Book Review: Night of Madness by Ryan Douglass

Night of Madness by Ryan Douglass

Content Warnings:

TW: blood, gore, death, mental health, loss, mind games, trauma. Readers 14+.

Publishing Date: September 29th, 2026
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genres: Young Adult // Thriller, Horror
Quick Thoughts: Piercing and terrifying yet laced with a soft tenderness, Mara’s story in Night of Madness pushes past the traditional slasher-style of teen horror stories and opts for something thoroughly inventive, whilst still conjuring that lingering, psychological ambiance that makes for shedding reality and escaping into for the night. The story was a truly twisted wonderland that cuts deep.
Rating:

Gifted/PR

I was gifted this book via the Publisher/PR. All views/opinions are my own. I remain entirely impartial.

Literary Trope Guide

Horror fan MC

Teen Influencers

Live or Die Contest

Final Girl Vibes

about this book
Teen influencers compete in a horror movie–themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown in a Cornfield.
Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley—the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.
Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.
When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise—and will she still recognize herself by the end?

My Review

I was lucky enough to have Ryan Douglass Guest-feature on the blog a few days ago, and after reading Night Of Madness, I am even more in awe of how the book came to be such a spotlight on strength and survival. When we meet Mara, she’s working at Shadow Ward, a low-scale horror-house type of experience, with her friend Storm. Mara is a horror fanatic through and through, especially of Jack Stanley—the icon of horror productions, slasher-movies and high-octane thrills. It’s an experience Mara used to bond over with her Dad, who was also a fan. So when Jack Stanley announces a new experience to rival traditional horror houses called Night Of Madness, set in an asylum, Mara and Storm know they want to be chosen. Only, it’s an influencers game, and getting a head start is almost impossible. But after a whirlwind, viral moment advances their popularity and they are both chosen, alongside Victoria, Tanner and Sydney, it’s game on.

The five begin the elusive game with high hopes of prize money and puzzle solving, yet their aspirations of a horror-fan’s dream are dashed when Night Of Madness is nothing like any of them expected in Jack’s asylum. Mara told herself that she wouldn’t quit easily—and between her and Storm, they know one of them must go on—to win the prize money, which would change her life. But the influencers soon come to realise that their panic is more than televised pain for Jack, and more about causing real trauma. Jack’s using them as his own personal experiments, and when one of them doesn’t pass his tests, instead of going home, they’re straight into body bags. Real blood spilled only makes Mara more paranoid of Jack’s motive, especially when she learns of a connection between him and her estranged Dad. But as players fall, the game only intensifies. Soon, it’s clear that Jack isn’t willing to let his playthings go without a fight to the death. Mara had no intentions of being his final girl, or losing her will trying to survive the night—but letting the twisted man’s visions come to life is something she won’t give up without her own battle in return, because being the biggest Jack Stanley fan might just come in handy to survive.

Piercing and terrifying yet laced with a soft tenderness, Mara’s story in Night of Madness pushes past the traditional slasher-style of teen horror stories and opts for something thoroughly inventive, whilst still conjuring that lingering, psychological ambiance that makes for shedding reality and escaping into for the night. The story was a truly twisted wonderland that cuts deep, unnerving you one moment and moving you the next with Mara’s deep ache of battling to stay alive. I felt like I was inside a movie reading this! (Or a Netflix eight-episode series.) Ryan Douglass delivers a page-turning tale that is less about fear (although there are many scenes that’ll have you rattled and wide-eyed at) and more about the art of survival through the eyes of a young girl who wanted to turn her vulnerabilities into an opportunity, but instead ends up using those wounds as her ultimate power of the upper hand when forces battle against her. It was impossible to put down and equally as impossible to not root for Mara from the start. I also had a soft-spot for Tanner, and deeply loved Storm. This is by far one of my favourite YA horrors I’ve read in years, and I can see it being a firm, re-read favourite for years to come. (Another book to come too, perhaps?)