"a smart, gruesome love letter to slasher horror."
—SEAN MCDONOUGH, Author of Not Another 80s Horror Novel
THE STORY
Survival made them famous.
A deranged killer wants them dead.
Maddie Shephard learned the hard way that true crime is no laughing matter. Not when she found herself the target of a madman. Plagued by nightmares and a worsening neurological condition, she is a far cry from the flippant podcast host she used to be.
Heather Gorney was one of the first to earn the title “Final Girl.” She had money, fame and respect. But new Final Girls have emerged. Girls who want to be like her without earning it. Girls who need to be taught a lesson. Because Heather doesn’t share the spotlight.
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Nova Cabrera is a nobody. A poor Dominican girl from the inner city, a brutal assault left her broken and desperate. The legal system failed her. The media ignores her. Her suffering doesn’t matter to them. If they won’t notice, she’ll just have to make them.
Three very different woman bonded by trauma will find themselves on a collision course, not just with each other, but with a killer that has unfinished business.
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James Kaine, bestselling author of The Dead Children’s Playground brings you a brutal slasher that will only end when one survivor is declared the FINAL Final Girl.
available september 15, 2026
SPECIAL PRE-ORDER BONUS!
If you pre-order THE FINAL FINAL GIRL and email proof of purchase to james@jameskaine.com, you will get the following:
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A coupon code for $5 off a signed copy of THE FINAL FINAL GIRL! Because the pre-order is $4.99, you'll be getting TWO books for the price of ONE!
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An entry to win signed copies of THE ENTIRE JAMES KAINE LIBRARY! That's ten signed paperbacks including THE FINAL FINAL GIRL and LIVING YOUR NIGHTMARES, an exclusive short-story collection that is NOT available anywhere else! Each book comes with a custom bookmark and stickers!
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The winner will be chosen in a special drawing on September 14, 2026, the night before release! Don't miss out on the chance to own the entire collection valued at over $200!
pre-order for a good cause
And by pre-ordering you'll also be contributing to a cause that's not only worthy and important, but near and dear to my heart.
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Maddie's neurological condition mentioned in the book description is Tourette Syndrome, one of the most misrepresented and misunderstood conditions in all of media. I know from personal experience because my son James was diagnosed with Tourette's in 2020.
Writing a character with Tourette Syndrome in a slasher novel provides unique storytelling opportunities and character development. But, more than that, it gives me the chance to portray Tourette's as more than just cursing at inappropriate times. We so often see characters in movies and TV blurting out swear words, more often than not played for laughs. But what too many people don't know is that it is actually a separate condition called Coprolalia and it only affects around 20% of people with Tourette's.
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Most common are motor (shoulder twitching, jaw rolling, blinking) and vocal (clearing throat, squeaking, clicking) tics. This is what James deals with every day and every tic that Maddie has in THE FINAL FINAL GIRL is one that he has experienced at one time or another.
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James is so much more than his condition. He is the warmest, most loving child a parent can ask for. He is bright, creative and an incredibly talented actor who most recently appeared on TASK with Mark Ruffalo on HBO and starred in writer/director Joe Thayer's DEAD BIRDS which just played at the Garden State Film Festival and is up next at the Coney Island Film Festival in May. Like James, Maddie is a fully developed character whose Tourette's is part of her life, but not the only aspect of it, allowing me to show that these strong people who deal with this syndrome every day are real people and not just people who yell out funny curse words.
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With that in mind I will be personally donating $1 for every pre-order of THE FINAL FINAL GIRL up to $1,000 to the Tourette Association of America.
So by pre-ordering, not only will you be supporting me and getting my book visibility, not only will you get a coupon code for $5 off a signed copy and entry into the drawing for my entire signed library, you will be supporting a worthy cause that needs more attention.
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James, Juliana, Jessica and I thank you very much for your support!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Kaine is a bestselling author known for such works as MY PET WEREWOLF and THE DEAD CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND, a novel that BookLife by Publishers Weekly proclaimed, “will chill readers to the bone.” An active member of the Horror Writers Association, he is building a growing catalogue of terrifying tales that have been translated into multiple languages, won awards and garnered critical acclaim. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, children and Boston Terrier.
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His next novel, THE FINAL FINAL GIRL releases September 15, 2026 by Wicked House Publishing with an audio version by Simon Maverick, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
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All books ordered on this site are signed and shipped by the author.
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Personalization available upon request.
frequently asked questions
IS YOUR ACTUAL SIGNATURE ON THE BOOK?
Yes, all books are signed individually, packed and shipped personally by me. All books also come with a custom bookmark and sticker.
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CAN MY BOOK BE PERSONALIZED?
Absolutely! When you add your preferred version to the cart, there will be a field where you can request personalization. I will write almost anything provided it's not hateful or offensive. I also won't sign it "Love." (Yes, I've been asked)
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HOW FAST DO YOU SHIP?
Typically within 1-3 business days once the book is released.
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DO YOU SHIP INTERNATIONALLY?
Yes, but sadly it isn't cheap. Rates calculated at checkout based on location.
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who will be the final final girl?
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