What Moves the DeadWhat Moves the Dead
What it's about
Alex Easton, a retired soldier, rushes to the remote, decaying home of a childhood friend, Madeline Usher, who is dying. Her brother Roderick is ill too. Something strange is happening on the estate, involving the fungus and the hares, in a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher'.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It's a creepy, witty horror novella.
You'll love it if you liked
Nettle & Bone
A Sorceress Comes to Call
The September HouseGood to know
It's short and creepy.
By the numbers
- Readers12 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller39 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #83 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #424 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #462 of the 481 new books we rank
- #2683 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
More by T. Kingfisher
Nettle & BoneA Sorceress Comes to CallIf you like this, read next
Angel Down
Enchantra
Fairy Tale
The Buffalo Hunter Hunter
One Dark Window
Someone You Can Build a Nest InExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is What Moves the Dead worth reading?
Yes. It was a Goodreads Choice finalist. It ranks #2,683 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 55.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is What Moves the Dead about?
Alex Easton, a retired soldier, rushes to the remote, decaying home of a childhood friend, Madeline Usher, who is dying. Her brother Roderick is ill too. Something strange is happening on the estate, involving the fungus and the hares, in a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher'.
How long does it take to read What Moves the Dead?
About 4 hours (165 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after What Moves the Dead?
If you liked it, try Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher, A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher or The September House by Carissa Orlando.