The set-up to this thing is pretty weak. In a proto-slasher such as this, it's fine, perhaps even preferable, for the characters to have trivial concerns , but Ketchum spends way too long establishing their run-of-the-mill relationships, most of which ultimately do not matter to the story. However, once things get going, the action and gore are very well written, and the bleakness of the story's conclusion (apparently bowdlerized beyond recognition in the original edition) is note-perfect.

A very enjoyable throwaway read.