Published: March 24, 2026
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Series: N/A
Genre: Horror
Pages: 277 (Hardcover)
My Rating: 4 Stars
Synopsis:
Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, a new gothic masterpiece from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects, or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use. But soon enough she finds that there are darker things at work than the Carolina woods. What happened to her predecessor, Halder’s wife? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thiefs?”
With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a dark road full of parasitic maggots that burrow into human flesh, and that his monstrous experiments may grow to encompass his newest illustrator as well.
In classic T. Kingfisher fashion, we have another horror story that somehow manages to feel surprisingly warm, if not quite cozy despite some gory content. And let me warn you now, if you have a phobia of insects or get squeamish about maggots this book might not be for you. Parasite prevalence and some horrible stories from a professor in college are what curtailed my dreams of doing tropical biology. I knew what I was getting into with this book and yet… it was still super gross. Not enough to make me stop reading, but definitely enough to make me reconsider listening too close to meal time!
Wolf Worm is set in 1899 near Siler City, North Carolina and follows Sonia, a scientific illustrator who is thrilled to once again be working on something meaningful rather than teaching girls to watercolor. She hopes working with the rather grouchy Dr. Halder will help her to make a name for herself, as women struggle in this field without a husband or a male relative to publish the work. Sonia mostly avoids Halder, but finds a wonderful friendship with the housekeeper and her husband. All is going well until Sonia stumbles upon a strange locked building in the woods and hears Halder talking to someone inside. This coupled with some unsettling stories about ‘blood thieves’ makes Sonia terribly curious and she finds that Dr. Halder will go to disturbing lengths in the name of science.
Wolf Worm is yet another wonderful historical horror story that manages to turn out alright in the end despite, well, the horrors. Like I’ve said before, the warmth of friendship and the competent yet not overly confident main characters keep these from veering into a book that is overly grotesque or terrifying. The creepy factor is just right and keeps me coming back for more!
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