The Grimmer

by Naben Ruthnum Narrated by Jacob Machin

Overview

The small-town mysteries of John Bellairs are made modern with a dash of Stranger Things in this spine-tingling supernatural horror-thriller

After his father returns from treatment for addiction, highschooler Vish - lover of metal music and literature - is uncertain what the future holds. It doesn't help that everyone seems to know about the family's troubles, and they stand out doubly as one of the only brown families in town. When Vish is mistaken for a relative of the weird local bookseller and attacked by an unsettling pale man who seems to be decaying, he is pulled into the world of the occult, where witches live in television sets, undead creatures can burn with a touch, and magic is mathematical. Vish must work with the bookstore owner and his mysterious teenage employee, Gisela, to stop an interdimensional invasion that would destroy their peaceful town.

Bringing together scares, suspense, and body horror, The Grimmer is award-winning author Naben Ruthnum's first foray into the young adult genre. This gripping ride through the supernatural is loaded with vivid characters, frightening imagery, and astonishing twists, while tackling complex issues such as grief, racism, and addiction.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This briskly paced horror novel offers cinematic imagery and suspenseful intrigue. The narrative grounds the rules of magic in the laws of science, and details about identity and marginalization are thoughtfully incorporated while providing deeper insight into Vish’s worldview. A satisfying supernatural tale centering a reluctant hero who discovers the universe’s time-bending secrets.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Gross imagery and deep lore make this a solid choice for fans of quick but atmospheric horror reads.” — Booklist

“A harrowing — yet often hilarious — journey into chaos, The Grimmer is a gleefully bizarre nightmare unlike anything else in YA. In Vish, I found a fellow metalhead, a unique voice in horror, and a deeply felt story about realizing when you aren’t in control of your life anymore — and what one kid does to regain his agency. An unforgettable experience.” — Mark Oshiro, #1 NYT bestselling author of Into the Light and Each of Us a Desert

“The Grimmer explores complex family and community dynamics in a spooky story with well-rounded characters, a unique magic system, and a villain most mysterious and terrifying.” — Ryan Douglass, New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston

“Naben Ruthnum pivots effortlessly to YA with The Grimmer, a compelling and suspenseful horror novel set in the ’90s. The nostalgic backdrop works beautifully for the story, which manages to stay fresh and unique. Tense, creepy, and full of humour and heart, The Grimmer is a must-read for YA horror fans.” — Tom Ryan, International Thriller Award and Lambda Award winning author of Keep This to Yourself

“Naben Ruthnum’s new YA horror novel The Grimmer is a wonderfully gory thrill ride through the supernatural underworld of the 1990s that will keep you on the edge of your seat and might even keep you up at night.” — The Miramichi Reader

“This was really well done, a gem of a novel that ticked every box off that I was looking for when I dove into this and shows the scope and talent Naben has as a writer.” — Steve Stred

Kirkus Reviews

2023-07-13
A high school student joins forces with an unconventional duo to battle against evil.

After spending two years at a Vancouver Island boarding school, 15-year-old Indian Canadian Vish Maurya is back in mainland British Columbia living with his parents—much to his annoyance. It’s 1996, and his psychiatrist father is recovering from an addiction to prescription pills. Vish resents his parents for sending him away to school while his father entered rehab and got clean. Although his insulated, overwhelmingly white boarding school wasn’t a paradise, Vish isn’t looking forward to an entire summer pretending his peers don’t know about his father’s struggles. When heavy metal fan Vish visits the local bookstore, he’s expecting to catch up on his favorite ghost stories, not become the target of a ghastly parasitic creature from German folklore who harvests souls. Vish soon realizes that magic is real and learns that more than 12,000 ravenous souls may be unleashed on his sleepy town of Kelowna. Together with bookstore owner Agastya and young bookstore employee Gisela, he’s drawn into a battle for survival. This briskly paced horror novel offers cinematic imagery and suspenseful intrigue. The narrative grounds the rules of magic in the laws of science, and details about identity and marginalization are thoughtfully incorporated while providing deeper insight into Vish’s worldview.

A satisfying supernatural tale centering a reluctant hero who discovers the universe’s time-bending secrets. (Horror. 13-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159298706
Publisher:	ECW Press
Publication date:	09/26/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

“Excuse me. Are you related to the owner of this shop?” Vish almost screamed when this question was whispered at the back of his neck, because he could feel the speaker’s breath, which smelled chemical, like bleach or chlorine. And because the voice wasn’t the girl’s, but an older man’s. He hadn’t heard the chime ring again, but there was someone else in the store.

Vish turned and saw another person he’d never seen before. Unlike the girl, this man looked like he was trying to blend in with the general Kelowna look, but had gotten it wrong. For one thing, he wasn’t just untanned, he was as pale as the inside of a tree root. The knees and calves between his slightly too-short cargo shorts and black dress socks (another mistake) were so white they almost gave off a light of their own in the little bookshop. The t-shirt, with a snowboard company logo on it, was almost right, but it was sky blue and too young for the man, who was at least fifty. His hair was dyed blacker than Vish’s, but there was a small thin mustache with a few white strands in it that glistened like mucous. He had the thinnest eyebrows Vish had ever seen on a man, which made his forehead look enormous, a big tank for a brain that Vish thought he would be able to see if the man stood with direct sunlight beaming onto that paper-pale skin. If Agastya had looked a bit sick, this man looked like he should be in bed for months.

“The owner will be right back. And no, we’re not related.”

“You work here.”

“No.”

“You just assumed he was related to the owner? Why?” The Septum-Pierced Girl had come around from the rare books corner holding a small hardcover in her right hand. She spoke with an accent, maybe German. Vish was glad she wasn’t talking to him, because he wouldn’t have been able to answer right away. The Thin-Eyebrowed Man turned to look at her, then spoke.

“The owner of this establishment is a man of subcontinental extraction. The young man I’m speaking to is of that race, as well. Virtually no-one else on these streets is. Hence my question. Should I apologize?” He said this last part to Vish.

“It’s okay,” Vish said. He was still staring at the now-inert snowboard logo. When the conversation didn’t resume, and Vish looked up to see disappointment in the Septum-Pierced Girl’s eyes, Vish looked for something else to say, this time with a bit more of an edge in his tone.

“What do you want?” he said. “From the owner, I mean. What should I tell him?”

Instead of answering, the man kept on staring at the girl.

“Yes,” the girl said. “I know it’s you. You look worn out, Mr. Farris. And not really holding together. The meat’s starting to separate. Not long left at all for you, is there?”

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