Even when we’re not buddy reading something together, Nils and I always message each other about what we’re reading, and I remember telling her I think the next one is maybe about something that lives underwater…?

I was very wrong.

It was ahead of us now. Between us and the exit. Christ’s blood. It was still moving, though, and I hoped like hell that it was retreating from us.

If you’ve been following my reading/reviews of T. Kingfisher’s Sworn Soldier series, you’ll know I don’t usually read horror, but we’ve really tried to make the most of the spooky season on the Hive this year, and I was determined to join in and review something creepy. What Stalks the Deep only came out last month, but I’ve always found the covers of the first two books unsettling (especially What Feasts), and Titan were kind enough to send me a copy of What Stalks, so I thought I’d brave these novellas – and I’m so glad I did. Yes they’re definitely both creepy and unsettling, and Kingfisher is a master at wielding dread, but I didn’t find them affecting me once I’d put them down, so it was a good balance that I was grateful for.

God I sound dramatic, don’t I? But I really do have quite an active imagination otherwise!

I’m very conscious that in my review of What Feasts, I spent most of it comparing that book with What Moves, so I’ll endeavour to avoid falling into the same trap with What Stalks… but it is a trilogy so there will be some necessary comparisons…

What Stalks the Deep sees our Sworn Soldier Alex travel to America with Angus in tow as per the request of Dr. Denton, their friend from What Moves. Knowing it must be a series and unusual issue to warrant their specific presence over a continent of other people, Alex is somewhat vindicated when ka meets kan’s old friend, along with his *ahem* acquaintance Ingold, and reads a series of letters from Denton’s cousin, who has gone missing.  Said cousin, Oscar, had discovered that Denton had inherited a mine in West Virginia (yes I did sing it in my head almost every time I read it), and had set off enthusiastically to explore it. But after sending some increasingly disturbing letters about lights in the deep drawing him ever down and not being alone there, communication ceased.

Now. First impressions – I was quite excited about where this story was potentially going, as mines, and lights that lead travellers astray and foretell an impending death, and things knocking deep underground: this was all very familiar territory to me as they are quite common in Welsh mythology. You’ve got the bwca, which is an underground malevolent spirit characterised by knocking sounds. And you have corpse candles, which are phantom lights of processions that, as I said, tend to foretell funerals, death.

As it happens, and as always, wanting to avoid spoilers, that is not where the story goes – but there was a line much later about St David’s candles so I do think Kingfisher was making a nod to those influences. What I’ve loved about these books is that each seemingly deals with a different form of horror; the first with the Gothic, the uncanny, and body horror; the second with folk horror and the supernatural; and the third took us on a Lovecraftian journey of ancient, marine-related body-swapping horrors of deep places. Again, H. P. Lovecraft is not an author I’ve read (I’m aware, through the zeitgeist, that tentacles and ancient evil deities are involved) so I wouldn’t have necessarily made the connection without Kingfisher’s note at the end, but I’m sure the influence is more obvious for those who have.

Being ignorant of the key influence did nothing to dampen the effect of the story, however. It’s still an extremely claustrophobic read; there’s a real sense this time that Alex is out of kan’s depth, that ka can’t fall back on kan’s military training or local knowledge. I really felt myself floundering in the dark alongside our characters, the closeness of the tunnels pressing around them, the weight hanging above them, so very easy to visualise. It’s a key element connecting all three books that Kingfisher is supremely skilled at bringing these truly varied locations to life.

There’s a stronger sense of a mystery to solve here, compared to the first two stories. The first two deal with asking what is killing these people, but with What Stalks, it isn’t even clear if anyone has died or if something else entirely has happened. I think in that sense, it was the least scary of the three for me; but that’s the beauty of horror, isn’t it. Its subjectivity. How easily manipulated and controlled could we be were all our fears the same.

Ultimately then, as I said above, I’m so very glad I braved this series! I’d argue that each is able to stand on its own without requiring prior knowledge, there isn’t an over-arcing storyline that drives you to read all three for answers – but I would highly recommend reading all three for the incredible experience and journey. As I’ve said countless times, Kingfisher is an expert and above all emotional storyteller, fully capable of realising that sense of dread and unease from her kaleidoscope of horror for her readers. I hope Alex’s adventures aren’t over yet.

What Stalks the Deep is available now – you can order your copy on Bookshop.org