"Breathe In, Bleed Out"

Book Review

Thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Sourcebooks for this free copy of “Breathe In, Bleed Out” by Brian McAuley.

“In the dark of Dead Man’s Due, Waylon Barlow waits for you.” What a fun romp of (mild) slasher horror that tugs at your heartstrings, too!

Hannah is a medical intern who’s dealing with the traumatic death of her fiance Ben while on a camping trip. She sees him everywhere and she’s beginning to doubt her sanity.

So when her friends from college call about a spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree, Hannah thinks it might be healing and decides to join them. On the way there, they learn about the Joshua Tree mines, the legend of Waylon Barlow, and the land’s dark history.

She’s actually enjoying reconnecting with her friends and thinking that maybe Guru Pax, although offbeat, may be helping her heal. But then her friends start dying....

What made this more fun for me is that I’ve been to Joshua Tree National Park which feels like you’re on a different planet. So it was easy to visualize the setting and immerse myself in the story.

And I know it’s nitpicky, but don’t judge this book by its cover which looks kinda campy.