Last Night Of Freedom: One Weekend. One Hunt. One Survivor.

by Dan Howarth

On a stag party in a remote part of the Lake District, four old university friends are dragged into a bizarre local ritual. Immersed in a fight for their lives - only one of them is guaranteed to make it home…
Fifteen years after graduation, four old university friends get together to celebrate Luke’s stag party. Tucked away in a remote village in the Lake District, they expect a weekend of real ale, log fires and gentle hikes – but a stag party of locals have other ideas.

Unwillingly drawn into one-upmanship and animosity, the four friends find themselves being hunted across unfamiliar ground in a game of deadly consequences. With only one of them guaranteed to survive, old wounds and resentments threaten to tear them apart as much as their pursuers.

Can the four friends unite to fight back, or will they fall, divided and broken?

Praise for Last Night of Freedom

“Imagine the worst thing that could happen on a stag, then multiply that by a factor of several thousand. Last Night of Freedom preys on the rivalries, bravado, and toxicities on display as unchecked, booze-fuelled egos spiral out of control. This is a novel that takes place at a furious pace across a nightmare weekend, and I loved every desperate second of it.” David Moody, author of the Hater series and Shadowlocked

“Last Night of Freedom is Dan Howarth’s grimy, dread-laden portrait of toxic masculinity and the English countryside. An unflinching depiction of a fetid, primal face of human nature, where barbarism hides behind the rotting mask of tradition. I couldn’t put it down.” Kev Harrison, author of Shadow of the Hidden and The Balance.

“Deliverance meets Dead Man’s Shoes… Does for stag parties what Jaws did for swimming.” W.A. Kelly - author of Safe Hands.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Novels

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 11, 2024

Reviews

[cat ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is so.. For Men

[Steve Stred · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I’d have finished reading this book before the end of December, this book would’ve easily been on my top reads of last year. I did finish this a few days back, but due to the start of the new year slog and some life stuff, I held off on posting this until the 6th, when I was back to regular working hours and getting back into a groove.

When this was announced, I was super excited for it. Dan’s a phenomenal author and honestly, any book that features a cover like this is an automatic ‘must-buy’ for me. Much like everybody else, I have a gigantic TBR – which is ordered – but I make exceptions constantly and move things around, and this was one of those books I launched to the top of the TBR.

The synopsis reminded me a bit of Adam Nevill’s ‘The Ritual.’ A group of friends in a remote location suddenly are mixed up in a strange ritual. But it also kind of gave me hints of Marc E. Fitch’s fantastic ‘Boy in the Box.’

I dove in with anticipation, and honestly, this was one of those books where I wished I had an entire day to just sit, read and enjoy.

What I liked: The book follows a group of University friends – and some longer than that – who head to a remote northern town a stag. The group is excited, celebrating one of their friends upcoming nuptials and after checking in at a B ‘n’ B, head to a local pub.

It’s a quick, well executed set up, but it’s the tipping point as well. This is the last moment we see the group as just a group – and while I don’t see this next bit as a spoiler – if you’re going in completely blind then this mind startle you. But, the tipping point occurs when a wager is made, a bet is lost and the group finds out what they’re punishment is.

Howarth sets the scene perfectly and when the main member of the opposite group, Wallace, delivers the lines that transform the novel into what it is, each reader is going to have a very visceral reaction.

One weekend. One survivor. The other’s won’t make it.

It’s a startling moment, and even if you know it’s coming, it still completely catches you off guard.

From that point on, it’s a survival novel. Each person struggling to comprehend the situation and what it means if they’re the one to survive.

Howarth flips the story on its head multiple times, which was frankly a phenomenal aspect. Many parts of this feel more like a dramatic novel that just happens to take place within a thriller and its heightened because of this. This does perfectly what every extreme novel written to highlight the extreme aspects wishes it could do.

And, as the novel progresses, we get an unravelling. We learn each characters back stories, what makes them tick, what’s brought them to where they are at that point in life and ultimately, what they mean to each other.

The ending is pristine. Just such a sublime way to wrap things up and the epilogue hits all the right notes, subtly suggesting some angles while also closing the door on where you think things are going.

What I didn’t like: There were two glaring things that irked me, one major and one minor. The major one, for me and my reading tastes, is that I hate POV changes and this one does just that. It jumps between chapters and characters, which is always disorienting for me. Saying that, you may love that way of storytelling. Not this guy, lol.

Second, and this was very very minor, but there’s a moment of significance around the 75% mark where one character describes what’s about to happen by comparing it to a Game of Thrones scene. By adding the GoT reference, I was momentarily taken out of the emotional element of that scene. But again, super minor and most wouldn’t even bat an eye at it. Just my own quirk.

Why you should buy this: Ultimately this felt very akin to Matt Wesolowski’s ‘Six Stories’ mixed with a hint of Nevill’s ‘The Ritual’ (first half anyways), and even ‘The Running Man.’ Howarth executed this novel perfectly and it was so utterly compulsive, I had to set my other reads aside to dive into this and not let my mind go anywhere else.

If you’re looking for a thriller that melds the survival elements with the psychological aspects spot-on, this one is definitely for you. Howarth has delivered a must-read novel and one that I’ll be shouting about for years to come.

[Phil Sloman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this. One of my favourite reads of the year. Tense, well written characters and a great pace which doesn't relent.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fifteen years after graduation, four old university friends head to the Lake District to celebrate Luke’s stag party. They expect a weekend of real ale, log fires and gentle hikes – but a stag party of locals have other ideas. Drawn into a terrifying traditional game, the four are hunted across unfamiliar ground that will leave only one of them standing. But old wounds and resentments resurface and threaten to hurt them more than their pursuers ever could.
This is a solid and impressive novel. With strong and assured writing (told from the viewpoints on the four friends, with additional ones occasionally added to the mix), the characterisation is top notch and you really feel for - and understand - the characters. With tension building almost from the off, the pace rockets along and when the violence happens, it’s quick and brutal and unforgiving, helped along by a well-realised set of locations. Reading the blurb, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a stock story - we’ve all seen “Wrong Turn” and “Deliverance” - but this takes several steps away from them, delivering a book that is beautifully brutal. The interaction of the friends draws you in, even as the slowly revealed toxicity of their relationships pushes you away and the final twist is a real kick in the nuts. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

[Daniel Willcocks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprising entry to go into some of the best horror books I've read this year. I'm a fan of Howarth's work already, but this book was something else. Capturing the peer-pressure-ridden bubble of UK "lad culture" and weaving it with nostalgia, emotion, and that yawning stretch of time that passes between university and growing up, this book speaks authenticity, truth, and terror to an age-old tradition that is embedded in the roots of modern culture. The dialogue was on-point, and I saw a little bit of myself in each of the title characters. Crackin' work, lad.

[Adam Hulse · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tense and fierce thriller of horrific proportions. With Last Night of Freedom, Dan Howarth has produced some of his best work to date. The setup lulls you into believing something obvious is about to occur, but where Howarth takes the story is nothing short of mesmerising. A stag do being pursued through the countryside by murderous locals would be enough excitement for most, but the way Howarth plays with the dynamics of the main characters places him leagues above. He captures the chaotic essence of many male friendships. The forced masculinity, the uncertainty, the cloaked bullying, and the veiled jealousy are all laid bare as the story races along. Soon, the friends become as much of a threat to each other as the crazed locals, and it's a masterstroke by Howarth to switch from each characters perspective with each chapter. Not only is this a wild story of thrills and heart-wrenching violence, but it's also a study of toxic masculinity and the lonely road to identity. Excellent stuff!

[Kayleigh Dobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

My "real" rating for this is 4.5 but for the sake of goodreads I do prefer to round up rather than down in the case of this excellent book!

It's a wild, extremely entertaining, and enjoyable in a completely dastardly way. I loved that it shifts between the character viewpoints, and also that it's all written in the first person. That choice really served the story and amplified a lot of the story points and emotions.

Bloody brilliant!

[Thomas Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the blurbs described the book as Deliverance meets Dead Man's Shoes and, now that I've finished, I can definitely see the comparison. In a similar vein to Deliverance, we have a group of out-of-towners, city-folk, "invading" a small Northern village for a stag party. Howarth pulls no punches when describing the typical, toxic environment created by a group of drunk, overbearing men. And, of course, they come with their own emotional baggage that only adds to the drama. The tension is already palpable thanks to the loutish behaviour of the outsiders and the visible resentment of the locals in the pub. But the action really takes off after a high-stakes game of pool between the outsider stag party and a local stag party. Cue tension and snide comments about class and privilege and, before you know it, one stag party is hunting the other!
The action moves along at a fast pace, thanks to the short headstart and the dark, ominous environment, especially at night. Howarth does an excellent job of interspersing the action with tense interactions between the outsiders as old grievances and resentments come to the fore, leading to some surprising and horrific actions. Even when you think you've figured out the ending, Howarth manages to keep you guessing.
The characters are excellent, with each chapter told from a certain character's POV and each one having their own unique voice. Howarth even strives to show us some of the story from the point of view of the locals, and he pulls it off with aplomb, bestowing the supposed antagonists with some humanity.
It was a very quick and exciting read, with a great deal of emotion and interesting characters. An easy 5 stars for me.

[Happy Goat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review at Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2024/10/2...

I'd rate this 4.5 stars because I have but one singular gripe with it, but it's not enough of a gripe to take away a full star here.

This is entertaining, fast-paced, brilliantly written, and has great, flawed characters that make for interesting dilemmas and relationships. I was fully on board and found it really hard to put down!

[Dale Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. My first read of Dan's and I was impressed- the writing, dialogue, and descriptive details were on point and pulled me right into the story. Speaking of the story itself- superb! The "bad guys", the stag guys, just everything was really good. It was a tense read. Fights amongst friends, trying to fight together but personal issues making it difficult for them to team up. The dynamic of the two groups was really well done.

Loved it!

[Anthony Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Night of Freedom is the debut novel from Dan Howarth whose short story collection Dark Missives and novella Territory both impressed me hugely. It’s set in a fictionalised version (for obvious reasons, as will become clear) of the Lake District and tells of a stag party gone horribly wrong as the men find themselves being hunted by the locals.
The party consists of four friends who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen the remote location for the do. They’re old friends from university who have to some extent drifted apart of the intervening years. It’s a scenario that of course will bring to mind Adam Nevill’s novel Ritual, which featured a similar set of protagonists in a remote, rural location. Indeed, one of the group of four friends in both novels share the name Luke.
Ritual was a novel of folk horror (with touches of the Cosmic) and Last Night of Freedom shares some of those trappings too but it’s fair to say that this aspect plays a background role in things; is there really to provide context. To call it a MacGuffin is probably too strong but the novel is really a character study, an examination of what friendship is. Which is not to say that it isn’t a horror novel – it most certainly is – but the horrors here are of the psychological rather than supernatural variety (with the occasional spot of wince-inducing violence along the way).
This dissection of the relationships between the four men is made possible by the bold move to present the narrative as first person, present tense chapters, moving between the characters in turn. It’s a conceit that pays huge dividends, with the readers exposed, literally, to the innermost thoughts of the men which can then be contrasted with what they say to, and how they interact with, the others. (Two chapters are given over to third person descriptions of two of the local men who are hunting them, something which put me in mind of Hitchcock’s Rear Window in which all but three scenes are from the point of view of L B Jefferies as portrayed by James Stewart).
The stress of the situation the four find themselves in brings to the fore all the resentments and jealousies which until then had been compartmentalised and hidden away. The novel seems to posit the theory that the strength of any friendship relies on how well these negative emotions can be held in check. The four men are fighting their pursuers of course but the tension and mistrust between themselves causes just as many problems.
Last Night of Freedom is incredibly tense. It’s an uncomfortable read and I have to admit to some sense of relief when I’d finished it; not because I wasn’t enjoying it – far from it – but simply because I could allow myself to finally relax. Horrible things happen in this book and the way in which it’s written makes the reader almost complicit in what’s going on. Opinions about the characters will change as the book progresses as the top-notch writing draws you into making your own allegiances. This so done so skilfully that I even found myself rooting for one of the characters after he’d done something devastatingly awful earlier in the book – I’d effectively compartmentalised those negative feelings about him I guess.
It's a novel which works on many levels. It can be “enjoyed” simply as an action adventure but there’s much more depth to it than that. The author’s disdain of the whole ritual of stag parties is evident (even from the book’s “dedication”), a view shared by many, myself included, I’m sure. The opening chapter, told from the viewpoint of Connor, the Best Man, even echoes these sentiments; reflecting the fact that many of those who find themselves participating in these types of functions aren’t actually enjoying it either. “Ritual” is the right word; whilst the book can be read as an attack on toxic masculinity, I think the use of the hunt is inspired, providing as it does plenty of commentary on things being done simply because that’s the way it’s always been. Both protagonists and antagonists here are doing what they’re doing because that’s what tradition dictates.
Not that that’s any excuse of course, but…
I really enjoyed Last Night of Freedom, it’s further evidence that Mr Howarth is a writer to keep an eye on. It’s thrilling, unsettling and food for thought – a combination that’s tricky to get right but which is achieved here brilliantly.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

Luke, Ethan, Jay and Conner are spending a weekend away in a quiet village tucked into the wilderness of the lake district, celebrating Luke's last weekend of freedom on his Stag Do. There's a sense of disappointment between the stags and as the drinks continue to flow, one man's idea to up the stakes creates a hostile environment and a hellish situation from which not all of them will survive.

Dan Howarth perfectly captures the internalised struggle of being tied to the people we used to be all while trying to become a new entity. The four characters in this novel cannot let go of the aggravations that have hung between them for decades, and at pivotal moments of danger, we see this internalised battle emerge on the surface. It's a perfect snapshot of simmering resentment, harboured hatred in friendships, and just how far we'll go to survive.

My one singular gripe with Last Night of Freedom is the level of mystery left over from the village, its inhabitants, and their strange practices. So often, characters allude to the consequences of not completing the hunt, but we never actually understand that danger. Now, if Dan Howarth is planning a prequel that gives insight into the lives of the villagers, I'll take that comment back and rate this five stars because, aside from that one grievance, this was perfect.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the sound of this, and when I started it, I didn't expect to get so drawn in so quickly. My poor heart, the author seriously knows how to make a reader on edge. I was so nervous throughout the book. I liked the characters, apart from Ethan, but we all know, or have known, a man like him at some point. I liked the village too, in it's own way. I can easily imagine something like this happening in real life too. The UK has plenty of isolated, creepy villages with unique ways. I think that's why it was all so nerve wracking, the possibility. And how well it was written. Supernatural monsters were not needed, because the culprits were the very worst monsters known, human beings. I thought this might be a little bit like The Ritual, but in my opinion, it was better and far more realistic. I think Jay was my favourite character, but I kind of liked Wallace too. I loved the different perspectives, the relationships between them all, and I adored how the tension and fear just wouldn't let up. I thought they were free, when they got in with the sheep. But given how the book had gone until that point, I figured something else would happen, and wow it truly did. I'm a big fan of that ending too. I really wish this could be a movie on Shudder or someplace. It'd be perfect.

[Jim Ody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Last Night of Freedom. It's thoroughly entertaining from start to finish, and what I loved was you never knew where it's going, or what was going to happen!

Stag Do's are a long tradition where men celebrate the impending marriage of one of their close circle by acting like teenagers, and indulging in essentially tribal activities. Often this means ridiculing the groom-to-be, over-drinking, strip clubs and mild debauchery! This book is a perfect example of this as the 'stag', the best man and two university friends head up north in a remote English town for what they assume to be a tamer celebration...

But sometimes folks in the countryside don't take too kindly to posh southerners encroaching in their close-knit communities. Unless that's what they enjoy. And they have their own ways of joining in with the fun.

Dan Howarth is brilliant at mixing up what could be a basic plot and spinning it on it's head. The friction between the friends is brilliantly woven in with the high tension of the plot. Each character comes into their own and shows their true colours.

I was reminded of The Ritual in the interaction between the friends, and some of the scenes are downright shocking. It's so good!

This was one of my favourite books of the year so far. Brilliant.

[Miranda Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another compelling read from Dan Howarth and a full novel this time. The concept is mind-blowing. It's about four lads who go on a stag-do in the north of England, and come across a local group of lads who sets them up for a particular forfeit ...

It's an utterly gripping, edge-of-your-seat, brutal, occasionally gory, horror, and not for the faint-hearted. I was tense and anxious, while reading, and struggled to stop turning the page because I just had to know what would happen next. And when I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. Like watching an accident in slow motion, it's very much a 'can't look away' read.

Written in first person POV, switching between characters for each chapter, you are lead into a shocking concept that will forever have you wondering whenever you drive around beautiful countryside and idyllic villages. Never be fooled about what might go on behind closed doors!

As always I look forward to whatever Dan Howarth will be writing next.

If that's your kind of thing, I urge you to grab a copy.

[Mark Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever been on a stag do — or in the same place with a group of raucous men drinking each other under the table and shouting ‘Oi, Oi!’ — then you can relate to this book.

The opening gambit presents a claustrophobic scene of outsiders out of their depth and this theme lingers throughout.

Things then get ugly as the story slips into folk horror akin to The Ritual as the group finds themselves hunted like Hard Target.

Howarth can write! The opening chapters had me chuckling at the manly banter. When things went south, I was hooked. Whilst none of the characters are especially nice people, Howarth’s skill is finding a slither of empathy that makes you want to route for them — even the obnoxious Ethan toward the end.

What makes this stand out is not just the writing — which is slick, kinetic and binge-like — but how the plot takes you off into realms I never anticipated.

How Howarth isn’t being talked about more is a mystery to me.

[Kev Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following on from the grim, ice-bound novella, Territory, Dan Howarth returns with the kind of nasty, human horror he is increasingly becoming known for. The chemistry - and distance - between the four point of view characters is fabulously realised, with the individuals and their relationships feeling real, tangible and believable.
The set up which kicks things off on this ill-judged country stag weekend is brilliantly executed and, before you know it, you're racing through the muck and filth with them as they try to stay alive. I genuinely didn't know where this was going to end up until the final chapter.
One of the most unpleasant books I've read in a while, without splashing a huge amount of gore on the page. Instead, Howarth peels back the mask of humanity and shows us the ugliest side of its face.
Compelling stuff.

[Andrew David Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan Haworth has come out of the gate with a pulsing, rampaging novel that has you gripped from beginning to end. This is survival horror at its finest, where a stag party’s weekend turns deadly at the hands of ritualistic locals. Mixing lad culture, fractured friendships, and scary belief systems, Last Night of Freedom is an unrelenting barnstormer of a book. It put me in mind of the forgotten 1977 Hal Halbrook horror Rituals, but it is also very much its own beast. Haworth gives us a world without women where the posturing and pretence of men can so easily spill over into violence.
This is how you write a debut novel - you kick the doors in.

[Ben Unsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last Night of Freedom is a pageturner before anything else, weaving in characters you dislike and love to hate like the dispassionate blasts of a shotgun. And while it bears similarities to many works before it, there’s a merciless voice in there eventually wrestling its way to the fore. It doesn’t need blood and guts or psychological experiments to feel biting and unrestrained. Simply give it your attention and you’ll feel the chalky, wet splatter of mud on your tongue in a way that puts you both off your dinner and off celebrating marriage in any form.

[Stephen Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent horror thrill-ride

Last Night of Freedom is a really excellent tale of a stag do gone horribly wrong. The conflicts within the main group of characters, the dreadful situations they face, and the delightfully mean baddies are really well rendered, and the pace never lets up. To use a couple of cliches, this is a propulsive read and a real page-turner.

While the core premise is in itself something you may have seen before, Howarth handles it so expertly, and with just enough twists and turns, that you’ll love reading this one.

[Mike Casasanta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading this because I had a bachelors party coming up and it felt fitting, but Jesus Christ was I wrong. I’m not sure how you make a book about a group of out-of-towners being hunted by backwoods psychos not only boring and predictable, but annoying, but this guy did it. If I ever have a bachelors party, and the friends I invite hate eachother and myself as much as the characters in this book, I’ll let the psychos get me.

[Kyra · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I did enjoy this book, I don’t think it pushed itself enough. The characters just felt to surface level, which I just the thought behind however it felt like it needed to have some depth to care more about them and what was happening. And the end was so mediocre that it greatly diminished my enjoyment of the story.

[W.A. Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dead Man's Shoes meets Deliverance. Tense, taut British thriller with folk horror vibes. Howarth has a strong and distinctive voice and Last Night of Freedom is dripping with atmosphere and full of characters you'll love to hate. Does for Stag parties what Jaws did for swimming.

[Zachary Ashford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great. Like Caliber crossed with Ready or Not. Total blast.

[Airihi Day · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to enjoy it, just didn't and I'm not certain why.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly brilliant

[Wayne Neylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

great novel and premise. loved possible set up Ady end of a sequel

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!! RTC

[Mike Kettlewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

1st 5 star I've given. fast pace great characters that test their limits in a cat n mouse ritual while tl trying to keep their friendship

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

On a stag party in the Lake District, four friends find themselves on a night out that will end in tragedy, fighting to be the only survivor in a local ritual.

Last Night of Freedom has a terrifying concept that will immediately draw you in. It is one of those books with absolutely incredible writing that you just don't want to put down.

It perfectly captured how a group of friends would react to everything that happens and how relationships are pushed to breaking point during intense situations.

If you're a fan of horror you definitely need to read this book