I voluntarily read an advanced copy of Always the First to Die by P.J. Jacobs. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC to review.

I am very picky when it comes to doing a novel where we constantly switch back to a flashback narrative. It really needs to pop and be as engaging as the main narrative. Unfortunately, I don't think Always the First to Die did it well. I was always impatient to get past the flashbacks and back to the main story. The mystery was OK but I felt let down with the actual ending. It was just so so. I give Always the First to Die 3/5 stars. Worth reading but I wouldn't go back and read another book by this author.

October 31st and a category #4 hurricane is crashing down in the Florida keys and that's where Lexi's daughter (Quinn) is right now when she should have been safe at Disneyworld with her friends. Lexi can't believe Quinn lied to her and went to the Keys against her wishes and now Lexi is afraid for Quinn's life. Why did she lie? Now Lexi is driving down to bring her home because she can't lose her only child when she only lost her husband a year ago when he suddenly disappeared from their lives and they are still feeling the effects of that devastating trauma. As Lexi is driving the 4 hour trip not counting the downed trees and flooded roads she'll encounter, she reminisces back twenty-five years ago when she was the same age as Quinn when she met her future husband (Cam). Cam's father, Rick was and still is the most famous horror film director of all time and Lexi and a couple of her friends had a chance to get a role in his new movie "Breathless". The memories come fast and furious along with Lexi's anger towards her father-in-law Rick who made a fortune on the movie and also the publicity that surrounded creepy events and deaths that were associated with the filming. Lexi used to be a big horror fan but after working on that movie set she cannot and will not watch anything to do with horror since that ghastly summer that still haunts her today. Now, Rick wants to make a sequel " Breathless #2" and wants to cast Quinn in one of the roles. That's the reason Quinn went behind her back to Rick's home in the Keys and now there's a possibility that none of them will make it out alive because of this deadly storm which was the original setting for the movie that caused so much trauma to many, many people. Is Lexi having a deja vu or is she experiencing a real premonition where there will never be a happy ending.

First, I want to say that I loved the storyline and the premise for the book. There was an array of interesting characters and an intriguing atmospheric setting. Unfortunately, I may be in the minority with my enjoyment of the story. All the elements were there for a really scary and tense book yet it failed to resonate with me. I can appreciate what the author intended to do but it failed to feel eerie or creepy. There were quite a few twists and mystery but they seemed to get lost within the writing somehow. I wanted tension and spookiness but I just couldn't feel what the author was trying to convey although I did enjoy the book but I found it too slow and bogged down with too many extraneous situations and conversations that left me feeling very tired. The last twenty-five percent of the book was the best part for me and did pick up some speed and became much more entertaining. I know others really loved this book so I would still recommend reading it so you can base your own opinions about this story.

I want to thank the publisher "Source books Landmark" for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts or opinions expressed are unbiased and mine alone!

I have given a rating of 3 STORMY 🌟🌟🌟 STARS!!

Since I was in middle school, I’ve been a big fan of horror films, especially slashers, so I knew this was a must read! While the premise of this book really excited me, I ended up feeling like it was lacking something. I enjoyed the way the book flashed back to the movie set 20 years earlier, but as the book went on, it didn’t seem to contribute to the plot as much as I wanted it to. Around the 75% mark, I found my mind wandering a bit, because it was getting repetitive, but I’m glad I pushed through to the end. I did enjoy the big twist, going in a completely different direction than I thought it would. It was definitely the type of thriller that makes you want to go back to see all the pieces you might have missed earlier in the book. If you are a fan of Riley Sager and Ruth Ware, you’ll love this!

Really enjoyed this! Spooky and a twist or two. I definitely feel for the first twist lol
Highly recommend this one. Set in Halloween and goes back and forth between present day and past. About a horror movie being filmed in a creepy mansion on the coast of Florida!

An exciting thriller that even this horror un-fan really enjoyed…

I read this on the basis of a Goodreads review. It sounded like a solid thriller, with plenty of mystery and suspense, a splash of romance and… horror? Oh my, how did I miss that? I run in terror from the horror genre but I have to say, this was a really good read in spite of (or because of) that…

I understand if you are a horror fan that there are lots of references and nods to the genre within this read. I missed every one of them. I’m sure that would have given even more depth and meaning to it but, honestly, it was a great story for me regardless. Lexi’s past was complicated and one she tried to avoid at all costs. This time she had no choice but to go back where it all went south. Her daughter was everything to her and she was worried, deeply so, with (as it turned out) very good reason…

I loved the author’s writing style as he laid out each layered step and twist. Things moved quickly and I was not only nervous and anxious but also completely hooked. Did I mention twists? There were plenty with surprises right to the end…

I think I have to take leap more often out of my genre comfort zone – this time it sure paid off.

The dual timelines of the main character's life were an interesting look at both how she her interest in a local old hotel got her involved in a horror film & why she no longer wants to be any part of the film or the man who created it. It was a little spooky, a little creepy, and sad all at the same time.

It was interesting to see the dynamic of the mother and daughter, and how strange it would be for a horror film plot to be played out in real life so many years later. I liked the twist and how it was fully flushed out with backstory, evidence, and small things the reader and characters could easily miss.

Lexi, a former horror movie actress, goes back on the set of her most iconic film, where she met her husband. She finds herself stuck in circumstances that could very well be the start of a real life horror movie.
This is a good, quick paced, suspense/horror story, with plenty of good twists and an ending that is a bit of a stretch. If you love horror movies and Riley Sager, you're going to love this.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was interesting and very well-written. I would likely want to read more from this author and will recommend this to friends.

Always the First to Die by R. L. Jacobs
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Lexi is rushing back to Pinecrest Estate to get her daughter that is stranded there after a hurricane. When she was a teen she had a role in the horror movie Breathless that was filmed at the Pincrest. Lexi was one of the first to “die”. But when she gets to Pinecrest, the situation feels eerily similar to that movie.
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I enjoyed this one. The pacing was good, I wanted to keep reading it. There were no slow parts that made me want to put it down.
I’m not a fan of horror or slasher films but books are different. 😂 Lexi was a great character to read from, her POV went back and forth from the movie set in 1999 to the present 20ish years later. It was easy to make the comparisons between the vibe on set and how the present time was similar.
I wanted to smack her daughter a couple times. But she was a teen so what can you do. 🤷🏻‍♀️
I had my suspicions about a plot point and I was wrong!! Happy to be wrong, the way the plot played out was better.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Fun quick thriller that is perfect for fans of teen slasher movies.

This was my first R.J. Jacobs book and was super excited to read it! I’ve actually read a few books recently where the plots centered around horror movie sets/scripts and they’ve been super entertaining so requesting this ARC was a no brainer.

I overall enjoyed this one, it was for sure a slow burn and took me a bit to really get into….I flew through the last 75% because I feel like that’s really what gripped my attention.
The chapters bounced back and forth between the present and past, and I loved how even with the time difference one thing related to another.

The setting was eerie and isolated (love an isolated thriller!!) and there were great descriptions so I could form the image of Pinecrest Estate and The Keys in my mind. There was some mystery, some twists, and a sense of survival and desperation- right in the middle of a storm and power loss…in the middle of the night.

The writing style was unique and fun, weaving in the horror movie setting, especially with the flashbacks, which I really loved reading. There was a good amount of mystery and some what if/who dunnit moments that kept me wanting to read

The character development for the MC, Lexi, was pretty good, but I would have loved the story to dig deeper into everyone else in the book so I could have felt more connected and invested in them. I didn’t love all the characters, but I think it was partly because I didn’t know much about them and questioned some of their motives for doing what they did.

The final twist was good, and I can’t say too much without giving anything away but I wish some things were expanded on- sorry, I know it’s vague but no spoilers here.

**I would give this a true rating if 3.5, rounding up to 4 stars here!

Always the First to Die by R.J. Jacobs is such a fun read. It has mystery, thrills and horror, the perfect mix of each to make this an exciting read. The hurricane that is taking place adds the type of tension that doesn’t let up. I loved how the dual timeline let me feel the craziness from every direction. Jacobs did a great job with his character and I really enjoyed this!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this book!

A truly atmospheric thriller in hurricane-devastated Florida Keys on the set of a horror movie, Always the First to Die is a suspenseful dual timeline story that pays homage classic slasher films. I loved the setup and thought the ending was very fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat, but the middle lost me for awhile. Overall, I liked it and would read other books by R.J. Jacobs, and think this would be a good addition to spooky season reads!

A hurricane, an evacuated/nearly deserted island in the Florida Keys, a haunted/cursed manor that’s also a famous movie set…these are just a few the things you’ll find in R.J. Jacobs’ Always the First to Die…oh and of course there also seems to be a killer on the loose.

Jumping back and forth between past and present, Always the First to Die delivers two intertwined intense tales. In the present we join Lexi as she rushes into the aftermath of a hurricane in search of her daughter who lied about where she was going to be and had instead snuck off to help her grandfather, a famed horror film maker, work on a sequel to Breathless, his most well known movie. As bad as things are in the wake of the storm, there is much more to worry about than just downed power lines. This story is interspersed with flashbacks to the summer of 1998, when Lexi, a teen at the time, not only lucked into a major role in the original Breathless filmed at the supposedly haunted/cursed Pinecrest Estate but also met the man who’d become her future husband. Both sides of the story were engaging and the book features a great cast and a fun, twisted story that kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Always the First to Die.

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Always the First to Die is being marketed as a chilling thriller with a series of terrifying events that resemble the slasher film the main character starred in when she was a teen. Unfortunately it just left me wanting more. It needed way more tension and more dead bodies. This book is a very slow burn and nothing actually happens until about halfway through the story. I also didn’t care for the motive of the killings and how everything was conveniently explained away by it.

I enjoyed the flashbacks to when the movie was being made, which I found to be a fun behind the scenes look into the world of horror films, and the setting. Being stuck in the Florida Keys after a hurricane with no power, no cell service to contact emergency services, and no easy way to get off the island sounds like a great place for a locked room style mystery. I just wish I had gotten the thrills I was looking for.

Wow! What a cool but twisty story! I couldn't put this down for a minute. The amount of what I thought I had figured out was nothing compared to what actually was happening. That's a plus in my book. I like the characters and how they dealt with what life threw at them during this story. You really felt like you were getting to know the characters. I am definitely looking forward to more by this author!

Lexi is headed back to arguably her least favorite place on the planet, the Pinecrest Estate. If it wasn’t a life or death situation-her daughter likely stranded in the Keys after a category 4 storm she wouldn’t be going there. Lexi’s past with Pinecrest is complicated and truthfully, a bit terrifying.

Always the First to Die unfolded so seamlessly I didn’t realize I was a quarter of the way in. It was haunting, and creepy and awesome. It kept me guessing until the very. last. page.

Always The First to Die by R.J. Jacobs is a must read if you like psychological thrillers with horror mixed in. Told in dual timelines, this highly suspenseful book is totally unputdownable! It is fast paced and very entertaining! Mr. Jacobs takes you on the roller coaster ride of your life…….so buckle up! This book has secrets, deception, murder, revenge, greed and family drama to name a few. The twist and turns are many and will keep you on the edge of your seat, right up to that unanticipated ending. The characters are realistic, with many layers and lots of vulnerabilities. I really enjoyed this creepy dark book and look forward to reading more from this extremely talented author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks, R.J. Jacobs for an advanced copy of this highly engaging book in exchange for my honest review.
#netgalley. #sourcebooks #rjjacobs #alwaysthefirsttodie #arc

Always the First to Die by R. J. Jacobs is an interesting horror novel about the horror story of a real life that is the main character, Lexi, who was once a horror movie star. Years later, she gets a phone call from her teenage daughter that snuck away to see her grandfather, who also happens to be the director of said horror movie from Lexi’s teenage years. Unfortunately, Lexi’s daughter is at the remote location of the original horror movie & a category 4 hurricane is on the way. Furthermore, the infamous horror movie was deemed cursed by its’ history because a murder took place when it was originally shooting. With the hurricane, there’s more than one storm brewing & it’s going to completely upend Lexi’s life with the tragedies of the past & the wickedness of the present.
I absolutely love horror movies. When you have a horror novel about a horror movie star, I am in! There were lots of twists in the midst of a very spooky atmosphere. If you are looking for a spooky read to get ready for fall, I think it’s great read to dive into.
I really enjoyed the fact that this novel solves the horror story & then, it goes on to give you a really solid explanation & life update. So many stories end with the solving of the mystery & then it’s over. I am an over-explainer, so I love when mysteries make sense & fully explain things.

Always the First to Die by R. J. Jacobs comes out September 13, 2022!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Sourcebooks Landmark for giving me the opportunity to read an arc in exchange of an honest review.

Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains murder, violence, gore & loss of loved one.

Set in the Florida Keys and bouncing between the summer of 1998 and current day, Always The First To Die, takes us on a roller coaster ride through the making of a famous horror movie and the repercussions from it fueling the present day mysteries. Add in a hurricane and an evacuated area with no power and limited first responders and you’ve got the makings of one entertaining read. Thank you Netgalley , Sourcebooks And Libro FM for my DRG and ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was excited to start this and was curious to see the direction the story would go in. The beginning started off slow for me and found it took me over a quarter of the book to really get into. I had originally started it on my Kindle but then moved to the audiobook which is when the story really took off for me.

This tale really picked up pace in the second half of the book as the present timeline came together. I certainly enjoyed the little twist near the end and definitely loved the tie in to what the characters should and shouldn’t do if this was an actual horror movie.

The narrator did a fabulous job with the different characters and really made the story flow. Overall a solid read and one that is a good fit for fall reading. If you enjoy audiobooks I would certainly recommend trying Always The First To Die in that format.

Growing up in the 90’s I am a huge fan of horror movies and was so excited to read this book regarding a horror movie director himself.

A hurricane is about to shred the Florida Keys, and Lexi’s daughter lied to her and is now stuck there with her grandfather in the house of Lexi’s nightmares. The house that shot the movie she was killed in when she was a teen and now she is afraid for her daughter. So she must go back to return to that past.

The book referenced so many horror movies in the past and I enjoyed that aspect. I felt this would be a perfect movie as well. However, for me reading it lacked that atmospheric ominous feeling you need for a thriller. It read flat for me and even the twist at the end wasn’t one that I expected but it wasn’t built up enough for me to care.

Like I said, as a movie, this would and could be translated well on the screen.

Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for my gifted copy to read and review.