“𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 (𝘯.) —𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘦.”

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁:
🔪The story follows Lynnette, who witnessed and survived the brutal, horrific murder of her parents, sister, and boyfriend. Over 20 years later, she lives paranoid and alone, where every aspect of her life is planned in painstaking detail.

🔪Lynette ventures out once a month to join a therapist and five others in a Final Girls Support group. No one has missed a meeting in over 16 years, but lately, the group’s cohesion and purpose show signs of cracking.

🔪When one member fails to show up to a meeting, they find out she is dead and the women immediately scatter. Their safety has been compromised, and The Monster is determined to kill all the remaining Final Girls.

🔪Lynette needs to stop the killer before it’s too late.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:
🔪Confession: I have never seen Friday the 13th, or any of the famous horror films of this genre, nor am I a big fan of horror novels; HOWEVER, this book, cleverly riffing off campy, 1980’s slasher films was a fun twist, and I couldn’t put it down.
Contains plenty of twists and turns until you don’t know who to trust anymore.

Gory graphic descriptions of violence and torture may be a trigger for some. I also wondered about the misogynist aspect of all these films, but in this book, it’s the women who get top billing and not the killer.

Each chapter has been given a horror film-like name, and photos of multimedia material (newspaper clippings, articles, even a VHS cover), interspaced throughout the book was a clever enhancement.

I’m sure I missed many of the slasher film references, I learned afterward the women were named after actresses who portrayed famous Final Girl, e.g. Adrienne, Texas Chainsaw Massacre

I'm not a converted horror genre fan, but I will read other Grady Hendrix books!

Eeeek loved this one so much! It was totally like a scream knockoff but with all final girls. The characters were super over the top but I’m totally here for that. Nothing at all like his last book - but totally still is able to set a vibe like no other.

A fast-paced, thrilling horror novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seat, this one grips you from the start and doesn't let go. Drawing on Hendrix's extensive knowledge of the slasher flick genre, this one is a treat for horror fans who will recognize the little Easter eggs throughout. While this has some of the trademark humor of Hendrix's previous titles, it also offers a more straightforward send-up of the Final Girl trope, and it almost feels like a small move in a new direction for an author who has amassed a well-deserved and devoted following. Put this in the hands of fans of slasher movies - and put this on your lists for scary reads for the Halloween season.

If you are a fan of horror books or true crime books, you need to check this one out! I have only read one other Grady Hendrix book, Horrostor, but after reading the synopsis of The Final Girl Support Group, I knew that I wanted to check it out. We all know the final girls- Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween, Neve Campbell in Scream, Heather Langenkamp in Nightmare on Elm Street, and many more. These are the girls that have survived the unimaginable and lived to tell their story. You can add Lynette Tarkington to the list, who is the main character of The Final Girl Support Group. Years ago, she survived a massacre,and since then, she has been going to a support group of other final girls led by Dr. Carol. Lynnette has learned to live a life after tragedy, which also includes being extra vigilant, learning self-defense, having multiple escape routes, and many more. But pretty soon, someone starts targeting their group of final girls. Of course, this is Lynette's worst nightmare, but she thinks she may be able to stop whomever is targeting their group. I really enjoyed this one! There were a couple of times where I got all of the characters confused, but for the most part, I found this to be a really enjoyable read. It was really fast-paced, which made it a quick read. The suspense that Hendrix creates is palpable, and I found myself literally racing through the pages to find out what was going to happen next. This would definitely make a cool mini-series or movie. Sometimes, I don't always like watching scary movies because they are too scary, but this one had the perfect balance of scary and suspense with humor thrown in. For example, Heather's character made me laugh. She was vulgar and blatant, and I love that she always said exactly what was on her mind. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and I will be posting a full review on my IG page @readingmama_reviews. Thank you to the publisher for giving me the chance to read a digital ARC of this book!

I'm not a fan of slasher movies but a am a huge fan of Grady Hendrix's previous books (especially Horrorstor, but ALL of them rate so highly with me). I was pleased to read this via Netgalley. I will purchase the book for my personal library - and yes, my public library has it on order.
The pleasing twist in Hendrix's stories writing is you get much, much more than you expect, from a direction you never expected. This support group is like no other, the members are an elite and elusive few. And there are still monsters out there.
The world-building snugs in around the characters, who molt and morph as any good horror movie creature should. Lock the doors and settle in with this excellent read.

We’ve all heard of the so-called final girl, right? This is the woman—usually a virgin—who, through the virtue of her character, becomes the sole survivor of a horrific massacre. If you’ve watched Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer or any of those other trope-tastic films, then you’ve undoubtedly seen a final girl on your screen.

But what happens after the credits roll? That’s what Grady Hendrix explores in The Final Girl Support Group. A handful of final girls have come together, under the direction of a famed psychologist, to talk to each other about their experiences. They’ve been doing this for years to varying success. And now that they’re about to hang up their mantles for good, one of them is murdered.

From there, it’s a whirlwind of conspiracy theories, close calls, and paranoia. Lynette isn’t a final girl according to the technical definition, but she lives every day like she’s one step away from death. This pays off when someone starts going after her and her friends. It’s an interesting concept, and better yet, the book is already on its way to become a TV series produced by Charlize Theron for HBO Max.

"After a while, you start to realize that your life isn't the thing that happens between the monsters, your life is the monsters."

How do you get out of a reading slump? For the last couple of weeks, I've been really struggling to read anything. While I shelves and piles of books just waiting to be read, I couldn't land on something that I just had to read. Whenever I find myself in this situation, I try to go back to my roots and read a genre or author that never lets me down. Oddly enough, horror has quickly become one of my go-to genres. After days of starting and stopping several other novels, Grady Hendrix's latest The Final Girl Support Group finally captured my attention. This clever page-turner based upon classic slasher tropes was just what I needed to kickstart my reading back into high gear.

Even if you aren't a fan of horror movies, you're probably at least tangentially aware of some of the more famous slasher films of the '70s and '80s. Inspiration from movies like Friday the 13th, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Nightmare on Elm Street are all present here. At the end of each movie, the main character is left as the "final girl", the one person remaining who survived the horrors of that story. In this book, Hendrix imagines a world where the horrors of those fictional films occurred in real life. What happens to the final girl after the credits roll?

For Lynette, the horrors that she faced twenty years ago have informed the way she has lived every moment of her life after. She narrowly escaped the brutal murdering of her boyfriend and family, and the fear, paranoia, and guilt of that trauma permeate her every thought. Lynette is certain that a final girl like herself can never move on to have a normal life. She takes some comfort in the weekly gathering of other women who have faced similar tragedies, a final girl support group. Some of the women actually have been able to get on with their lives, but they still come together to support those like Lynette who are unable to surmount their demons.

The group is puzzled one day when one of its members fails to show up. No one can get a hold of her, and Lynette quickly begins to fear the worst. If you've ever seen a sequel to any of those classic horror movies, you'll know that the bad guy never stays down. In fact, they usually make it their mission to get revenge against the final girl from the previous film. Lynette's suspicion is tragically confirmed when the absent final girl is found murdered. Worse than that, whoever killed her knows about the support group and is methodically working to kill every last member.

I first became aware of Grady Hendrix when everyone I knew seemed to be reading his The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I jumped at the offer from his publisher to read The Final Girl Support Group and was happy to find the perfect balance of thriller elements with plenty of callbacks to classic horror lore. Hendrix doesn't shy away from the graphic violence of the genre. If you're even the slightest bit squeamish, this novel probably isn't for you. If you, like me, have a soft spot for these kinds of stories, there's plenty to love in this book. The main character works to battle her internal demons while fighting to keep herself and those she cares about alive. The internal and external battles mirror each other, giving the story a depth of character and reality that balances against the sometimes campy and implausible elements. The ending doesn't quite live up to the build-up that precedes it, but it doesn't detract from the story by any means. In the end, The Final Girl Support Group is a page-turning thrill ride that helped me break free from my reading slump.

What I Liked:
-LOTS of twists that I definitely didn't see coming!
-I liked the perspective being from an older woman - and the narrator was FABULOUS (but I had to put it on 2x speed because she spoke SO slowly)
-I really liked the uniqueness of each character!
-This was GORY - I like true crime stuff but even I shuddered when Lynette described in detail what had happened to her.

What I Didn't Like/Wanted More Of:
-The pacing was off - sometimes it moved quick, sometimes it drug on and on.
-It felt WAY too long.

You Should Read If You Like:
-If you're a true crime fan, this one is for you
-Felt similar to American Horror Story 1984 if you're into that

I will never not be a fan of Grady Hendrix! This book was a great read that I couldn't put down. The story follows a group of women who are each labelled a "Final Girl" because of the tragic events of their lives. But when one spills the dirty details on their support group, someone targets the women and wants to finish the job. I really liked the different perspective this book took on the idea of a 'final girl". Instead of just showing how they survived the fight for their lives, its shown how their lives continue on. Overall a well written and thought out story that kept me guessing who was the mastermind behind it all. I throughly enjoyed The Final Girl Support Group and would recommend this to anyone who likes a face paced thriller that keeps you on edge.

In horror movies, the final girl is the one who’s left standing when the credits roll. The one who fought back, defeated the killer, and avenged her friends. The one who emerges bloodied but victorious. But after the sirens fade and the audience moves on, what happens to her?

Lynnette Tarkington is a real-life final girl who survived a massacre twenty-two years ago, and it has defined every day of her life since. And she’s not alone. For more than a decade she’s been meeting with five other actual final girls and their therapist in a support group for those who survived the unthinkable, putting their lives back together, piece by piece. That is until one of the women misses a meeting and Lynnette’s worst fears are realised—someone knows about the group and is determined to take their lives apart again, piece by piece.

But the thing about these final girls is that they have each other now, and no matter how bad the odds, how dark the night, how sharp the knife, they will never, ever give up.

The Final Girl Support Group is a white-knuckle ride, with plenty of gory thrills in store, but also a complex and fascinating examination of the titular trope and its misogynistic undertones.

Hendrix wastes very little time getting straight into it, setting the tone for the book right from the off. Instantly, there’s this mix of familiar horror references and the real life victims behind these horrific situations (at least within the universe of the book). The horror film references are so fun to see and really highlight the cultural touchstones, in order to ensure that the central conversation has a much larger impact. This book is defined by its examination of and almost conversation with the Final Girl trope. There’s this tension between the final girls’ control of their own narrative and the exploitation of their trauma through these adaptations. Their monsters become cult-classic heroes and this adds an uneasy sense, interrogating societal fascination with these horror villains. By extent, this also parallels how society can be obsessed with real-life monsters, the perpetrators of horrific acts of violence and destruction. Far too often, media focus is on the perpetrators, rather than calling for justice and reminding audiences of those affected by their actions.

The entire concept of this book is just fascinating. It asks what happens to the Final Girl of trope fame once her monster is captured or killed. After the final credits, what happens to these girls who have survived hell on earth? Hendrix utilises this concept so, so well. This was a relentlessly tense and thought-provoking take on the Final Girl trope, using a multi-media format to engage in a conversation with the trope and its misogynistic undertones. It taps into questioning depictions of violence against women on screen and how they are often dehumanised and sexualised. Having these films be based on real life experiences brings the aspects of the male gaze firmly into the spotlight, criticising a societal obsession with violence against women being sexualised and glamourised. It makes for truly thought-provoking reading and opens the door for a much needed conversation within the horror genre.

Hendrix gives these women far more nuance and agency than their on-screen counterparts may get and acknowledges the long-term effects their trauma would have on them. Their reactions differ, especially as the years go by. This also allowed for different ways they all controlled their own narrative, with differing survival techniques employed for them to keep going and keep living. The different characters are allowed so much complexity and every chapter unveils new layers to them. Their relationships and individual coping mechanisms are so fraught and different, highlighting how each of them chooses to survive in this world. Hendrix’s clever use of multi-media elements also means that you gradually discover the details of each of their stories, particularly their Final Girl experiences. This allows them to not just be defined by what happened to them, though it does form a significant aspect of their character.

Of course, the thriller and slasher element of the book also creeps in. It’s been a while since I read a straight up slasher novel, but this was pretty fantastic. Instantly, I knew I was in for a wild ride and Hendrix never let up. The monsters of their past appear to be re-emerging and chasing them down one, by one. Hendrix creates a truly heart-stopping and pulse-pounding atmosphere, thick with tension and suspense. This book is completely unrelenting, with the pace driving forwards and the stakes rising higher and higher. The twists and turns in store are genuinely shocking and you’re often left unsure as to who you can trust or what the truth is.

The Final Girl Support Group asks what happens after the final credits roll in an intriguing, blood-soaked and tense examination of the trope, with a twisty mystery at its core that will keep you on your toes.

I jumped at the chance to join a book tour for this one. The premise sucked me in- final girls are the last ones standing in a horror movie- and typically they’re the last one standing twice (!) meaning they’ve dealt with murdering psychopaths and triumphed twice (yikes!). And my background is social work, so the fact that this book had a final girls’ support group?! No brainer, I had to read it!

I chose to listen and am glad I did. I am not a typical horror /thriller reader (my go-to genre is romance) and I was a little worried this would be too scary for me. Listening was perfect because I was able to keep listening when it got violent or scary (I might have put a book down, but I was able to avoid pausing the audio). The narrator did an excellent job with a variety of voices and emotions. I did listen at a faster speed.

I believe this was a tongue in cheek horror story with a lot of dark humor. It’s definitely over the top- so over the top that I sometimes found myself smiling in the midst of all the violence. I would love for this to become a movie- it would be excellent! The continued action and storyline kept me hooked.

Thanks to NetGalley, PRHaudio, and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this read as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the author for this opportunity. What a thrilling ride that this book took me on and boy I could sleep for a year after I finished. THIS thriller was exhausting in the best way and I just loved every minute.

I went into this book completely blind, even as blind as to not pay attention to who the author of this book was…. Once I realized who the author was, it allllll made sense. If you read The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires, you would understand what a crazy book this was because this author has done it again and done it so much better. These characters were flawed, raw, absolutely unstable, unpredictable,and so damn interesting. What a journey this author took me on and my head is still sooooo dizzy from it all.

The story was not at all what I expected, but I was so hungry for all the details and the conclusion of this wicked tale. The author must have a obsession with the concept of girl group dynamics because like in her first novel, this group of ladies, although they have known each other for such a long time, they really don’t work at all together and don’t really have anything in common and this time it was surviving a horrific and unique attack. They are the final girls, the ones we see and wonder why they survived when so many others didn’t. The final girl concept is explored throughout the story through the plot itself and those side inserts after each chapter. I almost felt that the author was trying to pay homage to Scream 2 in which there was an explanation of a concept while a plot was going on. I loved that little nuisance. I have been obsessed with the concept of the girl since I read Final Girls by Riley Sagar and this book’s in-depth look was pure poetry.

The story was a race against time in the best way possible with so many thrilling twists and circles and roundabouts and U-turns, I felt at one point I either needed to stop and ask for directions or just sit down. Now these characters are so flawed that we need to come up with a new word that is much more extreme to describe them. The idea of a final girls support group was very intriguing to me, but it was just a hot mess. This so-called therapist should have broken up this trope a long long LONG time ago and just gave them therapy sessions individually. Group therapy was not helping in this case…… it only served to keep a consistent activity for these traumatized women to do, but maybe not call it therapy….

The story also explored the idea of fanatics and their role they served in the story of the final girl. It was sick to see how these women were treated and it just made me sad. I may be a little too obsessed with murder and serial killers, but they take my obsession to a completely different level. The idea that serial killers are remembered and not victims is also dominant in the book. The only reasons these final girls are even mentioned is because they managed to survive their attack. I guess surivival of the fittest is at work here…..?

THE TWIST AT THE END CAME OUT OF NOWHERE….. it was beautifully dark and devious and oh so good….

Overall this book was genius and THAT is ALL!

What an interesting book! I liked all the twists and turns to the plot.
I didn’t love being in the brain of Lynnette, whose anxiety is similar to my own. The pages of details written to show Lynnette’s anxiety were a bit mind-boggling and a little hard to get through sometimes.

Overall, a great read

The title is amazing and I had to read it even though most reviews were mediocre. But I hated this book.

A+ for the book title, and the chapter titles are a masters degree in horror film sequels. There was obviously a lot of research into horror films done and if you're a horror aficionado you might have some appreciation all for the hidden shout-outs.

But we have a narrator who is beyond unreliable when we realize she's absolutely bonkers, a plot that has giant globs of twisty-goo just thrown around every few pages, an epilogue in which we find out if a potted plant is going to have a happy life, and just... I mean the amount of nonsense and outright insanity that is thrown around in the story is incalculable. It's not a fun and wild ride, it's just a bunch of chaos.

Would Nightmare on Elm Street translate to the written page? Would Friday the 13th? Scream? They really would not, and I think that is the problem with this story. It just doesn't work on the page. The very last scene on the very last page would have made an outstanding end to a horror film, I would have left the theater laughing and looking forward to talking it out with a friend. But instead that scene was just a welcome relief that the book was mercifully over.

So many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the ARC in exchange for a fair review. Unfortunately you can't win them all, and this one was not for me.

I think I can confidently say that Grady Hendrix is probably one of the most innovative contemporary horror authors ever! This book sealed that for me. The whole concept of this book goes beyond interesting and what makes it even better is that every reader - horror or non-horror fan alike - can understand and appreciate the references. Even if you've never seen the movies of these characters lives, you've heard of them and their countless remakes, sequels, re-imaginings, etc. Now beyond just the concept are the characters themselves. Talk about well-developed and fascinating. Every single one was necessary to drive the narrative and every one was expertly crafted. This is a book I will always recommend to long time horror fans, budding horror enthusiasts, or to those new to the genre because this book goes beyond genre and is just a totally awesome book! Without a doubt a must have for every library collection!

Having read a few of Grady Hendrix’s books, I went into this one expecting a supernatural twist. Needless to say, there isn’t one and this novel tackles monsters only of the human variety.

Lynnette is the unlikeable, paranoid “final girl” (really she’s more on the outskirts of that title because she wasn’t the one to kill the man who viciously murdered her family) who is prepared for everything - or so she thinks. Then someone starts trying to kill off all of the final girls in her therapy group and she realizes her carefully laid plans are useless - so thus begins a race to save herself and her “sisters”.

The action and suspense kept me reading, but unfortunately I wasn’t attached to any of the characters and felt rather ambivalent about their fates. Also some of the plot twists felt a little half hearted and there was no big shock moment for me.

The Final Girl Support Group was one of my highly anticipated reads. I have loved Grady Hendrix’s previous book, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires and have enjoyed the quirky and unique writing style. I knew I would enjoy this book, and I was not disappointed.

This story is centered on Lynette, a final girl who survived a massacre over two decades ago, and her support group that involves other final girls. So what happens when a group of women who survived the unthinkable are now together trying to survive again… craziness and of course the question is, who will survive and become the final, final girl.

This book was what I expected and really enjoyed a change in my usual genre.

This was fun, crazy, and wildly entertaining, and sometimes, that is exactly what I need.

What a fun concept, especially for around Halloween as we all get into the Halloween Slasher film mood! This feels like a nuanced slasher book that has readers on the edge of their seats!

While I really enjoyed this title, I do think that some prior knowledge of the slasher movie genre really helps to enhance the experience of reading it. It's not necessarily required and I think readers would still enjoy this fast-paced thriller that's hard to put down once started.

This is a fast paced action packed book! Grady Hendrix is a great writer and definitely was able to keep my attention the whole time. There were some parts that may have felt a bit unrealistic but that's also what made it a wild ride! It's hard to really explain without saying too much, but if you enjoy horror films this is for you!