I'll Quit When I'm Dead

A young woman at an intensive wellness retreat and a struggling musician vow to turn their lives around--or die trying--in this provocative, "unputdownable" horror story (Josh Malerman).

Madison has seen better days. Reeling from a bad breakup, self-soothing with junk food, and totally consumed by her lack of direction, she's in need of a big reset. When she runs into an old acquaintance at the gym, Madison is shocked by how fit they've suddenly become. The cause? An all-female fitness boot camp led by ex-military guru Ellie Fellowes. The course is characterized by grueling reps and minimal contact with the outside world, and when Madison signs up to experience it herself, something doesn't feel right. The other students keep acting strangely; Ellie seems almost superhuman, and her intense motivational methods are becoming bizarre, even dangerous. But Madison is getting results. How can she stop now?

Musician Johnny Blake has been struggling with a pain pill addiction after a very public, very bad fall. At the encouragement of loved ones, he retreats to a secluded cottage to detox. But Johnny isn't alone. Something is lurking in the shadows of his new home--a creature unnatural and hungry, one that traps Johnny in a frightening bargain. If Johnny doesn't stay off his pills and keep his end of the deal, he will be eaten alive.

As Madison and Johnny's predicaments spiral into the unthinkable, they will have to look within to find the true and terrifying answer to the age-old question: How badly do you want it?

Nerve-shredding and compulsively readable, I'll Quit When I'm Dead marks Luke Smitherd as a major voice in horror to watch.

Author: Luke Smitherd
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Published: 10/14/2025
Pages: 384
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.31lbs
Size: 9.56h x 6.35w x 1.28d
ISBN: 9780316579568


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2025
Booklist 10/01/2025

About the Author
Luke Smitherd is the author of the The Stone Man (shortlisted for Audible Book of the Year 2015) and its sequels. A former singer and guitarist, he now writes full time for a living and divides his time between Los Angeles and Coventry, England.