So when a story is pitched to me as Saw meets Willy Wonka there was no way I wasn’t going to give Night of Madness a go. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory being a classic part of my childhood and Saw one of my favorite modern horror films, Ryan Douglass taking both and mashing them was a no-brainer. Douglass gives us a terrifying, yet heartfelt horror story that embodies a lot of what I love about horror.
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?
Night of Madness was a book that jumped up on my advance reading for multiple reasons, the Saw and Willy Wonka comparison, but also the mention of “the production company behind Clown in a Cornfield.” Adam Cesare‘s Frendo series is one of my all-time favorites and anyone willing to promote their book using that saga will get my attention. Like Cornfield, Night of Madness is geared towards the young adult crowd, but can terrify the YA group, my 40-year-old butt, and even older. Sometimes I connect more with these stories, maybe because having to relive my teen years isn’t as jolly as some others?
The story gets going a bit slower than I had hoped or expected, mainly setting up the reason Mara is going to film this reality television show and setting the foundation. This was a bit surprising as we kinda of got the gist of the premise in the description, but was dragged out a little bit more than needed. However, when the contest got underway the shit really hit the fan and didn’t let up.
Yes, Night of Madness is filled with gruesome scenes and horrifying moments, but what Douglass created here was something more than just shock-and-awe. Ryan crafted a story that uses fear to push the book forward, but ultimately lands in an emotional and heartfelt place. The resolution was worth the frightening moments and felt even more special when I closed the book.
Mara was well crafted, being our main protagonist this is super important and done really well. Her progression from start to finish is thought out and well paced. It’s the supporting characters that I felt didn’t land as well for me. This doesn’t take away from the overall story, as Mara is the most important and gets the most page time. I would love to read more of Mara and her family’s story.
Ryan Douglass balances brutal, edge-of-your-seat terror with real emotional depth in Night of Madness. Douglass crafts a story that doesn’t just scare, it also makes you care with a protagonist worth rooting for. Night of Madness blends horror and reality television in ways that are unexpected and truly frightening.
Night of Madness hits bookstores everywhere on September 29, 2026 from Simon Pulse. The audiobook, narrated by Angel Pean, is available via Libro.fm!
