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Always the First to Die

by R. J. Jacobs

Narrator Petrea Burchard

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Length 8 hours 33 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“Always the First to Die is a thriller set at the scene of another true horror story that was actually the filming of a very famous horror film. An isolated mansion that has always been considered haunted on an island in the Florida keys with a hurricane coming is the setting and couldn’t be more apropos. And, it took place on Halloween weekend. Creepy and suspenseful with lots and lots of references to famous slasher films and thrillers, this was a fun read, even if a little predictable. I think listening to the audio version added to the suspense. Perfect for fans of Riley Sager and Grady Hendrix.”
— Nancy • Fiction Addiction

Summary
About the author
About the narrator

After her husband's death, Lexi has refused to return to the Pinecrest Estate on the Florida Keys because there are too many hard memories on that strip of land, including the memories of meeting her husband on the set of an iconic horror movie, being cast as an extra, watching herself get killed on screen, and scoffing at the rumors of the Pinecrest Estate curse...until she witnessed a cast member die that very summer. But when her daughter sneaks away to visit her grandfather, legendary horror-movie director Rick Plummer, Lexi is forced to face her past. That's when a Category Four hurricane changes course and hits the southern coast. Unable to get through to her daughter, Lexi drives to the Keys in the wake of the storm. What she finds is an island without cell service, without power, and with limited police presence. The land is desolate, with only a few remaining behind: the horror director, the starlet once cast as the final girl, the young teenager searching for clues about her father, the mother determined to get off the island, and the person picking them off one-by-one. Soon enough, Lexi's life begins to resemble Rick's most famous horror film, and she must risk her life to save her daughter before someone, or something, destroys them all.

Fiction Mystery & Thriller Fiction - Literary

R. J. Jacobs is a writer and psychologist who maintains a private practice focusing on a wide variety of clinical concerns. Since completing his post-doctoral residency at Vanderbilt University, he has taught abnormal psychology, presented at numerous conferences, and routinely performed PTSD evaluations for veterans. He lives with his wife and two children in Nashville.

Petrea Burchard is a talented actor and audiobook narrator whose career covers everything from Second City to Shakespeare to a space pirate in the classic anime Tenchi Muyo. A writer and animal lover, she can never get enough dog cuddles.