Headlights

by C.J. Leede

Every 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.

Genres: Horror, Adult, Fiction, Adult Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Serial Killer, Thriller

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication June 9, 2026

About the author

CJ 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.

Reviews

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[megs_bookrack]

ARC received!! Thank you, Tor Nightfire. Love you!!

[Brandon Child · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Lorin (paperbackbish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

That bitch has done it again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sam Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

CJ Leede is my favorite author and this is my favorite book of hers yet.

[Ashley]

Finally a book from this author I am interested in!

[Ashlie | ashlieinpages 🤎 · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Erin McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Trisha]

I've really enjoyed quite a few books by this author! And this one sounds GREAT!

it looks so good!!

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books can scare you, others linger. Headlights does both. CJ Leede crafts a brutal, strange, and unexpectedly moving novel that lured me in with its unsettling premise and then kept me going with emotional depth. Leede has a keen ability to balance visceral horror with an exploration of grief to create a story that feels raw and incredible. As a huge fan of Leede, this has to be one of her best...if not her best.

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.

I will say that Maeve Fly was difficult to beat and American Rapture was very close, but still edged by Maeve. Now, Headlights somehow may edge over Maeve Fly . Either way, Leede is three-for-three on her novels in the past few years.

Leede manages to balance pure dread with great emotion in Headlights . The horror within is graphic and unsettling, something we have come to expect from Leede, but it never feels empty or just inserted for shock value. Leede clearly knows how to scare while telling a fantastic story. She cares about the lives of her characters in Headlights , especially Daniel, and that makes this story hit even harder. Headlights spends a lot of time with trauma, memory, and grief, and somehow manages to make it all feel raw rather than heavy-handed. There are moments that even caught me off guard emotionally, something I didn't expect coming into this story and don't usually expect in a horror novel.

Like with American Rapture , this novel breathes atmospheric horror. Headlights feels cold and tense in the best way possible, like driving down a darken highway with only your headlights cutting through the thick night sky, waiting to see what lays beyond the end of the beam. CJ uses her typical vivid writing to give us a story that some may see as strange and chaotic, but really feels intentional. It's not a neat and comforting read, it has this messiness that works in its favor, making the reading experience that much more intense and personal.

I was captivated and gripped to Headlights for many reasons, some already stated, but the big one really is Leede's blend of genres. Headlights sits in a weird crossroads of horror, psychological thriller, and even a sense of true crime, pulling tension from each without making it feel gimmicky or forced.

It can be difficult to decide, but Headlights by CJ Leede is definitely one of her best novels yet. Leede crafts a genre-bending horror story that has true emotional depth while scaring the shit out of us. Headlights is visceral, psychological, and horrifying in one fast-paced and gripping novel. A must-read horror story.

Headlights hits bookstores everywhere on June 9, 2026 from Tor Nightfire. The audiobook, narrated by Andrew Eiden, is available for preorder via Libro.fm!

NOTE: We received an advance copy of Headlights from the publisher. Opinions are our own.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

You ever love a book so much you delay finishing it because you don't want it to end? For me, that was Headlights. It was absolutely everything I want in a novel. It's definitely horror but it's also a romance but it's also a mystery/thriller but it's also a Shakespearean tragedy but it's also.........

Really, though, I'm having a hard time with this review because this book was just so special. I cried when it ended. How often does that happen? For me, maybe one or two other times. In fact, one of them was American Rapture (go figure).

CJ Leede is such a unique writer. Her voice, to me, is something I can't even describe. I'll say that what I've seen across Maeve Fly, American Rapture, and now Headlights is that CJ is masterful at building a world that keeps you interested. She gives life to all her characters, and you really REALLY care about them. Daniel, specifically, is so well-rounded. He's tough but also kind and gentle and someone who cares about helping people but also works to hold them accountable. What he loses is heartbreaking. I really did care about him, and I wanted him to find peace - whatever that looked like.

The novel itself is just written so beautifully. You can tell CJ poured so much of herself into this book, spending careful and meticulous time researching so much - the setting, the character details and experiences, the historical context, the importance of the land and space around these characters. For being a book that included some *unexpected* plot points and scenes (I CANNOT WAIT TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH PEOPLE), it still felt like I was spending time with people who matter to me, and I know I felt that way because CJ built a well thought-out experience for us. I just loved everything about this book. I cannot wait for everyone to have the chance to dive into this masterpiece.

*Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and CJ Leede for this eARC. This review contains my honest, authentic thoughts and opinions.*

[CarlysGrowingTBR · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️
General Thoughts:
This book was a lot of up-and-down for me. Overall, I did enjoy it, but definitely not as much as some of Leeds's other works. But this is still a solid psychological horror with some supernatural elements thrown in.

For those of you who do not like Stephen King, this one might be a tough read for you. This pulls a lot of information from the book the shining by Stephen King. I've read the shining, and while I do believe you can read this book without having read that book, you will miss some contextual clues throughout the story.

The premise for the story was very good, but I honestly don't think it needed to be 400 pages long. I feel a lot of the fluff could've been cut out of this to make it more streamlined and to help the pacing a little bit better. I always enjoy how Leede can play with mythology, horror, and supernatural elements. I thought that was done very well within this novel and it was refreshing. I just wish some of the downtime could've been avoided.

Overall, a solid read that I don't feel wasted my time and I enjoyed reading. I can't wait to pick up the next book by this author.

Book Stats:
📖: 400 pages
Genre: psychological horror
Publisher: Tor Nightfire
Format: eARC
Series: STANDALONE

Things That Kept Me Locked In:
* Tight and concise writing
* Layered and flawed characters
* Indigenous lore and mythology

Things I Could Leave Behind:
* Stephen King references
* The romance felt unnecessary

Disclaimer

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published June 9, 2026.

4 stars

I’m pretty sure I read and enjoyed Leede’s AMERICAN RAPTURE and I know I didn’t read her breakout, MAEVE FLY because the cover was gross, but I recently had CJ Leede front of mind. Her boyfriend, Kyle, just wrote a book, a memoir, and he talks about her a LOT. I think he’s proud of her fame but, also, a wee bit jealous of it too. He so badly wants to make it in the arts…writing, acting, producing, directing, anything. She seems much more grounded and comes across and a pretty great person in his book, which is nice.

HEADLIGHTS is half police procedural, half supernatural horror and Leede blends the two well. FBI Agent Daniel Stanfield walked away from his job as an agent in Denver when he failed to solve a rash of very unusual and grisly serial killings. Now he’s back, just as the murders begin again after a hiatus and, of course, he gets pulled back into the case, though many things have changed since he left the city.

I was impressed by the ending to this, if not the immediate lead up to it, but I walked away very satisfied. The whole thing felt novel, and I liked that. I know that Leede is considered one of the bright young things of horror and I definitely get it. Looking forward to her next. Recommended.

[Kayla Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daniel Stansfield is ready to split from the FBI. Or so he thinks. When he’s summoned back to Denver, a new string of murders starts, forcing him to face his past in order to find out who’s responsible.

I admit, I struggled to get into this one. I adored Maeve Fly and American Rapture, but this one didn’t hold my attention in the same way, and it’s a shame because I really love Leede’s style. One of the problems I had with this book was that it felt too long. It could’ve been polished a bit to keep the story suspenseful without being bogged down by too much description and internal monologue.

The story started to pick up around the halfway point, and I thought the supernatural elements were well done. The story wrap up? That was a little disappointing. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but that ending wasn’t it. I also didn’t connect with the romantic subplot toward the end and felt it a bit unnecessary.

All in all, this is a solid book blending psychological, crime, and suspense elements well. Fans of Stephen King’s the Shining will like it for the references sprinkled throughout, but it was an unfortunate miss for me.

[McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished Headlights by @ceejthemoment and I've gotta be honest: I have no words to truly express exactly how it made me feel.

This wasn't just an edge of your seat horror (though it was that), it was a case study of the human experience of trauma and grief through a horror lens. How we deal with the pain, violence, and fear of what it means to exist in this world, and that same pain, violence, and fear which we suffer and inflict on the beings we are meant to co-exist with. CJ zeroes in on what it means to survive in a world full of grief.

I cried. CJ made me cry, again (we need that on a shirt). I mean, the last line of the acknowledgements made me cry.

Look, I'm married to a combat vet who has cPTSD, and we just lost one of our cats to a stupid illness. This book hits hard. But it also gives me hope. Hope that we can be better, do better.

Out Spring 2026 - highly recommend you pre-order it.

Thank you to @tornightfire @torbooks and @netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Regan, Maze, and MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty, unnerving, reckless, and obscene. An incredibly easy five stars.

There were so many times where I was internally screaming because I thought there was no way that an author would write something this horrifying. Seriously, do not read Headlights around any mealtimes. I kept expecting Leede to take a safer turn, but she never did and it paid off immeasurably.

It’s the type of book that made me nervous to go outside when it is dark out, even if just to walk to my car. I kept the lights on while reading and would have tried to finish in one sitting if not for work and the holidays.

I highly recommend that anyone who traumatized themselves by reading Stephen King books or bingeing Criminal Minds when they were too young to have any business consuming either check Headlights out. It will scratch an itch in your brain.

More thoughts to come after I get some sleep, but I had so much fun with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and CJ Leede for the eARC.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 This is my favorite from CJ Leede! This is a psychological horror/thriller with a dark & unsettling atmosphere, and some pretty grisly violence. (Seemingly innocent people wake up on the side of the road with no memory and wearing human skins…a stranger’s hair tied around their tongue). I love the feel - reading it feels like watching Weapons (2025) and Mothman Prophecies (2002). The writing does a great job making the reader feel disoriented at times—jumping between present day, flashbacks, and confusion when the MMC doesn’t know what’s going on. There’s a heavy dose of grief, loss, and PTS, but also connection and revelation. The ending is a bit ambiguous, still leaving you with an unsettled feeling.

(There’s also a lot of reference to The Shining, but you don’t have to be a fan or reader of that to enjoy this!)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for the eARC! I really enjoyed. Pub date June 9, 2026.

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Symbiotic" is a great descriptor for Leede's crime thriller debut of 2026. I found such beauty and refinement in how well our relationships with nature, the earth, animals, pain and love, and our bodies melded together in a way that took me by such pleasant surprise. The characters were brilliant alongside and in spite of their flaws, and every genre under the sun felt not only touched upon but respected in Headlights. Leede really cements herself as an author with how every component here meshed so beautifully here to prove and solidify she has what it takes to pen a truly interesting novel. Half think piece and half poetry to Colorado, please read this and feast your eyes upon it for yourself. Thanks so much to the author and Tor Publishing Group for the chance to read and review this digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly the kind of brain chaos I LIVE for in horror. It’s psychological in the best way, not just jump scares.

I was so emotional reading this! I truly cared about these characters and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would become of them. I wasn’t bored once in nearly 400 pages. Not even a single dull moment. Opening chapter? Had me stressed for no reason (the tension was insane) and I loved it.

No notes. Loved it. Which is such a relief because 2025 horror was such a miss for me personally. If 2026 horror is going to deliver this level of excellence then I am pumped.

Big thank you to CJ Leede, Tor Nightfire / Tor Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC copy of Headlights! All thoughts are 100% my own.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a disgusting, freaky book, and I adored it. C.J. Leede has yet to disappoint me. This moody, grotesque story follows a former FBI agent unraveling from PTSD after being pulled back into the case that broke him years ago.

It’s emotional, tense, disorienting, and strangely beautiful, while also being absolutely morbid. The novel captures extreme emotional distress and trauma, layered with a supernatural edge that amplifies the horror.

I strongly recommend checking trigger warnings. While this is less gory than some of Leede’s other works, it can still be overwhelming for some readers. This psychological roller coaster is perfect for anyone craving an intense serial-killer horror with supernatural elements, touches of cannibalism, truly grotesque imagery, and an ending that leaves you feeling emotional in a positive way.

[Mikaela Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you SO much to NetGalley & Tor for this ARC.

Leede brilliantly explores the parts of us that are human and the parts of us that are not.

Set in Colorado, this “detective” novel is one of those books where your heart is racing for a good 75% of the book. You want to know what, how, and more importantly who. Headlights explores connection in every way possible. People, animals, nature, memories, the places we call home.

Headlights a story that feels like what the TV show supernatural would’ve been if it wasn’t a CW show. And it pulls a lot from the Shining. This worked for me. Maybe it’ll work for you too.

[Kas Marek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGalley for the E-ARC.

This was wild. The whole book I kept going back and forth thinking it was for sure a paranormal horror then not being so sure. I liked the take of an FBI agent investigating brutal, cannibalistic murders. It added an edge of intrigue because we also got to slowly uncover his own story and how it fit with the murders.

Hannah was my favorite part of the story. She felt the most raw and real and even though I was trying to figure out how she tied into everything, she grounded the story.

The ending was great and sad and heavy, but that’s what I want and expect from C.J. Leede. This was a solid horror and people will eat this up.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC
I wasn't sure what I was getting into, but with a book like this I am glad I didn't. Being somewhat unaware of the plot made it hit harder for me. I have read both of CJ Leede's other books. I was a big fan of American Rapture.
In this book I feel like CJ Leede really showed an ability to write the depths of grief. The main character Danny experiences one loss after another. This book is spooky, dark, and gross (sometimes), but also had some heart to it.
I was all in five stars until the last 30% or so. It got a bit wild in a way I was expecting, but this is a great read!

[Kelsey Bohl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A string of murders happen in and around Denver, Colorado and it’s on the shoulders of one FBI agent to comeback to his hometown after years of running to help figure out what’s going on. Think True Detective meets The Shining with a touch of the Upsidedown.

I devoured this book. The way CJ Leede establishes characters, makes you feel such strong emotions (which is super uncomfy for a Capricorn) and also makes it sexy at the same time is just *chef’s kiss*

This book touches on themes of trauma, grief, and self-acceptance. 5⭐️ read!

Huge thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Desig · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A generous 3 stars.
The monster just wanted to stop building and deforestation? C'mon
This also could have been 100 pages shorter.

[Kurryreads (Kerry) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Tor/Macmillian for the early ebook

This book means the world to me. Such a brilliant, heart pounding, and creative story

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