Last Call

by K.L. Allister

It's closing time.

New beginnings and big life changes. All of Dale's regulars have causes for celebration. The drinks flow freely and the laughter is loud and abundant at Hot Shots Tavern.

However, for these bar-goers, the happy times do NOT keep rolling. A fun night out quickly turns into a depraved and wild ride ripped straight from the bowels of Hell as two mystery men with proclivities for the macabre unleash a wave of unspeakable brutality.

Blood, and other bodily fluids, seep deeply into the floorboards. The bodies will pile high as the sun sets in Somerville.

The kegs are tapped out, and so is all sense of morality.

From the author of CARNIVORES comes his sophomore work, an extreme horror gut punch that doesn't let up until the pages are done.

“Booze, blood and rock ‘n’ roll! I was nauseated yet fully engrossed. Brilliantly violent.”
—Asher Dark, Author of When I Die and Gothic Filth

Genres: Splatterpunk

121 pages, Paperback

Published May 17, 2024

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was very mean-spirited and bloody. About all I can say about it. It had a very strong opening but quickly devolved into meaningless acts of horror in a singular environment. I really liked the dynamic between Caleb and Dale (No spoilers), but there just wasn't enough done with it. And there wasn't a conclusive ending, either, which didn't do it any favors. Fans of mindless body horror concepts will enjoy it, but not sure anyone else will get much out of it.

[Eve Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goddamn, this is some good old fashioned savagery just the way I like it. Brutal fast paced with a killer who doesn’t discriminate. Hopefully we get to see more of Caleb! I wonder what he’s up to!

[Rachal Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Call is the second book from K.l. Allister, this book starts off with a cliffhanger and ends with a bang. Dale is a bar owner ready for last call when two customers enter ready for a bloody good time. Allister does not hold back on the imaginative gore and creative kills with his signature sick sense of humor and plot twists this is a must read for all you thirsty fiends.

[Paige Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jesus this one was brutal af. I’m late to the game reading this one but hey I read it and now we’re here. So let’s dive in.

This story starts off with a young mother that goes into labor. Sadly she passes two days later leaving the baby parent less. When one of the nuns thinks they have found the child’s father, the man immediately turns him down and walks away. Super sad…

Then we get transported to present day. The man who refused his child is a successful bar owner in New England and is about to close up for the night when a customer goes full on rogue and immediately changes his plans. From here on all of these people are literally fighting for their lives from this madman inside the bar.

This story was full on balls to walls BRUTALLY VIOLENT. The kills were jaw dropping one after another. The shot glass scene had me clenching to the nines… oooof that scene. And let me tell ya it gets far more depraved along the way.

K.L. Allister did a great job writing this savage, barbarous tale of depravity. Although I read this in one sitting, I did struggle in a couple parts. If you’re not a seasoned Extreme Horror reader, I’d hold off on this one until you’re further along in your reading journey. It’s a doozy.

Now I’m gonna watch something happy like K.L. Mentioned in his afterward 🤣🤣🤣

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book by K.L. Allister. I have to say this is even better than his debut book. It's a crazy story of two psychos coming to a local bar during closing time. Caleb and Stu have fun torturing the patrons. The MC, Dale, tries the best he can to stop the men. However, the real gut punch comes when one gets close to the ending.

The author does a great job tying in the events of the prologue toward the end of the story, which isn't common. I truly enjoyed that weaving. It's filthy, but it's supposed to be.

For Splatterpunk fans, you will enjoy this one!

[Ryan Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Call is a gripping novella with a twisted and gruesome atmosphere. The premise, set in a tavern and employing regular common objects as weapons, was quite clever. Like Carnivores, the author's basic yet evocative descriptions bring the novella to life, with gore and violence keeping my interest throughout. While I expected the finale to be obvious, it was not; I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled. Overall, this is an excellent read!

[Erika Horton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book.

This book took me on a trip and I LOVED IT!!!

It’s bloody, gross, triggering, and even has heartbreaking moments. One thing (out of a billion) I really loved is that the story comes full circle. The prologue seems so out of place but as you read on, it all starts to make sense.

This is such a clever and brilliant story. All the necessary details were included which makes the story flow and keeps me interested.

Easy 5 star read for me. So far, K is killing the game and I can’t wait to see what’s next!!

[Gabrielle Rains · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brutally short read! While this novel was heavy on the gore and shock aspect, it kept me interested. The author does an excellent job of coming up with innovative killings using the things discovered in the unsettling scenarios, capitalizing on the atmosphere. I speculated the twist in the end, but it was more than I expected!

[Bambi Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy fuxking h3ll!!!

I don't think I'm able to formulate the correct words for my review, so these emojis will serve as my review for the time being.

🥶🥺🥹😡😭🙂🤣😯🔪🩸🥵🔪🩸🤢🤮🔪🩸😯🤰🏻🔪🩸👶🏻😭🤬🔪🩸🤯🔪🩸🚙

Not to mention, the music selection that was included in this story was 👨🏻‍🍳💋💃🏻

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I was reading it, I thought of giving it one star. The story is just a cheap excuse for all the carnage. Should the book had more content, more character's development, etc, it would have been a masterpiece of the extreme horror. But it was just that, a tiny story and a subsequent bloody mayhem.
I give it three stars because at least, the ending was worthwhile. And I almost stop reading with the blender scene. I have never, ever read something so vile in my life.
The whole book is just that. A compendium of the most twisted and depraved forms of torture and death.
I love extreme horror /Splatterpunk, but this was too much.

[Jessie Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read both this and carnivores in the same day. Addictive. Allisters writing is so addictive. Dale owns a bar and just as closing time is nearing 2 men walk in and cause CARNAGE. The creativity of some of these kills made me question why I read this shit. Can’t lie when I read the beginning I was like why is this relevant but BOY once you get to the end you will have your jaw on the floor. MORE PLEASE!!!

[Tammy Riner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for fans of extreme horror. It kept my attention from the beginning and never let go, I read it in one sitting.

I loved the “soundtrack”, hearing the songs in my head as the carnage went on was a really fun experience. I think I’ll make a Last Call playlist.

This book was brutal and full of depravity (the more depraved, the better!) and also sprinkled with some really dark humor. “Phillip’s head screwdriver” was a great punchline, I’d have laughed if I was there!

[Sarah DeRosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

K.L. Allister is back at it again with this dark novella. If you are a fan of humiliating group torture grab this immediately. A group of patrons are wrapping it up just before closing time at a New England bar when two mysterious young men enter. The strangers soon prove to be twisted as they find new and creative ways to hold the attention of both the clientele and the bar's owner.

[Cheryl P. (review hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book was absolutely brutal! It hits every trigger imaginable! I hope there's a sequel planned!

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Call is a short, thrilling romp through the extreme. Your stomach will roll, and if that blender scene doesn't make you walk away for a minute, I have questions. This is everything it promises: short, bloody, gross, and full of the unexpected.

[Nicola (deathandthemacabre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As Caleb looks at the patrons, he can see their disgust in what he’s doing. And he fucking loves it. He thrives on it. The more depraved, the better. He doesn’t simply want to humiliate them, or kill them. He wants to destroy their very souls. He wants to defile their innocence."

It's almost closing time at Hot Shots Tavern, and the locals are getting ready for last call.. that is until Caleb and Stu decide they're not ready to end the night without having a bit of fun first..

May the Lord mercy upon my soul for reading and enjoying this 😂. This book is BRUTAL and one hell of a ride. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

I knew I already loved K's writing after reading his short story in Shocking Sojourns and his debut Carnivores, but this is his best so far, in my opinion.

Not only was this novella incredibly twisted and gory but also heartbreaking and insane. The kills were entertaining and so fucking graphic, described beautifully and so much thought and research must have gone into them. I really loved it.

You MUST check your trigger warnings for this one. Luckily for me, I don't have any.

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐��⭐️

[Veronica ☠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Shots Tavern was Dale Batemans pride and joy. He loved his regulars and everyone who stepped foot in his bar. One night, as he called the last call, he allowed a bachelorette party, 2 of his regulars, and his best bud Phil to stay later. Two men that nobody knew enter the bar, and things take off from there.

Full of blood and brain matter, this story was fast and mean. The kills were extreme and vile. The main antagonist, Caleb, is a sick man and doesn't care about anything or anybody. Dale soon realizes that the past he once denied has come back to haunt and kill him.

I read this in one sitting. It was hard to put down. Caleb was mean, nasty, and just how I enjoy my villains. KLs writing and descriptions are so thought out and great! Lemon makes anything taste good! He definitely paints a picture, and you can smell the blood through the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read more.

[Asher Dark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just say that Allister is becoming one of my favorite authors? Anything that comes out with I have to immediately read. Thanks for giving me a new obsession. This one was brutal and I need more

[Colin Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger from this guy he goes from great to to even greater. The violence and storyline in this one was top notch and an amazing addition to my shelf. Love his work keep it up.