MINI REVIEW: ONLY THE STAINS REMAIN by ROSS JEFFERY

“To kill a monster, you have to become a monster.”

Apparently I’m a glutton for emotional punishment because this is the third book in a row that has left a dark mark on my psyche. ONLY THE STAINS REMAIN is a brief novella of trauma, survival, and vengeance. This was a story that left me feeling filthy and hollow as I read each heartbreaking chapter. Our narrator and protagonist, Jude, recalls extreme childhood trauma brought on by the hands of his uncles after his mother dies.

The abuse experienced by young Jude and his brother is as infuriating as the justified and bloody vengeance is satisfying. But our protagonist’s memory of pain and suffering will break its audience. Through raw, honest writing, author Ross Jeffery reminds the reader that horror does not have to involve the supernatural and monsters can take human form. The tragic content of this story may be triggering for some and very difficult to stomach, so read at your own discretion. And maybe have a strong drink ready for when you reach the end.

(5/5⭐)

(Thank you so much to Night Worms, Cemetery Gates Media, and author Ross Jeffery for my #NightWormsBookParty review copy! )