The Ocean Hugs Hard

by Eric Avedissian

Surfside City, New Jersey. 1966. Cub reporter Harman Bass is cutting his teeth in the fast world of local journalism and getting out-scooped by the competition. Facetious, cocky, and always quoting Nietzsche, Harman isn't making any friends both in and out of the newsroom.

All that changes when the daughter of a prominent family is found dead on the beach, handing Harman the juiciest news story of the year. But she isn't any old beauty pageant queen; she's his high school girlfriend. Harman's dogged reporting into the young woman's death reveals pushback from the authorities and pulls the newshound into the resort's darkest corners.

After one of his sources is murdered, the routine story becomes dangerous and personal. Something watches Harman from the shadows, something ancient and hungry, worshipped by powerful men who kill to keep their secrets. Harman's job and life are soon threatened, and the once brash reporter must battle his boss, rival journalists, and his own sanity before filing what could be his last story.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fiction

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 24, 2024

About the author

Eric Avedissian is an adjunct English professor and speculative fiction author. His published work includes the novels Accursed Son, Mr. Penny-Farthing, Midnight at Bat Hollow, The Ocean Hugs Hard, and the role-playing game Ravaged Earth. His short stories appear in various anthologies, including Across the Universe, Great Wars, and Rituals & Grimoires. Avedissian received a 2024 Fellowship in Prose from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Find him online at www.ericavedissian.com if you dare.

Reviews

[Thomas Edmund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession: I don't usually pay much attention to blurbs, and instead rely many on my own 'vibes' of whether to pick up a book, however this byline of The Ocean Hugs Hard is perfect:

"THE OCEAN HUGS HARD is a mystery with the salty whiff of the ocean, a tinge of nostalgia, and a dollop of mind-shattering eldritch horror."

To start with the nostalgia, Ocean Hugs did have a rather strange approach. Its not just set in the 60s (and captures that well), the whole style of writing is quite old-school. It could be judged as being a little 'telly' but it somehow works, an oddly earnest and direct style of narration that fits with the era and the story.

Second the balance of mystery and eldritch is again quite strange and original. Initially I was actually having second thoughts because Ocean Hugs takes a while to get into the story, and the pacing remained somewhat taunting rather than direct even towards the final act. Another old-school type approach which I ended up enjoying quite a bit, and was different from the fast-pace that many modern books demand.

An unusual narrative choice was to have the MC ACE/Asexual. It was a significant character plot point for Harmen but wasn't tossed into the narrative as some sort of storyline barrier to overcome or part of the 'curse' of the eldritch goings on. That said the character point fit in well with the story subtly but not in any explicit way.

Finally a point about the eldritch horror elements, due to the pacing it might have not fitted in as well as some readers might like, there is certainly a lot of final explanation (as everything is so mysterious there is a lot of info to be delivered at the end) and it doesn't make the story fall flat but it sits somewhere between a typical complete insanity disaster of a cosmic horror and a happy ending of a mystery thriller - the book didn't leave me with any particular feeling other than 'oh that was a thing' not a bad thing by any stretch, just a thing.

[Kayla is trying to finish her backlog of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Spark Publishing for an eARC copy of The Ocean Hugs Hard by Eric Avedissian.

In the Ocean Hugs Hard, set against the backdrop of Surfside City, New Jersey in 1966, Eric Avedissian crafts a gripping narrative of a classic noir mystery with the ambiance of H.P Lovecraft's eldritch horror ambiance. The novel follows Harman Bass, a young reporter trying to make a name for himself in the competitive world of journalism in a small, tourist town.

Harman's life takes a dramatic turn when the body of a former high school girlfriend, now a prominent beauty queen, is discovered on a local beach. What initially seems like the opportunity of a lifetime to prove his mettle quickly spirals into a dangerous and personal investigation. As Harman delves deeper into the case, he encounters resistance from the authorities and discovers a hidden darkness lurking within the seemingly idyllic resort tow.

I really appreciate the way that Eric Avedissian builds tension throughout the story. It starts little by little, in the most unexpected ways and even though you have a slight idea of which eldritch horror may have been involved it never really shows its hand and I do enjoy that. Which may not be a popular opinion as the monsters always come out eventually. I also enjoy the fact that this was based in the 60s, as eldritch horror tends to stick to the 20s - 50s and it is even more unusual as Surfside City is certainly more sunny and touristy while most eldritch horrors are not. I will say that I agree with other readers when it comes with the length. I do wish it was a bit shorter than it was, it certainly didn't have to be 300 pages. This was my first book by the author and I'd certainly read another.

[Ben Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

FULL DISCLOSURE: I have been Eric's friend for several years and I want to support his efforts as a writer. But I'm also an active reader and so I do think there's some objectivity in this review (you can see the vast majority of reviews are not for books written by authors I know personally). Having said that, this book needs some well-deserved praise!

If you've ever wondered if there was an anti-summer-beach-read summer beach read, you will find it in the pages of "The Ocean Hugs Hard." Part murder mystery, part Lovecraftian horror, part nostalgia trip, and yes, part beach read, this is a wonderfully-paced book about a cub reporter torn between the rules of journalism, his personal feelings for his friends, his idealism and his quest for the truth, and trying to make enough money to pay the rent.

Knowing Eric, I know a large part of inspiration comes from years of living in and reporting on Ocean City, a family friendly beach resort. While Surfside City is fiction, its inspiration as clear as day for someone like me, and I think anyone who has ventured down to an old-fashioned Jersey shore resort will relate to the kind of town portrayed in this book. I mean...maybe without the year-round residents summoning ancient horrors...but you never know!

This is the best book Eric has written so far. Several well-developed characters, a plot that keeps moving, and a a complete tale in under 300 pages. Additionally, this features an asexual protagonist, and like most of my favorite books that include representation, it's done sensitively without it being his only personality trait.

In my own former journalist's fedora to remain objective, I will say my physical copy had some layout issues. It's nothing that completely ruined my enjoyment of the book, but just something to take note of if you're reading the physical copy of it. But you should try and read it any way you can!

It pleases me to be able to recommend a friend's book wholeheartedly and not just because I want to do right by a friend. I've read "fun" books by more well-renowned authors that weren't nearly as good as this one.

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

This book was an interesting read that blended mystery and the occult with a touch of cosmic horror. These are all genres I really enjoy and had high hopes! Unfortunately it did not quite live up to expectations.

The beginning felt a bit rough and was the weakest part of the story. It tried very hard to put the reader into the time era but it felt more clunky than grounding. Very specific brands of objects and popular bands and sometimes just unrelated things would be name-dropped in sentences. It felt a bit unnatural to read and be bombarded with brand names. It did ease up down later on but it was not the best first impression.

Once the mystery started kicking in things smoothed out and I got into it a lot more. There was lots of foreshadowing sprinkled about, some obvious and some more subtle but I was able to use it to piece together almost everything by the end. The story overall wrapped up well, covering themes of power and corruption in a small town. I liked the concepts a lot, though I think they could have been pushed even further.

I was also hoping for more horror vibes as the story unfolded. It just felt like it was missing some of that atmosphere it promised. The scenes sometimes felt a bit underdeveloped and flat and I really wish they were expanded upon to really tease out more of that tension and creepiness factor. There was a lot of telling the reader how to feel and not a lot of showing and making me actually feel it myself. I think this was my biggest letdown overall.

The main character is also insufferable overall, definitely wasn’t his biggest fan. But I will give it a bit of a pass as his personality is what set a lot of the events in motion in the first place. But what is hard to forgive is how little agency he displayed throughout. It just felt like things were happening to him, all the information coming externally rather than him actually figuring them out. June was a much more interesting character except the very unnecessary romantic interactions.

Overall I think this book has some cool concepts within it. I love the idea of the corrupt occult underbelly of a town pulling the strings behind the scenes. I just wish it was developed further to really bring that out more. It just felt very underbaked and rough overall.

[MaggieDay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a lover of Lovecraftian terror, so when I received an ARC through NetGalley with a giant sea monster I was excited. My familiarity with Lovecraft's short story, "The Shadow Over Innsmouth", definitely colored my reading. Set in 1966, Harlan Bass, a reporter for the local newspaper, is investigating the death of his high school girlfriend, Didi Wilton. Was she murdered? Who did it? Who is trying to frighten him from finding the truth?

As a murder mystery, I appreciated the cryptic clues to investigate the history of Bass's small town. There were things I guessed early on, and a few things did come as a surprise. As a Lovecraftian horror, I wasn't too enthralled. The build-up didn't match the creature's appearance near the end of the book.

I also wasn't sure why the author included an aces character. When Harlan shares his asexuality to women, they are no longer attracted to him or even ask if he's gay. As someone who is aces, I appreciate any representation, but this seems to be depressing, and Harlan feels he will always be alone. I would have rather had Harlan's fellow reporter, June, not be attracted to him and keep their relationship strictly professional.

My last sticking point is how much Avedissian tried to cram in about the 1960s - food brands, music, clothing, racism, homophobia, sexism. At times, it just felt forced.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ocean Hugs Hard is a wonderful genre mashup combining crime with horror in a 1960s Americal seaside resort setting. The claustrophobic small town atmosphere is really well described and the setting is immersive. The historic aspect added another great dimension although at times I felt Harman was viewing the world around him through a very 21st Century lens and as a result I wasn’t totally invested in the timeframe.
Harman himself is a character with considerable depth and there was great poignancy to his recollections of his failed relationship with his teenage sweetheart who turns out to be the first murder victim.
And then on to the horror aspects of the story. There was a distinct vibe very similar to British folk horror, which is a genre I love. I was pleasantly surprised to find this in an American setting. But I don’t want to say any more about this aspect of the story. You’ll just have to read it yourself to find out.
All in all a very enjoyable and compelling read.

[Gina Stamper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a unique read with a vivid world that manages to captivate and submerge the reader from the very start.

It's eerie, dark, and mysterious. Has a great storyline that keeps the reader looking around corners and trying to figure out what comes next.

I liked the dark moments, those appealed to me and I think they were well done. As were the surprises. Be prepared for an involved ride of a read, it's dark at times in the best way.

[Dustin R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent read! The setting on the Jersey Shore was atmospheric and weighted with symbolism. The characters were well developed and the relations between them quite intriguing. I’m glad that the author didn’t ignore the troubling social and racial realities of the 1960s New Jersey. The political and mystical intrigue made for a truly enjoyable book and the mythology will definitely stick with me.

[Adam Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

HP Lovecraft meets Raymond Chandler in this hard boiled novel about a journalist investigating mysterious deaths and j the Jersey Shore in the 1960s. It starts intriguingly enough but as it goes on and get weirder and weirder, I was truly sucked into this story!

ARC from NetGalley in exchange for honest review

[C. Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a nice blend of genres. Some Horror and lots of mystery.

Short explanations are expertly included into the storyline, along with descriptions and imagery necessary to the plot, while not being overwhelming.

Overall it is very well written, fun to read and provides a few hours of distraction in a great way.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are believable and the situations feel real even though it is a completely fabricated piece of fiction. Character background and context is a good opportunity to buy in, that is, they are flawed, but adequately sympathetic.

There is an immense level of detail the author puts into his setting and I think that helps the reader imagine the world vividly. It heightens the stakes.

[Samantha Turley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read as it kept me engaged. The development of the players in this tale was fantastic.

I couldn't wait to get to the end to see where this would lead.

. The writing was exceptional and the plot was fantastic. It’s definitely dark and twisted but an excellent read.

[Jade Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 if the platform would allow

Very solid book. Treds the noir/horror tightrope well, particularly loved the tonal spiral and the ending is fantastic!

I’ll be looking for more standalones by this man :)

[Norma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't at all what I expected. It dragged in spots but overall, it did keep me reading. Intriguing premise but I didn't feel it gave me what I wanted in the book.

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling tale of mystery, secrets, and death in a seaside tourist town in the 1960s.

The Ocean Hugs Hard by Eric Avedissian is a new historical mystery and suspenseful horror novel that tells the absorbing tale of a young reporter investigating the death of a local beauty queen in a summer seaside tourist town. With its engaging main characters, 1960s setting, and suspenseful twists, the story held my attention completely as the truth slowly came to light.

Harmon Bass is an intriguing protagonist; he’s a young cub reporter still finding his way in his career and in his life, struggling to become comfortable with his asexual nature. He’s made a first step toward becoming an independent adult by moving out of his childhood home and working as a reporter for his hometown’s paper rather than as an accountant, as his father wants. Though trying to prove himself with this important story (and keep his job), he is genuinely interested in finding justice for the victim, who was his former (and only) girlfriend back when they were in high school together.

Harmon’s co-writer on this story is June Jensen, a smart reporter who has been relegated to puff pieces and covering local events. She’s struggling to break free of the traditional attitudes of the male-dominated newsroom that limits her success. Likewise, Lyle Morris, the paper’s new African-American photographer, is up against the complacent, entrenched racism of a time when the Civil Rights Movement was just getting legs.

The author can certainly tell a story and took me places I didn’t expect despite the imagery on the fabulous cover. Didi’s murder occurs off-the-page, and the discovery of her bikini-clad body provides the story’s opening, so Harmon’s investigation starts immediately. The descriptions of people and places are vivid and I felt like I was right there with Harmon every step of the very unpredictable way. The plot takes some surprising twists and turns and kept me fixed to its pages, compelled to keep reading to see how the story would pan out.

I recommend THE OCEAN HUGS HARD to mystery readers who would enjoy a Twilight Zone twist to their traditional mystery.