Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and R.J. Jacobs for the advanced copy of Always the First to Die in exchange for my honest review.

After reading the synopsis I had no doubt in my mind that I would love this book, and I'm happy to report that was indeed the case! There is a sense of almost mortal dread that permeates throughout the entire book due to the hurricane conditions. As someone who lives in the Midwest I've never experienced that particular type of natural disaster, but Jacobs writes about the absolute destruction so well I can put myself in the scenes.

Add to that a subplot centering around a box office smash horror movie from the 90s? Yes please!!

I can tell you with absolutely certainty I would not have guessed the ending to this one in a million years, but I was very satisfied with it. R.J. Jacobs has undoubtedly solidified himself as an autobuy author for me.

Always the First to Die will be on US bookshelves September 14!

As a teen Lexi was featured in a horror film called Breathless where she met her future husband. As an adult her husband disappeared and now her teen daughter has gone to the Florida Keys to find some answers. They both wind up back in the place where Breathless was filmed and their lives are starting to resemble a horror movie.
I felt the horror references in this book were well done, but the storyline itself wasn't the least bit spooky. Thriller wasn't something I'd associate with the book. Lexi was an ok main character and I liked the flashbacks with her, but it could have done with more depth in the secondary characters. While this was readable, I felt there were many missed opportunities for a better story.

First thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the chance to read this book.

Always the first to die is a book about a horror movie set that was “cursed” and the sequel that’s having the same sort of issues. I could see where the horror movie themes and elements were supposed to play in, but it never felt like it did enough.

I wish it would have committed more fully to the 80s-90s slasher film themes and tropes of the movie portrayed in the book. The stakes never felt real enough, and the tension never got high enough to get me truly invested.

I think overall the book has a great premise, which is why I was excited to read, but doesn’t reach its full potential.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. Always the First to Die will be a great pick for all of the horror and thriller lovers! It kept my attention and I liked the setting!!

A book that left me BREATHLESS (oohhh puns, you will know what im talking about once you read this book)

This is my first RJ Jacobs book but I have seen his book in our library back overseas.

The book was an easy flowing one which gave me a nostalgic feel.
The book follows Lexi who desperately wants her daughter, Quinn, to come back home because she is in a place where she promised not to go back… Pincrest Estate. For Quinn, it is a significant visit because who else is in the estate other than her grandfather, renowned director Rick Plummer.
Years ago he directed a horror movie which was said in that place and many things have followed… terrible things. Was it mythical hollywood curse or someone is behind it all?

This book is a 4.5/5 knives 🔪🔪🔪🔪
The book is something I will re-read and honestly, I picture the cast members as the brat pack.

I enjoyed reading Always First to Die and am always happy to return to the non-stop action of the Florida Keys. Reading was addictive because I needed to know what was going to happen. While trying to get away from the beautiful Pinecrest estate, Lexi is forced to take her teenage daughter Quinn home. Lexi is full of memories of going to horror movies as a teenager, meeting her missing husband and meeting her father-in-law and famous horror film director Rick Plummer. The area has also been affected by Category 4 storms and has no power, mobility services and the minimum police force to deal with.I tried to summarize the book properly, because many things happen in the best possible way. I liked to see where all the pieces of this puzzle are connected and how they fit. Also - the last 30% of this book - Wow! Talk about a tight, action-packed ending. In other thriller books I've read, I often find that the plot draws to a close, but in Always Dies First, the story is made up of satisfying and surprising conclusions. The characters in the book also shone. Another hobby of mine is when the characters are dimensionless and you can copy and paste them into any book, but Lexi, Quinn, Rick and everyone else you meet along the way are so realistic. They have flaws like everyone else, but they don't always make decisions that hurt you. It's a small detail, but it's invigorating to read! This book will help you keep guessing and turning the pages, perfect for retrieving when you are in a reading crisis. It would be a good read around fall and Halloween. Although I don't watch a lot of horror movies, it creates a feeling of anxiety and anticipation that makes the genre very interesting. suggestion!

This is a very entertaining read that will delight fans of horror movies. Jacobs get more meta than even Scream, reflecting the internal monologue of any fan watching any horror movie, screaming at the heroine to stay out of the basement. Lexi, however, knows all of this. She goes back to the estate where she shot a slasher once upon a time, knowing it won’t end well. She doesn’t have the luxury of staying home, however, because her teenage daughter Quinn is already there, in the middle of a hurricane. Lexi does all the right things. She’s smart and knows enough about the genre that she sees everything coming, anticipates her moves and chooses always the right option. The problem is that nothing really depends on her, and her daughter is the type of useless, stupid character that will run into the night, in the middle of a storm, without a thought in her empty little head. So, as aggravated as I was at Quinn, I was actively rooting for Lexi, understanding how she had no choice but to follow the rules of the genre. The plot has many throwbacks to movies in general, including quotes and visual cues. I loved how atmospheric the novel is, how you can almost feel the humid heat and smell the dilapidated house. Mostly, I really liked the final part, from the revelation of the baddie (which was surprising and worked well) to everything Lexi does to stay alive and save her daughter. Will she become a final girl or another victim? You should read this and find out.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Sourcebooks Landmark!

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the copy of Always The First To Die. Neither timeline was very thrilling or even exciting to me, but I loved the parts set in the past about the movie. I never connected with what was going on in the present and when the ‘twist’ came it was completely out of the blue with no real build up. The characters were not very well developed so they were hard to care about. If you’re looking for an easy read without much depth you would love this book. I was expecting more.

Absolutely loved this book. I read it in a couple of hours and couldn’t put it down. Intense fast paced thriller that will leave you reeling.

As usual Jacobs does not disappoint. The writing, the plot, always a great recipe to
Whip up a great story.

This was a good beach read for me, it just fell short of wowing me. I loved the atmospheric setting of a hurricane in the Florida Keys, yet it just lacked the thrills and chills. Maybe it was character development as I guessed the twist at the end. For those that love horror movies it's got great references to the classics. Perfect for Riley Sager fans. #alwaysthefirsttodie #rjjacobs #netgalley #goodreads

A solid horror novel! I enjoyed the setting and the many horror references but had trouble with the pacing. This is my first book by the author and I look forward to reading their other books. Thanks to NetGalley And Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

This book kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next! The ending was fantastic and had me holding my breath and my heart beating fast!!!! I loved the book and will highly recommend it......the only thing I didn't like was it didn't go in depth with the characters backgrounds to make them more likable or less likable
Thanks @netgalley and @sourcebooks for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!

One movie set. One stranded cast. One person ready to make them all pay.
For Lexi, the Pinecrest Estate has become a place of horror. The dilapidated manor house in the Florida Keys, once the site of her teenage movie debut, is now haunted by memories. memories of working on a legendary horror director's most famous film and of the terrible death that propelled them all to infamy. And ever since Lexi fled the Keys, she has vowed to never return.
Until, years later, her daughter escapes to the Pinecrest in search of answers. Right when a Category 4 hurricane hits the southern coast.
Now, Lexi is back on the ravaged island with only a few remaining behind, and soon enough, her life begins to resemble the plot of her most famous film. And this time, she's not sure who will make it out alive.
A really gripping story that will keep you guessing till the very end I read in one sitting totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Sourcebooks
I just reviewed Always the First to Die by R.J. Jacobs. #NetGalley

A former horror movie actress finds herself bracing a storm to get her daughter but finds herself back on the horror movie set that traumatized her... the set in which people died and where her husband went missing a year earlier. Lexi has refused to return to the Pinecreast Estate on the Florida Keys after her husband’s death. Memories of meeting her husband on set as well as her experience in the iconic horror movie Breatheless have left Lexi swearing to never go back. The set was supposedly cursed, from one unfortunate incident after the next, but the real issue was that someone died. When her daughter sneaks away to spend time with her grandfather, aka. the director of the movie and owner of Pinecreast Estate, Lexi is determined to get her back, but Lexi soon finds out that her father in law is planning to recreate a sequel... but someone is determined to put a stop to the movie permanently. With a Category Four hurricane coming up Lexi has to battle both nature and save her daughter because strangely things are starting to occur just like they did in the horror movie... stuck on a desolate bit of land with the horror director, the actress who was once the final girl, and a young teen trying to find clues about her father’s disappearance, Lexi will do anything to get off the island with her daughter, but they are slowly being picked off one by one. This was a fun mystery and I enjoyed the whole horror movie aspect of it as well as the natural disaster that is impending. It was interesting to see how the timeline went back and forth from present day Lexi to when Lexi first came on set and started acting for the movie. The overall conclusion of the mystery was fine and I overall had a good time reading it.

Always the First to Die by R.J. Jacobs was such a fun time! It is set to publish on September 13th and if you're a thriller lover that likes a slasher twist, you will want to pick this up! Swipe to read the description.

This was my first book by R.J. and I will be reading more from him in the future!

A former horror movie actress, Lexi finds herself back on the same movie set that turned her life upside down 2 decades ago. Not only did people die while filming, but her husband also went missing a year prior. The estate is also haunted. Now, Lexi's daughter goes to the haunted estate where the movie was filmed in hopes to seek answers. If that's not enough, there's a category 4 hurricane approaching.

It's twisty and fitting for spooky season. There are classic horror movie references, and different timelines and it was an easy fast-paced read. I enjoyed it!

Big thanks to @netgalley and @bookmarked for this e-copy!

What I liked: Classic horror movie references, pacing, and setting
What didn’t work for me: Lack of character development, rushed backstory, and the twist, if it could be called that, didn’t really grab me.
This reminds me of Riley Sagers books, over the top, fast paced and satirical.
Just 2.5 stars for me. I liked it okay but not sure if I would recommend. I would read more from this author though!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an arc in exchange for my honest review!


Stalking. Murder. Chaos. Horror. Thriller. All in one? Yes please. Multiple time points to keep you on your seat? Yes. Great book!

As a huge horror movie fan, I was beyond excited to be granted a Netgalley ARC of Always the First to Die, by RJ Jacobs. This is the second book I’ve read by this author and it did not disappoint! He writes wonderfully complex, strong female characters! Atmospheric and brooding, the story revolves around the making of a sequel to a horror movie made 20 years prior. The setting is an all but abandoned mansion in the Florida keys after a hurricane. The setting itself I was pivotal character to the story. With art imitating art, this would make a great movie or a Netflix series! Highly recommend this taut mystery thriller!

This was a really fresh take on a thriller! I really enjoyed the Hollywood/ film aspect. I finished this story in one sitting and was unable to put it down. I found myself freaked out and needing to keep my light on! It was a great thriller that kept me guessing until the very end.