I had high hopes for this book. National Lampoons Christmas Vacation meets Children of the Corn. I loved Kilmer's novel Suburban Hell and laughed out loud so many times at the quirky horror. Sadly, this one fell flat for me. I felt it was slow and just didn't capture me like SH.

This was neither creepy or funny. There was so much potential for both but it just seemed to skim the surface and never quite committed to either one. Creepy scenes were cut just short of being truly horrifying, becoming instead quick glimpses of something that is dismissed quickly. Same with the humor; there was a real opportunity to make scenes funny but they stopped just as quickly as they started. That leaves you with a trip diary that’s not completely fleshed out, as if in telling the story, you got cut off and didn’t get to finish it.

I'm really not sure what to do with Kilmer's books. They're not really horror, not really women's fiction, they're genre fiction but who knows what genre? They're just... a story that somewhat meanders and things happen. It's not bad, it's just also not great. I liked the overall vibe of this one but nothing outstanding happened. I'll probably forget it by tomorrow.

This was such a good mild spooky read! Perfect for those that like a little bit of paranormal but not scary. Like a cozy spooky if that's a thing . I loved how this was like Clark Griswold's family vacation with fighting siblings, and plenty of things that went wrong on a trip that was supposed to create happy family memories! This book had the absolute best ending that made me gasp, but in the best way. It was the perfect ending.

I have got to stop trying these cheeky-suburban-mom funny genre books (like Finlay Donovan). I had higher hopes for this one, given it's a horror twist on the idea, but the humor just fell flat for me, over and over. I found myself cringing far more than enjoying the experience, but I'm sure others will have loads of fun with this one.

This book was an absolute blast to read. You follow a family that are staying a roadtrip from Winscosnin to Orlando to go to MagicLand. A very clever way to disguise a place that brings many family to Florida every year. From the beginning of the trip things go wrong. From almost hitting a kid to getting persuade by a time share salesman. This is perfect for people that want something funny, with a heart but a little spooky. If you have read previous books by this author then the witty and fast paced writing style will be perfect to spend a cozy night in.

Nightmare of a Trip begins with, “If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, then Satan himself planned our family trip.” What a great opening line, right? And it totally sets the tone for the rest of the novel, which follows the Somerset family on a road trip from their home in Wisconsin to Magic World in Florida. While on a detour in Indiana, they come across an abandoned, fire-damaged farmhouse, where eleven-year-old Leo pockets a locket he finds in the rubble – unknowingly unleashing a supernatural entity that will plague the family for the rest of their trip.

Three books in, I feel like Maureen Kilmer has found her voice with the kind of stories she wants to tell: suburban comedies with some creepy moments, a bit of drama and lots of heart. Nightmare of a Trip, like her previous novels, is horror-adjacent at best. The scares are minor, making it perfect for a reader who wants something relatively tame on the spooky spectrum. The majority of the novel takes place during the road trip itself, offering the opportunity for several madcap moments. My favorite scene took place in a Cracker Barrell, which struck the perfect balance of frightening and funny for me, and also conveyed a strong feeling of claustrophobia. Imagine all those Country Store tchotchkes and the damage they could do…

There were sections where the pacing lagged, where it felt like Kilmer was just trying to fill space until the Somerset clan made it to their destination. I also felt like the characters themselves were a bit too vanilla; I wanted the kids especially to have more personality. Some internal family conflict, aside from the stresses of the trip itself, would’ve made the family as a whole a bit more interesting. I did like the main character, Leigh; her struggles felt authentic, and she had a fully-realized personality.

Kilmer writes in her Acknowledgements that she wanted this book to pay homage to the 1980s vacation comedies of her childhood, and she certainly did that. Nightmare of a Trip definitely feels like a nostalgic vacation comedy, with the addition of a paranormal passenger causing all kinds of trouble. Kilmer’s books still feel fresh for me, so I’ll certainly keep reading her releases to see what trip (pun totally intended) she takes me on next. Thanks to G.P. Putnam’s sons for the complimentary reading opportunity.

A very long road trip apparently traumatizes this family.

Meant to be some sort of horror mixed with humor story, this was very underwhelming. I did chuckle a few times at a clever turn of phrase, but there was not any kind of horror inside. Paranormal, yes, ghosts, yes, and tons of misery as the family winds its way to Florida. Most of the bad stuff involved things like bad fast food, vomit, flat tires, horrible motels, etc.

Not a fan of paranormal, don’t believe in ghosts, and definitely don’t buy into people interacting with the phenomenon. That whole part of the story was far fetched and not even very exciting once we find out why it’s all supposedly happening to the family. The kids were horrible — doesn’t anyone know how to act on a car road trip anymore or is that a thing relegated to the past? All I heard the kids do was whine and go through the parents’ money and patience while in their comfy van on the way to their theme park vacation in Orlando. I don’t like reading about bratty kids and honestly, they were not grateful at all for the opportunity to visit the place they had begged to go to. (I’ve made a very similar road trip with kids in a van as well, probably even longer on some of the same roads.) By the time I finished, I wasn’t even sure what the point of the book was meant to be. Family bonding? It got all stupid sappy at the end. Very unrealistic characters and that whole part about the Vickerys was way out there. No suspense. No real mystery or tension. No bad stuff. Like someone said, a paranormal cozy. I felt sorry for the dad.

So, this was not the book for me. I give it 3 stars because I kept reading it waiting to find out where it was going. I listened to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. The narrator was OK though her voices for the kids didn’t work well. This would definitely have benefited from having a larger cast.

Have you been haunted on a road trip? I haven't but the characters in Nightmare of a Trip sure are.

Nightmare of a Trip is the latest light horror novel written by Maureen Kilmer. On their family road trip to a Disney World like resort, a family of four finds itself seeing things they can't explain and one thing going wrong after another. Are they just having a bunch of a bad luck mixed with little sleep or is something more sinister going on?

Although this isn't my favorite novel by Kilmer, I can appreciate what she was doing. I found Leigh Somerset extremely unlikeable. It make it hard to read because most of it was told from her POV. She is constantly complaining about the greasy food she's eating on the trip and wanting to return home. She's an adult so it got annoying really fast. Honestly I wanted to put it down several times, but I wanted to know how it ended so that's the only thing that kept me going. Was it worth it? I'm not entirely sure. The most action seemed to happen at the very end, but it was predictable.

I really loved her debut, Suburban Hell, but her other two novels haven't quite reached that level of enjoyment. Maybe this one will work better for you than it did for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

This is similar to a car trip in that you feel like you’re never going to get to your destination. It started strong but I was over it before they got to Tennessee.

I absolutely love Maureen Kilmer! Her books always have you laughing and wanting more! This did not disappoint!

Anyone that is a parent can relate to this on roadtrip with kids. With multiple kids this just reminds me of my daughter who has 4 kids and all the antics that go on.

The Paranormal i thought added just that little bit of suspense and mystery which hands down was awesome. It is alot all in one creepy, funny and just a great overall read. The Ending was epic.

I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

I was so excited to read this book. I read Suburban Hell and enjoy it.
Nightmare of a Trip did not disappoint. I enjoyed this one also. I was just hoping for a little more spooky.
I will definitely be going to buy a copy to add to my shelf.
I will definitely be reading everything Maureen Kilmer writes.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I really did not enjoy Nightmare of a Trip. The writing and the humor just was not for me. I do think there are people who will enjoy this. I can't speak for the ending as I didn't finish it but I read enough to get a general sense of the writing and storytelling which. made me feel comfortable to throw my two sense into the review. I think if you like really light hearted and not too deep stories that are fast paced and focused on the family, you should pick this up. I felt like the story started moving too quickly and I couldn't really get to know the family in the way I wanted. That being said, I don't think the author was going for anything deep, it's supposed to be a fun story. If I had liked the writing and humor better I would have enjoyed the pace. Cozy mystery fans who are looking for a little paranormal in their life also should pick this up.

3 stars given for fairness to the author as I didn't finish the novel.

I'm a huge fan of Maureen Kilmer's writing, and this is such a fun, relatable despite being horror, story. I'm exactly the target audience for this one- a suburban mom balancing family and work, and the supernatural element and the deterioration of the family trip wasn't overly scary, but wildly entertaining.

Nightmare of a Trip was just one big crazy road trip with supernatural elements & family drama. This is described as a “horror tinged National Lampoons” and I definitely see it! We have the dad who plans an overly ambitious road trip with his 3 kids and wife, and early on they find an abandoned house and somehow unleash an eerie presence that follows them the rest of their road trip. There’s a spooky water park, a Cracker Barrel full of paranormal activity, and other unsettling experiences. The mom is the one primarily experiencing all of the sinister events, so her not being believed got frustrating at times, but this was a lot of fun!


Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for this arc!

The great American family road trip. What immediately comes to mind? Its nothing good! Add being followed and haunted the rest of your vacation, and you have a Nightmare of a Trip!

All that to say this book was middle of the road for me. The story had enough interest to keep reading but I could have put it down and never looked back. If you are looking for something with a spooky season vibe, that isn’t scary, this is a great selection.

Nightmare of a Trip had me laughing, and reminiscing about cross-country road trips with my kids. The similarities were uncanny as we've driven to the happiest place on earth, and dealt with the train wrecks that ensue with a family of 5.

The paranormal storyline that interrupts their vacation adds a bit of mystery as they drudge along to their destination. This story is creepy, quirky, hilarious, and down right spot-on with family vacations. What a GREAT ending.

Thank you, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons

God I LOVE Maureen Kilmer. Her books just bring me so much joy. They're creepy, they're witty, they're truly unputdownable and Nightmare of a Trip was no different! Even though it took place in the summer, it was the perfect start to my spooky season reads. Anxiously awaiting for her next book as all have been 5 stars from me so far!!

This was pretty middle of the road, honestly. I had higher hopes for it because I had enjoyed the fun horror lite feel to SUBURBAN HELL and had hoped that this would be similar, a relatable horror-esque story with some relatable family moments as a suburban stay at home mom. But it just felt a little half baked, and didn't grab my attention as much as SUBURBAN HELL did. I think that part of the issue was that in this book I didn't really connect with any of the characters, and what could have been some fun satire about the expectations of a family road trip in America didn't quite rise to the satirical level I was hoping for. I could see it being a good choice for people who want something spooky for Halloween but don't really want something too scary though!

This was a fun read. It would be perfect for those who want to dabble into horror without it being super scary.