Review Detail

Chrissy, Chase, Kiki, and Emma run a YouTube channel dedicating to haunted locations and terrifying stories. Chrissy is psychic, which in her case means she can see the dead and get a read on the thoughts of the living. When they select an infamous LA hotel as their next video shoot in order to get more subscribers, Chrissy is hesitant but on board. Once they arrive, they quickly realize just how haunted and dangerous the hotel is. The hotel isn't just known for a past murderer under its roof. There's one active now.

HORROR HOTEL is a love letter to teen slasher films and includes a fun paranormal twist. What I loved most about this story is how deeply Chrissy feels for the girls and women who were murdered. Even from the beginning, we are introduced to the hotel as the location of where a young woman was killed rather than the location of a mass murderer. Throughout the story, we get little glimpses of Eileen and other victims' lives and personalities. They become the center and hold the most importance, which isn't always common in horror/crime dramas.

While HORROR HOTEL was entertaining and did a great job centering the victims, the main character voices were sometimes hard to distinguish. I had to flip back to the chapter headings to double check whose POV we were in several times. The plot was on the predictable side, especially with the identity of the killer, but it was still lots of fun getting there. For readers new to horror or to the slasher genre, this is a great, accessible entry point.

HORROR HOTEL combines high entertainment with a weighty respect for the departed and ties everything together with a perfect dash of romance. Recommended for fans of CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD and A GOOD GIRL'S GUIDE TO MURDER