Headlights by CJ Leede
Synopsis: Every instinct tells him to run. Every memory tells him he can’t. Special Agent Daniel Stansfield is ready for a change. Burnt out and defeated by the job, it’s his last day with the FBI. But before he can turn in his badge, he’s summoned back to Denver, the city he ran from four years ago, with a chilling message: it's happening again.
Seemingly innocent people are waking up on the side of the highway, with no memory of how they got there, wearing the skin of victims they've allegedly never met. And they each share one haunting detail: a strand of a stranger’s hair is tied around their tongue. Now Daniel is pulled back into the gruesome cycle, and every clue leads him deeper into the shadows of his own past.
He will have to confront the ghosts of his traumatic childhood and face what’s been hunting him all along— before he and the people he loves become the next victims.
Perfect for fans of The Shining and Longlegs, bestselling author CJ Leede’s Headlights is a pulse-pounding hunt across the frozen wilderness of Colorado.
Review: If I had to give this one a rating it would be a 3.5/5 stars. The strength of this book lies in its ability to maintain its suffocating and exhausting (kind of) tension for the first 75%. The setting was very atmospheric, dark, and not really full on terrifying but more unsettling than anything else.
However, there is a sharp disconnect when you reach the last 25% of the book. The ending felt like it had to rush so much to wrap up the threads, which stood in contrast to the meticulous build-up of the earlier chapters. It went from a very engaging gritty vibe to a squashed cringe fest in the end.
I don't need some big revelation to enjoy a book nor do I need the mystery to be unsolvable, I just need it to flow smoothly but that ending was disappointing for me. I want to give a different perspective when it comes to Daniel x Hannah's relationship. If you look at it through the lens of trauma and survival, I see it one of the most honest parts in the book. It’s not a romance. I didn't see it as such. It's more of a fight or flight response.
Using another person for emotional regulation in the middle of a traumatic attack is messy, dark, and it can be perceived as ugly, but it is deeply human. It serves as a narrative for the distress they are both experiencing throughout, not only with their environment and the situation they're stuck in, but within themselves as well. I appreciate that CJ Leede didn't try to sanitize it or make it "cute" or "fluffy." It was uncomfortable, which felt true to the characters' mindsets, in my opinion.
Another thing, I don't know The Shining. Well, now I do, after I did some research (promise I don't live that much under a rock), but I see the resemblance and inspiration after. Seems like those that love to read horror/thriller/paranormal have such an established line of books, films, and references, and it's pretty fun to see that within the community, reviewers, and authors.
Shout out to you guys because I do not have the heart to handle material that freaks me out! I've screamed at every horror movie I've seen, I'm not exaggerating. Some scenes were very much, ew. Also, a little unhinged and insane.
Tillman was a favorite of mine, LOL. I know that's crazy to say but in a really weird way... he had a sort of whimsy charm to him? Guy was overall comedic relief but in a really weird, aloof way. This definitely was an attempt with a lot of ambitious themes and overall, some were executed better than others.
I wasn't too taken aback by the writing style which was a surprise to me, I was kind of expecting to not roll with it but I didn't hate it. Anyways, the cover just looks awesome! 10/10 for it. Let me know if you've read this or plan to check it out. I know it's been a hit or miss for some and this sat in the middle for me. Glad I picked it up and gave it a chance!