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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 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 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
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 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 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
Audible Audio
Expected publication June 9, 2026
39 people are currently reading
3510 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Leede
6 books1,964 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 60 reviews
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.
Want to read
December 8, 2025ARC received!! Thank you, Tor Nightfire. Love you!!
December 8, 2025
That bitch has done it again.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
December 4, 2025
CJ Leede is my favorite author and this is my favorite book of hers yet.
Want to read
October 23, 2025Finally a book from this author I am interested in!
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.
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.
January 11, 2026
Review of advance copy from NetGalley
DAMN, what a wild ride from start to finish. I could not, in any way, have predicted what was going to happen the entire time.
Daniel Stansfield is an FBI agent from Cherry Hills Village, CO and he has a deep, dark past full of trauma, PTSD, “hallucinations”, etc. He’s called back into an investigation that went cold a few years back and let me tell you, it’s a GRUESOME case that seems almost impossible to solve and has worn on Daniel’s (already strung out) psyche for years. I can’t say much more because I simply can’t give anything away… but you can expect raw terror, supernatural elements similar to True Detective, and so many absolutely shocking scenes (CJ’s modus operandi) that will leave your stomach churning and your mouth agape.
I have to note that this is quite different from Leede’s previous novels, “Maeve Fly” and “American Rapture”. And I have HUGE respect for her range and her ability to think of such diverse & uniquely horrific storylines!!! As a Denver resident, I also loveddddd all the Colorado references!!!! I could picture every scene perfectly in my head. And happy to hear CJ Leede hates Denver’s suburban sprawl as much as me lmao.
Overall, CJ is a 10/10 horror novelist and I’ll read literally anything she writes.
Thank you Tor Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
DAMN, what a wild ride from start to finish. I could not, in any way, have predicted what was going to happen the entire time.
Daniel Stansfield is an FBI agent from Cherry Hills Village, CO and he has a deep, dark past full of trauma, PTSD, “hallucinations”, etc. He’s called back into an investigation that went cold a few years back and let me tell you, it’s a GRUESOME case that seems almost impossible to solve and has worn on Daniel’s (already strung out) psyche for years. I can’t say much more because I simply can’t give anything away… but you can expect raw terror, supernatural elements similar to True Detective, and so many absolutely shocking scenes (CJ’s modus operandi) that will leave your stomach churning and your mouth agape.
I have to note that this is quite different from Leede’s previous novels, “Maeve Fly” and “American Rapture”. And I have HUGE respect for her range and her ability to think of such diverse & uniquely horrific storylines!!! As a Denver resident, I also loveddddd all the Colorado references!!!! I could picture every scene perfectly in my head. And happy to hear CJ Leede hates Denver’s suburban sprawl as much as me lmao.
Overall, CJ is a 10/10 horror novelist and I’ll read literally anything she writes.
Thank you Tor Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
January 11, 2026
3.25 ⭐️
Overall, I liked this! I didn’t start loving it until about the 65-70% mark. Hence the rating-but let’s be clear I don’t think is a bad book by any means.
This is a bit of a psychological thriller w/some paranormal elements.
I found Danny such an interesting character and would have loved to dive more into his life. He had been through so much and I found that to be devastating.
There is one scene that keeps playing in my mind(I won’t say it for spoiler purposes), but it was sooooo good 🩸
I think the reason this didn’t hit as much is because there is a plot line with one of our characters Hannah that I didn’t feel like fully flushed out or maybe I’m just selfish and I wanted more 🤣 I never found the book to be crazy thrilling which is pretty typical in how I feel about thriller books.
Lighter on the horror.
This book also felt different vs her other books-I haven’t decided if that’s a good or bad thing, just is.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor publishing for the ARC!
Overall, I liked this! I didn’t start loving it until about the 65-70% mark. Hence the rating-but let’s be clear I don’t think is a bad book by any means.
This is a bit of a psychological thriller w/some paranormal elements.
I found Danny such an interesting character and would have loved to dive more into his life. He had been through so much and I found that to be devastating.
There is one scene that keeps playing in my mind(I won’t say it for spoiler purposes), but it was sooooo good 🩸
I think the reason this didn’t hit as much is because there is a plot line with one of our characters Hannah that I didn’t feel like fully flushed out or maybe I’m just selfish and I wanted more 🤣 I never found the book to be crazy thrilling which is pretty typical in how I feel about thriller books.
Lighter on the horror.
This book also felt different vs her other books-I haven’t decided if that’s a good or bad thing, just is.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor publishing for the ARC!
January 12, 2026
first off, i'd like to thank: netgalley, tor nightfire, and cj leede for the opportunity to read HEADLIGHTS early in return for an honest review! as someone who gave AMERICAN RAPTURE and MAEVE FLY five star reviews, i was almost certain that this would also be a home run. but unfortunately, this wasn't as great as i thought it was going to be.
this review is a bit challenging for me, since i did enjoy the first half of the book: i was fully invested and it was getting increasingly difficult to put down. after the halfway mark, i found myself getting less and less interested. for starters, i felt like this was way too long for me, and maybe some of the story could've been taken out and there still would be a great book. there are some aspects of the book i didn't really enjoy, which i won't share because that would spoil parts of the story.
i did enjoy leede's writing style, and how she incorporated horror with mythology and the supernatural. but i think my biggest complaint is how long the book was/felt, and some aspects of the story i felt were unnecessary.
this review is a bit challenging for me, since i did enjoy the first half of the book: i was fully invested and it was getting increasingly difficult to put down. after the halfway mark, i found myself getting less and less interested. for starters, i felt like this was way too long for me, and maybe some of the story could've been taken out and there still would be a great book. there are some aspects of the book i didn't really enjoy, which i won't share because that would spoil parts of the story.
i did enjoy leede's writing style, and how she incorporated horror with mythology and the supernatural. but i think my biggest complaint is how long the book was/felt, and some aspects of the story i felt were unnecessary.
January 11, 2026
JESUS CHRIST. this was a rollercoaster of a read and i think i'm gonna have nightmares for at least a few days after finishing this (i mean this in the most complimentary way possible) cj leede is a horror genius and i can't wait to see what else she has to give us in the future because i don't think anything will top this one, 'headlights' is officially high on my list of horror favorites. i also need mike flanagan to get his hands on this book to give us an adaptation QUICKLY.
HUGE thank you to tor nightfire + netgalley for an earc <3
HUGE thank you to tor nightfire + netgalley for an earc <3
January 8, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
dnf
January 18, 2026Man, my friends said to stop while I’m ahead cause I’m gonna really hate it. As per usual.
January 7, 2026
This is a challenging one to review. I had so much fun with the first half, the premise was incredible, it felt like True Detective meets The X-Files meets Weapons with a little When The Wolf Comes Home, all things I love… then I hit the midpoint and the story started to get looser, more repetitive, less controlled.
Still, you’ll note that I’ve still given Headlights four stars - that’s because as much as I didn’t enjoy almost anything from the middle all the way to the (excellent) epilogue, this book still gripped and moved me, and it feels like maybe once I have a little distance from it, I’ll appreciate it more.
There’s a LOT going on here, maybe too much, but I admire the ambition and the ideas, and there’s a moment in the last few pages that’s so beautiful, it made everything before it worthwhile.
What a ride!
Still, you’ll note that I’ve still given Headlights four stars - that’s because as much as I didn’t enjoy almost anything from the middle all the way to the (excellent) epilogue, this book still gripped and moved me, and it feels like maybe once I have a little distance from it, I’ll appreciate it more.
There’s a LOT going on here, maybe too much, but I admire the ambition and the ideas, and there’s a moment in the last few pages that’s so beautiful, it made everything before it worthwhile.
What a ride!
Want to read
December 19, 2025I've really enjoyed quite a few books by this author! And this one sounds GREAT!
it looks so good!!
it looks so good!!
December 31, 2025
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Headlights’ central, horrifying mystery is definitely an evocative one. Victims disappear for a day or two, only for some to reemerge, wandering the Coloradoan highways with no memory of what happened to them, wearing the skins of the other victims on their backs like cloaks. The dead are found nearby, eaten. A single strand of hair - belonging to none of the victims but matching with each other - is tied around each drifter’s tongue. It’s a harrowing crime; half of its victims are killed and eaten, while the other half have their lives ruined by a crime they can’t remember committing. Six of these horrors happened four years prior, in a case handled and never solved by traumatized veteran and FBI agent Danny. Recently divorced and bereft of his loving adopted parents, Danny is on the verge of returning to active duty when he is dragged back into his past, as several more of these horrifying murders are unleashed in short order, clearing targeting him.
Headlights has a lot on its mind, from the eviscerating of natural habitats by suburban sprawl in Colorado, to our complicated relationships with our parents. But its central theme is clearly trauma. Long before these drifter murders took place, Danny witnesses an act of domestic violence that scars him for life. He is blessed - or cursed - with the ability to see ghosts, which seem to taunt him with the music of John Denver, a favorite of his as a boy that was playing during his terrible traumatic moment. The first half of this book is bleak, as Danny trudges ever onward, deeper into the mire of this case, further away from any way out of his own darkness. And then it takes a turn, opening up the possibility of connection. How are we supposed to deal with grief, with the loss of those closest to us? How can anyone ever understand exactly the hole left in our lives? What if every step we take only seems to make the world worse?
This is a fast-paced book, even if it occasionally feels repetitive in its invocations of Danny’s PTSD. It’s an easy, propulsive read, if you can stomach some of its visceral horrors. There’s a moment here that’s actually very nasty and somehow, very sexy, making Headlights rise above many of its fellow horror mysteries. It’s also weirdly in dialogue with The Shining, operating in some ways like a skewed fanfic or response to it, as Danny’s powers (and chosen name) are both explicitly compared to that book. I’m not exactly sure what to make of its connections, but I found it pretty interesting, regardless.
At times, the book struggles a little under the weight of its supernatural machinations, as inventing a supernatural answer for your mystery means the logic is always a little hazy, but that’s an easy sin to forgive. I love this genre - the dark mystery that unfolds from the supernatural’s brushes with the mortal world - and this is definitely a new favorite entry for me. Despite its darkness, Headlights has a beating, empathetic heart at its center; an assurance that the world will be easier to face, loss and grief and all, if you’re willing to embrace the hope of better things and the love of those around you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Headlights has a lot on its mind, from the eviscerating of natural habitats by suburban sprawl in Colorado, to our complicated relationships with our parents. But its central theme is clearly trauma. Long before these drifter murders took place, Danny witnesses an act of domestic violence that scars him for life. He is blessed - or cursed - with the ability to see ghosts, which seem to taunt him with the music of John Denver, a favorite of his as a boy that was playing during his terrible traumatic moment. The first half of this book is bleak, as Danny trudges ever onward, deeper into the mire of this case, further away from any way out of his own darkness. And then it takes a turn, opening up the possibility of connection. How are we supposed to deal with grief, with the loss of those closest to us? How can anyone ever understand exactly the hole left in our lives? What if every step we take only seems to make the world worse?
This is a fast-paced book, even if it occasionally feels repetitive in its invocations of Danny’s PTSD. It’s an easy, propulsive read, if you can stomach some of its visceral horrors. There’s a moment here that’s actually very nasty and somehow, very sexy, making Headlights rise above many of its fellow horror mysteries. It’s also weirdly in dialogue with The Shining, operating in some ways like a skewed fanfic or response to it, as Danny’s powers (and chosen name) are both explicitly compared to that book. I’m not exactly sure what to make of its connections, but I found it pretty interesting, regardless.
At times, the book struggles a little under the weight of its supernatural machinations, as inventing a supernatural answer for your mystery means the logic is always a little hazy, but that’s an easy sin to forgive. I love this genre - the dark mystery that unfolds from the supernatural’s brushes with the mortal world - and this is definitely a new favorite entry for me. Despite its darkness, Headlights has a beating, empathetic heart at its center; an assurance that the world will be easier to face, loss and grief and all, if you’re willing to embrace the hope of better things and the love of those around you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you so much to Nightfire and Tor Publishing for the advanced copy to review!
Daniel Stansfield has been through it - he’s a veteran, divorcee, homicide detective, and he watched his father murder his mother. And just at the start of what he feels will be his new life away from all his past trauma, he gets word that the string of murders he just could never quite solve have started up once again. What follows is a tale of supernatural mystery, horror, love, and facing the ghosts inside ourselves (and John Denver).
This book is best delved into with the least amount of background possible, so I think I’m going to structure this with what I liked and what I felt didn’t work for this novel.
What I Liked
-The subgenre of crime horror is something I love, and this novel blends supernatural horror and crime investigation perfectly. And the story idea itself is one I found incredibly compelling.
-It’s a love letter to Colorado. Leede writes places like hardly anyone else, she has a way of looking at the good and bad of a place with so much love and appreciation. You can feel it coming off each page.
-Leede’s writing style is so unique, and her dialogue/internal monologues for her characters read almost cinematically. It really puts you in the middle of Daniel’s panicky moments, and I could feel my own heart rate rising with his.
What Didn’t Work
-Pacing. For the first half of this novel, I was dialed in hardcore. I could barely put it down for wanting to know what happened next. However, there came a point where the momentum slowed way down - we weren’t getting any answers, just more characters, plot points, and storylines that made the book stretch longer than it needed to.
-I think this book could have benefited from either cutting out some plot and shortening the page count, or fully exploring every plot point to its full potential and having an even longer book with more payoffs throughout (maybe even dual POVs?).
-References (to music, The Shining, etc.) were numerous here. Most of the time that didn’t bother me, but occasionally it could get a bit heavy handed.
Overall, I really did enjoy Headlights immensely. The supernatural elements are so good and I always love a mystery. However, it suffered from its length and the amount of time it took to get real answers.
Daniel Stansfield has been through it - he’s a veteran, divorcee, homicide detective, and he watched his father murder his mother. And just at the start of what he feels will be his new life away from all his past trauma, he gets word that the string of murders he just could never quite solve have started up once again. What follows is a tale of supernatural mystery, horror, love, and facing the ghosts inside ourselves (and John Denver).
This book is best delved into with the least amount of background possible, so I think I’m going to structure this with what I liked and what I felt didn’t work for this novel.
What I Liked
-The subgenre of crime horror is something I love, and this novel blends supernatural horror and crime investigation perfectly. And the story idea itself is one I found incredibly compelling.
-It’s a love letter to Colorado. Leede writes places like hardly anyone else, she has a way of looking at the good and bad of a place with so much love and appreciation. You can feel it coming off each page.
-Leede’s writing style is so unique, and her dialogue/internal monologues for her characters read almost cinematically. It really puts you in the middle of Daniel’s panicky moments, and I could feel my own heart rate rising with his.
What Didn’t Work
-Pacing. For the first half of this novel, I was dialed in hardcore. I could barely put it down for wanting to know what happened next. However, there came a point where the momentum slowed way down - we weren’t getting any answers, just more characters, plot points, and storylines that made the book stretch longer than it needed to.
-I think this book could have benefited from either cutting out some plot and shortening the page count, or fully exploring every plot point to its full potential and having an even longer book with more payoffs throughout (maybe even dual POVs?).
-References (to music, The Shining, etc.) were numerous here. Most of the time that didn’t bother me, but occasionally it could get a bit heavy handed.
Overall, I really did enjoy Headlights immensely. The supernatural elements are so good and I always love a mystery. However, it suffered from its length and the amount of time it took to get real answers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.*
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.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley for this arc.
There are several typos I found throughout the book, hopefully it gets one more edit. I am not the most knowledgeable about proper grammar but I do think there was some poorly constructed sentences as well.
I also don't personally like the usage of tiktok slang.. like I think she used the term SA.
Onto the story, I liked the beginning the most as it seemed like a gruesome crime/ horror story.
It is very obvious what one of the reveals was for the mmc, but I don't think it was intended to be a major twist.
What I like:
The first 50-75 pages were pretty cohesive and I enjoyed the pace at which I was being introduced to Daniel's world.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the crime scenes, I felt like I could easily have been an onlooker in certain scenes.
I did enjoy the internal monologue of how much Daniel hated Tillman very deeply to the point of where it felt petty. It was very human and relatable.
All of the interactions with Jack Murphy.
How I felt as I read on:
I genuinely feel like CJ Leede was trying to do so much when she really didn't have to.
-It's a crime thriller with insanely graphic scenes
-It's speaking about protecting nature
-There are tons of supernatural elements constantly
-there's a folklore element
-Cannibalism.
-A creepy hot girl the mmc fixates on.
-Comedic humor with Tillman (ex wife's new bf) being annoying and obsessed with Ufos.
-Reddit usage
-Way too many Stephen King references.
Overall, I think if I could describe how I felt-it would be like having some great food items on a plate that don't necessarily go together or need to go together.
Like did I need a meal with fries, mashed potatoes and then a hashbrown? All good things, but so much tropes and themes.
There are several typos I found throughout the book, hopefully it gets one more edit. I am not the most knowledgeable about proper grammar but I do think there was some poorly constructed sentences as well.
I also don't personally like the usage of tiktok slang.. like I think she used the term SA.
Onto the story, I liked the beginning the most as it seemed like a gruesome crime/ horror story.
It is very obvious what one of the reveals was for the mmc, but I don't think it was intended to be a major twist.
What I like:
The first 50-75 pages were pretty cohesive and I enjoyed the pace at which I was being introduced to Daniel's world.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the crime scenes, I felt like I could easily have been an onlooker in certain scenes.
I did enjoy the internal monologue of how much Daniel hated Tillman very deeply to the point of where it felt petty. It was very human and relatable.
All of the interactions with Jack Murphy.
How I felt as I read on:
I genuinely feel like CJ Leede was trying to do so much when she really didn't have to.
-It's a crime thriller with insanely graphic scenes
-It's speaking about protecting nature
-There are tons of supernatural elements constantly
-there's a folklore element
-Cannibalism.
-A creepy hot girl the mmc fixates on.
-Comedic humor with Tillman (ex wife's new bf) being annoying and obsessed with Ufos.
-Reddit usage
-Way too many Stephen King references.
Overall, I think if I could describe how I felt-it would be like having some great food items on a plate that don't necessarily go together or need to go together.
Like did I need a meal with fries, mashed potatoes and then a hashbrown? All good things, but so much tropes and themes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Big thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Daniel Stansfield is many things - FBI agent, veteran, divorcee, and a man with a troubled past. He is burnt out and ready to give it all up by reenlisting until a serial killer (or many) reappear in his home town of Denver Colorado. Unable to pull away, spill his secrets to his friends, he works the case and learns more about his past than he could've wished for.
CJ Leede has truly done it again. I was immediately drawn into Daniel's mind and couldn't tear myself out of it if I tried. Leede did an amazing job stylistically with all of the flashbacks Daniel has, to the point that I felt a little whiplash myself from the episodes just as Daniel probably did. There is truly something to Leede's writing style that doesn't fail to have the reader fully immersed in the novel and with her main character.
I will say that I figured out most of the "twists" so I wasn't surprised by reveals. The big twist at the end, DID surprise me though and I really enjoyed it. It is very obvious in Leede's writing how much she loves Colorado and nature and like Meave Fly and American Rapture, this book is a love letter to t state it takes place in.
I am once again impressed with how well Leede was able to bring in pop culture references into the book without it feeling cringy. As someone who hasn't read The Shining, or seen the movie, I was still able to follow the references to the book and see the significance of the moments. I also have no idea who John Denver is, but it didn't impede my ability to see how significant he was to Daniel.
Daniel Stansfield is many things - FBI agent, veteran, divorcee, and a man with a troubled past. He is burnt out and ready to give it all up by reenlisting until a serial killer (or many) reappear in his home town of Denver Colorado. Unable to pull away, spill his secrets to his friends, he works the case and learns more about his past than he could've wished for.
CJ Leede has truly done it again. I was immediately drawn into Daniel's mind and couldn't tear myself out of it if I tried. Leede did an amazing job stylistically with all of the flashbacks Daniel has, to the point that I felt a little whiplash myself from the episodes just as Daniel probably did. There is truly something to Leede's writing style that doesn't fail to have the reader fully immersed in the novel and with her main character.
I will say that I figured out most of the "twists" so I wasn't surprised by reveals. The big twist at the end, DID surprise me though and I really enjoyed it. It is very obvious in Leede's writing how much she loves Colorado and nature and like Meave Fly and American Rapture, this book is a love letter to t state it takes place in.
I am once again impressed with how well Leede was able to bring in pop culture references into the book without it feeling cringy. As someone who hasn't read The Shining, or seen the movie, I was still able to follow the references to the book and see the significance of the moments. I also have no idea who John Denver is, but it didn't impede my ability to see how significant he was to Daniel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved Headlights by CJ Leede. While different from her previous books, Headlights is a heavy hitter with edge of your seat suspense, unrelenting terror, and shocking reveals at every turn. This book is inundated with gore, darkness, and entities that will resonate long after you close the cover. I found myself looking in the shadows for what may creep there.
Danny is a former FBI agent who’s decided to go back into the military to find meaning in life after a cold case he just couldn’t solve. Danny was the shining boy- always just knew what was going on even when it was just out of the reach of what others could see, but this case was different- he just couldn’t figure it out. As he goes to leave, the case that’s haunted him is suddenly open again- and someone is found walking down the street wearing the skin of a victim- no idea how they got there, how long they’d been walking, or how they ended up wearing a dead person’s skin. Danny is thrown back into the case to try and solve it before the next murder occurs- but something sinister is hiding just under the surface, and Danny has to decide if the person wearing the skin is responsible or if something more ominous is to blame.
You need this book- it’s beautifully written, deeply unsettling, and full of all the things that make horror a genre worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley, TorNightfire and Tor Pub for the privilege of reading this book in exchange for an honest review
Danny is a former FBI agent who’s decided to go back into the military to find meaning in life after a cold case he just couldn’t solve. Danny was the shining boy- always just knew what was going on even when it was just out of the reach of what others could see, but this case was different- he just couldn’t figure it out. As he goes to leave, the case that’s haunted him is suddenly open again- and someone is found walking down the street wearing the skin of a victim- no idea how they got there, how long they’d been walking, or how they ended up wearing a dead person’s skin. Danny is thrown back into the case to try and solve it before the next murder occurs- but something sinister is hiding just under the surface, and Danny has to decide if the person wearing the skin is responsible or if something more ominous is to blame.
You need this book- it’s beautifully written, deeply unsettling, and full of all the things that make horror a genre worth reading.
Thank you to NetGalley, TorNightfire and Tor Pub for the privilege of reading this book in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The good: interesting serial killer plot, and the hair tied around the tongue was a nice hook. It’s first-person narration and Daniel tells the story like Chandler (though some of the sentence fragments work better read aloud than seen in print).
The bad: Hannah felt flat, like a feral pixie dream girl. Learning about her history didn’t really flesh her out properly. Daniel gets stuck in loops (denying the possibility of the supernatural, obsessing over Hannah) which gets repetitive and boring about halfway through book. There’s a cannibalistic sex scene I wasn’t prepared for that took me out of the book. I’m not one to kink-shame but something about this scene just had me gritting my teeth and wishing it was over. Then the plot gets infuriating. The ending alleviated a lot of this, but I only got that far because I hate to quit on a review copy.
When we finally get to the bottom of the Drifter murders it’s an interesting story, but feels unsatisfactory given the buildup, possibly because the first quarter is so procedural and everything after gets cosmic.
Folks, I hated this one. It had merits, and I’m sure it will end up on somebody’s Best of 2026 list, but the frustrations outweighed the appeal for me. Personally, I just wanted to go reread Sharp Teeth to cleanse my reading palate.
Did not enjoy, will not be surprised if it gets optioned as an Armie Hammer film.
The bad: Hannah felt flat, like a feral pixie dream girl. Learning about her history didn’t really flesh her out properly. Daniel gets stuck in loops (denying the possibility of the supernatural, obsessing over Hannah) which gets repetitive and boring about halfway through book. There’s a cannibalistic sex scene I wasn’t prepared for that took me out of the book. I’m not one to kink-shame but something about this scene just had me gritting my teeth and wishing it was over. Then the plot gets infuriating. The ending alleviated a lot of this, but I only got that far because I hate to quit on a review copy.
When we finally get to the bottom of the Drifter murders it’s an interesting story, but feels unsatisfactory given the buildup, possibly because the first quarter is so procedural and everything after gets cosmic.
Folks, I hated this one. It had merits, and I’m sure it will end up on somebody’s Best of 2026 list, but the frustrations outweighed the appeal for me. Personally, I just wanted to go reread Sharp Teeth to cleanse my reading palate.
Did not enjoy, will not be surprised if it gets optioned as an Armie Hammer film.
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