Our Trip Through Hell

by D.W. Hitz

Missy was always forbidden from visiting the abandoned cemetery, even though her family used to own the property. She listened for most of her life, but now her father's tales of buried gold and family treasure are proving too tempting for her and her friends to resist.

It's a cold November night, and they have riches on their minds. It's only an old island. It's only an old cemetery. None of them expects to fall through a portal to Hell.

If they want to return, they'll have to fight for it. Food is scarce, monsters roam, cannibals hunt, and the sky is always watching. There's only one way through Hell, and if Missy and her friends want to escape, they'll have to beat it all, including the evil within themselves.

Genres: Horror

380 pages, Paperback

Published April 26, 2024

About the author

D.W. Hitz loves the outdoors and enjoys making it a background character in his work. He devours stories in all mediums. He enjoys writing in the genres of Horror, Supernatural/Paranormal Thriller, and Science Fiction/Fantasy. He aspires to tell stories that thrill the heart and stimulate the imagination.

When not writing, D.W. enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, camping, and playing with the dogs.

Be sure to sign up for his Patreon today at https://patreon.com/dwhitz to stay up to date with news and exclusive offers, plus discounts on signed books.

Reviews

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hitz can do no wrong in my eyes, every book he has written, whether extreme or not, has been awesome, and every book he releases just gets better and better. This is no exception….it's a PHENOMENAL read! An epic tale reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, and with strong Clive Barker vibes. Hitz creates an unnervingly hellish landscape fraught with pain and torment that is palpable in its visceralness, assaulting all of your senses and leaving you reeling in horror! So much horror, pain and fear, this is true nightmare fuel! It's incredible! Hitz’s Magnum Opus….so far!

A group of friends are at Lake Custer, on their way to find untold treasures on Cemetery Island. Missy, Aaron, Jerry and Candy have dared each other to try and find the rumoured treasures that Missy’s family history claims comes with the cemetery they own. After a few shots of dutch courage, their curiosity and bravado increase enough for them to set off and find out if there is indeed any truth to it all….

The gang immediately sense an ominous feeling of dread, fear and eerie trepidation on entering the cemetery. Missy feels something else too, something more sinister and slightly, darkly erotic. And then a deadly cave-in gives them only one way to escape, through a wall of fire….

Kyle and Kate are twins. They are on their way to their Great Grandparents farm to prepare the house for Thanksgiving. It's a much loved home, a home filled with wonderful memories, a home next to an island cemetery….
A strange incident leads them to investigate near the graveyard, and when they discover a strange tunnel, curiosity gets the better of them, and they find themselves in a whole new world of horror!

Several people eventually find themselves in the same hellish place, after discovering their own versions of the fiery portals to Hell. Portals that are scattered around the town of Custer Falls, just waiting for unsuspecting victims to enter them, each person unaware of where they are or why. Each needing only to survive the evil, blood drenched landscape, bare of any nourishment other than what drops in now and then and is fought over, desperately, and the equally evil, disturbing, sanguinary monsters and other creatures that thrive there. People like Lex. Lex is a nasty piece of work. Remorseless, bloodthirsty and with a new found taste for flesh. When his latest victim escapes his grasp, he quickly gives chase, but he is unaware of just what kind of hell is about to be unleashed….

Nightcrawlers, cannibalistic children hungry for a good meal, a world made of blood and bones. Why did they all end up there, was it bad luck, or some sort of punishment or damnation? So much blood and death, and a creepy claustrophobic feeling of being watched over the whole time. The horrors within these pages are described in so much detail you'll feel completely immersed in them, all of your senses will become highly attuned to what is being described, the evil reaching up out of the pages to absorb itself into your soul.

Brilliantly vivid scene setting, great character building, smooth flowing storylines, and a gripping narrative will make you shiver in fear, chill you to the bone, and then some. Hitz has a way of hooking you in and hypnotising you with his words, right from the off, holding your attention smoothly and expertly throughout. Whether it's a novel or novelette, he will have you on tenterhooks and holding your breath in anticipation.

Outstanding! My new fave Hitz! Until next time…. 😉

[Alison Faichney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woo, what a ride! I’ve always loved books that involve a literal version of hell. This was likely the most vivid book on hell I’ve read yet. Definitely not one for those who have hemophobia, as this was a grungy, gory ride from start to finish.

My only issue was I struggled to keep up with all the various characters, their backstories and what they were experiencing. There are many characters and only a few would be considered distinct to my stoner goldfish brain, so I had a hard time at points.

Beyond that, this was definitely a great read. This was my first D.W. Hitz and certainly won’t be my last.

[Veronica ☠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Missy's dad has always warned her not to go on that island, the one with the cemetery. Her family used to own it and her father used to tell her stories of there being riches buried. One night, Missy decides to tell her friends about the treasure and they immediately want to go. Although hesitant, Missy takes them there on a dangerous journey. Once there things take a crazy turn and they end up in .....hell?

When D.W. Hitz asked if I wanted a copy, I couldn't say no! Hitz can write a story and a damn good one! This has such a great description of Hell. From the sky, the monsters, the buildings, the cannibals, the bloody waterfalls and so much more! The deaths were really awesome and this was such a fun time! I highly suggest to go read this great story about Hell!

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Our Trip Through Hell by D.W. Hitz
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

A group of friends take a boat ride to an island located in the far reaches of Lake Custer. An old hidden family treasure is revealed and located on Cemetery Island in the middle of the lake. With no cell signal and lost, the group must find their way home from this place of pure evil.

Our Trip Through Hell is a literary doorway to an underground environment of strange markings, unnatural suffering and all creatures great and small. Responsibility for this Kaiju-sized novel of madness is none other than the prolific madman himself, D.W. Hitz. From unimaginable beasts to cannibalistic underground dwellers, this strange land specializes in monumental pain of the flesh. In the tradition of Cabal (Nightbreed), Hitz drenches his horrific city of monsters and mayhem with creepy survival situations (including a distorted Hitz version of Dr. Decker).

D.W. Hitz transports the reader to an underground mind-blowing demonic acid trip. However, beyond the creepy atmosphere and surreal hellscape there lies a truly unsettling talent of an author. Well-written scenes with powerful images of uncomfortable dread and sadness are a testament to his artistry. The overall impact of putting his characters in terrifying situations is way beyond anyone’s comfort zone.

Our Trip Through Hell is the things that uncontrollable nightmares are made of. Here are four rules to keep in mind while reading this groovy novel. 1) Stick together in order to stay alive - don’t split up. 2) Don’t be a jerk or you will meet an ugly end. 3) Hold on tight to a weapon - it will come in handy. 4) At the first sign of trouble, get out of town and don’t look back. This is a five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, Hitz is a name synonymous with well written extreme horror. It always has plenty of gore, but it still has fantastic world building and excellent storytelling. This may very well be his best work yet.

His vivid imagery transported me into the story, I was literally in hell. This is one you don't want to miss.

Thank you to the author for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our Trip Through Hell throws you head first into a vivid, nightmarish underworld full of grotesque creatures and relentless danger. While the imagery is imaginative and the setting unique, the pacing drags in places, and some characters feel underdeveloped. It was a decent read for those who like surreal, hellish horror, but it didn’t completely pull me in.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, just to be clear, the synopsis for this book does not even scratch the surface! It’s not just a wild ride, a rollercoaster, a journey into insanity and vile depravity: I'm pretty sure that at some point in the future, there’s going to be an immersive game taking you literally through hell, a sort of digital haunted attraction that throws you completely into the worst kind of simulated experiences – but you have to wait no longer! Hitz’s book is exactly that. Unfortunately, the poor people starring in it go through it for real, getting dismembered, devoured, melted, burned, drowned, travelling through vast expansions of flesh, facing hungry creatures of all sizes and body shapes, getting hunted down by multi-limbed multi-eyed monstrosities. There are cannibals, creepy children, demonic babies, unfriendly teenagers (aren’t they the worst? C’mon, really), serial killers, deranged zombies, and lots lots lots of bugs, like entire flocks of them! You really don’t want to be there; but this is a Hitz book, and you’ll instantly get drawn in, forfeiting choice for thrilling entertainment: you just have to see the end! And that image before the book’s closing, that large-scale viewing of the whole thing. Goosebumps all over!

I have no idea how Hitz plotted this epic, how he kept control of his story, how he came up with this detailed world-building. but he pulls no punches, misses no triggers; he fulfills a long-time horror fan’s dream (actually, a nightmare!) by taking a huge diversity of characters and splitting them up, literally and metaphorically, into bits and pieces, into myriad tasteful morsels ready to be picked up by flying meat-eating creepy crawlies, ready to be stepped on by kaiju, and to be betrayed by close friends. I cannot convey the excitement of reading this book: come along and play… I mean, pick it up and see what you’ve been missing!

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one crazy read. It's a story that focuses on multiple characters who eventually come together as they experience their trip through hell. This story is almost like if you were to explore the catacombs of an ancient church you knew you were not supposed to be trespassing, but the penalty is more than just a misdemeanor. Man on man, this might be the craziest story I've read from D.W. Hitz and I loved it.

Now I know to never trespass in a catacomb. Bravo dude, bravo.

[✮ osanna aoki ✮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

”This was a place for the damned. It was a place no human should be.”

I absolutely love writers that dive deep into depictions of Hell. They’re some of my favorite reads— and I have to say that D.W. Hitz gave me everything I asked for with Our Trip Through Hell.

The book starts with a young woman named Missy who tells her friends out on their boating trip about a piece of land called Cemetery Island. There’s a certain tombstone that leads directly to Hell. But who actually believes that— right?

Missy’s family used to own the land and there was rumored treasure.

But trying to find that treasure leads the group on a terrifying trip.

And the descent begins.

Here, Hell is a wasteland of blood, guts, and gore. From teenage cannibals to monstrous creatures— hellhounds and night crawlers— there is plenty to avoid.

But while trying to backtrack and find their way out, they quickly realize that others have found their way inside and are trying to escape, too.

Twin siblings Kyle and Kate, a hitman named Herb, a successful couple, and even a priest— are stuck underneath the violent red skies, and amongst black trees, leaves, and soil like Missy and her friends. Many of these characters cross paths, assist in helping one another— but many of them turn against each other, too. This Hell taints the minds of everyone within it as they collectively begin to spiral into madness and rage.

While there are multiple, multiple perspectives in this book— they show the different layers of humanity, the differences in personality and perseverance, moral compasses, what they succumb to— and the will to survive. I often found myself getting jumbled up in who was who, and only a few characters really stuck. This seemed to be a collective issue amongst readers, but nonetheless, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of reading the book.

The world-building was grotesquely gorgeous with its vivid descriptions and depictions. A Hell dipped in red, with floors and walls made of bodies and bone. Forests as black as night with prowling creatures. Bugs with pinchers so large that they can ferociously dig through human flesh— and a city center littered with old buildings, violence, and more blood and gore. I had no problem visualizing this Hell and its atrocity. What a terrifying place to travel through.

And as a reader, you wonder what’s around every corner. You also receive those answers, and they’re brutal. D.W. Hitz leaves no stone unturned.

Through savage storytelling, you recognize the will to survive— and the desperation to escape through the loss of many lives and ghastly circumstances.

Though just a bit long for my typical liking, you won’t be bored with this one. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and vicious. The horrors never end and the evil continuously intensifies. I highly recommend this one for those who are into this type of storytelling.

Could you survive a trip through Hell?

[Cody Christmas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read a modern take on Dante’s Inferno? D.W. Hitz clearly asked himself that same question & decided to take the extra step writing it on paper & you get: Our Trip Through Hell.

This book was a solid hellscape of gore, tortured souls, & flawed characters that were doomed from the beginning. My favorite part of the book was how much intricate detail was put into immersing the reader into the world. The level of detail was graphic & beautiful. I think the most horrifying part of the story is no matter how much cruelty & torture the characters were put through, they were not allowed to die so they could experience it over & over again for eternity. Holy Hell!

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you ever watch the movie “Constantine” and think “hmm I wonder what it would be like to spend time in a horrific murderous wasteland of hell?” Well I did, and DW Hitz answered the call!

Our Trip Through Hell takes you through the experience of multiple characters/groups until bringing them (or, whoever has survived thus far…) together in the end. I was filled with intense dread following our characters through their journey. Hitz proves he can expertly write both the horrors of man and the horrors of hell.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

YAY MISSY!!! God, what a journey! Our Trip Through Hell follows several sets of people who have somehow ended up in this terrifying hellscape full of blood, demons, and endless suffering. Each of them try to adapt to this strange, horrifying world until they can make their way back home, but finding the exit is harder than you think and not everyone will have the strength to make it back.

Quite frankly, I've been staring at my phone for over five minutes, trying to figure out how to review this. I'm still coming down from the adrenaline rush that was this book, and I honestly don't have the words to describe what an atmospheric treat reading this was. D.W. Hitz always blows me away with his stories, but I think this one is him at his finest. Our Trip Through Hell will have you rooting for your favourites despite the odds, then kick you in the teeth for expecting anything other than a gruesome end!

This book has more layers than a seven-layer salad, and the imagery that Hitz has crafted with each page will have you questioning everything you've ever known about Hell and its demons. There's so many different characters to get to know, but they're each developed so beautifully that by the end, you feel like you've known them your whole life.

If you've not read anything by this author yet, you're really missing out on someone who isn't afraid to take this genre by the horns and drive it straight into a new, delightfully bloody era! But, Mr. Hitz, we've really gotta talk about all these bugs!

So, welcome to Hell, my friends! Remember to keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and please, try not to scream. They love it when you scream...

[Shannon Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This, it’s like a demonic acid trip.”
When I read this line, I slowly nodded “yesss” with a smile on my face. Mr. Hitz managed to summarize his own book with those seven little words. This book is exactly what the title says, an accounting of a “trip through hell”.

I was absolutely obsessed with the detailed first-hand accounts of death; they were rich with gory detail, dark with dread and resplendent with a kind of horrific wonder that I can only imagine death would inspire. I felt myself delving into each character’s skin, experiencing what they were experiencing in my body and my mind.

The “creature feature” imagery was what I have come to expect from our dear author, intrinsically formulated creatures that are the absolute antithesis of evil incarnate… the type of stuff that lives in my childhood nightmares.

I do have to say that, to my taste, this one ran a bit long and I found myself getting a bit confused between characters, remembering who everyone was and their relations to each other. Upon ruminating over this though, I do wonder if that’s the point… the endless loop of this game called hell. I felt the hopelessness of it, even as a reader.

“At the next junction, he found three choices and still no sign of a trail… They were all dangerous. They all lead... to the same place?”
Where will this review lead you? Do you want to experience hell first-hand? If so, choose the path and get on your way. Death awaits you at every turn.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not many books give me nightmares, but Our Trip Through Hell did. I woke up before I could escape from there. If you're familiar with his books/stories about Custer Falls, you're in for a treat. If you're not, have fun with a peek into insanity and you should read his other works too. The hellscape he creates is like the imagery from a death metal album! He takes time to describe everything from bloody flesh covered rooms, decaying buildings with unimaginable horrors, and demons that come from both the sky and the ground. Of course there's plenty of brutal, gory torture and death. Hell has danger in every corner, not just supernatural monsters. Everything is carefully planned out. There are a lot of characters, so it's important to pay attention. He switches between their experiences seamlessly though. The characters are all distinct and I enjoyed seeing their journey through the worst place ever. This book is highly entertaining and I loved it!

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our Trip Through Hell follows several groups through what they consider Hell. Hitz did an amazing job creating an atmospheric read. The demons, the blood, the hellscape and the suffering really bring this book to life. As the reader, you are fully immersed in the story.

There are a lot of characters in this book and Hitz puts them all through the wringer. The terror and dread they felt was so real! They try to adapt and overcome, but some of them aren’t so lucky.

You can always count on Hitz for a great read. This book is another fine example of how fantastic Hitz can write, whether it’s extreme horror or regular horror. He nails it every time with the descriptions and characters you feel for. You’re instantly pulled into this one and held tight until the last page. When Hitz writes a doorstopper you know you’re in for a good time!

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was one hellish, blood soaked ride through hell! I loved it!
It felt like I was in some kind of high impact fever dream where your only escape was to readily give up your sanity.
Hitz’s ability to create a nightmare worthy hellscape complete with ghoulish monsters and giant insect creatures straight from the devils lair was the pinnacle the story. If you don’t have a phobia for insects before going into this, you can be guaranteed you will after reading this 🦟🪳

[Joan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, D.W. Hitz


I do try to read everything that D. W. Hitz. He has a great way of bringing the story whether it's extreme or other to life for the reader me. This novel is a chefs kiss to horror. Some scenes are horrific in a good way. His style of writing is so realistic you can almost touch the wounds his characters go thru. I recommend this book.

Father Knows Best

[Spooky Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible book from this author. This book is vile and grotesque and I loved every bit of it. D.W. Hitz knows horror and writes it beautifully.

[Camy Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gory! The way I like it! I usually don’t like when books go back and forth between different sets of characters but this worked in the book. Each set of characters I was invested in, even Lex. Highly recommended to all my horror reading friends!

[Paige Ray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Horror Fans! Think The Descent meets The Hills Have Eyes. It would be this book! D.W. Hitz left nothing to imagination in this one. When friends decide to go exploring an old abandoned cemetery they literally fall into a portal to HELL. This was such a scary read!

[Chris Hookway · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” This phrase went through my head repeatedly as I read the newest offering from Hitz.
The story starts with a group of friends going on a possible treasure hunt, which in Custer Falls, if probably an extremely bad idea.
It doesn’t take long for them to find out just how bad an idea it is. Fiery portals portend bad places on the other side. What they find is unlike any depiction of Hell I have ever seen. Hitz weaves a tale that gets progressively worse and worse for the rag tag cast of characters that have had the incredible misfortune to end up where they are. It is a constant descent into and through utter madness.
While writing this one, Ditz must have had a banner of the before-mentioned phrase from Dante’s work, or some deranged parrot sitting on his should continuously repeating the phrase.
This is a story of despair, loss, monstrosities, pain, suffering and the best and worst in people.
Hitz creates an elaborate and detailed world, making it easy to imagine all that is within these pages in vivid detail. Being a big fan of his work, I would have to say that this is his best work to date, and a must read.

[Stephanie Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

D.W can write a damn book! I have loved every book I’ve read by him. Missy and her friends go treasure hunting in a cemetery on an island that her family used to own, but not before being warned by her her father not to go. This was a fun, wild ride through hell. The description of hell was so vivid and the deaths were great! I highly recommend grabbing this one!

[monika hoppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is like American Gothic, but with demons.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this and I don't know what that says about me really.
I grabbed this off of Godless on a whim and holy fuck batman.

This was like a fucked up treasure hunt, of the most extreme kind and portals to hell that won't let you go.

This was on the more extreme side so proceed with caution, but this is one of the best extreme stories I've read.
It's not just extreme for the sake of extreme.

[Rochatra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our Trip Through Hell describes the book pretty well. We follow many characters who find their way into hell, home to many terrifying creatures, such as werewolf-like beasts and giant monsters stomping through the land, though our characters do not simply arrive in hell by their own death.

I give this book 4 stars, but have to say it hovered over 3 stars sometimes.
It started off very well. I was interested in finding out how our main cast gets into hell. After some time, more and more characters joined the story, and I think it did hurt the experience. I would have liked a smaller cast, and more character development instead of some of the many creature carnage scenes, and growing cast of characters. Maybe focusing more on the first group.

Thankfully later parts of the story caught my interest again, once a group of evil kids got a new leader. The book became tighter, and during those moments, it felt like a post-apocalyptic horror story. Despite having fun with the unique creatures, and great descriptions of the hellscape found in this book, the ending was over too quick for me, I expected a little more than the short epilogue, even though the epilogue itself had some unexpected moments.

I'm still going to see what the author brings out in the future, because the concept of the book was good, and I appreciate the detailed landscape. I hope the pacing will be more focused next time, and more time is spent on fleshing out existing characters.

[iesha Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

DW never disappoints. this is the second book ive read from him that i absolutely loved. his writing is phenomenal. felt like i was actually in hell. some of his best work. he never fails to deliver on the extreme gore and i am all here for it
highly recommend you dont want to pass this one up

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was terrifying and fun and scary as hell!