As far as trends go in the Bookish World, we are continuing to see a BOOM in Appalachian Horror. I love it, and no matter what, it really does bring back memories of my Appalachian childhood which was pretty much 98% horror free. (Unless you count "Bible Release" where we were all dropped off at the Brethren Church on Wednesday afternoon to learn Bible Verses while technically at "school" - this of course seemed pretty normal to all of us and I found out later my parents decided it to allow it so we wouldn't be ostracized by the rest of the kids going.) Despite being essentially horror-free, those woods that we played in and constructed our own little kingdoms in, always had an alive feeling that I haven't duplicated anywhere else.
So when I saw Hollow Folk up on the net-galley's I kind of went wild for the cover.
Ok, Ok So... what about the book? you say...
This book was an excellent mash up of history, mystical/magical elements and horror. There's body horror, historic horror, insect horror and the horror of surviving in current day America, all rolled into a story that felt a bit like a fever dream. I see it's being marketed as a romance, and it does sort of have a HEA of sorts, but I'm not sure this is one that the average romantasy reader is going to enjoy. OK - To be FAIR- I think they would enjoy it, but they would find it doesn't fall into the classic romantic tropes of "who did this to you" or "only one bed".
No Spoilers- because they are the worst.
Ethan works the night shift at a fairly fancy hotel in the mountains. The kind that business people and people on expensive vacations might choose, not the Super 8 or Best Western. This is a classy joint, it's not the Biltmore, but...it seems to have aspired to the Biltmore standards.
He likes it because he doesn't have to deal with a lot of people, and he can get some grad school reading done if he finishes his work early. He's sitting outside one hot August night and notes that while the wind seems to be kicking up- everything around him is still- the flag, the trees. There's no animals scuttling around, no bats or night birds. He shrugs it off, after mentioning it to night security guy, Kal.
Unusual things start to happen. Time slows. Teresa, another hotel worker shows up unexpectedly to do laundry, and from there, the three must band together to uncover just what is going on at the Holloway Resort. As the three explore the hotel and surrounding area they encounter sins of the past, the marred history of the hotel's creation, and a deeper botanical horror that surrounds the area. They all have reasons to want time to return to normal, but can they fix this? To do so they must explore the mysteries of the Holloway, the mysteries held within themselves, and the mysteries of the old earth, trees and nature of this area.
This is more than just a haunted hotel. It's more than a historic horror. It's more than just botanic/body horror. Put together Clark has managed to really capture the essence of modern Appalachia drawing in the historic and natural events which come together to create this long terrifying night at the hotel.
If there is a weakness to this novel, I think it was maybe not tied up exactly as well as I would have liked. The ending is solid, but being a very fact based person, I really wanted to know just a bit more about how Teresa exists, her ties to the earth and insect life, and I really wanted to meet Kal's new bride!
That said, this is sure to please any horror fan, any fan of folklore novels, and those just looking for a scary story for the season.
One last thing, Mr. Clark, I'd love to know if you based the title on the 1933 study by Sherman and Henry by the same name?
First Published: September 2026
Pages: 274
Available as an Audio Book : No
Trigger Warnings: violence, ghosts, sexual content, insects, animal gore, religion
(this is not a full list, read responsibly)
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