Reeling from the events of the first book in this series, Malice House, Haven finds herself both the hunter and the prey. Constantly looking over her shoulder, she fears Uncle Arnold the most. Drawn to Hollywood, Haven finds herself amongst mansions, and discovers a string of murders. They point directly at her family. With the help of her sister, Haven forges alliances with some otherworldly creatures to hunt down others.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, so was excited to read the next one. Sometimes I find that the second book of a series, or duology doesn’t quite work the best for me, but in this case it was a good read. I enjoyed being back in Haven’s world and seeing what she was up to. This book was just as chilling and entertaining as Malice house. That being said, this is not a book you can pick up and easily understand if you haven’t read the first, so please read Malice house before picking this one up. I enjoyed the blurbs from horror movies at the beginning of each chapter, though I’m a little confused what role they played overall, but as this was about horror movies, I guess I can see the value, although not as much as the excerpts from the first book. I also loved how the title fit the book so perfectly, and the cover is just amazing. I enjoyed how we got to know Haven better in this book and how she really came into her all. The romance was a nice touch and I’m excited to see where, if at all that goes.

If you are looking for a fun horror book about the film industry, then check this one out.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Hyperion Avenue and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Additional links will be added once posted.

i made the mistake of reading this novel without reading the first one. maybe that explains why i was so confused.

the writing was fast and choppy. i enjoyed the interludes of horror movies, but i found myself completely unable to follow the story. haven and her family have the ability to bring drawings and writings to life; ergo horror movie monsters. as haven is hunted down after reading her father's final manuscript.

this novel really made no sense to me.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Midnight Showing" by Megan Shepherd is a chilling and enthralling continuation of the Malice Compendium series that delves deeper into the darkness that was unleashed by Haven Marbury's father's manuscript. In this second installment, the mayhem and danger escalate, gripping readers with a sense of unease and anticipation.

The atmosphere of the novel is steeped in Gothic lore, creating a haunting and eerie backdrop for the unfolding events. The author's mastery in crafting a sense of foreboding and suspense is evident, drawing readers into a world where reality and the supernatural collide.

Haven Marbury's journey is one of both discovery and survival. As she grapples with her family's curse and the sinister creations of her father, she becomes both the hunter and the prey. Her quest takes her from the desert scrublands to the mansions of Hollywood, as she uncovers a series of murders that seem to be connected to her own bloodline. The mystery deepens, and the tension steadily rises as Haven races against time to unravel the truth behind the deaths and to confront the dark forces that threaten her and those she cares about.

One of the novel's strengths is its exploration of the power of stories and their impact on reality. The line between reality and fiction becomes blurred, adding an intriguing layer of complexity to the plot. Shepherd's writing captivates readers with its evocative descriptions and vivid imagery, creating a sense of immersion in the world she has crafted.

The character development is well-executed, particularly in the way Haven navigates her own abilities and the moral dilemmas she faces. The relationships she forges with otherworldly creatures and her sister add depth to her character, highlighting her determination and resilience.

"Midnight Showing" keeps readers on the edge of their seats as they follow Haven's journey through a landscape of danger, secrets, and the unknown. Megan Shepherd's skillful storytelling and her ability to blend horror with mystery make this book a must-read for fans of dark and supernatural tales.

This is a gothic masterpiece, but readers will need to read the first book in the series to comprehend the utter creepiness and chilling sense of dread that runs through this story

What if your biggest passion had the unintended consequence of bringing monsters to life?

“Midnight Showing” is the second book in The Malice Compendium (I’m still obsessed with that title for the series, love it!) & sisters Haven & Kylie are traveling internationally to try & find answers about the way their family curse works. Until the women understand exactly how to control the curse (& its manifestations), Haven can’t draw & Kylie can’t write for fear of unleashing literal monsters into the world. For an artist & an author, this ends up being hard to do…

First of all, I loved that the format of this second book reflected the first in that there were excerpts at the start of each chapter (this time from movie scripts instead of from “Bedtime Stories for Monsters”). I also enjoyed getting to meet Rob from the first book (the mysterious horror film buff that Haven wrote recaps of scary movies for). The L.A. film industry’s lost horror movies that were possibly produced by people with the same family curse as Haven & Kylie were fascinating to read about, & the sexual tension between Rafe & Haven was sizzling. I didn’t really enjoy seeing Uncle Arnold again, my least-favorite monster from the first book, but the author made it work. I feel like things flowed a lot more smoothly in the second book, probably in part due to my brain having some time to sit with the premise from the first book - the world-building paid off.

All in all, this was a very strong second book in the series, with an ending that felt a bit like Supernatural (the Eric Kripke TV show: “saving people, hunting things, the family business”) - hopefully that’s a sign that there’s a third book in the works, because I am here for it!

Thank you to NetGalley & Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This follow up to Malice House takes everything readers love about that novel- the horror, the twists, the mayhem, and drops it into the creepy side of Hollywood.

Have you ever wondered about Hollywood urban legends? Would you want to go through a creepy Hollywood mansion filled with memorabilia and mannequins? This is the book you want for your spooky season TBR, and it will give you whiplash trying to keep up. If you want another reason to be excited for spooky season, this book is it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hyperion for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

After the horrifying events at her late father's estate, Haven now understands the incredible power she wields- the ability to draw things into reality. A family gift-or curse- that she shares with her newfound sister. Haven, still hiding the terrible truth of her origins, has grown close to her sister Kylie over the months of searching the globe for more information on her family history. But it's not long before the sisters find more than they bargained for. An article describing on screen creatures coming to life brings her to the world of film. Movies and screenwriting are the perfect vehicle for such powers to bring terrible villains and monsters into the world. But they are not the only ones hunting for clues to this power and its users, the malevolent and powerful Uncle Arnold has his own plans. He wants to be remade, even more powerful and dangerous than ever before. Haven and Kylie must make the choice of whether to allow their powers to bring more creations into the world. The second book in this series hits all the great notes the first one did- scary, atmospheric full of interesting twists. Meaghan Shepphard continues to craft a thrilling story with her truly original and well executed premise.

Malice House was one of my favorite horror books of 2022 so needless to say I was super excited to read book 2 in the series!

Midnight Showing takes place where Malice House ended. After Malice House just burned down, Haven and her newly discovered sister Kylie are on the road. The sisters are looking for answers to the family's curse all while trying to come to terms with newly discovered truths.

But while the sisters are on the road, the vilest creature of them all is hunting them down. The creature who is a salesman names Arnold, can persuade anyone to do anything with just a whisper and his goal is to rewrite the entire world in his image.

First off, this is one of those books where you have to read the first book in the series in order to understand what’s going on. It cannot be read as a standalone. Okay moving on,

Midnight Showing brings back our familiar favorites (and monsters) from book one and introduces us to more characters and new spine-tingling monsters. The book centers around the bond of sisterhood and takes a deep dive into Haven and Kylie’s relationship. A big part of the book is about some old Hollywood horror films (which I loved) that are absolutely terrifying!

Even though I really enjoyed this book, Malice House is still my favorite. However, if you also enjoyed Malice House, you absolutely have to read Midnight Showing! I really hope there will be a book three in this series.

Midnight Showing by Megan Shepherd will be available on October 3. A massive thanks to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

Malice House was one of my favorite books from last year and Midnight Showing met all my expectations for this second series entry, feeling like a seamless continuation of the story that began in Malice House with some unexpected twists along the way.

With book 2, we pivot away from Lundie Bay and the Pacific Northwest and move into the world of old Hollywood, cursed filmmakers, urban legends, and horrors that may possibly be leaving the screen and entering real life. I absolutely loved the retro elements in this book! Present day stories revisiting the old Hollywood time period to uncover long buried secrets is a trope of which I never get tired. This book captured a nostalgic transitioning into ominous tone and gave it a unique spin, creating both a story and setting that felt wholly original and unpredictable.

From lost films and a creepy Hollywood Hills mansion full of movie memorabilia and mannequins to the expansion of the compelling story that began in Malice House, this tale kept me glued to the pages long into the night.

This newest addition in The Malice Compendium should delight readers who enjoy a combination of suspense, dark fantasy and horror with a vivid, sinister atmosphere. I loved Midnight Showing just as much as Malice House and will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.

Thank you to both Netgalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing me a copy to read and review

Honestly, I was drawn to this book before I realized it was a sequel to Malice House. You see, one of my all-time favorite tropes irl or in fiction is the cursed film. That this book has multiple ones that sound like a mash-up of classic horror and A24, both personal favorites, is a treat. Add to that that this is a sequel to Malice House, a book whose world-building I really liked, and unsurprisingly, I ended up enjoying this one a lot.

I really liked malice house and needed to read the sequel and it didn’t disappoint at all. I loved everything about it I love the family part of it and trying to bring everyone back together and make everything while again. I will say I got a tad confused in some parts but overall I would keep with the series if there’s a third book

Take all of the bonkers ideas and concepts in Malice House - a horror/fantasy/thriller with an MC who, in the process of clearing out her estranged father's house after his death, encounters more and more increasingly weird stuff and is eventually led along a horrific journey ending with the knowledge she is of a lineage whose artistic talents, either writing or art, brings monsters to life...and then drop this story in LA with creepy movie sets and haunted films and Hollywood urban legends and even more weird magic, murder and mayhem. Very into this series, wherever it heads next!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

If I'm honest I wasn't as big a fan of the first book. But mostly some elements didn't work for me. But I was intrigued to find out what would happen next. So when I received an arc I was happy to indulge. I can say that as with the first I enjoyed the writing style. The author certainly knows how to set a tone. Although I don't love the characters. I did find myself rooting for them in this thrilling second book.

Megan Shepherd has done it again! I raced through MIDNIGHT SHOWING, completely enthralled in the tightly woven web of twists, turns, and old Hollywood urban legends. THE MALICE COMPENDIUM is quickly becoming my favorite series!

This is the second book in the Malice Compendium series. This one immediately picks up where the last one left off. Haven and her sister now are hunting and trying to figure out the curse. However, at the same time, something is hunting them.

This is one where you definitely need to have read the first book in this to understand the events of this one! Those who enjoyed the first book will enjoy this one too.