Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC of Dead Weight in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Minotaur Books / Macmillan Audio
Published: May 26, 2026
Summary:
An Icelandic night may hide secrets and affairs—or even bodies—in this gruesomely cathartic horror thriller from the author of The Night Guest.
Unnur was living a normal, if lonely, life until a black cat showed up at her door.
Trying to do the right thing, Unnur reunites the lost pet with its owner—a young woman named Ásta who is in desperate need of some help. Unnur reluctantly agrees to take in the cat until Ásta is able to care for it again herself.
Soon, Ásta becomes a fixture in Unnur’s life and the two form an unlikely friendship. But like a black cat, trouble is tailing Ásta, and Unnur is the only one there when things take a violent turn.
Nothing tests a friendship like blood on your hands.
My thoughts:
This is the second book I’ve picked up by Hildur Knutsdottir and I am a fan! I love that her books are short yet always manage to unsettle me and this one was no exception! While I may not be a cat person, this book really is about an unlikely female friendship and how things can get pretty messy and complicated fast. The characters are deliciously unhinged – my absolute favorite!! – and I loved how poor Unnur’s quiet life is left in the dark by a cat feeling she was a safe space…was it by chance or on purpose?
The significance of the cover is a chilling nod to the beauty that is Iceland and I just love that. I visited Iceland many years ago and after just being in Alaska, Iceland has been on my brain again.
Audio thoughts:
I listened to this one and it was narrated by the translator, Mary Robinette Kowal, who did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. She gave each character their own unique voice and infused just the right amount of tension and emotion into her voice as needed.
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