The Eleven
Kyle Rutkin

This conspiratorial horror novel that takes on the subject of Hollywood's seedy underbelly was an extremely entertaining read.

Well written, well paced, interesting characters ...
My only critique is that I found myself confused in a few parts ... In particular, the first quarter of the novel.

But this is a book that comes highly recommended by me.

4/5

This book is packed with suspense and drama that kept me on the edge of my seat. Even after putting it down for a bit, I was thrilled to dive back in and found it just as gripping as before.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher and author for this ARC***


I tried kids. I really really did. I got 88% of the way through before I finally gave up. This just got too ridiculous and it dragged and dragged for page after page.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***
















The "Undecim" thing was played out, the scenes were all repetitive and over the top and in the end it all became stale. It was just trope after trope and none of it felt original.

This book centers on a "famous" Hollywood screenwriter Kohl Reynolds, and a young and hungry writer named Conner trying to uncover the mystery of why Kohl may be involved in the disappearance of a famous actress.

Imagine "Skulls" and "Almost Famous," but repetitive and cliché: Kohl's "dark, drug addled Hollywood writer" bit is played out, a hyperbolic representation of the "ultimate" in tortured artist tropes, and I'm convinced the author has never worked in The Industry. (I have. For a long time.)

Kohl is just an amalgamation of worn out industry stereotypes, has no redeemable qualities, and for the sheer number of times he got drugged and dumped in some underground lair or seedy NoHo alleyway by this organization, you'd think he'd have learned by now. Nope!

The whole thing just felt boring, with scene after scene of blood drinking masked cult members, flashbacks to his traumatizing childhood, and "nobody loves me!" rants.

And Jacob Perry. Oh, MY GOD. "I SOLD MY ASS TO THE DEVIL SO I COULD PLAY HITLER!" FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. REALLY? REALLY???? He's so "method" this is what he did? Jesus. (No pun intended) I'm convinced anyone who gave this over two stars knows as much about acting and Hollywood as I do about rocket surgery. I know. "But it's fiction!" you cry. Sure. But the premise is all about how this *could* be and *could* have happened, and nothing in this book suggests that outside of Kohl's visit to The Getty. (Which is nice you should go if you're ever in LA)

Miss me with this.

The only two redeemable characters and story arcs are Conner and "Pips," and they're featured so infrequently as to be essentially afterthoughts, their stories mere subplots.

With every utterance of "UNDECIM!" and "I took a bunch of drugs and trashed a hotel room at the Beverly Wilshire" and "they lead me down a dark hallway and I could feel the evil within me," I could feel the boredom and annoyance within ME grow to the point that I wondered why I was still reading this.

It should've been shorter: you don't *need* UNDECIM scenes of underground cult meetings (see what I did there?) to get your point across. OKAY, IT'S A DEVIL CULT, WE GET IT.

I hate to do this to a small author just trying to get his book out there, but if you're looking for cult centered thrillers, horror mysteries etc, you're truly better off with a cookie cutter, unoriginal NY Times mystery "bestseller." If you're interested in dark Hollywood cults where you sell your soul for succes, you're much better served looking into Scientology: THAT'S THE ACTUAL Hollywood cult.

Don't believe? Work there for a couple years and then tell me different.


Two stars. Barely. DNF list.


Review also posted to Goodreads.

This story critiques our culture's all-consuming obsession with celebrity, fueling sensationalized storytelling. Kohl's dreamscapes blur reality and fantasy,

A gripping and intense novel exposing a secretive old Hollywood cult through vivid descriptions and imagery, crafting a thrilling narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
How do the Hollywood elite rise to power? Is it talent and blind luck, or is it actually something a little more?
This twisty turny culty book offers one idea, and honestly, the Cult of Eleven makes a weird kind of sense. Such a great read, packed with surprises you’ll never see coming!

Felt like I was in a fever dream while reading and I absolutely loved it. Definitely recommend!

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

I am obsessed with cult books lately so this was the absolutely perfect read to scratch that itch! I really enjoyed this one!

Dark and intense novel that tells a tale about a secret old Hollywood cult?? Sign. Me. Up. This was such a good read!!! One of my favorites of the year! The book immediately locks you in from the first page and keeps you guessing as to what is going on and what really happened all those years ago and that damn symbol! The writing is great, Kyle is such a great author!!! (I need to check out some of his other novels!) This had a lot of anticipation that started out all the way from the first chapter and doesn't wrap up until the very end. The vivid details and imagery was wonderful as well. The Eleven takes place in LA, and the use of all the cool and well known LA locations made this even more of a fun read. Highly recommend if you're into spooky, thrillers, horror or mystery.

Thanks to Died Famous and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

I was immediately hooked by the premise of this book and I was not dissapointed. A thrilling journey into the darkest places of the human psyche.

I was really excited about this book and ended up loving most of it.
The beginning was right up my alley—full-blown Californication with a dash of mystery and conspiracy. I would be so down for a novel just about Kohl’s life as a screenwriter in LA. Unfortunately, the buildup didn't quite pay off: at some point, the narrative shifted into what felt like a fever dream that was a bit hard to follow. I know the intent was probably to throw the reader off balance, but it just left me feeling disconnected.
Overall I still liked The Eleven and would read more by the author!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was one weird ride. I previously read 'Influencer Island' by Kyle Rutkin and quite enjoyed the Hunger Games style antics. I was excited to try out 'The Eleven' hoping for a similar amount of fun. What I got was a lot of very dark storytelling. We hear the plot through the voice of Kohl Reynolds who is telling his story to journalist Connor. Young actress Savannah Beck is missing and Kohl is a suspect. We flash backwards through the story up to the present to understand Kohl's twisted life, the darkness he has experienced and corruption at the core of the elite in Hollywood.

So, an intriguing premise which certainly draws in the reader. There are extended sections of retelling which are just plain bizarre and feel like drug trips (a purposeful metaphor?) but the idea of the conspiracy is interesting. I ended the book feeling pretty neutral - an interesting exploration of trauma, self-loathing and corruption but not a darkness I would wish to enter into a second time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5+⭐️
This book is SO intense. I found myself swallowed up, the pit of my stomach full of simultaneous intrigue, anticipation and dread. I was hanging on to every word until the end.

There is an intense looming darkness throughout, total Eyes Wide Shut vibes. A captivating story told by Kohl, a famous screen writer, while on the run from the law. He recounts his life-shattering obsession for unraveling the secrets of a mysterious symbol that has been haunting him for decades.

Memories of his past are blocked, while 3 hooded figures haunt his mind. Or are they truly following him? Do as they wish, and you will be rewarded.

Would you tango with the devil himself, to unearth your true greatness? “The monsters and demons needed liberation for genius to emerge”

An intense gothic psychological thriller, perfect for conspiracy fans. It will mess with your mind in beautifully dark ways. The number 11 may never have the same meaning. It begs the question, can evil things come from something created with good intentions?

“You shall decide what comes next… Make it count.”

Guys, this book was so beautifully written, it was a work of art. The author went to the depths of his fears, and poured it out in a journey for us, leading us through to the light. Read the Author’s Note at the End. I will be checking out his other books. And would love to see this as a 🎥 💕

Thanks to NetGalley, Greater Path LLC, and Kyle Rutkin for providing me with a complimentary ARC to review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very dark and twisty! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Eleven. I found myself staying up way too late to keep reading because I was so invested in Kohl’s story. It was like a dark, new age version of Scrooge!

The Eleven was a great mystery that immediately had me hooked. While I think it lost me the closer we got to the end, I loved the setting and vibe of this book a lot. Definitely pick it up if any Hollywood/illuminati type story interests you.

'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo' meets 'Eyes Wide Shut' in this twisted, psychological thriller about a screenwriter's perilous descent into an age-old Hollywood cult.

This book was very different and unique. I could not put it down and finished it in near enough one sitting.

I enjoyed the aspect of never knowing whether something was really happening or if it was a dream or a drug hazed moment but eventually everything made sense.

I definitely found that it started on a slow note but most certainly picked up in the middle of the book and it kept going right up until the end.

I rated this 3 stars!

A fantastically fast-paced noir-ish gritty look at the toxic allure of fame and the mystery of cults and conspiracies.

This advanced reader's copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

What initially drew me to this book was its stunning cover. The combination of the title and the design exudes an eerie vibe, leaving me curious about the story within. What truly piqued my interest, though, were the comparisons to "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" (a personal favorite) and "Eyes Wide Shut" (which utterly unnerved me). Even with these references in mind, I wasn’t prepared for the wild ride this book turned out to be!

"The Eleven" follows Kohl Reynolds, a screenwriter who created one of the most acclaimed film scripts, detailing his ascent to fame and the depths of his subsequent downfall. Many novels I've read about Hollywood portray the industry as a glamorous world sprinkled with a few dramatic plot twists. This book, however, explores a darker side of Hollywood, allowing readers to peer behind the curtain. With an unreliable narrator like Kohl, especially as his madness intensifies, we are left questioning what is real and what is merely a product of his drug-induced haze.

I started this book yesterday, and its fast-paced narrative had me racing to finish it by today—I simply had to uncover what was happening. There were moments when I genuinely believed Kohl was losing his mind and committing crimes without anyone pulling the strings, but I soon realized how mistaken I was.

By the end, I craved more clarity on certain aspects that felt unresolved (or perhaps I just missed something), but overall, the revelations were completely satisfying. If you’re in the mood for a story set in "Hollyweird," this book is perfectly timed with the current celebrity culture controversies. Plus, the cover is so lovely that I can't wait to add it to my shelf!

Thank you, NetGalley!

I like to go into my fiction reading having no idea what the book is about, even more so with a thriller. That said, for the first couple of chapters I was worried that it wouldn't be a story I was interested in... Hollywood, fame, missing starlet... Do not care. But it ended up really living up to the thriller genre!
The raw way of writing about Kohl's decent and the constant tension of not knowing where the story was headed or how things were going to end had me rushing through this book!
I often struggle with the ending of books like this, and it left me with a little bit of the "too cleanly wrapped up" feeling, but overall, such a great, emotional, tense, twisted story!

i really enjoyed this book. it had me guessing with each page and caught me off guard a few times as well. literally said ‘shit i should’ve seen that!’ out loud at one point. the mystery of it all was really well done that it felt like the ending cemented it, yet there’s room to question it, not in a forced way but in an over-analyzing way (a good thing). a star off because the ending felt unfinished, like it just needed a paragraph or two more to properly tie it all up. but still very much enjoyed it, especially how it all connected