A clever, disturbing horror thriller which engages with the ‘final girl’ trope of slasher movies and examines how trauma affects the lives of real-life final girls.
The title of this book refers to a small group of survivors who meet up with a therapist for years, but then the group begins to disintegrate. One by one, they are being targeted by somebody who wants to kill them. Lynnette, the narrator, is trying to work out who it is, while staying alive and avoiding the cops. She trusts no one and won’t let herself get attached. What seems like paranoia – elaborate security measures, stashes of cash and weapons, escape routes planned – becomes vital to help her win against her fate as a final girl when her life once again descends into nightmare. We are given hints of what caused her trauma and she tells us half-way through the story. The book is not exactly a pleasant read, but it’s smart and pacy, punctuated with bits of evidence (transcripts, journalism, letters) to reinforce the realism. Although there is violence, it’s not described in gratuitous detail. I haven’t anything critical to say of this book. I’d recommend it if you enjoy thrillers, even if you’re not much of a horror fan. The Final Girl Support Group spans both genres.
Published in 2021 by Titan Books.
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