Happy Hour

by Gemma Amor

The 9th book in the Killer VHS Series, hailed as "the modern-day Goosebumps for Adults" by Horror Obsessive.

Happy Hour is the latest horror novella from Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award nominated author Gemma Amor.

The eccentric owner of a '90s underground London cocktail bar has a unique and disturbing way of keeping an eye on everything and everyone, then disappearing those who don't behave. Famous politicians, glamorous actresses, and international stars are all dying to get in... and to get out.

Happy Hour is the ninth book in the Killer VHS Series, hailed as "the modern-day Goosebumps for Adults" by Horror Obsessive. Killer VHS Series titles are standalone stories featuring found footage elemnets and nostalgic vibes for horror's '80s and '90s glory days.

Genres: Horror

224 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

I'm a Bram Stoker, BFA and Shirley Jackson Award nominated horror fiction author, podcaster, artist, editor and voice actor/audiobook narrator from Bristol, in the U.K.

I write novels and audio drama stories for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction podcasts. My most recent works are ITCH! from Hodder & Stoughton, FIRST DATE from Datura Books and the forthcoming HAPPY HOUR from Shortwave Books, out Oct 2026.

Find me at @manylittlewords on most social media platforms.

Repped by Becky LeJeune at Confluence Literary (Lit) and Sean Berard at Untitled (Film)

Reviews

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian is the owner of The Dirty Minx, and to him, revenge is best served in a suspiciously red and viscous highball glass. This novella was delectable, brutal, and surprisingly deep in its brevity. There are two pretty fun characters to follow, some macabre scenes with glaring commonalities with politicians and the money hungry, and the camp is truly the perfect amount, never tipping the scales of being too on the nose. Amor really shined in this vaporwave adjacent horror novella, and I gorged myself on this prose. Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and nasty little revenge story.

I love when an author knows how to jam pack a short book and not make anything feel missing or feel like it should be cut. Gemma Amor clearly has a talent for not only writing but for storytelling.

Darkly funny at times, disgustingly gory and oddly a pinch romantic. Old money aesthetics meets fast paced thrilling revenge.

I know these series is marketed as 'Goosebumps for adults', but these (especially this one) feel like watching an episode of Tales from the Crypt.

Thank you Shortwave and netgalley for the e-arc.

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a younger lad I can remember going to the Scholastic Book Fair to grab the latest copy of Goosebumps to see what fears R.L. Stine could instill in me. Thanks to Shortwave Publishing and each new Killer VHS book such as  Killer VHS: Happy Hour by Gemma Amor we can get this feeling all over again. This time around it's a bit darker and filled with 1990s atmospheric horror.

The eccentric owner of a '90s underground London cocktail bar has a unique and disturbing way of keeping an eye on everything and everyone, then disappearing those who don't behave. Famous politicians, glamorous actresses, and international stars are all dying to get in... and to get out.

There are books that can be placed in any setting, but then there are those fit into a location that makes the story what it is. This latest entry into the Killer VHS series is one that oozes horror out of the neon-soaked 1990s smoky underground club setting. An atmospheric horror setting that made the story even more terrifying, making you turn it each page quickly.

Each of the Killer VHS stories feature a unique plot and Happy Hour is no different. While older entries into the series relied a lot of the video screen, these newer ones expand into a more nostalgic overall feel that make us miss the  1990s-style horror even more. With a bar as the setting, one could easily rely on age-old tropes such as a haunted building or bar, but instead Amor leans into other horrors such as power, obsession, corruption, vengeance, and the consequences of bad behavior.

It's not just the concept and plot that make Killer VHS: Happy Hour what it is, but it's Amor's writing itself. The author's writing is almost poetic at times, while also diving into the visceral and horrifying. Split into two timelines of storytelling was a fantastic way to read this story and the way Amor ends each timeline's section cutting off the line mid sentence was unique. At times can be a bit confusing, but works well with this shorter length story.

Amor balances the scales between with campy just enough to make it darkly humorous at times while also bloody. Yes, the visceral horror is preset, but Amor does much more with the story. Now, I have heard of people getting kicked out of bars for various reasons, but disappearing all together is a whole other thing. Killer VHS: Happy Hour takes bad behavior to another level and while doing so blends social commentary with campy horror in ways that surprised me.

Like other books in this series, Killer VHS: Happy Hour is a fast-paced horror that takes a unique concept and tells a fresh story that has you turning pages at breakneck speeds. While this book does need your attention throughout, as long as you are following along closely things fall right into place for a great reading experience.

Killer VHS: Happy Hour is yet another fantastic entry into the Killer VHS series. Gemma Amor delivers a stylish campy horror wrapped in an unforgettable and atmospheric setting. A cocktail blend of equal parts intoxicating and terrifying, Happy Hour stays with you long after last call.

Killer VHS: Happy Hour hits bookstores everywhere on October 20, 2026 from Shortwave Publishing.

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Killer VHS: Happy Hour from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was a gruesome and gory delight. I'd never previously heard of the Killer VHS series, but I can see myself hunting down the other titles off the back of this, as well as Amor's other works.

Happy Hour follows Brian, a self-made man who dragged himself out of poverty and is now the owner of the ever-so-prestigious and exclusive Dirty Minx.

Of course, owning one of London's most elite cocktail bars isn't quite enough for Brian. There's an individual out there who personally cost him more than they could possibly fathom on their climb to the top, and Brian will stop at nothing to make sure revenge is served – with an umbrella on top.

This was a tremendous amount of fun. The characters were all despicable, but Amor managed to make them grotesquely compelling in the few pages allotted to them. It's rare that I outright root for murder in fiction, but there were a number who were just so awful that the cold glass of bloody karma was richly deserved.

Overall, this was a perfect mix of '90s nostalgia, gore, insanity, and solid characterisation. I had a grand time reading it.

Highly recommended.

With thanks to Shortwave for the ARC.

[Cyndi Farfsing · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick-paced horror novella. The author did a fantastic job with the pacing, and it was surprisingly clever with its art symbolism. This was a refreshing read, and I can absolutely see the “Goosebumps for adults” vibes.

We meet Brian, the owner of a super luxe, elite bar. He’s poured everything into making the place feel curated and swanky. But unfortunately, Brian finds himself in a bit of a bind and discovers an unexpected ally for some pretty dark deeds.

I appreciated the balance of camp without tipping into cheesy while keeping the pace moving and the characters interesting. The story unfolds in a fun way, with the present moving forward and the flashbacks moving backward. It was disorienting in a good way and kept me wanting to turn the pages.

My only critiques are really a product of the novella format. I absolutely could have read a full-length novel about Brian and the Dirty Minx. Readers who enjoy fast-moving, dark, slightly campy horror will have a great time with this one.

[Nerdy Nurse · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the 1812 Overture as a backdrop, this novella is a perfect symphony! I hung on to every note, never daring to look away, a profound YES ringing emphatically in my ears with each chapter!

How clever as well, to keep the reader in suspense by leaving a sentence mid-thought, only to pick it back up moments later.

I’ve read 25 books so far this year, and this one takes the alcopop. A new favourite! A dark read that seeps into you like a cold drink on a warm sunny day. The beginning will sink its claws into you, so beware - consumed in just one sitting, you won’t be able to put it down.

Amor, you’ve done it again! I f**king love you, you dirty minx!

Brian is the owner of an exclusive and luxurious bar. He curates a decadent experience enhanced with fine liquors for the rich and famous. Brian is also fuelled by deep-seated anguish and a longing for vengeance. An irresistible pairing, as you’ll soon find out.

Let the 1812 Overture play 🎶

[Dayana Qistina · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This, to him, was what revenge was: a job done, and done well.”

Thanks to Netgalley and Shortwave Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Hour by Gemma Amor is where a campy adult horror comes in a fun pack. It was perfectly balanced despite being written in two timelines, past and present, driven by the main character’s complex personality. Brian’s mind itself was the pièce de résistance. The brain and the muscles of a man. I appreciate how he was consistently going back and forth with his longing for vengeance, deep-rooted from grievances due to flawed human nature. The author did a good job keeping the dark satirical tone tethered to the very end. A clever, punchy composition of classic horror. You know how it starts but never wish for it to end.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Brian is a cultured little psychopath. I like the idea of a bar that has artwork and looks like a museum, but definitely not interested in a membership that caters to the rich and famous. Ultimately, I liked the outcome of his psychopathy, but I didn’t like Brian. Jenny seemed cool.. but I venture to say she’s more like other girls than she thinks (hello, true crime media consumption). This is a fun and vengeful read, and the dual timeline really propulsed me to keep reading because it literally cut off the story every time it switched.

Thank you, NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing! Pub date Oct 20th.

[frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the Author for a copy of this Arc

Look.

Every once in a while an author writes a book. And yeah it might be for anyone who reads it but it was ESPECIALLY for you.

Shortwave publishing doesn’t miss and Neither does Gemma Amor.

Happy Hour is about two people who work at a bar and are the absolute best kind of deranged.campy fun and the most lighthearted version of the vigilante killer taking out the trash, while retaining all the gore and horror that a reader could want.

Would i try the cocktails in this book ?

YES

Would I go to this bar?! No I’m poor but I sure would want to.

Truly a horror delight.

A great follow up would be Bed Rot Baby by Wendy Dalrymple or The Mean Ones by Tatiana Scholte-Bonne

[Shaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gemma Amor for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Happy Hour coming out October 20, 2026. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love horror stories. I thought this would be fun. It was definitely short, but it reminded me of 90s stories. It was great. I’d check out more books in the series.

[Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is great fun, short sharp and brutal little book. Love the 90's vibes.

We meet Brian the owner of the Dirty Minx nightclub in a rather sticky situation and learn about how he has ended up there... made me laugh in places.
If you want to pick up a a relatively quick read but also well written and fun with some good murders thrown in this is the one for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the ARC of this.

[Gregor Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The latest instalment of Shortwave Publishing’s ‘Killer VHS Series’ is Gemma Amor’s tale of revenge, Happy Hour.

This novella gets right into the action, giving you access to one of London’s most exclusive private clubs, and the motivation of a killer.

This is a fun read that tells concurrent stories of the past and present, and lives up to the “Goosebumps for adults” tag that this series has earned.

Thanks to Shortwave Publishing and Netgalley for the early access!

[Katie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Hour is a fun, bloody, fast paced tale of revenge. I'd read a full novel about these Bonnie and Clyde meets cocktail bar Sweeney Todd lovers! And I'm not saying the characters killed in this book deserved it, but.........

I've only read two other books in the Killer VHS Series, but I've enjoyed all of them! I'll have to scoop up the rest!!

[Ro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy.

3.5 rounded up, a super good time!

This is absolutely Goosebumps for adults, its fun and exaggerated and I would love to be a fly on the wall at the Dirty Minx.

This had a few of my favourite things - revenge, dual timelines and fast pacing. Definitely recommend this fun little read!

[Chris Panatier · Rating 5 out of 5]

From my blurb, this is all you should need:

Gemma Amor's HAPPY HOUR is a bittersweet cocktail of comeuppance served in a blood-smudged highball glass with a garnish of guts. So much fun, I drank it down fast, and now I'm hammered.

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and Shortwave books for the arc! This was a fun quick read and was engaging from the start. It had great visuals, was dark, and also really funny. Cherry was so over the top, it made me laugh. Revenge is always fun, and this was no exception.

[Natasja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Killer VHS series so I was very happy to get the chance to read this ARC. Happy Hour is a very fun, dark, and campy read, a great addition to the series. Thank you for the ARC, NetGalley!

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Video Nasty take on Poe's The Cask of Amontillado. Just don't think about it too much.