Unfortunately something about this one just didn't quite click for me but I cant really put my finger on what it was.

This was the first book I’ve read by the author. Cover and title is shooting! If you enjoy reading historical fiction, thriller and horror; then this one is definitely for you!

This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

I enjoy Alma Katsu's historical horror novels - this is her first modern horror story and unfortunately I don't think it hits as hard as the likes of The Deep or The Hunger.
Fiend is a family drama story centred around a wealthy family which should be an interesting complex story however it lacks depth - it could have had a little more substance to make the outcome feel shocking. It's only around 210 pages so that could be the issue for me - we just needed more to the story to make it feel more fleshed out.

The wealthy and powerful Berishas are blessed or cursed depending on your point of view, with rumours of a supernatural presence looking out for the family. The three Berisha children (all adults, though we do also see them via flashbacks) don’t fully understand the source of their father’s power, but when things starting going wrong, family secrets start coming to light.

I really enjoyed Fiend to begin with. The family dynamics were messy and the mystery surrounding how the supernatural element comes into play was intriguing. But it started to lose me along the way. The horror elements didn’t feel as strong as they could have been, with the supernatural entity not being a large enough part of the story for me. It felt more like a looming presence in the background. I did love the descriptions of it that we did get but I didn’t find it to be that menacing overall.

But while Fiend just missed the mark for me, I think it could really work for someone who doesn't want to read anything too scary!

The Berishas run one of the most successful import-export companies in the world. They are both feared and ‘lucky’; their enemies have a way of disappearing in seemingly natural circumstances.

Zef – the patriarch – is a deadly and demanding man. His son – Dardan- is set to inherit but his sisters – Maris and Nora – have their own schemes. In the background is a rumour of a ‘protector’ who makes their problems go away, at a cost.

As Maris becomes more ruthless – trying to secure her father’s approval and her rightful place in the company – she also learns more about the ‘protector’ and the Faustian pact her family have made.

As the family begins to tear itself apart, only the most ruthless and scheming will succeed.

Fiend is a novel about a rich and powerful family who has a secret that seems to bless them in their dealings, and what happens as the question of who will succeed the father arises. The Berisha family has a hugely successful business headed by Zef, and his three children—son Dardan, ambitious daughter Maris, and youngest daughter Nora—don't see eye to eye on what should happen when one of them must take over from their father. As Maris tries to overtake Dardan in her race to the top, despite her father's desire for her to just marry well, things start to happen to the Berishas that suggest more of a curse than a blessing.

I've not read any of Alma Katsu's books before as I'm not that into historical horror, but this one sounded much more up my street from the title and blurb. The novel is a modern story of a conniving rich family with a dark secret, and it's fun to see that play out in a horror format rather than a more traditional thriller or family drama, even though the horror elements are quite light in this. The book has some flashbacks to when the siblings were children and these often feel more sinister than the present day narrative, adding some nice detail, and they did bring the ending together, though it did feel like there could've been a bit more time dedicated to the ending reveal and its implications.

This is a quick read with some great unlikeable characters, but I also just wish it was a bit darker and had a bit more of the sinister stuff to build up that atmosphere as well as the insufferable rich family side of things.

I discovered Alma Katsu's work through her incredible historical horrors such as THE DEEP and THE HUNGER, so this was my first time reading something in more a contemporary period, and as expected, she knocks it out the park. The book centres on the Berisha family, who have amassed wealth, power and influence over generations. The rumours say this is because they have help from a "protector" who is able to take out their enemies -- but this is just a legend, surely?

As Maris, the oldest girl of the family, is to discover, the legend is horrifyingly true. Her father, Zef, controls a mysterious entity, and he intends to pass that power down to his son, Dardan. But Maris knows she would make a better head of the family, so why is it only the men who can take control? And what is the secret behind the protector? As her father's power depletes with age, and the protector appears to target the most unexpected of victims, Maris must reckon with her family's history and the responsibilities that come with power. Will she be able to take her family in a new direction for the future?

Katsu does a great job of keeping the supernatural elements vague for the first two thirds of the book, hinting at something strange and slowly bringing us into the world of the Berishas, who make the Roy family from Succession seem actually quite well-functioning! As the book powers to its dark conclusion, events seem almost inevitable and the thick air of tragedy surrounds you like smoke. It's one hell of a ride, and even in the modern world, Katsu remains one of the finest writers of horror fiction working at the moment. Hopefully Fiend will find her a whole new audience ready to devour both her backlist and whatever comes next...

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I really enjoy books by Alma Katsu when she decidedly goes for a more sinister vibe (yes to The Hunger, no to The Deep), and with Fiend she has managed to create a very Succession-like story where maybe the most frightening aspect is not the supernatural, but the way the different members of the family behave. There were some instances that felt quite rushed (I would have liked to know more about the accident in the snow, for example), but in general I think this is a very good horror novel and a very agile read.
And (kind of a spoiler, maybe?) I love stories where there are hints so subtle that you read them but do not really think about them and then the ending comes and every piece of the puzzle had been before you almost from the beginning.

I enjoyed this, it very much delivered on the promise of succession meets the Enfield haunting. The vignettes calling back to the children's childhood were a great way to illustrate their POV and give more information to the reader about the world.

I did at times feel the tone shifted too significantly too quickly. Going from penthouse tension to church basement tension felt a little odd, bit mostly this was really well balanced. I also wanted the antagonist fleshed out a little more

Alma Katsu really crafts a horrifying scene though, and these were amongst my favourite parts. I also really liked the ending which I won't spoil, but I found it very satisfying.

I give this about a 3.5 the pacing was great and I finished it quickly. I enjoyed the characters and the scenes were well crafted. Some elements didn't quite come together for me as well as others but an enjoyable read I would recommend.

This was a super quick and page-turning read. So much like the Succession tv show but with a supernatural twist. Although I was gripped but the mystery and was well aware the characters were meant to be unlikeable, there was something missing, as though they were all not quite fleshed out yet. Perhaps it was the story's readability, because I flew through it, but the ending happened almost very suddenly and way too abruptly... It's gripping, it's fun, but feels unfinished.

3.5 stars rounded up, there was so many parts of this book that I felt just missed the mark, The characters were unlikeable and shallow. I did find it to be a really quick read, just wished I connected more with it.

I loved it.
Family intrigue with a supernatural twist. Every member of the family has an agenda, everyone is planning and scheming on how to get theirs and there's the ancient curse in the mix to really stir things up. Reminded me of that Netflix show - "The Fall of the house of Usher"
Beautifully written with a sense of dread that permeates the whole book and keeps you reading even when it seems nothing is really happening.
The ending is great - I just did not like who "won". From the story it's obvious some one was going to come out on top; I just did not want it to be who it turned out to be.

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

This book made me realise I need to read more corporate horror as a sub-genre. There was something so poignant about the blend of big corporations with demonic horror. There were some questions raised about the psyche of people in these positions of power, particularly where it’s through family and legacy. The line that people are willing to cross morally, and how much is supernatural, and how much is their own moral compass (or lack there of). I found this exploration fascinating and was somewhat more unnerved by the cruel treatment of characters by their alleged loved ones, than by the positioned horror itself.

I did enjoy the sense of menace in this book, and the way that the supernatural was framed and gradually built up throughout the book. However I didn’t find this book particularly scary. It’s more of a character study than plot driven. This looks at the ambition and desires of characters and what they are willing to do to achieve them, and they people they are willing to hurt. It’s frequently cruel. You find yourself asking how much happiness are they really deriving from getting what they want?

Some important questions posed around value. It was hurtful to see how Maris is considered by her family. The value they place on good looks, on masculinity. In spite of her dedication to her father and the company, her value is just in marrying strategically whereas she wants more corporate responsibility.

An interesting character study and look at the cruelty humans are capable of.