Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen
“A dazzling, delightfully entertaining fusion of a horror tale and a Western.” —Kirkus Reviews
Order Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen
In an alternate Old West, monsters rule the land—but one deadly duo is humanity’s last hope.
Melinda West is a sharpshooter with a steady hand, a cool head and a no-nonsense attitude. Her partner, Lance, brings the charm—and the firepower. Together, they’ve made a living hunting supernatural threats. But when a strange illness leaves a trail of corpses in its wake, they realize they’re about to face their greatest challenge yet.
As the bodies pile up, a swarm of gremlins—smarter, faster and deadlier than anything they’ve encountered before—are hellbent on destruction. Unless Melinda and Lance can uncover the truth behind these mysterious creatures, everything they know will be torn apart.
Fast-paced, gritty, and packed with supernatural thrills, Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen blends the rebellious charm of Bonnie and Clyde with the high-stakes action of Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
This is book two in a standalone interconnected series—ideal for both new readers and returning fans looking for dark fantastical westerns with a twist.
Purchase anywhere you buy books or order signed copies from Mysterious Galaxy and Artifact Books.
Order the first Melinda West book, Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger, here.
Reviews and News
Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen hit #1 in top new release of Western Horrors on Amazon upon release!
Kirkus Reviews wrote “Grifant’s taut follow-up to Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger (2023) wisely devotes more time to establishing its unforgettable setting. It’s not a monster story set in the Old West, but rather a Western that happens to contain monsters.”
“Grifant is a genius at populating the wild west with weird monsters. This book, like the first in this series, is packed with novel, powerful terrors” — East County Magazine review.
Steve Stred (award-winning author of Mastodon, Father of Lies & Churn the Soil) gave Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen an excellent review! This was an especially fun line I loved: “Melinda West..is the type of character that, would this have been an 80’s Saturday morning cartoon instead of a 2020’s novel, people would have Melinda West posters up on all of their walls and the action figures would be flying off the shelves. It’s BraveStarr meets She-Ra the Princess of Power and it works so very very well.”
Read the full review here: https://stevestredauthor.ca/2025/04/14/book-review-melinda-west-and-the-gremlin-queen/.
Big thanks to Horror Reads for a fantastic video review! Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gOAwVOTy7Q.
Praise for Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen
“Melinda West is back, a little weary and battle-worn, but ready to answer the call when a terrifying flock of gremlins threatens all of human civilization…KC Grifant ups the action and the stakes in this twisty, thrilling sequel.” –Christina Henry, author of Alice and The House That Horror Built
“Exciting action, compelling characters AND monsters make Melinda West and the Gremlin Queen a tale not to be missed. It’s such a treat to revisit this rich world.” –Kate Jonez, Omnium Gatherum
“It’s a rip-roarin’, bronco-buckin’ ride through demon hordes, dust storms, and deception before it cranks up another dark notch into the explosive ending. Every buck of that horse is worth the ride.” –Ef Deal, author of The Twins of Bellesfées series
“KC Grifant has artfully drawn a reluctant heroine grappling with a tortured past and tasked her with a seemingly impossible mission. The journey forward is as arduous as the terrain it covers, and as kinetic and fast-paced as a galloping horse.” –Caroline Dipping, author of Baker’s Dozen
Praise for Book 1: Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger
“Great fun. Briskly written and full of surprises. KC Grifant has it cooking.” —Joe Lansdale, author of the Hap and Leonard series and Dead in the West
“KC Grifant comes out guns blazing with Melinda West: Monster Gunslinger—a devious action- packed adventure set in a very weird version of the Old West. Fast, furious, and a hell of a lot of fun!” —Jonathan Maberry, NY Times bestselling author of Son of the Poison Rose and Relentless
“Grifant takes her time building the world and its characters, imbuing all with a complexity that adds depth to this wildly entertaining story. This fun, imaginative, and confident series opener will be a massive crowd pleaser for general audiences.” —Library Journal
“KC Grifant’s horror western hits the road at top speed and never takes its foot off the accelerator, making the book a perfect fit for readers who like their horror weird and their action plentiful … [Melinda West] is a delicious amalgamation of Ash Williams in wise-cracking bravado and Ellen Ripley in triumphant fearlessness.” —Ginger Nuts of Horror
News and Updates
Featured in Space Cowboy Books’ Spotlight.
Featured in The LineUp article, “7 New Horror Books by Women That Will Keep You Up at Night.”
Featured on the Indie Release Radar.
Featured in SFWA’s New Release Newsletter.
KC Grifant 