It Came From Neverland by Cynthia Pelayo
Crooked Lane (June 9, 2026)
Reviewed by Dave Simms
There’s one thing that Cynthia Pelayo does extremely well: twist fairytales into something unique and lovely. Her stories are horrific, too, but her writing is so well executed that the reader just strolls along for the ride.
Her Children of Chicago and The Shoemaker’s Magician were near-perfect modern crime novels, imbuing the genre with something elegant and awful at the same time. The Stoker Award-winning author has evolved with each book, and what’s evident here is her skill as a poet. After reading Loteria and Crime Scene, one could see how much this bleeds into her novel-length work.
As for It Came From Neverland, many are referring to it as a “sequel” to Peter Pan. Read it and decide. It’s not a bad comparison at all and is a great draw, especially when Pelayo tosses in the horror element.
Wendy Darling has grown up. A teacher by day and a helper to those soldiers who survived the war, she lives a much different 1914 than most. What occurred in that children’s tale, and what her brothers can recall as fact, may not be accurate at all. What if Peter Pan had been a villain, an evil entity that murdered those children all those years ago?
It’s happening again. What if Wendy is blamed by Scotland Yard for the current killings?
It’s a fascinating concept that might seem contrived and lame in someone else’s hands. Not here.
It Came From Neverland is a beautifully told story that is wondrously horrific and utterly readable, almost as if it’s the same one a soldier carries, who utters that old name – Peter Pan.
This is a refreshing novel that feels both oddly comforting and twisted at the same time. For those familiar with Pelayo, this will come as no surprise. For those who are not, this is a great entry point.
Highly recommended for those who love the updated, twisted and needed fairytale in modern times.
