Book Review: “Your Turn to Suffer” by Tim Waggoner
Your Turn to Suffer
Tim Waggoner
Lorelai encounters a strange group calling themselves The Cabal, not-quite-human characters who, for some reason, have taken an interest in her. And they have an important message: “Confess and atone – or suffer.” The only problem is, Lori doesn’t know what she’s done, and as The Cabal start targeting her co-workers, friends and family, she is in a race against time to discover the dark secret hiding in her past.
I admit, sometimes I am nervous opening a book written by a man with a female protagonist. Let’s face it, half the time they don’t do it well, and certain themes are touched on in an indelicate way. With Your Turn to Suffer – the first novel I’ve read by Tim Waggoner – I’ve now placed him firmly on the ‘male writers I trust’ list.
Lori is a fleshed out female character, with a full life around her and very real strengths and weaknesses. All Lori knows is that she has done something The Cabal believe she must atone for, but what it is, she doesn’t know. The reader is given clues and hints, as Lori pieces things together and we get glimpses into the minds of other characters. Waggoner has surrounded Lori with really unique challenges and obstacles, and there were a number of moments in the book I was truly surprised by.
This is one of those stories where you keep thinking what’s just happened couldn’t possibly happen, and surprised me often. Waggoner makes you feel exactly what he wants you to feel with each character, and even the minor ones are brought to life, and you can’t help but keep hoping throughout for everything to please, please just turn out okay.
One element I love about horror is you never know what kind of ending you’re going to get. A good book leads you right up to the end of the path, the vision slightly obscured by hedges, and lets you take a peek, before shoving you through and to the other side. In horror, sometimes the ending is ‘and everything turned out fine’. Other times its more subtle, leaving the hero in a much changed state. Here, Waggoner absolutely nails the ending. It packs a punch, and shows his talent as a storyteller.
Overall a really solid book from Waggoner, and if you like your novels brutal, hard-hitting and sometimes not the easiest to stomach, definitely check out Your Turn to Suffer.
Grade: B
Review by Elle Turpitt
Twitter: @elleturpitt
I received a digital ARC from publisher Flame Tree Press via NetGalley for review consideration.