Hank Schwaeble | Musings of the Monster Librarian

Book Review: Normal for the Spider by Hank Schwaeble

Normal For The Spider by Hank Schwaeble.

Blackstone, 2026

ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8228365018

Available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, audiobook (pre-order before September 15)

Readers know that when they pick up a book with the header “Weird Tales Presents” that it’s going to be a wild ride: something that is anything but normal. Hank Schwaeble, a Bram Stoker winner for Damnable, a stellar supernatural horror-thriller, has produced strong book after book, hitting on all spooky gears without a misstep.

Normal for the Spider is his strangest book yet, bringing something different to the world of killers and shadowy groups in an engaging, well-told tale that horror fans (and thriller freaks) will likely love.

Sienna Snow is a renegade, a killer who has her own set of rules, but unlike many others, she simply kills for her own agenda. Her reasons are her own and she’s not one to give speeches before the fatal blow. One day, she’s evading someone and dips into a store where the owner helps her hide, yet soon she realizes she’s been captured, like a fly for the titular spider. Something is trapped in the basement with her, something not quite right.

When she’s let in on the secret, that a group that calls itself the Book Club (how can that be a bad thing? Plenty of readers here would love to sign up for that) prey on the biggest predators in society. Those who feel they’re the apex in the food chain find themselves in horrific situations by the group are the decision makers in the world and are often terrible people.

Sienna jumps aboard, and the Book Club brings her to their island to discover what they’re truly about– which is when the novel really takes off. What happens on the island? The worst nightmares for those caught in the spider’s web, with fates twisted in evil, but enticing ways. Yet there’s something else present on the island, something even darker than the members, and tougher than Sienna.

Schwaeble’s writing, which is always top notch, pulls the reader along the macabre journey with a cast of characters that aren’t exactly easy to fall for, but he succeeds. Sienna is a great character who bucks the system but intrigues enough to keep the pages turning. The writing is crisp and the pace is intense enough for a thriller, but the horror is strong.

For novels released in 2026, Normal for the Spider is going to be a strong contender for the year’s best list. Highly recommended reading.

Reviewed by David Simms

Book Review: American Nocturne by Hank Schwaeble

American Nocturne by Hank Schwaeble
Cohesion Press, 2016
ISBN-13:978-0994428660
Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

In 2009, the anthology Five Strokes to Midnight and the novel Damnable introduced the horror world to Hank Schwaeble. That year, Schwaeble co-edited Five Strokes to Midnight, which won the Stoker Award for Best Anthology. The anthology included three of his own stories in addition to stories by Gary Braunbeck, Tom Piccirilli, Deborah LeBlanc, and Christopher Golden. In the same year, his debut novel, Damnable, won a Stoker for Best First Novel. While Schwaeble has gone on to write a sequel to Damnable, titled Diabolical (and a third volume is expected shortly), American Nocturne is his first solo collection of short stories. The stories of his that were included in Five Strokes to Midnight showed a taste of his versatility in storytelling, and a few are included in this collection, but the majority of the tales are brand new.

Within the pages, Schwaeble gives the readers a deep, dark taste of noir in the title story, transporting the reader to an earlier time in a piece that that reminds of early Bloch or Matheson. The other stories range from westerns, to science fiction, to suspenseful thriller, to all-out horror. The highlights are many, so the focus here will be on the tales that this reviewer considers award-worthy. The pair of weird westerns, “Phanton Hill” and “To Judge The Quick” would likely make Joe Lansdale proud, the best compliment I can give to a story in this genre, which is difficult to pull off today without resorting to cliche. “Natural Selection”, a Lovecraftian tale, is included, followed by such left turns as “Gomorrah” and “Nurture.” both which may find themselves on the short list for awards next winter. The surprise here was the inclusion of a Kolchak story (yes, that Kolchak). Wow. It works so well here, and if the others don’t persuade readers that this author deserves to be mentioned in the conversation of one of the new elite, “A Murmur of Evil” just might.

Schwaeble offers the reader a variety of different entrees, each one high quality and with its own flavors, leaving a distinct taste that lingers long after the story has become a memory. While genres and characters change, the author’s voice is consistent, the secret ingredient that flavors every story. Sit back in a room full of shadows, grab hold of a solid drink, take a taste of American Nocturne, and fall away into the darkness with these stories of the night. Recommended.

Reviewed by Dave Simms