#DeadEndTours: Oakton University – Robin’s Review

#DeadEndTours: Oakton University

The doors of Oakton University were closed after things went wrong with an illicit experiment into sleep deprivation. Participants died. Unnatural forces were summoned. And the world came dangerously close to facing an inevitable Armageddon.

But that was a year ago and, tonight, Billy and Tina are leading tours around the abandoned university site, oblivious to the fact that their actions could release a timeless cosmic horror upon the world.

Robin’s Review

Triggers: Cosmic horror, death, psychological distress, experimentation themes

What Did I Just Walk Into?

An abandoned university, a sleep deprivation experiment gone catastrophically wrong, and tour guides accidentally poking a cosmic horror that absolutely did not need poking.

Here’s What Slapped:

Mr. Lister never ceases to amaze me, and this final entry in the #DeadEndTours series feels like the perfect escalation of everything that came before it. The premise alone is fantastic. A closed university haunted by the consequences of a failed experiment is already unsettling, but adding unsuspecting tour guides into the mix makes the tension immediate and deliciously uncomfortable.

Billy and Tina work incredibly well as characters because they feel like normal people caught in something way beyond their understanding. That contrast between ordinary human curiosity and incomprehensible horror is where the story really shines. You want them to stop exploring. You know they will not stop exploring.

The cosmic horror elements are especially strong here. There is a creeping sense of inevitability throughout the story, like something ancient is waiting patiently for the right mistake. The atmosphere builds slowly but relentlessly, layering dread instead of relying on shock alone.

One of the best things about this series has always been the blend of humor and horror, and this installment continues that balance beautifully. The dialogue feels natural, the characters are likable, and the horror lands harder because you actually care what happens to them.

The abandoned university setting is perfect. Empty lecture halls, silent corridors, and forgotten research spaces create the kind of environment where anything feels possible and nothing feels safe.

As a series finale, this book delivers both story and scale. The stakes feel larger, the horror feels deeper, and the payoff is satisfying without losing the unsettling tone that defines the series.

What Could’ve Been Better:

The only real complaint is reaching the end of the #DeadEndTours series. Ending a good horror series always feels a little like closing a door you were not ready to shut.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:

Cosmic horror

Abandoned locations horror

Slow-building dread

Character-driven horror

Series finales that stick the landing

Sum-Up:

A creepy, cosmic, and satisfying finale that proves curiosity is still humanity’s most dangerous trait. A perfect ending to a wonderfully unsettling series.

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

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