Coffin Moon A Novel by Keith Rosson was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. I have read Keiths books in the past, and like most authors I have a love/not so much relatinship with his books. This book is probably the best book he has written. The characters kept me riveted, the bad guy vampire was a villain you like to see in the book and overall, the heartwarming yet brutal storyline kept me reading and not skimming. An author that can take a tried but true genre and keep it exciting and explore new boundaries is an author to come back to. This seems like a good gift for those who like this author or the vampire genre overall.

I’d like to start off this review by saying that the thing I loved most about Fever House was the characterization of every single person in the story. Rosson has such an incredible talent for fleshing out the worlds that he writes about and creating such dynamic and complex characters. Coffin Moon continues this legacy with his protagonists, antagonists, and even the background characters- everyone is so distinctly complicated that it’s such a delicious meal to consume.

I absolutely adore vampire books- especially ones that give me something new to think about and change up lore. Some of the vampire concepts have been done before, but my favorites have a unique spin to it. This book used silver in a way that I have never actually seen with vampire stories, but I found it to be effective and helps paint a gruesome picture of how a vampire can actually be taken out.

Coffin Moon was captivating, gory, shocking, upsetting, but overall satisfying and such a delight to read for fans of horror and the vampire genre in general. The plot starts off on the slower side, but it takes its time to acquaint you with the characters and helps you develop your relationship with them and how they navigate this world. I highly recommend this book and hope you support it by picking it up when it’s released on September 9th!

Side note: I would love to have a novella, spinoff, or sequel to give me more to read about the other Makers, more vampire lore from this world, or how Adeline came to be.

I am not the target audience for this book. If you like dark, gothic vampire stories with lots of body horror, you will enjoy it. The publisher reached out to me, and I agreed to read it through NetGalley, having really no idea what it was about.

Well, it’s about vampires. And revenge. And grief. It contains a lot of blood and guts. Just not really my thing.

This book was great! It had vampires, gore, suspense and more! If you liked Fever House and The Devil By Name, you’ll definitely love this one! Every character was written thoughtfully. I really liked how the backstory to every main character was added. It really gave you a better view into why and who they were.

Beware: This book will eat you alive. And make you love it. Stunning. An intense ride, brutal, tender, heartfelt, powerful.
The gritty world, the distinctive, fresh characters, the personal damage, and sacrifices all hit home.

Parts of this book are painful. It's also exhilarating. I got rushes reading it. This was a great book to read while IRL about as angry as I’ve been in my life. It comes to a gratifying finish, even though I was in no way ready for it to be over. I immediately wanted to read another book by Keith Rosson. 

Coffin Moon delivers dread and shocks that produce powerful aftershocks. Written with a mesmerizing feeling of authenticity, the novel pulled me in immediately and kept me reading until I couldn't keep my eyes open. There’s guilt, grief, trauma, v i o l e n c e, g o r e, l u s t, humor, tenderness, and the kinds of details that hang on in your mind, vibrating as you read.

Avoid reading the book description. It gives away more than half of the plot. Highly recommended for non-squeamish horror readers.

My thanks to Random House for the eARC for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.

Unflinching and razor-edged, Rosson pushes vampire storytelling into new directions without re-inventing the mythology, and that combination of old and new, retro-chic with diamond-edged fangs, is remarkably alluring. The best part of this story is its heart, with a conflicted and complicated main characters right in the bloody center of it. The story doesn’t shy away from being emotional and it finds the perfect vehicle for that vulnerability in its characters. The main character, primary antagonist, and handful of ancillary characters are all unique and engaging, each with their own jagged edges and personal tragedies. No one feels convenient or phoned in, but genuine and messy and real, and that really shines through.

Compared to Fever House the story is much less frenetic, but it still has a good sense of momentum. The tragic events that are given away in the description don’t happen immediately, we have a hefty section of the story where we are getting to know these characters and start to care for them and their difficulties as well as their triumphs before the rug is pulled out from under us. On one hand the set-up is a very tried and true revenge story set-up, and although it has a few uncommon shades thrown in to decorate it the larger plot is not unexpected in the genre. However, he uses that formula to great effect, adding enough backstory and twists and turns to keep it lively, again exploiting the retro feel of the world-building and the narrative conceit to give a timeless story about love and responsibility. After the initial setup the story moves at a good pace, never frenetic or out of control feeling but always with an air of desperation, a devil-may-care attitude of nothing left to lose that really kept me invested. The writing is crisp and descriptive, doing a good job of helping set the atmosphere and explore our characters’ inner lives without ever feeling treacly or manipulative. There are a handful of action scenes that all feel energetic and well-choreographed, they are easy to visualize but still feel sloppy and realistic. There isn’t an excess of gore but when blood and guts are called for Rosson doesn’t shy away from them, using spectacle to move the story and characters forward.

I do think there was some missed potential here. The story is short and propulsive, and the length fits the story told, but I feel like there was a chance to expand the story a bit and add more speedbumps to the journey that would have been fun. There is a dark road trip at the center of this story, a going and a returning, and there is more that could have been done with that. I am all for a lean story and generally that’s preferred to one bloated and unwieldy, but I wouldn’t have minded if some character motivations were a little more fleshed out and there was just a little more gristle to chew on. Thematically, though, Rosson hits the mark. Every character, antagonists included, is a complicated combination of tragedy, circumstance, and bad decisions. Ideas of family and redemption are front and center, but trauma/PTSD, substance abuse, dedication, loyalty, self-awareness, and what it means to be a perpetual outsider are all woven into the story. The vampire mythos isn’t wildly new, but it is a fresh take, both in terms of vampire morphology and vampiric emotional reality. The atmosphere and general world-building are tight and really immersive, and the story is exploiting its genre sensibilities to tell a painfully human story.

I want to thank the editor & authors, the publisher Random House, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Vampires are my favorite supernatural creature.

Anne Rice was my favorite vampire author. While Lestat is one of my favorite vampires, what happens within Coffin Moon’s pages is nothing like that.

It’s good to see a different take on vampires.

I was born in the late 70s. I remember walking into anywhere for breakfast and it all had the tobacco smell. I stopped counting the number of times Keith nailed the feeling of the early 80s and late 70s. The grittiness of it all was fascinating to read.

From the descriptions of the bar Duane Minor works in, to how it felt walking around. It was a different time and Keith lays the groundwork for the books feels early on. The whole book is coated in nostalgia and that feeling of another time.

It’s perhaps the perfect setting for the story.

We find Duane working at a bar after returning home from Vietnam. He’s struggling to stay sober and be the husband his wife, Heidi needs and a father to his niece, Julia, who came from a bad situation.

It’s in these moments our vampire walks into the bar.

One body leads to another and Duane is move up and down the Pacific Northwest chasing down the vampire.

There’s so much I loved about this book. Atmosphere is heavy in this one. It’s not just there, it’s part of the story. I fell in love with Keith’s writing in this book.

When all the biggest parts happened I loved it all. There is a lot to this book. It’s dripping with blood, atmosphere, and nostalgia.

I wish there were more vampire books like this one.

4.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Coffin Moon follows Duane Minor a Vietnam veteran and his niece on their journey for revenge. Duane is busy running his in laws bar while trying to save his marriage, raise his 13 year old niece Julia, and stay sober. One night Duane kicks out a group of men which is a decision that he will live to regret. One of these men is John Varley, who is a vampire that takes revenge on Duane. This results in Duane and Julia going on a journey for revenge. I didn’t really know what to expect when I first stated, but I really enjoyed Coffin Moon. I enjoyed the character of Minor and Julia . They were well developed and I found myself rooting for them. I liked John Varley as a villain. His background was interesting and gave the character depth. The beginning of the book starts slow, but once it gets in to the action, it does not stop. I do wish there was more closure at the end of the story.

There's lots of early buzz for this. It's very unique, extremely bloody and graphic, and made me want to go find everything Keith Rosson has ever written!

Coffin Moon by Keith Rosson is a masterful blend of revenge, love, family, and the haunting effects of PTSD that grips you from the very first page. The novel's short chapters and fast-paced narrative create an exhilarating reading experience, making it nearly impossible to put down. Rosson expertly alternates perspectives, often leaving me on the edge of my seat with tantalizing cliffhangers that compelled me to keep turning the pages.

The violence is graphic at times but not gratuitous; it serves a purpose, enhancing the story's intensity and emotional weight. Rosson's haunting and creepy imagery lingers long after I'd closed the book, immersing me in a world that felt both familiar and unsettling. His unique take on vampires adds a refreshing twist to the genre, making it stand out among other supernatural tales.

What truly elevates Coffin Moon is the portrayal of its flawed main characters. Their imperfections make them relatable and real, drawing me deeper into their struggles and motivations. The villain, John Varney, is particularly memorable, embodying a chilling presence that lingered in my mind long after the story concludes.

This book is one of my favorite reads of 2025. Rosson's ability to weave complex themes with engaging storytelling makes Coffin Moon a must-read for horror fans. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.

I got an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. The book is being released on September 9th.

I've never read a Keith Rosson book, but based on the strength of this book I'm going to be seeking out more of his books. This was a tightly told revenge story within a vampire world that very much reminded me of Kathryn Bigelow's Near Dark. Duane Minor is a haunted Vietnam vet who finds himself with a new life bartending at his wife's family bar as they raise their niece. This newfound peace is destroyed when a disgruntled vampire comes through town. Minor and his niece are hellbent on revenge, but at what cost to themselves and others?

The book isn't exactly groundbreaking. So many elements of the book felt very familiar to me. What made the book so engaging is how those elements coagulated together. It's a revenge story by way of Cormac McCarthy, it's a splatterfest horror movie, a story about familial regret. It all kind of comes together to feel fresh but also feel like comfort food (if horror novels are your kind of comfort food!).

Thai book was fun and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. Thanks for the free ARC! I hope to read more by this author.

When I saw this was featuring vampires I couldn’t wait to read. Such a dark haunting book but also plenty of deep heartfelt moments. I cannot wait to read more from this author.

While I liked aspects of this book some of it felt a bit disjointed. I did read it rather quickly and enjoyed it overall. It was definitely something I haven't read before.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the eARC. I greatly appreciate it!

COFFIN MOON was interesting. It was gory, spooky, and nostalgic. The style was very reminiscent of the typical horror films of the 1970s and 1980s. The writing was superb, and the power of suggestion was absolutely phenomenal.

The story is not without flaws though. It started off sluggish, but once John Varley stepped into the scene, COFFIN MOON was certainly hard to put down.

Thank you so much NetGalley for an early copy of this to read and review, I am beyond thankful! I’ve made no secret of my admiration for Keith’s work and this didn’t let me down. I won’t give too much away but true to form this is non-stop, gore-filled, gut-wrenching action that somehow manages to weave in both heart and hope. Calling this a vampire novel feels terribly weak; this doesn’t delicately bite you in the neck- it rips your throat and heart right open and leaves you for dead, and then revives you only to do it all over again. This book is scary af and these are not vampires to pontificate over the burden of the passage of time. As always with Keith’s books, carve out time and strap in, you’re going in deep and going to have a bloody blast on the way. Like the rest of his books, a must-read for horror fans. Bravo. 👏🏽

This was my first time reading a book by Keith Ross on. The story takes place in the mid-70s and primarily focuses on the experiences of the MMC--Minor. The author focuses on Minor's flashbacks from his experiences in the Vietnam War and other veterans who come to the Last Call bar regularly to help identify the time period. He also uses the flashbacks to foreshadow vampires but has them described as confusing memories and hallucinations that Minor is experiencing. The story plot is interesting, but it was hard to stay focused on this story. It's several chapters before anything major hapoens and the response to that felt lackluster. The narrator does break up the monotony by giving descriptions at different times of what's with different characters. I suppose there were too many predictable elements, so while the story wasn't bad it wasn't mind blowing either.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 Wow. This was my first Keith Rosson novel but it will not be my last.

In Coffin Moon, Duane Minor is a Vietnam Vet who is 18 months sober. He and his wife recently took in her 13 year old niece (Julia) after a terrible tragedy put her mother in jail. Duane is trying to manage a frustrated teenage girl and his urges to drink, all while also tending bar every night in his In-Law's bar downstairs.

His life is turned upside down when a strange and creepy man (John Varley) visits the bar with his minions. After he and Julia experience more tragedy, they are forced to flee the city, to find Varley and to also find themselves.

John Varley is an EXCELLENT villain. I absolutely love when we can see things form the villain's point of view and understand a bit how they came to be what they are now. He is ruthless, angry, horrible, and undead. And once he brings in a companion there may be no stopping him. The characters were so well done. The plot and action were described in a way that helped me envision it and also have so much anxiety about what was going to happen next. I could imagine this whole book so vividly that I really need this to be a movie - it would be so good. Warning that a lot of this book is bloody and gross and scary and disgusting.... but that all makes it better. I loved. it.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy of this book. I can't wait to go back and read other books by Rosson ASAP.

Winter, 1975. Portland is soaked in sleet and regret, and Vietnam vet Duane Minor is just trying to keep his head above water—battling PTSD, pouring drinks, and doing his best to raise his sharp-eyed thirteen-year-old niece, Julia. But when a monster in human skin walks into his bar, Minor’s fragile life shatters.

John Varley is no ordinary killer. He sleeps beneath the dirt and wakes hungry. When Minor crosses him, Varley responds with a massacre that leaves Duane grief-stricken and Julia hellbent on revenge.

Now, uncle and niece are bound by blood and vengeance, carving a path of destruction through the Pacific Northwest. As they dive deeper into the vampire’s world—through ghost towns, backwater dive bars, and the underbelly of America—they encounter feral, undead children, rogue hunters, and men already half-eaten by their own demons.

Coffin Moon is a searing supernatural revenge tale soaked in moonlight and gasoline. For fans of Near Dark, Stephen Graham Jones, and the kind of horror that leaves teeth marks, this is a brutal, beautiful descent into what it means to survive—when survival means becoming the monster you fear.

This is probably the most heart-wrenching horror story I have ever read.

So many emotional scenes and lots of gory horror scenes. Definitely a story that will stick with me for quite some time.

#NetGalley #CoffinMoon