Petrified Women – Horror Novella Review

Petrified Women by author Jeremy Ray

Petrified Women by Jeremy Ray is a novella that packs in more terror than any 1,000 page Stephen King tome. Reading Petrified Women is like trying to hide that you’re having a panic attack but attempting to smother it makes it worse and the next thing you know you can’t breathe and you just want to get out but you’re trapped and you can’t breathe and why can’t you get out why is breathing so hard just breathe but you can’t….

The novella stars Harley, a young woman in love with a practical joker. Aiden, said joker, is a grown ass man who thinks it’s funny to petrify women. In every sense. He has a history of scaring his girlfriends off with his practical jokes but he also makes a living by carving life sized female statues out of wood. Petrified Women, get it?

So Harley deludes herself into believing that the practical jokes are fun and “their love language.” She attempts time and time again to finally scare him back but she just can’t make a prank land. He’s always one or four steps ahead of her.

Then, as all practical joke games are bound to do, one gets out of control. The novella takes sharp twists and turns as we fear for the outcome, Harley might actually be in real danger this time! Or, is it all a sick joke?

I personally can’t stand practical jokes. I find them typically mean spirited and cruel. At best they’re annoying and probably involve some tedious clean up. So it was a doubly whammy for me to already be primed to be anxious about these kinds of pranks and then to see one go horribly wrong.

Petrified Women is far from predictable. Every time I thought I knew what was coming something else jumped out from behind a door. I didn’t know what would be happening next but I did know that I was really freaking scared!

If you can set aside the time I’d recommend reading Petrified Women in one sitting. You aren’t going to want to interrupt the experience by putting it down. It has an intense pacing and author Ray keeps the reader trapped right alongside Harley. It’s almost like you can feel her panic alongside your own.

I’ve read two stories of Ray’s now and I can’t wait to read more. His story The House Plant made me weep and now Petrified Women got me sweating with fear. What will he give us next?!

Then go find him and keep track of new releases here: https://jeremyraystories.com/

5/5 petrified faces 😱😱😱😱😱

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Buy it here: Petrified Women: A Horror Thriller Novella