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hwalk91's review against another edition
5.0
"..take a walk through any forest at night and you’ll see whatever your mind wants you to see out there in the dark. Trees become torsos, branches become limbs.
He’d always thought that was the key to writing good horror: letting your mind wander to places where there was no horror, and finding it there anyway. It was an art, seeing the terrifying that lay beneath the okay."
Elwood is a heroine addict who's found that bottom full of rocks. In an attempt to climb back to the surface and hopefully save his relationship with his daughter, he takes advantage of a lake house owned by his dealer. He plans to stay there as long as it takes to kick the drugs from his system and find some trave of himself. He gets more than he bargains for when he finds the area deserted and stories of murders and missing people are discovered. Then comes the floating, deformed being
He’d always thought that was the key to writing good horror: letting your mind wander to places where there was no horror, and finding it there anyway. It was an art, seeing the terrifying that lay beneath the okay."
Elwood is a heroine addict who's found that bottom full of rocks. In an attempt to climb back to the surface and hopefully save his relationship with his daughter, he takes advantage of a lake house owned by his dealer. He plans to stay there as long as it takes to kick the drugs from his system and find some trave of himself. He gets more than he bargains for when he finds the area deserted and stories of murders and missing people are discovered. Then comes the floating, deformed being
thyprecious's review against another edition
5.0
“Of course it’s happening inside your head . . . but why on Earth should that mean that it is not real?”
There are stories you might never have come across be it not for the bookstagram community, and I’m immensely grateful for that one. Christopher Badcock’s short story Everyone To The Table featured in Bitter Chills Anthology got me hooked for good and left me longing for more stories Chris had to tell.
That’s how I came upon Those You Killed, Christopher’s debut novel.
Bristling with dark metaphors, twists and turns, the story follows Elwood Cathis’s journey back to self after a long-standing heroin addiction. Once a successful writer, loving husband and father, Elwood finds himself at his lowest ebb, alone with the needle that has taken it all.
To regain himself, Elwood comes to Lake Chance with an intention to go cold turkey. Soon enough, he starts experiencing withdrawal symptoms with remarkably vivid hallucinations. But are they indeed just eerie visions playing with his intoxicated mind?
I knew I was in for a rough ride from page one. The book gives an in-depth look at addiction: disturbing, relentless, ugly. I couldn’t help but think that either the story had to be based on personal experience or Chris must’ve done an extensive research of the thing. I wasn’t wrong. The pain was real, the poignant struggles of someone trying to kick the habit felt dark and downright heart-wrenching.
As for the narrative structure, I found the manner in which Elwood’s demons made their way to the stage highly compelling.
Little references in this book are abundant and delightful to pick up on. There’s a play on King, a nod to Welsh, a pinch of ancient tales, and a note to the little loved one, which, I’m sure, will be much appreciated when the time comes. Every allusion unveiled makes you feel a little closer to the author.
Elwood as a character has come a long way, with Whiskey and Aubrey doing a great job as sidekick characters to help him find what was lost.
Love him or loathe him, you will grow rooting for the protagonist. Elwood is just as real as you and I. After all, “addiction actually [has] many faces. It [isn’t] always a drug”
Lastly, a note of appreciation to Nick Harper, the publisher, for the top-notch cover design. I wish I had a physical copy!
Christopher managed to create an exceptionally memorable story, and got a loyal reader in me. I can’t wait to read more of his stories.
If you’re a fan of Stephen King, read this book.
If you’re struggling with any kind of addiction, read this book.
If you’re into all things creepy, scary, and nightmarish, read this book.
If you think you have a good taste in books… you know what to do ;)
Here’s a little something I made of the book: sometimes you catch yourself feeling that there’s a draining whirling tangle inside, and you don’t know how to even start unraveling it.
But you can choose to stop feeding it.
There are stories you might never have come across be it not for the bookstagram community, and I’m immensely grateful for that one. Christopher Badcock’s short story Everyone To The Table featured in Bitter Chills Anthology got me hooked for good and left me longing for more stories Chris had to tell.
That’s how I came upon Those You Killed, Christopher’s debut novel.
Bristling with dark metaphors, twists and turns, the story follows Elwood Cathis’s journey back to self after a long-standing heroin addiction. Once a successful writer, loving husband and father, Elwood finds himself at his lowest ebb, alone with the needle that has taken it all.
To regain himself, Elwood comes to Lake Chance with an intention to go cold turkey. Soon enough, he starts experiencing withdrawal symptoms with remarkably vivid hallucinations. But are they indeed just eerie visions playing with his intoxicated mind?
I knew I was in for a rough ride from page one. The book gives an in-depth look at addiction: disturbing, relentless, ugly. I couldn’t help but think that either the story had to be based on personal experience or Chris must’ve done an extensive research of the thing. I wasn’t wrong. The pain was real, the poignant struggles of someone trying to kick the habit felt dark and downright heart-wrenching.
As for the narrative structure, I found the manner in which Elwood’s demons made their way to the stage highly compelling.
Little references in this book are abundant and delightful to pick up on. There’s a play on King, a nod to Welsh, a pinch of ancient tales, and a note to the little loved one, which, I’m sure, will be much appreciated when the time comes. Every allusion unveiled makes you feel a little closer to the author.
Elwood as a character has come a long way, with Whiskey and Aubrey doing a great job as sidekick characters to help him find what was lost.
Love him or loathe him, you will grow rooting for the protagonist. Elwood is just as real as you and I. After all, “addiction actually [has] many faces. It [isn’t] always a drug”
Lastly, a note of appreciation to Nick Harper, the publisher, for the top-notch cover design. I wish I had a physical copy!
Christopher managed to create an exceptionally memorable story, and got a loyal reader in me. I can’t wait to read more of his stories.
If you’re a fan of Stephen King, read this book.
If you’re struggling with any kind of addiction, read this book.
If you’re into all things creepy, scary, and nightmarish, read this book.
If you think you have a good taste in books… you know what to do ;)
Here’s a little something I made of the book: sometimes you catch yourself feeling that there’s a draining whirling tangle inside, and you don’t know how to even start unraveling it.
But you can choose to stop feeding it.
still_reading_sam's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.5
"Great ideas didn't come instantly; they were whittled out over days, sometimes months. Years, even. They required honing and refinement, a period of deconstruction and reconstruction, before time came to allow others to explore them, investigate them, question them"
.
A lot of good quotes in TYK but this one speaks to me. Anyway. Spoilers / Review for @carpe.noctem.86 's Those You Killed!
.
Elwood Cathis is a best selling author and struggling with withdrawal from drug abuse and is sent to Lake Chance to recover in peace. But instead of finding silence and solitude at the Lake, strange events begin to plague Elwood. Hallucinations begin but are they due to his heroin withdrawal or something deeper, something darker?...
.
Back in September we (@theindiehorrorbookclub ) read Those You Killed. I had heard a lot of good about Chris' work and looked forward to reading it with the #ThoseYouKilledInSeptember crew
.
I liked the writing style and it was quite easy to gel with. Chapter 2 put me (and a number of others in the chat) in a bit of confusion. Bit of a massive curve ball. If you've read it you know exactly what I'm referring to 😅 Elwood as a somewhat flawed and struggling lead is great. His flaws add to his character I feel. The mystery of the Astronaut, Meredith and Lacey, Always who haunt Elwood really gets you wondering. Annoyingly I didn't catch on to who they were until it was a page or two before. It is a very cool twist mind you. The ending is good and feels like a great way to close. Although I feel like a tiny bit more wouldn't have hurt. But that's just me being me. Some great Easter Eggs hidden here. On the whole it's a superb debut novel from Chris and I look forward to more from him!
.
Also special thank you to Chris for both signing my copy and doing the Q and A and helping us unpick some of the mysteries of the book!
.
Overall 4.5/5 👩🚀 creepy astronauts
Have you read Those You Killed? What did you think of it?
.
A lot of good quotes in TYK but this one speaks to me. Anyway. Spoilers / Review for @carpe.noctem.86 's Those You Killed!
.
Elwood Cathis is a best selling author and struggling with withdrawal from drug abuse and is sent to Lake Chance to recover in peace. But instead of finding silence and solitude at the Lake, strange events begin to plague Elwood. Hallucinations begin but are they due to his heroin withdrawal or something deeper, something darker?...
.
Back in September we (@theindiehorrorbookclub ) read Those You Killed. I had heard a lot of good about Chris' work and looked forward to reading it with the #ThoseYouKilledInSeptember crew
.
I liked the writing style and it was quite easy to gel with. Chapter 2 put me (and a number of others in the chat) in a bit of confusion. Bit of a massive curve ball. If you've read it you know exactly what I'm referring to 😅 Elwood as a somewhat flawed and struggling lead is great. His flaws add to his character I feel. The mystery of the Astronaut, Meredith and Lacey, Always who haunt Elwood really gets you wondering. Annoyingly I didn't catch on to who they were until it was a page or two before. It is a very cool twist mind you. The ending is good and feels like a great way to close. Although I feel like a tiny bit more wouldn't have hurt. But that's just me being me. Some great Easter Eggs hidden here. On the whole it's a superb debut novel from Chris and I look forward to more from him!
.
Also special thank you to Chris for both signing my copy and doing the Q and A and helping us unpick some of the mysteries of the book!
.
Overall 4.5/5 👩🚀 creepy astronauts
Have you read Those You Killed? What did you think of it?
michaelrgoodwin's review against another edition
4.0
Wanting to kick his heroin addiction by going cold turkey in a secluded cabin, Elwood knows it is going to be a rough week. Little does he know that the demons that he will encounter aren't just the ones he brings with him in his mind.
The gut kicking descriptions of the effects of addiction really drive home Elwood's state of mind and how quickly it unravels as he detoxes. He is a character that you root for from the beginning, despite the things he's done.
This book takes a different but genius approach to how it introduces you to the different dark places of Elwood's brain, and it keeps you guessing the whole time. The ending is a thrill ride that does not disappoint. The bold is ride with suspense and spooky moments, and those seeking a horror story will not be let down.
An excellent debut from a strong writer, this book is highly recommended. Thank you to the author and @bloodriteshorror for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The gut kicking descriptions of the effects of addiction really drive home Elwood's state of mind and how quickly it unravels as he detoxes. He is a character that you root for from the beginning, despite the things he's done.
This book takes a different but genius approach to how it introduces you to the different dark places of Elwood's brain, and it keeps you guessing the whole time. The ending is a thrill ride that does not disappoint. The bold is ride with suspense and spooky moments, and those seeking a horror story will not be let down.
An excellent debut from a strong writer, this book is highly recommended. Thank you to the author and @bloodriteshorror for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
darktowerr's review
5.0
I really loved this! It started off a bit slow for me but once I was in it I was IN it. I ended up not putting it down and finishing it in a day once the story got rolling. I loved all the tiny King references within it and I thought the story was so compelling. You are really in it with Elwood wondering if what he's seeing is real or a response to his withdrawal. At first Elwood is pretty unlikeable but he really comes around and suprises you. I ended up really wanting the best for our protagonist at the end. I am also dying to go to the bookstore that he visits in the book!
Looking forward to reading more of Christopher Badcock's work!
Looking forward to reading more of Christopher Badcock's work!
bowie_on_mars's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
bozzi1's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.5
💉Spoiler Free Book Review💉
•
Elwood Cathis is a man in need of redemption. A former bestselling author and family man turned heroin addict, he’s finally ready to get the monkey off his back and reclaim his life. A week alone at a cabin in the woods seems like the answer to his prayers, but these are no ordinary woods 👀
•
I read Christopher Badcock’s short story, “Everyone to the Table” in the horror anthology Bitter Chills and immediately loved his writing style. When I got the chance to read an ARC of his novel from Blood Rites Horror I was stoked...and it exceeded all of my expectations.
•
Those You Killed is a horror story first and foremost and it delivers the creepy vibes in spades. I loved all the spooky elements, especially the astronaut. Yes, I said astronaut👨🚀 Trust me, it works.
•
The plot is unique, engaging, and it came together perfectly. The characters are fantastic. Elwood is a flawed protagonist that you can’t help but root for and the secondary characters: Whiskey, Bullseye, Aubrey, and Casper all bring something special to the table. This book definitely has some Stephen King vibes and I thought the nods to the horror master, and those to the indie writing community, were a great touch.
•
This is a horror story, but it’s so much more. It’s a tale of addiction, of battling demons, and of the power of a father’s love. This is an incredible debut novel and I appreciate the advanced copy for my honest review.
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