The Extra is a creepy, atmospheric novella with elements of sci-fi and psychological horror. This is Annie Neugebauer’s 2nd published novella, following her acclaimed debut, The Light in the Woods—and both stories showcase her talent for unsettling atmospheric tension and emotional depth. The story follows Matt, an experienced guide leading a small group of hikers deep into the Arkansas wilderness for what should be a peaceful backcountry adventure. But after a powerful storm surge, something feels off. When the group regathers, Matt realizes there’s one more person than there should be. Unable to explain how it happened or who doesn’t belong—he questions his own perception of reality.

The story is told from Matt’s POV. He’s a responsible, cautious protagonist who’s accustomed to leading groups and used to being trusted. Since he’s done this trip multiple times, he’s familiar with the van having only 10 seats, and counting heads is routine—so counting 11 heads and still having a memory of every one of the individuals is extremely psychologically unsettling! His student guides (Joey and Bianca), whom he confides in, are very inexperienced and only add to his paranoia instead of helping diffuse the situation. As they analyze each of the group’s members for a possible imposter, readers get glimpses of the different personalities and their potentially suspicious behaviors. This mostly comes from Matt’s lens, which means it’s sometimes unreliable, as his own grip on reality seems to waver.

For such a short book at only 136 pages, the story offers a lot of gripping tension. There may not be any dramatic character arcs or transformations in the story—but the “everyone is a suspect” trope is very pronounced and well executed. As the story unfolds, Matt uses strategic dialogue to try to sniff out the imposter, and who seems “safe” and who seems “off” is constantly shifting, keeping readers constantly guessing with Matt! The pacing is tight and unrelenting from start to finish. After Matt’s revelation that there is an extra person, there’s no downtime—every decision he makes and conversation he partakes in is full of implications. The midsection is where Matt really begins scrutinizing everyone, looking for small inconsistencies and odd behaviors, all the time wondering if he’s lost his own grip on reality. The ending is open to interpretation and may either delight or frustrate readers, but is well worth discussion afterward—and for this reason this novella is a perfect choice for a buddy read or a book club!

Overall, The Extra is a gripping psychological horror novella that will linger after the final page. It will especially appeal to readers who enjoy quiet horror (uncomfortable rather than gory), psychological paranoia, cosmic suspense, or books that will leave you feeling unsettled afterwards. Also a great choice for anyone in a reading slump! Don’t hesitate on this one!