Within the Black (The Nowhere Series Book 2) by Kathleen Palm
Within the Black is the second middle grade horror book in Kathleen Palm’s The Nowhere Series. Weighing in at 271 pages, it released on November 14, 2025 by Undertaker Books.
In Within the Black, we return to Nowhere and pick up with Will. When Into the Gray ended, Will was about to encounter one of the toughest moments in his life—the loss of his mother. This book centers around him, the wide range of emotions he battles, how he copes with the loss, and his place in the world without her. Palm does a fantastic job harnessing the inner turmoil of a young teenage boy battling his inner demons while attempting to portray himself as being fine.
One of my favorite things about this book is how it seamlessly falls into line behind the first. This time, though, the lost things are more than just trinkets or stuffed animals.
Grief, loss, family, forgiveness, and friendship are the cornerstones of the story. Within the Black takes readers on a roller coaster of emotions. If you’ve experienced loss, this book will touch you in some way. If you think a middle grade novel can’t rip your heart out, think again. Not only is the book centered around emotions, it has a way of digging its sharp, blackened claws into your chest to gouge yours out, too.
Not to be forgotten, though, are the characters who reappear from the first book. Ember, Ash, Shelly, and of course Caretaker, are along for the ride to feed the narrative and push Will to face his fears and look within himself for answers. The question is—does he like what he sees?
Palm sheds light on how it feels to be sad as well as angry. The emotions are believable and feel sincere. The characters interact well, each contributing to the theme in their own ways, enhancing the story.
I can’t wait to see what Palm does in the final installation of The Nowhere Series. I want to know what the characters from the first book and the new ones we meet in this one will do next. Not to mention, I’m curious about how mysterious situations will be wrapped up in the end. Palm has left me hungry for more!
I’d like to echo was I said at the end of my review of Into the Black: Grab a copy of this for a young adult in your life or just for yourself. I, for one, enjoyed every moment of getting lost in the story.
Need more Kathleen Palm?
Get to know Kathleen Palm:
Kathleen Palm wanted to be a ballerina (but dancing was hard), then a marine biologist (but science was hard), but mostly she loved dreaming up strange creatures, interesting characters, and fascinating places. When she was thirty-one-years-old all those strange people and places in her mind started whispering stories, so she became a writer (which was hard, but she didn’t care). Her love of everything magical, weird, and creepy weaves into her words. Because through the dark, we can find the light. Because when we face fear, we become strong. Because it’s good to be scared.
She loves scary movies, TV shows and books, watching people play horror video games on YouTube, and chocolate cake. She lives in a big, old (sadly not haunted) house in rural Indiana with her husband, two kids, two dogs, and four cats. She does her best to not run through the killer-infested cornfields. Member HWA…Chicagoland chapter.
***Taken from Kathleen Palm’s website
I love having signed book copies!
To read my review of Into the Gray, CLICK HERE.
To read my review of A Quaint and Curious Volume of Gothic Tales, including Palm’s short story “The Door to Other Places,” CLICK HERE.
Get to know Undertaker Books:
At Undertaker Books, our mission is to provide publishing services to indie authors worldwide, spotlighting new and unique voices within the realm of horror fiction. We strive to offer a seamless publishing journey from submission to publication while providing valuable feedback every step of the way.
We believe in collaboration between authors, publishers, editors, and designers to bring diverse voices to the forefront of the horror genre. Our passion lies in creating a long-lasting partnership with authors by focusing on the “less is more” concept: quality releases, not the quantity of them.
Undertaker Books is not limited to any specific theme or subgenre. Instead, we are dedicated to innovative storytelling and embracing the myriad voices that contribute to horror literature. To our readers, we hope to bring you stories you’ll take to your grave.
***Taken from the Undertaker Books website
