Darcy Coates, known for her masterful blend of atmosphere, dread, and emotional depth, takes readers on a twisted tropical nightmare in How Bad Things Can Get. This time, the horror unfolds on Prosperity Island a place that promises sunshine, luxury, and the party of a lifetime, but instead delivers a descent into madness, cult horror, and blood-soaked secrets.
The story begins with an extravagant influencer event. Eton, a charismatic and obnoxious online personality, invites hundreds of fans to join him for five days of fun, games, and exclusive content on a private island. But as soon as the first bonfire burns and the drinks start flowing, something feels off. The air is too still, the locals too evasive, and the stories about the island’s cursed past far too detailed to be dismissed.
Among the guests is Ruth a quiet woman with a haunting history. Once the sole survivor of an infamous cult, she has spent her adult life hiding from her past. But her decision to join this island retreat becomes a deadly mistake. As guests begin to disappear and strange rituals reemerge, Ruth realizes that Prosperity Island is not just a paradise gone wrong it’s connected to the nightmare she’s been running from all along.
Coates excels at creating tension through isolation, and she does it brilliantly here. The setting is lush yet claustrophobic, a paradox of beauty and decay. The contrast between white sand beaches and bloodstained horror gives the story a cinematic quality. You can almost hear the crash of waves beneath the screams.
Fans of survival horror will find a lot to love: cult mythology, psychological tension, and a slow transformation from party thriller to full-blown nightmare. As one reviewer put it, this book has “everything that’s hot right now high-stakes games, cursed islands, cults, and cannibalistic legends.” It’s chaotic, yes, but in the best Darcy Coates fashion: fast-paced, nerve-racking, and relentless once it hits its stride.
Ruth is one of Coates’s most intriguing protagonists yet. She’s reserved but fierce, scarred by trauma yet determined to confront it. Her internal conflict between anonymity and survival drives the story with emotional force. Through her eyes, the reader feels both the horror of reliving old wounds and the strength it takes to face them head-on.
The novel’s structure unfolds like a trap tightening around its victims. Coates sprinkles clues about the island’s history whispers of witchcraft, old cult practices, and rituals gone wrong until the past and present collide in a bloody, gut-wrenching climax. It’s not just about monsters; it’s about the dangers of blind devotion and the human need to belong, even in the face of evil.
Not every reader will find the experience flawless. Some found the influencer satire overdone, with Eton’s exaggerated social-media persona breaking the tension instead of heightening it. Others wished for a bit more restraint amid the chaos. Still, the majority agree that Coates’s signature blend of folklore and fear remains powerfully intact. Her ability to make readers feel the dread, even when they see the twist coming, is part of what makes her one of today’s most reliable voices in modern horror.
For those new to her work, How Bad Things Can Get offers a perfect introduction: it’s fast, visceral, and steeped in atmosphere. For long-time fans, it’s a thrilling addition to her growing body of haunted tales. And while it may not be her most subtle novel, it’s undeniably entertaining proof that Coates can turn even a tropical island getaway into a chilling meditation on trauma, superstition, and survival.
Final Verdict: 4/5 stars
How Bad Things Can Get is a vivid, brutal, and unputdownable horror tale that fuses influencer culture with ancient evil. Come for the paradise; stay for the panic. Just don’t expect to leave unscathed.
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