When the Wolf Comes Home

Nat Cassidy, author of the acclaimed horror Mary, returns with When the Wolf Comes Home, an unabashed, adrenaline-fueled pop horror thriller where the darkest fears can become reality.

A USA Today bestseller!
ABA Indie Bookseller bestseller!
NPR Books We Love
Best Horror of 2025— Men's Health, Vulture, IGN
Editors' Pick—Page Six

“Get your claws into this one, horror fiends. It's terrific. . . . Sink your teeth into a classic.”—Stephen King

“A crazy-good, balls-to-the-wall horror novel . . . it’s full throttle from the first pages.” —Joe Hill

“This is the kind of great, big, epic horror novel we got back in the '80s that came out swinging for the fences and left everything on the field. Welcome back, you shaggy, bloody monster of a book!” —Grady Hendrix

Best Books of 2025—Vulture
The 25 Best and Most Anticipated Horror Books of 2025—Men's Health
Most Anticipated Horror of 2025—Paste Magazine, LitHub

One night, Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five-year-old runaway hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. After a violent, bloody encounter with the boy's father, she and the boy find themselves running for their lives.

As they attempt to evade the boy's increasingly desperate father, Jess slowly comes to a horrifying understanding of the butchery that follows them—the boy can turn his every fear into reality.

And when the wolf finally comes home, no one will be spared.

Other Books by Nat Cassidy
Mary, an Awakening of Terror
Nestlings

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Published Apr 22, 2025

304 pages

Average rating: 8.16

137 RATINGS

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Gias_BookHaven

Dec 30, 2025

8.5/10 stars

When the Wolf Comes Home follows an aspiring actress in LA who works part time at a bar. In the midst of a slight medical scare, Jess returns home to find a scared and traumatized little boy in her yard. And things are basically downhill from there.

I think the narrator for this book, Helen Laser, was amazing. And the author's note in the beginning about TWs was enough of a glimpse into their brain to let me know I would like him as an author. And I was right. This was my first Nat Cassidy book and I can't wait to read more.

Readers coming into this book should know that there's elements of physical and psychological horror that the story is woven around. But the core of the book centers on parental connections and how they can impact a child.

Jess, who has recently lost her father, feels immediately protective of the young boy. Even with the sudden appearance of this wolf/bear creature who attacks her neighbors, she puts the boy's safety first. And that's a constant theme throughout the story even at points where she begins to weigh the risks of protecting him versus herself.

And for me, the more I read, the scarier the story seemed to feel. The small chain reactions that continue to build around Jess and the little boy while running away from the creature chasing them end up having such a big impact, I was really just hoping for certain parts to just be a character's dream.

The closest relationship Jess has in the book is with her mother who can be eccentric and dramatic but man is their foundation strong. Even without knowing all the details of why Jess is on the run, she helps and protects her. There's a moment in the story where Jess learns some new information about her estranged father regarding his absence in her life. I liked the closure she gets from this information, but I didn't think it changed much for Jess and her natural intentions.

She wasn't a parent but understood that the young boy needed protection and was scared. And understanding that as a 5 year old just how scary the whole world may seem to him. As we age, some of those fears fade or go away. And sometimes, they're just replaced by other things.

There's a lot that I can't say without spoiling the book for other readers. So I will just ask this question: who do you think is the villain in When the Wolf Comes Home?

hangrymountainwitch

Nov 17, 2025

9/10 stars

Really enjoyed this one. Creative storyline that blends, magic, horror and a complex family relationships with mostly likable characters.

gmlove1996

Oct 07, 2025

10/10 stars

I loved this book! It was a different kind of horror book and it definitely had me scared at points. Overall, a great read!

Danisha

Jul 15, 2025

9/10 stars

I went into ‘When the Wolf Comes Home’ expecting your run of the mill thriller—after all, it was the pick for this month in a few Thriller Book Clubs I joined. Oh how I was so wrong, in the best possible way though. (I also only skimmed the description clearly not well enough lol) This book is a wild, unsettling journey that grips you from start to finish. Intense, twisted horror with vividly descriptive nightmares that seem to stick with you long after the last page. The balance between terror and that good old laugh to keep from crying was a nice touch as well. The characters are messy and emotional making you want to shake some sense into them and comfort them at the same time—maybe (lol). There are some “Daddy issues” moments that seemed to annoy some readers but the other elements in the story far outweighed this, for me at least. The author’s imagination runs wild in the best ways, crafting horrific possibilities that grab you by the throat and don’t let go. The writing has you so wrapped up, you can feel the trauma and horror pouring through the pages. It came this close to earning a full 5 stars—but I will say, a few sections felt as if they dragged or could have been trimmed to keep the momentum firing on. At the end of the day you can’t go wrong with ‘When the Wolf Comes Home’ it’s a great haunting and unforgettable read—recommend if you’re ready for something more than your average paced Horror Thriller ride.

LilithReadsToo

Jul 11, 2025

9/10 stars

Loved love loved! Just read it , very much worth it.