Synopses & Reviews
For fans of Jordan Peele's films, Stranger Things, and The Other Black Girl, Listen To Your Sister is a laugh-out-loud, deeply terrifying, and big-hearted speculative horror novel from electrifying debut talent Neena Viel.
Twenty-five year old Calla Williams is struggling since becoming guardian to her brother, Jamie. Calla is overwhelmed and tired of being the one who makes sacrifices to keep the family together. Jamie, full of good-natured sixteen-year-old recklessness, is usually off fighting for what matters to him or getting into mischief, often at the same time. Dre, their brother, promised he would help raise Jamie-but now the ink is dry on the paperwork and in classic middle-child fashion, he's off doing his own thing. And through it all, The Nightmare never stops haunting Calla: recurring images of her brothers dying that she is powerless to stop.
When Jamie's actions at a protest spiral out of control, the siblings must go on the run. Taking refuge in a remote cabin that looks like it belongs on a slasher movie poster rather than an AirBNB, the siblings now face a new threat where their lives-and reality-hang in the balance. Their sister always warned them about her nightmares. They really should have listened.
Razor-sharp, wildly imaginative, breathlessly harrowing, and utterly unforgettable,
Listen to Your Sister is a hilarious and terrifying speculative tale of the nightmares that haunt us, and the deep, powerful love that can tie family together.
Review
"Anxiety metamorphoses into terror for a young Black woman fiercely protecting her own....A relentless descent into familial fears made manifest, both haunting and terribly familiar." -Kirkus Reviews
"[An] addictive supernatural thriller." -Publishers Weekly
"Heartfelt and darkly humorous...Fans of Jordan Peele's films will want to check this out." -Booklist
About the Author
Neena Viel is a horror writer who lives in a cabin in the woods. A 2021-2022 Pitch Wars mentee, her work explores social horror and humor through a Black lens. She has a Bachelor's in Communication from Arkansas State University, and a Master's in Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service. She is the Director of Development & Communications at Northwest Education Access, a Seattle-based nonprofit, and has over eight years of experience in philanthropy.