Cranberry Cove

by Hailey Piper

Something unspeakable is happening at Cranberry Cove.

For decades, the chilling mystery within the derelict hotel has claimed those foolish and unwary enough to go inside.

Following the violent assault of a criminal kingpin’s adult son, enforcer Emberly Hale takes a dark journey into the haunted core of Cranberry Cove – and her own past – to find out the horrible truth.

Genres: Horror, Novella, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Queer, LGBT

152 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2024

About the author

Hailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, A Game in Yellow, A Light Most Hateful, The Worm and His Kings, No Gods for Drowning, Cranberry Cove, and other books of dark fiction.
She is also the author of over 100 short stories appearing in Weird Tales, Pseudopod, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and various other publications, and of articles appearing in Writer's Digest, Tor Nightfire, CrimeReads, and Library Journal. Find her at www.haileypiper.com.

Reviews

[inciminci · Rating 3 out of 5]

The haunted hotel Cranberry Cove, is surrounded by a mystery. It has been setting to eerie occurences, weird noises and assaults on men for decades, but these are about to be unveiled by investigators Emberly and Conner, who were tasked by a criminal boss who wants to find out who attacked his son in the ancient hotel.

I love Hailey Piper and her beautiful prose. Even though Cranberry Cove has the overall air and the power-duo main characters similar to X-Files, compelling villains in the shape of entities in a shabby and evil hotel which makes cracking, groaning, knocking sounds and a presence that assaults men only should be everything I ever wanted, this read was not an amazing, but rather a good read for me. I loved the humor, the dynamics between its protagonists, but I'm generally not interested in magic, although I see its literary attraction, so their background didn't really grab me. Still very worthwhile read.

[Adrienne L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Hailey Piper's writing. Unfortunately, unlike my experience with The Ghostlands of Natalie Glasgow, I didn't love this story.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was super lucky to receive an advanced copy of Hailey Pipers new supernatural crime thriller Cranberry Cove, I received this book at 7pm last night, started it and couldn't put it down, I absolutley ate this up, much like the hotel in this story seems to do 👀 Haunted houses/hotels/building in general are a firm favourite trope of mine in horror but with Haileys vivid prose and ability to make you feel as if you're actually there it takes on a whole new terrifying level in this short but impactful novella. Forget room 217 at The Overlook its 2A at Cranberry Cove you wanna watch out for, after his son is assaulted after a meeting with a rival gang goes awry, his crime lord father inlists the help of his hired goons to go and essentially make someone pay in the hopes of avoiding an all out war, cue our charming duo Conner and Emberly, who head to Cranberry Cove, an abandoned hotel shrouded in urban legends, but not just any legends, people, or should I say men, only men, seem to go missing, it's like the hotel eats them up 👀
The personification of the hotel was immaculate it created such an insidious uneasy vibe I was on edge the entire time, a carnivorous hotel is rather terrifying, the character of Emberly was just, I don't know how to explain? You know how in life it's weird how we just pick a human and we're like 'I like that one' and they become our friend, Emberly was that for me, instantly felt connected and was immediatley concerned she was gonna be killed off 😅 I would love more books with this character, I understand the length of this is perfect to deliver the underlying message of gender issues in a punchy evocative way, however I also think this could work as a longer novel too. Hailey has curated a stunningly unique horror story that not only delivers all the ghostly spooks we expect and enjoy but also addresses the heavier topic of toxic gender expectations particularly masculinity in its various forms.

[Georgia♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The storytelling and writing of this book were so messy and confusing, I genuinely struggled to understand what was going on most of the time, which was such a shame as I had high expectations for this. The writing style was weird to me as it just felt like it was trying way too hard to be super descriptive and poetic but it just continued to add to the disorganised feel. I was expecting this to be a lot more unsettling and creepy and I just didn’t connect with any of the characters or the plot at all.

[Becky Spratford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review in the April 1, 2024 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2024/03... [link live on 3/29/24]

Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive, compelling, haunted hotel

Readers experience the horror emanating from the walls with all five of their senses, as the compelling story ropes them in from the start and holds them rapt until the final, emotional scene, but it is Emberly and Connor, their tender relationship as long time partners and their honest discussions about gender and Emberly’s transition which standout here

This will appeal to fans of supernatural crime and intense haunted hotels such as in The Return by Harrison and the backlist gem, Travelers Rest by Morris. [Ketih Lee Morris]

It is the cross over episode of Law and Order SVU and X-Files you never knew you wanted, and now you need.

[Horror Bookworm Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

Emberly Hale and Conner Bohme are brought together to solve a particular crime that have personal ties. The answers they seek are hidden in an unsafe abandoned hotel that goes by the name of Cranberry Cove. What they find in the infamous haunted hotel and within Room 2A is beyond what they ever imagined.

Cranberry Cove by Hailey Piper is a first hand experience in phantoms, ghosts and specters that reside within seven floors of mysterious assaults along with a cursed lobby. Piper sets an ultimate creepy atmosphere with groaning doors, disturbing knocking noises and a constant unseen presence lurking in the shadows. These elements cause an unnatural curiosity that are bound to summon desperate feelings by the reader. Not to mention the creepy substantial amount of thirst for flesh and blood.

From the paranormal rhythmic knock-knock-knocking to the skin-crawling dark spirits, Hailey Piper’s atmospheric novella is one to savor the flavor. The believable validity gives credence from its true-crime origin story that she has created.

Something horrifying through dust and time is hidden within the wiring and insulation of the infamous Cranberry Cove. Could it be the Occult, Sex Magic or maybe a Sacred Ritual? These secret candlelit imageries is well worth the reading experience. A five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

[Brendon Lowe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book of Haileys I have read. You can tell she is a talent writer, but the plot in this was just too bland and forgettable for me.

It's a part haunted house and part character study of our a transgender woman trying to find answers in a haunted hotel. It's light on the horror and doesn't add anything new or build any tension. The ending is so predictable. I did enjoy that it wasn't your typical character with a trans woman and some mob goons instead of the typical paranormal investigators. I didn't hate it at all as the writing is well done, but as I said, it was just pretty average all around. 2.5 stars.

[Cassie Daley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was in the mood for a creepy story set in a hotel, and when Hailey offered to send an ARC of this, I was maybe overly excited for it -- I started reading it within minutes of opening the email & didn't stop til it was finished! 😂

CRANBERRY COVE was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for! The hotel in this one felt almost like its own character, the environment inside it atmospherically sinister in a way that keeps the reader on edge constantly, never feeling safe. I liked the time spent away from the hotel too, especially later on in the story in a certain house... SO creepy!!

It's novella length, so on the shorter end of things, which is perfect if you're looking for something that'll pull you in quickly and keep you hooked until the end. Also, I loved the characters here!! Emberly and Conner had such a cute partnership, almost like Mulder & Scully - I kept thinking of that comparison while reading and it made me like them even more. I'd love reading a collection of stories about them and the different things they encounter together!

Hailey never misses for me - I've lost count of how many of her books I've read at this point, and I always love them. CRANBERRY COVE is definitely one of my new favorites!


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[Haley Newlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m still mulling this one over. The prose is stunning, the empathy you find in the accepted transgender character is groundbreaking. I can’t believe how gorgeous Piper’s writing is in this book.

I do think I would’ve liked 50-100 more pages to really get into the s*x cult and the threat of the street war mentioned a few times.

Full review on Cemetery Dance - https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...

[Ai Jiang]

Beautiful prose paired with a story that is haunting, raw, and mysterious.

[DA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this!

What I thought was going to be a haunted hotel story, turned out to be an eerie tale of the occult. I liked how layer by layer the story is revealed. I wouldn't say this is a slow burn story, but it's not super action packed.
The relationship between Emberly and Conner was interesting, I couldn't really get a feel if it was more brother/sister or of it had the potential to be a romantic relationship. Either way the had a great dynamic that really added to the story.
Part urban thriller, part supernatural horror, you're in for a treat with this creepy story that takes place in an abandoned hotel.

[Brian Bowyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

I absolutely devoured this novella. CRANBERRY COVE is a creepy, atmospheric, and beautifully written nightmare. You can't go wrong with anything by Piper. Highly recommended!

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this shorter story would be more horrific, it just felt kind of blah instead. Not one I’ll be remembering years from now.

[Kevin L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, but Piper can write!

[Raaven💖 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Interesting twist with the story and I appreciate the trans character who is openly accepted by everyone. I just didn’t really vibe with this one like I had wanted to.

[Victoria Sampley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish we spent more time at the spooky hotel. The ending and resolution is incredibly convenient. Just okay!

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually borrowed this from my library. Thank you, libby, and it was an audiobook, I listened to it three times before returning it.

I loved it. There was so much to soak up, I actually want to get a hard copy of this one soon and take it on another spin.

Cranberry Cove Hotel, is not as it seems, two thugs are trying to look into the attack on their bosses son, should be easy, just look around, ask some questions, and they are paranormal investigators, so they have their bases covered.

I really liked Emberly and Conner, in particular Emberly, I can't even tell you why, I just know that if I had to pick someone, it would be Emberly, lol.

Can I get that on a t-shirt?

A hotel that apparently only eats men, eat is the only word that comes close to what this hotel does, was a no-brainer to me.

Onto my next Piper book.

[Tomasz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, okay, plotwise this isn't five-star-worthy, OK? But the characters more than make up for it. And the emotions, they come across totally unblunted. This is raw-ish, powerful, very good stuff.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book comes with a trigger warning about sexual assault, but this book is not exploitation fare. This book is a hard-boiled investigation into what drives men to act the way they do . . . and their inabilities to see into blind spots created by those desires. Cranberry Cove is an abandoned hotel where something has a history of violating the men who visit it. Some of them become victims. Some of them disappear completely. Piper gives a helluva ending that does not disappoint.

[Mother Suspiria]

Hailey Piper calls CRANBERRY COVE "bleak," and although it is filled with numerous Horrors, I don't think it is. It's dark, but rings true: ultimately it's about persevering and fighting (both despite and IN SPITE of) the Darkness hiding everywhere that threatens to engulf us. A GREAT read.

[kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

a notoriously haunted hotel, abandoned for decades, that seems to consume men. hm. the explanation here simply didn't work for my preferences but regardless, i enjoyed piper's writing and the themes explored and look forward to reading more of her work.

[Brihanna Holder · Rating 1 out of 5]

So unbelievably dry. A terrible plot line and nothing spooky or scary about it. I felt my eyes literally going unfocused while reading.

[Yolanda Sfetsos · Rating 5 out of 5]

After I finished revising one of my stories, I decided to reward myself with this novella.

Emberly and Conner are partners sent to investigate what happened at the derelict hotel called Cranberry Cove, but what they find is a lot darker than either expected...

Eerie. Tense. Mysterious. Entertaining.

Yeah, I really enjoyed this story. It's full of dark supernatural goodness that hints at what lies beneath the fabric of reality, lost within liminal spaces. It's packed with interesting characters that kept me glued to the page because I wanted to follow them into the darkness. I particularly like how the writing style and the way the story unfolds adds to the surreal quality of the narrative, and throws everything off balance.

Also, I'm totally intrigued by Angelica.

The occult stuff is really cool, and I felt like this story definitely had X-Files and Twin Peaks vibes.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something very wrong with Cranberry Cove.


It's a place to be avoided, and everybody seems to know this. Except there always has to be at least one person who disregards all the warnings.. And of course we've got to have someone who's gonna mess with powers that don't always work the way the should.


This story was so different from anything I've read from Piper in the past. In short it wasn't a crazy, gorefest, splatterpunk's wet dream.




I'm not complaining, this was not a bad thing. It was refreshing to see Piper give us something different and more subtle. Even though I do enjoy getting hit with the gore and horror.



Sometimes subtle horror can be just as (or even more) unnerving.

[Tim Paggi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing piece of supernatural, trans noir. It mixed an unsettling atmosphere with nuanced and careful discussions of gender. The last couple scenes boiled over into real horror, and I loved the concept of “the man-thing” as an embodiment of toxic masculinity/repression. FYI this contains scenes of SA, but they’re not gratuitous or cheap (are disturbing though, appropriately). This was my first Hailey Piper read, would check out more!

[Chris Wolff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is set to be released in early April, and if you haven't preordered it yet, do your future self a favor and get on that. I was lucky enough to get an ARC and with everything else I had going on in my life, I thought I would give myself time enough to read it before the deadline, but I couldn't put it down and everything else got (mostly) put on the back burner until I was finished. This creepy, atmospheric tale of the purportedly abandoned titular hotel, pulled me in and dragged me into the scariest hotel rooms since The Shining. It is a quick read that is well-paced, and packs a lot in between the covers. The protagonist, Emberly, has a complex past and her relationship with her crime partner and the organization they are a part of reflects that and broader gender issues, which Piper often writes about brilliantly. The characters are well written, with a mix of humor and genuine understanding that they use to investigate the dark presence that has haunted Cranberry Cove for decades. This leads them to dark, interesting, and horrific places as the hotel's past becomes revealed to them. And something in the hotel is not finished with the people who enter its rooms.... Highly recommend.

[Justin Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devoured this in a single evening. Longtime fan of Piper’s work, and this may be her best yet. Made my skin crawl multiple times. Didn’t enjoy the explanation as much as I would have liked, but still good. Hailey’s writing shines here, and there were more times than I can count where I set the book down to think on the prose, only to reread.

Good stuff. Highly recommend.

[C.J. Daley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revived my book club this month, and luckily enough my suggestion got picked!

This one was suggested for my Intro to Indie Horror + Representation post that I did in April under trans rep, and it has been on my radar since posting. Naturally I’m stoked it got to jump up my TBR with the book club selecting it.

With that being said, I actually didn’t read the blurb, just went straight in. I was pleasantly surprised to head right into a supernatural mystery. Emberly and Conner are tasked with investigating a rather atypical circumstance that befell their boss’ son. And I absolutely loved the fact that they kind of were forced to become their own type of detectives. When a trip to Cranberry Cove turns up more questions than answers, Emberly is sent on a journey to unravel what’s inside.

There’s something about the 2’s, and like room 217 at The Overlook, Cranberry Cove’s 2A is the latest haunted hotel room that will keep you up at night waiting for a knock. Why are only men attacked or disappearing? Where is the person or entity even coming from?

I really enjoyed how the author made a point to spell out how their boss had gone out of his way to take care of Emberly’s needs, and to ensure that everyone treated her as the woman she was. Meanwhile the novella itself is tackling themes of toxic masculinity and gender ideas. Conner feels a need to ensure Emberly’s safety, however he doesn’t seem to understand that that feeling can come from caring, and not because he’s the man. And clearly Emberly is prepared to care for herself!

A quick, spooky, and unique read. Worth checking out.

[Kass D · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not a writer, and my knowledge of story writing is basic BUT I am positive it’s not supposed to be flat.

[Lewis Housley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little romp. Chaos and Sex Magick, thoughtful wanderings regarding Gender and Identity. Fun, while still nodding to Truths of Cosmic Pessimism and Intersubjective Realities.