A Child Alone with Strangers
A Novel
Published on 18. December 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
624 pages
978-1-945863-92-9 (ISBN)
Description
"Fracassi's novel hits me like a cross between McCammon and '80s King. Might be one of them summer blockbusters readers love." -Laird Barron, author of Worse Angels
"A Child Alone with Strangers starts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer--one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places." -Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters
When young Henry Thorne is kidnapped and held prisoner in a remote farmhouse surrounded by miles of forest, he finds himself connecting with a strange force living in the woods-using that bond to wreak havoc against his captors. Unknown to the boy, however, is that this ancient being has its own reasons for wanting the interlopers gone-there is something hidden beneath the house, tucked away in the dark, damp root cellar . . . waiting for its return.
"A Child Alone with Strangers starts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer--one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places." -Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters
When young Henry Thorne is kidnapped and held prisoner in a remote farmhouse surrounded by miles of forest, he finds himself connecting with a strange force living in the woods-using that bond to wreak havoc against his captors. Unknown to the boy, however, is that this ancient being has its own reasons for wanting the interlopers gone-there is something hidden beneath the house, tucked away in the dark, damp root cellar . . . waiting for its return.
Reviews / Votes
Named by Esquire as "One of the Best Horror Books of 2022""... a perfectly pitched horror novel, visceral and terrifying, delving deep into an eldritch world that sits alongside our own. It reminds me of early Stephen King-It; Firestarter; The Shining-but Fracassi also brings a depth of understanding to his monsters, human and otherwise, that makes A Child Alone with Strangers deeply moving. . . . I am now forcing it on everyone I know. Highly recommended.
-Alison Flood, The Guardian
"This book is huge but completely worth it. I haven't read anything that terrifying in a while. . . . If you love horror, I highly recommend this story."
-Christina Boswell, San Francisco Book Review (5 Stars)
"Fracassi's novel hits me like a cross between McCammon and '80s King. Might be one of them summer blockbusters readers love."
-Laird Barron, author of Worse Angels
"A Child Alone with Strangers starts out as a slow burn procedural with supernatural elements and inexorably cranks itself into a pulse-pounding symphony of eldritch horrors and all-too-human violence. Philip Fracassi is the best sort of horror writer--one who is unafraid to hunt for light in even the darkest places."
-Shaun Hamill, author of A Cosmology of Monsters
"Philip Fracassi's range, prolific output, and fast-paced prose are all set to put him on the shelf next to names such as King, Straub, and Thomas Harris . . . . one of the best books of the year."
-Logan England, Signal Horizon
"A Child Alone with Strangers is one of the most affecting horror novels I've read this year."
-Esquire
"This novel is at once terrifying and engrossing, so exquisitely composed by an artist who has found that terra firma of fear and sarcasm and compassion that makes this story soar. Successful on every level, this book is a must read-for so many reasons! Very highly recommended.
A Child Alone with Strangers is one most affecting horror novels I've read this year."
-Grady Harp, Readers Entertainment magazine
"...a sheer barrage of non-stop visceral horror and some truly breath-taking sequences which were vicious throwbacks to seventies and eighties era horror."
-Tony Jones, Ginger Nuts of Horror
"An instant horror classic and my favorite read of the year. Every character is humanized with compelling depth. Every chapter is a study in tension and craft. Fracassi seamlessly weaves together so many horror sub-genres while organically rooting them all in a propulsive character-driven narrative that puts heart above all else. I really can't say enough good things about this one. A towering achievement."
-Brian McAuley, author of Curse of the Reaper
"This book is a horror masterpiece."
-Scribble's Worth
"It's so much more than a supernatural horror thriller because at the heart of it is loss and living through the fog of grief."
-Book Stalker Blog
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Skyhorse Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 225 mm
Width: 151 mm
Thickness: 36 mm
Weight
686 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-945863-92-9 (9781945863929)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Philip Fracassi is an award-winning author and screenwriter. His story collection, Behold the Void, won "Best Collection of the Year" from both This Is Horror and Strange Aeons Magazine, and has had numerous other short stories published in various magazines and anthologies, including The Best Horror of the Year. The author of Beneath a Pale Sky and Boys in the Valley, you can follow Philip via his social media @philipfracassi.