Reviews - Killer on the Road / The Babysitter Lives

129 reviews for:

Killer on the Road / The Babysitter Lives

Stephen Graham Jones

3.98 AVERAGE

dairling's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark mysterious sad medium-paced

cjmcclendon18's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: N/A

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

krazymofo73's review against another edition

2.5

medium-paced

childling's review against another edition

3.5

challenging dark emotional lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

library_dreamer's review against another edition

4.75

I'm never disappointed by SGJ! I had read The Babysitter Lives before and absolutely loved the creepy atmosphere. Killer on the Road exceeded my expectations. Both stories have great characters and horrific visuals. Putting these stories together in one volume was a stroke of genius!

I received a copy from the publisher for review.

chasctaylor_reads's review against another edition

4.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I really appreciate Stephen Graham Jones for his unique takes on horror and the seamless way he integrates Indigenous perspectives into familiar tropes. This bind-up was a fun, gripping read that kept me on my toes, thanks to two strong-willed female leads.

In true SGJ fashion, he doesn’t spoon-feed the reader. You have to pay attention, read between the lines, and—more often than not—I find myself looking things up as I go. That’s part of what makes his work so rewarding. I tend to reach for his books when I want to be challenged and when I’m in the mood to really slow down and absorb every detail. Despite the mental workout, his writing style never fails to keep me engaged.

I can absolutely see myself rereading both of these stories—there’s so much layered into them that I’m sure I missed things the first time around. A second read will probably be even more satisfying.

Also, shoutout to SGJ’s acknowledgments—always a favorite part for me!

Killer on the Road: 4.25 Stars ✨
This one gave Jeepers Creepers meets The Outsider (Stephen King vibes!). There’s quite a bit of trucker lingo that I had to familiarize myself with, but SGJ even notes the amount of research he put into this, which shows. Super atmospheric and unsettling.

The Babysitter Lives: 4 Stars ✨
This one was originally released in 2022 (audio only)* I found this to be a clever, unexpected take on the haunted house story. I never knew where it was heading, and SGJ takes the reader on a wild, unpredictable ride. Creepy and chaotic! If you enjoyed We Used to Live Here, pick this one up.