Be Right Back by Bill Wood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Be Right Back is the sequel to Bill Wood’s 2025-release, Let’s Split Up. These are YA Horror books that follow a group of friends in the small town of Sanera, California.
These novels are multi-perspective and channel all the fun spooky vibes of 80s and 90s Horror Fiction. There’s something about these books that feels nostalgic to me. I think it’s Bill Wood’s set-up and delivery. They’re very fun.
This sequel is set a year after the events of Let’s Split Up. Our friends, Amber, Buffy, Jonesy and Cam, have all now graduated high school, and moved on to their next steps as young adults. They’ve all left town, attending different colleges, except for Cam, who has stuck around and is currently an assistant coach at their old high school.
The start of this novel finds Amber, Buffy and Jonesy all returning home to attend the Sanera Halloween Festival. It’s the first time they’ve reunited, and it feels so good.
That is until the murders start. The gang, now known as the Sanera Four, is thrust into a grisly mystery as the Halloween Festival descends into chaos. It seems someone is using local legends as inspirations to commit their heinous crimes.
It’s clear the killer wants to get the attention of the Sanera Four, as the legends they’re choosing seem to specifically target the myths they once debunked. With the gang drawing unwanted attention, they must solve the mystery and catch the killer before they have a chance to strike again.
It didn’t take me long to remember why I liked Let’s Split Up so much. I was so happy and excited to be back with this great cast of characters that Wood has created. The Sanera Four are all well-developed, and I love getting each of their perspectives over the course of the book.
Another aspect I adore is the heavy Scooby-Doo vibes, which if you’ve read the Author’s Note of the 1st-book, you realize is intentional. But it’s not just Scooby-Doo. They’re pretty trope heavy, so feel nostaglic in that way, which I enjoy.
For example, this one was giving me sort of combined I Still Know What You Did Last Summer with Urban Legends; both popular Teen Screams of 1998. When I’m reminded of Horror media of the past that I’ve loved through a story, without it feeling copy-catty, I’m happy.
Bill Wood makes me happy.
I also respect how these books don’t take themselves too seriously. They’re pure entertainment, so if you’re looking for an entertaining and nostalgic feeling YA Horror series, I would absolutely recommend these books.
There’s already been a 3rd-book announced, One Last Scare, which is slated to release in October of 2026. I’m planning to be first in line for that. I cannot wait.
Thank you to the publisher, Scholastic, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I’m not sure how many books are going to end up being in this series, but either way, I have a feeling Bill Wood and I are going to have a long and beautiful friendship!
