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What Doesn't Cure You
A horror sci-fi thriller that will keep you gripped within its icy tentacles, breathless and sleep deprived, until you reach its nerve shattering conclusion.
Paul Karin is a dreamer, a man who believes his road to riches is just around the next corner, but when he and his best friend head to the Brecon Beacons for a weekend long caving expedition, he gets much more than he bargained for, encountering a terrifying subterranean species, while escaping with a mysterious yellow liquid that somehow cures his debilitating asthma.
As he road-tests this new find on those closest to him, he becomes increasingly convinced that what he has discovered will change the world forever, making him millions in the process.
However, after his increasingly disturbing visions intensify, and people close to him are found brutally slain, he begins to wonder if there is more to this groundbreaking new cure than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, in Norway, in an underground lair beneath the Galdhøpiggen mountain, the Nokken are waiting - and they are hungry.
Paul Karin is a dreamer, a man who believes his road to riches is just around the next corner, but when he and his best friend head to the Brecon Beacons for a weekend long caving expedition, he gets much more than he bargained for, encountering a terrifying subterranean species, while escaping with a mysterious yellow liquid that somehow cures his debilitating asthma.
As he road-tests this new find on those closest to him, he becomes increasingly convinced that what he has discovered will change the world forever, making him millions in the process.
However, after his increasingly disturbing visions intensify, and people close to him are found brutally slain, he begins to wonder if there is more to this groundbreaking new cure than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, in Norway, in an underground lair beneath the Galdhøpiggen mountain, the Nokken are waiting - and they are hungry.
414 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2025
3 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 12, 2025
ⓇⒺⓋⒾⒺⓌ
What Doesn’t Cure You - Stacey Dighton
What Doesn’t Cure You is a genre merging novel from author Stacey Dighton, mixing elements of horror and Sci-fi with plenty action to boot!
Friends, Paul and Manny discover a strange creature dwelling in the mountain range whilst on a caving expedition in the Welsh, Brecon Beacons which ultimately changes their lives forever.
Asthma sufferer, Paul accidentally ingests a foul yellow liquid that the creature immits, then finds his symptoms gone. Thinking they’ve discovered a miracle cure, the pal’s take samples home with them and begin road testing the peculiar substance on acquaintances they know with a range of diseases (blindness/dementia) with the same outcome!
Paul and Manny see pound signs, and soon enlist a disreputable company in Norway, where they sign a contact to get their discovery to market.
Everything is going to plan, until the side effects start, which are much more serious than a rash or nausea! They have released terrifying creatures (Nokken) that should have stayed hidden in the depths of the cave.
This is a wild ride of a novel, and reminded me of the movies you might of caught late night on the Bravo tv channel back in the day.
I loved seeing locations mentioned in the book that are very local to me, Faversham, Canterbury etc
There are multiple POV’s which are easy to follow, and a fast paced, entertaining storyline.
There are a few eye roll moments, and I felt the final chapter dragged a little, but overall I enjoyed it.
What Doesn’t Cure You - Stacey Dighton
What Doesn’t Cure You is a genre merging novel from author Stacey Dighton, mixing elements of horror and Sci-fi with plenty action to boot!
Friends, Paul and Manny discover a strange creature dwelling in the mountain range whilst on a caving expedition in the Welsh, Brecon Beacons which ultimately changes their lives forever.
Asthma sufferer, Paul accidentally ingests a foul yellow liquid that the creature immits, then finds his symptoms gone. Thinking they’ve discovered a miracle cure, the pal’s take samples home with them and begin road testing the peculiar substance on acquaintances they know with a range of diseases (blindness/dementia) with the same outcome!
Paul and Manny see pound signs, and soon enlist a disreputable company in Norway, where they sign a contact to get their discovery to market.
Everything is going to plan, until the side effects start, which are much more serious than a rash or nausea! They have released terrifying creatures (Nokken) that should have stayed hidden in the depths of the cave.
This is a wild ride of a novel, and reminded me of the movies you might of caught late night on the Bravo tv channel back in the day.
I loved seeing locations mentioned in the book that are very local to me, Faversham, Canterbury etc
There are multiple POV’s which are easy to follow, and a fast paced, entertaining storyline.
There are a few eye roll moments, and I felt the final chapter dragged a little, but overall I enjoyed it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2025
Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Day: 3/6
•
Paul and his friend Manny find the cure to every possible disease while exploring caves. In an attempt to quickly get a patent they cut corners and administer their finding to others. But things begin to go wrong and it isn’t just people hunting the cure..
•
I ate this story up so fast. Right from the start I was hooked and wanted to know where the story would go. This has such an interesting concept. Dighton creates such a chilling atmosphere in this mixed genre of horror and sci-fi. It was truly a terrifying read.
•
The story shifts between the different characters throughout the story to give each of a characters a distinct voice and a look into their minds as to their decisions. The characters were fantastic and there were many times I loved all of them and hated them simultaneously. The story is steady to fast paced as you learn about the miracle cure, the folk lure of Nokken, about the characters and the absolute chaotic aftermath. I loved every single twist and turn and every blood soaked, gore filled scene. The ending was *chefs kiss* perfection and had my jaw on the ground and, honestly, I can’t imagine it ending any other way.
•
Overall, once again Dighton created an absolute banger of a horror read and I am here for it!! I loved this story and I am highly recommending it to all of my horror / sci-fi fans! It is available today on Kindle Unlimited too!! Huge thank you to @staceydightonauthor and Skull Cherry Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Day: 3/6
•
Paul and his friend Manny find the cure to every possible disease while exploring caves. In an attempt to quickly get a patent they cut corners and administer their finding to others. But things begin to go wrong and it isn’t just people hunting the cure..
•
I ate this story up so fast. Right from the start I was hooked and wanted to know where the story would go. This has such an interesting concept. Dighton creates such a chilling atmosphere in this mixed genre of horror and sci-fi. It was truly a terrifying read.
•
The story shifts between the different characters throughout the story to give each of a characters a distinct voice and a look into their minds as to their decisions. The characters were fantastic and there were many times I loved all of them and hated them simultaneously. The story is steady to fast paced as you learn about the miracle cure, the folk lure of Nokken, about the characters and the absolute chaotic aftermath. I loved every single twist and turn and every blood soaked, gore filled scene. The ending was *chefs kiss* perfection and had my jaw on the ground and, honestly, I can’t imagine it ending any other way.
•
Overall, once again Dighton created an absolute banger of a horror read and I am here for it!! I loved this story and I am highly recommending it to all of my horror / sci-fi fans! It is available today on Kindle Unlimited too!! Huge thank you to @staceydightonauthor and Skull Cherry Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 7, 2025
This is an absolute action packed terrifying horror/sci-fi thriller which will have you on the edge of your seat.
Paul and Manny find something strange in an unmapped area in a cave system. Paul has suffered crippling asthma his entire life but when he accidentally ingests a bitter yellow liquid from a creature in the cave, he finds himself cured.
Taking samples of the liquid back home, they do some tests on a friend and his girlfriends father who suffers from dementia. When this substance cures them as well, they see dollar signs. This could make them rich almost overnight as this stuff seems to cure any disease known to man.
Enlisting the services of an underground shady company in Norway, they sign a contract, ready to have more money than they could ever need.
But the side effects of ingesting this liquid soon becomes apparent and as people begin dying horrifically they realize this miracle cure is anything but. They've unleashed unimaginable horrifying creatures from the cave and it's too late to put the cork back in the bottle. And things are going to get bloody.
The creatures in question are almost alien like but are actually of this world but they would be right at home in a Lovecraftian universe. They're hungry, they're vicious, and they've found a way to multiply with this liquid. Those who ingest it slowly begin to morph and change.
The author did a fantastic job at describing the scientific and ethical aspects of these things, giving it a sense of reality which makes the terror even more present. And the tension is off the hook. You never know who is going to die next. There are a few surprising ones that will leave your jaw hanging open.
The pacing is great as well. Every scene drives the narrative forward making it hard to put the book down as you're fully engaged with these characters and the world he's created.
Plenty of scares, twists, and an overwhelming sense of dread makes this a book I highly recommend.
Paul and Manny find something strange in an unmapped area in a cave system. Paul has suffered crippling asthma his entire life but when he accidentally ingests a bitter yellow liquid from a creature in the cave, he finds himself cured.
Taking samples of the liquid back home, they do some tests on a friend and his girlfriends father who suffers from dementia. When this substance cures them as well, they see dollar signs. This could make them rich almost overnight as this stuff seems to cure any disease known to man.
Enlisting the services of an underground shady company in Norway, they sign a contract, ready to have more money than they could ever need.
But the side effects of ingesting this liquid soon becomes apparent and as people begin dying horrifically they realize this miracle cure is anything but. They've unleashed unimaginable horrifying creatures from the cave and it's too late to put the cork back in the bottle. And things are going to get bloody.
The creatures in question are almost alien like but are actually of this world but they would be right at home in a Lovecraftian universe. They're hungry, they're vicious, and they've found a way to multiply with this liquid. Those who ingest it slowly begin to morph and change.
The author did a fantastic job at describing the scientific and ethical aspects of these things, giving it a sense of reality which makes the terror even more present. And the tension is off the hook. You never know who is going to die next. There are a few surprising ones that will leave your jaw hanging open.
The pacing is great as well. Every scene drives the narrative forward making it hard to put the book down as you're fully engaged with these characters and the world he's created.
Plenty of scares, twists, and an overwhelming sense of dread makes this a book I highly recommend.
March 6, 2025
What Doesn't Cure You by @staceydightonauthor
A big thank you to Stacey for the paperback ARC.
Straddling genres I would call this a horror thriller very much in the weird fiction field.
The story follows Paul Karin, a young man with big ambitions. On a caving expedition in the Brecon Beacons in Wales with his friend Manny they come across a previously unexplored subterranean chamber with a pool of mysterious yellow liquid which it turns out has the properties to cure any ailment. It's a medical holy grail and Paul and Manny are the only ones who know about it.
They need to test it and then bring it to market and make their fortune.
Of course curing disease isn't the only thing the liquid does and they're also keeping quiet about what they had to escape down in the caves
Close friends are drawn into their scheme with this new wonder drug.
But while they plan to improve their lives and make millions the mysterious ancient species of Nokken, in mountainous Norway, are waiting. And they are hungry for flesh.
What starts as a mystery with glimpses of terrifying visions, then moves into thriller territory for control of the drug with the occasional mysterious death soon escalates into full on horror with the bodies piling up and monsters on the hunt in a breathtakingly fast paced final third of the novel which feels like watching Aliens.
No one is safe. All bets are off as to which of the characters we've got attached to survive. And there's a shocking and surprising conclusion.
Beware of strange liquids in caves and things that are too good to be true. That's my advice. What doesn't cure you could end up ripping your head off.
Highly entertaining. I feel like I've watched a horror movie marathon. What's that? This drink will help me recover quickly? Wait a minute...
A big thank you to Stacey for the paperback ARC.
Straddling genres I would call this a horror thriller very much in the weird fiction field.
The story follows Paul Karin, a young man with big ambitions. On a caving expedition in the Brecon Beacons in Wales with his friend Manny they come across a previously unexplored subterranean chamber with a pool of mysterious yellow liquid which it turns out has the properties to cure any ailment. It's a medical holy grail and Paul and Manny are the only ones who know about it.
They need to test it and then bring it to market and make their fortune.
Of course curing disease isn't the only thing the liquid does and they're also keeping quiet about what they had to escape down in the caves
Close friends are drawn into their scheme with this new wonder drug.
But while they plan to improve their lives and make millions the mysterious ancient species of Nokken, in mountainous Norway, are waiting. And they are hungry for flesh.
What starts as a mystery with glimpses of terrifying visions, then moves into thriller territory for control of the drug with the occasional mysterious death soon escalates into full on horror with the bodies piling up and monsters on the hunt in a breathtakingly fast paced final third of the novel which feels like watching Aliens.
No one is safe. All bets are off as to which of the characters we've got attached to survive. And there's a shocking and surprising conclusion.
Beware of strange liquids in caves and things that are too good to be true. That's my advice. What doesn't cure you could end up ripping your head off.
Highly entertaining. I feel like I've watched a horror movie marathon. What's that? This drink will help me recover quickly? Wait a minute...
March 18, 2025
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🧪 wish you could cure all diseases
📺 love watching old school horror movies
💰 would do anything to make a buck
🇳🇴 want to visit Norway
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Paul Karin is a dreamer, a man who believes his road to riches is just around the next corner, but when he and his best friend head to the Brecon Beacons for a weekend long caving expedition, he gets much more than he bargained for, encountering a terrifying subterranean species, while escaping with a mysterious yellow liquid that somehow cures his debilitating asthma.
As he road-tests this new find on those closest to him, he becomes increasingly convinced that what he has discovered will change the world forever, making him millions in the process.
However, after his increasingly disturbing visions intensify, and people close to him are found brutally slain, he begins to wonder if there is more to this groundbreaking new cure than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, in Norway, in an underground lair beneath the Galdhøpiggen mountain, the Nokken are waiting - and they are hungry.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such a wild ride of a book! I absolutely loved the premise of finding a cure and realizing it wasn’t actually what you hoped for. It kind of goes to show that money is the root of all evil (maybe nothing bad would have happened if they gave it away for free, eh?)! The characters were both relatable but loathsome as I simply didn’t agree with a lot of the choices they made. In turn, this did make them more human to me as we are all different and unique and sometimes (most of the time) we make the wrong choices. I enjoyed that it took place in a new to me country. As someone living in the US, I love to be able to “travel” via a book! Grab your copy today!
🧪 wish you could cure all diseases
📺 love watching old school horror movies
💰 would do anything to make a buck
🇳🇴 want to visit Norway
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
Paul Karin is a dreamer, a man who believes his road to riches is just around the next corner, but when he and his best friend head to the Brecon Beacons for a weekend long caving expedition, he gets much more than he bargained for, encountering a terrifying subterranean species, while escaping with a mysterious yellow liquid that somehow cures his debilitating asthma.
As he road-tests this new find on those closest to him, he becomes increasingly convinced that what he has discovered will change the world forever, making him millions in the process.
However, after his increasingly disturbing visions intensify, and people close to him are found brutally slain, he begins to wonder if there is more to this groundbreaking new cure than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, in Norway, in an underground lair beneath the Galdhøpiggen mountain, the Nokken are waiting - and they are hungry.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such a wild ride of a book! I absolutely loved the premise of finding a cure and realizing it wasn’t actually what you hoped for. It kind of goes to show that money is the root of all evil (maybe nothing bad would have happened if they gave it away for free, eh?)! The characters were both relatable but loathsome as I simply didn’t agree with a lot of the choices they made. In turn, this did make them more human to me as we are all different and unique and sometimes (most of the time) we make the wrong choices. I enjoyed that it took place in a new to me country. As someone living in the US, I love to be able to “travel” via a book! Grab your copy today!
March 10, 2025
4.5🌟
Thank you so much to the author for sending me your latest!
Holy guacamole this book is WILD!! I knew going in that I was in for a treat, as all of Dighton’s books are wild, but this was easily my favourite one of his so far!
What I love about this book is the way it switches POV and weaves together these different strands. When they come together in a big show down, you can’t help but be sitting on the edge of your seating waiting to see how on earth our characters will get themselves out of these situations. So many twists and turns that I was not expecting. People survived who I thought would die. People died who I thought would survive (and yes I am still bitter about one character in particular).
The fact that this book comes out of the pandemic and the way a couple people profited from it while many suffered is really something. Putting social commentary into a sci-fi thriller about basically alien shadow octopuses was exactly the right move. (And yes I know they’re not technically /aliens/).
My favourite thing is how the main character, Paul, develops. He’s pretty unlikeable for most of the book, making him the right protagonist for this story, and just when he’s getting some solid character development…things go tits up and we get a WHOPPER of an ending that I shall not spoil but let me just say I LOVED it. I only docked half a star because there’s some body shaming that did not feel relevant to the plot or characters that could’ve done without.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced sci-fi thriller with a tonne of blood and gore but also some humour and real thought behind it, look no further!!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me your latest!
Holy guacamole this book is WILD!! I knew going in that I was in for a treat, as all of Dighton’s books are wild, but this was easily my favourite one of his so far!
What I love about this book is the way it switches POV and weaves together these different strands. When they come together in a big show down, you can’t help but be sitting on the edge of your seating waiting to see how on earth our characters will get themselves out of these situations. So many twists and turns that I was not expecting. People survived who I thought would die. People died who I thought would survive (and yes I am still bitter about one character in particular).
The fact that this book comes out of the pandemic and the way a couple people profited from it while many suffered is really something. Putting social commentary into a sci-fi thriller about basically alien shadow octopuses was exactly the right move. (And yes I know they’re not technically /aliens/).
My favourite thing is how the main character, Paul, develops. He’s pretty unlikeable for most of the book, making him the right protagonist for this story, and just when he’s getting some solid character development…things go tits up and we get a WHOPPER of an ending that I shall not spoil but let me just say I LOVED it. I only docked half a star because there’s some body shaming that did not feel relevant to the plot or characters that could’ve done without.
If you’re looking for a fast-paced sci-fi thriller with a tonne of blood and gore but also some humour and real thought behind it, look no further!!
March 10, 2025
This is a fast-paced horror Sci-Fi creature feature in which no one is safe. This whole book played out like a movie in my mind. I could see everything so clearly and hear all of the characters. It was a lot of fun!
Paul and Manny find this substance in an underground cave that they believe can cure anything. All they see are dollar signs. Mistakes are made and things go awry pretty quickly. It’s funny how ethics and thinking go right out the window when large sums of money are involved.
It was cool to get multiple POV’s in this case to know everyone’s motives and thought processes. It definitely gives a better understanding of some things.
The author touches on all aspects of the cure-all substance and the creature. He really thought of everything, going into the science side of things as well as what happens when word gets out about such a ground-breaking discovery.
I’d recommend to any horror reader, especially those who love creature features!
Paul and Manny find this substance in an underground cave that they believe can cure anything. All they see are dollar signs. Mistakes are made and things go awry pretty quickly. It’s funny how ethics and thinking go right out the window when large sums of money are involved.
It was cool to get multiple POV’s in this case to know everyone’s motives and thought processes. It definitely gives a better understanding of some things.
The author touches on all aspects of the cure-all substance and the creature. He really thought of everything, going into the science side of things as well as what happens when word gets out about such a ground-breaking discovery.
I’d recommend to any horror reader, especially those who love creature features!
March 20, 2025
Another brilliant story by Stacey Dighton!
If you had the chance to cure all ailments without any scientific backed evidence, would you take it? In this gripping story, Paul Karin and his friend Manny stumble upon something never before seen by humanity while exploring a cave system in Wales. After their discovery, they become convinced they have found a "cure all" that will not only make them rich but also heal the world of all illnesses. However, what follows is a harrowing nightmare, illustrating how greed comes with a high cost, sometimes at the expense of other people's lives.
This is the second story I've read by this author, and I've quickly become a fan. Stacey knows how to keep you locked into his stories, making you question if sleep is really worth it because you don't want to put the damn story down. There's not a boring moment in this book. With its mix of action, sci-fi, horror, and comedy, What Doesn't Cure You really is a hard one to put down.
If you had the chance to cure all ailments without any scientific backed evidence, would you take it? In this gripping story, Paul Karin and his friend Manny stumble upon something never before seen by humanity while exploring a cave system in Wales. After their discovery, they become convinced they have found a "cure all" that will not only make them rich but also heal the world of all illnesses. However, what follows is a harrowing nightmare, illustrating how greed comes with a high cost, sometimes at the expense of other people's lives.
This is the second story I've read by this author, and I've quickly become a fan. Stacey knows how to keep you locked into his stories, making you question if sleep is really worth it because you don't want to put the damn story down. There's not a boring moment in this book. With its mix of action, sci-fi, horror, and comedy, What Doesn't Cure You really is a hard one to put down.
March 11, 2025
Firstly, a thank you to Stacy for gifting me a copy of the book for a honest review.
Now, I'm not usually a fan of Sci-Fi, but having read the blurb, it was a story that intrigued me, and having never read any of the authors previous work before I honestly didn't know what to expect - WHAT A BOOK!
Jam packed full of action, which kept me gripped all the way through and kept me on the edge of my seat! The story is told from multiple POVs which weaves the story telling to the point it became a movie in my mind. Getting to know everyone's motives from different perspectives really helped that
If you love fast paced sci -fi thrillers with tons of blood and gore then this book is for you. There's so many twists and turns to keep you on your toes and humour thrown into the mix.
Highly recommended, fantastic!
Now, I'm not usually a fan of Sci-Fi, but having read the blurb, it was a story that intrigued me, and having never read any of the authors previous work before I honestly didn't know what to expect - WHAT A BOOK!
Jam packed full of action, which kept me gripped all the way through and kept me on the edge of my seat! The story is told from multiple POVs which weaves the story telling to the point it became a movie in my mind. Getting to know everyone's motives from different perspectives really helped that
If you love fast paced sci -fi thrillers with tons of blood and gore then this book is for you. There's so many twists and turns to keep you on your toes and humour thrown into the mix.
Highly recommended, fantastic!
May 13, 2025
I mean, what would you do if you found some strange substance deep below ground; Make money? Help people? Leave well along and run? Well, I can tell you what the characters SHOULD have done. Unfortunately, they didn't, and all hell breaks loose (pun intended).
This is a well written story with elements of science, adventure, and horror. Short, punchy chapters keep you glued to the story as it twists and turns. Until the ending that is, where it's broken down into sub chapters from different characters' points of view. I enjoyed this a lot. It was an interesting story with believable characters. And in real life, who knows what could be hidden down in those undiscovered caves....
This is a well written story with elements of science, adventure, and horror. Short, punchy chapters keep you glued to the story as it twists and turns. Until the ending that is, where it's broken down into sub chapters from different characters' points of view. I enjoyed this a lot. It was an interesting story with believable characters. And in real life, who knows what could be hidden down in those undiscovered caves....
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews