Follow the Rules… or Else: Marcus Kliewer's The Caretaker

You all know how excited I am to say that this week, I got to chat with Marcus Kliewer about his newest horror book The Caretaker! We dive into his unconventional path to writing, our shared fascination with psychological horror, and how he plants his Easter eggs in multiple mediums.

Listen to hear more about:

The Caretaker’s premise, tone, and how it connects to We Used to Live Here
Marcus Kliewer's origin story—from Reddit horror posts to book deals and adaptations
Insight into psychological horror, ambiguity in endings, and why “not knowing” is so unsettling
A candid discussion on OCD, anxiety, and how those experiences shape the story’s tension
Behind-the-scenes details on worldbuilding, Easter eggs, hidden codes, and what might connect across his books

All the Bookwild Links:

Check Out the Bookwild Substack

Subscribe to Bookwild on YouTube

Get Bookwild Merch

Follow @imbookwild on Instagram

Check Out Author Social Media Packages

Follow Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba