If there’s one thing horror author Stephen Graham Jones knows, it’s slasher films. Some of his most famous novels, like The Only Good Indians and The Last Final Girl, play in that subgenre. He even has a column in Fangoria examining the slasher’s significance and resurgence in film history.

So it’s no surprise, then, that Jones is right at home carving up and subverting slasher films in his planned trilogy of Indian Lake novels. The first, My Heart Is A Chainsaw, was published in 2021. The second, Don’t Fear the Reaper, came out earlier this month.

Reaper picks up four years after the bloody concluding events of Chainsaw, where teenage Native American Final Girl Jade Daniels stopped the Lake Witch killer in her hometown of Proofrock, Idaho, but not before a Fourth of July massacre resulted in several deaths, the severe injury of Jade’s friend Letha Mondragon, and a prison sentence for Jade for stabbing and killing her abusive father.

Now, Jade is returning home to start anew after the courts overturn her conviction. She goes by her birth name Jennifer now. She’s given up her almost obsessive fascination with slasher flicks and passed that fascination on to Letha after training her to be the Final Girl in ‘Chainsaw’.

But, on the heels of a hundred-year Christmas storm, a new killer comes out of the shadows to wreak havoc on Proofrock. Convicted Indigenous serial killer Dark Mill South is big, he’s bad, he has a hook for a hand, and he’s on a mission to avenge the deaths of 38 Dakota men who President Lincoln ordered to hang in 1862. And this time, he’s seen all the same slasher movies Jade has. As the body count starts to rack up, Jade has to embrace her encyclopedic horror movie knowledge and again believe that she has what it takes to be the Final Girl.

“Most horror stories, especially slashers, it’s about the rise of the underdog,” Jones said in a 2021 interview with Fangoria promoting Chainsaw. “It’s me versus Cthulhu or me versus Jason Voorhees, and both of those can take me out without even breaking a sweat, so I should not be able to survive this, yet against all odds, against a whole world trying to smush me down, if I push through hard enough, I can make it to daylight. And I think that’s a wonderful model for us to all follow.”

In crafting this sequel, Jones follows that model and also takes the words of Scream’s movie geek Randy Meeks to heart: The body count is always bigger. The death scenes are always much more elaborate. Carnage candy. And never, ever, under any circumstances, assume the killer is dead. He gleefully mixes and matches references to the classic slashers and new ones alike; he continues Chainsaw’s tradition of naming chapters after films like Scream or Happy Death Day or It Follows. Jones also employs names as verbs, making characters “Kane Hodder” their way over to one another or “Shining”s their way through a snowdrift.

He even dedicates Reaper to the late Wes Craven, director of the Scream franchise. Appropriately, he dedicated Chainsaw to producer Debra Hill, the unsung hero of the Halloween films.

If all that sounds like too much of an inside baseball reference fest, rest assured those references are organic to the story, and Jade’s story comes first. Reaper, like Chainsaw before it, is like reading a jump scare in book form. But it’s also empathetic and soulful and gives voice to the characters that often have no agency in these types of stories. Jade loves horror films because they helped her deal with the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, but Jones never dwells on that and instead focuses on all the ways Jade takes those experiences and love of the genre and uses them to save the people she loves. There’s a lot of trauma in these books, but they’re not trauma porn. This is simply a straightforward slasher that knows how to meditate on loss — loss of family, loss of innocence, loss of a town, loss of a culture.

What’s more, Jones goes to great lengths to impart to the reader that the monsters in Reaper are real, because what’s real is often scarier than anything we can imagine. “Elevated horror,” this ain’t.

Reaper is both a loving homage to slashers and a middle finger to conventional horror tropes. Jade is the buzzing chainsaw heart of this series, a story told from the point of view of someone who is Final Girl-adjacent and must believe in herself enough to become the Final Girl.

I can’t wait to see how her story concludes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books as well as Stephen Graham Jones for this ARC. It was amazing.
#NetGalley #StephenGrahamJones #GalleryBooks #Don'tFeartheReaper #LakeWitch#2
Well Mr. Jones, you never cease to amaze, entertain, and horrify, in the best way, I didn't think he could beat the first book. How often does a sequel outshine the OG anyway? Well, this one did. My slasher loving soul has been singing since I finished this one. We reconnect with Jade as she gets out of prison. She returns to Poofrock and, well, you know...
This one took off and rarely let up. The slasher references I loved from "My Heart is a Chainsaw" were still all over the place and there was plenty of visceral and delicious gore. I enjoyed the broader persepctive that we were got this time around. While the first book was from Jade's POV, this one included a lot more interactions from other characters. The returning characters have changed and evolved since we last saw them. I enjoyed Letha more this time around than in the first book. She and Jade, now Jennifer, team up to handle Dark Mill South, a convicted serial killer escapee from a prison transport bus. Now there's blood everywhere and we need a broom to sweep up some of these horror references. Not that I'm complaining...
Stephen Graham Jones' writing style isn't for everyone. His books require concentration. They're fast-paced and very stylized. There is a lot of detail that may make some readers think that this book is longer than it needs to be. I'm not one of them, but I do get it. I do, however, have to set aside some solid reading time in which I can be as distraction free as possible when I'm reading an SGJ. This book, as the others, are not for the casual reader nor the wishy-washy horror fan. Keep up the gore, Mr. Jones!

This is both the middle book in a trilogy and a slasher novel, combining two things I don't usually like; series and horror. Which is to say, I liked the first book in this trilogy well enough to jump right into the second book. And *spoiler alert* I'm planning to read the third book when it is published. Because it is the second book in a horror trilogy, spoilers are unavoidable for the first book. Just letting you know.

A handful of years after the massacre, Jade returns to Proofrock along with an enormous snowstorm which has everyone hunkering down at home. She reunites with her friend Letha, still recovering from her injuries but also married and mother to a toddler. At the same time, a transport moving a serial killer disappears in that same storm. Is it a surprise when the serial killer, a man as well-versed in slasher lore as Jade, shows up in Proofrock?

What makes this book interesting are Jade and Letha and their relationship and knowledge that it's up to them, once again, to stop what's happening. They believe themselves too old to be the target of the killer, but they are certainly willing to take him out, at considerable risk to themselves. Jones manages to make the secondary characters interesting as he gives attention to both characters from the previous books, and a few new ones. Especially well done is the chapter about Jade's mother's life. This is a horror novel that absolutely respects the genre, but it's also a novel about people living in an isolated town in the Wyoming mountains.

I had such high hopes for Don’t Fear the Reaper and really wanted to love it. Instead, I found that it was too slow for my liking. It wasn’t until the 40% mark that I finally began to get into the story. It took just as long for me to wrap my head around what was going on in the story. It was somewhat hard to follow as too many things were happening at once. That said, Reaper may very well be better than My Heart Is A Chainsaw, and although I did not love it, I did enjoy it. As with Chainsaw, there were some incredibly unpredictable and unexpected plot twists. In the end, I was shocked once all was unveiled. It was also cool to see what happened after Chainsaw ended and what became of Jennifer and the other characters. It was worth reading it and catching up with the Proofrock happenings.

Voluntarily reviewed after receiving a free copy courtesy of NetGalley, the Publisher, and the author, Stephen Graham Jones.

Following the overturning of Jade’s conviction from My Heart is a Chainsaw, Jade returns home to Proofrock at the same time serial killer Dark Mill South happens upon the town during a blizzard.
I’m DMS’s own words he’s a revenge slasher: he’s out to even the score for 38 Dakota men hanged in 1862.
This sequel is bloodier. It’s angrier. It’s lusting for lives. I loved every sentence of this. And even better, unlike the slow burn of MHIAC, the action starts immediately in this one.
I listened to audio for the first book and the narration was perfection but I do think reading this versus listening helped me a little since there are so many characters. On that note: those chapters get a voice in this one. Where the first book was just Jade, this time we get Jade, her mom, Galatea Pangborn, the new history teacher, and more.
There are a ton of points of view but it made the book so much better because as with any good slasher, it’s never just one twist.
Absolutely fantastic horror, as per usual for Mr Jones.

Thankyou for the read now option .

This was fantastic. It takes sequel of slashers and turns it sideways, upside-down, backwards in a good way.

I loved everything about it. Jade is my favorite final girl.

I have a rule when it comes to slashers.. With occasional rare exceptions, slasher movies should not exceed 90 minutes and slasher novels should not exceed 350 pages. This latest novel from Stephen Graham Jones, is Book 2 in a trilogy that started with the exceptional My Heart is a Chainsaw (just over 400 well-crafted pages). This sequel is a bloated 464 pages, and there's no need for 100 of them.

The mistake Jones makes here is trying too hard to turn this sequel into a standalone novel. It doesn't work, especially for those of us who loved the first book and would have been cool with it being a one-and-done display of how to write a slasher novel that isn't boring or predictable. Despite the fun film references, and the returning lead and villain — along the promotion of two minor characters —I was ready for this installment to end after 300 or so pages.

So, will I read the concluding third book when it's released? Of course, but only because the author's track record for delivering the goods is that occasional rare exception. And no one ever loves the middle book in a trilogy anyway.

By far one of the easiest ratings I could ever give. I don't think I could stumble upon a Stephen Graham Jones book that I don't like. I loved how this story played out and that we still got the essay kind of format with the weirdly obsessed topics. My Heart Is A Chainsaw will always be a classic in its own right, but I appreciate that this is a trilogy and I get more story.
Loved everything about it, and will be shouting from the roof tops for the foreseable future. Also the audiobook has a large cast and it was very well done.
Thank you to Saga Press and Netgalley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so I spent a lot of time reading into the wee hours of the night on this one. I loved my heart is a chainsaw and when I saw the sequel was coming out I nearly fainted with anticipation. And Stephen did not disappoint. We pick up 4 years after the events in my heart is a chainsaw following are final girls of final girls miss jade. The action in this book picks up right away which is why I lost hours of sleep reading this one twist on twist on twist, I loved it ! The paste in this book is way faster than my heart is a chainsaw which I loved. I will say I could have done with shorter chapters some chapters as long as 80 pages some of us need sleep Stephen lol. This definitely is a love letter to all your favorite slasher films. I’ve found a new thriller/horror author and I can’t wait to see what els he comes out with 🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤 also I want to note that you totally could read this as a stand alone but to really submerse yourself in the story I would recommend you start with the first one.

Don’t Fear The Reaper picks up four years after the end of My Heart is a Chainsaw. Jade Daniels’ case has been overturned and she’s been released from prison, returning to Proofrock right before Christmas. Meanwhile, Dark Mill South has escaped during his prison transfer. The nightmare isn’t over.

I didn’t realize when I first read Chainsaw that this was going to be a trilogy, but I can’t say I’m upset about that. I love Stephen Graham Jones’ writing and will read basically anything he writes. Book two in this trilogy revisits familiar characters and digs deep into the horror of the aftermath of mass trauma. Some people deal with it in healthy ways and other flounder under its weight. Though she’s left her slasher-obsessed days behind, Jade knows the rules, and she’ll have to use them to prevent more deaths and hopefully not end up the final girl, again.

Definitely recommend if you enjoyed the first one, or reading both back to back if you want to get into this cool horror trilogy in the making. It’s out now wherever you get your books.

Don’t Fear The Reaper
By Stephen Graham Jones


Jennifer “Jade” Daniels the reluctant final girl from My Heart Is A Chainsaw, is back. In this sequel, Jade, no scratch that, Jennifer returns to Proofrock and is ready to leave the Independence Day Massacre behind her. It’s four years later and she is starring in her own Comeback Special. Unfortunately, she has chosen to return the same day Dark Mills South has escaped during transport under the haze of a blizzard white out and he’s headed for Witch Lake.

I’d hate to spoil things for you, so I won’t say too much. But I will tell you some of what you can expect from the second installment of the Indian Lake Trilogy:

🔪 It’s dedication to Wes Craven
🪓 Takes place in a span of 36 hours
💉 Is it a slasher or a serial killer thing?
🪛 Encyclopedic knowledge of slasher films
🪚 High body count
🔫 It takes a community
🏹 You will cheer on your favorite final girl


Are you looking for a book to curl up with on a cold winter night? Leave the lights on and pickup Don’t Fear the Reaper. If you are a fan of Stephen Graham Jones, and you were hooked by My Heart Is A Chainsaw, you won’t want to miss the sequel.


My thanks to Stephen Graham Jones, @NetGalley and @GalleryBooks and @SagaSFF for the opportunity to read this advance digital copy.

Now available! Pub Date: 07 Feb 2023

This book picks up a few years after the previous one in the trilogy (My Heart is a Chainsaw) ended. Our main character is back with us, just as a serial killer's caravan breaks down near town.
Strange and gripping, this is a book that doesn't always make sense (at least to me) but always keeps you reading.
Stephen Graham Jones weighs in so much, takes on culture and wealth, shared history, the impact of trauma, femininity and what this truly means, all while scaring the pants off you. It's a bit like a fever dream, very uncanny, a really unique and creative take on the slasher genre.

I decided to give this one a chance despite not loving the first book. I think this author just isn’t for me. I don’t enjoy his writing style. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this book! I fell in love with SG Jones after My Heart is a Chainsaw, so I whooped for joy when I got the second installment. Jade Daniels is back in Proofrock after a 4 year stint in prison. At the same time as her return, convicted serial killer, Dark Mill South begins his Revenge Tour. In a perfect twist of fate, the convoy taking him to prison get derailed in a massive blizzard right outside Proofrock. DM South is determined to get revenge for the 38 Dakota men hung in 1862, and in one night he takes out 20 people.
Jones takes us back to this rural town that has the worst luck of attracting the twisted, horrifying and deadly. Jade Daniels isn't just a Final Girl, she is Thee Final Girl! With this book, she has solidified herself in the Final Girl Hall of Fame. Anyone, Everyone, Slasher lovers, Horror Geeks, Read. This. Book!!! You will not regret it!

I read My Heart is a Chainsaw a few years ago, and thought it was just ok. But reading this sequel, I really appreciated the creepiness of both stories more. I enjoyed seeing where the characters were now and watching Jade come back in full force. Definitely recommend reading both books.

4 years have passed since the Lake Witch Murders and Jade (Jennifer) returns home after finally being acquitted. As she returns home a winter storm blows through Proofrock, killing phone service, knocking out the power, and making driving anywhere impossible. Nearby a serial killer escapes custody starting a new round of killings in Proofrock. But like the last time, can all the killings be attributed to him or has something new arisen from the lake?

I very much enjoyed My Heart is a Chainsaw but reading that set me up to love this story even more. I didn't have to struggle through wondering what was real in this story and what was Jade's trauma response. Instead I could just go with what was happening.

This follows a different kind of trauma and more prospective characters. You have Jade, now going by Jennifer, trying to grow up and realizing that her obsession with Slashers isn't real and clouds her judgement. We also have survivors from the Lake Witch massacre dealing with the trauma of surviving. There are also new people in town, taking advantage of the scholarships or following their own slasher obsession.

I know its going to be a while but I'm already excited for book 3.

I feel like you’re one of two people: you love horror, or you absolutely hate it. There is just no in between. Horror is the one genre where I see a low goodreads rating or a poor bookstagram review and I take it with a grain on salt. SGJ is certainly polarizing, even within the horror community. I thought My Heart is a Chainsaw was just okay, but such a beautiful love letter to slasher and everything they represent. I can happily say I loved Don’t Fear the Reaper way more! I was worried when I saw how many POVs there are and thought the synopsis was going to mean the book was just too much, but the writing was so much tighter in this one and SGJ lost the excessive, confusing prose. I didn’t find myself rereading pages in this one just to make sense of it all.

This one picks up several years after the events of the first book and I thought the plot was so well done. The survivors’s actions and feelings made sense. The commentary on how people constantly benefit off of Native Americans was spot on. And Jade, now Jennifer, was a character I wanted to root for. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!
If you loved MHIAC, obviously read this. If you didn’t love MHIAC but do enjoy horror, give this a shot.

Another solid book by Stephen Graham Jones. I absolutely loved My Heart is a Chainsaw and when I found that the second book was coming out soon, I had to nab it.

This book follows Jade after the events of the first books. Freshly out of jail, she returns to Proofrock only to find another slasher happening.

SGJ’s writing is kind of like a seesaw, or a rollercoaster, or something that goes back and forth really fast. You have to use your brain to read it. I read a lot of literary fiction so this was not a problem for me, but if you want easily accessible horror, this is not for you.

If you like slashers, this IS the book for you. (I actually don’t like slashers, but this did not hamper my enjoyment.) It’s chock full of slasher trivia and references. The story itself is a nod to the genre.

My two favorite characters, Letha and Hardy, appear once again. Idk, I just like badass girls and father-like figures? Handing in Hardy’s perspective really hit me in the feels at times.

Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the form of this book. We’re floating through the perspectives of many characters in Proofrock. Each one is like its own mini-story within the story. SGJ does an excellent job of making you feel for each character (whether affection or disgust).

I enjoyed the first book better, and I think it was because we had a lot of time in Jade’s head, so I had an emotional impact on ending with her dad etc., but this time the familial aspect was a little muted. I still had a good time though, and highly recommend!

Another terrific thriller in the Indian Lake Trilogy. The first book was excellent, and this is a great follow up. Fast-paced, three-dimensional characters, slasher/final girl goodness, and lots of tension. Stephen Graham Jones is proving that he's one of the best writers in the business. Highly recommended, especially for fans of My Heart is a Chainsaw.

I really enjoyed this book. It is the 2nd book in what I believe is a duology and I'm glad I was able to pick it up. I would recommend this book to others who are into this genre but not my current audience.