Mischief Night

by James Kaine

CAN YOU MAKE IT TO HALLOWEEN?

When a family finds themselves under siege by a band of bloodthirsty psychopaths, will they fall victim to their deadly tricks?

October 30, 1979. As thunder booms and lightning streaks the skies over Pine Hill Mental Hospital, a mass breakout unleashes dozens of dangerously disturbed inmates into the darkness. While the authorities scramble to round up the escapees through the storm, three of the institution's most demented patients form an unholy alliance - Jack, a charismatic cult leader, Ollie, a debaucherous deviant, and Wallace, a mute mountain of a man with freakish strength and no conscience.

Liberated from their imprisonment, the trio of madmen celebrate their newfound freedom by leaving a trail of mutilated bodies across the countryside.

Meanwhile, Susan, a young mother, braves the storm with her eight-year-old son, attempting to get away from a different kind of monster - a tormenter in the form of a man she once loved but now turns her every waking moment into a living nightmare. A man that will not be happy to find his family has fled...and will go to any lengths to bring them home.

Seeking refuge at her brother's farm, Susan's respite will be short-lived when the maniacs descend on the isolated family in the midst of a blackout, seeking fresh blood to spill.

This retro slasher novella from James Kaine, author of Pursuit and Black Friday will send you on a pulse-pounding roller coaster of terror that begs one simple

WILL ANYONE SURVIVE MISCHIEF NIGHT?

Genres: Horror, Halloween, Novella, Crime

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

James Kaine is a bestselling author, publisher and filmmaker born and raised in Trenton, NJ. An active pro member of the Horror Writer’s Association, he brings readers visceral, haunting tales of terror via his Horror House Publishing imprint.

Ted Tally, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of The Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon, called his book My Pet Werewolf "Twisty. Spooky. Shocking." and "Unputdownable."

BookLife by Publishers Weekly proclaimed his novel, The Dead Children’s Playground, “will chill readers to the bone.” The book, the first in his American Horrors anthology series, has been a #1 bestseller in U.S. Horror on Amazon and was the winner of the 2025 Books of Horror Indie Brawl. His works are being translated into multiple languages, bringing James’s cinematic style of scary storytelling to a global audience.

He resides in Hamilton, NJ with his wife, Jessica, their two children and an energetic Boston Terrier. When he isn’t writing he loves to read, travel, cook, watch movies and learn new skills.

For bookings, media inquiries and any other requests, send an email to james@jameskaine.com.

Reviews

[lucky 13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 big stars this one has so much and keeps you on the edge of your seat. with fast paced twist and turns hard to put down Highly Recommend.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I felt like I was reading a horror movie!

Talking about gripping me from the beginning! I mean…. deals with the devil, escaped mental patients, murd3r, mayhem & mischief - count me in! This story definitely had more dislikable characters than likable ones, but that was the perfect recipe for what this story offered. It’s truly hard to describe exactly what I enjoyed about it, because I enjoyed every insane diabolical moment.

This fast paced thriller will have you clutching your pearls, so brace yourself. The ending left me speechless & I’m excited to read more from James Kaine. I felt like I was reading a horror movie!

[Steve Rufle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute horror novella that I thoroughly enjoyed. Wasn't sure what path the author was going to take at times, but I enjoyed the journey.

We get a little tease for his next book in the Afterword. Very sneaky.

Received as an ARC. Thanks for the opportunity to leave this review.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love slashers and home invasion stories, then James Kaine's "Mischief Night" is a must-read! This is a fast-paced, harrowing tale of a mother finding the strength to leave her abusing husband to save herself and her little boy from his hands, and immediately falling into another kind of horror - the place she finds shelter in, gets attacked by three psychos who've escaped from the local asylum; and the mayhem that ensues gives her the chance to show what staying married with her abuser for so many years has unwittingly prepared her for: she's a survivor, and noone is going to take that from her!

That's the perfect "final girl" set up, but "Mischief Night" is more plot-than character-driven, going for dread and suspense, a large cast, complex plotting, minimum gore (it's not extreme horror), the author coming up with a wildly unpredictable twist which keeps the story immersive and thrilling right to the very end. And what an end it is! Brilliant, and so satisfying!

As a bonus, there's an epilogue revealing a connection to another great book of Kaine's, and nothing had prepared me for THAT easter egg. The novella (the perfect length for this story) comes out on Halloween, and I guarantee you'll read it in one sitting. Highly recommend!

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that I wanted to open up the top of my skull and cram it into my brain. I couldn’t read it fast enough. The way the story unfolds made me have to force my eyes to keep reading and not jump ahead, but I needed to know what was happening. I was caught in that strange reading paradox where I needed to consume the story as fast as possible but at the same time I wanted to slow down because I live for that endorphin filled tension.
I don’t want to talk about the story at all. Just read it. It’s short, fun, and nothing like what you are expecting.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun slasher novella that author James Kaine cited as being directly inspired by the classic John Carpenter film Halloween, but which I found to be closer in plot to Alone in the Dark - an early 80s slasher about escaped sanitarium patients tormenting a treating psychiatrist’s family.

Either way, Kaine wastes little time in setting up his escaped deranged lunatics and the poor family who are going to get in the way. And once the two parties meet, he has a couple of surprises up his author’s sleeve that go beyond simply wracking up a body count…

I enjoyed my time with Mischief Night and if you’re looking for a quick read while you’re laid up with a bunged left knee on a skiing trip, you could do far worse.

Or, that same would apply if you’re just a fan of reading slashers - that might capture a few more people 😜

4 Pacts with a Devil for Mischief Night.

[Anoushka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy to try and my review is my own - thank you!

I absolutely love a good extreme horror book and James Kaine is a new author to me. I have to say that I was really impressed with his writing style and gory, slasher Halloween inspired story.

Fast paced, and a twist I did not see coming, it kept me on the edge of my seat and turning those pages. Very atmospheric and some juicy, gory moments.

I will definitely need to read more of his work.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun slasher! I thought there were parts that were pretty predictable, but not in any way that ruined the story for me. I liked the ending!

[§amantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mischief night was just the slasher I needed for my Halloween TBR. Mischief Night checked off a lot of boxes for me when it comes to things I enjoy in horror books. It was fast-paced and packed with gut wrenching kill scenes. I also quite enjoyed the cult vibe and religious psychosis.

Apparently it also ties into the one Kaine book I haven't read yet! So now I have to go read Pursuit!

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[GheridenTheBookBard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mischief Night by James Kaine is exactly what I crave when I want a good old-school slasher story that feels like watching a classic horror film unfold on the page. It hits almost every note you could ask for in the genre and does it with style.

Our main character is a mother who finally finds the strength to escape an abusive husband, determined to protect herself and her young son. They head toward the safety of family, but since it is Halloween night, safety is not exactly waiting for them. When patients escape from a nearby asylum, things spiral fast and what follows is a relentless, tension filled fight for survival that grabs you from the start and does not let go.

For a story that moves this quickly, I was surprised by how much character depth Kaine manages to build. The mother’s quiet strength and transformation into a true survivor give the book its heart. You can feel the emotional weight of what she has endured, and when the horror starts, that strength becomes her weapon. It makes for the perfect “final girl” setup but with a realistic and emotional edge that makes her stand out.

The pacing is spot on. It moves fast without feeling rushed, and the tension never drops. The horror hits just right, with plenty of dread and suspense, a few sharp twists, and enough brutality to keep things intense without ever becoming too much. And when the ending arrives, it lands perfectly with a payoff that feels both earned and satisfying. There's even a sneak peak to another book by the author!

Mischief Night is the perfect October read. It has all the atmosphere, suspense, and grit you want from a slasher with just enough heart to make you care deeply about who makes it out alive. If you love home invasion stories or survival horror that feels cinematic, this one deserves a spot on your Halloween TBR.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer]

Mischief Night by James Kaine, Susan is married to an abusive husband who is also a police officer and she feels she has nowhere to turn but when he strikes their seven year old son Frankie she knows it’s time to leave abusive Charles. She fleas to her brother Kevinn‘s farm where he lives with his wife Deborah, teenage daughter Molly, 12-year-old son Tim and seven year-old daughter Annie. while she is making her way to what she believes is a safer place, patients at the local mental hospital are escaping . One of them is a delusional man named Jack who worships a demon and is trying to build up an army and unfortunately he has perverted crazy Oliver and gigantic Hollis who follow his lead and they’re out for blood. They’re not the only three out in the country that believes and worships this demon and unfortunately before the night is over Susan and her family will sadly know all about it oh and yes when Charles gets home and finds an empty house he decides to go to Kevin‘s to bring Susie back. This is the authors splatter punk horror book and I think he did a brilliant job. Not only were these mental patients intimidating they have no humanity nor a moral compass to lead them just the demon they worship and it makes for one crazy story. I love this author‘s horror stories, I was worried I wouldn’t like this one but was totally wrong it was really so good and if you like a mix between horror and splatter punk with someone really great to root for then you definitely need to read this book. #BookSirens, #TheBlindReviewer, #MyHonestReview,#JamesKaine, #MischiefNight,

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

October 30, 1979. Susan, a victim of domestic violence, and her son flee away from her husband and home to her brother’s family house. Her brother and his children welcome them with open arms although her sister in law is more hesitant to let them in. At the same time a few residents escape a nearby mental hospital and cause murder and mayhem on this mischief night. Will the family make it untill Halloween?

This novel left me feeling off for the rest of the day after finishing it. Now I remember again why I don’t watch slasher movies often. It’s because innocent people get murdered as well. 💔 I’m used to a lot of gore as a lifetime horror fan and I thrive on revenge stories, but some parts were hard for me to swallow.

Nonetheless, I’m glad I pushed through and I came to the conclusion Mischief Night is an excellent written slasher novel with a great storyline. I was impressed by James Kaine’s descriptive and compelling writing style. It felt like I walked into an 80’s slasher movie and with multiple cuts and bruises barely survived it, so his mission as a talented horror author is accomplished. 👌🏼😁

James made me really curious for his other books and I definitely will give them a try. If you like a blood-curdling, remorseless Halloween inspired slasher as well, you should definitely pick this one up.

Thank you so much for letting me read this ARC @jk_scares and @booksirens. This book will be available on October 30 and it’s the perfect read for Spooky Season. 🎃

[Hayley Bernard-Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love slasher stories, I highly recommend this novella by James Kaine. This book was so fun to read! From the beginning, I was hooked to this fast-paced, suspenseful story where absolutely no character is safe. I was on the edge of my seat, gripping my Kindle, urging my favorite characters to make it through the night. Honestly, I don’t know that I’d survive the villains in this story if they unexpectedly came to my house in a thunderstorm, the night before Halloween. This is the second James Kaine story that I’ve read and I threw all his books on my TBR. The release date of “Mischief Night” is Oct 30th and it’s the perfect read for spooky season.
Thanks James Kaine for the ARC, this book was fantastic!

[Brandy Vallely · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wild journey. I never thought someone would be fleeing from fear only to dive into a whole new level of it. Definitely a must-read if you're into non-stop slasher action.

[Barbara Behring · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It took me back to the slasher movies of the 80s.

[Noreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the lovers of blood and gore, this will not disappoint.
I read this novel in 4 hours and I could not put it down. I could not sleep and this was in my list of must reads. I had to finish it, I needed to know who would survive Mischief Night. I was a little saddened when Tim died, I was hoping he would be one of the survivors. But this does not change my views on the read.
If you like Horror, grab this one, a must read.

[Neusitas · Rating 2 out of 5]

4,5 / 10 ⭐️
Terror / Slasher / Sobrenatural / Violencia de género / Enfermedad mental / +21

Tres psicópatas se escapan de un psiquiátrico dejando un reguero de cadáveres tras ellos. Un asesino en serie descuartizador y sangriento, un violador pervertido y siniestro, y el líder de una secta satánica.
Susan huye con su hijo de 8 años del maltratador de su marido, ayudante del sheriff de su ciudad, hacia la granja de su hermano Kevin. Allí quedarán atrapados junto a la familia de Kevin a causa de una tormenta que les deja incomunicados y sin electricidad. Pronto ese será el menor de sus problemas.

Es un relato corto de unas 130 páginas que se me ha hecho interminable.
Soy muy fan de las pelis y los libros slasher (Halloween, la Matanza de Texas, Scream, Sé lo que hicisteis el último verano...), pero esto ha sido un despropósito.
Todo eran muertes a diestro y siniestro, muy gores y desagradables.
La trama está cogida con pinzas, aunque ha habido un par de plot twist que han valido la pena.

Lo que no me ha gustado:
- No llegas a empatizar con ningún personaje. El libro está escrito en tercera persona (un narrador te va contando lo que pasa) y en cada capítulo sigues a un personaje diferente.
Creo que un relato slasher parte de un par de personajes que empiezan desde el principio huyendo de los asesinos y llegan hasta el final (sobreviviendo) o casi hasta el final, y por el camino se van perdiendo personajes.
Este no es el caso. Aunque intuyo que la intención del autor es que lo sea Susan, pero el resto de personajes te distorsionan el foco.
- Tampoco me ha gustado toquen a los niños. ¡Hasta en el Resplandor se salva el niño.
Tenemos a un matrimonio y la hermana del marido, dos jóvenes de 18 años, dos de 13 y dos de 8 años en la casa. SPOILER: Estaba claro que no iban a sobrevivir todos, pero ¿de verdad? ¿tenía que ser de esa manera tan injusta?
- Pero lo que menos me ha gustado de todo ha sido la elaboración de los personajes femeninos. Al autor le falta muuucho para saber cómo piensa una mujer. Cada vez que un capítulo era protagonizado por una mujer daba auténtica grima, todo sonaba tan falso...

Yo creo que os lo podéis ahorrar.

[Books For Decaying Millennials · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
-
By the author's own admission Mischief Night is inspired by and is very much a love letter to John Carpenter's film Halloween. But whereas this could be fuel for nothing more than a redressing of the said films scenario, author James Kaine instead uses Carpenter's work as a source for something new. Like new growth, sprung forth from cuttings from an existing plant.
If you've skimmed(dare I say even read) some of my past reviews, you'll know that I have an appreciation for authors who take their love of horror films, and channel it into crafting a tale that is delivered the readers brain takes in like watching a horror film. Some might say a story with a cinematic quality. I prefer to refer to books like Mischief Night as being part of the collection a vast video store, located in the mind. Cinematic evokes sweeping scenes, something grand. Videos for the brain is gritty, heck you might even need to check the tracking as you read this book. (kids ask your local decaying millennial or mummified Gen Xer about VHS tracking)
There is a vein of tension and fear that rises throughout Kaine's book. By the climax it's more like vein throbbing on your skull. The characters feel both fleshed out, as well as cut from the cloth of so many Horror film characters that have come before. Just whom the reader can lay trust and support into remains in question. The kills are delivered in the graphic messy quality, befitting a film of past decades, but Kaine adds a flare that I'd argue you would only find in more recent films such as the Terrifier series. Mischief Night is an excellent read, perfect for fans looking or something fresh, yet familiar, and will be a perfect title to grab this coming October.

[VDKeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’ALL. 😱 Mischief Night by James Kaine is like getting drop-kicked straight into a thunderstorm and realizing the thunder is actually screams.

This book bleeds retro slasher energy — 1979, torrential rain, escaped psychos, and one poor mom just trying to keep her kid alive while literal maniacs are carving a path through the countryside. Jack (the cult leader with movie-villain swagger), Ollie (a gross, chaotic creep you’ll love to hate), and Wallace (a walking wall of muscle and murder) are the unholy trio of your nightmares — and Kaine writes them with such vivid, stomach-twisting detail that you can smell the sweat, the fear, the copper tang of blood in the storm air. 💀⚡️

The tension? PALPABLE. The pacing? Lightning-fast. The writing? Cinematic and unapologetically brutal — like a VHS horror flick that got too real. And Susan? She’s the emotional core, a mama bear fighting like hell while the world literally unravels around her.

By the end, I was clutching my imaginary flashlight, whispering, “don’t go in there” like it would help. 🤣 If you love your horror soaked in rain, guts, and pure adrenaline — buckle up, because Mischief Night delivers the chaos with a grin and a body count. 🎃🔥

Absolute carnage. Absolute fun. Kaine, you mad genius.

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody is Ready for Mischief Night!

James Kaine writes frightfully great horror! Not only are his stories wicked and horrendous, but they are so much fun to read. Mischief Night is another fantastic story from James Kaine. This book at its core, is full of so much heart. It is a story of a mother protecting her child in the face of something horrific. Evil cults, disturbing deaths, and abuse are major elements of this story, but it all builds into an explosive climax, and the end was the perfect tongue-in-cheek ending! You absolutely do not want to miss this story!

PS: Stick around for the epilogue and see how this story connects to another of James Kaine's books. Now I'm off to read that one again!

[Catriona Mowat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mischief night follows Susan and her son Franky: on the run from an abusive husband/father, they seek shelter with Susan’s family. But when a group of inmates escape from the local asylum, all hell will break loose this Mischief Night.

A love letter to horror movies of the 70s-80s, this is an over-the-top, gory romp through the forest. And I loved it!
The action never lets up, with twists (sometimes in body parts) that will catch you unawares. The story is compelling, entertaining but sensitive when dealing with some hard topics. It’s not always an easy read, but it is definitely brilliantly written and as entertaining as it is chilling.
This Mischief Night, make sure this novella is on your TBR!

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow this is a great one. 1980s slasher in book form! It’s brutal, gory, and has the always present final girl! I loved this from page 1 and think it would be a pretty cool horror movie.
Perfect for fans of Halloween, this book takes place on Mischief Night(October 30). Focusing on a group of escaped convicts from a met a hospital and a family dealing with their own issues. This book tells the story of what happens when their paths cross. And I was so excited by the epilogue. I wondered several times throughout the book if the stories were connected. 5 stars!

[Curt Dunnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Mischief Night” by James Kaine is a 5-star horror read! The story takes place on October 30, 1979, shortly after a group of patients escape from the Pine View Mental Asylum. As expected, things turn deadly for the surrounding area.

This is a perfect book for the spooky season! It has fast-paced slasher vibes that brought me back to my childhood and all the horror movies I used to watch. This is my third book by this author, and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. I can’t wait to see what he writes next!

Thanks to James Kaine for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaine is so versatile, he can pretty much write anything he set his mind on. And Mischief Night is another delicious tale of evilry and mayhem during a night when weather stands against humans. Brutal and gripping, no character in this story is safe. Not even the coyotes.

[Katie Lundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 24 hours. It grabs you from the beginning and flips many different ways before you get to the end. It’s an easy read but the writing and murder mystery sucks you in. Don’t want to watch a scary movie, but want to get the spooky Halloween sensation? This is for you.

[Bob Gaffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent novella

Great read. Absolutely unpredictable in every way. Just when I thought something was going to happen, boom, there was a twist in the story.

[Kathy Brackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fenomenal slasher!! 🎃🎃🎃

[Felicia Hilliard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, solid slasher and perfect ending to spooky season.

[Brianna Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I great slasher that takes place at Halloween. I was hooked from start to finish. Fun read. This was my 3rd book this year by James Kayne and I'll certainly be reading more.