Ex-Boogeyman

By: Kristopher Triana

Narrated by: Chuck Brugee

HE’S NOT FREDDY, HE’S NOT JASON…HE’S ALL WASHED UP.

As Nicky Hector—the unstoppable slasher from the Lunatic horror movie franchise—Jonathan Zain reached levels of fame once unimaginable to a young actor. On top of headlining fifteen films, he appeared on MTV, had his own 976 number, and became one of the most recognizable faces of the 1980s.

But that was thirty years ago.

Now it’s 2010, and Zain is a has-been celebrity making his living signing autographs at fan conventions, a relic of the bygone slasher movie boom. He’s broke, separated from his wife and children, lives in a crummy apartment, and hasn’t landed a role in years.

When he learns the studio is remaking Lunatic, he thinks it’s his chance for a comeback. But Redmax Studios isn’t interested in resurrecting Zain’s fame. They want the reboot to have a new face, to escape the campiness that plagued the latter films in the Lunatic series. For the studio, this is a brand-new start.

For Jonathan Zain, it's the last straw.

Discovering the remake is being filmed at the same rafting center as the original, and his former “final girl” co-star Lola Lang is involved, Zain begins a descent into insanity. He slips into his old costume, sharpens his meat cleaver, and brings the Nicky Hector character back from the dead for one last bloodbath.

“Kristopher Triana’s latest is a chillingly convincing portrait of an aged horror icon driven to the brink of madness as he fights tooth and nail against an inexorable slide into irrelevance. Loaded with fun references to the glory days of the slasher genre, Ex-Boogeyman is a bloody and thrilling feast for horror fans.”

–Bryan Smith, author of Merciless "Score for bonus content provided by Anthony Mulvihill"

©2022 Kristopher Triana (P)2022 Kristopher Triana

Narration takes it to a new level!

What a fun listen! My husband raved about this book and kept telling me how much I'd like it, so he gifted me the Audible version, and I devoured it.

We get all the perks of the 80's B-movie era, with a washed-up actor and the anger he gets when they decide to re-make....err, re-imagine HIS movie, and not allow him in it!

Kristopher Triana nails the storytelling here with a great cast of diverse characters. That's precisely what every one of those old movies needed. Some are likable, some are not, but it works perfectly.

The audio version took it to a new level with Chuck Brugee's narration. He is perfect for it, and I can't believe I'd never listened to him before. I will be looking for more soon.

5-stars

Great old school slasher

I really enjoyed the story. I have a hard time staying engaged in an audiobooks for more than a half hour or so. This one had me from beginning to end. Anytime I got a chance I was listening to this. There was comedy elements as well. Absolutely going to see what this writer will come up with next.

not great

not my favorite Triana book. narrator was great, story was ok. not bad, just not what I was looking for

Masterpiece!

This book is amazing! If you love 80s horror, what are you waiting for? GET TO READING!

A must-read for 80s slasher movie fans

Jonathan Zain is a wash-up actor who played Nicky Hector in the hit 80s slasher franchise “Lunatic.” His life is not where he wants it to be. He hears rumors that the movie is going to be remade. His co-star gets invited to be in it, but he doesn’t.

This causes him to snap, and because he is a method actor, he becomes Nicky Hector and plays out the finale in real life. Ex-Boogeyman is a must-read for any 80s slasher movie fan. It is played out so well without being cliché or campy. In fact, it makes fun of how predictable those movies were.

It is one of my favorites by Triana and easily his most underappreciated book.

I listened to this book on a long drive, and Chuck Brugee pulled off an amazing performance.