Review: Snake-Eater - T. Kingfisher

Genre: Cozy horror/fantasy Published: Titan Books, November 2025 My Rating: 5/5 stars

"'It was a small kindness you did' they said. 'But you and I are both small creatures, are we not?' So the kindness feels larger.'"

In the afterword, T. Kingfisher herself describes Snake-eater as “The platonic ideal of a Kingfisher horror novel”, and honestly, I have nothing to add... Neither to that description of the essence of this book, nor to the formula of cozy-horror that is synonymous with Kingsfisher’s brand by now.

I was first introduced and charmed by this author through The Twisted Ones, in which we follow a young woman and her dog, investigating a haunting, with the help of a colourful cast of characters – specifically an eccentric trigger-happy elderly grandma. In her latest work Snake-eater, we follow (again) a young woman and her dog, investigating a haunting, with the help of a colourful cast of characters – specifically an eccentric trigger-happy elderly grandma… And it still works like a charm!

The Story:

This time around, we aren’t in the woods of North Carolina, but in the southern desert-town of Quartz Creek, where Selena and her loyal dog Copper arrive with exactly 27 dollars to their name, after fleeing her old life entangled in an abusive marriage. She plans to stay with her estranged aunt, only to find out that she has passed away a year ago, leaving her property abandoned and unoccupied. Welcomed by the charming but quirky residents of Quartz Creek, Selena temporarily moves into her aunts home, just so she can figure out a plan-B. Soon however, she discovers that desert-scorpions and sandstorms aren’t the only thing the inhabitants of Quartz Creek have to content with. Here, old gods roam the streets and aren’t above meddling in the lives on the people they cross. And one of them has set its sights on Selena…

What I loved:

Let’s get my only true point of critique at Snake-Eater out of the way first. That is how incredibly similar it feels to The Twisted Ones in its set-up. Honestly though, I can’t complain when it’s a formula that works thís well for me. We have all the right ingredients present:

- a cast of quirky characters, including a very good doggo, a feisty grandmother, and a truck-loving Catholic priest with a heart of gold.

- a small town, isolated setting, that’s equal parts cozy and creepy with its strange customs and folklore.

- Kingfishers signature balance of spooks, witty humor, and genuine heart, that she brings to her stories. The horror-elements in Snake-eater isn’t overt from the start, but the book certainly has its moments that stand out extra when contrasted to the otherwise cozy small-town atmosphere. The folk-horror here works by feeling authentic and nailing that feeling of “a little silly, but also terrifying” that often hangs around real-life folklore.

Perhaps the thing I love most about this authors work is the way that, despite the levity and quirk she pours into her stories, there’s a lot of heart and care involved in the heavier themes she incorporates. In the case of Snake-eater: the discussion on abusive relationships and building a new life after them. It’s subtle, but strikes so true, and the growth Selena undergoes throughout the novel actually warmed my heart.

Overall: this was all I wanted in a Kingfisher book. Heartfelt, spooky, cooky and a joy to read. If you hadn’t been convinced to pick this authors work up, consider this your sign!

You can find this book here on Goodreads.