I'll Make a Spectacle of You

De: Beatrice Winifred Iker

Narrado por: Ozzie Jacobs

This heart-pounding Southern gothic horror debut from Beatrice Winifred Iker, takes readers to Bricksbury University, the oldest and most storied HBCU in the nation. But as one student is about to find out, a long history comes with a legacy of secrets.

Zora Robinson is an ambitious grad student in her dream program, Appalachian Studies, at Bricksbury University. When her thesis advisor hands her a strange diary and suggests she research the local folklore about a beast roaming the woods surrounding campus, Zora finds a community uneager to talk to an outsider.

As she delves into the history of the beast, she uncovers a rumored secret society called the Keepers that has tenuous ties to the beast…and Bricksbury itself. Zora soon finds herself plagued by visions of the past, and her grip on reality starts to slip as she struggles to uncover what is real and what is folklore. But when a student goes missing, Zora starts to wonder if the Keepers ever really disbanded.

There’s something in the woods and it has its eyes on Zora.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Steeped in Southern folklore and religious traditions, this gothic debut examines the cost of protection, the strength of belief, and the bloody truth that hides in the past of even the safest of havens. Beatrice Winifred Iker is a phenomenal new voice in horror." —Kamilah Cole, Lodestar Award finalist and bestselling author of the Divine Traitors duology

“A nuanced and propulsive tale told with great care. Weaving frightening set pieces with such lovingly depicted characters is a tough balancing act and Iker pulls it off flawlessly. Add this to your library ASAP!” —Lamar Giles, author of The Getaway

"Iker weaves a sinister slow-burn gothic mystery from the strands of family, faith, and the forgotten history of Black Appalachia. Twisty, brooding, and unpredictable—as deliciously creepy as a long walk home through a darkened wood!" —Bitter Karella, author of Moonflow

“Pulsing with tension, Beatrice Winifred Iker’s I'll Make a Spectacle of You is a chilling, richly layered debut where folklore, academia, and ancestral trauma collide. With the weaving together of horror and history, this story hooks its hold from the very first page as it reminds readers how the past never stays silent for long.”—LaTanya McQueen, author of When the Reckoning Comes

"Heart-pounding tension, edge of your seat thrills, and excellent prose, Beatrice Winifred Iker’s I’ll Make a Spectacle of You was a book I just couldn’t put down. If you love folk horror and always wonder if the shadows are looking back at you, this is the book for you." —Kosoko Jackson, USA Today bestselling author of The Forest Demands Its Due

“A compelling blend of Appalachian folklore and dark academia. Iker weaves rootwork and secret societies together into a chilling tale that examines the price we're willing to pay for protection—and power. I’ll Make a Spectacle of You establishes Iker as a smart new voice in horror.”—Alisa Alering, author of Smothermoss

“Immersive, inventive, and scary as hell! With impeccable folklore and lush writing, Iker's fresh, insistent voice will remind you of all the reasons you should stay out of the woods.” —Neena Viel, author of Listen to Your Sister

This was not it for me

I went into this book so excited. The synopsis promised everything I love: Appalachia, Hoodoo, Black culture, and a dark academia vibe that felt rich with atmosphere and meaning. On paper, this should have been a perfect read for me.
Unfortunately, the experience of actually reading it didn’t match the promise at all.
The pacing felt painfully slow, and instead of feeling immersed in the setting and themes, I felt like I was being handed research notes dressed up as a novel. The writing came across as overly academic and, at times, pretentious—like facts and references were being presented for their own sake rather than woven naturally into a story. I kept waiting for the narrative to pull me in, but it never quite did.
What makes this more disappointing is that the premise is genuinely fantastic. The ingredients for a powerful, atmospheric story were all there, but the execution and writing style just didn’t work for me.
I really wanted to love this book, but in the end, it simply wasn’t for me.