2.5 Stars

half horror and half murder mystery. i guessed the twist half way in, and some of the other plot points, but the lead up to it was fun, i guess?? the writing itself i didn't have a problem with. it was easy to read, it flowed. the chapters were short enough to breeze through. the story didn't really go in a way i was expecting but that was the disappointing part.

my biggest complaint was that none of these characters were likable. like at all. and the way the women were written was high key annoying. If i had been so invested already I might have stopped.

If you're looking for a somewhat short read for spooky season, pick this one up! I enjoyed the intriguing characters, the dual timeline and the overall feeling of creepiness throughout the entire book.

I received an ARC copy of this book from netgalley. It's the perfect "spooky season" read. A short horror/thriller that I just could not put down. The book flows really well with short chapters and multiple pov. The chapters set in the past (1988) gave me a stand by me vibe. I did not see the twist coming at all. It's the first book I've read from the author Matt Hilton and I will definitely be checking out his other books. The writing style flows and has you on the edge of your seat wondering where the story could go next. A solid 4 star read.

I thought this was a solid book overall, but there were a few loose ends that I didn’t feel like were resolved. However, it was most definitely creepy, fast-paced, and an interesting read!

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

This was a fun, spooky read! I found it difficult to get into the story at first but I am glad I persevered as I enjoyed it! I liked the supernatural elements and the dual timelines of the original tragedy and the present day story. I liked that each of the men had their own chapters from their viewpoint! I was not expecting the ending and the author did a good job of hiding just enough from the reader so that it came like a punch to the stomach when all was revealed. A great, creepy read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This book is about a supernatural water witch, murders, and the secrets between friends. A group of five boys encounter another boy with a hammer near a creek in the woods. When a female schoolmate is found bludgeoned to death and her sister left in a coma, they inform the police about what they saw.

Now, as adults, one of them is found near the same location murdered under the same circumstances. And something seems to be haunting the remaining four. Is it a warning or something else?

This novel is great at keeping the biggest secret until the end and I didn't see it coming. We go back to the past and the present as their lives are horrifically changed as this creature appears to be stalking them relentlessly. They all have things kept hidden but there's one which changes everything.

Part supernatural story and part murder mystery, this book keeps you guessing and gives you the chills as this creature starts to appear to people close to the men as well. I recommend this one.

This book was good and pretty creepy! I like the paranoid feeling that you get while reading this book, and how the author evokes emotions out of their characters that you can feel while reading it. It was well written with a good pace.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book was packed full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat for the entirety. I enjoyed the way the story went between two periods of time and gave context to the adult characters in the book.