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Panic Playhouse
Thirteen-year-old Cole and his best friend Landon should be playing their favorite video game together safe in their homes. Instead, the pair are trapped in a run-down trailer with two abusive redneck psychopaths. Finley was supposed to finish her homework and relax at her parents' farmhouse all by herself. Now, it's midnight, and three men are about to burst through the front door. Amy watches the rain intensify at work completely unaware of the absolute hell that will overtake her in just a few short hours.💾 Click over to PANIC PLAYHOUSE and witness the unimaginable suffering of those captured for your entertainment. There's plenty of videos to check out. Hundreds. And for just the right price, you can be the director. 📹
- GenresHorror
149 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2024
8 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 26, 2025
What a great read! This is a small read full of big moments. There are far male characters you follow through the story and each one of them are interesting in the heat offer their own unique where been trapped in this panic playhouse world.
I really enjoyed Wesley part the best. It was just so disturbing all the best ways. I knew I was going to like this one from all that I heard about it before, but I didn’t know I was going to enjoy it this much!
This is a book that I’ll be rereading often and recommend and constantly!
I really enjoyed Wesley part the best. It was just so disturbing all the best ways. I knew I was going to like this one from all that I heard about it before, but I didn’t know I was going to enjoy it this much!
This is a book that I’ll be rereading often and recommend and constantly!
August 8, 2024
Absolutely devastated. This was … 😳 If Jack Ketchum’s “The Girl Next Door” had a baby with “A Dark Web of Monsters” by J. Boote, this book would be the literary spawn of that unholy union. I am still cringing 6 days after finishing it as I just now felt ready to put this review up. This book is carnage, chaos, depravity, defeat, agony and absolutely insane. Oliver skillfully crafts a handful of characters so perfectly portrayed than you can almost smell their fear, their rage, they are brought to life through impeccable visualization of a truly terrifyingly realistic depiction of just how dark and perverse human beings have the capability, the potential, and sometimes even desire to be… there is blood and gore and so much more, but the POVs of each character are so well laid out that it’s not over the top, but just the right amount to bring it to life in your head and really twist your guts up inside. Hands down, must read.
January 16, 2024
"The description of the site had immediately churned desire inside the depths of his curiosity and in the dirtiest corners of his imagination."
What a great debut this is. I am so glad I got to be a part of reading this before it lauches. Remy is coming in hot to the splatter punk scene. This book was a depraved blood soaked nightmare. This is the first book I have personally read the includes the dark web.
This book starts, and it hits the ground running, there isn't too much of a slow down point. Its very descriptive, down to even minor details, which makes it easy to paint the picture of what is going on. I personally enjoyed him giving details of how characters sounded, so I was reading aloud trying to mimic the voices just as it was described. This switches through multiple perspectives and timelines, but is dated so its easy to accurately keep up with what is going on.
Fun fact. In this book, it mentions that a characters first concert was Kiss. I loved that! My first concert was also Kiss, however, I would most certainly not like to be reminiscing it as it was described in this.
All in all, this gave me so many emotions as a parent. The events that transpire are a tragic, tormenting horror. The way everything tied together was well thought out and executed. The twist at the end I, by all means, I did not see coming. I believe what made this so disturbing is that you can actually find or do this with enough digging and money. The first of the incidents is gut wrenching pure brutality that could happen, wrong place, right time. The final, be careful who you disrespect and piss off.
There was a few instances where the sentences didn't make sense, but it didn't draw away from the actual story or the book as a whole. Hell, I barely make sense writing a review.
If you're looking for a fun splattery gory mess, and are interested in the idea of the dark web, I do recommend this. Show some support for an upcoming indie author. I think we will be seeing more of from Remy. This was a strong start into the horror splatter culture.
What a great debut this is. I am so glad I got to be a part of reading this before it lauches. Remy is coming in hot to the splatter punk scene. This book was a depraved blood soaked nightmare. This is the first book I have personally read the includes the dark web.
This book starts, and it hits the ground running, there isn't too much of a slow down point. Its very descriptive, down to even minor details, which makes it easy to paint the picture of what is going on. I personally enjoyed him giving details of how characters sounded, so I was reading aloud trying to mimic the voices just as it was described. This switches through multiple perspectives and timelines, but is dated so its easy to accurately keep up with what is going on.
Fun fact. In this book, it mentions that a characters first concert was Kiss. I loved that! My first concert was also Kiss, however, I would most certainly not like to be reminiscing it as it was described in this.
All in all, this gave me so many emotions as a parent. The events that transpire are a tragic, tormenting horror. The way everything tied together was well thought out and executed. The twist at the end I, by all means, I did not see coming. I believe what made this so disturbing is that you can actually find or do this with enough digging and money. The first of the incidents is gut wrenching pure brutality that could happen, wrong place, right time. The final, be careful who you disrespect and piss off.
There was a few instances where the sentences didn't make sense, but it didn't draw away from the actual story or the book as a whole. Hell, I barely make sense writing a review.
If you're looking for a fun splattery gory mess, and are interested in the idea of the dark web, I do recommend this. Show some support for an upcoming indie author. I think we will be seeing more of from Remy. This was a strong start into the horror splatter culture.
May 18, 2024
Cole and his best friend Liam are being nosey kids and are exploring. They end up exploring next door and quickly wish they didn't. They're put through hell by some crazy drugged out psychos.
Panic Playhouse is a site on the dark web that specializes in snuff, torture films. You pay a large sum of cash, you decide who, what, when, and where for your personal entertainment.
Remy did not hold back! A couple of POVs in the book that end up connecting together so well! I enjoyed the torture, the blood, the crazy men. The revelation towards the end I also did enjoy. Overall a great book! Can't wait to read more from Remy!
Panic Playhouse is a site on the dark web that specializes in snuff, torture films. You pay a large sum of cash, you decide who, what, when, and where for your personal entertainment.
Remy did not hold back! A couple of POVs in the book that end up connecting together so well! I enjoyed the torture, the blood, the crazy men. The revelation towards the end I also did enjoy. Overall a great book! Can't wait to read more from Remy!
January 24, 2024
This book was a wild ride from start to finish. 145 pages of pure horror, adrenaline rush terror, gore, torture, and more.
Panic Playhouse is phenomenally written, and is 100% not for the faint of heart. It involves some very difficult things that some may find triggering.
This book had me shocked at every turn of the page. So much so, that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a few hours.
I honestly found not a single thing I disliked about this book. Remy Oliver did a wonderful job at pulling me in with his writing, and his ability to keep the fast pace of the book up. His ability to continue pull me in with the twists and turns at every page was amazing.
This amazing book comes out January 31st. If you haven’t already added it to your TBR, or pre ordered it, do it now 👏🏻👏🏻 it’s 100% worth it. I can’t wait to see what else he comes up with!
Panic Playhouse is phenomenally written, and is 100% not for the faint of heart. It involves some very difficult things that some may find triggering.
This book had me shocked at every turn of the page. So much so, that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a few hours.
I honestly found not a single thing I disliked about this book. Remy Oliver did a wonderful job at pulling me in with his writing, and his ability to keep the fast pace of the book up. His ability to continue pull me in with the twists and turns at every page was amazing.
This amazing book comes out January 31st. If you haven’t already added it to your TBR, or pre ordered it, do it now 👏🏻👏🏻 it’s 100% worth it. I can’t wait to see what else he comes up with!
January 3, 2024
Panic Playhouse by Remy Oliver is an all around crazy read! If you ever spent any amount of time either on the dark web or trolling the internet for dark web stories this one is for you! This was probably one of the most suspenseful things I’ve ever read keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout! I had a very hard time putting this ARC down, it’s both fascinating and horrifying! Official release date: 1/31/24
May 18, 2024
3.5/5 Rounded Up for Goodreads
This was a really fun read and reminded me of Survivor by Gonzales in its story line, dark web, murder for hire, ect. The actual novella itself is much different. More brutal, more stories, more action. This is very fast paced and gets your attention from the first chapter. I’m really intrigued by this world Oliver has created as I feel like so much can be done with it in subsequent books.
Where this lost it’s full potential for me is there were a lot of side stories. They all connected in the end but my ADHD brain felt like I would get into one story line and then I’d get plucked into another and so as a result I couldn’t get fully wrapped into it. That being said, I appreciated how Oliver brought it all together in the end. Overall, I enjoyed this read and had a lot of fun! I’m excited to see what’s next and I’ll definitely be picking it up!
This was a really fun read and reminded me of Survivor by Gonzales in its story line, dark web, murder for hire, ect. The actual novella itself is much different. More brutal, more stories, more action. This is very fast paced and gets your attention from the first chapter. I’m really intrigued by this world Oliver has created as I feel like so much can be done with it in subsequent books.
Where this lost it’s full potential for me is there were a lot of side stories. They all connected in the end but my ADHD brain felt like I would get into one story line and then I’d get plucked into another and so as a result I couldn’t get fully wrapped into it. That being said, I appreciated how Oliver brought it all together in the end. Overall, I enjoyed this read and had a lot of fun! I’m excited to see what’s next and I’ll definitely be picking it up!
June 12, 2024
This was definitely NOT what I expected! This is quite the brutal story about the deep, dark depths of the dark web. The story starts right away and doesn't stop until the end. This is truly a bleak story, full of gore and exceptionally devious characters.
Although I enjoyed Oliver's prose, I wished there had been one less character introductions and more focused on characters that already were introduced. Overall, I'm pretty impressed by this debut novel. It made me feel SO many emotions and that's what makes good horror GOOD!
4.5/5!
Although I enjoyed Oliver's prose, I wished there had been one less character introductions and more focused on characters that already were introduced. Overall, I'm pretty impressed by this debut novel. It made me feel SO many emotions and that's what makes good horror GOOD!
4.5/5!
April 18, 2024
Two little boys, Liam and Cole, were not careful during their game. Their golf cart moved in the unknown territory and they finished in the criminal's lair.
Tensions grow. Will they runaway from bad people? Who is smarter, their captor or kids? A collateral victim, a girl, join their suffering.
A fast, interesting and exciting story gives you chill, like a roller-coaster with an unpredictable end.
Tensions grow. Will they runaway from bad people? Who is smarter, their captor or kids? A collateral victim, a girl, join their suffering.
A fast, interesting and exciting story gives you chill, like a roller-coaster with an unpredictable end.
November 10, 2024
What’s that you say? Another debut novel from a promising new indie author you say? One that’s transgressive, original, imaginative, & depraved you say? With an eye catching cover? Well color me there. I like this trend, let’s keep it going.
Quick synopsis:
A group of would-be strangers are being abducted one by one, trapped and tortured by some of the most sadistic psychopaths out there. Their suffering is on display for all to see, if you know where to go on the dark web. Why is this happening to them? Why them? Who’s responsible? What could be the common denominator here?
I went into this one blind as I usually do, and was pleasantly surprised. This story came out swinging and kept you guessing from the very beginning. You, the reader, feel kidnapped as you are just thrown into this unrelenting world of pain and suffering with the underlying need to know why? Remy is able to keep the gut-wrenching, breath-taking action coming long enough to discombobulate the reader and then gives us scraps to pin together how we got there. All coming down to a satisfying ending delivered with a welcome gut punch. Oliver basically delivered everything you would want in a story, wrapped up in a neat little ultra-violent package. I highly recommend this one.
Quick synopsis:
A group of would-be strangers are being abducted one by one, trapped and tortured by some of the most sadistic psychopaths out there. Their suffering is on display for all to see, if you know where to go on the dark web. Why is this happening to them? Why them? Who’s responsible? What could be the common denominator here?
I went into this one blind as I usually do, and was pleasantly surprised. This story came out swinging and kept you guessing from the very beginning. You, the reader, feel kidnapped as you are just thrown into this unrelenting world of pain and suffering with the underlying need to know why? Remy is able to keep the gut-wrenching, breath-taking action coming long enough to discombobulate the reader and then gives us scraps to pin together how we got there. All coming down to a satisfying ending delivered with a welcome gut punch. Oliver basically delivered everything you would want in a story, wrapped up in a neat little ultra-violent package. I highly recommend this one.
September 10, 2024
3.5 rounding down to 3 - this novella started off a bit rough for me, but after the shaky start, I quite enjoyed where this went and the different POVs we had of various people engaging with the titular Panic Playhouse, a site where people can view and request custom made snuff films, in HD no less.
This is billed as extreme horror, and it definitely is, but this debut effort shows great restraint and care on behalf of the author in what is actually shown to us and how it is portrayed to the reader. I was impressed by the high tension at times and brutal stakes without it ever veering into overly lewd or crass territory.
I'd make some editing suggestions, namely adding more to a few of the characters with more backstory, make them stand out a little more (I got lost at times in the cabin scenes who was who), but this was a pretty good and depraved look into the dark web and snuff films. A good book to read if you're interested in dipping your toes into extreme horror.
This is billed as extreme horror, and it definitely is, but this debut effort shows great restraint and care on behalf of the author in what is actually shown to us and how it is portrayed to the reader. I was impressed by the high tension at times and brutal stakes without it ever veering into overly lewd or crass territory.
I'd make some editing suggestions, namely adding more to a few of the characters with more backstory, make them stand out a little more (I got lost at times in the cabin scenes who was who), but this was a pretty good and depraved look into the dark web and snuff films. A good book to read if you're interested in dipping your toes into extreme horror.
September 2, 2024
Remy's debut is really well written, and I love the overall idea of this, I love anything to do with the dark web (although I'd never venture into that in reality), but it fascinates me.
I buddy read this and although I've seen this reviewed as an extreme horror, I'd say it's definitely on the tamer side (for me) and would be ideal for beginners in the extreme horror and splatterpunk world or horror lovers in general.
I buddy read this and although I've seen this reviewed as an extreme horror, I'd say it's definitely on the tamer side (for me) and would be ideal for beginners in the extreme horror and splatterpunk world or horror lovers in general.
January 14, 2026
In this story we follow multiple people who have been selected to be visited by the makers of Panic Playhouse.
On this dark web website, you can give a name address and method on how you want to see someone get kidnapped and murdered, all for a price.
This was such a good story! I genuinely enjoyed the pacing of this and the way it bounced between the victims and the people who were responsible of the game.
I’m not the biggest fan of the dark web troupe but this one stepped it up from the some sweating guy who goons to snuff and stinks up a room. I enjoyed all the characters who were apart of the playhouse it felt very fun and I always love a good book that takes place in Florida.
Overall this was a really fun read and I would most definitely recommend!
On this dark web website, you can give a name address and method on how you want to see someone get kidnapped and murdered, all for a price.
This was such a good story! I genuinely enjoyed the pacing of this and the way it bounced between the victims and the people who were responsible of the game.
I’m not the biggest fan of the dark web troupe but this one stepped it up from the some sweating guy who goons to snuff and stinks up a room. I enjoyed all the characters who were apart of the playhouse it felt very fun and I always love a good book that takes place in Florida.
Overall this was a really fun read and I would most definitely recommend!
May 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this read! So much happening in a short book, my mind was blown! I did like all the different characters and stories and how they intertwined and points. I judged to book by its cover and thought it was so different lol but upon reading it I was happily surprised it was such a crazy ride.
Thank you again, Remy!
Thank you again, Remy!
March 18, 2024
I really enjoyed this novella, It wasn’t what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised! I also think if you’re new to the extreme horror genre you’ll enjoy this, it’s not so overwhelming intense it’s hard to read. I really enjoyed the body horror!
July 7, 2024
This was sneaky good. I loved how the story was told with all of the interconnected snippets. It wasn’t gore upon gore just for the shock factor.
June 3, 2024
HECK YES!
5/5⭐️
1/1 🔫
I can not wait to read more from this author. This book was intense and I didn’t want to put it down. I feel like I need a sequel with more from Finely, the girl who survived. Maybe a book of her getting revenge. Also Cole is the best little boy ever. My heart was aching for him and Liam.
I love books about the dark web but some of them are boring or it’s always the same content. This was fresh and I liked the way it was done. It showed the POV from a couple of the victims. I liked that we got that POV and I appreciated get multiple POV’s!
This book also made me think twice about making anyone mad. Could something like this actually happen? I wouldn’t know because I don’t get on the dark web. I also would never order such things to happen to people even if I had the money.
This was Remy’s Debit and I’m so excited to read any future books from him. He will be going on my list of autobuys 🩵
5/5⭐️
1/1 🔫
I can not wait to read more from this author. This book was intense and I didn’t want to put it down. I feel like I need a sequel with more from Finely, the girl who survived. Maybe a book of her getting revenge. Also Cole is the best little boy ever. My heart was aching for him and Liam.
I love books about the dark web but some of them are boring or it’s always the same content. This was fresh and I liked the way it was done. It showed the POV from a couple of the victims. I liked that we got that POV and I appreciated get multiple POV’s!
This book also made me think twice about making anyone mad. Could something like this actually happen? I wouldn’t know because I don’t get on the dark web. I also would never order such things to happen to people even if I had the money.
This was Remy’s Debit and I’m so excited to read any future books from him. He will be going on my list of autobuys 🩵
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2024
(Rounded up from 4 1/2)
This book does not waste any time, and was not afraid to go dark. Absolutely wild way to start off a new year of reading.
I loved the art, the presentation, and the premise of this book, which manages to pack a lot into less than 200 pages.
We all know that I am a big sucker for horror stories about the deep web, and I loved how this starts from the perspective of people who don't know what they're in for before slowly widening out to let the audience know what's going on.
The one complaint I had was that I would have really loved more time with the characters, especially in the latter half of the book. The story is told from multiple unique perspectives but the opening chapters set a higher standard for character development and it would have been really nice to follow all of the characters in such a way.
Oliver absolutely stuck the landing though, in both content and presentation.
I had a lot of fun (?) with this book and am so lucky to have gotten an ARC copy to review. I couldn't imagine a more on brand way to kick of reviews for 2024.
This book does not waste any time, and was not afraid to go dark. Absolutely wild way to start off a new year of reading.
I loved the art, the presentation, and the premise of this book, which manages to pack a lot into less than 200 pages.
We all know that I am a big sucker for horror stories about the deep web, and I loved how this starts from the perspective of people who don't know what they're in for before slowly widening out to let the audience know what's going on.
The one complaint I had was that I would have really loved more time with the characters, especially in the latter half of the book. The story is told from multiple unique perspectives but the opening chapters set a higher standard for character development and it would have been really nice to follow all of the characters in such a way.
Oliver absolutely stuck the landing though, in both content and presentation.
I had a lot of fun (?) with this book and am so lucky to have gotten an ARC copy to review. I couldn't imagine a more on brand way to kick of reviews for 2024.
May 18, 2024
Non stop page turner
Remy knocks this one out of the park. There are characters to root for, characters to loathe, and an intertwining story of the things people do in the dark, and the people it harms.
Remy knocks this one out of the park. There are characters to root for, characters to loathe, and an intertwining story of the things people do in the dark, and the people it harms.
July 7, 2024
I loved this. It was gruesome, gory, and filled me with dread the whole time. I have no notes aside from just wishing there was MORE. I could've read another 200 pages about Panic Playhouse 😅
November 17, 2024
The first two or so chapters of this were better written than a lot of other books in this genre/about this concept. I liked that most of the characters had distinct voices. At the end of the second chapter, Victor is referred to as Johnny, and there are awkward little things like that throughout that an editor could have caught, but it didn't ruin the experience for me and clearly didn't for other readers either.
I didn't like the abrupt shift from the characters from the first few chapters to a set of characters that hadn't previously been introduced. I wanted to know what happened! After the first time, it happened again, leaving a lot of things hanging in a way that didn't feel suspenseful to me and just felt confusing. The story did not feel cohesive when it kept switching between previously unknown characters, and the new characters introduced in the later half of the book didn't feel quite as fleshed out as the characters from the first half, I kind of felt in the dark. In my opinion, the separate stories with similar concepts could have been really well presented as a collection of short stories if a little more exposition was given in each individual story, rather than trying to form one piece. Whenever the stories reconvened, they still didn't feel like they had made a complete story and didn't feel like they were in the right order. I understand that this is supposed to build suspense, but it didn't for me. Oh well!
My favorite parts were when the book mentioned KISS and EPCOT. I also liked the tone shift at the end of the last chapter and the mixed-media aspect.
I didn't like the abrupt shift from the characters from the first few chapters to a set of characters that hadn't previously been introduced. I wanted to know what happened! After the first time, it happened again, leaving a lot of things hanging in a way that didn't feel suspenseful to me and just felt confusing. The story did not feel cohesive when it kept switching between previously unknown characters, and the new characters introduced in the later half of the book didn't feel quite as fleshed out as the characters from the first half, I kind of felt in the dark. In my opinion, the separate stories with similar concepts could have been really well presented as a collection of short stories if a little more exposition was given in each individual story, rather than trying to form one piece. Whenever the stories reconvened, they still didn't feel like they had made a complete story and didn't feel like they were in the right order. I understand that this is supposed to build suspense, but it didn't for me. Oh well!
My favorite parts were when the book mentioned KISS and EPCOT. I also liked the tone shift at the end of the last chapter and the mixed-media aspect.
July 6, 2024
This is officially one of my favorite splatterpunk/extreme horror books I’ve read. I went into it completely blind and was so pleasantly surprised, I definitely won’t ruin anything for y’all so you can do the same. The premise was one that has always intrigued me so much, and I loved the way Remy utilized it. There was a little back and forth in the timeline, which I find can be hard to do without getting too convoluted, but he did it in such a way that was easy to follow and came together so great at the end. The entire thing was well written and so engrossing, and I highly recommend this to anyone that can handle some heavy triggers.
March 27, 2024
I am a DNF with this book for right now- I’ve read over half of it and it’s hard to understand. Lots of jumping between Victor, Cole, and Liam- it’s hard to follow. I have no doubt this author has skill of some sort and this is just the beginning of great things for him, but it just missed the mark for me.
May 30, 2024
Did not expect this to be so extreme. Please be warned this gets graphic and includes a lot of terrible things that many will find triggering. Read more in depth about this book before jumping in, it is severe!
Although I reaaaaally don't like to read about violence and the other awful things from this story, I have to say it was well written and engaging throughout.
It's a completely different world to what I'm used to reading about. I'm glad I challenged myself with this but I can't say I'll be returning to extreme horror ever again, I'm going back to the safety of Stephen King and Bram Stoker.
Although I reaaaaally don't like to read about violence and the other awful things from this story, I have to say it was well written and engaging throughout.
It's a completely different world to what I'm used to reading about. I'm glad I challenged myself with this but I can't say I'll be returning to extreme horror ever again, I'm going back to the safety of Stephen King and Bram Stoker.
May 26, 2024
3.5...wtf
August 10, 2025
Extreme splatterpunk horror. Proceed with caution.
March 14, 2024
This is the most f’d up extreme horror I’ve read this year, maybe in two years. That said, the writing was very good with an extremely satisfying structure and characters, no matter how tough of a read this was at times.
And honestly, I think the *worst* things that happen aren’t explicitly laid out, instead Oliver lets your own brain crush your spirit.
Also, I have to say just how PROBABLE almost this entire book felt. I would (sadly) be unsurprised to find out that this type of thing exists in some form.
TW:
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If you are thinking of reading this be aware that it contains violence and torture involving children
And honestly, I think the *worst* things that happen aren’t explicitly laid out, instead Oliver lets your own brain crush your spirit.
Also, I have to say just how PROBABLE almost this entire book felt. I would (sadly) be unsurprised to find out that this type of thing exists in some form.
TW:
*
*
*
*
*
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If you are thinking of reading this be aware that it contains violence and torture involving children
March 6, 2024
Reminded me of those SOV horror films except with more depth to the characters, more suspense and backstory and somehow even more mean spirited by the end. Log on and join the Panic Playhouse for a really great horror story
July 18, 2024
Dark, disturbing and sad. I thought it was a very well written, fast-paced novella. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and was able connect to the characters. As a parent this book gave me alllll the emotions and it truly opened my eyes to the horror of the dark web and made me realize how this probably happens everyday 😪
March 20, 2024
I loved this sick twisted book. The details and the gore……MORE PLEASE!!
I hope he keeps on writing maybe a sequel?? ❤️❤️❤️
I hope he keeps on writing maybe a sequel?? ❤️❤️❤️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews