On a rainy night, Luke Oshel gets stood up halfway through dinner. But before his date walks off to the bathroom and never returns, she leaves an old photograph under her napkin—Luke as a child, a dead body in the shadows of his bedroom, and a terrifying masked man. He has no recollection of this event.
Then more photos disrupt his life—Luke posing with murder victims, covered in blood—and he falls back into the deep paranoia and repressed memories he’s tried to leave behind. All the drugs and alcohol, therapy, and hypnosis sessions have never conquered his deepest fear—that he hasn’t escaped the hidden legacy of his late father, who killed his victims by blood loss. But now there is a new string of serial killings, and the evidence all points to Luke.
As his journey to uncover the truth unfolds in the North Georgia Appalachians, a threat arises that will risk everything he holds close, including his ex-wife and their young daughter. Now Luke must chase his father’s darkness through a centuries-old secret and learn what monsters truly are. And decide if he’s one of them.
This was my first book by Michael Wehunt, and I was drawn in by the creepy cover and the two narrators, Matt Godfrey and Zura Johnson, both of whom I really enjoy. I’d also been seeing some great reviews for this on Bookstagram, and I was told to go in blind—and I recommend doing the same! This is Wehunt’s 2nd novel, following his successful 2025 debut, The October Film Haunt. It’s a genre-blending mix of psychological horror, serial-killer mystery, and vampire folklore. It’s touted as Memento meets Dracula, and as I was reading it, I definitely felt the Memento vibes, as the MMC has weird memory lapses and things don’t add up!
The story begins with a short, gripping prologue, with Luke holding a Polaroid showing a terrifying childhood memory. It’s also where we first hear the word “nightjar” in a strange context, and I was wondering what the heck it meant. From there, the story jumps back to just before Luke sees the Polaroid, on a date with mysterious Colette, whom he met at his bookshop. When she excuses herself to the restroom and never returns, Luke discovers the Polaroid under her napkin. From there, we learn more about Luke’s haunted childhood and the disturbing outings with his father in the 1990s.
Luke’s very complex—his substance-abuse issues led to the collapse of his marriage to Kristen. He sees a therapist, and there are some hypnosis sessions that are SO creepy. Without saying much more, strange things happen at Luke’s house, and he blacks out, wakes up the next morning bloodied, and with no memory of what happened—and a woman is found murdered that same morning. Then more murders happen. If you’ve seen Memento, you’ll understand what I mean when I say this story makes you question Luke, what he remembers, and what really happened.
Luke’s ex-wife, Kristen’s POV, enters the story around the 35% mark, and the story gets increasingly intricate and unpredictable. The meaning of “nightjar” slowly becomes more defined, but I didn’t fully understand what it meant until very late in the book. The vampire lore also really ramps up after the midpoint, and how Luke became connected to them is a puzzle plot that slowly clicks into place.
There’s also a strong investigative thread in the second half, as Kristen works with Detective Jo Sunderson to figure out what’s happening with Luke and the murders. Kristen is a fiesty character who’s not afraid to put herself in danger to get to the truth.
The chapters are fairly short, with lots of cliffhanger endings that made this addictive. I really liked the slow reveal of who was behind the killings, what happened during Luke’s childhood, and how all the seemingly unrelated pieces come together. That said, the book did go on longer than it needed to for me, and I found some of Luke’s childhood visions repetitive. The final 20% is BRUTAL, with a race against time and bloody vampire-horror scenes. The ending is unsettling and bittersweet—and even leaves room for a possible sequel.
Overall, this is a great option for anyone who loves vampire stories or thrillers that are completely unpredictable and have you questioning what you read at the end. It also does a great job examining whether becoming evil is something you’re born into or something that happens to you—so if you enjoy those themes, this is for you!
And if you’re an audiobook listener, I recommend listening to this one! Matt Godfrey and Zura Johnson did a sensational job bringing Luke and Kristen to life, and their performances kept me completely immersed through the entire wild ride. And the vampire voices are terrifying!! A few reminded me of the creepy voice from Donnie Darko (IYKYK), but even more frightening! If any of this sounds intriguing to you, this is definitely one you want on your spooky-season TBR!
Narrator Performance
Nightjars is read by seasoned narrators Matt Godfrey and Zura Johnson, and they were the perfect pairing for this book.
Matt Godfrey makes the opening prologue gripping, narrating Luke as he looks at a terrifying Polaroid and remembers disturbing childhood memories. I was immediately immersed by the unsettled, unnerving voice that Matt gives Luke. When the story jumps back to Luke’s date with Colette, you can hear the mix of intrigue and confusion in his voice as he tries to figure out why this attractive woman is interested in him. When she doesn’t return from the restroom, Luke sounds like he isn’t surprised, but when he discovers the Polaroid she left behind, Matt’s delivery makes it clear how much it rattles him.😱
As increasingly strange things happen to Luke, including missing pieces of his nights and evidence suggesting he’s committed crimes he can’t remember, Matt does a great job with his inner monologues. You can hear the doubt and terror creeping into Luke’s thoughts as he’s less and less certain he can trust himself. I kept wondering if someone was manipulating him or if he was losing his grip on reality. Matt brings out a very different side of Luke whenever he talks about his daughter, Sophia. You can hear how much he loves and wants to protect her, and it made him more sympathetic. The scenes between Luke and his ex-wife, Kristen, were another highlight as Matt captures the affection and care that still exists between them.
Matt’s performance REALLY shines during the vampire scenes. I was literally rattled the first time I heard the terrifying vampire voice, and it felt like I was listening to the audio of a horror movie. During the climactic scenes with multiple vampires, Matt gives them all distinct voices, making them feel like completely different (and equally terrifying) creatures. His performance is especially impressive when Luke begins experiencing a transformation. Matt conveys his physical discomfort and the changing experience of the world around him so vividly!
Zura Johnson narrates all of Kristen’s POV sections using a wide range of expression. When Kristen first starts discovering what’s been happening with Luke and wonders if he could be responsible for the murders, Zura gives her voice a mix of disbelief and concern. You can hear how Kristen doesn’t want to believe Luke could have done these things, even with evidence pointing in that direction. Once Luke goes missing and the police become involved, Zura’s delivery captures how Kristen’s mind is working overtime. You can hear how determined she is to find out what’s really happening and if someone’s framed Luke.
As Kristen digs deeper and puts herself in dangerous situations, Zura shifts her performance of Kristen from determined and investigative to more anxious and fearful. Her concern for her daughter, Sophia, is another part of the performance that stood out. Whenever Kristen talks about her daughter or interacts with her, you can hear how protective and loving she is, and it sounds authentic!
The mountain cabin scenes are where Zura elevates her performance. She increases the tension and urgency in her voice as Kristen has some terrifying encounters. Toward the end, there are some bittersweet moments where Zura brings out Kristen’s care for Luke despite everything that’s happened. Her performance in the final chapter made Kristen feel empathetic while also leaving listeners unsettled! A very effective way to end this book!
If you’re going to read Nightjars, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook because both narrators do a sensational job bringing the story to life. There were several moments where I forgot I was listening to an audiobook because it literally sounded like a psychological horror film. If any of this sounds intriguing, grab the audiobook ASAP—these performances are 💯 worth experiencing!
Narrator Performance
Nightjars is read by seasoned narrators Matt Godfrey and Zura Johnson, and they were the perfect pairing for this book.
Matt Godfrey makes the opening prologue gripping, narrating Luke as he looks at a terrifying Polaroid and remembers disturbing childhood memories. I was immediately immersed by the unsettled, unnerving voice that Matt gives Luke. When the story jumps back to Luke’s date with Colette, you can hear the mix of intrigue and confusion in his voice as he tries to figure out why this attractive woman is interested in him. When she doesn’t return from the restroom, Luke sounds like he isn’t surprised, but when he discovers the Polaroid she left behind, Matt’s delivery makes it clear how much it rattles him.😱
As increasingly strange things happen to Luke, including missing pieces of his nights and evidence suggesting he’s committed crimes he can’t remember, Matt does a great job with his inner monologues. You can hear the doubt and terror creeping into Luke’s thoughts as he’s less and less certain he can trust himself. I kept wondering if someone was manipulating him or if he was losing his grip on reality. Matt brings out a very different side of Luke whenever he talks about his daughter, Sophia. You can hear how much he loves and wants to protect her, and it made him more sympathetic. The scenes between Luke and his ex-wife, Kristen, were another highlight as Matt captures the affection and care that still exists between them.
Matt’s performance REALLY shines during the vampire scenes. I was literally rattled the first time I heard the terrifying vampire voice, and it felt like I was listening to the audio of a horror movie. During the climactic scenes with multiple vampires, Matt gives them all distinct voices, making them feel like completely different (and equally terrifying) creatures. His performance is especially impressive when Luke begins experiencing a transformation. Matt conveys his physical discomfort and the changing experience of the world around him so vividly!
Zura Johnson narrates all of Kristen’s POV sections using a wide range of expression. When Kristen first starts discovering what’s been happening with Luke and wonders if he could be responsible for the murders, Zura gives her voice a mix of disbelief and concern. You can hear how Kristen doesn’t want to believe Luke could have done these things, even with evidence pointing in that direction. Once Luke goes missing and the police become involved, Zura’s delivery captures how Kristen’s mind is working overtime. You can hear how determined she is to find out what’s really happening and if someone’s framed Luke.
As Kristen digs deeper and puts herself in dangerous situations, Zura shifts her performance of Kristen from determined and investigative to more anxious and fearful. Her concern for her daughter, Sophia, is another part of the performance that stood out. Whenever Kristen talks about her daughter or interacts with her, you can hear how protective and loving she is, and it sounds authentic!
The mountain cabin scenes are where Zura elevates her performance. She increases the tension and urgency in her voice as Kristen has some terrifying encounters. Toward the end, there are some bittersweet moments where Zura brings out Kristen’s care for Luke despite everything that’s happened. Her performance in the final chapter made Kristen feel empathetic while also leaving listeners unsettled! A very effective way to end this book!
If you’re going to read Nightjars, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook because both narrators do a sensational job bringing the story to life. There were several moments where I forgot I was listening to an audiobook because it literally sounded like a psychological horror film. If any of this sounds intriguing, grab the audiobook ASAP—these performances are 💯 worth experiencing!
Nightjars is read by seasoned narrators Matt Godfrey and Zura Johnson, and they were the perfect pairing for this book.
Matt Godfrey makes the opening prologue gripping, narrating Luke as he looks at a terrifying Polaroid and remembers disturbing childhood memories. I was immediately immersed by the unsettled, unnerving voice that Matt gives Luke. When the story jumps back to Luke’s date with Colette, you can hear the mix of intrigue and confusion in his voice as he tries to figure out why this attractive woman is interested in him. When she doesn’t return from the restroom, Luke sounds like he isn’t surprised, but when he discovers the Polaroid she left behind, Matt’s delivery makes it clear how much it rattles him.😱
As increasingly strange things happen to Luke, including missing pieces of his nights and evidence suggesting he’s committed crimes he can’t remember, Matt does a great job with his inner monologues. You can hear the doubt and terror creeping into Luke’s thoughts as he’s less and less certain he can trust himself. I kept wondering if someone was manipulating him or if he was losing his grip on reality. Matt brings out a very different side of Luke whenever he talks about his daughter, Sophia. You can hear how much he loves and wants to protect her, and it made him more sympathetic. The scenes between Luke and his ex-wife, Kristen, were another highlight as Matt captures the affection and care that still exists between them.
Matt’s performance REALLY shines during the vampire scenes. I was literally rattled the first time I heard the terrifying vampire voice, and it felt like I was listening to the audio of a horror movie. During the climactic scenes with multiple vampires, Matt gives them all distinct voices, making them feel like completely different (and equally terrifying) creatures. His performance is especially impressive when Luke begins experiencing a transformation. Matt conveys his physical discomfort and the changing experience of the world around him so vividly!
Zura Johnson narrates all of Kristen’s POV sections using a wide range of expression. When Kristen first starts discovering what’s been happening with Luke and wonders if he could be responsible for the murders, Zura gives her voice a mix of disbelief and concern. You can hear how Kristen doesn’t want to believe Luke could have done these things, even with evidence pointing in that direction. Once Luke goes missing and the police become involved, Zura’s delivery captures how Kristen’s mind is working overtime. You can hear how determined she is to find out what’s really happening and if someone’s framed Luke.
As Kristen digs deeper and puts herself in dangerous situations, Zura shifts her performance of Kristen from determined and investigative to more anxious and fearful. Her concern for her daughter, Sophia, is another part of the performance that stood out. Whenever Kristen talks about her daughter or interacts with her, you can hear how protective and loving she is, and it sounds authentic!
The mountain cabin scenes are where Zura elevates her performance. She increases the tension and urgency in her voice as Kristen has some terrifying encounters. Toward the end, there are some bittersweet moments where Zura brings out Kristen’s care for Luke despite everything that’s happened. Her performance in the final chapter made Kristen feel empathetic while also leaving listeners unsettled! A very effective way to end this book!
If you’re going to read Nightjars, I HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook because both narrators do a sensational job bringing the story to life. There were several moments where I forgot I was listening to an audiobook because it literally sounded like a psychological horror film. If any of this sounds intriguing, grab the audiobook ASAP—these performances are 💯 worth experiencing!
