The nitty-gritty: Complex characters, buckets of blood, and an intriguing mystery make Don't Fear the Reaper a worthy sequel.

Stephen Graham Jones returns to Proofrock, Idaho in this second installment of The Lake Witch Trilogy, which takes place four years after the bloody finale of My Heart is a Chainsaw. I ended up loving parts of this book, although there were some sections that really dragged for me. I put it aside several times during those slow parts, which is probably why it took me over three weeks to read. Still, it’s hard not to love Jone’s unique voice and “in your face” brand of slasher horror, and by the end of the story I was fully invested in Jade’s terrifying encounter with yet another serial killer. 

Please note: minor spoilers ahead for My Heart is a Chainsaw.

Four years after the so called Independence Day Massacre, when half the town of Proofrock was brutally murdered, Jade Daniels—who calls herself Jennifer now—has come back home, after finally being acquitted of murder charges. It’s December of 2019 and Jennifer is not only older but wiser and more world-weary and is no longer interested in her beloved slasher films. At the same time, a convoy transporting a convicted serial killer called Dark Mill South is lost in a blizzard near Proofrock, and Dark Mill South escapes.

Soon after, a series of brutal murders takes place in various locations around town, each one mimicking a death in a slasher film, and each targeting a high school student. Jennifer can’t believe it’s happening again, but Proofrock does have a long history of violence, so is she really surprised? And who will protect the town now, especially since Letha, the final girl from the 2016 massacre, is severely injured and not up to the job of stopping the killer?

Jade is one of the best things in this story, in fact I liked her better here than in My Heart is a Chainsaw, where her personality sometimes grated on me. Now she’s more mature, and her horrible experiences from the last book have left their mark. She no longer spouts endless slasher movie trivia, although later in the book she and Letha bond over their shared love and knowledge of the movies, especially when the murders mimic those movies so closely. I’ll admit I was disappointed in the beginning when we find out she’s changed her name to Jennifer (perhaps to distance herself from the horrors she experienced). It was Jade I connected with in the first book, and hiding behind another name just felt like she was, well, hiding. But never fear: about halfway through the story she realizes that she’s going to have to face Dark Mill South, and she takes back the name Jade, shedding “Jennifer” like a wet jacket.

Just like he did in My Heart is a Chainsaw, each chapter is preceded by a research paper written by a student (to be honest I’m not sure who was writing these sections) to the new high school history teacher, Mr. Armitage. I did like the detailed information on Dark Mill South, which gives the reader some insight into his character and background, but overall these were the chapters that slowed the story down for me.

And if you’re here for the slasher action, you will not be disappointed. While I thought the ending of the last book was way over the top action-wise, I loved the more focused horror in Don’t Fear the Reaper. There were a couple of scenes I’m still flashing back to when I close my eyes at night, they were so vividly described. Jones has some surprises in store regarding the killings, which I won’t go into detail about, but let’s just say I thought it played out brilliantly. The winter setting worked really well for me too. The town lake is frozen, and now it’s much easier to get across the lake to Terra Nova, the abandoned housing development that figured so heavily in the first book. And I didn’t realize how much I loved snowplows until I read this book! Snowplow vs. Dark Mill South = lots of fun times.

Jones switches points of view frequently, so you get a peek into the heads of all the characters, even Dark Mill South (his chapter is terrifying!) This was both a positive and a negative for me. Positive, because you get insight into each character and get to know them on a deeper level, but negative because there are a lot of perspectives to keep track of, and each perspective shift meant I had to reorient myself.

Which brings me to the characters of Ginger and Cinnamon, who play a big role in this story after being minor characters in My Heart is a Chainsaw. They were so minor that I didn’t even remember who they were at first, to be honest. I did end up loving their storyline by the end, but there was quite a bit of confusion before that. So word of warning: this is a series that must be read in order, so don’t even attempt to read this book if you haven’t read the first one.

But negatives aside, I really did enjoy this book. The ending was cathartic, as only a slasher story can be, and Jones might have left some clues for what’s coming up in book three (I can’t be certain of that, but the man is good at leaving breadcrumbs!) Bloody, tense, and emotional, Don’t Fear the Reaper left me craving the next book.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

My sincere and utterly heartfelt thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this as a digital ARC.

Jade Daniels is no longer that girl. The final girl. The girl who survived to fight another day and saved as many as she could in the process. The girl who hid behind slasher movies and horror movies to cope with the nightmare of her real life. That girl died four years ago. In her place stands Jennifer Daniels, a woman who has been released to her hometown on probation.

Jennifer doesn’t have much to come home to. Her old house is now infamous because of its connection to her, and to her father, not to mention she has never been close to her mother who still lives in town so she won’t even bother trying to connect with her. And half the town thinks she’s a killer while the other half just doesn’t know what to do with this stranger who is too familiar but who has always been too strange to truly be one of them.

I did myself a disservice by not re-reading the first book prior to this sequel, so I found myself floundering for a bit as I tried to remember all the little plot points that happened before. I think if the first book had been fresher in my mind, this would have been a 4 star reader. However, although it is almost certainly reader error, I can’t say my experience was a 4 star experience because I didn’t “pack the correct essentials”.

This is a book that you absolutely HAVE to have read the first book to understand what is happening and enjoy it. No jumping in on book two here, make sure you are fully up to date with these characters before proceeding into the book.

I didn’t care much for the first book in this series, but I still wanted to give book two a chance. I’m glad I did as it was MUCH better. There are a few things I must note, however.

I like longer sentences, but the ones in this book were really long. I found it easier to stay connected during these long sentences by reading the book aloud. I also felt that this book was very ambitious — and, unfortunately, the author wasn’t always up to how very ambitious he was. Still, I’d rather someone take a risk than keep playing it safe.

Overall, I gave the first book a 2/5 stars. This one has earned 4/5.

STEPHEN.GRAHAM.JONES. Sorry he just never misses and is one of the most underrated best of the bests. Somehow improves upon the perfection of the first book in the series. Jade is an amazing horror final girl and I truly hope this one gets adapted and I can't wait for the finale.

An amazing second book. The perfect progression from book one. Stephen Graham Jones knows the genre like a true master.

WTH did I just read? After DNF’ng My Heart Is a Chainsaw I did not have high hopes. I could never wrap my head around the first book which is why I didn’t finish. I don’t know what it is about this author's writing, but it just confuses the heck out of me! I’m happy to say this book was much easier to follow, but it still had some WTF moments. I will say please don’t read this if your stomach hurts or if you're recovering from the stomach flu. Maybe I just get grossed out easily!

Overall I’m happy I read this, and I’m even more happy that I had people I could ask my questions to…but I'm still confused.

The master of supernatural suspense horror has done it again. Another book that undertones of creep, got into my mind and has stayed.

The sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw, takes us back to the lake town of Poorfrock. It’s been four years since Jade’s senior year and she’s now being released from prison. Coming back might not be as safe as when she was in prison and the deadly force of Poorfrock is back.

Jade Daniels is the epitome of ‘Final Girl.’ This is such a perfect series for Slasher movie lovers. The fact that it’s an evil killer and death happens on Friday the 13th.. it’s like homage to the movie Friday the 13th! I mean serial killers are just never gonna disappoint or disappear.

Jones has such a way with writing and I love his whole take on the horror genre. The book hones into a lot of blood and gore and my happy heart just loves it!!!!

Gimme more!

I received a free copy of this book from the author through netgalley.com I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The second book of this series and I thought it was better than the first. Jade has returned to Proofrock as Jennifer Daniels, determined to put away her slasher loving persona. However the same day she returns a serial killer escapes his transport right out side of Proofrock. Then the bodies start to pile up and Jennifer has to resurrect Jade to save her friends and her town from another slasher.

I love these books as they pay homage to the 1980's slasher films of my youth. Filled with directors and quotes from various slasher films there is even a nod to the very unslasher movie The Breakfast Club but was also a staple of the 80's movies enthusiasts.

The only thing that I didn't understand was I thought Jade was exonerated and her conviction overturned therefore she wouldn't have been on parole and not been taken away to live out her sentence. However the scene just before she is taken away is classic and will be imprinted in my mind forever. I understand why he did it this way but it could have been handled differently.

#DontFearTheReaper:⁣
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Thank you @simon.audio and @sagasff for the gifted copy.⁣
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Jade. Fucking. Daniels. ⁣
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I loved My Heart is a Chainsaw, but I can’t really contain my love for Don’t Fear the Reaper. It was everything and more.⁣
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I was hesitant when I saw the same reader wasn’t back for DFTR, but y’all, that full cast IS IT. It’s so good. The audio is phenomenal and I know 100% that some of the story jumps a bit and I would have been confused if I didn’t know the POV changed. ⁣
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I feel like Jade and Letha both came into their own in the best way. We got so many references for slashers on top of the application. So not just fanatic, but also survivor.⁣
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Honestly, this blew away all expectations and while I loved Chainsaw, Reaper is top 5 favorite of all time. ⁣
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Jade Daniels is my final girl. ✌🏻⁣
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Don’t Fear the Reaper is out now!

I have said many, many times that there's a formula when it comes to slashers. They're predictable, sure. The thing is though - you never know when or how those predictable events are going to happen exactly. It's that not knowing that's the true addiction regarding slashers: the build of up fear and suspense...your head on a swivel, checking all directions at once...your blood racing and your heart pounding so much so that it's almost a relief when the slasher finally does make an appearance.

Slasher sequels have a slight change in their formula: they have to stay true to the original formula but they have to up the stakes: everything has to be MORE. The fear, violence, murder, and the reason behind it all must all be raised to a higher level.

Stephen Graham Jones absolutely accomplished this. In spades. It's very difficult, because I have so much I want to pick apart and discuss, as well as predictions for the final book in the trilogy, but doing so would spoil the first book and this one. It's a conundrum. I tell you though, I suspected EVERYONE. Which is funny, especially when you finish reading it.

Immediately upon finishing, I wanted to move my chair away from the wall, start the book over and put up sticky notes and threads to connect events and characters because I'm quite sure there were some valuable things that might have been snuck in about where this series will go in the final book. Plus, there was so much going on that I feel sure I missed some things...and then there's just the old fashioned, it was so good that I want to reread MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW and DON'T FEAR THE REAPER back to back.

There was a time when I actually cheered - it's the kind of thing that people will holler, clap and cheer when it happens in a movie - which, speaking of - HOW HAS THIS SERIES NOT BEEN PICKED UP YET?! Give us Jade Daniels on the Big Screen already! She's earned it.

I. CANNOT. WAIT. FOR. THE. NEXT. BOOK. IN. THIS. SERIES!

Jade Daniels is back in Don't Fear the Reaper after 4 years away. This time around there is an escaped serial killer on the loose in the aftermath of a terrible blizzard.

Jade and Dark Mill South are both super unforgettable indigenous characters. Dark Mill South is on a rampage of revenge. He is such an imposing antagonist. Jade has grown a lot in the last 4 years through trauma. She no longer wants to live a slasher, because she has already been through one. She will have to utilize her boundless knowledge of the genre against such a formidable opponent.

Small town Idaho in a freezing cold blizzard creates a fantastic backdrop for a whole bucket load of carnage. There was a frozen lake, mountains of snow, depending on snowmobiles to get around. I could feel the cold on every page. It had great winter and small town vibes.

My Heart is a Chainsaw as a fantastic book, but Don't Fear the Reaper is another step up. This will be a great read for slasher fans who enjoyed the first book. I recommend you check it out.

Jones has created one creepy villain that gets under your skin. Thank goodness his protagonists are are equal to the threat. I can't wait for the third novel in the trilogy.

I was given this book for free by Netgalley to review, but eventually got my hands on a paper copy. First, let me say, I don't generally read this kind of fiction. I was a Stephen King fan in college, but overall I read to escape my anxiety, not give it a fix. That being said, Stephen Graham Jones is the only "horror" novelist I read these days, because his work is so much better than the genre should give him credit for.

The book hits all the high notes of a good suspense/thriller, while maintaining a balance between something like a conversational tone and literary fiction. He bends words into a beautiful literary flow that a lover of any good literary genre would appreciate. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to pick it up and read it. You won't be disappointed.

3.5 stars
After enjoying the first book, My Heart is a Chainsaw, I was super excited to be able to read this advanced copy of the second book through Netgalley.  I've been a fan of SGJ for some time, and Reaper was at the top of my most-anticipated reads.  That being said, for me, something just felt "off" with this one.  I didn't feel the same draw to the characters, and there were several times when I felt like an outsider listening in on strangers' conversations and not knowing what the hell they were talking about.  However, I did like the storyline, and the last 30 percent or so was the awesomeness that I had been expecting.  Even though this didn't hit the mark for me, I am still looking forward to the final installment.

The moment I got access to an ARC of Don’t Fear the Reaper I dropped everything else I was reading so I could focus on it. Though an excellent sequel, in many ways Don’t Fear the Reaper is a completely different animal from the first book in The Indian Lake trilogy. In many way it’s like comparing Ridley Scott’s original Alien to James Cameron’s Aliens. Both were spectacular experience in their own right, but where Alien was an exercise in slowly building tension, Aliens was nonstop action. Both were great and honestly I go back and forth on which is the better film. It’s pretty much the same debate I’m having over which of the current Indian Lake Trilogy books is better (a decision that will no doubt get even harder once the third book eventually gets released).

I’m going to try to keep spoilers to an absolute minimum, but I can’t help but mention at least one or two things from the first book so if you haven’t read My Heart of a Chainsaw yet, just skip my review for the moment and go read it…seriously I’ll wait! In Don’t Fear the Reaper we jump a bit into the future, Jade having been released from prison returns home…and it isn’t long before the killing begin. Jade, Lithe, and a host of new faces join in on the new adventure, and what a wild, fast paced, and bloody adventure it is. This series is an absolute love letter to the Slasher genre and is not to be missed. Note this is not for the squeamish or faint of heart. And now, sadly, the wait for book 3 begins. I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me access to an ARC.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-fear-the-reaper-stephen-graham-jones/1140377014?ean=9781668022177&bvnotificationId=9ef7fae6-a8b2-11ed-bac4-129ef2de3031&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/240215251

Jade Daniels returns to Proofrock four years after the horrifying events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. In less than 24 hours after her arrival, a terrible snowstorm hits along with the infamous killer Dark Mills South. And BAM, the book goes full force into slasher sequel mode without a break in the action. I shouldn’t be surprised that I liked this one more than first. SGJ brings the same slasher film vibe as the first book, but this time it is balanced out by the growth of his characters. I loved seeing the buddy dynamic of Jade and Letha as they fought their way using all their slasher sequel knowledge. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!

Don't Fear the Reaper is the thrilling sequel to My Heart is a Chainsaw. Jade, out of prison and back in Proofrock, finds herself in the middle of a killing spree by the convicted serial killer Dark Mill South. So much of Proofrock has changed, and yet so much has stayed the same. Wary of those around her and wanting to move on with her life, Jade is forced into saving her hometown once again.
Stephen Graham Jones has written a perfect sequel to Jade's story. Jade's transformation from an angsty and horror movie obsessed high schooler to a young woman with an overturned murder conviction was remarkable. This time around, Jade, now Jennifer, wants to use more than her horror movie knowledge to save the town as her friend Letha, having spent the last four years immersing herself in Jade's former obsession, is convinced there is a new final girl that they must help in order to save them all.
Thrilling, fast paced, gory, and brutal, Don't Fear the Reaper is a compelling and terrifying novel of survival, family, friendship.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙅𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙤𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨, 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙈𝙮 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙄𝙨 𝘼 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙬.

📍 Read if you like:
• Horror Movies
• Slasher Films
• Creepy Atmospheres
• My Heart Is A Chainsaw

I was hesitant starting this one as I felt meh about My Heart Is A Chainsaw. I loved the concept of the book, but it was so slow and it took me a while to click with the story. Unfortunately, I felt the same way about this one. I was hoping I would give this trilogy a shot again - not sure if I’ll read the last one.

This book was long so it took me a while to get into (deja vu, eh?) but there were some moments that I liked. For example, the titles were named after horror films which were just incredible. I love when horror books mention horror references, and this one was full of those!

I can say the same as I did with the first, this author knows how to write - the creepy atmosphere set off a dark tone to the story.

Some new characters were mentioned in this book that I didn’t care for. While this “technically” could be read as a standalone, I would highly recommend reading the first book first - otherwise, past events can be confusing to understand.

I loved how quickly the bodies started dropping. You can’t deny the author is a fan of slasher-style kills. I do think this one started a bit quicker - still slow - but quicker than the first. It may have been because the first book was setting the vibe while this one started right after.

I’m middle of the road with this series. If I had to choose then I would say this one was a tad bit better, but again I would advise reading them in order. This is a longish book and slow so it took me a while to finish it. Some moments were confusing… but I respect the different style of horror this author does. It’s more creative and unique.

I am so sad to give this book such low ratings!

I was given an ARC in September - and I literally danced through the house; I was so excited. It literally took me until Feb. 7th when the novel came out and I could buy the audiobook for me to finish. I put the book on 2 speed and barreled through it.

I LOVE SGJ’s work normally, but this book was so long and confusing. I love a novel with multiple POV’s, but this book just had so many POV’s that I started to get confused as to who was what the hell was going on. It also felt overly wordy, which isn’t uncommon in his books, but it seemed unnecessary this time around.

However, I still love all of the horror movie references there were and I really loved the strong female characters, but that’s kind of where it ends for me.

I will absolutely continue to pick up SGJ’s novels in the future, but this was not a win for me.

The long-awaited sequel to 'My Heart Is a Chainsaw' is soooo good, a gut-punch of a story just like its predecessor. Can't wait to get this in the hands of as many people as possible.