The Loop

By: Jeremy Robert Johnson

Narrated by: Inés del Castillo

Dazed and Confused meets 28 Days Later in this “wickedly entertaining,” (Kirkus Reviews) “volcano of a book” (Nathan Ballingrud, author of Wounds) as a lonely young woman teams up with a group of fellow outcasts to survive the night in a town overcome by a science experiment gone wrong.

A Best Book of the Month for Den of Geek, Omnivoracious, Mystery & Suspense, and Tor.

A Goodreads’ Readers Choice Nominee for Best Horror, and one of the Best Books of the Year for The Lineup, Booked, and Unsettling Reads.

Turner Falls is a small tourist town nestled in the hills of central Oregon. When a terrifying outbreak rapidly develops, this idyllic town becomes the epicenter of an epidemic of violence.

The Loop is a “wild and wonderfully scary novel” (Richard Chizmar, author of Gwendy’s Magic Feather) that offers a “hilarious and horrifying” (Brian Keene, author of The Rising) look at what one team of misfits can accomplish as they fight to live through the night.

“[A] harrowing thrill ride of the first order and an uncompromising page-turner, easily securing its spot as one of the best novels of 2020.” —Rue Morgue (featured “Dante’s Pick” Review)

“Like the best of Crichton or Bentley, it is a great beach read, but it is infused with the neon blood of a brave new writer... [A] kind of literary roller coaster. It will take you to thrilling highs and terrifying lows…” —Los Angeles Review of Books

“The Loop is the gore-soaked, anxiety-inducing, diabolically funny Richard Linklater/David Cronenberg mashup you never knew you wanted but can’t—or at least shouldn’t—live without.” —The Big Thrill

“Unputdownable...Fans of The Twilight Zone, The X-Files, and Stranger Things will be especially thrilled.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A satisfyingly dark satire of, well, everything...[a] heart-pounding and deeply unsettling tale.” —Booklist

“The Loop is a remarkably propulsive novel, cinematic in the best way, with perfectly tuned tension and excellent character choices…a headlong, straightforward pleasure.” —Locus

“The Loop is the Cronenberg film we never got.” —Nathan Ballingrud, author of North American Lake Monsters and Wounds

Critic reviews

"Something's terribly wrong in Turner Falls, Oregon. Narrator Inés del Castillo gets this audiobook off to a quick start with an excerpt from a conspiracy-laden podcast. She introduces a class of students who are counting down their final days of high school. The story focuses on Lucy and her best friend, Bucket, who have the taint of being brown-skinned in a white school. As the students celebrate the end of school, Castillo creates a realistic atmosphere consisting of the in-crowd and those who wish they were part of it. When something bad happens at a party, she shows Lucy and Bucket's terror as they run for their lives. Castillo makes the suspense tangible."

Grim, Ultraviolent and Gritty

Great plotline with lots of action. Thoughtful, textured characters. And-- holy cow-- a container-ship-stuck-in-the-Suez canal load of startling, nonstop death and violence from the beginning up to the last heartbreaking second.

Narration and plot

Loved the original story and how it played out in a way you can believe

What in the actual F?!

I may be a bit biased since I always expect Jeremy Robert Johnson to knock it out of the park....but even I wasn’t expecting him to throw my brain for a loop with this one! Firstly, I’m incredibly impressed with his effortless ability to crawl into the psyche of an angsty teenage misfit Latina, making me feel at one with her fears, desires, and motivations - instantly calling me back to my own teenage years. While that is a feat in and of itself, once he gets you settled into Lucy’s mindset and worldview, JRJ then manages to rocket you straight into the pits of hell, not even slowing down enough to let you crack a proverbial window for whiff of refreshing air. As the world (or I guess tiny town of Turner Falls) descends into utter chaos, we get to meet an interesting band of characters through Lucy’s eyes, each one with their own unique charms and foibles. As the story unfolds and the character development strengthens, you find yourself flinching in terror at every turn. Without revealing too much, I can say that it’s in your best interest to not get too attached to anyone in particular, for heartbreak may be lurking around the corner.

I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, but if you enjoy fast-paced action, over-the-top violence, fully fleshed our characters and settings, technology and biology, a little bit of philosophy, and you even get off on a tiny bit of masochism, then The Loop is definitely a book for you!

This is my first JRJ book that I’ve “read” first as an audible, and I have to say that Inés del Castillo did a fantastic job handling Lucy as well as the rest of the characters, and the audio production was top notch. I also enjoyed the unique auditory way they presented and portrayed what happened towards the end of the book - kudos for trying something a little different and actually having it be effective!

only rating to keep similar stories off of suggest

solid story but not for me. performance was incredible which is the only thing that kept me listening after realizing it wasn't my genre.

Great Horror Novel with Topical and Engaging Ideas

Violence was a bit much for me but that's personal preference. I liked what they had to say about brain chemicals, corporate culture, and social issues and weaved that well into the narrative. I'm not just being nice this novel actually kind of rocks and I'll be following this writer and performer.