A skin-crawling, spine tingling venture into faulty memories, female anger, and unequal societal attitudes, Itch! by Gemma Amor is a compelling, astounding feat of folk horror that utilizes the ideas of tradition to examine our world’s long-held and ill-tempered view of women. Following the traumatic end of an abusive relationship with her girlfriend, Josie finds herself back at home, working to get back on her feet. Her relationship with her father has always been strained following the death of her mother, but even now as an adult in his orbit, things feel, well, not great. Things go from bad to worse when Josie stumbles across the body of a deceased girl on her way home from work, a sight that changes the trajectory of her life in ways that are truly unfathomable. In fact, this isn’t the first dead girl to appear in these parts; no, something far more sinister is at play as Josie is soon to realize, a confrontation with violence against women and her own life looming on the horizon.
Gemma Amor is a constant, profound voice in the horror community. This is not new information as her independently published work has examined the parts of womanhood some rather leave in the shadows (I’m looking at you Dear Laura and Feral). But, it would be deeply remiss of me to not state how monumental a book like Itch! feels in 2025, an angry, brutally honest, and well-handled traditionally published novel that focuses on the various violent injustices women seem to repeatedly face in one form or another. And even more triumphant, Amor gives us the good, the amazing, portrayal of female relationships along with the toxic, vitriolic attitudes we know all too well.
You see, Itch! is a book that thrives on societal layers of folklore, tradition, harsh treatments, and the breaking of cycles. Josie is a woman who has been dealt more than her share of grief and harm, not only at the hands of men, but women as well. Yet, Amor doesn’t leave us in a state of angered vindication with Josie’s arc; instead, she gives us hope that we can change things, that we can rely on those around us to find a better tomorrow where the conditions of “goodness” are not the measure by which we are viewed as virtuous or damned. It’s Amor’s examination of this “good girl” narrative that feels right at home within the modern horror landscape alongside books like Rachel Harrison’s Play Nice and Alma Katsu’s Fiend. And, please, let us have more of these stories.
Even more compelling is the contextual layer of tradition, the question of whether or not long held practices and beliefs still serve us in a world that is ever changing. These elements of folk horror combine with insectile, visceral body horror to craft one hell of a jarring experience, one in which feelings of repulsion, fear, and uncomfortability are felt to the fullest extent. Gemma Amor expertly places readers in Josie’s shoes, allowing for an enthralling yet harrowing reading experience.
A true master of her craft, Gemma Amor deftly pens a female centric story that explores so many facets of an experience marked by hurt, transformation, healing, and strength. Itch! is a novel that doesn’t shy away from the unpleasantness of trauma, the blood and guts that come with hurt, and the complexities of confronting your own self in healing. This is a raw, visceral read that lingers long after the last page is turned, Amor’s words trailing through your mind like ants come home to nest.
Itch! releases in print in the UK, in ebook, and on audiobook, narrated by the author, on October 9, 2025 from Hodder & Stoughton and in the US on January 13, 2026.
