A bloody fun time. Binged this in one sitting. Highly recommend to anyone who wants a slasher with depth and a cool setting. Really dug the connection to mining, too. It felt fresh.

Brian McAuley is officially a master of the slasher. The inventiveness of the kills in this book are almost euphoric in the way they give you the kinds of feelings that only came from Freddy kills or Scream openings. It’s that much fun, that gory, that brutal, and just awesome. It’s also a fantastic parody of wellness culture and the cultural appropriation that often comes with it. Add a fierce and complex final girl and you’ve got yourself an instant slasher classic.

Did I read this book in one evening? You bet your ass I did. It’s no secret I’m a Brian STAN. His stories never disappoint. They’re full of all the slashery goodness we crave with a dash of the best, most hilarious one liners in the business. Hannah goes on the spiritual retreat from literal hell. The kills in this book rival Final Destination, in both imaginativeness & gross factor. I loved every second. Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. I implore you to give this a read when it publishes September 2, 2025 I MEAN IT.

Buckle up for a road trip into the desert for a rehabilitating retreat. There's a steam lodge, natural hot springs, and real bloodbath!! This gripping and fast-paced horror mystery will keep you turning pages and guessing all the way to the end.

I love my slashers and this one was a real treat.
The story respects and transcend the rules of the genres.
The characters are worth investing in, there is a lot of misdirections and even more gruesome kills.
I especially loved the setting of the weird wellness retreat and that the Final Girl has her own bloody traumatic past to bring to the table.
I loved every page of it and I will definitely read other books from this author.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!