For Rose Dubois, and many other retirees, Autumn Springs is home. Nestled in Upstate New York, the residents are living out their golden years in comfort. That is until Rose’s close friend is found dead in her unit, believed to be felled by a slip and fall. However, the severity of the injuries leave many questions unanswered for Rose and her neighbors. As more “accidents” occur resulting in an increasing number of residents leaving Autumn Springs in body bags, it’s clear there is a killer on the loose. Can Rose and a handful of her friends find out who is behind the grizzly murders before they end up six feet under?

Look, this is inevitably going to be compared to Thursday Murder Club, and I can’t say I’m surprised. Richard Osman’s books are hugely popular and with a movie adaptation due to be released shortly before this novel hits store shelves, Philip Fracassi’s AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE is going to either gain from the association or suffer when people juxtapose the two books. And honestly, that’s what initially drove me to request an advanced copy. However, this is a horror novel, and Osman’s books are mystery novels, so it’s possible they may not have much crossover, with the comparison’s left for only folks like me.

The first half of the book, man, this felt like a knockoff of Osman’s books. But boy, oh, boy, that second half? It became a VERY different novel. It’s a shame because I struggled so much in the beginning, to the point where I really wasn’t looking forward to picking the book up at all. I understand the need to lay the groundwork so that the finale works the way that it does, but it really felt like such a slog to get to where the story needed to be. The characters were not as charming nor as interesting (aside from Rose) as I felt they could have been. That said, once Fracassi pushed the pedal to the floor, this became straight-up unputdownable. The tamer killings in the beginning felt like child’s play once the stakes were raised. I really thought I had the killer’s identity figured out, but the rug was pulled out from under me at the reveal. And that climax? Great stuff.

THE AUTUMN SPRINGS RETIREMENT HOME MASSACRE is set for release on September 30, 2025.