Black Flame

by Gretchen Felker-Martin
Black Flame cover
Good Books rating 4.25
Horror
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  • ID: 9303
  • Added: 2025-12-23
  • Updated: 2025-12-23
  • ISBN: 9781250348029
  • Publisher: Tor Nightfire
  • Published: 2025-08-05
  • Reviews: 3

Ellen Kramer, a deeply closeted and pathologically repressed archivist, discovers a long-lost exploitation film, The Baroness, thought to be destroyed by Nazi fire. As she restores the hedonistic movie, she becomes consumed by visions and voices, convinced that the film is real and happening to her. Her life spirals out of control as she unleashes its occult horrors on the world. The novel explores themes of obsession, repression, and the blurred line between reality and fantasy. Gretchen Felker-Martin, the USA Today bestselling author of Manhunt, delivers a haunting and intense narrative that delves into the psychological unraveling of its protagonist. The book is sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) at the publisher's request, emphasizing its accessibility and the author's commitment to reader experience.

Reviews
The Book Beard · 2025-11-28
exquisite 4.50

The book is a dark and exquisite work of fiction that pushes the boundaries of modern horror. It's a stunning and strange exploration of themes that are both grotesque and enrapturing.

The reviewer was captivated by the book's ability to blend the grotesque with the lyrical, creating a story that is both disturbing and beautifully crafted. The exploration of themes like compulsion and desire is unflinching and deeply affecting. The reviewer also noted the book's unique position at the cutting edge of modern horror, praising its ability to challenge and unsettle readers. The novel's dark and disgusting moments are balanced by a sense of exquisite beauty, making it a standout work of fiction.

Quick quotes

    Dark, disgusting, exquisite, enrapturing, Black Flame is a stunning and strange work of fiction.

    It is right at the cutting edge of modern horror.

    Felker-Martin's stunning prose is equal parts grotesque and lyrical.

Fiendfully Reading · 2025-10-11
thought-provoking 4.00

The book is a shorter but impactful story that focuses on queer repression and the horrors of the past. It's a unique and thought-provoking exploration of these themes.

The reviewer appreciated the book's focus on a single protagonist and its exploration of queer repression, finding it to be a compelling and unique story. The novel's shorter length allows for a more intimate and focused exploration of its themes, making it a powerful read. The reviewer also noted the book's ability to delve into the horrors of the past, creating a story that is both haunting and thought-provoking. The novel's unique perspective on these themes makes it a standout work of fiction.

Quick quotes

    This one is quite different, a shorter book that focuses on a smaller story centred around one protagonist.

    It explores queer repression, the horrors of the past, and the weight of history.

    The novel's unique perspective on these themes makes it a standout work of fiction.

The Blog Without a Face · 2025-09-26
unsettling 4.25

The book delves into the idea of how images can consume us, treating film like a living entity. It's a haunting exploration of identity and the power of media.

The reviewer found the book to be a deeply unsettling and thought-provoking exploration of how images can take control of our lives. The protagonist's treatment of film as a body, something that can be manipulated and cared for, adds a unique layer to the story. The book's themes of identity and the power of media are woven together in a way that leaves a lasting impression. The reviewer also appreciated the novel's ability to make the abstract concept of media consumption feel tangible and almost sinister.

Quick quotes

    At its black, beating core, Black Flame is about how images own us.

    Ellen treats film like a body: something that can be cleaned, sutured, made to bleed.

    It's a haunting exploration of identity and the power of media.

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