Carnival Kills: A Novel

by Caesar Daniels

🎡🔪 📖 "Perfect for fans of Texas Chainsaw, Clown in a Cornfield, and Saw, this retro slasher thriller delivers nonstop suspense, gruesome kills, and ‘80s horror nostalgia."

🔒💀 Now includes the chilling Lost Chapter — a never-before-seen sequence that teases the horrors to come in — the Carnival Kills Sequel!

In 1965, the infamous Red Hook Jack turned a small-town carnival into a blood-soaked nightmare, leaving behind a legacy of terror. His name became legend in Hollow Creek.

Now, nearly twenty years later—Spring Break, 1986—Maddie and her friends set out for a lakeside getaway, for a weekend of fun. However, on the last night of the trip, their dream vacation is turned into a waking nightmare when they visit the local run-down park, Hollow Creek's Carnival.

A copycat killer has emerged, reviving Red Hook Jack’s reign of terror. Trapped in a twisted carnival of death, Maddie and her friends find themselves unwilling players in a sinister game—one where every attraction hides a gruesome fate, and every game comes with deadly stakes.

As the body count rises and the carnival transforms into a slaughterhouse, Maddie must confront a horrifying truth: this isn’t just a random massacre. The motive? Revenge. And she’s stuck at the heart of it.

🎪 Step right up… if you dare. Welcome to Hollow Creek's Carnival—if the rides don’t kill you, the killers will.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Summer Reads, Summer, Audiobook

149 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2025

About the author

Creative director and fantasy-epic writer. Floridian living in California. Lover of sci-fi/fantasy, greek epics and slashers, Lovecraft and vampires.
​
Caesar Daniels' career as a writer and VFX supervisor spans for nearly a decade––blessed with the opportunity to collaborate alongside many talented artists in the entertainment industry. Yet at heart, he is mostly a huge pop culture nerd and film enthusiast.

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Reviews

[Charlene (Char) ❤︎ ❀˖° ❤︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Texas Chainsaw Massacre plus a night at the carnival meets Saw. If there ever was a book that makes you not want to avoid carnivals this one is it. I listened to this book via audiobook and the story pulls you in.

The year is 1986 the book is about a group a friends that decide they want to enjoy spring break. At first it was all fun and they’re having a good time then things turn dark. It doesn’t help they get a flat tire and haven’t see a car for miles. Then three people out of the group walk to town and find the people very weird. There are tales of The Red Hook Jack murders which has plagued the town and left a black cloud after its wake.

On their way leaving the town they see a carnival and decide to have one last night of fun. But what is supposed to be a night of fun turns into a night of terror and survival.

This is definitely one of those books that makes you look at everything twice. This book is more on the slasher side but very gruesome nonetheless. Definitely a good read. The lost chapter definitely put a spin on the hook.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I’m entirely honest, I should have DNFed this one when the timeline started feeling a little wonky, which was in the first chapter. This book read like an unedited first draft of a story that wanted to be too many things complete with the misused words and anachronisms.

Now, I don’t expect a slasher to be super intelligent especially when you promise me nostalgia, which I didn’t really get either, and if the kills are well executed, I can still find something to enjoy. Alas, the kills here were rather unceremonious and generally rather boring. If you’re going to tell me a story is whatever meets Saw I’m going to expect the kills to be original and visceral and when I put this book next to the utterly unserious Genital Rot (which I was reading at the same time I was reading this one) the kills become all the more boring and obviously lacking in creativity.

If you’re in the market for a generic, somewhat clumsy, slasher with moderate use of circusy imagery this one might be for you more than it was for me.

[Summer R Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, BookSiren, for the ARC, and thank you to the writer and publishers for all your hard work. This review is voluntary and happily left!

I have always loved books dealing with Carnivals. What's even better? It's also a slasher! Books like these are very nostalgic for me, and it takes no time for me at all to finish them. Enjoy blood and death? Then this is definitely for you. It's gor creepy characters and, of course, characters that you'll get attached to. All you want is for them to escape and them to beat the bad guy. I just enjoy the fact that the atmosphere has you wondering what's going to happen and by the end of it, it's a scream!

A group of friends on spring break now it's time to head home, but on the way, they see a Carnival. What's wrong with making one last stop? A copycat killer is out and about, and the body count is rising steadily through the night. Soon, the friends are in for a deadly game. Will they make it through the end, or will they all end up dead?

Like I said before, I absolutely love books like these. Every time I see one, I immediately must have it! They make me happy and it just relaxes me. I know that sounds a bit morbid, but oh well. Everyone has their things, and this is mine.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pacing is a little off, but this was fun! It felt like an early 00’s horror movie. Slight mix of Wax House and Texas Chainsaw Massacre… really enjoyed!

[Courtney Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy guacamole! This book draws you in from the first chapter! If you’re looking for a quick read with murder or needing to add another book to your monthly reading goals and running out of time, this is the one!

There are some grammar and spelling mistakes throughout like “Lana let out a haunting screamed” and “the gears stoped” but overall I think this was a great book from a new author!

I would love to read more if there is another coming out because I do have so many questions!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, these are my honest opinions!

[Trevor Ortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Carnival Kills. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the unique concept and gripping tone. The story blends horror with a gritty, almost cinematic intensity that pulled me in and kept me turning the pages.

The characters stood out the most for me—they weren’t just bodies moving through a plot. Each one felt fleshed out with distinct voices, personalities, and motivations. I found myself caring about them, which made the horror hit even harder when things took a dark turn. The dialogue felt authentic and gave insight into each character, helping to build tension in all the right places.

The setting was incredibly vivid. There’s one scene in particular—under the blazing sun—that was written so well I could feel it. I could practically taste the dust in the air, feel the sweat dripping down my back, and smell the heat rising off the ground. It’s rare to find a book that immerses you that completely.

The twists were sharp and well-timed. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going, it surprised me in the best way. I also appreciated that the ending didn’t rely on cheap shock—it felt earned and satisfying, which is something I always look for in horror.

Overall, Carnival Kills was a thrilling, atmospheric ride. I’m already planning to read it again just to catch all the little details I might have missed the first time. I highly recommend this book to fans of gritty, character-driven horror—especially if you enjoy stories like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or American Horror Story. Caesar Daniels is definitely a horror author to keep an eye on.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 3 out of 5]

When this book mentioned slashers and a carnival, I wanted to check it out because I’m a sucker for slashers. A group of college kids on spring break stumbling into a small-town carnival? That's great slasher material.

The book had some good suspense that kept me interested. The concept was great. A creepy small town, a mysterious carnival, and some questionable people lurking about. There were a few things that just didn’t play out well for me. The tension between some characters started out good but fizzled without much payoff. The characters were a bit flat. We didn’t really get to know them, so there was no real impact on what happened to them.

As for the ending, it was also a bit flat. I was hoping for a final twist or something, but instead it was underwhelming to me. The book did have some potential and suspenseful moments, but I needed more from the characters and the ending to make this a win for me. If you’re into carnival horror and slashers, this could still be something you’d enjoy.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a crazy read. Graphic, twisted ending, I loved it. Very graphic so be forewarned.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give it 3 1/2 stars out of 5. This book was a fun quick read, it had a young adult feel to it but definitely didn't hold back on the gore or with some of the more intimate scenes the characters find themselves in. They're living the fast times lifestyle of teenagers and it's to be expected, they're still navigating their way through all the angst and chaos that comes along with young love and finding out who they are and where they are going. The book reminded me a bit of the feel of some recent movies like the remakes of House of Wax and Friday the 13th. The story was pretty straightforward without being too cliche and the pacing kept the chapters moving at a swift speed without dwelling too long on one certain character or situation. I've never heard of this author before but the premise of this book sounded promising and it didn't disappoint. I'll be checking out what more they might have already written and for when they're next novel is coming out. I dug this book and was glad I gave it a chance. Halloween is right around the corner and this story definitely set the mood for next month and got me in the swing of things with a nostalgic B horror movie throwback that cut straight to the bone just the way I like it.

[bookmarksandbarbells · Rating 2 out of 5]

This fell flat for me.
I love a slasher but once you read and watch so many, there’s definitely a difference between a well thought out slasher with some depth and just gore thrown together. This was a bit of the latter.

[Kathy Brackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG great slasher!! Creepy carnival and town 😬

[Candace Joy Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took a chance…hooked from the prologue

This book was very graphic and affected my dreams! What a great journey and a setup for a good series. I could not put this book down.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t go wrong with a slasher, but “Carnival Kills” is a cut above the rest. It’s a fun read with gory kills, interesting lore, and an awesome setting! Reminiscent of Saw, Clown in a Cornfield, and Rob Zombie’s 31, this is a quick read that is sure to shock!

❗️Content warnings: Gore

[aly✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't for me. And usually I love horror. It was like a bad mix of Saw, The Terrifier, and The Hill Have Eyes.

I felt so confused reading it, too. Like one moment we are swimming in a lake and the next it's so cold that you need boots and a coat? An axe handle was swaying in the wind? Almost no mention of how these college kids are paying for anything and it didn't feel very 80s. Just a very generic timeline.

Also, hey, why was it necessarily to mention that a character we meet/see ONE TIME has a swatiska tattoo? We learned about it TWICE for a character that literally did not matter!!!!!! Like you have to be absolutely joking with me.

This isn't a huge thing, but I thought about it so I am going to share it with the masses. I could not tell you what any character looked like or dressed like. Nothing. I know nothing. Shoutout to BookSirens for allowing me to read this (I guess?).

[Lydia Morris · Rating 2 out of 5]

whoever told me this was “giving” texas chainsaw massacre is a liar and i hope they have a bad day.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's a solid idea at the core this 80s-set slasher from Caesar Daniels - that of a group of mad characters aiming to kill as many carnival goers as possible for spoilerific reasons - but the execution of said idea is lacking.

Daniels novella is structured as a series of chapters from the limited third-person perspective of whichever named character he specifies. Then he proceeds to jump to other points of view for a paragraph or two, completely undermining the whole point of telling a story from the limited third person perspective of said named character.

He opens the story promisingly with a great introductory chapter, but then spends half the book sketching in the most broad of basic characters - none of which are close to sympathetic - before finally getting the action going. Then, from out of left field, he introduces a character the reader is meant to care about in the last 15 pages. That's not good writing. Neither are the myriad of typos and missed words strewn throughout the book.

Any kills between the promising prologue and the gory ending are perfunctory at best, and the ending is very unsatisfying, even if it does illogically work in the "spirit" of the slasher sub-genre.

So, sadly, this one did not work for me and the relatively low ratings here on Goodreads are, to my mind at least, exceedingly fair.

(Ha! Fair. Carnival. You see what I did there?)

2 Saw-Like Games for Carnival Falls.

[Emma Jean · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was fine. If you're not super into or experienced with horror books, could be an easy one to pick up to dip your toes into the genre.
The writing felt very unpolished. It read more like a first draft than a fully fledged novel. The overall story was full of typical stereotypes you see in a slasher, but it had potential. If the author would have just sat with it a little longer, everything would've felt more cohesive and expansive.
Everything felt really generic and just kind of run of the mill.

[Ashlee Rydecki · Rating 4 out of 5]

easy read!

This is so Texas Chainsaw Massacre / House of Wax and I loved it! It was a quick, easy read

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

No.

* Timeline jumps from 10:15 to almost midnight. How long is that circus show?
* Inconsistent setting: they have the place to themselves or they're fighting crowds, which is it?
* bf cheats, blames gf, resolved with a quarter plastic ring from a vending machine... okay....
* Parents are weirdly calm after their daughter is almost killed and say they'll just come get her tomorrow...hmm
* Hides in a house of mirrors—makes no sense
* Kate runs ahead...a few paragraphs later, Kate comes up from behind, which is it?
* Final girl’s psychotic backstory revealed in the epilogue...why bother

A short book doesn't excuse lack of cohesive storytelling, dude.

Only positive: murder scenes were gruesome and mildly entertaining—but poor storytelling ruined the impact

[Lychee · Rating 1 out of 5]

The kills were fun.

My issue with this book came mostly from the writing and the characters and how the story progresses. The writing felt like this was someone’s story they wrote in high school. The characters felt like overdone horror cliches, like this friend group felt extremely forced. Maybe that’s part of the nostalgia nod bc of all the horror movies with friend groups w the cheerleader, and the jock, and the nerd, and the hippie, and the
But it didn’t work here for me. They were so insufferable and no one had a backbone. If someone really sketchy told me to do something I didn’t want to do, I wouldn’t just do it and be like “that man was fucking creepy”

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I just finished Carnival Kills. It was just okay to me. There were too many gaps and bouncing around without details. I gave it three stars because the gore and horror genre is one I like but I really struggled to finish it.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

not sure how exactly i found this quick creepy horror thriller because i have not yet read anything by this author, but i am glad i came across it! this story takes place at a carnival park type of setting and with lots of gore, murder, and mayhem, so that obviously makes the quite creepy right away. the carnival is in a small town where in 1965, a psycho killer turned the town into a serious horror story, killing many. then, twenty years later, a group of friends go on a spring break getaway, but their trip takes a turn for the worse when they get a flat tire and they do not see any other cars for quite some time. since this takes place in the 1980s before cell phones, they cannot call a tow truck and a few of them decide to try to walk to the nearest town to get help. they encounter some odd people in this small town and learn that it also has a carnival park with some terror seeking occupants who still enjoying killing, or a copycat killer is trying to replicate the killing spree from the 1960s.

there was not enough explanation about why the carnival people decide to terrorize the kids, taking them out one-by-one and even forcing them to harm each other in order to survive. of course one girl survives the slasher for a final girl story but the book concluded so abruptly without a why other than someone harmed one of the terrorizers. i had to go back and re-read the ending, asking myself huh? that's it?!?!? this left me going to read others' reviews and some mentioned that maddie, the final girl who survives may have been to blame since she was mentally unstable, but that is not really portrayed well aside from her being distant and depressed about her parents' divorce, which is supposedly the reason jake, her boyfriend who was one of the victims in their group, cheated on her and why their relationship was hanging by a thread.

unless there is going to be more to the story - this was a short novella so maybe the author plans to continue the story if it is well-received enough - it left a lot hanging and ambiguous endings without wrapping up closure always annoy me. otherwise it was a fast-paced, creepy read and still worth reading but it would have been better had there been more of an ending.

[Laci · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bloody, nostalgic slasher ride!
If you love slashers as much as I do, you’ll definitely enjoy Carnival Kills by Caesar Daniels! Set during spring break in 1986, a group of friends ends up trapped in a creepy carnival, and a copycat killer starts picking them off one by one. The suspense is nonstop, the kills are satisfyingly gruesome, and the carnival setting gives the story an extra creepy, chaotic vibe. Fans of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will feel right at home here. The characters are fun and the pacing keeps you turning pages, making it a quick, addictive read that’s perfect for this Halloween season. If you want a nostalgic slasher story that’s gory and fast, this is it!

[Amanda Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge slasher fan and this 100% gave me classic B horror slasher vibes.

The timeline felt a little off and there were some minor errors but overall I really enjoyed it. It was a fast read that kept me hooked. I'd love to see a second book.

[tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

carnival popcorn slasher think wrong turn at a carnival!
ending couldve been better but overall fast summer read 🔪🎡

[Heavinlei · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a baby with Saw.

[Felicia Hilliard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun summer slasher and a quick read.

[Michelle Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

JAW DROPPING!!!!

This book is amazing! If I actually had the time to curl up in a corner and read with no interruptions I would’ve read this book in 2 hours! I love a good horror novel! Absolutely loved!

[Taylor Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! fast read but kind of corny. but the vibes were immaculately horrifying. gave me the ick in the best way!

[Samantha Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insane and very gory