Long Night at Lake Never

by Eric David Roman

Welcome to Camp Horizons, where they pray all day…and get slayed all night! Nestled against scenic Lake Never, recently outed Tyler Wills has arrived at the secluded conversion camp, where the delusional staff of counselors believes he and his fellow camper’s queer affliction can be healed solely through the power of prayer. After a full day spent rallying against sadistic deprogramming therapies, the deranged camp director, and planning his escape, Tyler discovers a larger problem—a mysterious stranger has rolled into camp with a grudge to settle and a very sharp axe. When night falls, the terror and body count rise. And Tyler, along with his fellow campers, find themselves trapped between a brutal, unrelenting killer and their holier-than-thou prey as they desperately search for a way to survive the Long Night at Lake Never.

Goodreads praise for Long Night at Lake

"For fans of 80s slasher films, who support the LGBT community, this one is a must-read"

"I could not believe anyone could capture that intense feeling of an 80's slasher movie in a book - and yet - Roman has done it."

"Long Night at Lake Never is a suspense-laden, gore-filled horror comedy that is not afraid to throw in a social message or two."

Genres: Horror

187 pages, Paperback

Published July 12, 2021

About the author

Eric David Roman spent twenty years wandering the wrong paths; he tends to get lost a lot (he’s from Florida). He worked the wrong jobs (as it turns out, streetwalking is not a profession for just anyone) and avoided his true passion—writing, or as he refers to it, shotgunning sleeves of gluten-free double stuff Oreos in a dark closet whilst crying. After hitting a low point while trapped in retail management hell (a harsh rock bottom), he rearranged his thinking (now with 75 percent less anxiety and depression), got a little spiritual (but isn’t all in-your-face about it) and switched his focus fully to writing; well, as much as his gAyDD allows. And now, you’re reading his bio, so things are progressing nicely. He is the author of the outrageous novella Despicable People, the new novel Long Night at Lake Never, and multiple upcoming works. Eric remains socially distant in Northern Virginia (don’t stalk him, you’d just be disappointed), where he lives, writes, and loves a mix of all things horror, campy, and queer. He spends the days with his adoring husband and loveable cat (both of whom remain indifferent to his self-proclaimed celebrity).

Reviews

[Christiane Erwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't words for how much I NEEDED this book to be written. It is slasher fic at it's best with lovable characters, moral undertones and a strong dash of humor sprinkled throughout. It's fast and easy to read, perfect for a rainy weekend or a beach vacation, and I really, really hope there will be a sequel!!

[Rellim · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by Eric David Roman and it was great. Horror set at a conversion (Pray the gay away) camp. It’s everything I love about 70s/80s slasher flicks with a modern day setting. I enjoyed Roman’s writing - the set up, characters, and gore were well developed and engaging. Easy and fun read.

Rec by Glenn Quigley

[Scott Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I begin?! I love slasher horror movies, especially campy slasher movies. Long Night at Lake Never reads like all of the slasher films that I love. On top of my love for horror, this books is so queer, which makes it even better. Eric sprinkles his own humor, which is fucking hilarious, throughout the book giving readers a moment to breathe before jumping right back into the gore and violence. This is what a good slasher should do instead of pure gore the entire time. Let readers savor the exciting, horrific moments. This is a short and easy read, but it is 100% fun and camp. I want to thank Eric, who has become a good friend, for writing such a fun read. I haven't been able to sit down and read a book (physical or e-book) since January 2023, and Long Night at Lake Never ended that slump for me. I can't wait to read more from Eric. I highly recommend this book to everyone you enjoys a good slasher!

[J.P. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine this.

You're sitting in your parent's rec room basement alone with all the lights turned off and you're watching any of the Friday the 13th installments. You get to the point where a character is about to be whacked - WHAT DO YOU DO??

You cover your eyes, but secretly you're peering out from between your fingers because as much as you don't want to see someone die a horrible bloody death - you totally want to see that.

This is exactly how I felt reading Roman's Long Night at Lake Never. I could not believe anyone would capture that intense feeling of an 80's slasher movie in a book - and yet - Roman has done it.

Tyler is an outspoken gay teen whose parents cannot abide with their son's queerness. So, off to Camp Horizons he goes - where his parents hope he will pray the gay away.

First off let's just all face the reality: Conversion Therapy is abusive and wrong. Suppression and repression of anyone's sexual orientation, or gender identity is harmful and destructive. The fact that Roman has taken this current hot topic and made the camp counsellors the victims of a supernatural slasher simultaneously brought joy to my dark violent heart, as well as striking the fear of all the gods in me.

The gore in this is excruciatingly detailed, and nasty. It is not for the faint of heart. But there's so much more to this novel than an axe wielding, blood spraying, supernatural tortured spirit. So much more.

First off, Roman knows his Bible quotes. And for that - an extra 10 points should be awarded. Tyler goes after his camp counsellors when they start spewing the religious vitriol and goes to biblical quote war with them. Well Done!

Secondly, each of the four camp attendants are so relatable, and enjoyable you instantly become attached, or hate them and want to see them die (Spoiler - you do!). In particular and my favorite was Jamal, a fabulous, glittered, rainbow unicorn of colour. And without it seeming to be hasty or weird, Roman manages to pair up Tyler with the football jock Chris. By the end of the tale you want to see them living their best lives - of course after navigating the carnage of Lake Never.

The message - and believe it or not there is one - is simple: Be who you are and be proud to live in your own glorious skin. Okay, so there's an axeblade or two chopping through some bodies in order to drive that point home. What's a horror fan to do?

If you love horror like I do, pick up this quick read - you will not be disappointed.

[Ryan Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy, did I love this! A fantastic nod to 80s slasher movies, Long Night at Lake Never is about a small group of queer youth forced to endure treatment at a cult-like Conversion Therapy camp nestled deep in the woods of buttf#ck nowhere by "ex-gay" religious cretins. Oh ya, and a killer is stalking everyone--a killer with a burning need for blood-soaked vengeance!

Eric David Roman's writing is smooth and imaginative, perfectly evoking the landscape and tension of a Friday the 13th film. But this novel is so much more than straight (no pun intended) horror. While the emotional and physical tortures are visceral, fully inhabiting the text, the author's use of wit and humour shines through.

Long Night at Lake Never is a suspense-laden, gore-filled horror comedy that is not afraid to throw in a social message or two. I was both educated and entertained by Eric David Roman's work, but most importantly, I was inspired. I cannot recommend this novel highly enough to all readers, not just horror fans and the LGBTQ community.

[Gab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I review a slasher book, I always open with something on the line of "I don't like slashers, but I'll try to be objective" and somehow 90% of the books I am asked to review are slashers. If someone has an explanation about this it, please let me know, but meanwhile I will start being very vocal about my dislike for twenty quid notes, blowjobs and cups of espresso, just in case.
To be fair, though, I would have probably picked up this slasher by Eric David Roman anyway, because I read his previous book "Despicable People" (not a slasher) and I enjoyed it.

Set in a "pray-the-gay-away" gay conversion camp, this book handles real themes that are so horrific that I actually feel bad about saying anything worse that "THIS BOOK IS PERFECT!" even solely for the bravery displayed in doing so.
Unfortunately, though, reviewers gotta review, so - while not a bad book in the least - I will have to mention what I believe are its weakest points, of course keeping in mind that I am not a big fan of the genre and trying to be objective. Besides, when I read reviews explaining how a book is nothing less than life-changingly sublime, either I don't believe that the review is honest (somebody reviewing a friend's work or looking for an equally enthusiastic review in return) or it sets the bar so impossibly high that I will without fault get disappointed when I read it.

So, one of the tropes I don't like in slashers is the hulking figure that is unstoppable and stronger than a tank, especially so if - despite that - he can still sneak around people more silent than a fart released in a busy lift. And then all this is magnified by pitting this unstoppable killing machine against victims with all the surroundings awareness and the defense capabilities of a wet sandwich.
Why am I boring you lot by telling you this? Because that's the trope used in this story. What I am struggling to decide is: am I justified in disliking this trope? Or Roman is doing a perfect job as a slasher author, doing what a slasher author should, and the problem is me for reading a genre I know I really struggle to read?
I feel like someone who listens to pop music and then complains because the chorus is repeated forty times in two minutes and a half: on one hand, sure, Pharell told me he's happy and Rihanna that I can stand under her umbrella with a frequency that can be classified as Chinese water torture. On the other hand, though, only a prick listens to pop music to then complain that it is pop music. In fact, this is the best selling music in the world, so what do I know? So yeah: they repeat stuff and Eric David Roman has a hulking figure slaughtering people. You decide whether it's cool.

One thing I think I can objectively say is that this being a story with a hulking figure doing the killing set in a camp beside a lake, I couldn't help but draw the parallel with Friday the 13th. If I thought about it, I guess that a big fan of slashers - basically what I expect to be the audience for this book - will probably draw the same parallel. Again: is this too derivative or a great homage? That's for you to decide, as well.

The story is very good. It is paced very well, which is actually a skill that's rarer than one would think and it keeps you reading. It treats the themes of not only homophobia, but self-loathing for being gay in a homophobic society with both objectivity and a very strong, felt passion that makes so that I can only recommend this book to anyone, especially young people: if you're growing up gay, it's empowering. If you're growing up straight, it's educational.
It also sheds some light on how the good Book's teachings are often picked and chosen by people who use the Bible as both their greatest weapon and shield.
The one criticism I can make is that sometimes, while the protagonist illustrates to the homophobes why they're wrong or to a fellow "camper" why they shouldn't be ashamed of who they are, it feels a bit more like a speech than an organic conversation, but this is nit-picking and - again - the whole thing is so empowering that I didn't even mind.

The characters are good and I wish I had a friend like Jamal. Though, I must be honest, when it comes to their dialogue, I noticed that in every sentence they speak there has to be at least one of the following five words: saltine, honky, bitch, girl and/or unicorn.
If I'm to write a honest review, I think it's a bit of a no-no when you can tell some of the words a character is going to speak before they do, but also as a reader, I loved when they were on the scene, so I guess it depends on whether you care more about the reviewer judgement or the reader's gut feeling. Also, to be fair, there are people who always say the same words in sentences in real life.

All in all, this is a felt, brave and empowering read that I am happy to recommend. It's also a good slasher, to be honest. Obviously, like with every book ever written, it would help if you don't straight up dislike the genre it's a part of to start with, but then again, I don't think you need me to tell you so.

[Books+Coffee=Happiness Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Night at Lake Never is one of the best horror books I’ve read this year. For fans of 80s slasher films, who support the LGBT community, this one is a must-read … but only if you aren’t squeamish. Blood. Gore. Violent deaths. But honestly the true horror is the camp itself and the self-righteous people running it. Abuse in the guise of helping someone is still abuse.

I detest spoilers so I won’t give anything away, but I will say this… Mr. Roman is one of the few writers who not only made me sympathize with the killer, but I was cheering him on.

And if horror isn’t your thing, at least read Mr. Roman’s bio. It’s seriously funny, unique, and all kinds of awesome. It was like finding the prize in a Cracker Jack box.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. And I can honestly say this is a ten star read.

[Nick Watters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody fun

Roman absolutely hit it out of the park with this one. Long night at lake never was an awesome story that takes the reader and all fans of horror back to their roots, camp slasher horror.
This one hits as hard as any of our favorite 80's films did, but ties in a very serious message. Roman proves that societal issues aren't only to be addressed in political campaigns, college demonstrations, and ten o'clock news stories. Long Night at Lake Never brings an unfortunately still controversial topic to the surface in a way that I've never seen a horror author do.

I absolutely loved this read, loved the message, and highly recommend.

[CR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for fans of the slasher/horror genre. I'm a huge fan of anything gory and Roman definitely did not disappoint when it came to the gore. This is set at a conversion camp in the woods which to me is already the stuff of nightmares. Then we have the holier-than-thou than thou guides that you can't help but hate and hope they all get killed off, a group of campers that I fell in love with instantly (especially Jamal), and a psychotic killer on the loose in the woods. This was one of those books that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

[Leida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow! The story was really good. So good, that I even sympathized with some of the deaths. Except Bob, that F'er had it coming. A powerful telling of the struggle of what some LGBTQ youths must go through in not being accepted by their families. Loved the classic horror story references, the realistic teen dialogs, and the conclusion that was hoped for was delivered.

While I don't want to believe that these places are actually real, after having watched Pray Away on Netflix, I hate that a place like Horizons could actually still exist.

[Aiden Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is bloody, queer, and fun. It doesn't have any chapters, which apparently stresses me out a lot for some reason, but that's the only complaint I have about it. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of slasher, especially since the main characters tend to be annoying as hell, but that's not the case here. We have 3 very likable protagonist who take relatively reasonable decision, an interesting killer, and an overall well written story. Also, how can you not want to read a book with a cover like that?

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun throwback to 80s camp slashers but set at a "pray away the gay" camp instead. Some pretty tense kill scenes that vary over the course of the book and there are some pretty likable characters along the way, too! Would definitely be a fun to see some adaptation of this as I like it more than the "They/Them" movie that was created a couple of years ago and it has similar vibes.

[J.S. Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ Review: Long Night At Lake Never by Eric David Roman.

Although I’ve always loved thrillers, and LGBT novels, I’ve never read a combination of the two, or work by Eric David Roman before, but I enjoyed it!

Overly Gruesome throughout (which I enjoyed) the book was fast paced and hard to put down. There were heavy topics of homophobia and conversion therapy, but they were handled well.

Personally, I would have avoided the supernatural element as I don’t think it needed it (regardless of how much I love the genre), but overall it was a good read and I would reccomend it.

[Mx Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like horror, and even better camp horror, then you are in luck. Eric David Roman brings all of your camp nightmares to life...or death (evil chuckle) in Long Night at Lake Never.

Lake Never has the biggest nightmare of all: Camp Horizons is a conversion therapy camp. Roman combines the horror of real-life conversion actions with an axe-wielding killer. Poor Tyler is dumped there by his parents. Tyler proceeds to stand up for himself in a sometimes funny and sometimes painful to watch incidents which lead him to finding the first body.

Tyler is not alone as Roman pairs him with three boys who range on theh queer spectrum of self-expression. I have to admit that Jamal, our lone Black character, has unbelievably funny lines. They are freaking hilarious. I pick Jamal for “Second Banana Comic Relief” any day of the week.

Roman lets us know what everyone, but the killer, is thinking by showing their point of views. This is done smoothly.

The mystery of who the killer is might be fairly easy if you are a lover camp horror lore. (Raising my hand enthusiastically.) Roman follows the rules in a very crafty story.

I would easily give this book five stars if there had not been some spelling errors and grammatical issues. I have been running into this with NSP books lately. They are not gratuitous, but there are a few of them there.

This will not stop you from enjoying Lake Never. The story is fantastical in this gore. Roman created characters you want to root for and throw some people in front of the ax to save them. There is also romance in the background. You cannot ask for more. Let Long Night at Lake Never be at the top of your reading list this summer.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. If you're a fan of the Nighmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th film franchises, then I gaurantee you are going to LOVE this book as much as I do. I am, admittedly, a horror junkie. I sat down intending to start this book, read a few chapters, then come back to it later. Am i allowed to give this higher than 5 out of 5? Honestly I got so wrapped up in it that I was startled when hours later I was almost through the book before I knew what was happening. The main characters were amazing. I loved the campers, and was torn between hating the camp director and feeling sorry for the circumstances that brought him there. At times my heart was racing so fast I was sure it would jump out of my chest. Roman did a great job of not only creating a diverse cast with great depth, but building the suspense and unease throughout the whole story. (Be warned, it can get a little gorey, true to the slasher genre). I could go on for hours, but suffice it to say I adore this book and plan on re-reading it when my annual Halloween slasher movie marathon rolls around.

[Paul Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read

While the summer camp slasher has been done countless times this is the first great conversion camp slasher. Likeable characters, gruesome deaths and it's own mythology; what's not to like?

[Dustin Domingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric David Roman's slasher novel captures the balance of portraying the sinister nature of conversion therapy camps and the gory, campy goodness of old-school slashers with queer characters.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes a cover just speaks to you, and other times it friggin' screams. The cover of Eric David Roman's Long Night at Lake Never was definitely a screamer.

Based on the description on Amazon, you know right away you're going to be spending the next few hours at camp. But this ain't no regular camp full of canoe races, archery ranges, and all the fun times that go with it. The campers at Camp Horizons don't want to be there. Well... most of them. You see, there are two requirements to attend this camp. One, you have to be either a gay or lesbian youth, and two, your parents must think there's something wrong with you and want you fixed. I mean, why else would they relinquish all parental rights for the next two weeks, or however long the "Journey" might take. That's right. Camp Horizons is a conversion camp, where the counselors attempt to pray the gay away. As if the idea of a religious conversion camp isn't scary enough, add to it a dark secret from the camp's past, one no one wants to talk about, and a Friday the 13th-type killer roaming the woods.

The stars of Long Night at Lake Never are Tyler Wills, an attractive young man who likes and accepts his sexuality and has an attitude against those who think there's something wrong with him just because he's gay and has every intention of either leaving the camp or getting himself thrown out; Jamal, a fierce queen who also appears to be self-accepting; Myer, a nerdy youth who wants to be cured; and Chris, a jock type who's not exactly sure of his sexuality. You also have Bob, who runs the camp, and a cast of young men and women in the role of counselors (who I call cannon fodder). With the exception of one young woman, all of the staff are former campers who have been "cured."

Once the stage has been set, Roman wastes no time spilling blood, as two camp counselors are brutally dispatched. We also learn at this point that these two are not the first victims of the killer, whose motive behind his killing spree will be revealed later in the book, as we catch glimpses of his earlier kills. Roman has also created a likable cast of characters (for the most part), and you can't wait until the villain(s) (Bob and his cronies) are sent to meet their maker.

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book, as I wasn't familiar with the author, but that cover screamed "Read me!" so loudly that I couldn't ignore it. I was going in totally blind and with zero expectations. What I got was a throwback to my youth, when I would sit on the edge of my seat in front of the TV with a worn VHS tape in the VCR and a teen slasher unfolding on the screen. The only difference being that while I was rooting for the killer, I was also rooting for the campers, who already had their hands full battling the baddies running the camp. Long Night at Lake Never gets 5 stars from me, and if you're a slasher fan, I would highly recommend picking up a copy and spending the next few hours at camp.

[Chris Archeske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long Night at Lake Never by Eric David Roman is a fun and thoughtful slasher about some LGBTQ kids at a conversion camp finding themselves terrorized by a mysterious killer. Who could be responsible for the murders, and why?

This was a quick and entertaining read that played just like a horror movie, often reminding me of Friday the 13th, The Burning, and even the more recent They/Them. There’s lots of blood and gore and even a fun chase at the end, but what really separates this story from standard slasher fare is its care to the characters. The kids feel like real people you might’ve went to school with, and the counselors like villains in your own past you wish you could forget ever meeting.

The descriptions are smart and the dialogue is quick. I LOL’d at several moments, a testament to the strong writing.

The only thing I would’ve liked to have seen is higher stakes. I guessed early on who the killer was targeting, and that pulled me away from worrying about the characters who were outside of that demographic. I never felt like most of them (or at least the ones I actually cared about) were in any real danger. This could’ve been fixed with the inclusion of Lisa, a camp Guide with her own ulterior motive for taking the job, but it’s a plot development that is squashed too soon and doesn’t tap into its fullest potential. I would’ve liked to have seen moments of the kids working alongside Lisa—maybe even trying to protect her when the time came, upping the stakes and unintentionally putting themselves at risk. The story just needed a little more breathing room for that to happen.

Overall, if you like slashers with a unique perspective, you’re going to have a good time at Lake Never. I had a blast.

[Leeroy Cross James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Night at Lake Never has been on my TBR list for some time, so what better time to read it than Slasher Season?

When it comes to a slasher set at a campsite, I’m already invested. And when I read the blurb for Lake Never, I knew I was in for a bloody good time. The more popular the slasher sub-genre has become in horror fiction, the more it continues to surprise me. This one did not disappoint. Especially as it was also a queer horror book, that deals with some sensitive subjects.

Lake Never tells the story of a small group of teens fighting for their lives—in more ways than one—at a gay conversion camp. One night, bodies start piling up and dark secrets are revealed…not only do the teens have to deal with the monsters running the conversion camp, but they also need to survive the night against a killer.

I raced through Lake Never in no time. The story had a real grip on me from the first page and I really loved the way that Eric handled this tale. I found myself attached to Tyler, as well as the other ‘Journeyers’, and was routing for them from the moment they were introduced. Needless to say, this story deals with a real life horror scenario for some, so survival really was the key theme in this story. As much as we have a lot of fun slasher fodder and great characters, there are some truly heartbreaking moments. The storytelling truly was fantastic.

I couldn’t recommend Long Night at Lake Never enough, especially if you’re looking for a slasher story set at camp to read this Summer!

[Mindy Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

when teenage tyler is caught blowing another guy, his shitbag parents send him to a secluded conversion camp, which is horrific enough by itself, but then also, people start getting viciously, grotesquely, splendidly murdered. THIS WAS A DELIGHT. truly some of the most fucked up and deliciously violent murders I've ever read in a slasher, the author somehow managed to keep a sense of genuine intensity while also being absolutely fucking hilarious, the characters were lovely, while the characters in the book treated the queer kids atrociously the author treated them with the utmost respect, i would lay my life down for the killer.. i hope there's a sequel in the works because i want to know what happens to everyone next😭 this was a blast, def recommend, 4/5.

[Eric Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty Decent

There was humor, there was gore, it was like Friday the 13th meets But I'm A Cheerleader. After the story gets going I hated the main character less, LOVED the gore, and violence and Jamal. Two things disappointed me, but not enough to deter me from the story.
There were several typos throughout, but the story was honestly good enough they didn't really bother me.
I am so glad I finally decided to give this a try. I could totally see this as a movie.
Definitely a good read.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Gory Gay Tale

This is a twisted tale of conversion therapy and revenge. I didn’t expect the twist at the end but, boy, did it take this slasher story to new heights. My only beef was the preachiness of some of the characters. Totally not going to happen when you are threatened with being slayed. Or at least I’m not THAT person. In all, a good gory read with an interesting backstory to keep you on your toes.

[Melissa Couch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book grabs you and is intense, in a good way. I kept thinking it would make a better screen play than an actual book though. I wanted more incite from the killer or suspense from the unknown versus a play by play. But it was hard to put down and made you socially conscious throughout.

[Kameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rounded up from 1.5 stars

Quick thoughts… The kills are pretty gruesome, the story lacks, and the quasi-Jason killer wasn’t it for me. Only slightly more tolerable than the horrible They/Them film from Peacock. If you’re looking for a good Conversion Camp slasher, check out Camp Carnage.

[Kenneth Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky, queer, and bloody slasher flick in book form…when teens get sent to a conversion camp, there’s not a whole lot of therapy happening because the counselors can’t seem to get things working. And from there, everything goes crazy! That’s all I’m going to say :)

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minimal spoilers ahead!

I got mad (at Bob), I got glad (when Bob died), and I cringed with my whole body over the gore. This was a fun read!

[Will 🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

An LGBT slasher? Sign. Me. Up. It was a good read and as a fan of 80’s slashers I loved this book!

[Allen Herring · Rating 4 out of 5]

a Fun fast read. some laugh out loud moments and some inventive kills await in this gay conversion camp slasher!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long Night at Lake Never is an absolute thrill ride—a fantastic LGBTQ+ slasher that blends tension, terror, and heart. Eric David Roman (the Jennifer Love Hewitt of our generation), truly nails the genre, delivering a story that's both gory and emotionally charged. The plot; a secluded conversion camp stalked by a brutal killer, but Roman adds layers with diverse, well-developed characters, making you care about their fates (spoilers at the end for the one I am raging about).
Tyler, the protagonist, is compelling as he navigates the horror with his fellow campers, but it's Chris who steals the show for me—his development and strength make him stand out in a genre where characters often feel expendable. The body count rises, and the suspense never lets up, keeping you hooked from beginning to end.
The gore is unapologetically graphic, and just when you think you know where it's going, Roman throws in a neat twist that ups the stakes and leaves you wanting more.

Give us a sequel now

And, as for the spoiler, Justice for Erin, or Lisa (if ya nasty).