From T. Kingfisher, the award-winning author of The Twisted Ones, comes What Moves the Dead, a gripping and atmospheric retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic “The Fall of the House of Usher.” And then, of course, there are the other sort. They ask questions, but what they really want to know is what’s in your pants and, by extension, who’s in your bed.” Set in the mid twentieth century, the story is a creative twist on Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. It has all the important elements to brew up a great story and some extra special ingredients which really makes it a unique read. TK: I can’t sustain a serious for longer than a short story. Like all my books, inevitably people are like, this is horror, but it’s so funny. And I’m like, Yeah, I don’t really have a choice.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher - Goodreads Editions of What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher - Goodreads

A chilling story that builds and twists and expands and still manages to end with all its threads drawn together.

Wow, this book was brilliant! It’s a retelling of Fall of the House of Usher. Being a Poe fan, I couldn’t resist reading this. But just because you know that story doesn’t mean you know this one. This is such a good book! Be prepared for a slow creep. All the hares, so much fungus, Gallaecian pronouns, and Beatrix Potter's aunt come together to make a phenomenal read. T. Kingfisher spins biting wit, charm and terror into a tale that will make your skin crawl. Poe would be proud!”—Brom, author of Slewfoot Though Kingfisher started penning this before Silvia Moreno-Garcia's fantastic novel Mexican Gothic was released, the two share certain similarities: a decrepit manor, a wasting illness, an mushrooms not acting like they should. However, Kingfisher sets her novel apart, reimagining Edgar Allen Poe's spine-chilling short story "The Fall of the House of Usher." through the eyes of a nonbinary soldier from a fictional european country. Easton is a brilliant protagonist, as is their society's concept of gender and multiple sets of pronouns. This novella is a linguistic and cultural exploration as much as it is a gothic horror, with the nightmarish circumstances occurring at the manor offset by Easton's wry, humorous narration and references to their own personal history and identity. Plus, a cameo by Beatrix Potter's fictional aunt! Ah. American. That explained the clothes and the way he stood with his legs wide and his elbows out, as if he had a great deal more space than was actually available.”

What Moves the Dead Poured Over: T. Kingfisher on What Moves the Dead

Fair warning: this is a novel full of disturbing imagery, from general creepiness to outright body horror, and there are plenty of descriptions of the various viscera belonging to a variety of dead animals. The aforementioned hares that ring the Usher property and behave increasingly oddly are particularly terrifying, as are the descriptions of some of the more malevolent fungi and plant life that are apparently native to the area. The animal moved. There were three veterans at that table, battle-scarred soldiers who had served their countries honorably in more than one war … and all three of us screamed like small children and recoiled in horror.”The Best Sitcoms on Netflix Right Now (October 2023) By Garrett Martin and Paste Staff October 20, 2023 | 12:00pm There, Alex meets a British woman studying fungi, a very American doctor, and several hares that seem to watch Alex. And there’s something wrong with the way they move. What Moves the Dead is a Gothic and modern take of Edgar Allen Poe’s short story Fall of the House of Usher. While the author kept surprisingly close to the original, I must make a bold statement and say, I might just like this version better! Sorry Mr. Poe but this story is spooky, atmospheric, and very beautifully written. Second, as the reader likely expects by the point at which it is revealed, Madeline has fallen victim to the fungus around the lake which carries a perceived sentience and reanimatory property. When she dies and subsequently makes a wonderfully ghastly reappearance to murder her brother, we’re left with very little to consider as the novel closes. Much like a gothic short story, it ends on a dark note but doesn’t give us much in the way of lasting impact or consideration. The story carries no twists, no misdirections, and plays out like an old house finally falling down: storm and trauma for a moment before it is now and forever stilled. By choosing to keep the majority of the dialogue in a relatively contemporary tone, Kingfisher is able to lend the tale a certain warmth and sense of humor. This serves to heighten the effects of the horror as the tale progresses; after more than a century of ‘cosmic horror’ fiction which aims at depicting the ‘nameless dread’ of their protagonists encountering forces beyond their comprehension, such strategies have become less effective. The interactions and relationships between Kingfisher’s version of the cast allows the reader to invest in the story in a way the original did not, and invested horror is almost always going to be more effective than the detached, ‘cosmic’ variety.

What Moves the Dead | T. Kingfisher | 9781250830753 | NetGalley What Moves the Dead | T. Kingfisher | 9781250830753 | NetGalley

Angus traveled with Easton to the manor and is an older, retired soldier who saw combat with Easton's father and has since taken them under his wing. Angus is very no-nonsense about stuff while also being extremely superstitious. I think it made for a good combo, especially in this situation, and I also really liked Angus' character.Aided by a visiting American doctor and a local mycologist, Easton embarks on a quest to figure out just what’s wrong with his friend—and how the strangely glowing lake at the bottom of the property fits into everything. As ??an audience stand-in, Easton is an intriguing narrator, with a bitingly dry wit and a soldier’s refusal to believe in anything other than what they can see directly in front of them. Along the way, we’re treated to interesting explanations of their home country and how its society created the “sworn soldiers” who use their own set of specific pronouns (a fact which comes into play toward the novella’s conclusion), as well as repeated encounters with an increasing number of deeply creepy hares, who don’t exactly behave the way that animals in the real world are supposed to. (Apologies to everyone who loves rabbits, between this and Melissa Albert’s Our Crooked Hearts it’s been a rough summer for y’all.) For fans of Mexican Gothic and Edgar Allan Poe, this is definitely a retelling that you do not want to miss. This book was sublime. Its a creeping, lovely read that hits you during and after you think you’re finished with the story. The ONLY thing I would have liked different in it would be a glimpse into the infected mind of Madeline. Diary entries would have been perfect – her account of those early days with this fungal fiend taking her over. I thought about this far too long after reading, I won’t lie.