There's nothing like reading a wintery horror novella at the fringe of summer's arrival. Everyone needs a few chills when the weather heats up.

In this gripping, one-sitting read, we get the threat of an approaching winter storm, a quiet suburb where secrets and lies hide inside each neighbor's humble dwelling, and a little something extra...something strange and sinister, creeping in with the first snow fall. When the anticipated blizzard is at it's peak, so is the plot of the story as violence breaks out and the body count is high.

"Eminence Front" was my introduction to author Rebecca Rowland's writing and I am definitely a fan! Her ability to develop such complex, flawed characters in such a short book is what will make readers immediately want to read everything she writes. I truly wish this novella had been longer. That's my only complaint. I want more!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

This was such an intense book, and although I do love to read spooky and winter all year round, I will say this is quite a seasonal read.

Thank you to the author and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Eminence Front is a quick read with a fast pace story setting. The character development is strong throughout and the characters are flawed. The flawed characters create an interesting story line and hooks you. A truly creepy "snowed-in" horror story.

Nobody likes getting snowed in, especially when the blizzard has an extra creepy vibe to it. You definitely get sucked in to this slow burn small town horrifying tale. The neighbors are all interesting in their own way.

Thank you NetGalley! It's only May 2025 and I have already found my favorite book of 2026.

If you are a big fan of the movie “Rubber” (yes…the movie about the killer tire), then you might really love this book. Instead of a tire, the only thing murdering you is the snow.

I would have rated the book 5 stars, but I feel like the ending dropped off a little too suddenly. I turned the page and was instantly met with 'About the Author'. I would have really liked it the last 'article/transcript was a wrap up of how all of our characters were found and the horror of the discovery. You probably rolled your eyes at my reasoning, but I'm sorry! With such a large cast of characters, I needed a recap!

First, I want to thank NetGalley and CLASH Books for allowing me to have this eArc to review. These are my honest and own opinions.

Just finished Eminence Front by Rebecca Rowland, and I’m feeling a solid 3 stars on this one.

The premise pulled me in right away—there’s this creepy, slow-burn vibe and a lot of tension simmering under the surface. I really liked how the book tackled privilege and small-town secrets; it had some sharp commentary without feeling too heavy-handed. The main character was complicated in a good way, and I appreciated that they weren’t super easy to pin down.

That said, the pacing dragged a bit in the middle. I found myself losing focus here and there, and some of the twists didn’t quite land for me—they felt a little predictable or just didn’t hit as hard as I hoped. A few side characters could’ve used more depth, too; I wanted to care more about what happened to them.

Overall, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t dislike it either. If you like character-driven thrillers with a slower burn and a creepy undertone, this might be worth checking out. Just go in knowing it’s not a super fast-paced page-turner.

Rebecca Rowland’s Eminence Front delivers a slow, suffocating descent into suburban dread.
Set during a relentless New England blizzard, the novella captures the isolation and claustrophobia of a quiet neighborhood unraveling under pressure — both external and internal.

Rowland builds tension with unsettling precision, focusing less on overt horror and more on the psychological erosion of her characters. As strange phenomena creep into the edges of their world, it becomes clear the real danger isn’t just outside in the snow — it’s inside their homes, inside their minds.

The writing is sharp and unsentimental, matching the cold atmosphere of the setting. Rather than relying on shock or spectacle, Rowland lets a quiet sense of distortion and unease take over, making the familiar feel increasingly unstable.

Eminence Front is a tight, character-driven story about how easily ordinary life can collapse under the right pressure

A winter storm changes the lives of the residents on one suburban street. "Can you hear the snow"?

This novel was unlike any that I've read of late. The characters are engaging and flawed. Are these flaws the reasons for their unusual behavior with this particular storm? A page turner for sure.

This was a quick read, under 200 pages. It's listed as mystery and horror genre, and I really enjoyed it without being too terrifying, but it was absolutely creepy. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their flaws, and the flow of the story made it possible to predict who was next, which I also liked. All in all, I enjoyed it! Check it out next year when it releases!
I give this a 4/5.
Tell me your thoughts!
This ARC was provided by the publisher via @netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amazing, full review to be in Scream magazine, Rebecca Rowland NEVER disappoints this was so creepy and haunting, loved it

Rowland builds a flawed and fascinating cast of characters, messy, weak, wounded, selfish, disappointed and disappointing friends and neighbors, buckling down for a winter storm.

Janet and Dan, married and fun-loving. But Janet is cheating with their across the street neighbor. Kim and Tom are trying to maintain normalcy as Kim fights OCD and Tom wants to begin swinging. Carol is struggling with her elderly wandering mother Rose, Jackie is a functioning alcoholic writer under deadline and John hadn’t left the house in months.

Rowland builds these characters and their relationships with such craft and precision that I was invested on page one. The loneliness, despair, anxiety and unfulfilled want is so clear and tactile, as we feel the unnamed darkness in the storm begin to build.

Rowland adds interviews, news stories, a kids puppet show, and other supporting scenes to build the history of the darkness that speaks through the snow. A creepy monster, a creepy presence that preys upon the trust we struggle to rely upon She is so good at using science and sanity and relatable humanity to delve into our feelings of insanity and fear.

A deeply scary story of a monster that we cannot see and cannot defend ourselves from and the people it manipulates one dark and stormy day.

Thank you @netgalley and @clashbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

ARC review. I found this book a bit messy, the first couple chapters great but then more and more characters were introduced and I would get mixed up with who’s who. It was a good creepy story to read but I did feel like I was constantly trying to remember who’s who

Had me hooked right from the beginning, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. I wish it would have been longer and a bit more fleshed out. I highly recommend it. I do like longer stories and when we get to know the characters better.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

This book was too short! I mean that in a good way. It could have continued on but I think the neighborhood was pretty much gone. Still it was thrilling and awesome to spend time in the cold and snow. Such suspenseful happenings with each home's families going about their lives. I will be looking forward to reading more of the authors books.

Excellent short horror that kept me turning pages. The characters were compelling and I was invested in each one and couldn't wait til the next page. Definitely a wonderful book!

Atmospheric, moody, dark and intriguing the winter gloom and entity drags the reader through a snow laden landscape where something watches waiting.

I really liked this! i don't usually like horror all that much, but an evil weather system? What is not to like‽ Although short, the characters were really well-rounded and dynamic!

This compact horror novel masterfully unravels the darkness beneath a suburban neighborhood buried in a relentless blizzard. As icy tension builds, fractured lives and regrets emerge, woven into a chilling tapestry of tragedy. The storm’s presence looms with malevolent persistence, its mysteries left hauntingly unexplained.

The gradual character development heightens the creeping dread, and the lack of resolution only amplifies the horror’s lingering impact. Despite occasional word repetition, the book’s unsettling atmosphere and deliberate pacing hooked me from start to finish.

Wild ride from the get go. I've read a lot of Rebecca's work. She has an unique voice.
This may be my favorite of all of her work.
Five stars.
Recommended.
Read it.
Do it.
Read it.

2 stars

A married couple, the wife’s lover, a teacher and her mother, a horror writer, a recluse, a family of four. These are the residents of a particular street in Massachusetts the night a big, mysterious snowstorm blankets the area while I sing the chorus to the song over and over again in my head. It’s a put on.

So the snow speaks to some of them? On just this street? Whatever.