Synopsis
It’s a Midsommar night’s Scream in this blood-soaked thriller set at a remote healing retreat from horror author Brian McAuley.
Hannah has been running from her demons ever since she emerged from a harrowing wilderness trip without her fiancé. No one knows exactly what happened the day Ben died, and Hannah would like to keep it that way… even if his ghost still haunts her with vivid waking nightmares that are ruining her life. So when her friend group gets an exclusive invitation to a restorative spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, Hannah reluctantly agrees in search of a fresh start.
Despite her skepticism of the strange Guru Pax and his belief in the supernatural world, Hannah soon finds healing through all the yoga, sound baths, and hot springs offered at the tech-free haven. But this peaceful journey of self-discovery quickly descends into a violent fight for self-preservation when a mysterious killer starts picking off retreat attendees in increasingly gruesome ways. As the body count rises and Hannah’s sanity frays, she’ll have to confront her dark past and uncover the true nature of a ruthless monster hellbent on killing her vibe for good.
Review
Much like a coffee enema, there’s something cathartically cleansing about a good slasher novel. Whether it be the way that the gruesomeness of the deaths contained within speak to an almost black comedy that feels at once both wrong and right to enjoy, or the brutal duality of life and death and seeing a final girl get out of a violent situation alive and with a satisfying new growth of character under her belt, slashers offer something to please most people.
Breathe In, Bleed Out, the latest novel by slasher connoisseur Brian McAuley, takes us on a chaka-aligning journey into the deserts of California, filled with new-age “ancient” spiritual healing techniques, impossibly bendy yoga positions, and a pickaxe wielding “got your nose – and eyes and ears and entire fucking face” killer. McAuley’s descent into wellness culture satire is a pleasure to behold, especially in a time where a lot of us have cottoned on to the scam that is a lot of the nonsense snake oil shit that is being peddled, all in the name of better health or finding your true self. Particularly in this uber-digital age, where you’re never far from a wellness Instagrammer. But, that’s not to say this isn’t just pure bashing of wellness, considering that some techniques do bring positivity to people’s lives, and I think McAuley balances that well with our protagonists inner monologue.
Hannah makes for a very interesting protagonist, a broken woman undergoing one final desperate leap into trying to overcome her trauma. She has all the hallmarks of a great final girl, a staple of the slasher genre. Also a big part of slashers; the kills! Oh boy, Brian gets so creative here, with kills so gruesome and visceral, you can tell he’s seen the worst of the worst deaths in movies and emulated those with style! The vignettes away from Hannahs POV need to be underscored with a thumping synth tune by Disasterpiece.
Overall, Breathe In, Bleed Out is a whole lot of fun! It’s a satire of wellness culture, a slasher murder mystery ala Scream, and a love letter to the genres tropiest tropes (and Brian’s Afterword is a great essay on his love of the genre)!
Breathe In, Bleed Out releases tomorrow, September 2nd! Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!
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