There's No Way I'd Die First by Lisa Springer
Debut author Lisa Springer delivers a spine-tingling contemporary horror that follows a scary-movie buff as she hosts an elaborate Halloween bash on her family’s estate but soon finds the festivities upended when she and her guests are forced to test their survival skills in a deadly party game.
Noelle Layne knows horror. Every trope, every warning sign, every survival tactic. She even leads a successful movie club dedicated to the genre. Thus, who better to throw the ultimate, most exclusive Halloween party on all of Long Island? And with the guest list including the coolest kids in her senior class, her popularity is bound to spike. Hopefully, enough to warrant an expansion into podcasting. Plus, the fact that attractive, singer-songwriter Archer Mitchell is coming is honestly the candy corn on top. Nothing is going to kill her party vibes.
Except…maybe the low-budget It clown she hires to lead a classic round of tag. He’s supposed to be terrifying, though in a comforting, nostalgic way. Instead, the guy is giving major creeps. But maybe Noelle’s just that good at hosting? Her confidence is immediately rocked when the night’s entertainment axes one of her guests. And he’s not done yet. If an evil, murderous clown thinks life is a game, then Noelle is ready to play. She’s been waiting a long time to prove that she’s a Final Girl.
Review:
I feel like I’ve had great luck the last week or so in finding fun, creepy slashers that speak to my slasher-loving heart. It started with “How to Survive Your Murder ” then continued with “Dead of Winter” and now this one. I’m happy to report that “There’s No Way I’d Die First” continued the trend of slasher books that I enjoyed and feel would make great movies.
The story revolves around Noelle Layne, a self-proclaimed horror aficionado who knows every trick in the book when it comes to surviving in a scary movie. Noelle is a young Black woman who loves horror films – especially dissecting them and calling many of the classics out for lack of BIPOC representation. In fact, she has an entire club dedicated to this, and with any luck, she hopes to launch a podcast based on this same concept – she just needs to generate enough interest. Noelle decides to throw an exclusive Halloween party on her family’s estate. The guest list includes only the coolest kids in her senior class – most of them influencers with large followings – who Noelle hopes will post about the party and in turn, bring her more followers and eventually sponsors for her podcast.
However, things take a terrifying turn when the creepy clown she hired to lead a round of tag starts to cross the line between eerie and downright creepy. When one of her guests is brutally murdered, Noelle realizes that her party has turned into a real-life horror movie. She and the rest of her guests are trapped in her estate; the electricity is out, phones don’t work, there’s a raging rain storm outside, and the clown – or someone – has boobytrapped the house, making escape seemingly impossible. Now, it’s up to Noelle and her horror-loving friends to draw on all they’ve learned from their favorite horror movies to survive the night.
This is Springer’s debut novel, and I was definitely impressed. The book is a testament to her talent as a writer and her knowledge and love for the horror genre. The plot is fast-paced and tight. Each scene is expertly crafted, and the tension builds steadily throughout the book. One thing we slasher lovers look forward to in a slasher movie or book is creativity in the kill – and this book has several. It was a hell of a lot of fun.
As far as characters go, there were 13 plus the clown, and while I had a difficult time at first remembering who was who and what type of influencer they were, I eventually fell into it. It’s not long before several people are killed, and once our cast dwindles by half, it’s easier to keep up with everyone.
Noelle is a relatable and engaging protagonist. Her love for horror movies and her determination to prove herself as the final girl will resonate with readers. It’s no secret that in the 80s and 90s – when slasher movies were all the rage – people of color were often killed off early in slasher movies (if they appeared at all), so to have a strong young female of color as the main character and hopeful final girl was refreshing.
What sets this book apart from other horror novels is Springer’s ability to infuse it with nostalgia and references to classic horror movies. For fans of the genre, these nods will be a delight and add an extra layer of enjoyment to the story. It feels like a love letter to horror movies, paying homage to the tropes and conventions that fans know and love.
If you are a slasher movie lover then this book is a must-read.
