First Date

by Gemma Amor

Deciding to end years of loneliness, Amandine takes a leap of faith and enters the dating pool. After seemingly endless disappointments, it seems her luck has changed when she meets Connor, another lonely heart.

What starts as a dinner date ends in a night that will change their lives forever. For neither of them knows that they are being watched by a killer whose primary target is happy couples.

Soon, Amandine and Connor will find themselves fighting for their lives. Their only chance of survival lies in each other, but can they work as a team to escape before their time runs out?

And even if they do, will they ever be able to escape each other?

Genres: Horror

400 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 10, 2026

About the author

I'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.

I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.

Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.

Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.

Reviews

[Christina C · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Date by Gemma Amor is a horror novel filled with graphic and disturbing moments. The author does an excellent job vividly describing the gory scenes, making them feel intense and unsettling. However, the main characters make so many questionable decisions throughout the story that it often leaves you wanting to shake them. Despite that frustration, the book delivers effective horror and will appeal to readers who enjoy dark, visceral storytelling.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC. 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Megan Magee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amandine and Connor start this book out going on their first date together- and let me just tell you, neither of these people are ever particularly likeable. When they find themselves at one of their town's most top-rated couples restaurants, they're extremely put off by a leering weirdo watching pornography in public. That is the total vibe through and through this one, and I think I'd have personally enjoyed it more if it were marketed as more extreme horror/ slasher fiction? It didn't hit for me as a "thriller" because the descriptions were horrific and the prose was undoubtedly VERY crass like covering all 3 characters really? I'm all for that, but it certainly felt jarring in what I expected to read as a thriller. Either way, buckle up and view this as a super demented February/ Valentine's read like I did and you'll probably have a jolly time! This is unhinged in the highest order of depravity in the best way. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Gemma Amor, and Datura Books for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts are my own.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

My main takeaways from this book are:

1. I felt cold the entire time I was reading it
2. No one could have survived what the two MCs went through
3. [Spoiler alert]: I am so grateful the author saw fit to dispense with the Lone Diner in the way that she did!

Even with some distance between reading the book and writing this review, I am unsure how I feel about it. The torture of the poor main characters went on and on. It was excruciating to read, and maybe this reader's discomfort meant that I identified with Amandine and Connor. The feeling of being out in the cold was vivid, especially as I read this as the temperatures dropped outside. It's a great read for snuggling with under a blanket.

If you like your suspense intense, your horror gory, and your characters a little bit (well, a lot) flawed, this one's for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura for an advance reader's copy.

[Ruta · Rating 3 out of 5]

First Date is a tense and fast-paced domestic thriller, but for me, it lacked the signature evocative descriptions I’ve come to love from Gemma Amor. ​Compared to her previous work, the prose felt more direct and less atmospheric. While it’s a decent page-turner, I missed the haunting vibes that usually make her books so immersive. However, if you’re looking for a quick, "popcorn" style thriller to knock out in a weekend, this is still a good one to pick up.

Thanks NetGalley and Datura Books for the ARC!

[Sarah Bloomfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to netgalley, the author and Datura books for approving my request to read this book.

First Date is a gripping, unsettling and suspenseful read that had me frantically turning the pages to see how it ended.

The characters really intrigued me particularly Amadine and I it was interesting to discover how flawed each of them were. I loved the unsettling plot, you could practically feel what they went through and the Lone Diner definitely made me skin crawl.

I'd definitely recommend this book if you enjoy a good, creepy horror read.

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gemma Amor is back with an absolute howl of anger and pain. This book made me so angry in the best ways. It is a brilliant look at the infuriating double standards that women face in society, trying to find someone to relate to, to love, to just get along with, and how men. :even well meaning ones, add to this systemic culture of oppression and misogyny.

It is brutal, it’s gory, it’s incredibly suspenseful, and just a masterclass in social horror.