Rory Power returns with her most psychologically complex thriller yet in Kill Creatures, a haunting exploration of unreliable narration that will leave readers questioning everything they thought they knew about friendship, violence, and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. Following the success of her debut Wilder Girls and subsequent works like Burn Our Bodies Down, Power demonstrates her evolution as a master of atmospheric horror, delivering a narrative that cuts deeper than any physical wound.
The novel centers on Nan Carver, a teenage girl living with the devastating secret that she murdered her three best friends in Saltcedar Canyon exactly one year ago. When one of the supposedly dead girls, Luce Allard, mysteriously returns alive during a memorial vigil, Nan’s carefully constructed reality begins to crumble. What unfolds is a masterclass in psychological manipulation that rivals the best of contemporary thriller fiction.
The Architecture of Deception
Rory Power’s greatest achievement in Kill Creatures lies in her meticulous construction of an unreliable narrator whose delusions feel terrifyingly authentic. Nan’s voice carries the weight of genuine grief and confusion, making her initial sympathetic even as readers begin to suspect the truth lurking beneath her memories. The author skillfully plants seeds of doubt throughout the narrative, forcing readers to constantly reevaluate what they believe about the protagonist’s relationships and actions.
The revelation that Nan was never truly friends with Edie, Jane, and Luce—that she was, in Luce’s brutal words, “a fucking stalker”—recontextualizes every interaction we’ve witnessed. Power’s ability to maintain this deception while providing subtle clues demonstrates remarkable narrative control. The author transforms what initially appears to be a story about trauma and loss into a chilling examination of obsession and self-deception.
The fragmented timeline serves the story brilliantly, mirroring Nan’s fractured psyche while gradually revealing the horrifying truth. Power uses the “Then” and “Now” structure not merely as a storytelling device, but as a window into how memory can be weaponized against reality. Each flashback peels away another layer of Nan’s constructed narrative, revealing the disturbing disconnect between her perception and the truth.
A Landscape That Breathes with Menace
The setting of Saltcedar Canyon functions as more than mere backdrop—it becomes a character in its own right, both beautiful and deadly. Power’s descriptive prose brings the desert landscape to vivid life, from the “rose-colored rock and slices of shade carved from the sunlight” to the ominous depths of Devil’s Eye. The canyon’s geological features, particularly the siphon current that becomes central to the plot, feel both mystical and terrifyingly real.
The author’s background in atmospheric horror serves her well here, as she transforms the natural beauty of the canyon into something that feels perpetually on the edge of violence. The contrast between the tourism-dependent town above and the dangerous wilderness below creates a perfect metaphor for the gap between appearance and reality that defines the entire novel.
Character Development Through Distorted Lens
One of Power’s most impressive achievements is how she develops her supporting characters despite filtering them through Nan’s distorted perspective. Luce emerges as a complex figure—brilliant, determined, and driven by a thirst for justice that borders on vengeance. Her year-long captivity and subsequent orchestration of her return reveal a character who refuses to be defined by victimhood.
The portrayal of Don Carver, Nan’s father, evolves from protective parent to something far more sinister as the truth unfolds. Power masterfully reveals his involvement through subtle details and behavioral patterns, building to the devastating revelation of his role in multiple deaths. The complexity of the father-daughter relationship, built on shared secrets and mutual protection of their crimes, adds layers of psychological horror that extend beyond the central mystery.
Even characters like Edie and Jane, who appear primarily in flashbacks, feel fully realized despite their limited presence. Power gives each girl distinct voice and personality, making their deaths feel genuinely tragic rather than merely plot devices.
Themes That Cut Deep
Kill Creatures by Rory Power operates on multiple thematic levels, examining how violence begets violence and how the powerful exploit the vulnerable. The relationship between Nan and her father serves as a microcosm of how complicity develops—each protecting the other while perpetuating cycles of harm. Power doesn’t shy away from exploring how love can become twisted into something destructive, particularly in the dynamic between parent and child.
The novel also functions as a sharp critique of small-town dynamics and the way communities can become complicit in covering up uncomfortable truths. The contrast between the public mourning for the “missing” girls and the private reality of their deaths highlights how performance of grief can mask genuine accountability.
Perhaps most unsettling is Power’s exploration of how easily someone can convince themselves that stalking constitutes friendship, that violence represents love. Nan’s inability to recognize the reality of her relationships speaks to broader questions about perception, mental health, and the stories we tell ourselves to maintain psychological equilibrium.
Technical Mastery and Occasional Missteps
Rory Power’s prose style in Kill Creatures shows significant maturation from her earlier works. Her sentences carry weight and precision, particularly in moments of psychological revelation. The author demonstrates particular skill in writing action sequences, making the climactic confrontation in Devil’s Eye feel both visceral and emotionally resonant.
However, the novel occasionally struggles under the weight of its own complexity. Some readers may find the timeline manipulation confusing rather than illuminating, particularly in the middle sections where the shifts between past and present become frequent. Additionally, certain plot revelations, while shocking, sometimes feel as though they prioritize surprise over organic character development.
The pacing, while generally strong, suffers in a few sections where the psychological exploration overwhelms forward momentum. Power’s commitment to showing rather than telling sometimes results in sequences that feel repetitive, particularly in the buildup to major revelations.
A Worthy Addition to the Dark Academia Canon
Kill Creatures stands as Rory Power’s most ambitious work to date, successfully expanding beyond the supernatural horror of Wilder Girls into purely psychological territory. While it shares DNA with her earlier exploration of toxic relationships and institutional failure, this novel feels more grounded and, paradoxically, more disturbing for its realism.
The book succeeds as both a psychological thriller and a character study, offering insights into the nature of obsession, violence, and justice that will linger long after the final page. Power has created a work that demands multiple readings, as the carefully planted clues and misdirections reveal new layers of meaning once the truth is known.
Similar Reads for Thriller Enthusiasts
Readers who appreciate the psychological complexity of Kill Creatures by Rory Power should explore:
- The Silent Companion by Laura Purcell – for atmospheric psychological horror
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – for unreliable narration and family secrets
- We Were Liars by E. Lockhart – for young adult psychological manipulation
- The Secret History by Donna Tartt – for dark academia and moral corruption
- In the Woods by Tana French – for atmospheric mystery and childhood trauma
Final Verdict
Kill Creatures by Rory Power represents a significant achievement in contemporary young adult thriller fiction. Power has crafted a novel that respects its readers’ intelligence while delivering genuine scares and psychological insights. Despite minor pacing issues and occasional narrative complexity that borders on confusion, the book succeeds brilliantly in its primary goals: creating an unforgettable protagonist, maintaining suspense throughout, and delivering a conclusion that recontextualizes everything that came before.
This is essential reading for fans of psychological horror and anyone interested in how skilled authors can manipulate reader expectations. Power has proven once again that young adult fiction can tackle the darkest aspects of human nature while maintaining literary sophistication. Kill Creatures by Rory Power cements her position as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary dark fiction.