Welcome, friend! For the first time, Ariel and I are on tour for a book! It’s her stop today and we are thrilled to share this discussion of T. Kingfisher’s latest novel, Snake-Eater. After her mother’s death, Selena travels to the desert town of Quartz Creek to stay with her aunt—only to discover her aunt has recently passed too. The town’s uncanny friendliness hints that the desert is alive with small gods. Turns out the roadrunner god Snake-Eater believes Selena is meant to replace her aunt in their former relationship. With the help of her dog Copper and the support of the local community, Selena is drawn into a strange, magical world that slowly reshapes her understanding of herself.
Filled with T. Kingfisher’s signature humor and sharpness, Snake-Eater is engaging, warm, and quietly uncanny. The story leans more toward folklore and slice-of-life, with supernatural encounters woven through themes of community. Not a traditional horror, but a cozy, character-driven tale with suspenseful edges, Snake-Eater is a delight to return to day after day.
Here is the synopsis of the book and our discussion.
T. Kingfisher | Goodreads
In an isolated desert town, a young woman seeking a fresh start is confronted by ancient gods, malevolent supernatural forces, and eccentric neighbours. A witty horror-tinged fantasy, perfect for fans of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Chuck Tingle, and Rachel Harrison.
When Selena travels to the remote desert town of Quartz Creek in search of her estranged Aunt Amelia, she is desperate and short of options. Fleeing an unhappy marriage, she has exactly twenty-seven dollars to her name, and her only friend in the world is her dog, Copper.
On arrival, Selena learns Amelia is dead. But the inhabitants of Quartz Creek are only too happy to have a new resident. Out of money and ideas, Selena sees no harm staying in her aunt’s lovely house for a few weeks, tending to her garden and enjoying the strange, desolate beauty of the desert. The people are odd, but friendly, and eager to help Selena settle into her new home.
But Quartz Creek’s inhabitants share their town with others, old gods and spirits whose claim to the land long predates their human neighbours. Selena finds herself pursued by disturbing apparitions, visitations that come in the night and seem to want something from her.
Aunt Amelia owed a debt. Now her god has come to collect.
Snake-Eater – Discussion
Kriti: This is my second book by T. Kingfisher and I enjoyed it! As always, T. Kingfisher’s writing is humorous and sharp. The story was engaging throughout and I enjoyed returning to it every day. Ariel, what were your first impressions of the synopsis?
Ariel: I love a book set in the desert, especially within the thriller/horror/mystery realms. When you brought up this book as a potential buddy read, I was sold immediately!
Snake-Eater is set in the desert town of Quartz Creek. Selena arrives there after her mother’s death, hoping to spend some time with her aunt, only to discover that she too has passed away. The friendliness of the town folks gave bordering on uncanny vibes and I loved how this played with the atmosphere of the novel. The desert is full of gods, old, small and magical, and Selena’s world view really expands, the longer she stays. The main plot of Snake-Eater is the roadrunner god who was in a relationship with her aunt. Now that Selena lives in that house, Snake-Eater thinks she is her aunt’s replacement. But that is not the case. I remember we chatted about the desert setting. What makes it a good backdrop for this story?
One thing I love about deserts and visiting them is that even though there’s a general perception of it being a wasteland, the desert is often teeming with wildlife and biodiversity. There’s so much to see and observe! This was a perfect backdrop to our story– since Selena is trying to escape the chaos of her old life but finds herself swept up in a different kind of adventure. At first, her life in the desert seems desolate and lonely, but soon she realizes how many people (human and otherwise) are around her.
Selena has lots of self-doubt and low self-esteem. Making a move to a mostly unknown place is an act of bravery and Grandma Billy and Father Aguirre help her ease into this new place that she doesn’t think she would be staying in for long.
An aspect of this book that I loved was how much the community bands around Selena and accepts her and supports her. She responds well to this, and it’s awesome to see how she grows and develops in her confidence throughout the story.
Copper was a fun dog companion and definitely an asset to Selena’s mental health and the story in general.
I absolutely love an animal companion in any book; and Copper is the bestest dog ever!
This is marketed as horror urban fantasy and as we read, we felt it was more folklore than either. There are definitely some horror and fantasy elements but this was more of a slice of life story with some supernatural interactions.
Yes, while I loved this book, I wouldn’t describe it as horror. The roadrunner bird being a modern velociraptor was definitely thrilling and suspenseful at times, but overall it had a cozy and heartfelt undertone to it as the themes of community and growth shone through. I’m very thankful we both got the opportunity to read the advanced copies and share our thoughts together!
Many thanks to Over the River PR for having us on tour and for providing us review copies for our honest thoughts. Check out all stops here and be sure to come back next week to read the interview (!) with T. Kingfisher!!
Thank you for joining us!
Also check out: A Sorceress Comes to Call
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