I was immediately drawn to this book due to the mystery outlined in the summary, but I stayed because of the sheer terror Daniel Church made me feel with his writing!!

The Hollows is a novel that has a little something for everybody. Whether you love horror, mysteries, creature features, hidden histories, or epic adventures, The Hollows has it all in spades. This book despite being almost 500 pages flew by as I couldn't stop turning the pages. One aspect that I think made this book fly by was constant changing perspectives. There are a multitude of characters in this small town in the Peak District and as a reader you get a taste of each one as they face truly their darkest nights.

The ending of this story went in a unique and creative direction that I truly did not see coming. Blending mythology and religion, you won't see how this story resolves, but you'll love the journey of some resilient main characters. Just remember not everyone will make it through to the end!!

I really enjoyed this story and although I truly believe this book is a great fantasy adventure in addition to horror, Daniel Church's graphic descriptions are sure to thrill any horror reader. Check it out!




Thank you NetGalley for the complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gave The Hollows a chance as I was searching for a read to get my ready for Halloween and the Winter. This book the first “monster” book that I read that allowed me to feel engulfed in the setting, characters and plot that Church created. I found that I was becoming more and more curious as to what was going to happen next. The thing that I found difficult with this book was that it was extremely long and some parts were extremely slow. There were times when a subplot took pages, and pages, and pages… to get through the event that was happening. While it was interesting to see Church’s novel be simultaneously written through different events/characters at the same time, it was extremely enduring at times. Overall, this was a fun read and definitely gets you in the mood to cozy up with this book and a warm drink.

This has an interesting, creepy, start; a dead man is found, but, holding a knife and it appears someone was watching him…. Unfortunately, for me, it then meanders along like a slow moving police procedural rather than the creepy thriller I was anticipating.

I’m sorry Angry Robot and Daniel Church, but, not a book for me. I struggled to finish it.

Well, this was certainly different, it was a mix of thriller and horror, and was quite hard to predict. I enjoyed reading it, although I think it could have been shorter, but not a major problem, and it was entertaining. Good book.

First off a massive shout out to Angry Robot and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this by allowing me a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All I have to say is - Absolutely epic.

So I don’t read much Horror in general but this was a perfect mash up of mystery, thriller and horror that just sucks you in. I love the folklore side of the storyline and it constantly keeps you guessing.

I love the characters of Ellie and Milly. Strong female leading characters and I love how the viewpoint changes in the story between them at times. I love that a male author has managed to capture such strong female characters. And to be honest the whole cast of characters has you rooting for them from the beginning.

It’s a constant wild ride of twists and turns and I would definitely read more of a similar genre in future. Only reasons I didn’t give this 5 stars is that I found in some places it’s a bit too repetitive, and could have been shortened slightly - but this didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the read just my opinion.

Perfect for if you want to read something that’s not the usual and I’ve found this a perfect autumn read (even if I feel like I want to sleep with the lights on tonight!)

Solid 4 and a half stars and I’ll be looking for more by this author in the future.

I like horror, but I’m definitely not a horror purist or junkie. I enjoyed Church’s use of folklore to create a grounded horror story; this was probably my favorite portion of the book, and the scenes where folklore and religion drives the action are by far the strongest. Yet Church also gives our heroes a human element to work against; this is a clever way to give the story additional characterization and depth. I appreciate when there’s not just a monster to fight, but man as well. And setting the story in a remote town prevents the settings from getting too broad (and it helps that scenes indoors are quite memorable, so homes definitely don’t blend together). This is a very grounded story, even with its larger themes. The book is a bit slow to start, but the pacing needs time for the mystery and tension to build. My major critique is that occasionally characterization feels flat or perhaps a bit obvious. I often didn’t find myself surprised by characters, and suddenly-relevant information is introduced within the scene in which its put to use. However, I think that may be subjective; I’ve encountered quite a few readers who don’t like character background to be treated like Easter eggs you have to remember a hundred pages later.

All in all, The Hollows is a well-plotted horror story that fans of folklore and campfire tales might enjoy picking up this fall. Read it when there’s frost, or maybe even a snowstorm.

I loved The Hollows, it has been ages since I’ve read a ‘creature feature’ type book and this one delivered. I got attached to the main characters and felt real anxiety as they tried to survive. The creatures were extremely creepy and I very much hope to see them realised in a film at some point.

The Hollows gave me one more reason to dislike the cold and snow, yet It was such a fun ride it feels worth it.

A small community in a remote location, further isolated by a snowstorm, dark roads, howling wind, and nothing to see but falling, swirling snow. This story began as crime fiction but soon transitioned into an action filled version of supernatural, folk horror made even more intense due to the relentless storm cutting the village off from escape. Darkness became one more enemy with the longest night of the year fast approaching. The claustrophobia and dread quickly ramped up to anxiety inducing levels.

The characters were well done, fully fleshed out, and with motivations and behavior that made sense for each character. Ellie was a strong, likeable female protagonist who I quickly came to care about and root for. The Harper clan was the stuff of nightmares and served as evidence that monsters can be human as well as inhuman.

The Hollows was one of the most intense folk horror tales I've ever read and will be a new addition to my winter horror shelf. It would be the perfect read for a cold, dark, winter evening, preferably with a flashlight on hand.

Thanks to Netgalley and Angry Robot Books for providing me a copy to read and review

A frozen body is discovered and absolute chaos follows. And by chaos, I mean, your nightmares coming to life. The setting was unique and added a chilling atmosphere. Literally.

Monsters and mayhem are so expertly executed in this entertaining tale. The suspense is never ending. There were, however, a few things that were too farfetched for my liking. They pulled me from the story for sure.

Well holy hell- this was a fun read! I’m a sucker for folk horror, creature features, and apocalypse vibes and this delivered all three of those.

This book starts with the discovery of a frozen body and swiftly delves into chaos as things go bump in the night. While this story is told primarily through our protagonist Ellie’s POV, we do experience other POVs as well. This is done REALLY well and I was impressed with how individual each POV felt. I never felt like it was the same POV with a different name slapped onto it.

While our snowy village is under siege from nameless creatures, the town also must deal with conflict from the Harper clan- a family full of criminals and the only villagers who know what these things are.

The Harper’s are a dangerous and violent bunch, with the exception of the youngest sibling Jess and her son. I was rooting for Jess the whole way through!

I think my one major complaint is that people don’t necessarily always stay dead in this book and while it sometimes is a good thing (and sometimes isn’t) it was used just one time too many for my tastes! It detracts from the story for me.

Overall- I really enjoyed this book.

This was definitely Midsommar and The Witch meets The Thing... I was totally creeped out and couldn't read this at night. It's that good!

Folk horror set in The Peak District in the UK. What starts out feeling like a crime thriller builds into more of a creature-feature horror as an unprecedented snow storm isolates the little village and oddities abound in the bleak white. Entertaining, if a little drawn out.

DNF at 20%


While I would like to continue this book a bit to get some answers, I’m just having a hard time getting in to reading this.

I can say that creature horrors are not for me, I loved the aspects of isolation and wintery atmosphere with the approaching darkness of evening, and I love folk horror. But as soon as creatures arrive on the scene I tend to switch off,

One of the characters Liz Harper’s POV is difficult to read, in terms of how she views certain family members and I also found her POV repetitive.

Seeing as I did not care for the characters, I am finding it hard to keep with the book to find out some answers. I wish all the “creatures” would get them!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

2 stars--it was OK. This book starts as a crime thriller, turns into folk horror, and finally changes again to cosmic horror. It's a fun (and unusual) mix. However, I found my attention wandering a bit, and thought it was perhaps overlong

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

I requested this ARC on Netgalley and would like to thank them for their acceptance, it was done on the back of Tim Lebbon’s recommendation on Twitter. I really enjoyed this book. I had recently done a course on Folk horror with Alex Davis and this was on my mind as I read this novel. The setting was great and the creeping sense of dread was handled well. I didn’t want to put this down, buy really enjoyed picking it back up again.

It builds to a crescendo and I was firmly on side with the main characters. I would heartily recommend this to anyone who likes a good story, a good creeping horror and folk horror. 4/5 stars from me.

Read this book during the day, when the sun is shining and there’s nary a cloud in the sky. Do not, I repeat, do not read this book late at night during a rain storm, like I did. You won’t want to turn off the lights!

I love folklore and THE HOLLOWS was packed with it. The vivid writing brought each scene alive, especially when the village’s foes were choosing their next victim. I could hear the sound of snow crunching beneath boots, glass shattering, and all the other horrible things that transpire throughout the chapters.

There are a bunch of strong and complex female characters, including the MC and one of the villains. Women are definitely running the show in this one. No complaints from me there :)

If you like folklore, strong female leads, things that go bump in the night, horror and a bit of gore, then you will love this book!

I received a free e-ARC of this book via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This story was so well done! The characters are vibrant and feel real. The writing is great but simplistic in its delivery. There’s just something about UK based horror that adds a layer to the story.
As a fan of both creature features and cosmic horror, this book felt like the best and most perfect of mixtures. Eldritch terrors? Check. Blood and violence? Check. Monsters that will wear your skin as a cloak? Sign me up immediately.
This was equal parts creepy, alarming and enthralling. I truly enjoyed it!

So I will say that Thrillers aren't usually my go to genre. I like one every now and then, but really, it's not my preferred read, so please take my review with a grain of salt. But I figured I'd be all over this one, since Angry Robot usually publishes a very enjoyable kind of weird.

I liked the small town eery feeling. I liked the cold wintery setting. I liked the characters interactions with each other, the history they shared for growing up in a small town. I liked the folklore that only a small town in England can have. The set-up was great. It was just repetitve. I wanted more spoopy folklore. Do I think it's a great read? Yes, the answer is yes. But I feel like it could have been less repetitive in parts and maybe paired down in some. Otherwise, 100% gave me the chilly willies and yeah, it's a good read.

[Blurb goes here]

Ellie Cheetham is a constable in a small town, she gets a call. A young couple has found a body. What's unusual about this, is that the death man froze to death, with his knife in hand, as if trying to protect himself from some assailant, although the man is not one to cower from an attack. To make matters worst, he's the youngest of the Harper Family. A despicable lot involved in multiple crimes. Next to the body, there's a strange mark. Ellie wonders if the man's death is gang related, although no apparent wounds are found in the body.

It's Ellie's job to go to the Harper's farm to inform them about the young man's death, something that in the best of circumstances, is something she doesn't look forward to. After a violent confrontation with the family, and fleeing their home just in time, Ellie gets suspicious, why did Liz, the matriarch of the family, reacted when shown a photograph of the strange symbol?

At sundown, another snow storm hits the town, just like the previous night. Come morning Ellie discovers that a farm and a local water hole, have been attacked. No survivors, no bodies. Her only clue points to the Harpers. Was this some sort of vengeance?

Meanwhile the Harpers have secured doors and windows, Liz knows what's going on.

Daniel Church writes a creepy horror tale, one that will stress you out, but won't let go. I love creature features, and this was right up my alley. All characters are beautifully written, all additional information on them, is necessary: you have to know where these guys come from.

In a land surrounded by evil, be it from humans or monsters, there's no respite for the reader.

A magnificent novel, and one you should not miss.

this book is plenty thrilling, but has a bit too much horror for my taste, I think — and once the story structure gets repetitive, it tends to lose my attention. Overall, I think this may be more suited for the fans of horror genre than for sff fans who are looking for an urban fantasy thriller with a slice of horror in it.