The Flayed Man - by Chloe Lauter (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Ellis Karsten spends nights working triage in the ER and days having the same conversation with her mom. The early onset dementia is exhausting, but the real challenge is their curse--Ellis's family must feed daily on blood, or risk becoming mindless, skinless killing machines. When Ellis's uncle, who supplies their blood, vanishes, she takes it upon herself to find a new source, aided by a prickly paramedic who's equal parts unpredictable and intoxicating. But as Ellis fights to balance her bloodthirsty nature with a new relationship, her mom's impossible demands transform into panicked warnings that a fabled monster, "The Flayed Man," is stalking them.

As she traverses the desert in search of blood, Ellis risks her safety and her family's secret, until it becomes clear that her mom is right: something ancient and hungry is hunting them, and it has come for her mom. Blood hunger begins to overtake Ellis, transforming her body into something ghoulish and frightening--exactly what The Flayed Man wants. In the end, she must decide who to trust, what she's willing to sacrifice, and whether she is worthy of a life, and love, beyond her curse--or if she's going to succumb to instinct and ravage the world.

Review Quotes

"Miss your Anne Rice fix? Check out Chloe Lauter's The Flayed Man, the story of a Las Vegas triage nurse, Ellis, entrusted with the care of her aging mother, who needs a regular blood fix to stop from turning into a grotty predator. And there's more: A monster waits in the wings--the eponymous Flayed Man, whom Ellis tracks down in the Mojave Desert. Buckle up." --Paul Wilner, Alta

"[A] dazzling debut . . . The Flayed Man is a book that knows how to draw blood: combining a spine-tingling vampire story and a haunting depiction of familial love and the pain of caring from someone you're not yet ready to lose. This is everything you want in a literary horror novel." --Michael Welch, Chicago Review of Books

"[An] unforgettable ride. The ambiance, the tension, and the relationship building in Lauter's debut book are delectable." --Adam Vitcavage, Debutiful

"It is apparent very early in the novel that this is not your standard vampire tale, and Lauter does not disappoint . . . The pages literally fly by as this one takes off quickly and builds and builds and builds to an explosive finale . . . Brutal, horrific, disturbing, yet amazingly heartfelt and touching, The Flayed Man deserves a spot on your summer reading list." --Dave Dreher, Gruesome Magazine

"This is a tale of generational trauma, love, and obligation, wrapped in a fast-paced monster story." --Booklist

"Lauter shows promise with apt and affecting musings on shame, duty, love, and generational trauma. An atmospheric debut exploring the difficulty of escaping one's past." --Kirkus Reviews

"[The Flayed Man] is a tale of generational trauma, love, and obligation, wrapped in a fast-paced monster story. Recommend to readers of Isabel Cañas' Vampires of El Norte (2023) or V. Castro's Immortal Pleasures (2024)." --Booklist

"In this debut, Lauter has crafted a genuinely frightening book with emotional depth. Readers of complex fiction with a gritty sensibility such as Andy Davidson's In the Valley of the Sun or Hailey Piper's strong, complex women characters will love this book." --Library Journal

"A hallucinatory vampire noir meets Love Lies Bleeding, The Flayed Man is a lyrical, inventive horror novel that is emotionally stirring and authentic. This one will stick with you." --Paul Tremblay, New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie and A Head Full of Ghosts

About the Author