Dead Water: A novel of folk horror
£3.80
AND THE WATER SHALL CALL THEM HOME
A water-borne blight hits a small community on a remote Scottish island. The residents are a mix of island-born and newcomers seeking a slower life away from the modern world; all have their own secrets, some much darker than others. Some claim the illness may be a case of mass hysteria – or even a long-buried curse – but when ferry service fails and phone towers go down, inconvenience grows into nightmarish ordeal as the outwardly harmonious fabric of the community is irreversibly torn apart.
Dead Water is an atmospheric, suspenseful tale of folk horror and isolation within a small island community, from the author of A Boy and his Dog at the End of the World – perfect for fans of Midnight Mass and Pine.
‘Meticulously plotted . . . thoroughly satisfying’ Publishers Weekly
‘A deep cold dive into horror to leave you breathless’ Daily Mail
‘Terrific; a tense and creepy thriller with an atmosphere thick with sea salt and dread’ SFX
Read more
Additional information
| Publisher | Orbit (19 July 2022) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 1724 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Not Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 513 pages |
by ElizaBGoode
I bought the book expecting folk horror – weirdy stuff with a bit of yuck thrown in; but this is probably better categorised as horror as the yuck far outweighs the weird. Having said that, this is a jolly good read for spooky season and it had me gripped in a way that horror stories usually fail to do.
by C. Jellie
I really like CA Fletcher, this book definitely will not disappoint and has an edgy horror theme to a brilliantly descriptive plot. I read this quickly as I became invested in the characters. Brilliant stuff!
by Kris O’D
I almost DNF’d this book at multiple points in the first half. Previous critisisms about the characters being largely unlikable were also quite true for me at this point, and the book us to this point waa basically just establishing said set of flawed characters.
But it was near halloween and I wanted to read a horror novel, which should be said isnt my usual go-to, and the promise of the mystery curse kept me reading.
The latter half of the book was much better though, with the characters well established, and most of the most annoying ones killed off. So why 3 stars?
The ending seemed rushed and unsatisfying. It left a lot entirely unexplained and introduced new elements seemingly just to close the plot. I dont need a perfectly explained book to be able to enjoy the story, but this was just a little too full of holes for me to feel satisfied after reading.
However, the 3rd quarter of the book was really quite good, dripping in atmosphere and tension. If you ARE a fan of the genre, or a more forgiving reader, I would reccomend you give this a go. For everyone else, maybe give it a pass.
An edit to include some more unstructured thoughts:
Im biased towards the setting, a scottish island. I love it.
The prose is not fantastic. I feel like some of the action scenes are particukarly hard to follow, and there is an overuse of the word ‘squall’ for example.
However, the flashback/prequel chapters at the start of each part of the book were great. I would read a whole book based on that story.
And when the author is in his prime, the story reads great.
I looked up the other book by this author and it seems to be much better recieved, so I will be reading more from him.
by M. King
An ancient curse hits a remote Scottish island and death and disaster hit.
Decent characters and a nice twist that, right from the off, the forces of evil don’t have it all their own way what with a pair of pesky ravens sticking their do-gooder beaks in.
Cracking yarn.
by kizzy
The whole book was riveting, spooky,funny,a damn good read.
by Carmilla
Dead Water balances the strengths and weaknesses of its main characters to great effect, isolating them on a cursed island to battle resentments, guilt and ancient evil. The novel starts slow with a creeping sense of unease. Sig’s burden of loss and guilt has curdled her wild spirit and darkened her activities. The risk taking, which once made her feel alive, has become a game of Russian Roulette as she flirts with death.
The third-person omniscient narration is handled well, and the reader doesn’t feel the usual sense of vertigo as we shift between heads: human, dog, raven and other.
When the curse grips the island’s population, the book’s climax feels like drowning – lungs burn, limbs weaken, and hope dwindles. The survivors (or last ones standing) include two physically disabled women, two recovering addicts, and a terrified hospitality worker. They need to find somewhere safe to catch their breath but find it difficult to trust the voice that tells them to deliver the curse to their pursuers then go to the boat.
This is a brilliant supernatural horror filled with fascinating characters.
by Mr V
Loved this. Great location, interesting characters, thoughtful storyline. Well worth anyone’s time.
by Marguerite
A masterclass in deep point of view tellings of a tale, filled with suspense until the end. The main protagonist, Sig, is no longer comfortable in this world, trying to deal with bereavement. Her risk-taking endeavours are a way she can reconcile the guilt she feels.
The setting is a remote Scottish isle, and, like all good stories of this type, becomes a character in its own right.
We are introduced to several of the isle’s inhabitants and visitors. We are privy to these individuals’ circumstances, feelings and opinions from their own standpoint and language, a trick managed so well in the third person by C A Fletcher.
I was hanging on to every word until the end: again, so well delivered.