Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley

Brian McAuley fleshes out a grisly tale marred with consequences. For Hannah, saying no becomes a life-altering event. Fleshed out on a snowy mountainside, Hannah's existence plunges into the abyss. Her life, once full of friends, has derailed into a depressive state. Her work has suffered, and her relationships have ceased to exist. Ben, her now-deceased boyfriend, is gone, taking any piece of comfort with him. A mandated hiatus from work allows time for self-reflection, and she soon accepts an invitation from Tess, her best friend, for a little spiritual R&R that might just be what the doctor ordered. Pax, our self-made guru, is eccentric. Toiling under a torment of excessive rules, Pax has created a private utopia with assurances to help the group’s mindsets. Unfortunately for our cast, the town has a long-standing legend about vicious miners, who are led by Waylon Barlow, who wears a pitchfork and dons a large-brimmed hat. Is there truth to the stories from the townfolk? McAuley reminds me why I adored 80s-style horror, driving the pitchfork full force into the rock face and also readers' veins.

I am a sucker for that horror trope, Scooby-Doo-style who-dun-it ala Scream movies of yesteryear. I took a chance on the book cover. In all its glory, it spoke to me. Chewable, it said, follow me to the dark side, to that place where bad people reside. I gladly followed our characters to a secluded area, ripe for nefarious actions. Interesting characters in tow, I watched the book skitter its way along a cavern filled with treachery, mindful of a spiritual awakening. There is playfulness abound, as McAuley teases the reader with comedic prowess, only to unleash a morbid scene marked for death. McAuley sticks to a plan, reminiscent of so many movies I have previously loved in my younger years. There was no overthinking, no fluff for the sake of descriptive words or unneeded missteps, just straight to the point.

Appreciative. That is my feeling. Kudos to an author who maintained the integrity of what I love about this genre. Sometimes I want to kick back and revel in the simplicity of a chainsaw, Freddy Krueger's bladed fingers, or a red-headed doll with a slight anger management issue. It’s fun, and in this case, I was a detective throughout my read-through as I tried to remember any subtle hints and telltale signs of the killer’s identity. The book comes with the usual warnings of gore and excessive violence. I am giving this 4.5 out of 5 stars, solidly rounding up to 5 stars. Highly recommend!

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

really fun, well written, and a hair campy slasher. the characters were cool and well-written and i loved how all of them had some level of depth. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

literally yoga retreat meets full-blown horror movie, and I was all in. It starts off like your typical wellness escape (think crystals, hot springs, weird vibes) and then BAM—people start dying, and it gets dark fast.

Hannah is a total mess in the best way—haunted, unreliable, and trying so hard to keep it together while everything around her falls apart. You’re never sure if what she’s seeing is real or if she’s just losing it, which makes the whole thing super tense and creepy. And the desert setting? So atmospheric, you can practically feel the heat and dread closing in.

It’s bloody, trippy, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Definitely some “WTF is happening” moments, in the best way. I had no idea where it was going most of the time, and that made it such a fun, chaotic read.

Think Midsommar vibes but more unhinged. I tore through it.

Let’s talk about movies for a second. I’m a slasher hound, and so it’s no surprise to learn that one of my favourite horror films is Scream, the game-changing slasher whodunnit, much copied, never bested. Slasher fans know that it’s not so much legendary director Wes Craven but the scriptwriter Kevin Williamson who we have to thank. Scream has been much aped since for its wink wink meta which changed the horror landscape, but Williamson knew that a great slasher mystery thrives on three things: characters you care for, kills you remember and a mystery plot with more red herrings than a bloody fishing lake. You know who else likes Scream? Brian McAuley, because Breathe In, Bleed Out, his fourth slasher, out from Poisoned Pen Press September 2, is a love letter to all the elements above that make the perfect stabby whodunnit while driving the genre forward in new ways. The master of slasher is back, and my god is he here to slay.

The setting for Breathe In, Bleed Out is a remote spiritual healing retreat in Joshua Tree, the wilderness of Southern California being, it turns out, a perfect location, up there with the more traditional cabin in the woods or campsites in terms of isolation and sense of unease. Attending this retreat, which is headed by the marvellously named potential bullshitter Guru Pax, is a group of young friends, the ostensible aim being to help our protagonist Hannah heal her trauma—her trauma being losing her fiancé on a mountain hike a year before. Seems a good plan—get in touch with your inner self—but when a killer starts taking that a little too literally, this place of healing becomes a fight for survival in the best slasher traditions, with everyone from retreat staff to friends to out-of-towners a suspect.

The first thing to note is that McAuley, for all the fun he’s having with the setting and taking the mighty piss out of the cynical mash-up of cultures (sound baths! Yoga! desert hallucinogens!) that can compose these spiritual retreats, cares for his characters—and wants you too, as well. Hannah’s tragedy and trauma is established immediately in the book’s opening chapter through a genuinely poignant (and classically tricksy) opening that roots you to her cause. Then McAuley pulls a neat trick. Her friends seem frankly awful; subtler Gen Z takes on the old slasher stereotypes—there’s the cynical boorish finance guy in place of the jock; the yoga-loving, condescending “just want to help everyone” type in place of the dumb blonde, etc. But McAuley uses the concept of a spiritual retreat—where people come to terms with their own dickishness—in a genius way to put you in their heads as they decide to be better and then, well, kill them. It’s a brutal way to make you feel for initially unlikable twenty-somethings, and a narrative masterstroke, as well as a witty commentary on the falsity of convenient self-realization.

But this is slasher, and we’re also here for the kills and the thrills. And boy, is there a better death-scribe than McAuley in horror at the moment? The kills in Breathe Out, Bleed In are art. In his afterword, he notes how he wanted to emulate Final Destination-style deaths (the Final Destination films being slashers of course, with death as Ghostface) and I think it’s safe to say he achieved this; these deaths are carefully constructed assault courses of fatality, step-by-step grim montages which are creative, deeply awful, and also entirely fitting for the characters getting killed. A kill involving a healing crystal is worth your money alone.

And then there’s the final Scream ingredient to make the perfect slasher whodunnit: the mystery itself. Almost everyone is a suspect, with plausible motives; there’s more misleading clues here then the devil’s escape room, and the reveal feels satisfying in that “should have known but also wtf” feel that defined those final twisty Scream moments. And like the best of the genre, the reveal isn’t just for kicks—it’s all part of the Final Girl’s catharsis; it’s thematically relevant, baby.

Overall, Breathe In, Bleed Out is another hit from an author who knows how to keep us horror freaks guessing, wincing, and feeling all at once. Take a deep breath then take a deep bow, because Brian McAuley wears the slasher crown.

This book reminded me why I LOVE slashers, and once I started, I couldn't put it down!
The setup with Hannah's initial trauma was immediately engaging. The perfect amount of time to get to know her was taken without dragging. Her friends were introduced and given enough backstory to invest in them (even if I wanted to punch the majority, lol). Once the k1lls started, the action didn't stop until the very end. And the ways they went were so fun. There were multiple fun twists, and everything wrapped up in such an incredible way.
I really don't want to give anything away. So, if you're looking for a fun old school slasher filled with grief and given some modern twists, look no further. This one was 🤌🏻🤌🏻 for me.

Another twisty thriller from McAuley!

As a big fan of McAuley's "Reaper" novel as well as his "Candy Cane" series, I could not wait to see what kind of twisted slasher he would be delivering next and man, this did not disappoint!

Creepy setting? Check.
Damaged characters? Check
Exciting killer? Check Check Check

The novel moves fast and plays like a classic 80's film with cinematic kills, flawed but interesting characters, and an incredibly exciting villain. All of these elements combine to create a classic horror film in novel form, something McAuley has now proven multiple times he has an absolute knack for. I can't wait to see what he has coming for us horror fiends next.

A Brian McAuley slasher has never disappointed me, not once. This was such a fun novel. It reads just like you're watching a good slasher movie, keeping you hooked and turning the page to see what happens next.

It kept me guessing, every time I thought I figured it out, it proved me wrong. I didn't guess correctly until a few chapters before the reveal, and even then, it had me saying 'wait - maybe not?' a couple times in between. I do not like being wrong, but I will allow it, because it was a very fun time. Gorier than I usually like but I won't score that against it, it's to be expected so I knew what I was getting into. To some, that's probably a big plus. It certainly didn't stop me from loving this.

Hannah was a great narrator, mainly because she wasn't, at all. A lot of my guessing and second-guessing was because I wasn't sure how much of what she was telling us was one hundred percent or not. Sometimes that's a trope that can be frustrating, but I think it was well done here.

I genuinely love Brian's storytelling and writing. Becoming one of my favorite horror writers. Has a knack of writing his stories like a fun horror movie. One i would rewatch when I need a pick me up because horror is comforting.

Fast paced and gory as always. The characters are all kinds of messy and fun and hit all the best character tropes in a good slasher. It was a little slow at the start, not bad but just slow. It took a bit for the killing to start, but each kill was absolutely nasty and graphic. One in particular kind of reminded me of A Violent Nature.

Let's just say, i will never be doing yoga by myself. Or joining any weird retreats in the desert.

Thank you to Brian, netgalley and the publishers for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc. I loved loved loved this and not because it took place in my hometown. The kills were gnarly and I didn’t see the twist coming.

Long live the slasher…

Who would have thought that a miner wielding a pick axe, donning a human face could be so scary? Oh wait, now that I wrote that down, it’s pretty obviously scary. What a great villain.

As terrifying as that is, the scariest thing about this book is the chakra stimulating, yoga posing, kambucha drinking, whole grain eating, wannabe cult leader. I mean that whole wellness retreat thing sends chills up my spine. Like in real life. Those things are freaky.

Sometimes you just need a good “don’t think too hard”, “let the fun shit rip” thriller, and that’s exactly what this book gives. I’m here for it.

3.75

Before I get to the meat of the review, I just want to say that I loved the cover design and title of this one - both are on point. I have never previously read a Brian McAuley book and have only just realised he has some good books to his name. I'll definitely be checking those out.

This book mixes a lot of new age things - complex friendships, yogi retreats, body detox, mind detox etc. They all work well for the book. When our protagonist, Hannah, experiences a deep trauma of losing someone important, she commits a mistake at her workplace. Because she is a doctor and their mistakes can be fatal, she is asked to go away for a while. This is when her best friend recommends a secluded wellness retreat. And everything that can possibly go wrong, goes wrong. I liked the way the friendships unfold in this one - it makes you sympathise less and less with the characters.

I did have a qualm about the story towards the end, the twist exists to create a shock value. I usually don't mind it because slashers need this kind of shock to absorb the attention of the audience but I wish the twist was better than what it turned out to be.

BREATHE IN, BLEED OUT by Brian McAuley- the slasher glow up I didn't know I needed!

This story follows Hannah as she tries to overcome the effects of the tragic loss of her fiancé. Faced with a suspension at work, her therapist pushes Hannah to commit to intensive treatment. Instead, Hannah and a group of friends head to a new exclusive wellness retreat located in Joshua Tree. What could go wrong?

Instead of a relaxing weekend, things quickly go off the rails. McAuley proves to be a master of misdirect as the weekend unspools. The kills are creative and had me cringing. Just when I thought I had it figured out, something else would happen and I'd have to build my theory all over again.
Blood and guts aside, this story touches on some very real issues- grief, mental health, addiction, and cultural appropriation. And it's still fun as HELL!

Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC!

It's hard to escape Brian McAuley 's clutches when you're a horror fan.
"Curse Of The Reaper" was, in addition to being one of my favorite reads of last year, a phenomenal journey through the intricacies of horror cinema, narrated with a very cinematic language and style, interspersed with an enormous knowledge of the genre.
Now, after the two installments of Candy Cain , pending in Spanish, McAuley attacks with a new literary slasher , in the vein of films like Scream and any relatively modern approach to the genre.
Breathe In, Bleed Out is a fast-paced, agile novel, loaded with a very fine sense of humor.
A murder worthy of the best killer .

Hannah has a complicated existence , to put it mildly.
Life in Los Angeles isn't great, her position as a resident physician hangs by a thread, and her mental health isn't the best. It doesn't help matters, either, when what happened to her fiancé, Ben, just a few months ago while they were enjoying an idyllic vacation in the snow, surrounded by nature. No one is clear about the reasons that ended with Ben's death and with Hannah returning to civilization alone and covered in blood.
Months go by, and Hannah isn't improving, so her friends, some close and others with whom she lost touch long ago, decide to intervene by inviting her to a spiritual retreat . The sanctuary, located near Joshua Tree , is coordinated by Guru Pax , a mysterious man who mixes modern scientific and pseudoscientific therapies with the most insane supernatural ideas
. The retreat is very exclusive, elitist, with no technology and no users other than Hannah and her friends, so... Who is the mysterious killer lurking, endangering the lives of Hannah and her friends?

Hannah is our protagonist, our candidate for final girl , and the main voice we'll have for much of the reading, narrated in the first person . This is one of the main points of interest of the novel and reaffirms certain concepts that were already perceived in The Reaper's Curse . Brian McAuley focuses his efforts on creating a group of believable and detailed characters, always within this kind of bubble world that is the slasher . Each and every one of the voices that appear in the book, each of the characters , have a certain development , within the standards imposed by the genre. McAuley, thus, cedes part of the pace of progress of the novel to his characters , instead of to the events.
In this character development, McAuley incorporates a multitude of current topics, modern approaches, from mental health to pseudoscientific therapies that flood social networks and fashions in big cities, the importance of healing wounds, overcoming grief, or facing toxic relationships.
And he is good, very good, in the way he addresses these ideas.
He works them on different levels, letting the characters speak , giving shape to their thoughts; sometimes in a crude, direct way, appealing to sensitivity; other times drawing on a razor-sharp sense of humor. The point is that the mix works; it resonates with you, as a reader, and helps you shape the true core of the story, based on agile, rapid-fire dialogue that keeps you reading.

Don't think there are only conversations in Breathe In, Bleed Out. It's a slasher , don't forget, and Brian McAuley integrates scenes, narrated in the third person, that add up the victims. Very cinematic murders, almost escalating in intensity, with graphic but clean , very playful violence . Graphic, visceral, and with a certain connection to the victim in question, which represents a true exercise in inventiveness on the part of the author.
Then there's the game, the murder mystery that hides the identity and motivation of our killer. Is he a frustrated soldier who resents city folk and puts aside his Call of Duty game to kill our protagonists? Does it have to do with someone from the spiritual retreat? Or perhaps the threat comes from an old mining legend in the area? Or, well, the classic: could it be one of Hannah's friends? Or part of the demons from poor Hannah's past coming back to finish her off?
Oh, damn meddling boys , there are so many options!
The resolution is there, well explained at the end of the novel. It's not going to revolutionize the genre with a tremendously surprising twist, but it works.
Hannah is an excellent addition to the list of final girls. She's not a character who's there solely as a plot thread, no. Hannah carries her own past, with the ghosts that torment her sanity and whose nightmares end up filtering into a reality that becomes increasingly strange.

But, if you like slashers , what I just told you won't be a surprise. Every good film in this genre (right now I'm putting on my Randy Meeks suit...) starts with a shocking opening scene, a calm development of characters, situations, and settings punctuated by bursts of violence, murders, and multiple suspects, which build in crescendo to a finale full of surprising revelations, crazy twists, a frenzy of blood, and a denouement that may leave certain doors open. This has been the case, more or less, since Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven reformulated the genre with Scream (1996).
Breath In, Bleed Out respects and enhances the cinematic foundations of the slasher , transferring them to the novel. A modern slasher , packed with current events and social themes (criticism of easy-fix gurus, the obsession with work and success, trauma, the social and political situation in the United States today), under McAuley's skill in turning all this into a fast-paced show, with good dialogue and a great sense of humor.
It's Scream, it's Final Destination, at times it seems like My Bloody Valentine, but in a modern style, like Sick (2022) or the recent Heart Eyes (2025).
All movies, as you can see, because it's a tremendously visual read ; it never hides, even using tools more typical of cinema than literature. An unbeatable combination from a mind that knows both worlds perfectly.

Breathe In, Bleed Out is the clearest demonstration that the slasher can work in literature. And I'm not talking about a nostalgic approach, no: a current, modern, and energetic one.
A fast-paced, engaging read that's hard to put down, and even more enjoyable if you enjoy horror films. McAuley is fully aware of this : this is a novel written and directed for horror fans, who will appreciate the humor so directed in its dialogue and references. That doesn't mean casual readers won't enjoy the book, of course. A work in the vein of contemporary authors like Grady Hendrix, a lighter version of Stephen Graham Jones, Rachel Harrison of The Return , or Adam Cesare. New slashers, new approaches.
The novel, by the way, closes with an extensive chapter ( Scream With Me).about Brian McAuley's love of slashers , almost a small essay that touches the heart.
I'd like to take this opportunity to give a standing ovation to the novel's title, which I think is marvelous.
I finish this novel very satisfied , happy amidst so much chaos with mental health gurus, a new final girl to add to the list, skillful murders, legends, and a more than entertaining psychological game.
Brian McAuley says, in the final acknowledgments, that there's a new killer in the shadows waiting for him to finish telling his story.
And I, personally, will wait on the other side of the page, patiently, without haste, but without stopping to look at the darkest corners of my room.

In Breathe In, Breathe Out, Brian McAuley takes a scalpel to the self-help industry and lays bare the rot beneath the mantras. What begins as a tale of personal redemption at an exclusive wellness retreat quickly mutates into a horror novel of startling depth—one that lingers long after the final breath is exhaled.

This book is terrifying not just because of its body count, but because the violence feels earned. McAuley roots his horror in psychological truth, exploring addiction, identity, and the quiet brutality of emotional repression. At its core, this is a novel about the consequences of silence—and the haunting power of the word “no.” That one syllable echoes throughout the story, manifesting as guilt, grief, and the slow unraveling of self. Few horror novels dare to ask what happens when your recovery becomes someone else’s weapon.

The deaths here are not arbitrary. They land with weight. They are intimate, uncomfortable, and steeped in real-life motives. The killer isn’t a faceless monster; they’re terrifying precisely because they could be someone you know. This realism grounds the horror and sharpens it into something that cuts deeper than gore—it wounds the psyche.

McAuley’s voice is also darkly funny, full of razor-wire wit and precision satire. His commentary on influencer culture, faux spirituality, and performative healing is biting and timely. The book is laced with pop culture references that are smart, subtle, and disarmingly well-placed—never gimmicky, always earned. It's the kind of humor that makes you laugh and then immediately regret it.

There’s a tension in this novel that builds like breathwork gone wrong—slow, intentional, and then suddenly suffocating. The setting is claustrophobic in the best way: a glossy retreat center with smiling cult-like facilitators and the hum of repressed violence vibrating beneath the affirmations. Every scene feels like it could implode. And eventually, it does.

Breathe In, Breathe Out is a brutal, brilliant work of horror—one that deserves to be in serious conversation for the Bram Stoker Award. And with its unflinching body horror and sharp social critique, it wouldn’t be out of place among Splatterpunk contenders either. This is a novel that doesn’t just disturb—it understands.



"McAuley delivers a smart, stylish takedown of wellness culture with the brutality of a scalpel and the precision of a killer’s gaze." - Niko Taylor

Breathe In, Bleed Out By Brian McAuley 🩸🩸
3.75 ⭐️

This book follows Hannah, who is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her partner Ben after a tragic hiking incident. Haunted by guilt, she reluctantly agrees to join her friends on a wellness retreat. But soon, one by one, members of the group begin to disappear…

What I Liked:
-The wellness retreat setting paired with commentary on wealth, technology, and consumerism. These themes are very current, and the book uses them effectively to create a creeping, relatable sense of fear.
-Love a “whodunnit” and enjoyed trying to figure that out as I read on.
-Hannah was flawed and human, not a perfect protagonist, which made her more realistic and compelling.
-The conclusion and final act were very gripping - I couldn’t put the book down after the 70% mark.

What I Didn’t Like:
-Hannah’s background as a doctor is explored early on, but it didn’t feel fully justified or integrated into the larger narrative. There were some connections made, but it might have served to deepen her guilt around Ben’s death even more so.
-Justice for Miles!!
-The “unalivings” took a while to start, and when they did, they could have been more intense and gory for my taste.

Overall, a very fun slasher and I enjoyed the authors commentary at the end!

Similar Books:
💀Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates
💀Heads Will Roll by Josh Winning

Move over, Harry Warden, there’s a new favorite villain with a pickaxe in town. ⛏️

Breathe In, Bleed Out takes us on a trip with Hannah. Sure, her last trip ended in the death of her fiancé, but this will be different. Her friend Tess drags their friend group to a yoga/healing retreat in Joshua Tree, and for a second, Hannah thinks maybe it will be nice.

Then a killer miner starts picking off her friends one by one.

One of my favorite things about Brian’s writing is that he writes like a horror fan writing for horror fans—because he is. Breathe In, Bleed Out embodies that, putting on display his professorial knowledge of the conventions of the slasher. We are met with plenty of his trademark creative kills, with a villain who keeps us guessing about who’s behind the mask and what thematic tortures he’s going to subject his victims to next.

On top of keeping us laughing and cringing, Brian’s command of words is evident on the page, all the way down to how he caters the vocabulary of the scene to suit the character involved. Each time a new kill approaches, he begins deftly adapting the scene to the individual. He tosses in phrases like “better than a bench press” and “solid sweat sesh” when we get one-on-one with the “dumb jock” of the group, and effortlessly slips into the mean-girl-turned-yogi voice with phrases like, “flirting is just a harmless expression of loving abundance” when we follow Luna. Or perhaps my favorite example: Lance Corporal Dennings, who we’re told spends his time playing Call of Duty, but “was never called to duty” and is described as having a “PlayStation trigger finger.” We even harken back to Hannah’s past when the guru looks at her with “icepick eyes” and tells her she’s frozen. This attention to detail is what propels Brian to a horror great, and makes every sentence an adventure.

Full of the humor, gore, and artistry we’ve grown to expect (as well as a lampoon of the LA “wellness” scene), Breathe In, Bleed Out is a modern classic with a retro classic cover out from @poisonedpenpress & @brianmcwriter September 2nd!🩸

Btw, I agree: Final Destination IS a slasher.

#horrorbooks #readmorehorror #horrorreview #slashers

I think I found a new author I'll put on auto order with this book ! I definitely put Brian's other books on my TBR.

I have so much fun with this witty, gory, dark and funny slasher story!

First of all, let's be honest, I initially requested this Arc on Netgalley for the cover. I barely read the summary but give me slasher vibes and a hot 80's style horror book cover and I'm all in.

I grew up with movies like black Christmas, Scream, I know what you did last summer or Psycho. This kind of horror is definitely my cup of tea and Brian McAuley's Breathe in, Bleed out lives up to it.

The character development is good, the female characters too (something I always find tricky to root for when written as a main character by a man).

And you definitely has this slasher "campus" vibes. The meetup between old school friends who grew up mostly out of the friendship over the years and do this retreat more for old time sake even if they kind of hate each other (did they really liked each other at some point or as all school friends dynamics, just stick with the first people coming around to fit in the crowd and don't be seen as outsider ?) is part of the horror trip for me 😅.

I like how the cultural appropriation is approached here and I thought at first that was it, I got the killer and the main plot line and then it bounced from one possibility to another but still keep everything wrapped up together thighly. I loved that !

It's really solid. Great plot, great development, excellent dynamics between the characters, it's well written, witty and unapologetically gross sometimes.

Anyway, I'm always rooting for unhinge female character in horror, witty and sarcastic, who tries to keep her own head out and ends up doing all the work. I loved Hannah really much and the trio of "final girls" vibes is a good bonus.

Big thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for the arc. I love a mystery/ thriller slasher and Breathe In, Bleed Out did not disappoint! The character development is rocky at first, but worth staying and investing into their development. This is a fast paced read if you like slasher stories with a twist of humor.

A White Lotus desert slasher?! Maybe it’s because I just finished the newest season of The White Lotus so that was floating in my head, but I kept thinking as I read this, “wow this reminds me a tiny bit of if there was a slasher in a season of The White Lotus”, and how that would make the show even better. Anyway, sign me up for that!

Where do I begin with Mr. Brian McAuley? He has such a way with writing interesting characters that you are immediately drawn to and makes you sit back, strap in, and enjoy the bloody ride he’s about to take you on.

First off, I love the backstory with Hannah and Ben and slowly learning about what happened on that fateful day that changed Hannah’s life forever. The grief and trauma she is dealing with looms in the background of the entire story like a chill that keeps creeping its way back to the surface.

The group of friends going on a trip to get away from all the life bullshit is one of my favorite settings and Brian McAuley’s take is so much fun. This group of wild weirdos were so fun to be with on this journey. Hannah has closed herself off to them for the most part during the last year while she deals with her grief so this is the first time they’ve really been together in a long time. The dynamics between them was funny and even sad at times. Just imagining hanging out with them in the desert would be a real trip.

Once they’re at the spiritual retreat things just get weird and bloody and fun and scary. The kill scenes are brutal and gross and everything you want your slasher to be. The twists and turns are executed masterfully and will keep you guessing until the end.

Brian McAuley is slashing his way to the top with the greats with every bloody word he writes. Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer fans need this book on their shelf.

I really loved unhinged retreats and this book did not let me down! I found Hannah to be a very interesting character and spent most of the book wondering if she was hallucinating or really seeing what was happening. A few red herrings thrown in made for an enjoyable read.