I really enjoyed this one. Going in, I expected horror and mystery, but I didn’t expect to get this invested in the characters and their lives.

There are a lot of characters in this story, and each one has their own struggles, secrets, and personal issues. If you're someone who loves getting pulled into everyone's drama and trying to connect the dots, this book definitely delivers 😂 Surprisingly, even with the large cast, it never felt messy or overwhelming to me. The connections between the characters were easy to follow, and everything flowed together naturally. The pacing and narrative felt really smooth from beginning to end, and I found myself genuinely caring about what was happening to several of them.

One small thing I struggled with was keeping track of some characters' ages. I occasionally had trouble picturing whether certain characters were middle-aged, older, or around the same age as others, especially when relationships or backstory details came up. Since the town has history tied to earlier decades, I sometimes found myself imagining everyone older than they probably were.

Also, can we talk about how Glenn Rolfe really said, "Here's your horror... but here's your emotional damage too" 😭 There were several moments that hit me emotionally in ways I wasn't expecting. I think I might actually be the worst horror reviewer because why am I getting emotional over a horror book? 😂 But I guess that's just the empath in me. Give me creepy scenes, gore, and nightmare fuel, and somehow I’m over here getting attached to characters . I've read horror with intense gore, disturbing scenes, and all kinds of nightmare fuel before, but I don't think I've had a horror novel actually make me emotional like this one did. And then I made the mistake of listening to Just Breathe by Pearl Jam afterward... yeah, that definitely did not help my feelings 😂

And saving the best for last: the horror elements. Early on, the book gives you little glimpses and slowly builds the tension, but once the final stretch hits? That’s when things really kick in. The macabre and gore come in stronger, and it definitely pays off.

If you're trying to branch out into horror or want something that mixes mystery, emotion, small-town secrets, and horror elements together, I'd recommend giving this one a try.

Huge thanks for the ARC!

Brilliant horror, perfectly encapsulates the small town feeling and characters that truly carried the story.

The town of Groves Peak has a curse, but it is also a blessing. All the men, regardless of marital status, must answer the siren's call. She wants a child more than anything...and she will do anything to get it. For their obedience, she brings the sea creatures up from the depths. The lobstermen are incredibly successful. When it all goes south, and the unthinkable happens, the siren goes on a murderous rampage. None of the men are safe.

This story is a darker look at mermaids and sirens. Not the stunning beautiful, harmless creatures. Instead, a ruthless, violent, unforgiving creature of immense strength. Her justified rage is unforgiving.

I devoured this book. The characters felt real...especially with how flawed they were. Nobody was perfect or innocent. The storyline was fantastic. Very well done, and a fun read!

Groves Peak has a tail to be told. This tail is going to be dark full of murders, disappearances, and revenge. Sit back tight and watch the dark tides roll in as the town secrets are exposed. Beware No one is safe in Groves Peak.

I loved this book. It started off slow but it quickly build-up momentum . I love the action-packed storytelling and its characters. Highly recommend if you love folklore horror.

The Siren of Groves Peak by Glenn Rolfe is a creepy small-town horror story that hooks you pretty quickly. The tension builds nicely, and the characters feel real enough to keep you invested. Rolfe is especially great at building suspense and delivering endings that really shock you, which makes this a fun, solid read.

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Horror Reads's reviewApr 02, 2026 · edit
it was amazing

Groves Peak is a small coastal Maine town and they've been successful at lobster harvesting even when other towns went dry. The reason is simple, they have help from a siren. The siren ensures their success in exchange for sexual favors from the men because she's alone and wants an offspring. When it finally happens, one of the men will do something horrible that sets the siren off and she'll go on a bloody rampage of revenge against all the men in town to get her justice.

But this is just one aspect of this terrifying novel. It has a great human element with multiple characters and a twisty narrative. While everyone knows about the siren it's had a negative impact on quite a few lives and those will be examined throughout. It's this human aspect which really sits at the heart of the book and it makes the siren's vendetta of disturbingly bloody violence even more impactful. You won't want to read during a dark stormy night! I highly recommend it.