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Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are
Welcome to the reality game show that'll scare you to death! Have you got what it takes to last the night?
On the reality show It's Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?
As the production crew ramps up the frights, tensions rise and the secrets of the cast member start coming to light. Each of these teenagers has hidden motives for taking part in the show. But could one of them be murder?
On the reality show It's Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?
As the production crew ramps up the frights, tensions rise and the secrets of the cast member start coming to light. Each of these teenagers has hidden motives for taking part in the show. But could one of them be murder?
362 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2022
85 people are currently reading
6638 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
June 20, 2023
This young adult mystery focuses on a game show like no other. “It’s Behind You” it’s a reality show where you have to last the night in a spooky setting. The loser in this case may lose more than the game. The mystery is creepy, unsettling, and very entertaining. Being a fan of reality TV this game show had everything I hoped for. The creepy element was intense. The story is original, and I really enjoyed the cave setting. Thank you Sourcebooks and NetGalley for my copy.
November 10, 2022
I really liked the premise of this one but turned out to be not what I thought. So many times I’m lured into books with a spooky synopsis only for it to be not the case. I like the cave element and the idea of a new paranormal tv show but while it was entertaining it just left me disappointed.
Come Out, Come Out Whatever You Are is available November 29,2022.
Thank you to netgalley and sourcebooksfire for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Come Out, Come Out Whatever You Are is available November 29,2022.
Thank you to netgalley and sourcebooksfire for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
August 18, 2022
“The not knowing is the worst, as with everything. Any time now, the world could come crashing down on top of us. Or maybe it won’t, and I’ll have wasted my time on worry and what-ifs.”
On the reality show It's Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?
As the production crew ramps up the frights, tensions rise and the secrets of the cast member start coming to light. Each of these teenagers has hidden motives for taking part in the show. But could one of them be murder?
Stroppy, social media and self-obsessed teens stuck in a cave system together as they compete to win a competition… what could be more fun than that? Oh… I know… let’s throw in a homicidal killer who’s picking them off one by one and the curse of a vengeful ghost… we are in for a bumpy ride right?
This book was fun… it was spooky, it was silly and I really loved it. There was the perfect amount of tension and suspense, partnered with humour and mystery to keep me intrigued and I really liked the diverse and eclectic range of characters that Foxfield created from feisty unconventional Lex to superficial yet strangely deep, leopard-print sporting Python. I will def be checking out some more of her work. A firm favourite in my YA thriller/horror genre for sure.
On the reality show It's Behind You!, five contestants competing for prize money must survive the night in the dark and dangerous Umber Gorge caves, rumored to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who eats the hearts of her victims. But is it the malevolent spirit they should fear, or each other?
As the production crew ramps up the frights, tensions rise and the secrets of the cast member start coming to light. Each of these teenagers has hidden motives for taking part in the show. But could one of them be murder?
Stroppy, social media and self-obsessed teens stuck in a cave system together as they compete to win a competition… what could be more fun than that? Oh… I know… let’s throw in a homicidal killer who’s picking them off one by one and the curse of a vengeful ghost… we are in for a bumpy ride right?
This book was fun… it was spooky, it was silly and I really loved it. There was the perfect amount of tension and suspense, partnered with humour and mystery to keep me intrigued and I really liked the diverse and eclectic range of characters that Foxfield created from feisty unconventional Lex to superficial yet strangely deep, leopard-print sporting Python. I will def be checking out some more of her work. A firm favourite in my YA thriller/horror genre for sure.
August 6, 2022
Reality TV show 'It's Behind You!' requires individuals to last the night in a spooky setting with an unsettling backstory for a large cash prize. Their current focus is on Umber Gorge caves, said to be haunted by the Puckered Maiden and responsible for the strange disappearances of local teens. The five featuring on this latest TV instalment come with different backgrounds and opposing personalities but maybe they are also joined by a shared history that none of them are willing to reveal just yet.
I love reality TV featuring inside fiction as I find the mechanics of it endlessly interesting to explore. The initial focus was equally shared between the production process and the candidates featuring on it, which I appreciated. The focus shifted to the five residing inside the caves once things begin to go awry, leading to extra tensions to arise with the diminished cast of characters.
This remained a solid mystery with some good creepy moments, but I ultimately desired more of the latter to appear. The title and the front cover image had me anticipating so many more horrifying elements to make themselves known and so I was disappointed when thy failed to. I did still appreciate the way the storyline unfolded and the history of the caves and the characters that was included.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Kathryn Foxfield, and the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, for this opportunity.
I love reality TV featuring inside fiction as I find the mechanics of it endlessly interesting to explore. The initial focus was equally shared between the production process and the candidates featuring on it, which I appreciated. The focus shifted to the five residing inside the caves once things begin to go awry, leading to extra tensions to arise with the diminished cast of characters.
This remained a solid mystery with some good creepy moments, but I ultimately desired more of the latter to appear. The title and the front cover image had me anticipating so many more horrifying elements to make themselves known and so I was disappointed when thy failed to. I did still appreciate the way the storyline unfolded and the history of the caves and the characters that was included.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Kathryn Foxfield, and the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire, for this opportunity.
September 30, 2022
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire and Kathryn Foxfield for my copy of this eerie book. The setting? A spooky cave which is the set of “It’s Behind You”, the reality show that will scare you to death. Contestants are tasked with spending the night in a haunted location in hopes of winning a cash prize. This season is set in the the Umber Gorge caves, which are haunted by the Puckered Maiden. She is a ghost that eats the heart of her victims, and the contestants are excited to see if she is real. But as the reality show starts, things start to go wrong, and the five teens are sure they’re not alone in the caves. Something is with them, and they are not happy.
Thoughts: This was your typical YA book in that it was very basic and straightforward. I loved the reality show plot, especially the idea of spending the night in haunted locations. I would actually love to watch this show in real life. Lex is an okay main character, not super dynamic but she did have a lot going on. It was a unique premise that was full of unnecessary murder and a simple plot.
Jackie was a completely unbelievable character, and her storyline really irritated me. The writing also wasn’t clear in some parts, so it ended up confusing me as the reader. It was very YA without much horror, but it was super fun and quick to read. I did love the atmosphere and think this is the perfect book for teens interested in spooky things. 3-stars.
Thoughts: This was your typical YA book in that it was very basic and straightforward. I loved the reality show plot, especially the idea of spending the night in haunted locations. I would actually love to watch this show in real life. Lex is an okay main character, not super dynamic but she did have a lot going on. It was a unique premise that was full of unnecessary murder and a simple plot.
Jackie was a completely unbelievable character, and her storyline really irritated me. The writing also wasn’t clear in some parts, so it ended up confusing me as the reader. It was very YA without much horror, but it was super fun and quick to read. I did love the atmosphere and think this is the perfect book for teens interested in spooky things. 3-stars.
January 16, 2023
If you love campy horror this is a book for you! Campy horror novels (and movies) can be such a welcome break from reality.
Nothing here can be taken too seriously, including the premise, and there’s nothing wrong with that. A desperate woman whose show is fading from popularity and needs ratings at any cost creates a new season of “It’s Behind You!” where faux and maybe real frights scare the contestants right out of the game. The last one standing is the winner. This time around Jackie casts five teens who she thinks fit her stereotypes and she locks them in a dangerous cave that was once an amusement park. To spice things up it is also reputed to be haunted by a ghost who plucks the hearts from mere mortals and eats them up! Yum! They call her “The Puckered Maiden”.
Yes, you read that right. The Puckered Maiden.
I don’t know if she croaked while eating lemons or whatnot and I never did find out but it made me laugh every time she was mentioned. And she was mentioned often.
Anyhow, the story is told from the POV of Lex who is supposed to be the snarky, comic relief. You may or may not be annoyed by Lex and some of these other teens. I guess that depends on your tolerance for these types of teens. Lex was more obnoxious than funny to me but as the story played out and she was forced to team up with some of the other characters I became less aggravated by her commentary. She’s nosy and she never learns a lesson and she is 100% confident she will win this game. Her relationship with a YouTube star who calls himself Python was great fun. They bounced off of each other well and he helped smooth out some of her rough edges.
This book moves fast. The game takes place over 24 hours so it kind of has to move but the characterization is lacking which is kind of a shame because it could’ve been a much better book had I cared about a few of these people earlier. The teens were all very interchangeable and I ended up confusing some of them a time or two and hoping the puckered maiden would hurry up and eat a few if only so I would be less confused.
The entire adventure is extremely claustrophobic. That was done excellently. Near the end, it gets beautifully unhinged and there’s a big mwahaha moment where someone spills all of their evil motives just because they feel like it. You’re either going to love those bits or you won’t. I did but I just eat up that kind of thing.
Definitely don't go into this thinking it's going to scare you in a creep-under-your-skin kind of way. It's not the kind of book. I hope I’ve given you enough here without the dreaded spoilers so you can decide if this one is or isn’t for you!
Nothing here can be taken too seriously, including the premise, and there’s nothing wrong with that. A desperate woman whose show is fading from popularity and needs ratings at any cost creates a new season of “It’s Behind You!” where faux and maybe real frights scare the contestants right out of the game. The last one standing is the winner. This time around Jackie casts five teens who she thinks fit her stereotypes and she locks them in a dangerous cave that was once an amusement park. To spice things up it is also reputed to be haunted by a ghost who plucks the hearts from mere mortals and eats them up! Yum! They call her “The Puckered Maiden”.
Yes, you read that right. The Puckered Maiden.
I don’t know if she croaked while eating lemons or whatnot and I never did find out but it made me laugh every time she was mentioned. And she was mentioned often.
Anyhow, the story is told from the POV of Lex who is supposed to be the snarky, comic relief. You may or may not be annoyed by Lex and some of these other teens. I guess that depends on your tolerance for these types of teens. Lex was more obnoxious than funny to me but as the story played out and she was forced to team up with some of the other characters I became less aggravated by her commentary. She’s nosy and she never learns a lesson and she is 100% confident she will win this game. Her relationship with a YouTube star who calls himself Python was great fun. They bounced off of each other well and he helped smooth out some of her rough edges.
This book moves fast. The game takes place over 24 hours so it kind of has to move but the characterization is lacking which is kind of a shame because it could’ve been a much better book had I cared about a few of these people earlier. The teens were all very interchangeable and I ended up confusing some of them a time or two and hoping the puckered maiden would hurry up and eat a few if only so I would be less confused.
The entire adventure is extremely claustrophobic. That was done excellently. Near the end, it gets beautifully unhinged and there’s a big mwahaha moment where someone spills all of their evil motives just because they feel like it. You’re either going to love those bits or you won’t. I did but I just eat up that kind of thing.
Definitely don't go into this thinking it's going to scare you in a creep-under-your-skin kind of way. It's not the kind of book. I hope I’ve given you enough here without the dreaded spoilers so you can decide if this one is or isn’t for you!
August 27, 2024
Inspired by Gavin Reads It All, my wife and I rented a cabin in the woods to read spooky books over the weekend, and this was my pick.
Was this book scary? Well, not for a long time. For a long time it's freaking hilarious. The main character is a walking bisexual disaster and I loved her. But I have to note that towards the end of the book, although she's becoming more human and less clown, she kind of fades into the background while the characters who are at the heart of the story reveal how the plot is going to wrap up.
The characters in this book, though, are fantastic. They are each unique and have their own individual voices, and there are just a handful of them so you can't possibly get anybody mixed up. It was done so well and was my favorite thing about the book.
As I said, a large portion of this book is just downright silly (and therein lies its charm), but there are a few chapters where the story gets so terrifyingly claustrophobic I had to put the book down because I felt like I was having a panic attack. The characters are supposed to be filming a reality TV show in a network of caves, but for a large portion at the beginning and during the middle of the book, there's actually a sort of theme park in the caves, and it makes the story feel more like a campy carnival Goosebumps book than a serious thriller. But eventually you do get out of the park and its plastic spiders and creepy puppets, and the characters are crawling through damp, dark tunnels with barely enough room to wiggle in. I haven't felt so claustrophobic while reading a book since Grady Hendrix's "We Sold Our Souls." And that section of the book went on for a quite a while. I'm freaking myself out just thinking about it!
I thought I knew how this story was going to end, but I was wrong. The plot twists weren't all totally unpredictable, but there were plenty of scenarios I did not see coming. I did think the story dragged on a bit too long leading up to the final reveals and I felt ready for the story to conclude. But I enjoyed the characters so much and this book had me cackling out loud quite a few times. There were a couple of inconsistencies and a typo or two, but it was nothing I couldn't look past because I was having such a good time with the story.
On our way home from our spooky cabin getaway reading adventure, my wife and I stopped at a bookstore and I bought all the author's other books, if that tells you anything. Highly recommend this one if you want to have a good time and escape for a while.
Was this book scary? Well, not for a long time. For a long time it's freaking hilarious. The main character is a walking bisexual disaster and I loved her. But I have to note that towards the end of the book, although she's becoming more human and less clown, she kind of fades into the background while the characters who are at the heart of the story reveal how the plot is going to wrap up.
The characters in this book, though, are fantastic. They are each unique and have their own individual voices, and there are just a handful of them so you can't possibly get anybody mixed up. It was done so well and was my favorite thing about the book.
As I said, a large portion of this book is just downright silly (and therein lies its charm), but there are a few chapters where the story gets so terrifyingly claustrophobic I had to put the book down because I felt like I was having a panic attack. The characters are supposed to be filming a reality TV show in a network of caves, but for a large portion at the beginning and during the middle of the book, there's actually a sort of theme park in the caves, and it makes the story feel more like a campy carnival Goosebumps book than a serious thriller. But eventually you do get out of the park and its plastic spiders and creepy puppets, and the characters are crawling through damp, dark tunnels with barely enough room to wiggle in. I haven't felt so claustrophobic while reading a book since Grady Hendrix's "We Sold Our Souls." And that section of the book went on for a quite a while. I'm freaking myself out just thinking about it!
I thought I knew how this story was going to end, but I was wrong. The plot twists weren't all totally unpredictable, but there were plenty of scenarios I did not see coming. I did think the story dragged on a bit too long leading up to the final reveals and I felt ready for the story to conclude. But I enjoyed the characters so much and this book had me cackling out loud quite a few times. There were a couple of inconsistencies and a typo or two, but it was nothing I couldn't look past because I was having such a good time with the story.
On our way home from our spooky cabin getaway reading adventure, my wife and I stopped at a bookstore and I bought all the author's other books, if that tells you anything. Highly recommend this one if you want to have a good time and escape for a while.
February 17, 2025
An interesting synopsis and idea in theory, but ultimately a boring, unbelievable plot with UNBEARABLE characters. Honestly they were all so badly written I wanted them all to die- immediately. I don’t even want a story. Just end my misery of reading this book.
April 23, 2023
4.5, rounded up.
A fast-paced thriller I read in one day. Very atmospheric and claustrophobic, and while I thought I predicted the ending, I turned out to be quite wrong.
A fast-paced thriller I read in one day. Very atmospheric and claustrophobic, and while I thought I predicted the ending, I turned out to be quite wrong.
December 7, 2022
2.5 Stars
Was this book good? No. Was it exactly what I thought it would be? Yes, it really was. The characters are flat, the plot has more twists than actual plot itself, and people died all over the place. So, no surprises, really. I liked that the setting somehow combined spooky cave with haunted amusement park, at least. That was an interesting change of scenery.
This book is what it is, and my full review, featuring some positives as well, is available at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
Was this book good? No. Was it exactly what I thought it would be? Yes, it really was. The characters are flat, the plot has more twists than actual plot itself, and people died all over the place. So, no surprises, really. I liked that the setting somehow combined spooky cave with haunted amusement park, at least. That was an interesting change of scenery.
This book is what it is, and my full review, featuring some positives as well, is available at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
December 14, 2022
This was fun! I actually think the story got better as it went on. I loved the aesthetics of the caves along with the abandoned attraction, and the multi-media approach is usually a win with me. There were even some tense moments that involved crawling through tunnels that made me anxious. I wanted a fun and creepy slasher and this did not disappoint.
July 23, 2025
this book was interesting at the start but closer to the end maybe the last 10-15 chapters it felt boring and kind of corny? I will say i liked Lex and Liam but basically every other character was boring, flat, annoying or forced. I liked the plot of the book of teens entering a "haunted" cave for a reality tv game show but the twist was predictable and boring and I just don't have much to say it was just meh
July 18, 2023
It was cute. Probably 3.5 stars. It's not scary even though some terrible things happen. I randomly picked this up, and it was entertaining enough to complete.
March 1, 2023
It was a very interesting story line. I thought that the old amusement park theme was unique, but also fit in with the dark cave aspect. I wish the story wasn’t as drawn out, but I enjoyed the twists and turns through the book. I wish there were more mysteries and more horror in the book (and I’m not typically one who enjoys that stuff). I really wish the book didn’t leave us on a cliffhanger - the story just didn’t end well. Overall the book was mid. Would I read it again? No. Would I consider reading a sequel? Possibly
March 27, 2025
It was entertaining for me. I enjoyed some of the characters!
October 19, 2023
I wish I could attach a pic of my face with every review. 😒 SLOW SLOW SLOW.
February 2, 2023
Lex is one of five teens who have signed up to be part of the newest (and possibly last) season of the reality TV show It's Behind You. The show's contestants must spend the night in a supposedly haunted location. Whoever is able to stay there the whole night wins 10 grand - and if multiple people manage to stick around, they have to split the 10 grand, so it's in contestants' best interests if there are fewer winners.
This season is taking place in the Umber Gorge Caves, the home of the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who takes the hearts of her victims. It's debatable whether she actually exists, but people have definitely died in these caves. The most recent death was only two years ago, a local teen killed during a cave-in.
Lex doesn't believe in ghosts and figures she'll get the 10 grand, easy. However, her fellow contestants - Python the YouTuber, Marla the wannabe actress, Abbie the ghost hunter, and Liam, the local boy who for some reason is pretending he isn't local - all have something they're hiding, and one of them may be willing to kill to keep others from finding out their secrets.
The cover makes this look like horror, right? I went into this expecting something like the movies Haunted Asylum and Grave Encounters - a group does a ghost hunting reality show that turns supernaturally deadly. Instead, this was more of a thriller/mystery that didn't really have anything in the way of creepy moments or scares.
I'd previously read Foxfield's Good Girls Die First and thought it was so-so. Although I liked this book about the same (or maybe a tiny bit more?), I felt that it did better by its characters, at least some of them. They weren't necessarily just "the annoying one" and "the jerk" all the way through, and I actually came to sort of like a couple of them.
The ending was, unfortunately, cartoonish to the point of reminding me of a Scooby-Doo episode. Also, although everything technically got resolved, the story felt more like it came to a stuttering halt than a satisfying close.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
This season is taking place in the Umber Gorge Caves, the home of the Puckered Maiden, a ghost who takes the hearts of her victims. It's debatable whether she actually exists, but people have definitely died in these caves. The most recent death was only two years ago, a local teen killed during a cave-in.
Lex doesn't believe in ghosts and figures she'll get the 10 grand, easy. However, her fellow contestants - Python the YouTuber, Marla the wannabe actress, Abbie the ghost hunter, and Liam, the local boy who for some reason is pretending he isn't local - all have something they're hiding, and one of them may be willing to kill to keep others from finding out their secrets.
The cover makes this look like horror, right? I went into this expecting something like the movies Haunted Asylum and Grave Encounters - a group does a ghost hunting reality show that turns supernaturally deadly. Instead, this was more of a thriller/mystery that didn't really have anything in the way of creepy moments or scares.
I'd previously read Foxfield's Good Girls Die First and thought it was so-so. Although I liked this book about the same (or maybe a tiny bit more?), I felt that it did better by its characters, at least some of them. They weren't necessarily just "the annoying one" and "the jerk" all the way through, and I actually came to sort of like a couple of them.
The ending was, unfortunately, cartoonish to the point of reminding me of a Scooby-Doo episode. Also, although everything technically got resolved, the story felt more like it came to a stuttering halt than a satisfying close.
(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
December 31, 2022
Mmm i dont know people. I wil let you guys judge on your own. I wont say anything else.
May 4, 2023
Unbearable and unbelievable characters, more twisty than the cave system, and excessively long.
October 9, 2023
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Easy read about a gang of 5 teens (plus extras!) who need to survive the night in a spooky cave system to win money on a reality TV show.
I kinda liked that the characters had minimal depth - it made it more like a jaunt than an actual horror. That TOTALLY worked for me as I'm not a horror fan. Sassy protagonist was cool too, and luckily, the introspection was minimal as it would have wrecked the vibe.
I didn't pick the ending, although I did pick a few plot points along the way.
Just a quick, easy, enjoyable read that will appeal to teens who like a lighter book.
NCEA Level 1: spectatorship
Y9, Y10, Y11
CW: murder, body horror
Easy read about a gang of 5 teens (plus extras!) who need to survive the night in a spooky cave system to win money on a reality TV show.
I kinda liked that the characters had minimal depth - it made it more like a jaunt than an actual horror. That TOTALLY worked for me as I'm not a horror fan. Sassy protagonist was cool too, and luckily, the introspection was minimal as it would have wrecked the vibe.
I didn't pick the ending, although I did pick a few plot points along the way.
Just a quick, easy, enjoyable read that will appeal to teens who like a lighter book.
NCEA Level 1: spectatorship
Y9, Y10, Y11
CW: murder, body horror
September 1, 2022
Fun little story with horror components! The reality show "It's Behind You!" is filming in a small town located amongst a dark and dreary mountain range filled with caves. Five hand picked contestants must survive the night in the dark and avoid the Puckered Maiden (a ghost who eats hearts).
Early on it is clear that all is not what it seems and the contestants fear each other and for their actual lives! If you like reality show based books, fun horror themed stories, or just want a fun thrill for your nighttime reading, Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are is for you!
#sourcebooksfire #Sourcebooks #Comeoutcomeoutwhateveryouare
Early on it is clear that all is not what it seems and the contestants fear each other and for their actual lives! If you like reality show based books, fun horror themed stories, or just want a fun thrill for your nighttime reading, Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are is for you!
#sourcebooksfire #Sourcebooks #Comeoutcomeoutwhateveryouare
October 6, 2024
this book was not my favorite. I wanted a horror book and i started reading it hoping it would be good. I liked the concept like the reality tv with the paranormal aspect, but the plot was just not giving me the fulfillment I need and there was several parts on where i was like “Yeah I don’t like this” It helped me get out of my reading slump, but it just wasn’t up to my expectations. I wasn’t attached to the characters and the characters would always goof around about hearing stuff that made me excited like “oh something creepy is happening” but then it was one of them trying to scare the others which made me annoyed.
December 18, 2022
The premise and the thought of a spooky story caught my attention. The characters especially the main one made me want to pull my hair out. I had to put it down so many times because I wanted to punch her arrogant face. Just not what I expected or wanted it to be.
September 2, 2022
Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield is a blend of YA horror and thriller about a reality TV show. The story revolves around Lex, who is one of 5 contestants on a reality TV show where they try to scare the contestants. For the show, they journey to dangerous, haunted caves. Lex is convinced that the production crew are the ones setting up incidents to try to scare the contestants. But are they really? Or is there a more evil entity lurking behind the scenes?
Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 2:
"The evening smells like cotton candy and blood.
There’s a procession making its way up the main street, toward Umber caves. The townsfolk are lit by glowing lanterns; their heads are bowed. The moon watches on from a clear sky as the rocky gorge reverently spills over with greenery. It’s a beautiful scene, if you can get past the platters of pigs’ hearts carried by a troupe of solemn schoolchildren.
“I think I love this town,” I say."
Overall, Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are is a YA thriller that will appeal to fans of One of Us is Lying or The Good Girl's Guide to Murder. One highlight of this book is the main character, who is not afraid of getting in trouble and not afraid to stand out. I found this protagonist to be really unique among YA books I've read lately. I did take off 1 star, because I just didn't find this book scary. I expected it to be like Fear Street, but it ended up being more like Scooby Doo. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA thrillers in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in December!
Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield is a blend of YA horror and thriller about a reality TV show. The story revolves around Lex, who is one of 5 contestants on a reality TV show where they try to scare the contestants. For the show, they journey to dangerous, haunted caves. Lex is convinced that the production crew are the ones setting up incidents to try to scare the contestants. But are they really? Or is there a more evil entity lurking behind the scenes?
Here is an atmospheric excerpt from Chapter 2:
"The evening smells like cotton candy and blood.
There’s a procession making its way up the main street, toward Umber caves. The townsfolk are lit by glowing lanterns; their heads are bowed. The moon watches on from a clear sky as the rocky gorge reverently spills over with greenery. It’s a beautiful scene, if you can get past the platters of pigs’ hearts carried by a troupe of solemn schoolchildren.
“I think I love this town,” I say."
Overall, Come Out, Come Out, Whatever You Are is a YA thriller that will appeal to fans of One of Us is Lying or The Good Girl's Guide to Murder. One highlight of this book is the main character, who is not afraid of getting in trouble and not afraid to stand out. I found this protagonist to be really unique among YA books I've read lately. I did take off 1 star, because I just didn't find this book scary. I expected it to be like Fear Street, but it ended up being more like Scooby Doo. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of YA thrillers in general, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in December!
November 2, 2025
Okay so this book was actual trash. I’m sorry but it really was. And despite the fact that it took me two weeks to actually finish it, I was surprisingly invested. The setting and premise were cool, I will give it that. I mean a reality TV show in a haunted cave/amusement park. Pretty cool. Plus caves are super scary on their own. The reason this book was trash was because the writing and the characters were so bad. Like so bad. Here’s an example: “it didn’t just feel cold; it was more like an absence of warmth.” My friends, this is quite literally what it means for something to be cold. And then the ghost is revealed to be an old lady named Sally-Ann who calls her granddaughter a “big fat loser” and a “faily, faily, failure.” Like did a teenager write this book? What grandma talks like this? How am I supposed to take this book seriously? Also the main character is known for being an annoying jerk, which she was. Literally the whole book. Her and another kid are always competing about who can be the most annoying… they were all insufferable honestly. Even if there wasn’t an unstable cave and a murderer there’s no way all these people would’ve made it out alive: they’re all too stupid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this spooky read! It took me a couple chapters to really get into it, but once things were happening in the caves I was hooked! This book was a perfect balance of creepy and eerie and it had me on the edge of my seat.
Lex was an interesting character. I liked seeing more of her as the book went on and she began to open up about her mom and even some memories of her mother. I liked that she came in planning to cause trouble because she made it interesting in the beginning.
I thought the cast of characters was good, and I liked the little transcripts of their interviews. Python was funny, and he lightened up some of the creepier moments.
The history of the caves and what it meant to some of the characters was well done. The legend of the Puckered Maiden is eerie and provides a great ghost story to increase the tension. The caves were a terrifying setting.
I wish there had been a bit more closure over the ending. I’m not a huge fan of open endings, but I appreciate that there was a little epilogue to explain some things.
Lex was an interesting character. I liked seeing more of her as the book went on and she began to open up about her mom and even some memories of her mother. I liked that she came in planning to cause trouble because she made it interesting in the beginning.
I thought the cast of characters was good, and I liked the little transcripts of their interviews. Python was funny, and he lightened up some of the creepier moments.
The history of the caves and what it meant to some of the characters was well done. The legend of the Puckered Maiden is eerie and provides a great ghost story to increase the tension. The caves were a terrifying setting.
I wish there had been a bit more closure over the ending. I’m not a huge fan of open endings, but I appreciate that there was a little epilogue to explain some things.
December 27, 2022
*Thank you to NetGalley and SourceBooksFire for my digital review copy*
Come Out, Come Out Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield is a young adult horror/mystery semi-locked room style book about five teens competing on a reality show called It’s Behind You. Sealed into a haunted cave, the goal is to survive the night and win some prize money.
I loved all the characters, especially Lex, who was a snarky jokester anti-heroine, and Python, a superficial superfan who ends up being less vapid than the persona he puts out. I also loved the cave setting, the ghost backstory, and the creepy atmosphere.
While not super scary, this book serves up quite a few murders similar to a teen slasher flick and I think it would make a pretty good one.
Come Out, Come Out Whatever You Are by Kathryn Foxfield is a young adult horror/mystery semi-locked room style book about five teens competing on a reality show called It’s Behind You. Sealed into a haunted cave, the goal is to survive the night and win some prize money.
I loved all the characters, especially Lex, who was a snarky jokester anti-heroine, and Python, a superficial superfan who ends up being less vapid than the persona he puts out. I also loved the cave setting, the ghost backstory, and the creepy atmosphere.
While not super scary, this book serves up quite a few murders similar to a teen slasher flick and I think it would make a pretty good one.
September 10, 2023
The concept? So entirely here for it 10000%
But the delivery? Ehhhhhhhhhhh it ended up being slightly better than the dipping ratings of “It’s Behind You”
There was definitely at least 100 pages that could’ve been chopped out of the book with the Puckered Maiden’s cleaver.
The main character, I loved her personality bc I could see so much of myself in her with her sarcasm. But so many of the characters just fell flat or their reality tv tropes being all they really had. I would’ve loved to learn more about Python as a person and also why Marla had her hair trigger anger issues.
Overall, an average decent binge read but ended up being just as meandering as the tunnels of the caves they’re stuck in. Zak Bagans could have delivered more frights and we KNOW his are staged 😂😂😂
But the delivery? Ehhhhhhhhhhh it ended up being slightly better than the dipping ratings of “It’s Behind You”
There was definitely at least 100 pages that could’ve been chopped out of the book with the Puckered Maiden’s cleaver.
The main character, I loved her personality bc I could see so much of myself in her with her sarcasm. But so many of the characters just fell flat or their reality tv tropes being all they really had. I would’ve loved to learn more about Python as a person and also why Marla had her hair trigger anger issues.
Overall, an average decent binge read but ended up being just as meandering as the tunnels of the caves they’re stuck in. Zak Bagans could have delivered more frights and we KNOW his are staged 😂😂😂
August 28, 2023
Not usually my go-to genre, but it was fun to try something new. I really liked the premise. The story has its flaws and wish I could have gotten a bit more resolution to the ending, but I read this in a day as I found it was very entertaining. 3.5 stars.
May 1, 2024
I’d give it 4.5 stars if I could, it was really good and super interesting, ended up being better than I thought it would be. It even creeped me out a bit when I read it right before I went to sleep. Every chapter was super interesting, besides for the chapters when they weren’t in the cave. But every chapter after that was good. If this was a movie I’d totally watch it.
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