Something stalks the streets of New York, and all that remains of its victims are their bones and gristle. The police are stumped, which means there is only one explanation: the culprit is supernatural, so there is only one group of people anyone can turn to for help.
Neuland, Ford and Tilda, the Discreet Eliminators, have recently returned to New York, hoping to salvage their reputation. If they can find and destroy this mystery monster attacking New York’s citizens, then the gangs will welcome them back with open arms, and work will start flowing their way. However, there is more to this case than just an evil entity killing people, and perhaps the real target isn’t the monster but the Eliminators themselves.
The Flesh King is the second novella in The Discreet Eliminators series, which began with The Pale House and follows investigators and assassins Ford and Neuland as they train their new teammate, Tilda, in New York’s supernatural criminal underworld. While The Pale House establishes their personalities, The Flesh King showcases Neuland and Ford in their natural habitat, mingling with their normal associates and doing what they do best. We learnt in the first book that Neuland is a revenant, a dead person who walks and talks like the living, but in the second, we discover how revenants blend into society at all levels, including the top levels of the crime gangs and have their own bars where they don’t have to hide their otherness.
As before, we have Neuland’s, Ford’s, and Tilda’s POV as well as the antagonists, which gives the reader a greater understanding of the dangers the main characters face. We also gain a greater understanding of the characters’ relationship with one another, because The Flesh King uses a combination of action and character to drive the story forward.
The book is novella-sized and packs a lot in, so the plot moves at a fast pace, with the characters sometimes transitioning from one event to another with little rest in between. However, this works due to the nature of the story and the timeframe forced on the main characters to complete their elimination.
Slipping back into The Discreet Eliminators world was easy, comfortable, and a natural progression from the previous story. Blending the gritty pulp detective genre with supernatural elements works well and promises to create a unique universe that promises to grow bigger and more dangerous with every new instalment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Richard Kadrey for the ARC opportunity.

My opinions are my own

It was a 3.5/5 (4 star round up for goodreads)

I read the Pale House Devil and absolutely loved it, then I read The Flesh King and felt it could’ve been more? The banter was there, but I wished it focused on the villain more, they also call him ‘The Skinner’ instead of the title The Flesh King


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7781597345

The Flesh King is the dark and tense sequel to The Pale House Demon. In this book, we rejoin Tilda, Neuland and Ford as they hunt creatures (and occasionally assassinate people). In just over 100 pages, Kadrey draws you into an alternate New York where the undead walk the streets and ancient, Eldridge horrors lurk in the shadows. Our heroes aren’t perfect, but they may be the only ones who can stop the ‘Skinner’.

This is a funny, action-filled novel with a real focus on body horror. I thought that some of the descriptions of the devil in the previous book were gross, but in this novella there is a creature that can melt your skin and leave you as a gooey skeleton- horrifying and brilliant. If you can’t handle descriptions of gore, this book is not for you.

I really loved seeing Tilda, Neuland and Ford grow closer and become a little found family in this story. They are so intent on protecting each other and helping one another to improve. Tilda especially develops in this story as she learns to voice her own opinions and shoot a gun (very well apparently). I hope we see more stories about these characters because they’ve really endeared themselves to me. Their dynamic, and a lot of the ideas behind this series, reminds me of the Dead Boy Detectives series. If you haven’t seen this show, it follows two ghosts and a psychic who investigate the supernatural. This is like a grittier, noir version of that story, which I absolutely love.

Read this if you like horror novellas with body horror, ancient evils and a surprisingly sweet found family.

I seriously didn't realise that this is a second book in a series. But holy hells, this was good. It was on the shorter side but balanced the horror and mystery parts wells. I loved the bond between our three investigators. Found the main mystery a bit corny but it was still extremely entertaining. I wasn't bored for a moment.

The Flesh King, (part of the Discreet Eliminators Series), picks up where Richard Kadrey's The Pale House left off, with the three protagonists of that book moving to New York and trying to get their semi-legal jobs as hitmen back, after being ostracized by its supernatural community. In order to get back into their good graces, (such as they are), they are tasked to stop a serial killer/skin stealer, before the rest of the public becomes too aware of the magical society that lives within the larger.

I liked this book a lot more than the first one, since it really opens us up to the supernatural universe in which these characters live and work. There is the usual competent worldbuilding by Kadrey, which is dark, occasionally gory, and mysterious. Just like with the Sandman Slim series, we are introduced to multiple criminal magical organizations, the walking dead, and some new monstrous creatures, but I'm still unable to tell if this story takes place in the same universe as Slim's. I like to think it does.

I enjoyed this story, and I'd like to have more adventures with but I am looking forward to something a bit more lengthy set in this part of the universe. I'm also looking forward to a bit more backstory on Neuland and Ford, and exactly how their relationship began, and these novellas are simply too short to get into the details of their existence, and that has the unintended side effect of keeping these characters at somewhat of an emotional remove.

Kadrey is one of those authors that I always swear I’m going to read more….but never get around to it. What I’ve read of his in the past has always been really unique with great characters and has had a real sense of humor.

These two are no different. They are novellas, about 150 pages each. Both stories follow two criminal hitmen - one alive and one very much UNalive - who find them selves in various sticky, supernatural situations. I really enjoyed both stories.

In Pale House Devil, they find themselves in Northern California, working for a cranky old man who swears the devil is after his family.

In The Flesh King, they’re in New York working for the underworld mob bosses trying to find a creature called The Skinner using an old Roman cult book.

Fast, clever, gory, and sometimes darkly funny - a truly fun read for horror fans, especially if you like your horror with a serving of tongue in cheek dark humor. Hope to see the crew return!

While the gruesome style Richard Kadrey writes in his Sandman Slim series is fantastic, The Flesh King is a much milder story. The writing is still amazing and flows well... but there is a huge difference in how tame this story is comparatively.


I loved the supernatural element to the story. There are some common creatures, some with a new name (think of a rabid, crazy zombie... Kadrey gives the creature a new name).

If this is part of a series, or will be a part of the series... I think it will be just as enjoyable as his previous work.

#NetGalley #TheFleshKing

Ford, Neuland and Tilda are back — and oh my god, they come in swinging.
This one is fast, bloody, and just pure chaos in the best way. I seriously love this trio. Ford and Neuland have slid into this weird but kind of adorable “dad mode” with Tilda, while still being total badasses.

The Flesh King? Absolutely revolting… and I couldn’t get enough of it. Some of the descriptions had me physically squirming but I was living for it.

After the events of The Pale House Devil, they head back to NYC to try and make peace with the crime syndicates. Of course, it’s not that easy — they have to take on a job for free: hunt down and kill The Flesh King, a gruesome killer leaving bodies everywhere. And naturally, things spiral into conspiracies, corruption, and supernatural mayhem.

It’s non-stop. No fluff, no boring bits, just full-throttle gore, banter, creepy monsters, and a touch of character growth that has me begging for book three right now.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC — this one was such a ride.

Thank you Richard Kadrey, Titan and NetGalley for this ARC!


Do you like the found family trope? Witty banter? Urban fantasy? Well the, the second instalment of the The Discreet Eliminators series IS THE NOVELLA FOR YOU!

Look, I can’t say much without spoiling the first novella, and honestly? it’s better to go in blind.

The Flesh King follows a group of monster hunters on a mission to track down The Flesh King but oddly enough they never refer to him by the books title. Instead he's called The Skinner.
I didn’t quite enjoy the ebook. I expected the story to focus more on the villain himself but it was more about the hunter group instead. I struggled to connect with the characters.
Overall it wasn’t for me but fans of team monster hunting stories might like it.

The Flesh King by Richard Kadrey – Review
What happens when you mix a fucked-up family, NYC mobsters, and a flesh-eating immortal freak? You get carnage. Glorious, squelching carnage.

⚠️ Disclaimer:
Books are subjective. I said what I said. You can disagree, but arguing with me won’t change my opinion — or make me care. Read on, or don’t.

🏃💨 The Quick and Dirty:
The Flesh King is a blood-soaked, no-brakes hellride through mob territory, meat horror, and magical chaos. Kadrey doesn’t ease you in. He kicks the door down, tosses in two seasoned killers with heavy baggage, a young woman finally finding her footing, and a flesh-eating immortal freak, then lights the whole thing on fire. If you’re here for violence, rot, and surprisingly tender moments buried in gore, welcome home. This ones for you.

🕵️‍♀️ The Non-Spoilery Situation Report:
Ford, Neuland, and Tilda roll back into NYC hoping to smooth things over with the local crime syndicates — because nothing says “diplomacy” like three killers-for-hire with monster guts on their boots. The plan? Kiss the ring, play nice, maybe secure a future that doesn’t end in gunfire. But New York wants blood. And if they want back in, they’ve gotta earn it — no pay, no mercy, just one hellish job: find and kill a nightmare wrapped in meat, known only as the Flesh King.

This thing isn’t just another freak in the shadows. He’s tearing through the city like a walking autopsy. Bodies pile up. Secrets rot in alleyways. Everyone’s lying. No one’s safe. And the deeper this crew digs, the more it’s clear they’ve stepped into something way bigger than a hit job. Conspiracies stretch out like tendrils. Betrayals bubble up. And beneath it all is something ancient, hungry, and not nearly done yet.

This is supernatural noir soaked in blood and bile — fast, filthy, and stitched together with sarcasm and survival instincts. You want clean lines and clear morals? Look elsewhere. You want mobsters, monsters, and magic that smells like rot? You’re home.

🤔💭 The Review:
Let’s just get this out of the way first: Richard Kadrey is my “We’re not worthy” author. If I ever saw him in person, I’d fall to my knees like Wayne Campbell and pray he doesn’t file a restraining order.

That’s a lie, obviously. I don’t fangirl. I’m way too emotionally reserved and deadpan for that shit. I’d probably nod once, say “Nice book,” and then walk into traffic before showing a single shred of enthusiasm. I respect the craft and Kadrey’s characters manage to reach into my cold, bitter little soul and find the part of me that still wants connection. Somehow, he does this while layering in sarcasm so dry it could desiccate a cactus. That’s range.

I’ve been screaming about him online for years, haunting his socials like a sleep-deprived ghost who only speaks in memes and knife emojis. I’m pretty sure he knows me by name at this point. I imagine him seeing my comments and groaning, “Oh god, not her again.” And you know what? I’m fine with that. Because every time he drops a new book — whether it’s full-length or a novella like The Flesh King — it delivers exactly what I crave: grit, gore, gallows humor, and characters who are all some combination of broken, badass, and emotionally unavailable. My people.

So yeah — I came into this one biased. Fully prepared to love it. And The Flesh King still managed to blow my rotting little mind.

What Kadrey accomplishes here in such a compact space is honestly witchcraft. The story doesn’t unfold — it detonates. There’s no exposition dump. No gentle reintroduction to the characters. He trusts you to keep up or get out. It’s noir with blood clots. Paranormal pulp with literary teeth. We hit the ground already bruised and running, and I loved that. No handholding. No filler. Just monster hunters with trauma, hitmen with heart, and one of the nastiest villains Kadrey’s ever given us.

And let’s talk about that villain for a second. The Flesh King is a fucking nightmare. I don’t even want to describe him because I don’t want those words living rent-free in my brain any longer than they already have. Just know this: if body horror makes you squeamish, you might want to read this with the lights on and a trash can nearby. But if you’re like me and you live for that blend of disgust and awe, welcome to your new obsession. The descriptions are nasty in that perfect way — not gratuitous, but precise. Every detail serves the horror. Every moment is meant to make you squirm. And I did. Multiple times. Delightfully.

But as much as I came for the gore, I stayed — as always — for the characters. Ford and Neuland are like if your trauma bonded with your nihilism and then took a job cleaning up supernatural messes. They’re both jaded and rough around the edges, but never flat. There’s texture to their pain. History in every glare. And then there’s Tilda. She’s not sassy. She’s not quirky. She’s real. There’s this understated strength to her — not in a “girlboss” way, but in the way someone slowly stops flinching every time the world punches them in the teeth. She’s finding her footing, and the men around her (monsters or not) give her the room to do that without softening who she is. It's respect without paternalism, and that dynamic? It fucks.

Kadrey’s been writing strong female leads since Sandman Slim, and he’s never once done it with a wink or a checklist. His women are messy, complicated, angry, smart, and dangerous — and that’s why I feel seen by his work. Not in some generic “girl power” way. But in the “oh shit, this author understands rage, and humor as defense, and why silence is sometimes the only weapon you have” kind of way. That’s rare. That’s precious. That’s why I keep coming back.

And the prose? Un-fucking-touchable. Kadrey’s writing is a scalpel. There’s not a single wasted word. Every line has a job — either to push the story forward or punch you in the gut. His pacing is relentless without feeling rushed. He can set a scene in three words, shatter your nerves in one paragraph, and still find space for a line that makes you laugh out loud because someone just called a monster “a second-rate meat puppet with an ego problem.”

The world he’s built here is rich and nasty in the best way. This version of NYC feels like a haunted wound. It pulses with violence, secrets, and deals made in back alleys that smell like sulfur and bad decisions. You’re never sure who’s lying, who’s dying, or what’s waiting around the corner — and that’s the fun of it. The setting isn’t just background. It’s a threat. And every scene adds to that creeping sense that the world itself might just eat you alive if you look at it wrong.

What really wrecked me, though, was the emotional undertow. Kadrey doesn’t write feelings the way other authors do. He doesn’t telegraph them. He lets them bleed through — subtle, haunting, undeniable. Ford and Neuland are both carrying shit they’ll never unpack in polite conversation, and you feel it. You feel it when they look at Tilda and see something they never thought they’d get again — purpose, maybe. Family, maybe. Hope, but the kind that comes with a knife in its boot.

And look, I know I’m gushing. I’m a known fan. But that doesn’t mean this review is just noise. I hype Kadrey because he’s earned it — every. single. time. He doesn’t pander. He doesn’t repeat himself. And The Flesh King proves that he can still surprise me, still disgust me, still make me pause mid-sentence just to mutter “holy shit” to no one in particular. That’s talent. That’s craft. That’s what happens when someone understands not just how to write, but why we read.

So yeah — I loved it. I’ll keep hyping it. I’ll keep popping up in his comments like a gremlin with literary Stockholm syndrome. And if you’re the kind of reader who wants emotional depth wrapped in gore and gallows humor? This one’s already waiting for you.

🔥 Final Verdict: Binge or Burn?
Like — is this even a question for fuck sakes? BINGE IT! DUH!Short, vicious, and wildly satisfying. If found-family monster hunters, grotesque villains, and supernatural noir are your thing, you’re gonna devour this like the unhinged little gremlin you are.Would kill for Tilda. Would bury a god for Ford and Neuland. Would bite a cop for Kadrey if he asked nicely.

🎯 Let’s Shoot the Shit:
Did The Flesh King make you gag and grin at the same time? Did you highlight some disgusting line just so you could scream about it later? SAME.Drop your favorite gross-out moment, feral quote, monster ethics debate, or unhinged Tilda theories in the comments. Bonus points if it includes blood, betrayal, or morally questionable thirst.Let’s cause some problems on purpose.

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Just like the first book 'The Flesh King' comes with fantastic dialogue and character dynamics. An absolute joy to read - for fans of supernatural horror with a noir tint.

A really satisfying read that kept my interest the whole way through. The story had just the right mix of emotion, tension, and depth, and the writing flowed in a way that made it hard to put down. Whether you’re in it for the characters or just want something that moves, this one delivers. A strong, enjoyable book all around.

The Pale House Devil (first novella in this series) was incredible and I just knew I'd love the sequel!
The Flesh King is a gory novella still following our favourite paranormal PIs - they team up with Tilda and take on the NYC crime scene in this sequel. It was a great addition to the storyline and showcases the development of these characters even in the short 116 pages. The novella is full of whit, supernatural entities, corrupt police and crazy crime lords - loved everything about this and need the third novella like now!

I loved this fast paced story of revenants, humans, immortals, and mobsters. It has all the noir-ish elements of the author's previous books and is an easy book to get into.

It's about a trio of people who are basically hitmen...guns for hire. One is a revenant, a dead man who appears as human and interacts with the world with a few differences. Tilda is a woman who's just joined the group and is learning the ropes. The third is a living man. But they only kill things who deserve it, whether that thing is human or monster.

When a group of mob heads offer them a dangerous job, things are going to get complicated. The Skinner is an immortal man who has to feed his flesh in order to keep living. The process is quite gruesome. These mobsters want him dead but a detective wants them to kill another target, a wealthy art collector. This is going to lead to danger, bloodshed, and lots of natural and supernatural action.

Being a shorter book (about 115 pages) the narrative zings along and there's never a dull moment. The writing is crisp, sharp, and to the point and you'll want to read all the way through once you start. I highly recommend it.