When I want an escapist thriller with a fresh twist, Darcy Coates never disappoints, and that’s true again with How Bad Things Can Get.

It’s the 20th anniversary of a mass cult suicide of which only one child survived - Ruth, now an adult and part of an adventure weekend on a remote island with three friends where her past trauma is sure to be revisited.

Between her own nightmares - and daymares - and the games/pranks that Eton - the influencer who’s hosting the event - has planned, Ruth can’t tell if the injuries and deaths she starts seeing are real, but she gets the answer soon enough.

How Bad Things Can Get was hard to put down, especially as secrets started being revealed and the action stepped up and is a perfect thriller for anyone who finds themselves scrolling social media or listening to true crime podcasts - or is just looking for an exciting, engrossing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

What wild concoction of a book did I just read?! The premise drew me in immediately and the book as a whole delivered. I am fascinated by stories set on islands and 'How Bad Things Can Get' took advantage of this setting by creating an atmospheric story that was horrific, thrilling and mysterious. I could not put it down!

I was there for The Blair Witch Project vibes, and I personally could feel similar vibes between this book and TV shows such as Survivor and LOST—or any medium that explores islands as a setting, really! 'Cults' as a theme was also prominent in this story, and I love how this theme was present and interwoven throughout. 'How Bad Things Can Get' felt both familiar and completely out of this world to me. Having said that, this book was chaotic, but in the best way possible!

This is my second Darcy Coates book I've read, and I'll definitely be reading more!

Thank you to Poison Pen Press and Net Galley for giving me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5

I had to DNF this one which made me feel bad because I do like some of Darcy Coates books. I truly tried but I was getting bored and just couldn't. Still appreciate the acceptance and thank you like always NetGalley.

I've read a lot of Darcy Coates and while this one wasn't my favorite I can see it would appeal to a lot of people. The premise is fun and exciting, influencers participating in deadly games for money mixed in with a cult backstory and a suspenseful mystery. I liked the games and the overall plot but I wasn't a huge fan of any of the characters and found them to be very young adult, even though they were supposed to be older. I found myself skimming some parts but overall it was a decent thriller with an interesting concept.

It took a little bit for me to fully get into this book, but at about the middle point, I was fully invested. I really enjoyed the very satisfying descriptions of the cult and carnage that ensued. Cult books are some of my favorites, and this was not a disappointment.

“I know some of you have already heard about our island’s reputation,” Eton said, pacing along the stage, eyes bright. “But have you heard the full story? Do you know the legend…the legend of the cannibal witch?”

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates
🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️ 🏝️

QUICK SUMMARY 🖊️
What is suppose to be a fun festival full of games, music and parties quickly turns to a fight of survival and learning you can’t outrun your past.

FINAL THOUGHTS 💭
We have a deserted island, cults and murder. This page turner will keep you up at night between the creepy vibes and need for more. This suspense is real in this one where it shows that it doesn’t pay to try and run from your past.

Amazing amazing I loved it !! Fun fast paced loved tge storyline the characters everything about this story was whewwwww so good the duke everyone should read this

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for the advanced copy and opportunity to leave a review before publication.

Darcy is a must read for me. I devoured her entirely library when I discovered her in 2020 and recommend her to everyone who asks for new reads in horror. What a treat to now be able to read her works early.

Ruth has spent so long trying to escape her past and live a normal life in obscurity. When her partner wins four spots on an exclusive trip designed by a famous YouTuber with the chance to win cash prizes in a series of games, Ruth joins his group of best friends. But things start off rough and progressively get worse, and everything Ruth has fought so hard to keep in the dark could come to light.

Full of paranoia and the suspense of being trapped on a remote island with a dark past of its own as bodies start to pile up, I loved How Bad Things Can Get. The twists and reveals were great with plenty of gore to elicit a physical reaction. What a fun ride, I never could have guessed how it would end.

There is a reason Ms Coates is such an in-demand author and this story is an excellent example! Literally had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, waiting for the next twist or turn. A brilliant, fast paced, eerie novel that you definitely don't want to miss!

I’m a HUGE fan of Darcy Coates’ haunted house books and I’ve never read any of her others, so I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting into with this one but WOW. Despite being ghost free, I was completely on edge and terrified! The book started off at a slower pace which helped me to get an understanding of Ruth and her history as well as the setting and other characters involved. When the pace picked up it REALLY picked up! There was so much gruesome imagery that I wasn’t expecting but absolutely loved! this book is packed with body horror if that’s your cup of tea. Oh, and did I mention there’s a cult too!?

4⭐️
ARC read
Pub date: 8/26/25

So disgusting, chilling, and unsettling! I loved it! This was definitely more gory than I was expecting but this story kept me hooked. I went in blind almost immediately after receiving this ARC and really enjoyed it! Wacko cults…always so much fun to read about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review!

This book was in between 3 and 4 for me but I decided to round it up and it does deserve the rating.

This book had a ton of my favorite elements, cults, multiple points of view, flash backs, suspense and of course the gore and horror aspect.

If you’re looking for a book with a lot of any of the above aside from the multiple points of view this book isn’t for you. But there are bits of all of them throughout the book which made it incredibly enjoyable for me.

People trapped on an island playing a major social media influencers game where everything goes wrong? This had the potential to be a 5 star read if the games would have just been a little bit more intense. But even with that said Coates will always be an auto read author for me

How Bad Can it Get was a fast, gory read. I think it’s a good summer book with the island setting. I do wish we focused more on the cult itself rather than the festival.we got a few facts about it at the very end, but it would have been nice to have a more established background on it.

4.5✨
I’m usually not one for a summer setting thriller, but this one was absolutely WILD (in the best way possible). It was dark, mysterious, gory, twisted, and so beyond well written. I’m a huge fan of anything Darcy Coates and let me tell ya… she’s done it again, folks.

Thank you to @darcybooks @netgalley and @poisonedpenpress for this ARC in exchange for my review!

How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates

I have only read a few of Darcy Coates’ books but I enjoy them and this one was no different. A slow build up but once the action started I devoured it. Cults, cannibalism and cursed islands, oh my! How can all of that fit together in this atmospheric, suspenseful, thrill of a horror book?! That is the magic of Darcy Coates.

When influencer and millionaire, Eton holds a 5 day getaway for other influencers, guests, VIPs and friends, Ruth finds herself on a secluded island with her boyfriend and 2 other friends. With games, drinks and chances to win a lot of money she finds herself competing with everyone but then people start getting hurt and some start disappearing. Then the history of the island is uncovered and all hell breaks lose.

It’s supposed to be a party to die for, but when people actually start dying the panic ensues.

I loved the setting, I loved the plot line and I enjoyed the way Coates can bring everything together in one insane book.

Expected release: August 26, 2025

Actual rating: 4,5 stars

Darcy Coates proves once again that she knows exactly how to craft a gripping, edge-of-your-seat horror experience. How Bad Things Can Get delivers a masterclass in slow-burning dread, building relentless tension that culminates in a jaw-dropping, gore-filled finale.

This book was disturbing in all the best way. It was terrifying, graphic, and completely impossible to look away from. The atmosphere was dark and haunting, brought to life through vivid, unsettling descriptions.

The pacing was perfectly balanced, drawing you deeper into the horror with well-timed twists and a plot that keeps you guessing without ever dragging. It’s an intense, violent ride that doesn’t shy away from body horror and psychological terror, and it fully lives up to its chilling premise.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Darcy Coates used to write what I’d call cozy horror books. They were all fine, more or less, but they were also all 3-star books. That changed when she released Dead of Winter, which I really enjoyed. Her latest book is her most ambitious between the setting, number of characters, etc. A few times while reading this, I forgot who had written it. That’s how unlike Coates’ earlier writing this book feels like.

The basic plot is that a small girl who survived a death cult grew up, changed her name, and hid her past. She’s only shared even a small part of it with her boyfriend, and I get why — everyone knows about the cult, and lots of incorrect tales about her are widely believed to be factual.

Meanwhile, she and a group of 3 more win passes to attend a weekend held by Eton. If the names seems too close to Elon, you’re right. The character was absolutely at least partially based on Elon Musk. Here, though, he’s a mega streamer who puts on complex games and gives away lots of money.

Eton planned 5 days on a remote island with his 700+ guests. But we all know what happens when Musk plans something, right? That’s right; it explodes on the launch pad. Something similar happens in the book. To give any of it away, though, would be a spoiler.

I enjoyed this book and I liked it that Coates decided to use lots of gore. If Coates continues to write more complex, non-cozy stories like this and Dead of Winter, she’s going to become a must-read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

Now, I will preface this with a disclaimer that I am a fan of Darcy Coates' books. I haven't read them all, but of the ones I have read this one is by far the best.

Darcy has a talent for blending the horrific with creepy tension, so it isn't just gore, which I'm not a fan of. It's a great suspenseful story with elements of horror as a necessary part of the story. Wonderfully utilised.

The characters are well-written and easy to empathise with. You want them to survive.

There is no glorifying cults here, just a hard reminder that everyone is human, infallible, and for the most part, banal - even cult leaders.

Loved it!

I’ve had Darcy Coates on my list for a while to read and my only regret is I didn’t pick up her books sooner. This book was so good, I couldn’t wait until I could pick it back up. There were several parts of the book that had me genuinely freaked out. I loved the concept; the mixing of a giant festival with social media influencing with geographical isolation on an island and cults was riveting to me.

I seriously cannot wait to read more of this author. Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

To say I was beyond excited when I was approved for a new Darcy Coates book is an understatement. This book was such a fun ride and felt like being on an adventure with crime, horror, and thrills at every turn of a page. I also enjoyed the characters in this book, all so different but that means almost any reader can relate to one of them. I think the title of this book says it all, How Bad Things Can get and when they do, it gets even worse but such a fun read. I will be buying a physical copy to share once this is published. Thank you NetGalley!!