I received an ARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. As a horror lover, Brian McAuley is now an instant read for me. I was so excited to get this book on NetGalley and wasted no time diving in. McAuley writes interesting and multifaceted characters that you are invested in. His stories are like watching a movie with all the jumps and gore. Hannah, who has a traumatic back story involving her fiancés death, is going on a restorative retreat with her old college friends. However, they start disappearing one by one and there is no cell reception at their secluded getaway. The bloody death scenes did not disappoint. The ending was a little tongue in cheek, but I flew through the last 50 pages going to bed later than usual.

2 stars, it wasn’t for me, but other people are going to like it just fine, so take the rating with a grain of salt and read the review before deciding if it is right for you.

Hannah’s fiancé Ben died during the very camping trip where the two got engaged and since then she’s been falling apart, taking too many prescription drugs, having terrible nightmares and being suspended from her job as a medical intern at an L.A. hospital.

Her friend Tessa plans a getaway for her and Hannah and three of their friends from college, Jared, Luna and Miles. They are headed to the Avidya Healing Retreat in Joshua Tree, run by Guru Pax. Hannah’s psychiatrist believes it’s a great idea so she heads off.

At first all seems to be well. And then the murders start.

When you read the author’s afterword, you see that the book is exactly what he wanted it to be…it’s a slasher film in book form. I was glad to read that, to see that’s what he intended, because that’s what he did, so, for me, it was just a little too by-the-book (movie?). It would probably work better as a low-budget film. There’s not much nuance here and when the big twist (TM) occurs, I just didn’t care so much. But if you are looking for some mindless killing fun, you might thoroughly enjoy this, it really just depends on your expectations going in. So now you know!

A bloody fun time. Binged this in one sitting. Highly recommend to anyone who wants a slasher with depth and a cool setting. Really dug the connection to mining, too. It felt fresh.

Brian McAuley is officially a master of the slasher. The inventiveness of the kills in this book are almost euphoric in the way they give you the kinds of feelings that only came from Freddy kills or Scream openings. It’s that much fun, that gory, that brutal, and just awesome. It’s also a fantastic parody of wellness culture and the cultural appropriation that often comes with it. Add a fierce and complex final girl and you’ve got yourself an instant slasher classic.

Did I read this book in one evening? You bet your ass I did. It’s no secret I’m a Brian STAN. His stories never disappoint. They’re full of all the slashery goodness we crave with a dash of the best, most hilarious one liners in the business. Hannah goes on the spiritual retreat from literal hell. The kills in this book rival Final Destination, in both imaginativeness & gross factor. I loved every second. Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. I implore you to give this a read when it publishes September 2, 2025 I MEAN IT.

Buckle up for a road trip into the desert for a rehabilitating retreat. There's a steam lodge, natural hot springs, and real bloodbath!! This gripping and fast-paced horror mystery will keep you turning pages and guessing all the way to the end.

I love my slashers and this one was a real treat.
The story respects and transcend the rules of the genres.
The characters are worth investing in, there is a lot of misdirections and even more gruesome kills.
I especially loved the setting of the weird wellness retreat and that the Final Girl has her own bloody traumatic past to bring to the table.
I loved every page of it and I will definitely read other books from this author.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!