- a novelist, engaged to a film producer (father to the odious and spoilt Landon) and Toby Kampen, the self-proclaimed ‘Human Fly’(I have the Cramps song in my head every time I read that description!), Senseless has a slow burn start. Actually, I found it quite slow up until the half-way point.

It’s very L.A in its setting (well, from the point of view of a Brit who has never been there!) - slashed-up murder victims dumped in the Canyons; seedy downtown LA bars and clubs intermingled with the soulless architect-designed mansions up in the Hills.
So this juxtaposition between the seedy and depraved and the obscenely rich of L.A is a very effective backdrop. And also crazy enough in itself.
Until… “Have you met the Monkey?” …
(But this was just a side-step of crazy!)

Toby’s three day stint in the abandoned church in the desert was a hard read in both senses of the word. Namely, because the nightmarish trip is told and seen through the eyes of a seriously disturbed person. To me, the ‘Toby’ sections felt the most disjointed from the rest of the book. As I was reading, I really couldn’t work out how he fit into the story.
But then finally, everything ties together and makes sense.

This book wasn’t the type of Horror that I was expecting it to be from Ronald Malfi. I think my expectations led to me feeling just a touch disappointed overall.
3.5⭐️ rounded up.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow. Malfi’s writing is just captivating. Stunning. Enveloping. The settings are crisp and the characters flawed. The bits of ambiguity maybe weren’t my favorite and some loose ends could still be tied but I enjoyed this one.

This one had me a little lost at times. There were several subplots woven throughout, and I found myself unsure which direction the story was heading in. I even had to flip back a few times just to remember which thread we were following. That said, it was a creepy read with an eerie atmosphere that definitely delivered on the unsettling vibes. I think I’d give it another shot—next time when I’m more awake and ready to untangle all the twists.

We've got three storylines weaving together in the most unsettling way: a detective hiding secrets about a serial killer case, a woman whose engagement party gets crashed by her fiancé's creepy son, and a guy obsessed with a woman who has literal rattlesnake teeth and may not be entirely human. You know, normal LA stuff.

Ronald Malfi has this talent for making you feel deeply uncomfortable in the best possible way—I was genuinely uneasy the entire time, which is exactly what good horror should do. The three storylines slowly converge into this tapestry of deceit and straight-up horror that had me second-guessing everything. Perfect for fans of Riley Sager who want something with more bite (literally, in some cases). If you're looking for supernatural thriller that will keep you up at night questioning reality, this is your jam.

This story has so many moving parts, lots of interesting characters that are flawlessly connected in a way that will catch you off guard. The supernatural elements are subtle and impactful . Horror stories often fall flat with character development, that is not the case here. . These characters are well written and really allow the reader insight into their thoughts and emotions, even the darkest ones. Malfi never disappoints, this is another winner!

4 ⭐️

This genre defying novel is Malfi's most ambitious work yet. Three stories converge into one in a serpentine tale of murder, grief, visions and trauma. The first story is a police procedural about detective Bill Renney who is investigating the murder of a woman found mutilated in the desert. The murder suggests a connection with a previous case from a year earlier when the wife of a psychiatrist is found in the same condition. Renney is grieving the recent loss of his wife to cancer, and has visions of her speaking to him encouraging him to solve this crime. The second part of the story is more on the order of a psychological thriller when a woman named Maureen Park is set to marry an older movie producer with a young adult son who has anger issues. Maureen is a writer and her story intersects with the woman found in the desert in an interesting way. The third segment of this story is about a mentally ill young man named Toby who thinks he is no longer human and is now a fly. Toby spends his time roaming around seedy nightclubs and one night meets a young woman who claims to be a vampire.

The author does a great job with describing these very interesting characters and in how the stories eventually tie together. Toby's story was the most creepy as we follow his very deranged mind into some spooky scenarios. I liked the way the story ended and that the author trusted his readers to be able to put some pieces together without being spoon fed. Highly recommend! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC to review.

I have read and loved Ronald Malfi's books in the past, but this was a bit too heavy on the supernatural element for me.

Ronald Malfi is a force. This story had me gripped the entire time just like all his other books.

If you want a thriller that will grip you all the way through and keep you on the edge of your seat, pick up Senseless.

Senseless by Ronald Malfi, was a tense and fast paced psychological thriller that will grab you and not let you go!!
This author is new to me, but now I’ve read this book, I will reading all of his back catalogue!!!
I love his style of writing, the plot, the characters, all designed to make you feel like you’re right in the story!! I was getting chills reading this!!!
We have three different characters and their individual stories, I found them all full and their stories were great, but put them all together and this makes for one fantastic, gripping thriller!! Murder and madness, that’s my cup of tea!!!
Many thanks to Titan Books for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley.
#Netgalley, #TitanBooks, #RonaldMalfi.

First read by Ronald Malfi, and I was not disappointed at all. This was suspenseful and terrifying. Loved the true crime aspect to it. It was so much fun to read. Can’t wait to read more by him!

Thank you Titan Books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ronald Malfi does it once again and knocks it out of the park!!

Senseless is absolutely phenomenal! The story kicks off with the discovery of a dead woman (a brutal depiction of the body) within the California desert. The exact same spot where another woman was found prior. We then follow Bill Renney, Maureen Park and Toby Kampen as Malfi pulls the pieces together to determine the suspect.

This reads more like a suspense/thriller who done it, but there are a few pages within where Malfi doesn’t hold back and sprinkles in the horror elements.

I would absolutely recommend this story and so far this has been my favorite read of 2025.

Senseless is three stories in one. The bulk of the story is told through three different POVs, it's not until the very last act that they are all brought together. You get a detective story, a domestic tale, and the world through a disturbed young man's psyche. I found all of these threads engaging separately and enjoyed how they were all woven together at the conclusion. Some questions were answered, but many are left open ended.
A definite recommend, but not for the squeamish.
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC.

This book starts with the discovery of the mutilated body of a young woman in the desert outside of LA. From there we begin on an intricate tale that is part detective mystery, thriller, and horror. I’m impressed with how Ronald Malfi took three very different and seemingly not connected POVs/sub plots and made them into a complex, yet easy to follow story. I love having multiple POVs because I think it opens stories by allowing for different angles. However, Maureen’s story was unfortunately significantly less interesting to me than the other two (Detective Renney and Toby, the house fly) and I felt it took a bit too long for the stories to begin connecting. This book touches on topics that surround us all: secrets, lies, complex families, mental health, and grief. As a psychiatrist who specializes in severe mental illness, I am definitely biased towards Toby’s POV. In my opinion it is the most haunting and devastating of the three. Ultimately, I enjoyed this book but found a couple of issues. I wasn’t fully satisfied with the ending but still enjoyed the read overall.

This was my first Ronald Malfi novel, and now I can see what everyone loves about him.
The author wasted no time getting to the story. I was instantly drawn in by the premise. This was a much slower burn than I had prepared myself for, so I got a little tired around the middle and needed things to kick back up. The end comes together fabulously and I cannot wait to read more from him!

There are three vastly different stories here, and it’s not until right at the very end do the puzzle pieces fall into place. Not every question is answered, you are definitely left wondering about a few things. The bow isn’t tidy; it’s tight enough to wrap things up and loose enough to have you thinking about it long after you’re finished. And that’s what a great book should do.

The full review is on Horror DNA: https://www.horrordna.com/books/senseless-ronald-malfi-book-review-2

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Ronald Malfi’s "Senseless" is a darkly hypnotic thriller that lures readers into the seedy underbelly of Los Angeles, where reality and delusion blur in unsettling ways. This is not just a murder mystery—it’s a psychological labyrinth, a descent into obsession, grief, and the eerie spaces between perception and truth.

"Senseless" follows three seemingly disconnected characters: Detective Bill Renney, haunted by a gruesome case that echoes a past failure; Maureen Park, a novelist entangled in the unsettling secrets of her fiancé’s family; and Toby Kampen, a young man convinced he is something other than human. Malfi masterfully weaves their narratives together, each thread tightening until the reader is caught in a web of eerie coincidences and creeping dread.

What makes "Senseless" so compelling is its ability to keep the reader questioning everything. Malfi plays with unreliable perspectives, forcing us to second-guess what we think we know. The novel’s atmosphere is thick with unease—whether in the glittering mansions of Hollywood or the grimy back alleys of downtown L.A., there’s a sense that something sinister lurks just beneath the surface.

Malfi’s prose is sharp and evocative, balancing the grotesque with the poetic. He doesn’t rely on cheap thrills; instead, he builds tension through psychological depth, making every revelation feel like a gut punch. The horror here is not just in the violence—it’s in the slow unraveling of sanity, the creeping realization that the world is not as stable as we believe.

For fans of thrillers that challenge perception and embrace the uncanny, "Senseless" is a must-read. It’s a novel that lingers, unsettling in its implications, refusing to offer easy answers. Malfi has crafted a story that is as disturbing as it is mesmerizing—a true testament to his ability to blend crime, horror, and psychological suspense into something unforgettable.

A very good and spooky horror book with thriller elements. Seriously I couldn’t put it down. Love Malfi!!