Janitor

by Oscar Brady

From Oscar Brady, your favorite splatterpunk author's favorite splatterpunk author.

In this love letter to 1980s slasher films, a killer janitor murders staff and students with his custodial tools.

At Chatelain Academy, Lead Custodian Franky Williams is having a very, very bad day. From pretentious staff to prankster teenagers, Franky is always busy cleaning something up. Franky's last straw is when he is fired for no reason only months before retirement. That's when he decides that cleaning up this school means more than mopping up a few messes!

Lucy White is the "new girl" and has problems of her own. From bullies, to her starring role in the school play, to pressure from her boyfriend to take things to the next level, Lucy has a lot on her mind! Unlucky for Lucy, these troubles become trivial when she finds herself locked in at school with a mad janitor on the loose!

Trigger This is a splatterpunk novella which contain graphic depictions of blood and gore. Listener discretion is advised!

Genres: Splatterpunk

Audible Audio

Published May 27, 2025

Reviews

[Elyrria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This just might be my favorite splatterpunk of the year! What a fun cast of characters and great backstory! As someone who was born in VA, it was fun to feel creeped out by my old stomping grounds. Oscar Brady has a fantastic way of making a story that could just be a dry, extreme horror narrative into a heart-pounding (and wrenching) 80s experience. This is what I'm talking about when I say I live horror. Put this one on your list for Pride month- the trans lead, Lucy, is badass!

[Steph's_Creepy _Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Review - Slight spoilers at the end.

Oscar, has anyone ever told you that your Janitor voice sounds like Pennywise? Loved that you narrated this audible yourself. No one knows how this story should be told like you do after all.
You managed to tell this story so convincingly that I’m actually not sure if the preface about the movie is real, or a clever ploy from the author to set a scene. The good “This story is based on true events” that make readers and observes sit that little straighter and pay closer attention to the story unfolding before them.
In any case, I really loved this story and felt sorry for the downtrodden MC.
Adding some snot nosed teenagers, dimensional characters and relationships make you divide your sympathies with who you see fit.
I hope this isn’t the end of the Janitor. The ending was very teasing.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: Janitor by Oscar Brady
Release Date: June 1

If you’re a fan of old-school slasher horror with a twisted, gory edge, Janitor is a must-read. Inspired by a chilling true story from the 1980s, Oscar Brady dives headfirst into the grotesque with this blood-soaked tale that had me squirming, cringing, and loving every second.

[Gabrielle Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like slashers and Splatterpunk, you’re gonna love this!

[Ryan Danley · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review: Janitor by Oscar Brady
Release Date: June 1st

Going into Janitor, I was already a big fan of Oscar Brady’s Bunny Room, so I was thrilled to get an advanced reader copy of his latest. And let me tell you, it absolutely delivers.

Brady takes a cool, meta approach with this one. In the prologue, he explains that he’s novelizing a movie he remembers watching on VHS with his brother when they were kids growing up in a small town. The movie was obscure, hard to track down, and supposedly based on a true story. Whether or not you believe that part is up to you, but it adds a fun layer to the experience and sets the tone perfectly.

Once the actual story kicks in, it's full-throttle 80s slasher goodness. The book centers on Franky, also known as “Stanky Franky,” the head janitor at a fancy high school. Alongside him is Lucy, a student with a quote-unquote secret she’s keeping from her classmates, and a cast of classic high school jerks who clearly have it coming.

Frankie is given some information that he absolutely does not want to hear, and what follows is a violent, splatterpunk-fueled rampage. This book is brutal, bloody, and wildly entertaining. But it's also smart. Brady knows the genre inside and out, and he plays with the tropes in a way that feels fresh. He even weaves in some progressive themes that add real depth without slowing the momentum.

If you're a fan of 80s horror, splatterpunk, or just love a slasher that swings hard and sticks the landing, Janitor is a must-read. It's savage, sharp, and a hell of a lot of fun.

[Autumn Hanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely felt like I was watching a movie. Even though I wasn’t alive in the 80s, I’ve always had a fascination with the era and this dredged up all of my nonexistent nostalgia.

Janitor by Oscar Brady checks all of the boxes for a perfect slasher. It was gory, icky, full of literal shit, and absolute perfection.

It was also so cool to have a transgender final girl!

[Phrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

So there’s this guy. I guess his name is Oscar Brady. He’s a splatterpunk author. He wrote this slasher called The Janitor. He’s not like new-new, but he’s new-ish. He’s pretty cool. You know, I guess. For a guy who writes weird, gory, nostalgic, character-driven, queer, transgressive horror that rustles all the jimmies. I mean, he has a book called “Potato.” Which seems pretty cool. But then I noted that he called himself “your favorite splatterpunk author’s favorite splatterpunk author” in this synopsis. Which is both grandiose and gauche, which I can get behind. Alright, this story brought me back to the horrors of high school so I thought I would give him the aloof, distant high school welcome that he deserved but I can’t anymore. Anyways, he basically threatened to staple my dangly bits to a revolving door if I didn’t listen to this audiobook. Which he did all the audio/voices for. Which is cool. Ambitious. I guess. If you’re into that. *tucks hair behind ear & draws pointy S’s everywhere*

Quick Synopsis:
Lucy White is the new girl in a school full of eccentric and annoying students. The staff aren’t any better. The janitor cleans, but also meticulously takes note of everyone’s messy habits that for sure won’t come back to haunt them in oddly specific, appalling ways I’m sure. Oh snap! The janitor has lost it & locked everyone in the school! What will he do with all those corrosive cleaning supplies, industrial garbage compactors, and cleaning paraphernalia on big sticks?!

All joking aside, this was an amazing homage to classic 80’s slashers. It was egregiously over the top and campy, with all the gruesome deaths and comeuppance that one could ask for. On top of that, a lot of nuanced nods and a heartstring-pulling subplot involving an emerging favorite final girl? Where does this Oscar guy shop for his audacity, because it must be on sale somewhere. For my first Oscar Brady story, this was a home run. I could not recommend it more! Especially the audiobook on audible, just so you can hear him live his best theater-kid life. Just don’t tell ‘em I sent you and whatever we do, don’t let this guy win ANY kind of well-deserved-ish awards whatsoever, because that may push him over the edge. Then he will just keep writing more fucked up shit and angering the elderly while they shout at clouds. Which is the LAST THING we need. 😮‍💨

[Deadboi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a haunting, character-driven descent into one man’s breaking point. At the center is a school janitor who’s endured a lifetime of pain—raised in an abusive household and stuck in a thankless job for over two and a half decades. What struck me most was how deeply the author humanizes him. You feel the weight of his exhaustion, the quiet dignity in how he carries himself day after day, and the heartbreak of being discarded like he never mattered.

As the story unfolds, you can’t help but root for him—not necessarily for what he does, but for the pain he carries and the way the world has overlooked it for far too long. His journey is raw, emotional, and unsettling in all the right ways. It’s a revenge tale, yes, but one that makes you pause and think about who we ignore and what happens when someone’s humanity is chipped away piece by piece.

A must read for Splatter punk fans.

[Ashleigh Soto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fucking phenomenal. I quite enjoyed Bunny Room and Oscar Brady outdid himself even more so on this book—in my opinion. The ending of this book had me DMing him asking what was real and what wasn’t, the plot is unique and so fun, the action and violence is paced beautiful, the characters are cheesy in the best 80’s-style-horror-ish kind of way, and overall I very much do enjoyed this book.
I haven’t read much extreme horror or splatter lately because I was burning myself out on it, but this book (and Skate or Kill) left me wanting more!
Great job Oscar.

[Shannon Mccann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just horrifically grotesque and I loved every second of it! I was transported to a world of the 80s slasher films that I love, if those films were also transported to a splatter punk hellscape filled with gore and grime! Loved every second and I look forward to reading more from this author!!

[A.Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a fan of 80’s Slashers with lots of gore this is perfectly done.
🍿🪠
This was sooo freaking disgustingly fun.

🤢 I hope you have a strong stomach because it will definitely be tested.
This is a fantastically written gross and gory splatterpunk read!

Stanky Franky is coming! 🚽🪠

[Jessica Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do NOT. I repeat DO NOT read this if you have a weak stomach. This book was short but not short on effed up. There was so much going on in this story. The blood and gore scenes were way more palpable than some other aspects of the story😬 I probably should live in a padded room😂

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the prologue being some backstory. Made it interesting goin in from there..
Very descriptive- One scene for sure
got a visceral reaction out of me.
Definitely recommend reading if you love
some filthy, graphic, and gory splatterpunk!

[Joseph M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only 4 words came to mind while reading this,
Disgusting… Depraved… Disturbing… Delightful!
Oscar has done it again with another banger of a book! It had an amazing 80’s style with that slasher flair one looks for in a good Splatterpunk novel!
5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ without a doubt!

[Lia's Haunted Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is pure 1980s slasher fun: violence, blood, death, and teenagers doing dumb teenager things.

The setup? A school custodian is fired after 30 years on the job, and he finally snaps. What follows is a blood-soaked rampage that leans into every slasher trope you’d expect—teenagers partying, the killer lurking, and bodies piling up.

It’s nostalgic in all the best ways, brutal in others, and exactly what you want if you’re craving that classic slasher vibe with no apologies.

[James Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janitor was more than I expected. I assumed this was a straightforward splatter punk book about a psycho janitor in the style of an 80s slasher. What I got was something much deeper and shrouded in mystery. Oscar Brady loved this movie called Janitor, and he's been trying to find a copy for years. Little did he know, his search for the movie would lead him down a path of a real-life mystery. Janitor is one part true-crime and one part movie novelization, and the way the novel is put together is actually pretty clever.

Personally, I do wish there was more slasher action, but that's just me. I don't want to say much more than that because I don't want to spoil anything. The writing is entertaining, and Brady really nails the schlockiness (if that's a word) of 80s slashers and video nasties. From the dialogue to the plot devices, he does a great job of creating that vibe. I'd definitely like to get this in paperback as well; I think it's on my Amazon book wishlist.

The performance was pretty decent and because this is Brady's first book narration, I won't judge too harshly. I did like the voice he came up with for the Janitor. Near the end, as the Janitor started to go a little more insane, he started to sound like the leprechaun from the '90s movie with an American accent. One thing listeners may have a bit of an issue with is the inconsistency in the audio production itself. Some parts had more background noise than others, in some parts Brady's voice had more reverb than others, and plosives could be heard throughout the recording. With that said, it didn't deter me from listening to the whole book. Overall, Janitor was a lot of fun to listen to and I honestly would listen to it again.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fan-fucking-tastic!

Gory, thrilling read about a janitor of a private school who has been working at the school for years now and thinks a call into the boss’ office is going to be a recognition speech of years of good work and dedicated service. When the meeting results in him being let go without pension, the Dean laughing at him for even thinking of it, and after having dealt with the awful population of students who trip him in the halls, call him Stanky Franky and the teacher staff that look down on him.. Franky looses it and goes ‘bonko’. He kills the Dean quite gruesomely then proceeds to lock down the exit doors with chains and continue to “cleanse” the school.

WICKED read, kept me on my toes. The prologue and epilogue are also written in a way where the author tells this story as if it is a real life event, that the story is based off a movie Janitor and how his brother and him used to watch horror movies as young kids and this was one of them. How he tries to find it for years and finally did, also meeting up with the only survivor of the massacre .. there were many times that I believed this does actually happen, that the story is real, then I go back to knowing it’s all fiction. But I actually had to message the author to ask him and make sure it was fiction, which is indeed is.

Absolutely recommend 100%

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this 4.25 (FYI most of my reviews are now on Fable but it’s important to review indie authors everywhere).

First off all - support your indie authors!!! You won’t be disappointed. Janitor was a fun splatterpunk read that blended elements of true crime and a 80’s slasher movie into one story. The prologue was definitely interesting because I did not know it was based on a movie the author had seen growing up. The prologue itself sent me to Google to look into all that.

The story was definitely entertaining and if anything I just wanted more of Lucy’s story (transgender teen) and more gore. We did get more of Lucy’s story in the epilogue but it left me wanting more lol. I listened to this in audible and the author narrated and I think he did a great job.

If you like horror and splatterpunk, give this author a chance. I know I’ll be reading Bunny Room soon.

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The janitor

Sooo I was gifted this on Audible by Oscar, the fact he narrated it himself was a bonus for me. He did a brilliant job👌🏻

I loved this, I listened to it all last night because I couldn’t put it down once I started. Loved the depth of the characters especially Lucy. But Wtf is wrong with George!!! Dirty f’ker 🤢😅

Lesson to be learned…be nice to your janitor you don’t know what he’s been through!! He can flip the switch at any time and come at you with a plunger 🪠👀🤣

4🌟 from me! Check the triggerrrrrs!

[SeveredTherapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An 80s slasher with a twist!

Now, being the skeptical person i am, I question the authenticity of this being based on a true story. However, that didnt lessen my enjoyment of it, including the afterword/epilogue at the end.

The slasher part was akin to a B-movie from the 80s and had all of the fun stuff, with the janitor being over the top (kind of reminded me of the dude in Silent Night, Deadly Night).

Regardless of its fall on the fiction/non-fiction classification, this was a fun read that brought a stupid smile to my face.

5 out of 5 severed thumbs-up.

[Kalaya Stutesman · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you know anything about me you know i love a good slasher and this is exactly that! it's filthy and gritty and reminds of me those one off slasher flicks from the 80s. this is absolutely what the author is going for and I LOVED ITTTTT. I also like the fun idea of it being based on a true story within the fictional world of the book, it added to the atmosphere.
also note to splatterpunk authors please for the love of God stop making me read about someone eating shit I CANT TAKE IT ANYMOREEEEE

[Leigh.empresselly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic horror that will curb your appetite and make you think twice about making a mess!! (And who cleans it up)

Oscar Brady is phenomenal at writing the extreme!! This book is disturbingly disgusting in the best ways!!! It’s so much fun!!

Many, many scenes tested my gag reflex! George goes there🤮🤮
However, Chapter 7 will forever change how I look at a plunger!! 🪠 Oh, Stanky Franky! 👀

Always looking forward to the next!

Read responsibly

[Stephanie Vicente · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4.5 ⭐️ I loved that the prologue was a backstory and this book had pulled in from the beginning when it started . I had heard it was an 80’s slasher horror and said says less . After hearing it was a movie too I got curious about it since it’s based on true events as well so this made it even more spooky. Personally I loved how it was written and for me I found it to be enjoyable , and i loved reading every second of it and I also loved to get to read this story before bed time

[Brittany Thell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janitor was absolutely disgusting, and I loved every minute of reading it! It felt like I was watching an 80s slasher, and those are my jam, so I knew this was going to be such a fun read for me. I wanted him to go farther with the gore. I wanted Franky to actually fuck Mr. Farmer's skull.

[Beau Branch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not big on splatter punk books but this definitely kept me engaged. I really enjoy slash movies and with this movie/book way of the plot, it was really cool! Reminded me of Prom Night and other slashers mixed together. Super Fun 👍

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far one of my favorite extreme horror/splatterpunk books. Fantastic plot and descriptions. The characters were all fun to learn about and the creativity on this one is insane! There were a couple scenes that definitely made my skin crawl particularly with the secondary janitor.

[Tamara Castaneda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly... people are so dramatic lol it's not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. If you've see terrifier and are a fan, you'll be fine. Yes, there are really gross scenes and I did get a little nauseous but isn't that the point of this genre? It's a quick and entertaining read.

[McKenzie Saylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Oscar Brady! Love the way he tells a story while including the gore and ick factors we love. So easy to get lost in the book and lose track of time, love his horror writing style and can’t wait for the next read!

[Gabbie Dewolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the grossest books I read this year

[Oscar Brady · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book doesn't make any sense. I'm pretty sure this "movie" is made up.