Look, here’s the thing: Nothing about Trve Cvlt should work, and yet it does, beautifully. Here’s what I mean.

First, it’s written in second person, with “you” as the main character. Writing an entire novel in second person is a highwire act that’s tricky to navigate, and trickier to pull off successfully, but Bettendorf does a great job. Instead of being off-putting, Trve Cvlt pulls you in, making you an intimate part of the story without ever feeling like a gimmick.

Second, and if you’re a gamer you may have already guessed this from the sub-title, Trve Cvlt is a choose your own adventure story. Remember those from when you were a kid? The novel doesn’t overdue it, it’s not every chapter, but it adds a quirky little spin to the story. In fact, part of me wants to go back and make different decisions, just to see what I missed.

Last is the story itself. Trve Cvlt starts off as a gritty, knowing look at a young midwest black metal band with all the infighting, backstabbing and love of music that entails. And then…and then the madness starts. Bettendorf throws a legendary, possibly haunted cult house, a cult, a preacher and his wife who maybe aren’t what they seem (“your” parents, by the way), otherworldly, cosmic horror, and a hard right turn into murder and mayhem, throws it all into a blender, and hits puree. Again, it shouldn’t work, but it does. This is a fast, fun read.

I also want to mention the cover art by Echo Echo. It’s densely, hypnotically detailed, and fits the novel perfectly.

Trve Cvlt debuts September 25th, and is available for pre-order now. I think this is the third book from Tenebrous Press I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed them all. They are definitely a publishing house to watch.