Just Read: HOW BAD THINGS CAN GET by Darcy Coates
"The Blair Witch Project meets Fyre Fest in this bloody new thriller."
Darcy Coates has long been one of my one-click authors. See a new Darcy book? Snatch a new Darcy book. (This goes double, as she also happens to be a wonderful human being!) Luckily, Darcy never keeps readings waiting too long, and so naturally the second HOW BAD THINGS CAN GET hit my inbox (thank you, Poisoned Pen Press), I was in.
Whether she’s writing cozy paranormals (her Gravekeeper series) or simmering Gothics (Gallows Hill, my personal favorite in Coates’s Catalog), Darcy delivers. This woman has range. HOW BAD THINGS CAN GET is Darcy’s take on island horror, Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” meets Nick Cutter’s The Troop meets…The Wicker Man? While it’s hard to get too into this one without spoilers, dooming a group of influencers on a remote island fits nicely into my recent reading theme of darker side of social media while pushing me firmly back into the wonderful world of horror.
And horror, this is. Her characteristically warm, inviting tone fully intact, Darcy doesn’t pull any punches with the bloodshed in HOW BAD THINGS CAN GET. This one leaves quite the sunburn.
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.
HOW BAD THINGS CAN GET is coming from Darcy Coates and Poisoned Pen Press in August, and available for preorder!