Thank you Mulholland Books and NetGalley for the e-arc of I’ll Quit When I’m Dead by Luke Smitherd.
Madison feels like she must get her life in order. She needs direction and discipline. She enrolls in an intense fitness course taught by a woman who’s more zealot than fitness coach. Meanwhile, Johnny has his own troubles. He’s been struggling with addiction. He moves into a quiet cottage to work on his recovery. But Johnny isn’t alone in the cottage. There’s something supernatural lurking in the attic and it wants to make a deal with Johnny. How far are Madison and Johnny willing to go to get what they want? Here’s the full summary from the publisher:
Madison has seen better days. Reeling from a bad breakup, self-soothing with junk food, and totally consumed by her lack of direction, she’s in need of a big reset. When she runs into an old acquaintance at the gym, Madison is shocked by how fit they’ve suddenly become. The cause? An all-female fitness boot camp led by ex-military guru Ellie Fellowes. The course is characterized by grueling reps and minimal contact with the outside world, and when Madison signs up to experience it herself, something doesn’t feel right. The other students keep acting strangely; Ellie seems almost superhuman, and her intense motivational methods are becoming bizarre, even dangerous. But Madison is getting results. How can she stop now?
Musician Johnny Blake has been struggling with a pain pill addiction after a very public, very bad fall. At the encouragement of loved ones, he retreats to a secluded cottage to detox. But Johnny isn’t alone. Something is lurking in the shadows of his new home—a creature unnatural and hungry, one that traps Johnny in a frightening bargain. If Johnny doesn’t stay off his pills and keep his end of the deal, he will be eaten alive.
As Madison and Johnny’s predicaments spiral into the unthinkable, they will have to look within to find the true and terrifying answer to the age-old question: How badly do you want it?
If you’re a fan of psychological horror, this book will be right up your alley. Both plot lines are full of sinister and creepy tension. Madison gradually realizes her boot camp course might just kill her. Johnny makes a deal with a creature that wants to eat him alive. Unfortunately I thought there was a big disconnect between Madison’s and Johnny’s storylines. They just seemed so random to me at the beginning. The alternating chapters of Madison’s grueling physical boot camp and Johnny’s creepy supernatural haunting just left me confused instead of on the edge of my seat. The two storylines do come together eventually, but it was too late in the book for me. This one didn’t work for me, but it will be great for many other horror and supernatural readers. I’ll Quit When I’m Dead publishes on October 14 just in time for spooky season.
Would you make a deal with a supernatural creature to get something you really wanted? Why or why not?
About the Author
Luke Smitherd is the author of the #1 bestselling novel THE STONE MAN, shortlisted for Audible Book of the Year 2015, and its sequels THE EMPTY MEN, THE STONE GIANT, and the upcoming MARCH OF THE STONE MEN. He also created the #1 bestsellers IN THE DARKNESS, KILL SOMEONE, THE PHYSICS OF THE DEAD, and THE MAN WITH ALL THE ANSWERS.
A former singer and guitarist, Luke now writes full time for a living. He divides his time between the USA and his home in the UK.
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