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To Those Willing to Drown
To save her daughter's soul, a grieving mother must battle a sinister pastor who feeds off the cremains of the dead and haunts a lake community.
"This is goddamn wonderful. It's both beautiful and horrible."—Julie Hutchings, author of The Harpy
When Jewel Jordan dies from cancer, her father's wish is to scatter the ashes inside their beloved Torch Lake. But after the grieving mother hears her daughter's voice coming from inside the urn, how can she let the ashes go? Especially after a mysterious pastor begs her to keep them and promises to reunite her with her daughter's spirit. Who should she listen to? Even creatures from the lake whisper to her at night, pleading for the remains of her daughter. Who can she trust? Nobody knows the truth and the bargain she made that led to her daughter's death. Now she has to fight to save her child's soul, and Torch Lake holds the answers. But the lake is cold, the truth is deep, and it will take the ultimate sacrifice, for...the Lake Speaks Most Honestly to Those Willing to Drown.
"Deep, disturbing, and beautifully rendered."
—Christa Carmen, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Daughters of Block Island
"An epic tale of pain, love, grief, and regret."
—Laurel Hightower, author of Crossroads
"Matthews is the reigning king of modern psychological horror."
—Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Kin
"Matthews is a damn good writer, and make no mistake, he will hurt you."
—Jack Ketchum, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Girl Next Door
"This is goddamn wonderful. It's both beautiful and horrible."—Julie Hutchings, author of The Harpy
When Jewel Jordan dies from cancer, her father's wish is to scatter the ashes inside their beloved Torch Lake. But after the grieving mother hears her daughter's voice coming from inside the urn, how can she let the ashes go? Especially after a mysterious pastor begs her to keep them and promises to reunite her with her daughter's spirit. Who should she listen to? Even creatures from the lake whisper to her at night, pleading for the remains of her daughter. Who can she trust? Nobody knows the truth and the bargain she made that led to her daughter's death. Now she has to fight to save her child's soul, and Torch Lake holds the answers. But the lake is cold, the truth is deep, and it will take the ultimate sacrifice, for...the Lake Speaks Most Honestly to Those Willing to Drown.
"Deep, disturbing, and beautifully rendered."
—Christa Carmen, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Daughters of Block Island
"An epic tale of pain, love, grief, and regret."
—Laurel Hightower, author of Crossroads
"Matthews is the reigning king of modern psychological horror."
—Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Kin
"Matthews is a damn good writer, and make no mistake, he will hurt you."
—Jack Ketchum, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The Girl Next Door
209 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2025
25 people are currently reading
6418 people want to read
About the author
Mark Matthews
25 books416 followersMark Matthews is a graduate of the University of Michigan and a licensed professional counselor who has worked in behavioral health for over 20 years. He is the author of On the Lips of Children, All Smoke Rises, Milk-Blood, and The Hobgoblin of Little Minds. He is also the editor of a trio of 'addiction horror' anthologies including Orphans of Bliss, Lullabies for Suffering and Garden of Fiends. In 2021, he was nominated for a Shirley Jackson Award. His next novel, To Those Willing to Drown, is expected in May, 2025, followed by the novella, Kali's Web, in August, 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
March 4, 2025
“The lake is cold, the truth is deep and you have to earn the right to hear such secrets, for the lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown.”
While reading To Those Willing to Drown, I felt like I was given a gift. Instead of wrapping paper it was instead wrapped up in folklore, mythology and the stunningly cold, deep blue waters of Torch Lake, Michigan.
With a story that follows two families, one from the late 1800’s and one modern day, the lake that connects their histories takes center stage. Something dark lives in the lake and that’s not all. There are children in this water, there are even cribs for them sunken underneath. Why? You’ll have to read this to find out!
What a deeply disturbing, yet somehow hopeful story this was! Mark Matthews has a way of digging down into people’s heads and sharing their most intimate thoughts with you. Unfortunately, many of those thoughts are dark and disturbed. As is often said of the lake itself, “It’s so cold because it’s so deep.” The minds which we inhabit within these pages are also cold and deep. But within a few of them is buried an all-encompassing love, a love that often makes difficult demands of us, as spouses and more importantly, as parents.
Luckily, the parents I know would do everything in their power to help their child. But what about saving that child’s soul? What about shining a light into the darkness of literal, watery hell and claiming that soul for themselves?
“...And when the glow of the light came to this lake that’s so dark, because it’s so deep, I went to the light.”.
Tangled up in all of this psychological grief, madness and loss, there’s a supernatural figure, or is it? I love folk horror and mythology and I loved how it was seamlessly blended with the human drama here. The resulting narrative is a powerful one that reached into my heart and nearly squeezed the light out of it altogether, until it was as dark as Torch Lake itself. But then, hope began bubbling up from the depths and while some may disagree, I feel like this denouement may be the happiest Mark Matthews has ever penned.
With an atmosphere that feels gothic, a grief that feels overwhelming and a madness that no amount of drugs, ashes, or distraction can fight, by the end of this volume I felt like I emerged out of the darkness into the bright light of day. With my eyes struggling to deal with the sunlight and my mind struggling with the re-emergence of reality, I am left to relive Jewel’s life, Lamia’s, Sharon’s and Kai’s too. Even now, a full day later, I’m struggling to find more words to describe how I feel-about them and about this book.
One thing I do feel I can say confidently and clearly is that I think this is Mark Matthews’ best work to date, and as such I give it my highest recommendation!
*ARC from author
While reading To Those Willing to Drown, I felt like I was given a gift. Instead of wrapping paper it was instead wrapped up in folklore, mythology and the stunningly cold, deep blue waters of Torch Lake, Michigan.
With a story that follows two families, one from the late 1800’s and one modern day, the lake that connects their histories takes center stage. Something dark lives in the lake and that’s not all. There are children in this water, there are even cribs for them sunken underneath. Why? You’ll have to read this to find out!
What a deeply disturbing, yet somehow hopeful story this was! Mark Matthews has a way of digging down into people’s heads and sharing their most intimate thoughts with you. Unfortunately, many of those thoughts are dark and disturbed. As is often said of the lake itself, “It’s so cold because it’s so deep.” The minds which we inhabit within these pages are also cold and deep. But within a few of them is buried an all-encompassing love, a love that often makes difficult demands of us, as spouses and more importantly, as parents.
Luckily, the parents I know would do everything in their power to help their child. But what about saving that child’s soul? What about shining a light into the darkness of literal, watery hell and claiming that soul for themselves?
“...And when the glow of the light came to this lake that’s so dark, because it’s so deep, I went to the light.”.
Tangled up in all of this psychological grief, madness and loss, there’s a supernatural figure, or is it? I love folk horror and mythology and I loved how it was seamlessly blended with the human drama here. The resulting narrative is a powerful one that reached into my heart and nearly squeezed the light out of it altogether, until it was as dark as Torch Lake itself. But then, hope began bubbling up from the depths and while some may disagree, I feel like this denouement may be the happiest Mark Matthews has ever penned.
With an atmosphere that feels gothic, a grief that feels overwhelming and a madness that no amount of drugs, ashes, or distraction can fight, by the end of this volume I felt like I emerged out of the darkness into the bright light of day. With my eyes struggling to deal with the sunlight and my mind struggling with the re-emergence of reality, I am left to relive Jewel’s life, Lamia’s, Sharon’s and Kai’s too. Even now, a full day later, I’m struggling to find more words to describe how I feel-about them and about this book.
One thing I do feel I can say confidently and clearly is that I think this is Mark Matthews’ best work to date, and as such I give it my highest recommendation!
*ARC from author
January 27, 2025
“To Those Willing to Drown” is an excellent mixture of complex grief, mythology, supernatural events, and psychological horror.
It’s a deep tale (both figuratively and literally) that follows multiple timelines, but is centred around Torch Lake and the secrets it contains. Be prepared to feel scared, sad, angry, and introspective as you work through the pages.
I loved the complex characters and their dynamics. The setting was both beautiful and terrifying, deeply atmospheric. The author’s intro was fascinating and had me looking up the history of the lake as well.
This is such a well developed and executed tale, I can definitely see it becoming a favourite 2025 book for many readers.
It’s a deep tale (both figuratively and literally) that follows multiple timelines, but is centred around Torch Lake and the secrets it contains. Be prepared to feel scared, sad, angry, and introspective as you work through the pages.
I loved the complex characters and their dynamics. The setting was both beautiful and terrifying, deeply atmospheric. The author’s intro was fascinating and had me looking up the history of the lake as well.
This is such a well developed and executed tale, I can definitely see it becoming a favourite 2025 book for many readers.
April 21, 2025
“The lake is cold, the truth is deep and you have to earn the right to hear such secrets, for the lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown.”
Prepare yourselves for a haunting, eerie, sorrowful horror story!
In this book, two prominent perspectives are highlighted out of many. One from a civil-war medic accustomed to the horrors of violence and bloodshed, who encounters the mysteries of Torch Lake and is doomed to pay a high debt after succumbing to its call. The other perspective is from a wanderlust woman, a camp counselor in the present day who is also mystified by the lore of Torch Lake and makes a devastating bargain to right a wrong. Over time, these two perspectives collide and the deep, dark folklore of Torch Lake is unraveled one chapter at a time. Souls beneath the waves, ashes of the dead, deals with the supernatural! Sound fun?
This is a story that begs the question, what lengths would you go, what would you sacrifice, what horrors would you endure, for the sake of those you love? It carries themes of grief, guilt, and unending heartache. In his introduction, author Mark Matthews states that he pulled from Ojibwe folklore, Hindu mythology, and American Civil War history to bring this story to life. He has gifted readers a horror story teeming with dark fantasy, mystery, and deep terrors for those who feel it best to simply “stay out of the water”. To Those Willing to Drown is perfect for the summer. Read this book lakeside if you dare!
(Thanks so much to the author and Wicked Run Press for my gifted review copy of this wonderful book!)
Prepare yourselves for a haunting, eerie, sorrowful horror story!
In this book, two prominent perspectives are highlighted out of many. One from a civil-war medic accustomed to the horrors of violence and bloodshed, who encounters the mysteries of Torch Lake and is doomed to pay a high debt after succumbing to its call. The other perspective is from a wanderlust woman, a camp counselor in the present day who is also mystified by the lore of Torch Lake and makes a devastating bargain to right a wrong. Over time, these two perspectives collide and the deep, dark folklore of Torch Lake is unraveled one chapter at a time. Souls beneath the waves, ashes of the dead, deals with the supernatural! Sound fun?
This is a story that begs the question, what lengths would you go, what would you sacrifice, what horrors would you endure, for the sake of those you love? It carries themes of grief, guilt, and unending heartache. In his introduction, author Mark Matthews states that he pulled from Ojibwe folklore, Hindu mythology, and American Civil War history to bring this story to life. He has gifted readers a horror story teeming with dark fantasy, mystery, and deep terrors for those who feel it best to simply “stay out of the water”. To Those Willing to Drown is perfect for the summer. Read this book lakeside if you dare!
(Thanks so much to the author and Wicked Run Press for my gifted review copy of this wonderful book!)
March 31, 2025
"I’ve heard men mutter words of epiphany under their last breath, messages from the other world." -Lucas
"Seek out the dead, seek out their souls, and learn the curse of eternal life and eternal ache." -The Well
"I’d rather my own child die than be responsible for the death of another." -Sharon
"The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown." -Kai
To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews is a darkly immersive occult horror that weaves a story of mythology, tradition, legends and horror into two haunting timelines, resulting in a beautifully crafted, 209 page bundle of devastating beauty. Matthews demonstrates talented storytelling by blending events of emotional sacrifice around the eerie, myth-soaked Torch Lake.
The historical timeline follows a civil war medic and veteran, known for performing brutal but often lifesaving amputations. His perspective is grim, raw and soaked in blood. As he fights to defend his actions, his reality alters until he feels God-like for the choices he’s made on others and their lives or deaths. In contrast, the present day story follows a woman who loves so deeply she promises to give up something she doesn’t yet possess. This act of selflessness becomes far more chilling and pivotal as the novel progresses, and never far from the creeping dread that lives beneath Torch Lake’s surface. The lake and The Well of promises connect these characters between the two timelines until they intersect with a deafening clash, two sets of parents metaphorically fighting to keep their heads above water and reunite with or free their respective children.
Matthews breathes life into Torch lake with the lore until it becomes an entity of its own. As the past and present twist together, the story explodes into an unforgettable climax that is both devastating and satisfying. The horror elements weren’t as terrifying in written form, but I can see this being an epic horror movie. The ending was perfection embodied and the thought provoking story lingers well after the last page.
What would you sacrifice to save your child? Their soul?
Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked Run Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and written by me.
"Seek out the dead, seek out their souls, and learn the curse of eternal life and eternal ache." -The Well
"I’d rather my own child die than be responsible for the death of another." -Sharon
"The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown." -Kai
To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews is a darkly immersive occult horror that weaves a story of mythology, tradition, legends and horror into two haunting timelines, resulting in a beautifully crafted, 209 page bundle of devastating beauty. Matthews demonstrates talented storytelling by blending events of emotional sacrifice around the eerie, myth-soaked Torch Lake.
The historical timeline follows a civil war medic and veteran, known for performing brutal but often lifesaving amputations. His perspective is grim, raw and soaked in blood. As he fights to defend his actions, his reality alters until he feels God-like for the choices he’s made on others and their lives or deaths. In contrast, the present day story follows a woman who loves so deeply she promises to give up something she doesn’t yet possess. This act of selflessness becomes far more chilling and pivotal as the novel progresses, and never far from the creeping dread that lives beneath Torch Lake’s surface. The lake and The Well of promises connect these characters between the two timelines until they intersect with a deafening clash, two sets of parents metaphorically fighting to keep their heads above water and reunite with or free their respective children.
Matthews breathes life into Torch lake with the lore until it becomes an entity of its own. As the past and present twist together, the story explodes into an unforgettable climax that is both devastating and satisfying. The horror elements weren’t as terrifying in written form, but I can see this being an epic horror movie. The ending was perfection embodied and the thought provoking story lingers well after the last page.
What would you sacrifice to save your child? Their soul?
Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked Run Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and written by me.
April 3, 2025
It's been a long time since I read this book so my thoughts are memories of how I felt while in its grip. I clearly remember Lucas Lamia, he of the twisted proclivities and sick mind. This character is very well conceived and brought to life. The lake. The souls. The ashes. The children. The bargains. The well. I loved all of it.
Thank you Mark, for welcoming me into your world yet again. I'm honoured. Thank you for the acknowledgement.
And thank you for this book.
Thank you Mark, for welcoming me into your world yet again. I'm honoured. Thank you for the acknowledgement.
And thank you for this book.
April 18, 2025
This one hit like a stone to the gut—and I mean that in the best way possible. Mark Matthews was new to me, but definitely won’t be a one-and-done. To Those Willing To Drown is bleak, beautiful, and rough in all the right places.
We move between two timelines. We follow a Civil War surgeon and a present-day camp counselor, both haunted by personal demons and connected through Torch Lake in Michigan. The lake, by the way, has teeth. It’s a deeply human, horror story wrapped in supernatural elements, threaded with folklore and myth.
I went in blind and after a few pages I was thinking this might be a PTSD-driven soldier narrative (and I admit, I groaned a little), but by chapter three, I was all in. By 60%, I was emotionally wrecked. By 70%, I was glued to the pages like something cursed was dragging me deeper.
Some of the characters made me furious (you’ll know who when you meet them), and yet that didn’t change my love for the story. It just deepened it. It’s violent. It’s eerie. It’s dark and raw and full of ache. But also weirdly…sweet? Like watching something tragic unfold while still hoping for some glimmer of peace.
It’s incredible what Matthews pulls off in 200-ish pages. His writing is visceral and unflinching, but also lyrical in its pain. This is a story about grief, guilt, sacrifice, and survival, all cloaked in folklore and chilling, melancholic beauty. It ends the only way it could, and I mean that in the best possible, soul-crushing way.
This wasn’t on my radar a month ago. I made room for it—and I’m so glad I did. If you like your horror haunted by grief and soaked in myth, dive in. Just know the lake doesn’t let go easily.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wicked Run Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
We move between two timelines. We follow a Civil War surgeon and a present-day camp counselor, both haunted by personal demons and connected through Torch Lake in Michigan. The lake, by the way, has teeth. It’s a deeply human, horror story wrapped in supernatural elements, threaded with folklore and myth.
I went in blind and after a few pages I was thinking this might be a PTSD-driven soldier narrative (and I admit, I groaned a little), but by chapter three, I was all in. By 60%, I was emotionally wrecked. By 70%, I was glued to the pages like something cursed was dragging me deeper.
Some of the characters made me furious (you’ll know who when you meet them), and yet that didn’t change my love for the story. It just deepened it. It’s violent. It’s eerie. It’s dark and raw and full of ache. But also weirdly…sweet? Like watching something tragic unfold while still hoping for some glimmer of peace.
It’s incredible what Matthews pulls off in 200-ish pages. His writing is visceral and unflinching, but also lyrical in its pain. This is a story about grief, guilt, sacrifice, and survival, all cloaked in folklore and chilling, melancholic beauty. It ends the only way it could, and I mean that in the best possible, soul-crushing way.
This wasn’t on my radar a month ago. I made room for it—and I’m so glad I did. If you like your horror haunted by grief and soaked in myth, dive in. Just know the lake doesn’t let go easily.
Thanks to NetGalley and Wicked Run Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 25, 2025
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Release date is 5/14 and you can pre-order on Amazon!! Highly, highly recommend!!!
"Life had just become so much bigger. The universe he comprehended had been permanently changed in an instant, his understanding so different, his thoughts so small for such a grand design. This lake and this life was something much different than he thought it was."
To Those Willing To Drown makes you stop and think- how far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? Would you make a deal with the devil, and at what expense? Matthews toys with the reader, luring them to lean over the edge and stare at their reflection on the surface, only to then drag them under, forced to face the hidden horrors within themselves.
This book was everything I had hoped it would be, and then some. I'm actually struggling a bit to articulate just how much I loved it, on a deeply emotional level, afraid that I will be unable to find the words that it deserves. There are honestly very few books that have left me feeling speechless, like I need time to process. Two scenes in particular will haunt me for days to come.
Mark Matthews is a phenomenal writer, weaving folklore, mythology, and spirituality into a beautifully written dark fairytale worthy of being re-read over and over. It has a well earned spot on my shelf right next to my beloved favorites.
And of course, I leave you with a F+TM quote:
"‘Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?
Would you have it any other way?
You couldn't have it any other way
‘Cause she’s a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made
But oh, my love, don’t forget me
When I let the water take me"
"Life had just become so much bigger. The universe he comprehended had been permanently changed in an instant, his understanding so different, his thoughts so small for such a grand design. This lake and this life was something much different than he thought it was."
To Those Willing To Drown makes you stop and think- how far are you willing to go to save the ones you love? Would you make a deal with the devil, and at what expense? Matthews toys with the reader, luring them to lean over the edge and stare at their reflection on the surface, only to then drag them under, forced to face the hidden horrors within themselves.
This book was everything I had hoped it would be, and then some. I'm actually struggling a bit to articulate just how much I loved it, on a deeply emotional level, afraid that I will be unable to find the words that it deserves. There are honestly very few books that have left me feeling speechless, like I need time to process. Two scenes in particular will haunt me for days to come.
Mark Matthews is a phenomenal writer, weaving folklore, mythology, and spirituality into a beautifully written dark fairytale worthy of being re-read over and over. It has a well earned spot on my shelf right next to my beloved favorites.
And of course, I leave you with a F+TM quote:
"‘Cause they took your loved ones
But returned them in exchange for you
But would you have it any other way?
Would you have it any other way?
You couldn't have it any other way
‘Cause she’s a cruel mistress
And a bargain must be made
But oh, my love, don’t forget me
When I let the water take me"
May 13, 2025
This review originally appeared on FanFiAddict.
Mark Matthews is a son of a bitch. I say this endearingly, of course, in much the same way our dearly departed Jack Ketchum promised readers that Matthews will hurt them. It’s not a condemnation as much as it is an expectation.
To Those Willing To Drown is a grief-laden elegy to Torch Lake, one of many northern lower-Michigan vacation hotspots, whose folkloric roots run deep, back to the beliefs of the indigenous peoples that once populated the region long before it became home to summer camps and multi-million dollar lakeside getaways and resorts. The lake, like so many other northern areas of the lower peninsula, are a summer destination for families handed down between generations. Maybe it’s just a fact of growing up surrounded by the Great Lakes, but the water calls to us, beckoning us near, to Traverse City, Mackinaw, Petoskey, Charlevoix, and, of course, Torch Lake. Once you’ve been there, you can’t help but go back. These lakes are in our blood, in our souls, and they demand from us.
Matthews is a native Michigander. He gets it. As a fellow Michigander, I get it, too, and To Those Willing To Drown speaks of this most eloquently. Heartbreakingly so.
Sharon worked one summer as a Torch Lake camp counselor, where she met, befriended, and eventually fell in love with Kai. She rescued a drowning boy and made a promise, but by then it was too late. As with Kai, the lake was in her and it drew her back repeatedly, until it and Kai became home. They married and had a daughter, and together they learned that life is pain. The lake demanded its due. Their daughter, Jewel, died and a promise was kept.
Sharon wasn’t the only one to make a promise to the specters of Torch Lake. Lamia, a Civil War surgeon well-versed in the art of amputation, betrays his promise – and his family – and is cursed. He cannot step foot in the lake, and he cannot die. He must inject the ashes of the recently deceased into his body, forced to feed the souls of the dead that now haunt his human vessel.
Their stories intersect eventually, of course, as Sharon and Lamia are woefully drawn together across time by older, more primordial forces. Along the way, Matthews dives headlong into the folklore of the region, as shared through late-night camp stories around the fire and the customs and practices of those who believe and who know the secrets of the lake’s dead.
Matthews may be best known for his works of addiction horror, like Mlik-Blood and a trio of celebrated anthologies, among others, and he brings similar themes and topics to this book, as well. Lamia has an almost vampiric hunger for the ashes of the deceased, moving through society across the centuries under the guise of a pastor to enthrall and seduce grieving families into allowing him access to feed his grisly addiction. An omnipresent grief blankets each of the characters here, driving their decisions and pushing them toward their destinies. A thick pall of sadness permeates the story nearly from its opening chapters and only grows thicker as things progress, to the point that I had to set the book aside on several occasions and force myself away from the darkness.
It’s no fluke that Matthews garnered praise from Jack Ketchum himself, and at times it feels like he must have read the late author’s The Girl Next Door and took it as both a mission statement and a lesson on how to inflict upon readers the maximum amount of emotional turmoil. If John F.D. Taff, who has appeared in all three of Matthews’ addiction horror anthologies, is horror’s King of Pain, then surely Matthews himself is its prince.
To Those Willing To Drown is an unremittingly bleak and challenging read, with its focus on child death, bodily dismemberments, and drug addiction, but one that is never less than satisfying and wholly engaging. Matthews pushes both his characters and his readers to their absolute limits, and then shoves them over the edge, into Torch Lake’s deepest depths.
Mark Matthews is a son of a bitch. I say this endearingly, of course, in much the same way our dearly departed Jack Ketchum promised readers that Matthews will hurt them. It’s not a condemnation as much as it is an expectation.
To Those Willing To Drown is a grief-laden elegy to Torch Lake, one of many northern lower-Michigan vacation hotspots, whose folkloric roots run deep, back to the beliefs of the indigenous peoples that once populated the region long before it became home to summer camps and multi-million dollar lakeside getaways and resorts. The lake, like so many other northern areas of the lower peninsula, are a summer destination for families handed down between generations. Maybe it’s just a fact of growing up surrounded by the Great Lakes, but the water calls to us, beckoning us near, to Traverse City, Mackinaw, Petoskey, Charlevoix, and, of course, Torch Lake. Once you’ve been there, you can’t help but go back. These lakes are in our blood, in our souls, and they demand from us.
Matthews is a native Michigander. He gets it. As a fellow Michigander, I get it, too, and To Those Willing To Drown speaks of this most eloquently. Heartbreakingly so.
Sharon worked one summer as a Torch Lake camp counselor, where she met, befriended, and eventually fell in love with Kai. She rescued a drowning boy and made a promise, but by then it was too late. As with Kai, the lake was in her and it drew her back repeatedly, until it and Kai became home. They married and had a daughter, and together they learned that life is pain. The lake demanded its due. Their daughter, Jewel, died and a promise was kept.
Sharon wasn’t the only one to make a promise to the specters of Torch Lake. Lamia, a Civil War surgeon well-versed in the art of amputation, betrays his promise – and his family – and is cursed. He cannot step foot in the lake, and he cannot die. He must inject the ashes of the recently deceased into his body, forced to feed the souls of the dead that now haunt his human vessel.
Their stories intersect eventually, of course, as Sharon and Lamia are woefully drawn together across time by older, more primordial forces. Along the way, Matthews dives headlong into the folklore of the region, as shared through late-night camp stories around the fire and the customs and practices of those who believe and who know the secrets of the lake’s dead.
Matthews may be best known for his works of addiction horror, like Mlik-Blood and a trio of celebrated anthologies, among others, and he brings similar themes and topics to this book, as well. Lamia has an almost vampiric hunger for the ashes of the deceased, moving through society across the centuries under the guise of a pastor to enthrall and seduce grieving families into allowing him access to feed his grisly addiction. An omnipresent grief blankets each of the characters here, driving their decisions and pushing them toward their destinies. A thick pall of sadness permeates the story nearly from its opening chapters and only grows thicker as things progress, to the point that I had to set the book aside on several occasions and force myself away from the darkness.
It’s no fluke that Matthews garnered praise from Jack Ketchum himself, and at times it feels like he must have read the late author’s The Girl Next Door and took it as both a mission statement and a lesson on how to inflict upon readers the maximum amount of emotional turmoil. If John F.D. Taff, who has appeared in all three of Matthews’ addiction horror anthologies, is horror’s King of Pain, then surely Matthews himself is its prince.
To Those Willing To Drown is an unremittingly bleak and challenging read, with its focus on child death, bodily dismemberments, and drug addiction, but one that is never less than satisfying and wholly engaging. Matthews pushes both his characters and his readers to their absolute limits, and then shoves them over the edge, into Torch Lake’s deepest depths.
May 14, 2025
Interesting and creepy concept, with lots of exploration into grief through folk horror. The story started well, but became a little convoluted and repetitive, and overall wasn’t for me. I imagine the themes of sacrifice, grief and parenthood would resonate more so with other readers. Be mindful of trigger warnings such as gore, dismemberment, drowning, death, child death.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mark Matthews and Wicked Run Press for this advanced digital copy.
Thanks to NetGalley, Mark Matthews and Wicked Run Press for this advanced digital copy.
July 29, 2025
To Those Willing to Drown
by Mark Matthews
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a very original and deeply touching dark read.
I enjoyed the storyline and found it complex and very well written. There’s lots of grief and horror all mixed together.
This story takes place around Torch Lake in Michigan. The book follows 2 families from different time periods, but both revolve around the “special” lake.
How far would you go for those you love?
I wasn’t prepared for how deep and dark of a read this was. 🌊 This story is powerful kept me totally engaged!
I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a fantastic job.
*I highly recommend listening to or reading this amazing book!! *
by Mark Matthews
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a very original and deeply touching dark read.
I enjoyed the storyline and found it complex and very well written. There’s lots of grief and horror all mixed together.
This story takes place around Torch Lake in Michigan. The book follows 2 families from different time periods, but both revolve around the “special” lake.
How far would you go for those you love?
I wasn’t prepared for how deep and dark of a read this was. 🌊 This story is powerful kept me totally engaged!
I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a fantastic job.
*I highly recommend listening to or reading this amazing book!! *
March 19, 2025
I finally finished this and I'm in love with Torch Lake.
I don't understand why it didn't grab me to the point I'd read it quickly. I'd put it down and had no urgency to pick it up again.
That being said It's beautifully written and I loved the folklore. It's more so a story of grief then horror and the grief is DEEP. For the lake is honest to those willing to drown.
I don't understand why it didn't grab me to the point I'd read it quickly. I'd put it down and had no urgency to pick it up again.
That being said It's beautifully written and I loved the folklore. It's more so a story of grief then horror and the grief is DEEP. For the lake is honest to those willing to drown.
March 26, 2025
Nobody knows the truth and the bargain she made that led to her daughter's death. Now she has to fight to save her child's soul, and Torch Lake holds the answers. But the lake is cold, the truth is deep, and you have to earn the right to hear such secrets, for the lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown.
This was a beautifully written story about a mother's grief and how far she's willing to go for her child. The blending of the 2 different stories/ time lines was fantastically done. If you're a fan of folklore and psychological horror check this one out.
This was a beautifully written story about a mother's grief and how far she's willing to go for her child. The blending of the 2 different stories/ time lines was fantastically done. If you're a fan of folklore and psychological horror check this one out.
April 26, 2025
Oof, this was deep and dark and devastating. All the things I love in a book. I kept thinking “oh, it’s not gonna go there, that’s not gonna happen” and then the author GOES THERE and IT HAPPENS. And yet, the shocks weren’t gratuitous and the deeper meaning was well-crafted. Exactly what a horror novel should be <3
July 28, 2025
A love letter from the coldest of depths, To Those Willing to Drown will stay with me for quite some time. Deeply resonant, Matthews delivers a contemporary folk horror with roots tangling deep down in the murk of our shared humanity.
May 1, 2025
As always, thanks to WickedRun press and Mark Matthews for the opportunity to read an ARC of TO THOSE WILLING TO DROWN. I appreciate it, as always.
Followers of my reviews (all two of you) know that I consider Mark a good friend - and will read anything he puts to paper. But, as you also know, I don't let that affect my reviews, and I try to be as honest as I can.
I couldn't put this one down. I am a sucker for folklore, and mythology. I grew up in Lake Ronkonkoma, which has it's own legend of an Indian Princess who drowned and takes a male every year, so when I saw that Mark's book revolved around a lake, and the supernatural, I couldn't wait.
Mark takes you on a journey of two families from different times who are connected by a lake, and the strange happenings within. He brilliantly mixes the supernatural, with legends, and loss - creating a gothic atmosphere that one truly has to experience to understand.
As is his trademark, the is a lot of drug references - but not in the normal way - and gives a whole new meaning to the funeral standard of "Ashes to ashes".
I have to say that this is Mark at the top of his game. It is as close to perfection as I've read in a very long time, and may actually have to think about putting pen to paper about the Lake Ronkonkoma legend (although not nearly as eloquent).
Without a doubt, my favorite of Mark's to date, and can't wait to add a physical copy to my collection.
Followers of my reviews (all two of you) know that I consider Mark a good friend - and will read anything he puts to paper. But, as you also know, I don't let that affect my reviews, and I try to be as honest as I can.
I couldn't put this one down. I am a sucker for folklore, and mythology. I grew up in Lake Ronkonkoma, which has it's own legend of an Indian Princess who drowned and takes a male every year, so when I saw that Mark's book revolved around a lake, and the supernatural, I couldn't wait.
Mark takes you on a journey of two families from different times who are connected by a lake, and the strange happenings within. He brilliantly mixes the supernatural, with legends, and loss - creating a gothic atmosphere that one truly has to experience to understand.
As is his trademark, the is a lot of drug references - but not in the normal way - and gives a whole new meaning to the funeral standard of "Ashes to ashes".
I have to say that this is Mark at the top of his game. It is as close to perfection as I've read in a very long time, and may actually have to think about putting pen to paper about the Lake Ronkonkoma legend (although not nearly as eloquent).
Without a doubt, my favorite of Mark's to date, and can't wait to add a physical copy to my collection.
March 2, 2025
"The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown."
Beautiful and gruesome all wrapped in a story of folklaw; pulling together the author's knowledge and research into the stories, customs and traditions of Torch Lake located in Northan Michigan.
The story follows two families, and although one of past and one of present, both have struck deals with an entity of a well that must be repayed. And there is no way of getting out of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's way of telling this story. It is presented as three parts in which a reader can invest in the characters and their backstories.
The author builds tension well and there were some macabre scenes. Though I would add that the horror isn't mindless. It's part of the story and well within the characters storyline and their descent into a desperate madness.
There was a scene in which you believe, or a want to believe, that a certain character will be saved and, just like the character, you hope someone is going to intervene but the horror continues. And the act is completed.
The characters themselves are well developed and their thoughts and interactions flowed well, moving the story forward.
I liked the writers observations and found myself highlighting them as I read on my Kindle to reread after the chapter was complete. Often thought provoking at times
To Those Willing to Drown is essentially a bold horror novel and a very entertaining one at that, but I also feel that there is a sensitivity to the writing as it bravely explores grief; thoughts around death and the afterlife.
I would caution those with a sensitivity to the loss of children to check before reading, as it does deal with a child dying and the exploration of what happens to souls.
The ending however was beautiful and leaves a sense of hope. Probably one of the most satisfying endings I've read in a little while.
Beautiful and gruesome all wrapped in a story of folklaw; pulling together the author's knowledge and research into the stories, customs and traditions of Torch Lake located in Northan Michigan.
The story follows two families, and although one of past and one of present, both have struck deals with an entity of a well that must be repayed. And there is no way of getting out of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the author's way of telling this story. It is presented as three parts in which a reader can invest in the characters and their backstories.
The author builds tension well and there were some macabre scenes. Though I would add that the horror isn't mindless. It's part of the story and well within the characters storyline and their descent into a desperate madness.
There was a scene in which you believe, or a want to believe, that a certain character will be saved and, just like the character, you hope someone is going to intervene but the horror continues. And the act is completed.
The characters themselves are well developed and their thoughts and interactions flowed well, moving the story forward.
I liked the writers observations and found myself highlighting them as I read on my Kindle to reread after the chapter was complete. Often thought provoking at times
To Those Willing to Drown is essentially a bold horror novel and a very entertaining one at that, but I also feel that there is a sensitivity to the writing as it bravely explores grief; thoughts around death and the afterlife.
I would caution those with a sensitivity to the loss of children to check before reading, as it does deal with a child dying and the exploration of what happens to souls.
The ending however was beautiful and leaves a sense of hope. Probably one of the most satisfying endings I've read in a little while.
March 17, 2025
A cautionary tale that truly scares me! This was so well done. The lady in the well, seeking children, poisoning the lake beyond. I ate this up!
I am a big lover of horror that pulls on the heart of a parent. What better emotional connection to blindly protect, no matter the cost? When faced with the death of your child, how far would you go to keep them safe? How far would you go beyond their death to be with them again? This was both visceral supernatural and psychological horror. I am scared of what could be lurking under the dark surface of the water and the whole vibe of this book played on that so intensely.
I enjoyed the timelines of this book and how well they played off of each other. There is more than one evil to contend with for these characters and you feel their desperation and their fear. I cannot recommend this more.
I am a big lover of horror that pulls on the heart of a parent. What better emotional connection to blindly protect, no matter the cost? When faced with the death of your child, how far would you go to keep them safe? How far would you go beyond their death to be with them again? This was both visceral supernatural and psychological horror. I am scared of what could be lurking under the dark surface of the water and the whole vibe of this book played on that so intensely.
I enjoyed the timelines of this book and how well they played off of each other. There is more than one evil to contend with for these characters and you feel their desperation and their fear. I cannot recommend this more.
June 1, 2025
I vacationed one summer at Torch Lake as a kid. While it was a very memorable time - I discovered Led Zeppelin, we discovered my brother was allergic to ducks, too many raspberries are not good for digestion, and Dairy Queen is the only place serving food when a huge storm comes through and knocks out power in the entire city - I knew nothing about the lore of the lake itself. Until now. To Those Willing to Drown combines fantasy with fables and urban legends with folklore. I was all in!! I loved reading about the cradles at the bottom of the lake and the witch in the Well. I am sucker for stories where people get entangled making promises to false gods and having to make good on those promises in the worst ways. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars was because I got a little confused with all the ashes stuff and parts of it dragged on a bit and I found myself skimming when the thoughts among the different main characters became repetitious. But now I want to revisit Torch Lake. Or maybe not. Maybe it's too scary now!!
April 16, 2025
An absolutely haunting book, we begin the story by learning of one of our main characters, a doctor who has a thing for doing amputations. Traumatized by an instance when he should have made the cut but waited, he now cuts too early, on healthy people. After a career as a doctor during the war, he's chosen to retire with his wife to a lake with a bad reputation to the locals, named Torch Lake for the people who come out at night to fish. But as we find out, it's so much more than that, and with good reason.
Check out my full review here!
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Check out my full review here!
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
March 13, 2025
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.
Mark Matthews weaves a family saga in not-so-many pages, but I really loved the lore in this book. Lucas Lamia is one of the most detestable villains I've read in a long time. No spoilers, but what he does is truly reprehensible. Torch Lake itself has its own interesting lore, and the stories come together in a spectacular way. I really loved the ending as well. 4.25 stars
Mark Matthews weaves a family saga in not-so-many pages, but I really loved the lore in this book. Lucas Lamia is one of the most detestable villains I've read in a long time. No spoilers, but what he does is truly reprehensible. Torch Lake itself has its own interesting lore, and the stories come together in a spectacular way. I really loved the ending as well. 4.25 stars
March 18, 2025
This book is beautifully disturbing. A very well-written book with a combination of grief, mythology, psychological horror, and more. It will have you asking yourself some tough questions. This book follows 2 families from 2 different time periods.
August 4, 2025
4 stars
Grief horror is new to me and I think this book was a great introduction to this trope.
The story centers around a Michigan lake with folk horror/legends associated with it, some factual from the author's research and some ficitional. I loved the combination of the two. The two primary characters begin as young camp counselors who inevitably fall in love, experience first a smaller trauma then several years later a much, much deeper trauma.
There is bloody slasher type horror plus folk horror and the gruesomeness is definitely on page. While a lot of what these characters experience is terrifying, there is still so much heart and a deeper love story that I really appreciated.
If you're interested in dipping your toe into grief horror, I highly recommend this book.
Grief horror is new to me and I think this book was a great introduction to this trope.
The story centers around a Michigan lake with folk horror/legends associated with it, some factual from the author's research and some ficitional. I loved the combination of the two. The two primary characters begin as young camp counselors who inevitably fall in love, experience first a smaller trauma then several years later a much, much deeper trauma.
There is bloody slasher type horror plus folk horror and the gruesomeness is definitely on page. While a lot of what these characters experience is terrifying, there is still so much heart and a deeper love story that I really appreciated.
If you're interested in dipping your toe into grief horror, I highly recommend this book.
December 26, 2024
Atmospheric and steeped in folklore. A visceral and powerful book
March 18, 2025
How far
How far would you go to be with a departed loved one. Jewel Jordan's mother is faced with this choice. Will she choose wisely? Haunting tale of grief and love.
How far would you go to be with a departed loved one. Jewel Jordan's mother is faced with this choice. Will she choose wisely? Haunting tale of grief and love.
September 9, 2025
Folklore, horror, grief... so many things encompassed in one. There's dual timelines that do end up intertwining. This was devastating and yet beautiful at the same time.
September 21, 2025
Stunning in its depth of feeling, considering the brevity of length. A whole slice of worldbuilding, and a whole lot of meaning well without considering the consequences.
May 16, 2025
All I have to say is wow. This book is absolutely not what I was expecting, but in the best of ways. I was honestly expecting the run of the mill horror with some paranormal aspects, but this delivered something entirely unique and thought provoking.
The POV takes a little getting used to, as it's all third person but each chapter is for a specific character. I've never read a POV quite like this, but I found that it ended up being an incredible way of storytelling and I hope to read more like this in the future. The characters themselves are powerfully complex, and their emotion is tangible through the pages (or screen in my situation). There is great thought put into the idea of what lengths people will go for love or salvation and I found my heart aching at times.
The horror presented is a strong paranormal tone with a healthy dose of gore and medical horror. Nothing outrageous but enough to make a statement and have you wincing at times.
The POV takes a little getting used to, as it's all third person but each chapter is for a specific character. I've never read a POV quite like this, but I found that it ended up being an incredible way of storytelling and I hope to read more like this in the future. The characters themselves are powerfully complex, and their emotion is tangible through the pages (or screen in my situation). There is great thought put into the idea of what lengths people will go for love or salvation and I found my heart aching at times.
The horror presented is a strong paranormal tone with a healthy dose of gore and medical horror. Nothing outrageous but enough to make a statement and have you wincing at times.
February 17, 2025
“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔, 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒏.”
This was an eerie and tragic, yet hauntingly beautiful folk horror steeped in supernatural and mythological elements.
Told from multiple pov’s with multiple interwoven timelines, books like this can sometimes be complicated to follow, however each character is so distinct, it made it much easier to understand as we flicked back and forth.
The themes in this book are dark, with child loss and grief holding a big place in the storyline, but it was written well and handled with care. There was a lot of potential for this to be longer - that being said I feel like the pacing was well done and for quite a short book, it didn’t feel rushed. That ending, however, has me on the edge…..
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.
This was an eerie and tragic, yet hauntingly beautiful folk horror steeped in supernatural and mythological elements.
Told from multiple pov’s with multiple interwoven timelines, books like this can sometimes be complicated to follow, however each character is so distinct, it made it much easier to understand as we flicked back and forth.
The themes in this book are dark, with child loss and grief holding a big place in the storyline, but it was written well and handled with care. There was a lot of potential for this to be longer - that being said I feel like the pacing was well done and for quite a short book, it didn’t feel rushed. That ending, however, has me on the edge…..
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.
March 17, 2025
I tried really hard to like this, telling myself to keep in mind only the positives: intriguing story, nice characters, a creepy setting, and a beautiful, complex mystery in the center, begging to be resolved in a satisfying way. But by the end of the book, I realized I was exhausted: I had great trouble with the pacing, the structure, the repetitive, slow, confessional style of the writing - there just was too much of a good thing in these long, introspective dives into every character's mind; the author consinstently taking the longest route he could find to reach those places in the plot that just had to be there. Perhaps this might have worked better as a Gothic romance tale, in a mansion with a lake closeby, instead of a kids' camp next to a lake noone knows many things about and everybody seems to have reason to fear (according to the novel).
March 14, 2025
*No, not a review of the novel, but the one page introduction to the novel so you know what you're getting in to. Here ya go:
INTRODUCTION
I SPENT 30 YEARS of my life vacationing at Torch Lake, the deepest inland lake in the state of Michigan. In a sense, this novel, despite its darkness, is a love story to the lake and the area. There is truly something magical about the cold, crisp waters. The lake is alive, the lake gives life, and it dazzles with a rainbow of blues every sunset. Torch was reportedly ranked as the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic.
Much of what you will hear about Torch Lake lore in this novel is true, including the story of how it got its name, and the mysterious wooden cribs on the lake’s bottom (give “Torch Lake Cribs” a Google).
Beyond my lived-experiences on the lake (thank you, Mom and Dad), I did hours of research into various elements of the book such as Native American history, facets of Hinduism and Civil War facts. I learned about the Mishipeshu, an Ojibwe water creature and a true legend of Northern Michigan, though more often associated with Lake Superior. The Pishacha referenced in the novel is a Vampire-Like creature of Hindu mythology said to haunt cremation grounds. The names of civil war doctors mentioned, other than Lucas Lamia, are also true surgeons of the era.
While some elements are either historical fact or drawn from mythology, others are creative license. I found no evidence any society cremated the deceased over Torch Lake, but the story of Native Americans holding torches to the water to summon fish to the surface is well documented history.
It saddens me to share that a few months after finishing this novel, my dad passed away after 84 years of a very full life. During the funeral home visitation, shortly before he was cremated, a family friend brought a jar of bona fide Torch Lake Water and placed this inside his casket. He was cremated with this jar full of the cold, blue water, and now the lake is forever part of his remains.
It only seems right. Life imitates fiction.
If you know the lake, you’ll note that the location of Camp WaakWing in the novel is in the same location as a current well-known camp on Torch Lake, Camp Hayo-Went-Ha. Due to the geography of the lake and current development, this is the only area that made sense. Nothing about the camp is meant to depict the current YMCA camp in structure, in staff, in history, so please do not confuse the two.
That said, I did correspond with Camp Hayo-Went-Ha staff member Dave Foley, who is credited with telling campfire stories of the Torch Lake Monster. In his story, as in the song by staff camper Bob Thurston, he describes the monster with the lyrics: “One eye is brown, one eye is blue / His body covered all in icky green goo.” As you will find in every lake and in every camp, there are stories told around the fire at night about mysterious things in the water and in the forest. In the case of Camp Hayo-Went-Ha, Foley used the legends of mysterious monsters, both within the lake and the surrounding woodlands, as reason Hayo-Went-Ha could afford to be lakeside in an area with property values so high.
Of course, just as mysterious as what lurks in the lake, is what lurks within the depths of our own heart. There are deep recesses of Torch lake and even deeper ones in our souls. This is my story of both.
INTRODUCTION
I SPENT 30 YEARS of my life vacationing at Torch Lake, the deepest inland lake in the state of Michigan. In a sense, this novel, despite its darkness, is a love story to the lake and the area. There is truly something magical about the cold, crisp waters. The lake is alive, the lake gives life, and it dazzles with a rainbow of blues every sunset. Torch was reportedly ranked as the third most beautiful lake in the world by National Geographic.
Much of what you will hear about Torch Lake lore in this novel is true, including the story of how it got its name, and the mysterious wooden cribs on the lake’s bottom (give “Torch Lake Cribs” a Google).
Beyond my lived-experiences on the lake (thank you, Mom and Dad), I did hours of research into various elements of the book such as Native American history, facets of Hinduism and Civil War facts. I learned about the Mishipeshu, an Ojibwe water creature and a true legend of Northern Michigan, though more often associated with Lake Superior. The Pishacha referenced in the novel is a Vampire-Like creature of Hindu mythology said to haunt cremation grounds. The names of civil war doctors mentioned, other than Lucas Lamia, are also true surgeons of the era.
While some elements are either historical fact or drawn from mythology, others are creative license. I found no evidence any society cremated the deceased over Torch Lake, but the story of Native Americans holding torches to the water to summon fish to the surface is well documented history.
It saddens me to share that a few months after finishing this novel, my dad passed away after 84 years of a very full life. During the funeral home visitation, shortly before he was cremated, a family friend brought a jar of bona fide Torch Lake Water and placed this inside his casket. He was cremated with this jar full of the cold, blue water, and now the lake is forever part of his remains.
It only seems right. Life imitates fiction.
If you know the lake, you’ll note that the location of Camp WaakWing in the novel is in the same location as a current well-known camp on Torch Lake, Camp Hayo-Went-Ha. Due to the geography of the lake and current development, this is the only area that made sense. Nothing about the camp is meant to depict the current YMCA camp in structure, in staff, in history, so please do not confuse the two.
That said, I did correspond with Camp Hayo-Went-Ha staff member Dave Foley, who is credited with telling campfire stories of the Torch Lake Monster. In his story, as in the song by staff camper Bob Thurston, he describes the monster with the lyrics: “One eye is brown, one eye is blue / His body covered all in icky green goo.” As you will find in every lake and in every camp, there are stories told around the fire at night about mysterious things in the water and in the forest. In the case of Camp Hayo-Went-Ha, Foley used the legends of mysterious monsters, both within the lake and the surrounding woodlands, as reason Hayo-Went-Ha could afford to be lakeside in an area with property values so high.
Of course, just as mysterious as what lurks in the lake, is what lurks within the depths of our own heart. There are deep recesses of Torch lake and even deeper ones in our souls. This is my story of both.
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