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Vera's life is going well. It's her b-day, she's about to be published, she's engaged... and then her life implodes. To be fair, she's not alone. Across the globe, millions of are people are affected by a series of random, bizarre events. In Vera's case, the bizarre event ended in a crash killing her mother feet away from her, after a devestating argument.
Vera retreats from life, to her mother's house and basically fades away. Until Agent Layne Shows up, needing her help as an expert consultants in statistics and probability.
And then things really go off the rails. Layne, and his offshoot government agency, have no rules...so so Layne just barrels through. Vera is beginning to emerge from her numbness to become interested in the case. The rest is rather delightfully indescribable. It's an amazing, wild ride that I cannot recommend enough!

Thank you the NetGalkey for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I went into “Lucky Day” by Chuck Tingle completely unprepared, and wow, what a wild, unhinged, and unforgettable ride this was! The book takes us into a world still reeling from the “Low-Probability Event,” a single day when eight million people died in the most bizarre, freakish ways imaginable, proving that luck is very real and terrifyingly dangerous. Vera, a former statistics professor, lost everything that day, and when she’s pulled into an investigation surrounding a suspiciously “lucky” Las Vegas casino, she’s forced to confront the chaos of probability, grief, and meaning itself. Honestly, I could easily see James Gunn directing the adaptation of this story because it is that cinematic, bloody, and off-the-rails insane.

What really makes “Lucky Day” stand out, though, is how deeply introspective it is under all the sci-fi horror madness. Vera’s grief and her existential crisis give the story so much heart, and the way Chuck Tingle explores society’s erasure of bisexuality is sharp, painful, and thought-provoking. Between the monsters, gore, and gut-churning horror, there is a surprising tenderness woven through, and the emotional core is what makes this book shine. Chuck Tingle truly writes sci-fi horror like no one else, unique, strange, moving, and original. This book was equal parts terrifying and fascinating, and it left me thinking long after I closed it.

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I felt genuinely blessed when Chuck Tingle announced another novel - a “lucky day” for us readers, if you will. I expected this book to be weird, unhinged, maybe briefly confusing, making me question my sanity (and intelligence?) for a moment, but it all turned out well in the end.
In this book, Chuck takes us on an adventure that I would describe as the opposite of predictable. We start with the Low Probability Event, where millions of people are simultaneously killed in really, really weird (improbable) ways. Vera, our stats prof, goes into hiding for years following the event (as a stats prof, she is understandably shook by this) but inevitably comes out to help get to the bottom of the cause of it all.
Things just get more and more bizarre as the chapters tick by, but it really is worth the ride. I genuinely appreciate a novel that has me saying “huh??” every single page, while keeping me wrapped around its little finger. And that’s Chuck Tingle in a nutshell. Thanks for another gem.

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What happens if you take existential horror and make it hopepunk? The answer is Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle.

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This is my second Chuck Tingle horror, and I liked it even more. The pacing was great. I really enjoyed the fast start to the book because I was hooked by chapter 2. Every chapter ended with me wanting and needing to know more. The writing was really good and somehow I understood the statistics of it all; it was like I was back in my college statistics class all over again. It reminded me of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green but so much better. I loved this book a lot.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Wow, Chuck Tingle just always knocks it out out the park. I loved this book. There's so much depth and characterization that I don't think I can do it justice in a review. There's commentary on difficult family dynamics, depression, hopelessness, feeling different and on the outside, the meaning of life, what to do when things feel meaningless, so much. There's good humor, a grumpy sunshine friendship, outlandish scenes. This book continued to surprise me and slowly uncovered it's secrets. My only very small complaint is that the ending was a bit too long winded (this is a person complaint of mine I just prefer slightly more straightforward explanations). The book as a whole is the perfect length and ends on a very hopeful note. There's a lot to think about in regard to this one, would recommend reading it would others and discussing. Lastly, there is slight pet loss trauma that some may want to know about and nods to suicidal ideation (with care and subtle).

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Chuck Tingle manages to tap into current cultural topics and mix in plenty of weird, wacky horror. After the Low-Probability Event four years ago, in which 8 million people died in nearly impossible terrifying accidents, the world suffers from more random LPEs and our main character Vera believes nothing matters anymore. Tingle's imagination runs wild in this story as Vera and Agent Layne investigate a very lucky casino and try to put an end to the LPEs for good.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an advanced copy of this book.

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I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

What would happen if companies, specifically casinos, could somehow harvest luck at the detriment of those who go to the casinos, and some who don't as well?

I've never asked myself this question, personally, but this book answered it nonetheless in a gory, horrific, disgusting way and I loved every second.

Vera was a character I'll think about for a long time. She was real, a really true look at how it feels after horrific things happen to you. And one thing I loved was how smart she was. She didn't have plot armor, but she was brilliant and made good decisions when it came down to it. I rarely found myself annoyed with her choices despite how nihilistic she was, how could she not be after what she witnessed? Her friendship with Layne was also some fun to read, their banter witty and fun yet laced with a desperation Vera had to stay away from anyone else.

This was depressing and a reminder of how cruel the world can be, and could be with fantastical elements added. It had me wondering about a lot of new things, this is a wholly original concept I could never fathom on my own. I can't recommend this enough. The horror it includes was fantastic with gore and body horror, but without any of the things some horror novels add that can be "too much" for me re: taboo topics.

I say this not to compare Tingle's writing but more relate it to another media for those reading this to grasp how good this was, but it certainly felt like it would be by A24 if it were a movie. It has that peculiar feel of bizarre-ness, horrifying scenes, the truth of the government's involvement with bad things and large corporations being the bad guy, with a hint of almost aloof-ness that wraps it all together in something that feels like eating pop rocks flavored those gross flavored Jelly Beans that Agent Layne was eating. You don't know what'll happen, and you're kinda scared that it's going to be dog food flavored, but you're excited to find out nonetheless.

I'd highly recommend this for fans of Nope, Welcome to Nightvale, and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, as well as The Umbrella Academy a bit.

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Another wild ride from Chuck Tingle! We find ourselves in a typical, if momentous, day in our protagonist's life; we get to know a little bit about them and how they move around in the world. Next, batsh*t insanity happens, turning their world upside down. What follows is a smart, funny, and somehow very relevant story with a strong foundation in math and science, but also interdimensional portals? So in other words, to coin a phrase, That's So Tingle!
I got feelings of "Camp Damascus" and "Bury Your Gays" in "Lucky Day," in that we get a scifi/horror novel that is at the same time outlandish but also has one foot based in - or at least launched from - realistic settings.
I'm so glad that Tingle has begun to write works that are not smut aimed at disparaging political figures, because I'm not sure I would ever have gotten to reading that stuff. But now I can say I've read what he's written for the mainstream market and have been entertained and - dare I say - tingled by each work. "Lucky Day" is no exception!

Thanks to Tor and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

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Lucky Day, Chuck Tingle's latest novel, is a science fiction horror following Vera, a former stats professor who was affected by the big "Low-Probability Event" that killed a bunch of people around the Earth. She is approached by special agent Layne to look into a suspiciously well-off casino that is possibly connected to all these events.

The world building and descriptions were definitely my favourite part of the book. Everything felt so vivid which made me very invested in the mystery behind the low-probability events. It was reminiscent of Final Destination, where seemingly random events result in something disastrous or dangerous, which is part of why I really liked the story. I enjoyed the turn the story took, as well as the twist, though it wasn't really what I was expecting or wanted from the story. However, it was still a satisfying ending in my opinion. Vera was a fun protagonist to follow, as she makes many mistakes and is dealing with some issues but is clearly motivated and cares about what she does. Layne was also a great character, though annoying at times I enjoyed all his scenes.

This is another Chuck Tingle book that didn't disappoint and that I will be reading again in the future to get details I could have missed. If you enjoyed his previous books, you'll probably enjoy this one too (especially if you like statistics lol).

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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New Chuck Tingle horror means that it’s my lucky day. The mysterious man behind Camp Damascus and Bury Your Gays is back, and he’s about to throw a curveball the likes of which you’ve never seen.

Vera Norrie is a statistician and University of Chicago professor who is about to celebrate the release of her first book, a takedown of Everett Vacation and Entertainment. On May 23rd, she and her fiancée, Annie, are going out for brunch with a group of their friends and Vera’s mother. The whole day has been meticulously planned by Vera as a way of coming out as bisexual to her mom and announcing their planned marriage. When things don’t go quite as hoped, Vera’s mother storms out of the diner with Vera close on her heels, and then all hell breaks loose.

May 23rd would become known as the Low-Probability Event, a disaster of nearly impossible (and statistically ridiculously unlikely) proportions. Nearly eight million people die that day, and Vera flees from the carnage, leaving everything and everyone else behind. I’m not going to say more about the event itself here, because there’s something to Tingle’s crafting of a series of Rube Goldberg-esque deaths that rival anything seen in the Final Destination films that just needs to be experienced for oneself.

Four years after the LPE, Vera’s depression and isolation are interrupted by the arrival of Jonah Layne, an agent for the Low-Probability Event Commission. He’s on a mission to expose Everett Vacation and Entertainment and their flagship Vegas hotel and casino, Great Britannica, as being somehow behind the disaster of May 23rd, and he’s come to get Vera’s help. She’s enlisted as a consultant to examine the reality behind the LPE, and decides to tag along with Agent Layne, mostly because he’s picked the same fight that she once had all those years ago. The big problem is that, while there was only ever one major low-probability event, there’s been a lot of little ones. For Vera and Agent Layne, things can only get weirder.

Lucky Day is an absolute blast to read. It may not appear as strictly horror on the outside, but Tingle’s writing will leave you questioning the odds of, well, everything you could ever fear. Vera is a painfully relatable protagonist, dealing with utter chaos and devastation by functionally shutting down and ignoring society because, after the LPE, nothing really matters. Agent Layne is a delightful foil, a hyper-competent federal agent reminiscent of Twin Peaks‘ own Dale Cooper or Tingle’s own Dark Encounters (the X-Files-esque TV series Tingle’s protagonist, Misha, was writing in Bury Your Gays). The book is out in the world as of Tuesday, August 12th. My utmost thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for granting me access to an eARC in exchange for a fair review.

This review originally appeared here: https://swordsoftheancients.com/2025/08/13/lucky-day-a-review/

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This book was bonkers—in the best way possible. One of the things I absolutely love about Chuck Tingle’s writing is how the horror hits fast and out of nowhere. You’re not easing into dread; you’re slammed into it headfirst, just like the characters. It’s chaotic, terrifying, and ridiculously fun.

The story follows Vera, a woman who survived a catastrophic disaster that wiped out 8 million people in a single day—including her own mother. She’s been living as a recluse for the past four years, until Agent Layne knocks on her door with a wild proposition: help him investigate a suspiciously lucky casino that might be tied to the tragedy that changed her life.

Mara Wilson nails the narration. She brings so much emotion and complexity to Vera, making the character feel fully alive—even as the world around her spirals into total madness.

This book is like Final Destination meets The X-Files, with a heavy dose of surreal, queer chaos. It’s gory, strange, and bursting with Tingle’s signature imagination. And in true Chuck Tingle fashion, amidst all the horror and sci-fi mayhem, there’s a powerful, affirming message: Bisexuals exist. Loudly, proudly, and yes—right in the middle of a conspiracy-laced nightmare.

If you love horror that’s fast-paced, weird, and unapologetically queer, this one’s a must-read. Highly recommend.

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This is my third Chuck Tingle book following Camp Damascus and Bury Your Gays, and once again he has blown it out of the water. Lucky Day is an incredible look at how fate, luck and the smallest decisions we make on a daily basis impact the consequences of our actions. I found this one to be less horror compared to his previous two books, but the gory parts were amazing. Absolutely loved this book and will continue reading Chuck's work. Thank you to Netgalley, Chuck Tingle and Tor Nightfire for allowing me to read and review the eARC for Lucky Day.

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Oh wow! So this was my first Tingle book, it will definitely not be my last. What is a low probably event? Basically they are freak accidents or should I freakish accident. This was a fun wild ride of a horror novel. I got the vibes of the Final Destination films. Tingle has crafted a non stop horror that is a train wreck. Very fast past and engaging, extreme and bloodly, and very often hilariously funny.

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I've read each of Chuck Tingle's three books from the major publishers, and I feel like they've each had a bit of a diminishing return. I loved Camp Damascus, liked Bury Your Gays, and disliked his latest.

Most of my disappointment can be chalked up to Lucky Day not really being horror. It's a sort of goofy, sci-fi cop drama with one or two horrific moments but nothing that even approaches "scary," and that's what I really wanted out of this. Sure, the existential dread is timely, and placing it so squarely in this absurd, wild, totally weird world makes it more palatable than, say, a political thriller might, but not fun enough (for me) to be fully escapist.

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Chuck Tingle is masterful at horror and his third traditionally published book continues to prove it. I loved Vera and her story and thought that luck as the driving force was incredibly compelling. Highly recommend!

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Wow, what an unexpected novel from Chuck Tingle. You think after reading all their books I would have gotten used to an unusual premise by now but this one takes the cake. It hooks you in from chapter one and keeps you engrossed until the ending pages. How do they come up with this stuff? What is going on in that brain of theirs? Loved, loved, loved.

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Book Review: Lucky Day by Chuck Tingle

This book was wild, but in the best way! Chuck Tingle delivers another amazing horror story that’s weird, smart, and totally gripping. The parts about statistics were surprisingly interesting and the brutal moments kept me hooked. It’s absurd, entertaining, and unlike anything else out there. I loved every second of it and already want to read it again. If you haven’t tried Chuck Tingle’s horror books yet, you’re missing out. Grab this one it’s out now!

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In his newest novel, Chuck Tingle takes a look at fate, probabilities, and how deadly they can be. It reminds me of a splash of Final Destination and another film I don't want to name for spoilers. His comedic horror humor is on full display, as expected. I listened to the audiobook, read by Mara Wilson, in almost one complete sitting. I'm not sure if it would have had the same impact on the page as it did in audio format. This one felt quirkier than his previous work, Bury Your Gays. I haven't read any of his self-published works but based on the covers alone I'd say this is probably pretty close to some of those storylines. I hope he'll be a writer that graces us with a new book every year or two.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

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In one of my past lives I did a lot of statistics, so I was so charmed by Vera being a former stats prof! Tingle really knocked it out of the park with this one. It's an excellent balance of hilarious and genuinely scary, without going overboard on the guts and gore. This is definitely by new favorite!

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