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Cradle Lake
When Alan Hammerstun inherits a quaint ranch house nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, he seizes the opportunity to take his wife, Heather, away from New York. The couple has been haunted by the aftermath of two miscarriages, and the rural North Carolina town is just what they need to start over. For a while, everything seems perfect. Too perfect, in fact. The neighbors are young and handsome and healthy, and everyone is very friendly. Alan's stomach ulcer has even lessened since the move. If only Heather's severe depression could do the same...
But the town harbours a secret - one that seems like a gift yet comes at a steep price. Soon Alan learns the miracle may be a nightmare.
But the town harbours a secret - one that seems like a gift yet comes at a steep price. Soon Alan learns the miracle may be a nightmare.
361 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
138 people are currently reading
2031 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Malfi
74 books3,770 followersRonald Malfi is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of many novels and novellas in the horror, mystery, and thriller genres. In 2011, his novel, Floating Staircase, was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for best novel by the Horror Writers Association, and also won a gold IPPY award. In 2024, he was presented with the prestigious William G. Wilson Award for Adult Fiction by the Maryland Library Association. Perhaps his most well-received novel, Come with Me (2021), about a man who learns a dark secret about his wife after she's killed, has received stellar reviews, including a starred review from BookPage, and Publishers Weekly has said, "Malfi impresses in this taut, supernaturally tinged mystery... and sticks the landing with a powerful denouement. There’s plenty here to enjoy."
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
His most recent novels include Senseless (2025) and Small Town Horror (2024), both of which received favorable reviews and saw Malfi stretch his authorial voice.
Come with Me (2021) and Black Mouth (2022), tackle themes of grief and loss, and of the effects of childhood trauma and alcoholism, respectively. Both books have been critically praised, with Publishers Weekly calling Black Mouth a "standout" book of the year. These novels were followed by Ghostwritten (2022), a collection of four subtly-linked novellas about haunted books and the power of the written word. Ghostwritten received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which called the book a "wonderfully meta collection...vibrantly imagined," and that "Malfi makes reading about the perils of reading a terrifying delight."
Among his most popular works is December Park, a coming-of-age thriller set in the '90s, wherein five teenage boys take up the hunt for a child murderer in their hometown of Harting Farms, Maryland. In interviews, Malfi has expressed that this is his most autobiographical book to date. In 2015, this novel was awarded the Beverly Hills International Book Award for best suspense novel. It has been optioned several times for film.
Bone White (2017), about a man searching for his lost twin brother in a haunted Alaskan mining town, was touted as "an elegant, twisted, gripping slow-burn of a novel that burrows under the skin and nestles deep," by RT Book Reviews, and has also been optioned for television by Fox21/Disney and Amazon Studios.
His novels Little Girls (2015) and The Night Parade (2016) explore broken families forced to endure horrific and extraordinary circumstances, which has become the hallmark for Malfi's brand of intimate, lyrical horror fiction.
His earlier works, such as Via Dolorosa (2007) and Passenger (2008) explored characters with lost or confused identities, wherein Malfi experimented with the ultimate unreliable narrators. He maintained this trend in his award-winning novel, Floating Staircase (2011), which the author has suggested contains "multiple endings for the astute reader."
His more "monstery" novels, such as Snow (2010) and The Narrows (2012) still resonate with his inimitable brand of literary cadence and focus on character and story over plot. Both books were highly regarded by fans and reviewers in the genre.
A bit of a departure, Malfi published the crime drama Shamrock Alley in 2009, based on the true exploits of his own father, a former Secret Service agent. The book was optioned several times for film.
Ronald Malfi was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1977, the eldest of four children, and eventually relocated to Maryland, where he currently resides along the Chesapeake Bay.
When he's not writing, he's performing with the rock band VEER, who can be found at veerband.net and wherever you stream your music.
Visit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
February 18, 2022
Alan and his wife move to a house Alan's deceased uncle left to him. On the heels of two miscarriages and a suicide attempt, Heather is barely holding on to life. Upon moving in, Alan finds out about a "healing lake" located deep in the woods behind his house. His neighbor warns him that the lake doesn't always heal. It can cause insanity and destruction. Well, you already, know Alan pays little mind to the warning and proceeds to go skinny-dipping. He starts to bring water back for his wife to heal her mental health. Things go good for a hot minute, then Heather finds out she is pregnant again. As Alan descends into madness, the lake waits patiently for its revenge.
Whew that was a wild crazy ride. That is how a horror story is written. I was absolutely terrified for the wife, Heather. The house was creepy as hell. Throw in some determined buzzards, and now we have a party. The ending is tragic, but damn, what a ride to get there!
Whew that was a wild crazy ride. That is how a horror story is written. I was absolutely terrified for the wife, Heather. The house was creepy as hell. Throw in some determined buzzards, and now we have a party. The ending is tragic, but damn, what a ride to get there!
November 11, 2021
3.5 Stars
Once again Malfi proves himself to be a good storyteller. I read this novel in the midst of a reading slump after DNFing a series of books. This one pulled me right in and kept me flipping the pages to the very end. I liked (and hated) the frustrating dynamics between the married couple at the centre of the story. The representation of infertility and pregnancy anxiety really hit home for me.
Once again Malfi proves himself to be a good storyteller. I read this novel in the midst of a reading slump after DNFing a series of books. This one pulled me right in and kept me flipping the pages to the very end. I liked (and hated) the frustrating dynamics between the married couple at the centre of the story. The representation of infertility and pregnancy anxiety really hit home for me.
August 28, 2017
When I began this book it felt like a medium to slow paced story that I had read before. It had the feel of a patchwork of story ideas from famous authors that have influenced the present author. The writing was technically sound, intricate and at times darkly haunting and beautiful (due largely to specific diction) but the story itself didn't feel like it was moving. There was a cardboard cut-out sense of the characters. It almost felt as if the writer was suffering over each word choice, putting together technically sound pieces but the overall flow just wasn't happening.
Don't get me wrong, it was a still a good story; it just felt like it had been done before. For instance, his Stephen King influence was clear in the almost schizophrenic stream of consciousness moments where thoughts intrude in the protagonist's mind.
Then there came a point in the story where it felt like the author got out of his own way. Malfi has an undeniably unique talent and a voice. Obviously everyone is, to some extent anyway, a product of their influences. But Malfi has his own creative voice to contribute to the genre, and once story the story began to roll it took on a life of its own.
I am not sure at exactly what point it happened, but suddenly I realized I couldn't put the book down. The stream of consciousness moments faded into near non existence, and the characters began to interact with each other.
It is clear that Malfi knew exactly where the story was going. This author doesn't rush through a thoughtless finish to complete the plot. He is headed in a direction from the onset and the path itself becomes much more interesting when the author lets his own talent emerge through the characters in the moment. It was then that I really felt transported from where I was to where the story is happening.
I rate it 4.5 stars rather than a full five since it took awhile to really take off, but once it did, it did.
Don't get me wrong, it was a still a good story; it just felt like it had been done before. For instance, his Stephen King influence was clear in the almost schizophrenic stream of consciousness moments where thoughts intrude in the protagonist's mind.
Then there came a point in the story where it felt like the author got out of his own way. Malfi has an undeniably unique talent and a voice. Obviously everyone is, to some extent anyway, a product of their influences. But Malfi has his own creative voice to contribute to the genre, and once story the story began to roll it took on a life of its own.
I am not sure at exactly what point it happened, but suddenly I realized I couldn't put the book down. The stream of consciousness moments faded into near non existence, and the characters began to interact with each other.
It is clear that Malfi knew exactly where the story was going. This author doesn't rush through a thoughtless finish to complete the plot. He is headed in a direction from the onset and the path itself becomes much more interesting when the author lets his own talent emerge through the characters in the moment. It was then that I really felt transported from where I was to where the story is happening.
I rate it 4.5 stars rather than a full five since it took awhile to really take off, but once it did, it did.
September 10, 2022
I liked it, but didn't love it. The overall story seems very heavily inspired by Stephen King's Pet Sematary. Honestly, there are Pet Sematary movies that share fewer similarities to the source material than this book did. That isn't a bad thing, but it's hard to focus on the book you're reading, when you're thinking about and drawing comparisons to another (superior) book.
I don't know if it's a me problem or a book problem, but like a lot of my recent reads, I just didn't have any emotional attachment to any of the characters. Depending on the book, that isn't always a necessity, but this one would have worked a lot better if I cared what happened to Alan and Heather. There was a lot of stuff in the middle that kind of dragged on that could have been cut so more character development could be added at the beginning. Personally, I'd have preferred that the book started about six months sooner so we could see what happened with Alan and Heather, rather than be told about it later in the story. There aren't any twists or surprises that would be spoiled, so seems like it would have been better to start the story just prior to Heather's miscarriage. This would have gone a long way towards making me care about the characters and it gets rid of a lot of exposition later in the story. If the story introduced us to them while they were both happy and hopeful, rather than broken, it would have fixed most of my issues with it.
I'm glad I read this book, but doubt it will be anything I re-read. I still like Malfi's writing style and plan on reading more of his books. I feel like this could have been a 4 star read if I wasn't constantly comparing it to Pet Sematary, so I'll take the blame for that. I also took a pretty long break reading this around the 50% mark. I don't think I forgot anything important to the story, but it's something I don't usually do.
I don't know if it's a me problem or a book problem, but like a lot of my recent reads, I just didn't have any emotional attachment to any of the characters. Depending on the book, that isn't always a necessity, but this one would have worked a lot better if I cared what happened to Alan and Heather. There was a lot of stuff in the middle that kind of dragged on that could have been cut so more character development could be added at the beginning. Personally, I'd have preferred that the book started about six months sooner so we could see what happened with Alan and Heather, rather than be told about it later in the story. There aren't any twists or surprises that would be spoiled, so seems like it would have been better to start the story just prior to Heather's miscarriage. This would have gone a long way towards making me care about the characters and it gets rid of a lot of exposition later in the story. If the story introduced us to them while they were both happy and hopeful, rather than broken, it would have fixed most of my issues with it.
I'm glad I read this book, but doubt it will be anything I re-read. I still like Malfi's writing style and plan on reading more of his books. I feel like this could have been a 4 star read if I wasn't constantly comparing it to Pet Sematary, so I'll take the blame for that. I also took a pretty long break reading this around the 50% mark. I don't think I forgot anything important to the story, but it's something I don't usually do.
September 23, 2022
This was a fantastic piece of folk horror that I wholly enjoyed! Cradle Lake had me feeling unsettled throughout, but the deeper I got into the novel the more intense that feeling became. The main character went from being a nice guy to an unlikeable and unreliable narrator as the story progressed, and his situation went from extraordinary to chilling. The climax was horrific and tragic, but perfect! 4/5 bird skulls 💀
June 26, 2013
Malfi is in top form in this novel with his two "best" key elements: atmosphere, and characterization. In CRADLE LAKE, we have a married couple, Alan and Heather Hammerstun, moving into a house left to them in the will of Alan's reclusive uncle. Heather is suffering from severe depression, and Alan is hoping that the move will give them a "brand new start" in life.
Enter the mysterious lake, embowed with apparent healing properties that come--occasionally--with a cost.
Malfi does a superb job with the build-up of suspense throughout the entire novel. He adds an infusion of Native American Lore that blends in seamlessly, giving added depth and insight to an already unsettling narrative. This adds layers to the story, inviting the reader to speculate on their own as to all that is left unstated.
Another 5-star read from one of my consistently favorite authors!
Enter the mysterious lake, embowed with apparent healing properties that come--occasionally--with a cost.
Malfi does a superb job with the build-up of suspense throughout the entire novel. He adds an infusion of Native American Lore that blends in seamlessly, giving added depth and insight to an already unsettling narrative. This adds layers to the story, inviting the reader to speculate on their own as to all that is left unstated.
Another 5-star read from one of my consistently favorite authors!
June 26, 2013
Suggested by Kimberly. I didn't even know this book existed and have to say it is the most powerful book that I have read by Malfi so far. Thank you, Kimberly!
I will say that I "enjoyed" this novel but I put that in quotes because it is hard to say that you enjoy a book that makes you feel anxious for these likeable and realistic characters and just uneasy in general. I actually felt a bit overly anxious in general the whole time that I was reading it. Every now and then a book can just knock you a bit off kilter--or at least it happens to me every now and then.
Devastating book. Extremely well written and honest and with characters that I cared about, which made it even more devastating. I don't want to say much more than that because I don't want to give away any of the story. It was much more effective for me that I knew zero about the plot, other than it involved an enchanted/cursed lake and two very damaged people.
By the way, there is an actual Navaho legend about an enchanted lake with healing powers in the location where the story is based. The Indian legend tie in made the story even more effective for me.
Highest recommendation to my GR friends and a big "Well Done" to Ron Malfi. This one got to me.
I will say that I "enjoyed" this novel but I put that in quotes because it is hard to say that you enjoy a book that makes you feel anxious for these likeable and realistic characters and just uneasy in general. I actually felt a bit overly anxious in general the whole time that I was reading it. Every now and then a book can just knock you a bit off kilter--or at least it happens to me every now and then.
Devastating book. Extremely well written and honest and with characters that I cared about, which made it even more devastating. I don't want to say much more than that because I don't want to give away any of the story. It was much more effective for me that I knew zero about the plot, other than it involved an enchanted/cursed lake and two very damaged people.
By the way, there is an actual Navaho legend about an enchanted lake with healing powers in the location where the story is based. The Indian legend tie in made the story even more effective for me.
Highest recommendation to my GR friends and a big "Well Done" to Ron Malfi. This one got to me.
December 18, 2019
i did NOT like this book. I didn't like the characters, the story or the narrator.
February 19, 2015
Wow! This was one creepy book.
Alan inherited a house in a rural area from an uncle he barely new. He thought it would be a nice do over for him and his wife Heather after two miscarriages and two attempted suicides.
They have a huge forest behind the old house and not too far out into the woods they have Cradle Lake. Don't want to add any spoilers so I'm just saying Alan witnessed a miracle from the lake. But this all comes with dire consequences. He is warned by the neighbors and a Native American Elder, but do people ever listen? NO
This is a good little creep-fest of a book. I look forward to reading more of this authors books.
Alan inherited a house in a rural area from an uncle he barely new. He thought it would be a nice do over for him and his wife Heather after two miscarriages and two attempted suicides.
They have a huge forest behind the old house and not too far out into the woods they have Cradle Lake. Don't want to add any spoilers so I'm just saying Alan witnessed a miracle from the lake. But this all comes with dire consequences. He is warned by the neighbors and a Native American Elder, but do people ever listen? NO
This is a good little creep-fest of a book. I look forward to reading more of this authors books.
February 28, 2014
24/2 - Cradle Lake by Ronald Malfi - let's see if you can give me nightmares. I wish I'd had E. watching over my shoulder, guiding me to the great horror writers, while passing by the dubious ones (still up in the air as to where Cradle Lake belongs in those categories). To be continued...
25/2 - I started this last night and have read a little over 100 pages. Near the beginning Malfi himself mentioned Ira Levin's Stepford Wives and I immediately began seeing the town's husbands/men as Stepford Husbands - they're all healthy, tanned and show terrifyingly false happy-faces. So far the town's women/wives haven't been featured much. The only woman I know anything about is Heather, Alan's wife, who has suffered through two miscarriages and is now in the midst of a deep depression. I have never had a child, let alone a miscarriage, so I have no real understanding of what Heather is going through; but, at the same time I'm finding Heather hard to empathise with because she has responded to her situation with what I consider the ultimate in selfish behaviour - suicide or in her case attempted suicide, twice (I think you can count almost taking a bottleful of pills - pills in the hand, ready to toss them back - as attempted suicide). Heather isn't the only one who suffered the loss of her babies. What about Alan and first having the tragedy of two miscarriages, and then having to deal with a seriously suicidal wife and the possibility that the next time he takes his eyes off her, she may be successful in her attempts to kill herself.
Not particularly scary, but what Hank told Alan about the husband and wife who used the pond and were corrupted, instead of healed, by it, was disturbing. Maybe that's where this is heading for Heather and Alan, I guess I'll see soon.
Oh P.S. I HATE the name Hammerstun, it sounds like a pro wrestler or superhero name. Why didn't Malfi go with Hammersmith or something a bit more normal? You don't have to be this original in your character naming - there are many Smiths, Browns and Jacksons in this world, you can use those names as well as make up your own. To be continued...
Later the same day - Okay, I'm totally freaked out by the thought of invading vines growing through the cracks in the house, behind the fridge, but Alan, he just cuts them out, trying to ignore the strangeness of the disgusting, warm, purple, blood-like sap that oozes out as he attacks them. He turns away for a second, to get his microwave-warmed coffee, turns back to the fridge for the milk and THEY'VE GROWN BACK, and this time right through the back of the fridge! The vines are grabbing the milk and a holding a banana in mid air!! How does Alan react to this re-enactment of The Day of the Triffids? He cuts them out a second time, gathers them all up in a trash bag along with the food they've contaminated and puts them in the bin at the street! Who of you reading this wouldn't have a screaming/heart attack in the face of instantaneously regrowing, bleeding vines that are invading your fridge? This isn't a persistent weed that keeps growing through the cracks in your driveway every few months, this is one second regrowth of vines that BLEED! Totally unrealistic reaction, even from a man who just learned about a magical lake that heals some and corrupts others. Before I started writing this update I added another half star to my rating due to the fact that I'd been death-grip holding the book as I read the 'the vines grow back instantaneously' scene, but now I'm thinking of deducting it again due Alan's unrealistic reaction to the creepiness. To be continued...
Later that night - Evil intelligent birds. I don't like birds much to begin with - too many evil bird movies. Instead of the usual crow or raven, it's buzzards that sound like their child-sized. I like bird s that could eat a dog whole even less than I do normal birds. Then you add in Cory, who looks to be turning into a Village of the Damned child, and the whole book is getting creepier by the page. Now (10:45 pm) I'm starting to hear things, and when Alan's father, Bill spoke to him in the Morehead room of death I swear I heard a door creak and sat bolt upright in bed. Remembering the scene and the simultaneous, mysterious (because everyone's asleep) door creak is making my heart pound with a little renewed terror. Thank goodness it's not a howling wind kind of night, or I'd be a gibbering mess by now (said the girl who likes horror and was looking forward to any nightmares created by this book). To be continued...
Even later that night - As Alan becomes more and more obsessed with the lake and the Morehead massacre story Heather becomes less and less a part of the story. I assume she's still there only because I haven't been told otherwise. Considering what happened in the Morehead house I wonder if Heather might not take the part of the murdering spouse because Alan's gotten over her miscarriages too easily (in her eyes), or something like that. So far, despite being unhealthily obsessed with Owen Morehead and over-using the lake, Alan seems to be suffering no ill-effects from his morning swims. He's the healthy one (like Sophie Morehead), while Heather's depression only seems to be getting worse (like Owen Morehead). To be continued...
26/2 - On page 175 - sounds like the Winchester boys need to make a visit, they'd have old Adaby fixed up in no time.
Why on earth wold Alan refuse, while not orders, a doctor's recommendation that after two suicide attempts (see, even the doctor considers the situation with the pills an attempt, even though she didn't actually take them) Heather be hospitalised? What makes him think that he can deal with what's going through her mind on his own? Why is 'having her at home and watching her' a more logical treatment then a medication regime and therapy? If he'd agreed to the doctor's recommendation to hospitalise her, Heather may have been able to work through this crushing depression, they may even be 'happy' again and trying to get pregnant again (if that's what they chose to do). But instead he's poisoning her with vengeful magic lake water - and that kind of situation can only lead to bloody mass murder and suicide. To be continued...
Later that night - Jerry Lee's last days being spent with owners that no longer smelt (or whatever it was about them that disturbed him) like themselves made me really sad. Thinking about the four dogs we've had to put down and how horrible it would have been for them if we were no longer ourselves and they felt they couldn't trust us anymore makes me a bit teary-eyed for poor, faithful Jerry Lee. Not only that, but to find the evil buzzard literally knocking on the door, as if asking to be let in for its dinner, at the sight of Jerry Lee's dead body - that was dreadful.
Why do people never listen to the Indian witch doctors? Alan went to all that trouble to find George, but as soon as he got back in his car he never gave the warnings another thought. Was it because the lake had already corrupted him so much that it removed the memory from his mind or did he not believe in the lake, and therefore what George was warning him of, and so just laughed it off. The episode with George was before he started feeding the lake water to Heather, so it's not like he had her amazing improvement to motivate him into ignoring George's warnings. It was so abrupt, the forgetting of the warnings, that I'm going to go with the lake 'stealing' his memories. The other two possibilities seem less likely. The nights where he wakes up sure there's someone in the house, and searches through the house, feeling a presence, but never finding anyone was particularly heart-stopping because I've done the same thing at home - positive I heard something and being terrified of what I might find if I leave my room but feeling I have to anyway - thank God it's always been the cat jumping on the bench and bumping into something in the process. To be continued...
27/2 - The ending felt a bit rushed. We had all this build up which was exciting, and at times scary, and then it was the climax and then it was over. Once Alan worked out what was going on with the foetus it all seemed to be over in 50 pages, or so (by the way, thanks for the horrible imagery in relation to what the foetus was doing and what Alan was doing with his hands during some of the nights). I wish there had been more explanation of the evil buzzards, the Indian myths and spirits of the forest and I would've liked to know what Heather's long term reaction to her third 'miscarriage' might have been. Maybe have Alan wait a few days before he drags her to the lake to 'fix' her. I will definitely be looking for more of Malfi's books.
25/2 - I started this last night and have read a little over 100 pages. Near the beginning Malfi himself mentioned Ira Levin's Stepford Wives and I immediately began seeing the town's husbands/men as Stepford Husbands - they're all healthy, tanned and show terrifyingly false happy-faces. So far the town's women/wives haven't been featured much. The only woman I know anything about is Heather, Alan's wife, who has suffered through two miscarriages and is now in the midst of a deep depression. I have never had a child, let alone a miscarriage, so I have no real understanding of what Heather is going through; but, at the same time I'm finding Heather hard to empathise with because she has responded to her situation with what I consider the ultimate in selfish behaviour - suicide or in her case attempted suicide, twice (I think you can count almost taking a bottleful of pills - pills in the hand, ready to toss them back - as attempted suicide). Heather isn't the only one who suffered the loss of her babies. What about Alan and first having the tragedy of two miscarriages, and then having to deal with a seriously suicidal wife and the possibility that the next time he takes his eyes off her, she may be successful in her attempts to kill herself.
Not particularly scary, but what Hank told Alan about the husband and wife who used the pond and were corrupted, instead of healed, by it, was disturbing. Maybe that's where this is heading for Heather and Alan, I guess I'll see soon.
Oh P.S. I HATE the name Hammerstun, it sounds like a pro wrestler or superhero name. Why didn't Malfi go with Hammersmith or something a bit more normal? You don't have to be this original in your character naming - there are many Smiths, Browns and Jacksons in this world, you can use those names as well as make up your own. To be continued...
Later the same day - Okay, I'm totally freaked out by the thought of invading vines growing through the cracks in the house, behind the fridge, but Alan, he just cuts them out, trying to ignore the strangeness of the disgusting, warm, purple, blood-like sap that oozes out as he attacks them. He turns away for a second, to get his microwave-warmed coffee, turns back to the fridge for the milk and THEY'VE GROWN BACK, and this time right through the back of the fridge! The vines are grabbing the milk and a holding a banana in mid air!! How does Alan react to this re-enactment of The Day of the Triffids? He cuts them out a second time, gathers them all up in a trash bag along with the food they've contaminated and puts them in the bin at the street! Who of you reading this wouldn't have a screaming/heart attack in the face of instantaneously regrowing, bleeding vines that are invading your fridge? This isn't a persistent weed that keeps growing through the cracks in your driveway every few months, this is one second regrowth of vines that BLEED! Totally unrealistic reaction, even from a man who just learned about a magical lake that heals some and corrupts others. Before I started writing this update I added another half star to my rating due to the fact that I'd been death-grip holding the book as I read the 'the vines grow back instantaneously' scene, but now I'm thinking of deducting it again due Alan's unrealistic reaction to the creepiness. To be continued...
Later that night - Evil intelligent birds. I don't like birds much to begin with - too many evil bird movies. Instead of the usual crow or raven, it's buzzards that sound like their child-sized. I like bird s that could eat a dog whole even less than I do normal birds. Then you add in Cory, who looks to be turning into a Village of the Damned child, and the whole book is getting creepier by the page. Now (10:45 pm) I'm starting to hear things, and when Alan's father, Bill spoke to him in the Morehead room of death I swear I heard a door creak and sat bolt upright in bed. Remembering the scene and the simultaneous, mysterious (because everyone's asleep) door creak is making my heart pound with a little renewed terror. Thank goodness it's not a howling wind kind of night, or I'd be a gibbering mess by now (said the girl who likes horror and was looking forward to any nightmares created by this book). To be continued...
Even later that night - As Alan becomes more and more obsessed with the lake and the Morehead massacre story Heather becomes less and less a part of the story. I assume she's still there only because I haven't been told otherwise. Considering what happened in the Morehead house I wonder if Heather might not take the part of the murdering spouse because Alan's gotten over her miscarriages too easily (in her eyes), or something like that. So far, despite being unhealthily obsessed with Owen Morehead and over-using the lake, Alan seems to be suffering no ill-effects from his morning swims. He's the healthy one (like Sophie Morehead), while Heather's depression only seems to be getting worse (like Owen Morehead). To be continued...
26/2 - On page 175 - sounds like the Winchester boys need to make a visit, they'd have old Adaby fixed up in no time.
Why on earth wold Alan refuse, while not orders, a doctor's recommendation that after two suicide attempts (see, even the doctor considers the situation with the pills an attempt, even though she didn't actually take them) Heather be hospitalised? What makes him think that he can deal with what's going through her mind on his own? Why is 'having her at home and watching her' a more logical treatment then a medication regime and therapy? If he'd agreed to the doctor's recommendation to hospitalise her, Heather may have been able to work through this crushing depression, they may even be 'happy' again and trying to get pregnant again (if that's what they chose to do). But instead he's poisoning her with vengeful magic lake water - and that kind of situation can only lead to bloody mass murder and suicide. To be continued...
Later that night - Jerry Lee's last days being spent with owners that no longer smelt (or whatever it was about them that disturbed him) like themselves made me really sad. Thinking about the four dogs we've had to put down and how horrible it would have been for them if we were no longer ourselves and they felt they couldn't trust us anymore makes me a bit teary-eyed for poor, faithful Jerry Lee. Not only that, but to find the evil buzzard literally knocking on the door, as if asking to be let in for its dinner, at the sight of Jerry Lee's dead body - that was dreadful.
Why do people never listen to the Indian witch doctors? Alan went to all that trouble to find George, but as soon as he got back in his car he never gave the warnings another thought. Was it because the lake had already corrupted him so much that it removed the memory from his mind or did he not believe in the lake, and therefore what George was warning him of, and so just laughed it off. The episode with George was before he started feeding the lake water to Heather, so it's not like he had her amazing improvement to motivate him into ignoring George's warnings. It was so abrupt, the forgetting of the warnings, that I'm going to go with the lake 'stealing' his memories. The other two possibilities seem less likely. The nights where he wakes up sure there's someone in the house, and searches through the house, feeling a presence, but never finding anyone was particularly heart-stopping because I've done the same thing at home - positive I heard something and being terrified of what I might find if I leave my room but feeling I have to anyway - thank God it's always been the cat jumping on the bench and bumping into something in the process. To be continued...
27/2 - The ending felt a bit rushed. We had all this build up which was exciting, and at times scary, and then it was the climax and then it was over. Once Alan worked out what was going on with the foetus it all seemed to be over in 50 pages, or so (by the way, thanks for the horrible imagery in relation to what the foetus was doing and what Alan was doing with his hands during some of the nights). I wish there had been more explanation of the evil buzzards, the Indian myths and spirits of the forest and I would've liked to know what Heather's long term reaction to her third 'miscarriage' might have been. Maybe have Alan wait a few days before he drags her to the lake to 'fix' her. I will definitely be looking for more of Malfi's books.
Want to read
February 11, 2017This hardcover copy is 96 of 150 signed and numbered copies signed by Ronald Malfi.
December 30, 2015
Alan Hammerstun inherits the house of a long lost uncle. Alan can't understand why the house was left to him, instead of his two children. Alan and his wife Heather, jump at the chance of leaving the Big Apple and moving to a small town in North Carolina, Both Alan and Heather, hope that this move will strengthen their relationship. Heather is deeply depressed, after having two miscarriages. Heather's depression overtakes her and she tries to commit suicide by lashing her wrists. Alan must take charge to make sure that Heather doesn't try and hurt herself again. While Alan is sitting on his porch smoking a cigarette, he notices these vulture type birds in the trees around his house. It was almost like they were watching him. Alan decides to go for a walk one night and stumbles upon this mysterious lake. The Hammerstun neighbor's seem very friendly in the begging but warn Alan to stay away from the lake. Soon Alan will learn that the lake has the power to heal but that is not always a good thing. Alan is warned also by George Young Calf Ribs, to leave that house immediately and burn it to the ground, so no one else can live there. In Cradle Lake, Malfi builds up the suspense through the entire book. The characters in this book were well developed and this made the story stronger. I highly recommend this book!
February 9, 2016
At the heart of this excellent story is a dilemma. The great spiritual one bequeathed and entrusted to us the world as we know it, and invited us to treat with respect and not to destroy this wonderful gift. The greed and distructful nature of man is forever present and proceeds to demolish that which was given in trust.
Alan Hammerstun and his wife Heather have moved from downtown Manhattan to a quiet suburb in the state of Carolina. Heather has recently suffered two horrific miscarriages, is clinically depressed, and has attempted to end her own life on two occasions. Alan, deeply in love with his wife, is hopeful that this new start will rejuvenate their relationship. What follows is a deeply moving, thought provoking story that invokes elements of horror, spiritualism, and human greed creating a tight and compulsive read challenging the readers intelligence from the opening scenes.
There is a wonderful list of characters; Hank Gerski, Don Probst and Gary Jones neighbours with a secret to keep aided and abetted by the somewhat unlikeable Sheriff Hearn Landry. In addition there is the murderous intentions of Owen Moreland and the spiritualistic presence of "George Young Calf Ribs" At the centre of this unfolding drama is Cradle Lake...cold and inviting, invigorating yet destructive in the extreme...."You have no concept of what the lake is capable of. There's a power here, a certain strength. And it's not just in the lake but in the land itself. All around us"
Hank Gerski warns Alan of the dangers of Cradle Lake explaining that the healing process of the water contains evil intentions and is best left alone. An incident happens when young Cory Morris is in a serious collision with a car and rather than request the assistance of an ambulance Cory is lifted and carried to Cradle Lake. where he is miraculously healed. All the residents wish to keep the rest of the world ignorant of the Lake's healing powers but Alan realizes there is a way that he can use the power of Cradle Lake to strengthen his resolve and more importantly bring back life to his beautiful Heather....but a price will have to be paid.
Owen Moreland butchered his wife Sophie "put the barrel of a pump-action Winchester to the center of Sophie's forehead and spread her brains along the front hallway of their home" before inserting a toe in his shotgun and very efficiently ending his own life. On visiting the scene of this atrocity Alan sees the words "Devil's Stone" painted on the walls and his curiosity into the origin of these words leads him on a journey where he meets the spiritual "George Young Calf Ribs" and begins to discover and understand the true meaning and horror of Cradle Lake and now appreciates the impact this will have on his life unless he adheres to and obeys the advice and warnings from "George Young Calf Ribs"...."It has become a bad place. His tone was simple, matter-of-fact. It no longer hides and offers rejuvenation to those worthy enough to find it. Now it calls to whoever is careless enough to seek it out. That is its revenge on the ones who have soured its waters and poisoned its land"...."Leave that house immediately" he told him. "Burn it to the ground so no one else can live there after you. Do it before it's too late."
This is not a happy book but a thoughtful, sad and intelligent read of one mans journey to find some closure and redemption and to put an end to the sadness that permeates his life. It is amazingly poetic in it's language and visionary in the story that it tells. It is a book that should be read by all, an amazing achievement by Ronald Malfi it comes from me to you with the highest recommendation.
Alan Hammerstun and his wife Heather have moved from downtown Manhattan to a quiet suburb in the state of Carolina. Heather has recently suffered two horrific miscarriages, is clinically depressed, and has attempted to end her own life on two occasions. Alan, deeply in love with his wife, is hopeful that this new start will rejuvenate their relationship. What follows is a deeply moving, thought provoking story that invokes elements of horror, spiritualism, and human greed creating a tight and compulsive read challenging the readers intelligence from the opening scenes.
There is a wonderful list of characters; Hank Gerski, Don Probst and Gary Jones neighbours with a secret to keep aided and abetted by the somewhat unlikeable Sheriff Hearn Landry. In addition there is the murderous intentions of Owen Moreland and the spiritualistic presence of "George Young Calf Ribs" At the centre of this unfolding drama is Cradle Lake...cold and inviting, invigorating yet destructive in the extreme...."You have no concept of what the lake is capable of. There's a power here, a certain strength. And it's not just in the lake but in the land itself. All around us"
Hank Gerski warns Alan of the dangers of Cradle Lake explaining that the healing process of the water contains evil intentions and is best left alone. An incident happens when young Cory Morris is in a serious collision with a car and rather than request the assistance of an ambulance Cory is lifted and carried to Cradle Lake. where he is miraculously healed. All the residents wish to keep the rest of the world ignorant of the Lake's healing powers but Alan realizes there is a way that he can use the power of Cradle Lake to strengthen his resolve and more importantly bring back life to his beautiful Heather....but a price will have to be paid.
Owen Moreland butchered his wife Sophie "put the barrel of a pump-action Winchester to the center of Sophie's forehead and spread her brains along the front hallway of their home" before inserting a toe in his shotgun and very efficiently ending his own life. On visiting the scene of this atrocity Alan sees the words "Devil's Stone" painted on the walls and his curiosity into the origin of these words leads him on a journey where he meets the spiritual "George Young Calf Ribs" and begins to discover and understand the true meaning and horror of Cradle Lake and now appreciates the impact this will have on his life unless he adheres to and obeys the advice and warnings from "George Young Calf Ribs"...."It has become a bad place. His tone was simple, matter-of-fact. It no longer hides and offers rejuvenation to those worthy enough to find it. Now it calls to whoever is careless enough to seek it out. That is its revenge on the ones who have soured its waters and poisoned its land"...."Leave that house immediately" he told him. "Burn it to the ground so no one else can live there after you. Do it before it's too late."
This is not a happy book but a thoughtful, sad and intelligent read of one mans journey to find some closure and redemption and to put an end to the sadness that permeates his life. It is amazingly poetic in it's language and visionary in the story that it tells. It is a book that should be read by all, an amazing achievement by Ronald Malfi it comes from me to you with the highest recommendation.
April 7, 2015
I enjoyed one of the author's other books, Floating Staircase, so I decided to give Cradle Lake a try. Let's just say that my reactions to this one were rather mixed. It's the story of a married couple, Alan and Heather, who move to his uncle's creepy old house in rural North Carolina to escape bad memories from their life in New York City--said memories concerning Heather's miscarriages and suicide attempts. There is a trail to a spooky dark lake behind the house, and things get complicated from there.
On the plus side, this story did hold my interest to the end, and unlike Floating Staircase, which was an almost gentle ghost story/mystery, this one is firmly in the horror camp. The beginning of the novel is especially atmospheric; you just know that something bad is going to happen and while you don't necessarily want the bad thing, you don't want to miss out on it either.
Despite tons of potential, however, something about this book just didn't work for me. For one thing, the pacing seemed off, with two-thirds of the book a somewhat bloated build-up (as Alan is warned over and over again to STAY AWAY FROM THE LAKE!! And does he stay away? Well, what do you think?), and then the last part rushing through the horrible denouement way too quickly. Another problem was that I never warmed up to the characters. Heather didn't have much personality at all (besides wanting a baby and being depressed), and Alan wasn't very likable.
And for my last quibble, I'm afraid I'll sound a bit pedantic, but in a supernatural novel, if the author messes up the mundane details, my willing suspension of disbelief tends to stumble. In this case, the problem was the absolutely silly depiction of one of the symbols of dread and foreboding: the huge flock of "buzzards" surrounding Alan's house, as in this quote: "He thought instantly of the hideous buzzards--the carrion birds--[...]creeping closer to the house like vultures circling over a coyote dying in the desert." These horrible birds are, more than anything else, noisy--described as croaking, cawing, bleating like a sheep, screaming, giving a "bloodcurdling wail," a "high-pitched discordant cry," a "shrill noise," and a "cacophony of discordant cries." Here's the thing--buzzards, in this context, aren't "like" vultures, they are vultures, probably the harmless, if hideous, turkey vulture. (In America, the term "buzzard" is a colloquialism for vultures. In England, the word denotes a kind of hawk.) And here's a fun fact about vultures: they are mostly silent; although able to hiss and grunt, they are incapable of making much noise. So every time the author mentioned the noisy "buzzards," I couldn't help scoffing at how unrealistic it was, which just made me think, "Hmmm, what else in this book is unrealistic?" Honestly, the little details do matter. And yes, I'm a bird nerd.
Final rating: **2.5 stars.** Disappointing, but not bad enough to keep me from trying another book by this author if the story sounds really good.
On the plus side, this story did hold my interest to the end, and unlike Floating Staircase, which was an almost gentle ghost story/mystery, this one is firmly in the horror camp. The beginning of the novel is especially atmospheric; you just know that something bad is going to happen and while you don't necessarily want the bad thing, you don't want to miss out on it either.
Despite tons of potential, however, something about this book just didn't work for me. For one thing, the pacing seemed off, with two-thirds of the book a somewhat bloated build-up (as Alan is warned over and over again to STAY AWAY FROM THE LAKE!! And does he stay away? Well, what do you think?), and then the last part rushing through the horrible denouement way too quickly. Another problem was that I never warmed up to the characters. Heather didn't have much personality at all (besides wanting a baby and being depressed), and Alan wasn't very likable.
And for my last quibble, I'm afraid I'll sound a bit pedantic, but in a supernatural novel, if the author messes up the mundane details, my willing suspension of disbelief tends to stumble. In this case, the problem was the absolutely silly depiction of one of the symbols of dread and foreboding: the huge flock of "buzzards" surrounding Alan's house, as in this quote: "He thought instantly of the hideous buzzards--the carrion birds--[...]creeping closer to the house like vultures circling over a coyote dying in the desert." These horrible birds are, more than anything else, noisy--described as croaking, cawing, bleating like a sheep, screaming, giving a "bloodcurdling wail," a "high-pitched discordant cry," a "shrill noise," and a "cacophony of discordant cries." Here's the thing--buzzards, in this context, aren't "like" vultures, they are vultures, probably the harmless, if hideous, turkey vulture. (In America, the term "buzzard" is a colloquialism for vultures. In England, the word denotes a kind of hawk.) And here's a fun fact about vultures: they are mostly silent; although able to hiss and grunt, they are incapable of making much noise. So every time the author mentioned the noisy "buzzards," I couldn't help scoffing at how unrealistic it was, which just made me think, "Hmmm, what else in this book is unrealistic?" Honestly, the little details do matter. And yes, I'm a bird nerd.
Final rating: **2.5 stars.** Disappointing, but not bad enough to keep me from trying another book by this author if the story sounds really good.
March 7, 2018
3.5 Stars
Ronald Malfi is a talented writer; I'm enjoying going through his collection of stuff. This one doesn't beat other favorites I've found, but it's still demented and pure horror. The middle is a little weighed down by that pregnant pause of waiting for something to start happening, but the first and last quarter make it all worth out. Bleak as hell and surreal, it reminds one a little of Pet Semetary at first, although there are still enough differences to make this only similar and not imitation. Have a soft spot for the neighbor Hank and always found Heather a bit annoying, but overall the characterization was also top notch. Full review to come.
Ronald Malfi is a talented writer; I'm enjoying going through his collection of stuff. This one doesn't beat other favorites I've found, but it's still demented and pure horror. The middle is a little weighed down by that pregnant pause of waiting for something to start happening, but the first and last quarter make it all worth out. Bleak as hell and surreal, it reminds one a little of Pet Semetary at first, although there are still enough differences to make this only similar and not imitation. Have a soft spot for the neighbor Hank and always found Heather a bit annoying, but overall the characterization was also top notch. Full review to come.
March 17, 2016
Alan and Heather Hammerstun, after the emotional trauma of two miscarriages (and Heather’s two suicide attempts), are ready for a fresh start. An opportunity comes along at just the right time – Alan’s late uncle has left him with a house in a small North Carolina town, and the couple leave their New York home, hoping it will be a good place for healing. It is, as it turns out, though not in the way they’d considered. In the woods surrounding the house there’s a lake that seems to be a panacea. The effects of its mysterious properties are unpredictable however, and, in the typical fashion of these sorts of things, its gifts often come with a price.
Right from the start the town and its citizens have a distinct Stepford quality, but after Alan’s discovery of the lake, the story swiftly goes in a different direction. Malfi efficiently weaves the necessary expository bits and characterization into a quickly moving plot. The thrills are subtle but it’s still a page-turner, and the reader is left not knowing quite where it’s going until the end, which in hindsight feels almost inevitable.
Cradle Lake mines some pitch-dark places in a genre already well-known for its darkness. It explores marriage and especially pregnancy in its ups and downs (and here the downs are amplified to an extreme level), and the lengths to which a parent will instinctively go to protect their child. It sheds light on the paths we might wander when all hope is lost, and on the thin line between misery and madness.
As you might have guessed, this is not a happy book – It’s devastating. It’s one of those novels that will leave you feeling hollowed out, but the story is well told and its echos will stay with you after the final page is turned. All things considered, Cradle Lake is a great read for seekers of quiet, psychological horror. Recommended.
review originally posted at horrornovelreviews.com
Right from the start the town and its citizens have a distinct Stepford quality, but after Alan’s discovery of the lake, the story swiftly goes in a different direction. Malfi efficiently weaves the necessary expository bits and characterization into a quickly moving plot. The thrills are subtle but it’s still a page-turner, and the reader is left not knowing quite where it’s going until the end, which in hindsight feels almost inevitable.
Cradle Lake mines some pitch-dark places in a genre already well-known for its darkness. It explores marriage and especially pregnancy in its ups and downs (and here the downs are amplified to an extreme level), and the lengths to which a parent will instinctively go to protect their child. It sheds light on the paths we might wander when all hope is lost, and on the thin line between misery and madness.
As you might have guessed, this is not a happy book – It’s devastating. It’s one of those novels that will leave you feeling hollowed out, but the story is well told and its echos will stay with you after the final page is turned. All things considered, Cradle Lake is a great read for seekers of quiet, psychological horror. Recommended.
review originally posted at horrornovelreviews.com
May 29, 2013
http://openbooksociety.com/article/cr...
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
Alan Hammerstun and his wife decide to move after inheriting his uncle’s home in North Carolina. The house needs repairs but Heather needs the time to heal from her miscarriages. Heather is wasting away, literally. She is detached, a shell of a person. Alan is willing to do anything to help her.
The neighbors seem friendly, especially Hank. It seems like the perfect place for Alan, Heather and their dog Jerry Lee. The town sheriff seems a bit weird as he’s usually parked nearby.
Shortly after moving in, Alan finds a path behind the house. He follows the odd stones, on the path, to a lake. The water is ice cold to the touch. Hank warns Alan to stay out of the woods but Alan doesn’t take it seriously. Alan begins having odd dreams that might not be just dreams.
Alan witnesses a car accident where a child is injured pretty badly. Alan follows the neighbors to the pond where the child is healed. Alan does not believe despite seeing it.
What he doesn’t yet know – it doesn’t always turn out okay.
Alan decides to see what the lake can do for him. He begins getting drinking water for Heather. She begins to come back to him.
Despite warnings, Alan gets addicted to the results. But he is also fascinated with the history of the lake. I loved the Indian lore brought into the story. Alan visits a reservation where he questions George Youngcalfribs. George explains that the lake was originally intended for healing but it’s now harming people.
The land and gift was misused. It’s now tainted, dangerous. Alan thought it made him invincible. He thought he could control it but miscalculated. I thought it was significant that Jerry Lee reacts to the changes with Alan. Animals are very astute.
I read the book quickly because of the suspense. The psychology of the Hammerstuns is fascinating. They are both damaged but the lake is not the answer. Alan’s arrogance wouldn’t let him see the danger. Both he and Heather pay a price for their hubris.
I think men will like this book more so than women. I suggest it as a gift for Father’s Day or a birthday.
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Dawn
*Beware of possible Spoilers*
Alan Hammerstun and his wife decide to move after inheriting his uncle’s home in North Carolina. The house needs repairs but Heather needs the time to heal from her miscarriages. Heather is wasting away, literally. She is detached, a shell of a person. Alan is willing to do anything to help her.
The neighbors seem friendly, especially Hank. It seems like the perfect place for Alan, Heather and their dog Jerry Lee. The town sheriff seems a bit weird as he’s usually parked nearby.
Shortly after moving in, Alan finds a path behind the house. He follows the odd stones, on the path, to a lake. The water is ice cold to the touch. Hank warns Alan to stay out of the woods but Alan doesn’t take it seriously. Alan begins having odd dreams that might not be just dreams.
Alan witnesses a car accident where a child is injured pretty badly. Alan follows the neighbors to the pond where the child is healed. Alan does not believe despite seeing it.
What he doesn’t yet know – it doesn’t always turn out okay.
Alan decides to see what the lake can do for him. He begins getting drinking water for Heather. She begins to come back to him.
Despite warnings, Alan gets addicted to the results. But he is also fascinated with the history of the lake. I loved the Indian lore brought into the story. Alan visits a reservation where he questions George Youngcalfribs. George explains that the lake was originally intended for healing but it’s now harming people.
The land and gift was misused. It’s now tainted, dangerous. Alan thought it made him invincible. He thought he could control it but miscalculated. I thought it was significant that Jerry Lee reacts to the changes with Alan. Animals are very astute.
I read the book quickly because of the suspense. The psychology of the Hammerstuns is fascinating. They are both damaged but the lake is not the answer. Alan’s arrogance wouldn’t let him see the danger. Both he and Heather pay a price for their hubris.
I think men will like this book more so than women. I suggest it as a gift for Father’s Day or a birthday.
March 31, 2019
Das Buch "Der See des Grauens" wurde von Ronald Malfi verfasst und 2019 vom Papierverzierer Verlag neu aufgelegt.
Alan und Heather ziehen auf die alte Farm seines Onkels um die Vergangenheit hinter sich zu lassen. Doch ist das auf dieser Ranch in den Great Smoky Mountains nicht möglich. Der Platz scheint magisch und es ist alles, bloß nicht friedlich.
Wie immer überrascht der Autor mit einer perfekten Mischung aus Thriller und Mystery. Auch sind seine Charaktere so unterschiedlich, wie toll ausgearbeitet.
Der Erzählstil ist fesselnd und der Spannungsbogen immer gegeben.
Wer Lust auf einen tollen Mysterythriller hat, muss einfach zu diesem Buch und Ronald Malfi greifen. Jedoch darauf achten, ob man ihn nicht vorher schon gelesen hat, da es sich um eine Neuauflage handelt!
Alan und Heather ziehen auf die alte Farm seines Onkels um die Vergangenheit hinter sich zu lassen. Doch ist das auf dieser Ranch in den Great Smoky Mountains nicht möglich. Der Platz scheint magisch und es ist alles, bloß nicht friedlich.
Wie immer überrascht der Autor mit einer perfekten Mischung aus Thriller und Mystery. Auch sind seine Charaktere so unterschiedlich, wie toll ausgearbeitet.
Der Erzählstil ist fesselnd und der Spannungsbogen immer gegeben.
Wer Lust auf einen tollen Mysterythriller hat, muss einfach zu diesem Buch und Ronald Malfi greifen. Jedoch darauf achten, ob man ihn nicht vorher schon gelesen hat, da es sich um eine Neuauflage handelt!
July 3, 2014
As usual, Ronald Malfi has served up the finely-tuned, flowing prose that's earned him such respect, creating heart-achingly human characters that seem all too real...especially when they travel down roads we know they shouldn't. And yet, we follow them all the way there, because Malfi has crafted a weakness there that we all know too well.
October 25, 2020
This was a DNF for me. I was down with it until the mystical old Native American was introduced. This is such a tired, racist trope. Pass.
March 13, 2021
4.5 stars I Loved the story and the nod to some old school horror. This author is such a great storyteller and I enjoy his fast paced, easily digestible style
July 13, 2022
Cradle Lake gave me all the creepy small town lake vibes that I was looking for this summer. This was my 1st Ronald Malfi book & it did not disappoint. The setting was a dark & eerie one where our main character Alan moves into a house by a mysterious lake. The lake sits in the middle of a forest and is surrounded by some very peculiar birds that seem to be "lake guards".
The town knows all about the lake & it's residents know the lake's dark secrets. Poor Alan & his wife soon find out what Cradle Lake's secret is & it's not one that makes him jump for joy. Is Alan really going mad, or are his dreams his actual reality?
In conclusion, this was a good horror read. I look forward to reading more of Malfi's work.
The town knows all about the lake & it's residents know the lake's dark secrets. Poor Alan & his wife soon find out what Cradle Lake's secret is & it's not one that makes him jump for joy. Is Alan really going mad, or are his dreams his actual reality?
In conclusion, this was a good horror read. I look forward to reading more of Malfi's work.
July 17, 2013
I was excited to receive this book for review. It was a little extra added book from the publisher that came along with "
Floating Staircase.
" by the same author, Ronald Malfi. I really enjoy Malfi's writing style. This book, however, left me in the middle on my feelings towards the plot like. I have broken my positive/negative aspects into categories below.
Positive Aspects:
Mr. Malfi's writing style is poetic and superb. He has a beautiful way of creating a scene around the reader sot that they see, smell and feel the surroundings.
When Alan and his wife Heather first arrive at their new home willed to them by Alan's deceased uncle, the description of the dilapidated building really struck me:, ".. The front windows looked blind with cataracts and the yard was horribly overgrown."
Another example, "..He awoke covered in sweat, the memory of the past year clinging to him like a web. "
Another example, "... It was warm enough for fireflies, and this night they were out in multitude, filling the night sky with their peculiar brand of visual Morse code."
Mr. Malfi's writing style is alluring and enchanting. This is the prime reason, married with the fact I absolutely LOVED "Floating Staircase", that I finished this book.
I also loved the Native American thread that held the book together. The importance of good/evil and the fine balance between the two.
ATAGA’HI - Belief by the Cherokee people, my people and my ancestry, gave me a bit of pride in reading this book.
Kit'Yowah Prophecy.
Negative Aspects:
Now, the parts I hate doing. I always feel like a thief receiving a book for free, for review, and finding negative areas of the book.
A. There are SO many subplots, it was hard to keep focus. I felt that the author rushed to reach certain "goals" by releasing information too soon, like the effects of the lake and the town's people.
Plot lines: Vines, Lake, Town's Folk, Owen and his Wife, Heather and her issues, Alan and his issues, and the Cherokee tales.
The other negative to me, is that this book was very reminiscent of
"Pet Cemetery" by Stephen King marries,
"Tommyknockers" by Stephen King ,
and together they breed "Rosemary's Baby" by Roman Polanski.
Overall Feeling:
The writing is beautiful and enticing. Mr. Malfi is beyond creative with his ideas and putting them in word format. I would definitely read MORE of his work. This book is great for a quick read on vacation, weekend during a thunderstorm, etc.
Positive Aspects:
Mr. Malfi's writing style is poetic and superb. He has a beautiful way of creating a scene around the reader sot that they see, smell and feel the surroundings.
When Alan and his wife Heather first arrive at their new home willed to them by Alan's deceased uncle, the description of the dilapidated building really struck me:, ".. The front windows looked blind with cataracts and the yard was horribly overgrown."
Another example, "..He awoke covered in sweat, the memory of the past year clinging to him like a web. "
Another example, "... It was warm enough for fireflies, and this night they were out in multitude, filling the night sky with their peculiar brand of visual Morse code."
Mr. Malfi's writing style is alluring and enchanting. This is the prime reason, married with the fact I absolutely LOVED "Floating Staircase", that I finished this book.
I also loved the Native American thread that held the book together. The importance of good/evil and the fine balance between the two.
ATAGA’HI - Belief by the Cherokee people, my people and my ancestry, gave me a bit of pride in reading this book.
Kit'Yowah Prophecy.
Negative Aspects:
Now, the parts I hate doing. I always feel like a thief receiving a book for free, for review, and finding negative areas of the book.
A. There are SO many subplots, it was hard to keep focus. I felt that the author rushed to reach certain "goals" by releasing information too soon, like the effects of the lake and the town's people.
Plot lines: Vines, Lake, Town's Folk, Owen and his Wife, Heather and her issues, Alan and his issues, and the Cherokee tales.
The other negative to me, is that this book was very reminiscent of
"Pet Cemetery" by Stephen King marries,
"Tommyknockers" by Stephen King ,
and together they breed "Rosemary's Baby" by Roman Polanski.
Overall Feeling:
The writing is beautiful and enticing. Mr. Malfi is beyond creative with his ideas and putting them in word format. I would definitely read MORE of his work. This book is great for a quick read on vacation, weekend during a thunderstorm, etc.
March 3, 2014
Ahhh, Cradle Lake...or as I'm now not-so-fondly calling it "In which we have a whole lot of meh." I'm calling it that because, as you probably guessed it, for me Cradle Lake was just, well...a whole lot of meh. Nothing too impressive...
My favorite horror books are the ones with a semi-slow build up with just enough action to get you really creeped out. Cradle Lake was a lot of slow build up...that led absolutely nowhere. It was somewhat intriguing at the beginning. However, once I finished it, I realized that nothing really happened in the middle. Interesting beginning, repetitive middle, wannabe explosive ending that just fell flat because you could see it coming from a mile away.
However, I was impressed with the easy, breezy writing style of Cradle Lake. This made the pages seem as though they were flying by...even though nothing was happening and I didn't know why they were flying by. It's an enigma.
Overall, I found Cradle Lake to be meh. It wasn't creepy. It wasn't scary. The characters somewhat fell flat. However, the relationship between the two main characters was kind of interesting. Plus, I didn't actually stop reading the book, which is a plus, I guess... I don't know. I say skip it.
My favorite horror books are the ones with a semi-slow build up with just enough action to get you really creeped out. Cradle Lake was a lot of slow build up...that led absolutely nowhere. It was somewhat intriguing at the beginning. However, once I finished it, I realized that nothing really happened in the middle. Interesting beginning, repetitive middle, wannabe explosive ending that just fell flat because you could see it coming from a mile away.
However, I was impressed with the easy, breezy writing style of Cradle Lake. This made the pages seem as though they were flying by...even though nothing was happening and I didn't know why they were flying by. It's an enigma.
Overall, I found Cradle Lake to be meh. It wasn't creepy. It wasn't scary. The characters somewhat fell flat. However, the relationship between the two main characters was kind of interesting. Plus, I didn't actually stop reading the book, which is a plus, I guess... I don't know. I say skip it.
November 9, 2021
I really did not enjoy this book at all, but I finished reading it hoping it would get better. It never did. The characters were bland, flat, and unrelatable, and the plot was a complete rip-off of Stephen King. However, what really bothered me was the author's complete and utter lack of research into the area in which he set the story. The story was supposed to be set in the Smoky Mountains, and it was abundantly clear that the author did not have a clue about the area! Grizzly bears in the Smokies? Mountain lions? Buzzards? Cold weather in the summer time, down south? Really, now!
The Native American man's name, "YoungCalfRibs," is utterly ridiculous, racist, and offensive. The description of the reservation and the people who live there was nothing but an outdated stereotype. The description of the poverty and filth of the Native woman's home was disturbing, and insinuated the author sees all Native American people as living this way.
I really wanted to like this book. I grew up in southern Appalachia, and I was excited to find a book set in my home area. This was a total miss! There are so many great myths and legends in the Smoky Mountains that could have been told! This story is not one of those.
The Native American man's name, "YoungCalfRibs," is utterly ridiculous, racist, and offensive. The description of the reservation and the people who live there was nothing but an outdated stereotype. The description of the poverty and filth of the Native woman's home was disturbing, and insinuated the author sees all Native American people as living this way.
I really wanted to like this book. I grew up in southern Appalachia, and I was excited to find a book set in my home area. This was a total miss! There are so many great myths and legends in the Smoky Mountains that could have been told! This story is not one of those.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2011
So, I have really enjoyed Malfi's stuff so far, including Cradle Lake. The Native American bad juju angle was a nice touch in this story that added a creepiness factor to the overall story. While I enjoyed the story, I guess it was a little bit of a let down from the Passenger. I think the characterization in Passenger was much stronger than in Cradle Lake. I certainly liked the the protagonist (Allen) in this story, but despite Malfi's efforts to flesh out the wife (Heather) in this story, I still found myself vaguely disconnected from her and didn't really feel much for all the horrible things that happened to her and continue to happen to her throughout the story.
Anyways, definitely recommended for any fan of the creepy-slow build-psychological horror story or for any Malfi fan.
Anyways, definitely recommended for any fan of the creepy-slow build-psychological horror story or for any Malfi fan.
April 4, 2023
This is the first Malfi book I’ve read that I actually didn’t love. Parts of it are inventive (and the end is definitely some wild, gruesome stuff), but parts of it felt derivative of themes well explored before by others, particularly by Stephen King. If done well, that’s fine, but in this case it felt a bit clumsy. There were also some cultural moments that struck me as painful to read. Finally, I didn’t personally feel too invested in the characters. The main character Alan was a difficult man to like — again, that can be OK when done well but in this case I struggled with much sympathy or interest in him. (He was also pretty obtuse about doing the wrong thing and while that’s a pretty common horror trope, I think it’s even worse to read that kind of behavior than experience it in movies, since you’re in for a longer ride on the “why would you do that” train).
I think this book may have been published towards the beginning of Malfi’s career so I assume he hadn’t hit his stride yet. Having read 3 or 4 of his books that I really enjoyed prior to this one, I still look forward to reading his other books and might recommend other people put this one lower on the TBR list from his works.
I think this book may have been published towards the beginning of Malfi’s career so I assume he hadn’t hit his stride yet. Having read 3 or 4 of his books that I really enjoyed prior to this one, I still look forward to reading his other books and might recommend other people put this one lower on the TBR list from his works.
April 27, 2021
As usual, Malfi has a way with totally creeping me out. A feeling of underlying dread throughout the story, which is what I really love in horror. The use of Native American folklore was very effective in getting across the whole "you're messing around with nature....stop" mindset. Also, nothing is free. In the end, we end up paying, one way or another. Seriously, I have not been disappointed by a single book I've read by this author. Though I'm working through his backlist, I have his new one on pre-order. Comes out in July...
This one
I will probably save for, get this, December. Clever. Seriously though, if you haven't read this author, and you're a fan of horror, you are missing out.
This one
I will probably save for, get this, December. Clever. Seriously though, if you haven't read this author, and you're a fan of horror, you are missing out. 
December 28, 2020
Kind of a rip-off from Pet Cemetery. I was willing to let that go, and got over half-way thru before I threw in the towel. The protagonist is too stubbornly dumb for words, I got so sick of him:
People: Don't go in the lake
Alan: I'm going to go in the lake
People: Bad things happen to people who go in the lake
Alan: (with the same bad things happening to him) I'm going to go swimming in the lake everyday
Native American: Quit going in the lake. It would be especially bad for your wife
Alan: I'm going to force my wife to drink the water from the lake
I couldn't take anymore
People: Don't go in the lake
Alan: I'm going to go in the lake
People: Bad things happen to people who go in the lake
Alan: (with the same bad things happening to him) I'm going to go swimming in the lake everyday
Native American: Quit going in the lake. It would be especially bad for your wife
Alan: I'm going to force my wife to drink the water from the lake
I couldn't take anymore
November 14, 2025
Another great Ronald Malfi horror novel! This one feels similarly adjacent to Stephen King's Pet Semetary, including having some extremely bleak and depressing content. The main plot point here is that the two main characters, after suffering two miscarriages and struggling with deep depression, move to a new house to make a new start and try to deal with these things. This house happens to be located next to a supernatural lake that gives and takes; causing miraculous healings for some people but also causing evil events to happen. This was a very unsettling and creepy horror book that definitely didn't pull any punches and I would recommend to horror fans.
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