What do you think?
Rate this book
Flesh Rehearsal
Following years of abuse, Gretchen runs away from home after her sister dies by suicide. While on the road, she accepts a ride from Jacob and Amelia Sloane, who are driving back to Los Angeles from Chicago. Gretchen knows their dead father was the lead singer in a famous band. After hearing Gretchen sing, they convince her to be the vocalist in their rock band and to live with them in Los Angeles, where Gretchen meets and falls in love with the girl of her dreams.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a predator lurks. The Lobotomizer—a serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles—plots an attack that threatens to ruin Gretchen’s happiness. Can she and her friends find and stop the killer before the unthinkable happens?
Fans of Clive Barker, Stephen King, and Poppy Z. Brite will love this chilling novel.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the city, a predator lurks. The Lobotomizer—a serial killer terrorizing Los Angeles—plots an attack that threatens to ruin Gretchen’s happiness. Can she and her friends find and stop the killer before the unthinkable happens?
Fans of Clive Barker, Stephen King, and Poppy Z. Brite will love this chilling novel.
- GenresHorror
361 pages, Paperback
Published September 15, 2021
8 people are currently reading
258 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 25, 2025
I really wish that Goodreads let us all pick .5 for ratings. This was a solid 3.5 for me. I read the synopsis and saw the cover, even seeing a few reviews claiming that this was an extreme horror story, which is was not. If there’s one thing that I hate as a reader, it’s being mislead. The violence was there, but was nothing unique or overly gory, and most of the time felt very forced, almost as if done just to stick random violence into a bland story. Now I liked the author’s writing style, but the content not so much, which explains my rating decision. I really struggled to find a legitimate purpose for a good portion of the book. It was just the same few people and events repeated time and time…and time…and time again, with no direction or real reason to care. Drug use, sex, alcohol abuse, hallucination, random murder, random character, repeat. The focus stayed like this for a strong majority of the book, but then things like supposed vampires and the Lobotomizer were barely developed. And there were several times where the dialogue was used instead of describing the character’s actions, which was confusing, like the author missed a cue. I also thought the depiction of Ludlow’s specific mental health issue was poor, too. His nonstop hallucinations became very tiresome and again, much like the violence, felt like they were put in just to wake the reader up. But they were basically meaningless to the overall story, and the big twist ending just left me feeling kinda ‘meh.’ Not sure if I’d read this author again.
April 15, 2023
Another dark and macabre story from Brian Bowyer, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
The characters were fascinating, and the plot was brutal, twisty, and interesting.
Very clever.
The characters were fascinating, and the plot was brutal, twisty, and interesting.
Very clever.
November 12, 2021
Flesh Rehearsal is my first time reading any of Brian Bowyer's work - it won't be the last.
How I came to read this book is because I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review. I had already scheduled another book by him on my TBR, but since this one arrived sooner and had a gorgeous cover, it got moved straight to the top of the pile.
Flesh Rehearsal is the type of horror that I love. Any time you give me a book with a serial killer involved, I'm going to be a happy camper. The synopsis tells us about the killer, so you know that going in....but what it doesn't tell you, is WHO the killer IS. I had so much fun trying to figure that out throughout the story.
In addition to the thrill of suspense and dread from the chapters about our killer, we follow a group of teenagers: Gretchen, Amelia and Jacob. Gretchen becomes an orphan through tragic events and hits the road in search of a new direction in life, where she teams up with siblings Amelia and Jacob. The trio shares a love for writing and composing music and fall right into making music together and the formation of a rock band with the potential to take the music scene by storm.
Ludlow is another character we spend a lot of time with. He's the son of a music producer, who also owns a popular night club. Ludlow is schizophrenic and he shares that information with everyone he meets. I got a laugh out of him because he would suffer and event or delusion and would always think about how he really needed to take his medication.
The serial killer - The Lobotomizer - lurks. Victims are showing up at an alarming rate - everyone is talking about it. There comes a point where the killer takes an interest in the teens band...want to know what happens??? You'll have to read and find out - see if YOU can guess who the killer is. I thought I had the person pegged for the majority of the novel, then changed my mind....then changed it again. LOL
There was one stand out scene for me in this book - a bartender in a night club was taking care of her mother, who'd had surgery recently. The mother refused the pain medication and gave the pills to the bartender, who was a recovering heroin addict. The bartender relapsed and took all the pills. She went to her boss and told him what happened and he IMMEDIATELY, no questions asked, got her the help she needed and at his expense. That one simple action just reached out of the book and slapped me with compassion. I loved that.
There is a fair amount of drug use in this book and a metric TON of alcohol abuse. I would say teenagers drinking that much was unbelievable, but then I remember a group of friends of mine growing up....literally drank every day...and still do. LOL Must have livers of steel.
Looking forward to reading more by Brian Bowyer in the upcoming months!
How I came to read this book is because I received an ARC from the author in exchange for a review. I had already scheduled another book by him on my TBR, but since this one arrived sooner and had a gorgeous cover, it got moved straight to the top of the pile.
Flesh Rehearsal is the type of horror that I love. Any time you give me a book with a serial killer involved, I'm going to be a happy camper. The synopsis tells us about the killer, so you know that going in....but what it doesn't tell you, is WHO the killer IS. I had so much fun trying to figure that out throughout the story.
In addition to the thrill of suspense and dread from the chapters about our killer, we follow a group of teenagers: Gretchen, Amelia and Jacob. Gretchen becomes an orphan through tragic events and hits the road in search of a new direction in life, where she teams up with siblings Amelia and Jacob. The trio shares a love for writing and composing music and fall right into making music together and the formation of a rock band with the potential to take the music scene by storm.
Ludlow is another character we spend a lot of time with. He's the son of a music producer, who also owns a popular night club. Ludlow is schizophrenic and he shares that information with everyone he meets. I got a laugh out of him because he would suffer and event or delusion and would always think about how he really needed to take his medication.
The serial killer - The Lobotomizer - lurks. Victims are showing up at an alarming rate - everyone is talking about it. There comes a point where the killer takes an interest in the teens band...want to know what happens??? You'll have to read and find out - see if YOU can guess who the killer is. I thought I had the person pegged for the majority of the novel, then changed my mind....then changed it again. LOL
There was one stand out scene for me in this book - a bartender in a night club was taking care of her mother, who'd had surgery recently. The mother refused the pain medication and gave the pills to the bartender, who was a recovering heroin addict. The bartender relapsed and took all the pills. She went to her boss and told him what happened and he IMMEDIATELY, no questions asked, got her the help she needed and at his expense. That one simple action just reached out of the book and slapped me with compassion. I loved that.
There is a fair amount of drug use in this book and a metric TON of alcohol abuse. I would say teenagers drinking that much was unbelievable, but then I remember a group of friends of mine growing up....literally drank every day...and still do. LOL Must have livers of steel.
Looking forward to reading more by Brian Bowyer in the upcoming months!
March 1, 2022
Absolutely bonkers. Drier than dry, blunt as all get out, strange, hilarious, horrifying, jam packed with things that shouldn’t work but somehow do - if Tarantino wrote a season of Seinfeld for sociopathic alcoholics and serial killers, it might turn out something like this.
November 19, 2021
FLESH REHEARSAL by is a fantastic concept taken to its darkest extreme. Bowyer writes these bare bones sentences that are still dripping with blood. Dark, unrelenting, and intense.
July 14, 2023
Damn this was one wild, crazy, alcohol fueled, brutal bloody fucked up ride thats just full of different characters and all kinds of twists and turns that had me guessing till the end and I enjoyed every page of it. Brian Bowyer fuckin rules he writes simple to the point and he just brings it man. If you like serial killer books and alcohol drugs and brutal violence check this one out. I highly recommend this book and this author both are straight up bad ass.
January 19, 2022
Video Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHjRW...
4 1/2
I compare Brian Bowyer's books to that of a favorite hat, or a favorite shirt. One you seem to always wear on the weekend, because you know what you’re going to get, you know what to expect, and it just feels right. You’re so used to it. It’s not going to throw you anything shocking. And it never let's you down.
Flesh Rehearsal is no exception. We have what I call the good ole’ Brian Bowyer tropes: These are things I look forward to when reading Brian’s books:
A large cast of characters, that somehow become connected.
A lot of booze.
Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.
And a high body count.
We get all of these, and more in Flesh Rehearsal. We have a young girl running from her past after her family all dies. We have a brother and sister making a name for themselves being the kids of a dead famous rock star. And we have Ludlow. Good ole' Ludlow, who is lost, who is broken, and who is not taking his meds.
This was one hell of a ride. I’ve come to love Brian's writing style. He allows the story to do the writing for him. He doesn’t have a definite path for his characters, just a shell, and as the process goes on, he goes with the flow of the story he’s writing. I think this allows for a much more interesting tale.
The one small drawback I have with this novel is it seems like the sub-plots of the book take center stage more than the main plot. There were so many things happening with the sub-plots, the reveal of the main plot was almost missed by me.
Something I want to point out that I’ve noticed with Brian’s writing, and I noticed it a lot in this one. Something I cannot stress enough just how much I really enjoy. Brian allows the dialogue between the characters tell the story for him. I've always commented on Brian's direct approach. This allows all of the pertinent information come to us in the dialogue. In fact Flesh Rehearsal has very little narrative. Don’t get me wrong, it has narrative when it needs it, but the majority of the story is told through the dialogue of the characters. I’m convinced Brian could write a story with all dialogue and we wouldn’t miss a beat with what is happening.
Overall a brutally honest and chilling novel, mixing in the dark horrors of things happening in the characters life, while giving you a few detours to steer you off the course of the main plot a few times. Don’t trust anyone, and obviously don’t get attached to anyone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHjRW...
4 1/2
I compare Brian Bowyer's books to that of a favorite hat, or a favorite shirt. One you seem to always wear on the weekend, because you know what you’re going to get, you know what to expect, and it just feels right. You’re so used to it. It’s not going to throw you anything shocking. And it never let's you down.
Flesh Rehearsal is no exception. We have what I call the good ole’ Brian Bowyer tropes: These are things I look forward to when reading Brian’s books:
A large cast of characters, that somehow become connected.
A lot of booze.
Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll.
And a high body count.
We get all of these, and more in Flesh Rehearsal. We have a young girl running from her past after her family all dies. We have a brother and sister making a name for themselves being the kids of a dead famous rock star. And we have Ludlow. Good ole' Ludlow, who is lost, who is broken, and who is not taking his meds.
This was one hell of a ride. I’ve come to love Brian's writing style. He allows the story to do the writing for him. He doesn’t have a definite path for his characters, just a shell, and as the process goes on, he goes with the flow of the story he’s writing. I think this allows for a much more interesting tale.
The one small drawback I have with this novel is it seems like the sub-plots of the book take center stage more than the main plot. There were so many things happening with the sub-plots, the reveal of the main plot was almost missed by me.
Something I want to point out that I’ve noticed with Brian’s writing, and I noticed it a lot in this one. Something I cannot stress enough just how much I really enjoy. Brian allows the dialogue between the characters tell the story for him. I've always commented on Brian's direct approach. This allows all of the pertinent information come to us in the dialogue. In fact Flesh Rehearsal has very little narrative. Don’t get me wrong, it has narrative when it needs it, but the majority of the story is told through the dialogue of the characters. I’m convinced Brian could write a story with all dialogue and we wouldn’t miss a beat with what is happening.
Overall a brutally honest and chilling novel, mixing in the dark horrors of things happening in the characters life, while giving you a few detours to steer you off the course of the main plot a few times. Don’t trust anyone, and obviously don’t get attached to anyone.
January 28, 2022
So Much to Say
There is so much to say about this book.
Bowyer's matter-of-fact tone really put me at unease throughout this book. It contributes a great deal to those moments of extreme horror.
His characters are real people, nuanced and layered and their relationships are as intricate as any I've ever shared in real life.
The twists and turns in this story are executed so well that I simply could not have seen them coming. Especially the big reveal at the end. Bowyer really slapped me upside the head with that one.
I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. Well done, Mr. Bowyer. Well done, indeed.
There is so much to say about this book.
Bowyer's matter-of-fact tone really put me at unease throughout this book. It contributes a great deal to those moments of extreme horror.
His characters are real people, nuanced and layered and their relationships are as intricate as any I've ever shared in real life.
The twists and turns in this story are executed so well that I simply could not have seen them coming. Especially the big reveal at the end. Bowyer really slapped me upside the head with that one.
I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. Well done, Mr. Bowyer. Well done, indeed.
October 15, 2021
A thrill ride from beginning to end!
Fate brings the central characters together to form a rock band in Los Angeles: Ludlow, a delusional schizophrenic, off his meds; Raven, a seventeen-year-old female who meets Ludlow in an abandoned Victorian house in L.A.; Gretchen, a seventeen-year-old singer/songwriter who hitches a ride with siblings, Amelia and Jacob, from Nebraska to L.A.; Victoria, who owns a mansion where all the characters are free to live and play their music; and Dominic, Victoria’s love interest, a record producer and owner of The Underground, a popular subterranean nightclub in downtown Los Angeles.
Elsewhere in the city, The Lobotimizer terrorizes, tortures, and kills. The first time I read the novel, the serial killer eluded me all the way until the end. A second reading led to pertinent details about the killer, which I previously overlooked.
Brian Bowyer delivers a thrill ride in “Flesh Rehearsal” from the first page to the last. This novel’s characters are complex, and deserve scrutiny each in their own right. There is no doubt I will read it again and again. It has my highest recommendation.
Fate brings the central characters together to form a rock band in Los Angeles: Ludlow, a delusional schizophrenic, off his meds; Raven, a seventeen-year-old female who meets Ludlow in an abandoned Victorian house in L.A.; Gretchen, a seventeen-year-old singer/songwriter who hitches a ride with siblings, Amelia and Jacob, from Nebraska to L.A.; Victoria, who owns a mansion where all the characters are free to live and play their music; and Dominic, Victoria’s love interest, a record producer and owner of The Underground, a popular subterranean nightclub in downtown Los Angeles.
Elsewhere in the city, The Lobotimizer terrorizes, tortures, and kills. The first time I read the novel, the serial killer eluded me all the way until the end. A second reading led to pertinent details about the killer, which I previously overlooked.
Brian Bowyer delivers a thrill ride in “Flesh Rehearsal” from the first page to the last. This novel’s characters are complex, and deserve scrutiny each in their own right. There is no doubt I will read it again and again. It has my highest recommendation.
April 2, 2024
“…He used to say that life was just a flesh rehearsal, that none of this mattered anyway, that all of this was just practice for the next life.”
I know it’s barely April, but I just found one my top three reads for the entire year. This book was incredible, truly incredible. Fast paced. Descriptive. Hits with WTF’s from chapter one and doesn’t stop. 🤌🏼
Brian absolutely obliterated my mind with this one. In the best ways possible of course. Flesh Rehearsal is so eloquently and beautifully written, which feels like an odd compliment for a horror, but this book was genuinely beautiful. From cover to cover… Seriously though, look at the cover. 😍
The characters / character development and how they all intertwined was amazing. Ludlow and Gretchen will forever be book characters that live rent free in my head. I have no idea how this book isn’t being raved about more, but I really hope everyone gets their hands on this and gives it a go because the writing style and story in general would appeal to essentially anyone! 👏🏼
Easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time. Bravo. Please don’t ever stop writing. 🙏🏼
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
#bookstagram #bookish #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #splatterpunk #darkacademia #darkromance #thriller #extremehorror #bookrecommendations #bookreview #indie #indiebooks #indiehorror #indiewriter
I know it’s barely April, but I just found one my top three reads for the entire year. This book was incredible, truly incredible. Fast paced. Descriptive. Hits with WTF’s from chapter one and doesn’t stop. 🤌🏼
Brian absolutely obliterated my mind with this one. In the best ways possible of course. Flesh Rehearsal is so eloquently and beautifully written, which feels like an odd compliment for a horror, but this book was genuinely beautiful. From cover to cover… Seriously though, look at the cover. 😍
The characters / character development and how they all intertwined was amazing. Ludlow and Gretchen will forever be book characters that live rent free in my head. I have no idea how this book isn’t being raved about more, but I really hope everyone gets their hands on this and gives it a go because the writing style and story in general would appeal to essentially anyone! 👏🏼
Easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time. Bravo. Please don’t ever stop writing. 🙏🏼
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
#bookstagram #bookish #horrorbooks #horrorbookstagram #splatterpunk #darkacademia #darkromance #thriller #extremehorror #bookrecommendations #bookreview #indie #indiebooks #indiehorror #indiewriter
March 29, 2024
This blew me away!
Why is nobody screaming about this book? It was phenomenal! Brian captivates you with his writing style. This was truly a work of art. Beautifully written. I always read books fast but not this one. I wanted to cherish every expertly crafted moment. I was so surprised by the ending. I wanted to stand up and clap when I was finished. This is going into my top 10 favorite books ever!
Why is nobody screaming about this book? It was phenomenal! Brian captivates you with his writing style. This was truly a work of art. Beautifully written. I always read books fast but not this one. I wanted to cherish every expertly crafted moment. I was so surprised by the ending. I wanted to stand up and clap when I was finished. This is going into my top 10 favorite books ever!
March 30, 2024
Although this is only my second Bowyer novel, I sense his books may all exist in a sort of Bowyer-verse: a fictional realm where gritty quasi-realism melds with elements of dark horror-fantasy to serve as a stage where Bowyer’s flawed, often amoral (not to be confused with “immoral”—though, sure, there’s those too!) characters attempt to have a good time, create art, find love, work through grief and loss, get revenge, battle mental illness, or just get through the day.
You’ll find that most of these folks, if not full-on junkies, drink whiskey more than they do water. Why? Because that’s just how it is in the Bowyer-verse—which, of course, is how it is in some corners of the real world, too. Oh, there’s also serial killers, ghosts, and vampires, so look out!
Not for the squeamish, Flesh Rehearsal has moments of delightfully disturbing brutality and gore. But the novel’s stripped-down, easily digestible writing style and effective humor temper that brutality a bit.
You’ll notice in reviews of Bowyer’s work that reviewers often compliment his minimalist prose style. And rightfully so. But don’t let that fool you. When Bowyer needs to describe something—be it the exterior of a building, a sunrise, or a freshly split-open belly—he can wordsmith a vivid description with the best of them.
Anyhow, Flesh Rehearsal is another wild, fun-as-hell ride from Brian Bowyer. Think Poppy Z. Brite meets Ernest Hemingway meets Quentin Tarantino. Highly recommended!
You’ll find that most of these folks, if not full-on junkies, drink whiskey more than they do water. Why? Because that’s just how it is in the Bowyer-verse—which, of course, is how it is in some corners of the real world, too. Oh, there’s also serial killers, ghosts, and vampires, so look out!
Not for the squeamish, Flesh Rehearsal has moments of delightfully disturbing brutality and gore. But the novel’s stripped-down, easily digestible writing style and effective humor temper that brutality a bit.
You’ll notice in reviews of Bowyer’s work that reviewers often compliment his minimalist prose style. And rightfully so. But don’t let that fool you. When Bowyer needs to describe something—be it the exterior of a building, a sunrise, or a freshly split-open belly—he can wordsmith a vivid description with the best of them.
Anyhow, Flesh Rehearsal is another wild, fun-as-hell ride from Brian Bowyer. Think Poppy Z. Brite meets Ernest Hemingway meets Quentin Tarantino. Highly recommended!
January 18, 2022
I’m not sure where to start with FLESH REHEARSAL. The surreal brutality? The perfect pacing, which keeps you flying forward but knows when to stop for a minute for the sake of thought and characterization? The dang near McCarthy-esq. prose (yeah, I went there), which is so deceptively simple? I guess I could mention how gritty it is and how much it really doesn’t care what you think. Probably I should just say that reading this book is like holding onto a boulder that’s tumbling down a mountain: it’s going to take you where it dang well takes you, and it’s going to squash you a few times in the process. It will, of course, be a fast and bloody ride.
May 6, 2025
Gretchen left her hometown to start a new life after the death of her family. She catches a ride from Jacob and Amelia and moves in with them. Once they find out Gretchen can sing very good they decide to start a band. All awhile their step brother has schizophrenia and kills people when he has a episodes. Oh and let’s not forget about the serial killer running loose called The Lobotomizer! This was such a great story, to me it touches on mental health and I loved that. The way Brian writes a story is just pure enjoyment. Packed with detail and character building, you will be sucked in and will need to know what happens next.
December 24, 2021
Hooo boy that was a helluva ride! Once again Bowyer’s writing totally drew me in and I devoured this book. His style is minimalistic but so effective. He’s able to convey so much with few words. There are some great characters here also, they are battling their own demons and coping the best they can—usually with booze and drugs. A lot of booze and drugs. Nothing is held back with the violence. It’s visceral and there is a certain scene I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to erase from my mind. This was fantastic and I highly recommend.
February 19, 2022
So as someone with a background in mental health (and a life-long horror fan) the way the two collide in this was AMAZING! I really loved the strong style of the author - very unique!
January 18, 2022
I’ve watched an interview with Brian where he explained his writing process for Flesh Rehearsal – that he was as surprised at the turn the story took as the characters – that he was typing away at the story when the subplot of The Lobotomizer – just spouted out of the mouths of one of the characters – took him totally by surprise and he rolled with it.
That’s the beauty and the core of this book. It is stream of conscious writing – I have no doubt that the book had a form, a plan. I am also in no doubt that the plan went out the window the moment the characters decided to think for themselves! What we have in our hands is a book that could do anything – go anywhere – and often does. Add to that the hallucinations one of the main character experiences, which always end with a humorous “I have to remember to start taking my meds” – and Flesh rehearsal is Brian Bowyer being Brian – minimalistic writing to convey horrific incidents. Extreme horror made palatable through humor. Broken characters that stick together. Glimpses of humanity remind us of the good in people, even in the midst of debauchery.
The book is Drug laden and alcohol-fueled – but one of the things that I really noticed in it, is that every time alcohol or drugs come into play – everyone shares. It is an unspoken certainty that those people in situations where they are struggling to make ends meet, nevertheless share their vices. I loved that – I can imagine that Brian’s experiences with drugs and alcohol were similar – in that there is never a scene where people hold onto their own drugs. Everyone has humanity in that what little they have, they share. I also have to clarify that I have no idea if Brian has any such experiences, I just know he likes his whiskey.
Likewise, those people removed from the drugs and alcohol in the book, show compassion and understanding to those that are still in that phase of their lives. It’s a notable commentary here from Brian. He levels no condemnation for the characters partaking. It is something they do, to help make their lives more entertaining, or to drown past trauma.
I won’t attempt to summarize Flesh Rehearsal – I think you just have to read it and go with the flow, it’s one of those rollercoaster rides that is going to go wherever it does and you just hold on for the ride, happy to be a part of Brian’s imagination again. I can’t say I related to any of the characters. They are all alcoholic, drug depraved killers, rapists, torturers, or gun dealers. Good people die in the turn of a paragraph. Other people commit suicide. The brutality is readable, through Bowyer's prose and straightforward minimalism.
I don’t think there’s anything like it out there at the moment.
It’s brilliant, Brian. I have no doubt I would hate to be a character in one of your books, but whilst the rollercoaster is still operational, it’s impossible to look away.
5 out of 5⭐ ‘s, and the feeling of dizziness will probably last for days.
P.S. I guessed the identity about halfway through the book. Do I get a badge?
That’s the beauty and the core of this book. It is stream of conscious writing – I have no doubt that the book had a form, a plan. I am also in no doubt that the plan went out the window the moment the characters decided to think for themselves! What we have in our hands is a book that could do anything – go anywhere – and often does. Add to that the hallucinations one of the main character experiences, which always end with a humorous “I have to remember to start taking my meds” – and Flesh rehearsal is Brian Bowyer being Brian – minimalistic writing to convey horrific incidents. Extreme horror made palatable through humor. Broken characters that stick together. Glimpses of humanity remind us of the good in people, even in the midst of debauchery.
The book is Drug laden and alcohol-fueled – but one of the things that I really noticed in it, is that every time alcohol or drugs come into play – everyone shares. It is an unspoken certainty that those people in situations where they are struggling to make ends meet, nevertheless share their vices. I loved that – I can imagine that Brian’s experiences with drugs and alcohol were similar – in that there is never a scene where people hold onto their own drugs. Everyone has humanity in that what little they have, they share. I also have to clarify that I have no idea if Brian has any such experiences, I just know he likes his whiskey.
Likewise, those people removed from the drugs and alcohol in the book, show compassion and understanding to those that are still in that phase of their lives. It’s a notable commentary here from Brian. He levels no condemnation for the characters partaking. It is something they do, to help make their lives more entertaining, or to drown past trauma.
I won’t attempt to summarize Flesh Rehearsal – I think you just have to read it and go with the flow, it’s one of those rollercoaster rides that is going to go wherever it does and you just hold on for the ride, happy to be a part of Brian’s imagination again. I can’t say I related to any of the characters. They are all alcoholic, drug depraved killers, rapists, torturers, or gun dealers. Good people die in the turn of a paragraph. Other people commit suicide. The brutality is readable, through Bowyer's prose and straightforward minimalism.
I don’t think there’s anything like it out there at the moment.
It’s brilliant, Brian. I have no doubt I would hate to be a character in one of your books, but whilst the rollercoaster is still operational, it’s impossible to look away.
5 out of 5⭐ ‘s, and the feeling of dizziness will probably last for days.
P.S. I guessed the identity about halfway through the book. Do I get a badge?
January 18, 2025
FLESH REHEARSAL was my ninth book read from author Bowyer, and I felt it was one of his best and most enjoyable so far. I really liked the characters in this one, especially Ludlow, Gretchen and Raven. And it was fun trying to figure out the mystery of who a serial killer called The Lobotomizer was. I dug the Los Angeles area setting and thought it was perfect as the story revolved around a music band. There is a passage that references what the title of the book means, and is really brilliant when thinking about the story afterwards. Fans of the author needs to check this one out.
July 25, 2024
Why has it taken me so long to read a Brian Bowyer book? Yeah, fuck knows. It has everything I love in horror/extreme horror. Visceral action scenes, well fleshed out characters and a twist that leaves you searching the empty corridors of your mind, wondering if you missed some key information. I did, the clues were subtle, almost not there, and that is the artistry in Bowyer’s work.
Flesh Rehearsal is the connecting of two different storylines, that somehow come together as one, done with ease. A new serial killer has left blood and destruction on the streets of LA, the media coining The Lobotimiser. He lobotomises his victims and leaves them for dead-sometimes successful, sometimes not.
Gretchen gets picked up by two siblings heading back through Nebraska on their way back to LA. Gretchen escapes her abusive home after her mother dies from cancer and escapes the clutches of her piece of crap father. The two siblings convince Gretchen to join their band and alongside their almost stepbrother, Ludlow, the foursome create a kick ass band that their mother’s fiancé scoops up and produces their debut album. Everything is sweet, until it isn’t.
Man, this book was something akin to perfection. Bowyer takes his reader up a lonely, deserted path, promising them at the end of the dark road lies the biggest rainbow you’ve ever seen. It’s all lies. Bowyer gives you something you didn’t know you needed-absolution, the dark and destructive kind. He bundles you in the back of his car and gives you a heady dose of realism. Life is fucking hard, there’s no point pretending it isn’t.
Brian’s dialogue is sublime, some of the most natural and unfettered I’ve seen in fiction-a lot of authors could learn a lot from Bowyer, myself included. So, what can you expect from Flesh Rehearsal? Rock and Roll, sex and drug taking, death scenes that will have your eyes bug out of your head, oh and a message – don’t trust anyone.
Flesh Rehearsal is the connecting of two different storylines, that somehow come together as one, done with ease. A new serial killer has left blood and destruction on the streets of LA, the media coining The Lobotimiser. He lobotomises his victims and leaves them for dead-sometimes successful, sometimes not.
Gretchen gets picked up by two siblings heading back through Nebraska on their way back to LA. Gretchen escapes her abusive home after her mother dies from cancer and escapes the clutches of her piece of crap father. The two siblings convince Gretchen to join their band and alongside their almost stepbrother, Ludlow, the foursome create a kick ass band that their mother’s fiancé scoops up and produces their debut album. Everything is sweet, until it isn’t.
Man, this book was something akin to perfection. Bowyer takes his reader up a lonely, deserted path, promising them at the end of the dark road lies the biggest rainbow you’ve ever seen. It’s all lies. Bowyer gives you something you didn’t know you needed-absolution, the dark and destructive kind. He bundles you in the back of his car and gives you a heady dose of realism. Life is fucking hard, there’s no point pretending it isn’t.
Brian’s dialogue is sublime, some of the most natural and unfettered I’ve seen in fiction-a lot of authors could learn a lot from Bowyer, myself included. So, what can you expect from Flesh Rehearsal? Rock and Roll, sex and drug taking, death scenes that will have your eyes bug out of your head, oh and a message – don’t trust anyone.
March 31, 2024
beautiful, dark, gripping…
I just sat down and read this entire book, if I could give it more than five stars I would! I know this book will forever stay in my top ten and I now feel compelled to read more by this author. I really suck at writing reviews but I loved this book so much that I had to at least say that, in hopes that more people will read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I just sat down and read this entire book, if I could give it more than five stars I would! I know this book will forever stay in my top ten and I now feel compelled to read more by this author. I really suck at writing reviews but I loved this book so much that I had to at least say that, in hopes that more people will read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 2, 2024
4.5/5
This was one hell of a wild ride. Definitely mixes a lot of psychological and splatter elements, which I loved! The different POVs mix it up and I was very happy with how Brian shifted between them so seamlessly. This was a VERY well-written story, very clean piece of literature. Also, I love when an author cultivates chapters in bite-sized chunks, it helps with my ADHD.
Our characters, Dominic, Victoria, Raven, Amelia, Jacob, Ludlow, and Gretchen all intertwine in this blood-drenched schizophrenic psychological splatterfest. The Lobotomizer is at large and killing with impunity as a coming-of-age story plays out in the form of Gretchen after her sister Abby commits suicide. Siblings Amelia and Jacob are fans of the more opulent things, living in their mother’s mansion, sipping whiskey whenever they can. Ludlow, a schizophrenic off his meds, deals with brutal visions that manifest in the craziest ways, while his father Dominic runs a popular nightclub nearby. Darker entities are at work as ancient deities are appeased, and our cast of characters find themselves either right in it or event-adjacent.
This took longer for me to read, just due to life happening, but I’m so glad I came back to it. Bowyer didn’t disappoint and I will be diving into more of his works in the very near future!! 🤘🏼
“Let me hit that whiskey!” 🥃
This was one hell of a wild ride. Definitely mixes a lot of psychological and splatter elements, which I loved! The different POVs mix it up and I was very happy with how Brian shifted between them so seamlessly. This was a VERY well-written story, very clean piece of literature. Also, I love when an author cultivates chapters in bite-sized chunks, it helps with my ADHD.
Our characters, Dominic, Victoria, Raven, Amelia, Jacob, Ludlow, and Gretchen all intertwine in this blood-drenched schizophrenic psychological splatterfest. The Lobotomizer is at large and killing with impunity as a coming-of-age story plays out in the form of Gretchen after her sister Abby commits suicide. Siblings Amelia and Jacob are fans of the more opulent things, living in their mother’s mansion, sipping whiskey whenever they can. Ludlow, a schizophrenic off his meds, deals with brutal visions that manifest in the craziest ways, while his father Dominic runs a popular nightclub nearby. Darker entities are at work as ancient deities are appeased, and our cast of characters find themselves either right in it or event-adjacent.
This took longer for me to read, just due to life happening, but I’m so glad I came back to it. Bowyer didn’t disappoint and I will be diving into more of his works in the very near future!! 🤘🏼
“Let me hit that whiskey!” 🥃
December 10, 2021
I might change to 4 because I’m still thinking about it, I loved the gore but I wish there was more Lobotomizer dialogue/ killing scenes! The part with Lucy and Emma was my FAVORITE part of the book. Very Poppy Z. Brite!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2025
It’s no secret that I love/devour horror movies. So while I’m reading horror, I’m “watching the movie” as I go. Well, after my 2nd Brian Bowyer “Flesh Rehearsal,” I can pretty confidently categorize his books as grindhouse horror flicks. (Which I looovvve). His writing style is very gritty & detailed yet feels as beautiful as it is severe. When you jump into a Brian Bowyer book, just know you are going for a wild ride that floors the gas & doesn’t let up until he says “the end.”
Quick Synopsis:
Fate can be a cruel mistress. Especially for a group of youths from different walks of life who are all somehow connected, but for all the wrong reasons. Bandmate siblings pick up a songstress hitchhiker, who finds love that helps distract her from her troubled past. Their journey through the seedier parts of LA has them crossing paths with a true serial killer as well as an acquaintance of theirs whose hallucinations are getting too dangerously real. Don’t worry tho, this is all just a flesh rehearsal.
Brian is truly a great story teller, his talent is very evident in his craft. There’s not many authors that I would say I’m comfortable with saying “just fuck me up” to, but he is one of them. To read a Bowyer book is to let him scoop you up, cradle you in his arms while he lulls you to sleep, whispering the most fucked up, unhinged acts he can think of. You will have some of the most unsettling lucid nightmares you’d never thought possible, but you’d do it again…once you recovered from this one. Go read some Bowyer!
Quick Synopsis:
Fate can be a cruel mistress. Especially for a group of youths from different walks of life who are all somehow connected, but for all the wrong reasons. Bandmate siblings pick up a songstress hitchhiker, who finds love that helps distract her from her troubled past. Their journey through the seedier parts of LA has them crossing paths with a true serial killer as well as an acquaintance of theirs whose hallucinations are getting too dangerously real. Don’t worry tho, this is all just a flesh rehearsal.
Brian is truly a great story teller, his talent is very evident in his craft. There’s not many authors that I would say I’m comfortable with saying “just fuck me up” to, but he is one of them. To read a Bowyer book is to let him scoop you up, cradle you in his arms while he lulls you to sleep, whispering the most fucked up, unhinged acts he can think of. You will have some of the most unsettling lucid nightmares you’d never thought possible, but you’d do it again…once you recovered from this one. Go read some Bowyer!
June 7, 2024
After losing her sister and suffering too long in a toxic environment, Gretchen takes off and accepts a ride from Jacob and Amelia, whose father was a well known musician. Gretchen is persuaded to join their rock band and move in with them and her life changes in many ways. She falls in love, and things are looking up but in the shadows, creatures await and someone unhinged is lurking in the city, mapping out death after death and his next conquest could hit a little too close to home. Bowyer is literally a master at both characterization and voice. You don’t question his words, you believe in them wholeheartedly because everything feels just so damn real. He paints pictures with his words, bringing to life all the ugly aspects of this whole other reality. It is near impossible to put his works down because you feel like you’ll miss something if you do… because it’s alive inside the pages. Trust me, this is a visceral voyage down literary hell on earth you won’t want to pass up.
October 20, 2021
'Flesh Rehearsal' is a deliciously dark tale.
The characters in the story are fascinating, all with their own damaged back stories, which makes them come alive to the reader. Bowyer cleverly entwines the lives of these strangers together, to create a rich, full-bodied story of murder, death, and drug and alcohol fuelled lives.
I particularly loved the character of Ludlow, as he wandered from fantasy to reality and back again, causing mayhem wherever he went.
The reveal of 'The Lobotimizer' at the end of the book was brilliant and makes you question the character's actions and motives throughout this twisting story.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of horror!
The characters in the story are fascinating, all with their own damaged back stories, which makes them come alive to the reader. Bowyer cleverly entwines the lives of these strangers together, to create a rich, full-bodied story of murder, death, and drug and alcohol fuelled lives.
I particularly loved the character of Ludlow, as he wandered from fantasy to reality and back again, causing mayhem wherever he went.
The reveal of 'The Lobotimizer' at the end of the book was brilliant and makes you question the character's actions and motives throughout this twisting story.
I would recommend this book to all lovers of horror!
October 12, 2022
This book is really good. I'll do my best not to spoil anything beyond the first few pages...
This book starts with death, depravity, and despair. And it just builds from there! Great character-driven storytelling. Great characters. And fantastically accurate (I'm guessing (mostly)) descriptions of being under the influence by someone who has battled those demons in real life.
Brian Bowyer is an all-around creative and a hell of a writer.
This book starts with death, depravity, and despair. And it just builds from there! Great character-driven storytelling. Great characters. And fantastically accurate (I'm guessing (mostly)) descriptions of being under the influence by someone who has battled those demons in real life.
Brian Bowyer is an all-around creative and a hell of a writer.
November 13, 2023
Flesh Rehearsal was nothing shy of fantastic. I’ve never read an author more capable of using bare bones prose to lead the reader through a wide angle view of a world that is violent, depraved, and unforgiving, yet filled with love, passion, and hope. The characters, typical of Boyer’s work, are complex and beautifully flawed. The storyline, like life, is completely unpredictable. This book will quickly suck you in, and once it does, you’ll be hooked for the long haul.
December 24, 2021
Brian. Brian Bowyer. You are a master: of horror, of people, of writing. This book sucked me in from the first page. His writing is cinematic, which always grabs me. But Brian has a unique skill: his writing might be pared-down, in-the-moment, step-by-step, and then POW! Poetry. Every fan of horror should be reading Bowyer. Every fan of post-modern *literature* should be reading Bowyer.
I can see that I’m gushing.
Let me break this down, as best I can.
His characters are so incredibly well-developed; even though the story leaps from person to person, you are never left unfulfilled, which is something I experience a lot in multi-POV fiction.
The story arc is PHENOMENAL. There was a plot twist I did *not* see coming.
Bowyer has pulled off a miracle: a novel about horrible, despicable, morally-gray characters that make me *care* about them.
My liver needs a respite after reading this. “Let me hit that bottle of whiskey.” I’ll reach for the bottle.
I daresay that Bowyer has superseded even the horror genre: this is a character study for the ages. It’s one of those books that makes me sad that horror is looked down upon in certain circles: because this is Humanity. And humanity is bleak. Is it horror? Or is horror life?
I loved it.
I was tipped when it was over.
And now I want to read every single other word he’s written. All the stars.
I can see that I’m gushing.
Let me break this down, as best I can.
His characters are so incredibly well-developed; even though the story leaps from person to person, you are never left unfulfilled, which is something I experience a lot in multi-POV fiction.
The story arc is PHENOMENAL. There was a plot twist I did *not* see coming.
Bowyer has pulled off a miracle: a novel about horrible, despicable, morally-gray characters that make me *care* about them.
My liver needs a respite after reading this. “Let me hit that bottle of whiskey.” I’ll reach for the bottle.
I daresay that Bowyer has superseded even the horror genre: this is a character study for the ages. It’s one of those books that makes me sad that horror is looked down upon in certain circles: because this is Humanity. And humanity is bleak. Is it horror? Or is horror life?
I loved it.
I was tipped when it was over.
And now I want to read every single other word he’s written. All the stars.
February 5, 2022
Brian Bowyer - the Splatterpunk nominated writer - who I’ve seen grow and develop in his writing over the last few years delivers a rollercoaster of a novel with ‘Flesh Rehearsal’ - a deep dive into depravity and horror!
This novel contains Bowyer’s signature bleached prose, his horrific imagination and a cast of characters that seem to have been pulled from the gutters of life.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Bowyer and I have another one on my shelves that I’ve not got around to yet (I will Brian, I will) and this novel shows his storytelling prowess - he pulls us along addicts following their dealer, we go where he leads because we have no other option.
There is some dark stuff in here, bloody horrific things, but there is also relationships and love, and grief and sorrow and finding your people and discovering the life you thought you lost!
Ludlow’s visions did lose their impact after a while, which made me second guess things before they happened - but this isn’t a negative, because we get to see other slices of Bowyer’s writing - there was even a Lovecraft moment that was pretty damned cool!
All of this makes Bowyer in my opinion the dark prince of Splatterpunk and graphic horror… it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I drank it down and I’ll be back for more!
This novel contains Bowyer’s signature bleached prose, his horrific imagination and a cast of characters that seem to have been pulled from the gutters of life.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Bowyer and I have another one on my shelves that I’ve not got around to yet (I will Brian, I will) and this novel shows his storytelling prowess - he pulls us along addicts following their dealer, we go where he leads because we have no other option.
There is some dark stuff in here, bloody horrific things, but there is also relationships and love, and grief and sorrow and finding your people and discovering the life you thought you lost!
Ludlow’s visions did lose their impact after a while, which made me second guess things before they happened - but this isn’t a negative, because we get to see other slices of Bowyer’s writing - there was even a Lovecraft moment that was pretty damned cool!
All of this makes Bowyer in my opinion the dark prince of Splatterpunk and graphic horror… it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I drank it down and I’ll be back for more!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews