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Fabulous Bodies
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Expected 7 Jul 26Win a free print copy of this book!
2 days and 15:09:07
50 copies available
U.S. only
From Chuck Tingle, USA Today bestselling author of Bury Your Gays, comes Fabulous Bodies, a supernatural joyride where Drive meets Beetlejuice.
Fashion influencer by day and grave-robber by night, Poppy Stringer is on call when Eddie Michaels—a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon—unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up.
Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs.
Also by Chuck
Lucky Day
Bury Your Gays
Camp Damascus
Straight
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Fashion influencer by day and grave-robber by night, Poppy Stringer is on call when Eddie Michaels—a flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar and queer icon—unexpectedly dies. All Poppy has to do is retrieve Eddie’s body from the medical examiner’s office, but what starts as a routine delivery quickly goes off course when Eddie wakes up.
Poppy must fight for her life in a blood-soaked night of carnage and fabulous entertainment all across Palm Springs.
Also by Chuck
Lucky Day
Bury Your Gays
Camp Damascus
Straight
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
240 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 7, 2026
About the author
Chuck Tingle
518 books5,272 followersChuck Tingle is a mysterious force of energy behind sunglasses and a pink mask. He is also an anonymous author of romance, horror, and fantasy. Chuck was born in Home of Truth, Utah, and now splits time between Billings, Montana and Los Angeles, California. Chuck writes to prove love is real, because love is the most important tool we have when resisting the endless cosmic void. Not everything people say about Chuck is true, but the important parts are.
Management and general inquiry: infotingleverse@gmail.com
Literary agent: DongWon at dongwonsong.com
Management and general inquiry: infotingleverse@gmail.com
Literary agent: DongWon at dongwonsong.com
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Want to Read
April 17, 2026NEW CHUCK TINGLE LET'S TROT!!
my streak of getting eARCs continues, yeeeessssss i can't wait to read this
my streak of getting eARCs continues, yeeeessssss i can't wait to read this
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Reading for review in the June issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: body horror, "occult zombie escapade"(quote from book), love is all you need
Love is real is the Tingle motto, but here the love was staring Poppy in the face, she was just not ready to embrace it fully. Turns out, it was not all her fault. It is easy to blame her influencer status, but really the hurt and bad decision went much deeper and the books is her journey to figure that all out and get answers. But it is a bloody, darkly hilarious (not just humorous) killing spree journey.
When you say something is body horror that automatically means it is visceral. But I am just reminding you. This is gross but also the visceral stuff makes total sense with the plot. I also
The power found in creating art-- the creation of art matters-- entertaining people matters-- this is also explored. At what cost to the entertainer though?
First and last lines of book are the same-- "I'm here for the body." works to denote the full circle journal.
Darkly humorous but gross body horror. Fun, fresh, and gross. Thought provoking as well. Family vs influencing. Beauty versus what is inside you. Love-- especially familial love-- that is all you need.
All you need to know about the plot is that line ""occult zombie escapade" which is in the description as well so I am not giving anything away. Poppy is a beautiful late 20s fashion influencer in Palm Springs. She has a best friend Noah and a 5 year old daughter Marlo. Her house looks perfect for the posts but it costs A LOT. So her side hustle is what brings in the money and is how the book begins. She is a kinda of grave robber, but one that does it in plain site using her intelligence and good looks. She walks into funeral homes and gets them to hand over bodies, bodies her clients pay well for and to use for-- well she does not care to know.
She has always been obsessed with the musician and gay icon, Eddie Michaels -- the American Elton John. He dies within the first few chapters book. She sees the horrific accident on her feeds.
She gets a call to pick up Eddie's body and deliver it somewhere-- $5million. En route to the drop off, Eddie not only reanimates, he kidnaps Poppy to take her on that "occult zombie escapade." Eddie is not a good man and he has some alarming powers-- powers that end in people's deaths in ways that are among the most visceral kills on the page and emotionally horrific as well.
The book is a series of action set pieces as Eddie takes Poppy on an all night journey. It is darkly hilarious, but VERY DARK and also hilarious. That dichotomy is very well done. You are laughing and grossed out. The setup is also clear, everything has to be completed by the morning so things move. But the break between action scenes are a nice respite.
Along the way the interesting story behind Eddie and his connection to Poppy as well as Poppy's growth adds depth to the "occult zombie escapade."
All of this is Poppy's POV and while the action is happening, she is noticing details that are slightly off and using them to her advantage. We also see into her head as she works through her emotions about what is happening.
Tingle ties up all the loose ends and even the most wild of details ends up mattering which I appreciated. The reason behind this "occult zombie escapade" is a good one. It is fresh and original, outside the box but not too bonkers.
I know people know to buckle up for Tingle but for this one-- you might need a roll bar as well.
For fans of CJ Leede, Grady Hendrix in general but specifically-- don't forget Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang- a debut that was buzzy back in 2023. A great readalike here.
Three Words That Describe This Book: body horror, "occult zombie escapade"(quote from book), love is all you need
Love is real is the Tingle motto, but here the love was staring Poppy in the face, she was just not ready to embrace it fully. Turns out, it was not all her fault. It is easy to blame her influencer status, but really the hurt and bad decision went much deeper and the books is her journey to figure that all out and get answers. But it is a bloody, darkly hilarious (not just humorous) killing spree journey.
When you say something is body horror that automatically means it is visceral. But I am just reminding you. This is gross but also the visceral stuff makes total sense with the plot. I also
The power found in creating art-- the creation of art matters-- entertaining people matters-- this is also explored. At what cost to the entertainer though?
First and last lines of book are the same-- "I'm here for the body." works to denote the full circle journal.
Darkly humorous but gross body horror. Fun, fresh, and gross. Thought provoking as well. Family vs influencing. Beauty versus what is inside you. Love-- especially familial love-- that is all you need.
All you need to know about the plot is that line ""occult zombie escapade" which is in the description as well so I am not giving anything away. Poppy is a beautiful late 20s fashion influencer in Palm Springs. She has a best friend Noah and a 5 year old daughter Marlo. Her house looks perfect for the posts but it costs A LOT. So her side hustle is what brings in the money and is how the book begins. She is a kinda of grave robber, but one that does it in plain site using her intelligence and good looks. She walks into funeral homes and gets them to hand over bodies, bodies her clients pay well for and to use for-- well she does not care to know.
She has always been obsessed with the musician and gay icon, Eddie Michaels -- the American Elton John. He dies within the first few chapters book. She sees the horrific accident on her feeds.
She gets a call to pick up Eddie's body and deliver it somewhere-- $5million. En route to the drop off, Eddie not only reanimates, he kidnaps Poppy to take her on that "occult zombie escapade." Eddie is not a good man and he has some alarming powers-- powers that end in people's deaths in ways that are among the most visceral kills on the page and emotionally horrific as well.
The book is a series of action set pieces as Eddie takes Poppy on an all night journey. It is darkly hilarious, but VERY DARK and also hilarious. That dichotomy is very well done. You are laughing and grossed out. The setup is also clear, everything has to be completed by the morning so things move. But the break between action scenes are a nice respite.
Along the way the interesting story behind Eddie and his connection to Poppy as well as Poppy's growth adds depth to the "occult zombie escapade."
All of this is Poppy's POV and while the action is happening, she is noticing details that are slightly off and using them to her advantage. We also see into her head as she works through her emotions about what is happening.
Tingle ties up all the loose ends and even the most wild of details ends up mattering which I appreciated. The reason behind this "occult zombie escapade" is a good one. It is fresh and original, outside the box but not too bonkers.
I know people know to buckle up for Tingle but for this one-- you might need a roll bar as well.
For fans of CJ Leede, Grady Hendrix in general but specifically-- don't forget Natural Beauty by Ling Ling Huang- a debut that was buzzy back in 2023. A great readalike here.
Want to Read
October 24, 2025MORE CHUCK TINGLE!!
March 18, 2026
I absolutely LOVED Chuck Tingle’s “Lucky Day,” so I would’ve jumped through fiery hoops for the chance to read this one early. I was very grateful for the copy.
“Fabulous Bodies” is not quite as wild as that book was, but it is pretty strange. Tingle has an impressive imagination. The blurb describes this plot as “Beetlejuice” meets “Drive” and those are two of my all-time favorite movies. Do I agree with the comparisons? Not really. I can see why they brought those up, but they’re both a bit of a stretch in anything aside from very basic/initial concept, and I would say it leans more “Beetlejuice” than “Drive.” But Tingle has completely crafted his own thing here.
The book is dark, both oddly funny and oddly poignant at times, and consistently VERY violent! The kills can be fairly mean-spirited. (I mean, it IS horror, but this one has a sharp edge to it.) And FYI - If self-harm is a particularly strong trigger for you, please be aware that there’s a very graphic scene that I was flinching my way through. (Yes, it was necessary to the plot.)
Poppy was kind of an inconsistent protagonist and admittedly, it took a while for her to win me over. She made very clever choices sometimes, and other times she didn’t seem very bright at all. For the most part she came across as a kind hearted person, but she was also a self-proclaimed Narcissist and the job that got her into this whole mess was pretty revolting. At first, I found her a bit difficult to root for even despite her tenacious commitment to her daughter. I did think that she had a nice character arc by the end, even if I couldn’t personally relate to any of the maternal instinct stuff.
There were a couple of tiny nitpicky things here and there that bothered me, such as the frequent use of the phrase “tears streaming from my/his/her eyes.” It was enough to be noticeable.
But overall, I had a lot of fun with this. I kept plot details to a minimum because I think that just like with “Lucky Day,” you’ll have a great experience if you go in without really knowing what to expect. It’s a bloody, action-packed ride with weird twists and turns, and there might be a little bit of sci-fi in there, too. I’m looking forward to starting “Bury Your Gays” next!
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars.
Biggest TW: Animal harm, **Self harm, Suicide, Gore, Chronic Illness
“Fabulous Bodies” is not quite as wild as that book was, but it is pretty strange. Tingle has an impressive imagination. The blurb describes this plot as “Beetlejuice” meets “Drive” and those are two of my all-time favorite movies. Do I agree with the comparisons? Not really. I can see why they brought those up, but they’re both a bit of a stretch in anything aside from very basic/initial concept, and I would say it leans more “Beetlejuice” than “Drive.” But Tingle has completely crafted his own thing here.
The book is dark, both oddly funny and oddly poignant at times, and consistently VERY violent! The kills can be fairly mean-spirited. (I mean, it IS horror, but this one has a sharp edge to it.) And FYI - If self-harm is a particularly strong trigger for you, please be aware that there’s a very graphic scene that I was flinching my way through. (Yes, it was necessary to the plot.)
Poppy was kind of an inconsistent protagonist and admittedly, it took a while for her to win me over. She made very clever choices sometimes, and other times she didn’t seem very bright at all. For the most part she came across as a kind hearted person, but she was also a self-proclaimed Narcissist and the job that got her into this whole mess was pretty revolting. At first, I found her a bit difficult to root for even despite her tenacious commitment to her daughter. I did think that she had a nice character arc by the end, even if I couldn’t personally relate to any of the maternal instinct stuff.
There were a couple of tiny nitpicky things here and there that bothered me, such as the frequent use of the phrase “tears streaming from my/his/her eyes.” It was enough to be noticeable.
But overall, I had a lot of fun with this. I kept plot details to a minimum because I think that just like with “Lucky Day,” you’ll have a great experience if you go in without really knowing what to expect. It’s a bloody, action-packed ride with weird twists and turns, and there might be a little bit of sci-fi in there, too. I’m looking forward to starting “Bury Your Gays” next!
Thank you to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars.
Biggest TW: Animal harm, **Self harm, Suicide, Gore, Chronic Illness
May 5, 2026
Review to come upon release…
Well, this book left me thinking, “What the hell did I just read?” It was a Chuck Tingle book after all. Lol
Well, this book left me thinking, “What the hell did I just read?” It was a Chuck Tingle book after all. Lol
March 6, 2026
“I’m Eddie Michaels,” he finally replies. “Who the fuck else would I be? Liberace?”
If Bruce Campbell and Rob Zombie had a love child, it would be this book. It was a fucked up gondola ride straight to hell. My main question is when can I read it again!?
My dream job has always been a weird one. A little morbid but that’s just how I am. I’ve always wanted to be a mortician. I think about going back to school all the time but then I think about things like this book and it stops me in my tracks. Chuck Tingle, you may have saved my skin from flesh eating weirdos.
Prepare yourself for one bad (but fun) acid trip. Talk about an in your face action-packed trip! From the first page you are thrown into one bizarre situation and then it gets zanier from there. You think, Oh, there's nothing that is going to top that last thing and then bam. You are thrown through a brick wall where you meet a dead guy, an army of minions, and some things that I can't discuss until you read this book. All I can say is that it's spooky and you'll never trust anyone ever again.
'Fabulous Bodies' is my absolute favorite book by Chuck. This really is the full horror package. No one can do bizarre horror like Chuck and I wouldn't want anyone else to try!
If Bruce Campbell and Rob Zombie had a love child, it would be this book. It was a fucked up gondola ride straight to hell. My main question is when can I read it again!?
My dream job has always been a weird one. A little morbid but that’s just how I am. I’ve always wanted to be a mortician. I think about going back to school all the time but then I think about things like this book and it stops me in my tracks. Chuck Tingle, you may have saved my skin from flesh eating weirdos.
Prepare yourself for one bad (but fun) acid trip. Talk about an in your face action-packed trip! From the first page you are thrown into one bizarre situation and then it gets zanier from there. You think, Oh, there's nothing that is going to top that last thing and then bam. You are thrown through a brick wall where you meet a dead guy, an army of minions, and some things that I can't discuss until you read this book. All I can say is that it's spooky and you'll never trust anyone ever again.
'Fabulous Bodies' is my absolute favorite book by Chuck. This really is the full horror package. No one can do bizarre horror like Chuck and I wouldn't want anyone else to try!
Want to Read
September 27, 2025Drive meets Beetlejuice????? 🤩🤩🤩
These mashup promises are getting to be too good to be true! Fingers crossed!
These mashup promises are getting to be too good to be true! Fingers crossed!
February 23, 2026
I need A24 to pick this up NOOOOW!!!! A fabulously gory story featuring a sadistic, bloodthirsty character that I kept imagining looked like Elton John in flamboyant glory whilst he takes a grave-robber-by-night/influencer-by-day through a night of absolute carnage and craziness was not on my 2026 bucket list, but I’m extremely glad I came across it. This is my first impression of Tingle and it was, suffice to say, an absolute banger. It was fun! It was queer as hell! It was super gory! Plot twists! Cosmic horror! Love wins in the end! Haven’t had this much fun reading a book in years, so thank you. Also thanks to NetGalley for ARC access.
April 15, 2026
I didn't know anything about this book going in, other than Chuck Tingle wrote it (which is all I needed to know to pick it up). Going in blind made this seriously so much fun! For that reason, I will not be covering the plot at all. It is fresh, fun, unique, wild, gross, and completely bizarre. But it is also thought-provoking, a testament to love, and warm in its own way. I genuinely loved this book. I am going to go as far as saying that this is my new favorite Chuck Tingle book! It is wildly entertaining and horrific, but meaningful. The wrap-up of little details by the end was masterfully executed. The imagination that went into this, both overall conceptually and with the wildest death scenes--Chuck Tingle, I applaud thee. This is a short review, especially for a book I loved this much, but I don't want to even hint at anything because going in blind made it that much more fun! Read it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC! Book releases 7/7/26.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC! Book releases 7/7/26.
March 6, 2026
this was capital C Camp and i loved it
May 22, 2026
When diving into a Chuck Tingle novel you can expect the unexpected. This goes for
Fabulous Bodies
. I was looking forward to a fun and weird story when it came to this novel, but was utterly surprised with how emotionally connected I felt with the tale. Fabulous Bodies is the weird blend of influencer, grave robber, and rockstar chaos you have been looking for. Let's be honest you weren't, but now are.
Poppy Stringer was born to be a star. An aspiring fashion influencer by day, Poppy moonlights as a grave robber to make ends meet, wheeling and dealing dead bodies across Palm Springs.
When her hero, the flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar Eddie Michaels, unexpectedly dies, Poppy gets a call to retrieve his body from the medical examiner’s office for a lucrative sum. It could be the last job she’ll ever need―if everything goes to plan. But the night’s delivery quickly veers off course when Eddie wakes up.
Now Poppy must fight for her life if she hopes to survive this blood-soaked joyride of carnage and extravagant entertainment.
As I said to kick things off here, expect the unexpected, that is what I have come to find with Tingle. This goes for the story itself, the method of storytelling, or really anything. What I expected with this story was grave robbing and the associated risks with this endeavor. While that is the case, it was not exactly what I had pictured in my mind. Yes, I knew Eddie would wake up, as described, I just figured there would be more to it. This is not a dig (pun-intended), but a change of what I had gone in expecting.
While it starts off a bit slow, setting the foundation for the rest of the story, Fabulous Bodies does come at you quick with neck breaking pacing. There is no rest for the wicked. When shit hit the fan, there is no stopping the fast paced, campy horror, and even humor that takes place. The speed of the book doesn't take away from the overall story, but adds to the experience. Even in the emotional moments, the again surprised me, things felt like the peddle was to the floor. Making for an easy, and fun read.
Poppy is setup as a fantastic character from the start, someone who is extremely public facing as an influencer but also leads the double-life as some making some quick cash in the trade of the dead. I couldn't help but think of stories such as Dexter whereas it should be obvious to those around you that something is off about you, but no one is the wiser. Makes for a funny, campy, and sometimes intense story. And when Poppy ends up on an intense, horrifying adventure with Eddie we are introduced to another well crafted character and a terrifying but amazing connection between the two.
Fabulous Bodies is filled with a great amount of dark humor paired with just the right amount of body horror and action. It can be intense at moments, but the campiness helps balance this out. How Tingle is able to accomplish all of this in a zombie-style journey is beyond me, but it works.
Fabulous Bodies is somehow disgusting, hilarious, and genuinely sweet at the same time. It’s impossible not to have fun reading this. Chuck Tingle understands that camp and sincerity actually work really well together. The book is ridiculous in the best possible way.
Let's be honest, Fabulous Bodies shouldn't work on paper, but somehow Chuck Tingle turns this influence satire, body horror, zombie-fueled chaos into something that is truly wildly entertaining, all while also being surprisingly heartfelt. Fabulous Bodies is disgusting and funny, making for a blood-soaked fever dream that proves Tingle is one of horror's most original voices.
Fabulous Bodies hits bookstores everywhere on July 7, 2026 from Tor Nightfire. The audiobook, narrated by Mara Wilson, is available via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Fabulous Bodies from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
Poppy Stringer was born to be a star. An aspiring fashion influencer by day, Poppy moonlights as a grave robber to make ends meet, wheeling and dealing dead bodies across Palm Springs.
When her hero, the flamboyant, piano-slamming rockstar Eddie Michaels, unexpectedly dies, Poppy gets a call to retrieve his body from the medical examiner’s office for a lucrative sum. It could be the last job she’ll ever need―if everything goes to plan. But the night’s delivery quickly veers off course when Eddie wakes up.
Now Poppy must fight for her life if she hopes to survive this blood-soaked joyride of carnage and extravagant entertainment.
As I said to kick things off here, expect the unexpected, that is what I have come to find with Tingle. This goes for the story itself, the method of storytelling, or really anything. What I expected with this story was grave robbing and the associated risks with this endeavor. While that is the case, it was not exactly what I had pictured in my mind. Yes, I knew Eddie would wake up, as described, I just figured there would be more to it. This is not a dig (pun-intended), but a change of what I had gone in expecting.
While it starts off a bit slow, setting the foundation for the rest of the story, Fabulous Bodies does come at you quick with neck breaking pacing. There is no rest for the wicked. When shit hit the fan, there is no stopping the fast paced, campy horror, and even humor that takes place. The speed of the book doesn't take away from the overall story, but adds to the experience. Even in the emotional moments, the again surprised me, things felt like the peddle was to the floor. Making for an easy, and fun read.
Poppy is setup as a fantastic character from the start, someone who is extremely public facing as an influencer but also leads the double-life as some making some quick cash in the trade of the dead. I couldn't help but think of stories such as Dexter whereas it should be obvious to those around you that something is off about you, but no one is the wiser. Makes for a funny, campy, and sometimes intense story. And when Poppy ends up on an intense, horrifying adventure with Eddie we are introduced to another well crafted character and a terrifying but amazing connection between the two.
Fabulous Bodies is filled with a great amount of dark humor paired with just the right amount of body horror and action. It can be intense at moments, but the campiness helps balance this out. How Tingle is able to accomplish all of this in a zombie-style journey is beyond me, but it works.
Fabulous Bodies is somehow disgusting, hilarious, and genuinely sweet at the same time. It’s impossible not to have fun reading this. Chuck Tingle understands that camp and sincerity actually work really well together. The book is ridiculous in the best possible way.
Let's be honest, Fabulous Bodies shouldn't work on paper, but somehow Chuck Tingle turns this influence satire, body horror, zombie-fueled chaos into something that is truly wildly entertaining, all while also being surprisingly heartfelt. Fabulous Bodies is disgusting and funny, making for a blood-soaked fever dream that proves Tingle is one of horror's most original voices.
Fabulous Bodies hits bookstores everywhere on July 7, 2026 from Tor Nightfire. The audiobook, narrated by Mara Wilson, is available via Libro.fm!
NOTE: We received an advance copy of Fabulous Bodies from the publisher. Opinions are our own.
May 12, 2026
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for an eARC on NetGalley!
Fabulous Bodies is my first read by Chuck Tingle and it certainly won’t be my last. Fabulous Bodies is a fast-paced rip-roaring horror novel that mostly takes place over the course of one hellish night, as the MC (a fashion influencer and grave robber) is hired to steal the dead body of her idol, a queer music icon (think like an American Elton John). To say it goes sideways from there is an understatement.
Part gore-soaked zombie tale, part over-the-top chase story, Fabulous Bodies is a brutal, dark look at what makes us human, why we shouldn’t always meet our idols, and shows us why love is real, even when all the cards are stacked against us.
Check out Fabulous Bodies when it comes out on July 7th!
Fabulous Bodies is my first read by Chuck Tingle and it certainly won’t be my last. Fabulous Bodies is a fast-paced rip-roaring horror novel that mostly takes place over the course of one hellish night, as the MC (a fashion influencer and grave robber) is hired to steal the dead body of her idol, a queer music icon (think like an American Elton John). To say it goes sideways from there is an understatement.
Part gore-soaked zombie tale, part over-the-top chase story, Fabulous Bodies is a brutal, dark look at what makes us human, why we shouldn’t always meet our idols, and shows us why love is real, even when all the cards are stacked against us.
Check out Fabulous Bodies when it comes out on July 7th!
May 20, 2026
Love a full circle moment with the first and last lines god Chuck Tingle this was delightfully fun, relevant and oh so fucked up
March 23, 2026
Fabulous Bodies is a rip roaring chase novel, taking place mostly over the space of one single night. It is funny, gory, scary, shocking, and maybe the most entertaining book that you’ll read this year.
It reaches an almost euphoric level in its “how is he going to top himself after that one” set pieces that Tingle gleefully jumps from repeatedly.
It’s also the best presentation of Tingle’s message and manifesto to the world. Love is Real in this book, even if you have to go through hell to realize it.
This is such a rich and layered tapestry of horror from an author that truly seems to be getting better and better with every book.
Don’t miss Fabulous Bodies, everyone’s going to be talking about it.
It reaches an almost euphoric level in its “how is he going to top himself after that one” set pieces that Tingle gleefully jumps from repeatedly.
It’s also the best presentation of Tingle’s message and manifesto to the world. Love is Real in this book, even if you have to go through hell to realize it.
This is such a rich and layered tapestry of horror from an author that truly seems to be getting better and better with every book.
Don’t miss Fabulous Bodies, everyone’s going to be talking about it.
March 12, 2026
I absolutely loved this book. What attracted me to it was the comparison to having a Beetlejuice vibe (my favorite movie since childhood), and absolutely those vibes are here but this is a monster all its own. Fabulous Bodies is funny, kitschy, witty. Even heartwarming at times, in a macabre and entirely unique way. I didn’t want to put it down. This story is an extremely clever way to arrive at a simple fact: love is what matters, and love overrides all influence and the monsters that are a part of us. I really enjoyed Poppy in all here fabulous flaws. She is honest, unapologetic, and truly a narrator I enjoyed. Bravo!
This is a review of an advance copy from Netgalley.
This is a review of an advance copy from Netgalley.
May 1, 2026
Incredibly full of heart. Just enough gore and nastiness to satiate me, lol. A unique story with a concept I’ve never seen before!
May 22, 2026
This is my first ARC! I didn’t really know how ARCs worked when I signed up on NetGalley, so I was surprised to find that I got approved to download a digital copy of this book! I have never read a book by Chuck Tingle before, but I know the acclaim his books have and I am a fan of his online presence as well as the famous Tinglers. I was very excited that this was going to be my first ARC.
But oh boy was I let down. Majorly.
Obviously the plot is ridiculous. But I often love and really resonate with “ridiculous” media, and based on the synopsis, I expected this to be campy. But in my opinion, camp only works when the rules of the world are established clearly in the beginning. It works best when every character in the book is irreverent, off the wall, if the dialogue and plot are all weird enough to feel like the world we are witnessing is not the same as our own, that maybe we stepped into a world where everything that happens is unapologetically weird. Most importantly, it can’t be all that self aware for the camp to work for me. I need to believe that these characters believe that what’s happening is typical for their world. There can’t be a whole lot of “omg I can’t believe this is happening!” The characters have to buy in for me to buy in, no matter how ridiculous.
This didn’t work for me on so many levels. The camp, for one, did not land. Aside from Eddie’s insane personality and the backdrop of queer Palm Springs, the story is extremely grounded in reality, it asks us to engage with it very earnestly, and so it doesn’t really seem like camp to me.
The groundwork was sloppy in my opinion. I think there were a lot of ideas for what kind of protagonist Poppy should have been, and the author just kind of mashed them all together and it got very muddy. Everything in the story seems very muddy to me. She’s an influencer by day, grave robber by night. Her arc is kind of two fold. Part one of her arc is that she seems to learn that bodies are vessels for real people and not just sacks of meat, but my issue with that is that we never really established that she thinks that in the beginning of the story. She’s desensitized to it because of her work, but she doesn’t really have that outlook on life as a whole. I guess it’s like, she’s realizing she never should have gone into that business in the first place which is just…a pretty underwhelming conclusion. The second part of her arc is that she learns not to be self obsessed and vain. My issue with that is, again, there was no real groundwork for that either. She’s an influencer, yes, but despite all the times she tells us she is self obsessed, we don’t see that reflected in her actions ever. We see her film one video, briefly talk about her fans, and that’s about it. I went into the story not understanding her too much, but certainly not getting the vibe that she was vain. She doesn’t have a scene obsessing over her makeup, looking in the mirror, talking about plastic surgery, none of that.
As for Eddie, I didnt fee a strong connection between him and Poppy either. We see him die, and then not one day later she’s picking up his body without much commentary on it. I felt like we needed a scene of her watching interviews with him, scrolling his tik tok page, something to both establish what he was like when he was alive and also her obsession with him, which is only ever told and rarely shown. Once the plot kicks off, Poppy is extremely passive despite claiming to be ruthless and headstrong, so the entire book was a slog to get through.
Besides the foundational issues and pacing issues I had with it, I felt like every plot device was cheap and confusing right up until the very end. Eddie’s entrance where he somehow lights up an old diner and dances crazily in front of Poppy in order…intimidate her maybe…was the roughest possible start to this insanity. We then get the reveal that he has mind and body control powers, which ends up dominating most of the book. The fact that he can control anyone and anything makes it so that Poppy is barely able to do or think anything of substance. Not only that, but Poppy knows absolutely nothing about the situation, and the entire book is basically a confused main character getting strung along to things she has no agency over, and we don’t get answers until the very end of the book.
By the time Poppy actually gains some agency in the story. Eddie has turned into a bug monster and also revealed that he’s her fucking dad, which functionally does not matter or make sense for her character in any way shape or form to me. It becomes a weird Star Wars thing where it’s like he’s been around forever and her bloodline was always destined to be entertainers, and by that point I had rolled my eyes into oblivion.
She defeats the bug monster, yay, with the help of her 5 year old child who luckily comes out of this whole thing totally untraumatized. Thank goodness for Poppy that she doesn’t have to pay for her therapy! She loses her best friend and barely processes it at all, and she comes away from the situation learning to not be vain and to appreciate her daughter more. The end, yippee.
The themes in this story were muddy at worst, and uncomfortable at best. It tries to make an earnest attempt to say something about family, love, the want for fame, and vanity, but all of it leaves me with an eyebrow raised. It seems to punish Poppy for worrying about her looks in the social media age, which seems like something I would read in a buzzfeed girlboss era YA dystopian novel. It seems to try to say something about love and family but completely throws it out the window when her best friend Noah, who is actively dying from cancer, accidentally dies in the battle with Eddie at the end while trying to help Poppy, and then gets no more than one sentence from Poppy at the end where she says she donates to cancer in his name every year. She has nothing critical to say about how she brought him into the situation and how she is only using him to get his weird cream, and how he should have never died and she regrets involving him, especially because he uncritically went along with her escapades because he loves and cares for her and Marlo, despite knowing absolutely nothing about her grave robbing. It made me feel icky that he facilitated her muddy character arc and then got taken advantage of the entire story and then barely got acknowledged at the end.
Maybe that was too much yapping, but everything just felt very flat for me every step of the way, despite the book constantly trying to tell me that something awesome was happening.
Perhaps it’s an overstep for me to interject my thoughts on what I would have done differently, because if there were significant changes, it wouldn’t be Fabulous Bodies anymore. It would be something completely different. And so if you’re looking to read a regular ARC review for an upcoming book, I would stop here, because I’m about to get into a much more personally subjective territory. With that being said, if I were given the story prompt of an influencer who robs the grave of a pop rock queer icon, here are the things I would have done differently:
- I would have made Poppy a true crime influencer instead of a fashion influencer. I would not have given her a grave robbing night shift. Chuck Tingle already does absolutely nothing with the idea of a fashion influencer, and also the grave robbing is only for plot convenience and has virtually no weight on her character journey. I would make her a true crime influencer because I think there would be a lot to comment on regarding the commodification of true crime content and the exploitation of people’s death for clicks. It would gel really well with Poppy’s arc about viewing bodies as only bodies and not people, because a problematic true crime vlogger would do exactly that. She could also be obsessed with vanity and looking good for the camera, and that would facilitate her arc in the end of becoming disfigured. She would be worried about looking as busted up as some of the people she creates content about, and then in the end when it happens to her, she would learn how wrong she was and end up seeing the beauty in her scars. As far as the grave robbing goes, I would have had the opportunity come up for her to rob Eddie’s grave for money as a one time thing for her, not as a regular gig. She would get wrapped up in the fantasy of it all, thinking it could be just like living inside of one of her favorite true crime documentaries, and she would still take the job for the money like she does in the book we got.
- Well, if I could have my way with the story, it is literally insane to me that Noah is set up to have cancer, and he ISN’T on the list of people Eddie going to eat. You’d think they would create stakes, guilt, horror, but…no. But if we’re going to stick with Noah for whatever reason not being on the list like the story currently stands, I would have had Noah sacrifice himself on his own terms. Instead of the way it went, I would have continued the trend of Noah selflessly going out of his way to help Poppy and Marlo and ask no questions. I would have had them go to the tramway and find the cream they needed was all gone, and it would look like they were done for. But then Noah realizes that he’s covered in the stuff because he just applied it last night, so he would have sacrificed himself to Eddie so that he would die and kill Eddie in the process. They could have all fallen out of the tramway just the same, and then with Noah dead, Poppy still could have gotten disfigured and heard Eddie’s dying words just like what we got in the book. It would have given Noah a sad but noble end and while Poppy would have been regretful of pulling him into the mess, she would have been able to process the death and connect it to her arc of learning about the value of love and family.
- Finally, I would NOT have made Eddie Poppy’s dad, holy shit. I would have made the connection much more about their inclination towards entertainment. Maybe it could even be like, all the most famous entertainers throughout history have been this bug monster and he finds the most talented host. And since Poppy is becoming so well known on social media, he sees the potential in her. I would have emphasized their spirit and passion for entertainment as opposed to stereotypical beauty.
So that’s about it. I’m not entirely turned off from reading Tingle’s other work because I’ve heard such amazing things about the rest of them. This one didn’t hit for me at all, but I’m interested to see what else he can do.
But oh boy was I let down. Majorly.
Obviously the plot is ridiculous. But I often love and really resonate with “ridiculous” media, and based on the synopsis, I expected this to be campy. But in my opinion, camp only works when the rules of the world are established clearly in the beginning. It works best when every character in the book is irreverent, off the wall, if the dialogue and plot are all weird enough to feel like the world we are witnessing is not the same as our own, that maybe we stepped into a world where everything that happens is unapologetically weird. Most importantly, it can’t be all that self aware for the camp to work for me. I need to believe that these characters believe that what’s happening is typical for their world. There can’t be a whole lot of “omg I can’t believe this is happening!” The characters have to buy in for me to buy in, no matter how ridiculous.
This didn’t work for me on so many levels. The camp, for one, did not land. Aside from Eddie’s insane personality and the backdrop of queer Palm Springs, the story is extremely grounded in reality, it asks us to engage with it very earnestly, and so it doesn’t really seem like camp to me.
The groundwork was sloppy in my opinion. I think there were a lot of ideas for what kind of protagonist Poppy should have been, and the author just kind of mashed them all together and it got very muddy. Everything in the story seems very muddy to me. She’s an influencer by day, grave robber by night. Her arc is kind of two fold. Part one of her arc is that she seems to learn that bodies are vessels for real people and not just sacks of meat, but my issue with that is that we never really established that she thinks that in the beginning of the story. She’s desensitized to it because of her work, but she doesn’t really have that outlook on life as a whole. I guess it’s like, she’s realizing she never should have gone into that business in the first place which is just…a pretty underwhelming conclusion. The second part of her arc is that she learns not to be self obsessed and vain. My issue with that is, again, there was no real groundwork for that either. She’s an influencer, yes, but despite all the times she tells us she is self obsessed, we don’t see that reflected in her actions ever. We see her film one video, briefly talk about her fans, and that’s about it. I went into the story not understanding her too much, but certainly not getting the vibe that she was vain. She doesn’t have a scene obsessing over her makeup, looking in the mirror, talking about plastic surgery, none of that.
As for Eddie, I didnt fee a strong connection between him and Poppy either. We see him die, and then not one day later she’s picking up his body without much commentary on it. I felt like we needed a scene of her watching interviews with him, scrolling his tik tok page, something to both establish what he was like when he was alive and also her obsession with him, which is only ever told and rarely shown. Once the plot kicks off, Poppy is extremely passive despite claiming to be ruthless and headstrong, so the entire book was a slog to get through.
Besides the foundational issues and pacing issues I had with it, I felt like every plot device was cheap and confusing right up until the very end. Eddie’s entrance where he somehow lights up an old diner and dances crazily in front of Poppy in order…intimidate her maybe…was the roughest possible start to this insanity. We then get the reveal that he has mind and body control powers, which ends up dominating most of the book. The fact that he can control anyone and anything makes it so that Poppy is barely able to do or think anything of substance. Not only that, but Poppy knows absolutely nothing about the situation, and the entire book is basically a confused main character getting strung along to things she has no agency over, and we don’t get answers until the very end of the book.
By the time Poppy actually gains some agency in the story. Eddie has turned into a bug monster and also revealed that he’s her fucking dad, which functionally does not matter or make sense for her character in any way shape or form to me. It becomes a weird Star Wars thing where it’s like he’s been around forever and her bloodline was always destined to be entertainers, and by that point I had rolled my eyes into oblivion.
She defeats the bug monster, yay, with the help of her 5 year old child who luckily comes out of this whole thing totally untraumatized. Thank goodness for Poppy that she doesn’t have to pay for her therapy! She loses her best friend and barely processes it at all, and she comes away from the situation learning to not be vain and to appreciate her daughter more. The end, yippee.
The themes in this story were muddy at worst, and uncomfortable at best. It tries to make an earnest attempt to say something about family, love, the want for fame, and vanity, but all of it leaves me with an eyebrow raised. It seems to punish Poppy for worrying about her looks in the social media age, which seems like something I would read in a buzzfeed girlboss era YA dystopian novel. It seems to try to say something about love and family but completely throws it out the window when her best friend Noah, who is actively dying from cancer, accidentally dies in the battle with Eddie at the end while trying to help Poppy, and then gets no more than one sentence from Poppy at the end where she says she donates to cancer in his name every year. She has nothing critical to say about how she brought him into the situation and how she is only using him to get his weird cream, and how he should have never died and she regrets involving him, especially because he uncritically went along with her escapades because he loves and cares for her and Marlo, despite knowing absolutely nothing about her grave robbing. It made me feel icky that he facilitated her muddy character arc and then got taken advantage of the entire story and then barely got acknowledged at the end.
Maybe that was too much yapping, but everything just felt very flat for me every step of the way, despite the book constantly trying to tell me that something awesome was happening.
Perhaps it’s an overstep for me to interject my thoughts on what I would have done differently, because if there were significant changes, it wouldn’t be Fabulous Bodies anymore. It would be something completely different. And so if you’re looking to read a regular ARC review for an upcoming book, I would stop here, because I’m about to get into a much more personally subjective territory. With that being said, if I were given the story prompt of an influencer who robs the grave of a pop rock queer icon, here are the things I would have done differently:
- I would have made Poppy a true crime influencer instead of a fashion influencer. I would not have given her a grave robbing night shift. Chuck Tingle already does absolutely nothing with the idea of a fashion influencer, and also the grave robbing is only for plot convenience and has virtually no weight on her character journey. I would make her a true crime influencer because I think there would be a lot to comment on regarding the commodification of true crime content and the exploitation of people’s death for clicks. It would gel really well with Poppy’s arc about viewing bodies as only bodies and not people, because a problematic true crime vlogger would do exactly that. She could also be obsessed with vanity and looking good for the camera, and that would facilitate her arc in the end of becoming disfigured. She would be worried about looking as busted up as some of the people she creates content about, and then in the end when it happens to her, she would learn how wrong she was and end up seeing the beauty in her scars. As far as the grave robbing goes, I would have had the opportunity come up for her to rob Eddie’s grave for money as a one time thing for her, not as a regular gig. She would get wrapped up in the fantasy of it all, thinking it could be just like living inside of one of her favorite true crime documentaries, and she would still take the job for the money like she does in the book we got.
- Well, if I could have my way with the story, it is literally insane to me that Noah is set up to have cancer, and he ISN’T on the list of people Eddie going to eat. You’d think they would create stakes, guilt, horror, but…no. But if we’re going to stick with Noah for whatever reason not being on the list like the story currently stands, I would have had Noah sacrifice himself on his own terms. Instead of the way it went, I would have continued the trend of Noah selflessly going out of his way to help Poppy and Marlo and ask no questions. I would have had them go to the tramway and find the cream they needed was all gone, and it would look like they were done for. But then Noah realizes that he’s covered in the stuff because he just applied it last night, so he would have sacrificed himself to Eddie so that he would die and kill Eddie in the process. They could have all fallen out of the tramway just the same, and then with Noah dead, Poppy still could have gotten disfigured and heard Eddie’s dying words just like what we got in the book. It would have given Noah a sad but noble end and while Poppy would have been regretful of pulling him into the mess, she would have been able to process the death and connect it to her arc of learning about the value of love and family.
- Finally, I would NOT have made Eddie Poppy’s dad, holy shit. I would have made the connection much more about their inclination towards entertainment. Maybe it could even be like, all the most famous entertainers throughout history have been this bug monster and he finds the most talented host. And since Poppy is becoming so well known on social media, he sees the potential in her. I would have emphasized their spirit and passion for entertainment as opposed to stereotypical beauty.
So that’s about it. I’m not entirely turned off from reading Tingle’s other work because I’ve heard such amazing things about the rest of them. This one didn’t hit for me at all, but I’m interested to see what else he can do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC read. Chuck Tingles horror series are always a joy. There was delicious gore, wonderful banter, and so many twists and turns I felt like I was on the journey. There were so many moments where I really didn’t think there was going to be a political way for the protagonist to get out of the situation. Tingles writing style is so easy to digest that it made this a quick little read for me. Tingle continues his streak of writing wonderful lgbtq horror.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If a high kill count is the type of thing that sustains you then this newest Chuck Tingle book will have you fed. Stuffed even, like a nasal cavity stuffed full of wax. 😉
I loved this book. Most of the story takes place in a single 24hrs while our 2 main characters embark on a road trip journey through the desert and Palm Springs. The pacing is fast and steady which really compliments this setting.
The flashy pop culture aesthetics poke fun at the entertainment industry and the world of influencing in a way that reminds the reader there’s more to life than image and the internet (but not in an annoying preachy sort of way).
The mystery of “what the fuck is actually happening here?” has a few well earned twists that kept me guessing and considering all kinds of cool possibilities, which made it all the more rewarding when I got answers. Once the truth is revealed it made a lot of sense and it was easy to look back and see how the groundwork was absolutely laid in a way that didn’t make it obvious too early on.
Chuck Tingle is such an exciting author to read because it really feels like the quality of his writing and story telling gets better with each book he puts out. I would definitely recommend this one, it’s a lot of fun!
I loved this book. Most of the story takes place in a single 24hrs while our 2 main characters embark on a road trip journey through the desert and Palm Springs. The pacing is fast and steady which really compliments this setting.
The flashy pop culture aesthetics poke fun at the entertainment industry and the world of influencing in a way that reminds the reader there’s more to life than image and the internet (but not in an annoying preachy sort of way).
The mystery of “what the fuck is actually happening here?” has a few well earned twists that kept me guessing and considering all kinds of cool possibilities, which made it all the more rewarding when I got answers. Once the truth is revealed it made a lot of sense and it was easy to look back and see how the groundwork was absolutely laid in a way that didn’t make it obvious too early on.
Chuck Tingle is such an exciting author to read because it really feels like the quality of his writing and story telling gets better with each book he puts out. I would definitely recommend this one, it’s a lot of fun!
March 5, 2026
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Fabulous Bodies by Chuck Tingle! This was my first book by him and I really enjoyed it. The writing was incredibly witty but it also had some surprisingly heartfelt moments which isn’t always easy to pull off in a horror novel. The story played out in my mind almost like a movie while I was reading. I could honestly picture it being directed by Quentin Tarantino because of the bold style, dark humor, and over the top intensity.
At times the horror elements were very graphic and detailed so much so that they actually made my stomach turn but somehow it still managed to be wildly entertaining. Overall, it was a fun, chaotic ride that kept me hooked the whole way through.
At times the horror elements were very graphic and detailed so much so that they actually made my stomach turn but somehow it still managed to be wildly entertaining. Overall, it was a fun, chaotic ride that kept me hooked the whole way through.
May 17, 2026
I don't particularly gravitate to horror as a genre, but I can happily say I was throughly entertained. This book brought me on a ride - its oddities making it hard to put down. I really didn't know what to expect going into this book, as I knew nothing of the author nor what the book was about; but I can safely say I wasn't expecting that.
Truly a bizarre story, one I enjoyed very much. It had my full attention as it was witty and thrilling in such an unexpected way. Gore isn't something I usually look for in books but this story was full of it - and man was it fun to read.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publishing team for granting me access to the ARC in exchange for a honest review!
Truly a bizarre story, one I enjoyed very much. It had my full attention as it was witty and thrilling in such an unexpected way. Gore isn't something I usually look for in books but this story was full of it - and man was it fun to read.
I want to thank Netgalley and the publishing team for granting me access to the ARC in exchange for a honest review!
May 14, 2026
Every time I pick up a new book from one of my favorite authors, I get a little nervous but Chuck Tingle does it again. True to his usual style, this book is CAMPY, gory and so much fun. I thought it was so creative and a had a little of the Hollywood star quality that Bury Your Gays also had. I was a little bit lost with the big reveal and the mechanics of it but that didn’t bother me too much. Overall, a great read.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!
Want to Read
February 6, 2026ARC received! Thank you so much, Tor Nightfire. You never know what you're going to get with a Chuck Tingle read.
I love discovering what creative concepts he's delivering, each and every time!
I love discovering what creative concepts he's delivering, each and every time!
March 29, 2026
Overall a 4 star experience. The beginning was a lot of fun, the blood-soaked world-building middle was a bit much for me - a slog in parts - the fast paced survival story which was set up by all that was compelling and enjoyable. The premise and mythology were wild enough to keep my interest and the ending was fairly satisfying. But overall it was a little disjointed and not my favorite Tingle offering to date.
Read
April 2, 2026Every time I pick up a Chuck Tingle horror novel, I seen to forget how wonderfully he writes such grotesque, vivid images. As seems to be intended, I didn't really like the protag for much of the book, but in an enjoyable way. As I've always had be the case with Tingle's horror books, this one was delightful- at times horrific, revolting, heartwarming, and even a bit funny.
May 6, 2026
Advance reader copy provided by NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire which does not influence my opinions or review.
Chuck Tingle has a remarkable ability to surprise and shock. Reading absolutely nothing about this book prior to starting it, I expected this to be body horror for the GLP-1 age. What transpires is so much more fab, disgusting, and clever. Do not take the “disgusting” lightly- this is a bloody, gory, gnarly book.
Fabulous Bodies is a wild ride and compulsively readable. I bet many readers will finish it in 1-3 sittings.
Tingle has tone and pacing down masterfully. Every time I felt a moment was going too long, bam! A new surprise and plot pivot.
I feel really goofy not having much criticism, I just think Tingle executes exactly what he sets out to do.
Chuck Tingle has a remarkable ability to surprise and shock. Reading absolutely nothing about this book prior to starting it, I expected this to be body horror for the GLP-1 age. What transpires is so much more fab, disgusting, and clever. Do not take the “disgusting” lightly- this is a bloody, gory, gnarly book.
Fabulous Bodies is a wild ride and compulsively readable. I bet many readers will finish it in 1-3 sittings.
Tingle has tone and pacing down masterfully. Every time I felt a moment was going too long, bam! A new surprise and plot pivot.
I feel really goofy not having much criticism, I just think Tingle executes exactly what he sets out to do.
May 16, 2026
ARC provided by NetGalley and this is my honest review.
George Bush once allegedly said, “that was some weird shit” and that’s how I’d (lovingly) review this book too. I don’t read a lot of horror, so I don’t know how the stomach churning violence and batshit science fiction compares to the rest of the genre. It was definitely entertaining and that’s all that matters. 🤷
George Bush once allegedly said, “that was some weird shit” and that’s how I’d (lovingly) review this book too. I don’t read a lot of horror, so I don’t know how the stomach churning violence and batshit science fiction compares to the rest of the genre. It was definitely entertaining and that’s all that matters. 🤷
April 1, 2026
Don't be fooled by the glamorous cover; Fabulous Bodies is by far Tingle's grittiest, goriest work yet, chronicled over the course of one terrifying night in the life of a grave robber and the flashy, undead celebrity she's procured. Bravo, sport.
Want to Read
October 15, 2025LET'S GOOOO
February 17, 2026
Love wins in the end. Another banger by Tingle! Poppy’s night job (you’ll never guess). The horror elements. The use of time in story. Brilliant. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!
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