122. The Hollows – Daniel Church

In Barsall in the Peak District, Constable Ellie Cheetham is kind of stuck. She’s not in charge of the two person police there, she’s really feeling the differences between dealing with one very grimy criminal family and all the different criminals of Manchester, and she’s stuck in an epic tale of folk horror and doesn’t even know it.

The grimy family knows what the deal is before anyone else does because their place was chosen many ages ago to be the ones who know about “them” and what’s coming once they start leaving their mark around. From the first frozen body found to the confrontations via tractor and a group of women banding together to get things sorted, it’s really a great story. It’s got action, creepy shit, ancient lore, dread, and research that doesn’t leave just a vague impression of what’s going on even though it’s not really clear if anything they’re doing will vanquish all the foes. This is folk horror done right for me.

Wisting’s heard quite a bit of true crime and folk horror stories while living with me, so, he’s ready to protect the herd from the Tatterskins and then write a report about it.