[Review] — "THESE DEADLY WORDS" Has an Old School '80s Horror Feel to It!

Pre-order on Kindle.

Find it on Goodreads and Books2Read.

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the THESE DEADLY WORDS by Nichole Heydenburg Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!

About the Book

What happens when the line between fiction and reality blurs?

All Camille Monroe wants is a quiet place to work on her novel. Hoping for inspiration, she retreats to a cabin in Asheville, with only her dog Brody as company.

Leah Strauss thought the summer after high school graduation would be amazing, but when her boyfriend Vincent suffers an untimely loss, her dream of the perfect summer is destroyed. Attempting to cheer up Vincent, Leah’s twin sister Ava and her boyfriend Noah join them on a road trip.

When a snowstorm strikes the mountains while Leah and her friends are hiking, they struggle to find their campsite. After becoming lost in the woods, they stumble across a cabin and seek shelter from the storm.

As the days pass, the guests feel increasingly unsafe in the stranger’s cabin. Camille seems to know all their secrets, and she doesn’t want them to leave. Who is this dangerous writer and what does she want from them? Their biggest problem quickly becomes escaping the cabin alive.

Tropes: Snowstorm, locked room mystery, cabin in the woods, 80s book, magical/supernatural powers.

Content warnings: alcoholism, suicide, swearing, murder.

My Review

"THESE DEADLY WORDS" is written in a creepy 80s horror film style, complete with a "cabin in the woods" location. The author does an excellent job of introducing the characters, establishing the narrative, and building tension. There's an "Evil Dead" feel here, at least with the setting, which features camping teenagers forced to seek refuge in a cabin after a snowfall. Camille, the cabin's owner, appears charming at first, but then things take a twisted turn in a Stephen King-like approach.

Everyone knows I enjoy horror, especially stories with an old-school feel, so "THESE DEADLY WORDS" was right down my lane. It's hardly a "perfect read," but there are enough surprises to keep you turning the pages. ╌★★★★✰

About Nichole Heydenburg

Nichole Heydenburg is the author of The Quiet Girl and The Long Shadow thriller trilogy. She also owns Poisoned Ink Press, where she provides editing services to authors. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English with an emphasis in writing from Adrian College in 2014. When she isn’t writing, Nichole enjoys exploring new cities with her husband, reading, and drinking iced mochas. She currently resides near Asheville, NC with her husband, Zed, and their crazy dog, Mr. B.

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Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THESE DEADLY WORDS, US Only.

Ends May 9th, midnight EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Week One:

4/18/2023	Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer	Review
4/19/2023	@shangread_la	IG Review
4/20/2023	Writer of Wrongs	Guest Post
4/20/2023	jeff_of_allmedia	IG Post
4/21/2023	I'm Into Books	Excerpt
4/22/2023	YA Books Central	Guest Post/IG Post

Week Two:

4/23/2023	@thrillersandhistoricalfiction	IG Review
4/23/2023	Inked Book Reviews	Review/IG Post
4/24/2023	Review Thick And Thin	Review/IG Post
4/24/2023	Reveal + Review	Guest Post
4/25/2023	Brandi Danielle Davis	IG Review/TikTok Post
4/25/2023	@dastardly.reads	Review/IG Post
4/26/2023	#BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee Blog	Guest Post/IG Post
4/26/2023	A Blue Box Full of Books	IG Review
4/27/2023	Books With a Chance	Review/IG Post
4/27/2023	@jael_and_jenessa_reads	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	The Bibliophilic World	Review/IG Post
4/28/2023	Author Z. Knight’s Guild	Review/IG Post
4/29/2023	zaineylaney	TikTok Review/IG Post
4/29/2023	Country Mamas With Kids	Review/IG Post

Week Three:

4/30/2023	Confessions of the Perfect Mom	Review/IG Post
4/30/2023	Book Briefs	Review/IG Post
5/1/2023	Kim's Book Reviews and Writing Aha's	Excerpt/IG Post
5/2/2023	Breysreviews	IG Review/TikTok Post
5/2/2023	Two Chicks on Books	Excerpt/IG Post