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Headlights
Not yet published
Expected 9 Jun 26Every instinct tells him to run. Every memory tells him he can’t.
Special Agent Daniel Stansfield is ready for a change. Burnt out and defeated by the job, it’s his last day with the FBI. But before he can turn in his badge, he’s summoned back to Denver, the city he ran from four years ago, with a chilling message: it's happening again.
Seemingly innocent people are waking up on the side of the highway, with no memory of how they got there, wearing the skin of victims they've allegedly never met. And they each share one haunting detail: a strand of a stranger’s hair is tied around their tongue.
Now Daniel is pulled back into the gruesome cycle, and every clue leads him deeper into the shadows of his own past. He will have to confront the ghosts of his traumatic childhood and face what’s been hunting him all along— before he and the people he loves become the next victims.
Perfect for fans of The Shining and Longlegs, bestselling author CJ Leede’s Headlights is a pulse-pounding hunt across the frozen wilderness of Colorado.
Also by CJ
American Rapture
Maeve Fly
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Special Agent Daniel Stansfield is ready for a change. Burnt out and defeated by the job, it’s his last day with the FBI. But before he can turn in his badge, he’s summoned back to Denver, the city he ran from four years ago, with a chilling message: it's happening again.
Seemingly innocent people are waking up on the side of the highway, with no memory of how they got there, wearing the skin of victims they've allegedly never met. And they each share one haunting detail: a strand of a stranger’s hair is tied around their tongue.
Now Daniel is pulled back into the gruesome cycle, and every clue leads him deeper into the shadows of his own past. He will have to confront the ghosts of his traumatic childhood and face what’s been hunting him all along— before he and the people he loves become the next victims.
Perfect for fans of The Shining and Longlegs, bestselling author CJ Leede’s Headlights is a pulse-pounding hunt across the frozen wilderness of Colorado.
Also by CJ
American Rapture
Maeve Fly
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
400 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication June 9, 2026
12370 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Leede
6 books2,134 followersCJ LEEDE is a horror writer, hiker, and Trekkie. She is the author of Maeve Fly and American Rapture. Her debut novel Maeve Fly won the Golden Poppy Octavia E. Butler Award and Splatterpunk Award, and earned a Bram Stoker Award nomination. When she is not driving around the country, CJ can be found in LA with her boyfriend and rescue dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
arc-netgelley
March 16, 2026I love a good horror thriller, can't wait to read this!
Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC.
December 8, 2025
That bitch has done it again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
December 22, 2025
Oh, man. This is a beautiful book.
A slow-burn detective novel with paranormal elements, very much a crossover between Stephen King's "The Shining" and True Detective.
In a small town in Colorado, there have been a string of brutal murders. The alleged perpetrators appear with a strand of hair tied around their tongues, wearing the skin of their victims...and absolutely no memory of what happened.
While the core of the story is dedicated to figuring out who (or what) is behind these crimes, it's also a love letter to Colorado, wild places, and a portrait of forgiving yourself for what you believe is unforgivable. It's different than what I expected for CJL, but holds everything I've come to love from her books.
Thank you to the publisher for an early review copy.
A slow-burn detective novel with paranormal elements, very much a crossover between Stephen King's "The Shining" and True Detective.
In a small town in Colorado, there have been a string of brutal murders. The alleged perpetrators appear with a strand of hair tied around their tongues, wearing the skin of their victims...and absolutely no memory of what happened.
While the core of the story is dedicated to figuring out who (or what) is behind these crimes, it's also a love letter to Colorado, wild places, and a portrait of forgiving yourself for what you believe is unforgivable. It's different than what I expected for CJL, but holds everything I've come to love from her books.
Thank you to the publisher for an early review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
-couldn't get into it til 60%
-why was there more sex than a romance book
-The Shining references were cool
-the twist got me
-it felt like it was trying to do too much at once with the ghosts, romance, detective work, murders, cults, sci-fi elements, etc.
-what is "VOOM"
Maeve Fly is one of my faves of all time and I just desperately need another banger from her 😩 this is also one of my favorite book covers so I'm sad it wasn't 4 or 5 stars
-why was there more sex than a romance book
-The Shining references were cool
-the twist got me
-it felt like it was trying to do too much at once with the ghosts, romance, detective work, murders, cults, sci-fi elements, etc.
-what is "VOOM"
Maeve Fly is one of my faves of all time and I just desperately need another banger from her 😩 this is also one of my favorite book covers so I'm sad it wasn't 4 or 5 stars
Want to Read
December 8, 2025ARC received!! Thank you, Tor Nightfire. Love you!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This novel is brimming with trauma, grief, and fear and it's one of the most terrifying serial killer books you'll read. Because it's not technically A serial killer but several (sort of) although there's only one thing causing the brutally horrific murders. I know that might sound confusing but, trust me, it'll make sense within the narrative. Saying any more would be wrong as this is a book best read as blind as possible.
Daniel is an FBI agent and he's pretty much a mess. PTSD, ex vet, and deep dark trauma from when he was a kid have really done a number on his mental health.
When he's called back into an investigation which went cold a year earlier, he's going to find himself targeted by... something as bloody murders begin once more. And things will only get worse as the twisty narrative keeps you on your toes and terrified.
When Daniel meets Hannah, all bets are off because, together, they're a part of something extremely dark, ancient, and gruesome.
This will likely be in many top ten horror book lists for the year and rightfully so. Between Maeve Fly, American Rapture, and now Headlights, this author is a must read. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
Daniel is an FBI agent and he's pretty much a mess. PTSD, ex vet, and deep dark trauma from when he was a kid have really done a number on his mental health.
When he's called back into an investigation which went cold a year earlier, he's going to find himself targeted by... something as bloody murders begin once more. And things will only get worse as the twisty narrative keeps you on your toes and terrified.
When Daniel meets Hannah, all bets are off because, together, they're a part of something extremely dark, ancient, and gruesome.
This will likely be in many top ten horror book lists for the year and rightfully so. Between Maeve Fly, American Rapture, and now Headlights, this author is a must read. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
After a traumatic childhood, a few military tours, and a rough career with the FBI, its finally time for Special Agent Daniel Stansfield to hang up his badge and gun. On his last day with the FBI he gets a visit from a friend with bad news; news that sends him back to the place where it all started, the place he never really escaped—Denver—his life thrown in to a spiral once more.
Headlights is a delightful mix of thriller and horror, interweaving police procedural and crime investigation with a haunting dread and paranormal sprinkles. And as much as it is a heart-pounding horror novel, it is also a love letter to Colorado—from the dive bars and Colorado flags, to the crisp winters and deeply dark nights, to John Denver. Leede goes beyond just creating a setting and characterizes the state which only adds to the feeling of fear and apprehension, to the creeping sense of doom.
Headlights is, without doubt, Leede’s best work; it’s smart, thrilling, unique, and layered. There has been a natural, linear progression through her bibliography and her latest takes the cake. The writing is hypnotic and entrancing, and filled to the very brim with vivid imagery, leaving readers in a trance—just like it did for me—as they tear through and devour the pages.
Thank you Tor Nightfire for the early copy. Pub date Jun 9, 2026 ❤️🔥
Headlights is a delightful mix of thriller and horror, interweaving police procedural and crime investigation with a haunting dread and paranormal sprinkles. And as much as it is a heart-pounding horror novel, it is also a love letter to Colorado—from the dive bars and Colorado flags, to the crisp winters and deeply dark nights, to John Denver. Leede goes beyond just creating a setting and characterizes the state which only adds to the feeling of fear and apprehension, to the creeping sense of doom.
Headlights is, without doubt, Leede’s best work; it’s smart, thrilling, unique, and layered. There has been a natural, linear progression through her bibliography and her latest takes the cake. The writing is hypnotic and entrancing, and filled to the very brim with vivid imagery, leaving readers in a trance—just like it did for me—as they tear through and devour the pages.
Thank you Tor Nightfire for the early copy. Pub date Jun 9, 2026 ❤️🔥
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book had me in a chokehold, from the very start, and had me begging to know more.
CJ has a way of painting the story in your mind. It sucks you in, and makes you never want to leave. I read 75% of this book in one sitting.
It gives off True Detective vibes with a supernatural twist and I loved it. And not just because it had me on the edge of my seat with the gruesome nature of the killings, or the ominous ghosts lurking around the MC or the INSANELY EROTIC hotel scene, but because of the respect and reverent nature you can feel from the writing when it comes to the themes of the book. This isn't just some horror flick or quick thrill. It will make you think about life, about your relationships, about the community and little piece of earth we call home. Gaah I loved this book and I'm sad it's over.
CJ has a way of painting the story in your mind. It sucks you in, and makes you never want to leave. I read 75% of this book in one sitting.
It gives off True Detective vibes with a supernatural twist and I loved it. And not just because it had me on the edge of my seat with the gruesome nature of the killings, or the ominous ghosts lurking around the MC or the INSANELY EROTIC hotel scene, but because of the respect and reverent nature you can feel from the writing when it comes to the themes of the book. This isn't just some horror flick or quick thrill. It will make you think about life, about your relationships, about the community and little piece of earth we call home. Gaah I loved this book and I'm sad it's over.
May 5, 2026
ʜᴇᴀᴅʟɪɢʜᴛꜱ ʙʏ ᴄᴊ ʟᴇᴇᴅᴇ
First off, HUGE thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for the ARC! I still cannot believe I got it 🥹
This book was bat shit crazy and vile as all hell. I’m talking skinning and skin wearing, severed tongues taped into someone else’s mouth, kind of vile. The whole time my mind was going 10000 miles per hour and I had no damn idea what was going on or what would happen next. The depravity written on these pages was absolutely visceral. And then reading about poor little Danny and his upbringing tore my mommy heart in two 😭 There are so many damn elements in this book; from glitches in the matrix, supernatural freakiness, all the way to cannibalism craziness. This is a book that you just cannot go wrong with!
Headlights will be released on June 9th, so be sure to preorder your copy today!!
First off, HUGE thank you to @netgalley and @tornightfire for the ARC! I still cannot believe I got it 🥹
This book was bat shit crazy and vile as all hell. I’m talking skinning and skin wearing, severed tongues taped into someone else’s mouth, kind of vile. The whole time my mind was going 10000 miles per hour and I had no damn idea what was going on or what would happen next. The depravity written on these pages was absolutely visceral. And then reading about poor little Danny and his upbringing tore my mommy heart in two 😭 There are so many damn elements in this book; from glitches in the matrix, supernatural freakiness, all the way to cannibalism craziness. This is a book that you just cannot go wrong with!
Headlights will be released on June 9th, so be sure to preorder your copy today!!
January 30, 2026
This book is very different than CJ's last two books and really showcases how versatile a writer CJ Leede is. This book took me on what I felt like was a spiritual journey. I read it slowly, savored it, no hurry to get to the end, just transfixed and transported along the way. I think this book is really something special. I feel like it changed me in some core way, but I am unsure if I will be able to explain exactly how. I loved the main character, Daniel, in such a profound way. He is messy and damaged and I just felt akin to him somehow. Like different stories and scenarios, but I still felt like I understood him on a fundamental level. Like we could be friends without judgment. Daniel is a veteran and FBI agent. There is a most peculiar serial killer case in Denver, Colorado that he was lead on and gets drawn back into it when the killings start again after years of seemingly being over. It's a detective, serial killer story, with the underlying mystery of who or what is committing the murders, but it's so much more at the same time. It's definitely a love letter to Colorado, no doubt. It also pays homage to The Shining by Stephen King (love that book). But it will make you think about life, our relationships, human behavior, our planet, the animals, what happens after death, what is our place in this world, how we relate to other species. It's about respect for nature, about memories, about music and senses, about trauma and grief and loss, about how we protect those we love, about pain and fear. Gosh, it's just so freaking good! I just finished it this morning, but I know I will be reading it again. I'm still processing it. This was one of my top three most anticipated books of the year, and it blew me out of the water. Thank you CJ for writing this masterpiece.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Tor Nightfire for the ARC. Book releases 6/9/26.
Thank you to NetGalley and to Tor Nightfire for the ARC. Book releases 6/9/26.
March 25, 2026
I have a new favorite CJ Leede book.
I loved Maeve Fly and American Rapture, but I think Headlights is my new favorite!
I won’t rehash the synopsis of Headlights here, but if you haven’t read what it is, go do so!
Headlights is part The Silence of the Lambs and part supernatural horror, with The Shining being an explicit influence on this novel in ways that are SO awesome. Seriously, if you’re a fan of The Shining, that is alone reason to read this book.
The crime elements are so disturbing and so well done. The mystery will make you keep wanting to turn the page. The main character, Daniel, is a great character with a traumatic past that seeps its way further and further into the case. I really loved his relationship with another character but will not say so as to avoid spoilers (if you’ve read the book you know who I’m talking about).
The supernatural elements are just the icing on the cake. I LOVED the Witch Walker lore, as I love folk horror, but it also gets, dare I say, a little cosmic in a way? 👀 I won’t say too much!
I also need to mention how strong the setting is, with Colorado being the locale for Headlights, and the setting felt like a character in a really great way.
This is a novel about pain, loss, acceptance, and death, and what it means to carry on after.
Check out Headlights when it releases on June 9th. You might get nightmares, but you won’t be sorry.
Headlights will likely be one of my favorite horror books of the year.
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the eARC for review on NetGalley!
I loved Maeve Fly and American Rapture, but I think Headlights is my new favorite!
I won’t rehash the synopsis of Headlights here, but if you haven’t read what it is, go do so!
Headlights is part The Silence of the Lambs and part supernatural horror, with The Shining being an explicit influence on this novel in ways that are SO awesome. Seriously, if you’re a fan of The Shining, that is alone reason to read this book.
The crime elements are so disturbing and so well done. The mystery will make you keep wanting to turn the page. The main character, Daniel, is a great character with a traumatic past that seeps its way further and further into the case. I really loved his relationship with another character but will not say so as to avoid spoilers (if you’ve read the book you know who I’m talking about).
The supernatural elements are just the icing on the cake. I LOVED the Witch Walker lore, as I love folk horror, but it also gets, dare I say, a little cosmic in a way? 👀 I won’t say too much!
I also need to mention how strong the setting is, with Colorado being the locale for Headlights, and the setting felt like a character in a really great way.
This is a novel about pain, loss, acceptance, and death, and what it means to carry on after.
Check out Headlights when it releases on June 9th. You might get nightmares, but you won’t be sorry.
Headlights will likely be one of my favorite horror books of the year.
Thanks to Tor Nightfire for the eARC for review on NetGalley!
December 4, 2025
CJ Leede is my favorite author and this is my favorite book of hers yet.
April 28, 2026
“You can’t tame what’s wild. And there’s no reason to want to.”
Damnit CJ you evil talent!!! This quote really resonated with me, because it takes on many meanings in this book. The wild can mean the land that is being swallowed by corporations and men, or the animals that live there, people who will never be what you want them to be, or that which is beyond our system of belief. This to me truly summed up so much of this story for me.
The main character, Daniel Stansfield, a detective who’s been through more shit than any one human can take has to come back to Denver to work on a serial killer case that is so disturbing. He is such an incredible character. I thought CJ wrote amazing women, she knocked it out of the park. I felt so deeply for him.
This book had me second guessing myself at every turn. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. So many twists, and my emotions were off the charts. There was a little of everything in this, crime drama, loss, trauma, and the unexplained. So much of this book discussed the suburban sprawl and that is a very near and dear cause to my heart. The constant devouring of open spaces by the corporations angers me to no end. “Pretending that we can own land..No matter how much concrete and brick we pour on it.” CJ did a brilliant job of weaving that issue into this incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful story.
I will read anything CJ Leede writes. I’m amazed at how every one of her books is so different, but they are amazing. She is a true talent! Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for the arc.
Damnit CJ you evil talent!!! This quote really resonated with me, because it takes on many meanings in this book. The wild can mean the land that is being swallowed by corporations and men, or the animals that live there, people who will never be what you want them to be, or that which is beyond our system of belief. This to me truly summed up so much of this story for me.
The main character, Daniel Stansfield, a detective who’s been through more shit than any one human can take has to come back to Denver to work on a serial killer case that is so disturbing. He is such an incredible character. I thought CJ wrote amazing women, she knocked it out of the park. I felt so deeply for him.
This book had me second guessing myself at every turn. Just when I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. So many twists, and my emotions were off the charts. There was a little of everything in this, crime drama, loss, trauma, and the unexplained. So much of this book discussed the suburban sprawl and that is a very near and dear cause to my heart. The constant devouring of open spaces by the corporations angers me to no end. “Pretending that we can own land..No matter how much concrete and brick we pour on it.” CJ did a brilliant job of weaving that issue into this incredibly heartbreaking and beautiful story.
I will read anything CJ Leede writes. I’m amazed at how every one of her books is so different, but they are amazing. She is a true talent! Thank you so much to Tor Nightfire for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 ⭐️
“I know that we’re capable of so much worse than we think we are.”
Thank you Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC!!
This is a force of a novel. What starts with a crime from the nightmares of True Detective ends with a powerful look at how grief and trauma shapes us. My biggest gripe is that the case was scarier than the reasoning behind it, that being said I still really loved this novel. I want to point out that CJ Leede’s writing gets better and sharper with each novel and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
“I know that we’re capable of so much worse than we think we are.”
Thank you Netgalley and Tor Nightfire for the ARC!!
This is a force of a novel. What starts with a crime from the nightmares of True Detective ends with a powerful look at how grief and trauma shapes us. My biggest gripe is that the case was scarier than the reasoning behind it, that being said I still really loved this novel. I want to point out that CJ Leede’s writing gets better and sharper with each novel and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
January 18, 2026
My Selling Pitch:
Danny Phantom and his flight 571 girlfriend star in Stephen King’s version of The Silence of the Lambs.
(Don’t let the cover fool you, this is not a werewolf book.)
Pre-reading:
This is my most anticipated release of the year. I could cry. She called this her cowboy werewolf book, and I said did you write this just for me? I do think she designs her covers just to fuck with me at this point because why is the hand on it so big?
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
I love Thomas Harris.
Title drop
It’s definitely giving whiffs of autistic kid
Another Patrick montage?
Do you know how sus I am of no mirrors in a book?
The way my brain was reading will-hey-go manor before I realized it’s while ago. God, I’m a dumbass sometimes.
What? It’s Hannibal, but Will Graham talks to ghosts? Because DOWN, but I feel like this has been done.
Oh, I love thematically stop the slaughter with a wolf if this is a werewolf book. I love that. (Pretty big IF.)
Oh, that’s fun. If a werewolf wants its human skin back-CJ, YOU DAWG. (I really, really thought we were going one way when we went another.)
I’m gonna need some more explanation for why the phones don’t work but that’s a good way to circumvent the 21st-century problem. (…)
Camaraderie, I mean🎶
This is referencing a lot of movies I don’t know.
If headlights is also a thing for ghosts in his head being the lights to take him away from the shadows, I’m gonna lose my mind-
Also, he’s Danny Phantom!!!
Thematic banger already. America’s lost soldiers. (SIGH)
I feel like the general public is gonna call this chapter incoherent, and I’m just like learn how to movie montage in your head.
Chapter 7 is so good. She writes so cinematically, it’s incredible. She puts such thought to the lighting and color in a scene. Like she forces your eye to track through the scene by which details she points out. It’s paced. There’s tension. The writing style changes to fit the choppy action. Like she’s so talented!!!
The duality of girlhood. Murder and romance and Bath and Body Works. Slay.
Calvin Keller is a little close to your boyfriend‘s name, miss ma’am.
I’m sus of them going on a retreat- like from the bar poster to find their inner beast, but that doesn’t fit the young kid, and then I’m also sus of them being bad people to the girlfriends and this going the revenge thriller route of like exposing wolves in sheep’s clothing. I’m also sus of Josie’s butterfly tattoo because of the whole Hannibal schtick.
Ayyyy a local. (She immediately exits this book.)
His wife has to be the one logging in, no?
If this book is The Shining, I’m worried he has a twin or a brother or a sister who’s responsible for all these murders that he's blocked out the memory of.
I hope this isn’t some fated mates type shit.
I trust CJ. I don’t think it is. But- (SIGH)
Is the blade a tooth? (Like basically.)
Are we gonna have a hot priest moment where they’re the only two that can see things? Oh my god. (I really rooted for this book lol.)
I broke and had to listen to the song because they keep mentioning it. Not a fan.
So help me god, they better not be siblings.
I’m also suspicious of her hair. She’s got long hair that’s not quite blonde just like him.
There’s a missing tooth.
This is such good political commentary about how people need that scapegoat.
I don’t trust Tillman. I want him dead, but he’s so obviously annoying that like it can’t be him. I don’t think. Unless she’s trying to make us think he’s so incompetent that it can’t be him.
I wonder if Wizard's Chest has anything to do with the Reddit guy? (Nope.)
Such a Christmas book.
Yes, Tillman don’t be incompetent!
YES, TILLMAN. I love this woman. Nothing is an accident.
So the ranger’s in bed with oil, huh? Murdered by an ecologist. That’s pretty symbolic. A college kid kills a nurse, and a cop kills-?
Ha, I've got epilepsy too.
All I’m hearing all book is Bad Moon Rising.
This book is really, really good. It kind of has Ninth House vibes where you’re investigating and along for the ride. Also, Hill House.
Girl, I swear to god, it’s his sister, and I’m so afraid.
I love how this woman writes.
Everything interrupts each other, building, building, building-
and then sharp cut to the next scene!
I’m thinking Mom was really the crazy one and tried to drown the kids. (Fuckin’ nailed it.)
One of my favorite songs is Accidental Babies by Damien Rice and it has a “is he dark enough to see your light” line.
That’s the cult hut that was on the poster in the bar, isn’t it? (Yup. I don't miss shit.)
Holy fuck, my heart is pounding. Like so much is happening in this book right now!
I love this book. I’m so convinced she’s his sister. It’s gonna be really embarrassing if she’s not and this is some fated mates type shit, but I’m like so positive she’s his sister that mommy tried to kill and that’s why dad killed her. (REALLY EMBARASSING)
How do you not submit DNA for FBI work? Like don’t you have to exclude yourself from the crime scene?
The nose plug is killing me😂 You have this super aesthetic scene, and all I’m picturing is this like bright purple swimmer‘s plug.
I wonder if her dead friend is Tessa? I don’t think the chemical smell could be cyanide because cyanide smells like almonds, doesn’t it?
Oh man, not the horse girl movie moment 😂 I see you CJ. I know what you are. Ever since the Valley of the Horses reference in American Rapture. (And like, same, girl, same.)
The red bolo makes me think of his mom’s cut neck.
If Hannah’s a wolfy and ate the cows and possibly the bodies but she didn’t kill them…but she didn’t eat the tongue. Hmm.
I felt compelled to eat dead bodies I found in drainage pipes is-
Like that's so stupid.
Binge eating disorder but it’s cannibalism-girllll. Where we goin’ with this?
Also, even if they find the killer, she’s still gonna go to jail for like desecration of a corpse.
What if she eats his pinky?
Why can’t she just be a werewolf?
This is a weird chapter. I feel like we built all that tension in the last one just to repeat it.
Why would the demon want them to nut lol? LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING! 75
I feel like I’ve guessed the twist that it’s mommy dearest so early and the book just refuses to catch up to me.
I don’t think we’re lingering on the ghost dinosaurs enough.
That's some grief processing right there. I like it. It's a very romantic and hopeful view of death. I don't believe it, but it's nice.
Hello, Clarice time!
I already guessed this from the jump. God, I hate my brain sometimes.
Oh my god, and it’s still refusing to make the leap. I know what happened. I’m so disappointed.
Fuck off, Tillman.
I hate mind reading lovers. Like it’s such a toxic mindset to have.
She still ate people, Tilly!
I swear to god, if it’s just mommy feeding his girlfriend, I’m gonna lose my mind. (SIGH)
Defending that fuck ass book? (I was under the impression it was his mom’s ghost bound to her plan to kill him out of love, not random starry foster mom.)
She must’ve drugged the root beer, no? And that’s the chemical smell?
Is it because they’re back from the dead? That’s lame. (She never confirms this, but it's the head cannon I'm running with.)
Shine bright like a diamond🎶
Maybe I’m fucked in the head but I could definitely make peace with eating my friend’s body. They dead. They don’t need it anymore.
This is not the book I want it to be anymore. Why the tongue? Like everything’s just for vibes. There's no logic to any of it.
Girl, I called all of this from the jumppppp.
The inn is the in. Badum tss.
‘Because aliens’ is lazy writing. ‘I don’t know how it did this, it just did’ is lazy writing.
So what, we’re punishing a man that’s literally innocent? White collar crime land development is not the same as skinning a 14-year-old girl. Be so fucking for real.
Conveniently solved by being a millionaire is lazy fucking writing. What is happening? How did this book nose dive so hard?
For 75% of this book, I was like the woman doesn’t miss. Now I’m like just hit the side of the barn, CJ. Oh my god.
Oh man, Jack didn’t deserve to die.
What’s the stuff with this sky father guy that’s gonna get them off? They’re still killers for a cult. That’s the Mansons all over again. They’re in jail and rightly so. A cult doesn’t force you to kill people.
What the fuck? It says nothing about how she selected the victims. It doesn’t make any sense!!!
Girl, I wanna like this book. I was fighting for 3 1., and now I’m like two stars. This is fucking stupid.
The witch walker is a dumb name.
CJ: I heard you all were really mad about the dog in the last one, so he’s gonna save one this time.
Oh my god.
Is that true? Can dogs walk immediately after an amputation? (Google says yes. That’s crazy.)
The book trying to be cutesy and romantic: look, she’s still with him
Me: you can’t fuck a fox, though
I think he wants his girlfriend, not a pet. You know it’s pretty fucked that he was so offended by it earlier and now he’s chill with it and the only way for a woman to be free is to dehumanize her. I don’t know about this CJ.
On the one hand, I think it’s my own fault because I was set up to read a very different book. I’m just not a magical realism girly. I don’t like it. I like logic and justice, and I don't like open endings. So I’m getting to the end like lol thanks, I hate it. But that’s not true. There’s parts of this book that are so good. It’s visual, and like I see the themes it’s going for. I just don’t like the themes. I think they’re too after school special for a book that’s not very after school special appropriate when we’re killing literal children and wearing their skin. That’s a little fucked. It feels wrong to be like lol he’s gonna finger her and she’s gonna finger him in very different ways, but also let’s sing Kumbaya! God, I’m so disappointed!
Also disrespectfully, not a werewolf book. Whoever pitched that…you’re gonna piss off the wolf girlies.
Also, I’m sorry, how did it tie his hair in a knot around the victims' tongues? It doesn’t have thumbs. Where the hell did it store his hairbrush? The universe’s ass pocket? Literally the more I think about this book’s plot holes, the angrier I get lol.
Post-reading:
Maeve Fly is my favorite book and it left impossible shoes to fill. That’s on me. What’s not on me is expecting a werewolf book when you put a fucking wolf on the cover.
I was primed for a very different book than the one I read, and I think I have to share some of the blame in that. My expectations for this were sky high. It really had nowhere to go but down. And for the first 60% of this, I was live, laugh, loving. I was on the edge of my seat. I was devouring this.
And then it completely lost me. I am not a supernatural or a paranormal fan. I’m not a Stephen King fan. I think ‘because aliens’ or ‘because magic’ is pretty lazy writing usually. And in this book’s defense, it made it abundantly clear that it was aiming to mimic Stephen King. And it succeeded!
I hated it.
That’s a taste preference though. C. J. can fucking write. This book is incredibly visual and cinematic. The tone shifts to mirror a scene’s action are masterful. It builds and builds and builds and builds to jump cut to another scene. The pacing is excellent. There’s such care given to the color and lighting in a scene. I have nothing but praise for the first half of this book. I genuinely thought it was gonna be five stars and that it could go toe to toe with Maeve.
But that back half, man…
A further disclaimer, my brain is a disgusting predictive algorithm. There are precious few plot twists I don’t guess or figure out. I have a very bad habit of opening books and guessing the ending from the jump. Unfortunately, this was one of those times. I haven’t read or seen The Shining. The most I know about it is the “here’s Johnny” clip. I had mommy and the murder weapon from the word go. That sucks when the book drags out that reveal all the way to the very end. Mystery books have to keep up with the reader or the detective loses all credibility. I’m supposed to believe he’s a wonder cop when he can’t even figure out something I got back in chapter 3? It’s a big ask. And even if you are patient, the reveal is not worth it. ‘I don’t know how it happened, it just did’ is not good enough. There’s no rhyme or reason behind using his hair, and it doesn’t make sense that an entity is tying it in knots around people’s tongues. It doesn’t have thumbs!
Our justice system is always a joke, but it’s really a joke in this book. The audience is expected to buy that a random cult leader goes down for all these murders, even though there’s proof he wasn't involved in the early ones, and that somehow this absolves everyone in jail? By reason of insanity, or in this case possession, is not gonna cut it. It ignores the forensic evidence of hair samples and bite marks. It also doesn't pin the cannibalization on anyone. We’re expected to believe the general public won't care that whoever was eating the bodies is still roaming free? This seems like a cakewalk for beyond reasonable doubt. It provides nothing in the way of explanation for how victims were chosen, or how the cult leader could've possibly interacted with these people, let alone convinced them to kill for him. And then perhaps most appallingly to me, it implies that the land developer deserves to go down for his white collar crimes as if that's anywhere on par with skinning a child alive.
Phew, I'm heated again. I think it’s so disappointing to me because the first half of this book was so closely mimicking Hannibal and Mindhunter. They can suggest the supernatural, but they stay rooted in reality for their actual explanations. People are always going to be the real horror to me. As soon as you make the threat a monster we can see, you lose me. It's not scary anymore. It’s not real. The stakes feel like a joke. It's my big gripe with Stephen King. ‘Because supernatural’ doesn't do it for me. It takes the humanness out of the horror.
And I think that's my main problem with this book. I’m clinging to the human aspect of it, and this book is flinging it away. It’s not a serial killer, it’s something paranormal. There’s not human morals to this, because it’s not human. In the end, Hannah is literally rewarded by being dehumanized. And that clashes with the book’s messaging for me. Human life is beautiful and precious and worth clinging to, but actually, the true prize is the expansiveness of the universe, and you just have to expand your mind and join me on this cosmic level, man! That’s shit.
I know C. J. suffered a big loss in her life and wrote this to help process her grief. It’s evident. There’s some pretty romantic musings about death and the afterlife in here. I just don't share that mindset. If you think we blip out of existence when we die with no knowledge of ever having consciousness, I think you might struggle with it too.
Stepping away from the ending, I've unfortunately still got some complaints. As much as this book gets right, it does get a little lost in the sauce. It threw a lot at the wall, and not everything stuck.
Hannah and Danny’s relationship left a lot to be desired for me. It was insta love. No one likes that. We’ve gotta stop pushing this idea that your true love should be able to read your mind. That’s not romantic. That’s toxic. And I appreciate the irony of saying that in one breath and then also complementing the sex scene where she literally eats his finger in the next. The duality of man, huh?
The buildup for that sex scene though is pretty redundant. Let’s hold each other and be scared. Oops, that didn’t work. Let’s do the exact same scene again but go further. Do it once and do it right.
I struggled to identify with Hannah. I’m not a runner or a track star, but I think I could make peace with eating my friend’s body. She’s dead. She’s not using it anymore. She would want you to live. Also, trauma does wild things, but eating raw meat in a drainage pipe… I just don’t know if I buy the compulsion-binge eating self-harm metaphor or not. Especially, when the first victim you’re led to is a child. Like all cannibalism- bad, but I still feel like there’s a distinction between eating adults and eating children.
And again, I wanted a werewolf book. It’s weird because if she was a wolf, unable to control her hunger, I would’ve been more on board with it! But to be a fully conscious human and still make the decision to eat a random body you happen across… and then she just gets to avoid any consequences! Sure, maybe she can’t see her boyfriend of a whole eight days anymore…Except that’s not even true. It felt like she got rewarded with immortal shapeshifting powers for eating a teenager out of cosmic peer pressure. Danny gets to be a millionaire because if you can't solve a plot hole, just throw money at it.
And the idea that skinning someone is the best way to scent mark-brother, you’ve lost me. Even now, I’m still clinging to the vestiges of what I wanted this book to be. Because a werewolf desperately trying to reclaim its humanity by stealing human skin? That’s just a way better plot line to me. Or if we had gone the revenge thriller route and the killer was exposing wolves in sheep’s clothing? I’m not a good for her girly, but I can root for a fucked up vigilante to come to justice. I wanted something gritty and rooted in reality. That’s not this book. It’s not wrong for not being that, it's just not the book I wanted to read.
As far as side characters go, I loved to hate Tillman. I hate to say it, but I would've rather read the buddy cop version of this book. The murders are far scarier than the hauntings. Danny’s insect bestie felt extraneous. We don't ever get to see her girlfriend or Hannah’s friend, so it's hard to feel connected to them. It's that age old show, don't tell me problem. You can tell me these characters are so devastated by their losses, but it's not gonna impact me unless I'm also bonded to the character.
At the end of the day, I wanted Hannibal and I got Stephen King. I think if you like the King, you’ll like this book. If you don’t like him, I think it’s going to disappoint you. I don’t hate it, but it wasn’t what I wanted to read. I hope her next book relies less on the supernatural and goes back to people are the real monsters. I'll still pick up anything this woman ever writes.
Who should read this:
Stephen King fans
Hannibal fans
Paranormal horror fans
Ideal reading time:
Winter
Do I want to reread this:
Maybe? I dunno, the ending really pissed me off.
Would I buy this:
Yes, I love C. J.
Similar books:
* Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo-dark academia, urban fantasy, mystery, social commentary
* When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy-campy horror, magical realism, family drama
* Veal by Mackenzie Nolan-Frankenstein retelling, psychological horror, family drama, queer romance
* The Witch of Willow Sound by Vanessa F. Penney-gothic horror, historical, family drama
* Mindfuck by S. T. Abbey-dark romance, revenge thriller, mystery
* Deliver Me by Elle Nash-psychological horror, family drama, queer, social commentary
* The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones-Dracula retelling, gothic horror, historical, revenge thriller, social commentary
* The Lamb by Lucy Rose-horror, family drama, queer
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Danny Phantom and his flight 571 girlfriend star in Stephen King’s version of The Silence of the Lambs.
(Don’t let the cover fool you, this is not a werewolf book.)
Pre-reading:
This is my most anticipated release of the year. I could cry. She called this her cowboy werewolf book, and I said did you write this just for me? I do think she designs her covers just to fuck with me at this point because why is the hand on it so big?
(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
I love Thomas Harris.
Title drop
It’s definitely giving whiffs of autistic kid
Another Patrick montage?
Do you know how sus I am of no mirrors in a book?
The way my brain was reading will-hey-go manor before I realized it’s while ago. God, I’m a dumbass sometimes.
What? It’s Hannibal, but Will Graham talks to ghosts? Because DOWN, but I feel like this has been done.
Oh, I love thematically stop the slaughter with a wolf if this is a werewolf book. I love that. (Pretty big IF.)
Oh, that’s fun. If a werewolf wants its human skin back-CJ, YOU DAWG. (I really, really thought we were going one way when we went another.)
I’m gonna need some more explanation for why the phones don’t work but that’s a good way to circumvent the 21st-century problem. (…)
Camaraderie, I mean🎶
This is referencing a lot of movies I don’t know.
If headlights is also a thing for ghosts in his head being the lights to take him away from the shadows, I’m gonna lose my mind-
Also, he’s Danny Phantom!!!
Thematic banger already. America’s lost soldiers. (SIGH)
I feel like the general public is gonna call this chapter incoherent, and I’m just like learn how to movie montage in your head.
Chapter 7 is so good. She writes so cinematically, it’s incredible. She puts such thought to the lighting and color in a scene. Like she forces your eye to track through the scene by which details she points out. It’s paced. There’s tension. The writing style changes to fit the choppy action. Like she’s so talented!!!
The duality of girlhood. Murder and romance and Bath and Body Works. Slay.
Calvin Keller is a little close to your boyfriend‘s name, miss ma’am.
I’m sus of them going on a retreat- like from the bar poster to find their inner beast, but that doesn’t fit the young kid, and then I’m also sus of them being bad people to the girlfriends and this going the revenge thriller route of like exposing wolves in sheep’s clothing. I’m also sus of Josie’s butterfly tattoo because of the whole Hannibal schtick.
Ayyyy a local. (She immediately exits this book.)
His wife has to be the one logging in, no?
If this book is The Shining, I’m worried he has a twin or a brother or a sister who’s responsible for all these murders that he's blocked out the memory of.
I hope this isn’t some fated mates type shit.
I trust CJ. I don’t think it is. But- (SIGH)
Is the blade a tooth? (Like basically.)
Are we gonna have a hot priest moment where they’re the only two that can see things? Oh my god. (I really rooted for this book lol.)
I broke and had to listen to the song because they keep mentioning it. Not a fan.
So help me god, they better not be siblings.
I’m also suspicious of her hair. She’s got long hair that’s not quite blonde just like him.
There’s a missing tooth.
This is such good political commentary about how people need that scapegoat.
I don’t trust Tillman. I want him dead, but he’s so obviously annoying that like it can’t be him. I don’t think. Unless she’s trying to make us think he’s so incompetent that it can’t be him.
I wonder if Wizard's Chest has anything to do with the Reddit guy? (Nope.)
Such a Christmas book.
Yes, Tillman don’t be incompetent!
YES, TILLMAN. I love this woman. Nothing is an accident.
So the ranger’s in bed with oil, huh? Murdered by an ecologist. That’s pretty symbolic. A college kid kills a nurse, and a cop kills-?
Ha, I've got epilepsy too.
All I’m hearing all book is Bad Moon Rising.
This book is really, really good. It kind of has Ninth House vibes where you’re investigating and along for the ride. Also, Hill House.
Girl, I swear to god, it’s his sister, and I’m so afraid.
I love how this woman writes.
Everything interrupts each other, building, building, building-
and then sharp cut to the next scene!
I’m thinking Mom was really the crazy one and tried to drown the kids. (Fuckin’ nailed it.)
One of my favorite songs is Accidental Babies by Damien Rice and it has a “is he dark enough to see your light” line.
That’s the cult hut that was on the poster in the bar, isn’t it? (Yup. I don't miss shit.)
Holy fuck, my heart is pounding. Like so much is happening in this book right now!
I love this book. I’m so convinced she’s his sister. It’s gonna be really embarrassing if she’s not and this is some fated mates type shit, but I’m like so positive she’s his sister that mommy tried to kill and that’s why dad killed her. (REALLY EMBARASSING)
How do you not submit DNA for FBI work? Like don’t you have to exclude yourself from the crime scene?
The nose plug is killing me😂 You have this super aesthetic scene, and all I’m picturing is this like bright purple swimmer‘s plug.
I wonder if her dead friend is Tessa? I don’t think the chemical smell could be cyanide because cyanide smells like almonds, doesn’t it?
Oh man, not the horse girl movie moment 😂 I see you CJ. I know what you are. Ever since the Valley of the Horses reference in American Rapture. (And like, same, girl, same.)
The red bolo makes me think of his mom’s cut neck.
If Hannah’s a wolfy and ate the cows and possibly the bodies but she didn’t kill them…but she didn’t eat the tongue. Hmm.
I felt compelled to eat dead bodies I found in drainage pipes is-
Like that's so stupid.
Binge eating disorder but it’s cannibalism-girllll. Where we goin’ with this?
Also, even if they find the killer, she’s still gonna go to jail for like desecration of a corpse.
What if she eats his pinky?
Why can’t she just be a werewolf?
This is a weird chapter. I feel like we built all that tension in the last one just to repeat it.
Why would the demon want them to nut lol? LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING! 75
I feel like I’ve guessed the twist that it’s mommy dearest so early and the book just refuses to catch up to me.
I don’t think we’re lingering on the ghost dinosaurs enough.
That's some grief processing right there. I like it. It's a very romantic and hopeful view of death. I don't believe it, but it's nice.
Hello, Clarice time!
I already guessed this from the jump. God, I hate my brain sometimes.
Oh my god, and it’s still refusing to make the leap. I know what happened. I’m so disappointed.
Fuck off, Tillman.
I hate mind reading lovers. Like it’s such a toxic mindset to have.
She still ate people, Tilly!
I swear to god, if it’s just mommy feeding his girlfriend, I’m gonna lose my mind. (SIGH)
Defending that fuck ass book? (I was under the impression it was his mom’s ghost bound to her plan to kill him out of love, not random starry foster mom.)
She must’ve drugged the root beer, no? And that’s the chemical smell?
Is it because they’re back from the dead? That’s lame. (She never confirms this, but it's the head cannon I'm running with.)
Shine bright like a diamond🎶
Maybe I’m fucked in the head but I could definitely make peace with eating my friend’s body. They dead. They don’t need it anymore.
This is not the book I want it to be anymore. Why the tongue? Like everything’s just for vibes. There's no logic to any of it.
Girl, I called all of this from the jumppppp.
The inn is the in. Badum tss.
‘Because aliens’ is lazy writing. ‘I don’t know how it did this, it just did’ is lazy writing.
So what, we’re punishing a man that’s literally innocent? White collar crime land development is not the same as skinning a 14-year-old girl. Be so fucking for real.
Conveniently solved by being a millionaire is lazy fucking writing. What is happening? How did this book nose dive so hard?
For 75% of this book, I was like the woman doesn’t miss. Now I’m like just hit the side of the barn, CJ. Oh my god.
Oh man, Jack didn’t deserve to die.
What’s the stuff with this sky father guy that’s gonna get them off? They’re still killers for a cult. That’s the Mansons all over again. They’re in jail and rightly so. A cult doesn’t force you to kill people.
What the fuck? It says nothing about how she selected the victims. It doesn’t make any sense!!!
Girl, I wanna like this book. I was fighting for 3 1., and now I’m like two stars. This is fucking stupid.
The witch walker is a dumb name.
CJ: I heard you all were really mad about the dog in the last one, so he’s gonna save one this time.
Oh my god.
Is that true? Can dogs walk immediately after an amputation? (Google says yes. That’s crazy.)
The book trying to be cutesy and romantic: look, she’s still with him
Me: you can’t fuck a fox, though
I think he wants his girlfriend, not a pet. You know it’s pretty fucked that he was so offended by it earlier and now he’s chill with it and the only way for a woman to be free is to dehumanize her. I don’t know about this CJ.
On the one hand, I think it’s my own fault because I was set up to read a very different book. I’m just not a magical realism girly. I don’t like it. I like logic and justice, and I don't like open endings. So I’m getting to the end like lol thanks, I hate it. But that’s not true. There’s parts of this book that are so good. It’s visual, and like I see the themes it’s going for. I just don’t like the themes. I think they’re too after school special for a book that’s not very after school special appropriate when we’re killing literal children and wearing their skin. That’s a little fucked. It feels wrong to be like lol he’s gonna finger her and she’s gonna finger him in very different ways, but also let’s sing Kumbaya! God, I’m so disappointed!
Also disrespectfully, not a werewolf book. Whoever pitched that…you’re gonna piss off the wolf girlies.
Also, I’m sorry, how did it tie his hair in a knot around the victims' tongues? It doesn’t have thumbs. Where the hell did it store his hairbrush? The universe’s ass pocket? Literally the more I think about this book’s plot holes, the angrier I get lol.
Post-reading:
Maeve Fly is my favorite book and it left impossible shoes to fill. That’s on me. What’s not on me is expecting a werewolf book when you put a fucking wolf on the cover.
I was primed for a very different book than the one I read, and I think I have to share some of the blame in that. My expectations for this were sky high. It really had nowhere to go but down. And for the first 60% of this, I was live, laugh, loving. I was on the edge of my seat. I was devouring this.
And then it completely lost me. I am not a supernatural or a paranormal fan. I’m not a Stephen King fan. I think ‘because aliens’ or ‘because magic’ is pretty lazy writing usually. And in this book’s defense, it made it abundantly clear that it was aiming to mimic Stephen King. And it succeeded!
I hated it.
That’s a taste preference though. C. J. can fucking write. This book is incredibly visual and cinematic. The tone shifts to mirror a scene’s action are masterful. It builds and builds and builds and builds to jump cut to another scene. The pacing is excellent. There’s such care given to the color and lighting in a scene. I have nothing but praise for the first half of this book. I genuinely thought it was gonna be five stars and that it could go toe to toe with Maeve.
But that back half, man…
A further disclaimer, my brain is a disgusting predictive algorithm. There are precious few plot twists I don’t guess or figure out. I have a very bad habit of opening books and guessing the ending from the jump. Unfortunately, this was one of those times. I haven’t read or seen The Shining. The most I know about it is the “here’s Johnny” clip. I had mommy and the murder weapon from the word go. That sucks when the book drags out that reveal all the way to the very end. Mystery books have to keep up with the reader or the detective loses all credibility. I’m supposed to believe he’s a wonder cop when he can’t even figure out something I got back in chapter 3? It’s a big ask. And even if you are patient, the reveal is not worth it. ‘I don’t know how it happened, it just did’ is not good enough. There’s no rhyme or reason behind using his hair, and it doesn’t make sense that an entity is tying it in knots around people’s tongues. It doesn’t have thumbs!
Our justice system is always a joke, but it’s really a joke in this book. The audience is expected to buy that a random cult leader goes down for all these murders, even though there’s proof he wasn't involved in the early ones, and that somehow this absolves everyone in jail? By reason of insanity, or in this case possession, is not gonna cut it. It ignores the forensic evidence of hair samples and bite marks. It also doesn't pin the cannibalization on anyone. We’re expected to believe the general public won't care that whoever was eating the bodies is still roaming free? This seems like a cakewalk for beyond reasonable doubt. It provides nothing in the way of explanation for how victims were chosen, or how the cult leader could've possibly interacted with these people, let alone convinced them to kill for him. And then perhaps most appallingly to me, it implies that the land developer deserves to go down for his white collar crimes as if that's anywhere on par with skinning a child alive.
Phew, I'm heated again. I think it’s so disappointing to me because the first half of this book was so closely mimicking Hannibal and Mindhunter. They can suggest the supernatural, but they stay rooted in reality for their actual explanations. People are always going to be the real horror to me. As soon as you make the threat a monster we can see, you lose me. It's not scary anymore. It’s not real. The stakes feel like a joke. It's my big gripe with Stephen King. ‘Because supernatural’ doesn't do it for me. It takes the humanness out of the horror.
And I think that's my main problem with this book. I’m clinging to the human aspect of it, and this book is flinging it away. It’s not a serial killer, it’s something paranormal. There’s not human morals to this, because it’s not human. In the end, Hannah is literally rewarded by being dehumanized. And that clashes with the book’s messaging for me. Human life is beautiful and precious and worth clinging to, but actually, the true prize is the expansiveness of the universe, and you just have to expand your mind and join me on this cosmic level, man! That’s shit.
I know C. J. suffered a big loss in her life and wrote this to help process her grief. It’s evident. There’s some pretty romantic musings about death and the afterlife in here. I just don't share that mindset. If you think we blip out of existence when we die with no knowledge of ever having consciousness, I think you might struggle with it too.
Stepping away from the ending, I've unfortunately still got some complaints. As much as this book gets right, it does get a little lost in the sauce. It threw a lot at the wall, and not everything stuck.
Hannah and Danny’s relationship left a lot to be desired for me. It was insta love. No one likes that. We’ve gotta stop pushing this idea that your true love should be able to read your mind. That’s not romantic. That’s toxic. And I appreciate the irony of saying that in one breath and then also complementing the sex scene where she literally eats his finger in the next. The duality of man, huh?
The buildup for that sex scene though is pretty redundant. Let’s hold each other and be scared. Oops, that didn’t work. Let’s do the exact same scene again but go further. Do it once and do it right.
I struggled to identify with Hannah. I’m not a runner or a track star, but I think I could make peace with eating my friend’s body. She’s dead. She’s not using it anymore. She would want you to live. Also, trauma does wild things, but eating raw meat in a drainage pipe… I just don’t know if I buy the compulsion-binge eating self-harm metaphor or not. Especially, when the first victim you’re led to is a child. Like all cannibalism- bad, but I still feel like there’s a distinction between eating adults and eating children.
And again, I wanted a werewolf book. It’s weird because if she was a wolf, unable to control her hunger, I would’ve been more on board with it! But to be a fully conscious human and still make the decision to eat a random body you happen across… and then she just gets to avoid any consequences! Sure, maybe she can’t see her boyfriend of a whole eight days anymore…Except that’s not even true. It felt like she got rewarded with immortal shapeshifting powers for eating a teenager out of cosmic peer pressure. Danny gets to be a millionaire because if you can't solve a plot hole, just throw money at it.
And the idea that skinning someone is the best way to scent mark-brother, you’ve lost me. Even now, I’m still clinging to the vestiges of what I wanted this book to be. Because a werewolf desperately trying to reclaim its humanity by stealing human skin? That’s just a way better plot line to me. Or if we had gone the revenge thriller route and the killer was exposing wolves in sheep’s clothing? I’m not a good for her girly, but I can root for a fucked up vigilante to come to justice. I wanted something gritty and rooted in reality. That’s not this book. It’s not wrong for not being that, it's just not the book I wanted to read.
As far as side characters go, I loved to hate Tillman. I hate to say it, but I would've rather read the buddy cop version of this book. The murders are far scarier than the hauntings. Danny’s insect bestie felt extraneous. We don't ever get to see her girlfriend or Hannah’s friend, so it's hard to feel connected to them. It's that age old show, don't tell me problem. You can tell me these characters are so devastated by their losses, but it's not gonna impact me unless I'm also bonded to the character.
At the end of the day, I wanted Hannibal and I got Stephen King. I think if you like the King, you’ll like this book. If you don’t like him, I think it’s going to disappoint you. I don’t hate it, but it wasn’t what I wanted to read. I hope her next book relies less on the supernatural and goes back to people are the real monsters. I'll still pick up anything this woman ever writes.
Who should read this:
Stephen King fans
Hannibal fans
Paranormal horror fans
Ideal reading time:
Winter
Do I want to reread this:
Maybe? I dunno, the ending really pissed me off.
Would I buy this:
Yes, I love C. J.
Similar books:
* Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo-dark academia, urban fantasy, mystery, social commentary
* When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy-campy horror, magical realism, family drama
* Veal by Mackenzie Nolan-Frankenstein retelling, psychological horror, family drama, queer romance
* The Witch of Willow Sound by Vanessa F. Penney-gothic horror, historical, family drama
* Mindfuck by S. T. Abbey-dark romance, revenge thriller, mystery
* Deliver Me by Elle Nash-psychological horror, family drama, queer, social commentary
* The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones-Dracula retelling, gothic horror, historical, revenge thriller, social commentary
* The Lamb by Lucy Rose-horror, family drama, queer
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Want to Read
October 23, 2025Finally a book from this author I am interested in!
December 29, 2025
Big ouch.
Review to come. Need to collect my tears
EDIT - December 28, 2025
Ok, I think I’ve gathered my thoughts, and my feelings.
Shew.
John Denver plays a comforting tune for both my husband and me, allowing us to reminisce about our childhoods with bittersweet nostalgia and good taste in music.
When my son was born back in March of 2025, we were already thrust into the chaos of insomnia and healing after an incredibly traumatic labor and delivery. I think it was 3 AM (or to be honest, who knows lol), Chris and I were both running on fumes trying to keep our little guy comfy on his first night in this wacky world, and Annie’s Song came on shuffle, and everything stopped.
They say a song can take you back, and I think the marvel of John Denver and so many other artists of that time have the ability to accomplish that for me.
“You Fill Up My Senses…” takes me back to such a harshly vulnerable time in my life, but it felt like a warm hug from Mammaw’s, Papaw’s, Grammy’s, and Grandma’s of times past.
Ouch. So anyway, onto the book.
Our MC, Danny, feels a strong connection to Annie’s Song as well, but rather one that served as a bandage, protecting him from the hurt that plagued his childhood, growing up in a broken home with parents who constantly fought.
John Denver’s media and literature keep the happy times abundant, even as brutal actions cause a world of hurt in his life.
Fast forward a few decades, and Daniel Stansfield has been called back to his hometown in Colorado to reopen a mysterious cold case, as the murders have resurfaced with new characters and evidence.
With so much at stake, and all the innocent lives lost, his department must come up with answers, but Daniel feels a STRONG connection to several crime scenes and can’t help but wonder if someone from his past has been pulling the strings all along.
It’s not long before he meets up with a cavalcade of unsavory creatures, both human and not, for this lore runs DEEP, even taking some inspo from Stephen King’s The Shining. Danny’s mom always said he shone so bright…
—
All in all, I think this was CJ Leede’s best novel yet! Every single piece of this book had me reacting with such a range of emotions. I was lucky enough to buddy read this with a good pal, @literaryhaunt, thanks to @netgalley, and it’s so evident this narrative will strike a chord with a LARGE portion of readers. For even though several supernatural elements are introduced, Headlights breaks down all of the raw experiences of heartbreak, loss, grief, and xyz feelings in this wheelhouse.
I am BEYOND thankful to Tor Nightfire, NetGalley, and CJ Leede (you wizard angel) for granting me advanced digital access to this wonderfully horrific and beautiful story. This baby hits shelves on June 9, 2026.
Ouch. I’m gonna cry some more.
Review to come. Need to collect my tears
EDIT - December 28, 2025
Ok, I think I’ve gathered my thoughts, and my feelings.
Shew.
John Denver plays a comforting tune for both my husband and me, allowing us to reminisce about our childhoods with bittersweet nostalgia and good taste in music.
When my son was born back in March of 2025, we were already thrust into the chaos of insomnia and healing after an incredibly traumatic labor and delivery. I think it was 3 AM (or to be honest, who knows lol), Chris and I were both running on fumes trying to keep our little guy comfy on his first night in this wacky world, and Annie’s Song came on shuffle, and everything stopped.
They say a song can take you back, and I think the marvel of John Denver and so many other artists of that time have the ability to accomplish that for me.
“You Fill Up My Senses…” takes me back to such a harshly vulnerable time in my life, but it felt like a warm hug from Mammaw’s, Papaw’s, Grammy’s, and Grandma’s of times past.
Ouch. So anyway, onto the book.
Our MC, Danny, feels a strong connection to Annie’s Song as well, but rather one that served as a bandage, protecting him from the hurt that plagued his childhood, growing up in a broken home with parents who constantly fought.
John Denver’s media and literature keep the happy times abundant, even as brutal actions cause a world of hurt in his life.
Fast forward a few decades, and Daniel Stansfield has been called back to his hometown in Colorado to reopen a mysterious cold case, as the murders have resurfaced with new characters and evidence.
With so much at stake, and all the innocent lives lost, his department must come up with answers, but Daniel feels a STRONG connection to several crime scenes and can’t help but wonder if someone from his past has been pulling the strings all along.
It’s not long before he meets up with a cavalcade of unsavory creatures, both human and not, for this lore runs DEEP, even taking some inspo from Stephen King’s The Shining. Danny’s mom always said he shone so bright…
—
All in all, I think this was CJ Leede’s best novel yet! Every single piece of this book had me reacting with such a range of emotions. I was lucky enough to buddy read this with a good pal, @literaryhaunt, thanks to @netgalley, and it’s so evident this narrative will strike a chord with a LARGE portion of readers. For even though several supernatural elements are introduced, Headlights breaks down all of the raw experiences of heartbreak, loss, grief, and xyz feelings in this wheelhouse.
I am BEYOND thankful to Tor Nightfire, NetGalley, and CJ Leede (you wizard angel) for granting me advanced digital access to this wonderfully horrific and beautiful story. This baby hits shelves on June 9, 2026.
Ouch. I’m gonna cry some more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to Read
February 25, 2026i have a very complicated relationship with C.J. Leede - her last book, American Rapture, was equal parts one of the best outbreak horror novels i've read literally ever AND one of the biggest disappointments
but i am a forgiving reader, especially for an author who leaves a lasting impression on me... so sign me the f**k up for this
but i am a forgiving reader, especially for an author who leaves a lasting impression on me... so sign me the f**k up for this
January 7, 2026
The beginning of this book was so gripping I thought I wouldn’t be able to put it down. Leede’s writing is so fluid, the pages were turning and I was totally invested. The first half of the book feels like a different read than the second half. I like the folk lore aspect but some parts just went totally off and took me out of the story. The constant sentence breaks got redundant and about 50 pages of this novel could have been scrapped. I know some other readers weren’t a fan of The Shining references but I thought they added a cool plot point and were well done. The ending was less than satisfying.
Thank you to the author & Tor Nightfire for the ARC.
Thank you to the author & Tor Nightfire for the ARC.
April 11, 2026
i devoured HEADLIGHTS like a person possessed. on the surface, cj leede's upcoming third novel feels like THE SHINING by way of HANNIBAL and TWIN PEAKS—an eerie and propulsive cocktail that felt crafted solely for me—but as you wander deeper into the pitch darkness of it, the beating heart of HEADLIGHTS blossoms like a cosmic flower, unexpectedly and infinitely lovely.
HEADLIGHTS is, at its core, a vicious, unsettling, and harrowing exploration of grief, memory, trauma, love, and the natural world. at once a taut supernatural thriller and a beautiful love letter to the ecosystems we call home, leede has given us a masterful example of what horror does best: using the violent darkness of the world to illuminate its endless beauty. it is a story best experienced knowing as little as possible—give it your faith, and it will reward you.
leede has been on my shelves since her debut, but i'm a true believer in books finding you when you need them most. i'm grateful i listened to my instincts and started with HEADLIGHTS because, it was, for me, the perfect introduction. this is already one of my favorite books of the year, and i'll gladly follow leede wherever she takes us.
if you're looking for your next read, let HEADLIGHTS show you a new way of looking at the world. let its ever changing songs draw you in.
closer, closer, closer... VOOM.
HEADLIGHTS is, at its core, a vicious, unsettling, and harrowing exploration of grief, memory, trauma, love, and the natural world. at once a taut supernatural thriller and a beautiful love letter to the ecosystems we call home, leede has given us a masterful example of what horror does best: using the violent darkness of the world to illuminate its endless beauty. it is a story best experienced knowing as little as possible—give it your faith, and it will reward you.
leede has been on my shelves since her debut, but i'm a true believer in books finding you when you need them most. i'm grateful i listened to my instincts and started with HEADLIGHTS because, it was, for me, the perfect introduction. this is already one of my favorite books of the year, and i'll gladly follow leede wherever she takes us.
if you're looking for your next read, let HEADLIGHTS show you a new way of looking at the world. let its ever changing songs draw you in.
closer, closer, closer... VOOM.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
PAIN. 5/5⭐️ this book dug into me slowly. At first I was confused. This seems more like a thriller?? But having devoured Cj's other books (American Rapture within the last few weeks no less) I knew there was something else hiding in here and there certainly was. 👀 a lot of somethings.
The wait to talk about this one may kill me.
Can't wait for this one to come out this June. I will not shut up when it does
🩸🦊🌟💇♂️
The wait to talk about this one may kill me.
Can't wait for this one to come out this June. I will not shut up when it does
🩸🦊🌟💇♂️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
With Maeve Fly being one of my absolute favorite books of 2025, I was foaming at the mouth wanting to get my hands on this book and made not-so-ladylike noises when I saw I got approved for the arc.
The first half of this book had me invested like a suburban mom in a pyramid scheme.
The characters were solid; I found myself getting more and more attached to Daniel with each chapter. The murder mystery and supernatural elements were interwoven so well and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The references to a certain book and author of whom I’m a die hard fan was the cherry on top, I was downright giddy about it. It very much had the feel of True Detective (season 1), with some elements of the X-Files and I was HERE FOR IT.
Then it hit around 65-70%. It felt to me like it turned into a completely different type of story and lost it’s momentum, spending too much time dragging out certain scenes that definitely could have been half the length or shorter to move the plot along. It got discombobulated around the climax and I felt like there was so much going on, so maybe due to this, the end didn’t pack a punch for me. I thought her portrayal of grief and trauma through Daniel and Hannah was well done, but the entirety of the plot felt convoluted and couldn’t pick what kind of story it wanted to tell.
I thought it started with a lot of promise but ended up doing too much in so many ways and none of it ended up making sense in the end. This one unfortunately wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an eARC to review early!
The first half of this book had me invested like a suburban mom in a pyramid scheme.
The characters were solid; I found myself getting more and more attached to Daniel with each chapter. The murder mystery and supernatural elements were interwoven so well and I couldn’t wait to see what happened next. The references to a certain book and author of whom I’m a die hard fan was the cherry on top, I was downright giddy about it. It very much had the feel of True Detective (season 1), with some elements of the X-Files and I was HERE FOR IT.
Then it hit around 65-70%. It felt to me like it turned into a completely different type of story and lost it’s momentum, spending too much time dragging out certain scenes that definitely could have been half the length or shorter to move the plot along. It got discombobulated around the climax and I felt like there was so much going on, so maybe due to this, the end didn’t pack a punch for me. I thought her portrayal of grief and trauma through Daniel and Hannah was well done, but the entirety of the plot felt convoluted and couldn’t pick what kind of story it wanted to tell.
I thought it started with a lot of promise but ended up doing too much in so many ways and none of it ended up making sense in the end. This one unfortunately wasn’t for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing an eARC to review early!
December 23, 2025
Thank you to Edelweiss for the ARC!
I had high hopes for this but it was just so all over the place for me. It was a combination of so many different inspiration points, that it didn't have its own voice. The writing style of mixed flash backs, jump cuts, and internal dialogue snippets made it feel rushed and scatter brained, I just wanted a solid through line of a story, especially after the premise was so promising. It was just trying to do too many things at once, and ended up feeling heartfelt but with no particular goal or direction.
I had high hopes for this but it was just so all over the place for me. It was a combination of so many different inspiration points, that it didn't have its own voice. The writing style of mixed flash backs, jump cuts, and internal dialogue snippets made it feel rushed and scatter brained, I just wanted a solid through line of a story, especially after the premise was so promising. It was just trying to do too many things at once, and ended up feeling heartfelt but with no particular goal or direction.
May 2, 2026
Dang, what a book hangover I have. I am in awe. Practically speechless, but I have so much to say.
CJ Leede is so versatile. The difference from Maeve Fly to American Rapture to Headlights is astounding. Do NOT treat this author as a one trick pony or you will miss out on some wonderful savory dishes. Her imagination is vast and comes with a devastating sledgehammer of reality.
Reading CJ is a full body experience. Open the book and you are absorbed into the pages, the story comes alive and you become the main character. You feel what they feel, see what they see, hear what they hear, and unfortunately, the same goes for smell and taste. 👅
For my HEADLIGHTS review specifically, this one is for all the grief freaks out there. For those who are at peace when they are sad, cheers to you. This isn’t grief horror per se but you better buckle up because grief has an undercurrent throughout.
“this house that has never cared what I want, that has tortured me from the moment I stepped through its doors, if in nothing else that it brought me more happiness than I ever deserved and then ripped it all away.” -Daniel
There were so many emotions in this book, personal connections that made me stop just to breathe, so many times that I needed a hug. These characters hit home, some…and I won’t name names, unexpectedly grew on me. Respect was earned.
Parts of the book were complete panic writing. A frenzy of thoughts and actions that simply pulsed off the page and into my body. I could sense my heart pounding and the ringing in my ears became so intense. Other parts of the book were so serene and reflective that even in the chaos of the story it was practically meditative.
“Something about knowing that even people who might not be all the way good could give a lot of good to the world anyway . . . it made me feel hope.” -Daniel
CJ Leede is so versatile. The difference from Maeve Fly to American Rapture to Headlights is astounding. Do NOT treat this author as a one trick pony or you will miss out on some wonderful savory dishes. Her imagination is vast and comes with a devastating sledgehammer of reality.
Reading CJ is a full body experience. Open the book and you are absorbed into the pages, the story comes alive and you become the main character. You feel what they feel, see what they see, hear what they hear, and unfortunately, the same goes for smell and taste. 👅
For my HEADLIGHTS review specifically, this one is for all the grief freaks out there. For those who are at peace when they are sad, cheers to you. This isn’t grief horror per se but you better buckle up because grief has an undercurrent throughout.
“this house that has never cared what I want, that has tortured me from the moment I stepped through its doors, if in nothing else that it brought me more happiness than I ever deserved and then ripped it all away.” -Daniel
There were so many emotions in this book, personal connections that made me stop just to breathe, so many times that I needed a hug. These characters hit home, some…and I won’t name names, unexpectedly grew on me. Respect was earned.
Parts of the book were complete panic writing. A frenzy of thoughts and actions that simply pulsed off the page and into my body. I could sense my heart pounding and the ringing in my ears became so intense. Other parts of the book were so serene and reflective that even in the chaos of the story it was practically meditative.
“Something about knowing that even people who might not be all the way good could give a lot of good to the world anyway . . . it made me feel hope.” -Daniel
March 13, 2026
"Wake up, my friends. The boogeyman is back. Think we’ll get a show?"
“This inhuman place makes human monsters.”- SK
I'm confused and thoroughly impressed. I've never been terrified, turned on, and full of emotions from one book before. CJ! Gurl! Only your words could make me feel this way.
Think 'The Shining' meets 'Silence of the Lambs' with a dash of 'Longlegs' Holy s**t. You all are in for the meatiest and bloodiest treat. After completing this... I'm hungry for more.
I love the feelings this book brought forth in me. Not only did it have my emotions all over the place, the story (even though it was horror at its best) felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around you, where you felt safe and loved. Being comforted by an old friend while people are being murdered, wearing the skin of their victims, and having a piece of hair tied around their tongues. Ahh, like a warm hug.
There aren't a lot of authors that can pull off the pulp feeling while also being current but CJ did it. The story started with a shock and ended in the same fashion. No punches pulled, just a bone-shattering horror mystery that you'll never see coming. And I am obsessed! There was a meat scene somewhere along these pages and talk about sexy. I mean, phew. I didn't even know that was possible. I can't say much else without giving it all away. Just prepare yourself for all kinds of feelings to rise to the surface.
'Headlights' was such an amazing read. Do not sleep on this one because you'll be doing yourself a disservice. Trust CJ with your life because she'll never do you wrong!
“This inhuman place makes human monsters.”- SK
I'm confused and thoroughly impressed. I've never been terrified, turned on, and full of emotions from one book before. CJ! Gurl! Only your words could make me feel this way.
Think 'The Shining' meets 'Silence of the Lambs' with a dash of 'Longlegs' Holy s**t. You all are in for the meatiest and bloodiest treat. After completing this... I'm hungry for more.
I love the feelings this book brought forth in me. Not only did it have my emotions all over the place, the story (even though it was horror at its best) felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around you, where you felt safe and loved. Being comforted by an old friend while people are being murdered, wearing the skin of their victims, and having a piece of hair tied around their tongues. Ahh, like a warm hug.
There aren't a lot of authors that can pull off the pulp feeling while also being current but CJ did it. The story started with a shock and ended in the same fashion. No punches pulled, just a bone-shattering horror mystery that you'll never see coming. And I am obsessed! There was a meat scene somewhere along these pages and talk about sexy. I mean, phew. I didn't even know that was possible. I can't say much else without giving it all away. Just prepare yourself for all kinds of feelings to rise to the surface.
'Headlights' was such an amazing read. Do not sleep on this one because you'll be doing yourself a disservice. Trust CJ with your life because she'll never do you wrong!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is the third novel by CJ Leede, and she is quickly becoming an important voice in horror. Which is interesting, because unlike most of us in genre, she didn’t grow up a nerd for this stuff. She had a writing teacher tell her something to the effect of “hey, you know what you write is horror.” So on behalf of the horror reading community, thank you to the teacher. We owe you for that. I was not a massive fan of Maeve Fly, her first book, but I know I was in the minority on that.
I loved Leede’s second novel American Rapture and had an excellent conversation with her about it that you can listen to here Listen to my conversation with CJ Or Or watch it
That novel, in the very normal quirk of publishing, was her first novel. American Rapture had a scope that felt more epic than the page count. This is a neat trick that I felt Leede managed to capture again. Headlights benefits from something all three of CJ Leede’s novels do: they are built on things that are very unique to her as an author and a person. The best authors do that; they make their books one of a kind. If you listen to interviews with CJ or talk with her, one of her favorite things to do is travel road trip style around the western US, and she is a serious hiker. Headlights is fundamentally a love letter to Colorado, and one of the most famous works of horror to come out of the state, King’s The Shining. (I'm nervous as a dog person that she might do a dog rescue horror novel, and it will break me)
At first, the Shining references were jarring to me. I am used to Lovecraft works being mentioned, but he was in the ancient past in my head, so I was disturbed. I thought to myself, referencing modern horror is strange, and then I had to remind myself that The Shining is almost half a century old. SHIT.
The novel has a real True Detective vibe, which would benefit from an even longer form of storytelling, but the damaged detective, tracking a serial killer, is like a power cord driving a great rock song. It is common for a reason. So yeah, you will hear it compared to the first season of True Detective and Longlegs, which is fair, but personally, this to me is a better story than the latter.
Our POV character is Daniel, set to leave the FBI, when a case that has haunted him resurfaces. A serial killer who keeps a victim alive wrapped in the skin of their victim, a pretty big escalation of the killer trophy. This setup is effective and disorientating.
“That's what you want to know,” Hannah says. “I'll tell you,” she braces herself. “I know those plains. I know how to stalk and what is to be stalked, and I heard and sensed nothing. Until that twig snapped. And then in the next second, I was in a motel room with my arms duct taped behind my back and my legs taped together, and I couldn't move. I was paralyzed, I guess. I figured he must have given me something. And um, I…”
The horror elements work in this novel; there are moments of head-shaking gruesomeness, but the unique elements that make this a CJ Leede novel are the strength. One reason this is the literary equivalent of an A24 movie is that you wonder how it got made (in a good way) It is the opposite of the cookie-cutter style some authors banked on a few decades back. James Patterson or Lee Child appeals to a market looking for the same book. All three CJ Leede feel unique both to the greater genre and to each other, and that is perhaps the coolest magic trick. There is also a moment on page 344 that made me cringe hardcore.
Headlights is a part of an exciting horror trend that is built on unique voices. Leede’s first novel, Maeve Fly didn’t work for me, but I respected the unique flavor. Headlights has it all. Highly recommended
I loved Leede’s second novel American Rapture and had an excellent conversation with her about it that you can listen to here Listen to my conversation with CJ Or Or watch it
That novel, in the very normal quirk of publishing, was her first novel. American Rapture had a scope that felt more epic than the page count. This is a neat trick that I felt Leede managed to capture again. Headlights benefits from something all three of CJ Leede’s novels do: they are built on things that are very unique to her as an author and a person. The best authors do that; they make their books one of a kind. If you listen to interviews with CJ or talk with her, one of her favorite things to do is travel road trip style around the western US, and she is a serious hiker. Headlights is fundamentally a love letter to Colorado, and one of the most famous works of horror to come out of the state, King’s The Shining. (I'm nervous as a dog person that she might do a dog rescue horror novel, and it will break me)
At first, the Shining references were jarring to me. I am used to Lovecraft works being mentioned, but he was in the ancient past in my head, so I was disturbed. I thought to myself, referencing modern horror is strange, and then I had to remind myself that The Shining is almost half a century old. SHIT.
The novel has a real True Detective vibe, which would benefit from an even longer form of storytelling, but the damaged detective, tracking a serial killer, is like a power cord driving a great rock song. It is common for a reason. So yeah, you will hear it compared to the first season of True Detective and Longlegs, which is fair, but personally, this to me is a better story than the latter.
Our POV character is Daniel, set to leave the FBI, when a case that has haunted him resurfaces. A serial killer who keeps a victim alive wrapped in the skin of their victim, a pretty big escalation of the killer trophy. This setup is effective and disorientating.
“That's what you want to know,” Hannah says. “I'll tell you,” she braces herself. “I know those plains. I know how to stalk and what is to be stalked, and I heard and sensed nothing. Until that twig snapped. And then in the next second, I was in a motel room with my arms duct taped behind my back and my legs taped together, and I couldn't move. I was paralyzed, I guess. I figured he must have given me something. And um, I…”
The horror elements work in this novel; there are moments of head-shaking gruesomeness, but the unique elements that make this a CJ Leede novel are the strength. One reason this is the literary equivalent of an A24 movie is that you wonder how it got made (in a good way) It is the opposite of the cookie-cutter style some authors banked on a few decades back. James Patterson or Lee Child appeals to a market looking for the same book. All three CJ Leede feel unique both to the greater genre and to each other, and that is perhaps the coolest magic trick. There is also a moment on page 344 that made me cringe hardcore.
Headlights is a part of an exciting horror trend that is built on unique voices. Leede’s first novel, Maeve Fly didn’t work for me, but I respected the unique flavor. Headlights has it all. Highly recommended
April 5, 2026
Okay, CJ Leede is officially my type of author. I mean, she was already one of my favorites starting with Maeve Fly, but Headlights right after American Rapture really really solidified her in my personal hall of fame.
Look, I’m not a police procedural drama/thriller girly AT ALL, so I was really hesitant at the beginning of the book. And there were SO MANY names of victims/drifters to remember that I kept getting confused. But really, it didn’t matter. And possibly that was also the point? Highlighting how many different people and families were impacted by this case that it’s difficult to keep track of really emphasizes the depth and complexity of the situation.
This is probably definitely a spoiler? Though I feel it shouldn’t be, but it’s not mentioned in the description of the book, so…
***********SPOILER************
***********SPOILER************
***********SPOILER************
(there is definitely a paranormal aspect and I really love how that was done; I won’t explain more because I don’t want to actually spoil anything)
*********END SPOILER*********
*********END SPOILER*********
*********END SPOILER*********
This story is about unresolved trauma, immense grief and fear, environmental and ecological impacts of human expansion, humanity’s innate tunnel vision, and how wildly small and we are in the grand scheme of things.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an advance copy of this book.
Look, I’m not a police procedural drama/thriller girly AT ALL, so I was really hesitant at the beginning of the book. And there were SO MANY names of victims/drifters to remember that I kept getting confused. But really, it didn’t matter. And possibly that was also the point? Highlighting how many different people and families were impacted by this case that it’s difficult to keep track of really emphasizes the depth and complexity of the situation.
This is probably definitely a spoiler? Though I feel it shouldn’t be, but it’s not mentioned in the description of the book, so…
***********SPOILER************
***********SPOILER************
***********SPOILER************
(there is definitely a paranormal aspect and I really love how that was done; I won’t explain more because I don’t want to actually spoil anything)
*********END SPOILER*********
*********END SPOILER*********
*********END SPOILER*********
This story is about unresolved trauma, immense grief and fear, environmental and ecological impacts of human expansion, humanity’s innate tunnel vision, and how wildly small and we are in the grand scheme of things.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for an advance copy of this book.
January 1, 2026
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for the ARC! As a self-proclaimed CJ Leede superfan, I was absolutely frothing at the mouth to start this. Right off the bat, you feel Leede’s signature grisly horror in Headlights’ atmosphere and string of sick murders, and deep emotional writing in Danny, our MMC.
What I loved:
- gruesome murders
- FBI case felt very true-crime-scary-mystery
- scenes that shocked me (mouth agape, flabbers GHASTED)
- the world is full of real fucked up shit ya know?
- the beauty and impact of wild Colorado
What didn’t work:
- didn’t care for the ending (the “message” had me suspending too much belief)
- the murder case was much scarier than the paranormal monster that was supposed to be the big bad
Overall I had a great time sleuthing over this horror mystery! Not the type of horror I’d normally read, but I continue to love Leede’s writing. She knows how to deliver emotional gut punch after gut punch. Heavy themes of grief & family trauma - Leede does NOT shy away from the ugly and manages to weave heartfelt emotion into darkness.
What I loved:
- gruesome murders
- FBI case felt very true-crime-scary-mystery
- scenes that shocked me (mouth agape, flabbers GHASTED)
- the world is full of real fucked up shit ya know?
- the beauty and impact of wild Colorado
What didn’t work:
- didn’t care for the ending (the “message” had me suspending too much belief)
- the murder case was much scarier than the paranormal monster that was supposed to be the big bad
Overall I had a great time sleuthing over this horror mystery! Not the type of horror I’d normally read, but I continue to love Leede’s writing. She knows how to deliver emotional gut punch after gut punch. Heavy themes of grief & family trauma - Leede does NOT shy away from the ugly and manages to weave heartfelt emotion into darkness.
April 27, 2026
Headlights follows an FBI agent trying not only to escape what feels like an unsolvable case, but also to outrun his past. It’s a slow burn, but every step of the journey had my heart racing. The way that CJ Leede incorporates real world issues into a beautifully written horror will never cease to amaze me.
I can never predict where CJ will take us, but I still try, and even days after finishing the book, I find myself revisiting every detail.
I can never predict where CJ will take us, but I still try, and even days after finishing the book, I find myself revisiting every detail.
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