How to Survive a Horror Sequel
Charley might have narrowly escaped the Harrogate Killer last year, but she knows their story is not over yet – even though she loathes sequels.
Attempting to return to normalcy, she and her mom settle down in a remote Scottish town, ominously nicknamed ‘The Devil’s Punchbowl.’ But with an unusually large ghost population visible only to her and weird happenings around town sparking whispers of witchcraft, Charley might inadvertently be in the centre of another horror plot. Now that she is a Final Girl herself, she must rely on her expert knowledge of horror movies if she hopes to outlast Halloween.
In this thrilling sequel, Dunmore creates another dark yet humorous tale, expertly balances horror movie tropes with levity to create a compelling story propelled by a witty protagonist and an enticing mystery. The smalltown setting makes for an eerie and atmospheric read that slowly builds up to an explosive Halloween night. While this is a fast-paced narrative with multiple intriguing plotlines, Dunmore still finds space to offer an introspective look at Charley’s struggles with trauma, as well as to candidly touch on the long-lasting effects of grief and the weight of loneliness as Charley misses her friends from Harrogate, ghosts included.
This teen horror perfectly captures the allure of horror movies, treating readers to a twisty paranormal tale sprinkled with witches, dark woods, ghostly apparitions, and a resilient Final Girl. Readers are sure to be left craving the next instalment in this wonderfully creepy series.
