Magnifies the dread while also keeping the story moving at a compelling pace. Readers will obsessively turn the pages to see what is coming next, even as they are afraid to know. Filled with claustrophobic fear within a terrifying occult frame, this is a great choice for readers who like their horror with a side of intense psychological suspense, as in Peter Straub’s A Dark Matter, Paul Tremblay’s The Cabin at the End of the World, and Jennifer McMahon’s The Winter People.
The premise of this novel is incredibly original but uses a common theme to anchor the reader: desire. The way the author gradually moves the characters consciousness from point to point is done delicately and tastefully. This isn’t a typical haunting story. I like that the author stayed away from the usual tropes, yet the imagery is beautifully gruesome ... The writing was beautifully crafted, meticulously well thought out. Every scene felt deliberate and necessary even if its purpose wasn’t initially clear. If you’re looking for a book to entice your senses and leave you questioning reality, then Bedfellow is a book you’d love to dive into.
The premise of the story—and the way in which it is ingeniously constructed, reality slipping bit by bit—is an undeniable strength, as is Shipp’s ability to create an atmosphere so sick and twisted readers will almost feel it polluting their souls. But there’s an unfinished feel to the book—sequences where more information would’ve deepened the narrative impact—that may leave some readers less than satisfied ... A seriously weird—and impressively inventive—story that, while flawed, is delightfully disturbing.
Bedfellow describes a very strange home invasion; the reader enters the story at the exact moment the monster—or maybe it’s an alien?—does. From the very first words of the book, the Lund family is in trouble ... Bedfellow suffers from an abrupt ending. One character meets a brutal end, another finally demonstrates their agency, and a third drives to places unknown in a strange vehicle. We’re told that someone 'must have a plan' as they leave through the gathering darkness, but for all the time we’ve spent with the Lunds, we have no idea where that road might lead. I’m not sure where Shipp is going either—this isn’t what I expected as a follow-up to The Atrocities—but I hope he finds a way to channel the best parts of these first books into a more cohesive successor.
