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Most Likely to Die
Voted 'Most Likely to Succeed' by her peers, popular cheerleader Brynn Baldwin has it all. However, when her yearbook photo is defaced, now branded the girl 'Most Likely to Die', her world is shaken. As a psychotic killer dressed as the school mascot begins to slash through the ones closest to Brynn, she discovers that no one can be trusted... and high school can be murder.
Most Likely to Die is a throwback homage to the classic '90s whodunnit slasher films. It’s a bloody, twisted tale filled with suspense, carnage, and laughs that will have you screaming for more until the final chapter.
Most Likely to Die is a throwback homage to the classic '90s whodunnit slasher films. It’s a bloody, twisted tale filled with suspense, carnage, and laughs that will have you screaming for more until the final chapter.
146 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2020
199 people are currently reading
863 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 18, 2024
There’s nothing worse than when you pick up a book that you’ve been wanting to read for the longest time and it turns out to be disappointing. Sadly that was the case for this book.
What I did enjoy is how this reminded me of a classic slasher where you sit there and yell at the characters for making stupid decisions that could inevitably get them or someone else killed. The kill scenes were also something that I enjoyed.
What I didn’t enjoy was that I could not stand the characters and due to that I did not want to root for them at all. I also hated the fact that Brynn had just witnessed her boyfriend get murdered and the first thing she does? Hooks up with a guy she technically knows NOTHING about. I thought it was so odd and reading it made me just raise my eyebrow.
I really wanted to love this but sadly it just fell flat for me I think this could be great for people who want to dip their toes in a thriller that isn’t too gory or just looking for a fast-paced read.
What I did enjoy is how this reminded me of a classic slasher where you sit there and yell at the characters for making stupid decisions that could inevitably get them or someone else killed. The kill scenes were also something that I enjoyed.
What I didn’t enjoy was that I could not stand the characters and due to that I did not want to root for them at all. I also hated the fact that Brynn had just witnessed her boyfriend get murdered and the first thing she does? Hooks up with a guy she technically knows NOTHING about. I thought it was so odd and reading it made me just raise my eyebrow.
I really wanted to love this but sadly it just fell flat for me I think this could be great for people who want to dip their toes in a thriller that isn’t too gory or just looking for a fast-paced read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2022
This book is a great example of a slasher - it seems ripped from the screens of teen movies and placed into a book for those of us desperate to recreate our love of slashers in our favourite medium.
It is perfect from fans of Scream. In fact, some of the scenes seem to be taken almost directly from the first movie. Examples include Haley being strung up from the goal posts on the football field - just like the principal in the movie. And the police officer who you think is ok, but is actually stabbed in the back and stumbles and falls, just like Dewey!
There are some good twists and turns in this book and lots of interesting red herrings for sure.
Ultimately this book is trash, but it is delicious and tasty. its like a McDonalds burger - there are much much better choices out there, but sometimes you just crave the cheap sauce and greasy meat.
This book toes a fine line between YA and adult - it's basically like a slightly grown up version of Point Horror books. There are some gross moments, some shocking deaths, but mostly this is just a bit of fun and light-hearted, if you can imagine untimely teen deaths to be light-hearted that is. So very reminiscent of Scream.
It is perfect from fans of Scream. In fact, some of the scenes seem to be taken almost directly from the first movie. Examples include Haley being strung up from the goal posts on the football field - just like the principal in the movie. And the police officer who you think is ok, but is actually stabbed in the back and stumbles and falls, just like Dewey!
There are some good twists and turns in this book and lots of interesting red herrings for sure.
Ultimately this book is trash, but it is delicious and tasty. its like a McDonalds burger - there are much much better choices out there, but sometimes you just crave the cheap sauce and greasy meat.
This book toes a fine line between YA and adult - it's basically like a slightly grown up version of Point Horror books. There are some gross moments, some shocking deaths, but mostly this is just a bit of fun and light-hearted, if you can imagine untimely teen deaths to be light-hearted that is. So very reminiscent of Scream.
August 16, 2020
This book very much read like a slasher movie. It's your typical teenage high school drama. Teens are being killed. Once the yearbook comes out, one target's picture is voted 'Most Likely to Die', which isn't one of the usual high school categories. The whole time I was reading this book, I kept thinking of the movie 'Scream'. The main character goes to her friend that loves horror movies to try and figure out who the killer is. However, unlike 'Scream', this book decided that the usual horror movie tropes had died to change with the current time. Example Given.. There are no more virgins.
At first, I felt like I was getting overloaded with all the different characters and trying to keep them straight in my head. As the story progressed, the more dominant characters stood apart. I don't want to spoil anything.... Let's say the ending was not as fulfilling as I would have wished. Overall, it's still a good story.
At first, I felt like I was getting overloaded with all the different characters and trying to keep them straight in my head. As the story progressed, the more dominant characters stood apart. I don't want to spoil anything.... Let's say the ending was not as fulfilling as I would have wished. Overall, it's still a good story.
June 21, 2024
Holy shit this book is terrible.
I'm not sure if it's meant for adults or young adults, but either way, it's some of the worst writing I have ever had to force myself through.
The only reason I finished the fucking thing is because I am stubborn.
I've never seen so many words repeated, or the same poor writing techniques relied on.
Ah! Cried Brynn.
AH! Screamed Theo
Ah! Cassie screamed.
EVERY. FUCKING. TIME.
Every single person who gets murdered in this book screams AH!
If I had to take a shot for every Ah! I would have to go to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.
And the plot is basically a rip off of 90's horrors like Scream and Urban Legend.
And I am still trying to make sense of this line:
"To see Cassie's curled into a ball passenger seat; her long, brown hair matted with blood"
Was that a typo? If not, WTF?
I'm pissed I made myself read this.
AH!
I'm not sure if it's meant for adults or young adults, but either way, it's some of the worst writing I have ever had to force myself through.
The only reason I finished the fucking thing is because I am stubborn.
I've never seen so many words repeated, or the same poor writing techniques relied on.
Ah! Cried Brynn.
AH! Screamed Theo
Ah! Cassie screamed.
EVERY. FUCKING. TIME.
Every single person who gets murdered in this book screams AH!
If I had to take a shot for every Ah! I would have to go to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.
And the plot is basically a rip off of 90's horrors like Scream and Urban Legend.
And I am still trying to make sense of this line:
"To see Cassie's curled into a ball passenger seat; her long, brown hair matted with blood"
Was that a typo? If not, WTF?
I'm pissed I made myself read this.
AH!
September 17, 2022
DNF'd at 8%. Terrible and inconsistent formatting. Ultimately, I couldn't get past the characters saying, "Ah!" constantly. It would have been better to have the narrator describe the character screaming.
June 5, 2020
What a Scream
High school is bad enough for Brynn and her cool friends, but when people start dying in grisly ways, there are more than a few suspects who hate the cheers and jocks. I was expecting a typical slash fest but this book kicked that up a few notches with memorable characters, odd twists and visceral details. Great thriller but you won’t want to read this late at night!
High school is bad enough for Brynn and her cool friends, but when people start dying in grisly ways, there are more than a few suspects who hate the cheers and jocks. I was expecting a typical slash fest but this book kicked that up a few notches with memorable characters, odd twists and visceral details. Great thriller but you won’t want to read this late at night!
June 1, 2020
MOST LIKELY TO DIE is everything I wanted in a Thriller/Suspense novel! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The way PJ’s words had chills running up and down my back, bringing me back to the old slasher movie days with all the references. I LOVED it!!!! The character arcs were well paced and solid. The incident incident, nice one. The overall story arc was well constructed and even motivated me to start plotting the thriller I wanted to write. If you love horror and slasher movies, then pick up a copy of MOST LIKELY TO DIE.
January 30, 2021
This book is clearly heavily inspired by the movie Scream, but Brynn Baldwin (the protagonist) is no Sidney Prescott.
Brynn Baldwin is a bully and a bi***.
No one wants to root for a bully, and that's the reason I give this book 1 star.
Also, she watches her boyfriend slashed to death, yet she don't mind going out on a date with another guy three days later? What's the deal with this sick girl?
Brynn Baldwin is a bully and a bi***.
No one wants to root for a bully, and that's the reason I give this book 1 star.
Also, she watches her boyfriend slashed to death, yet she don't mind going out on a date with another guy three days later? What's the deal with this sick girl?
June 7, 2020
Fun read
Super fun read that keeps you guessing. Loved the characters and the horror icon nods. Looking for word to more by Stanley
Super fun read that keeps you guessing. Loved the characters and the horror icon nods. Looking for word to more by Stanley
June 2, 2020
Let me begin by saying that Most Likely to Die is unlike any book that I’ve read before. Prior to picking this up, I didn’t even know that slasher novels were a thing. This book has now sent me down a rabbit hole of this genre and I can’t get enough. I’ll preface this review by saying that I am a huge fan of the horror genre, especially that of the 80’s and 90’s. It is clear, through the plot and writing, that P.J. Stanley is as well, and thus caters his themes, characters, and dialogue to that audience (certainly no complaints here).
As any true horror fan knows, there are sets of rules and principles to the formula and makeup of a slasher: sex-crazed teenagers at booze-filled parties get picked off one by one by a masked assailant; sometimes it’s a sociopathic murderer escaped from an asylum who wields a butcher knife; sometimes it’s a large, masked man with a machete who loves to hang out at summer camp; sin equals a one-way ticket to being slayed; the killer is everywhere and nowhere, all at once; the virgin is the Final Girl.
Basic, cliché rules…unless you’re Brynn Baldwin and her friends at Bridgefield High School. With callbacks to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Most Likely to Die breaks with tradition and the well-known stereotypes. Racing through the pages, I found myself asking, “What are the rules?” It was refreshing to think I knew how the story was going to play out, to only be steered in the opposite direction by each proceeding chapter.
Starting with the second chapter, I kept a list of everyone who I suspected to be the crazed killer. In no time, I found myself crossing names off of my list as my suspects would get murdered. I found myself rooting for certain characters and hoping that they wouldn’t be next (or the killer). Reading this book was like watching a movie. I was overly eager to get to the end and find out who was behind the mask.
P.J. Stanley reinvents the idea of what it means to be called “The Popular Girl,” “The Weirdo,” “The Jock,” “The Cheerleader,” and any other high school title out there. Not everyone is who they seem, and sometimes all it takes is a trip inside of yourself (and being targeted by a serial killer) to realize that you are more than your stereotype. I appreciated the subtleties in the characters and their personal stories, even if they only featured for a brief moment in this fast-paced tale.
I found myself smiling through most of this book. P.J. Stanley is great with dialogue, which makes the characters come alive and seem real and relatable. I literally gasped out loud when I found out who the killer was and then shouted “no way!” at even more twists later on. The kills are right out of a movie and brought me back to some of my favorite scenes in films, such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Final Destination.
For the real horror fans out there - you will appreciate the sneaky easter eggs P.J. Stanley threw into this book. Keep an eye on names, descriptions, and Billy the Bull’s kills. It took me two reads to pick up on all of the little throwbacks, and as a fan of the genre, I can’t appreciate that level of detail enough.
If you want a fast read filled with murder, mayhem, and a dysfunctional high school hierarchy, Most Likely to Die is for you. You don’t have to be a die-hard slasher fan to appreciate the story and the action, but those who love the genre should be happy to add one more piece of media to their shelves.
As any true horror fan knows, there are sets of rules and principles to the formula and makeup of a slasher: sex-crazed teenagers at booze-filled parties get picked off one by one by a masked assailant; sometimes it’s a sociopathic murderer escaped from an asylum who wields a butcher knife; sometimes it’s a large, masked man with a machete who loves to hang out at summer camp; sin equals a one-way ticket to being slayed; the killer is everywhere and nowhere, all at once; the virgin is the Final Girl.
Basic, cliché rules…unless you’re Brynn Baldwin and her friends at Bridgefield High School. With callbacks to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Most Likely to Die breaks with tradition and the well-known stereotypes. Racing through the pages, I found myself asking, “What are the rules?” It was refreshing to think I knew how the story was going to play out, to only be steered in the opposite direction by each proceeding chapter.
Starting with the second chapter, I kept a list of everyone who I suspected to be the crazed killer. In no time, I found myself crossing names off of my list as my suspects would get murdered. I found myself rooting for certain characters and hoping that they wouldn’t be next (or the killer). Reading this book was like watching a movie. I was overly eager to get to the end and find out who was behind the mask.
P.J. Stanley reinvents the idea of what it means to be called “The Popular Girl,” “The Weirdo,” “The Jock,” “The Cheerleader,” and any other high school title out there. Not everyone is who they seem, and sometimes all it takes is a trip inside of yourself (and being targeted by a serial killer) to realize that you are more than your stereotype. I appreciated the subtleties in the characters and their personal stories, even if they only featured for a brief moment in this fast-paced tale.
I found myself smiling through most of this book. P.J. Stanley is great with dialogue, which makes the characters come alive and seem real and relatable. I literally gasped out loud when I found out who the killer was and then shouted “no way!” at even more twists later on. The kills are right out of a movie and brought me back to some of my favorite scenes in films, such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Final Destination.
For the real horror fans out there - you will appreciate the sneaky easter eggs P.J. Stanley threw into this book. Keep an eye on names, descriptions, and Billy the Bull’s kills. It took me two reads to pick up on all of the little throwbacks, and as a fan of the genre, I can’t appreciate that level of detail enough.
If you want a fast read filled with murder, mayhem, and a dysfunctional high school hierarchy, Most Likely to Die is for you. You don’t have to be a die-hard slasher fan to appreciate the story and the action, but those who love the genre should be happy to add one more piece of media to their shelves.
June 7, 2020
Horror at it's best! This is most unusual in a book. A slasher movie in words. But also a mystery as you try to figure out who is doing the slashing and why. This is a very easy read that will hold you from the beginning to the end. It will also have you jumping at any unexpected noise. I loved it!!
October 26, 2023
This was a fast read so I wasn't going to DNF this book even though there were times I wanted to.
As a HUGE slasher fan I was interested in this book as soon as I saw it but it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. The kills are what saved the book for me - the CONSTANT "ah" did start to get redundant the more I read. I would recommend if if you're looking for a fast read to add a book to your reading challenge but I am not sure if you'll fully enjoy it.
As a HUGE slasher fan I was interested in this book as soon as I saw it but it definitely wasn't what I was expecting. The kills are what saved the book for me - the CONSTANT "ah" did start to get redundant the more I read. I would recommend if if you're looking for a fast read to add a book to your reading challenge but I am not sure if you'll fully enjoy it.
dnf
June 3, 2024The language is too much for me in this one. When there are six "F" words on one page let alone almost all of them in the same paragraph, that's too much for me.
June 5, 2020
Horrific, nostalgic and pulpy in all the best ways!
If you were a horror junkie as a kid in the 90s like me, then this is the pulpy teen story you’ve been waiting for! With flavors of RL Stine and Christopher Pike but with the grown-up gore of movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, this book is the perfect way to take a bloody scream-filled trip back down memory lane.
If you were a horror junkie as a kid in the 90s like me, then this is the pulpy teen story you’ve been waiting for! With flavors of RL Stine and Christopher Pike but with the grown-up gore of movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, this book is the perfect way to take a bloody scream-filled trip back down memory lane.
April 14, 2022
This is a fun quick read. I love slasher movies and shows and this reads just like a 80’s/90’s slasher movie. Very little depth or substance to it. All action. You get some nice nods to iconic slasher movies and the end is pretty predictable if you love the genre but it was an entertaining read.
July 4, 2023
The book was fine, nothing too spectacular. There were a lot of scenes where a victim tries to run away from the killer but gets ultimately killed in a gruesome way. Some pretty unrealistic stuff such as someone's head being cut in half after a 100 lb weight was dropped on it. Another example was someone getting beheaded with a paper cutter after only one slice.
The amount of times in the book where the characters went "AH!" or "Somebody help me!" is absurd. It was funny at first but it quickly got stale.
I enjoyed some of the dialogue in this story because the characters talked like actual highschoolers.
Principal Roth was a total creepand a disgusting character.
Also you can't convince me that a most likely weak nerd like Dougie was able to take down an officer and drag all those bodies around. Also, this dude never misses with his aim. He perfectly shot a bow and arrow multiple times and threw an axe with impeccable aim... All while wearing gloves and a mascot head.
Overall rating: 2 bowie knives out of 5 "AH!"s
The amount of times in the book where the characters went "AH!" or "Somebody help me!" is absurd. It was funny at first but it quickly got stale.
I enjoyed some of the dialogue in this story because the characters talked like actual highschoolers.
Principal Roth was a total creepand a disgusting character.
Also you can't convince me that a most likely weak nerd like Dougie was able to take down an officer and drag all those bodies around. Also, this dude never misses with his aim. He perfectly shot a bow and arrow multiple times and threw an axe with impeccable aim... All while wearing gloves and a mascot head.
Overall rating: 2 bowie knives out of 5 "AH!"s
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2023
"Ah, someone."
I don't rate books 1 star very often. However, if I had to read "Ahhhh, someone, someone help" one more time, I was going to scratch my eyeballs out. This was a teen slasher. Classic mean high school girl, and the classmates that get revenge. Brynn's friends start dying all around her. Once the yearbook is released (which was not edited just as this book didn't seem to be), everyone is talking about her. Her face is covered in X's and she is labeled "Most Likely to Die."
There's no character development here. I didn't care about anyone. Every time someone died, they all screamed the exact same thing, which was really starting to grate my nerves by the end of the book. This story had potential, and I love a good slasher, but unfortunately, this just didn't work.
I don't rate books 1 star very often. However, if I had to read "Ahhhh, someone, someone help" one more time, I was going to scratch my eyeballs out. This was a teen slasher. Classic mean high school girl, and the classmates that get revenge. Brynn's friends start dying all around her. Once the yearbook is released (which was not edited just as this book didn't seem to be), everyone is talking about her. Her face is covered in X's and she is labeled "Most Likely to Die."
There's no character development here. I didn't care about anyone. Every time someone died, they all screamed the exact same thing, which was really starting to grate my nerves by the end of the book. This story had potential, and I love a good slasher, but unfortunately, this just didn't work.
April 3, 2024
Horrendous. Did this have even have an editor? Omg night ruining truly. Book was soulless. Obviously no true love for horror movies or like… writing books in general.
June 19, 2020
Most Likely to Die, a recently released book by PJ Stanley, is a classic slasher film in book form. Inspired by the 90’s style of horror films, this book opens with death and maintains it to the bloody end. Brynn Baldwin is the most popular girl in school, and the most hated. She goes out of her way to be cruel to those around her. Yet, they continue to be her friends. That is until an unknown killer begins to kill those around her. She fails to convince people that she is the center of it. Even when the school’s yearbooks feature her photo with her eyes crossed out and her senior superlative now reads, “Most Likely to Die.”
When I started this book, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Though I do not follow all horror films, I am a fan of the genre. There are aspects of this book that appear to be an homage to popular horror franchises. One of the fun things in reading this book, was even though you knew the person was going to die, it was a question of how the killer was going to do it, and at what point the victim knew their time was up.
The book opens with a cheerleader, Haley Hitchcock, who does not like Brynn. Brynn made her stay late to work on her performance, mainly for the sake of being mean. This unfortunately leads to her demise. This scene sets up the style and kills for the remainder of the book.
Come chapter 2, another victim is killed and at that point, I began to wonder if we were going to lose someone each chapter. But then the author gave us a small break to breathe and catch up. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that the killer isn’t randomly picking people. There is a plan to how they are chosen, and how they will be executed.
Stanley did a good job of throwing us red-herring killers. Throughout the book, my opinion of who the killer was kept changing. One in particular I was almost positive was the killer, until they died horribly. No, you don’t get to know who that was.
In the beginning, it is very easy to start rooting for the killer. Brynn is unlikeable. She is cruel for the sake of being cruel and as her story unfolds, we learn about her past and her prior best friend that lives next door, Gabe. Who now, after years of ignoring him and being mean to his friends, she turns to him for help. Because he is still in love with her, he does. As he tells his friends, he knew her when she was kind and believes her to still be that way underneath.
When the reader does finally discover who the killer is, it was definitely a surprise. I had not thought it was possible to be that particular person. For a moment, I was disappointed, as I felt that was an odd choice for the horror film twist. But fortunately, I was wrong, as the twist still had not happened.
If you are a fan of horror stories and slasher films, I would highly recommend this book. You will be constantly trying to guess the killer, while at the same time cheering him on as he takes out some, not so nice people.
When I started this book, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Though I do not follow all horror films, I am a fan of the genre. There are aspects of this book that appear to be an homage to popular horror franchises. One of the fun things in reading this book, was even though you knew the person was going to die, it was a question of how the killer was going to do it, and at what point the victim knew their time was up.
The book opens with a cheerleader, Haley Hitchcock, who does not like Brynn. Brynn made her stay late to work on her performance, mainly for the sake of being mean. This unfortunately leads to her demise. This scene sets up the style and kills for the remainder of the book.
Come chapter 2, another victim is killed and at that point, I began to wonder if we were going to lose someone each chapter. But then the author gave us a small break to breathe and catch up. As the story progresses it becomes apparent that the killer isn’t randomly picking people. There is a plan to how they are chosen, and how they will be executed.
Stanley did a good job of throwing us red-herring killers. Throughout the book, my opinion of who the killer was kept changing. One in particular I was almost positive was the killer, until they died horribly. No, you don’t get to know who that was.
In the beginning, it is very easy to start rooting for the killer. Brynn is unlikeable. She is cruel for the sake of being cruel and as her story unfolds, we learn about her past and her prior best friend that lives next door, Gabe. Who now, after years of ignoring him and being mean to his friends, she turns to him for help. Because he is still in love with her, he does. As he tells his friends, he knew her when she was kind and believes her to still be that way underneath.
When the reader does finally discover who the killer is, it was definitely a surprise. I had not thought it was possible to be that particular person. For a moment, I was disappointed, as I felt that was an odd choice for the horror film twist. But fortunately, I was wrong, as the twist still had not happened.
If you are a fan of horror stories and slasher films, I would highly recommend this book. You will be constantly trying to guess the killer, while at the same time cheering him on as he takes out some, not so nice people.
March 14, 2021
Who says mascots are fun?
This book took me back to the 90’s when there was a resurgence of teen slasher movies. A guilty pleasure, I found the writing style fast and engaging, with just the right amount of satire, high school snark, and of course, slashing. Staying true to the genre, Most Likely to Die, delivers plenty of heart-racing moments, suspicious characters, and the required jarring plot twist. I highly recommend it for readers of horror and YA suspense thrillers.
This book took me back to the 90’s when there was a resurgence of teen slasher movies. A guilty pleasure, I found the writing style fast and engaging, with just the right amount of satire, high school snark, and of course, slashing. Staying true to the genre, Most Likely to Die, delivers plenty of heart-racing moments, suspicious characters, and the required jarring plot twist. I highly recommend it for readers of horror and YA suspense thrillers.
June 8, 2020
Good slasher yarn
Ideal for the horror fan that enjoys teen slasher movies and stories.
The jock, the queen bee, the cheer leading squad, they all come together for a unique tong in cheek tale.
Ideal for the horror fan that enjoys teen slasher movies and stories.
The jock, the queen bee, the cheer leading squad, they all come together for a unique tong in cheek tale.
June 13, 2020
This is one of my favorite genre's to read so I knew going in my expectations were unrealistically high. I have read every book R.L. Stine has written, and was instantly given that "FEAR STREET" vibe.....which is not easy to do! If you're a sucker for plot twists, I highly recommend reading.
June 19, 2020
Wow, this was one thrill ride of action-packed gore. Think (scream/scream queens/Prom Night) I could not put this book down. I will definitely be reading more books from this author...😁
Spoiler: I loved the killers. And the hospital fight scene was amazing that one shocked me to the core. To think how quickly people can change.
Spoiler: I loved the killers. And the hospital fight scene was amazing that one shocked me to the core. To think how quickly people can change.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2025
I loved the ending
June 14, 2020
There are just no words. I am completely blown away by this piece of work. PJ Stanley, where have you been hiding yourself?!
This started out as a typical high school story with the jocks and the beauty queens and cliques, but it quickly turned into so much more! Every new chapter was fully stocked with blood, gore, nail biting, and a blade of some sort wielded in the air.
I literally read the entire book in a single sitting because I couldn't move! I had to find out who the killer was, who was next, why it was happening, how certain people were involved, then all of a sudden I had a suspect list with 5 people on it!
If you like reading at all, you'll devour this book. Highly recommended, smartly written. Just awesome! Keep your eye on PJ Stanley.
This started out as a typical high school story with the jocks and the beauty queens and cliques, but it quickly turned into so much more! Every new chapter was fully stocked with blood, gore, nail biting, and a blade of some sort wielded in the air.
I literally read the entire book in a single sitting because I couldn't move! I had to find out who the killer was, who was next, why it was happening, how certain people were involved, then all of a sudden I had a suspect list with 5 people on it!
If you like reading at all, you'll devour this book. Highly recommended, smartly written. Just awesome! Keep your eye on PJ Stanley.
June 4, 2020
Let me begin by saying that Most Likely to Die is unlike any book that I’ve read before. Prior to picking this up, I didn’t even know that slasher novels were a thing. This book has now sent me down a rabbit hole of this genre and I can’t get enough. I’ll preface this review by saying that I am a huge fan of the horror genre, especially that of the 80’s and 90’s. It is clear, through the plot and writing, that P.J. Stanley is as well, and thus caters his themes, characters, and dialogue to that audience (certainly no complaints here).
As any true horror fan knows, there are sets of rules and principles to the formula and makeup of a slasher: sex-crazed teenagers at booze-filled parties get picked off one by one by a masked assailant; sometimes it’s a sociopathic murderer escaped from an asylum who wields a butcher knife; sometimes it’s a large, masked man with a machete who loves to hang out at summer camp; sin equals a one-way ticket to being slayed; the killer is everywhere and nowhere, all at once; the virgin is the Final Girl.
Basic, cliché rules…unless you’re Brynn Baldwin and her friends at Bridgefield High School. With callbacks to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Most Likely to Die breaks with tradition and the well-known stereotypes. Racing through the pages, I found myself asking, “What are the rules?” It was refreshing to think I knew how the story was going to play out, to only be steered in the opposite direction by each proceeding chapter.
Starting with the second chapter, I kept a list of everyone who I suspected to be the crazed killer. In no time, I found myself crossing names off of my list as my suspects would get murdered. I found myself rooting for certain characters and hoping that they wouldn’t be next (or the killer). Reading this book was like watching a movie. I was overly eager to get to the end and find out who was behind the mask.
P.J. Stanley reinvents the idea of what it means to be called “The Popular Girl,” “The Weirdo,” “The Jock,” “The Cheerleader,” and any other high school title out there. Not everyone is who they seem, and sometimes all it takes is a trip inside of yourself (and being targeted by a serial killer) to realize that you are more than your stereotype. I appreciated the subtleties in the characters and their personal stories, even if they only featured for a brief moment in this fast-paced tale.
I found myself smiling through most of this book. P.J. Stanley is great with dialogue, which makes the characters come alive and seem real and relatable. I literally gasped out loud when I found out who the killer was and then shouted “no way!” at even more twists later on. The kills are right out of a movie and brought me back to some of my favorite scenes in films, such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Final Destination.
For the real horror fans out there - you will appreciate the sneaky easter eggs P.J. Stanley threw into this book. Keep an eye on names, descriptions, and Billy the Bull’s kills. It took me two reads to pick up on all of the little throwbacks, and as a fan of the genre, I can’t appreciate that level of detail enough.
If you want a fast read filled with murder, mayhem, and a dysfunctional high school hierarchy, Most Likely to Die is for you. You don’t have to be a die-hard slasher fan to appreciate the story and the action, but those who love the genre should be happy to add one more piece of media to their shelves.
As any true horror fan knows, there are sets of rules and principles to the formula and makeup of a slasher: sex-crazed teenagers at booze-filled parties get picked off one by one by a masked assailant; sometimes it’s a sociopathic murderer escaped from an asylum who wields a butcher knife; sometimes it’s a large, masked man with a machete who loves to hang out at summer camp; sin equals a one-way ticket to being slayed; the killer is everywhere and nowhere, all at once; the virgin is the Final Girl.
Basic, cliché rules…unless you’re Brynn Baldwin and her friends at Bridgefield High School. With callbacks to Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, Most Likely to Die breaks with tradition and the well-known stereotypes. Racing through the pages, I found myself asking, “What are the rules?” It was refreshing to think I knew how the story was going to play out, to only be steered in the opposite direction by each proceeding chapter.
Starting with the second chapter, I kept a list of everyone who I suspected to be the crazed killer. In no time, I found myself crossing names off of my list as my suspects would get murdered. I found myself rooting for certain characters and hoping that they wouldn’t be next (or the killer). Reading this book was like watching a movie. I was overly eager to get to the end and find out who was behind the mask.
P.J. Stanley reinvents the idea of what it means to be called “The Popular Girl,” “The Weirdo,” “The Jock,” “The Cheerleader,” and any other high school title out there. Not everyone is who they seem, and sometimes all it takes is a trip inside of yourself (and being targeted by a serial killer) to realize that you are more than your stereotype. I appreciated the subtleties in the characters and their personal stories, even if they only featured for a brief moment in this fast-paced tale.
I found myself smiling through most of this book. P.J. Stanley is great with dialogue, which makes the characters come alive and seem real and relatable. I literally gasped out loud when I found out who the killer was and then shouted “no way!” at even more twists later on. The kills are right out of a movie and brought me back to some of my favorite scenes in films, such as Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Final Destination.
For the real horror fans out there - you will appreciate the sneaky easter eggs P.J. Stanley threw into this book. Keep an eye on names, descriptions, and Billy the Bull’s kills. It took me two reads to pick up on all of the little throwbacks, and as a fan of the genre, I can’t appreciate that level of detail enough.
If you want a fast read filled with murder, mayhem, and a dysfunctional high school hierarchy, Most Likely to Die is for you. You don’t have to be a die-hard slasher fan to appreciate the story and the action, but those who love the genre should be happy to add one more piece of media to their shelves.
July 22, 2020
I loved this book. This is the first time I have read a slasher but I am no stranger to the genre, the blood and guts and young adults running through the woods, falling down and getting gutted. I enjoyed getting those aspects in a book because it allowed my imagination to work at the same time!
I thought the characters were well developed and I enjoyed them all, even the bad guy. The drama and ups and downs with the characters was realistic. Very realistic. I was impressed with the fact that most of the characters weren't dummies and tried to save themselves usually. I liked the setting. Classic high school settings and well written. The story is written like a movie with perfect ups and downs and no boring middle bits.
One special thing about this book, I think it will make you catch "feels". I had strong feelings about the characters. Ever watch a slasher film and say "oh I wish the killer would get them!" Some of the characters in this book are like that! Some of them I wished weren't killed too. All and all, I think that's what's supposed to happen in a book. You're supposed to feel some kind of way and this book achieved that.
The only downside to this book was some uses of dialogue. When the characters were talking normally, that was fine, but there was a lot of repetition when someone was being attacked. I would have been happy with just being told they were screaming and not actually seeing their scream in the dialogue. When you're being attacked, you're going to scream a lot, which is just par for the course.
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this book. I read this title in TWO DAYS which is unheard of for me. I devoured it. I was very invested in the story and couldn't wait to find out if I was right about my prediction on who the killer was! Well done!
I thought the characters were well developed and I enjoyed them all, even the bad guy. The drama and ups and downs with the characters was realistic. Very realistic. I was impressed with the fact that most of the characters weren't dummies and tried to save themselves usually. I liked the setting. Classic high school settings and well written. The story is written like a movie with perfect ups and downs and no boring middle bits.
One special thing about this book, I think it will make you catch "feels". I had strong feelings about the characters. Ever watch a slasher film and say "oh I wish the killer would get them!" Some of the characters in this book are like that! Some of them I wished weren't killed too. All and all, I think that's what's supposed to happen in a book. You're supposed to feel some kind of way and this book achieved that.
The only downside to this book was some uses of dialogue. When the characters were talking normally, that was fine, but there was a lot of repetition when someone was being attacked. I would have been happy with just being told they were screaming and not actually seeing their scream in the dialogue. When you're being attacked, you're going to scream a lot, which is just par for the course.
Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend this book. I read this title in TWO DAYS which is unheard of for me. I devoured it. I was very invested in the story and couldn't wait to find out if I was right about my prediction on who the killer was! Well done!
November 17, 2025
I love a good slasher story, be it a movie or book, as much as anyone. Hell! I like them more than most people.
This was not one.
The characters were so poorly written and unbelievable, particularly the female characters. There were so many unnecessary subplots that do nothing to move the story forward and end up being all but ignored with no resolution. It was as if the author needed filler to teach a certain amount of pages. As for the actual slasher storyline, the author clearly took as many bits and pieces from slasher movies that he could and threw them all in there creating one big mess.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't have finished this book at all due to how bad it is if it weren't for the fact that I've stuck it out through some of the worst slasher movies ever made.
This was not one.
The characters were so poorly written and unbelievable, particularly the female characters. There were so many unnecessary subplots that do nothing to move the story forward and end up being all but ignored with no resolution. It was as if the author needed filler to teach a certain amount of pages. As for the actual slasher storyline, the author clearly took as many bits and pieces from slasher movies that he could and threw them all in there creating one big mess.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't have finished this book at all due to how bad it is if it weren't for the fact that I've stuck it out through some of the worst slasher movies ever made.
July 21, 2020
Good horror
This is one of the better slasher stories I've read this year, part of this crazed marathon I've taken on. The premise is sort of like Scream's-- self aware teenagers are hunted mysterious killer. Stanley excels at the dialogue and the horror movie atmosphere-- I had fun with this one.
But the editing... Every time a character screams, they say "Ah!" , and there's a lot of screaming-- it went from annoying to hilarious really quickly, like bad-horror-movie-editing hilarious, so not good. some of the stalking scenes were like copy and paste. Every female tossed her hair over her shoulder at least once. Not to mention that these kids' friends are being killed and everyone is still just going about their day, joking around and attending school events-- it's a little frustrating, these unrealistic reactions. But despite all of that, this was a solid horror story with heart-- you can tell Stanley really took his time to develop the tale and the result is very entertaining gory fun.
This is one of the better slasher stories I've read this year, part of this crazed marathon I've taken on. The premise is sort of like Scream's-- self aware teenagers are hunted mysterious killer. Stanley excels at the dialogue and the horror movie atmosphere-- I had fun with this one.
But the editing... Every time a character screams, they say "Ah!" , and there's a lot of screaming-- it went from annoying to hilarious really quickly, like bad-horror-movie-editing hilarious, so not good. some of the stalking scenes were like copy and paste. Every female tossed her hair over her shoulder at least once. Not to mention that these kids' friends are being killed and everyone is still just going about their day, joking around and attending school events-- it's a little frustrating, these unrealistic reactions. But despite all of that, this was a solid horror story with heart-- you can tell Stanley really took his time to develop the tale and the result is very entertaining gory fun.
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