CHOOSE by D C Mallery

CHOOSE

D C Mallery

Tesselesset Books (2025)

979-8-9896520-2-0

Reviewed by Jordan Waterwash for Reader Views (11/2025)

https://readerviews.com/reviews/choose-mallery-2/

5/5

Unexpected and exciting, CHOOSE by D C Mallery investigates the human psyche through the lens of two individuals who are burdened by the same curse: an entity they call the “southpaw.” Forced to choose who lives and who dies by the southpaw’s hand—and by extension their own hands—Grove Hanson and Kelso Kollen must fight the entity dwelling within them. Although, the choice may be made for them if they refuse to decide for themselves.

CHOOSE explores an interesting concept, one I haven’t seen done before. Reminiscent of the folie à deux phenomenon, the southpaw creates an unbreakable link between Grove and Kelso that can only be made more dangerous as time progresses. It’s as if their shared experience is a delusion that comes to life in horrifying, lethal ways.

We start with Grove’s perspective for the first half of the novel; he is far less knowledgeable on his condition and does everything he can to limit the fallout. The more he tries to push the southpaw out, the more dangerous it becomes. His characterization throughout feels genuine and grounded despite the terrible acts he commits. I often found myself feeling bad for him despite everything he did wrong. It truly felt like he was trapped inside himself while this southpaw enacted its will. Mallery’s depiction of the intensity present throughout the book made the reading experience stressful in the best way. The stakes were high, and every page felt like it mattered.

Kelso’s half of the novel felt equally engaging, though for very different reasons. Where Grove tried to fight the southpaw’s urges and ultimately decided to enact its will on “deserving” parties, Kelso leaned into its power. She had the benefit of hindsight after witnessing Grove’s descent, which added an interesting angle to the southpaw’s arc. While the entity was the same, the reader got to interact with it in a new way through Kelso’s eyes. We also got to see the origins of the southpaw, which was satisfying. Oftentimes, horror novels leave out where exactly the “monster” or “entity” originates; while I love an open-ended horror, I also enjoy when the mythos has an explanation so I can fully appreciate the author’s intention and vision for the book. While the ending felt fast, the logic of it all played out nicely.

CHOOSE by D C Mallery is a fantastic horror novel. Its tension and attention to character will stick with the reader long after the final page.