I never really expect much when using a public bathroom. The cleanliness of any public restroom tends to be questionable, but that is typically all I fear. This changed with Nat Cassidy‘s latest novella, Rest Stop. My view of public bathrooms will never be the same. I may just use the restroom with the door open…
A young musician finds himself locked inside a gas station bathroom in the middle of the night by an unseen assailant, caught between the horrors on the other side of the door and the horrors rapidly skittering down the walls inside.
Nat Cassidy tells a truly terrifying story filled with blood, gore, and creepy crawlies in the small package of a novella. Public restrooms are terrifying enough, let along being locked inside one. Cassidy’s tale of fear of unseen terrors lurking both inside and outside the bathroom door is even more horrific than I could’ve ever expected. Cassidy crafts tension and terror in a confined space like nothing I have read before. From the moment our protagonist realizes he is locked inside the gas station bathroom, the sense of dread is palpable. Struggling to find a way out, we are taken on a heart-pounding claustrophobic journey leaves a lasting impression in only a few short pages.
In Rest Stop, not only does Cassidy set out to scare us, but he explores complex themes of faith, friendship, family, violence and even generational trauma in a fast-paced horror story. This tale challenges us to confront their own fears and anxieties while delivering pulse-pounding scares that will keep you turning pages late into the night.
The writing is both thrilling and innovative blending elements of psychological horror with visceral gore to create a truly unforgettable reading experience. The author’s writing style is fast-paced, but meaningful. The vivid descriptions of the horrors lurking within the gas station bathroom will leave you feeling unsettled and uneasy, yet unable to look away from the page. Rest Stop is not for the faint of heart, but worth the venture into the dark offering a thrilling ride through a nightmarish landscape.
Rest Stop by Nat Cassidy is an outstanding addition to the horror genre. The intense atmosphere, complex themes, and heart-stopping scares will keep you on edge for start to finish. Coming in at only 160-plus pages, Rest Stop is a tale that will stay with you long after you close the last page. Nat Cassidy has officially made me look at public bathrooms differently and that won’t change anytime soon.
Rest Stop hits bookstores everywhere on October 15, 2024 from Shortwave Publishing.
