This is the kind of book I enjoy - a group of people arriving at an isolated location. There's baggage, there's mysterious symbols, there's a cabin in an eerie place and there's all things Irish. What a heady mix.

I do love a short read at times, and this is exactly that, coming in at a concise 200 pages. We have twins, one with his girlfriend and one who's recently been cheating on by his boyfriend (who keeps trying to contact our protaganist to nake up). They venture on a break away to a deserted cabin in a super weird village and all hell breaks loose.

It's tight, it's taut, it builds nicely to a great payoff with enough of a body count for the genre. I highly recommend it as a fun, fast read!

Fantastic story. I'm very curious to see if there is a sequel, but not sure how I feel about that. The plot line was fantastic, and the characters were well done.

This is a good creepy short story. I liked how overall eerie this story is. This felt like reading a book based off a classic slasher horror which I liked. There is some gore. I would recommend this to horror lovers! Special Thank You to R.N. Cogley, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

at just under 100 pages, ‘gruesome getaway’ moves quickly, especially through its final couple chapters. it’s tense and creepy for it’s entire duration, ramping up to it’s climax. personally, i would have liked a little more focus on the town and perhaps some backstory. but it’s a quick, spooky horror that i think fellow fans of the genre will enjoy.

23-year-old student Tadhg Kelly & his twin brother, Declan, are about to head off for a weekend getaway. Declan will be joined by his girlfriend Katie but Tadhg recently split with his boyfriend when he caught him cheating so he will be third-wheeling & not looking forward to it. As they get near to their destination they stop at a rundown shop & petrol station for supplies & the man there is friendly until they tell him they are headed for the village of Killimercy.

The man tells them to turn around & go home, & they leave feeling a bit shook up but decide he was just a bit weird & they carry on. They reach the village & everything is old - cars, houses, the way the people there dress - & the people seem very odd. The cabin itself is lovely, but weird things start to happen & Tadhg starts to notice a unique Celtic symbol wherever they go. They finally decide to leave but is it already too late?

I liked the basic premise, it had the vibe of 'The Wicker Man' crossed with an episode of Supernatural. It also had good pace & an intriguing storyline, although the ending was a little disappointing after all the build-up. It was a quick fun read, especially if you like creepy horror books.

TWs: blood, injury detail, infidelity.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

As much as I liked the premise for this, I could not get into the writing style at all. It felt like it needed more editing to cut it down significantly and seemed much too long. I ended up not finishing this one. I can see how some people might enjoy this, but it just was not for me.

Half of this book is spent with the main character being sad about his boyfriend cheating on him. There was nothing here to make me actually care about this relationship at all. It feels like the entire relationship storyline was shoved him as filler. The title would’ve been better served focusing on the twin brothers going on a getaway and THEIR relationship and the later violence of the townspeople.

This short story could of served as being a full novel, as I wa left with a lot of unanswered questions, but I enjoyed the little bit of it that I got

This book is creepy and happens around the Samhain which happens around Halloween. However, this book makes you wonder if Samhain is really as scary as this book makes it out to be! (I'm kidding).
I read this in one sitting and it is creepy and kind of reminded me of The Blair Witch Project.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

⭐⭐✨
Rep : Achillean MC

🍀Set in Ireland
🎃Near Halloween
😮Cult Horror

What I Liked
1) I love that the MC is a forensic psychologist since its the career path I want to go into

2) It was entertaining enough but it was so surface level. It sort of feel like the first 100 pages in a full novel setting up stuff but then immediately skips to the climax. The pacing was really off I wish more time was spent learning about the cult as personally the cult vibes are why I was interested in this.

What I Disliked
1) I hated that the main focus of this book was the MC being cheated on because it just took up way too much of what is meant to be a horror.

2) I'm usually not bothered by pop culture references but there was a lot and it just took me out of the atmosphere.

3) To say he is meant to be a forensic psychologist he does not take all of the signs that some shit was going on serious enough.

4) Declan was sooo dumb it was frustrating to read. Their actions and reactions to stuff don't make logical sense its like they don't have a sense of danger.

Thank you to Netgalley, Cranthorpe Millner Publishers and R.N. Cogley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

"I don't care where I end up, as long as it's as far away from Killimercy as possible."
We have a prologue that helps explains a little bit of the story. From there we jump into twins, Declan and Tadgh, going on a weekend cabin trip in midland Ireland to relax. Along with them is Declan's girlfriend Katie. As they head out into a desolate area and come across a suspicious gas station, red flags pop up more than once that they should turn around and go home. From weird noises, strange symbols, and an unexpected guest arriving will they finally decide to leave or stay and figure out the weird mysteries of Killimercy?
I'll rate this book 3.5/5. This is a very short story. No compelling characters. It reminded me of a few not so good horror movies but you still watch it because it's nothing else on. No action until more than halfway through the book. It wasn't boring but it could have given more background on Killimercy's town and residents.

I liked this enough. It has the fun horror tropes like the creepy run down gas station and the guy telling them not to go on any further. It has the weird cult stuff too. I like that.
This was okay. I will definitely read more by this author.

A fast paced and gruesome horror story that builds slowly, instilling a sense of dread and a fearful foreboding of what’s certain to come.
Easily read in one sitting and deliciously frightful.
Scary enough to ensure that I will, without doubt, check the reviews on anything I may book for a peaceful getaway !
Forget a lovely rural retreat as this is more chilling than chilled.
Bravo.

Okay now this was decent but left me wanting more like it was right there but I felt like it was just missing something. I did enjoy the story and I like the culty vibe that was coming off the little village. And I loved that the book wasn’t solely focused on capture the cult, it’s always more enjoyable for me when I get to see things through the victims perspective. Also can we please talk about Declan and Katie completely disregarding the warnings???? Like it was right in front of their faces!!!


*I received a free ARC from NetGalley*

An Ireland getaway takes a brutal turn as Tadhg, his twin brother and his brother's girlfriend get caught in the middle of an intense "tradition." I don't want to give too much of the plot away, so I'll keep it briefly at this.

The characters I found to be slightly infuriating and a bit ridiculous. Their explanations and denials of all the weird circumstances surrounding their stay had me frustrated. "The wind" being one of the worst excuses. Not only that, but their determination to disregard warnings blew my mind. I would've immediately been gone!

I think this story would've benefited from some more background and explanation of the village. I was interested in the lore surrounding their village and I don't feel that we really received any details. Once the horrors started to unfold, I found this story much better. Unfortunately, I felt that the story revolved too much around the dramatics of Tadhg's failed relationship. With this being such a short book, I would've liked to see a bit more balance.

It was a very quick and easy read. The drama kept me motivated to keep reading, but as I said, I wish I had received more history regarding the Celtic symbols and the village.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

TW: murder, death, gore, blood, fire injury, injury detail, grief, kidnapping, physical abuse, emotional abuse, infidelity, violence

40/100 or 2.0 stars


I was so excited going into this because based on the description and the cover, I thought this would be right up my alley. Unfortunately, this did not work for me. I genuinely did like the writing, so I would try another book by Cogley. The writing was what gave this two stars and what kept me going. It is also a quick read so I kept going for that reason too. It was boring. I know that sounds mean, but I have to be honest in these reviews, and that's how I felt about it. The potential was there, but it all fell flat for me. I also think this could have done better as a short story. The beginning is so promising, as the first chapter was engaging.

This was not bad, but it didn't work for me.

R. N. Cogley delivers a bone-chilling, edge-of-your-seat thriller in Gruesome Getaway, a suspenseful horror novel with echoes of Wrong Turn that grips readers from start to finish. Packed with tension, eerie twists, and a creeping sense of dread, this story is a masterclass in building suspense.

The plot follows twin siblings and their partners as they embark on a much-anticipated getaway that quickly turns nightmarish. From the outset, things are rocky—one of the twins has just discovered their partner’s infidelity—but the group decides to proceed with the trip. What begins as an awkward outing soon spirals into a fight for survival as strange occurrences at their destination escalate into a living nightmare.

Cogley’s pacing is impeccable, layering moments of quiet unease with sudden bursts of terror. The remote setting is vividly described, immersing readers in an atmosphere of isolation and danger. The characters, especially the twins, are well-drawn and relatable, making their growing fears and desperate decisions all the more compelling.

What truly makes Gruesome Getaway stand out is its ability to balance psychological tension with visceral horror. The mystery of what’s happening keeps readers guessing, while the relentless sense of foreboding ensures they can’t look away.

For fans of gripping horror with plenty of twists and turns, Gruesome Getaway is an unmissable read. R. N. Cogley crafts a story that’s as terrifying as it is addictive, leaving readers breathless until the very last page.

I liked this book and it actually scared me!! I had to stop reading it multiple times because I was really freaked out. I thought that it was written well and I liked Tadhg's character a lot!

Definitely check trigger warnings because this was DARK!

-Irish setting
-Gay Relationship

What is meant to be a relaxing getaway with this brother and friend takes a dark turn in this exciting novella from RN Cogley.

I initially requested this book (thank you to Cranthorpe Millner Publishing and NetGalley!) because I've always been fascinated by Celtic legends and mythology. That being said, I think the rural, Irish setting was quite nice. The remoteness of the town really added to the creepy ambiance of the story. Speaking of, I liked the story that was being told for the most part, but I do wish that the author went into a bit more detail on the reason the antagonists were doing what they were doing (keeping in vague to avoid spoilers). While it was certainly creepy, I found myself a little confused on their intentions.

I'd be happy to pick up another book by the author, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to read this book.

3.25 stars

Smarting from a rough breakup, Tadhg insists he's still good to go on a Halloween getaway with his twin brother and his brother's girlfriend, even if he feels a little like the third wheel. Far off the beaten track, Killimercy is an eerie village with an abandoned feel. The locals are thin on the ground, surly and unwelcoming. While the holiday cabin is fitted out with all the mod cons, the forest surrounding them feels oppressive to Tadhg. He gets a feeling in the pit of his stomach that something isn't right. Unsettling occurrences start to mount until it might just be too late to leave.

This is a fun little folk horror set in rural Ireland. Following in the footsteps of The Children of the Corn and The Wicker Man, this hits all the high points if you enjoy a good ol' pagan ritual for the crops kind of story. It doesn't have a lot of depth - perhaps because of the short page count - but it felt like a satisfyingly complete story.

My biggest critique is that the pacing is a little off - there's a lot of focus on relationship issues that ultimately don't have much affect on the story.