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Lost Man's Lane
A teenager explores the darkness hidden within his hometown in this spellbinding supernatural thriller from bestselling author Scott Carson.
For a sixteen-year-old, a summer internship working for a private investigator seems like a dream come true—particularly since the PI is investigating the most shocking crime to hit Bloomington, Indiana, in decades. A local woman has vanished, and the last time anyone saw her, she was in the backseat of a police car driven by a man impersonating an officer.
Marshall Miller’s internship puts him at the center of the action, a position he relishes until a terrifying moment that turns public praise for his sharp observations and uncanny memory into accusations of lying and imperiling the case. His detective mentor withdraws, friends and family worry and whisper, and Marshall alone understands that the darkness visiting his town this summer goes far beyond a single crime. Now his task is to explain it—and himself.
Lost Man's Lane is a coming-of-age tale of terror that proves why its author has been hailed as “a master” by Stephen King and one who consistently offers “eerie, gripping storytelling” by Dean Koontz.
For a sixteen-year-old, a summer internship working for a private investigator seems like a dream come true—particularly since the PI is investigating the most shocking crime to hit Bloomington, Indiana, in decades. A local woman has vanished, and the last time anyone saw her, she was in the backseat of a police car driven by a man impersonating an officer.
Marshall Miller’s internship puts him at the center of the action, a position he relishes until a terrifying moment that turns public praise for his sharp observations and uncanny memory into accusations of lying and imperiling the case. His detective mentor withdraws, friends and family worry and whisper, and Marshall alone understands that the darkness visiting his town this summer goes far beyond a single crime. Now his task is to explain it—and himself.
Lost Man's Lane is a coming-of-age tale of terror that proves why its author has been hailed as “a master” by Stephen King and one who consistently offers “eerie, gripping storytelling” by Dean Koontz.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2024
1202 people are currently reading
20228 people want to read
About the author
Scott Carson
4 books846 followersScott Carson is the pen name of Michael Koryta, a New York Times bestselling author whose work has been translated into more than twenty languages, adapted into major motion pictures, and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. A former private investigator and reporter, his writing has been praised by Stephen King, Michael Connelly, and Dean Koontz, among many others. Raised in Bloomington, Indiana, he now lives in Indiana and Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,196 reviews
August 9, 2025
A huge thank you to Atria books, Scott Carson and Netgalley.
I absolutely love the way this author tells a story. He somehow manages to scare the pooey outta me and still leaves me laughing uproariously!
I'm just saying that if you don't find that "the wall is all" funny as shit, then we probably will never be friends! Even half way through the book I found myself going back, just to re-read the climbing wall part. I was howling!
As for the rest? Please. Mr. Man writes some truly wonderful and compelling characters.
This story was at times just creepy as hell. Luckily I'm not afraid of snakes. Don't get me wrong, because every time I've ever come across a snake...be it a sidewinder, diamond back or even a garter snake 🐍 then I still run 🏃🏃like the hell hounds are after me. That's just common sense!
Anyhow, I loved this story, and I have now officially become a fan.
There were a few deaths that had me in tears towards the end, but really it only added to the story.
This was a fantastic story.
I absolutely love the way this author tells a story. He somehow manages to scare the pooey outta me and still leaves me laughing uproariously!
I'm just saying that if you don't find that "the wall is all" funny as shit, then we probably will never be friends! Even half way through the book I found myself going back, just to re-read the climbing wall part. I was howling!
As for the rest? Please. Mr. Man writes some truly wonderful and compelling characters.
This story was at times just creepy as hell. Luckily I'm not afraid of snakes. Don't get me wrong, because every time I've ever come across a snake...be it a sidewinder, diamond back or even a garter snake 🐍 then I still run 🏃🏃like the hell hounds are after me. That's just common sense!
Anyhow, I loved this story, and I have now officially become a fan.
There were a few deaths that had me in tears towards the end, but really it only added to the story.
This was a fantastic story.
October 11, 2023
Lost Man's Lane is just about perfect and I was hooked from the opening lines. It reminded me a lot of a Stephen King novel – his more recent novels, that is, not the ones with killer clowns and rabid dogs and aliens (I say this as someone who hasn't read a King novel in years, so please ignore this statement if King has actually broached these subjects again recently – for all I know he has a whole series of books about rabid Saint Bernards at this point). The narrative style kind of reminded me of Joyland, even though the storylines are completely different.
This book is tagged as a horror novel, and there are definitely creepy bits. But the horror takes a backseat somewhat to other life-altering events that occur as Marshall navigates the last days of his boyhood – at its heart, this novel is really a bildungsroman. The horror is interwoven into Marshall's story but isn't the entire story, if that makes any sense. There aren't any parts I can say were truly scary, but there are definitely some creepy scenes – Marshall's first encounter with Corporal Maddox was … uncomfortable, to say the least.
If you're a Xennial, you'll probably experience a whole lot of nostalgia while reading this one. There's talk of Columbine and Y2K and 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan and all sorts of other events that were defining moments for those of us who came of age in the late 90s and early 2000s.
There are some really great characters in this book. Marshall was a perfectly fine main character, but the real MVPs of the story were the side characters – Noah and Jerry and Jake and The Weller were all complex and realistic (well, maybe Noah can't quite be considered realistic, but …) and sympathetic personalities who probably each deserve a book of their own.
If you like humor, there's some of that, too. Sean Weller has some particularly funny lines, but the scene in the rock climbing gym is one of the most hilarious bits of writing I've read in a long time. I might've woken up my husband in the middle of the night while giggling over that one. Even if you don't like horror, this book would be worth reading just for that one scene.
And the setting? Well, I've never been a huge fan of Indiana, but this story makes it sound almost … nice? Well, except for all the rattlesnakes, that is. And the murders. But for a rattlesnake-infested murder-state, it sounds really pleasant.
Final rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up. If you like creepy bildungsromane (who knew this was the plural of bildungsroman?!) with likable, original characters and a plethora of snakes, definitely give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
This book is tagged as a horror novel, and there are definitely creepy bits. But the horror takes a backseat somewhat to other life-altering events that occur as Marshall navigates the last days of his boyhood – at its heart, this novel is really a bildungsroman. The horror is interwoven into Marshall's story but isn't the entire story, if that makes any sense. There aren't any parts I can say were truly scary, but there are definitely some creepy scenes – Marshall's first encounter with Corporal Maddox was … uncomfortable, to say the least.
If you're a Xennial, you'll probably experience a whole lot of nostalgia while reading this one. There's talk of Columbine and Y2K and 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan and all sorts of other events that were defining moments for those of us who came of age in the late 90s and early 2000s.
There are some really great characters in this book. Marshall was a perfectly fine main character, but the real MVPs of the story were the side characters – Noah and Jerry and Jake and The Weller were all complex and realistic (well, maybe Noah can't quite be considered realistic, but …) and sympathetic personalities who probably each deserve a book of their own.
If you like humor, there's some of that, too. Sean Weller has some particularly funny lines, but the scene in the rock climbing gym is one of the most hilarious bits of writing I've read in a long time. I might've woken up my husband in the middle of the night while giggling over that one. Even if you don't like horror, this book would be worth reading just for that one scene.
And the setting? Well, I've never been a huge fan of Indiana, but this story makes it sound almost … nice? Well, except for all the rattlesnakes, that is. And the murders. But for a rattlesnake-infested murder-state, it sounds really pleasant.
Final rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up. If you like creepy bildungsromane (who knew this was the plural of bildungsroman?!) with likable, original characters and a plethora of snakes, definitely give this one a read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
April 28, 2024
This was excellent. I absolutely loved it. It checked all the boxes for a guy like me. I don’t know if every one will connect to it the way I did but I’ll talk to you about why it worked for me after a very quick synopsis.
This is a supernatural mystery. But even more than that is a true coming of age story about Marshall Miller, who’s growing up in his junior and senior year of high school. The book starts on his first day of having his drivers license when he’s pulled over by a police officer who seems a bit menacing and also a little out of place. And Marshall is happy to just get through the ordeal… but he sees a girl crying in the back of the police cruiser. When that girls face appears on a missing person flier, Marshall is catapulted into the spot light and is determined to get to the bottom of her disappearance. Even when he begins to experience some really unusual nightmares that blur the lines between reality and ghost stories.
What I loved so much about this. A true coming of age story that takes place in the late 90s. I too was a junior and senior in high school in 1999. I laughed out loud at some of the nostalgia, and witty 90s dialogue. And Carson does a great job at making you feel like what it felt like to be a teenager in that time… especially with the big events of that time (y2k, columbine, etc). I loved how Marshall navigates his feelings with his friends, enemies, teachers, his mother. It all felt very authentic. I loved the supernatural elements and the mystery story that spans 2 years. It was just so good. It worked big time for me.
This is a supernatural mystery. But even more than that is a true coming of age story about Marshall Miller, who’s growing up in his junior and senior year of high school. The book starts on his first day of having his drivers license when he’s pulled over by a police officer who seems a bit menacing and also a little out of place. And Marshall is happy to just get through the ordeal… but he sees a girl crying in the back of the police cruiser. When that girls face appears on a missing person flier, Marshall is catapulted into the spot light and is determined to get to the bottom of her disappearance. Even when he begins to experience some really unusual nightmares that blur the lines between reality and ghost stories.
What I loved so much about this. A true coming of age story that takes place in the late 90s. I too was a junior and senior in high school in 1999. I laughed out loud at some of the nostalgia, and witty 90s dialogue. And Carson does a great job at making you feel like what it felt like to be a teenager in that time… especially with the big events of that time (y2k, columbine, etc). I loved how Marshall navigates his feelings with his friends, enemies, teachers, his mother. It all felt very authentic. I loved the supernatural elements and the mystery story that spans 2 years. It was just so good. It worked big time for me.
May 7, 2024
the setup…
It’s the summer of 1999 in Bloomington, Indiana and 16-year old Marshall Miller has just received his driver’s license when he’s stopped shortly after leaving the DMV. The police encounter was odd and unsettling but Marshall also noticed the troubled young woman in the back of Officer Maddox’s patrol car. He’s given a citation and moved on but that encounter later proves to be a life changing event.
the heart of the story…
Marshall becomes the town’s focus when he later learns the young woman in the back of that patrol car is missing and the man who stopped him wasn’t a police officer. He interns with Noah Storm, the PI who’s investigating the case and so begins Marshall’s entry into the strange and supernatural. I really liked Marshall and wasn’t always sure I could trust Noah, going back and forth about that. It was interesting experiencing the events through Marshall’s eyes, a somewhat average but decent kid who has a strong moral center and was raised by his single mother. He had to grow up fast as he was dealing with strong, malevolent forces he was desperate to understand.
the narration…
I’m so glad I opted to listen to this story as the narrator is a great storyteller and this was the ultimate one to tell! He also managed the character voice distinctions really well.
the bottom line…
I don’t read many supernatural tales, let alone much in the horror genre. However, this is a confluence of so many genre elements…mystery, suspense, coming of age, romance…that it has a different feel. Be forewarned though that it had one of my triggers (snakes) that had me wanting to abandon it at times. But the mystery was exceptionally compelling and I was invested in knowing where it would lead and learning who was this Maddox and what happened to that young woman. Marshall is so well developed, along with a strong slate of secondary characters. The payoff was well worth my putting up with those snakes, one that far exceeded my imagination!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
It’s the summer of 1999 in Bloomington, Indiana and 16-year old Marshall Miller has just received his driver’s license when he’s stopped shortly after leaving the DMV. The police encounter was odd and unsettling but Marshall also noticed the troubled young woman in the back of Officer Maddox’s patrol car. He’s given a citation and moved on but that encounter later proves to be a life changing event.
the heart of the story…
Marshall becomes the town’s focus when he later learns the young woman in the back of that patrol car is missing and the man who stopped him wasn’t a police officer. He interns with Noah Storm, the PI who’s investigating the case and so begins Marshall’s entry into the strange and supernatural. I really liked Marshall and wasn’t always sure I could trust Noah, going back and forth about that. It was interesting experiencing the events through Marshall’s eyes, a somewhat average but decent kid who has a strong moral center and was raised by his single mother. He had to grow up fast as he was dealing with strong, malevolent forces he was desperate to understand.
the narration…
I’m so glad I opted to listen to this story as the narrator is a great storyteller and this was the ultimate one to tell! He also managed the character voice distinctions really well.
the bottom line…
I don’t read many supernatural tales, let alone much in the horror genre. However, this is a confluence of so many genre elements…mystery, suspense, coming of age, romance…that it has a different feel. Be forewarned though that it had one of my triggers (snakes) that had me wanting to abandon it at times. But the mystery was exceptionally compelling and I was invested in knowing where it would lead and learning who was this Maddox and what happened to that young woman. Marshall is so well developed, along with a strong slate of secondary characters. The payoff was well worth my putting up with those snakes, one that far exceeded my imagination!
Posted on Blue Mood Café
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
July 19, 2024
4.0 Stars
Video Review https://youtu.be/ylbSUYXdIsI
This was such an engrossing coming of age horror thriller novel.
It's such a wonderful experience when I get to pick up a book blind. The setup was compelling and immediately hooked me in.
The best aspect of the story is the character work. I found myself completely invested in this young man. I thought the author did a great job depicting the challenges of growing up. In fact, this book felt reminiscent of the work of Stephen King.
I would highly recommend this one to readers who want an emotional coming of age story filled with the heartfelt pain of growing up.
Video Review https://youtu.be/ylbSUYXdIsI
This was such an engrossing coming of age horror thriller novel.
It's such a wonderful experience when I get to pick up a book blind. The setup was compelling and immediately hooked me in.
The best aspect of the story is the character work. I found myself completely invested in this young man. I thought the author did a great job depicting the challenges of growing up. In fact, this book felt reminiscent of the work of Stephen King.
I would highly recommend this one to readers who want an emotional coming of age story filled with the heartfelt pain of growing up.
August 31, 2024
A combination of so many things in this novel. It includes some very humorous scenes, which is unusual in a horror novel. Plus likable characters and young love. So horror, humor and love. But wait! There is more, a wonderful friendship, Y2K and mental illness. Still, not done. At the heart there is a mystery, young women going missing and a horrifying link to the past. All this combined sounds like it shouldn’t work, but amazingly enough it does.
Intriguing for sure, how all this ties together. In parts it reminded me of James Lee Burkes novel of good versus evil. And then there are the snakes. One in particular that gave me the shivers.
Intriguing for sure, how all this ties together. In parts it reminded me of James Lee Burkes novel of good versus evil. And then there are the snakes. One in particular that gave me the shivers.
February 11, 2024
Marshall is working as an intern with a local PI during the summer, and this puts him in the center of action. However, it stirs up some unsettling memories as well. As his mentor withdraws, is friends and family begin to whisper, and Marshall is left alone to understand the darkness that is hovering over his town. Will he be able to find understanding in it all?
I think that I am in the minority here, but this book just wasn’t really for me. I do think that had I listened to it, rather than read it on kindle, my enjoyment factor would have been higher. I have found that coming of age books are some of my favorite audios, but least favorite print, and I when I selected this one I didn’t realize it was going to lean in the territory of coming of age so much.
This was quite the genre mash-up and I’d say predominantly a coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of a teenage boy. I think that the author did do a good job of getting into the mind of a teenage boy, and I appreciated that. However, I found the book to be overly descriptive overall in a way that just wasn’t for me. I also really didn’t like most of the characters, there was just something about them that didn’t work for me. I did appreciate the single mom rep, and the flash backs to the 90’s so there was a lot of nostalgia for me within the pages.
Overall, this was an intriguing read, I just wish that I would have enjoyed it more and I think it would be fabulous on audio.
Thank you so much to Atria books, Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for this e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I think that I am in the minority here, but this book just wasn’t really for me. I do think that had I listened to it, rather than read it on kindle, my enjoyment factor would have been higher. I have found that coming of age books are some of my favorite audios, but least favorite print, and I when I selected this one I didn’t realize it was going to lean in the territory of coming of age so much.
This was quite the genre mash-up and I’d say predominantly a coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of a teenage boy. I think that the author did do a good job of getting into the mind of a teenage boy, and I appreciated that. However, I found the book to be overly descriptive overall in a way that just wasn’t for me. I also really didn’t like most of the characters, there was just something about them that didn’t work for me. I did appreciate the single mom rep, and the flash backs to the 90’s so there was a lot of nostalgia for me within the pages.
Overall, this was an intriguing read, I just wish that I would have enjoyed it more and I think it would be fabulous on audio.
Thank you so much to Atria books, Emily Bestler Books, and Netgalley for this e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
March 28, 2024
If William Kent Krueger and Chuck Wendig had a baby it would be this book. ❤️
Historically immersive and engrossing spooky.
I loved it.
Detailed review to come. Totally worth not sleeping.
Historically immersive and engrossing spooky.
I loved it.
Detailed review to come. Totally worth not sleeping.
September 3, 2024
Updated review: September 1, 2024
I know it’s been a couple of months since I raved about this book in my original review. It remains on the top of my favorite fiction booklist this year and nothing has come close to beat it yet.
If you enjoy reading a coming-of-age story set in a small town with a strong emphasis on navigating romance and friendships while dealing with mysterious, haunting, and paranormal elements, then I highly recommend this. Think of some of Stephen King’s novels (note: Mr. King himself provided a blurb on the cover), although Scott Carson’s Lost Man’s Lane deserves to receive its own accolades, and dare I say it, offers a better written, engaging drama.
First review: June 13, 2024
Oh my word… this is definitely the best book I have read so far this year! 🤯 The last few chapters completely blew my mind with edge-of-the-seat thrills, emotional-nearly-crying moments, and actual out loud laughs.
Longer review to come. I am still on a high from reading that last page. Scott Carson, you’ve got yourself an instant fan!
Many thanks for the advanced copy I received in a Goodreads giveaway. Publication date: March 2024.
I know it’s been a couple of months since I raved about this book in my original review. It remains on the top of my favorite fiction booklist this year and nothing has come close to beat it yet.
If you enjoy reading a coming-of-age story set in a small town with a strong emphasis on navigating romance and friendships while dealing with mysterious, haunting, and paranormal elements, then I highly recommend this. Think of some of Stephen King’s novels (note: Mr. King himself provided a blurb on the cover), although Scott Carson’s Lost Man’s Lane deserves to receive its own accolades, and dare I say it, offers a better written, engaging drama.
First review: June 13, 2024
Oh my word… this is definitely the best book I have read so far this year! 🤯 The last few chapters completely blew my mind with edge-of-the-seat thrills, emotional-nearly-crying moments, and actual out loud laughs.
Longer review to come. I am still on a high from reading that last page. Scott Carson, you’ve got yourself an instant fan!
Many thanks for the advanced copy I received in a Goodreads giveaway. Publication date: March 2024.
October 24, 2025
Lost Man's Lane is very much a memory trip back to the year 1999 for Carson (Koryta) to what the characters, and I too, remember as the coming of Y2K, though my age was closer to the adults than the teens here in this novel. Within the first pages a conflict leads to the story's main plot line - the mystery of a young woman's disappearance, possibly involving a local police officer. But a supernatural element is then introduced making this mystery different from the “typical” mystery book that you may have experienced.
A good start for me, but then here come the minuses. Somewhere, portions of this book have been compared to Stephen King's, which is usually a mistake, but I suppose a touch of Koryta's writing does do that by looking nostalgically into the past, so that's alright too. By intertwining the main character's final year of high school, his bonds of friendship, and even love, with the mystery I spoke of, a connection is lost. It's not that these could be called separate plots, because they do fit, but what's more interesting became the question. I preferred the friendship over the supernatural here.
A good start for me, but then here come the minuses. Somewhere, portions of this book have been compared to Stephen King's, which is usually a mistake, but I suppose a touch of Koryta's writing does do that by looking nostalgically into the past, so that's alright too. By intertwining the main character's final year of high school, his bonds of friendship, and even love, with the mystery I spoke of, a connection is lost. It's not that these could be called separate plots, because they do fit, but what's more interesting became the question. I preferred the friendship over the supernatural here.
March 28, 2024
It’s hard to find (my kind of) horror on NetGalley, so when I saw this book and saw the already high ratings on Goodreads, I had to check it out. This is a coming-of-age horror story, much like Stephen King’s “It” or Robert McCammon’s “Boy’s Life” (both of which were mentioned in the book!). This is horror with heart, my made-up favorite horror genre, and it is STUNNING.
The scene? Bloomington, Indiana. The year? 1999. The protagonist? Marshall Miller, son of locally famous meteorologist, Monica. The story starts with Marshall getting his driver’s license, then getting pulled over on his first trip. The officer, Corporal Maddox, was…intense. Threatening. Scary. What was more frightening? The young girl crying in the back of his car, wearing a familiar yet out-of-season outfit. The young girl who would soon be declared missing…
Marshall finds the whole incident jarring, and being the curious teen he is, decides to do some digging on Maddox. This digging doesn’t open a can of worms - it opens a mountain of snakes. His best friend, Kerri, and her father, Jerry, believe him, and believe what he’s found, but the police and even his own mother worry that he’s having hallucinations. This leads him to finding Noah, a private detective who is willing to help him dive into the history of the town.
I don’t normally like paranormal stories, supernatural or haunted tales, but this one was written so well. Characters like the Weller and Mr. Doig, and the choices Marshall has to make that year, make this an outstanding read. 1999 holds a special place in my heart, so I love the time frame and all the references - especially the musical ones. The author took me back to the days of downloading DMX and Counting Crows on Napster, thinking Keystone Ice was the classiest beer possible, and the Y2K fear.
The nostalgia in this book is real, the characters are amazing, the setting is stark but beautiful, and this really pulled the old heartstrings, while also giving the reader a unique story that never got cheesy, even when it dipped into the supernatural. It seemed real, and only the best horror writers can make that possible. Five stars for this one, and a big recommendation!
(Thank you to Atria Books, Scott Carson and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
The scene? Bloomington, Indiana. The year? 1999. The protagonist? Marshall Miller, son of locally famous meteorologist, Monica. The story starts with Marshall getting his driver’s license, then getting pulled over on his first trip. The officer, Corporal Maddox, was…intense. Threatening. Scary. What was more frightening? The young girl crying in the back of his car, wearing a familiar yet out-of-season outfit. The young girl who would soon be declared missing…
Marshall finds the whole incident jarring, and being the curious teen he is, decides to do some digging on Maddox. This digging doesn’t open a can of worms - it opens a mountain of snakes. His best friend, Kerri, and her father, Jerry, believe him, and believe what he’s found, but the police and even his own mother worry that he’s having hallucinations. This leads him to finding Noah, a private detective who is willing to help him dive into the history of the town.
I don’t normally like paranormal stories, supernatural or haunted tales, but this one was written so well. Characters like the Weller and Mr. Doig, and the choices Marshall has to make that year, make this an outstanding read. 1999 holds a special place in my heart, so I love the time frame and all the references - especially the musical ones. The author took me back to the days of downloading DMX and Counting Crows on Napster, thinking Keystone Ice was the classiest beer possible, and the Y2K fear.
The nostalgia in this book is real, the characters are amazing, the setting is stark but beautiful, and this really pulled the old heartstrings, while also giving the reader a unique story that never got cheesy, even when it dipped into the supernatural. It seemed real, and only the best horror writers can make that possible. Five stars for this one, and a big recommendation!
(Thank you to Atria Books, Scott Carson and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
May 31, 2025
I compulsively listened to this eerie yet charming coming-of-age audiobook. The rock climbing scene was hilariously memorable.
February 25, 2025
I picked up Lost Man’s Lane on a whim while browsing through Libby. I had forgotten I had read a few books by this author previously and had enjoyed them so figured why not. I’m glad I bumped this up the priority list as it was a pleasant surprise.
Our main character is a teenager named Marshall, who has just received his drivers license. On his way back from the DMV he is pulled over by a cop and issued a ticket/warning. Something seems odd about the officer, but Marshall is more focused on being pulled over within hours of getting his license. Later on while relaying the story to a few of his friends, he realizes that no one by that officers name is on the police force, and the girl he saw in the back of the police car is currently missing. Marshall begins digging in to the missing woman along with a private detective me meets along the way. They begin to discover this isn’t your typical case of a missing woman.
Lost Man’s Lane is a coming-of-age tale with a bit of horror sprinkled in. This was one of those books where the 400 pages flew by, and I didn’t want it to end. The horror elements weren’t over the top, and just enough to keep the story afloat. Everything tied in very well. The ending itself fit in perfectly. I usually find myself really enjoying a book until the end and it goes off the rails. Not the case with this one.
Going forward, I will be sure to make this one of my go to authors on any new books that may come out .
Our main character is a teenager named Marshall, who has just received his drivers license. On his way back from the DMV he is pulled over by a cop and issued a ticket/warning. Something seems odd about the officer, but Marshall is more focused on being pulled over within hours of getting his license. Later on while relaying the story to a few of his friends, he realizes that no one by that officers name is on the police force, and the girl he saw in the back of the police car is currently missing. Marshall begins digging in to the missing woman along with a private detective me meets along the way. They begin to discover this isn’t your typical case of a missing woman.
Lost Man’s Lane is a coming-of-age tale with a bit of horror sprinkled in. This was one of those books where the 400 pages flew by, and I didn’t want it to end. The horror elements weren’t over the top, and just enough to keep the story afloat. Everything tied in very well. The ending itself fit in perfectly. I usually find myself really enjoying a book until the end and it goes off the rails. Not the case with this one.
Going forward, I will be sure to make this one of my go to authors on any new books that may come out .
November 24, 2023
It has been so hard trying to figure out a way to write a clever review about this brilliant book. Lost man’s Lane by Scott Carson is about a 16-year-old boy named Marshall Miller his mom is a local weather woman and a single mother he has a second family with his best friend Carrie and her parents Jerry and Gwen Flanders after a run-in with an abusive police name Maddox it is also when he spots a girl who he will find out is named Meredith Sullivan and when he learns her name he will also learn she is missing this is when he meets Noah storm in become his assistant but nothing can account for the strange things that start to happen in Marshall‘s life. From the 4 foot long black and white rattlesnake to the reoccurring dream of the barn with no doors or windows to the mistaken sighting that becomes front page news and as all this is happening he is starting to have feelings for the girl he’s known since they were in diapers. I know this is a horrible review and may not intrigue you to read this book but just know this book absolutely 100% reminded me of something that would’ve been written by Stephen King… It is that awesome! There is so much I want to say but cannot because it has a reader I do not read whole summaries of books because I feel they give too much away and someone something in the book happens it is a total shock to me and this one was full of twist interns that totally had me on the edge of my seat and blew me away and had my heart palpitating more than once this is a very long book but OMG it’s so worth reading it is an awesome horror story I can almost guarantee if you love Stephen King books then you will definitely love this one… It truly is an awesome awesome read. I’ve never read a book by this author but I will definitely catch up on any books he has written and read any books he writes in the future. I can honestly say this is one of the best books I have read since Winters Myths by Gage Greenwood I love that one an equally if not more love this one. I want to thank The author the publisher and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes I am blind and dictate my review
August 20, 2024
LOST MANS RAMBLING…. easily one of the most disappointing books I've read in recent years. I'm reluctantly giving it 2 stars, and that's only because the author excels at scene-setting and vividly capturing the essence of what’s happening moment to moment. Unfortunately, those are the only redeeming qualities of this novel.
While the book is marketed as horror, it leans far more into the thriller genre, which wasn’t a problem in itself—I'm a fan of thrillers, mysteries, and the supernatural. But where it falters spectacularly is in the execution of the plot, particularly the way the central mystery is revealed. The author spends an inordinate amount of time on irrelevant details, like the protagonist’s rock climbing lessons, while the actual mystery is lazily dumped on the reader in a brief, anticlimactic revelation towards the end. Normally, in a well-crafted mystery, clues are sprinkled throughout the story, allowing the reader to piece things together and build their own theories. Here, however, the narrative meanders through car crashes, unrelated events, and the protagonist’s romantic entanglements, while the central mystery is all but ignored. When it finally is revealed, it's done in such a rushed and underwhelming way that it feels like the author suddenly realized he needed to wrap things up after 450 pages of meandering.
The book is also bloated with unnecessary fluff. Time and again, I found myself thinking that certain details might hold significance later, only to be disappointed when they led nowhere. There are multiple narrative threads that seem like they’re meant to come full circle but never do. For example, there are themes around guns and real-life tragedies like the Columbine shooting and 9/11 that are introduced but never meaningfully tied into the story. These moments felt bizarrely out of place and seemed to serve no purpose other than to set the scene of life in 1999—a scene that was already well established without them.
One final gripe that drove me crazy: the book is written almost like a memoir of the main character, which would be fine if not for the constant, lazy attempts to create suspense. The author frequently ends chapters with lines like, "Oh, if only I knew then what I know now," or "I should have realized at the time this was a bad decision, but I didn’t notice xyz until much later." Rather than building tension organically, these throwaway lines felt like a cheap trick to keep the reader invested, and they quickly became more annoying than intriguing.
In the end, Lost Man’s Lane is a missed opportunity, weighed down by its unfocused narrative and lackluster plotting. If you’re looking for a gripping mystery or a well-paced thriller, you might want to look elsewhere.
While the book is marketed as horror, it leans far more into the thriller genre, which wasn’t a problem in itself—I'm a fan of thrillers, mysteries, and the supernatural. But where it falters spectacularly is in the execution of the plot, particularly the way the central mystery is revealed. The author spends an inordinate amount of time on irrelevant details, like the protagonist’s rock climbing lessons, while the actual mystery is lazily dumped on the reader in a brief, anticlimactic revelation towards the end. Normally, in a well-crafted mystery, clues are sprinkled throughout the story, allowing the reader to piece things together and build their own theories. Here, however, the narrative meanders through car crashes, unrelated events, and the protagonist’s romantic entanglements, while the central mystery is all but ignored. When it finally is revealed, it's done in such a rushed and underwhelming way that it feels like the author suddenly realized he needed to wrap things up after 450 pages of meandering.
The book is also bloated with unnecessary fluff. Time and again, I found myself thinking that certain details might hold significance later, only to be disappointed when they led nowhere. There are multiple narrative threads that seem like they’re meant to come full circle but never do. For example, there are themes around guns and real-life tragedies like the Columbine shooting and 9/11 that are introduced but never meaningfully tied into the story. These moments felt bizarrely out of place and seemed to serve no purpose other than to set the scene of life in 1999—a scene that was already well established without them.
One final gripe that drove me crazy: the book is written almost like a memoir of the main character, which would be fine if not for the constant, lazy attempts to create suspense. The author frequently ends chapters with lines like, "Oh, if only I knew then what I know now," or "I should have realized at the time this was a bad decision, but I didn’t notice xyz until much later." Rather than building tension organically, these throwaway lines felt like a cheap trick to keep the reader invested, and they quickly became more annoying than intriguing.
In the end, Lost Man’s Lane is a missed opportunity, weighed down by its unfocused narrative and lackluster plotting. If you’re looking for a gripping mystery or a well-paced thriller, you might want to look elsewhere.
January 27, 2025
I’m not crying, you’re crying !😢 Five Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another wonderful novel I could not put down. The friendships in this story were so well written. The thread of the supernatural was subtle so the relationships took a front seat. I’m not a fan of snakes of any kind, so the creepy factor was there for me. Even the adults were like able and perfectly fit in the story. It seems so many novels might mention the parents but they’re often not available or just a shadow but this novel intertwined them and I appreciated it. I have more Scott Carson books on hand to read. Looking forward to them.
Another wonderful novel I could not put down. The friendships in this story were so well written. The thread of the supernatural was subtle so the relationships took a front seat. I’m not a fan of snakes of any kind, so the creepy factor was there for me. Even the adults were like able and perfectly fit in the story. It seems so many novels might mention the parents but they’re often not available or just a shadow but this novel intertwined them and I appreciated it. I have more Scott Carson books on hand to read. Looking forward to them.
June 2, 2024
The most unique mystery I’ve ever read. Seriously, you’re not going to guess how this story turns out.
In a way it reminded me of Stranger Things or Stephen King’s IT. While the stories are completely different, they all take place in small towns with something strange going on, taking place in the 80s & 90s. This is also a coming-of-age story, and I love those.
My only complaint: it was way too long. Instead of 500+ pages it could have been perfectly told in 300, in my opinion.
Overall such a great read!
In a way it reminded me of Stranger Things or Stephen King’s IT. While the stories are completely different, they all take place in small towns with something strange going on, taking place in the 80s & 90s. This is also a coming-of-age story, and I love those.
My only complaint: it was way too long. Instead of 500+ pages it could have been perfectly told in 300, in my opinion.
Overall such a great read!
May 22, 2025
“Hold fast, Marshmallow. The Weller is en route.”
Librarians change lives. They may even save some.
Fantastic Book. Poignant, Funny, Scary, A love story, Mysterious, Astonishing. Very very very satisfying ending. All loose ends tied up with a little happy twist during the wrap up. Loved all of the characters. The female ones in particular were strong and admirable. The stars of the show to my mind. This could be a homage to Stephen King (who loved it. Of course.) I was really drawn in to the fictional world, and I looked forward to coming back to it every time I put it down. That is rare for me.
To add to the personal connection I found in this book, it is set in 1999 when my oldest son was the same age as Marshall, the narrator and main character.
But if snakes freak you out, maybe give it a pass.
June 1, 2025
Clever and imaginative, the book is tagged as horror, yet I didn't think it was so. I think it's likely due to the number of snake scenes, and the longer the book went on, the more there were. I guess being in No. Illinois, snakes aren't a thing for me so I wasn't bothered. Only the fact that it was over 500 pages bothered me.
Otherwise, with this being my very first time reading Scott Carson, I'm left with the impression that he's just as good at this type of book as Stephen King, and that is the highest of compliments.
Otherwise, with this being my very first time reading Scott Carson, I'm left with the impression that he's just as good at this type of book as Stephen King, and that is the highest of compliments.
July 24, 2024
Got 300 (THREE HUNDRED) pages in before I decided to skim the final 200 (TWO HUNDRED) pages and I'm fucking appalled this got published, this guy somehow sells books, and has a cadre of other famous white male thriller/horror writers boosting him up as if he's some untouchable genius. Stephen King, you suck. Why are you out here gaslighting people into reading shit fucking books?
Lost Man's Lane is a bloated, over-indulgent, "my-reader-is-a-dumb-shit", insanely ill-thought out mess. I am not joking, every. single. 1990s. reference. is. explained. Every single one! Even shit like The Matrix, Y2K, The Sixth Sense, It, etc. How in the world was that okay'd? Both this asshat of a man and his publisher thought readers would ENJOY being talked to as if they've just appeared on this planet with literally zero access or knowledge of the 90s? Not even the 90s, the late 90s. And sure, they were "a long time ago", but even Gen Z is so obsessed with the 90s they're trying to bring back its style and yearn for it--they know. We know. We all fucking know. Why are you, Scott, explaining a fucking CD deck to me????
Then there's everything else about this book. A eye-roll inducing, young adult cringe-fest full of the most cliche characters imaginable. And the plot????? Fucking vampire hereditary cult ghost snakes??? Are you for real? Sure, it sounds cool on paper, but please believe me when I say it's literally trash. It's not even subtle. I am convinced this dude refuses to edit his work, refuses to rewrite anything, just thinks everything he touches is gold. He hits you, repeatedly, with the heaviest of hands (he so very clearly thinks his readers are--and excuse me but there's really no other way to say this--retarded) and over explains every single little detail as if he's some master (Stephen King sure thinks he is) of the craft and it's both necessary and wanted for him to hold your hand instead of let you figure anything out.
I cannot believe this book has so many glowing reviews. Are people dumb? Are they incapable of thinking critically? I mean, sure, there's a time and a place for popcorn thrillers, but holy shit, FIVE HUNDRED FUCKING PAGES of literally the stupidest fucking goddamn plotline about teenagers seeing ghost snakes everywhere is being touted as good???? And not even that, NOTHING IS THOUGHT THROUGH. I cannot stress this enough. It's like midway through writing Scott was like, "OoooOoOo, you know what? Imma give this character a blood disease and he's gonna have had it this whole time." So suddenly this character is all weakly and sick, when before he was lean, fit, and sexy. What in the mother fucking world??
I read Scott's previous book, The Chill, and that one was also a bloated mess, but I was more forgiving with it because it had a lot of interesting research about the sewers in New York, but this? My god.
Honestly, this book is just more proof (to me) that we're either all dead or in a simulation because there ain't no fucking way something like this should've ever been published and touted as "masterful storytelling".
Lost Man's Lane is a bloated, over-indulgent, "my-reader-is-a-dumb-shit", insanely ill-thought out mess. I am not joking, every. single. 1990s. reference. is. explained. Every single one! Even shit like The Matrix, Y2K, The Sixth Sense, It, etc. How in the world was that okay'd? Both this asshat of a man and his publisher thought readers would ENJOY being talked to as if they've just appeared on this planet with literally zero access or knowledge of the 90s? Not even the 90s, the late 90s. And sure, they were "a long time ago", but even Gen Z is so obsessed with the 90s they're trying to bring back its style and yearn for it--they know. We know. We all fucking know. Why are you, Scott, explaining a fucking CD deck to me????
Then there's everything else about this book. A eye-roll inducing, young adult cringe-fest full of the most cliche characters imaginable. And the plot????? Fucking vampire hereditary cult ghost snakes??? Are you for real? Sure, it sounds cool on paper, but please believe me when I say it's literally trash. It's not even subtle. I am convinced this dude refuses to edit his work, refuses to rewrite anything, just thinks everything he touches is gold. He hits you, repeatedly, with the heaviest of hands (he so very clearly thinks his readers are--and excuse me but there's really no other way to say this--retarded) and over explains every single little detail as if he's some master (Stephen King sure thinks he is) of the craft and it's both necessary and wanted for him to hold your hand instead of let you figure anything out.
I cannot believe this book has so many glowing reviews. Are people dumb? Are they incapable of thinking critically? I mean, sure, there's a time and a place for popcorn thrillers, but holy shit, FIVE HUNDRED FUCKING PAGES of literally the stupidest fucking goddamn plotline about teenagers seeing ghost snakes everywhere is being touted as good???? And not even that, NOTHING IS THOUGHT THROUGH. I cannot stress this enough. It's like midway through writing Scott was like, "OoooOoOo, you know what? Imma give this character a blood disease and he's gonna have had it this whole time." So suddenly this character is all weakly and sick, when before he was lean, fit, and sexy. What in the mother fucking world??
I read Scott's previous book, The Chill, and that one was also a bloated mess, but I was more forgiving with it because it had a lot of interesting research about the sewers in New York, but this? My god.
Honestly, this book is just more proof (to me) that we're either all dead or in a simulation because there ain't no fucking way something like this should've ever been published and touted as "masterful storytelling".
May 11, 2024
This is an epic coming of age horror novel that is a mix of This Boys Life and Stephen King while still adding the author's unique touch to the narrative.
Marshall just got his driver's license and almost immediately gets pulled over on his first solo drive. The officer is a hulking man and the encounter is off kilter and a bit creepy. In the back of the police car is a girl from his school. She's crying and appears scared.
Then she's a missing person and Marshall is thrust into the limelight because of this encounter. What happens next is a year of terror as his account is called into question. In the meantime, he takes a job working for a private Investigator who is working on the case.
All of this is going to weave into a story of fear, love, deception, secrets, and a supernatural evil that has plagued the town since 1907 all while navigating the world as a near adult and all the things and feelings that go with that age.
This is an excellent, thrilling, can't put it down kind of book and it's only I very highly recommend.
Marshall just got his driver's license and almost immediately gets pulled over on his first solo drive. The officer is a hulking man and the encounter is off kilter and a bit creepy. In the back of the police car is a girl from his school. She's crying and appears scared.
Then she's a missing person and Marshall is thrust into the limelight because of this encounter. What happens next is a year of terror as his account is called into question. In the meantime, he takes a job working for a private Investigator who is working on the case.
All of this is going to weave into a story of fear, love, deception, secrets, and a supernatural evil that has plagued the town since 1907 all while navigating the world as a near adult and all the things and feelings that go with that age.
This is an excellent, thrilling, can't put it down kind of book and it's only I very highly recommend.
August 18, 2024
I must have read a different version of this book than others because I sure as hell don't understand all the 4 star (or even 3 for that matter) reviews! The only reason I gave this 2 stars instead of 1 is because it was a decent concept.
The book started out great until about 30 pages in. Then it was 500+ pages of one of the most boring snoozefests I've ever read. I honestly don't know why I tortured myself even finishing it. Truthfully, after the first half of the book, I had to skim a lot of it. Otherwise, I fear I may have been forced to toss it in a dumpster, which would kill me to treat a book that way, no matter how badly it sucked.
In all seriousness, if this sucker had been shortened to 250 -300 pages, it probably would have been a good, suspenseful thriller. Like I said, I liked the concept. However, by the time I finished this book and then got to the part that the Big Bad was dealt with, it was just comical at that point.
I'm pissed that I wasted my money and time on this book because I really expected it to be good.
The book started out great until about 30 pages in. Then it was 500+ pages of one of the most boring snoozefests I've ever read. I honestly don't know why I tortured myself even finishing it. Truthfully, after the first half of the book, I had to skim a lot of it. Otherwise, I fear I may have been forced to toss it in a dumpster, which would kill me to treat a book that way, no matter how badly it sucked.
In all seriousness, if this sucker had been shortened to 250 -300 pages, it probably would have been a good, suspenseful thriller. Like I said, I liked the concept. However, by the time I finished this book and then got to the part that the Big Bad was dealt with, it was just comical at that point.
I'm pissed that I wasted my money and time on this book because I really expected it to be good.
August 14, 2024
This book had a good story just could have been 100 pages shorter! There is way to much fluff and not enough gusto. I loved the idea of the story so it’s too bad the writing style didn’t work for me and it took so long to coalesce.
June 24, 2025
A great and sad story you’ll love.
August 3, 2024
4.5/5
A small-town setting and a teenage private investigator trying to explain inexplicable? Count me in.
Marshall Miller is a 16-year-old, curious by nature and unlucky by some twist of fate. One minute, he’s happy to get his driver’s license and go for the first ride, and the next, he’s embroiled in a supernatural mystery. His summer gets a lot more interesting. Snakes in the house? Check. Ghostly dreams? Double check. Missing girls and impersonating cops? Well, it wouldn’t be a proper horror story without them.
The plot gets tighter when Marshall teams up with Noah Storm, a private investigator with a peculiar condition you have to discover on your own. Since it’s a coming-of-age story above all, we get to see Marshall growing up, muscling up, getting through first loves and heartbreaks, and finding a passion for writing. And because he’s a great guy, I liked to see him grow as a human being.
Scott Carson nailed the rhythm of the story - slower, more intimate moments between powerful twists make for an exciting ride. The events around Marshall and Bloomington, Indiana, get increasingly bizarre. Now, not everyone enjoys supernatural elements, but I love them and so I loved story’s resolution.
Lost Man’s Lane is a thrilling read that toes the line between mystery, horror, and coming-of-age drama. It also adds a touch of nostalgia to the mix. In short, this is one terrific supernatural thriller novel with characters you root for and a story that grips you from the first page.
Audiobook narration: Corey Brill has done a great job.
A small-town setting and a teenage private investigator trying to explain inexplicable? Count me in.
Marshall Miller is a 16-year-old, curious by nature and unlucky by some twist of fate. One minute, he’s happy to get his driver’s license and go for the first ride, and the next, he’s embroiled in a supernatural mystery. His summer gets a lot more interesting. Snakes in the house? Check. Ghostly dreams? Double check. Missing girls and impersonating cops? Well, it wouldn’t be a proper horror story without them.
The plot gets tighter when Marshall teams up with Noah Storm, a private investigator with a peculiar condition you have to discover on your own. Since it’s a coming-of-age story above all, we get to see Marshall growing up, muscling up, getting through first loves and heartbreaks, and finding a passion for writing. And because he’s a great guy, I liked to see him grow as a human being.
Scott Carson nailed the rhythm of the story - slower, more intimate moments between powerful twists make for an exciting ride. The events around Marshall and Bloomington, Indiana, get increasingly bizarre. Now, not everyone enjoys supernatural elements, but I love them and so I loved story’s resolution.
Lost Man’s Lane is a thrilling read that toes the line between mystery, horror, and coming-of-age drama. It also adds a touch of nostalgia to the mix. In short, this is one terrific supernatural thriller novel with characters you root for and a story that grips you from the first page.
Audiobook narration: Corey Brill has done a great job.
October 10, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.
This was one that I'm still thinking about days after I finished it. I hadn't read anything by this author before. I enjoyed his writing, with his realistic portrayal of Marshall, a high school student in 1999. Marshall witnesses a disturbing incident when pulled over by a police officer. This leads him through a mystery that brings him to a detective, to rock climbing, to a new friendship, to a confusing love interest, and to the dark times of 1999 (Columbine, Y2K panic, etc.). There were supernatural elements, which is what I'm still thinking about. It was an interesting story with quite a few twists!
This was one that I'm still thinking about days after I finished it. I hadn't read anything by this author before. I enjoyed his writing, with his realistic portrayal of Marshall, a high school student in 1999. Marshall witnesses a disturbing incident when pulled over by a police officer. This leads him through a mystery that brings him to a detective, to rock climbing, to a new friendship, to a confusing love interest, and to the dark times of 1999 (Columbine, Y2K panic, etc.). There were supernatural elements, which is what I'm still thinking about. It was an interesting story with quite a few twists!
April 6, 2024
4.5 absolutely loved it
October 15, 2025
New author for me and I loved this book. Great characters and story. I will definitely read more by this author
March 29, 2024
This is one of those books that leave you with a heavy sigh..
I read approximately 200-300 books a year. This one goes in my top ten. It really reminded me of King, early days. I got so involved I couldn't stop reading. And the ending? Well, read for yourself. Thank you.
I read approximately 200-300 books a year. This one goes in my top ten. It really reminded me of King, early days. I got so involved I couldn't stop reading. And the ending? Well, read for yourself. Thank you.
June 17, 2024
Scott Carson’s books just get better and better. And as Carson is a pseudonym of author Michael Koryta, I’ve got many more books of his ahead of me to read and enjoy. A supernatural, coming of age story, worth its weight in quarried stone!! 5 ⭐️s!!
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