This review first appeared in Booklist on March 1, 2026.
It’s been a year since the Sanera Four put a stop to the Carrington Ghoul and the vicious killing spree that shocked their small California town. Now, most of the gang are off at college, trying to put the whole traumatic affair behind them. But when they are drawn back to Sanera for a festival honoring the victims of the tragedy, they quickly learn that the past is never truly past. The Carrington Ghoul has somehow returned, now accompanied by other murderous figures from local legend, bearing a message every horror aficionado knows: sequels are always bigger, bolder . . . and so much bloodier. In this follow-up to the Scream-inspired Let’s Split Up (2025), Wood faithfully adheres to the sequel rules established by the famous film franchise, delivering a knowing, gleeful escalation of mythology, mayhem, and meta-commentary alongside its seasoned meddling kids. A thrilling entry in the modern slasher scene, standing right alongside Lisa Springer’s There’s No Way I’d Die First (2023) and Justine Pucella Winans’ How to Survive a Slasher (2025).
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