Book Slayers - A Dark Fiction Podcast

Betty and Bonny
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Love dark, twisty thrillers? This Book Podcast is for you. Betty and Bonny alternate between full deep dives into one book and shorter catch-up episodes where we talk recent reads, upcoming books, and what’s worth your time — keeping spoilers to a minimum. From Dark Fiction, psychological thrillers to crime fiction, mystery to horror, we don’t hold back on opinions. If you’re always chasing your next addictive read, you’ll fit right in. Let's Slay some books!

  1. 14h ago

    Freida McFadden: Why the Hell Do We Keep Reading Her Books?

    Why the hell do we keep reading Freida McFadden? In this Book Slayers episode, Stacey and Betty put the popcorn thriller queen herself on trial. We’re talking The Housemaid, Never Lie, The Inmate, The Boyfriend, The Locked Door, The Teacher, The Tenant, The Crash, The Divorce, Dear Debbie and her newest release, The Witch. We break down the Freida formula, her ridiculously bingeable pacing, short chapters, unreliable characters, endless secrets and those twists that either make you scream I KNEW IT or WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED. Then we get into the Goodreads favorites, the lower-rated books, the Freida tropes we are sick of, and whether readers actually love the formula because it is repetitive. And of course, we have to talk about The Witch. Haunted house. Witchcraft. Family secrets. Historical mystery. Dual timelines. Ghosts. Is Freida McFadden entering a whole new era? You decide. Plus: SLAY OR DECAY, unpopular opinions and the ultimate Freida question: If you could erase one Freida McFadden book from your memory so you could read it again for the first time, which one would it be? Subscribe, follow, like, review and join the Slay Squad.

  2. Sep 29

    The Girl on Floor 29 by D.E. White: Locked-Room Thriller Review | Book Slayers

    Six strangers. One elevator. A possible bomb. Secrets, threats, revenge, and an engineer racing against the clock. Welcome back to Book Slayers, where dark fiction gets put on trial. This week we're taking on The Girl on Floor 29 by D.E. White, a locked-room thriller set inside a luxury London hotel. The premise had us hooked: seven people trapped inside an elevator while someone outside appears to be deliberately controlling the situation. Add a ticking clock, hidden connections, secrets, revenge, multiple POVs, and a possible bomb, and you've got one seriously claustrophobic setup. Stacey gave it 3.5 Stabbys. The premise worked.The elevator setting worked.Ellie worked.The backstories kept things interesting.The mystery kept us turning pages. But we also had questions about the pacing, the shifting POVs, the tension, the technical details, and whether some of the reveals came a little too early. So was The Girl on Floor 29 guilty? You'll have to watch the case unfold. And yes... Stacey may now be taking the stairs. 🔪 CASE FILEThe Girl on Floor 29 by D.E. White 🔪 RATING3.5 / 5 Stabbys 🔪 GENRESLocked-room thrillerPsychological thrillerSuspenseMysteryMulti-POV thrillerSurvival thrillerClaustrophobic thriller 💬 THE SLAYER QUESTION You're trapped in an elevator with six complete strangers. You know someone outside is deliberately controlling the situation.You know there's a serious threat.And you don't know who you can trust. What's the FIRST thing you're doing? Are you taking control, interrogating everyone, trying to stay calm, making friends, or immediately accusing the quiet person? Tell us in the comments. 🔪 WANT MORE BOOK SLAYERS? Head over to the Book Slayers Patreon for our upcoming Slayer Files, where we're going even deeper into the books, the characters, the chaos, and all the things we don't always have time to unpack on the podcast. Follow Book Slayers so you don't miss the next case. Like the episode.Subscribe/follow.Leave us a review.And send this episode to the friend who would absolutely panic in an elevator. Keep your doors locked.Question everyone.Trust no elevator. Case closed. #BookSlayers #TheGirlOnFloor29 #DEWhite #BookReview #ThrillerBooks #ThrillerReview #PsychologicalThriller #LockedRoomThriller #BookPodcast #ThrillerBookClub #MysteryBooks #SuspenseBooks #BookTok #BookTube #CrimeFiction

  3. Sep 22

    Book Slayers: Dark Fiction Books We NEED to Read | Fall 2026 TBR

    Welcome back to Book Slayers, where apparently emotional damage is entertainment and our TBRs have absolutely no adult supervision. In this episode, we're building our dark fiction hit list for October, November and December and talking about three upcoming releases that immediately caught our attention. Our Fall 2026 Book Slayer TBR: OCTOBERThe Chain House by J. H. MarkertRelease date: October 6, 2026 A convicted cult leader and mass murderer is days away from execution when he claims he's the anonymous author behind a hugely successful thriller series. He also has one final unpublished manuscript that supposedly contains the key to finding his victims' bodies. Then the governor's wife is kidnapped. Obviously, we have questions. NOVEMBERPersons Unknown by John KatzenbachRelease date: November 27, 2026 A thirteen-year-old girl disappears. Twenty years later, two detectives working cold cases begin noticing suspicious connections between four cases and a series of errors that may not be mistakes at all. Cold cases, missing people, buried secrets, detectives, suspicious evidence and a whole lot of questions. DECEMBERBleed by Robin CookRelease date: December 1, 2026 We're ending the year with a medical thriller involving hospitals, medical mysteries, technology, science and the terrifying possibility that something can be happening inside your body while nobody can figure out what it is. And because this is Book Slayers, we're also talking about our Book Slayer survival rules, wildcards, predictions, the questions we want these books to answer and, apparently, BOOK ETIQUETTE. Yes. We went there. We also want to know what YOU think. What upcoming October, November or December dark fiction release is on your radar? Drop your recommendation in the comments. If your recommendation destroys our sleep, we're blaming you. FOLLOW BOOK SLAYERS:Subscribe/follow so you don't miss our next case file. LIKE this episode if you love dark fiction, thrillers, mysteries, psychological suspense and books that make you question every character. COMMENT with your upcoming dark fiction TBR. And if you enjoy Book Slayers, leave us a 5-star review wherever you listen. It helps more readers find us. #BookSlayers #DarkFiction #DarkFictionBooks #ThrillerBooks #PsychologicalThriller #MysteryBooks #BookTok #BookTube #BookPodcast #ThrillerTok #HorrorBooks #CrimeFiction #MysteryThriller #UpcomingBooks #NewBookReleases #FallTBR #OctoberBooks #NovemberBooks #DecemberBooks #BookRecommendations

  4. Sep 15

    The Spin by Faith Gardner | Psychological Thriller Review + Book Slayers Deep Dive

    ​ ⁨@bettybonnybookslayers⁩   The Spin by Faith Gardner had us questioning everything. A 1960s psychological thriller about a missing woman, a mysterious research study, institutionalization, family secrets, advertising executives, and a television that may be doing a whole lot more than entertaining the family. And then there’s Rose. We liked Rose. We wanted Rose. We desperately wanted Rose’s POV. And naturally… we didn’t get it. In this Book Slayers deep dive, we’re putting The Spin on trial and breaking down the mystery, the characters, the historical setting, the psychological themes, the corporate conspiracy, the creepy television situation, and the biggest question of all: Who gets to decide what is real? The Spin earned 4.25 Stabbys from us, but we have QUESTIONS. 🔪 IN THIS EPISODE: • The Spin by Faith Gardner review • Our 4.25 Stabby rating • The 1960s historical setting • Rose and the missing POV • Psychological experimentation • Institutionalization and mental health • Advertising and consumer research • Family secrets and dysfunction • The mystery behind the television • Character analysis • What worked • What didn't • Our petty complaint • Book Slayers charges • Final verdict • Reader discussion If you love historical psychological thrillers, unreliable characters, family secrets, missing women, institutional horror, corporate conspiracies, and stories that make you question what is actually happening, this one deserves a look. But seriously… WHERE WAS ROSE'S POV? 🔪 GET MORE BOOK SLAYERS: Want the deeper investigations, extra bookish chaos, bonus content and the files that don't make it into the main episode? Join us on Patreon for the Book Slayers files. And head over to our Substack for the written Book Slayers investigations, deeper analysis, bonus content and Dear Bonny / Dear Betty. PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BookSlayerswithBettyandBonny SUBSTACK: https://bookslayersbettybonny.substack.com/  📚 READ ALONG / ADD IT TO YOUR TBR: The Spin by Faith Gardner 💬 QUESTION FOR THE SLAYERS: If someone you loved was suddenly declared mentally ill, but you genuinely believed they were telling the truth, would you trust the doctors? Or would you start digging yourself? Tell us in the comments. And if you enjoyed the episode, hit LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next Book Slayers investigation. Because around here, we don't just read the book. We investigate the crime. 🔪 BOOK SLAYERS Dark books. Bad decisions. Questionable characters. Zero survivors. #TheSpin #FaithGardner #BookSlayers #BookReview #PsychologicalThriller #HistoricalThriller #ThrillerBooks #BookTube #BookTok #Bookstagram #ThrillerReview #PsychologicalSuspense #MysteryBooks #BookPodcast #ThrillerPodcast

  5. Sep 8

    Book Slayers: 3 Most Anticipated Dark Reads — Night Calls, She's a Doll & Ten Perfect Guests

    We haven't read these books yet... so naturally, we're going to judge them anyway. Welcome to Book Slayers: Before the Bodies Drop — our special episode featuring THREE of our most anticipated dark reads. We're putting Night Calls by Joe Hart, She's a Doll by Barbara Truelove, and Ten Perfect Guests by Jonathan Santlofer on trial before we've even read them. We're judging the covers, dissecting the blurbs, watching for tropes, assigning Predicted Stabby Ratings, and making wildly confident predictions about how much emotional damage these books are about to cause. Night Calls: serial killer family secrets, hidden identities, an escaped killer and a journalist digging into the past. She's a Doll: murder, revenge, a ghost and an eighteen-inch porcelain murder machine. Ten Perfect Guests: a secluded island, inheritance, secrets, revenge and ten people who apparently thought this was going to be a relaxing vacation. No spoilers. No reviews. Just predictions. Now we actually have to read them. The question is: were our predictions genius... or should we be legally prohibited from judging books before reading them? Which one would you read first? Follow Book Slayers, share this episode with your fellow dark-fiction addict, and come back for the verdict after we've actually read the books. And remember: Keep your TBR dangerous. DON'T TRUST THE DOLL. 🔪📚

  6. Sep 1

    Book Slayers Mini Pod: Dark Fiction, Thriller & Horror Book Chat

    Welcome to a Book Slayers Mini Pod — because sometimes you don't need a two-hour literary autopsy. You just need a quick hit of dark books. 🔪📚 We're squeezing the Book Slayers chaos into a bite-sized episode packed with opinions, bookish nonsense, questionable reading decisions, and the dark fiction we're currently obsessing over. Expect thrillers, horror, mysteries, dark fiction, creepy characters, questionable choices, plot twists, and books that may or may not have permanently damaged our ability to trust fictional people. If you love thriller books, psychological thrillers, horror books, mystery novels, dark fiction, creepy books, book recommendations, BookTok, BookTube, and brutally honest book reviews, you're in the right place. We're here for the books that make you say: "WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST READ?" And then immediately recommend them to someone else. 🎧 LISTEN: Find Book Slayers wherever you get your podcasts. ▶️ WATCH: Subscribe to the Book Slayers YouTube channel so you don't miss the next episode. ⭐ LIKE this episode if you love your books dark and your fictional people deeply concerning. 💬 COMMENT: What's the last dark book you read that completely caught you off guard? 📲 SHARE this with your fellow thriller/horror book addict. 🔪 FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE for more dark fiction, thriller, horror and mystery book recommendations, reviews, debates and general literary violence. And remember: READ SOMETHING DARK. SLAY SOMETHING GOOD. #BookSlayers #BookPodcast #ThrillerBooks #HorrorBooks #DarkFiction #PsychologicalThriller #MysteryBooks #BookRecommendations #BookTok #BookTube 🔪 THE BOOK SLAYERS

  7. Aug 25

    Best & Worst Thrillers of 2026 So Far | 4 Slays & 4 Decays

    🎙️ BOOK SLAYERS: 4 SLAYS. 4 DECAYS. ZERO MERCY. We’ve reached that dangerous point in the year where we look back at everything we’ve read so far and ask the question: Which thrillers actually slayed… and which ones should have been left at the crime scene? 🔪 In this episode of Book Slayers, we’re handing out our Slays & Decays of the Year So Far. Each of us picked: 🔪 2 SLAYS — our favourite thrillers of 2026 so far💀 2 DECAYS — our least favourite reads of the year so far That means 8 books enter the courtroom. Some earned their place on our best-of-the-year list. Some made us question our life choices. And yes… we absolutely have opinions. We’re talking thrillers, suspense, twists, characters, pacing, WTF moments, disappointments, surprises, and the books that had us saying “OH HELL YES” versus “WHY DID I FINISH THIS?” But here’s the real question: 👇 Do you agree with our Slays and Decays? Tell us:What is YOUR best thriller of 2026 so far?And more importantly… 💀 What’s your biggest book disappointment of the year? Because we know somebody is about to come into the comments swinging. 😂 🎧 WATCH / LISTEN: Find Book Slayers wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. 🔪 LIKE this episode if you love a good thriller.🩸 FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE for more Book Slayers.💬 COMMENT with your 2026 Slay and Decay.📲 SHARE this with your thriller-loving book bestie.⭐ And if you’re enjoying Book Slayers, leave us a 5-star rating/review wherever you listen. It helps more readers find us! #BookSlayers #BookPodcast #ThrillerBooks #ThrillerBookRecommendations #BestThrillers #ThrillerRecommendations #BookRecommendations #BookTube #BookTok #Bookstagram #MysteryBooks #PsychologicalThriller #SuspenseBooks #BooksOf2026 #2026Books #BestBooksOf2026 #WorstBooksOf2026 #BookReviews #SlayOrDecay #ThrillerReaders

  8. Aug 18

    The Women by Sarah Pekkanen: Psychic Powers, Characters, Plot & Our Stabby Rating

    THE WOMEN BY SARAH PEKKANEN DEEP DIVE 🔪📚 One book. Two hosts. VERY different opinions. In this Book Slayers deep dive, we’re getting into The Women by Sarah Pekkanen — and let's just say the Stabby verdict was NOT unanimous. Bonny LOVED it. Betty… did not. So obviously, we had to investigate. 🔪 We’re breaking down the plot, characters, psychic powers, twists, theories, and everything that made this book work for one of us and absolutely NOT work for the other. Were the psychic elements believable?Did the characters pull us in?Did the plot deliver?Were the twists worth the journey?And most importantly… What did The Women actually earn in the Stabby Rating? This is a full Book Slayers book discussion and deep dive, so SPOILERS AHEAD if you haven't read The Women yet! 💬 WE WANT TO KNOW:Have you read The Women by Sarah Pekkanen? Are you Team Bonny — LOVED IT ❤️or Team Betty — ABSOLUTELY NOT 🔪? Tell us your rating in the comments! If you love thrillers, psychological suspense, dark fiction, mysteries, supernatural elements, psychic powers, book discussions, book podcasts, and brutally honest book reviews, you've found your people. 🔪 WATCH. LISTEN. STAB. REPEAT. Subscribe/follow Book Slayers for more dark, twisted, spoiler-filled book discussions and deep dives. 👍 Like this episode if you love a book debate💬 Comment your Stabby Rating🔔 Subscribe/follow so you don't miss the next case📚 Tell us what book we should investigate next #BookSlayers #TheWomen #SarahPekkanen #BookPodcast #BookTok #ThrillerBooks #PsychologicalThriller #BookReview #BookDiscussion #ThrillerBookReview #MysteryBooks #DarkFiction #PsychicPowers #BookRecommendations

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About

Love dark, twisty thrillers? This Book Podcast is for you. Betty and Bonny alternate between full deep dives into one book and shorter catch-up episodes where we talk recent reads, upcoming books, and what’s worth your time — keeping spoilers to a minimum. From Dark Fiction, psychological thrillers to crime fiction, mystery to horror, we don’t hold back on opinions. If you’re always chasing your next addictive read, you’ll fit right in. Let's Slay some books!

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