Monstrous- Blog Tour

 

Author: Bryan Smith 

Publisher: Flame Tree Press

Publishing Date: 22nd September 2026 

Many thanks to the publishing team and Random Things Tours for my physical copy of the book and a spot on the blog tour 

Blurb 

Accompanied by an unsuspecting target, an aspiring serial killer journeys to a remote mountainous location at the same time as a woman looking to bury evidence of a heinous crime walks the same trail. A sudden unnatural storm transports them to a mist-shrouded field that rolls on for countless miles in all directions. A towering skyscraper stands at the centre that they both must enter – a plaque on the door reads simply, MONSTROUS, a hint of the surreal cosmic horrors lurking inside.

Have they been delivered to this strange place for a chance at redemption, or for some ultimate form of punishment not available to earthly forces? Will they ever know the truth?

My Thoughts 

The story follows three people who find themselves trapped inside a mysterious building deep in the middle of a forest. With no obvious way out, they soon discover that their only chance of reaching freedom is to complete a series of increasingly difficult and disturbing tasks. Each challenge takes them further through the building, with the promise of escape waiting somewhere at the end. What follows is a relentless struggle as they are pushed to their limits and forced to endure more and more in their fight to get out.

I really enjoyed how quickly the story moves. It initially feels as though you’re settling into a serial-killer thriller, with the mystery surrounding the building and the people trapped inside creating plenty of tension. Then, quite unexpectedly, the story takes a much darker turn and moves firmly into horror territory. From that point onwards, things become increasingly gruesome, with plenty of blood, violence and disturbing moments.

The characters are far from innocent, which adds another interesting layer to the story. They each have their own secrets and questionable motivations, and I thought this worked particularly well within the darker atmosphere of the novel. They are well written and their actions keep you wondering what they might do next. I would have liked the character development to go a little further. The premise is so intense that I wanted more opportunities to really get beneath the surface of the characters and understand them beyond what they are experiencing in the building.

Overall, this is a fast-paced, brutal and increasingly horrifying read. It begins with the feel of a serial-killer thriller before plunging headfirst into full-blown horror, and it certainly doesn’t hold back when it comes to the gruesome details. I would recommend it to horror fans who enjoy their books dark, bloody and relentless!