First published 2024
The coastal town of Millhaven guards its secrets well, but some mysteries refuse to stay buried. When marine biologist Dr. Sarah Chen arrives to investigate unusual tidal patterns, she discovers the local fishing community lives in fear of the crescent-shaped inlet they call Devil's Cove. The townspeople speak in whispers about boats that vanish on calm nights and strange lights beneath the water. Sarah's scientific skepticism wavers as her equipment registers impossible readings from the cove's depths. Her research partner vanishes during a night dive, leaving behind only cryptic notes about something ancient stirring in the underwater caverns. As Sarah digs deeper, she uncovers a conspiracy spanning generations, where town elders have made terrible bargains to keep an primordial force dormant. Now the delicate balance is breaking down, and Sarah must choose between her rational worldview and accepting a reality where some things are better left undisturbed. The cove is waking up, and it remembers every promise made in its name.
Genres: science-fiction, mystery, horror, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: ancient-evil, cover-up, scientific-skepticism
Setting: Devil's Cove, Millhaven
Period: modern
320 pages · Paperback · Hodderscape
Content warnings: body-horror, death, violence