“Dead End Tunnel” by Nick Roberts opens with a creepy chapter that sets the tone for what awaits. Even the book cover is frightening, which immediately drew me in to see what kind of tunnel I was excited to jump into. One thing that really hooked me was how real it felt, thanks to a solid story told through dual timelines that blurred the line between reality and fiction.
Before I begin my review, I found only one trigger warning while reading. It was…
– Suicide
If this triggers you, please do not read this book. Moving along, I’ve been following Roberts since “The Exorcist’s House,” which was a brilliant 5-Star read back in 2023. I love his writing style; his horror has always been unique and refreshing. I’ve never read a book about a creepy tunnel that flirts with something evil, sinister, supernatural, and all sorts of madness.
I connected with Mav and his friends since, let’s face it, as a boy, I also used to love riding bikes with friends all around my neighborhood. Especially to places far away, the ones you know you shouldn’t be going to, but you do it anyway for the thrill of being with friends and bike riding into the night.
Once the horror hit, it was fantastic. Thanks to this book, I will never look at a walkie-talkie the same again. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you, but wow, talk about taking something as simple as a kid’s walkie-talkie and adding a horror twist. Even after what happened, there was a very specific, supernatural horror scene that I couldn’t believe transpired.
Again, Roberts has a knack for writing horror you’ve probably never read before, and it’s great. That one supernatural scene was very original, scary, and awesome for a horror enthusiast like me. I also loved all the references he threw into this story, from The Lost Boys to 'Salem’s Lot and even The Shining, to name a few.
The suspense took off beyond belief once I hit the 50% mark. I loved it, as the second half of this book was wild. The dual timelines, which added even more context to the story's natural flow, were brilliant. This is usually hard to do without things getting confusing, but Roberts pulled it off flawlessly.
The only thing I didn’t like was the predictable ending I saw coming. I still enjoyed it because, my goodness, it ends in such a way that makes me wonder what the hell I just experienced. This is going to be something everyone talks about when finished. Especially if this is a book club or buddy read, since it leaves much to the imagination. Regardless, it was still one hell of a ride, with exhilarating new kinds of horror that made this horror book shine.
I give “Dead End Tunnel” by Nick Roberts a 4/5 since it is a horror book I’d recommend to anyone looking for a creepy, scary, supernatural read. The horror is great, the story is solid, and it’s easy to fly through. The pacing is perfect for a quick weekend read, and when you’re done, I promise you will think twice before ever going into a tunnel again.
by LTJ81