Review: How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates

Author: Darcy Coates
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Publication Date: August 2025

It was supposed to be the party of the century: miles of idyllic white sand beaches, lush jungle foliage...and a dark legend nobody dreamed might be all too true.

When an online influencer and several hundred of his most loyal fans land on Prosperity Island, the plan is simple: five days of elaborate games, drinking, and suntanned fun.

A week in paradise should have been a welcome respite. The only survivor of an infamous cult, Ruth wants nothing more than to keep her head down and not draw attention. She's spent decades outrunning her blood-soaked childhood, and her identity is a closely held secret.

But then the true history of the island is revealed…along with its sinister connection to Ruth's past. As guests go missing and games turn deadly, Ruth and the rest of the attendees are forced to question whether they've really been invited to paradise...or whether something much darker―and far bloodier―is waiting for them just beyond the bonfire's light.

In How Bad Things Can Get, a prominent influencer and a large amount of his fans arrive on a remote island to participate in a week of games and challenges for the chance to win a big money prize.  The island has a dark past and one of the survivors of a cult that lived on the island is among the group.  It's all fun and games until things begin to go horribly wrong. 

Overall, I did enjoy this book.  The multiple perspectives were nice because they added a little bit of depth to the characters. Although, overall, there were too many characters to remember them all and pick one to care about.  No one is safe here and not caring about any of the characters made me indifferent when one of them died or disappeared.   The flashbacks to Ruth's time as a child on the island did help give some perspective to her character and into the cult.

The level of gore is definitely high, so if that makes you squeamish, best skip this book.  The author did not hold back. I personally enjoyed that aspect of the book. Go big or go home, right? Once people started disappearing, I was expecting the reveal to go in one direction, so I was surprised at the directions it took.  If you are looking for a good and gory horror story, I would recommend this one.