Guillotine is a brutal and campy read perfect for fans of The Menu and Saw

Delilah S. Dawson is quickly carving out quite the niche for herself within the horror/thriller genre and her latest release, Guillotine, is bound to become a hit.

Released on September 10 from Titan Books, Guillotine is a brutal, campy, and delightfully over-the-top slaughterfest set at an extremely luxurious manor on a secluded lake. Dez Lane is dating an attractive rich guy, but not for his money.

All she wants is to get close to his mother, the editor of a notable fashion magazine that Dez has wanted to work for her entire life. If that means sucking up and playing nice with Patrick Ruskin, then so be it. So, she jumps at the opportunity to attend an Easter meet-up with the entire family at their lake retreat.

Guillotine has been described as a mix between The Menu, Ready or Not, and Saw, and I think all of those descriptors are apt. In fact, my one criticism of the novel would be that it does feel like it would be better suited as a movie following in those films' footsteps than a book.

But overall, I had a blast reading this book. Dez has no idea what she's in for when she accepts Patrick's invitation and discovers that the Ruskins have been horrible to their housekeepers for years, making them sign binding, ironclad contracts, and all kinds of other shady, awful stuff. So they decide to use the Easter reunion to get rid of the Ruskins for good, and boy, do they have some twisted plans up their sleeves.

I'm talking brutal deaths, maiming, buried alive, burned alive, and lots more. The staff does not hold back when they finally get their opportunity for vengeance. Each death is grotesque and detailed, uniquely tailored to the Ruskin in question. That's where the Saw comparisons come into play since torture is paramount in their schemes.

In short, Guillotine is a very fast and easy read, almost more of a novella than a full novel. It really feels like a cinematic experience, watching something slick, dark, and juicy play out in a reading session you could probably knock out in one or two sittings. Because of the fast pacing and focus on the kills, the characters do wind up feeling a tad one-dimensional outside of Dez and one other character I won't spoil, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment once I realized the gruesome direction the book was headed.

Guillotine is now on sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.