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The Finding #1
Finding Randy
I just wanted to make him a welcome home video. I didn’t plan to document a search.
To celebrate Randy’s long-awaited return home, our group of childhood friends surprised him with a trip into the woods to dig up our buried time capsule. But our nostalgic reunion took a dark turn when Randy disappeared under our watch.
Now I’m starting to fear we’re the only people really looking for him. We have no choice but to rely on unconventional leads: his digital footprint, a series of cryptic text messages, and the videos I’ve been taking. Even more troubling, there seem to be sinister motives behind his disappearance—because the closer we get to finding our old friend, the closer we get to the same danger that took him.
And the more our eyes turn toward each other.
If you enjoy the found footage genre, or you simply cannot put down books packed with suspense and a bone-chilling ending, then you will love Finding Randy.
JOIN THE SEARCH.
To celebrate Randy’s long-awaited return home, our group of childhood friends surprised him with a trip into the woods to dig up our buried time capsule. But our nostalgic reunion took a dark turn when Randy disappeared under our watch.
Now I’m starting to fear we’re the only people really looking for him. We have no choice but to rely on unconventional leads: his digital footprint, a series of cryptic text messages, and the videos I’ve been taking. Even more troubling, there seem to be sinister motives behind his disappearance—because the closer we get to finding our old friend, the closer we get to the same danger that took him.
And the more our eyes turn toward each other.
If you enjoy the found footage genre, or you simply cannot put down books packed with suspense and a bone-chilling ending, then you will love Finding Randy.
JOIN THE SEARCH.
364 pages, Paperback
First published February 25, 2026
About the author
Trevor Hightower
2 books5 followersTrevor is an author and filmmaker. He tells stories to anyone who will listen.
Otherwise, he grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University. He likes to read, create music, and collect physical media. He still lives in the Philly area, somewhat, but his exact location is better left undisclosed. You’ll understand why when you read Finding Randy.
Otherwise, he grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from Temple University. He likes to read, create music, and collect physical media. He still lives in the Philly area, somewhat, but his exact location is better left undisclosed. You’ll understand why when you read Finding Randy.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 22, 2026
This book did not only entertain me, but it also kept me on edge the entire time.
- Randy is missing. His last words to his friends were a simple, haunting "I’m okay." The situation turns dark when they hear screaming in the woods and discover a severed finger while searching for him. To make things worse, Randy’s mother doesn’t seem to care what happened to him. It makes the whole situation feel a lot more sinister. The mystery just keeps getting deeper.
🟢 To be honest, I am the type of person who has a hard time reading a story with a lot of characters, but Trevor’s writing style is surprisingly easy to follow. I could clearly picture what was happening in every scene. Even the small details in each moment were absolutely bone-chilling.
🖤 If you get confused about the story, just stick with it and read until the end where everything finally clicks. I’m sure you will be just as shocked as I was by the ending of this book.
🖤 Also, I got chills when I watched the video for Finding Randy on Amazon. At first, I didn't know what to think. Is this even real? Is the real Randy actually missing? When I finally saw the Creators and Cast section... I said, "Oh, it’s a film-style promotion." Thank goodness! It was so realistic that it actually scared me. 💔
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NOTE: This is my personal opinion about the book. My goal is to share my experience, not to change anyone's perspective. Thank you to Trevor Hightower for giving me the opportunity to read this early.
- Randy is missing. His last words to his friends were a simple, haunting "I’m okay." The situation turns dark when they hear screaming in the woods and discover a severed finger while searching for him. To make things worse, Randy’s mother doesn’t seem to care what happened to him. It makes the whole situation feel a lot more sinister. The mystery just keeps getting deeper.
🟢 To be honest, I am the type of person who has a hard time reading a story with a lot of characters, but Trevor’s writing style is surprisingly easy to follow. I could clearly picture what was happening in every scene. Even the small details in each moment were absolutely bone-chilling.
🖤 If you get confused about the story, just stick with it and read until the end where everything finally clicks. I’m sure you will be just as shocked as I was by the ending of this book.
🖤 Also, I got chills when I watched the video for Finding Randy on Amazon. At first, I didn't know what to think. Is this even real? Is the real Randy actually missing? When I finally saw the Creators and Cast section... I said, "Oh, it’s a film-style promotion." Thank goodness! It was so realistic that it actually scared me. 💔
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NOTE: This is my personal opinion about the book. My goal is to share my experience, not to change anyone's perspective. Thank you to Trevor Hightower for giving me the opportunity to read this early.
April 8, 2026
This book is part of a project that is something of a LARP. Trevor Hightower is a real person who produced and directed the "documentary" Finding Randy, a found footage indie film chronicling his friend group's search after one of their own inexplicably vanishes during a reunion hike. Not having seen the movie, I found the book more of a mystery thriller than horror, but admittedly the line can be blurry and I enjoy both genres anyway. It was a solid, suspenseful reading experience for the most part . . . until the final act retroactively ruined it.
You can't just drop something this outlandish on the reader at practically the very end of your story. A mystery is supposed to have, you know, CLUES. It's supposed to be a puzzle that's gradually put together. Despite my aforementioned reservations, I had still enjoyed the suspense aspect, and this reveal felt like some kind of cheat. Like, why did I even read the preceding 300+ pages.
Oh well.
You can't just drop something this outlandish on the reader at practically the very end of your story. A mystery is supposed to have, you know, CLUES. It's supposed to be a puzzle that's gradually put together. Despite my aforementioned reservations, I had still enjoyed the suspense aspect, and this reveal felt like some kind of cheat. Like, why did I even read the preceding 300+ pages.
Oh well.
March 24, 2026
I received an advance copy from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
I had no idea what to expect with this book but it turned into a 5 star read almost immediately. I was drawn in from the first chapter. And I read this in more less one sitting. Finding Randy is a fast paced thrill ride that twists and turns and has you gasping at the plot twists.
I kept thinking I knew what was happening. I thought I know how this is going to end. I thought I knew who was behind it all. I was so wrong.
The book starts out with 5 old childhood friends (who called themselves "The Pineapple Crew") reunited to celebrate Randy moving back to their home town. Daniel, Pat, Rebecca, & Trevor have a day of surprise planned to hike into the woods they played in as children to dig up a time capsule they buried 10 yrs ago. But something goes very wrong and Randy disappears without a trace.
Everyone thinks Randy just took off but the Pineapple Crew don't believe it for one second. So when the police, Randy's mom, and everyone else in town refuses to look for him, they take matters into their own hands. And things go very, very wrong!
What they discover is they really didn't know their friend at all and as secrets are coming to light the search takes an unexpected turn and the 4 start to turn on each other wondering if the kidnapper is standing right in front of them. The ending had me screaming WTF! This is the first book in a series so I can't wait for the next one.
I had no idea what to expect with this book but it turned into a 5 star read almost immediately. I was drawn in from the first chapter. And I read this in more less one sitting. Finding Randy is a fast paced thrill ride that twists and turns and has you gasping at the plot twists.
I kept thinking I knew what was happening. I thought I know how this is going to end. I thought I knew who was behind it all. I was so wrong.
The book starts out with 5 old childhood friends (who called themselves "The Pineapple Crew") reunited to celebrate Randy moving back to their home town. Daniel, Pat, Rebecca, & Trevor have a day of surprise planned to hike into the woods they played in as children to dig up a time capsule they buried 10 yrs ago. But something goes very wrong and Randy disappears without a trace.
Everyone thinks Randy just took off but the Pineapple Crew don't believe it for one second. So when the police, Randy's mom, and everyone else in town refuses to look for him, they take matters into their own hands. And things go very, very wrong!
What they discover is they really didn't know their friend at all and as secrets are coming to light the search takes an unexpected turn and the 4 start to turn on each other wondering if the kidnapper is standing right in front of them. The ending had me screaming WTF! This is the first book in a series so I can't wait for the next one.
March 6, 2026
The writing style pulled me straight into the story, because the descriptions are so well done that I could easily picture everything happening. In the diner I could almost hear Pat talking around a mouthful of pancake.
The group and band name they came up with as kids was top tier, and it was nice to be able to laugh while reading a thriller!
Trevor as the narrator was fascinating because his perspective constantly made me question things. His infatuation with Maggie was… interesting, and straight up creepy, which added to the tension of the story. His anxious, slightly awkward personality made a lot of the twists hit even harder.
I genuinely did not expect several of the reveals in this book. The mystery builds in such a clever way that I kept changing my mind about what was actually happening.
The puzzles included in the story were such a fun addition and made the reading experience even more engaging.
By the time the story reached the final stretch, my heart was racing. (Them walking up that single step, ifykyk)
What endeared me most was how the story touches on deeper themes about modern life and social media. Trevor’s reflections toward the end were surprisingly poetic and thought provoking.
It’s been a while since I’ve encountered writing this strong in this genre. I loved it and will absolutely be reading Finding Vicki next.
The group and band name they came up with as kids was top tier, and it was nice to be able to laugh while reading a thriller!
Trevor as the narrator was fascinating because his perspective constantly made me question things. His infatuation with Maggie was… interesting, and straight up creepy, which added to the tension of the story. His anxious, slightly awkward personality made a lot of the twists hit even harder.
I genuinely did not expect several of the reveals in this book. The mystery builds in such a clever way that I kept changing my mind about what was actually happening.
The puzzles included in the story were such a fun addition and made the reading experience even more engaging.
By the time the story reached the final stretch, my heart was racing. (Them walking up that single step, ifykyk)
What endeared me most was how the story touches on deeper themes about modern life and social media. Trevor’s reflections toward the end were surprisingly poetic and thought provoking.
It’s been a while since I’ve encountered writing this strong in this genre. I loved it and will absolutely be reading Finding Vicki next.
April 10, 2026
Huge round of applause for this author ! He knows how to make money … be pre paired to spend more money, and to be pre ordering that next book….. I read a LOT of books.. a lot.. I am already at 152 books for the year and the date is only, April 10th. I have NEVER seen this at the end of a book and I am in love !!! It was a great ending and Easter egg at the end there. Hopefully I am using that correctly! - Do not jump to the end and ruin it for yourself or anyone else!
Okay.. okay.. got that out of the way….
I picked this up after a facebook post of the author at a book signing. I saw “found footage” and I was immediately hooked. grabbed it the day it was out on Kindle unlimited. I started it, but wasn’t capturing my attention at the time. I marked it as DNF, but kept thinking about how I really didn’t give it enough time so I picked it back up. Soooo thankful I did that ! This was an amazing book! I am mad that I have to wait for the next one.. but that’s okay I think it will be well worth it !
Read this ! You won’t be disappointed and you will find an ending that you probably have never seen !
Okay.. okay.. got that out of the way….
I picked this up after a facebook post of the author at a book signing. I saw “found footage” and I was immediately hooked. grabbed it the day it was out on Kindle unlimited. I started it, but wasn’t capturing my attention at the time. I marked it as DNF, but kept thinking about how I really didn’t give it enough time so I picked it back up. Soooo thankful I did that ! This was an amazing book! I am mad that I have to wait for the next one.. but that’s okay I think it will be well worth it !
Read this ! You won’t be disappointed and you will find an ending that you probably have never seen !
April 28, 2026
Wow, this book was awesome! The narrator had a whole creepy “I’m a nice guy, how come ‘females’ don’t like me?” vibe that I did not jive with. He simultaneously yearned for Maggie as a companion but also felt entitled to it which is gross. I know Randy was unfaithful and cheated on Maggie but Trevor trying to “win her” was crazy especially when her boyfriend was actively missing. Choosing to have a narrator with questionable and odd motivations was a bold move that paid off. It made the story all the more compelling and forced the reader to question if he was involved in his friend’s disappearance.
Side note: I reached out to the author via social media and asked a question that had been bothering me since I finished the book: Because Trevor Hightower is listed as the author of the book and is also the narrator’s name, does that mean the character is a self-insert or fictional? The author assured me that Trevor is entirely fictional and the character’s name is listed as the book’s author to play up the found footage aspect. The man is committed to the bit!
Anyway, if you love mystery and the found-footage horror genre, this is for you!
Side note: I reached out to the author via social media and asked a question that had been bothering me since I finished the book: Because Trevor Hightower is listed as the author of the book and is also the narrator’s name, does that mean the character is a self-insert or fictional? The author assured me that Trevor is entirely fictional and the character’s name is listed as the book’s author to play up the found footage aspect. The man is committed to the bit!
Anyway, if you love mystery and the found-footage horror genre, this is for you!
March 23, 2026
Title -> Finding Randy
Author -> Trevor Hightower
Rating⭐️ -> 4/5
Genre 🎃 -> Horror
Main Character 🎎 -> Randy
Book Type 📒 -> Book 1
Main Trigger Warnings ⚠️ -> Violence/gore/ suicidal ideation
this book is a arc read. Randy is out of town he is comming back into town and his friends want to surprise him by digging up a old time capsule in the woods. They are blogging about it the whole time. As there out in the woods Randy seems to dissappear. His freinds are worried and try to look for him it seems like no one else is concerned or worried about Randy going missing. as they start finding Randy or theu think there getting closer to finding him some bad things start to happen to his freinds. read the ending to find out if they find Randy what happens to the freinds.
this was a 4 out of 5 it keept me interested it was exciting kept me on my edge of my seat
Author -> Trevor Hightower
Rating⭐️ -> 4/5
Genre 🎃 -> Horror
Main Character 🎎 -> Randy
Book Type 📒 -> Book 1
Main Trigger Warnings ⚠️ -> Violence/gore/ suicidal ideation
this book is a arc read. Randy is out of town he is comming back into town and his friends want to surprise him by digging up a old time capsule in the woods. They are blogging about it the whole time. As there out in the woods Randy seems to dissappear. His freinds are worried and try to look for him it seems like no one else is concerned or worried about Randy going missing. as they start finding Randy or theu think there getting closer to finding him some bad things start to happen to his freinds. read the ending to find out if they find Randy what happens to the freinds.
this was a 4 out of 5 it keept me interested it was exciting kept me on my edge of my seat
April 17, 2026
This one completely got me.
I spent most of the book convinced I knew exactly what was going on, side-eyeing certain characters, feeling validated in how off everything seemed—and then it flipped everything on its head. The reveal ended up being way bigger and more layered than I expected, and I really appreciated how it reframed everything that came before it.
The tension and unease were there the entire time, and even when I thought I had it figured out, something still felt slightly off… which makes sense in hindsight. The twist worked for me, and I love when a thriller can genuinely surprise me like that.
Overall, a really engaging, twisty read that kept me hooked and paid off in the end. 4 stars.
I spent most of the book convinced I knew exactly what was going on, side-eyeing certain characters, feeling validated in how off everything seemed—and then it flipped everything on its head. The reveal ended up being way bigger and more layered than I expected, and I really appreciated how it reframed everything that came before it.
The tension and unease were there the entire time, and even when I thought I had it figured out, something still felt slightly off… which makes sense in hindsight. The twist worked for me, and I love when a thriller can genuinely surprise me like that.
Overall, a really engaging, twisty read that kept me hooked and paid off in the end. 4 stars.
March 11, 2026
ARC Reader Review
Holy S**T! I first need to pick my jaw up off the floor. This book caught me completely off guard! 1000% off guard but in the most spectacular way!
Randy was definitely a character to say the least with his cheering ass ways. I kind of didn’t like him at first. But OMG when this story picked up, I was LOCKED IN!!!
The absolutely twist that I DID NOT see coming was jaw dropping. The Who dun it feeling and thinking I knew who it was but being flabbergasted when it wasn’t that person!?!?
Wow! It was enticing, entertaining, intense, thrilling, and grotesque all at once. I loved it! Can’t wait for Finding Vicki!
Holy S**T! I first need to pick my jaw up off the floor. This book caught me completely off guard! 1000% off guard but in the most spectacular way!
Randy was definitely a character to say the least with his cheering ass ways. I kind of didn’t like him at first. But OMG when this story picked up, I was LOCKED IN!!!
The absolutely twist that I DID NOT see coming was jaw dropping. The Who dun it feeling and thinking I knew who it was but being flabbergasted when it wasn’t that person!?!?
Wow! It was enticing, entertaining, intense, thrilling, and grotesque all at once. I loved it! Can’t wait for Finding Vicki!
March 4, 2026
Wow, what a book. There were so many twists and turns in this book, I couldn't predict the ending at all. I loved that we followed the characters only through 10 days, and the chapters gave the time during these days. It gives the reader a higher sense of urgency, as the friends in this book are searching for Randy. They lead you to believe that almost any of them could have been involved. I loved this book so much that I finished it in 2 days! It was unlike any book I have ready before. If you like a good thriller/mystery then check out this book. I look forward to the next book!
March 24, 2026
Finding Randy is a masterclass in tension. The character and scene descriptions alone make you feel like you’re immersed in the story. I want to give spoilers, but what fun would that be? A fun adventure of digging up a time capsule turns into a story full of twists and turns. I thought I was good at spotting an unreliable narrator, but this one was different for me; I kept questioning whether I knew the story line or not. I was on the edge of my seat until the very last page. You will truly keep guessing until the very end.
March 24, 2026
This was a highly addictive and thrilling read. I had no idea what exactly I was in for when I started this one. I was just happy to get an ARC lol. But omg. Once I started this, there was no putting it down. I devoured this one so fast. It immediately grabbed me from the beginning and held me on the edge of my seat until the end. The twists and turns were wild. And it had plenty of suspense and gore. Every time I thought I knew who did it or where Randy was, I was wrong. This is an absolute must read if you like things that will hold you captive and then blow your mind in the end.
March 30, 2026
Trevor choosing to approach this book as a 'found footage' documentary made this story entertaining. Him creating a video to go along with the book also lends to making this a more interesting read. Only spanning a period of 10 days, there is a ton of substance to fill it up. There are so many twists and turns to find out what happened to Randy when he went missing from the group, and they all keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure it out.
Finding Randy does a fantastic job keeping you guessing until the very end and what a twist ending it is.
Finding Randy does a fantastic job keeping you guessing until the very end and what a twist ending it is.
March 26, 2026
Wow! This book started with boots on the ground and didn't slow down. I was enthralled from start to finish. Every time I felt I knew what was coming next, I was completely wrong, but I was very happy I was as the story just got better and better . I admit my heart was racing through the twists and turns this book delivered.
I was second-guessing everything and everyone by the end and totally shocked with the ending.
Definitely going in my top faves list. And will be looking forward to more.
I was second-guessing everything and everyone by the end and totally shocked with the ending.
Definitely going in my top faves list. And will be looking forward to more.
April 13, 2026
Freely sharing my ARC review of Finding Randy by Trevor Hightower - Author
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Clever, very clever Mr. Hightower!
The found footage inspiration and having yourself as one of the main characters is brilliant!
Kept me engaged and in suspense on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Can’t wait until next year for the next episode!
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Clever, very clever Mr. Hightower!
The found footage inspiration and having yourself as one of the main characters is brilliant!
Kept me engaged and in suspense on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Can’t wait until next year for the next episode!
March 16, 2026
I enjoyed reading the book it kept me reading. everything I put it down i pucckednit back up. I usually can figure a booknout pretty quick, this one took me a minute and I sure didn't expect the ending🤐 there is one lose end but I think it will tighten up in the second book.
March 19, 2026
The book is hard to put down once I got past the stupid way Detective Reyes acted! His remarks were stupid and unprofessional and I almost put the book down for good. But luckily I continued and it didn’t have him in it anymore. Otherwise if he had been professional, the case would have been resolved much sooner and Randy would still be alive!
I never dreamed the ending though! So many twist and turns! It kept me entertained.
I never dreamed the ending though! So many twist and turns! It kept me entertained.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2026
✨ARC Reader✨
Finding Randy was such a fun, mind-bending read. I honestly had a moment where I had to stop and look it up because the documentary element felt way too real. Like… I was fully questioning if I had somehow picked up a true story without realizing it.
The plot is wild in the best way. It keeps pulling you deeper, and every time I thought I had it figured out, it flipped again. I love when a book can actually surprise me, and this one definitely did.
That ending though… so twisty and worth it. If you like stories that blur the line between real and fiction and keep you hooked the whole time, you’ll probably eat this one up.
Finding Randy was such a fun, mind-bending read. I honestly had a moment where I had to stop and look it up because the documentary element felt way too real. Like… I was fully questioning if I had somehow picked up a true story without realizing it.
The plot is wild in the best way. It keeps pulling you deeper, and every time I thought I had it figured out, it flipped again. I love when a book can actually surprise me, and this one definitely did.
That ending though… so twisty and worth it. If you like stories that blur the line between real and fiction and keep you hooked the whole time, you’ll probably eat this one up.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews