Synopsis:
It was supposed to be the party of the century: miles of idyllic white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage…and a dark legend nobody dreamed might be all too true.
When an online influencer and several hundred of his most loyal fans land on Prosperity Island, the plan is simple: five days of elaborate games, drinking, and suntanned fun.
A week in paradise should have been a welcome respite. The only survivor of an infamous cult, Ruth wants nothing more than to keep her head down and not draw attention. She’s spent decades outrunning her blood-soaked childhood, and her identity is a closely held secret.
But then the true history of the island is revealed…along with its sinister connection to Ruth’s past. As guests go missing and games turn deadly, Ruth and the rest of the attendees are forced to question whether they’ve really been invited to paradise…or whether something much darker—and far bloodier—is waiting for them just beyond the bonfire’s light.
Review:
Hello again dear reader or listener, I come bearing gifts for my 80th review here! If slashers are to your liking I present what might just be the perfect summer read for you!
Friday the 13th meets Anne Hetzel’s Just Like Mother by way of Midsommar and a touch of the Fyre Fest fiasco, in this brand-new upcoming thriller by long time horror author Darcy Coates.
So, with thanks to the folks at Poisoned Pen Press for approving my NetGalley request, let’s get to it!
Every now and again I’ll read books I don’t intend to review as a form of palate cleanser. Ease the pressure on myself as it were. And it so happened that Darcy Coates’ From Below was one such book a few weeks ago, when I needed to turn my brain off and enjoy a book without any “homework” afterward. 9 out of 10 times I end up reviewing those books anyway in some form or other cause they end up being awesome but we digress. When I saw how much I enjoyed From Below and saw how many more books the author has already written I was over the moon. Added cherry on top she is about to release another one and I found it by sheer chance while browsing NetGalley so I rushed to that request button!
If From Below was a slow burn build up of dread and unease, How Bad Things Can Get lives up to its title from the get go, with things starting off seemingly fine if a tiny bit off, only to then get progressively worse for our protags. Fast paced and delectably foreshadowed, this book is also an intelligent commentary on influencer culture, not merely a sassy dig against it. The lines between what makes a cult following an actual cult as opposed to a loving fanbase are often considered blurry but also not really, and Coates takes a no-nonsense approach to a discourse that can have a lot of debating voices, in ways I found both clever and refreshing.
She also doesn’t shame nor dismiss influencing in a manner that (while at times warranted) tends to have the opposite effect as to being well received constructive criticism. But rather shows the realities of some of the types of content creators out there in rather effective short bursts that push the plot along in a most intriguing way. In fact, while we have the core of the story follow each of the three protags, Coates interlaces those main pov chapters with one-time views from a variety of the other guests on the island, gifting the reader with a full 360 of what is slowly creeping out of the jungle so to speak. And it is oh so effective in getting you more and more hooked on this story.
Coates’ book not only thrills and entertains with a speedy narrative that comfortably carries the reader to an action and anxiety packed final act, but it also warns against the dangers of unhealthy obsession with true crime and the never-ending search for fresh content. She criticizes the lengths to which people might push themselves in the supposed sake of true journalism when in reality they’re leaning into the sensationalism of events in order to create click worthy stories. And she does it beautifully by showing the harm this causes; be it directly by making the world unlivable for the survivors or victims due to all the crossed boundaries, or indirectly through the creation of echo chambers that bring together minds that really should not find their fellows. Coates also doesn’t shy away from commentary on the ol’ how popular/rich do you need to be to get away with things ratio, and I was there for it!
With danger hidden behind the veneer of fun and definitely not for the weak of stomach, this slasher fest (pun intended) goes through many an important theme but none more than the one of trust and how easily it can be broken or how much it ought to be nurtured. It decries the lack of ethics of so-called journalism that only wishes to present the choice juiciest bits, which in turns makes demented things like cults seem cool and intriguing and bestows on them attention they don’t deserve or shouldn’t receive. This book is at times bitter sweet as much as it is cathartic by the end, all the while keeping you on your toes about how it can get worse and whether the happenings are paranormal or merely the products of very sick minds. All the while you cannot put it down in search of those answers, even though they may end up hurting.
How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates comes out August 26th and you’ll want it on your shelves or, if you’re still vacationing by then, it’ll be the perfect beach read! Only make sure you’ve got sun protection because you risk burning from how engrossed you’ll be.
Now excuse me while I go add all of Coates’ books to my TBR, I’m thinking of trying Hunted next hmm…
Until next time,
Eleni A. E.
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