I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200
by Robert Brockway
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Pub Date Jan 27 2026 | Archive Date Not set
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Description
To bright and anxious eight-year-old Kay Washington, the worst thing in the world is being alone with the quiet. That’s why Eddie Video makes the perfect imaginary friend: He’s smart, he’s loud, he loves pulling pranks, and he’s always there to chase away the silence.
To mid-forties, down-on-his-luck Ivan, the worst thing in the world happened when he lost his imaginary friend. Now cursed with the ability to see everyone else’s, Ivan makes a living by killing the imaginary friends of adults who couldn’t let go. But when one of Eddie Video’s “pranks” goes too far, Ivan agrees to make an exception and help Kay.
Only Ivan will soon learn that Eddie Video is nothing like the talking ostriches, star bears, and goblin princesses he’s encountered in the past, and it’s going to take a lot more than clumsy haymakers and steak knives to bring him down. A balance of comedy and catharsis, this dual-narrative tackles both the fear of growing up and the scars our childhood leaves behind.
Advance Praise
“Brockway’s latest alternates between body blows of caustic whimsy and uppercuts of body horror, and you’ll never know which is coming next. Be warned: Many children are harmed, so this novel is not for the faint of heart. But then again, neither is childhood."—Jason Pargin, New York Times bestselling author of the John Dies at the End series
“A chimerical, page-turning wonder of magic and menace, held together by the big, beating heart at its center.”—Jeremy Robert Johnson, author of The Loop
“I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200 captures that magical time in childhood we look back on as adults and realize we were in a hell of a lot more danger than we ever thought possible.”—Stephen Blackmoore, author of Dead Things
“Equal parts beautiful and skin-crawlingly creepy, this is probably the most heartwarming horror story I’ve ever read.”—Peter Clines, New York Times bestselling author of God’s Junk Drawer and The Broken Room
“A wild-eyed, psychedelic madhouse of a novel that sucker punches you before you can get away, then sits on your chest and makes you read it.”—Jackson Ford, author of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t With Her Mind and The Bone Raiders
“Funny as balls and creepy as hell.”—Django Wexler, author of Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9798890033659 |
| PRICE | $27.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 352 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 10 members
Featured Reviews
David R, Reviewer
I really enjoyed this horror/comedy novel. It had the right amount of both with some sincere moments scattered throughout as well.
A man who's REALLY down on his luck has an idea to offer his services to kill people's imaginary friends for $200. He knows these things are real because, when he was younger, he killed his own. And he misses his ape friend very much.
In the meantime, there's an eight year old girl, Kate, who's imaginary friend is the host of a weird YouTube show, Eddie Video. Eddie's not always friendly and his plans are anything but innocent as he slowly begins to take over Kate's life.
These two stories will come together in bloodshed (well, at least glittery purple blood that looks like stuffing) and violence as a battle rages between Ivan, the imaginary friend killer, and Eddie Video.
Equal parts dreadful and hilarious, this novel takes the concept of imaginary friends and puts a horrific spin on it while making you laugh at the same time. I highly recommend it.
Heather S, Reviewer
This was a fun and campy horror comedy that I was highly entertained by! It'll make you feel creeped out but laugh at the same time.
Jess R, Reviewer
4.5 star rounded up
Wow, to say this book shocked me would be an understatement. It was such an absurdist take on the world while producing the most profound thoughts I’ve had in a very long time.
Something that will stick with me is that poor children make imaginary friends to protect them. But what happens when protecting becomes too much and manipulative?
A comedic horror that will have me reeling for days. The writing is amazing, making it easy to differentiate between the different character storyline’s.
I could go on and on and on about this book and still not say everything I want to say. Read it. Highly recommend
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