Morsel - by Carter Keane (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Carter Keane's Morsel is a delicious folk horror debut about learning to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive.

Lou did what the children of parents with backbreaking, poorly paying jobs are supposed to do: pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office gig with coworkers who won't stop talking about their multilevel marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.

When Lou accepts a property appraisal assignment in the rural hills of Ohio, she knows it's her last chance to save her job and keep making rent. But she quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, her dog, and someone--or something--stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.

If she can't escape the woods in time, she'll see firsthand that her job isn't the only thing that wants to eat her alive.

Morsel is The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay.

Review Quotes

"Morsel goes all-in with teeth bared. Absolutely delicious." --Sarah Gailey, USA Today bestselling author of Spread Me

"An absolute delight. Had me holding my breath the whole time. And that twist! Add this to your TBR right now." --S.A. Barnes, USA Today bestselling author of Cold Eternity

"Morsel is more than just folk horror--it's a malignant and timely reflection on corporate America, devouring its own. One hell of a grim and visceral Appalachian nightmare." --Shane Hawk, co-editor of Never Whistle at Night

"Keane's confident debut heralds the arrival of a gifted horror author... Keane's talent for sunlight horror impresses as the plot builds to a genuinely surprising but fairly clued denouement. Richard Chizmar fans will be thrilled." --Publishers Weekly

"Carter Keane writes folk horror for the class war, horror that turns every expectation on its head, horror that is going to stay on my mind. Morsel is just about as working class, punk rock, and entertaining as a story can get." --Margaret Killjoy, author of The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion

"Readers who love folk horror and anti-capitalist stories will want to go on this journey with Lou and Ripley." --Library Journal

"Morsel is a divinely dark tale about the dwindling space for humanity under capitalism. Rife with horrors both real and supernatural, Keane has crafted a gut-punch of a debut." --Erin E. Adams, author of Jackal and One of You

"Equal parts folk horror and pyramid scheme...a propulsive read with complex, believable characters--and one very good dog. Keane has proven that the Ohio woods are supremely scary." --Wendy N. Wagner, author of Girl in the Creek

"A fantastically vicious anticapitalist fable about the things that consume us all when we're not looking--and sometimes when we are. By turns bloody, terrifying, and nightmarishly heart-wrenching, Keane's delightful debut takes no prisoners and gives no shits. Make no mistake about it: this book has teeth to spare." --Matthew Lyons, author of A Mask of Flies

"A gripping and biting work of cult, social horror. Morsel feels like Intensity and Pumpkinhead had a deadly standoff on a mountain road." --Johnny Compton, author of Devils Kill Devils

About the Author