| Title | : | Kill Hill Carnage |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 222 |
| Publication | : | First published July 15, 2018 |
In 1991, hell was unleashed upon Saint Christopher’s Summer Camp for Kids. The killers left behind piles of bodies and rivers of blood. Some say a family of inbred cannibals was responsible. A masked psychopath with a butcher's knife is another popular theory. Some still believe a camp counselor lost his mind and went crazy on everyone with an axe. But there’s also the mysterious, derelict factory that sits nearby, atop Kill Hill. A place where urban legends are manufactured, the grotesque and bizarre.
Twenty-five years later, the factory on Kill Hill is still said to be operational, but no one can get near it. It’s safely guarded along with the secrets within. But there are a few loose strings and hitman Frank Harmon has been sent to tie them up. His kill list is short, but the night is long and full of unspeakable horrors. With the help of a few college students on an impromptu camping adventure, Frank must contain the mess at Kill Hill before it spreads to the neighboring towns. Before it infects the entire country. Before it invades the entire world.
From the fantastical, high-octane mind of Tim Meyer, author of Sharkwater Beach and In the House of Mirrors, comes his most frightening tale yet! Summer camp this year is at your own risk.
Kill Hill Carnage Reviews
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I realize that Tim Meyer was trying to capture the pure, mindless spectacle that was 80s horror here. And I think he did a pretty damn good job overall. There were some typical plot points, including the hot young girls (One more vulgar and outspoken, with the other being more conservative), the mirror image guys all vying for them, a creepy campground nearby a monster-producing factory, a ‘final girl,’ etc. You can all gather where this all heads. Tons of action and gore and quite a few varieties of monsters, some reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Thing. I will say that it took me about a quarter of the book to find a flow, as it begins with one set or characters from years ago, then continues back and forth from past to present with different people, and splitting the present with Frank, Jenna, Seth and the rest of their crew. So it was a tough start, but evened out after that initial patch. I think that Tim Meyer took it a little too far towards the end when we meet Little Sister and find out what really happened at the chemical factory. To me, the story was already busy enough and didn’t need anything extra. But that just may be my opinion. Overall, I had a pretty good time here, but just wish the story was more focused on its main plot and characters, rather than spending so much time overcomplicating itself.
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My taste in horror is pretty varied—I like slow-creeping horror, gothic horror, psychological horror, horror comedy, gothic romance… but sometimes, I’m just in the mood for some solid gore, terror, and a little camp. When I’m in that mood, I usually can only find exactly what I’m looking for in films, but Kill Hill Carnage is the perfect example of how it’s done in book format.
It was here for mayhem and murder, and it would get what it wanted in large doses, oh yes it bloody would.
If I had to pick a subgenre for Kill Hill Carnage, I’d place it right in the middle of splatterpunk and creature feature, personally—but more than anything, it felt like an homage to the deliciously bizarre horror flicks of the late 80s and early 90s, which made it an immediate home run for me. It literally opens on a classic scene of two camp counselors being ripped to shreds mid-sex, and if that doesn’t give you major nostalgia, I don’t know what will.
I was endlessly entertained and could hardly stand to put this book down. It flies by, never lags for a moment, and I especially loved the moments when we were transported 25 years in the past, seeing all of this destruction befall Kill Hill for the first time. Tim Meyer’s got one hell of an imagination for death scenes, and the creatures he describes range from mildly terrifying to downright disgusting.“Would you knock it off with that horror movie shit? No one wants to hear it right now!”
On top of it all, Tim’s writing is a treat all on its own. It’s fun and self-aware in all the right places, and it’s immersive enough that I felt like I was right there in the woods alongside these characters. Speaking of the characters, almost all of them are at least a little bit unlikable in that quintessential horror film style—you know the one, where you don’t get too attached to anyone but the final kid, so you don’t mind too much when you watch them all being slaughtered—but they’re fun to read about, and they’re fleshed out just enough.
If you’re looking for a good horror read with loads of gore, creepy monsters, and a touch of nostalgia, I absolutely recommend grabbing yourself a copy of Kill Hill Carnage. And remember… stay away from the river!
Content warnings for graphic violence, gore, murder, suicidal ideation, self-harm, body horror, racism, ableism, fat-shaming, discussions of sexual assault
Thank you so much to the publicist and Sinister Grin Press for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review!
You can find this review and more on my
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Review originally posted on Cemetery Dance Extras, Oct. 2nd, 2018
Kill Hill Carnage is the quintessential Halloween book for any seasoned horror fan or avid reader looking to make an October TBR (to be read) list. The story covers a lot of ground for the genre; easily shelved under several horror sub-genres, which makes it appealing for a wide audience. There’s a little bit of everything here: Teen Drama, Creature Feature, Disaster Horror and Comedy Horror.
The raucous volume of the sex and violence immediately upon opening the book definitely got my attention but also cooled my blood a little because teen-scream-queen stories tend to skim the surface, relying too heavily on shock and cheap thrills to keep readers interested.
However, Meyer impressed me earlier this year with his book Switch House, so I kept turning the pages to see how Meyer was going to to turn the tables on me and get me invested. I could have guessed it would be through cleverly written dialog, well developed characters and an intricate plot weaving together several different narratives.
My favorite narrative was the present day drama of a group of “just out of high school” college age kids venturing out to explore the scene of Christian Camp massacre that happened thirty years prior. I thought the twenty-something year olds would be stereotypical meat puppets for the grindhouse horror, but Meyer goes a little deeper and fleshes out their thoughts, feelings and relationships. This emotional investment on my end proved to up the ante as the story started sprinting towards its violent conclusion.
Another engaging narrative was the story in the story involving the Christian Camp back in the 1990s, the “Interlude” chapters. I loved these! My hope is that Tim Meyer could develop a Kill Hill series with maybe a prequel, developing the Camp story further and then a sequel to Kill Hill Carnage! I’m getting excited just thinking about all the directions Meyer could take with this and he definitely left the door open! My suggestion is for horror fans to get in on this potential franchise now instead of later. -
Gore Suit Needed!
Backstory:
The summer camp St. Christopher is known for having had a horrific tragedy that wiped out adults and kids back in 1991. Something had made its way through the camp and killed almost everyone, but no one could ever figure out "what" or "who" did the crime. Now years later some college friends (Seth, Dave, Warren, Fiona and Jenna) want to go check out the camp to see if they could figure out what happened there. The camp is in close proximity to an old plant factory that seems to be back up and running but it is off limits to any outsiders.
The friends are not at the camp long when something is already stalking the camp and when one of the friends (Dave) wanders off into the woods but doesn't return they wonder what is going on until they realize that they are in big trouble when his head comes sailing through a window!
Screaming, roaring, howling just takes over the camp with the friends trying to figure out where to run as the creature that killed Dave is now stalking them, but when they split up and run towards the old factory is when things take a turn for the worse.
When Frank Harmon arrives on the scene he is to do whatever is necessary to take care of the matter as he was hired to keep things quiet up at the camp and factory, but even he doesn't realize how bad things are until he comes face to face with the monster that is roaming Kill Hill. Not only that but panic sets in for everyone when there is not only one monster but several roaming around!
What really happened back in 1991 at the summer camp? What killed everyone there? What are these monsters that are roaming the area? What is really going on up at the factory? Does anyone make it out alive?
No spoilers here as you will just need to read the book if you want to learn more of this story!
Thoughts:
This is my third book by this author and all I can say is "Wowza" as I was just pulled straight into the story and when this book went into overdrive it just exploded with activity galore to the point I had to throw on my gore suit as the splatter was flying through the air!
Another great book by this author and the title definitely fits all the gory carnage within this story. Fast paced and twisted blood action is constant in the last half of the book. There was so much happening with monsters and blood/gore that I was exhausted as I could feel the emotions of the characters and what they were going through as they tried to escape the clutches of the monsters.
There are some really twisted gore descriptions within this book which kept my eyes glued to the pages and I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next with the characters. The last 40% of the story I read within 6 hours as I just could not put the book down!
Also the story alternates every few pages between the camp carnage in 1991 and the present time which was intriguing as well considering I could see more of what happened within the storyline from that year. All in all this was a great story and I have really enjoyed reading books by this author! Giving this book five "Creature Feature Rampage" stars! -
I very much enjoyed the author's book The Switch House. Kill Hill Carnage is a different beast altogether. There are monsters to spare, with teens on the run to escape burgeoning mutations. However, for me, Kill Hill seemed to lack the momentum and adeptly crafted plot of The Switch House. It was difficult for me to bridge the suspension of disbelief in terms of the characters and the threats they are faced with. This novel tries its best to capture the allure of 80's horror, but falls a few paces short of true and consistent terror. Regardless, I look forward to future offerings from Tim Meyer.
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Holy monster nards, this was one hell of a fun book! If you dig monsters, 80s horror and plain old mayhem, get your hairy mitts on this one. Easily one of my favorite reads of 2018. Meyer just keeps getting better and better. Please let there be a sequel.
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My thanks to Sinister Grin Publishing for providing the Nightworms with review copies of this book. This is my honest review.
What a fun and gory ride! It’s been a little while since I’ve been both terrified and thrilled when reading a novel — especially a small press (or indie) horror novel. When beginning a non-traditional publication, I am almost always trepidatious . . . but Tim Meyer seems to care about the craft. It is obvious he loves the horror field, and he respects the storytelling traditions that have come before him . . . while never ripping off any one. He is his own writer. Man, I love that! Originality in the horror field is so rare.
So what is this book about? Well, as advertised in the synopsis, it is partially about a gruesome summer camp massacre. And it’s about a group of college kids spending the night at the abandoned camp some twenty-five years later. What could go wrong? And there’s more going on, too — more kinks in the plot — always enough to keep the reader engaged, invested. I could not stop turning the pages! In fact, I read this sucker in a single sitting. That never happens anymore.
What this novel does right is Meyer gives the reader characters to truly root for. I cared about all but one — there was one douchebag in the group of college kids — but there’s always a rotten apple in the bunch. That’s just life.
This is officially my favorite Nightworms read thus far. Get yourself a copy! -
The Night Worms reading group received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kill Hill Carnage is pure horror gorefest fun from start to finish. It's an awesome end of summer read, full of creatures, horny teens, a summer camp massacre legend, and a shady corporation that hires a hitman to clean up its messes.
In 1991 everyone at Saint Christopher's Summer Camp for Kids is slaughtered, leaving the camp drenched in blood. There are a lot of rumors about what happened that summer, but very few people know the truth. Twenty-five years later a hitman named Frank Harmon sets out to tie up some loose ends involving the secretive factory on Kill Hill, but before the night is over he meets some college students who are camping at the derelict summer camp. The kids planned to search for clues and manufacture some scares, but in the end all of them will end up finding out much more than they bargained for.
If you are looking for a roller coaster creature feature full of gore and nonstop action look no further. This book is drenched in blood and absolutely full of carnage. Just as promised. -
OH MY GOD!!!
This novel is already one of my favorites of the year, and yes, of all time. I just finished reading it. It hasn't had time to sink in, but let me have a few thoughts, here.
For one, buy this book! It's amazing. It's the late-80s, early-90s blockbuster that never got made. I know, that's the popular trend in horror fiction these days, saying something is a throwback. But KILL HILL CARNAGE is much more.
Teenage angst, romantic rivalry. Gory, splattery mutant action. All manner of Cronenbergian creatures dripping slime and homicidal tendencies. A mysterious corporation with a shady owner buried in shadows and secrets. Interdimensional entities. I know, it sounds like I'm throwing the kitchen sink at you. I didn't even get to how Tim Meyer manages to wrap this up into a cohesive, lightning-quick plot that utilizes flashbacks incredibly well.
This novel reads like he wrote it just for me. Seriously. You'll love every minute of it. Get it and thank Tim after you're done tearing through it! -
Thank you Sinister Grin for providing the Night Worms free copies of Kill Hill Carnage in exchange for honest reviews.
Kill Hill Carnage is a gory slasher fest. I had a lot of fun with this one. It's gross and descriptive. There are annoying teenagers, monsters of all varieties and a believable plot line. I loved how fast paced this story was. -
I went into Kill Hill Carnage thinking that I would most likely enjoy the book, a teen slasher with a summer camp setting seemed like it would be right up my alley, but I loved this book even more than I thought I would. Without saying too much, I thought the antagonist was very creative! I enjoyed the different viewpoints, including the short chapters detailing what happened during the camp massacre in the 90's. I wanted a little more from the main female character other than being rescued and fought over my different male characters, but that's just me. The small snippets from the anatagonist didn't quite land for me, but there was a lot that did. One of the things that this book does very well is good, bloody kills. There is no lack of carnage in Kill Hill Carnage.
This was my first Tim Meyer book, I have Switch House on my kindle that I cannot wait to get to now. I do know the approach to horror in that book is a little different, and I cannot wait. I definitely recommend checking this out now that it is warming up and perfect time to read it. -
My first novel by Tim Meyer. A fun romp with semblances of slasher flicks, Stranger Things, and a sprinkle of The Island of Doctor Moreau. Subtle hints of Lovecraft can be found as well, but not necessarily Lovecraftian, more or less "otherworldly." Regardless, Kill Hill Carnage was an enjoyable read with few surprises but plenty of gore.
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Kill Hill Carnage was a wild, fun, gory ride of a horror book! I absolutely enjoyed myself the entire time - there was so much fun dialogue, tributes to good 80s campy horror, and the story was just all-in-all one that I thoroughly enjoyed. This story had some fun friendships and relationships - some come with quite the twist, too!
I could not believe how much gore there was - I mean, I love gore, and I love watching movies that have gore. There are very few books I have read that illustrate gore in such an incredible and fun way than this one! It's around every corner! There were some characters I hated to see torn apart while I was rooting for the moment it would happen to others.
I really enjoyed Meyer's ability to tell a story from the past and present and weave it together in such a way that it is not overwhelming or confusing. A lot of times authors get caught up in this entire "Past Meets Present" type of storytelling that they lose so much along the way and when the two stories collide the impact is not as meaningful. Not here!
I am looking forward to reading more from Meyer in the future!! My thanks to Sinister Grin Publishing for providing the Nightworms with review copies of this book. -
📚Book Review – Kill Hill Carnage 👹
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This book is one of my favourites this year that I have read, awesome classic slasher horror and just couldn’t get enough of it!
The novel follows two story lines, one a back story on camp Christopher a Christian camp on the outskirts of Kill Hill where a Brutal massacre occurred, the second story line follows a group of friends off for a wild weekend and my lord it gets wild!
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Fan of wired beastly creatures? Teenagers making wrong decisions? And damn right gruesome killings? Then check this book out! You won’t regret it at all, that I promise you 🙌🏼
The tension throughout the book does not let you go in the slightest and my there better be a sequel from that ending!
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Now it’s time for me to check out more of Tims work cause after this I’m intrigued to read more!
Have you read Kill Hill? What did you think let me know.
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Solid 4.5 bright stars 🌟 from me! -
Take one look at the cover of Kill Hill Carnage and you have a pretty good idea of what you're in for.
This book doesn't pull any punches and it isn't afraid to genre-blend and wonder "what if" before throwing the reader into the dark, gooey, deep-end filled with who knows what.
The book centers on a mysterious factory on Kill Hill and its nefarious inner workings. What is going on up there? What are they making and what might be getting loose?
There is a lot going on in this book, switching between a 90s era summer camp where something has gone horribly wrong and in the present day, a hitman with one last job and a group of teenage friends out for a little camping trip on what couldn't have been a worse weekend.
With slasher-like tropes—the summer camp, horny and delinquent kids in the woods—and mutant-monster madness, this really is a high-octane, gory romp that horror fans will have a lot of fun with.
One of the only things that I stuck on as I read was the dialogue, especially of the teen girls. It didn't feel realistic to me how they spoke to each other. I think I would have been more on board if everyone talked the same way, because a heightened reality would have fit right in with the insanity of this book, but as it stood, the girls felt a little fake.
Overall, the pacing, action, and originality of this book definitely make it a worthwhile and amped-up horror ride.
My thanks to Sinister Grin Press for sending a copy of this one to the Nightworms to read and review! -
3.5 *monstrous* stars, rounded up.
In 1991, a Christian summer camp for children was the site of a horrific massacre dubbed the Kill Hill Carnage. Years later, in 2016, five friends decide to visit the abandoned cabins in hopes of some fun and adventure. It will definitely be an adventure as they struggle for survival.
The action starts right away as readers get a glimpse into the past and witness a bit of the carnage that took place at the summer camp in 1991. The story then switches to 2016, where assassin, Frank Harmon, is working hard to keep secrets from getting out. He, himself, doesn't even seem to know what's going on. But soon enough, things become crystal clear and the stakes get even higher.
I enjoyed the fast pace of this action-packed thriller, though at times it seemed as if there was too much going on at once and some things were a bit too far-fetched for me to swallow. Yet, at the same time, it's that sort of wild and creative material that made the book so entertaining. Meyer has a great imagination and his figurative language and rich descriptions truly made the story more enjoyable. I was able to visualize the horrors, much like watching an eighties creature feature play in my mind.
I thought the plot was pretty good but I have mixed feelings about the twist. There was definitely a unique turn of events but I felt it didn't really add to the story in any significant way. Unless, of course, there are plans for a sequel. Hmm.... -
Release Date: July 15, 2018
Genre: Horror
Actual Rating: 2 stars
A total gore-fest from start to finish with monsters and murder galore.
Kill Hill Carnage seemed like a book that would be right up my alley. It has the hallmarks of a great slasher book as shown through the synopsis and should have been a total hit for me. Unfortunately, this book delivered in the weirdest of ways. First and foremost when I purchased a copy of this book I was thinking it would be a slasher horror novel about a bunch of teens who are camping in the woods and are being picked off one by one by some murderous assailant. Sure, something is lurking in the woods and picking these kids off but it's not some murderous psychopath in need of vengeance. It's a monstrosity of sorts (or a couple of monstrosities to be exact) who have turned into some sort of mutant because of genetic splicing? Ekk. This was unexpected for me and if I had known this is the path the book was going to take I would have passed. I'm not a sci-fi fan at all and I think this book blurred the lines between sci-fi and slasher horror. Secondly, these characters were one dimensional at best. They seemed more like fillers than actual important pieces to the story. Finally, the ending was... non existent? I don't understand what happened. Is there going to be a second book? Was it meant to end this way? I prefer things to be wrapped up neatly and this wasn't the case for Kill Hill Carnage.
Now, I don't want my low review to make readers think this is a bad book because that's not the case. It's simply not a book for ME. We all have our different tastes in novels and while I appreciate the originality of this one it just wasn't my personal cup of tea. Looking at the other high reviews of the book will show you this. Many people LOVED it. Just not me.
If you enjoy sci-fi (ish) novels and a lot of gore in your horror books then this one is certainly worth the extra look. From page 1 all the way though to the end blood was shed! It's not for the faint of heart or for those who are squeamish thought! -
Kill Hill Carnage, by Tim Meyer is retro goodness. It’s got the feel of a late 80’s, early 90’s, B horror movie. It feels like a summer camp slasher mixed with some 90’s flair. Meyer wasn’t afraid to go weird with this book, and thanks to that, it largely succeeds.
A group of college friends take an impromptu camping trip up to Kill Hill. Previously the site of a Christian summer camp, Kill Hill was shut down when a mass murder happened on the grounds in the 90’s, and borders an abandoned chemical plant which had no qualms forgoing environmental safety during its operation. While the kids are taking their trip, a hitman named Frank is hired by the corporation that ran the plant to take out a few targets in the area. They all arrive and it doesn’t take long for hell to break loose.
Kill Hill Carnage was exactly what I was looking for. Meyer writes a book that is weird, gory, and campy. The characters are cheesy in the best kind of B movie way. The character development here is mostly done through the dialogue and character interactions, setting up just enough knowledge of them before the blood starts flying. I mentioned earlier that this book is gory, and I just want to reiterate that. Heads fly, bones crack, appendages sever. It’s all here, described with enough detail to clearly visualize what’s going on in the scenes.
The creatures in the book shine. They are brutal, disgusting things that lust for blood and won’t stop until long after it’s spilled. Meyer does an exceptional job detailing what they look like, and it's not pretty. If you’re a visual person, prepare to see these things in your sleep.
The overall story of Kill Hill Carnage was along the lines of what you’d expect from a book of this nature. The kids are given just enough reason to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and the hitman is every bit the scumbag he appears to be. Mix that in with crazy scientists and an evil corporation, and you’ve got a classic B-movie in literary form.
I enjoyed my time with Kill Hill Carnage. Fans of B-Movies, creature features, and weirdness in their horror will find a lot to love here.
4.5/5 -
Very fun read by Meyer! From the cover, you know this will not be about puppies and rainbows, and while this has a share of gore, KHC is more plot driven than pure splatterpunk. Meyer knows the horror genre to be sure- the references to various slasher movies is endemic-- but he also likes to twist the genre a bit. This started off with a 'classical' horror trope; a group of young 20 somethings heads off to the woods to camp one evening. Our main protagonist, Jenna, does not really want to go, but here break up with her latest beau and the possibility of some companionship with her bestie wins out over sad romantic flicks.
So, on the one hand, we have our merry troupe heading to an old abandoned summer camp to hang out and such. On the other hand, Meyer introduces Frank, some sort of hit man, who is also in the area taking care of some loose ends. We also have a historical story interspersed-- the account of what happened at Kill Hill camp 25 years ago; this slowly (and graphically) is unfolded, namely the massacre that left kids and counselors dead by the score. What kind of monster(s) wiped the camp out? Is it (are they) related to the old chemical plant on the top of the hill, the one the locals gossip about dumping toxic crap into the water?
Meyers paces the story nicely, and I will say no more about the plot, except the denouement had some major surprises of an almost Lovecraftian bent. There were a few things I found a little to convenient but over all, a fun, fast read with a little dark humor along the way 4 monstrous stars. -
"It was here for mayhem and murder, and it would get what it wanted in large doses, oh yes it bloody would."
Kill Hill Carnage is my second read from Tim Meyer. I am impressed with his versatility as a horror writer - The Switch House & Kill Hill Carnage are very different books, and both are entertaining. The Switch House is more grim and serious, and Kill Hill Carnage is a fun B-movie body horror story.
First off, this cover is amazing. I was immediately drawn to this book, and the design is perfect. This book delivers on the monster fun promised by the cover.
I really liked the flashbacks set at camp, and I wish there would have been more time spent there. There were some funny scenes, and I definitely would not be opposed to a full camp horror book from Tim Meyer.
Regarding the non-camp parts, there was some excellent body horror. Tim Meyer does blood & guts very well. I know that the dialogue was supposed to be like a cheesy horror movie, but I found myself getting tired of it after a while. I could only hang out with these characters for so long. I think this book was a little too long for the story that was being told, and I think this may have worked better for me as a novella. At some point in the last portion, I started skimming to get to the end.
Overall, this was a fun read, and Tim Meyer is a skilled writer. I really can't wait to read more from him. If you like body horror, monsters, and slasher-esque novels, I recommend picking this one up! -
The books I have read by Tim Meyer have covered a variety of horror subjects and settings. The constant in them all is quality writing and fun stories. Kill Hill Carnage continues this trend and is the best novel of Tims that I have read so far. This novel is fun. There are few things better for me than smiling while reading a gore filled horror novel due to it being such a blast to read. This novel had me smiling a lot. There is plenty of action and gore in this book. There are a load of mutated monsters as well. The author has put realistic characters in the middle of this stew of mayhem which make the book even better. There was one character which literally made me feel angry as I read about his attitude towards women. This is the mark of great character building. There were characters I loved as well. Thankfully the author did not take it easy on them and the resolution of their fates was satisfying. This book also has a great ending which also had me smiling. I really loved this book and recommend it to all lovers of horror.
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Wow, this was a seriously creature filled horror story, and a bloody gore fest. Great tension and suspense throughout. My review is posted here --->
https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1Fj -
In 1991, all the children and counselors of Camp Christopher were brutally slain. No one was ever arrested, although the rumors circulating suggesting inbred cannibals in the wilderness, an errant psycho wandering through the woods, or a camp counselor that snapped. But there is also a defunct chemical plant on the hill above the camp, about which the urban legends are rampant.
25 years later, there are still no answers but the camp still exists in the woods. Naturally, 5 college students with nothing better do decide to go camping in the woods and check it out. Gee, what could go possibly wrong?
This is one of the best horror books I have read in awhile. It reads like an 80s horror movie, but with monsters. Lots of weird monsters. I loved it! -
Kill Hill Carnage
By Tim Meyer
Published by Sinister Grin Press, July 15 2018
4.5 Stars (Rounded up)
A few pages into Kill Hill Carnage by Tim Meyer, published by Sinister Grin Press, I knew I was holding one of my favorite horror books to be released this year. I was in the mood for something gory, lively, with a little humor and a lot of heart, and I found that in this book and so much more.
Kill Hill Carnage draws from the splattery depths of 80s horror, with creature and mad scientist throwbacks, campground massacres, and classic tale of “group of friends go into the woods and get more than they bargained for”. At face value, that’s enough fun to keep your attention through this novel. However, Meyer, with a knack for writing witty dialogue and palpable action, brings these fun tropes into a league of their own.
The plot of this book is thoroughly amusing, requiring page turn after page turn with an inability to be put down. The story travels non-linear paths, describing the monster-led massacre of a camp decades earlier, switching back and forth to the current-day group of young adults seeking thrills in those same woods. At no point did I feel lost in the story, each timeline and character perspective serving to push the story along at relatively breakneck speed.
One of the aspects I enjoyed most from Kill Hill Carnage was that there was a dynamic range of characters in the story. Meyer created realistic, interesting, and complex characters in the group of friends who are at the heart of this story—Jenna, Seth, Fiona, Dave, and Warren. While this group of friends are tied together in a twisty web of bffs, partners, wannabe-lovers, and acquaintances, Meyer does well to illuminate relationships in compelling directions. The other characters in the story—rough and gruff Frank and the scientists of Kill Hill allow for additional character development in well-written personalities. In addition to the solid cast at the center of the story, Meyer treats the reader to plenty of fodder to live up to the titular carnage.
Speaking of slaughter, while Meyer’s is talented in his ability to portray likable (and appropriately unlikable) characters with fun and often humorous dialogue, his ability to make me feel a little ill is to be equally lauded. Kill Hill Carnage was wrought with gore and the grimace-inducing action that causes it. This book is sharp in its descriptions of mayhem, with tense, gooey moments to fill the gaps between action as well.
I could go on and on about how this book is something close to a perfect read, but instead, I’m going to go light a candle and wish to the splatterpunk gods for a sequel.
(Disclaimer: Review copy received from publisher. Thank you!) -
Review copy
Well, that was nasty. Kill Hill Carnage begins with the most gruesome and violent prologue I've read in 2018. The year is 1991 and there is more than campers and counselors at Camp Christopher...
"It was here for mayhem and murder, and it would get what it wanted in large doses, oh yes it bloody would."
Years later, a group of five twenty-something friends crash the long deserted camp hoping for some kicks where so many lives ended all those years ago. Warren and Fiona are a couple. Jenna just broke up with her boyfriend and bad boy Dave and good guy Seth are both vying for her attention. Then there's Frank Harmon, hired to eliminate some potential threats on Kill Hill.
The teenage interactions really made this story for me. Believable, not forced at all. I loved Seth's meager attempts at talking to Jenna...
"But they both knew Seth had a better chance of impregnating a Kardashian than he did of sharing a kiss with Jenna Lamb."
Kill Hill Carnage does an excellent job of building suspense even when you have a pretty good idea about what's in store for our current day campers. This is my third Tim Meyer book and my favorite thus far, having previously read both Sharkwater Beach and The Switch House. This book is monster madness at its finest. There are even tentacles.
"Tentacles whipped in the darkness behind him with the fury of some ancient elder god."
I found Kill Hill Carnage to be dark, bleak, and terrifying. Definitely recommended.
Kill Hill Carnage is published by Sinister Grin Press and is available now in both paperback and e-book formats.
From the author's bio - Tim Meyer dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He’s an author, husband, father, podcast host, blogger, coffee connoisseur, beer enthusiast, and explorer of worlds. He writes horror, mysteries, science fiction, and thrillers, although he prefers to blur genres and let the stories fall where they may. -
I enjoyed reading the gory creature descriptions in this book. The storyline is filled with its vivid imagery. I would love to see this be adapted to a movie. 🎥 🍿 I highly recommended this for a summer horror read. 🩸 The story takes place around a location called Kill Hill which is where a scientific laboratory is being run by a mysterious scientist who is doing some very peculiar experiments. Back in the 90’s the location was host to Camp Christopher where several campers were brutally slaughtered by what was rumored to be some deformed creatures. The water was said to be contaminated with fish that were deformed and other odd “beings”. Could there be a connection to these creatures and what was being created at Kill Hill?!
Fast forward to present time, a group of teens decide to go to this camp 🏕 (of course they do 🙄) let’s just say what they discover is more than they could have dreamed. They realize that the stories told to them about the creatures lurking in the water are very real! -
Tim Meyer is fast becoming one of my favorite horror authors, as this is the second book of his that I have read and loved. High on gore and action, Kill Hill Carnage is a novel for those of us who love our monsters on the meaner side. Highly recommended.
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Review: KILL HILL CARNAGE by Tim Meyer
KILL HILL CARNAGE is straight out horror extreme, a homage to 80's-90's slasher splatterpunk, AND to the wonderful Grade-B horror films of the 1950's, which often featured "Science Gone Wrong." There's plenty of the latter in this novel, as human greed and cupidity reign, regardless of the environment or quality of human life. In a chemical plant in New England, owned by a foreign corporation and strongly suspected of dumping toxic waste in the adjacent river (think Love Canal), secret experiments have continued since the plant's official closure in 1991, following a brutal massacre at a nearby Christian youth camp. Security at the plant is akin to that in a Third-World dictatorship, but that doesn't halt the excursions of products of the covert experimentation occurring in the closed chemical plant (think Mengele).
Genetic mutations and lots of gore are not the only themes in this novel. Author Tim Meyer has a keen vision for character and a deep understanding of his people. If you love splatterpunk, you can't go wrong here.
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Originally posted on my blog
http://Undivineinterventions.blogspot...
As the year closes out, I find myself in a "tough" predicament...as most Horror fiction blogs do, I am preparing an "end of year list".
While it's absolutely impossible to have read every new horror novel published in 2018, much less every book I have been sent for review, I am doing my best to cover the corners of the material that meshes at least somewhat closely with the things I enjoy reading, and therefore cover on my blog.
There were a few titles I was interested in covering by Sinister Grin Press, and when I outreached their publicist to obtain copies, she also suggested this one, Kill Hill Carnage by Tim Meyer. After checking a quick synopsis, I agreed.
Somehow, both this title and its author, have slipped under my radar. It's quite surprising to me, as this dude has quite a bit of interesting material out and is in cahoots with some of newer favorite authors. Not to mention, Sinister Grin has its own hallmark of quality that's been quite dependable.
Either way, a plot promising a "monster in the woods vs. White trash Hitman" paired with these accolades were enough to get me interested.
As fate has it, the stars perfectly aligned, as I had a great time with Kill Hill Carnage.
KHC is a light, off the wall read that screams "this is a lost novelisation of a movie Vestron was going to out before bankruptcy in 1989". If you're not a horror/b- movie nerd, that means you can expect goopy monsters, relentless action and hokey fun on vhs tape when grabbing one of their titles. That is what Kill Hill Carnage embodies perfectly.
At it's core, the plot is as simple and time-worn as they come- a handful of teenagers find themselves dead center of an urban legend massacre site, stalked by monsters and meeting grisly demises. A shady hitman, who may or may not have their best interest, is here to save the day...or make it worse...
A surefire recipe for safe horror story telling is always 'kids in the woods getting offed", but KHC slaps safety in the face, rears a middle finger, and blazes full throttle into a mile-a-minute thrill ride with an everything but the kitchen sink attitude.
You've got evil corporations, mad scientists, wicked priests operating corrupt Christian children summer camps, a total scumbag of an antihero, more slimy monsters and gory deaths than you can shake a stick at. It's all through the lens of Fred Olen Ray schlocky sci-fi tinged balls-out action-horror.
This book does not yield for anything, blazing by unapologetically, crashing to a halt only because its story has been told and the book is coming to an end.
It's a nearly three-hundred page book that reads in a few hours, with not a single drop-off in pace. Not once was I bored or waiting for the writer to get to the point (which is far too often something I deal with).
It may even be slightly too fast, as I closed it's cover just a few hours ago, and I'm struggling to recall the details. Kill Hill Carnage blazes by in such a gory, colorful zap that I'm hard pressed to remember much about the characters and dialogue or plot-twists. What I do recall is that those domains are quite predictable and trite, even the twists being done before.
However, I feel that this is done mindfully; Meyer appears knowing he's not writing a classic, simply waving and nodding to them, with the gore, goop and monster quotient multiplied to a thousand. He seems intent on writing a purely entertaining story, one that never gets boring or bogged down with flowery nonsense and endless subplots. In fact, I commend his unabashed approach, reading like the equivalent to classic thrash metal: non-stop, neck breaking and visceral.
It's literary fast food: short, sweet, dopamine-inducing pleasure that isn't going to stick with you for a long time but is easy, fast, familiar and tasty enough.
Even after discovering the joy of a 5-star steak and lobster dinner, I can still enjoy a Quarter Pounder with cheese.
Ya feel me?
4/5. -
Kill Hill Carnage is a rip-roaring run through a monster infested forest that will have you laughing maniacally from sheer joy. Take one part Island of Dr. Moreau and add it to one part Lovecraft shake liberally and strain it through a nightmare to find the creatures that haunt the woods around Camp Christopher and the not so abandoned factory. The characters fall into two camps,,, Those you want to see make it out alive, and those you hope meet a gloriously gruesome fate. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out who made it out alive in this splatter filled tale. A throwback to old-school horror this book is a thrilling and fun gorefest that I would recommend to horror fans everywhere. A solid 4.5 star read.
