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
Slasher novels have become my favorite genre to read. I’ve talked in other reviews about my love for the slasher genre growing up. While most kids had Mickey, Goofy, or whoever I was watching Freddy, Michael, Jason and eventually Ghostface, probably way too young but oh well. These days the slasher genre in film is mostly sequels, remakes, or bad imitators, with some rare exceptions. While I still enjoy those films, there has been a severe lack of original ideas. Then My Heart is a Chainsaw came out and opened up a whole new world of slashers for me to explore, that led me to Brian McAuley.
Brian McAuley quickly rose to my top authors list with just three books and Breathe In, Bleed Out has been my most anticipated novel of the year, and it did not disappoint.
Now to the book itself. BIBO is a slasher novel, for slasher fans, by a slasher fan. It doesn’t break a ton of new ground but what it does is nail the formula, damn near perfectly, while injecting a surprising amount of heart into the mix.
Every good slasher has to have a good mystery. If it’s not the “who” it’s the “why”. BIBO has both. This is a novel full of red herrings that are executed perfectly. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, McAuley throws a new wrench into the mix and he keeps you guessing until the very end.
The characters are just as important. So many slashers give us generic characters doing shitty things so we have fun when they die. Brian McAuley wants you to hurt as much as his characters. He crafts real people that you get immediately attached to, which makes the inevitable kill scenes that much more impactful. Setting the story in a spiritual retreat allows for us to naturally get to know these characters in their most vulnerable states and makes you feel attached to them in a way you don’t always get in this genre.
Although they hurt, it doesn’t necessarily take away from the fun the slasher brings. The kills are all over-the-top, endlessly inventive and exactly what I’ve come to expect from Brian McAuley. In this story he has crafted another iconic slasher to join the ranks of his previous creations, The Reaper and Candy Cain.
Breathe In, Bleed Out is a bloody good time, full of twists and surprises that will keep you guessing until its thrilling climax. With characters that bleed out through the pages into your heart, this slasher hits a little harder than most and is all the better for it. Fans of the slasher genre, novels and films alike, will find plenty to love within these blood soaked pages.
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