We Are All Dead Anyway

by Gage Greenwood

This is not a memoir; this is a horror novel.

Gage Greenwood moved to Ohio in the summer of 2000, looking for a fresh start. Desperate to make a name for himself, he sets out to write screenplays for Hollywood. In the meantime, he meets an eccentric group of friends who inspire his art and help him find a new appreciation for life. That is, until they meet Puffin’ Billy.

Puffin’ Billy is a malevolent spirit in the Ohio woods who attaches himself to large groups. Once he’s in, he possesses one member of the group and forces them to kill another member. One by one, Gage’s friends will die, and another one of them will commit the act.

To make matters worse, Gage loses his house and has nowhere to go. Homeless, alone, and desperate, Gage must survive the very people he loves the most. Puffin’ Billy is coming.

Genres: Horror

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 6, 2025

About the author

Gage Greenwood is the best-selling author of the Winter's Myths Saga, and Bunker Dogs. He's a proud member of the Horror Writers Association and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers association.He's been an actor, comedian, podcaster, and even the Vice President of an escape room company. Since childhood, he's been a big fan of comic books, horror movies, and depressing music that fills him with existential dread.He lives in New England with his girlfriend and son, and he spends his time writing, hiking, and decorating for various holidays

Reviews

[Alicia Toothman · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Gage has done it again!

We Are All Dead Anyway is already one of my favorite books of the year! I started reading on release day and didn’t stop until I finished it. I couldn’t pull myself away!

Gage always does an amazing job of adding one particular element to his stories that most don’t. He has a way of making his characters more than just characters. They’re human and have so much heart.

He wove tension, fear, and a little bit of hope together so beautifully (as always). I had no idea what to expect on the next page.

It was incredible reading the characters love for each other while also fighting to trust their closest friends. He really shined a light on pondering how much you can trust another person, despite your love for them.

Gage sits as one of my favorite authors for a reason. We Are All Dead Anyway is a perfect example of why.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is weird. Heartbreaking and distressing, sure, but also very personal, bizarre, and weird - for a horror novel, that is. It feels more like a soul-revealing memoir than a standard horror tale: someone named Gage Greenwood narrates it and is the book's main character, speaking in first-person, telling of his move to Ohio from Rhode Island. This decision, though bold if not outright impulsive for his character, proves to be disastrous for all concerned, especially Gage himself.

Gage considers himself a failure. He's surprised when good things happen to him. He expects the universe to throw him a curveball whenever things seem to brighten up. He's intelligent, dedicated and creative - but also lazy, lacks ambition, and can't handle success. Fed up with his life in Rhode Island (an especially upsetting episode with his alcoholic mother triggering his moving away), he goes to Mansfield, OH where he manages to make friends - people living on the margins, but people he likes and who like him in turn. He even manages to hook up with April, one of the women in his friend group, while enjoying the close friendship of another, the eccentric Cassie.

When Cassie decides to fix a bus and travel away, Gage refuses to join her. He's already in financial trouble, living in his car. Cassie invites everyone to a hike as a last outing of all the friends together, and, well, everything falls apart. While on the hike, the group encounters a local urban legend, Puffin' Billy. He turns out to be a sort of spectral parasite, a kind of demonic ghost possessing people one by one, and forcing them to kill each other one victim per week. He's a powerful entity, practically impossible to get rid of, a natural force invading the friends' daily life, and destroying everything good and valuable in their lives.

From that point on, the book tries to balance the memoir aspect with a harrowing slasher tale, a story of murder, betrayal, distrust, and loss of control. Friendships go to the dogs; hope gives way to anguish, gloom, and misery. Former friends try to outwit each other; plan ahead in case next week is their turn; and Gage himself has to face both this new supernatural reality and his slow descent into increasing paranoia and existential loneliness.

The ending bleeds ambiguity and desperation. There's a hint of hope, drowned in self-doubt and spiritual isolation. It's an unconventional, heavily emotional yet weird ending, more fitting a bizarre metaphysical conspiracy tale than a horror novel.

"We Are All Dead Anyway" is a surreal horror book, not recommended as a jumping point for Greenwood's work - or so I believe. If you enjoy deeply personal, confessional fiction, the book unquestionably fits this vibe. If you enjoy slashers and urban legends, it's a definite page-turner. I love both genres so I eagerly recommend it!

P.S. If someone can explain to me the choice of chapter titles, be my guest!

[Kaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a memoir; this is a horror novel.
But sometimes real life can feel just as horrific as if it was written by a horror author (or screenplay writer) named Gage Greenwood. When he moves to Ohio in the early 2000s for a change of scenery, he falls in with an eccentric group of friends who become more like family. When they meet an evil entity named Puffin' Billy and begin to be picked off one by one, Gage realizes that sometimes you can't trust anyone, not even family.

I can't believe I haven't seen more talk about this book! It is very different from any of the other novels I've read by Gage, and it was refreshing to see a new side to his writing. The story is very character-driven, which I typically don't personally vibe with, but this group of friends (and main character) was so unique and interesting that I couldn't help but get drawn into their lives and love them. The plot was interesting, mysterious, and crazy enough that it had me reading 'just one more chapter' most nights. The setting was very nostalgic as someone who grew up in the 90s/00s in the Midwest (not Ohio but close enough).
One of the most unique aspects of the story was the chapter headings. Gage explained that each chapter heading is an event, myth, or story from history that matches the theme of the chapter. While I didn't do a deep dive this time around, I can't wait to check it out again and research each heading before reading the chapter. I loved this book and the risks Gage took with his writing. Highly recommend!!

[Ashley Protus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Page Bleeds Tension, Fear, and Heart.

Gage Greenwood has done it again, this book grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. We Are All Dead Anyway is fast-paced, emotional, and drenched in that creeping dread Greenwood is known for.

You feel everything the main character, Gage feels-the fear, the worry, the hunger, the absolute hopelessness. It’s raw and human in a way that hits hard. This isn’t just about surviving a supernatural threat; it’s about what happens to trust when survival is on the line. It’s not who you can trust, but how long you can trust them for.

The story moves at a relentless pace, and every chapter left me needing “just one more.” Greenwood nails that blend of horror and heartbreak that keeps you hooked, and emotionally wrecked in the best way possible.

If you’ve read Bunker Dogs, you’ll recognize his signature mix of tension and heart, but We Are All Dead Anyway somehow feels even more personal, darker, and painfully real.

[Sarah Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a memoir, this is a horror novel

Gage Greenwood packs it all up into his neon and heads to Ohio. What he’s in search of, he’s not sure. He just knows he has to get out of Rhode Island. When he arrives in Ohio he quickly makes friends with a group of rag tag individuals and everything is going swimmingly. He begins working on his screen plays as the creativity pours from his fingertips. Then the day comes where the group meets Puffin’ Billy and things quickly turn sour for the group. As Puffin’ Billy takes turns possessing them, who will be the last to survive?

This is not like Gage’s other works. Gage’s writing style is still present. However, the ominous undertones of this story is unlike his previous novels. The creative imagery invoked through his writing had me able to picture Puffin’ Billy and the sinister vibes that go with him. One thing I know for sure, I will never look at/hear a train whistle the same again.

[Dale Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gage has a skill for writing emotional books- characters that you resonate with and root for, whilst intertwining it with eerie, creepy horror, and this book is no different. It's quite weird and bizarre, with an urban legend that is obscure, but scary. The chapter headings don't make sense, but when you Google them they show myths and stories (thankfully Gage tells you this at the end of the book). A mix of short and longer chapters keep the story pacing along, with some "before" sections as well as the current predicament of the characters.

The main character is Gage Greenwood, the writer is Gage Greenwood. I don't know him personally so I can't tell if this some sort of memoir or autobiography, in parts anyway. Maybe the urban legend is a real thing. Who knows.

Anyway, it's a cracker of a book which is difficult to put down once you start reading.

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another winner by Gage Greenwood. A man ironically named Gage heads to Ohio hoping for a fresh start in life and meets a group of friends who inspire him. However, his fresh start comes to an end when he finds out about a curse called Puffin' Billy. This book has the same dread factor that you would expect in any Gage novel.

The prose is well done and drives you to the story to the point where you feel bad for Gage. The ending is pretty dark as well, but I can't spoil it. I enjoyed all the early 2000s references that I remember all too well.

Overall, this is one you won't want to miss.

[ChanaReadsHorror · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always Gage knows how to mix the human element into his horror stories so you not only feel for the characters, but you feel connected to them as well.
The friend group you can find yourself in one of them and you can feel how they are dealing with the fact they are being haunted by something they can not control or find a way to stop. As you read you heart not only feels for the main character, but you start to wonder what you would do if you were in their shoes. The question is can they overcome what is happening to them and can they maybe find a way to stop what is haunting them before there is only one left.



I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another winner, Gage! I couldn’t put it down.
Well done!