A former horror film blogger and influencer finds herself in a sequel she never wanted in Michael Wehunt's skin-prickling The October Film Haunt. It has been 10 years since Jorie Stroud watched a horror film. Part of the trio known as the October Film Haunt, she and her friends toured cult movie locations to write up their creepy experiences on social media. But after they visited a graveyard featured in the obscure flick Proof of Demons, Jorie penned a controversial blog post that resulted in an Internet frenzy--and a girl's death. Now, Jorie lives in rural Vermont with her son, Oliver, struggling to finally be free of the past. Then a VHS tape arrives that indicates the enigmatic and elusive Hélène Enriquez, director of Proof of Demons, may be filming a sequel with the help of her obsessive devotees, whom Jorie calls the "Rickies." And Jorie is cast as the final girl.
This is horror writing at its most complex, variegated, and lyrical. Wehunt's story is a creative mash-up of classic horror cinema and its beloved tropes. It employs clever narrative interludes (Wikipedia entries, blog posts, e-mails, etc.) to hammer together the plot's intricate scaffolding and features a dimensional supporting cast with their own stories to tell. A twisted nightmare fit for the 21st century, The October Film Haunt will delight hardcore horror fans with its heavy dread, innovative prose, and delightful dialogue. --Peggy Kurkowski, book reviewer in Denver