‘The Ghost That Ate Us’ Review – Daniel Kraus Delivers a Brutal, Emotional Read in this Satirical Paranormal True-Crime Thriller

Daniel Kraus’s new novel, The Ghost That Ate Us, is an incredibly difficult book to talk about without venturing into spoilery waters. It’s a true-crime facsimile that’s more of a rumination on the ways traumatic events can bring people together and irreparably destroy them than it is a tale about the event itself. But it’s also a dark, almost satirical critique of both true-crime and paranormal nonfiction – in the best way possible. With a densely constructed plot that slowly builds up to an absolute cracker of a climax, The Ghost That Ate Us might be one of the most unique horror stories I’ve read in a while. But it’s also one of the most effective.

A Glorious Combination of Fiction and Nonfiction

We all remember the Burger City Tragedy of June 2017. Six dead after a strange nine months filled with alleged paranormal activity, violent crimes, and bizarre news coverage. But what really happened at Burger City #8 between September 2016 and June 2017? Is there any truth at all to the stories of the Burger City Poltergeist? Or is the whole thing just a hoax, a convenient excuse to shift blame from those who deserve it to some kind of paranormal entity? Daniel Kraus seeks to answer all of these questions and more in The Ghost That Ate Us, finally telling the true story behind this horrific tragedy. Featuring interviews with the survivors and an in-depth analysis of the available evidence, The Ghost That Ate Us weaves together a tale of naivete, opportunism, mismanagement, and brutality that just might finally put a rest to this whole sordid affair.

Of course, The Ghost That Ate Us is a work of fiction written in the style of a true-crime book. A style that Kraus both skewers and makes great use of. If you’re a true-crime fan, you’ll immediately recognize some of the tropes he utilizes (and subsequently pushes as far as they’ll go). It’s through that combination of fiction and nonfiction that Kraus creates this all-engrossing, dramatic, and horrifying story. And best of all, he avoids the most common trap in true-crime stories by not actually telling readers what the specific crime is until the book’s climax. At times, this sometimes makes the book feel a bit dense and confusing. But as the climax hits, you quickly realize that those earlier, confusing chapters were expertly laying the groundwork for this explosive conclusion. And it’s a total delight – a suspenseful page-turner from start to finish.

A Tale of Trauma

To be clear, The Ghost That Ate Us isn’t a comedic book. It’s not trying to make fun of true-crime novels or paranormal stories. It is, however, a critique of those genres. Or, at least, the opportunistic, uncaring industry that revolves around them. Because the thing that stands out the most when reading The Ghost That Ate Us isn’t its bonkers plot (though let me tell you, things get absolutely wild at times) or the novelty of the story’s execution. It’s the way that Kraus explores the story’s characters and how their lives have been irreparably damaged by this traumatic event. Much of the book focuses far more on how the characters are doing nowadays than on explaining the specificities of the Burger City Tragedy and the events that led up to it. And I’m so glad that’s the angle he takes because it makes for a far better story.

Viewed within the context of some of Kraus’s other books, this focus on the characters’ respective trauma isn’t particularly surprising. It’s a theme that crops up in books like Bent Heavens and The Autumnal. But it’s also so much more interesting than purely focusing on the minutiae of solving this crime or proving/disproving the paranormal aspects. Throughout the book, you grow to truly care for these characters, all of whom came from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds and all of whom were searching desperately for some way out of their situations. These horrifying events united them almost as much as they destroyed them. And that’s beyond fascinating. For these characters, the true tragedy doesn’t necessarily lie in the traumatic event itself, but in the aftermath. In the scars and guilt it leaves behind with the survivors. And Kraus explores that idea to all of its gut-punching glory.

A Visceral Nightmare of Ever-Increasing Dread

As far as the horror goes, the supernatural elements certainly take a backseat to everything else. After all, Kraus makes it pretty clear from page one that he’s skeptical of the whole Burger City Poltergeist thing. So, most of the book is told from the perspective of someone simply trying to understand why a person might be drawn into either believing or perpetrating such a horrific hoax. And honestly, that’s far scarier than something like The Amityville Horror. The Ghost That Ate Us is plenty terrifying without the poltergeist in question. Between the specifics of the actual tragedy and the general societal horror that befalls most of the characters, it’s hard to shake how upsetting this book is. The whole thing is basically a waking nightmare, filled with an ever-increasing sense of dread that digs into your soul in the best way possible.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, The Ghost That Ate Us is a horrific, brutal, emotional read. It’s the perfect combination of fiction and nonfiction, all at once skewering the paranormal/true-crime genres while adhering to most of their tropes. The horror is very visceral and character-driven, with Kraus spending much of the book delving deep into his characters and exploring who they are now and who they were before the tragedy. And that ending – let’s just say it’s in your best interests to stay as unspoiled as possible. If you’re looking for a new scary read, The Ghost That Ate Us might just scratch that itch. It’s unlike anything I’ve read in quite a while. And I loved every page of it.

The Ghost That Ate Us comes out on July 12 in Hardback, paperback, and digital formats from Raw Dog Screaming Press. For more information, please visit their website.

Disclaimer: A review copy of The Ghost That Ate Us was provided by Raw Dog Screaming Press. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.