Guess Who's Coming To Town? "YOU BETTER WATCH OUT" A New Novel From James S. Murray And Darren Wearmouth (REVIEW)

From international bestselling authors James S. Murray (also known as "Murr" on the hit TV show Impractical Jokers) and Darren Wearmouth, comes You Better Watch Out, a jolly fun, thriller that will keep you guessing until Christmas morning. 

The most wonderful time of the year becomes a holiday nightmare to six unsuspecting strangers trapped in an eerie replica of Old Forge in scenic upstate New York. Unsure of how they got there, the unlikely crew sets about finding a way out of this town. However, they quickly discover the snowy town is riddled with gruesome traps of Home Alone proportions. The strangers must find a way out of the town before Christmas morning or die at the hands of the mysterious orchestrator who set these demented traps. 

Eddie wakes up in the snow of a picturesque Holiday Hallmark village. Surrounded by Christmas lights with no recollection of how he got there, he enters the closest building to look for help. There, he comes across Trinity and Jess, who have been knocked unconscious. Eddie can’t confess the truth of the last thing he remembers before waking up in the snow without revealing his dark past to these strangers. Eddie takes the lead and after helping Jess regain consciousness, they begin setting out to find a way of escape. Quickly, they meet Greg, Tank, and a mystery figure who runs off after attempting to strangle Tank. The two newest members of the group immediately form a rift that is only broken after the first death of the group. 

Finally realizing the true extent of their situation, Eddie and the remaining survivors begin to venture into the surrounding woods in hopes of finding an escape. As they encounter deadly plights and encounter disturbing situations, the true nature of each character is revealed. Their ability to survive depends on their ability to work together to find an escape. When one wanders from the group, it could mean death. 

As Christmas morning approaches, their search for escape and answers continues. Who is doing this? Why are they doing it? Where is the mysterious sixth player? Do the victims deserve to be here? 

You Better Watch Out will keep you on your frostbitten toes and frozen in suspense until the very last page. 

Perhaps the most interesting part of this story is the character dynamic between our six strangers. All are bound by their varied pasts, but each has chosen different coping methods. However, in situations of high stress, isolation, and being surrounded by people you don’t know, true selves are revealed. It is the character’s actions in these instances that show their growth or faults. 

The idea of judgment and retribution are prevalent throughout the story, but so is the idea that people can change and your past does not define you. Although many of the characters do not claim responsibility for their past or for what they do while in the trap, they are given opportunities to choose differently showing that change and growth must be a conscious choice. 

The setting of the book allows for fast-paced and simple world-building that throws the reader into the horrifying Christmas town. Our main characters, Eddie and Jess, are easy to route for despite their dark pasts and their resourcefulness proves hopeful for their escape. Chapters often switch perspectives and give readers an opportunity to view the situation through a different lens.

I flew through the book and was enthralled from the first page. The “Who Done It” with a cast of unreliable characters calls to my love of Clue and Knives Out. Plus, the idea of an adorable Christmas town being turned into a Home Alone death trap is absolutely thrilling. Although the writing was simple and the word 'headed' was used quite a bit, it allowed me to relax, turn off my brain a bit, and fully immerse myself in the story.

In conclusion, this book was gripping, fun, and festive with the perfect amount of blood and guts. If you are a fan of isolated and snowy scenes, prey and predator, and one-by-one murders of epic proportions, you will enjoy this refreshingly unique holiday thriller.

You Better Watch Out was released on October 15th, 2024 by St. Martin’s Press. Get it now at your favorite bookstore.

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