This starts off strong with tough as nails Alice leading the charge for revenge and freedom. Chicory was also interesting and their partnership is solid and humorous. The paranormal element in this blends well with the story and is secondary to the plot. The ending was great. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

There's Something Wrong in Hugo Creek exceeded my expectations tremendously. The main character is a 50 year-old Chinese-American woman, Alice Haney/Zhao Leizu, living in Texas in the 19th century. I've always loved Westerns, and Reese manages to blend the unique and jaded voice of her protagonist seamlessly with the more traditional aspects of the Western genre.
The plot follows Alice after the murder of her husband and sexual assault of her daughter, who were killed by Rollie Hugo and his sycophants. Alice seeks justice, but is unable to secure it legally due to the Hugo's dominance over Hugo Creek. She allies with childhood friend and Texas Ranger Chicory to pursue vengeance against the Hugos, and unravel the mystery surrounding Hugo Creek and the Bleeding Woman.
Reese's take on the revenge narrative is refreshing. Alice doesn't allow herself to be consumed by her need to destroy the Hugos, but she is also unwavering in her desire for retribution. Even as she stalks them, gathering information, she allows herself to reform her relationship with Chicory and heals from the death of her husband, giving a much more nuanced take than the "revenge bad" idea that we see so often.
My only criticism is the lack of closure, we never see the aftermath of this quest, or where the characters ended up. An ambiguous ending isn't usually a negative trait, but there are several loose story threads that are never tied together in the end, most notably the fate of Alice's daughter, who is somewhat abruptly written out of the story.
Overall, There's Something Wrong in Hugo Creek is one of my favorite reads this year, and I would consider it a must-read fans of the Mystery/Western genre.

A good quick read!
While the description mentions a ghost and her role IS important somewhat to the overall story, I would not necessarily classify this book as horror.
I enjoyed the wild west setting and the characters' relationship development. The story is somewhat of a mystery as the Alice and Chicory figure out what is really happening in Hugo Creek.
Writing is a bit chaotic at times, but I genuinely loved the story so it was easy to work around.
Appreciate that the main female character is not helpless and a strong willed individual dead set on avenging her late husband.
The first chapter hooks you in immediately!!

The description of this book caught my attention, it seemed a different and I was looking for something new.

Alice, first generation Chinese American, suffers the ultimate tragedy involving her family on their isolated farm outside the town of Hugo Creek. Rollie Hugo inflicts an unimaginable pain on Alice who then spends the following days seeking revenge. She employs the help of Chicory, an old friend, who will stop at nothing to help her avenge her family. Seeking revenge won’t be as easy as they thought. The town of Hugo Creek is strange, it’s cut off from other places, people are brought there and then can never leave. Alice must get to the bottom of Hugo Creek in order to get the vengeance she seeks. Who is to blame for the hell that is Hugo Creek? The ghost of the bleeding woman? A family of rich men who control the town? Will Alice and Chicory find what they are looking for?

This story caught my attention from the beginning, the action started right away, and I found myself drawn into Alice’s anger and pain. I wanted to see her get revenge as well. The relationships in this story are strong as well, Alice loves her family and wants to do what is right by her daughter and her husband. Alice’s relationship with Chicory brings some humor to an otherwise dark and challenging tale. This was a quick and different read that was a nice change from my regular reads. Reese writes a light horror ghost story amidst a dark and dangerous thriller. I read in less than 24 hours and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing as well as the author for a digital advanced reader copy in exhcange for an honest review.

First, I love the dedication.
Unfortunately, the writing style, for me, is lacking. For example: a comma followed by an em dash. There seems to be a lot more telling than there is showing.
I do, however, like the premise.

*There’s Something Wrong in Hugo Creek* by Lumen Reese is exactly the kind of small-town horror I live for—moody, mysterious, and pulsing with a sense of something just slightly off from the very beginning. It’s not loud or flashy, but it doesn’t need to be. The unease builds slowly, seeping into every interaction, every quiet moment, until you realize you’re completely tangled in its web.

What I loved most was how Reese balances the supernatural with the deeply human. The town feels lived-in, its secrets heavy and buried just beneath the surface. Characters aren’t just pieces to move the plot forward—they’re raw, complicated, and often just as unsettling as the strange happenings around them.

The tension is beautifully managed. There’s a creeping dread that never quite explodes but instead tightens with every chapter. And the more you learn about Hugo Creek, the more it feels like the town itself is watching, waiting. It’s the kind of horror that doesn’t just come from monsters—it comes from silence, from complicity, from the things people choose not to see.

By the end, I was both satisfied and deeply unsettled—my favorite combination. *There’s Something Wrong in Hugo Creek* is a slow burn, but it rewards your patience with a story that’s eerie, emotional, and impossible to forget.

5 ⭐️ - Alice Leizu Zhou-Haney seeks justice for her small family after tragedy in the brutal southwest. She must conspire with old friends, unlikely alliances and peculiar connections in order to bring peace to Hugo Creek and herself.

What I liked:

- Alice has a take-no-sh*t personality, and she knows exactly who she is and what’s important to her. Her motivations and decisions are clear throughout the story, and she is a very likable main character.

- I liked the setting so much & could envision every single element of this location. I grew up in a small town that had once been a mining town, and this felt like reading a wild-west story from home.

- There was enough paranormal elements to be eerie and give you chills without being overly done and gimmicky.

-I grew up on Westerns thanks to my family and my hometown, however western horror is relatively new to me. There’s Something Wrong in Hugo Creek has unlocked a new love for me!

What I did not like:

-Genuinely, there wasn’t a thing I didn’t like. I do wish, however, that there had been an afterward or a “one year later” because I did want to see all of the loose ends neatly tied up.


Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing for this ARC!

4.5 Stars ⭐

This book was incredible! There's Something Wrong in Hugo Creek follows Alice, a badass Chinese woman who lives in America with her husband and daughter. They live happily on their small farm until the Hugos, a family gang who run the nearby town, attack the family, murdering Alice's husband and sexually assaulting her daughter.

Alice is determined to avenge her family and kill the Hugos. She calls in her childhood friend, Chicory, a bounty hunting cowboy, to help her achieve this. What follows is a gripping story of revenge with a paranormal twist (the ghost of a woman haunting the town also seeking revenge for her family).

This story felt like red dead redemption with an epic and strong female lead, a paranormal subplot and revenge.

TW: Rape/sexual assault, murder, violence, some animal abuse and general distressing themes

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC of this epic western horror.

I should’ve known that this book was gonna be absolutely amazing and a new favor author after looking at the dedication dedicating this book to Luigi Mangione haha!! Absolutely love it. I’m really enjoying the resurgence of horror western. I’ll literally eat up anyone that I see. If you’re a fan of westerns or horror or even haven’t even tried this genre I highly recommend to read this book as a starter. The character development, the topic that are tackled in the book just so so good. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this. Comes out sept5.

I've been absolutely loving the resurgence of western horror these past few years. And this novella is right up there with it's atmosphere setting, strong characters, and a bloody revenge tale.

One fateful day, Alice watches as a group of men murder her husband and sexually assault her married daughter. She vows vengeance and nothing will stop her from getting it. Calling upon a lifelong friend, former lawman and gunslinger, they find themselves in a small town run by a callous, viscious family, the Hugos. They own everything and won't allow people to leave, using the men as miners with very little pay and horrible living conditions.

Anyone who crosses them is killed and have their hearts cut out. The Hugos blame these deaths on a ghostly bleeding lady and they say only they can contain her bloodlust.

Alice and her partner now have to find a way to get to the truth, make others see it, and rescue the town from these evil men. And killing them all is the plan, exacting her revenge.

But the bleeding woman is very real and she too is looking for payback. Is she friend or foe?

This is a really good revenge story with a supernatural twist. The setting is fantastic and gives all of those wild west vibes. The characters, likewise, exude that feeling of a hard led life with plenty of horses, drinking, and guns to go around.

I highly recommend this one. I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.