Every horror fan knows a few simple rules to survive a slasher: don’t do anything naughty, no illicit substances, stay together, and don’t use phrases like “be right back.” In true to form mayhem, author Bill Wood writes the story of the Sanera Four, a group of teens who — using those last two rules — defeat a local legend in their town after a string of grisly deaths bring back ghosts of the past. Let’s Split Up and Be Right Back offer thrilling young adult antics around a chilling murder scheme that only makes the town’s history darker and darker.
LET’S SPLIT UP
High schoolers Cam, Jonesy, and Amber welcome newcomer Buffy into their friend group in a time where two other students were just murdered while filming a ghost hunt at the allegedly haunted Carrington Manor. The rumored ghoul is to blame, but the group senses something else might be the cause of this foul play. More murders happen, and they can’t ignore it any longer; they put themselves right into the mix, risking their own lives to solve the mystery.
Let’s Split Up started off with a bang and just didn’t let up. Written in first person, switching back and forth between the kids, we see firsthand how the Carrington Ghoul is exacting his revenge and how the group begins to piece together some discrepancies. Wood doesn’t stray from the horrors, but remains firmly in YA territory and not getting too graphic. Stabs and fires are enough to get the point across.
As we read along with Cam, Jonesy, Amber, and Buffy, we get insight into their home lives and relationships with each other. Budding romances, parental issues, and fears from their pasts make the group very well-rounded as characters. They’re not one-dimensional and offer something for every reader to cling onto. Plus, with their own distinct personalities, they all offer something to help further the story. Buffy is highly analytic, Jonesy is smart and good with his hands, Cam is brave with a heart of gold, and mom-of-the-group Amber makes sure everyone is alright. While scary moments happen, us readers have our choosing of who we’d want to walk down dark hallways with.
But those dark hallways aren’t the only things to be scared of. Let’s Split Up‘s Carrington Ghoul is a sight to behold… well, a sight to read, at least. Glowing blue and sporting charred skin and clothing, this butcher knife-wielding monster keeps nosey onlookers at bay and isn’t afraid to take someone to the grave. As the group finds clues and wanders the halls of the decrepit manor, they are put in immediate danger. Let’s Split Up is great in that sense because it isn’t afraid to go after main characters. This is true in high action moments as well as inside the teens’ inner thoughts; they all have something they’re keeping from the others, ranging from innocent crushes to red herrings galore.
But no spoilers here. Let’s Split Up was fun in trying to guess what was really going on. It felt very Scooby-Doo, but with higher stakes. The Ghoul may be more than it appears, but doesn’t mean it’s a laughing matter. There are real consequences the town — and our friends “The Sanera Four” — have to reckon with.
BE RIGHT BACK
And that reckoning comes back with a vengeance a year later in Be Right Back. The Sanera Four — and Buffy’s new beau, Patrick — return to the town for Halloween festivities, only to be met with more murder. Someone is disguising themselves as not only the Carrington Ghoul, but other local legends in an effort to “redo” the original tradegy.
With the help of a new sheriff and newfound confidence (with a little bit of anger in there too), the friends set about solving the mystery before they become unwilling participants in the sequel’s death count. Since the original book, many new faces have joined the ranks: Patrick is by Buffy’s side as the smart/jock/romantic boyfriend, quiet Cassie replaced Mrs. Adler at the library, Sheriff Myers is no nonsense on crime. Where Let’s Split Up left plenty of room to guess who the culprit was, Be Right Back filled the story with so many possible villains, all with motives of their own. Like any sequel, the story hits close to home because nothing feels safe. Sure they may be back in their home town and back hanging out together, but the murders are definitely too close to comfort as the Four are now in the spotlight.
Be Right Back keeps the same format as Let’s Split Up, every chapter being narrated by a specific person. Through this, we see catch glimpses of how everyone is reacting to the same situation. The Four may have only been apart for a few months, but their thoughts express how they have all been longing for each other’s company. There is definite growth as characters too though; since they’re returning home from college, they have entered their “young adult” forms and can now demand actions from others, where that wasn’t possible before. It’s a mix of confidence, exhaustion, and just being fed up with all the drama and death that keeps the story going. Where Let’s Split Up left us with a teen mystery-solving vehicle, Be Right Back set us squarely in a blockbuster slasher.
And that slashing was star quality. Be Right Back‘s kills feel straight from the movie screen. Eerie, fog-filled alleyways mask a killer in the night. Commotion at a concert venue is heightened when one of the performers is brutally attacked. A speech at a museum opening leads to a fantastical reveal. You truly never know what will happen, and to whom. It keeps you on your feet, guessing and hoping your favorite Sanera citizen isn’t next on the chopping block.
While I did correctly guess who the killer was, I did for sure have my second thoughts. Is it just one murderer, or double-death-dealers? Is Buffy’s new boo too good to be true? Does the Sheriff really have their back? Is red-headed Kelly really a red herring? Does reporter Rick Field want to insert himself even more into the mystery? Be Right Back has readers’ heads turning every which-way.
Let’s Split Up and Be Right Back were amazing, page-turning reads. With loveable characters and twisted storyline, they both fit perfectly into the slasher genre. As books, they read so closely to our 90s and early 2000s favorites like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. As YA novels, they were surprisingly entertaining for my very much adult mind, yet didn’t go too far into the gruesome nature of murder. The best part is, Be Right Back left room for a third installment, one I’m sure will knock all of our socks off.
Let’s Split Up and Be Right Back are out now! Find out more (and where to buy them) on Bill Wood’s website. Look out for the third installment, One Last Scare, coming out this October.
