After loving death of a bookseller so much I had such high hopes for this one, and although it was a page turner, I just didn't gel with it in the same way - maybe that's because I am a literal bookseller though. I did, however, enjoy the world of the Deep South: the voodoo, the mad cocktails and the spirituality of the town, but my god, all the people at the dinner party were just horrible and I wanted to give them all a small slap.

Having said all this, I can understand that this has a customer, and many people will lap this up and I'm going to happily sell lots of it!

Another banger from the ridiculously gifted author of Death of A Bookseller. This is a book that celebrates appetite, with mouth-watering descriptions of food and drink on every page, and a love letter to New Orleans in all its sweaty, spooky glory.

A unique take on a missing persons tale. Told through multiple points of view, it was fun to read and gave a greater depth to each character. This was definitely just as good as Alice’s debut novel and will no doubt become another hit.

At the very start of this, with a lot of focus on the food being cooked, I started to think this wasn’t the book for me (I think I’m scarred by Heartburn which I found hugely overhyped). However, I continued past the first chapter and I was hooked! I absolutely loved this, I had no idea which characters could be believed or trusted, had no idea what was happening and disliked nearly everyone! I stayed up reading far too late each night, wandering around New Orleans with Daniel and Selina. Would definitely recommend!

‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ by Alice Slater tells the story of the friends and family of Daniel, a charismatic young man who vanished into thin air on a trip to New Orleans. His sister Caroline summons select acquaintances - and a mysterious tarot card reader - for a themed dinner party where more than just fond memories will be shared…

I really enjoyed Slater’s first novel, ‘The Death of a Bookseller’, and the same dark wit that made it so wonderful was on display here too. The narrative shifts to and from the balmy Louisiana heat were captivating, and the Bayou setting was immersive. The characters were unique, with innocence, manipulation, protectiveness and toxicity on display, but unfortunately I didn’t find any of them that intriguing… the group was not particularly likeable but also didn’t grip me with that “love to hate them” feeling. I really enjoyed the exploration of the supernatural arts - tarot, ouija boards, etc.

Ultimately, this gets three stars from me - I’d definitely look out for this author in the future, but wasn’t as drawn in by the characters in this one.

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Hodder & Stoughton via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Oh my! What a banger of a second book!
Alice Slater has surpassed herself - Let The Bad Times Roll is a masterpiece.
I loved all the different perspectives and markedly different characters. The humour is on point as always. Alice never misses a step. Bravo!!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me the chance to read it,

This was, quite simply, deliciously and perfectly evil. The most fun I’ve had with a thriller in a long time.

The writing surrounding food was divine, the twists were shocking, and I couldn’t tell who I hated the most! Each character in here was a spectacular little nightmare.

Alice has a brain made for dark and f*cked up stories—I’d follow her anywhere.

Let the Bad Times Roll**

I want to thank Hodder, Stough, and NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of *Let the Bad Times Roll* by Alice Slater.

Having enjoyed Alice's previous book, *Death of a Bookseller*, I was eager to dive into this new release as soon as I received it.

The format and narrative style of this book differ from Alice's earlier work. We follow Caroline, whose brother, Daniel, has gone missing and hasn't been heard from in weeks. To find answers, she hosts a dinner party with the specific purpose of questioning those who were close to him. Among the guests is a stranger—a psychic who claims to have met Daniel in New Orleans. As the various storylines intertwine, the truth may finally emerge.

It took me until about halfway through the book to fully engage with the story. I appreciated gaining the perspectives of the different characters and learning about their connections to Daniel. The book kept me captivated throughout, and I finished it within two days. The ending provided the twist I've come to expect from an Alice Slater novel.

ALICE SLATER DOES IT AGAIN. A total sophomore smash, I gobbled it up in 24 hours. Can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

So good I read it twice.

Full disclosure, I know Alice and I’m a huge fan of hers, her writing and her podcast. Death of a Bookseller is one of my favourite books so I was so excited about what she was going to do next, and even more so when I heard about the setting and plot.

I’m not a huge rereader but I have read Death of a Bookseller a few times, and as soon as I finished my first read of this I thought “I can’t wait to reread this.” And every time I went to write my review I kept thinking, I think I want to reread it first. So yes I’ve read this twice in the space of a month.

I love Alice’s mix of tenses which she also does in Death of a Bookseller. The current day chapters are in third person, and Selina’s time in New Orleans is in first person. She’s so good at writing unlikable characters especially in first person.

I wouldn’t say the book is a mystery or a thriller specifically, but the second read has some delicious foreshadowing and moments which become more clear on the second read.

I absolutely love the character of Daniel. You can completely see how people fall in love with him and his charm. Caroline is prickly and difficult. Even on my second read I couldn’t get a sense of her, but I think that’s the point.

I completely loved the setting. I went to New Orleans once about 12 years ago and this made me desperate to go back.

The different character perspectives give so much texture and I love how much of Alice comes through in Richard’s films and Max’s music and her subtle criticism of Sage’s politics and mysticism.

I would have been so surprised if Alice had let me down with book two, but this might be even better than her debut.

I can’t wait for the world to read this. Another absolute banger from Alice Slater!

Let the Bad Times Roll is an absolute page-turner—I tore through it in a day and happily would’ve read more! Alice Slater shifts gears from Death of a Bookseller but keeps that same magnetic pull. This is messier, moodier, and more sprawling, yet just as compulsively readable.

The cast is huge—six central characters across two timelines—but Slater juggles them with impressive control. Each one feels textured and alive, whether it’s Daniel, the enigmatic boy at the centre of the storm, or Selina, the psychic he meets in a humid, gorgeously rendered New Orleans. And the settings shine: from tense, wine-soaked London dinner parties to the sensory overload of Louisiana streets, every scene hums with atmosphere.

There’s a lot going on—grief, obsession, power dynamics—but Slater makes it all feel effortless. If Bookseller hooked you with voice, this one gets you with sheer momentum and emotional depth. It’s sharp, lush, and perfect for a summer binge.

Alice Slater has done it again; this is another incredibly gripping novel that I devoured in under 24 hours.

Going in, I was nervous that I wouldn’t enjoy this as much as Death of a Bookseller, which I found instantly captivating because the voice was just so strong. For a start, I didn’t think I was interested in New Orleans as a setting. There are also SO many characters to keep track of here: there’s Daniel, the mercurial missing boy at the centre of the story; his possessive sister Caroline; their downtrodden uni friend Richard; floundering Sage and her washed-up rockstar ex Max; and finally Selina, the psychic Daniel meets in New Orleans, who flits between insecure and steely – and that’s without even getting into the side characters we meet along the way.

Somehow, despite this being borderline ensemble-cast territory, Slater gives everyone enough backstory and nuance to feel like real, complicated people. It’s ambitious as hell and works beautifully. And she also paints a fantastic, persuasive portrait of her setting, coming alive with rich descriptions of food, drink and atmosphere. Both timelines – Selina’s holiday in New Orleans and the dinner party back in London, intercut with flashbacks to explain how everyone knows Daniel – are as absorbing as each other. There were so many threads I wanted to pull on.

It’s a very different animal from Death of a Bookseller, but has a similar irresistible pull – yet again, I skipped lunch to finish it. I could have read a thousand more pages about these characters. Also love that this is coming out in July, it's such a perfect summer book.

Alice Slater has a really unique ability to write characters who fascinate you in the beginning but end up being repugnant and I LOVE it! Loved the New Orleans setting, the easter-eggs and the perspectives of all the different characters which really helped to bring eachother and Daniel to life.

A well researched novel, heavy on the detail, full of wholly unlikeable characters. I felt very hungry after reading this; the culinary descriptions were delicious.

I really enjoyed this book, the story line and the setting were amazing. I felt completely immersed in New Orleans and this twisty, unpredictable and enjoyable story. Loved it xx

Alice Slater never disappoints ! I was soooo excited to read her second novel and I loved it. The atmosphere was so muggy and sticky, it made me want to travel to New Orleans. (Unlikeable) character driven story, everyone feels so real and layered and complex. I love how Alice Slater never leans into the binary. The reader is always left with questions about good and bad and the in-between, and how every human being is capable of the best and the worst. I'm not doing it justice, just read it, thank you NetGalley for the ARC 💜🐊💚

The world building was the only thing I liked about this book.
The characters were nothing but awful to each other all the time and it got boring real fast.

I thought about quitting it so many times but I pushed through which I now regret...
I really wanted to like this one and I'm sorry I didn't.

Having read Death of a bookseller by this author and loving it I was really excited to read more by this author and this book definitely didn't disappoint. I went into this one having not read much about the plot so I was happy to just let it sweep me along. The twists and turns in the story were captivating and I enjoyed the multiple perspectives to give us all sides of the story. The different personalities of all of the characters were fun and made it a slightly soap opera esque thriller with a touch of occult (tarot).

Absolutely brilliant! I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending it.

Let the Bad Times Roll by Alice Slater is a sharp, darkly funny, and emotionally resonant novel that blends biting satire with genuine heart. Slater captures the messiness of modern life with wit and insight, delivering a story that’s both entertaining and unexpectedly reflective. The voice is strong from the start—wry, honest, and refreshingly bold.

The protagonist is chaotic but compelling, navigating a series of bad decisions and worse consequences with a rawness that feels authentic. Slater balances the absurd with the emotional, giving the book a surprising amount of depth beneath the sharp humor. A few plot points meander, but the character work holds it together.

By the end, the story sticks the landing with a blend of catharsis and cleverness. Let the Bad Times Roll is a smart, edgy read with a lot to say—a solid 4-star novel for anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction with a razor-sharp bite.