Lucky Day is an existential, absurdly wild ride, following Vera as she joins forces with Agent Lang to figure out the cause behind a Final Destination esque apocalypse that sweeps the world.

Lucky Day starts out with the apocalypse and only gets bleaker from there, but there's so much humor mixed in that it never gets bogged down. The horror is visceral and gory, never shying away from injuries or trauma, and it gets really bloody at times.

Tingle wrote Vera extremely well, making her seem smart and eccentric without her love of statistics causing the writing to drag. Vera is in a dark mindset for most of the story, and the juxtaposition between her and the high-on-life happy-go-lucky Agent Lang makes for some really entertaining conversations.

The direction that Lucky Day takes gets sciency, cosmic, and chaotic, but I overall loved it! I had a few predictions along the way, but honestly I had no idea where this book was going. Tingle does a good job explaining things, but I appreciate how he also just let things be weird and confusing too.

The writing and ending are heartfelt and emotional, showing that love and life matter even if nothing matters. We make our own meanings and those connections are what make everything worth it.

Here’s the thing, I am obsessed with Chuck Tingle and the way his mind works. Even if a synopsis seems a little out of my comfort zone, I’m picking it up. This would be the case here. Who knew a statistician would make for such a stellar FMC? Chuck did. I’m not convinced anyone else could pull this off. Lucky Day is a grief horror slash dark comedy combo that scratches an itch just right. I flew through it without even realizing I was because the story was so engrossing and the pacing was perfect. There were some gross body horror scenes that had me clutching my pearls. There were familial interactions that had me reaching for a tissue. There were scientific anomalies that had me scratching my brain. I loved this book. The whole idea of the LPE is so unique and cool, I will be thinking about this for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. A fun, absurdist horror novel that packs a punch and takes you on a wild, fast-paced ride. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this one up and my jaw hit the floor as the narrative unraveled into what it became. It was laugh-out-loud funny while being horrific at the same time. There are scenes from this one that are seared into my brain. I really like how Tingle played with fate and luck in a completely different way than I had ever read. The theme of nothing plays a large role as well and would be interesting to discuss in a group setting. The plot moved a bit too quickly for me and I would've liked more beats to slow it down and really process all of Vera's changing emotions. The ending left off in a really good place and left me with a smile on my face. Would recommend this to anyone looking for something very fast-paced that you haven't read before. It is a quest-type journey through a completely different type of dystopian-ish world than seen before.

My first Chuck Tingle was Bury Your Gays and I loved it, but every subsequent book of his that I read I like less and less.

In Lucky Day we’re with statistician Vera who has lost all purpose in life after a massive “unlucky” event defies all laws of probability and results in massive casualties of the most obscene and unhinged imaginable. When a government agent comes knocking to solve the mystery of what has caused it and why, it brings the duo to a strange Casino that might be at the source of the broken probability and fate problem. More chaos ensues.

The BIG IDEA at the heart of this book—what if luck was real and probability broke—is super interesting but if you wonder how confusing it would be to try and portray that, you would be right. It’s absolutely confusing as hell and you can tell Chuck Tingle gets bogged down trying to do it. At the expense of any character development and in the face of nonstop nonsense and gore for the sake of gore, Lucky Day is just an interesting idea, and that doesn’t make for an engaging novel. A good hook is still just a hook if you’ve got nothing else to back it up.

I would have DNFed this but I buddy read it with @roshlite and she ended up really liking it! So, I think it might just be a polarizing one.

Unfortunately, this might be my last Chuck Tingle as I’m starting to think Bury Your Gays was an outlier…

Lucky Day was my first non Stephen King horror novel and a great introduction to the wider genre. Horror has always been a way to put society under a microscope and examine human nature and this novel is no different. Unexpected, mind-bending, and a book with inertia; Lucky Day is a great read for newcomers and veterans to the genre of horror.

This book is absolutely bonkers and brutal, and I wouldn't expect anything less. It's pure Chuck Tingle chaos: gory, absurd, sharp, and somehow deeply heartfelt underneath all the blood and chaos. I went into it expecting something fresh and unlike anything I've read before, but I still found myself surprised by just how wild this story gets. Flying fish? Check. Government agents? Check. Alternate timelines, existential dread, and public pool trauma? Yep, it’s all here.

Vera, the main character, is a former statistics professor living in the aftermath of a "Low Probability Event" (LPE for short). This was a global catastrophe that changed (or ended) many people's lives. She’s numb, isolated, and grieving not just what she’s lost but the person she used to be. Then Agent Layne shows up. He’s a shady government agent with questionable methods and a mission: figure out why absurd and deadly events keep occurring all over the country, and how it’s all connected to an improbably successful casino. Vague? Yes, but intentionally so. I don't want to spoil anything. This is one that absolutely needs to be experienced.

There’s a "Final Destination" vibe running through the book, mostly because some of the kills had me screaming "Whoa!", much like I do when watching one of those movies. There's also plenty of Tingle’s signature twist of absurdist horror and queerness woven into the DNA of the story. And it’s not just chaos for the sake of chaos. There’s also commentary on bi-erasure and identity. That message is loud, clear, and beautifully integrated without ever feeling preachy.

I tandem read an ARC and ALC of this one, and Mara Wilson (who also narrated Tingle's "Camp Damascus") brings this story to life with a performance that’s perfectly tuned to the material. She captures Vera’s detached grief, Layne’s sketchy urgency, and the sheer craziness of the plot with pitch-perfect delivery.

Clocking in at just over 200 pages, this book doesn’t waste time. It moves fast. There’s no filler, no dragging middle, no over-explaining. Tingle knows exactly when to lean into the chaos and when to step back and let us breathe. Some of the imagery will absolutely stick with me. I’m definitely steering clear of public pools for a while.

This is a strange, smart, high-stakes romp that’s somehow both bonkers and sneakily profound. If you’re a fan of Chuck Tingle’s brand of horror—or just looking for something completely original and a little unhinged—this one’s a must. And seriously, if you listen to audiobooks, grab this one. Mara Wilson’s narration is perfect.

After surviving a most absurd global catastrophe called the "Low Probability Event" - Vera, previously a happy and successful statistics professor pre-LPE, is thrown from her depressive bubble when government agent Layne comes barreling through her front door. According to him, she's the only person who can help solve the mystery of these absurd disasters and their connection to an unusually lucky Las Vegas casino.

***

Chuck Tingle is easily one of my favourite modern horror authors - every title of his has been an absolute smash for me, and Lucky Day is no exception.

I don't even know how exactly to describe this one...it's some kinda cosmic horror with Final Destination vibes. The imagery is absolutely bananas and I was SHOOK by how completely unhinged, random and brutal these disastrous events are - I don't think anyone could ever possibly predict the wild, gory deaths Tingle puts to page here. So with that said - be warned! I wouldn't say this novel is particularly frightening, but it is gory for sure, so consider your tolerance before picking this guy up. Though certainly not much of a gambler, Las Vegas has been a frequent vacation spot for my fam over the years and I found it to be an absolutely brilliant setting for this premise. The name and description (aside from the cosmic horror) of the Great Britannica Hotel & Casino felt almost comically believable to me (iykyk).

I just...love it. Tingle always manages to create thought-provoking stories covering important, relevant topics while incorporating a biting satirical tone and conclusions that are consistently full to the brim with love. His books hit all the good notes for me. Due to the absurdity of so many of the events, I don't want to say much more than this for fear of ruining the surprise.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Lucky Day comes out August 12, 2025 for those interested!

This book was a wild ride. We're following Vera after surviving something called a 'Low Probability Event' occurs, which ended with her mother, and millions of other people, dead. Four years after this tragedy, Vera is a shut in living in her mother's home. One day, a government agent named Layne, knocks on Vera's home and the two team up to try uncovering a connection between the event and a casino in Vegas.

This book was somehow incredible and ridiculous at the same time. I've read Bury Your Gays by this author so I kind of knew what to expect, but I was still surprised by how off the rails this went. The pacing was a little strange at parts, but the ending really redeemed it. I listened primarily to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narration. The accents were done well and I could understand when different people were speaking.

If you liked weird, apocalyptic books with a side of statistics and angsty queer characters, then I'd recommend this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this ARC!

(3.5 stars rounded up)

Vera, with her firm grasp of probability and statistics, experiences tragedy during a Low Probability Event. She isolates for several years, until reluctantly joining Agent Layne in an attempt to connect the dots.

Wow, does Chuck Tingle pack a lot into a slim novel! The action starts early and doesn't let up until the very end, culminating in a beautiful ending (going to return to that last chapter when times are tough). Fun references to Tingle's other works for the buckaroos.

Move aside plain ol’ Death. We have a new haunting specter named Bad Luck and things are about to get unhinged.

The beginning of the book kicks off with a wild global catastrophe and was definitely my favorite part. Vera is an endearing and relatable protagonist (I’m depressed ok) and I enjoyed her dynamic with her polar opposite temporary PiC Layne as they head to the luckiest place on Earth: a casino in Vegas. Overall, a wild ride indeed. Equal parts horrific and absurd. If Final Destination is your brand of horror and you like a cosmic twist, this is for you.

Chuck Tingle has done it again! This book goes from 90 mph of nasty, brutal "what the heck is going on" to exploring a character's internality, the concept of fate, and ultimately lands on human resilience. Only Chuck Tingle can wrap up a story so absurd into such a beautiful package. And as always, LOVE WINS. I consider this impeccably executed.

Chuck Tingle makes me question all of my literary preferences; his stories are so absurd and fascinating. Lucky Day is no exception, I think I like all of his books more and more.

Vera is a professor in Chicago, she is engaged to Annie. She tells her mother she is bisexual and introduces her to Annie, her mother spews a bunch of biphobic nonsense; and in the middle of her diatribe, the weirdest shit ever happens. I don’t even want to give anything away, this is where my reading pace slowed down as my inner dialogue went “wait, what?”

Vera runs away from her life, and four years later there is a government entity created to determine how and why 8 million people (including Vera’s mother) all died simultaneously. It definitely has Final Destination vibes, and Vera being a statistics professor we learn different odds of all sorts of things. So the perfect setting is a big casino in Las Vegas.

The book breaks the 4th wall somewhat, and I was hooked from the very beginning. Chuck Tingle is definitely solidified in the Horror genre.

Audiobook review; Mara Wilson was a great narrator. It was well paced and well acted. This book is easy to follow on audio and Wilson turned in a solid performance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. Book to be published August 12, 2025.

Lucky Day was just what I expect from Tingle, a wild ride. It took me a bit to really get into the story but once I did, I was buckled up. Equal parts weird and exciting, I think this is another great book by Tingle.

4 stars

I'm so entertained by Chuck Tingle's books, and this is no exception.

You know the beginning of the "Rapture" episode of _Six Feet Under_? Well this book has an initiating event that is just as weird but broader scale, and when the main character, Vera, lives through it, she's understandably changed forever. As a former stats professor, she becomes hooked on the probability of the Low-Probability Event, and her entire life and understanding of the world are thrown into relative chaos. I can relate. I teach college English during the entry point of generative A.I. Why are we even here?

What ensues in this novel is a fascinating study of people's relationship to luck and fate, to agency, and to finding meaning and the will to go on. There are some killer (pun intended) horrors that happen throughout, and there are some bleak situations, but Vera is the perfect guide through all of it.

I enjoyed this, and Mara Wilson's narration of the audiobook adds so much.

“The fact I even exist in the first place is the most astronomical low-probability event there is.”

What did I just read?!?

Chuck Tingle knows what he’s doing. There were moments while reading this that I wasn’t sure if I should be laughing from the absurdity of it all or horrified from how gruesome it was.

This is a fun, thrill-ride that also makes you think. I couldn’t have predicted any of the twists and turns (and deaths) that occurred in this story. Love a good LGBTQ+ story where love and lover’s tragedy isn’t the whole story.

Possible spoiler but probably not….sequel?

Lucky Day imagines the aftermath of a worldwide day of catastrophically bad luck. The chaos of this Low Probability Event is reminiscent of the Final Destination franchise, and this novel is a perfect recommendation for fans of those films. Although this book hits a bit of a lull in between its account of the Low Probability Event itself and the primary plot, this slower section is intensional and patient readers will be well rewarded.

This novel is a fun adventure despite the gruesome horror elements, complete with references to Chuck Tingle's other work. An ultimately uplifting read, this novel plays a movie in the reader's head as it explores themes of nihilism, biphobia, and the struggle to find meaning in chaos.

Lucky Day is a bold, absurdist horror novel that blends existential dread with cosmic chaos. When Vera, a former statistics professor, survives the bizarre “Low Probability Event” that killed millions in freak accidents, she’s left adrift in a world where logic no longer applies. Enter Agent Layne, who recruits her to investigate a suspiciously lucky Las Vegas casino—one that may be tied to the next global catastrophe.
Packed with surreal imagery, dark humor, and philosophical weight, Lucky Day explores grief, identity, and the terrifying power of randomness. Tingle’s signature style—campy yet emotionally resonant—shines through in a story that’s as thought-provoking as it is outrageous.
If you’re craving genre-bending horror with heart and a dash of chaos, this one’s a gamble worth taking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the chance to read this ARC, all opinions in this review are my own.

After reading Camp Damascus and Bury Your Guys I was pretty sure Chuck Tingle was going to become a favorite author but Lucky Day has absolutely solidified that.

Lucky Day is the story of Vera, a statistician who experiences the most traumatic day of her life, what comes to be called the Low Probability Event, and retreats from the world completely. 4 years later, she is recruited by a government agent to help catch the people responsible for what happened. Chaos ensues! Literally. There is nothing predictable about this book and I adored the absolute absurdity of everything.

Chuck has this cinematic way of writing that I loved in Bury Your Gays and fits this book so well. I literally read the inciting incident (the LPE) twice because it was so bizarre but also so visually stunning that I had to read it all again to really capture everything in my mind. It was dark and bloody and horrifying but also so beautifully written and evocative.

The other piece of this book I loved is this question of what is the point of everything? Why even bother when you feel like you can’t control anything and there are forces so much more powerful than you. Do you just sit back and let things happen to you or do you try to change your fate? An important lesson for times like these when so many of us feel powerless and sometimes it just feels easier to give up than fight back.

I don’t want to say too much more because so many of the things I liked are spoilers but I loved that Vera stayed true to herself and was never swayed by the whole government = good thing that Layne was trying to sell her. Yes, she wanted to help him to find out what happened but the choices she made felt right in the end.

And if course like Chuck’s other horror novels, Vera is queer (bisexual). I appreciated that this felt like an important part of who Vera was and that she didn’t stand for the homophobia and biphobia thrown her way. Content warning for both of those things.

As someone who was never very good at statistics (and ended up having to take way too many statistics classes in college) I'm a bit biased when I say: this was a bit too much for me with regards to all the discussions of probabilities, etc. But my bias against probabilities and statistics aside, Chuck Tingle has probably one of the most unique voices in the modern horror genre and, though more than once the main character's explanations of various theories of probability/chaos theory/etc. had me reeling, it is always a pleasure to engage with Tingle's work. His character work is consistently excellent and engaging, he has a real talent for the weird and unpredictable (as the beginning of this book demonstrates), and even if sometimes it feels like all you can do is hold on tight and go along for the ride, it's always worth it in the end.

The first third of this book was so fricken good and I feel like it set up the story and built up the tone/narrative really really well. From there on, however, this felt a bit like an endless repetitive loop that didn't really go anywhere? I'm pretty disappointed; I adored Bury Our Gays and Camp Damascus and had high hopes for Lucky Day, but alas.