Always the First to Die: A Novel

"R. J. Jacobs is a masterful storyteller. A must read." ―Alex Finlay, author of The Night Shift and Every Last Fear

For fans of Riley Sager with a classic slasher twist comes a chilling thriller following a former horror movie actress who returns to the set of her most famous film…and is soon entangled in a series of terrifying events that resemble the plot of that one cursed movie.

For Lexi, the Pinecrest Estate has become a place of horror. The dilapidated manor house in the Florida Keys, once the site of her teenage movie debut, is now haunted by memories. Memories of working on a legendary horror director's most famous film and of the terrible death that propelled them all to infamy. And ever since Lexi fled the Keys, she has vowed to never return.

Until, years later, her daughter escapes to the Pinecrest in search of answers. Right when a Category 4 hurricane hits the southern coast.

Now, Lexi is back on the ravaged island with only a few remaining behind, and soon enough, her life begins to resemble the plot of her most famous film. And this time, she's not sure who will make it out alive.

"An utterly unique thriller that combines horror movies, hurricanes, and deadly secrets from the past...definitely not to be missed"―David Bell, USA Today bestselling author of The Finalists