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Inescapable
New Hampshire, 1985. Something is lurking in the shadows. Seventeen-year-old Dylan Harper has always dreamed of escaping his smalltown life, but when a mysterious new girl named Marie and her reclusive husband Alec move to town, his life takes a dark turn.
As bodies start piling up, each one more gruesome than the last, the town suspects a wild animal is to blame. But Dylan's world is turned upside down when he learns that Marie is a vampire and Molly, the daughter of his mother's new boyfriend, is a witch who believes Marie is responsible for the murders.
As Dylan finds himself drawn deeper into the supernatural world, he must make a choice: embrace the darkness within or fight for his humanity. But with a bloodthirsty monster on the loose and no way to return to his old life, Dylan's decision may already be made for him.
Set against the backdrop of 1980s horror, "Inescapable" is a chilling coming-of-age tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If you enjoyed "Stranger Things," you'll love this thrilling tale of magic, monsters, and self-discovery.
Don't miss out on this gripping read.
As bodies start piling up, each one more gruesome than the last, the town suspects a wild animal is to blame. But Dylan's world is turned upside down when he learns that Marie is a vampire and Molly, the daughter of his mother's new boyfriend, is a witch who believes Marie is responsible for the murders.
As Dylan finds himself drawn deeper into the supernatural world, he must make a choice: embrace the darkness within or fight for his humanity. But with a bloodthirsty monster on the loose and no way to return to his old life, Dylan's decision may already be made for him.
Set against the backdrop of 1980s horror, "Inescapable" is a chilling coming-of-age tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If you enjoyed "Stranger Things," you'll love this thrilling tale of magic, monsters, and self-discovery.
Don't miss out on this gripping read.
358 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2024
3 people are currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Marina Rehm
4 books4 followersMarina Rehm has been a fan of vampires and witches for as long as she can remember, devouring every story she could get her hands on. When she was a teenager, she began to make up her own vampire stories.
When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her at the movie theater.
When she’s not writing or reading, you can find her at the movie theater.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, even though I don’t usually read this genre. The story was exciting, interesting and had a really good plot. Nothing was predictable, which made it even more captivating. I always wanted to know what would happen next. The characters felt authentic and it was easy to relate to them. There wasn’t a single boring moment and the story kept me engaged the whole time. The writing style is very smooth and even as a non-native speaker I found it easy to read. I also liked the ending and I’m really looking forward to the second book!
October 4, 2025
Inescapably captivating from start to finish! With a bold and unique reimagining of vampire mythology, Rehm is a remarkably inventive debut author. 'Inescapable' is a must-read for fans of immortals and found families. I can't wait for book two!
May 12, 2025
Marina Rehm’s Inescapable is the eerie, emotional slow-burn opener to the Immortal Blood Gift series, blending small-town angst with something far more ancient and chilling. Set in the snowy, forgotten corners of Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1985, it follows Dylan Harper, a high school senior who's just trying to survive his bullies, get into Harvard, and take care of his single mom. But when a mysterious woman named Marie and her icy-eyed husband Alec arrive, the sleepy town suddenly becomes the backdrop to a series of violent, unexplainable deaths, and Dylan is pulled into something bigger than himself. It’s part coming-of-age, part supernatural thriller, all wrapped in a rich layer of dread.
What stood out to me immediately about this book was how convincingly Rehm captures Dylan’s character. He is awkward, uncertain, often overwhelmed, and acutely aware of his low standing in the social hierarchy. Rehm presents him with unflinching honesty, avoiding sentimentality and allowing the narrative to unfold at a deliberate, effective pace. The early chapters, especially those set in the gas station, drip with the bleakness of small-town inertia. When Dylan encounters Marie, a woman whose beauty and poise seem almost unreal, it briefly disrupts his sense of monotony. Her presence is described with such vivid detail, particularly the image of her leather-gloved hands and effortless self-possession, that she feels both mesmerizing and dangerous. A moment in which she assists Dylan in cleaning up a spilled slushie feels disarmingly intimate, yet beneath that quiet interaction lies a deeper threat. It’s this layered ambiguity that immediately drew me in.
The writing itself surprised me. It’s sharp but accessible, with enough emotion to pull you in without ever getting overly dramatic. I appreciated how Rehm balanced horror with heartbreak. Take the murder of Stacy Yelander, for example. That discovery scene was utterly haunting. Dylan stumbling across her mangled body in the snow, those glowing eyes in the woods gave me goosebumps. And yet, the real gut punch wasn’t just the horror, it was Dylan’s numb reaction. His fear. His powerlessness. It’s not just about monsters in the dark; it’s about being trapped in a life you didn’t choose, where the world doesn’t care if you survive it.
What kept me turning the pages was the strange push-pull between Marie’s charm and Alec’s terrifying silence. Something about them is clearly not human, but Rehm never lays it all out. She lets the dread grow like frost on a window. Alec says maybe three words, but you feel him in every room. The slow pace gave me time to settle into the tension, to care about Dylan, and to dread whatever was coming. And there’s something refreshing about a supernatural story where the creatures don’t sparkle or monologue, they just stalk, manipulate, and kill.
Inescapable is a cold, quiet scream of a book. If you’ve ever been the outsider, the weird kid, the one who just wanted to get out of your dead-end town, this will hit home. It’s for readers who like their horror with heart, who don’t mind a slow build, and who enjoy being unnerved by people who are just a little too perfect. This is not a book for those needing instant gratification, but if you like stories that simmer before they burn, this one’s worth it.
What stood out to me immediately about this book was how convincingly Rehm captures Dylan’s character. He is awkward, uncertain, often overwhelmed, and acutely aware of his low standing in the social hierarchy. Rehm presents him with unflinching honesty, avoiding sentimentality and allowing the narrative to unfold at a deliberate, effective pace. The early chapters, especially those set in the gas station, drip with the bleakness of small-town inertia. When Dylan encounters Marie, a woman whose beauty and poise seem almost unreal, it briefly disrupts his sense of monotony. Her presence is described with such vivid detail, particularly the image of her leather-gloved hands and effortless self-possession, that she feels both mesmerizing and dangerous. A moment in which she assists Dylan in cleaning up a spilled slushie feels disarmingly intimate, yet beneath that quiet interaction lies a deeper threat. It’s this layered ambiguity that immediately drew me in.
The writing itself surprised me. It’s sharp but accessible, with enough emotion to pull you in without ever getting overly dramatic. I appreciated how Rehm balanced horror with heartbreak. Take the murder of Stacy Yelander, for example. That discovery scene was utterly haunting. Dylan stumbling across her mangled body in the snow, those glowing eyes in the woods gave me goosebumps. And yet, the real gut punch wasn’t just the horror, it was Dylan’s numb reaction. His fear. His powerlessness. It’s not just about monsters in the dark; it’s about being trapped in a life you didn’t choose, where the world doesn’t care if you survive it.
What kept me turning the pages was the strange push-pull between Marie’s charm and Alec’s terrifying silence. Something about them is clearly not human, but Rehm never lays it all out. She lets the dread grow like frost on a window. Alec says maybe three words, but you feel him in every room. The slow pace gave me time to settle into the tension, to care about Dylan, and to dread whatever was coming. And there’s something refreshing about a supernatural story where the creatures don’t sparkle or monologue, they just stalk, manipulate, and kill.
Inescapable is a cold, quiet scream of a book. If you’ve ever been the outsider, the weird kid, the one who just wanted to get out of your dead-end town, this will hit home. It’s for readers who like their horror with heart, who don’t mind a slow build, and who enjoy being unnerved by people who are just a little too perfect. This is not a book for those needing instant gratification, but if you like stories that simmer before they burn, this one’s worth it.
September 17, 2025
This had me hooked from start to finish. We meet the nerdy main character in a small town setting in New Hampshire in the mid-1980s. As the son of a single mother, he not only struggles with financial difficulties, but is also mercilessly tormented by school bullies and suffers from an eating disorder. Dylan is the kind of guy to whom life just happens. How could it be otherwise, given the limited scope for action of a working-class teenager in Berlin, New Hampshire, in 1985? Early on, however, we also learn about Dylan's fighting spirit, his firm determination to escape the gloomy confines of small-town life through hard work and education. He is determined to create a secure future for himself and his mother. But as Dylan prepares for graduation and works hard at the local gas station after school, his world is turned upside down. A glamorous stranger appears. Mutilated corpses pile up on the sleepy streets of the small town. From the periphery of his own life, Dylan is suddenly drawn into the center of events, leading to a finale that calls into question Dylan´s entire life and believes.
Particularly positive:
- relatable, multidimensional main character
- atmospheric density: the confines of the small town, Dylan's social isolation, the oppressive proximity of the winter forests and the threatening thoughts always in the back of your mind: what lurks inside?
- fascinating, multifaceted female characters
- Really (!) unexpected things happening
- A narrative pace that gives the story time to unfold
Wherever Dylan's journey takes him in the next part of this series, I'll definitely be there!
Particularly positive:
- relatable, multidimensional main character
- atmospheric density: the confines of the small town, Dylan's social isolation, the oppressive proximity of the winter forests and the threatening thoughts always in the back of your mind: what lurks inside?
- fascinating, multifaceted female characters
- Really (!) unexpected things happening
- A narrative pace that gives the story time to unfold
Wherever Dylan's journey takes him in the next part of this series, I'll definitely be there!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews