Buried By Sunset

by J.J. Walker

When Randall Stanford arrives at the house his father left him, he raises Thornfold’s population from 70 to 71.

For residents, it’s unexpected, reigniting rumors about how the man who lived there disappeared, and why someone looking like him is back.

Pushed to uncover what happened to a father he never met, Randall finds himself entangled in the lives of people who don’t take kindly to strangers, and the sinister secret of a desert town teetering on the edge of extinction.

Inspired by the supernatural and elements that define the Southern Gothic, Buried By Sunset is a sweltering small-town horror that will leave you unsettled long after the final page.

Genres: Horror, Fiction

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 31, 2023

About the author

J.J. Walker is a horror author who loves writing unsettling stories about small towns, old houses, and characters that examine what it means to be human.

Originally from the UK, he currently calls Canada home.

Reviews

[Milt Theo · Rating 3 out of 5]

With an amazing cover, J.J. Walker's 'Buried By Sunset' is an ambitious Southern Gothic novel, whose rather typical small town supernatural horror story betrays, unfortunately, its ambitions. The tale is familiar: a father gone, a town with bad vibes, the son going to the town to inherit the house his father left him, and discovering he has a very bad legacy. The author has a great handle on atmosphere and visuals, but lacks a solid grasp of dialogue and pacing. By the middle of the book, I was exhausted with so much back-and-forth, the mentioning of dark voices but nothing actually happening, and a reliance on characters to drive the story; characters, however, which we never get the chance to love and care for, since they get drawn immediately into the action, and their background, especially Randall's, the central character of the story, remains obscure.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Buried by Sunset" is a southern Gothic horror focusing on the supernatural happenings in the small town of Thornfold. Randall comes to sort out the affairs of his deceased father, when he meets Amber, a friendly librarian that offers to help him.

The book starts slow, but quickly approaches break neck speed through dark twists and turns. The story is told from multiple POVs, which lends to the air of mystery permeating the story. The cast of characters is great and evoking a wide array of emotions. This is not a book that ties everything up with a neat little bow. Instead, the reader is left unsettled, even after the final page is over.

Thank you to BookSirens for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

[Lilla Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I needed: a fast-paced, thrilling story!
This was my first horror and I had a great time, my only problem was the ending (and I’m not talking about the last few pages), it seemed unfinished - but maybe that’s what made it even more mysterious. 🤔
All in all, I had a fabulous time and I’d like to congratulate J.J. Walker on his debut novel.
(This book was sent to me in exchange for my review.)

[R.L. Muscatello · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely something here in a debut novel. The author’s use of descriptive atmospherics was quite sticky, potent and spot on in the oppressive desert heat. Which becomes a central character throughout this story.
The pacing and introduction to the characters out of the gate, admittedly, took me the entire first act to get on the rails and invested in what was going on. It was a bit garbled in getting all its players, their personalities and their roles in order for the chess board to be set for where we were headed.
Once the supernatural antagonist was introduced, a more clear picture of our journey came into focus along with our elusive plot, coupled with that ever impressive “environmental character”. I became gripped with this southern gothic tale and pressed on.
As things developed, my mind started wondering to where we were going in terms of that “ah-ha moment” or were we headed for some dark and unforgiving ending or was this an episode of the Twilight Zone where all was going to be flipped on its head? Unfortunately, some may not have their hopes confirmed as this novel does give a rollercoaster ride of engagement peaks & valleys.
Personally, I found myself in the middle ground of what I expected and the myriad possible climaxes I could see happening.
For a debut novel, the author’s use of descriptions in the characters internal thoughts & feelings, the weight of the desert environment, and the ominous town of Thornfold were quite impressive. I would visit more of this author’s work to see how he has progressed in his writing.

[Emily Grandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a decaying town on the edge of nowhere, a dark secret is buried…

We follow Randall, a man finally facing up to his past; Amber, a clever and down-to-earth librarian who kindly offers to help Randall excavate the ruins of his father’s house. Their bond deepens when they unearth the real horrors lying in wait below Thornfold’s sandy soil.

Walker’s Southern Gothic debut, Buried by Sunset, hits hard from the get-go, with characters that range from the quirky and idiosyncratic to peculiar and disturbingly abnormal. But even though this horror story quickly becomes dark, there are moments of kindness and friendships that balance out the gruesome and ghastly.

All the threads tied together nicely at the end, and all the perspectives of the townspeople were well balanced, without the number of characters becoming burdensome. I couldn't anticipate how it would conclude, but the resolution was satisfying, even if we can never fully understand.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Moly, this book had me riddled with goosebumps. It was slow to start and I instantly thought it would be another small town with a serial killer, how wrong was I! I was lulled into a false sense of security and plunged into wicked, dark, twisted events. Absolutely phenomenal. My heart breaks for Amber and Randall. It gave me Midnight Mass vibes but it was so different in its own right. I loved it. Fantastic debut, I cannot wait to see more from this author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kilgallen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the dying small town setting on this novel. The author was able to create an atmosphere of disquiet that was very effective. The characters were believable and I found myself truly invested in their plight. This was not a book with a neatly, or even partially, tied up ending and ultimately I was left with many unanswered questions. If this were to become a series I would be interested in continuing.

Thank you to book sirens and the author for providing me with an ARC free of charge. I'm leaving an honest review voluntarily.

[Aline Cleve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. The writing was beautiful, the perfect level of beautiful prose without sounding pretentious. The world building was great, I really enjoyed getting to know the town of Thornfold. I wish we’d gotten to know the characters a little better, especially Randall and Amber, but I also appreciated that it helped the story move along quicker to not have extended flashbacks to explain a characters backstory.
The story itself was unexpected and unlike anything I’d read before. I hope there will be a sequel because I want to hear more!

[Hailey Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of the story was good but I didn’t feel a connection with any of the characters. I would love to try another book by this author to see if I like a different book.

I felt like I was waiting for a big event that never surfaced.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Makayla Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written. I loved the characters and the detail about them. I think some of the horror fell a little flat for me. Most of the horror I felt was in the end with what Amber and Randall both experienced. I loved the ending. Definitely would recommend.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

JJ Walker brings anxiety and horror to the reader through pen paper. With characters that you instantly love and root for, or hate and want to see their downfall. A book you don’t want to put down where every page drags you deeper into the story. They are an excellent author, and I’m excited to see what they do next. You’ll be hoping for them to make the book a series!

[Anastacia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A man moves to a small desert town, where people are very unfriendly and paranoid. He meets a woman that wants to know what happened 40 years ago.

This book had promise but it was a bore to read, and the ending was open-ended, which I absolutely hate.

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you enjoyed 'Salem's Lot by Stephen King and want similar, then I fully recommend this because it gave me the same feel and energy as 'Salem's Lot. That small town with something lurking in the shadows and a new arrival setting everything in motion.

[Soscha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent debut author. Keep watching for his byline.

More suspense & scary than gore.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good slow burn to break neck speed small town southern gothic flavored supernatural horror mystery