Dead Eleven

A Novel

By: Jimmy Juliano

Narrated by: Lee Osorio, Tanis Parenteau, Annie Q, Shawn K. Jain, Cindy Piller, Tim Lounibos

"An ominously slow burn...Keep the lights on for this one."—A PEOPLE MUST-READ FOR SUMMER
"Very creepy...you've been warned."—R.L. STINE
"Gripping.”—ANA REYES

On a creepy island where everyone has a strange obsession with the year 1994, a newcomer arrives, hoping to learn the truth about her son’s death—but finds herself pulled deeper and deeper into the bizarrely insular community and their complicated rules…

Clifford Island. When Willow Stone finds these words written on the floor of her deceased son’s bedroom, she’s perplexed. She’s never heard of it before, but soon learns it’s a tiny island off Wisconsin’s Door County peninsula, 200 miles from Willow’s home. Why would her son write this on his floor? Determined to find answers, Willow sets out for the island.

After a few days on Clifford, Willow realizes: This place is not normal. Everyone seems to be stuck in a particular day in 1994: They wear outdated clothing, avoid modern technology, and, perhaps most mystifyingly, watch the OJ Simpson car chase every evening. When she asks questions, people are evasive, but she learns one thing: Close your curtains at night.

High schooler Lily Becker has lived on Clifford her entire life, and she is sick of the island’s twisted mythology and adhering to the rules. She’s been to the mainland, and everyone is normal there, so why is Clifford so weird? Lily is determined to prove that the islanders’ beliefs are a sham. But are they?

Five weeks after Willow arrives on the island, she disappears. Willow’s brother, Harper, comes to Clifford searching for his sister, and when he learns the truth—that this island is far more sinister than anyone could have imagined—he is determined to blow the whole thing open.

If he can get out alive....

©2023 Jimmy Juliano (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[A] breathtaking debut thriller... Juliano draws memorable characters and places them in an indelible setting, using artful prose and judicious dashes of dark humor to leave a major impression. It’s a scary-good debut." —Publisher's Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

"Very creepy. Dreadfully creepy. Chillingly creepy. Horrifically creepy. You've been warned." —R.L. Stine, New York Times bestselling author of Goosebumps and Fear Street

“Dead Eleven brought me right back to the nineties with its VHS tapes, Pogs and Trapper Keepers, balancing nostalgia and terror to explore the dangers of living in the past. If you liked Netflix's Stranger Things and Dark, don't miss Jimmy Juliano's gripping horror debut.” —Ana Reyes, New York Times bestselling author of The House in the Pines

This book worked really well as an audiobook. the nature of it having recordings and interviews made it immersive.

I really enjoyed the journey and mystery of this novel. the tension of the island and the balance between deciding how crazy or sane the Islanders are was a lot of fun. There were many great ideas here and the way the tropes were played with were sometimes refreshing and other times comfortable. while I did enjoy the journey I will say the ending left me wanting a bit more of a resolution. Though I do think I'm wrong for that. The story is set up in a way that you know you'll have questions in the end but I selfishly want them answered! I think this is a solid horror/mystery read for spooky season. perfect for fall weather and the commute to work. You know, the daily routine...

Kept my attention

Great story! I didn’t find it scary however I did find it suspenseful. If you want an entertaining book read this.

excellent story and great production

The story is excellent. there is a nice slow reveal of what's really going on. can wait to read what this author comes out with next.

Enjoyable and easy listening

Enjoyable. Nothing terribly scary… but kept my attention without much effort. An easy listen. I’d consider exploring more from the author.

very fun plot structure

great characters, effectively spooky moments, very cool concepts, and a very interesting plot structure.

Unique and twisted

Well written story with a twisted horror plot that seems so unbelievable and possible at the same time.

Great all the way around

I heard of this story from the NoSleep podcast. Having enjoyed the authors other work, I figured I’d give it a shot. I’m glad I did.

I enjoyed the story. It’s a bit of a slow burn, just a heads up. The narration is wonderful. I was concerned about that because when I bought this, there were no reviews yet. But they did a really good job.

Gripping! Very well done.

Story was really good, got a little predictable towards the end at least for me. But still very good. The narration was fantastic. Overall I would definitely recommend this book.

So creepy

This was a great listen. The narrators were very good and the writing was excellent. I need more from this author!

A fun read

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I feel like the author took a bunch of popular titles from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, put them in a hat, and drew three: Groundhog Day, The Village, and Lost...and then wrote a book connecting those storylines. And surprisingly, it works! I think the execution could've been better, but it was a fun read. I'm not certain what it was trying to say about grief, faith, and community, but it WAS trying to say something and a bit more fleshing out could've made it stronger.

Overall, a good read for Summerween!