Trigger Warnings: Graphic child death, animal death, gore.

Release Date: February 4, 2025

This book has been on my radar since Mother Horror (Sadie Hartmann) brought it to everyone’s attention on her Instagram recently. So I was quick to request an ARC through NetGalley, and was pleasantly surprised when I was accepted! Thank you to NetGalley, Virginia Feito, and Liveright Publications for this review copy.

Winifred Notty has arrived to serve as governess at Ensor House for the Pounds family. Little does anyone know that “Fred” has brought with her both secrets and violence. Was she born evil, or was it the laudanum?

This gory, hilarious, dark and blood filled novella gives insight into the lives of Victorian women and children, the hardships endured, and little tidbits of every day life (what DID they wear as underwear?). Victorian Psycho was a blast from start to finish, told from the first person present, leaving the reader unsure as to where the story went from page to page.

There are so many unanswered questions, as often happens with a novella, but it leaves the reader with much to ponder over the following days. My only regret is that the ending was wrapped up too fast for my liking. I feel like our author made some great choices, but also a few that were surprising, simply because it seemed there was no reason for the action (or maybe there was and I missed it!).

Overall I would recommend giving this one a read! It’s a quick 208 pages and is easy to get through in one sitting. If you like gothic, bloody horror and mystery, you’ll like this one!

P.S. This book has already been optioned for a movie!!