The Traveling Movie Show

by Robert Essig

It’s been said there’s no such thing as bad publicity, so when a man is murdered at the premiere of their debut film, Death Obsession, a small group of young filmmakers decide to make the best of a bad situation.

The Traveling Movie Show is a cross-country tour of the last drive-in theaters in America. A way to build buzz for a new horror film. But murder is close on their tails and fear of the tour being shut down has caused this misfit group to take fate into their own hands.

As they cover up each new death in each new town, they begin to turn on one another, wondering who the killer is. In the blistering heat of summer as they travel across the Midwest, they find out that some secrets weren’t meant to be kept. And sometimes killers are born of celluloid, dreams, and blood money.

Genres: Horror

208 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2025

About the author

Robert Essig is the author of 30 books such as Baby Fights, Disco Rice, and Master of Bodies, which was nominated for a Splatterpunk Award. He has published over 130 short stories and edited three anthologies. Robert lives with his family in east Tennessee.

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are 4 main/POV characters in this book, one dude (Leon) with an obsession and a vision, his girlfriend a wannabe author and reluctantly the screenwriter for his movie (Karine), his stoner best mate (I have already forgotten his name, see my oft mentioned inability to remember names) and their financial backer (Christian).

I quite enjoyed the first part of this book and the erosion of the relationship between Leon and Karine. Leon's evolution from a sympathetic if a little obtuse and one-track minded guy to something else made sense in an unfortunate but also kind of inexorable sort of way. Christian's character arc though, I wasn't super keen on, I assume some aspects of it were meant to be funny as it appears to be part of Essig's way of doing things but the way it was done came across as a little unpolished to me. I was even less keen on the way the friend's arc was handled which also felt rushed.

I did like the ending though.

3.5 rounded up.

[Veronica ☠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leon has always loved horror movies and to make one of his own that people would love was the ultimate goal. With the help of his best friend Miles, his girlfriend, and movie writer Karine, and his producer Christian, Death Obsession became a reality. Leon put together a traveling movie show across the US hitting as many drive-ins as they could.

Night one didn't have many viewers but Leon and Miles were excited to finally see their movie on a big screen. That excitement turned to fear once the movie was done when a dead body appeared in the bathroom. The way it was done was very...familiar. Like it was taken straight from Death Obsession. But how could this be when only the four knew the movie in and out? Is there a copycat killer on the loose? Or is someone close to them to blame?

This book was all vibes and I enjoyed it. Drive-in theaters are great and you feel like you're in one while reading this. Not knowing who the killer is will have you on the edge of your seat. Essig's range in writing is excellent and this story proves that. It still has the Essig touch with a B-rated horror movie feel and who doesn't like a B-rated horror film? I'd love for him to write more books with this similar vibe. Horror movie lovers are going to love this one!

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A suspenseful, not at all extreme, horror novel by the author of "Baby Fights," about a horror film on the premiere of which a man is found murdered. As this keeps happening everytime the film's up on the screen, the director and his crew, who've taken the movie on a tour, playing it in drive-in theaters all over the US for reasons of early publicity, are soon involved in attempts to save their tour (and the film) from a thoroughly ugly situation. Is the film cursed? Or is a serial killer hiding among them? Or is it all a huge coincidence?

Though this might sound like the premise for a dark horror comedy, and the story does have its humorous moments, ultimately it's anything but! The murders get increasingly more violent, the director's plan to save his film gets more and more sinister, plus a totally crazy revelation coming out of the blue guarantees this story won't have a happy ending.

This was an enjoyable read for me, exactly what I needed after some heavy hitters. The story is tightly plotted, the characters are very well-drawn, and the narrative holds very well together. That said, it's not an entirely undemanding read, since the tone at some point does get quite dark, even without anything upsetting shown on page; and, well, I hated the (presumably intentionally) unlikeable characters!

I recommend the book for its complex plot, the intrigue among the central players, and the incredibly satisfying resolution of the mystery behind the murders!

[Corrina Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a bit more traditional horror than Essig's usual “ooey gooey” extreme stuff, but it's just as gripping and enjoyable and I couldn't put it down. The vibe and characters were great, and the story well told.

The mystery and intrigue unfold steadily on this movie tour, as do the bodies, but keen as they are to get viewers at the drive-ins, any publicity is good publicity right?

And it seems there are lots of sequels, but not for the movie, Death Obsession, but for what keeps happening at each of the showings.

The tense anticipation ramps up at every chapter, as the film crew get deeper and deeper into their predicament. Things quickly start to careen out of control and we witness their fear, paranoia, and deviousness.

As the movie's popularity increases, so does the trouble that seems to follow them wherever they go. And it takes a shockingly sinister turn when things look like they might get in the way of the movie's success.

Unsettling at times, with lots of great twists and turns, this story keeps you guessing the whole time. It's fast paced, with some great gory kills and a lot of fun!

[Rainbeaux Harvest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all need to stop sleeping on Robert Essig. He can write a story like no one's business. The premise of The Traveling Movie Show would make for an amazing real movie.

Traveling to drive ins to promote an indie movie funded through, who knows at this point? At each movie, premiere something happens. What happens at the premieres begins to break down the chains of love, friendship, and partnership.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a great tale that reads like a murder mystery til it's something else. Four young filmmakers are doing a road trip of drive ins to promote their first film, a horror film called Death Possesed. However, a murder happens at their first show, and then they keep happening at every show. Is it one of them, an obsessed fan, or something else?

Highly recommended, it keeps you flipping pages to see who or what the murderer is.

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Traveling Movie Show follows a cross-country horror tour hitting up some of the last remaining drive-in theaters in America. A nostalgic but eerie backdrop for what quickly becomes a brutal, suspense filled ride.

This book is packed with mystery, tension, and some surprisingly savage moments. I couldn’t stop flipping pages, wondering if someone was going to crack and if the murders would ever stop. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the twist near the end hits hard and makes everything that came before even more unsettling. Essig does a great job of building dread and keeping things unpredictable.

Leon is a standout. He’s relentless in keeping the show alive no matter what it costs him. Even as things unravel with his partner, friends, and the tour itself, he barely bats an eye. Definitely not your average protagonist, but that just makes the story more intense and also makes you realize the lengths that some people will go to for a little bit of fame.

If you’re into gritty horror that has a unique story to tell, this one’s worth picking up. Another twisted, original story from Essig.

[Joanne Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping blend of nostalgia and creeping dread! The Travelling Movie Show delivers a haunting, small-town horror tale that pulls you in with vivid characters and eerie atmosphere.
Robert Essig masterfully builds tension, making this a must-read for fans of slow-burn horror with heart. Highly recommend

[Alenna Burleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story we follow the production team for the new movie Death Obsessed, while they drive cross country to do showing to promote their movie, people keep winding up dead. They could stop the showings and keep people safe… or they could keep them going and coverup the murders to ensure more traction for their movie…

This was such a good horror book, it definitely had such good thriller aspects to it which tied in really well. The characters were really detailed and all of them were fleshed out to the max. I enjoyed reading the book through all of their perspectives and seeing all of the characters interactions with each other just felt very natural and fluent. Definitely would recommend this book if you love a good mystery with gore :))

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Traveling Movie Show is a love letter to drive-in movie theaters and old cult classic horror!

Leon has a passion for filmmaking, and his greatest desire is to direct a movie that will have his name etched in the history of horror films for decades to come. However, he doesn't have the necessary funding, and things are looking bleak until he meets mysteriously wealthy Cristian.

Armed with original film reels and good old American spirit, the crew set out to preview their film across America's drive-in theaters. Leon's obsession with his film quickly turns deadly as corpses start showing up at each viewing, prompting the question: How far would you go to save the only thing you've ever loved?

I've always loved Robert's writing, and while this one was a bit different than what I'm used to, I enjoyed getting to know this side of his storytelling! Each of the deaths was so creative and brutal, and the concept he came up with for his killer really brought a new meaning to the saying, "Life imitates art."

If you're looking for some solid nostalgic horror, definitely make The Traveling Movie Show your next read!

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Travelling Movie Show 🎥🍿

Thank you so much Robert for sending me the audible codes for this! I really enjoyed it!

You’ve got 3 friends that have put everything into making there first horror movie. There’s Christian the one that put every penny into it & is hoping to get it all back. Leon, he just wants his movies to be seen he’s been a horror fan since childhood, his dream was to make authentic movies that are as great as the classics- he’s total polar opposite to Christian! And Miles, Leon’s bestie who also loves horror & has put every last penny into making it happen too, he’s happy to just go with the flow.

They all have high stakes for different reasons on their debut being a success, so when someone turns up dead at the debut showing they don’t panic, they just use it as free publicity. Any publicity is good publicity right? But the guys death is the same as their movie characters death, which means a copycat killer…but how when it was the premier?

When more bodies show up at every show they start looking closer to home…can they work out who it is & why they’re doing it?? They realise they need to cover them up or lose the tour & everything they’ve worked for but why is it happening?!

This was so much fun, I didn’t want it to end! I found myself trying to guess the whole way through it & wanted it to be a certain character 😂 it really reminded me of an old school type horror, it was playing out like a movie whilst I was reading which I love 👏🏼

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 thanks again for sending me this! It’s defo going on the to buy list 👌🏻🤎

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Robert Essig’s The Traveling Movie Show is an engrossing story of suspense, mystery, intrigue, and murder. But it’s also a dark story about people, what drives them, and consequences. It’s a great read.

The plot is fantastic and well executed, and the story and characters are complex in the best way. I loved the premise of the filmmaker pursuing old-school authenticity and loved the way Essig wrote it—the passion and drive, the irreverent humor, the character interactions. Then the mystery began to build and deepen, and the humor and characters turned dark as the story turned twisted and chilling, going from a compelling read to an all-out nail-biter.

Robert Essig’s writing is known to be vivid and visual, and as such, The Traveling Movie Show is a book about an old-school horror movie that appropriately reads like watching a scary movie! It a fun reading experience horror fans will love. Highly recommended.

A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/04/the-traveling-movie-show/

[Beverly Laude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leo and his team of filmmakers decide that the best way to promote their horror movie, Death Obsession, is to travel across the country, showing the film at drive-in theaters. Complete with using old style film instead of going digital, Leo wants an authentic old school experience. But, when murders start to occur at each venue, things take a dark turn. They (mostly) agree that no publicity is bad publicity, so they go with the flow.

After the first body, they decide that they need to hide the evidence with the subsequent ones since it looks like someone (or something) is following them, murdering someone at each venue in a way portrayed on their movie. Soon, tempers flare, secrets are revealed and they find themselves fighting for their lives against an entity that can't be real.

This book was like a 1980's slasher film, complete with death and destruction in a nostalgic drive-in setting. The narrator did a great job and added a lot to my enjoyment. If you enjoy a good slasher, you will enjoy this quick read.

[Jessie Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leon, Miles, Christian and Karine are at their debut showing of Death obsession when a murder occurs. But no publicity is bad publicity right? Continuing with their tour the same thing keeps happening. But can they hide it? Or find out who the culprit is before it’s too late?

Oh the way this was done was clever. The way power can distort the mind is shown really well here. From new filmmakers to slowly becoming popular you can see the change in them. I wasn’t expecting a supernatural turn but with this I loved it. I think if done correctly supernatural can be really cool! With a bit of feminine revenge in there it made this one of the best books I’ve read recently. A solid storyline alongside the creative murders and the twist at the end made this a fantastic read. One you don’t want to miss! The opposite end of the scale of books I’ve read by this author but shows he has such a range of writing. He is truly talented! What a book

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

What started out as a way to bring notoriety to the old drive in theater movie turned into a blood filled torture chamber of a book. Each person had a role in this book whether they wrote the movie, got the money to back it or just the friend to support the creator. After the first murder, Leon, Miles and Christian should have noticed something was very wrong. But each person was caught up in the selfish reasons to keep the tour going. Instead of doing the right thing, these men only wanted to protect their pride. They seemed to become even more desensitized to the fact that innocent people were subject to murder. I could very well see this as how urban legends get a foothold in society. The movie got its start via an evil deed so the rest of the screenings became a way to bring attention to the evil being looked over. And that final scene? What an absolutely horrifying homage to a wonderful horror writer.

[Jamie Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful read by Robert Essig! I enjoyed the vibe of this book a ton. Essig can write every type of horror trope as far as I’m concerned.

This story follows a group of people who are traveling to different drive-ins across the country to show their movie Death Obsession. Each person has a high stake in this movie and are anxious to see what type of audiences they attract in. There isn’t a large turnout to the first one and the group is discouraged and scared for the future of Death Obsession.. until a dead body is found in the drive-in bathroom and the way they were killed is all to familiar to their movie. From this point on, madness absolutely ensues.

Essig writes stories that are always easy to dive into and make me enjoy the characters. This was not an extreme horror book but there were a couple scenes where I was definitely disturbed. This is another favorite by this author and I’ll make my way through all his books. 📚 Happy reading!

[Simon Dower · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a big horror film nerd like me (and clearly Robert), then this book is an absolute MUST for you! Not only is it a kick-ass horror tale, but the ridiculous amount of nods to some of the greatest horror films of our times are cleverly woven into this story, as we follow a group of four film-makers taking their debut film “Death Obsession” on the road. As the screenings continue the bodies start to pile up, and as if that isn’t enough, Robert cleverly throws in several plot twists and turns to spice things up (no spoilers here).
I went with the audio version on this one which I thoroughly enjoyed, John Wayne Comunale does an excellent job on the narration, with a great mix of voices for the four main characters.
Although this is only my second book from Robert, I gotta say that I’m a BIG fan and am very impressed by the diversity from “Disco Rice” to this one.
I highly recommend “The Travelling Movie Show”, be sure to check it out.
4/5
 

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished this book for the 2nd time, and once again, I am stunned at how powerful it is. This is such a sharp turn from "Disco Rice", a very disgusting and bile-inducing read from Essig. This is.. quieter. Calmer. More ominous and foreboding. You might read the first few chapters of this, thinking, "is this it?" but if you stick it out until the half of the second act going into third, I guarantee that you will burn through the rest of the book. Look, I'll admit that I'm still a newbie horror fan so my opinion may not count for much, but if you have been a horror fan for most of your life, consuming it in every form and manner, YOU HAVE TO READ THIS. This feels like a love letter to the horror genre—a genre that is still constantly growing and evolving, but with roots laid down so deep that one can be assured it will never go anywhere. Horror is a safe and comfortable place one can keep coming home to, and this book is a testament to that.

[Steph Kneeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally meant to post this week's ago, but you know...life. 😂
Any who, I thoroughly enjoyed this little banger! I finished it up on a plane to Vegas and pictured all the little drive-in's we were flying over that this story could have taken place in!

I love that it is a summer slasher and keeps you guessing who the killer could be, town after town. What a wallop of a twist!! This is definitely a great summer read!

I always enjoy reading Essig, if you haven't checked him out yet, I highly suggest you do!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the format of this, each chapter had sub-sections flipping between various characters.

The plot was cool, definitely different in a good way. I would’ve liked to have more background and info on the 4 main characters, some of their backstory perhaps.

Why I didn’t rate higher was for how the story went after the climax of finding out who is committing the murders. It just kinda came from left field how Christian killed her and she was trapped in the film/camera.

All in all it was enjoyable to read and was FUN! After all, that’s what good stories should be, right? :)

[Bellows reads quietly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I ever dropped my smile whilst I read this. The nostalgia this book evoked in me was off the scale. A tale of Obsession, Greed, violence and revenge. The reveal and ending were everything I could have hoped for. Grind house all the way. There’s even a nod to the cameo loving Hitchcock.

The story absolutely tanks along without losing any of its power. Deffo a book I’ll recommend to any Horror fan to get them out of a reading slump.

Brilliant!

[Margaret Hamnett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one took a while for me to get into it but I’m glad I stuck around because my god! My jaw was literally dropping at some points. I did not expect the conclusion or anything that happened during the last half of the story. This gave me little shivers down my spine and I finished it too damn quick!
Great gore, great ending and an all round fantastic idea for a story.

[Leighah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cool book. This would be great for people who need a break from the heavier more violent horrors. It isn't as gruesome as some of this authors books but still has a solid storyline. I must admit the only character I actually like was Miles the stoner. I really enjoyed the twists and turns and the ending was great also. Definitely worth the read just for the easter eggs alone.

[A.Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was different than the other books I’ve read by Robert Essig but just as amazing.
Wasn’t extreme but a very nostalgic murder mystery horror.
This really shows his diverse writing style.
He really deserves more hype!

I read along with the audio and was super freaking enjoyable! 

[Horrorlover86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just rewriting this to say that this is just a great book and no other things need to be said.

[Brittani Button · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like horror movies. drive-ins, and a story that will keep you guessing, do NOT sleep on this book!!

[Ashley Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The premise brought me in, but the story kept me there. I really loved this book. I was hooked from the beginning and didn't want to put it down.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gritty, gory, and super entertaining—this one sucked me in right away. Totally binge-worthy, I finished it in one sitting without even meaning to.

[Steve Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a great homage to old school drive-ins and horror. It had so many great nods & easter eggs

[Nicholas Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!! Fun story with an ending that was *chef’s kiss*

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the idea and how it was written a lot!

Overall, I give it 5/5 stars!

Awesome narration and a story that keeps you on your toes!