Our Biggest Fears by Bo Chappell

With a satisfying blend of horror and character development, Our Biggest Fears adds some depth to the home invasion, serial killer genre.

There’s a murderer on the loose, making people disappear, but siblings Ray and Amber aren’t too concerned as Ray moves into his new home in the woods.

They should be.

The book starts with some grisly deaths before moving to the heart of the story, which is Ray and Amber, their childhood trauma and their resulting difficulties in adulthood.

Chappell reveals the relevant details of the sibling’s lives in a timely manner, dealing with deep themes in a responsible and realistic way. It’s been a while since I’ve connected with the main characters in this sort of horror novel, and it was nice to want Amber and Ray to survive, rather than cheering on the killer to dispatch them quickly.

The killer is an interesting character in itself, and I would have liked to learn more about it, but perhaps as the embodiment of fear, it’s anonyminity was an important part of its raison d’être.

Despite using a well worn trope, the author breeds new life into a tired genre. The characters are relatable, the tiny homes they live in are on point, and there are plenty of pop culture references that I enjoyed.

I award Our Biggest Fears…