Last Days by Adam Nevill

Kyle Freeman is an indie film maker who is down on his luck and looking for his next break. He lands himself a commission, to make a documentary about a sinister cult, The Temple of the Last Days, and its leader Sister Katherine. But all is not what it seems, and it becomes horribly apparent to Freeman that something far more horrifying lies behind film about a cult and a legacy that he may not escape from.

Kyle is an excellent protagonist, initially selfish and self-absorbed. He continues with the film, not out of curiosity, but a need to get his story told, to receive accolades for his work. But it’s through his friendship with Dan, friend, and camera man, that we see a more sympathetic man and is much needed. There are other characters which add flesh to the horrific tale, and it is through them we learn more about the mysterious and sinister Sister Katherine and her ambitions.

There are several interesting twists, and the horror rakes up during the latter part of the novel, especially as we learn of the true legacy that Sister Katherine has left.

This is the second novel I have read by Nevill, and I found a common theme running through this and The Ritual, which is primal horror, the sort of terror that has run through the ages and can still give us nightmares in the modern world.