(Reviewed by JD Jung)
I’ll be honest — erotic horror isn’t usually my genre. But after enjoying Clare Castleberry’s Bound by Blood, I gave Lisette a chance, and I’m glad I did.
Set against the gritty backdrop of New Orleans and its surrounding swamplands, Lisette packs an impressive amount of story into just 77 pages. This dark novella weaves together werewolves, witchcraft, revenge, and raw, unflinching horror in a way that feels both atmospheric and deeply personal.
The story follows Lisette, a woman descended from traiteurs — traditional Creole or Cajun healing women — who has spent her life at the mercy of abusive men. When her possessive partner Austin pushes her too far, she retaliates with the Rougarou curse, intending to banish him to the swamps for good. Instead, he comes back —monstrous, and with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. What follows is a dark and twisted survival story, as Lisette finds herself ensnared in a dangerous arrangement, she can no longer fully control.
What surprised me most was how well-developed the characters are for such a short book, including the supporting cast. Castleberry doesn’t waste a single page. The addition of a detective investigating missing persons adds real tension, forcing Lisette toward a reckoning she’s been avoiding.
The book doesn’t flinch — it’s graphic, gritty, and unapologetically bold. But beneath the horror is a story about a woman reclaiming agency, however messy and morally complicated that looks. We watch this while anxiously awaiting how it will all come to a head…and it is surprising.
For those who enjoy gritty and graphic no -holds- barred horror stories, Lisette just may be the one for you.