You Better Watch Out by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth was soooo good y'all! I adored the storyline and plot points. The character work and twists and turns were dynamic. I actually had to slow myself down to savor this read.

Looking for a thriller that feels like you’re watching a movie play out before your eyes? Murray and Wearmouth have you covered with You Better Watch Out!

Full disclosure, this one was really a seasonal must have for me based solely on cover and title alone. I think I read the synopsis once months before actually getting the chance to have a copy in my hands, so I basically went in blind. Highly recommend this approach!

This is one of those stories that grabs you from the start and lets the tension build and build throughout until readers are literally on the edge of their seats trying to guess if anyone will make it out alive.

You Better Watch Out was such a fun read and perfect for readers looking for something murdery on their holiday TBR list!

🫣 T W I S T E D T U E S D A Y review 🫣 featuring “You Better Watch Out” by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

The countdown to Christmas is at the 48 hour mark and a group of complete strangers wake up in a deserted fenced in town that is fully decked out for Christmas 🎅!

It seems as though they were all kidnapped and taken to this location … but why? Each person has a secret … and now the race is on to escape literal Hell before their secrets get revealed and/or they end up DEAD!

This book gave me total SAW vibes: a creepy controlled location, relentless taunting from a serial killer, victim self reflection, sinister punishment and menacing stalking!

This twisted tale is IN YOUR FACE chaos that is gruesome, fast paced, shameless and perfect for SLASHER fans 🔪

Thank you kindly to @therealmurr @darrenwearmouth @stmartinspress @netgalley for my #gifted digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book is out now!

Would recommend for fans of…
🎁 Saw
🎁 Escape Room
🎁 The Cabin in the Woods

Holiday books often fall into the romance genre, which can make it easy to burn out on these stories during the holiday season. This is exactly why I’ve been excited to see more holiday mysteries and horror novels in the mix this year, as the variety of genres really helps to keep things exciting.

You Better Watch Out is the latest entry in the holiday horror space. It follows a group of people who wake up in a replica town with no memory of how they got there, only to realize that someone (or something) is hunting them. The story shares a lot of similarities with horror franchises like Saw and Escape Room, so use that as a guide to determine if this book will work for you, but it moves quickly and has some surprises along the way. At first, I couldn’t figure out why this was being marketed as a holiday book, but everything comes together in the end in a pretty satisfying (albeit open-ended) way.

Is this book perfect? Absolutely not. The line-level writing leaves a lot to be desired, and characters and their backstories could use some additional depth, but I was entertained and enjoyed the reading experience, which is all you can ask for when picking up a book. If you enjoy horror, and are looking for a palette cleanser between holiday romances, I’d definitely recommend picking up You Better Watch Out.

You Better Watch Out is available now. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝐈𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞: 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭.”

I called James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth’s 2021 release The Stowaway a “graphic Woman in Cabin 10 on steroids,” and when I saw that they had a holiday-themed horror release, I knew I had to read it.

I didn’t know a ton about the plot going into the book, and I think that was beneficial, as it added to a heightened sense of confusion that I could feel alongside the characters as they wake up in a half-constructed town filled with booby traps, like something out of a deadly movie set. The setting added to the feeling of dread that enveloped the narrative, and honestly I will never listen to Santa Claus Is Coming To Town again the same way. Much like The Stowaway, this is an extremely quick read, with well-paced chapters that had me flying through the pages. One part isolated-setting mystery, one part slasher thrill-ride, some of the deaths and traps feel And Then There Were None-inspired (the first victim with a poisoned drink, alongside murder weapons of an axe and a grizzly bear, both of which play into Christie’s classic). The kills were inventive and gory, and while the characters were definitely unlikeable, I still found myself rooting for a couple in particular. I had guessed a bit of the who right towards the end, but the why had me shook, even if you have to suspend some belief (which is part of the fun). I also loved the epilogue, which had me wondering if this story is truly completed?!

You Better Watch Out is a story of trust, power, retribution, and survival. It’s another solid slasher thrill ride from Murray and Wearmouth that has me anticipating their next. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fast fun one by one read. I wish it had been a tad more Christmasy but I get why it was the way it was. The characters aren't likeable, yet I kept wanting ot know what happens. The sexual stuff mentioned in the watcher wasn't my fav and didn't seem necessary. In the end the pacing was slower than I expected it to be and I wish it had moved faster.

"Is Christmas really the best time of the year?"
You Better Watch Out is the Christmas thriller that you do not want to miss! This book drew me in by the cover and had me turning pages until the end. I was captivated from the beginning and I enjoyed all of the twist and turns. This was written really well and the ending was so well done. All of the characters in this were interesting. Overall, this was such a fun and easy read that I loved a lot. I would recommend this one to any reader especially if you love a good thriller. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this amazing read in exchange of my honest review of You Better Watch Out.

🔪 You Better Watch Out - James Murray, Darren Wearmouth

3.5 ⭐️- Where are my impractical joker fans?! This one’s written by our very own Murr! I love Christmas, thrillers, and the ADKs and this one had all 3! This is definitely filled with blood and guts so if that’s not your thing, find yourself another Christmas thriller.

This is short and easy to binge. The audiobook is about 6 hours long and really well done. I wish there was less characters because at times, I did confuse them, but I eventually got the hang of it. I needed a Christmas thriller to mix up with all the romance that comes with holiday books. This was thrilling with twists and turns and deaths I didn’t see coming. Definitely recommend for thriller fans looking for something a little different. Also for fans of “No Exit” by Taylor Adams!

this was a fine, fast-paced thriller. it’s a short book which makes for a quick read. it serves its purpose but it’s being marketed as a holiday themed thriller but the story has nothing to do with the holidays at all except that it’s set at Christmas time.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, and so is this book… holy hell was this a gory horror book!

I have been in a major horror/thriller kick lately so when I was approved for an ARC of this book I thought it was a perfect way to get in the holiday season. There were less holiday elements than I thought there would be based on the title and cover but there were some Christmas themes throughout - there were decorations, one particular holiday song, and the events of the book too place before/on Christmas.

I love a slasher book/movie and I also love multiple POVs so those parts of the book were a win for me. That being said, the twist was one that I called correctly and it was fairly obvious where it was going, which dropped it down from a 4 to a 3.5 for me.. The gore was also a bit much, particularly in one scene, but it was certainly imaginative! Jigsaw from SAW would have been impressed. It was a wild ride for sure and definitely keeps your interest!

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows a group of people who wake up in an abandoned town during a blizzard. They all remember doing something and then being knocked out. Things quickly go downhill when they realize that this town is not what it seems and they are all in danger. They also all have their own secrets. This book is a bit Christmasy because it is set during Christmas and there are Christmas decorations around this town but the plot of this book is not super Christmasy in itself.

I really enjoyed this book! A lot of other reviews said that it's unbelievable and far-fetched, which it is, but I still liked it. If you go into it expecting a ridiculous thriller/horror, I think you will enjoy it. This book reminds me of those ridiculous horror movies that are so over the top that they are a bit humorous as well.

I thought the premise was interesting and I really liked this abandoned town idea. While it is pretty far-fetched, I thought it was unique and fun to read. It was also a quick read because I wanted to figure out what was going on. It almost read like a Christmas horror version of the Twilight Zone.

I was not a huge fan of the ending unfortunately. I will not say why here since it will spoil it. I will say that a few things didn't seem wrapped up in the end so that bugged me a bit.

I don't think this book is for everyone but it worked for me. If you're a fan of campy horror that is far-fetched and a bit ridiculous, I would recommend this one!

This was such a fun gory slasher! Fast paced, read in one sitting! Loved the killers POV! This was like a holiday version of Saw in the best way possible! The writer always captures his audience immediately & grips you throughout the sordid ride!

I know Murr from Impractical Jokers, so I was expecting a funny Christmas mystery. This was definitely more of a thriller, even veering into horror — not what I expected, but I was happily surprised. The pace was nice and quick, throwing us right into the action from page one. It felt like Saw with a dash of Christmas thrown in, and had a great twist.

This was definitely not what I expected. Soooo it’s way gorier than I thought, and there’s some pretty insanely thought out torturous deaths. Not my normal type of book, but the plot twist was pretty good. It’s easy to get through, and if you’re into gore it’s perfect for the Christmas season!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the copy of this ARC! This is out now.

What could be more fun around the holidays than a Christmas Slasher?

You Better Watch Out is quick-paced, full of gore and guts, and had a great end-twist that I really liked. The characters are all complicated and criminals, some with lesser offenses and others with major ones. It was atmospheric and perfect for cozying up on a cold winter night with a hot drink and nothing else to do. My husband and I used to love watching Impractical Jokers, so I was excited to see how this went, and it was pretty enjoyable. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for my eARC. You Better Watch Out is available now, just in time for the holiday season!

Very gory, and not very Christmas-y. A good twist but I didn't care for the ending. The epilogue helped a bit.

📚 Book Review 📚

TITLE: You Better Watch Out
AUTHOR: James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth
GENRE: Suspense/Thriller
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

This latest book by writing duo James S. Murray (“Murr” from the tv show Impractical Jokers) and Darren Wearmouth takes place during winter in a small town in upstate NY. While this is described as a Christmas thriller, it’s not Christmas-themed, and merely takes place at Christmas time. If you’ve read other books by this writing team, you know you’re in for some gruesome and cringy moments. This book is no exception. If you’re sensitive to violence and blood/gore, you may want to read this one with caution.

Our main character, Eddie, has made a career out of theft and robbery. While attempting to rob an older couple outside of a convenience store, things don’t go according to his plan. He eventually wakes up after being knocked out and finds himself trapped in a manufactured replica of the town he lives in. There are others that have arrived in the same way, and they learn they all have something bad in common. This group has to figure out a way to stay alive and get out as soon as possible. I can’t say much more without giving spoilers. I thought I knew what was happening but discovered I was wrong. I didn’t expect the ending twists, so that was fun. This is a unique “Dexter-esque” plot that I really enjoyed. If you’re a suspense/thriller reader who can handle some real ick, check it out!

*Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this advanced reader’s copy.

Wow! Who would have thought that Murr was so dark and messed up!? This normally isn’t my type of story. I don’t like books where the characters just die one by one but I had to read it because Murr wrote it. This ended up being 3.5 for me. The plot is great. I did guess the major twist but I still enjoyed the book. I would have rated 4 stars but it was too gory for me. I had to skim over some parts. I love how the end makes you wonder if we could possibly see a sequel. I would immediately read it.

I loved this book and was enthralled with the writing. I loved the character study. Would read more from the author!

The blurb of this book talks about Jessica Kane, and while she is one of the main characters in this book, it should've had Eddie's name instead. Most of the story centers around Eddie, as we see how he was captured, kidnapped and woke up in a strange place.

Eddie is a small time thief who promised himself "one more job & I'm out". He sees an elderly couple and scopes them out & decides that they are easy targets; especially when he notices the woman's designer bag & a bunch of cash in her bag. He helps them with their bags (the older man is in a wheelchair), and as he finishes putting the bags in the trunk the older man stands up & injects Eddie with something.. he then passes out.
Once Eddie regains consciousness, he sees that he is in some type of replica town of where he just was. He ventures out to see if he is alone & sees a bar. He goes into the bar where he meets 2 other people - Trinity & Jessica.
They are all wary of each other because they each do not know how or why they are where they are. They all leave the bar together to "explore" and meet another captured person, Greg. The 4 then see a church to escape the brutal cold and find yet another captured individual Tank.
To make a long story short, they are all picked off one by one.

This book kind of reminds me of a Christmas time Saw movie, given the people are kidnapped, have no idea how they wound up where they are & are pretty much trapped in an unknown place.

It was a bit predictable, IMO. I kind of guessed what happened closer to the end.
I feel like the epilogue should've been from the capturer's POV, with how they choose the individuals, scope them out, and plan everything.

Overall, this book was just okay and isn't for everyone. It is definitely a horror book so if you don't horror you won't enjoy this.