Don't Fear The Reaper is a sequel to My Heart Is A Chainsaw, both by Stephen Graham Jones. Apparently, this is set to be a trilogy. This series relies a lot on the readers' knowledge of slasher horror films. If you don't have that knowledge, as is the case with me, you might miss some of the references and it probably impacts your enjoyment of the plot. I love a good horror novel every now and then, ala Stephen King, so I do enjoy trying new authors. Stephen Graham Jones has done a great job in both the books in this series with atmosphere. The first book was more of a rural midwest summer vibe. Don't Fear The Reaper has a rural midwest Winter vibe that is definitely its own character.

Speaking of characters, there are a lot, but they are all unique and well written. There are a few who carried over from the first novel with massive physical damage from the events of that book. I appreciate that the author didn't cheat like so many movies do having characters who should be severely damaged or dead come back in sequels like nothing but mental damage lasts. These characters elevated this story in many ways, not least of which was to make Jade/Jennifer more of a fully fleshed out character in Book 2 than she was in Book 1 through her relationships with them.

My rating reflects that this is a series I enjoy, but would enjoy more if it were not so reliant on a reader's knowledge of classic horror movies. I am a book person, so it is sad when books rely on familiarity of movies. That said, the characters are well written, the plot genuinely scary at time, and there's enough humor throughout to provide some relief from the pervasive misery. I am looking forward to finishing out this series and trying other books by the author.

Okay - it should go without saying that Stephen Graham Jones is a MASTER of the horror genre and the Lake Witch trilogy is shaping up to be one of my favorite series of ALL TIME!

Jennifer "Jade" Daniels is back and unfortunately things are leading towards another slasher in her small town. It's great that we have a couple survivors from My Heart is a Chainsaw so she has some backup. Letha Mondragon is genuinely and officially one of my new favorite characters too.

Y'all I don't have all the words needed to expertly express how amazing this book is too. It's scary. It's funny. It's irreverent. And it pays all the homage to all the gory favorite horror movies of our past. The references in this particular book are great and they paint such a horrifying picture.

Go buy this book. RIGHT NOW! Seriously or else Dark Mill South just might show up behind you in a mirror like Candyman.

All our times have come
Here, but now they're gone

Stephen Graham Jones started off the Indian Lake Trilogy in 2022 with the wicked and witty “My Heart is a Chainsaw.” Referencing a whole slew of slasher movie plots and featuring an unforgettable Jade Daniels character, the book was exciting, original, and of course, blood soaked. This year brings us “Don’t Fear the Reaper,” the second installment.

Jade returns to the scene of Chainsaw’s carnage, her hometown of Proofrock. She now goes under the name of Jennifer Daniels, it was clear that she couldn’t go on being associated with the bloodbath of the past. An escaped serial killer, Dark Mill South, has also arrived in town with a bloodlust fueled by, among other motivations, the execution of thirty-six Dakota men signed off by Abraham Lincoln. Tomorrow is Friday the Thirteenth and the table is set.

I enjoyed Chainsaw, particularly the Jade Daniels portrayal. This one seemed labored, however. There were too many POV’s, too many bleh characters, and not enough buy in by Jade / Jennifer. Looking at other reviews I see many readers loved this one more than the first, so maybe I just did not catch the fever. I will be looking forward to the finale of this trilogy, hoping it
captures some of the spark of Chainsaw.

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

There are spoilers ahead for My Heart Is a Chainsaw. Four years after the Independence Day Massacre, Jade returns to Proofrock with the charges against her dropped– the same day that escaped serial killer, Dark Mill South, wanders into town. A blizzard keeps the town trapped and cut off from outside help, and it’s up to Jade and Letha to figure out who the final girl is and how Dark Mill South can be stopped. After all, they’ve aged out of the genre… right? I received a free e-ARC through NetGalley from the publishers at Gallery Books/Saga Press. Trigger warnings: character death (graphic, on-page), child/parent/sibling death, animal death (graphic, on-page), suicide, implied pedophilia/statutory rape, graphic gore/body horror, skinning, poisoning, suffocation, drowning, fire, eye horror, guns, violence, severe injury, guilt, grief.

This book is a whole ride. Despite its size, I found myself happy to be back in this world with these characters, and I rarely found my interest flagging. Jones keeps the pages turning with a series of teen slasher style murders based on various popular horror films. In between, we catch up on Jade, Letha, and Hardy and what’s changed for them over the past four years. I love the relationships among the three of them, the way they’ve bonded over past trauma but also just because they care about each other, and it gives the story more heart than My Heart Is a Chainsaw. If that book was about buried trauma coming to the surface, this one is more about living with it afterward.

Don’t Fear the Reaper resolves some other problems I had with MHIaC as well. I struggled with Jade’s rambling internal monologue about horror films in that book, but she’s older and steadier here, and the narrative is likewise more coherent. It shifts characters often to keep things moving, and the only place it really slows down is in the essays on horror theory and town events from Galatea to the new history teacher, Armitage. I didn’t love those, but it’s a nice homage to Jade’s essays to Holmes, and there’s a plot thread buried in there that had me 😬. The whiteout blizzard sets a totally different tone from summer in Proofrock, calling up images of The Thing (1982), and the sense of place is practically a character of its own.

In spite of the Lake Witch being the major villain of the first book, I’m somehow always still surprised when Jones mixes the supernatural with regular slashers. The books seem so deeply entrenched in the real world, until suddenly they’re not, and while it seemed to come out of left field (again–although I was able to look back and see the groundwork for it this time), I liked the additional thread it added to what was already a string of gruesome murders. Dark Mill South is a reasonably scary slasher addition, but I’ll admit I enjoyed picking out the homages to horror film in the murders more than actually having him on the page. Much like the first book, the final showdown is a bit bonkers in scale, with lots of bodies, tons of gore, and killers and final girls alike who just won’t stay dead– you know, just as a classic slasher should be.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

I should probably start by saying that this was one of my most anticipated books of the year, by A LOT. I loved My Heart Is a Chainsaw, and Jade in particular, and while I wasn't expecting a sequel, let alone a trilogy, I was eager to read it. I also really enjoy Stephen Graham Jones' writing in general, so I was here for it.

Don't Fear the Reaper kicks off four years after the events of MHIAC, when Jade is returning to Proofrock from prison. It just so happens that her return coincides with a serial killer, Dark Mill South, escaping his prison transfer right by Proofrock. I really wasn't sure where the story would go from there (other than lots of mayhem and murder, obviously), and if I had to pick a word to describe it, it would be messy.

Messy in a good way in that the kills are fun, there were several moments where I felt physically uncomfortable in my body (in the best way!), the discussion of what makes a serial killer vs. a slasher is always fun, and just the sheer number of kills and amount of confusion... What a wild ride!

It was also messy in a not-so-good way due mostly to the number of characters we're following here. This was my biggest issue with the book and why I sometimes had a hard time with it. In MHIAC, we're introduced to a lot of people, but almost all of it is through Jade's perspective, so there is still a solid anchor for the story. Here, we switch POVs often, and it wasn't always clear 1) who we were following, or 2) their role in what was going on. It doesn't help that we're following twins (and I won't actually get into spoilers, but that becomes even more confusing as the story unfolds), but even the Rexall / Rex Allen of it all became frustrating when I was already having such a hard time following what was going on, who was where, who was doing what, etc. Maybe I just wasn't in the right state of mind to follow such a chaotic story? Especially one that's this long.

I did have a good time overall! I really enjoyed the action, I loved getting to spend more time with Letha, and of course, I am here for more Jade. This isn't much of a spoiler, but I will say that another letdown was that we didn't *really* get Jade - the one we know and love - until about a third of the way into this, if I remember correctly. Can't say I cared much about Jennifer, but once Jade was back, I was happy. The characters in general were solid, as were the horror references, duh. I legit loved every time somebody referenced a horror movie Jade didn't know - what a great running joke to have in such a quirky book.

Ultimately, I'm looking forward to the final book in the trilogy. Immediately after finishing Don't Fear the Reaper, I didn't think I would want to re-read it before the third one comes out, but after a few days to think about it, it might actually be more interesting and enjoyable to see how the pieces fit together knowing how it ends. It feels like there are so many places we can go from here, and I'm excited to discover how the story ends!


Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This rating is a preliminary one. I think it deserves more from me, but I’m not there yet—I need to boil it down and reread the series later with more context.

Two things are immediately true: 1) this book is not a one-time reading comprehension experience and 2) I continue to be in awe of Jones’ electric-tripwire, running-from-Death (or running to?) writing style that is unlike anything I’ve experienced as a reader.

Concept: ★★★★
Horror elements: ★★★★★
Writing style: ★★★★★

Wait, so you thought Jade Daniels was done?? Welcome back to Proofrock.

It's 2019. Jade is back to "Jennifer" and she's just stepped back onto Proofrock soil following the trauma, trials, and incarcerations as a result of the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. She's ready for whatever could qualify as a "fresh" start for someone who's seen the shit that she's seen. Her days of final girls, horror movies, and niche survivalist trivia are behind her. (Didn't you pick up on that from the "Jennifer" nonsense?)

But let's remember, this is Proofrock. It's like the town was waiting for its bloody princess to step back into the ring, because one Jade's back, things get dicey again.

On one cold, blizzarding night in February, Proofrock welcomes a convicted serial killer into its midst. Indigenous murderer Dark Mill South escaped his heavily armed convoy a few miles outside of Proofrock under the helpful blanket of an avalanche and found his way into town. There's a lot of teenagers who somehow managed to escape the previous massacre. Dark Mill South might not know the town's bloody history, but he's unwittingly about to decimate the surviving playing field anyway.

The players from My Heart is a Chainsaw are older and grudgingly wiser, and, in Letha's case in particular—armed with all of the slasher knowledge that she missed the first time around. Letha Mondragon, the previous final girl, isn't about to be caught unawares again. She's vigilant, she's alive despite the medical odds, and she's ready with every horror play in the book.

On a dark, dark night...

Dark Mill South’s Reunion Tour began on December 12th, 2019, a Thursday. Thirty-six hours and twenty bodies later, on Friday the 13th, it would be over.

Soooooo let's talk about it. Don't Fear the Reaper is, arguably, my most interesting anticipated release for this year. I took My Heart is a Chainsaw as a singular standalone, a titan in the horror genre that stood alone and needed no further explanations, riffs, or sequels. But then this sequel appeared out of the madness of Jones' mind and I knew I needed it.

Reaper was simultaneously exactly what I expected and yet also, wonderfully, different.

Did I fully understand it? Debatable. Do I need to watch the entire canon of classic horror slasher movies in order to fully understand this latest installment? ...Honestly, probably.

Don't Fear the Reaper is a honed blade for the slasher community. As a general horror fan with a particular interest in body horror and speculative horror, I was WAY out of my depth with this story.

It was an almost alienating experience to witness this novel play out via referential dialogue, meta takes on the subniche, and high-level interplay between established slasher canon (and fanon?) all stitched within a narrative that, itself, was a reflected commentary on the events of My Heart is a Chainsaw. It was brutally intelligent. I just didn't have the right playbook.

There were layers on layers here, folks. Forget Shrek's onion—I'm so sorry, horror fans, let me horrify you with that Shrek reference—this was the Meta Onion. I caught just enough of the referencing to make it through my reading experience, but I know I missed most of it.

The dialogue, scene setups, tropes, character developments, and more were all linked to other elements of the genre. And if you didn't get the reference, you lost the momentum. I do think that affected my personal reading enjoyment. But unlike other novels where that lack of understanding repelled me and made me DNF, this version made me curious, and—for the first time in my life, yes, even Chainsaw didn't inspire me—made me want to dive into the world of slasher films.

There's a lot to take away from Reaper. Similar to the interspersed essays within the narrative itself, I'd need a thesis to get into it. I didn't even have time to mention the subplots and subhorrors hiding behind the surface plot (let's just say, it is similar to Chainsaw in more ways than one.)

But suffice to say, this sequel was spectacular, and worth several rereads and discussions. I look forward to Jones pulling it all together into one brilliant dissertation in the final book.

Thank you to Gallery Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have tried to get into both of these books and in the end it keeps me more and more confused. I feel like the action is great and the writing is spectacular. However, I just don't connect with the characters much.

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:⁣
⁣
Thank you @simon.audio and @sagasff for the gifted copy.⁣
⁣
Jade. Fucking. Daniels. ⁣
⁣
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.⁣
⁣
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. ⁣
⁣
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.⁣
⁣
Honestly, this blew away all expectations and while I loved Chainsaw, Reaper is top 5 favorite of all time. ⁣
⁣
Jade Daniels is my final girl. ✌🏻⁣
⁣
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.