Book Review: The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre by Philip Fracassi

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“. . . getting older was nothing but a series of slow deaths of the people we once were, and . . . with each death of our past selves, those held memories of past lives also died. Not forgotten, perhaps, but withered and lifeless. Colorless. Muted by time, made insignificant by the damning present and a relentless, bullying future.”

📚

Rose DuBois is anything but a typical Final Girl: nearing 80, she’s a resident of the Autumn Springs Retirement Home, where she enjoys friendship, privacy, peace, and independence, as well as spending time with her close friend, Miller. So, when a friend and fellow occupant dies, Rose initially assumes it’s an accident, a common enough occurrence for those in their twilight years. But as the body count rapidly rises, Rose begins to wonder whether it’s accidents, old age, or something malign. The deeper she digs, the more Rose believes there’s a murderer on the loose — one who, if she isn’t careful, might have their sights set on her next.

Chock full of black humor, atmosphere, mystery, and violence, The Autumn Springs Retirement Home Massacre is an addictive, blood-spattered story brimming with heart: a singular slasher that delves deep and keeps readers guessing right through to the end. The characters are unique and fully fleshed — a diverse array of individuals united by their shared season of life. Autumn Springs is a thriving community that could easily be mistaken for any college campus or apartment/condo complex containing a group who socialize and learn, relax and cavort, and who also enjoy freedom and alone time and have varied experiences and challenges, along with hopes, fears, and dreams. They struggle with families, friendships, and romantic relationships; have their own quirks, histories, values, and habits; and are real, worthy human beings.

Their standing in society is clear, however: growing old is a crime punishable by neglect, and the elderly are considered second-class citizens unworthy of attention or resources. A sad but true realization that rankles those already dealing with the heartbreaking struggles of aging and decline, the crushing depression of knowing this is likely their final stop, the demeaning assumptions they’re feeble and incapable, and the bitter emptiness of family members who brush them aside. Rose, in particular, harbors a dark past that trails her like a shadow, a figurative mask impinging her ability to trust and move forward, to reveal who she truly is inside. The portions involving Tatum, who suffers from dementia, are some of the most affecting and difficult in the novel.

The supernatural and gothic elements are both effective and unexpected, while many scenes and situations (being vague here to avoid spoilers!) are deliciously terrifying. The deaths are savage, creative, and incredibly horrific, and the reader cares about each one. Chapters told from the killer’s point of view are chilling, while the loneliness and desolation experienced by the characters feels palpable and genuine. It’s a brutal delight and a stunning triumph: devastating and realistic, but also comforting and hopeful. A poignant ode to the human condition and a compelling reminder that no living thing is immune to the passage of time.

Favorite Quotes:

“At Autumn Springs, death is hunkered down in every shadow of every room. It hovers in the high corners like a giant spider, stands at your bedside and watches you sleep, or sits congenially across the table while you sip your morning coffee, or your evening brandy.

“And then, when it’s time, death simply taps you on the shoulder, whispers softly in your ear, and slips its icy hand into yours.”

“Most family members, it seems, only visit at the end, as if feeling the moral need to say goodbye to someone they’ve likely ignored for years.”

“Love always comes due in blood.”

“. . . when something appears too perfect on the outside, it often means there’s a seething chaos just below the surface, as if that visage of perfection is a shield — or a projection — so others can’t see the darkness beneath.”

“. . . part of living means not living in fear . . . Part of living means doing what’s difficult, what’s frightening, what’s right, even if it puts you in the path of danger.”

“They’re all trapped here . . . Trapped in a cage with a killer. . . . How can you run from the only place you’re wanted? The only place that will have you?”

“We all have parts of us that are dark, that define who we’ve become.”

🖤Amanda

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