A Novel of Appalachian Horror

From David A. Lambert, the author of Rangatang, comes a chilling tale of forgotten rituals, buried secrets, and the thin veil between worlds-one that was never meant to be disturbed.

Black Hollow, West Virginia, is a place of old traditions and whispered warnings. For generations, the people of the hollow have kept the rituals alive, gathering for their sacred suppers, honoring the unspoken rules, and never-never-setting foot near the standing stones above Cane Creek. The ancient monoliths, carved with symbols no one dares to read, are more than relics of the past. They are a seal. A barrier. A warning.

Sixteen-year-old Rowan MacKenzie grew up hearing the stories, but she never thought much of them-until now. When she and her best friends, Eli Blackwood and Jesse Harlan, wander too close to the forbidden site, something shifts. The air grows heavy, the ground seems to pulse beneath their feet, and strange visions creep into their dreams. The hollow holds its breath.

Something on the other side is stirring.

Long ago, something was sealed beyond the veil-a force so dangerous the town's ancestors risked everything to banish it. But seals weaken, and rituals fade, and as Rowan begins to uncover the truth, she realizes the past is clawing its way back. The symbols carved into the stones weren't just warnings. They were locks. And they're starting to come undone.

As Rowan, Eli, and Jesse race to understand what they've awakened, the hollow begins to change around them. Time bends. Shadows stretch where they shouldn't. The whispers turn into voices. And with each passing night, the thing that waits beyond Cane Creek presses harder against the thinning veil, desperate to break through.

By the time they understand the true cost of what's been forgotten, it may already be too late.

For fans of The Only Good Indians and The Ritual, Cane Creek delivers an unforgettable Appalachian horror experience, where folklore is more than myth, tradition is more than ritual, and the past never stays buried for long.