The book is well written, has grief, creepy settings, pacing was well done. I did enjoy the timelines on this book but it did feel a it slow at times. Please check the content warning the grief is deep.


Thank you NetGalley for the Ebook

"I’ve heard men mutter words of epiphany under their last breath, messages from the other world." -Lucas

"Seek out the dead, seek out their souls, and learn the curse of eternal life and eternal ache." -The Well

"I’d rather my own child die than be responsible for the death of another." -Sharon

"The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown." -Kai

To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews is a darkly immersive occult horror that weaves a story of mythology, tradition, legends and horror into two haunting timelines, resulting in a beautifully crafted, 209 page bundle of devastating beauty. Matthews demonstrates talented storytelling by blending events of emotional sacrifice around the eerie, myth-soaked Torch Lake.

The historical timeline follows a civil war medic and veteran, known for performing brutal but often lifesaving amputations. His perspective is grim, raw and soaked in blood. As he fights to defend his actions, his reality alters until he feels God-like for the choices he’s made on others and their lives or deaths. In contrast, the present day story follows a woman who loves so deeply she promises to give up something she doesn’t yet possess. This act of selflessness becomes far more chilling and pivotal as the novel progresses, and never far from the creeping dread that lives beneath Torch Lake’s surface. The lake and The Well of promises connect these characters between the two timelines until they intersect with a deafening clash, two sets of parents metaphorically fighting to keep their heads above water and reunite with or free their respective children.

Matthews breathes life into Torch lake with the lore until it becomes an entity of its own. As the past and present twist together, the story explodes into an unforgettable climax that is both devastating and satisfying. The horror elements weren’t as terrifying in written form, but I can see this being an epic horror movie. The ending was perfection embodied and the thought provoking story lingers well after the last page.

What would you sacrifice to save your child? Their soul?

Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked Run Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and written by me. The reviews will be submitted to goodreads, amazon, instagram, b&n, kobo or anywhere else I can find.

I really enjoyed To Those Willing to Drown, by Mark Matthews. Matthews has a gift for character development and building tension, and both are on display in this dark, disturbing, and ultimately satisfying novel
There are multiple timelines here, with two families, one past, one present, but both connected by the lake that whispers at night to a grieving mom to spread the ashes of her daughter over its waters, waters that have already collected far too many children.
And why does the dark, mysterious pastor beg her to keep the ashes? And what of the arrangement he offers her?
Matthews skillfully creates atmosphere and tension that are palpable in this family saga surrounding Torch Lake, and the horrors buried deep in its dark waters.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves their horror with atmosphere, grief, and some religious fanaticism on the side.

A cautionary tale that truly scares me! This was so well done. The lady in the well, seeking children, poisoning the lake beyond. I ate this up!

I am a big lover of horror that pulls on the heart of a parent. What better emotional connection to blindly protect, no matter the cost? When faced with the death of your child, how far would you go to keep them safe? How far would you go beyond their death to be with them again? This was both visceral supernatural and psychological horror. I am scared of what could be lurking under the dark surface of the water and the whole vibe of this book played on that so intensely.

I enjoyed the timelines of this book and how well they played off of each other. There is more than one evil to contend with for these characters and you feel their desperation and their fear. I cannot recommend this more.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mark Matthews for this free copy of "To Those Willing to Drown."

Now I'll be afraid to go in the water for fear of lake monsters. And always believe the local legends - there's usually an element of truth in them.

This haunting story imagines what could happen if you could promise anything to save a loved one. What would you be willing to sacrifice?

And what if there was a well near your home that whispered promises to you while your heart is aching? What could you be driven to do?

Author Matthews compellingly uses the beauty and purity of Torch Lake to contrast the grief and despair of the characters.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
With a very interesting and eerie first chapters, and the enduring sensation of something lurking beneath the surface, To those Willing to Drown is a novel that talks, not so much about literal monsters, but about trauma. The introduction about the real lake the story is based on is the perfect way of introducing the reader into the past-present jumps in time and the mythos surrounding the place. Sadly, something did not entirely resonate with me throughout the book and I feel like something is missing, but taking into account other reviews, I think this is more a ‘me’ problem. So I recommend you to take a look and decide for yourself.

This book was a very tragic and atmospheric journey through death, grief, and emotional turmoil. The incredible scenes as well as characters are all very layered and filled with emotion. Mark Matthews wrote one hell of an incredible book!

The imagery in this novel was bleak and devastating in the best way. I loved the juxtaposition of past and present and everything being connected to the same lake.
I also loved the foreword from the author about the myths around the lake, too, as this added extra depth to the story.

Such an atmospheric interesting read that grabs you from the beginning! Truly unique and storytelling here feels alive! I really enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for early arc of this book!

📣 Review 📣

To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews

Thoughts:

"The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown."

Beautiful and gruesome all wrapped in a story of folklaw; pulling together the author's knowledge and research into the stories, customs, and traditions of Torch Lake located in Northan Michigan.

The story follows two families, and although one of the past and one of present, both have struck deals with an entity of a well that must be repayed. And there is no way of getting out of it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the author's way of telling this story. It is presented as three parts in which a reader can invest in the characters and their backstories.

The author builds tension well, and there are some macabre scenes. Though I would add that the horror isn't mindless. It's part of the story and well within the characters' storyline and their descent into a desperate madness.
There was a scene in which you believe, or a want to believe, that a certain character will be saved and, just like the character, you hope someone is going to intervene but the horror continues. And the act is completed.

The characters themselves are well developed, and their thoughts and interactions flowed well, moving the story forward.
I liked the writers observations and found myself highlighting them as I read on my Kindle to reread after the chapter was complete. Often thought-provoking at times

To Those Willing to Drown is essentially a bold horror novel and a very entertaining one at that, but I also feel that there is a sensitivity to the writing as it bravely explores grief; thoughts around death and the afterlife.
I would caution those with a sensitivity to the loss of children to check before reading, as it does deal with a child dying and the exploration of what happens to souls.

The ending, however, was beautiful and leaves a sense of hope. It's probably one of the most satisfying endings I've read in a little while.

This slow paced story builds up the myth and folklore of Michigan's Torch Lake. There are stories of historical natives seen with their beliefs and traditions on the lake, a civil war surgeon who lives near the lake, and modern day people as well. There are monsters and nefarious things in the lake.

To Those Willing to Drown was an absolute wild read. The story kept me captivated with it's horror concepts of psychological abuse, addiction and what felt like a true folklore type story. The pacing was good and there was so much going on with all the characters. I am from Michigan and have seen Torch Lake so I loved the setting, the little history tidbits we got as readers and the mention of the Native people that used to thrive off the beautiful lake. I wanted more details about the lake monsters and to know more about their history but they were still fascinating. This story was gory and gritty at times but it was wholly unique and the horror fit the story well. I loved that the author wove real life horrors with the supernatural ones and I think readers are going to eat this story up!

This was a very interesting read that did keep my attention. I didn't know what to expect or where it was going to take me. I do wish there was more information about the lake creatures. I wanted to know how it all began and why that lake was chosen. I enjoyed the pace of the story and the way the characters responded to different situations did seem realistic. Towards the end when the name changes from Sharon to "Charon" it threw me off. I wasn't sure if that was a typo or if it was supposed to occur. I would recommend this book to friends to read.

To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews is a harrowing and deeply psychological horror novel that explores trauma, addiction, and survival through a dark and unsettling lens. Matthews’ writing is raw and immersive, pulling readers into the characters’ emotional turmoil with stark, unflinching prose. The horror is both psychological and visceral, making for an intense reading experience. However, the novel’s relentless bleakness and heavy themes may be overwhelming for some, and the pacing can feel uneven at times. While it delivers powerful and haunting imagery, it’s best suited for readers who appreciate emotionally intense, character-driven horror.

(testing) —From the March 2025 edition of The Midwest Book Review—

To Those Willing to Drown is a Torch Lake Souls literary horror novel that is highly recommended for readers of deep horror that revolves around physical and psychological quandaries rooted in pain. Sensitive readers usually don't pursue the horror genre for just these reasons—but avoidance would translate to missing out big time, because Mark Matthews creates a powerfully thought-provoking, multifaceted story that proves nearly impossible to put down.

Matthews remains wickedly adept at grabbing readers, hurting readers, and practically daring them to continue—rewarding those who do.

There's a playful choreography to this grim story. Truly unique. Like the lake itself, the storytelling here feels alive. Matthews unassumingly dances readers along that precariously thin line separating humanity's best and worst. Even with a pretty good idea of which direction Matthews will shove you eventually, you'll catch yourself smiling right before he tosses you into the next unimaginable horror.

To say anything more would spoil the dance, save this: I won't be putting myself near any wells anytime soon.

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏.”

This was an eerie and tragic, yet hauntingly beautiful folk horror steeped in supernatural and mythological elements.

Told from multiple pov’s with multiple interwoven timelines, books like this can sometimes be complicated to follow, however each character is so distinct, it made it much easier to understand as we flicked back and forth.

The themes in this book are dark, with child loss and grief holding a big place in the storyline, but it was written well and handled with care. There was a lot of potential for this to be longer - that being said I feel like the pacing was well done and for quite a short book, it didn’t feel rushed. That ending, however, has me on the edge…..

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.