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.

This book was short but INTENSE...it's creepy also but in the best way! 👀
It's a story that will make you take a second look at the people around you and truly question just how dark human nature can get... 😳

Set in a quiet neighborhood while a blizzard is quickly falling, things within the neighborhood are spiraling out of control and mistakes are being made. The people within the houses are forced to look at the consequences of their actions and most will regret the choices they made... ❄️

Over the span of a couple days you meet the entire neighborhood and get to see how their lives all intertwine and add to the events that are unfolding. While it feels like the narrative is jumpy at times, its actually setting up to the revel of the much larger and tragic picture. I promise it all makes sense in the end! 🫣

This book has murder, violence, self-harm, and a whole lot of snow that seems to bring a high body count with it. 🩸 It’s dark, disturbing, and so addictive.

While a quick read, this book was perfect! It’ll have you questioning everything and keep you on edge the whole time! 😈 If you're into creepy, thought-provoking reads with a tragic twist — this one is for you!

This book is set to release January 20, 2026!

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This was my first book of this author’s but it certainly won’t be my last, it’s a fabulous short horror. Had me hooked right from the beginning, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. It’s deeply unnerving, especially as there’s no real resolution or proven causation to the events that happen, other than it being related to the snow.

I’m definitely staying indoors with all the doors and windows locked next time there’s a snowstorm.

I’m only sad it wasn’t longer!

Eminence Front by Rebecca Rowland is a gripping, thought-provoking thriller that seamlessly blends psychological tension with sharp social commentary. From the very first page, Rowland creates an immersive, unsettling atmosphere, pulling readers into a world where power, ambition, and secrets collide. The writing is razor-sharp, with a narrative that keeps you hooked as layers of deception and intrigue unravel.

The characters are complex and deeply compelling, particularly the protagonist, whose journey is filled with twists, moral dilemmas, and unexpected revelations. Rowland expertly balances fast-paced storytelling with moments of introspection, making every decision and consequence feel weighty and real. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, and the novel’s exploration of power dynamics and manipulation adds an extra layer of depth to the suspense.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, building steadily toward a conclusion that is both shocking and deeply satisfying. Eminence Front is a masterful thriller that delivers not only gripping suspense but also a sharp, insightful look at human nature. A well-deserved 5-star read—perfect for fans of intelligent, character-driven thrillers that leave a lasting impact.

This is a shorter but creepy book set against a blizzard in a single neighborhood. Several character arcs and some news reports and excerpts from various media rounds out this tale of wintery horror.

We get to know all the characters in this neighborhood and we'll see how their lives intertwine and become part of the horrific events which take place over the course of a few days.

There's something about the snow. Something which whispers to people and changes them...or perhaps mimics them. Murder, self harm, and acts of bloody violence soon winds its way through the area, leaving a high body count in its wake.

I loved the story and it depicted the snow as almost sentient which I've never read in a book before. If anything, I wanted more. I wish it would have been longer and a bit more fleshed out. But that's a good complaint to have I think, when a book leaves such a good impression that you just want more!

Aside from that, this is a really good creepy story which will keep you reading to see what happens next. I highly recommend it.

It's remarkable how much Rowland was able to establish the feeling of the neighborhood in this story, both in its physical setting amidst the storm, as well as through the relationships and tensions between (and amidst) its households. I loved how the storm's power was never fully explained, but that the chapters interspersed with the main narrative established it as a constant, ever-looming presence across time. I thought the characterization of each neighbor that we were given in the first half of the book really added to the awfulness of what was to come in the later chapters; I appreciated that it took some time for the horror factor to build up rather than giving us the monster right from the start. The tension that this built carried throughout the book, even after it becomes clear that something is terribly wrong. A delightfully creepy, compact horror novel!

I'm sure this will be fixed in later editing, but I do have to say that the phrase "tree belt" and the word "masticate" are used far too much in such a short book -- distractingly so. This tapered off in later chapters but I thought I'd mention it here.

This look at the dark nature of people and the decisions they make is absolutely horrifying and a terrific book. In the midst of an enormous blizzard , a neighborhood collapses under the weight of the mistakes and regrets of the people living in the perfect looking houses. This books skips around brilliantly in time, showing you glimpses until it all comes together in a tapestry of tragic horror. Truly wonderful.