Brilliant, out-there fantasy horror series The Bedlam Bible continues. Many characters and items re-appear here. Some understanding might be offered, but I wouldn’t be confident yet explaining what it means for the big picture. This far into the series my entertainment experience remains high (no tower altering drugs needed - just as well!). Thank you to Doom Fiction and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

This was a book of two halves. In one part, Pauley sets up a Memento like whodunit. A man wakes up to a corpse and a tattoo that tells him he is a bad person. A voice in his head guides him through investigating the crime, no easy feat in 8th Block Tower where truth and reality are open to suggestions. If this had been the full story it would have been one that twisted and turned until the killers reveal. Who can you trust? In 8th Block? No one.

But Pauley, as is his wont, thinks there is more, and the sleuth finds himself following the local self-help group/cult, listening to isolation inspired conspiracy podcasts, and finally on a game show that would probably be on G4 by now if it was still running.

It is an odd book and I think one that could have been more appealing to me if it was more of the amateur sleuth amateur sleuthing. So it goes. Roger Ebert once wrote that one of the joys of watching Nicholas Cage was his commitment, that he was “unafraid to crawl out on a limb, saw it off, and remain suspended in midair.” Pauley believes in his work and that’s infectious enough to take you along for the ride sometimes.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

William Pauley lll has done it again! I can’t imagine anyone else narrating his books outside of Connor Brannigan, who may be the best book narrator I’ve ever heard! His range of voices and accents is astonishing and he nails everything! This story is part of the Bedlam Bible series and was so creepily fantastical, I just can’t get enough! I loved the game show aspect and how all the residents were tested in this book about their pasts. I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves horror, but start at the beginning so you get the full spectrum of this amazing story!

I really enjoyed this book! The story progressed at a good pace and kept me interested the whole time. The narrator for the audio book did a fantastic job! I will definitely be reading more books by this author in the future. 10/10 Highly recommend!!
Special 'Thank You' to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a copy of the audiobook before publication.

This review is for the audio version of Holus Bolus. William Pauley III and Connor Brannigan are a match made in heaven…. Or maybe hell? Pauley has some of the most imaginative writing I have ever seen and the way it's brought to life by Brannigan is pure perfection.

This is book six in the Bedlam Bible series. This is a series that I am really enjoying. It's all over the place in the best of ways and that continues with book six. The story centers around a character whose memory is wiped every day and he wakes up next to a dead body convinced he is the killer.

This story is not long but it is longer than the other entries into the series. This is not my favorite in the series, but this one shows how strong Pauley’s writing is by taking his time and flushing out all the characters. Finishing this book left me wanting to return to book one and start over. If you haven’t checked out this series what are you waiting for?

Well this is a weird one. The cover look d kinda cool and the description dragged me in but unfortunately this was not one for me. Way too strange and very hard to follow on audiobook. Narrator was good though so no fault there, shame the story was just not very interesting or engaging. Did not finish after about 3 hours of listening.

Holus Bolus by William Pauley III is a unique and engaging story that takes readers on a thrilling journey through a captivating blend of reality and virtual reality. Paired with a fantastic audio narrator, the book offers an immersive experience that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

The audio narrator for Holus Bolus did an exceptional job throughout the majority of the book. Their voice was clear, well-modulated, and filled with the right amount of emotion, effectively bringing the characters and their experiences to life. The narrator's skillful delivery enhanced the overall enjoyment of the story and contributed to a truly immersive listening experience.

The beginning of the book was particularly intriguing and set a strong foundation for the story. The author's writing style combined with the narrator's compelling performance drew me in, introducing the central characters and their unique circumstances in a captivating manner. I found myself invested in their journeys, eager to learn more about their lives and the world they inhabited.

However, as the story progressed into the game show part, I did encounter some confusion. The transition into the virtual reality game show aspect of the plot felt slightly abrupt and disorienting. This shift in focus seemed to momentarily detract from the overall coherence of the narrative. While this portion of the story might have been intended to introduce an element of surprise and intrigue, it left me slightly puzzled and disrupted the flow that had been established earlier.

That being said, the audio narrator's performance remained commendable even during this slightly confusing section of the book. Their ability to maintain consistency and clarity helped me stay engaged, despite the temporary confusion. Once the narrative returned to its primary focus, the narrator's talent once again shone brightly, allowing me to fully appreciate the story's rich atmosphere and character development.

In conclusion, Holus Bolus by William Pauley III, with its fantastic audio narrator, offers a captivating listening experience. While there was a momentary lapse in clarity during the game show portion of the story, the narrator's skillful performance compensated for it. I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of the book and appreciated the narrator's ability to bring the characters to life. If you're looking for a unique blend of reality and virtual reality with a talented audio narrator, Holus Bolus is definitely worth exploring.

There are multiple ways to look at this book and take it in. You can go in for the gore or go in for the mental health aspect. While I think the author had the momentum to get the book going, it didn’t deliver for me.

A lot of plot holes and lack of character development for me. I understand this is a quick read and not meant to deep dive too much, but it felt rushed at times.

I didn’t mind the writing style though and would read something by this author again.

Holus Bolus is different than the types of books I prefer. I’ve been wanting to read more “horror” and this fit that description. I prefer when books explain the set up for the story and has some atmosphere to it. Unless I missed it, all we get is a brief description of the two main locations. There was also a lot of dialogue. While I usually don’t mind, I found it boring. The premise was definitely interesting and would be fun to see on screen, but in the book, there were things that remained unexplained. While im usually able to use my imagination or relate it to things in real life, I wasn’t able to do this for this one (no idea what flower power or whatever it was is, other than a drug. No idea what Holus Bolus is, which is literally the title and I’m still lost). I also had no idea what these characters looked like and didn’t get to find out about them until more than 75% of the way through. The narrater did a great job of using different voices for each character but the names and no descriptions/personality made it hard to keep track. The only reason I finished this book is because the narrater and that it was so short.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this Audiobook!

I really love weird stories, and Holus Bolus totally fits the bill! The book is about this guy who wakes up in a room with a dead man and two tattoos on his arm. He goes on a journey to figure out if he's the killer or not. And if it's not him, then who?

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The person reading it did a great job and made the story come alive. The beginning got me hooked right away, and I was super curious to find out what happened next. But as the book went on, it got a bit confusing. Maybe it's because I have trouble paying attention to audiobooks (I get easily distracted), or maybe the story itself is a bit hard to follow. I got lost at some parts and felt like I missed something. I also wished there was more action and less talking. Sometimes the characters talked a lot, and it was only the person reading the book that kept me interested. But I'm glad I kept going because, overall, Holus Bolus was fun and just the kind of weird fiction I like.

If you're into bizarre stories like the ones by Chuck Wendig, David Wong, or Chuck Palahniuk, then I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy Holus Bolus.

The audio narrator was good on this one. Only issue was the beginning was confusing and a bit all over the place so I had a hard time following it. However, the 2nd half was good. The game show part stressed me out. Would def be a good screen adaptation

This book start when the main protagonist wakes up believing he's the killer. His memory resets every day due to a rare condition, and he hears a voice in his head.
One of the things I liked more about this book is the characters, and the whole development of them, the plot was weird but good, for me a perfect book is one I CANT stop reading and this book did it for me. The perfect pace and the way the autor take us in the plot was nice and steady. Something I really enjoy are the dialogue between characters I think they make this book very enjoyable
Now I want to read the whole series because I enjoy this book lots. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook this book is out the 31 of July 2023

Another weird trip to the Eighth Block Tower!

I’m really glad we got a longer tale in this series, theres several fleshed out characters and it’s nice and chunky, adding to the Pauley universe. I always enjoy the references to previous stories and there’s plenty of that in here, but it’s more than that, it feels like HOLUS BOLUS is building on those older tales in a way that refreshes them as well.

I feel like this novel is an important piece to the authors wider scope of storytelling. It sits up there with HEARERS OF THE CONSTANT HUM, and the DOOM MAGNETIC! TRILOGY. I finished this wanting to catch up on the authors stories I’ve missed, as well as return to those books. Im excited to see where things go from here!

This book was super out there but not in the good way. I found myself doubling back and trying to understand if i missed anything multiple times. I found myself just wishing they would figure things out faster to the story would be over.

In Holus Bolus, our main protagonist wakes up next to a dead body, convinced he's the killer. His memory resets every day due to a rare condition, and he hears a mysterious voice in his head. Clutched in the corpse's hands is a book that suggests his innocence and uncovers dangerous secrets about his apartment building. Joining forces with a group of suspicious outcasts, he must solve the murder before his memories vanish again or the killer strikes once more

Holus Bolus is the latest installment in the series which proved to be an absolute delight from start to finish. As an ardent fan, I can confidently say that this book surpassed its predecessors, capturing my attention with its extended storyline and an array of unforgettable characters.

One of the standout aspects is its expanded length, which allowed for a deeper exploration of the intricate plot and character development. The story unravels at a perfect pace, keeping readers hooked and desperate to uncover the truth alongside our protagonist.

What truly sets it apart is the remarkable cast of characters. From the enigmatic and tormented protagonist to the eclectic group of outcasts he joins forces with, each character is crafted with utmost care and complexity. Their interactions are nothing short of captivating, with dialogues that are sharp, witty, and brimming with intrigue. I found myself engrossed in their banter and despite the gripping mystery and intense moments, the book also surprises readers with moments of levity. The author skillfully incorporates humor into the narrative, providing well-timed comedic relief that had me genuinely laughing out loud. This blend of humor amidst the suspenseful plot added a refreshing dynamic and further showcased the author's versatility.

In conclusion, this was a great addition to the series, earning its place as my personal favorite.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an audiobook arc.

I wanted an audiobook for a road trip. I saw this new one added to the “listen now” section of horror and jumped on it. It sounded pretty interesting. The beginning felt like the opening to Saw (the original) and I was super excited. However it quickly went downhill. There is virtually no character development. Ok, so it’s a plot driven story? No. The plot has massive holes, and far too much reliance on “suspension of disbelief” where virtually nothing seems like it would actually happen. There is too much “tell not show” and parts where it feels as if I missed entire plot points because the characters would start talking about something they “knew to be true” but we as the reader never saw it happen. So how did the characters figure it out?! Also, if the MC is awake for 3 days, why does he seem to not have ANY problems with being tired? I honestly cannot recommend this story. However the narrator was great. I enjoyed his voice and vocal inflections.