I was given an advance digital copy of this book through NetGalley and I honestly expected to enjoy this book but I did not expect to love it as much as I did.
The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre is a typical slasher with lots of kills and each one different and more imaginative than the last.
What really connected me to this book was the characters and how I fell in love with them, especially main character Rose DuBois. I hope I'm a portion as fiery as she is in my late 70s.
What I will carry forward from this book is all of the thoughtful discussion and insight the book had about aging. How younger people view the elderly and how it feels to be perceived that way. How it feels to be in the twilight of your life and know that your last day could be upon you at any time. How it feels to lose your independence. How it feels to slip into dementia, or watch your loved ones do so.
I was also surprised by how well the book dealt with the after effects of trauma on an individual and how they carry that forward into their life and relationships.
Not really spoilery spoiler - the killer reveal didn't surprise me. I would have loved them to be more flushed out and have more backstory on them, but honestly at the end of the day I'm not mad about it.
Read this book when it comes out in September. You won't regret it. I flew through it in just a few days because I was having so much fun with it.

Red herrings, in shades of giallo.
The campus is a retirement community, and the residents are being picked off one-by-one in gruesome and inventive ways. The friend group is mature, and there's a deeper sentimentality than a teen slasher. Sightly campy vibes and dark humor bring some levity and fun to the madness. Also, Rose rules!

This author knows how to not only blow my mind, but scare the heck out of me as well. The story was very unsettling and creepy…and it takes a lot for a horror book to affect me as much as this one did. Definite contender for my top reads of the year.

This book is carnage in compression socks, and I loved every page. Fracassi takes the slasher formula and gives it a fresh twist by handing the spotlight to a sharp, seventy-something heroine who refuses to be dismissed.

Rose DuBois is living a quiet life at Autumn Springs Retirement Home, until "quiet" starts involving a few too many unexplained deaths. At first, it's easy to brush off—people are old, accidents happen. But Rose is no fool. Alongside her quick-witted best friend Miller, she starts digging into what's really going on, and what she finds is far from accidental.

The story is packed with suspense, humor, and a surprising amount of emotional depth. Fracassi manages to keep the atmosphere tense while also weaving in genuine moments of connection, loss, and reflection. Rose isn’t just clever and observant—she’s full of warmth and grit, someone you immediately want to root for. The pacing picks up fast, and once the danger becomes clear, it’s nearly impossible to stop reading. I finished most of the book in one sitting, completely pulled into the mystery and chaos unraveling behind the pastel wallpaper and shuffleboard tournaments.

There’s something moving about watching older characters face down fear and fight back. The horror is visceral, the laughs hit just right, and the emotional beats sneak up on you. It made me think about aging, memory, and the way society tends to overlook people once they reach a certain age. Smart, gory, witty, and touching—this is a slasher that cuts deep in more ways than one.

I've come across several titles recently in which I struggled initially, only to persevere after seeing the glowing reviews - and to be so immensely glad I did. This is another. I loved the concept here, but the build was VERY slow and I was struggling to keep the many characters and their situations straight in my head - as well as to stay engaged, due to the somewhat banal nature of the scene-setting for so much of the story. Once things kicked into gear though, they REALLY picked up, and from that point on I was hooked.

This one is as much about aging and maintaining one's autonomy as it as about serial killing, and that means that parts of the book are very slow-going and thoughtful. It wasn't what I expected, and it almost turned me off. But the whole is so much more than the sum of its parts here, and there really is a lot of action and social commentary wrapped up into this package.

The primary characters were compelling. I understand why there were so many side characters (in a serial killer novel you need victims, after all) and while I appreciate that they weren't generically introduced just to up the body count, as in so many thrillers, their individual stories and setups did slow the pace frequently. Be prepared for that, and you'll be fine - I wasn't, and almost lost the threads early on. Stick with this one - there's a wild story here, even if a bit conveniently tied together in the end, and it's worth the time it takes to get there!

I loved this book. The author did great at making the story interesting and suspenseful. When the book is published, I will have to buy it on Kindle. Thank you Philip Fracassi and NetGalley for letting me read this copy early!

Philip Fracassi, who’s a new-to-me author, had me from page one with this one—the opening is genuinely compelling and immediately sets up both the darkly comedic tone and the stakes. Rose DuBois is an absolute delight as our lead character, bringing exactly the kind of sharp observation and life experience you want in a protagonist navigating potential danger. The fresh take on the "final girl" trope is brilliant—instead of some college kid making questionable decisions, we get a woman in her late seventies who's lived long enough to know when something's off. It's campy and fun in all the right ways, but make no mistake: this book doesn't shy away from genuine gore. There's an early scene where a woman gets her neck snapped under the killer's boot that'll remind you this isn't cozy mystery territory.

Here's where things get tricky for me, though. At probably eh, 25% too long, the book suffers from trying to juggle too many different elements without fully committing to any single approach. It wants to be campy horror, genuine thriller, social commentary, ensemble mystery, and character study all at once. I kept waiting for it to pick a lane and really excel in that space -the way Hendrix nails the balance in "The Final Girl Support Group" or how Osman perfects the cozy-but-clever tone in his mysteries—but instead it felt like it was doing five different things without quite nailing any of them completely.

That said, Fracassi clearly has talent—his backlist speaks for itself, and I definitely want to read more of his work. There's real skill here in both the writing and the concept, even if the execution didn't quite gel for me. If you're looking for something that blends horror with humor and don't mind a book that swings for the fences (even if it doesn't always connect), this might absolutely work for you.

This was spectacular. I 100% could see it as a film too. It truly hit for a slasher. Very rarely are the elderly showcased in horror, and often it’s for disgust. That isn’t the case here and I appreciated that. The pacing was beautiful.
All around a stellar work

This book manages to successfully meld genres-- it is a darkly funny, sweet, cozy whodunit-- more of a thriller than horror story, but has its share of violent moments involving the elderly. The deaths don't come easy.

Overall this is a fun book!
Rose DuBois (can't help but think of the Golden Girls) is a memorable-senior-citizen-final-girl and if you can guess who the killer is... you're good!

Boys In The Valley was one of the scariest books I read last year, and I had to get my hands on an e-ARC of this author’s newest book, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre. This was darkly funny, original as far as setting, and it was a bloody mess. I found it to be interesting how a slasher was woven into a dark comedy set inside of a nursing home. It was a lot of characters to keep up with, but I never got lost. Definitely a great one to pick up if you’re a horror fan!

This is my first novel by Philip Fracassi and I loved it this was a blast.
Someone is terrorizing the community of the Autumn Springs Retirement Home. One by one, they are being killed off to look like natural deaths or accidents that are common among the elderly, but Rose does not believe this so her and her friends being to investigate.

The elderly are so rarely featured nicely in fiction/horror. This, however, was done so nicely and with respect to the older generation. It remarks on how invisible the elderly in retirement homes are, lonely and forgotten by family unable/unwilling to take them in or too busy to visit. A lot of them with nowhere else to go, in the case of this story even when there is a murderer on the lose killing them off, this gives it a kind of locked door claustrophobic thriller vide, they have no choice but to stay. It’s sad but unfortunately believable.

Philip Fracassi perfectly blends the feel of a cozy mystery with an edge of your seat who-done-it that is not overly easy to figure out and leaves you flopping back and forth thinking you know who it is. He takes the slasher formula and final girl trope and turns it on its head giving us a 70+ year old final girl and the setting of a retirement home. With thought provoking themes the characters are not just fodder to be killed off you get to know them and get to sit in there POV’s.

This book is light on the gore, but the slasher vibe is strong and present. Even got me a little choked up towards the end. This was highly unique and original, and I absolutely love it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Philip Fracassi for the eARC.

This was a fun take on the slasher horror film sort of book. A group of retirees in a retirement community start experiencing a higher than normal number of deaths, that may or may not be natural. Rose is the main character and starts to realize that even though they are elderly, they shouldn’t be dying this often. She is a smart, but flawed character and I enjoyed seeing the whole story play out through her eyes. You get snippets of the other residents and parts of their life experiences, which really brought a new perspective, as well as some views from the killer. The pacing was a little start and stop, which had me taking longer than usual to finish this book though. The killer reveal wasn’t who I expect but seemed a little rushed. Overall, it was an enjoyable story even if the pacing was a bit all over the place.

Thanks to NetGalley & TOR Nightlife for letting me read this and giving my honest review.

Who says slashers are just for teens and twenty-somethings in remote cabins? And why did we have to wait so long to realize that a retirement home could be the perfect setting for a slasher romp? With a cast of silver-haired sleuths, nosy neighbors, and more gossip than a high school cafeteria, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre is an absolute riot.

Our sleuthing dream team, Rose and Miller, may not be official, but their not-a-couple chemistry positively zings. Add in a retirement home where gossip travels faster than a Life Alert signal, and you’ve got all the makings of a deliciously twisted whodunit. Because really, what else are the residents of Autumn Springs supposed to do—knit and wait to die peacefully?

Things take a turn for the fabulously fatal when one of their closest friends turns up dead in her bathtub with a suspiciously snapped neck and a broken hip.

What follows is a gleefully macabre whodunit, light on gore but the slasher spirit is alive and stabbing. I flew through it, donning my own detective hat as Rose and her friends raced to uncover the killer in an attempt to stem the growing pile of corpses that would make Jason Voorhees proud.

Forget Werther’s Originals—these seniors are serving deadly originality. They came for the early bird special… and stayed for the serial killer.

And yes, I’m humbly confessing that I only just realized the book cover depicts the slasher’s arm wielding a knife—not a bizarre rock formation in the desert. Don’t judge me. Or do. I earned it

An incredibly unique and clever spin on the final girl trope. I love when an author breathes a breath of fresh air on the genre. I mean, a slasher set in a retirement home? Genius way to explore societal views on the elderly and I loved the smart commentary. Great supporting characters. I genuinely cared about every resident at Autumn Springs and some of these deaths were so hard. The kill count was insane and I had fun with the whodunit. I actually did not guess the killer, which I always love.

My favorite Fracassi so far and just as well done as Boys in the Valley.

The character development in The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre was fantastic, as I really felt connected to each resident and their unique personalities. As a caregiver to the elderly myself, I found the portrayal of life in a retirement home to be accurate and relatable.

While some parts of the story were a bit unbelievable for my taste, the overall plot was engaging and kept me guessing until the end. The blend of dark humor, violence, and mystery made for a captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Philip Fracassi did a great job of creating a unique and memorable protagonist in Rose DuBois, a final girl unlike any other. Her determination and wit made her a character I couldn't help but root for.

Overall, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre is a thrilling and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of horror, mystery, and dark humor. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and twisted take on the slasher genre.
This was a ARC sent to me with a Expected publication of September 30, 2025. @pfracassi

#arcbook #horrorbook
#addictedtobooks23 #addictedtoreading ##bookstagram #over40bookstagram

I mean...this gives you everything you could want in a slasher and more. I ate up the last 2/3 in a day--for a 400 page book, I'd say that speaks to how riveting this is. It's thrilling with a side of gruesome. It's dark and witty. It was even moving and tearful at times as the author touches on the tender aspects that come with aging. I no longer have grandparents, but I wish I had been a little more attentive or present in their lives.

Fracassi can craft a sparkling and unique story, create an impeccable atmosphere AND develop characters rich with personality. He's kinda all that and a bag of chips.

The thought of a serial killer at a retirement home instantly sucked me in. Who would think that old people are being offed one by one, aren't they just old, kind of thing.

In this story, we follow Rose. She's in her late 70s but still as feisty as ever! When people start passing away in unusual ways, Rose knows something is up right away. She and her friend, Miller, try to piece together what's really happening at the Retirement Home. But everyone has secrets, Rose just needs to find out who is hiding something sinister.

I enjoyed the idea of this book. I was pretty shocked by the twist, but I feel like I could have used a bit more of an explanation as to why this Massacre occurred. We got the "who dun it" but I'm still uncertain what spurred these actions. Rose was a witty and sweet MC who was easy to like. I also enjoyed that the story had a bit more depth to it, other than just a slasher novel...although, don't get me wrong, there was definitely some slashin' going on! Massacre was right!


Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date : September 30, 2025

An absolutely stunning book with tons of heart and lovable characters. you cheered for Rose throughtout the book. some nice humour at times also. Philip Fracassi has become a must read for me and we need more from him ASAP!!! he needs more book deals so make sure to sign him up for some more publications. This one is going to be huge!! thanks for letting me read this one early.

I was pleasantly surprised by Fracassi’s THE AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE. A slasher novel set on a retirement home campus? I expected zaniness, and instead I got a lot of feelings from this one.

Yes, there is a murderer on the loose in the novel because the residents are dropping like flies on the retirement home campus. I say campus because there are multiple buildings with stages of care, and the residents know the medical facility and definitely hospice are the last stages of their retirement. (This felt very true to life that the residents would have all sorts of shorthand about the most advanced care on the campus.)

Rose, the main character, is a highlight of the book. She’s strong, smart, and capable. Yet, she bore a lot of tragedy in her younger years, and she’s protecting her heart with her fellow resident admirer Miller. She’s an interesting contrast to some of the other residents, and I love how the author told her arc. However, the author identified her as black, but there was a lack of black identity told through the story. I was looking for those and was disappointed to not see them.

While this is technically a horror novel, there’s not a lot of gruesomeness on the page. You’ll definitely find more grim talk than in a cozy mystery, but not to what I expected going on.

I didn’t like who the murderer was. I like a few more clues. There was a portion of this book where I thought I knew where the author was going, and I LIKED the possibility. But then there was the pivot, and it didn’t feel like there were any crumbs leading there.

Much more than I expected, and I recommend this book for those who like older protagonists and don’t mind a little horror in a unique setting.

This novel publishes September 30, 2025. Thank you to Tor Nightfire and Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Philip Fracassi and Tor Publishing for an ARC of this book!

What a ride! This was such a fun, horrific thrill ride - I didn’t even realize how much I was missing something like this! Fracassi’s writing is outstanding. The emotional connection he creates, not just with the main character, but with all the supporting characters is one of the main reasons I loved this book so much. I felt like I knew each character in some way, which made every twist hit harder and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I absolutely loved Rose - her fierceness and determination throughout the story were incredible. Overall, this was an awesome read, from the original plot to the well-developed characters and that surprise reveal! I honestly can’t recommend it enough… you need to read this book!