Spookshow

by Valkyrie Loughcrewe

Strange things are happening in the small Appalachain town of Skaversdale, just in time for the anniversary of a carnival butchering nearly thirty years ago. A group of friends, back together for the first time in ages, thinks they are in for a night of fun and debauchery. That is until the dead start to rise, infamous serial killers return from the past, and scores of horrific beasts descend in a merciless apocalypse of cosmic horror.

Genres: Horror

275 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2024

Reviews

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first full-length novel from the author of Crom Cruach! This cosmic horror slasher was a lot of fun, reminiscent of a young Clive Barker. I didn't really care about the normies but I loved Serj, a chap who's a little bit slow and flunked out at becoming a big name Holiday Killer like Michael Myers. The book has a very punk vibe, which is fitting because you need to adopt a "typos are punk rock" attitude to get through it lol -- don't read this if you care about the difference between its and it's.

[Shrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spookshow is a TRIP. Classic horror tropes like local legends and reunited childhood friends initially give the Spookshow a spooky, nostalgic vibe...but this levity doesn't last long.

I love how unpredictable this book becomes without sacrificing character or plot quality. Loughcrewe combines elements of diverse horror subgenres into the ultimate Franken-novel. I can't imagine it's easy to pull off eco-horror, slashers, splatter, weird horror, and more in a single book. Somehow, it all clicks together in the end.

While I do love a little chaos, some of my favorite parts of this book are pure psychological horror. Sure, the supernatural is creepy, but unrealized dreams and unreconciled past selves are terrifying. Even the most despicable characters deal with trauma, illness, and desperation.

Thank you to Curious Corvid Publishing for the chance to check out this book for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was NUTS in the best way. Nobody does epic horror like Val Loughcrewe.