Coffin Moon is the kind of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go—even after you’ve finished it. Set in the gritty winter of 1975, it follows Duane Minor, a Vietnam vet trying to hold his life together in Portland. He’s got the nightmares, the anger, the drinking—all the scars of war that won’t fade. But things get even harder when his niece, Julia, comes to live with him and his wife, Heidi. Slowly, they start to feel like a real family… until everything goes to hell.

Enter John Varley—a monster in every sense of the word. A criminal, a killer, and something… unnatural. When Duane crosses him, Varley destroys everything they’ve built, leaving Duane shattered and Julia burning with rage. What follows is a revenge story like no other, taking them from the dark streets of Portland to the frozen wastelands of North Dakota. Along the way, they meet immortal children, silver bullet slingers, and other lost souls drawn to Varley’s darkness.

This book is so much more than just a vampire thriller. Yeah, there’s blood—lots of it—and moments so intense you’ll flinch. But at its core, it’s about grief, trauma, and what happens when revenge takes over your life. Duane is one of those characters you ache for—broken but trying, flawed but so damn human. Julia’s transformation from a grieving kid to a force of vengeance is just as gripping. Together, they make you feel every punch, every loss, every desperate choice.

The writing is razor-sharp, pulling you in from the first page. There’s a scene in a children’s museum that’s straight out of a nightmare—the kind that sticks with you. And even the smallest characters get moments that hit hard, like a perfect line tossed into a dirty bathroom floor. It’s the kind of detail that makes the world feel real, even when things get wild.

Keith Rosson doesn’t just write horror—he writes people. You’ll love them, yell at them, and miss them when the book’s over. The pacing is flawless, balancing brutal action with quiet, gut-wrenching moments. And the ending? No spoilers, but it’s the kind that lingers, making you stare at the last page like, Damn.

If you’re into Stephen King, Joe Hill, or stories that mix horror with heart, this is your next obsession. Coffin Moon isn’t just scary—it’s sad, beautiful, and impossible to forget. One of the best books I’ve read this year, hands down. Five stars, a million stars, whatever—just read it.

Despite having read the blurb before requesting the book, I did not expect most of the plot points in this book.
Suffering from PTSD, we have Duane, who is a Vietnam veteran.
Enter vampire.
A personal tragedy and the quest of taking revenge - enter a wild story world with broken characters, supernatural.
Horror-thriller with a unique angle and several interesting layers and themes.
I liked Duane, Heidi and Julia as well as some of my least expected side characters.
Rosson’s writing is great too.
4.5 stars.

I devoured this book.

It’s truly exceptional, and I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone I know.

From the very first page, the writing had its fangs in me. It’s been a long time since I’ve been so completely immersed in another world.

The characters are incredibly compelling—ones you can’t help but root for. And the villain? You’ll find yourself wanting to know everything about them. (A John Varley spinoff? I’d be first in line to buy it)

The pacing is perfect—fast enough to keep you rotting on the edge of your seat, yet thoughtful enough to leave a lasting impact.

Packed with blood and gore, there were a few moments where I literally squinted and grimaced. But beyond the intense moments, the book’s sweeping narrative delves into a wide spectrum of trauma and grief. It explores how people navigate the world after being irreparably changed, and that’s what will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

I’m hoping for a sequel!

In Coffin Moon, set in the winter of 1975, Duane Minor returns home to Portland, Oregon, after serving in Vietnam. Struggling with anger, guilt, and the haunting memories of war, Duane is also grappling with the tension of keeping his young marriage intact and his drinking under control. His life becomes more complicated when his thirteen-year-old niece, Julia, is sent to live with him and his wife, Heidi. Despite the strain, Duane, Heidi, and Julia begin to form a fragile family, with Heidi’s love and patience guiding them through.

But Duane’s life takes a dark turn when he crosses paths with John Varley, a dangerous criminal with a bloody past and an unnatural power—he sleeps beneath the earth by day and grows deadly teeth by night. In a brutal act of vengeance, Varley kills Heidi, leaving Duane devastated and Julia consumed by rage. With only revenge to unite them, Duane and Julia embark on a perilous journey to track down Varley, moving from the gritty streets of Portland to the desolate highways of North Dakota, encountering undead children, silver bullet casters, and other men drawn to Varley’s terrifying power.

Keith Rosson’s gripping book is more than a supernatural thriller about vampires—it is an exploration of family, revenge, grief, and the devastating effects of vengeance. Duane is a character you cannot help but root for—one of the most sympathetic figures in recent memory. His emotional journey, paired with Julia’s transformation from a grieving niece to a relentless seeker of justice, makes Coffin Moon a powerful, heart-wrenching read.

Rosson’s storytelling is masterful, keeping readers on edge with suspense and delivering a truly satisfying payoff. Coffin Moon is a perfect mix of horror, drama, and emotional depth, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page is turned.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I loved the premise of this, but unfortunately it was a DNF for me. The writing is excellent but it's just too gritty and raw for my mood right now (mostly due to the world being as it is!). I've no doubt it'll find its audience, as the setup seemed great - like a more vengeful 'Near Dark' - and I'll likely return to it in future. Will update a public review if I do and finish. Many thanks and apologies.

After a series of life changing events, Duane and Heidi seek their revenge in this vampire horror story.

The pace was good, and the story was well thought out.

Set in the 70s following(during?) the Vietnam war, a string of disappearances and murders might be more connected than originally thought.

How far would you go for vengeance?

SYNOPSIS:

Set (mostly) in 1970s Portland, Coffin Moon follows barkeep Duane Minor, a Vietnam vet struggling with PTSD nightmares.

Those nightmares bleed into his days when a gang of bikers force their way into his establishment, led by a hulking vampire named John Varley.

Worse, Duane has an adopted teenage niece to care for, and Varley’s more brutal than your average bloodsucker…

RELEASE DATE: September 9, 2025 (but you can pre-order now)

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

REVIEW:

This one will pull your heart from your chest, play your arteries like a harp, then tear out your throat too, just for the fun of it.

What I’m saying is: Coffin Moon is good. Really, really good. Amazing, in fact.

It’s Stephen King at his best good. It has Uncle Stevie’s sense of place, his emotional intelligence, and - most of all - his villainous brilliance at immersing his readers in simple, straightforward, abject terror.

Example: There’s a sequence in here, in a Children’s Museum, that feels like one of those ‘70s paperback covers come to life. You know the ones. The scary ones.

There’s another moment, where a very minor character, a one-scene character, is handed one of the best metaphors in the book, on a dirty bathroom floor. Utterly meaningless in the grand scheme of the plot, beautiful for no reason.

You will live with these characters, you will love them, you will scream at them to make different choices. You’ll experience a profound sense of sadness when you reach the back cover, and you’ll press your hand against it, because that’s what you do when you want to remember something.

I give Coffin Moon a universe of stars. [five, if you’re being pedantic]