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Sleeper Train

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Embark on the Coastal Express, where desire meets dread and darkness lurks in every compartment. Kurt and Emily seek to reignite the flames of their marriage amidst the debauchery of the hedonistic train, the Coastal Express. But when Kurt falls ill, Emily is thrust into a nightmare she never imagined.

As US Marshal Robert Colton hunts the elusive Rail Car Cleaver, a serial killer hiding among the train's decadent passengers, Emily finds herself trapped in one terrible situation after another. Tension builds as Colton closes in on his quarry, only to uncover a terror far more horrific than he ever anticipated.

Emily must confront the darkest depths of human depravity to survive. As the truth reveals itself, she realizes that on the Coastal Express, no one is safe.

Brace yourself for a ride you'll never forget, where the price of admission may be more than you're willing to pay.

167 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2024

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About the author

Jay Bower

40 books241 followers
JAY BOWER is a horror author living outside St. Louis, MO in the forest of Southern Illinois. He spends his time reading, writing, and convincing his wife the dark stories he writes do not involve her.

One time punk-rock skateboarder and heavy metal kid of the 80s, Jay approaches his work with the same indie attitude as those early punk bands.

He's the author of several dark novels and short stories. He can be reached at [email protected].

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5 stars
35 (40%)
4 stars
33 (37%)
3 stars
14 (16%)
2 stars
3 (3%)
1 star
2 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
Profile Image for Kate Victoria RescueandReading.
1,328 reviews49 followers
June 17, 2024
Bravo to Jay & John on their new joint story! They really nailed the 90s horror movie vibes- in a good way!

Welcome to the Coastal Express: a luxurious and mysterious train line for the elite. Anything goes while you’re on board, so buckle up for a heck of a ride. Indulge yourself with fine wines and oysters, cozy up in a ménage à trois with strangers, and maybe commit a murder or two. Just don’t end up getting hurt yourself- the medical facilities are excellent, but don’t always focus on healing aspects of care.

You’re going to get a lot out of this story, so be prepared for R rated sexy scenes, violent demises, and monstrous entities (human and otherwise) on this crazy train!

I loved the variety of characters amongst the pages- some were so deranged! The authors definitely went over and above to create an engaging and insane narrative. I was never quite sure what could happen next, but the surprises and twists just became more and more thrilling. I’d love to know if the owners of the rail knew what might happen if things got out of hand on board.
Profile Image for Kiera ☠.
230 reviews83 followers
June 12, 2024
What a fun read! When John asked if I would be interested in reading an ARC of this book I jumped at the chance (obviously). I didn’t really look at the synopsis, I just jumped in blind and enjoyed the ride and boy was it a wild ride. A bunch of Elites pay to for a train ride vacation where you can live out your wildest fantasies. It’s sexy, it’s gory, and it’s invigorating. Sleeper Train grabs on quick and doesn’t let go until the last moment.

I really enjoyed the characters and all the side stories and how they all came together. Each story as enticing as the next. I wasn’t anticipating a creature feature which I won’t lie, kind of took me out of the story a bit though I wouldn’t say I didn’t enjoy the aspect, I just didn’t see it coming and would have probably preferred without it. That being said the concept was well done and very interesting; I do want to know more about them! All in all, Lynch can do no wrong in my eyes, but he is my favourite author. This is my second read for Jay Bower and I’m impressed, definitely need to check out more of his work this year. If you’re looking for a fun extreme read with great characters and a great plot, look no further. Make sure you pick this one up.
Profile Image for destiny ♡ howling libraries.
1,878 reviews6,108 followers
Shelved as 'dnf'
September 27, 2024
DNF @ 30%

I'll read other books by both of these authors, but this one wasn't for me. As someone who reads a lot of smut in romance and horror, this book definitely suffered from 'Sex Scenes Written By Men' lol (IYKYK).
Profile Image for Meghin.
189 reviews542 followers
June 22, 2024
This book was a tad outside of my comfort zone of what I typically like in my horror but it was still enjoyable. This is about a train ride for the elite where “anything goes” in terms of your fantasies if you get my drift. Meanwhile, a serial killer is on the loose and a US Marshal is determined to figure out who it is.
This has that 80-90s horror feel to it which the authors totally nailed. This book is filled with the 3 Ps I’m not typically into but I know many people are (or 5 Ps if we include male and female genitalia idk) porn, plot driven, and POVs. If that sounds like your thing I highly recommend for you.
Profile Image for Danielle Yvonne.
127 reviews17 followers
August 20, 2024

All aboard the Coastal Express. 🚂
Where there’s not much sleeping going on, and the train isn’t the only thing being railed. 😜🔥

I’ve always been a fan of both of these authors, so when I saw John at an event a few weeks ago I knew I wanted to grab this book. I was told there was some spicy scenes but HOT DAMN. 🌶️😳 Not only was there some solid smut…
it was done REALLY WELL. I was VERY impressed.

Overall plot in was fantastic, between the smut, the horror and the mystery… it read wonderfully and for a collaboration piece, it also read seamlessly. These two matched each others energy and created an absolute hit that I need more of in my life. 🙏🏼

I know I don’t usually do star rankings on here but I’m gonna throw this one a solid five stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Paige Ray.
460 reviews26 followers
August 31, 2024
This book absolutely, without a doubt, lived up to all the hype and then some! I had a blast with this story! There’s plenty of blood and gore, supernatural creatures, a serial killer and loads of spice and the spice was definitely SPICIN’🥵🌶️

This was the slasher story that I never knew I needed. I’ve read a few Jay Bower stories in the past and I’ve really enjoyed his writing style along the way. He knows how to write a damn good story. This is my first time reading John Lynch and it wont be my last either. I’m excited to check out his other works. Bower and Lynch completely blew my mind with this one and they did a fantastic job, beginning to finish.

Sleeper Train is a story full of secrets, darkness and desire. Kurt and Emily, a married couple who have hit a rough patch take a chance and board the Coastal Express in hopes to rekindle and save their marriage. Meanwhile, Robert, a US Marshal, is on a mission to hunt down the Rail Car Cleaver, a serial killer, who is a permanently hidden insider within the Coastal Express.

As if things could get any worse, they do. There’s also supernatural creatures inside this train that are blood hungry and looking for their next meal.

Highest of Recommendations! 🙌

Profile Image for Milt Theo.
1,058 reviews78 followers
June 26, 2024
This is exactly what I expected from a book from Jay Bower and John Lynch: sex-fueled madness, gory insanity, and no mercy to Mr. Durgin! 'Sleeper Train' has it all: sex, cruelty, debauchery, sex, carnage, serial killers, sex, monsters, supernatural baddies, and did I mention sex? In the middle of it all, stands a sort of Hostel on wheels: the Coastal Express, a old-fashioned train ride catering to filthy rich and filthy minded people, eager to realize their dirtiest fantasies no matter the cost. Unbeknownst to the passengers, two very exciting and totally unexpected plotlines will converge, heads will roll, fangs will bite, bodies will be torn to bits! Need I say more? Hop on the train and experience for yourself the Bower-Lynch Express of gore and depravity!
Profile Image for Rachal  Davis .
163 reviews15 followers
June 25, 2024
This is a fun and engaging slasher/creature feature about a hedonistic train ride where the guest can indulge in carnage and mayhem for the right price, a couple trying to reignite the flame and a Marshall tracking down the rail car cleaver killer makes for one bumpy ride, all aboard 🚇
Profile Image for Stephhh✨.
200 reviews5 followers
July 2, 2024
Huge thanks to John for the ARC!!

Could you survive the Coastal Express?! A train ride for the rich and elite — or anyone who can pay the price — to indulge in any and every fantasy or desire they can imagine. Unfortunately for them, the price of this train ride getaway may be more than they bargained for.

Emily and Kurt think they’re just on a little vacation to put the spark back in their marriage. To them, the Coastal Express means delighting in their desires and reigniting what they once had. Little do they know that all hell is about to break loose. Even having U.S. Marshal Robert Colton aboard does nothing to stop the notorious serial killer — The Rail Car Cleaver — or the unexpected creatures that lurk about. On the Coastal Express, nobody is safe.

This book has it all. It’s campy, fast paced, full of blood, sex, violence, and gore. It’s a mix of slasher with a little bit of creature feature that all comes to a bloody end! This book was nonstop from beginning to end and made for a quick read! I was a bit surprised by the sleeper creature but I found it fun and it tied up everything in the end. Highly recommend if you’re looking for something fast paced, campy, and bloody!
Profile Image for Nicola (deathandthemacabre).
55 reviews4 followers
August 25, 2024
"Sure, the wild sex was the reason most people were on the train, but from the whispers William had heard, anything was possible. Theft, assault, rape, murder. As long as you could pony up, any crime could be covered up. The rich knew how to indulge and made the crimes of the poor look meek in comparison."

All aboard the Coastal Express, where the rich elite can not only fulfil their wildest dreams and most depraved desires but have it covered up for them for the right price. We not only have the infamous Rail Car Cleaver serial killer on board, but hiding in the darkness lurks more dangerous creatures..

I knew within the first 30% that this was going to be one of my favourite books of the month, if not the year. I absolutely loved this story. It's gory, very spicy, and its unsettling vibes and old school 90s slasher feel was so fun! It would make such a great movie.

It was so incredibly detailed, I loved the writing style, how fast-paced it was, I couldn't put it down. I enjoyed the characters, their stories, the death scenes were so vivid and imaginative, I really fucking loved it.
Profile Image for Brigit (dark.psyche.reads).
203 reviews21 followers
September 30, 2024
3.5☆
Great extreme horror, packed with action and erotica. The elite take the Coastal Express train to anonymously indulge in their wildest fantasies, no-strings attached. Including murder. A man by the nickname of The Cleaver goes on a killing frenzy while an undercover cop tries to catch his trail. A young couple try to revitalise their marriage. A blood-lusted woman channelling her abusive past into a sex-fuelled fever. The madness that explodes through the high-speed carriages is worth the climax.
Can anyone on the train be trusted? What's actually going on?

While I found the premise, the characters and the writing to be captivating. Some of the plot delivery just didn't quite land for me. The creature feature was a surprise and I found it seemed the overall story lacked a satisfying cohesion. I think I was hoping for some more intersecting of main characters where I hoped to see more of the female serial killer! The ending also fell a bit flat. Otherwise, quite a fun read!

Trigger warnings as it is an extreme horror: torture, body horror, sexual abuse, necrophilia.
Profile Image for John Durgin.
Author 18 books455 followers
July 12, 2024
This book was a wild ride from start to finish. Just when you think you know where it’s headed, Bower and Lynch pivot and leave the reader shocked more than once. The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars is because it’s not typically the type of stuff I pick to read. Give me all the gore and kills, but there’s a lot of sex in this book too. Fans of extreme horror will eat this book up and love every second of it. It’s a ton of fun and very well written, as one would expect from these two awesome writers. Check it out!
Profile Image for Alex | | findingmontauk1.
1,503 reviews92 followers
August 28, 2024
I have been super excited to read SLEEPER TRAIN since I saw the authors announce it. And it did not disappoint and I just had an absolute blast! It's giving sex. It's giving slasher. It's giving Midnight Meat Train vibes. It's giving 90s creature feature. There is so much going on in this story that I essentially finished in one sitting because it was just so engaging. My jaw fell on the floor a few times and the twists were twisting.

This one definitely has some elements of extreme horror with lots of spice. SPICY spice. And guts and gore galore!

Hope these two do more collabs like this!
Profile Image for Karen.
151 reviews19 followers
June 24, 2024
This one was cool, fun, and fast-paced. It was like reading an 80's/90's type B movie, which I liked. The story started out as one thing that kind of made me think of Hostel but on a train and then changed to something else that I didn't see coming. It was filled with lots of gore and sex like a true B horror movie, lol
31 reviews
July 7, 2024
SO Good

Would love to see more about the sleepers for sure. Great story and characters. So fun. Highly recommend this one!
Profile Image for Stephanie Evans.
87 reviews5 followers
June 28, 2024
This is an excellent collab between John and Jay. When Jay told me it was horror porn, I had no idea. LOL. But I’d agree that term fits this book pretty good. You have a train called the Coastal Express that’s for the wealthy and anything goes on this train - sex, lies, and murder…..and evidently something odd going on in the infirmary! This is 80s/90s horror at its best, plus so much more. Definitely recommend and gladly give this 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
Profile Image for Angel Medina.
Author 12 books92 followers
July 2, 2024
All abroad the Coastal Express! This is a thrilling story about a train where anything and everything will happen. On top of that, it's to remain a secret, only those boarded on the train know what happens.

It all starts as Colton tries to find a serial killer, only for things to turn around. There's even more to the Costal Express than just freedom to do what you want to do. I can't spoil it, but read until the end and you will be blown away.

I'm glad I punched my ticket on board, because this was a five star train ride. One every horror fan needs to book!
Profile Image for Brennan LaFaro.
Author 22 books144 followers
July 3, 2024
Jay Bower and John Lynch both bring their A-game to the table, complimenting each other's styles to craft a cohesive B-movie of blood, sex, and things that lurk in the dark. Equal parts creature feature and 'man's hubris goes awry', Sleeper Train benefits from its single-location, locked-room aspect, closing in the walls with the atmosphere of a slasher, but never falling victim to common tropes of the sub-genre. Fans of John Everson, especially his NightWhere series, will swallow this book whole, loving every morsel.
Profile Image for Bryan Moyer.
201 reviews15 followers
June 22, 2024
Blood and gore and sex oh my. Lynch and Bower holds nothing back in this tale of the most hedonistic train ride ever.

The cast of characters is perfectly over the top, like the great slasher flicks of the 80s and 90s. They put their own spin on the classic character tropes like the burnt out detective, the innocent girl corrupted, and the antagonistic serial killer.

The story is equal parts violent, full of sex, and a touch of mystery. It's very fast-paced and grabs your attention from the start. The pages are soaked in blood and other fluids all the way to the insanity of the finale.
Profile Image for Ali  O.
226 reviews9 followers
August 20, 2024
Craziest train ride ever!! Money can buy anything on this ride!
This is definitely an entertaining story, but a lot to take in! It’s a fast read and full of non-stop action, sex and violence! It’s a slasher horror story, with so much gore and overall craziness on this train ride! The story has a lot of surprises though and I was kept on my toes!

Thank you to Jay Bower for an ecopy of this wild ride!


Profile Image for Rosina.
59 reviews3 followers
July 1, 2024
*Book Review*
Sleeper Train
By Jay Bower & John Lynch
🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪

OMG!!! This book is definitely reminiscent of the good old 80s/90s B horror movies. It's a horrifying and disgusting ride full of sex, drugs, alcohol, gore and death! I loved ever second of my ride on this hellish train were anything goes....if you have enough money to pay the price! Are you ready to come aboard the Coastal Express where something sinister lurks, where you can find all kinds of debauchery behind every door, or you might walk into something grisly and bloody. A place where everyone is out to get or take something from you! Can you survive your trip on The Coastal Express? Are you brave enough to try? Then go pick up a copy of this amazing book on preorder today! Release day is tomorrow July 2nd!!

Enjoy the ride!
Profile Image for Alexander Charles.
8 reviews1 follower
July 5, 2024
Wow this book is really something crazy. I went in for the promise of a violent, gory book and what I emerged up reading was exactly that, but with a healthy healing of 🌶️ thrown in. This is the type of book your dad would have hid under his mattress. The action scenes were cool, and there were some nice surprises too. Highly recommend for fans of 80’s and 90’s gore fests
Profile Image for Hailey.
34 reviews
August 29, 2024
This book was friggen fabulous. It was a lot spicier than I expected it to be but the gore was just fantastic and the story even better. So glad I finished this quickly. Definitely can’t wait to check out more by both authors
Profile Image for Jordan.
593 reviews24 followers
August 1, 2024
2.5 stars

I wanted to like this a lot, but it just didn't jive well with me. I felt like I was reading an old PSN game where there were several different arcs you could play, but the book tried to mash them all together. This didn't feel as cohesive as I wanted it to be; because we constantly bounced between several characters, I don't feel I got one solid storyline. I would've liked this more as either a choose your own adventure type book or one book that follows one story and a few novellas after to follow other characters.

The spicy scenes didn't work for me. They didn't integrate into the story as much as they could have; most of them felt extremely gratuitous. The terminology was awkward to read in places. I just don't feel like these scenes enhanced my reading experience any. And for the train being an "anything goes as long as you have money" experience, the spicy parts were downright tame.

The creature seemed to come out of nowhere. I honestly would've loved this to be an out-and-out slasher that really ramped up on the blood and the gore and the outrageous sex rather than adding a creature feature in. With that addition, the book was too ambitious to me, and it lost some of its charm because of it.

This one wasn't for me, unfortunately. While an interesting premise, I couldn't quite get past the shallow cardboard-esque characters and overly ambitious trope additions.
Profile Image for Constant_reader_UK.
126 reviews4 followers
August 1, 2024
Sleeper Train by Jay Bower and John Lynch

Pages - 167
Genre - Horror
Read Time - 4hours
Rating - 4 stars

Now that was a wild ride. A scary, bloody, gory, sex fest with a serial killer and a mother of all twists.

We follow numerous story lines as the passengers board the decadent coastal express - a luxury cruise liner on land as the authors describe it. Designed for the ultra rich to indulge their deepest and most depraved fantasies.

The authors do well to tap into the camp, over the top blood, gore and sex of the 80s and 90s horror genre bringing with it a touch of nostalgia and, ironically, a freshness that is missing in modern horror writings; I haven’t read a horror novel this exciting and engrossing in a very long time. My only gripe is that it wasn’t long enough. However, I think there is more than enough here to see a follow up - I very much hope so anyway.

Praise to the authors and please give us more.
Profile Image for Sara.
358 reviews4 followers
September 3, 2024
Come ride the Coastal Express where you can live out your heart's desire for the right price, assuming you can survive. No one is safe on this train and a cleaver carrying serial killer is the least of your worries.

I am not sure how you co-write a book but Jay and John did it magnificently. Sleeper Train is full of graphic sex, gore and violence and written in the vibe of 90s B-horror movies. There were several times I grimaced from being so uncomfortable but at the same time, I loved it. It is a very fast paced read, full of a variety of depraved characters. The shocking creatures introduced about halfway through really caught me by surprise and makes the train ride an absolute bloodbath! This book a great collaboration between these two authors.
Profile Image for Robin Ginther-Venneri.
632 reviews31 followers
August 7, 2024

Freaky

5 Star Rating

Check Your Triggers :-)

Sleeper Train is a gripping horror novel set on the lavish Coastal Express. As Kurt and Emily's marriage faces turmoil, Emily must survive a series of terrifying events after Kurt falls ill. US Marshal Colton is on the trail of a serial killer among the passengers. With intense suspense and gore, this novel delivers a chilling and unforgettable journey.
Profile Image for Emily Fleming.
17 reviews15 followers
September 29, 2024
This was a wild ride!! Quite literally, as it takes place on a cross country train voyage where anything goes. This was brutal right from the start and did not let up. You get some spicy scenes. Lots of gore and violent kills. Plus some other surprising twists I won’t spoil!! Definitely check out Sleeper Train by @jaybowerauthor and @johnlynchbooks if you want an entertaining and brutal but fun read! 🚂 🔪
Profile Image for Rhonda Bobbitt.
399 reviews33 followers
August 15, 2024
📚Book review📚
🚂Sleeper Train🚂
Jay Bower John Lynch
5🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪
A Bloody hell of a ride. If you have money, anything is possible on the Sleeper Train. Including murder in the most disgusting way. This was a fantastic nightmare of blood, gore, and sex.
Take a seat on the Sleeper Train....and try to stay alive.
794 reviews34 followers
July 20, 2024
Train

Welcome to the Coastal Exspress, an exclusive train for those with lots of money. This train is where anything goes. No matter what. There is a killer stalking the railways. A couple trying to renew the spark in their marriage are on the train. Enjoy the ride.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews

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