Absolutely addictive. This had me hooked from the get go. I kept trying to guess if it was one of the camp members or an outsider with knowledge of the camp who was out for revenge. The ending shocked me but was totally and utterly perfect!

I really enjoyed Josh Winning's previous novel, The Shadow Glass, which managed to finally balance creepy horror in a subtle, nostalgic way. Heads Will Roll is a completely different novel. It's a bold, in your face, camp horror that relies on the fear of isolation and untrustworthy characters to ramp up the tension.

Our main character, known only by her stage name of Willow, arrives at a mysterious camp after being cancelled online following an Infamous tweet. Camp Castaway is a place to unplug from social media. No phones, no tech is allowed. And the camp councillors make sure you have a relaxing time. But when campers start going missing, and creepy doll heads start appearing, Willow realises that the camp might not be the escape she was expecting.

Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this one. It just fell a bit flat, and the characters didn't really feel 2ell developed. I think not knowing a lot about Willow or her backstory at first made it hard for me to connect with her, and by the time we do find out more of what she'd done, I didn't care. I get that this is clearly an homage of sorts to 90s slasher, and it did feel very nostalgic, however because of that the plot also didn't feel particularly original and I found my attention waning as a result. The twists didn't really shock me. I guess I was expecting something a bit more like The Shadow Glass.

Good, summer slasher. This author is a wonderful writer, but this time I just wanted more depth from the characters and plot.

I’m glad I was invited to review this fun and compelling Friday-the-13th-esque horror novel.

After being ‘cancelled’, TV star Willow checks into Camp Castaway for a digital detox.

However, the sanctuary quickly descends into a hellish nightmare when two campers go missing.

The campfire ghost story of Knock Knock Nancy can’t be real. Can it?

The camp has a history, and it has come to collect some more heads.

For fans of Riley Sager and Grady Hendrix.

A fun yet thought-provoking horror novel set in a camp for those who have all been 'cancelled' in real life. The writing is conversational and the author packs in a lot of horror references. There's also a nice little twist in the middle. I enjoyed the exploration of the complexities of cancel culture. If you enjoy slashers with a bit of a mystery element, you should enjoy this.

I loved this booked very much. Not only did I grow up on 70s, 80s and 90s slasher horror, but have been on the receiving end of an online hate campaign (although to a much lesser degree than Willow did in this book). It hit home beautifully.

Willow is a character in a hit show who has just tweeted something that a famous internet troll has jumped on and magnified into something much bigger and toxic than it was meant. The actress who plays Willow is cancelled by her fans, the public and by her fiancé who dumps her unceremoniously. Everybody hates her.

She spends her last few buck on a nature retreat aptly nicknamed Cancelled Camp so that she can escape the incessant press and regroup herself. In the middle of nowhere, she is dropped off by a taxi at Camp Castaway, has her phone taken from her (Camp rules) and then the fun begins as we meet other campers and wonder what’s afoot.

I’ve seen reviews saying it’s a slow burn, but I didn’t find it so. It fully engaged my ADHD brain and kept me riveted and looking forward to my next read thoughout the book. The tension mounted as the characters – all using pseudonyms and in the camp for potentially nefarious reasons, are eliminated one by one as their secrets are revealed.

The camp is seemingly haunted by Knock Knock Nancy, who takes the heads of her victims as she too was a victim many decades earlier.
But all is not what it seems.

OR IS IT?

It’s 80s slashers. It’s Scooby Doo. It’s Scream. It’s I Know What You Did Last Summer.

It’s a damn fun read and all gets wrapped up nicely in a blood-soaked ribbon leaving everything explained as we need it to and leaves us deeply sated on gore.

Have some fun and read this book if you like horror, like character depth, mystery and who (and why) dunnits.

Thank you Net Galley, Penguin Random House and Michael Joseph – you entertained me muchly and allowed me to immerse myself for a few hours in the kind of book I love. Five stars!

This was a quick and easy read. As a slasher/horror film fan, I really enjoyed the callbacks to them and got that unnerving feeling throughout as I was reading.

I was kind of disappointed however when finding out about who the killer was and motive but I think that’s just due to personal preference.

I didn’t mind the main character all too much and didn’t connect however I did enjoy the POVS from the other campers and definitely had some favourites.

Thank you to the publishers for kindly choosing me to receive this arc from NetGalley

An interesting horror.
Sadly this is an incredibly slowpaced book that honestly makes it less scary than I expect it could've been.
Its very campers being hunted, with a spin. Well written.
If you enjoy a slow burn book, this'll be brilliant for you.
Unfortunately, not my cup of tea.

DNF. Unfortunately this was too slow burn for me personally and I didn't like any of the characters enough to push through until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.

Well this camp cancelled rehabilitation horror was right up my street.

Straight from the horror of 80s slasher horror movies with religious belief's used to maximum scare factor.

This book is based around knock knock Nancy an urban tale told around the fire to scare campers , she likes to steal your head and make bad people replay.

Now if you have ever seen Carrie or Friday the 13th this book is almost a mashup of both tales but it has its own twists and turns. It deals with modern day issues such as people having an unhealthy attachment to their devices and the internet.

The story it’s self hooked me from the beginning it’s easy to read and would suit most YA audiences.

There is a few big twists in the book I won’t say who what where but I was shocked a few times .

All in I enjoyed this book took me back to playing horror games and reading point horror books .

I have just finished it, I could not put it down. A well deserved 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was hooked. I’ve never said to myself ‘Just one more chapter’ so much during a book before. I couldn’t get enough and just wanted to know more. 🪓
I wrote over 16 pages of notes and thoughts throughout reading it, and I still want to offload more that’s running through my head. 🪓
Josh had me guessing and questioning everyone and every action. There were a couple of things I did wonder if were going to happen but there were so many surprises throughout with twists and turns. 🪓
I definitely don’t want to be hearing a Knock, Knock, Knock anytime soon.

I can’t wait for someone I know to read it so I can discuss it with someone.

Heads Will Roll is a horror novel set in a remote retreat, in which a digital detox summer camp quickly becomes a slasher. A sitcom star, known as her character Willow, checks into Camp Castaway after being 'cancelled' for posting something stupid online, where she meets fellow campers with reasons to run away from society, and a harsh 'Camp Mom'. After a ghost story about a headless girl, Nancy, who knocks on your door, people start disappearing, and being cancelled becomes the least of anyone's problems.

I enjoy slashers and I find summer camp slashers particularly scary for some reason, so I was excited for this one. It is very aware that it is a slasher, which most slashers since the 90s have been, and the Hollywood aspect gives enough excuses for genre-savviness too. The novel is told mostly from Willow's perspective, with a slow build-up and then plenty of heads rolling as the action gets going. The horror plotline itself is pretty fun, with some twists and turns and the classic concept that everyone there has some kind of past they are escaping from. I think some of the gore/beheading would work better onscreen, as in the book it becomes quite forgettable as more and more characters just seem to suddenly have lost their head.

The element I found less convincing was Willow's backstory. I liked the detail of her burgeoning romance with a fellow camper (it was a bonus to get a surprise queer romance as a subplot in a slasher), but once you found out more about what she tweeted, and what happened next online, it all felt a bit flimsy. I guess the difficulty is having the protagonist do something to be cancelled that actually isn't bad enough to make them seem like an unlikeable character, but because of this, it lacked the complexity of really exploring cancel culture, and seemed to pass it off once it had been revealed. The internet troll element also felt too rushed over, and way too neat in terms of who it was.

Heads Will Roll is a fun slasher that I found genuinely a bit creepy in the middle when I was reading it late at night, as it did make good use of the isolated camp setting. It felt like it would make a good slasher film, but for my tastes, I wanted it to have a bit more substance around the 'cancelled' setup and maybe how that plays into who people think might be a villain, given that it is a genre that often relies on having villains anyway.

A fine entry into the camp scare genre.

This book opens with failed sitcom and social media star, Willow, on her way to summer camp - not for kids, but for adults who want to get away from the stresses and strains of modern living. So no phones, no internet, nothing from the outside. Which is good, because most of them seem to be running from the outside. and Willow is no exception. It seems one single, ill-advised Tweet got her sent to social media oblivion.

And so we get to Camp Castaway, where no one apparently has ever watched Friday the 13th. Or maybe they have but didn't pay attention. In fact, the book plays out like any of the slasher films we've all seen - deliberately, I presume. It's full of two-dimensional characters any one of whom could be the baddie. And just like the films, it's entertaining, even spooky in places, and even has some of those "she's really going to do that...?" moments.

There's a nice amount of reflection on the whole social media / influencer thing, which is fine, as is the way in which Willow responds to her new status.

A nice summer beach read.

𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟓 ⭐️

This was such a fun ride!! I’m so happy NetGalley approved me on this book, this is my first Josh Winning read and it certainty won’t be the last. Firstly, that cover is stunning!! 🤩

If you know me by now, you know I LOVE a horror camp story! This wasn’t a camp for kids, this was a retreat of sorts for adults who want to go off the grid. They have to sacrifice all their electronics and embrace nature.

Willow is no different, a reality tv star that posted something online so she’s now cancelled!! The camp is her salvation or so she thinks. I love the whole cancel culture theme within the book.

Willow is such a likeable character that you can’t help but warm to her and root for her every step of the way, I loved all the pop culture references and how much Willow loves her horror movies.

This had twists, turns and moments that were down right chilling and spooky… dolls heads?!

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse and Michael Joseph

One of my favourite quotes:

𝙷𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝, 𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢!

10000000000% recommend!

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This is so fun. Kind of a Point Horror for the modern era. A really great intro to horror or a palate cleanser if you're deep into your more serious horror.

This is not my usual genre, but I was hooked by Knock Knock Nancy! What a name for a character of legend. I wanted to find out more. Overall, this title is a bit of a mixed bag, but it moves along happily enough and for those who enjoy gory slasher type horror in the woods, there’s enough to satisfy. The premise isn’t entirely plausible, but I took the view that it’s all a little tongue in cheek and went along for the ride. It kept my attention throughout and as a diverting read, I enjoyed it. I love the colour and artwork on the cover. It’s bewitching and well suited to the content.

Absolutely loved this book it’s gory and gripping right to the last page! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! I enjoyed this book! It was reasonably fast paced which kept me engaged and I enjoyed the creepy factor throughout. I did enjoy the folktale of Knock-Knock Nancy and felt it fit well with the theme of the book.

I did find that the ending was a little abrupt but it is hard to finish these stories off. I also partially guessed the twist but not all the way which I was glad about.

I would recommend this and would read more by this author!

3.5

@ThatGirlWillow causes a furore with a tweet three weeks ago and as a result sitcom star Willow loses the lot, not least her job. Her agent sends her to the isolation of Camp Castaway in upstate New York. This place is very different as here, this summer camp for adults gives inmates the opportunity to leave their lives behind and in particular, their mistakes. There’s a complete social media detox because there are no phones. All those there are anonymous, their names are changed as part of the process. Is this a chance for our once upon a time star? She discovers the other campers are ok with one late arrival shocking her as it’s Juniper Brown, her favourite actress. What is the actor who drops off the Hollywood scene ten years ago doing here? Then, several odd and disturbing things happen with one camper going missing. What is going on?

Summer camp horror? Do the contents follow through on the promise of the cover? In part yes as it’s certainly true of the first half where there’s plenty of creep to keep you reading on especially in the ‘shape’ of local legend in Knock-knock Nancy. At this point, there’s an abundance of atmosphere not least caused by the isolation of the camp. The fast paced plot seems to be building well, there’s some fear factor and imagery that gives me the heebie jeebies.

Then, for some reason the pace slows far too often and there’s repetition with regard to Nancy. It becomes gory, there’s plenty of slashing and ‘rolling’ but I don’t feel any tension and I should be freaking out but I’m not. It’s hard to take it seriously as it becomes whoops there goes another one with a lot of frantic dashing about. Understandably. Maybe it’s the author’s intention that I don’t take it seriously?? I don’t know! In addition, the dialogue in the second half is flat and cheesy.

It redeems itself towards the end with a few good twists but the ending seems unresolved.

Overall, there’s plenty of action, it’s fun and if you like slasher movies it does capture that vibe.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Penguin Michael Joseph for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This started as a real mystery for a group of people, brought together because of their past lives and problems. It gradually became darker and darker and I began to think that maybe these characters were in real danger. Who was this strange ghostly person seen in the woods? Is it really a ghostly apparition or something far more dangerous?
This really isn’t the genre of book I would normally read and yet I found it compelling. That is, until the last part of the book when we experience such violence and everything falls apart it seems. Not quite so enjoyable but that doesn’t alter the fact that it was very well written and those who enjoy horror will.totally enjoy this book.

Sometimes I think I’d love to go away to a camp retreat for a couple of weeks, get away from it all and just reset my social batteries. The only issue is I worry I’m going to end up the victim of a psychopath who’s rampaging through the woods. Seems to happen a lot in America, I mean, it’s the basis for a lot of slasher movies hey? Well, I might as well settle for reading about a camp in the Wilds, things can’t go wrong this time…*cue ominous music and intense chasing*…that escalated quickly. Heads Will Roll is a classic slasher novel with some great twists and nods to the current cultural climate. I enjoyed it - an easy, flowing read that doesn’t hold back on the horror elements and provides enough background for us to care what happens to the characters. I’m just not sure it’s done anything to cure my irrational thoughts about going to camp though…