What do you think?
Rate this book
Eminence Front
A winter storm ravages a small community in New England, but the residents of one street are unprepared for what the snow an ancient curse, an entity that knows both their sins and their regrets and will stop at nothing to consume what belongs to it.
When John Stephenson peers out of his window on a Tuesday morning, he sees nothing but clear, gray skies hovering above the houses on his staid suburban street, but the next 48 hours will prove to be a waking nightmare from which John and his neighbors cannot escape. As the first flakes fall, the whispering begins. A woman walking her dog leans into the sidewalk as though something buried beneath speaks to her. As the storm grows in ferocity, each of the residents hear the storm calling.
What it says, however, few may survive to repeat.
From Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award finalist Rebecca Rowland comes a winter horror novel of cosmic proportions, one in which one neighborhood comes face to face, and ear to ear, with a malevolence as old as the world itself.
When John Stephenson peers out of his window on a Tuesday morning, he sees nothing but clear, gray skies hovering above the houses on his staid suburban street, but the next 48 hours will prove to be a waking nightmare from which John and his neighbors cannot escape. As the first flakes fall, the whispering begins. A woman walking her dog leans into the sidewalk as though something buried beneath speaks to her. As the storm grows in ferocity, each of the residents hear the storm calling.
What it says, however, few may survive to repeat.
From Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award finalist Rebecca Rowland comes a winter horror novel of cosmic proportions, one in which one neighborhood comes face to face, and ear to ear, with a malevolence as old as the world itself.
200 pages, Paperback
Published January 20, 2026
17 people are currently reading
375 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Rowland
47 books285 followersRebecca Rowland is a Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author, a Bram Stoker Award-nominated editor, and the recipient of a Godless 666 Horror Fiction Award. She is an Active member of the Horror Writers Association and International Thriller Writers, and having lived in Massachusetts for most of her life, she chooses to set most of her fiction there.
Despite earning graduate degrees in English, Education, and Information Science, she miraculously managed to pay off her student loans before retirement and/or death.
In her spare time, she pets her cats, eats cheese, and drinks vodka, though not necessarily in that order.
She is represented by Becky LeJeune of Bond Literary Agency.
Despite earning graduate degrees in English, Education, and Information Science, she miraculously managed to pay off her student loans before retirement and/or death.
In her spare time, she pets her cats, eats cheese, and drinks vodka, though not necessarily in that order.
She is represented by Becky LeJeune of Bond Literary Agency.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 28, 2025
ARC for review. To be published January 20, 2026.
2 stars
A married couple, the wife’s lover, a teacher and her mother, a horror writer, a recluse, a family of four. These are the residents of a particular street in Massachusetts the night a big, mysterious snowstorm blankets the area while I sing the chorus to the song over and over again in my head. It’s a put on.
So the snow speaks to some of them? On just this street? Whatever.
2 stars
A married couple, the wife’s lover, a teacher and her mother, a horror writer, a recluse, a family of four. These are the residents of a particular street in Massachusetts the night a big, mysterious snowstorm blankets the area while I sing the chorus to the song over and over again in my head. It’s a put on.
So the snow speaks to some of them? On just this street? Whatever.
January 22, 2026
In this gripping, one-sitting read, we get the threat of an approaching winter storm, a quiet suburb where secrets and lies hide inside each neighbor's humble dwelling, and a little something extra...something strange and sinister, creeping in with the first snow fall. When the anticipated blizzard is at it's peak, so is the plot of the story as violence breaks out.
Eminence Front was my introduction to author Rebecca Rowland's writing and I am definitely a fan! Her ability to develop such complex, flawed characters in such a short book is what will make readers immediately want to read everything she writes. I truly wish this novella had been longer. That's my only complaint. I want more!
(Thank you to CLASH Books for this review copy!)
Eminence Front was my introduction to author Rebecca Rowland's writing and I am definitely a fan! Her ability to develop such complex, flawed characters in such a short book is what will make readers immediately want to read everything she writes. I truly wish this novella had been longer. That's my only complaint. I want more!
(Thank you to CLASH Books for this review copy!)
November 19, 2025
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Rowland, and CLASH Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Eager to discover new authors, I turned to this piece by Rebecca Rowland, especially apt as we are getting the first snow of the season that might stick. When a winter storm covers a New Hampshire community, the residents are not ready for all it entails. John Stephenson is one of them and he is left to wonder what's happened. Only yesterday, the skies were clear and the sun was out, only to be replaced with whipping winds and dark skies, as well as piles of snow all around. John and his neighbours must get through it, clearing paths for one another and trying to stay focused on their daily lives. Things begin happening and the bodies of local residents are discovered in their homes. Is this some ancient curse tied to the storm? A freak ecological accident? No one seems sure and the authorities rush for answers, as media outlets demand something. An odd, but short piece that keeps the reader wondering.
The story proves to be a mish-mash that did not have the sharp edges I hoped would emerge from the piece. Rebecca Rowland has a good premise, but I could not follow things from the outset, getting more confused as I advanced through the short novel. The narrative takes the reader in many tense and choppy directions, none of which seemed more than shards of something. It was as though a number of vignettes were sewn or assembled together, like rolled snowballs for a snowman, piling them one another the next and calling it a creation. I enjoyed the premise of the story, but failed to connect properly with much of the piece, though I can see Rowland tried to make sense of it all. I could see the intended direction and liked how the use of snow, but even this Canadian had to scratch his head.
Key characters provide some backstories to counter the strict talk of snow and the storm's effects on the community. While I learned about a few characters, their advancement in this short piece did not create something onto which I could latch with ease. Rowland again appeared to toss a bunch of people into the story, like snowflakes being a part of the storm, but does not ensure the reader cares about them or what happens to them throughout!
There are a scattering of plot twists, adding to the ongoing underlying mystery, but nothing gripping. I sought something horror-based, but the only thing that might fit this is how much snow is there to shovel. Rowland left me wanting much more, especially if she wants to use the storm as the kernel of a horror piece. While some will surely enjoy the piece, I was not committed to the story and felt left out in the cold.
Kudos, Madam Rowland, for attempting something that never fully hit the mark.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Eager to discover new authors, I turned to this piece by Rebecca Rowland, especially apt as we are getting the first snow of the season that might stick. When a winter storm covers a New Hampshire community, the residents are not ready for all it entails. John Stephenson is one of them and he is left to wonder what's happened. Only yesterday, the skies were clear and the sun was out, only to be replaced with whipping winds and dark skies, as well as piles of snow all around. John and his neighbours must get through it, clearing paths for one another and trying to stay focused on their daily lives. Things begin happening and the bodies of local residents are discovered in their homes. Is this some ancient curse tied to the storm? A freak ecological accident? No one seems sure and the authorities rush for answers, as media outlets demand something. An odd, but short piece that keeps the reader wondering.
The story proves to be a mish-mash that did not have the sharp edges I hoped would emerge from the piece. Rebecca Rowland has a good premise, but I could not follow things from the outset, getting more confused as I advanced through the short novel. The narrative takes the reader in many tense and choppy directions, none of which seemed more than shards of something. It was as though a number of vignettes were sewn or assembled together, like rolled snowballs for a snowman, piling them one another the next and calling it a creation. I enjoyed the premise of the story, but failed to connect properly with much of the piece, though I can see Rowland tried to make sense of it all. I could see the intended direction and liked how the use of snow, but even this Canadian had to scratch his head.
Key characters provide some backstories to counter the strict talk of snow and the storm's effects on the community. While I learned about a few characters, their advancement in this short piece did not create something onto which I could latch with ease. Rowland again appeared to toss a bunch of people into the story, like snowflakes being a part of the storm, but does not ensure the reader cares about them or what happens to them throughout!
There are a scattering of plot twists, adding to the ongoing underlying mystery, but nothing gripping. I sought something horror-based, but the only thing that might fit this is how much snow is there to shovel. Rowland left me wanting much more, especially if she wants to use the storm as the kernel of a horror piece. While some will surely enjoy the piece, I was not committed to the story and felt left out in the cold.
Kudos, Madam Rowland, for attempting something that never fully hit the mark.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 7, 2025
Rowland’s latest tale takes readers into the claustrophobic world of a suburban neighborhood in the midst of a multi-day snowstorm, where something unnatural emerges from the sound of the snow, infecting each neighbor with its demonic song. As a New England resident myself, this story absolutely hit those parts of me that never quite feel settled when a winter storm is brewing. Rowland has emerged as a master of examining those ugly inner demons that ordinary folks try to regularly hide and the consequences of unleashing them. I also love a good story about suspicious neighborhoods (Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, anyone?)
Thank you to the author and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the author and Net Galley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 1, 2025
This was an incredible read, written with astonishing subtlety and thriving on atmosphere and mood: claustrophobia is rarely done so well in winter horror, and the totally immersive experience of fear of the unknown and slow burn suspense (yes, despite the contradiction it works!) make Rowland's book an amazing accomplishment. "Eminence Front"'s premise is that people in a certain New England neighborhood can be affected by snow in disastrous and absolutely sad ways, under the cover of a malevolent force residing in the snow and intending to bring everyone right to their eventual doom; if you can buy into that, there's no chance you won't enjoy this story, with its large cast, great attention to detail and full of insights on suburban daily life. Many of the characters in the stories are relatable, though nothing in this book was predictable. The plot is interrupted by several intriguing snippets in the format of transcripts and newspaper articles, revealing how it's not the first time the snowstorm has claimed its victims. The last third of the book has so much creepiness and death, it grows into such a spooky and brutal tale of a neighborhood's self-annihilation, I didn't want it to end. I highly recommend it, definitely worth checking out.
March 26, 2025
While a shorter book this was creepy... makes you look at people and the dark nature they have plus how decisions that are made can be absolutely horrifying..
Set in a neighborhood during an enormous blizzard, everything collapses within it once mistakes are made and people living in little houses starting regretting the decisions made. What takes place over the course of days, we get to meet the whole neighborhood and how all their lives intertwine and add to the events that happen.
While it feels like the book jumps around its really not and is just perfectly showing you what is needed to form the more tragic and bigger picture. There's murder, acts of violence, self harm, and just something about the snow that brings a high body count with it.
This is a book that while not long enough was in my eyes perfect! It's creepy and horrifying and will leave you wondering what happens next.
Set in a neighborhood during an enormous blizzard, everything collapses within it once mistakes are made and people living in little houses starting regretting the decisions made. What takes place over the course of days, we get to meet the whole neighborhood and how all their lives intertwine and add to the events that happen.
While it feels like the book jumps around its really not and is just perfectly showing you what is needed to form the more tragic and bigger picture. There's murder, acts of violence, self harm, and just something about the snow that brings a high body count with it.
This is a book that while not long enough was in my eyes perfect! It's creepy and horrifying and will leave you wondering what happens next.
January 18, 2026
Omg this book freaked me out! Neighbors living on the same street in a small suburb contending with a blizzard, but what is lurking in this blizzard? So many unexplained deaths and strange occurrences create quite the creepy atmosphere in this story. Rebecca pulls us into the daily lives and dirty little secrets of five houses on the same street. We really get to know them well enough to know something is just not right. Alongside these neighbor’s stories is autopsy reports, news reports, and findings going back over 100 years made this story incredibly compelling! I loved this book, a quick read and a perfect wintertime horror!
July 8, 2025
Thank you to the Author and CLASH Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fear, when born of the strange and unexplained, is not a scream but a silence-thick, pressing, and absolute. It creeps in like a mist at twilight, curling its cold fingers around the mind, whispering doubts in a language older than words. It is the hush before the storm, the stillness in the forest when even the birds forget to sing. Or a snow-laden field, absorbing all sounds in the dead of the night.
It begins in the gut, a slow tightening, as if the body itself remembers something the mind cannot name. The air grows colder, not in temperature, but in temperament, hostile, watching. Shadows stretch longer than they should, and familiar shapes twist into unfamiliar silhouettes. The world tilts, just slightly, just enough to make you question whether it ever stood straight.
In that moment, fear is a poet. It paints the unknown with brushstrokes of dread, turning every creak into a whisper, every flicker of light into a warning. It is the heartbeat you hear in your ears, the breath you hold without realizing, the sense that something is just there, just beyond the veil of understanding.
And yet, it is not loud. It is quiet. Terrifyingly quiet. Because the most dreadful things are not those that roar, but those that wait.
You must first understand fear, before you put pen to paper and give it breath. The author, Rebecca Rowland understands fear.
In Eminence Front, fear creeps into a Southern New England town in the anticipation of a blizzard. The narrative is focused on a small neighborhood of quiet desperation masquerading behind friendly faces. The characters Rowland introduces us to, could be anyone on your street: a young married couple, a picture-perfect family, a teacher, a writer, a senior citizen and a shut-in. But behind all these facades, are characters consumed by guilt or regret, addictions and illnesses. It is a community of people groping in the dark for some semblance of a happy life.
The author takes her careful time to give us the back story of each of these characters, to understand and embrace their fears before the storm comes for them. There are no happy endings here; no hidden miracles or satisfying resolutions. Only the chill of what is left behind.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fear, when born of the strange and unexplained, is not a scream but a silence-thick, pressing, and absolute. It creeps in like a mist at twilight, curling its cold fingers around the mind, whispering doubts in a language older than words. It is the hush before the storm, the stillness in the forest when even the birds forget to sing. Or a snow-laden field, absorbing all sounds in the dead of the night.
It begins in the gut, a slow tightening, as if the body itself remembers something the mind cannot name. The air grows colder, not in temperature, but in temperament, hostile, watching. Shadows stretch longer than they should, and familiar shapes twist into unfamiliar silhouettes. The world tilts, just slightly, just enough to make you question whether it ever stood straight.
In that moment, fear is a poet. It paints the unknown with brushstrokes of dread, turning every creak into a whisper, every flicker of light into a warning. It is the heartbeat you hear in your ears, the breath you hold without realizing, the sense that something is just there, just beyond the veil of understanding.
And yet, it is not loud. It is quiet. Terrifyingly quiet. Because the most dreadful things are not those that roar, but those that wait.
You must first understand fear, before you put pen to paper and give it breath. The author, Rebecca Rowland understands fear.
In Eminence Front, fear creeps into a Southern New England town in the anticipation of a blizzard. The narrative is focused on a small neighborhood of quiet desperation masquerading behind friendly faces. The characters Rowland introduces us to, could be anyone on your street: a young married couple, a picture-perfect family, a teacher, a writer, a senior citizen and a shut-in. But behind all these facades, are characters consumed by guilt or regret, addictions and illnesses. It is a community of people groping in the dark for some semblance of a happy life.
The author takes her careful time to give us the back story of each of these characters, to understand and embrace their fears before the storm comes for them. There are no happy endings here; no hidden miracles or satisfying resolutions. Only the chill of what is left behind.
October 16, 2025
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
When a massive snow storm blankets New England, the residents of one street have their lives affected in strange and deadly ways.
This is a bit of a tough one to review. The writing is mostly strong, the horror aspects gruesome and interesting. However, considering this book is only midway between novella and novel, the characters have very in depth details about their lives explained - the type of details you might expect from something like The Stand, yet are barley around once the horrors hit them. And the story itself plays out in somewhat of a disjointed fashion, which becomes confusing at times. I liked it, but it could have used some reworking of the order of things, and should have been shorter or developed further into a longer novel.
When a massive snow storm blankets New England, the residents of one street have their lives affected in strange and deadly ways.
This is a bit of a tough one to review. The writing is mostly strong, the horror aspects gruesome and interesting. However, considering this book is only midway between novella and novel, the characters have very in depth details about their lives explained - the type of details you might expect from something like The Stand, yet are barley around once the horrors hit them. And the story itself plays out in somewhat of a disjointed fashion, which becomes confusing at times. I liked it, but it could have used some reworking of the order of things, and should have been shorter or developed further into a longer novel.
July 1, 2025
Eminence Front is a deeply unsettling story set amid a blizzard that spans days. With it come unexplained events, violent acts and horrors set amid an icy background. We follow a cast of characters from the same neighborhood, seemingly experiencing isolated incidents but perhaps are more related than they realize. What is causing this phenomenon? Some parts of this book are truly disturbing and I loved it. Thank you so much to CLASH Books & NetGalley for the ARC. You can pick this book up when it publishes January 20, 2026.
November 21, 2025
I actually really liked this!!!! a story about a neighborhood where a dangerous snowstorm is barricading them in and an ancient curse makes its way into their homes. what a premise! I thought the pacing of the story was phenomenal and I literally ate this up in like two sittings. at first, I didn’t think I was going to enjoy the amount of characters there were, but immediately, my mind changed, and I loved how unique each of them were. it was also very suspenseful not just because of what was happening but also because the atmosphere was so dreadful so that in my mind, I was thinking nothing good can happen. the only thing that could have been explained further is the curse because I think its so unique that it is sad that I didn’t get to learn much about it and I believe it would have made the book feel more fuller. other than that, I really really really enjoyed this book
thank you netgalley for arc 😁😁😁
thank you netgalley for arc 😁😁😁
March 23, 2025
This was my first book of this author’s but it certainly won’t be my last, it’s a fabulous short horror. Had me hooked right from the beginning, I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. It’s deeply unnerving, especially as there’s no real resolution or proven causation to the events that happen, other than it being related to the snow.
I’m definitely staying indoors with all the doors and windows locked next time there’s a snowstorm.
I’m only sad it wasn’t longer! Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the early copy. Will definitely be recommending to everyone.
I’m definitely staying indoors with all the doors and windows locked next time there’s a snowstorm.
I’m only sad it wasn’t longer! Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the early copy. Will definitely be recommending to everyone.
October 8, 2025
This was interesting.. I was expecting a wintery horror and what I got was a close up look into the lives of people who live within a small neighbour hood.. their individual stories were interesting (some more than others), I found myself getting most intrigued by the illicit affair going on between two neighbours 😅
However things went from domestic intrigue to the unknown when the writing format changed to that of a news interview with two high school students who attempt to explain the unexplainable.. from there things took a turn and I had no idea where the author was taking me.
I think this one will be hit or miss for people depending on personal tastes, however with it being a shorter novel (around 200 pages) it’s definitely worth a shot!
I do see others referencing a song that’s relevant to the book but im not personally familiar with the song so this went right over my head when reading 😂
Thank you for the gifted copy! Publishes - January 20th
However things went from domestic intrigue to the unknown when the writing format changed to that of a news interview with two high school students who attempt to explain the unexplainable.. from there things took a turn and I had no idea where the author was taking me.
I think this one will be hit or miss for people depending on personal tastes, however with it being a shorter novel (around 200 pages) it’s definitely worth a shot!
I do see others referencing a song that’s relevant to the book but im not personally familiar with the song so this went right over my head when reading 😂
Thank you for the gifted copy! Publishes - January 20th
May 27, 2025
Thank you, Rebecca Rowland and Clash Books, for sending me a copy of Eminence Front via Netgalley. Publication date Jan 2026.
A winter storm ravages a small community in New England, but the residents of one street are unprepared for what the snow brings: an ancient curse, an entity that knows both their sins and their regrets and will stop at nothing to consume what belongs to it.
When John Stephenson peers out of his window on a Tuesday morning, he sees nothing but clear, gray skies hovering above the houses on his staid suburban street, but the next 48 hours will prove to be a waking nightmare from which John and his neighbors cannot escape. As the first flakes fall, the whispering begins. A woman walking her dog leans into the sidewalk as though something buried beneath speaks to her. As the storm grows in ferocity, each of the residents hears the storm calling.
What it says, however, few may survive to repeat.
From Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award finalist Rebecca Rowland comes a winter horror novel of cosmic proportions, one in which one neighborhood comes face to face, and ear to ear, with a malevolence as old as the world itself.
My review/opinion. What the actual heck did I read? I get the concept, but it just kept flitting between the characters in the street. It was so confusing, hard to keep up with who was who, at times, and what happened. Like, actually, what happened?
Also, for a horror, it didn't have me scared, just confused. There were times when I thought oh we will find out, then nope nothing. I don't like to write a review with spoilers, so it is really hard to even write anything about this. The blurb and cover had me drawn in. But I really wish I had DNF this book because it wasn't as good as the blurb made it sound. I really wanted to like it. I'm grateful to Netgalley and Rebecca Rowland for the chance to read the book, though.
A winter storm ravages a small community in New England, but the residents of one street are unprepared for what the snow brings: an ancient curse, an entity that knows both their sins and their regrets and will stop at nothing to consume what belongs to it.
When John Stephenson peers out of his window on a Tuesday morning, he sees nothing but clear, gray skies hovering above the houses on his staid suburban street, but the next 48 hours will prove to be a waking nightmare from which John and his neighbors cannot escape. As the first flakes fall, the whispering begins. A woman walking her dog leans into the sidewalk as though something buried beneath speaks to her. As the storm grows in ferocity, each of the residents hears the storm calling.
What it says, however, few may survive to repeat.
From Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award finalist Rebecca Rowland comes a winter horror novel of cosmic proportions, one in which one neighborhood comes face to face, and ear to ear, with a malevolence as old as the world itself.
My review/opinion. What the actual heck did I read? I get the concept, but it just kept flitting between the characters in the street. It was so confusing, hard to keep up with who was who, at times, and what happened. Like, actually, what happened?
Also, for a horror, it didn't have me scared, just confused. There were times when I thought oh we will find out, then nope nothing. I don't like to write a review with spoilers, so it is really hard to even write anything about this. The blurb and cover had me drawn in. But I really wish I had DNF this book because it wasn't as good as the blurb made it sound. I really wanted to like it. I'm grateful to Netgalley and Rebecca Rowland for the chance to read the book, though.
June 1, 2025
This kind of ending doesn’t really hit for me but otherwise I enjoyed this slice of horror quite a lot.
We, the reader, meet the inhabitants of a particular street in New England that is soon to face a snowstorm but it brings something strange with it. There’s a sound and those who hear it can’t fight the effects. More would give too much away but this is a good short horror with snippets of news and tv mixed in for context.
We, the reader, meet the inhabitants of a particular street in New England that is soon to face a snowstorm but it brings something strange with it. There’s a sound and those who hear it can’t fight the effects. More would give too much away but this is a good short horror with snippets of news and tv mixed in for context.
June 4, 2025
The sun shines
And people forget
...
The snow packs as the skier tracks
People forget
Forget they're hiding
- "Eminence Front", The Who
Snow storms are cozy. They make you want to curl up, grab some cocoa, and read a book. Makes sense—it's usually cold outside when it snows. But what if there's another reason our instincts keep us inside? Something more sinister?
In Eminence Front, a group of snowed in neighbors might just find out.
This was a no-frills thriller with an ensemble cast of characters. We spend a lot of time learning about these characters who are ultimately not very developed. Most exist in one dimension: the shut-in, the alcoholic, the adulterer, etc. As a result, it's hard to get very invested in them despite spending half the book learning about their day-to-day lives.
Once things get going, the book falls into a predictable pattern that unfortunately undercuts any real sense of tension. For that reason, I didn't find what I was looking for in Eminence Front—it wasn't all that thrilling. That being said, there are some gruesome scenes in these 200 pages that really pack a punch; this author has a gift for gore.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the prose, either. Metaphors and similes were often shoehorned into descriptions where they didn’t quite fit. At times, it felt like the author was narrating a movie instead of writing a novel—too descriptive without immersion.
While Eminence Front wasn't what I'd hoped, it was still a fun read. I'm interested in checking out more of Rebecca Rowland's work. I hear she's got some very good short stories floating around!
Thanks NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC.
And people forget
...
The snow packs as the skier tracks
People forget
Forget they're hiding
- "Eminence Front", The Who
Snow storms are cozy. They make you want to curl up, grab some cocoa, and read a book. Makes sense—it's usually cold outside when it snows. But what if there's another reason our instincts keep us inside? Something more sinister?
In Eminence Front, a group of snowed in neighbors might just find out.
This was a no-frills thriller with an ensemble cast of characters. We spend a lot of time learning about these characters who are ultimately not very developed. Most exist in one dimension: the shut-in, the alcoholic, the adulterer, etc. As a result, it's hard to get very invested in them despite spending half the book learning about their day-to-day lives.
Once things get going, the book falls into a predictable pattern that unfortunately undercuts any real sense of tension. For that reason, I didn't find what I was looking for in Eminence Front—it wasn't all that thrilling. That being said, there are some gruesome scenes in these 200 pages that really pack a punch; this author has a gift for gore.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the prose, either. Metaphors and similes were often shoehorned into descriptions where they didn’t quite fit. At times, it felt like the author was narrating a movie instead of writing a novel—too descriptive without immersion.
While Eminence Front wasn't what I'd hoped, it was still a fun read. I'm interested in checking out more of Rebecca Rowland's work. I hear she's got some very good short stories floating around!
Thanks NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC.
April 22, 2025
Rowland builds a flawed and fascinating cast of characters, messy, weak, wounded, selfish, disappointed and disappointing friends and neighbors, buckling down for a winter storm.
Janet and Dan, married and fun-loving. But Janet is cheating with their across the street neighbor. Kim and Tom are trying to maintain normalcy as Kim fights OCD and Tom wants to begin swinging. Carol is struggling with her elderly wandering mother Rose, Jackie is a functioning alcoholic writer under deadline and John hadn’t left the house in months.
Rowland builds these characters and their relationships with such craft and precision that I was invested on page one. The loneliness, despair, anxiety and unfulfilled want is so clear and tactile, as we feel the unnamed darkness in the storm begin to build.
Rowland adds interviews, news stories, a kids puppet show, and other supporting scenes to build the history of the darkness that speaks through the snow. A creepy monster, a creepy presence that preys upon the trust we struggle to rely upon She is so good at using science and sanity and relatable humanity to delve into our feelings of insanity and fear.
A deeply scary story of a monster that we cannot see and cannot defend ourselves from and the people it manipulates one dark and stormy day.
Thank you @netgalley and @clashbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Janet and Dan, married and fun-loving. But Janet is cheating with their across the street neighbor. Kim and Tom are trying to maintain normalcy as Kim fights OCD and Tom wants to begin swinging. Carol is struggling with her elderly wandering mother Rose, Jackie is a functioning alcoholic writer under deadline and John hadn’t left the house in months.
Rowland builds these characters and their relationships with such craft and precision that I was invested on page one. The loneliness, despair, anxiety and unfulfilled want is so clear and tactile, as we feel the unnamed darkness in the storm begin to build.
Rowland adds interviews, news stories, a kids puppet show, and other supporting scenes to build the history of the darkness that speaks through the snow. A creepy monster, a creepy presence that preys upon the trust we struggle to rely upon She is so good at using science and sanity and relatable humanity to delve into our feelings of insanity and fear.
A deeply scary story of a monster that we cannot see and cannot defend ourselves from and the people it manipulates one dark and stormy day.
Thank you @netgalley and @clashbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
September 13, 2025
This was a really original and unsettling read. What begins as an ordinary snowy neighborhood quickly spirals into horror as the storm turns deadly. I loved the way the book mixes narrative chapters with interviews, news articles, autopsy reports, and press conferences. It gives the story a documentary feel that makes the events even more chilling.
The idea that nature itself (in this case, the snow) becomes the killer was fascinating and gave the book a unique atmosphere. The sense of dread builds steadily as more and more victims fall, and the strange sound beneath the snow lingers in the mind long after reading.
A creative and eerie take on horror that blends supernatural mystery with found-footage style storytelling. Definitely worth picking up if you want something different.
The idea that nature itself (in this case, the snow) becomes the killer was fascinating and gave the book a unique atmosphere. The sense of dread builds steadily as more and more victims fall, and the strange sound beneath the snow lingers in the mind long after reading.
A creative and eerie take on horror that blends supernatural mystery with found-footage style storytelling. Definitely worth picking up if you want something different.
January 14, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and CLASH Books for my e-ARC to read and review. Unfortunately, I was not a fan of this read. I read this a while back, but here goes. This read was, while I wouldn't say something never done before, certainely intruiging. However, there was no real build-up or anticipation. The most horror-esque setting and I honestly felt a bit.. bored. It was written in a way that made the circumstances seem almost mundane. I did not love this book. While I did not DNF it, I did not derive any anjoyment from reading it. I would say it is just an okay read.
I will admit- the ending was cool, but it wasn't my favorite nor was it sufficient to redeem the book.
I will admit- the ending was cool, but it wasn't my favorite nor was it sufficient to redeem the book.
November 28, 2025
There is something intrinsically terrifying about winter storms and there’s been some great books (horror and otherwise) with deadly storms and extreme snowfall as the central premise.
Not quite sure that Eminence Front would make the finals to that award show though.
A short-ish Novella, there’s some creepy parts, gory parts and freaky parts. The characters who all live on the street were mostly quite flawed and some were pretty obnoxious.
Overall, it was an effective story, but sometimes a bit clunky in the flow.
Not quite sure that Eminence Front would make the finals to that award show though.
A short-ish Novella, there’s some creepy parts, gory parts and freaky parts. The characters who all live on the street were mostly quite flawed and some were pretty obnoxious.
Overall, it was an effective story, but sometimes a bit clunky in the flow.
April 10, 2025
A truly creepy "snowed-in" horror! Makes a great one-sitting read.
June 29, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and CLASH Books for the opportunity to read this arc.
I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started Eminence Front, and it pulled me right out of it! It was such a fun and spooky read. The pacing was perfect and kept me saying “just one more chapter.” There was just this feeling of suspense and dread that carried on throughout the book. I really appreciate that
the story didn’t over-explain what was going on. The ending still left things mysterious. In my opinion, the explanation is always where books like this go wrong.
Eminence Front was my first book by Rebecca Rowland, but I will definitely be checking out more of her work. Eminence Front is out January 20, 2026! Perfect time for a spooky winter read.
I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started Eminence Front, and it pulled me right out of it! It was such a fun and spooky read. The pacing was perfect and kept me saying “just one more chapter.” There was just this feeling of suspense and dread that carried on throughout the book. I really appreciate that
the story didn’t over-explain what was going on. The ending still left things mysterious. In my opinion, the explanation is always where books like this go wrong.
Eminence Front was my first book by Rebecca Rowland, but I will definitely be checking out more of her work. Eminence Front is out January 20, 2026! Perfect time for a spooky winter read.
June 24, 2025
I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a 4.5/5 rounded up!
Rebecca Rowland’s Eminence Front features a series of loosely tied snapshots of a town and its inhabitants in the midst of a massive snowstorm. Inexplicable acts of violence start sprouting throughout the neighbourhood, and we get to stand on the sidelines and watch as the inevitable happens again and again.
Be warned that this is not a linear, clean read. If you’re looking for a self-contained, neatly explained story, you might want to skip this one, as there are many loose ends and little explanation for the “why” of things. But if that doesn’t bother you -or if you're after a short collection of tales (albeit part of a larger story) -this might be the read for you. I liked it very much, as it reminded me of The Eternaut (deadly snow, societal rules breaking down) and the myriad of tales and short stories that it inspired.
Rowland’s writing is excellent and her descriptions are vivid -the characters and small town are fleshed out impeccably before our eyes. A very fun read; horror done right!
This is a 4.5/5 rounded up!
Rebecca Rowland’s Eminence Front features a series of loosely tied snapshots of a town and its inhabitants in the midst of a massive snowstorm. Inexplicable acts of violence start sprouting throughout the neighbourhood, and we get to stand on the sidelines and watch as the inevitable happens again and again.
Be warned that this is not a linear, clean read. If you’re looking for a self-contained, neatly explained story, you might want to skip this one, as there are many loose ends and little explanation for the “why” of things. But if that doesn’t bother you -or if you're after a short collection of tales (albeit part of a larger story) -this might be the read for you. I liked it very much, as it reminded me of The Eternaut (deadly snow, societal rules breaking down) and the myriad of tales and short stories that it inspired.
Rowland’s writing is excellent and her descriptions are vivid -the characters and small town are fleshed out impeccably before our eyes. A very fun read; horror done right!
August 22, 2025
received a free copy as an ARC
This is a fast, easy read. It has some interesting ideas and haunting imagery but is really sparse in terms of character development/plot.
It snows and things happen. That's all you get really. However I think for a cold winters evening it would keep you entertained.
3.5 stars.
This is a fast, easy read. It has some interesting ideas and haunting imagery but is really sparse in terms of character development/plot.
It snows and things happen. That's all you get really. However I think for a cold winters evening it would keep you entertained.
3.5 stars.
September 15, 2025
3/5
Eminence Front was such a quick, immersive read. The pacing worked really well for most of it, and while I can’t say I loved the book, it definitely had a strong vibe that pulled me in.
Funny enough, I usually hate books (and movies) set in snowy places, but here the setting actually worked for me, it made everything feel extra eerie and unsetteling in the best way.
I really enjoyed Rowland’s writing style: sharp, engaging, and full of little twists that kept me turning the pages. I’m the type of reader who likes to have everything explained in horror/mystery novels, and this one kept me guessing constantly. Strangely enough, I didn’t mind not getting all the answers. The inclusion of excerpts from different outlets was a clever touch that added realism.
My only real complaint was the ending, it felt a bit rushed and out of nowhere. I get the whole “unexplained to keep you guessing” vibe, but I would’ve liked just a little more. That said, since this is a shorter novel, it didn’t bug me as much as it might have if it were longer.
Overall: fast, atmospheric, and definitely a unique read
Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
To be published January 2026
Eminence Front was such a quick, immersive read. The pacing worked really well for most of it, and while I can’t say I loved the book, it definitely had a strong vibe that pulled me in.
Funny enough, I usually hate books (and movies) set in snowy places, but here the setting actually worked for me, it made everything feel extra eerie and unsetteling in the best way.
I really enjoyed Rowland’s writing style: sharp, engaging, and full of little twists that kept me turning the pages. I’m the type of reader who likes to have everything explained in horror/mystery novels, and this one kept me guessing constantly. Strangely enough, I didn’t mind not getting all the answers. The inclusion of excerpts from different outlets was a clever touch that added realism.
My only real complaint was the ending, it felt a bit rushed and out of nowhere. I get the whole “unexplained to keep you guessing” vibe, but I would’ve liked just a little more. That said, since this is a shorter novel, it didn’t bug me as much as it might have if it were longer.
Overall: fast, atmospheric, and definitely a unique read
Thank you to NetGalley and Clash Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
To be published January 2026
December 31, 2025
Eminence Front definition from Google’s AI
“The idea of presenting a false, superior image or facade to the world, often to mask emptiness or lack of substance behind it.”
In this superbly scary novella a blizzard blows to town and whispers wickedness to a flawed and ill-fated group of New England neighbors. Quite the cast of characters here, each one an antihero, not quite deserving of what lies ahead, but not necessarily undeserving either.
I love snow as the antagonist of the story … a voiceless villain, sinister, unstoppable and as old as time. Cold, quiet and unrelenting.
This is a lights on read💡😳🥶❄️
Thank you so much to Clash Books and author Rebecca Rowland for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
Terribly enjoyable!!!
“The idea of presenting a false, superior image or facade to the world, often to mask emptiness or lack of substance behind it.”
In this superbly scary novella a blizzard blows to town and whispers wickedness to a flawed and ill-fated group of New England neighbors. Quite the cast of characters here, each one an antihero, not quite deserving of what lies ahead, but not necessarily undeserving either.
I love snow as the antagonist of the story … a voiceless villain, sinister, unstoppable and as old as time. Cold, quiet and unrelenting.
This is a lights on read💡😳🥶❄️
Thank you so much to Clash Books and author Rebecca Rowland for allowing me to read an advanced copy.
Terribly enjoyable!!!
September 18, 2025
SMART. (clap) HORROR. (clap)
This is not a horror book for readers who need their books spoon fed to them. I thought about this book for weeks after I finished it. More than just a possession/claustrophobic scary story, it's a tight morality play of how quick we are to criticize others while failing to acknowledge our own foibles until it is too late. Thank you, Net Galley and Clash Books for granting me an advance reader copy.
This is not a horror book for readers who need their books spoon fed to them. I thought about this book for weeks after I finished it. More than just a possession/claustrophobic scary story, it's a tight morality play of how quick we are to criticize others while failing to acknowledge our own foibles until it is too late. Thank you, Net Galley and Clash Books for granting me an advance reader copy.
December 3, 2025
This book creates great tension with its eerie winter storm backdrop and there are some truly creepy moments throughout. The neighborhood drama adds another layer of entertainment. I loved the writing style and the characters felt real and well built. It’s a fast, fun and engaging read that I really enjoyed!
January 7, 2026
people forget
forget they're hiding
forget they're hiding
February 13, 2026
Have you ever really listened to the sound the snow makes? If this were not a horror novel, I would've read it just for the neighborhood drama and compelling, deeply flawed characters. As it stands, the depth of the horror and the Final Destination and Birdbox meets domestic thriller vibes were outstanding. It was the perfect quick horror thriller for a snowy day.
I loved the found footage elements and the way POV was used. Experiencing some events from the perspective of the victim and leaving others vague or from a spectator position was an outstanding choice. It built suspense as we weren't entirely sure what the physicality of what was happening actually was - but then the third party perspective or found footage would add clarification - or bring up even more questions.
My only major complaint is that there is not more of it. I'm left with so many questions and so much ambiguity in the lingering plot threads. (WHAT was going on with Rose and the shed? Why do the bodies reported not match up with the on-page death count? What happened to [REDACTED]????) I'm torn about this because these questions haven't left me even weeks after finishing the book, and the fact that it's haunting me like this is a great sign of outstanding horror. But I'm also frustrated and feel like there's something I missed - maybe something I'll pick up on a reread?
Needless to say, I was thoroughly compelled and loved this approach. I was very pulled in by a few genius red herrings at the start. I read Pet Sematary for the first time this past year, and Eminence Front gave a very similar feeling of that intermingling of family drama, compelling but not necessarily likeable characters, and then this cosmic, supernatural force that sweeps in and wreaks havoc on their lives. Absolutely worth the read.
* Thank you to Clash Books and Edelweiss for the digital ARC!
I loved the found footage elements and the way POV was used. Experiencing some events from the perspective of the victim and leaving others vague or from a spectator position was an outstanding choice. It built suspense as we weren't entirely sure what the physicality of what was happening actually was - but then the third party perspective or found footage would add clarification - or bring up even more questions.
My only major complaint is that there is not more of it. I'm left with so many questions and so much ambiguity in the lingering plot threads. (WHAT was going on with Rose and the shed? Why do the bodies reported not match up with the on-page death count? What happened to [REDACTED]????) I'm torn about this because these questions haven't left me even weeks after finishing the book, and the fact that it's haunting me like this is a great sign of outstanding horror. But I'm also frustrated and feel like there's something I missed - maybe something I'll pick up on a reread?
Needless to say, I was thoroughly compelled and loved this approach. I was very pulled in by a few genius red herrings at the start. I read Pet Sematary for the first time this past year, and Eminence Front gave a very similar feeling of that intermingling of family drama, compelling but not necessarily likeable characters, and then this cosmic, supernatural force that sweeps in and wreaks havoc on their lives. Absolutely worth the read.
* Thank you to Clash Books and Edelweiss for the digital ARC!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews