What do you think?
Rate this book
Kill Radio
When Rachelle unearths her ex’s handmade crystal radio, violence and terror reign in the form of hellhounds, shadow figures, and finally, possessions.
Enter smooth, dark-eyed James Carroway. He offers her protection she’s quick to accept despite her apprehensions. When James reveals he’s a warlock in search of the crystal radio that caused these supernatural events, Rachelle explains it belonged to her son’s estranged father, Chad. They realize it played a part in Chad’s possession.
Their only option is to find Chad and learn about the origins of the radio before more of her family are killed. Or worse, taken. Rachelle has to risk losing the people she loves yet again to make it stop.
Enter smooth, dark-eyed James Carroway. He offers her protection she’s quick to accept despite her apprehensions. When James reveals he’s a warlock in search of the crystal radio that caused these supernatural events, Rachelle explains it belonged to her son’s estranged father, Chad. They realize it played a part in Chad’s possession.
Their only option is to find Chad and learn about the origins of the radio before more of her family are killed. Or worse, taken. Rachelle has to risk losing the people she loves yet again to make it stop.
- GenresHorror
360 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2023
About the author
Lauren Bolger
1 book13 followersLauren loves Horror. She will talk about music until you make snoring sounds or walk away, and she plays the drums. She lives in a suburb sort of near Chicago with her spouse and two kids. She's also a Chicago chapter member of the Horror Writers Association.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Read
May 10, 2023This is the second book from my Malarkey Books subscription: Another fitting and beautiful cover from them. Is it weird to say a horror novel was “fun”? I suppose most books are fun to read or we wouldn’t be reading them. I’ll be passing it along to a family member -- she’ll love it.
July 25, 2023
Kill Radio is a lot of fun, and enjoys genre-hopping a little bit within its framework of horror. There are elements of romance and humor, some terrific horror set pieces, a little bit of science fiction, And overall a whole lot of heart. A wonderful debut by a lovely author who really has a way with words.
April 11, 2023
Though I'm not well-read in the horror genre, I found Kill Radio an absolute blast! It's paced extremely well with very likeable and interesting characters and is just downright exciting. Centering a radio that essentially opens up a gate to hell allowing monsters to start leaking through, Kill Radio takes a bunch of odd, seemingly unrelated people--a lobster fisherman, a mother and son who moved across the country to flee mysterious circumstances, a warlock posing as a podcast manager, a slightly aloof best friend--and threads them together through the story in fun, interesting ways. Check this book out.
April 25, 2023
First of all, the entire time reading this book, I just wanted to shout RACHELLE, GIRL, ALL OF THESE MEN HAVE MAJOR RED FLAGS, JUST RUN THE OTHER WAY, but you know, when your son finds a radio that opens a portal to hell, you kind of just have to work with what you've got to save the world. At no point did I really know where Kill Radio was going to take me, which made it a fun romp, but there were a few jumps in the narrative that made me re-read to see if I missed something, but eventually that worked itself out. Lauren trusts her readers to figure it out, and I appreciate the "just go with it, darling" attitude, no exposition or info dump needed, this is just the way things work in Rachelle's world.
June 21, 2023
The crystal radio that allows the demons of hell to broach the boundaries of hell, puts the lives of Rachelle and her five-year-old son (Rory) in danger. Built by Rory’s grandfather, it interrupts their serene home with menace-filled static. Can her friends—Gaia, Stanton, and James—help them find a way to silence the horrific transmissions, and keep the demons in Hell?
Lauren Bolger knows how to describe frightening scenes in a compelling manner. She also interjects humor and personality into her characters which not only make you care for them, but also makes for some great dialogue.
I recommend this book for anyone who like their horror novels mixed with haunted technology (Dead Lines by Greg Bear, Lost Signals by Max Booth III and Lori Michelle, for example).
I would like to thank LibraryThing and Malarkey Books for the opportunity to read and review this book
Lauren Bolger knows how to describe frightening scenes in a compelling manner. She also interjects humor and personality into her characters which not only make you care for them, but also makes for some great dialogue.
I recommend this book for anyone who like their horror novels mixed with haunted technology (Dead Lines by Greg Bear, Lost Signals by Max Booth III and Lori Michelle, for example).
I would like to thank LibraryThing and Malarkey Books for the opportunity to read and review this book
September 21, 2023
Bolger’s KILL RADIO feels like a Ballingrud joint. That is to say, she approaches a side of the world we don’t often see in fiction, while also dabbling with the supernatural or fantastical. It’s really remarkable, and I’m annoyed at myself for not writing this review sooner.
September 6, 2024
Demons, witchy shit, and family drama. Good stuff.
May 11, 2023
Five-year-old Rory runs from the house after a monster gets in, finds anti-social fisherman Stanton who takes him home. His mother, Rachelle, claims it was just a coyote; Rory that it was a black dog.
Rory has found an old crystal radio set, which belonged to Chad. Rachelle left Chad while pregnant with Rory, she thought the radio had been left behind. They all know that even if it’s a coyote it isn’t right. Stanton is delivering that morning because Javier, who usually does it, is missing. There are odd events and strange visions going on.
As things get stranger James arrives at Rachelle’s work, taking a job that didn’t previously exist. A job that really she ought to have got if she’d known about it. If anyone had known about it. The radio is calling, and James, witch, occult detective, liar and necromancer, is the most benign of those on their way to find it.
Kill Radio spirals through these characters, concealing as much as revealing, their pasts blending into the present. The powers that the radio have summoned up can possess people and repress their memories. There are ghosts walking amongst them, and James can summon them up if he wishes. If he can bear the cost. Everyone is hiding things, often as much from themselves as from each other.
There are monsters as well, monsters that the characters have run away from, or tried to banish. Their denial has worked so far. But now the past comes back to haunt them. Rachelle ran away from Chad because of the radio, and because of everything that had happened to him before. But now she will have to return and confront him. And hope that the magic, the magic of earth, moon, flower and sea, will work to stop the demons who are coming through to haunt them.
The book weaves it’s threads boldly, occasionally too boldly. The pattern can get lost as we shift from the present to the past, as dreams and memories mix into magic and discovery. Yet when it works it presents stark, hideous images in juxtaposition with entertaining characters
Read This: A taut, pacy supernatural mystery horror
Don’t Read This: The constant shifts in points of view and time sometimes conceal, confuse and even annoy
Disclosure: Malarkey Books sent me a digital ARC of this novel
Rory has found an old crystal radio set, which belonged to Chad. Rachelle left Chad while pregnant with Rory, she thought the radio had been left behind. They all know that even if it’s a coyote it isn’t right. Stanton is delivering that morning because Javier, who usually does it, is missing. There are odd events and strange visions going on.
As things get stranger James arrives at Rachelle’s work, taking a job that didn’t previously exist. A job that really she ought to have got if she’d known about it. If anyone had known about it. The radio is calling, and James, witch, occult detective, liar and necromancer, is the most benign of those on their way to find it.
Kill Radio spirals through these characters, concealing as much as revealing, their pasts blending into the present. The powers that the radio have summoned up can possess people and repress their memories. There are ghosts walking amongst them, and James can summon them up if he wishes. If he can bear the cost. Everyone is hiding things, often as much from themselves as from each other.
There are monsters as well, monsters that the characters have run away from, or tried to banish. Their denial has worked so far. But now the past comes back to haunt them. Rachelle ran away from Chad because of the radio, and because of everything that had happened to him before. But now she will have to return and confront him. And hope that the magic, the magic of earth, moon, flower and sea, will work to stop the demons who are coming through to haunt them.
The book weaves it’s threads boldly, occasionally too boldly. The pattern can get lost as we shift from the present to the past, as dreams and memories mix into magic and discovery. Yet when it works it presents stark, hideous images in juxtaposition with entertaining characters
Read This: A taut, pacy supernatural mystery horror
Don’t Read This: The constant shifts in points of view and time sometimes conceal, confuse and even annoy
Disclosure: Malarkey Books sent me a digital ARC of this novel
June 28, 2023
A tightly woven, faced-paced thriller that will take you for a wild ride! I'm not someone who reads a lot of horror other than the requisite Stephen King, but for someone who enjoys all forms of horror, and those new to the genre would find this a good fit. It has supernatural, magical, and classical horror elements woven with modern thoughts and themes.
Lauren Bolger's deftly drawn characters stood out to me the most. Each is carefully crafted, and putting them together toward the final battle made for an exciting story. She gives everyone a full-lived life outside this work that makes them each easily relatable, and you're rooting for them the whole way through.
As a member of the Malarkey Book Club, I got this book as part of my subscription. Not only am I pleased I took a chance on horror, but I am looking forward to more works by Lauren Bolger.
Lauren Bolger's deftly drawn characters stood out to me the most. Each is carefully crafted, and putting them together toward the final battle made for an exciting story. She gives everyone a full-lived life outside this work that makes them each easily relatable, and you're rooting for them the whole way through.
As a member of the Malarkey Book Club, I got this book as part of my subscription. Not only am I pleased I took a chance on horror, but I am looking forward to more works by Lauren Bolger.
Read
January 1, 2024This book starts out incredibly well with a scary set piece, and keeps up the frenetic pace throughout. Focusing on Rachelle, her son Rory, and her friends, Lauren Bolger effectively sets up a story of hauntings and possession, and the key to everything is a mysterious radio made by Rachelle's ex-boyfriend. There is mystery, humour, romance, and of course horror, in the form of some very creepy set pieces. Lauren deftly weaves back stories and memories into the fast-paced present-day story. Highly enjoyable!
June 28, 2023
Full disclosure: I know Lauren from our joint membership in the Horror Writers Association Chicago Chapter. She's a delightful and caring person! It doesn't surprise me that she wrote such a great story of hauntings and demons. The voice/character of the little kid especially adds a frightening element. Her original way on bringing forth the underworld was fascinating to explore. And the different cast members add unique elements without getting you lost in a lot of people. This was a creepy read, which I mean in the best possible way.
September 7, 2023
This book totally captured my attention and took me along by for a frightening and at times fun and campy ride. The quirky characters were perfect to offset all the dark and twisty involved with this book. Lauren’s imagery and descriptions were fantastic throughout!
June 28, 2023
One wild ride alright
August 18, 2023
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
He stood in the dark bathroom doorway, holding a handmade radio.
Five year old Rory sees things, houses on fire and a green grid that seems to underline the real world. Realizing that it scares his mom and she doesn't see the same things he does, he starts to keep his visions to himself, until one day he turns on a handmade radio. In the mad dash to leave Chad, Rory's dad, Rachelle didn't even know she had the radio that used to have Chad madly tinkering away with. When Rory turns it on and a high pitch scream sound emits and suddenly a mad coyote is breaking into their home, Rachelle can sense the nightmare of what Chad turned into, happening again. With her bestfriend, a warlock, and helping stranger, Rachelle will have to work to figure out what is going on and visit her past if she wants a future for her and her son.
“Lake of fire...” Rachelle's quiet whisper was involuntary.
Kill Radio was a creepy building horror with some of the usual suspects, ghosts, demons, occult members, witches, magic, and possession. The story gets going right away with Rory running scared and getting a stranger named Stanton to come back to his home to help his mom, who he says is being attacked by a monster. The story, in a structured style it liked to use for the rest of the book, then jumps back in time and readers learn what happened to cause Rory to be on the run. I don't have to be linear reader, so I didn't mind the flashbacks and thought the style did add to some of the thriller aspects. What I did have problems with at times was some continuity, Stanton seems to be forgotten in a scene and at one time Rachelle was in a rush to get Rory to daycare but then that's forgotten as she goes back in the house to talk with someone. I also thought Stanton's character struggled in the story. He starts to sleepover at Rachelle's house because she's scared but this guy must be able to sleep through a World War because he never wakes up and it's as if he's not even there most of the time. It became clear why the author had him lingering around when you get to the end and he plays an important role but his character just never felt utilized quite right in the vast majority of story.
Rachelle opened her mouth to scream, but her breath caught in her throat. Its legs lengthened. It looked like a deer with no torso or hind legs.
You won't get the full story on the radio until the end but it's obvious that it's some kind of portal opener or attraction for demons, as they start to show up after it gets turned on. The demons were suitably creepy, even if I wasn't fully on board with the plotting of why they were possessing people but I did like the twist on how and why ghosts were used in the story. Rachelle gets a little romance arc when she gets a new boss, James, at work, who then turns out to have secrets of his own. James background of why and how he became a warlock wasn't quite worked out as well as I would have liked, it reminded me of Stanton and the just go with it, because the story needs his magic knowledge. By sixty percent the puzzle pieces are mostly together for the characters and the final battle is building when Rachelle realizes she will have to face Chad again.
They were coming up from deeper within now. From the underworld. From hell. The bad ones were coming. And it would only get worse and worse.
The ending gave us flashbacks from Chad and we learn why the radio was made and how Chad has been haunted by it. This leads to a horror action battle with ghosts, demons, dads, and magic. Like I said, it becomes clear why some characters, Stanton, were left lingering around (except for Gaia?? she was Rachelle's bf but not much bfing from her and felt like a pretty empty character) and why James had to have been a warlock. Around 70% I felt it started to lose steam because of some of the issues I mentioned, not fully worked out or put together well in some aspects, but the story did have a pretty cool concept and some creeptastic imagery scenes if looking to dive into some fun Fall vibes.
He stood in the dark bathroom doorway, holding a handmade radio.
Five year old Rory sees things, houses on fire and a green grid that seems to underline the real world. Realizing that it scares his mom and she doesn't see the same things he does, he starts to keep his visions to himself, until one day he turns on a handmade radio. In the mad dash to leave Chad, Rory's dad, Rachelle didn't even know she had the radio that used to have Chad madly tinkering away with. When Rory turns it on and a high pitch scream sound emits and suddenly a mad coyote is breaking into their home, Rachelle can sense the nightmare of what Chad turned into, happening again. With her bestfriend, a warlock, and helping stranger, Rachelle will have to work to figure out what is going on and visit her past if she wants a future for her and her son.
“Lake of fire...” Rachelle's quiet whisper was involuntary.
Kill Radio was a creepy building horror with some of the usual suspects, ghosts, demons, occult members, witches, magic, and possession. The story gets going right away with Rory running scared and getting a stranger named Stanton to come back to his home to help his mom, who he says is being attacked by a monster. The story, in a structured style it liked to use for the rest of the book, then jumps back in time and readers learn what happened to cause Rory to be on the run. I don't have to be linear reader, so I didn't mind the flashbacks and thought the style did add to some of the thriller aspects. What I did have problems with at times was some continuity, Stanton seems to be forgotten in a scene and at one time Rachelle was in a rush to get Rory to daycare but then that's forgotten as she goes back in the house to talk with someone. I also thought Stanton's character struggled in the story. He starts to sleepover at Rachelle's house because she's scared but this guy must be able to sleep through a World War because he never wakes up and it's as if he's not even there most of the time. It became clear why the author had him lingering around when you get to the end and he plays an important role but his character just never felt utilized quite right in the vast majority of story.
Rachelle opened her mouth to scream, but her breath caught in her throat. Its legs lengthened. It looked like a deer with no torso or hind legs.
You won't get the full story on the radio until the end but it's obvious that it's some kind of portal opener or attraction for demons, as they start to show up after it gets turned on. The demons were suitably creepy, even if I wasn't fully on board with the plotting of why they were possessing people but I did like the twist on how and why ghosts were used in the story. Rachelle gets a little romance arc when she gets a new boss, James, at work, who then turns out to have secrets of his own. James background of why and how he became a warlock wasn't quite worked out as well as I would have liked, it reminded me of Stanton and the just go with it, because the story needs his magic knowledge. By sixty percent the puzzle pieces are mostly together for the characters and the final battle is building when Rachelle realizes she will have to face Chad again.
They were coming up from deeper within now. From the underworld. From hell. The bad ones were coming. And it would only get worse and worse.
The ending gave us flashbacks from Chad and we learn why the radio was made and how Chad has been haunted by it. This leads to a horror action battle with ghosts, demons, dads, and magic. Like I said, it becomes clear why some characters, Stanton, were left lingering around (except for Gaia?? she was Rachelle's bf but not much bfing from her and felt like a pretty empty character) and why James had to have been a warlock. Around 70% I felt it started to lose steam because of some of the issues I mentioned, not fully worked out or put together well in some aspects, but the story did have a pretty cool concept and some creeptastic imagery scenes if looking to dive into some fun Fall vibes.
May 1, 2023
I loved the central conceit of this entertaining story: a handmade crystal radio that opens portals to Hell and allows demons to enter our world. Rachelle and her 5-year-old son are exposed to increasingly terrifying visitations until they team up with some unlikely allies to try and turn the tables on the creatures. The shadowy visitors as described are properly eldritch and scary, and the overall story arc is very satisfying. I found there to be a slightly disorganized (for lack of a better word) feel to the chapters as forward progress was frequently interrupted to insert flashbacks into the character's backstories but that may just be a matter of personal taste. There is no question that the book starts off with a bang and the final battle royale is wonderfully described with some unforgettable images. Fans of demonology, witchcraft, and magic-based horror will find a lot to love here.
March 28, 2023
Tune in to the right frequency, because Lauren Bolger has a delightful horror novel ready. Kill Radio tells us the tale of Rachelle, a single mother who unearths her ex’s crystal radio. When terrifying apparitions haunt and stalk her, salvation arrives in the form of James Carroway. He soon reveals he’s a warlock, hunting the origins of the hauntings and the radio.
You can read Zachary Rosenberg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here
You can read Zachary Rosenberg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here
February 15, 2024
Event Horizon FM? Radios are genuinely just kind of creepy and I think Lauren Bolger knew that when she started writing Kill Radio. This book feels like the horror of Bentley Little with character work of Tananarive Due. You can’t help but feel attached to every single character which makes things like that creepy it’s giving Antrum scene in the back yard with the hole even creepier. It’s like watching a friend drive away with a flat tire and no phone. Bolger is a master when it comes to creating imagery that gets under your skin and makes you do that weird inhale squinty thing. Is that just me? Even if it is, a lot of the moments in Kill Radio are going to make you do that thing you do when creeped. K thx.
December 13, 2023
A fast-paced ride through hell. Demons, magic, ghosts, and more, Kill Radio delivers on everything it promises. I was drawn in right away by the delightfully nasty demons, but what stood out to me most was how real and earnest the characters felt. Too often in horror, we see people acting in ways that real people just wouldn't act, and that always takes me right out of the story. No trace of that here. Lauren Bolger has really made these characters feel genuine. There's one passage in particular, which talks about how a character acts when they're enraged, which was so vivid it actually made my heart race. Great stuff.
April 6, 2023
Great horror takes two things: inventiveness and pacing, and KILL RADIO has both. The central conceit of the radio to hell is great, very fun, very weird, and very creative, and there's a real weight to it in the way the characters deal with it. But most remarkable of all is the pacing; seriously, novel-length horror is really tricky and it's all too easy for books to feel rushed or compressed, but the author keeps a tight grip on the tiller here and makes everything feel earned and natural. A blast to read, a real gem that stands out in the genre.
April 6, 2023
What Lauren Bolger does with this book is nothing short of extraordinary. Though long, it feels like the book keeps you turning the page to the end, which comes all too quickly. She has written a world and characters that really pull you in and make you invest in the outcome of their plight. Some of my favorite parts were the unique demonic possessions (that first one really creeped up on me) and the way so many supernatural/paranormal pieces of lore were woven into the story to come together in a tapestry of terror.
I can't recommend this book enough.
I can't recommend this book enough.
June 4, 2024
Overall a great debut novel. I was captivated by the story from beginning to end and there was some real horror in this book. If I was to add any critiques it would be that sometimes the dialogue could trend a little cheesy and not how people actually talk. Also, while I appreciate that it doesn’t bog you down in details, there were sometimes where a little more details were needed. At times I felt a little lost because of missing details. Still, a solid 4 stars. A fun read and I look forward to future novels by Lauren Bolger. 😀
November 28, 2023
Want a small press book with big Stephen King vibes? Kill Radio is the novel for you. A radio that picks up Hell’s frequencies. Supernatural horrors tormenting a single mom and her cute kid. A friendly fisherman. A handsome new coworker who may also practice witchcraft. All th tropes are there—but Bolger delivers them with a fresh voice. I enjoyed this one.
This review was originally published on my blog.
This review was originally published on my blog.
February 29, 2024
Kill Radio is a fast-paced novel filled with vivid characters fighting a shadow world of truly frightening demons. Sympathy and anxiety for the characters pulls you along, weaving between the darkness of the past and hope for the future. Lots of sharp dialogue, and some romance as well. I found the scenes about coping with death particularly touching, the heartfelt exploration of grief and letting go.
August 18, 2024
Just finished Kill Radio by Lauren Bolger and thought it was well written and thought provoking. I thought the story was unique and I loved it! If you want something a little different and scary pick this one up, I think you'll love it!
January 24, 2024
Creepy and fun and super cool demons...
ESPECIALLY THE TREE DEMON
Some great visuals. Really interesting possession scenes. Some closure...
And please, no more radio. Ever.
ESPECIALLY THE TREE DEMON
Some great visuals. Really interesting possession scenes. Some closure...
And please, no more radio. Ever.
February 1, 2024
I had to put this book away for a bit before finishing, i was reading it before bed and it gave me creepy dreams so... do with that what you will 😅
February 1, 2024
Lauren Bolger has the great and underrated gift for writing page turners. This one reads like a classic 70s/80s horror paperback.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews