4.5 Stars - Almost perfect

Many readers of this book are probably too young to remember a crazy little movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger called The Running Man. I was just a little girl when I saw that movie, and it has been decades since I last saw it. But that is exactly what this book brings to mind.

This bloody fun read is like someone took The Running Man, added social media, and threw in Alcatraz. Dee has been convicted of killing her sister Monica and sentenced to a new type of jail called Alcatraz 2.0. The reality TV show “star” turned POTUS, allowed a good buddy to make death row it’s own crazy version of a game/reality show. And no one sees anything wrong with that. After all, they are just killing other killers. Some even see it as an outlet so serial killers can release their tension in a government sanctioned way.

What is sad, is I can so see our current POTUS doing something like this. And I think that is just part and parcel of what makes this book not just entertaining, but a platform to talk about things currently plaguing our lives and our government. When is too far, really too far?

Back to the story. Dee is now on this island with other capitol offence prisoners, many who are young and hot. Part of the island is how long can you stay alive. Camera’s are always watching. And beware the Painaics. Yeah, those are the legally sanctioned killers that hide behind masks. Between Prince Slayer, and Gucci Hangman, these are some crazy characters. Each trying to find a new way to make death entertaining.

The public joins in via a special social network available to anyone, with special channels for the weirdos we become fixated on particular prisoners. And everything is controlled by The Postman. The general public post on forums, dissect kills, and “spike” (like) things up generating money galore for the masterminds. Can you say merchandising?

Monica was totally into Alcatraz 2.0, but Dee was no such fan. She has her own soul crushing past that plays into her hatred of violence. While she is believed by few, she still contends that she did not kill her sister. Remember I said everything was controlled by The Postman, well that includes what each prisoner wears and while on island Dee gets to play a princess (ughhhh in her mind.)

Overall, this book just works. Yes it would be considered horror, and there will probably be someone yelling “trigger warning”, but to me it was just fun. I don’t see it as strait horror, but horror comedy that gets more insane and creative as you turn the pages. It’s hard to put down. Who is who on the island? What the heck is going on? How could our great nation EVER let something like this exist? All amazing questions I want to debate back and forth with the nearest group of teenagers (heck even adults).

There is a sequel due out in 2019 currently titled #MurderFunding. I eagerly await the next installment, like an obsessed fan scrolling over hours of murder media feeds on the island. But at the same time I fear a second book slump. This one was just so unique, quirky, and I’ll say it again, FUN, that I am not sure the author could top it. But I look forward to being proven wrong.