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Killer on the Road / The Babysitter Lives
A must-have collector’s item for horror fans, comprised of two novellas, The Babysitters Lives and The Killer on the Road, from the new master of horror Stephen Graham Jones.
The Babysitter Lives
When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms won’t help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.
Charlotte’s last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte’s mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter’s worse nightmare has come they’re not alone in the house.
The Killer on the Road
Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don’t realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who’s been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard.
The Babysitter Lives
When high school senior Charlotte agrees to babysit the Wilbanks twins, she plans to put the six-year-olds to bed early and spend a quiet night the SATs are tomorrow, and checking the Native American/Alaskan Native box on all the forms won’t help if she chokes on test day. But tomorrow is also Halloween, and the twins are eager to show off their costumes.
Charlotte’s last babysitting gig almost ended in tragedy when her young charge sleepwalked unnoticed into the middle of the street, only to be found unharmed by Charlotte’s mother. Charlotte vows to be extra careful this time. But the house is filled with mysterious noises and secrets that only the twins understand, echoes of horrors that Charlotte gradually realizes took place in the house eleven years ago. Soon Charlotte has to admit that every babysitter’s worse nightmare has come they’re not alone in the house.
The Killer on the Road
Sixteen-year-old Harper has decided to run away from home after she has another blow-out argument with her mother. However, her two best friends, little sister, and ex-boyfriend all stop her from hitchhiking her way up Route 80 in Wyoming by joining her on an intervention disguised as a road trip. What they don’t realize is that Harper has been marked by a very unique serial killer who’s been trolling the highway for the past three years, and now the killer is after all of them in this fast-paced and deadly chase novel that will have your heart racing well above the speed limit as the interstate becomes a graveyard.
Hardcover
First published July 15, 2025
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About the author
Stephen Graham Jones
236 books14.7k followersStephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author thirty-five or so books. He really likes werewolves and slashers. Favorite novels change daily, but Valis and Love Medicine and Lonesome Dove and It and The Things They Carried are all usually up there somewhere. Stephen lives in Boulder, Colorado. It's a big change from the West Texas he grew up in.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
July 20, 2025
I AM OBSESSED.
I'll discuss my audiobook experiences with both stories soon!
I'll discuss my audiobook experiences with both stories soon!
May 31, 2025
Many of the ARC reviewers have written that their copies only contained one story and not the other, so I consider myself very lucky that I ended up with both! (I wonder what happened?)
But anyway, most of this review will be dedicated to "Killer on the Road," the far superior novella of the two and the one that I liked way more. It was a novella that felt like a full movie and took me on a gruesome adventure.
In true SGJ fashion, parts of it were admittedly a little tough to follow. (I’m still not clear about the *initial* reason why the truckers were all mad at the teens…because they were parked too close to the road? Or was it literally just because of the arrowhead on the door? Can someone clear this up for me?) And sometimes with the dialogue I didn’t know what they were talking about. It felt like they were making inside jokes I didn’t get. This tends to happen with SGJ, though, so it’s just a thing I’ve come to accept. There were times during a couple of the more action packed sequences when I didn’t know what the trucker terminology or descriptions of the truck parts meant, so that hindered me from really picturing some of it.
However, the opening chapter was great, and the little twisty moments of violence and horror throughout the story hit just right. There were numerous shocking turns in the action. I got really invested in the story and I liked Harper a lot. Jones loves to create strong final girls that are easy to root for. I don't want to give much away about the aforementioned killer, but they were indeed a frightening and intimidating threat. You might need a strong stomach for parts of this one.
The setting was one I haven't encountered much, and while I typically don't seek out hitchhiker centric tales often, this very much worked for me and felt like a long, exhausting night. It reminded me of "The Hitcher," one of the movies that Jones did in fact mention as an influence in the afterword.
The second story, the babysitter one, was a bit of a disappointment. It had potential but became really weird and confusing, like a story with rules that a child might come up with that only grew increasingly nonsensical. And those rules needed a lot of explanation in order for me, the reader, to know WTF was going on. There was so much explaining rather than showing, as Charlotte the MC figured things out in paragraphs worth of speculation, that my head was spinning.
It also went WAY off the rails with its crazy logic and I had a hard time following it in general. (Much more so than the previous novella.) Eventually, nothing made sense anymore and there were no rules at all and I was just ready to finish it and move on to something else. I don't mind surreal and weird, in fact I seek it out. But there was something about this that didn't fit. Like trying to mix a puzzle with Playdoh.
I think SGJ was trying to do something more creative with the whole babysitting on Halloween idea and I really would have preferred his take on the classic “babysitter takes on a slasher while trying to protect the kids” scenario instead. Nice to see a gay relationship, though! And again, Charlotte was another good final girl who fought for those kids. I wish I had been able to focus better and follow it.
But “Killer on the Road?" Definitely one of my top faves from Stephen Graham Jones. Twisted, gross, and suspenseful. I highly recommend it. I would probably give Babysitter 2 stars and Killer 4 stars, but I’ll give this a 3.5 overall and round up.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Racism, Cannibalism, Harm to children, Suicide, Self-harm, Sexual Harassment
But anyway, most of this review will be dedicated to "Killer on the Road," the far superior novella of the two and the one that I liked way more. It was a novella that felt like a full movie and took me on a gruesome adventure.
In true SGJ fashion, parts of it were admittedly a little tough to follow. (I’m still not clear about the *initial* reason why the truckers were all mad at the teens…because they were parked too close to the road? Or was it literally just because of the arrowhead on the door? Can someone clear this up for me?) And sometimes with the dialogue I didn’t know what they were talking about. It felt like they were making inside jokes I didn’t get. This tends to happen with SGJ, though, so it’s just a thing I’ve come to accept. There were times during a couple of the more action packed sequences when I didn’t know what the trucker terminology or descriptions of the truck parts meant, so that hindered me from really picturing some of it.
However, the opening chapter was great, and the little twisty moments of violence and horror throughout the story hit just right. There were numerous shocking turns in the action. I got really invested in the story and I liked Harper a lot. Jones loves to create strong final girls that are easy to root for. I don't want to give much away about the aforementioned killer, but they were indeed a frightening and intimidating threat. You might need a strong stomach for parts of this one.
The setting was one I haven't encountered much, and while I typically don't seek out hitchhiker centric tales often, this very much worked for me and felt like a long, exhausting night. It reminded me of "The Hitcher," one of the movies that Jones did in fact mention as an influence in the afterword.
The second story, the babysitter one, was a bit of a disappointment. It had potential but became really weird and confusing, like a story with rules that a child might come up with that only grew increasingly nonsensical. And those rules needed a lot of explanation in order for me, the reader, to know WTF was going on. There was so much explaining rather than showing, as Charlotte the MC figured things out in paragraphs worth of speculation, that my head was spinning.
It also went WAY off the rails with its crazy logic and I had a hard time following it in general. (Much more so than the previous novella.) Eventually, nothing made sense anymore and there were no rules at all and I was just ready to finish it and move on to something else. I don't mind surreal and weird, in fact I seek it out. But there was something about this that didn't fit. Like trying to mix a puzzle with Playdoh.
I think SGJ was trying to do something more creative with the whole babysitting on Halloween idea and I really would have preferred his take on the classic “babysitter takes on a slasher while trying to protect the kids” scenario instead. Nice to see a gay relationship, though! And again, Charlotte was another good final girl who fought for those kids. I wish I had been able to focus better and follow it.
But “Killer on the Road?" Definitely one of my top faves from Stephen Graham Jones. Twisted, gross, and suspenseful. I highly recommend it. I would probably give Babysitter 2 stars and Killer 4 stars, but I’ll give this a 3.5 overall and round up.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Biggest TW: Racism, Cannibalism, Harm to children, Suicide, Self-harm, Sexual Harassment
September 29, 2025
i’m actually not sure why this has such a low rating because both were really fun especially for spooky season, goes to show you really do have to give things a try for your own
October 5, 2025
“Next hundred and fifty miles are—they’re like the Bermuda Triangle for travelers, do you know that?” he says, finally bringing his pasty face around to Harper. “Thought it was the Snow Chi Minh Trail,” Harper says right back. It’s what her dad used to call 80 in the winter. “He’s talking about all the people who go missing, dear,” the woman says. “You’ve seen the posters in the windows at the gas station, haven’t you? Not just . . . walking people either. Drivers too.” “Just because people don’t call to check in doesn’t mean they’re missing,” Harper says. “Just means they don’t want to get found.”--------------------------------------
“Thanks for the ride,” the hitcher says, climbing in from the sheeting rain. “What’s the old joke?” the driver says, clocking his mirror to ease back up to speed. “I ask you—no, you ask me if I’m a serial killer, and I say no, I’m not worried about that. The chances of two serial killers randomly being in the same car are through the roof, right?”Somewhere in a U-Haul storage unit, there is a box or several with the remnant paperbacks of my wastrel youth. Among the volumes doing battle with mites of diverse sorts is a stack of Ace Doubles. From 1952 until 1973 Ace produced a line of paperback books that were printed in what is called the tête-bêche format.
The ends of the two parts met in the middle, with a divider between them which functioned as the rear cover of both (the two parts were oriented upside-down with respect to each other in order to effect this) – from WikiIt was a bit of an oddity, but my need for science fiction was great, and I took my sustenance where I could find it. This format allowed for the publication of two pieces in a single volume. They could be novels, novellas, or abridged publications. (You can see a nice collection of covers from these on Flickr) There were other sorts, mysteries and westerns, for example, but I only cared about science fiction. As part of a celebration of Saga Press’s tenth anniversary, they decided to revive the format. What fun to see the form brought back to life! Stephen Graham Jones was asked to contribute some work. This volume is the result.
Image from Simon & Schuster
These SGJ works are not of immediately recent vintage. Both were written in a two-month period in 2018. The Babysitter Lives, was published as an audio book in 2022.
Release date was about when it would fit in the schedule, when is there gonna be a few months when I don’t have a book out to make these two books happen. It was that and we really wanted to do a flip book as part of Saga’s ten-year celebration. I had these two novels ready to go. Seemed like the perfect time. - from the Spotify interviewThe two novels are quite different. Killer on the Road is a duel between a serial killer with a special gift and a final girl, as they drive along route 80 in Wyoming, marking a trail of carnage, exit by exit, stop by stop. (Jones has driven this road many a time and can attest to its many dangers, although maybe not the ones depicted here.) Pre cellphone, of course. Harper is 18 and leaving home after a blowup with her family, hitchhiking. She teams up with some friends who are tooling around in a National Park Service Vehicle. Not your usual road trip. Bucketmouth, a living urban legend, drives this road, eager to add to his personal roadkill total. He is also lonely in his particular form of awfulness and is quite loquacious. Harper becomes someone he likes to talk to, and therein lies the ongoing tension. It began as a novella, but Jones needed more space for Bucketmouth to do his thing. He also needed more space for Harper to grow, and voila. I am not sure why this sat around for seven years waiting to be published.
As with many in the genre, young people are done in with some regularity. Some older folks as well. The doings-in are very creative and awful. There is a non-stop pace to it, keeping the characters moving along route 80 and into and away from peril, a battle of wits and creativity, as Jones finds interesting ways for his monster to reduce the population, and challenge his final girl, the actual final solution to serial-killer-slasher-monsters, to make it stop before everyone succumbs.
Stephen Graham Jones - image from El Pais – courtesy of Jones
The Flip side book, The Babysitter Lives starts off with the usual creepy vibe. Teen on a sitter gig, wanting nothing more than to see the kiddies off to bed early enough to get some SAT test prep in. No boyfriend waiting for a chance to hook up. But a buddy of the bff sort will be by to make studying difficult. So, stalker? horror-mask guy in the closet with a machete? Not really, although there is very real mortal peril, and a veeeeerrrry creepy jack-in-the-box, that called to mind the Twilight Zone episode It’s a Good Life. This tale merges the haunted house story with the babysitter alone and in danger genre to create a truly nightmarish read.
The house has issues, including hosting the ghost of a psycho-killer, seemingly able to lock and unlock doors at whim, and is fitted with a chutes-and-ladders characteristic that makes it tough to figure out exactly where and when each transit point leads to, and if it will lead there again, as the house tries to eat her.
I confess, it was all too much for me. I did finish reading it, but was on the verge more than once, of throwing up my hands. While I think I am fairly able to keep track of details and actions in any book, I found that I was often perplexed about what had just happened, who was where, who was who, when we were, and what the rules were. While the lead was appealing, I just did not feel involved enough to make the effort to firm up my understanding of the logic and structure of the story by paying closer attention. Ultimately, while I appreciate genre-bending as much as the next reader, am perpetually impressed by the gift SGJ possesses for creating new images while referencing the classic ones, and enjoy a good scare, The Babysitter Lives did not do it for me. This does not lessen my appreciation of SGJ’s creative genius. I will be lining up to read his next new work as soon as it is announced.
I ran into that darkness, and am still running. - from the 5280 interviewReview posted - 08/29/25
Publication date – 07/15/25
I received an ARE of Killer on the Road – The Babysitter Lives from Saga in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review is cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Jones’s personal, Twitter and FB pages
Profile – from DemonTheory.net
Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there’s some novellas and comic books in there as well. Stephen’s been an NEA recipient, has won the Texas Institute of Letters Award for Fiction, the Los Angeles Times Ray Bradbury Prize, the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, the August Derleth British Fantasy Award for Best Horror Novel, the Independent Publishers Award for Multicultural Fiction, the Western Literature Association’s Distinguished Achievement Award, the American Library Association’s RUSA Award and Alex Award, the 2023 American Indian Festival of Words Writers Award, the Locus Award, four Bram Stoker Awards, three Shirley Jackson Awards, and six This is Horror Awards. Stephen’s also been inducted into the Texas Literary Hall of Fame, he’s been a finalist for the World Fantasy Award, and the Eisner Award, and he’s made Bloody Disgusting’s Top Ten Horror Novels. He’s the guy who wrote Mongrels, The Only Good Indians, My Heart is a Chainsaw, Earthdivers, I Was a Teenage Slasher, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, and Killer on the Road. Stephen lives in Boulder, Colorado.Interviews
-----5280 - Meet Colorado’s Most Prolific Killer, Horror Author Stephen Graham Jones by SPENCER CAMPBELL
After his first few novels, Jones realized his book event audience had begun treating him as an authority on Native American culture, just as his teachers had. “I did not like it even a little bit,” Jones says. He made a decision to swerve hard into slashers, zombies, and werewolves, “as a way of telling all those people, I dare you to try to find the Indian stuff in this,” Jones says. At the same time, Jones tried to publish works in the vein of David Foster Wallace. “What happened was about 2006, 2007, I feel like I became two writers,” Jones says. “One was on kind of a literary track, and one was doing the schlockiest genre stuff I could think of.”-----Writers Digest - The WD Interview: Stephen Graham Jones by Moriah Richard
-----DemonTheory.net - PFDW # 181 – Interview with Stephen Graham Jones on Mapping the Interior
-----Pen.org - Crafting Nightmares: The Art of Horror with Stephen Graham Jones & Paul Tremblay - brief and not specific to this book.
-----Spotify - Episode 37: “A Fish story” with Stephen Graham Jones - by Matthew Jackson – audio – 1:06:57 – from 3:45
My reviews of (sadly, only six) previous books by Jones
-----2025 - The Buffalo Hunter Hunter - in Coots Reviews
-----2024 - The Angel of Indian Lake -The Indian Lake Trilogy #3 - in Coots Reviews
-----2023 - Don’t Fear the Reaper -The Indian Lake Trilogy #2 - in Coots Reviews
-----2021 - My Heart is a Chainsaw -The Indian Lake Trilogy #1 - in Coot’s Reviews
-----2020 - The Only Good Indians
-----2016 - Mongrels
June 27, 2025
Oh these were good. These were so good.
Killer on the Road was gross and brutal and just pure chaos the entire time. It was not what I was expecting, not a traditional serial killer story, but I loved it all the more for that reason. This was a solid 4.25 stars for me. Enthralling in the way all of SGJ's work is, with a lot of punches packed in to such a short story. It never stopped. The character work in this was really great too, the group of friends at the start is such a fun cast.
Babysitter Lives *may* be my favorite of the two, but just by a little bit, with a 4.5 star rating. I think what's giving it the slight bump for me is that this one genuinely spooked me at times. This sort of horror, with confusing realities and time loops and the like, will always terrify me and fill me with dread. So thanks, Stephen, you scared me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
Killer on the Road was gross and brutal and just pure chaos the entire time. It was not what I was expecting, not a traditional serial killer story, but I loved it all the more for that reason. This was a solid 4.25 stars for me. Enthralling in the way all of SGJ's work is, with a lot of punches packed in to such a short story. It never stopped. The character work in this was really great too, the group of friends at the start is such a fun cast.
Babysitter Lives *may* be my favorite of the two, but just by a little bit, with a 4.5 star rating. I think what's giving it the slight bump for me is that this one genuinely spooked me at times. This sort of horror, with confusing realities and time loops and the like, will always terrify me and fill me with dread. So thanks, Stephen, you scared me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the ARC!
March 17, 2025
ARC for review. To be published July 15, 2025.
1.5 stars, mixture of story and package. This is the ARC copy I had, but KILLER ON THE ROAD was not included in my copy. I have no idea if this was on purpose, in error or what. Bad show, though.
So, as to THE BABYSITTER LIVES, which is a reissue -
Charlotte is a high school senior of Native American descent (which causes some interesting moments when one of her small charges dresses as an “Indian girl” for Halloween.) and she is going to spend the night before the holiday babysitting Desiree and Ronald Wilbanks, two precocious six year old twins. The SATs are the next day so Charlotte's plan is to get the kids to bed early and then to get in some last minute studying, with maybe a quick visit from her girlfriend. It’s her first night with the Wilbanks family so she isn’t sure what to expect.
Well, I’ll bet it wasn’t that the Wilbanks house was a murder house where two young twins were killed years ago. Charlotte, Des and Ronald are not alone this evening and things are about to turn ugly.
So….it took awhile for Steven Graham Jones to reach his full potential (this is the second reissue of a repackaged SGJ I’ve read recently.). This story had potential but was entirely too long and too focused on the structure of the home (it was also incredibly depressing, but that likely appeals to some people.) I admired Charlotte but really didn’t care for the story and I’m quite annoyed with the publisher for sending this out without the second story, so I knocked off a half star for that. Not for me.
1.5 stars, mixture of story and package. This is the ARC copy I had, but KILLER ON THE ROAD was not included in my copy. I have no idea if this was on purpose, in error or what. Bad show, though.
So, as to THE BABYSITTER LIVES, which is a reissue -
Charlotte is a high school senior of Native American descent (which causes some interesting moments when one of her small charges dresses as an “Indian girl” for Halloween.) and she is going to spend the night before the holiday babysitting Desiree and Ronald Wilbanks, two precocious six year old twins. The SATs are the next day so Charlotte's plan is to get the kids to bed early and then to get in some last minute studying, with maybe a quick visit from her girlfriend. It’s her first night with the Wilbanks family so she isn’t sure what to expect.
Well, I’ll bet it wasn’t that the Wilbanks house was a murder house where two young twins were killed years ago. Charlotte, Des and Ronald are not alone this evening and things are about to turn ugly.
So….it took awhile for Steven Graham Jones to reach his full potential (this is the second reissue of a repackaged SGJ I’ve read recently.). This story had potential but was entirely too long and too focused on the structure of the home (it was also incredibly depressing, but that likely appeals to some people.) I admired Charlotte but really didn’t care for the story and I’m quite annoyed with the publisher for sending this out without the second story, so I knocked off a half star for that. Not for me.
September 22, 2025
Loved these! The Babysitter Lives > Killer on the Road. Great twists on classic tropes and scary as hell.
July 23, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6MwNoDc/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT6MwNoDc/
August 8, 2025
I enjoyed Killer on the Road more than The Babysitter Lives. Both stories felt way too long though.
Killer on the Road felt like The Hitcher meets Joy Ride and I loved a good portion of it. It features a creative villain and a bad ass final girl. However, it did feel a little too long and repetitive at points.
The Babysitter Lives started strong for me but then confused the heck out of me. I get what the story was doing, but it bored me. I also just couldn’t comprehend some of what was happening, but that could just mean I’m really stupid. I think I was hoping for more of a traditional haunted house or killer babysitter story and it’s not that at all.
Anyway, I love the idea of the double feature in book format. I just wish the two stories felt more cohesive - like they fit a theme of either two road stories or two babysitter stories. Idk, I’m tired after all of this.
Killer on the Road felt like The Hitcher meets Joy Ride and I loved a good portion of it. It features a creative villain and a bad ass final girl. However, it did feel a little too long and repetitive at points.
The Babysitter Lives started strong for me but then confused the heck out of me. I get what the story was doing, but it bored me. I also just couldn’t comprehend some of what was happening, but that could just mean I’m really stupid. I think I was hoping for more of a traditional haunted house or killer babysitter story and it’s not that at all.
Anyway, I love the idea of the double feature in book format. I just wish the two stories felt more cohesive - like they fit a theme of either two road stories or two babysitter stories. Idk, I’m tired after all of this.
July 16, 2025
Killer on the Road follows a group of friends on one of the worst road trips ever. After being picked up by her friends while trying to run away from home, Harper happens upon an urban legend come to life. It took me a while to get into this story, it felt like too much and too little was happening all at once. Too much of the kids running, getting caught up to, running again, getting caught up to again - just the same steps being repeated over and over where I felt like the story could have been cut down into more of a novella. The ending though, the gore and excitement of the big climax, felt rushed after all that repetitiveness of the first 80% of the novel. I wanted more banter between Harper and the Bucketmouth, more of that final girl vs the serial killer moments.
The Babysitter Lives was similar to Killer On The Road in that it could have been way shorter. As much as I love Stephen Graham Jones, I ended up calling it quits halfway through the second story in this duo. I know Stephen Graham Jones has a huge audience that will absolutely love this combo and folks who are new to his work will most likely find this to be a fun Summerween read but I think I'll look out for his other works instead.
The Babysitter Lives was similar to Killer On The Road in that it could have been way shorter. As much as I love Stephen Graham Jones, I ended up calling it quits halfway through the second story in this duo. I know Stephen Graham Jones has a huge audience that will absolutely love this combo and folks who are new to his work will most likely find this to be a fun Summerween read but I think I'll look out for his other works instead.
August 22, 2025
Already gave a short review on The Killer on the Road but wow, The Babysitter Lives was an absolute trip and I enjoyed it so much. Such a bizarre, unique haunted house story complete with its own mythology and set of rules that always kept me kind of confused, but eager to keep reading. I’ll be spending a lot of time thinking about this one and may even make a video on it if I can make heads or tails of what was actually going on the whole time. All of this just cements that Stephen Graham Jones is one of my favorite authors working today and I truly think he’s the real deal. If you don’t like his style then you won’t like these two stories, but if you’re like me then you’ll have a blast with these.
June 27, 2025
Killer On the Road:
4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
More action packed than scary, but I was still on the edge of my seat and anxious the whole ride. Honestly, I couldn't stop reading for even a second, dying to know what was going to happen next.
Very much reminiscent of The Hitcher. Southern / Midwest horror just hits different.
Thank You, Stephen for dedicating this to all the girls with mommy issues. Thanks! I cried!
The Babysitter Lives:
3.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can't tell you why this one made me so nostalgic but it felt like reading one of those old horror stories, or even watching tales from the crypt. Just weird, anxiety inducing and all out creepy.
Truly think this had my heart racing more Killer on the Road. Part of me wishes this was longer, but at the same time it was the perfect length for the story needed to be.
The end became a little disjointed for me and I got a bit lost, but overall it held up and was fantastic.
Stephen can be kind of hit or miss (at least for me) but this was soooo good.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc!
4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
More action packed than scary, but I was still on the edge of my seat and anxious the whole ride. Honestly, I couldn't stop reading for even a second, dying to know what was going to happen next.
Very much reminiscent of The Hitcher. Southern / Midwest horror just hits different.
Thank You, Stephen for dedicating this to all the girls with mommy issues. Thanks! I cried!
The Babysitter Lives:
3.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can't tell you why this one made me so nostalgic but it felt like reading one of those old horror stories, or even watching tales from the crypt. Just weird, anxiety inducing and all out creepy.
Truly think this had my heart racing more Killer on the Road. Part of me wishes this was longer, but at the same time it was the perfect length for the story needed to be.
The end became a little disjointed for me and I got a bit lost, but overall it held up and was fantastic.
Stephen can be kind of hit or miss (at least for me) but this was soooo good.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers for the arc!
July 13, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
Shout out to SGJ for keeping me on my toes, my man said “Expect the unexpected.” and meant it. Of course we’re not just getting a babysitter on Halloween story, of course we’re not just getting a hitchhiker story. Always with SGJ books I hesitate to elaborate on the plot because I want everyone to read it and experience everything for themselves, but I also know people struggle with his writing style and might need some incentive. Let’s see…
Read The Babysitter Lives if you’re first and foremost into babysitter stories where something goes wrong on Halloween (eve). Should you need further temptation, there’s also a haunted house but just know it’s not as straight forward as all that.
Read Killer on the Road if you want to read the strongest “cold open” I have ever read in my entire life. Also if you love a hitchhiker story (something I have never read before!) but you already know that something isn’t as it seems with, well someone in that story.
I know everyone has their own opinions on, well, everything but at this point Stephen Graham Jones is my Stephen King and I will never shut up about this man. That being said, read this story set! If you don’t I’m going to eat your pinky finger and then you in one of the funny spaces of your home, we all have them you know.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Shout out to SGJ for keeping me on my toes, my man said “Expect the unexpected.” and meant it. Of course we’re not just getting a babysitter on Halloween story, of course we’re not just getting a hitchhiker story. Always with SGJ books I hesitate to elaborate on the plot because I want everyone to read it and experience everything for themselves, but I also know people struggle with his writing style and might need some incentive. Let’s see…
Read The Babysitter Lives if you’re first and foremost into babysitter stories where something goes wrong on Halloween (eve). Should you need further temptation, there’s also a haunted house but just know it’s not as straight forward as all that.
Read Killer on the Road if you want to read the strongest “cold open” I have ever read in my entire life. Also if you love a hitchhiker story (something I have never read before!) but you already know that something isn’t as it seems with, well someone in that story.
I know everyone has their own opinions on, well, everything but at this point Stephen Graham Jones is my Stephen King and I will never shut up about this man. That being said, read this story set! If you don’t I’m going to eat your pinky finger and then you in one of the funny spaces of your home, we all have them you know.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2025
Well if I wasn't missing my dad already... Killer on The Road nearly broke me today. Beautiful, scary and I will forever love and if we survive the world right now, I think , no I know down the line we will be seeing the impact that SGJ has made with the girls he writes. Harper and Charlotte belong back to back in this double whammy.
"That's the kind of girl who survives a night like this. That’s the kind of Indian who makes it out of the twentieth century"
"That's the kind of girl who survives a night like this. That’s the kind of Indian who makes it out of the twentieth century"
September 6, 2025
Officially done with trying to read SGJ. The Babysitter Lives is a generous 2.5 ⭐️ and the Killer on the Road was a big fat DNF at the close of chapter 3. Writing style bounces between bad and boring and the dialogue is obnoxious, yeah. (iykyk)
July 22, 2025
✨Killer On The Road/The Baby Sitter Lives✨
What a fantastic collection! Special thanks to @sagapressbooks (#sagasayscrew ) and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!
This book is a collection of two novellas by Stephen Graham Jones! Killer on The Road is perfect for fans of The Hitcher. The Babysitter Lives is perfect for fans of Halloween with a portal twist.
For a quick review, let’s start first with Killer on The Road. We follow Harper who decides to run away from home after a fight with her mother. But things quickly turn deadly as her and a group of friends encounter a unique serial killer who hunts them down stop after stop. This one is fast-paced with nonstop action. This is road trip horror at its finest with some gory kills and gross scenes!
The Babysitter Lives follows Charlotte. She’s a babysitter extraordinaire. She takes a babysitting job on the night before Halloween watching twins. Little does she know that the house has a sinister secret. One that could put her and the twins in grave danger. This one had a spooky atmosphere. I really loved Charlotte’s desire to take care of the twins—no matter the cost. I fully expected this one to be a slasher but was genuinely surprised when it was more of a ghost story.
What a fantastic collection! Special thanks to @sagapressbooks (#sagasayscrew ) and NetGalley for the e-arc of this book!
This book is a collection of two novellas by Stephen Graham Jones! Killer on The Road is perfect for fans of The Hitcher. The Babysitter Lives is perfect for fans of Halloween with a portal twist.
For a quick review, let’s start first with Killer on The Road. We follow Harper who decides to run away from home after a fight with her mother. But things quickly turn deadly as her and a group of friends encounter a unique serial killer who hunts them down stop after stop. This one is fast-paced with nonstop action. This is road trip horror at its finest with some gory kills and gross scenes!
The Babysitter Lives follows Charlotte. She’s a babysitter extraordinaire. She takes a babysitting job on the night before Halloween watching twins. Little does she know that the house has a sinister secret. One that could put her and the twins in grave danger. This one had a spooky atmosphere. I really loved Charlotte’s desire to take care of the twins—no matter the cost. I fully expected this one to be a slasher but was genuinely surprised when it was more of a ghost story.
June 4, 2025
Thank you Saga for my free ARC of Killer on the Road by Stephen Graham Jones — available Jul 15!
» READ IF YOU «
🔪 can't resist a badass final girl
🛣️ love a slasher story set on a desolate stretch of highway
👁️ would do anything for the people you love
» SYNOPSIS «
Harper is running away again, determined to hitch up the interstate to get away from her crazy mom. But her plans are instantly foiled by her besties and baby sister, who snatch her off the side of the road to talk sense into her. As they drive though, they realize something sinister is after them, and leaving bodies in its wake—but there's nowhere to hide on the remote Route 80, so they'll just have to push their little truck as fast as it can handle to stay ahead of the danger.
» REVIEW «
I know this might seem crazy to some of you, but Harper might be my favorite final girl?! It's a toss up between her and Laurie from Del Rio, honestly. She just has so much grit, and heart, and courage—I love her to bits. Stephen, I hope you write the sequel I know you're angling to! Trust me, you'll be drooling after a second book too, once you get to the ending of KOTR.
"Get her into a corner, I mean, she'll show her teeth, fight her way out, and then fight the whole world while she's at it, just because. These are the kind of people I prefer to believe in. They're also where I keep my heart."
So yeah, another slasher novel from the King of Slashers—lucky us, right? It's a beautiful ride down a treacherous highway, to be sure. Tears at the end for me, which is becoming the norm with SGJ books. And? I know reading this gore-filled horror story wasn't supposed to make me itch to head up to Wyoming so I can drive I-80 myself, but alas, here we are. I just want to pull into all the rest stops, look around for a teenage girl with a fire in her eyes...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(I'll post my Babysitter Lives review separately)
» READ IF YOU «
🔪 can't resist a badass final girl
🛣️ love a slasher story set on a desolate stretch of highway
👁️ would do anything for the people you love
» SYNOPSIS «
Harper is running away again, determined to hitch up the interstate to get away from her crazy mom. But her plans are instantly foiled by her besties and baby sister, who snatch her off the side of the road to talk sense into her. As they drive though, they realize something sinister is after them, and leaving bodies in its wake—but there's nowhere to hide on the remote Route 80, so they'll just have to push their little truck as fast as it can handle to stay ahead of the danger.
» REVIEW «
I know this might seem crazy to some of you, but Harper might be my favorite final girl?! It's a toss up between her and Laurie from Del Rio, honestly. She just has so much grit, and heart, and courage—I love her to bits. Stephen, I hope you write the sequel I know you're angling to! Trust me, you'll be drooling after a second book too, once you get to the ending of KOTR.
"Get her into a corner, I mean, she'll show her teeth, fight her way out, and then fight the whole world while she's at it, just because. These are the kind of people I prefer to believe in. They're also where I keep my heart."
So yeah, another slasher novel from the King of Slashers—lucky us, right? It's a beautiful ride down a treacherous highway, to be sure. Tears at the end for me, which is becoming the norm with SGJ books. And? I know reading this gore-filled horror story wasn't supposed to make me itch to head up to Wyoming so I can drive I-80 myself, but alas, here we are. I just want to pull into all the rest stops, look around for a teenage girl with a fire in her eyes...
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(I'll post my Babysitter Lives review separately)
July 27, 2025
5 stars for Killer on the Road, 2 for the Babysitter Lives. So, 4? Idk how to rate two vastly different stories.
KILLER ON THE ROAD -
I’m still clutching my pearls, heart racing like I just outran a semi-truck driven by a serial killer with a vendetta. This deserves a whole constellation more than just five stars.
First off, let’s talk about Harper, our teen runaway who’s got the kind of moxie that makes you wanna cheer and also maybe send her a care package of better life choices. She’s out here hitchhiking along Route 80 in Wyoming after a blowout with her mom—relatable, right? Who hasn’t wanted to yeet themselves into the wild after a family spat? But then her two besties, her little sister, and her ex-boyfriend pile into this chaotic road trip intervention. It’s like The Breakfast Club decided to hit the highway, but instead of detention, they’re dodging a psychopathic truck driver named Bucketmouth. Yes, Bucketmouth. I cackled at the name, picturing some greasy dude with a physically massive mouth, but trust me, this guy is no laughing matter. He’s been trolling the interstate for years, and now he’s got Harper and her Scooby-Doo crew in his crosshairs.
Jones doesn’t just write horror; he’s out here conducting a symphony of dread with a side of Americana grit. The pacing is like flooring the gas pedal in a beat-up Chevy while a monster truck is tailgating you. I was reading this at bedtime, promising myself “one more chapter,” and suddenly it’s 2 in the morning, and I’m forcing myself to turn off my Kindle. Jones captures that desolate, middle-of-nowhere vibe where every gas station feels like it’s hiding a secret, and every trucker might be your doom. It’s Joyride meets Friday the 13th with a dash of Mad Max energy.
Let’s talk about Bucketmouth, because oh my gosh, this villain is a masterpiece. He’s not just a serial killer; he’s a force of nature, like a tornado with a CDL license. Jones gives him this charismatic menace that had me torn between “run, Harper, run!” and “okay, but tell me more about this creepy dude.” The way he weaves the road culture—truckers with their own code, the unspoken rules of the highway—into the horror is genius. It’s like the interstate itself is a character, all oil-slicked and vengeful, ready to swallow you whole.
Harper, bless her, is the final girl of my dreams. She’s tough, loyal, and ready to throw hands to protect her little sister, Meg. I was rooting for her so hard I nearly threw my book across the room when she faced off with Bucketmouth. Jones knows how to make you care about his characters, then put them through the wringer. I was emotionally invested, okay? Like, I was ready to adopt Harper and her whole messy crew.
The book’s only 250 pages, which is perfect because it’s like an espresso—short, intense, and leaves you wired. The gore is deliciously gross, the tension is tighter than my jeans after Thanksgiving, and the ending? Oh, it’s a wild ride that had me gasping and maybe a little teary. Jones has this knack for blending terror with heart, and it’s why I’m now a fangirl for life.
Killer on the Road is a bloody, pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal screamfest that I couldn’t put down. If you love horror that feels like a high-speed chase through your nightmares, this is your jam. Five stars, a million heart-eyes, and a promise to never hitchhike on Route 80. Ever.
---------
2 STARS
THE BABYSITTER LIVES
Look, I wanted to love The Babysitter Lives as much as I did KotR. I really did. I’m a sucker for horror that takes classic tropes and gives them a fresh coat of blood-red paint. And Jones, with his knack for weaving Indigenous perspectives and gut-punch scares, seemed like the guy to deliver a babysitter-in-peril story that’d make me sleep with the lights on. But instead of a thrilling night in a creepy house, I got a fever dream that left me confused, annoyed, and checking my phone to see how much time was left in the book. Spoiler alert: too much.
The setup is promising enough. Charlotte, our plucky babysitter, just wants to cram for her SATs while watching the Wilbanks twins in a house that’s got “bad vibes” written all over it. It’s the night before Halloween, the kids are cute but weird, and the house has a history that screams “get out now.” Classic horror, right? I was ready for creaky floorboards, shadowy figures, and maybe a demon or killer clown or two. But then the story takes a hard left into what-the-hell-ville, and I spent most of the book feeling like I was trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark while someone kept changing the rules.
First off, let’s talk about the time loops. Oh, how I loathe time loops. I know some folks love the Groundhog Day gimmick, but for me, it’s like being stuck in a group chat that keeps pinging with the same meme. Jones leans hard into this device, and it’s not just a loop—it’s a labyrinth of loops, flashbacks, and maybe-dreams that had me muttering, “What tf just happened?” every ten minutes. One minute Charlotte’s dealing with creepy twins, the next she’s in some alternate reality where inanimate objects are getting frisky. I’m not saying I need my horror spoon-fed, but I’d like a map, or at least a breadcrumb trail, to follow the plot. Instead, I felt like I was babysitting my own sanity, and it was not going well.
Jones has a gift for vivid, unsettling imagery, but it’s like he threw every weird idea into a blender and hit puree. Spiders, animated objects, cryptic kids, murderous Grey killer kid—it’s a lot, and not in a fun, overstuffed burrito kind of way. More like a burrito that’s 90% cilantro, and that mess tastes like soap.
I kept thinking, “Did I zone out, or is this just gibberish?”By the end, I was exhausted, like I’d just run a marathon through a funhouse with no exit. The story doesn’t so much conclude as it does abandon you in the woods, waving vaguely as it drives off. I wanted to scream, “Stephen, come back and explain the spiders!” but no dice.
The Babysitter Lives is like a haunted house ride where the cart keeps breaking down, and you’re stuck listening to the same spooky sound effects on repeat. It’s got heart, some killer moments, and a main character you’ll root for, but the confusion and time-loop overload left me more frustrated than frightened. If you’re a Jones stan or love your horror trippy and ambiguous, you might dig it. Two stars—because Charlotte deserves at least that much for surviving this mess. I think she did anyway. Told you.
KILLER ON THE ROAD -
I’m still clutching my pearls, heart racing like I just outran a semi-truck driven by a serial killer with a vendetta. This deserves a whole constellation more than just five stars.
First off, let’s talk about Harper, our teen runaway who’s got the kind of moxie that makes you wanna cheer and also maybe send her a care package of better life choices. She’s out here hitchhiking along Route 80 in Wyoming after a blowout with her mom—relatable, right? Who hasn’t wanted to yeet themselves into the wild after a family spat? But then her two besties, her little sister, and her ex-boyfriend pile into this chaotic road trip intervention. It’s like The Breakfast Club decided to hit the highway, but instead of detention, they’re dodging a psychopathic truck driver named Bucketmouth. Yes, Bucketmouth. I cackled at the name, picturing some greasy dude with a physically massive mouth, but trust me, this guy is no laughing matter. He’s been trolling the interstate for years, and now he’s got Harper and her Scooby-Doo crew in his crosshairs.
Jones doesn’t just write horror; he’s out here conducting a symphony of dread with a side of Americana grit. The pacing is like flooring the gas pedal in a beat-up Chevy while a monster truck is tailgating you. I was reading this at bedtime, promising myself “one more chapter,” and suddenly it’s 2 in the morning, and I’m forcing myself to turn off my Kindle. Jones captures that desolate, middle-of-nowhere vibe where every gas station feels like it’s hiding a secret, and every trucker might be your doom. It’s Joyride meets Friday the 13th with a dash of Mad Max energy.
Let’s talk about Bucketmouth, because oh my gosh, this villain is a masterpiece. He’s not just a serial killer; he’s a force of nature, like a tornado with a CDL license. Jones gives him this charismatic menace that had me torn between “run, Harper, run!” and “okay, but tell me more about this creepy dude.” The way he weaves the road culture—truckers with their own code, the unspoken rules of the highway—into the horror is genius. It’s like the interstate itself is a character, all oil-slicked and vengeful, ready to swallow you whole.
Harper, bless her, is the final girl of my dreams. She’s tough, loyal, and ready to throw hands to protect her little sister, Meg. I was rooting for her so hard I nearly threw my book across the room when she faced off with Bucketmouth. Jones knows how to make you care about his characters, then put them through the wringer. I was emotionally invested, okay? Like, I was ready to adopt Harper and her whole messy crew.
The book’s only 250 pages, which is perfect because it’s like an espresso—short, intense, and leaves you wired. The gore is deliciously gross, the tension is tighter than my jeans after Thanksgiving, and the ending? Oh, it’s a wild ride that had me gasping and maybe a little teary. Jones has this knack for blending terror with heart, and it’s why I’m now a fangirl for life.
Killer on the Road is a bloody, pulse-pounding, pedal-to-the-metal screamfest that I couldn’t put down. If you love horror that feels like a high-speed chase through your nightmares, this is your jam. Five stars, a million heart-eyes, and a promise to never hitchhike on Route 80. Ever.
---------
2 STARS
THE BABYSITTER LIVES
Look, I wanted to love The Babysitter Lives as much as I did KotR. I really did. I’m a sucker for horror that takes classic tropes and gives them a fresh coat of blood-red paint. And Jones, with his knack for weaving Indigenous perspectives and gut-punch scares, seemed like the guy to deliver a babysitter-in-peril story that’d make me sleep with the lights on. But instead of a thrilling night in a creepy house, I got a fever dream that left me confused, annoyed, and checking my phone to see how much time was left in the book. Spoiler alert: too much.
The setup is promising enough. Charlotte, our plucky babysitter, just wants to cram for her SATs while watching the Wilbanks twins in a house that’s got “bad vibes” written all over it. It’s the night before Halloween, the kids are cute but weird, and the house has a history that screams “get out now.” Classic horror, right? I was ready for creaky floorboards, shadowy figures, and maybe a demon or killer clown or two. But then the story takes a hard left into what-the-hell-ville, and I spent most of the book feeling like I was trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark while someone kept changing the rules.
First off, let’s talk about the time loops. Oh, how I loathe time loops. I know some folks love the Groundhog Day gimmick, but for me, it’s like being stuck in a group chat that keeps pinging with the same meme. Jones leans hard into this device, and it’s not just a loop—it’s a labyrinth of loops, flashbacks, and maybe-dreams that had me muttering, “What tf just happened?” every ten minutes. One minute Charlotte’s dealing with creepy twins, the next she’s in some alternate reality where inanimate objects are getting frisky. I’m not saying I need my horror spoon-fed, but I’d like a map, or at least a breadcrumb trail, to follow the plot. Instead, I felt like I was babysitting my own sanity, and it was not going well.
Jones has a gift for vivid, unsettling imagery, but it’s like he threw every weird idea into a blender and hit puree. Spiders, animated objects, cryptic kids, murderous Grey killer kid—it’s a lot, and not in a fun, overstuffed burrito kind of way. More like a burrito that’s 90% cilantro, and that mess tastes like soap.
I kept thinking, “Did I zone out, or is this just gibberish?”By the end, I was exhausted, like I’d just run a marathon through a funhouse with no exit. The story doesn’t so much conclude as it does abandon you in the woods, waving vaguely as it drives off. I wanted to scream, “Stephen, come back and explain the spiders!” but no dice.
The Babysitter Lives is like a haunted house ride where the cart keeps breaking down, and you’re stuck listening to the same spooky sound effects on repeat. It’s got heart, some killer moments, and a main character you’ll root for, but the confusion and time-loop overload left me more frustrated than frightened. If you’re a Jones stan or love your horror trippy and ambiguous, you might dig it. Two stars—because Charlotte deserves at least that much for surviving this mess. I think she did anyway. Told you.
July 14, 2025
Get your hands on this double feature on 7/15/25
Wow what a crazy ride!
I definitely won’t be hitchhiking anytime in my lifetime 😅 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 is an action packed and fast paced story about a teenage girl named Harper who runs away from home but encounters a serial killer while hitchhiking. I was invested in Harper and she made for a strong final girl, I was definitely rooting for her. SGJ doesn’t shy away from gory details, pure chaos, twists and suspense making for an entertaining read. Gave me The Hitcher/Joyride with midwest horror vibes.
Available only on audiobook before but now in print, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 really came to life listening and reading along, the narration was wonderful. High school senior Charlotte babysits the Wilbanks twins on Halloween night. What’s meant for a night to make some cash and get some studying in for the SATS quickly goes downhill when she notices the twins moving around the house in impossible ways. Ghosts? Haunted house? What’s reality and what’s an illusion? I had so much fun reading this one and consumed it in one sitting. This house with a tragic past was so creepy and twisty. Little dash of Nightmare on Elm Street and Coraline vibes.
Both books compliment each other well and I appreciated the Own Voices indigenous perspective that SGJ incorporates in his stories.
Great books to kick off Summerween, add this to your spooky TBR!
Thank you for this gifted copy Saga Press Books
Wow what a crazy ride!
I definitely won’t be hitchhiking anytime in my lifetime 😅 𝙆𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙖𝙙 is an action packed and fast paced story about a teenage girl named Harper who runs away from home but encounters a serial killer while hitchhiking. I was invested in Harper and she made for a strong final girl, I was definitely rooting for her. SGJ doesn’t shy away from gory details, pure chaos, twists and suspense making for an entertaining read. Gave me The Hitcher/Joyride with midwest horror vibes.
Available only on audiobook before but now in print, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙖𝙗𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 really came to life listening and reading along, the narration was wonderful. High school senior Charlotte babysits the Wilbanks twins on Halloween night. What’s meant for a night to make some cash and get some studying in for the SATS quickly goes downhill when she notices the twins moving around the house in impossible ways. Ghosts? Haunted house? What’s reality and what’s an illusion? I had so much fun reading this one and consumed it in one sitting. This house with a tragic past was so creepy and twisty. Little dash of Nightmare on Elm Street and Coraline vibes.
Both books compliment each other well and I appreciated the Own Voices indigenous perspective that SGJ incorporates in his stories.
Great books to kick off Summerween, add this to your spooky TBR!
Thank you for this gifted copy Saga Press Books
November 27, 2025
5⭐ for Killer on the Road - This is my favorite SGJ book to date. He really put his foot in this one. It was gruesome, it was bloody, it was break neck thrilling, it was true horror.
3.5⭐ The Babysitter Lives
3.5⭐ The Babysitter Lives
July 23, 2025
these novels are wildly different but have some similar themes so they pair together nicely. and by nice i mean in terrifyingly gruesome ways!!! two supernatural horror books each with their own whip-smart teenaged MC's who end up caught in nightmares doing seemingly teenaged things (rebellion and babysitting.)
killer on the road: this really had me all kinds of messed up. it was so fast paced and so sinister!! this is only 240 pages and i was emotionally invested in Harper and the rest of the crew. reading this i was so torn between wanting to find out what happened next and having to deal with the consequences of finding out what happens next.
the babysitter lives: this one is incredibly creative and at times a little confusing, but in a way that just leaves you plot points to ruminate over. SGJ how did you come up with this?? your mind...
thank you to saga press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
killer on the road: this really had me all kinds of messed up. it was so fast paced and so sinister!! this is only 240 pages and i was emotionally invested in Harper and the rest of the crew. reading this i was so torn between wanting to find out what happened next and having to deal with the consequences of finding out what happens next.
the babysitter lives: this one is incredibly creative and at times a little confusing, but in a way that just leaves you plot points to ruminate over. SGJ how did you come up with this?? your mind...
thank you to saga press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 13, 2025
4.5/5, the ending of Killer on the Road was just. so. good. Had previously read The Babysitter Lives back when it was an audio exclusive and they do make a fine pair together - the stories of two very different girls (brought to life by the same lovely narrator) with very different challenges. One - stuck in a house, the other - constantly moving, first away from a monster, then towards it. Both with very big hearts (that's something that most, if not all SGJ protagonists have in common).
Killer on the Road features a very fascinating sort of monster, and a bunch of characters who you do not want prolific serial killer Stephen Graham Jones to kill, because damn, he's so good at it, and it just breaks your heart. I love the way his main characters fuck up, with huge consequences, the way that they're flawed, but they never lose their fighting spirit.
Killer on the Road features a very fascinating sort of monster, and a bunch of characters who you do not want prolific serial killer Stephen Graham Jones to kill, because damn, he's so good at it, and it just breaks your heart. I love the way his main characters fuck up, with huge consequences, the way that they're flawed, but they never lose their fighting spirit.
June 3, 2025
STAR review in the June 2025 issue of Booklist and on the blog here: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2025/06... (link live 6/4 at 7am central)
But I already listened to The Babysitter Lives when it was audio only and wrote a review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Three Words That Describe This Volume (2 books): two different way to invoke terror, new takes on established tropes, strong teen girl narrators
SGJ here doing what he does best– taking a trope– the hitchhiking serial killer and the haunted house– and not only making it new but breaking it down and explaining why it existed in teh first place and how it is “real.”
Killer never before published, Babysitter only in audio. 2 very different teenaged girl narrators. One a “bad” girl with no future with nothing to lose, the other a studious rule follower on her way to college with everything to lose. They also come to very different ends in each story.
They are very different in tone and scares and gore. Killer is high octane, action driven, in your face danger and terror. High body count. High speed chases. Race against time. Babsysitter is quieter, the horror slower to build but the danger intense. The overall feel is harrowing and upsetting but the gore level– technically low. I would argue though, that Babysitter is way more frightening and upsetting.
LIke a double feature by your favorite horror director.
From my draft review: Both will hold readers rapt, begging them to finish each in as few sittings as possible, even as their emotions are put through the wringer, chilling them to their core with a fear that jumps off the page, straight into their guts, but, they will also love every second of it.
Here is a list of readalikes: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Hendrix, A Head Full of Ghosts by Tremblay, You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Bayron(YA), Weight of Blood by Jackosn (YA), Clown in a Cornfield by Ceasare (YA,) Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Khaw, but also if I had to pick 1 of each of SGJ’s I would link Babysitter with Mapping the Interior and Killer with I was a Teenaged Slasher.
YA Statement: Jones, the recipient of numerous Alex Awards, will see readers flock to his latest as it features two strong, but very different, teen girls at their center.
But I already listened to The Babysitter Lives when it was audio only and wrote a review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Three Words That Describe This Volume (2 books): two different way to invoke terror, new takes on established tropes, strong teen girl narrators
SGJ here doing what he does best– taking a trope– the hitchhiking serial killer and the haunted house– and not only making it new but breaking it down and explaining why it existed in teh first place and how it is “real.”
Killer never before published, Babysitter only in audio. 2 very different teenaged girl narrators. One a “bad” girl with no future with nothing to lose, the other a studious rule follower on her way to college with everything to lose. They also come to very different ends in each story.
They are very different in tone and scares and gore. Killer is high octane, action driven, in your face danger and terror. High body count. High speed chases. Race against time. Babsysitter is quieter, the horror slower to build but the danger intense. The overall feel is harrowing and upsetting but the gore level– technically low. I would argue though, that Babysitter is way more frightening and upsetting.
LIke a double feature by your favorite horror director.
From my draft review: Both will hold readers rapt, begging them to finish each in as few sittings as possible, even as their emotions are put through the wringer, chilling them to their core with a fear that jumps off the page, straight into their guts, but, they will also love every second of it.
Here is a list of readalikes: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Hendrix, A Head Full of Ghosts by Tremblay, You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Bayron(YA), Weight of Blood by Jackosn (YA), Clown in a Cornfield by Ceasare (YA,) Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Khaw, but also if I had to pick 1 of each of SGJ’s I would link Babysitter with Mapping the Interior and Killer with I was a Teenaged Slasher.
YA Statement: Jones, the recipient of numerous Alex Awards, will see readers flock to his latest as it features two strong, but very different, teen girls at their center.
October 6, 2025
DNF Killer on the Road only.
It’s rare I don’t finish/give bad ratings to books, but this just wasn’t it for me. I don’t know if it was a me problem but I had a really hard time following what was happening in killer on the road. It was all over the place. I enjoyed the characters and overall plot but I found myself reading and rereading sentences and pages to try and figure out what the helly they were talking about.
Big sad because I really wanted to like this with it being a “split” saga double book.
It’s rare I don’t finish/give bad ratings to books, but this just wasn’t it for me. I don’t know if it was a me problem but I had a really hard time following what was happening in killer on the road. It was all over the place. I enjoyed the characters and overall plot but I found myself reading and rereading sentences and pages to try and figure out what the helly they were talking about.
Big sad because I really wanted to like this with it being a “split” saga double book.
July 23, 2025
Ugh.
The Babysitter Lives made me think of a lot of things: Coraline, It, and acid-trips. None of it made any sense. It's just a whole big ball of weird pressed together in the hopes that something interesting would happen. It did not. I could have spent that time on TikTok watching cute cat videos. I implore you to do that before you choose to read this book.
The Babysitter Lives made me think of a lot of things: Coraline, It, and acid-trips. None of it made any sense. It's just a whole big ball of weird pressed together in the hopes that something interesting would happen. It did not. I could have spent that time on TikTok watching cute cat videos. I implore you to do that before you choose to read this book.
July 27, 2025
KOTR: Harper and Bucketmouth all day, every day
TBL: Second read. Better the second time. Killer ending
TBL: Second read. Better the second time. Killer ending
November 6, 2025
I've read Killer on the Road and will be pausing before starting the second feature, The Babysitter Lives.
When I love a SGJ story or novel, I looooove it. And there are several but unfortunately it's hit or miss. I love the idea of his stories more often than I love the execution. For some reason the pacing is often off and I feel like I'm dragging through pages.
I found this "saga double" at my local indie before Halloween and fell for the novelty of the dual covers, the old school horror font, and the summaries sounded perfect for my favorite holiday!
While KILLER ON THE ROAD has a great plot, excellent atmosphere, some gross (expected and enjoyed) horror, and had me humming The Doors song thanks to the title; it's once again the pace that hindered it for me. I should've been racing through the pages but honestly I felt like it should've wrapped up about 75 pages before it actually did and I dragged it out well past Halloween because I couldn't get into it for more than a chapter or two at a time.
All in all, KILLER ON THE ROAD was only middle of the road for me. See what I did there? 😉
When I love a SGJ story or novel, I looooove it. And there are several but unfortunately it's hit or miss. I love the idea of his stories more often than I love the execution. For some reason the pacing is often off and I feel like I'm dragging through pages.
I found this "saga double" at my local indie before Halloween and fell for the novelty of the dual covers, the old school horror font, and the summaries sounded perfect for my favorite holiday!
While KILLER ON THE ROAD has a great plot, excellent atmosphere, some gross (expected and enjoyed) horror, and had me humming The Doors song thanks to the title; it's once again the pace that hindered it for me. I should've been racing through the pages but honestly I felt like it should've wrapped up about 75 pages before it actually did and I dragged it out well past Halloween because I couldn't get into it for more than a chapter or two at a time.
All in all, KILLER ON THE ROAD was only middle of the road for me. See what I did there? 😉
September 10, 2025
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
Individual ratings: Killer on the Road -- 4 stars; The Babysitter Lives -- 2 stars
I loved this double feature format; along with the cover images, it reminds me of a drive-in movie sort of experience. Killer on the Road was relentless, harrowing, and gory, with that tough but vulnerable final girl SGJ does so well. Amazing ending. Did I get all of the technical stuff about trucks and rigs and whatnot? No. Sometimes I had no idea what was actually happening (like ). But did that matter, ultimately? No. The emotional trauma and horror at what was happening was usually enough to gloss over any confusion.
What was confusing? The Babysitter Lives. I actually found this one scarier, with many individual moments raising the hair on my arms (ugh, the spiders alone...), but by the end of it, I no longer had any idea of what was going on. I like ambiguity, but I guess I needed a little more logic and a little less dream-weirdness, because I ended up frustrated trying to follow Charlotte's misadventures as the most put-upon babysitter of all time. I still liked a lot of it, particularly the ending, but I did struggle.
Individual ratings: Killer on the Road -- 4 stars; The Babysitter Lives -- 2 stars
I loved this double feature format; along with the cover images, it reminds me of a drive-in movie sort of experience. Killer on the Road was relentless, harrowing, and gory, with that tough but vulnerable final girl SGJ does so well. Amazing ending. Did I get all of the technical stuff about trucks and rigs and whatnot? No. Sometimes I had no idea what was actually happening (like ). But did that matter, ultimately? No. The emotional trauma and horror at what was happening was usually enough to gloss over any confusion.
What was confusing? The Babysitter Lives. I actually found this one scarier, with many individual moments raising the hair on my arms (ugh, the spiders alone...), but by the end of it, I no longer had any idea of what was going on. I like ambiguity, but I guess I needed a little more logic and a little less dream-weirdness, because I ended up frustrated trying to follow Charlotte's misadventures as the most put-upon babysitter of all time. I still liked a lot of it, particularly the ending, but I did struggle.
July 23, 2025
stephen graham jones i'm obsessed with you!!!! my favorite horror author without a doubt!!!
these weren't novellas like i was expecting, but full-length short novels. and they were insane. maybe the shorter length of both made them feel even more insane than other sgj's books. idk why.
killer on the road was a fun, gory, gross slasher with a supernatural element. while the descriptions of trucks and roads and driving left me feeling confused, i was very invested in the characters. it was definitely my favorite of the two.
the babysitter lives is weird, somewhat cosmic horror i guess? very very unique. i really liked it, but i was confused about certain things that happened towards the end. i also think it was a bit too long, considering it's set in the same location the entire time. but still really enjoyed!
these weren't novellas like i was expecting, but full-length short novels. and they were insane. maybe the shorter length of both made them feel even more insane than other sgj's books. idk why.
killer on the road was a fun, gory, gross slasher with a supernatural element. while the descriptions of trucks and roads and driving left me feeling confused, i was very invested in the characters. it was definitely my favorite of the two.
the babysitter lives is weird, somewhat cosmic horror i guess? very very unique. i really liked it, but i was confused about certain things that happened towards the end. i also think it was a bit too long, considering it's set in the same location the entire time. but still really enjoyed!
July 11, 2025
Terror at your fingertips, just a flip away!
Stephen Graham Jones is a horror author who can adapt to any environment or theme. Killer on the Road and The Babysitter Lives are two excellent demonstrations of his ability to craft horror in either a small, contained setting (like a creepy living room, an alternate dimension) or the wild open road. Having both of these stories in the same collection was a wild ride from start to finish. Not only does having these be a flip of the book away from each other bring some fun nostalgia, but it just makes for an entertaining reading experience.
Below are some of my direct thoughts on each story:
Killer on the Road is most likely my favorite story in this collection. This story is unhinged, told in the vein of horror classics like Joyride, The Hitcher, or Jeepers Creepers. Stephen Graham Jones has already solidified his mastery of the slasher genre, but in Killer on the Road, he shows that his slashers can be anything and anyone. Bucketmouth is a haunting and devious killer on the open road, and he makes a devastating impact on Harper, our coming-of-age main character. Bucketmouth starts simply as an urban legend, but when the bodies start dropping and the terror becomes all too real, readers should be prepared to keep reading. I could NOT PUT THIS STORY DOWN! This story unfolds in a way that makes it feel like a movie. It is just excellent storytelling.
The Babysitter Lives is the other side of this collection. Written with prose chock-full of dread, suspense, and cosmic horror. Charlotte, the titular babysitter, takes on two new charges as she studies for the upcoming SATs. However, what soon commences is a trip down to Wonderland into a side dimension where the stakes are all too real. Prepare for some of the scariest statues, jack-in-the-boxes, and body horror and know that Stephen Graham Jones isn't going to pull any punches. And the end of this story will have you GASPING out loud.
This collection is excellent, and I know readers are going to devour it as soon as they get their hands on it. Check it out!
Stephen Graham Jones is a horror author who can adapt to any environment or theme. Killer on the Road and The Babysitter Lives are two excellent demonstrations of his ability to craft horror in either a small, contained setting (like a creepy living room, an alternate dimension) or the wild open road. Having both of these stories in the same collection was a wild ride from start to finish. Not only does having these be a flip of the book away from each other bring some fun nostalgia, but it just makes for an entertaining reading experience.
Below are some of my direct thoughts on each story:
Killer on the Road is most likely my favorite story in this collection. This story is unhinged, told in the vein of horror classics like Joyride, The Hitcher, or Jeepers Creepers. Stephen Graham Jones has already solidified his mastery of the slasher genre, but in Killer on the Road, he shows that his slashers can be anything and anyone. Bucketmouth is a haunting and devious killer on the open road, and he makes a devastating impact on Harper, our coming-of-age main character. Bucketmouth starts simply as an urban legend, but when the bodies start dropping and the terror becomes all too real, readers should be prepared to keep reading. I could NOT PUT THIS STORY DOWN! This story unfolds in a way that makes it feel like a movie. It is just excellent storytelling.
The Babysitter Lives is the other side of this collection. Written with prose chock-full of dread, suspense, and cosmic horror. Charlotte, the titular babysitter, takes on two new charges as she studies for the upcoming SATs. However, what soon commences is a trip down to Wonderland into a side dimension where the stakes are all too real. Prepare for some of the scariest statues, jack-in-the-boxes, and body horror and know that Stephen Graham Jones isn't going to pull any punches. And the end of this story will have you GASPING out loud.
This collection is excellent, and I know readers are going to devour it as soon as they get their hands on it. Check it out!
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