(Mostly) Human Resources
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Author: Grace Viall
Published: 2026
Genre: Fantasy
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IBC Editorial Rating: 3.5/5
This book is handpicked by the IBC Editorial Team. If you are an author, publisher, or reader and would like to have a book reviewed by IBC, you may reach us at editorial@indianbookclub.com — we’ll be happy to review it.
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Editorial Review:
Amongst mountains as old as time, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of your worries. Alexys never expected to end up in Human Resources, but after her father was killed serving as a Warden in the Appalachian Mountains, working a desk job at Entity, the organization that categorizes and manages the world's cryptids, felt like the safest way to carry on his legacy. When one of her Wardens, Elliot, disappears while investigating a never-before-recorded monster called the Hollow Walker, Alexys refuses to let another life be lost on her watch and heads into the mountains herself. She isn't alone for long. Nic, Entity's ambitious Director of Research and Cataloging, sees a chance to make cryptozoology history, and an excuse to spend time with his favorite work rival. Together, Alexys and Nic are about to learn exactly why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to be after dark.
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Book Summary:
Alexys has spent her career at Entity firmly behind a desk, acting as the liaison between the company and its Wardens, the field agents who investigate cryptid sightings across the country. It is a role shaped entirely by grief, a way to honor her father's legacy as a Warden without risking the same fate that claimed his life. That careful distance collapses when Elliot, one of her Wardens, vanishes in the Appalachian Mountains while chasing reports of the Hollow Walker, a dangerous and entirely undocumented cryptid. Determined not to lose another Warden on her watch, Alexys leaves the safety of her office and heads into the mountains to find him herself. She isn't the only one drawn by the promise of the unknown. Nic, Entity's Director of Research and Cataloging, sees the Hollow Walker as the discovery of a lifetime, and he isn't about to let Alexys handle it without him, workplace rivalry or not. As the two head deeper into the Appalachian wilderness, they are forced to navigate not just the search for Elliot, but their own complicated dynamic, along with the mounting sense that something genuinely dangerous is watching them from the dark. Viall blends corporate satire with supernatural horror throughout, following Alexys and Nic as their mission grows stranger, more perilous, and more revealing than either of them expected.
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Key Takeaways:
“Grief disguised as caution”: Alexys's retreat into deskwork after her father's death reflects a common, deeply human response to loss, choosing safety over risk in an attempt to avoid repeating a painful history. Viall treats this instinct with real sympathy, even as circumstances eventually force Alexys past it. “Bureaucracy colliding with the supernatural”: Much of the novel's early charm comes from the collision between mundane corporate structure and genuinely strange, otherworldly phenomena, case files and leadership meetings existing alongside monster sightings. This juxtaposition offers a fresh, satirical lens on workplace culture. “Responsibility and the weight of leadership”: Alexys's determination that no Warden should die on her watch speaks to a deeper anxiety about living up to a legacy she feels she can never fully match from behind a desk. Her journey into the mountains becomes as much about proving something to herself as finding Elliot. “Rivalry as a mask for unresolved tension”: Alexys and Nic's contentious workplace dynamic sets the stage for a relationship that grows more complicated once they are forced into proximity, raising questions about how much of their friction was ever really about dislike at all.
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Iconic Lines, Scenes & Characters:
"Alexys": Shaped by grief and a desire to honor her father's memory safely, Alexys's decision to leave her desk behind and head into the mountains marks a significant turning point in her arc, even as she grapples with what leadership actually requires of her. "Nic": Ambitious and eager to make his mark in cryptozoology, Nic's competitive drive to document the Hollow Walker adds real momentum to the mission. At the same time, his willingness to join Alexys in the field complicates their long-standing rivalry. "The Hollow Walker": This never-before-recorded cryptid looms over the entire novel as both a genuine threat and an irresistible discovery, its mystery driving Alexys and Nic deeper into the mountains than either originally intended. "Entity's corporate cryptid bureaucracy": The novel's satirical depiction of a company built around cataloging and managing the supernatural offers some of its sharpest, funniest material, grounding the fantastical premise in recognizably mundane office culture.
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Who Should Read This:
Readers who enjoy genre-blending fiction that combines workplace satire with supernatural horror will appreciate the novel's inventive premise, especially its early chapters that balance corporate bureaucracy with cryptid lore. Anyone drawn to enemies-to-lovers dynamics forced together under high-stakes circumstances will find Alexys and Nic's tense partnership a central draw, as their rivalry is tested by genuine danger in the Appalachian wilderness. Fans of atmospheric horror set in isolated, folklore-rich settings will enjoy how Viall uses the Appalachian Mountains as a backdrop for both mystery and mounting dread. A note for readers: this is very much a character- and relationship-driven story once the mission gets underway, with the corporate satire and cryptid mystery taking more of a backseat than the setup might suggest. Readers most drawn in by the workplace premise should expect the focus to shift significantly once Alexys and Nic head into the field.
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IBC Editorial Note:
This review is part of the Indian Book Club’s editorial initiative to spotlight books that inspire, inform, and leave a lasting impact on readers. Every title featured is carefully handpicked and reviewed by the IBC Editorial Team to maintain quality, authenticity, and literary value. If you are an author, publisher, or reader and would like to submit a book for review, we’d be delighted to hear from you. Please write to us at: editorial@indianbookclub.com Our team personally evaluates each submission, and selected books are featured as official IBC Editorial Reviews on our platform.