A former actress who died in her own horror movie and refused to deal with her past found herself back in the curse/haunted estate where her old movie was shot, plus there are deaths and thrilling events that resemble the scene from her old movie then cue in the category four hurricane that left the whole place with no power and service. This book got me all creeped out! The story is mind-bending, with tons of twists, and the main character Lexi is fantastic! RJ knows how to get his reader hooked from the very first chapter! A must-read! Highly recommended!

I may not be a fan of horror movies, but I loved being in the world of Always the First to Die by R.J. Jacobs. The idea to switch between Lexi on a horror movie set in 1998, and the present-day during a hurricane was utterly genius, but the movie set chapters were my favorite part of this book. I cannot watch horror movies now, but I do remember watching some of the older ones such as A Nightmare On Elm Street, and now I feel like I see them in a new light thanks to this book. Jacobs's writing was full of imagery, and I felt like I was right in the story with Lexi while all of these crazy things were happening. I also loved the way he pulled the past and present together, although there were a couple of characters that I lost track of, so if I do a reread (which I'm planning on) I am definitely going to write them all down in the notepad on my phone.

To me, this was a medium-paced thriller, but the audiobook helped it along even further with Petrea Burchard as its narrator. She was just so GOOD as Lexi, and I loved every minute of her narration. There were some parts that dragged just a tiny bit for me, but Burchard made it all worthwhile. Short story short, I highly recommend listening to the audio BUT you should also get a copy of the book itself. Why? Because there is an interview with the author at the end of course! I'm actually a little surprised the audiobook didn't include it, so I am really happy I had the physical book as well. I really enjoyed the end of Always the First to Die and I would gladly take another story with these characters any day. There is just a touch of romance to the story as well although I don't know if I should call it that. Lexi has a lot going on, but Luke was the perfect addition to her life and this story. I am an immediate fan of Jacobs, and I can't wait to read his next book!

Thank you to the publishers and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Definitely could not put this one down! Nothing better than a thriller set on a thriller movie set! Grab your rain jacket & settle in because “Always the First to Die” is going to have your head spinning with its wide cast of characters. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, Jacobs comes with another twist. Perfect October read heading into Halloween!

This book had me from the first page! It had so many attributes that i love in a. Suspense novel. First, I loved the ominous tone set with the approaching hurricane. As an avid horror movie fan, I loved that this book was plotted around a horror movie set. I loved that it had almost a gothic feel with the creepy old estate. Finally, of course I loved all of the twists and turns in this book. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author. Thanks NetGalley for the privilege of reading this superb book!

3.5 Stars, rounded up.

This book had a lot of great potential and it just was really just shy of living up to its full potential, IMO. The plot line seems complicated when you try to explain it, but the author really writes it out well:

Lexi is headed to the Florida Keys in the aftermath of a vicious hurricane to rescue her daughter, Quinn, who lied and ran away to the storied Pinecrest estate to help her grandfather, legendary filmmaker Rick Plummer, film a sequel to his most successful movie, Breathless, a movie Lexi just happened to have a part in and meet Quinn’s dad on the set of 20 years prior. The movie became notorious for the supposed hauntings on set and the tragedy which would define its ending. Once Lexi arrives, it becomes clear that more weird things are happening and Lexi’s desperately trying to keep Quinn safe as well as figure out if these happenings are some of Rick’s notorious on-set hijinks or something more sinister. Oh and did we mention that Lexi’s husband disappeared from Pinecrest 18 months prior while finishing his book? Yeah.

The book is told along two timelines: The present with Lexi and Quinn caught in the aftermath of the hurricane; and in the past, which chronicles the filming of the original Breathless, as told from Lexi’s POV.

So, it’s a great premise, a horror movie that could be playing itself out in real life, combines with a bit of a locked room mystery, since the hurricane has solvated the estate. Add in the shifty filmmaker, known to manufacture scary scenarios to illicit “genuine” fear reactions, and I was hooked. There was a lot of mystery going on both in the past and in the present and I was interested in seeing how it all turned out.

I have to say, however, I wasn’t super impressed with the solution. It was sort of bland and ordinary for a book that had such a unique premise, in my opinion. I thought that maybe there would be something more twisty and a little more original. But, it fit, so it is what it is. It didn’t ruin the entire the book for me or anything, it just left me feeling kind of “meh” about things.

But I will definitely be looking for more from this author. They have talent and can craft a good story, for sure. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Hopefully it will have a better ending attached to the next one!

Great book! Super atmospheric and creepy, especially since I live in the South and used to hurricane weather. Definitely a must read!

#AlwaysTheFirstToDie:

I finished Always The First to Die and I have some thoughts to share. As someone who has been in the remnants of a hurricane, this was so claustrophobic in discussion of preparation. It gave me major And Then There Were None vibes as it’s basically a desolate island hiding a big secret.

The timelines changes to a flashback and it was kind of confusing. I didn’t realize it was a flashback or different timeline at the moment. I usually am a big fan of multiple POV or different timelines, but this just didn’t work well for my brain to have a clear understanding. The reader, Petrea Burchard, was great and really helped bring the book to life.

While it’s a shorter read, I do feel like it left me wanting a bit more. I had high hopes for The First to Die, but the feeling I have for it is lukewarm. Thank you @libro for the gifted copy. The First to Die is out now.

🎥 A former horror movie actress returns to the site of her film to bring her daughter home. The estate is in the Florida Keys, and there’s a hurricane, limiting power, emergency personnel presence and resources. But what does a mother do when she can’t reach her? That’s right, drive into the storm with barely any charge on her phone to the place that still gives her the creeps. 

🍿 My favorite part of this was the horror movie references, and it gave me Survive the Night vibes, so I feel like fans of Riley Sager would really love this one. 


Check this one out if you: 

🔪 are a fan of classic horror movies or slasher type films
👻 love a creepy/isolated setting 
⏰ want a quick, thrilling read

As a horror fan and a Floridian who has been experiencing hurricanes for most of my life, I found the overall atmosphere for Always the First to Die--a murder mystery homage to horror movies, taking place in the dilapidated decay of a crumbling old hotel in the Florida keys--to be exceptionally thrilling. And overall, I thought it was a pretty solid story, with the widowed Lexi frantically racing down to the Keys, where she swore she would never return, to retrieve her teenage daughter, Quinn, in the aftermath of a hurricane. With a teenager's disregard for danger and consequences, Quinn had lied to her mother in order to visit and spend time with her estranged horror movie-director grandfather... and possibly participate in the filming of a sequel to his most famous horror (and possibly cursed!) film ...because she knew Lexi would never agree to any of it. But now mysterious and terrifying things are happening, which may be tied to a mysterious and terrifying even from the past --and you may discover enough clues in this fast-paced, duel-timeline story to put two and two together and figure out the mystery. But even if you don't, I think you'll have a good time with it. And bonus points if you're reading it after you've lost power in the bad weather and wild winds and rains of an early autumn Florida hurricane...which, serendipidously enough, I was!

The premise of a horror movie plot happening to a bunch of people in the horror movie industry is a fun premise. Throw in a hurricane for the isolation factor, a husband presumed dead but who knows, and a few perfectly timed twists makes this a fun read. My inner horror film fan was delighted.

Given the concept and plot, it could've been a lot darker and scarier. I was hoping it would veer more into horror and less into thriller but the cover led me to expect a lighter read and I was right.

R.J. Jacobs has written his best book yet with Always the First to Die. The tense and atmospheric story set against an abandoned hotel with a dark history, during a hurricane's immediate aftermath sets the tone perfectly, pulling from horror movie tropes along the way. It's an ideal read for those who want a seasonal read but aren't interested in anything supernatural.

That was completely like reading a slasher movie and it sort of pokes fun at itself and the genre. There were a lot of horror movie references, which was fun. I was completely glued to the pages and buzzed through this in less than 24 hours. The writing definitely made you feel like you were in a scary movie, peeking between your fingers to see what was going to happen. I will say that the early version I had was desperately in need of a good edit - lots of missing words, wrong words, and grammar errors that stood out and took me out of the story...hopefully that will be remedied before release.

Thank you for the chance to read this amazing book! I really enjoyed this book, the plot, the characters and everything kept me guessing.

Always the First to Die was an enjoyably suspenseful read. The book was very successful in giving 80/90's slasher movie vibes, and I liked that the protagonist, Lexi, is aware of how obviously Hollywood her life fells when she has to return the Florida Keys during a hurricane to find her daughter. Action-packed with memorable characters, this is a thriller I would recommend! I requested this book from NetGalley because it was compared to Riley Sager's work, and I would have to agree. R.J. Jacobs is an author I look forward to reading again!
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A huge thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. #AlwaysTheFirstToDie #NetGalley

Overall, this was a good book. I wouldn’t consider it a horror novel though. It was definitely suspenseful. It had a spooky vibe at times. It was a quick read. I would have liked more consistency on chapter lengths. Reading this as an ebook, some chapters would say 3 minutes until end of chapter while there were a few that said 30+ minutes until end of chapter. This is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
The description of this book really pulled me in. Returning to the set of a horror movie set under similar circumstances as the horror movie itself?! I loved the mental commentary by Lexi that was what she pictured her husband would be telling her if he were there. I also kind of want to read the book he wrote 🤣 It sounds like it would be a really good one.

This was my first book this author but it won’t be my last. The writing style was good, the flow of the book was good. It wasn’t too long or too short. It didn’t seem rushed or drawn out. If this book were made into a movie, I would definitely watch it.

Always the First to Die by R. J. Jacobs is a thriller about the Pinecrest Estate, located in the Florida Keys, the site of a famous horror movie. When Lexi realizes that her daughter has gone to see her grandpa, the owner of the house; and there's a hurricane on the way, Lexi drives down to find Quinn. When she gets there, she finds the answers to many of her questions; but she must risk her life for those answers. This story was a quick read, but I found the conclusion to be unimpressive. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Always the First to Die treads familiar territory for readers who are fans of the slasher genre, but that's never a problem with a story this fun. The dual timelines add to the intrigue and doesn't slow the pace of this one. It's a thrill ride and I highly recommend it for the spooky season.

I jumped at the opportunity to read this book when I saw it compared to that of Riley Sager's work. Always The First To Die totally appealed to my Slasher/Horror Movie loving heart. I mean it's literally about a horror movie director and horror actress and takes place in a delapitated estate that was used as the film location of a horror movie. The book itself is a beautiful homage to classic horror movie tropes with lots of great references. I'm dying to read more of R.J. Jacobs work.

The story centralizes around a former horror movie actress, Lexi, who returns to the set of a famous horror movie she starred in as a teenager. The Pinewood Estate is somewhere she never wanted to return to after the horrific death that occurred there during filming. It is owned by her father in law and renown horror movie director Rick Plummer. Lexi's husband disappeared from the estate a year ago and now her father in law wants to film a sequel to his most famous horror film. Lexi finds out that her teenage daughter Quinn has snuck down to the estate in the Florida Keys to take part in filming the sequel against Lexi's wishes. A Hurricane has hit the Keys and Lexi must return to make sure her daughter is safe and bring her home. Once there she and those left on the island are completely cut off from the rest of the world with no electricity and spotty cell service. Suddenly everything begins to feel strangely like the horror movie they once filmed there. Will Lexi and her daughter make it out alive?

As soon as I started reading Always The First To Die I knew it was going to be a win for me. I love classic horror films and this book really capitalized on classic horror movie themes and references. It was perfect and I'd love to see a movie come out of it. Another perfect read for the impending Halloween season.

Another fantastic thriller by one of my all time favorite authors! This one was definitely unputdownable! I read this in a few sittings. The atmospheric horror movie theme was stunning and perfect for a fall read. Lexi's situations left me on the edge of my seat and wondering what was going to happen next, there was never a dull moment. It was a fast gripping thrill ride that doesn't let go even well after it's finished! I will be recommending this one to everybody, a solid psychological thriller with every element you need to have a satisfying time!
Thank you R. J. Jacobs and Sourcebooks for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I am a big fan of horror movies and was excited to read this. I thought the book had a really strong concept. I liked the pace of the book. If you like Riley Sager novels you will enjoy Always the First to Die.I enjoyed the setting of the novel. I did have some issues with keeping up with the dual timelines but all in all I thought this was a good mystery novel.