‘What Did Not Die’ By Ruth Anna Evans – Book Review

How I Found Out About Artistic Phenom Ruth Anna Evans

Indie horror is my jam. It’s what I read about 90% of the time. I first came across Ruth Anna Evans as a cover artist for a lot of the books I read. I was not aware until recently that Ruth Anna is also a phenomenal author. I dipped my toe into her writing with a short story in the We’re Here anthology. Her story was ridiculously good, and it stayed on my mind for weeks after reading. What Did Not Die is my first novella by Evans, and I am incredibly impressed, yet again, by her talent.

The Synopsis

Jordan Sharp is a newspaper reporter with two years of tough stories under her belt. But when a suspicious house fire takes a child’s life, she finds that nothing has prepared her for this assignment. After years of dreading human connection, Jordan now has something greater to fear.

In this riveting horror novella, you’ll meet Will, a kind firefighter who tugs at Jordan’s heart; Rachel King, a psychotic ghost girl bent on destruction; and Jordan herself, a young woman haunted not only by a ghost but also by dark childhood secrets and their aftermath.

If she’s going to escape the terror being visited on her, Jordan needs resolution. But the way things are going, it may come too late.

Ninja Clown’s Thoughts on What Did Not Die

Ruth Anna Evans clearly has a knack for knowing how to scare the shit out of me. Even though I am fairly new to her work, each time I’ve read one of her stories, I’ve been left a bit shaken. What Did Not Die started off with one of my biggest fears – little kid ghosts. They’re just creepier in my opinion. Our main character Jordan is a reporter for the local paper. She is covering a house fire when she sees what appears to be a little girl in the flames of the house. No one else sees her, but this won’t be the last time Jordan sees this creepy kid.

Haunting nightmares, hallucinations that seem like reality, and mysterious deaths in flames plague Jordan after seeing the girl. Secrets about her past are pushed into the present, and they are highly entertaining for the reader to discover. To say anything more would ruin some very impressive twists.

At just 80 pages this is a very quick read. Fueled by short chapters, this can absolutely be read in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this novella to anyone that loves hauntings, psychological horror, and creepy, well-written tales.