What do you think?
The Dead Friends Society
Drew and her friends aren't like most college kids.
They're dead.
Murdered in 1998 by a masked killer known only as The Fireman, their spirits are trapped in Greywood House, desperate to escape...until Abbey and her family arrive.
The new girl finds herself drawn to their haunting presence, which only makes things worse. Because the dead know what the living can't: The Fireman is coming back.
And this time the ghosts of Greywood House will have to do whatever it takes to stop the next bloodbath, even if it means the end of their afterlives...
They're dead.
Murdered in 1998 by a masked killer known only as The Fireman, their spirits are trapped in Greywood House, desperate to escape...until Abbey and her family arrive.
The new girl finds herself drawn to their haunting presence, which only makes things worse. Because the dead know what the living can't: The Fireman is coming back.
And this time the ghosts of Greywood House will have to do whatever it takes to stop the next bloodbath, even if it means the end of their afterlives...
Kindle Edition
First published November 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 18, 2022
Part slasher, part haunted house story, Hall and Gandersman have created something wholly unique with The Dead Friends Society. It’s a story of friendship in life and death, and what a group of friends would go through to stop an evil that’s hell-bent on killing anything that disturbs it’s sanctuary. This is one hell of a debut!
The only thing that kept it from 5 stars for me was I felt it took a bit too long after the initial insane opening scene to get to the next part of the book. But it’s a minor gripe in an overall awesome book that I think slasher fans and haunted house fans will love.
The only thing that kept it from 5 stars for me was I felt it took a bit too long after the initial insane opening scene to get to the next part of the book. But it’s a minor gripe in an overall awesome book that I think slasher fans and haunted house fans will love.
January 6, 2023
"All houses have a soul, and this one was rotten"
Forever love a good creepy read, and this book did not disappoint! It really gives the reader a sense of 80s/90s slasher which is always welcomed, and the fact that it is a haunted house / ghost story makes it even better.
A well written, fast-paced, easy-read YA horror that definitely deserves some more attention!
"This is a haunted house. And we're haunting it"
Forever love a good creepy read, and this book did not disappoint! It really gives the reader a sense of 80s/90s slasher which is always welcomed, and the fact that it is a haunted house / ghost story makes it even better.
A well written, fast-paced, easy-read YA horror that definitely deserves some more attention!
"This is a haunted house. And we're haunting it"
September 2, 2022
An absolutely brilliant take on the slasher genre. A mash-up of 90s Horror and 80s Slashers with a dash of the paranormal. The Dead Friends Society is a banger of an entry for first time authors Paul Ganderson and Peter Hall.
A fast read that will make you laugh, thrill and get your blood pumping. YA Horror at it's absolute best.
A fast read that will make you laugh, thrill and get your blood pumping. YA Horror at it's absolute best.
October 14, 2023
I was really intrigued by the premise being part slasher / part ghost story, and this was. Ultimately the book was just ok for me. It started strong and ended well, but the middle had some pacing issues and dragged on longer than it needed to.
It was still a fun read during spooky season though.
It was still a fun read during spooky season though.
December 28, 2022
Fantastic and unique premise with an absolutely killer opening. The pacing is great which makes for a super entertaining read. Can’t wait for what comes next!
August 9, 2023
A fun mashup of haunted house and slasher that takes a new approach at the genre. It reads like a b-movie horror film. If the characters weren't so one dimensional, this could have gone from being a good book, to a great book. As it stands, its propelled mostly by its premise.
3.5
3.5
April 17, 2025
This book had me engaged from the opening. The book is very much a mash of slasher, paranormal and mystery but every moment leaves you wanting to learn the story with the characters. If adapted, this would make for an excellent Hollywood movie for Halloween.
The cover art is just as fun as the story evoking the nostalgia of old 80’s horror. The Fireman is a classic mash of Jason and Michael Myers. The book is a fast read but often you’ll find yourself re-reading a sentence out of laughter. When the kills occur, you can just picture them in your head. It’s really a great book and one I’ll revisit every Halloween. I’m really happy to have it in my library.
The cover art is just as fun as the story evoking the nostalgia of old 80’s horror. The Fireman is a classic mash of Jason and Michael Myers. The book is a fast read but often you’ll find yourself re-reading a sentence out of laughter. When the kills occur, you can just picture them in your head. It’s really a great book and one I’ll revisit every Halloween. I’m really happy to have it in my library.
November 24, 2023
****The cat, Oracle, is ok!****
November 29, 2023
3.5 rounded up for fun
May 31, 2025
4.75! ⭐️
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May 10, 2025Rating: pg+ violence - it’s a horror / slasher book. Profanity. Didn’t get far enough to find out about sex…
Recommend: not my genre, so probably not, but I can absolutely imagine: over the top slasher gore + a haunting? Sure.
Dnf pretty early. This was part of my occasional “read outside your preferred genres” and … well, I still don’t like this type of book, so… I absolutely think it has value for some readers, I think it is probably a perfectly fine book for people who like slasher / horror novels, just not me.
Recommend: not my genre, so probably not, but I can absolutely imagine: over the top slasher gore + a haunting? Sure.
Dnf pretty early. This was part of my occasional “read outside your preferred genres” and … well, I still don’t like this type of book, so… I absolutely think it has value for some readers, I think it is probably a perfectly fine book for people who like slasher / horror novels, just not me.
January 22, 2023
Going into this book, I was rather excited and much intrigued. The first part of the book was incredibly interesting. Part 90s slasher, part haunted house story. But as we passed into the middle of the book, everything felt rather stagnant. Everything slowed to a crawl and I was internally begging for something, anything to happen. The book ended on a bang, although a bit cartoonishly but ultimately satisfying. Unfortunately my overall enjoyment of the book was dampened by the slow midsection.
October 3, 2026
This was a solid little horror/slasher I stumbled upon while perusing books on Amazon. I appreciated the author's note at the end explaining the book. I think that is why the pacing was a bit off. It was meant to be a film. I am really glad I read it. It had some genuinely existential moments in here that gave me the heebie jeebies. The last act was a bit messy but overall I felt like the ending was a satisfying one.
September 29, 2026
I really wanted to like it more. Strong action and world-building but I wasn't taken with the characters or dialogue. Even though it was a quick read, I found it a bit of a slog. I can see how it was conceived as a film first, which I think I'd prefer.
Suffers from over-reliance on pop culture references and personal asides.
Suffers from over-reliance on pop culture references and personal asides.
December 23, 2022
I didn’t realize the villain would be supernatural. I thought it would be these ghosts helping catch a real, live killer, not another ghost that can break through the universal planes.
There was also too much gore for me.
There was also too much gore for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 12, 2022This book caught my attention and I can say that it is something good, this book is not very good of what genre it is but I liked it
February 3, 2023
A unique horror story that is part slasher, part haunted house, full of endearing characters and so fun to read!
April 21, 2023
Very good. A mix of 80s style slasher (but set in the 90s for a change) and haunted house story. Very unique.
August 20, 2023
It was a pretty good read. I’d love a sequel.
October 13, 2023
Strong premise, but pacing problems hamstring the story.
April 10, 2025
Entertaining read. I did enjoy all the 90s references.
February 16, 2026
A fantastic Slasher story and an event better and unique ghost story. The antagonist was cool and monstrous and the protagonists were people you cared about and rooted for.
August 27, 2024
Spoilers… In chapter 16, when time speeds up for the ghost in the house when the humans have left, it’s not well explained. They say when the last cop leaves that speeds up a couple of pages later Eli talks about things being cleaned, they’re belongings being taken out, so did time slow down during all of this activity when humans were around Again?
Also on page 138, it contradicts itself by saying “throughout all of it, at least one person had been in the house”…but that one detective left and that’s when it started. No humans were in the house at that point when the time fast forward started.
On page 137 Drew goes to lay down on the couch and tries to sleep, then it turns to Eli‘s perspective where we’re told lots of activity has taken place days possibly weeks, he goes to the kitchen door to try to open it since the knob has been replaced at some point, then on page 139 Drew says she couldn’t sleep And on page 140 she finds Eli at the kitchen door. The timeline on this just doesn’t make sense. Poor writing and poor editing.
Page 172… So if The Fireman lives behind the rot in the basement, and Rose can get to this place when she meditates (when The Fireman grabbed her by the throat in her vision of the living room with the family) why isn’t The Fireman in the house with them (the ghosts), just killing them over and over again?
Sidenote, I don’t like that this is set in 2020 during Covid. They’ve mentioned masks and the pandemic bubbles. I’m not an anti-masker, and I took everything very seriously, but I read to escape current events, and that is two recent history for me to want to read about it. They haven’t gotten to it yet, but I assume that’s how Abbey‘s mom died.
Page One 79… Wes and Eli‘s dad is supposed to have been a complete dick. But Eli just mentioned he went to space camp. If his dad was as bad as they both claim, there’s no way he would’ve sent Eli to space camp.
Willow goes from calling Javier, Mr. Moreno to Javi and back to Mr. Moreno within just a few pages. Inconsistencies annoy me.
If the four from 1998 are stuck, why aren’t the victims from the 70’s there as well?
If Drew is right, and they’re meant to save Abbey/“the living girl”, why weren’t the 70’s people there to save them in ‘98?
Also on page 138, it contradicts itself by saying “throughout all of it, at least one person had been in the house”…but that one detective left and that’s when it started. No humans were in the house at that point when the time fast forward started.
On page 137 Drew goes to lay down on the couch and tries to sleep, then it turns to Eli‘s perspective where we’re told lots of activity has taken place days possibly weeks, he goes to the kitchen door to try to open it since the knob has been replaced at some point, then on page 139 Drew says she couldn’t sleep And on page 140 she finds Eli at the kitchen door. The timeline on this just doesn’t make sense. Poor writing and poor editing.
Page 172… So if The Fireman lives behind the rot in the basement, and Rose can get to this place when she meditates (when The Fireman grabbed her by the throat in her vision of the living room with the family) why isn’t The Fireman in the house with them (the ghosts), just killing them over and over again?
Sidenote, I don’t like that this is set in 2020 during Covid. They’ve mentioned masks and the pandemic bubbles. I’m not an anti-masker, and I took everything very seriously, but I read to escape current events, and that is two recent history for me to want to read about it. They haven’t gotten to it yet, but I assume that’s how Abbey‘s mom died.
Page One 79… Wes and Eli‘s dad is supposed to have been a complete dick. But Eli just mentioned he went to space camp. If his dad was as bad as they both claim, there’s no way he would’ve sent Eli to space camp.
Willow goes from calling Javier, Mr. Moreno to Javi and back to Mr. Moreno within just a few pages. Inconsistencies annoy me.
If the four from 1998 are stuck, why aren’t the victims from the 70’s there as well?
If Drew is right, and they’re meant to save Abbey/“the living girl”, why weren’t the 70’s people there to save them in ‘98?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews