I admit the cover is what sold me on this book. When Nico Bell posted it on Bluesky, I was ready to read it before I even looked at the back copy. Learning it was about a young woman who is hallucinating and then taken advantage of by a psychologist with ulterior motives was definitely up my alley of horror tropes I enjoy. Getting an ARC of it was awesome and I was thrilled to dive in!
Carmen Franco’s untethered mind twists reality into a nightmare filled with relentless hallucinations.
Carmen’s greatest desire is a peaceful life, but despite countless doctors and swallowing a pharmacy’s worth of pills, Carmen can’t escape her disturbing delusions brought forth from a past tragedy.
Enter Dr. Barbara MacDonald, a brilliant psychologist proposing an innovative and experimental treatment program. Barbara ignites a flicker of hope, but Carmen quickly realizes the doctor’s motives aren’t exactly pure. Carmen holds the key to the one thing Barbara covets most in the world, and the determined psychologist intends to obtain it by any means necessary.
Now, Carmen races against the clock to save herself as madness and deception converge. Will she unravel Barbara’s menacing motives before time runs out or will Carmen fall prey to the dark abyss pulling her in?
I think this is the first time I’ve ever read a novel much less a horror novel so populated with women and with so minimal a reference to men. I believe that the only men pointed out in the whole book are in chapter one – the father of a young girl – and a brief mention of the main character’s father specifying his absence in her life. Everyone from the nameless side characters to the main character and her connections including the doctors to the villain and her henchwoman – all women or girls. On top of that, the main character is a lesbian who briefly daydreams of a normal future with a woman who will love her.
All this is done fluidly without commentary on women or men. Its natural and for that it is beautifully done. I applaud Nico Bell for this as well as the breakneck story that unfolds.
This book is a quick read. I would say that I read it in one sitting but I did get interrupted by my dogs in the middle. Its not just that the book is only 150 pages but the story itself only takes place over a couple of weeks, the majority in a handful of days. Once Carmen (and we the readers) enter Barbara’s care, things start to go down hill so fast if you blink you’ll miss it.
A delicious blend of scifi and paranormal horror, Static Screams is creeping tale that will make you question the things you see out of the corner of your eye as well as your next doctor visit.
Without getting into spoiler territory, I will say that this book’s plot and what is really going on with Carmen and Dr. Barbara MacDonald was wholly unexpected but not so jarring that it felt like I got tricked unto reading one book instead of another. Then there was the twist at the end that was very dark and welcome. I enjoyed the ending a great deal and sat the book down satisfied with how this ride of a story came to a close. Good stuff.
My one and only complaint – it was over too soon. Sure the story is wrapped up. It makes sense. I’m not saying that the plot was wrapped up too early but I wanted more. I wanted more of Carmen and of this strange static-vision world that Nico Bell created. I can’t wait to read more of her work.
I recommend Static Screams to fans of the scifi, mad scientist vibes and girls with powers in Stranger Things and Dean Koontz’ The Door to December and for horror fans that are looking for a LGBTQ+, women led, women villain horror story that passes the Bechdel Test.
