Title: Wolf Worm
Author: T. Kingfisher
Publication: March 24, 2026 by Tor Nightfire
Genre: Gothic Horror
Find it on: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4/5★
Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, a new gothic masterpiece from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher.
The year is 1899 and Sonia Wilson is a scientific illustrator without work, prospects, or hope. When the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use. But soon enough she finds that there are darker things at work than the Carolina woods. What happened to her predecessor, Halder’s wife? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thiefs?”
With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a dark road full of parasitic maggots that burrow into human flesh, and that his monstrous experiments may grow to encompass his newest illustrator as well.
Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher is a gothic horror novel that stands out for its slowburn tension that slowly creeps up on its reader and the bodyhorror that is guaranteed to make anyone shudder.
Set in North Carolina in 1899, the story features scientific illustrator Sonia Wilson who's offered a position in Dr. Halder's manor to illustrate his expansive collection of various insects. But soon she realizes that something sinister is going on. What happened to her predecessor who just so happened to be Halder's wife? Why do the local animals behave so strangely? What are the blood thieves? And who or what is hidden in the shed in the woods? When Sonia uncoveres the truth she realizes that Halder's entomological studies have become twisted and horrifying.
I'm not a fan of insects at all and as grossed out as I was by the majority of some scenes, I still found many things that I enjoyed about this story. Insects are basically horror gold, let's be honest. I loved that this book had quite a few female characters that stood out, like Sonia who came to work for Halder. Especially since the book was set in 1899, a time when women had few opportunities, particularly in the scientific field. The writing as per usual with this author was sublime. She always manages to hook me as a reader.
Wolf Worm was very much a slow burn and T. Kingfisher was a master of telling it in a haunting and lingering way. The story kept me guessing at every turn and the plot unfolded in ways I couldn't have predicted. It's a must-read!
About the author:
Ursula Vernon, aka T. Kingfisher is the author and illustrator of far more projects than is probably healthy. She has written over fifty novels for both children and adults, an epic webcomic called “Digger” and various short stories and other odds and ends.
The daughter of an artist, she spent her youth attempting to rebel, but eventually succumbed to the siren song of paint (although not before getting a degree in anthropology.) Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, went to college at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.
Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in New Mexico, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her husband, her garden and his chickens.
