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My Best Friend's Exorcism / Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge [Exclusive Chaplet]
103 pages, Paperback
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About the author
Grady Hendrix
66 books34.6k followersGrady Hendrix is the author of the novels Horrorstör, about a haunted IKEA, and My Best Friend's Exorcism, which is like Beaches meets The Exorcist, only it's set in the Eighties. He's also the author of We Sold Our Souls, The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and the upcoming (July 13!) Final Girl Support Group!
He's also the jerk behind the Stoker award-winning Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the 70's and 80's horror paperback boom, which contains more information about Nazi leprechauns, killer babies, and evil cats than you probably need.
And he's the screenwriter behind Mohawk, which is probably the only horror movie about the War of 1812 and Satanic Panic.
You can listen to free, amazing, and did I mention free podcasts of his fiction on Pseudopod. He also does a podcast called Super Scary Haunted Homeschool.
If you're not already sick of him, you can learn all his secrets at his website.
He's also the jerk behind the Stoker award-winning Paperbacks from Hell, a history of the 70's and 80's horror paperback boom, which contains more information about Nazi leprechauns, killer babies, and evil cats than you probably need.
And he's the screenwriter behind Mohawk, which is probably the only horror movie about the War of 1812 and Satanic Panic.
You can listen to free, amazing, and did I mention free podcasts of his fiction on Pseudopod. He also does a podcast called Super Scary Haunted Homeschool.
If you're not already sick of him, you can learn all his secrets at his website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
August 26, 2020
Full of nostalgia and pop-culture, like everything Grady Hendrix writes should be. Also has some good, spooky possession scenes. I really enjoyed it.
November 10, 2021
I listened to this as an Audiobook and although the screaming and volume kept going up and down depending on the situation, it was such a funny and quick book. Definitely kept me awake during my drive.
December 29, 2020
I really loved this book. Just know the dog dies.
February 2, 2021
Spoiler alert the Dog dies. It's horrible how the dog died and honestly feels unnecessary, like it's just for shock.
Other than that I really enjoyed this book for the most part.
I like that Hendrix has a neighborhood where his story takes place, makes it feel familiar.
I appreciated seeing Abby and Gretchen's friendship from the beginning to the end. I do wish we had got to see more of what had happened in the woods...and I kind of wonder if Abby was supposed to be possessed originally since she hears the deep voice saying her name. Who knows.
The ending really got me and made me think of my two childhood best friends, who I am so lucky and thankful are still in my life. But damn, some of it certainly hit home.
"There was no falling-out, no great tragedy, just a hundred thousand trivial moments they didn't share. Each one an inch of distance between them, and eventually those inches added up to miles."
...
"When those things happened, they learned that although those inches added up to miles, sometimes those inches were only inches after all."
"Sometimes I wonder what keeps us together...Do you? Like when it got hard, there were times we didn't talk. And I wonder why we kept trying."
Been there. And despite all this, Abby and Gretchen try. While they don't make it to see Haley's comet one last time, they try. They are together until the end. True, real, deep, hard love.
Other than that I really enjoyed this book for the most part.
I like that Hendrix has a neighborhood where his story takes place, makes it feel familiar.
I appreciated seeing Abby and Gretchen's friendship from the beginning to the end. I do wish we had got to see more of what had happened in the woods...and I kind of wonder if Abby was supposed to be possessed originally since she hears the deep voice saying her name. Who knows.
The ending really got me and made me think of my two childhood best friends, who I am so lucky and thankful are still in my life. But damn, some of it certainly hit home.
"There was no falling-out, no great tragedy, just a hundred thousand trivial moments they didn't share. Each one an inch of distance between them, and eventually those inches added up to miles."
...
"When those things happened, they learned that although those inches added up to miles, sometimes those inches were only inches after all."
"Sometimes I wonder what keeps us together...Do you? Like when it got hard, there were times we didn't talk. And I wonder why we kept trying."
Been there. And despite all this, Abby and Gretchen try. While they don't make it to see Haley's comet one last time, they try. They are together until the end. True, real, deep, hard love.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2020
I don't ever write review but this book is hilarious. It's set in the 1980's and all the chapters are named after songs. That sucked me in right there, being a child of the 80's. Four girls in high school are just trying to get by and on one strange night things get a little weird.
I am not typically a comedy fan because I love all things dark and creepy but this has both elements. I am going to pick of another book by this author as it definitely kept my attention.
I am not typically a comedy fan because I love all things dark and creepy but this has both elements. I am going to pick of another book by this author as it definitely kept my attention.
October 17, 2022
I wasn't a fan of this - I picked it up for spooky szn and I saw a lot of people on Booksta posting and raving about it. I got about 115-120 pages in and just couldn't get into the book. The flow was too choppy for me and I just felt I was too old for the target audience.
October 16, 2020
seriously, i loved this book so much!! you wouldn't think a book about an exorcism would also be funny and have tons of awesome 80s music.
September 14, 2020
Loved the 80s setting and the the twists!
February 10, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun and engaging story. I love the way the ending was explained and finalized the lives of the girls in the book.
July 29, 2023
Fun book
June 9, 2023
I am NOT a fan of this. I did a speed read through it. It just didn't hold my attention long enough. But I did finish it.
October 13, 2021
Generally speaking, I'd say that this is the most accessible exorcism tale I've encountered for the non horror fans. There are a few scenes that get fairly heavy, but nothing too dark or shocking. It's as much a novel about navigating the social minefield of adolescent friendships and peer relationships as it is about possession. That's not a knock, the interpersonal dynamics are the strongest part of the story. The high school melodrama and parents-just-don't-understand perspective can seem a bit farfetched at times, but for the most part feel familiar if you can still put yourself in a 16 year old mindset.
Final note, if you grew up in the 80's you'll definitely get a kick out of the nostalgic pop culture elements. If you didn't live through the satanic cult scare of the time period then that might seem unrealistic. Trust me, it's not. According to the evening news people were getting sacrificed in the woods of every small town, and if your kid played D&D then their soul was all but lost.
Final note, if you grew up in the 80's you'll definitely get a kick out of the nostalgic pop culture elements. If you didn't live through the satanic cult scare of the time period then that might seem unrealistic. Trust me, it's not. According to the evening news people were getting sacrificed in the woods of every small town, and if your kid played D&D then their soul was all but lost.
September 6, 2020
This book is 100% one of the things that convinced me I was right to get back into reading as a hobby.
Not only is this book a vivid picture of the lives of two slightly unfortunate girls, it is full of horrible surprises, mounting tension, and a strong friendship without being cheesy. It managed to be funny in places in ways that did not break the tension or interrupt the flow of horror, and fantastic satire of the way way parents are so desperate to make sure their teenagers aren’t getting up to anything wrong whilst also not giving a crap about whether or not they’re in any trouble as long as they’re presentable.
In a world where teenage girls are easily dismissed as annoying and petty it is very refreshing to finally have an author treat their teenage girl characters with respect, to speak about sexuality without making it horrid (except of course, when its not so savoury). The fallouts with friends and social status are made to be important because Hendrix understands that is what is important to the characters. The characters have nuance too, and even those who don’t end up changing or going through anything major hardly feel static because they’re likely to be relatable figures.
As a person who didn’t grow up in the 80s or America, some of the pop culture references pass me by, but the bits that do matter (The satanic panic, the class differences, the movies and songs that are important to the characters) are easy to follow along and understand.
Some sickening moments against a touching backdrop. Special mention to both book covers as well- both the official goodreads one and the more VHS-inspired one, for actually looking like horror books.
Not only is this book a vivid picture of the lives of two slightly unfortunate girls, it is full of horrible surprises, mounting tension, and a strong friendship without being cheesy. It managed to be funny in places in ways that did not break the tension or interrupt the flow of horror, and fantastic satire of the way way parents are so desperate to make sure their teenagers aren’t getting up to anything wrong whilst also not giving a crap about whether or not they’re in any trouble as long as they’re presentable.
In a world where teenage girls are easily dismissed as annoying and petty it is very refreshing to finally have an author treat their teenage girl characters with respect, to speak about sexuality without making it horrid (except of course, when its not so savoury). The fallouts with friends and social status are made to be important because Hendrix understands that is what is important to the characters. The characters have nuance too, and even those who don’t end up changing or going through anything major hardly feel static because they’re likely to be relatable figures.
As a person who didn’t grow up in the 80s or America, some of the pop culture references pass me by, but the bits that do matter (The satanic panic, the class differences, the movies and songs that are important to the characters) are easy to follow along and understand.
Some sickening moments against a touching backdrop. Special mention to both book covers as well- both the official goodreads one and the more VHS-inspired one, for actually looking like horror books.
April 11, 2021
Wow! What a trip! I don’t even know where to begin with this one. Let me see if I can make some sense of everything going through my head. This book is not for everyone. It’s a book about life long friendship between two best friends. It’s a horror book in some parts. It does deal with explicit exorcism. This might make some people uneasy. I know it made me squirm in discomfort. It has plenty of light hearted moments of two childhood friends who grew up together and graduated in 1989. So there are lots of references to pop culture in the 80’s. For me, this was a road trip down memory lane. This book made me feel, happy, sad, horrified, disgusted and any other feeling that could be dragged up. At times I felt as if this author was given a writing assignment on evoking every human feeling out there.
Over all, my biggest complaint was it was lengthy. There were times that I felt as if the author was going on about things that could have been shortened or even eliminated. On the other hand, I didn’t get bored. I was hooked and couldn’t stop. I listened to this on Audible and finished the entire thing in one day. I couldn’t do anything else until I finished. So , you must deduce what you can and decide for yourself if this book is for you. If it is, be prepared to go on a wild ride!
Over all, my biggest complaint was it was lengthy. There were times that I felt as if the author was going on about things that could have been shortened or even eliminated. On the other hand, I didn’t get bored. I was hooked and couldn’t stop. I listened to this on Audible and finished the entire thing in one day. I couldn’t do anything else until I finished. So , you must deduce what you can and decide for yourself if this book is for you. If it is, be prepared to go on a wild ride!
January 6, 2021
This book is about two friends in high school in the 80's, one of whom gets possessed by a demon - the title pretty much sums up the rest. Though I have some relatively minor stylistic quibbles, I'm giving this book a 4 out of 5. I am doing that because this book is disturbing, disgusting and extremely amusing and books that can pull off that combo are rare indeed. If anyone cares, my beefs are just with the way the narrative is framed. It's set up as a flashback, which is fine, then the story occurs in 'real time' then it becomes the present again and a bunch of time skips, I just didn't think any of that was necessary, the main '80's' storyline more than holds its own. But blah blah blah, that's enough about that. This is a quick, fun - though as stated, also disturbing and disgusting, read that any horror reader will appreciate. If you grew up in the 80's, you will be doubly amused. The physical set up of the book as a high school year book is also unique and a fun added bonus. A good read, recommend.
August 7, 2021
This is the second Grady Hendrix book and wow this does not disappoint. This is gross and scary and creepy and eerie and everything I want a horror novel to be. 10/10 for the cover as well. I'd definitely recommend this book. I love the 80's setting, and I love the title of each chapter being an 80's song, it was hilarious and awesome. There were a few plot complaints I had about this book but overall it worked so well that I can hardly remember them. I also can see a difference/improvement with Southern Book Club Guide To Vampires from this book's cohesiveness and plot tightness over all and shows nice growth. I would love to see this as an HBO Mini Series, I think it would work great as a tv show for sure. I'm a big fan of Grady Hendrix, it's official he's on my must read authors list.
October 10, 2020
I picked this book up after beginning the author's other novel, Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. It's mentioned that this book was set in the same neighborhood, just a few years before, so I had to read it first. It's a really great story, full of nostalgia for the 80s, and really a bit thrilling. It gets a bit nuts as the demonic possession gets worse, and couldn't put it down til the end.
July 11, 2021
I graduated high school in 1988 and this brought back some fun memories of high school in the 80s. I enjoyed the story very much. Sometimes the horror seemed to creep up and come out of nowhere and other times it was anticipated and sustained.
If you hate it when animals are abused, skip this one.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was way over the top for a lot of scenes. I don’t need whiny, screaming teenagers in my audiobooks.
If you hate it when animals are abused, skip this one.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was way over the top for a lot of scenes. I don’t need whiny, screaming teenagers in my audiobooks.
February 9, 2021
What a great book! I still can’t believe this was written by a man! And if he’s married, his wife is a lucky lady because he gets girls!! Sweet, creepy, gross yet hilarious. And if you’re a girl who grew up in the 80’s/90’s, this is your jam!
February 13, 2019
Paranormal Funny!
January 6, 2022
Fabulous!
September 12, 2022
Who knew horror and comedy could coexist between two covers? A book podcast recently hailed Grady Hendrix as the king of creating nuanced female characters within the horror genre. After having read a few of his books (including this one), I'm inclined to agree.
The story focuses on two best friends - Abby and Gretchen, whose friendship is cemented in the fifth grade when Gretchen is the only one who shows up for Abby's birthday party. A few years later, when the girls are hanging out in the woods, Gretchen wanders off and comes back completely changed. She's doing some strange things, saying things that are even stranger, and no one else seems to suspect anything. Eventually, Abby concludes it must either be drugs or demon possession...and if you read the title, I suppose you've figured out which it might be.
Was I the only one who got Stranger Things vibes? There's a friend being held captive against their wishes by an evil force, and it's up to the sole friend(s) to figure out how to save them. What started out as a horrifying reality for one of the characters became a place for the power of friendship to shine. Not only that, the pop references to the 80s and 90s were such a hit of nostalgia.
As I find with most Grady Hendrix books, the gore started to get really 'out there' as I reached the end of the book, but it was mostly in good fun. Speaking of fun, I LOVED the way this book was made to resemble a yearbook. The inside covers have all kinds of handwritten messages from classmates (some of whom are mentioned in the story), and there are even facsimile yearbook ads and class pictures in the starting and end pages. It reminds me of the way Horrorstör was made to look like an actual furniture character - I adore such book whimsy!
The story focuses on two best friends - Abby and Gretchen, whose friendship is cemented in the fifth grade when Gretchen is the only one who shows up for Abby's birthday party. A few years later, when the girls are hanging out in the woods, Gretchen wanders off and comes back completely changed. She's doing some strange things, saying things that are even stranger, and no one else seems to suspect anything. Eventually, Abby concludes it must either be drugs or demon possession...and if you read the title, I suppose you've figured out which it might be.
Was I the only one who got Stranger Things vibes? There's a friend being held captive against their wishes by an evil force, and it's up to the sole friend(s) to figure out how to save them. What started out as a horrifying reality for one of the characters became a place for the power of friendship to shine. Not only that, the pop references to the 80s and 90s were such a hit of nostalgia.
As I find with most Grady Hendrix books, the gore started to get really 'out there' as I reached the end of the book, but it was mostly in good fun. Speaking of fun, I LOVED the way this book was made to resemble a yearbook. The inside covers have all kinds of handwritten messages from classmates (some of whom are mentioned in the story), and there are even facsimile yearbook ads and class pictures in the starting and end pages. It reminds me of the way Horrorstör was made to look like an actual furniture character - I adore such book whimsy!
March 3, 2022
Grady Hendrix has a way of writing about friendship, and including details everyone can relate to, that make his books special.
Gretchen and Abby are best friends, but Gretchen becomes possessed by a demon. (It is never made clear how, exactly, she was possessed. At one point she gets lost, naked, in the woods after skinny dipping and later tells Abby she was “raped” which I’m guessing is her memory of being possessed.)
She gets all crusty and starts to smell, but no one listens when Abby insists something is wrong. She tries telling Gretchen’s parents, but they accuse her of giving Gretchen drugs and tell her to stop coming around. She tries to tell authorities at their school and she’s threatened with expulsion.
Meanwhile, weird things are happening. Their friend Margaret, who has always wanted to be thin, starts dropping weight until she’s skeletally thin. Their friend Glee has a crush on Father Morgan, and almost throws herself off the school roof when he doesn’t acknowledge her feelings. The worst part, by far, is the death of Max the Good Dog. Gretchen kills her family pet, while possessed. It is terrible. Curses on authors who harm animals in the writing of stories.
Abby does manage to save Gretchen, though love and friendship and the half-assed assistance of a wannabe exorcist.
They drift apart and come together after Abby isn’t convicted of kidnapping and drugging Gretchen, and tying her to a bed, and over the years remain friends.
Bonus points for the incredibly gross and explicit scenes of possession. Hendrix has a gift for disgusting and vivid imagery.
Gretchen and Abby are best friends, but Gretchen becomes possessed by a demon. (It is never made clear how, exactly, she was possessed. At one point she gets lost, naked, in the woods after skinny dipping and later tells Abby she was “raped” which I’m guessing is her memory of being possessed.)
She gets all crusty and starts to smell, but no one listens when Abby insists something is wrong. She tries telling Gretchen’s parents, but they accuse her of giving Gretchen drugs and tell her to stop coming around. She tries to tell authorities at their school and she’s threatened with expulsion.
Meanwhile, weird things are happening. Their friend Margaret, who has always wanted to be thin, starts dropping weight until she’s skeletally thin. Their friend Glee has a crush on Father Morgan, and almost throws herself off the school roof when he doesn’t acknowledge her feelings. The worst part, by far, is the death of Max the Good Dog. Gretchen kills her family pet, while possessed. It is terrible. Curses on authors who harm animals in the writing of stories.
Abby does manage to save Gretchen, though love and friendship and the half-assed assistance of a wannabe exorcist.
They drift apart and come together after Abby isn’t convicted of kidnapping and drugging Gretchen, and tying her to a bed, and over the years remain friends.
Bonus points for the incredibly gross and explicit scenes of possession. Hendrix has a gift for disgusting and vivid imagery.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2022
2016, horror fiction, paranormal fiction
Awards and acclaim: Booklist Editors' Choice - Adult Fiction for Young Adults (2016)
Target reader: YA
Appeal: character-driven, compelling, creepy, darkly humorous, fast-paced, high-drama, nostalgic, strong sense of place
LOC subject headings: High school students -- Fiction.
Teenage girls -- Fiction.
Exorcism -- Fiction.
Demoniac possession -- Fiction.
Nineteen eighties -- Fiction.
FICTION / General.
Horror fiction.
Paranormal fiction.
1988. Charleston, South Carolina. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinnydipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act--different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she's nearby. Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries--and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
physical copies: 7
e-books (overdrive): 3
e-audiobooks (hoopla, overdrive): 3
Awards and acclaim: Booklist Editors' Choice - Adult Fiction for Young Adults (2016)
Target reader: YA
Appeal: character-driven, compelling, creepy, darkly humorous, fast-paced, high-drama, nostalgic, strong sense of place
LOC subject headings: High school students -- Fiction.
Teenage girls -- Fiction.
Exorcism -- Fiction.
Demoniac possession -- Fiction.
Nineteen eighties -- Fiction.
FICTION / General.
Horror fiction.
Paranormal fiction.
1988. Charleston, South Carolina. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth grade. But after an evening of skinnydipping goes disastrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act--different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she's nearby. Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries--and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single question: Is their friendship powerful enough to beat the devil?
physical copies: 7
e-books (overdrive): 3
e-audiobooks (hoopla, overdrive): 3
July 7, 2022
A great book for those who love the nostalgia and campiness of the 80s. I mean, a bodybuilder exorcist? An E.T. themed birthday party at a roller-skating rink? Meetings at the mall food court? This book is THICK with atmosphere. I didn't grow up in that time, but I can enjoy the cultural references and humor.
Personally, I wanted more HORROR but this is actually a story about friendship and identity. It skirts on queer-baiting, not because the girls joke they love each other "dearly but not queerly" but because of the power of the relationship portrayed- plus, there are mentions of "something I have to tell you" added here and there on top of other evidence (no spoilers) teasing of the unspoken in a book that is otherwise anything BUT subtle. Fun but not my favorite flavor of storytelling.
Personally, I wanted more HORROR but this is actually a story about friendship and identity. It skirts on queer-baiting, not because the girls joke they love each other "dearly but not queerly" but because of the power of the relationship portrayed- plus, there are mentions of "something I have to tell you" added here and there on top of other evidence (no spoilers) teasing of the unspoken in a book that is otherwise anything BUT subtle. Fun but not my favorite flavor of storytelling.
October 15, 2022
3 stars
Back with another spooky book club installment:
I don’t have a lot to say about this book. I got through it quickly, and it was an easy read. It’s like Heathers, the Exorcist and a touch of the Jennifer’s Body. It was funny at times, but I never really thought it was scary.
I think it would’ve been much more interesting if we (the reader) hadn’t known that Gretchen was being possessed. I felt like it took a long time for Abby to make the realization to be made and/or action to begin.
Overall, I liked it - I didn’t love it.
Back with another spooky book club installment:
I don’t have a lot to say about this book. I got through it quickly, and it was an easy read. It’s like Heathers, the Exorcist and a touch of the Jennifer’s Body. It was funny at times, but I never really thought it was scary.
I think it would’ve been much more interesting if we (the reader) hadn’t known that Gretchen was being possessed. I felt like it took a long time for Abby to make the realization to be made and/or action to begin.
Overall, I liked it - I didn’t love it.
April 6, 2024
Lots of nostalgia embedded in this one. Granted, I'm not at 80's bb but I understood a lot of the references to 80's pop culture and the chapter names after popular 80 songs lol Starts off innocent and builds up on the relationship of two young girls and as they get older the story gets more complicated until suddenly, the possession happens! From there it's Abby trying to save her best friends life while navigating teenage life and coming to terms that her best friend is even possessed and not just becoming a dick. Kept my interest pretty well
May 20, 2021
No chaplet in my reading but the book was thoroughly entertaining as is. From bonding over 10 year old trauma to teen mystery-2 superclose friends find themselves devolving as one is 'occupied' by new behaviors after a mysterious disappearance and the other tasked with saving her. Silly and dark with a fine resolution.
September 15, 2023
The only thing that really bugs me is the part about Molly. It's brought up as though something to do with her might feature in the book or help fix the characters situation but then it's dropped completely. I'm not sure what it was meant to add to the book.
The playfulness of the writing was fun and I enjoyed the story.
The playfulness of the writing was fun and I enjoyed the story.
July 8, 2025
I love the design and concept of this book. The little details and pictures help to immerse me into the story. It was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. With all that said, the ending was…lame. It almost felt like the writer gave up. I struggled with giving it 4 stars. However the deciding factor was the fact that I couldn’t put it down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews