- Format
- Paperback
- Pages
- 294
- ISBN
- 978-1-951971-30-4
- Price
- $18.95
- Publication Date
- September 30, 2025
The Mean Ones
Tatiana Schlote-Bonne
So what if Sadie hears talking dead animals and a strange, comforting male voice in her head? The therapist insists these are just symptoms of PTSD. It makes sense considering that she hid under the bed and watched as her best friends were slaughtered.
But the murders were seventeen years ago, back when her name was Sabrina. Now, she’s Sadie: a perfectly normal 29-year-old. She works as a physical therapist assistant and lifts weights with her boyfriend, Lucas, who’s the sweetest, most considerate man—as long as he’s not angry. But when Lucas spontaneously agrees to join a couples trip to a cabin in the woods, the visions get worse, a strange figure stalks her during the night, and that male voice in Sadie’s head keeps calling, asking her to do things she’s never fathomed.
Sadie’s not sure if it’s her paranoia or something else entirely . . . But she is sure of one thing—this time, she’s not going to sit idly by as everything starts to unravel.
Praise for The Mean Ones
“A folk horror flex that suplexes every summer campfire story you’ve ever heard, The Mean Ones gets its grip around the reader and crushes their skull.” —Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes
“Wonderfully creepy. Schlote-Bonne’s terrifying novel will prey on your greatest fears and crawl under your skin.” —Monika Kim, author of The Eyes Are the Best Part
“Fast-paced and wickedly witty, The Mean Ones will keep you guessing until the devilishly satisfying end.” —Jacquie Walters, author of Dearest
“The Mean Ones is a sharply compelling exploration of emotional isolation and the unending echoes of childhood trauma. Schlote-Bonne’s adult debut is perceptive, nuanced, and impossible to put down as it hurtles readers toward its horrifying—and immensely satisfying—conclusion. Masterfully written!” —Kelsea Yu, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of Bound Feet and Demon Song
“Skin-crawlingly scary. Schlote-Bonne cements herself as a brilliant new voice in horror.” —Cindy R. X. He, author of Perfect Little Monsters and This is Where We Die
“The Mean Ones is horror at its best. Think Evil Dead meets Hereditary. From its opening line to its shocking ending, there’s no looking away. Smart as it is scary, Tatiana Schlote-Bonne has firmly planted herself as a horror writer of our time. I’ll gladly follow this author into any dark corner she wants to take me.” —Paula Gleeson, author of Boney Creek and Original Twin
“Schlote-Bonne has crafted a masterful tale about mean girls, summer camp, and a demonic cult, all while delivering a powerful message that it’s okay to be different, that strong is beautiful, and to trust one’s inner voice.” —Lori Brand, author of Bodies to Die For
“Tatiana Schlote-Bonne’s adult debut The Mean Ones is a taut and claustrophobic chiller that oozes sweat, blood, and the ferocity buried within every “nice” girl. Trees weep and muscles twitch as our heroine drags us page by page through a nightmare that’s chased her for decades until we reach a conclusion as satisfying as it is well-earned; I loved every minute of it.” —Jaq Evans, author of What Grows in the Dark
“Splattered with blood and sincerity. If the consequence of being inauthentic is low self-concept, The Mean Ones showcases one woman’s journey to self-actualization by way of recognizing the gory truths of her past. Schlote-Bonne will have you rooting for Sabrina as she puts one foot in front of the other on an ever-darkening descent to salvation.” —Meg Ripley, author of Necrology
