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Eminence Front
Not yet published
Expected 20 Jan 26A 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.
- GenresHorror
200 pages, Paperback
Expected publication January 20, 2026
3 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Rowland
47 books278 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 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.
September 24, 2025
There's nothing like reading a wintery horror novella at the fringe of summer's arrival. Everyone needs a few chills when the weather heats up.
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!
Be on the look out for this novella January of next year!
(Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for this early review copy!)
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!
Be on the look out for this novella January of next year!
(Thank you to CLASH Books and NetGalley for this early 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/
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.
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.
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.
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 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
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.
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.
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 😁😁😁
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.
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.
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.
April 10, 2025
A truly creepy "snowed-in" horror! Makes a great one-sitting read.
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.
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 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 3, 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!!!
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 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.
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.
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!
August 10, 2025
One of my favorite old movies is Alfred Hitchcock's 'Rear Window'. This book gave me the same feeling as that movie. I always connect with Rebecca Rowland's writing. All of her previous books have been hits for me and Eminence Front was no exception. Her books immediately suck me in, trapping me happily within her creepy worlds. The characters are all gritty and realistic. From the preface forward the ominous mood takes over and with every chapter it gets a little darker. I loved the way Rowland inserted various documents and excerpts in between chapters. It further cranked the suspense, as well as the slow unfolding plot seen from various shifting points of view. The blizzard hung in the background like a "white shroud" of impending doom, speaking to and steadily burying the neighborhood. Seriously I have yet to read a bad Rebecca Rowland story and this STILL exceeded my expectations. It gave Stephen King, 'Storm of the Century' vibes as well. Great read.
TW: Drug use
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prose: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pacing: mid
Scary: creepy
Gore: yes
Character Development:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW: Drug use
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prose: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pacing: mid
Scary: creepy
Gore: yes
Character Development:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2025
As a fellow New Englander who has survived her fair share of horrible Nor’Easters, I had to get my hands on this read.
There is something unsettling about being stuck in the house while the world is washed out white around you, but it’s not a lightness that allows you to see. Rowland does an amazing job bringing that isolation and dread to life in this book. During these types of storms, often times yer neighbors are the only other living souls you see for days at a time. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing, I’ll leave for you to decide.
A motley cast of characters brings this story to life and I believe allows the reader to connect to at least one, if not several, of them. But don’t get too attached bc no one is safe.
This read was a fun one during the heat of the summer to chill me to my core, but reading this during a storm would be next level…just make sure to keep yer earmuffs on.
Thank you to the author & publisher for the eARC!
There is something unsettling about being stuck in the house while the world is washed out white around you, but it’s not a lightness that allows you to see. Rowland does an amazing job bringing that isolation and dread to life in this book. During these types of storms, often times yer neighbors are the only other living souls you see for days at a time. Whether that’s a good or a bad thing, I’ll leave for you to decide.
A motley cast of characters brings this story to life and I believe allows the reader to connect to at least one, if not several, of them. But don’t get too attached bc no one is safe.
This read was a fun one during the heat of the summer to chill me to my core, but reading this during a storm would be next level…just make sure to keep yer earmuffs on.
Thank you to the author & publisher for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
This is a fantastic cover, I must say.
A gripping short horror, Eminence Front is a great seasonal read, if the season we’re talking about is winter, of course!
What’s kinda funny about this book is that the title is also obviously a song by The Who, which is about taking too much “snow” - I thought that was hilarious (if it wasn’t intentional, well, it’s still funny). The book has nothing to do with that, unless you consider it also dealing with a reckoning.
I really enjoyed this short horror - it, like the storm, is almost more about anticipating the worst when it comes to tone. It’s very atmospheric with a great line of dread running through it. It’s also not only a multi-POV novel, but it has excerpts from newspapers, clippings, etc., from the past, adding a cyclical nature to the supernatural aspect.
The characters are more compelling than the horror. I would have liked the book to be longer ot get to spend more time with them. And while I was invested in their stories, I wasn’t entirely sure a lot of their ends matched their plots (transgressions?). With the definition of eminence front at the start, I would have thought their deaths would have had more thematic weight or at least some sort of reckoning, versus it being sort of, well, random.
While the ending did have me scratching my head slightly (as it's not very explanatory), I didn’t dislike it; though, as a horror lore aficionado, I could have used a bit more probing into the “why” - even one more excerpt piece might have done it for me.
As someone who has experienced many a long storm, I was hoping for a bit more of what makes a snowstorm confining (the darkness of the sky contrasts with the whiteouts, the howling wind, etc) - in truth, the storm felt like barely anything.
Yet, I was immersed in the novel overall. It moves at a really great clip, and while the characters aren’t lovable, they are interesting. The way the novel showed the way people try to hide their flaws or convince themselves they aren’t flawed was interesting too.
And I loved the Alien reference with Jonesy the cat, and the reference is a great poem by Robert Frost (Desert Places).
In a way, all the characters in the book are in their own desert places- they are all lonely in various ways, either due to their personalities, choices, or denial. Perhaps the real horror of the story is living in what Baudrillard called the "simulacrum of the community" - everyone holed up in their little houses, never really knowing one another. Is suburbia the real monster?
Anyway, thank you to NetGalley and Clash for the e-arc. I really enjoyed this short, strange book, and again, excellent cover. 4.5 / 5 rounded up!
This is a fantastic cover, I must say.
A gripping short horror, Eminence Front is a great seasonal read, if the season we’re talking about is winter, of course!
What’s kinda funny about this book is that the title is also obviously a song by The Who, which is about taking too much “snow” - I thought that was hilarious (if it wasn’t intentional, well, it’s still funny). The book has nothing to do with that, unless you consider it also dealing with a reckoning.
I really enjoyed this short horror - it, like the storm, is almost more about anticipating the worst when it comes to tone. It’s very atmospheric with a great line of dread running through it. It’s also not only a multi-POV novel, but it has excerpts from newspapers, clippings, etc., from the past, adding a cyclical nature to the supernatural aspect.
The characters are more compelling than the horror. I would have liked the book to be longer ot get to spend more time with them. And while I was invested in their stories, I wasn’t entirely sure a lot of their ends matched their plots (transgressions?). With the definition of eminence front at the start, I would have thought their deaths would have had more thematic weight or at least some sort of reckoning, versus it being sort of, well, random.
While the ending did have me scratching my head slightly (as it's not very explanatory), I didn’t dislike it; though, as a horror lore aficionado, I could have used a bit more probing into the “why” - even one more excerpt piece might have done it for me.
As someone who has experienced many a long storm, I was hoping for a bit more of what makes a snowstorm confining (the darkness of the sky contrasts with the whiteouts, the howling wind, etc) - in truth, the storm felt like barely anything.
Yet, I was immersed in the novel overall. It moves at a really great clip, and while the characters aren’t lovable, they are interesting. The way the novel showed the way people try to hide their flaws or convince themselves they aren’t flawed was interesting too.
And I loved the Alien reference with Jonesy the cat, and the reference is a great poem by Robert Frost (Desert Places).
In a way, all the characters in the book are in their own desert places- they are all lonely in various ways, either due to their personalities, choices, or denial. Perhaps the real horror of the story is living in what Baudrillard called the "simulacrum of the community" - everyone holed up in their little houses, never really knowing one another. Is suburbia the real monster?
Anyway, thank you to NetGalley and Clash for the e-arc. I really enjoyed this short, strange book, and again, excellent cover. 4.5 / 5 rounded up!
November 13, 2025
Another case where I'm back to change my star rating. I can't stop thinking about the book. I realized that my memory is so bad that if I hadn't written down which order the last two chapters were in, I wouldn't have been able to remember, which goes to show how unimportant the order of those two chapters play in the overall feeling this book left me with. I feel like I was nitpicking (anyone who knows me is 0% shocked by this statement). At the end of the day, this book served me body horror, supernatural/cosmic/unknown horror, winter vibes, and very, very interesting characters (with admittedly common names). I enjoyed the bloodshed. 5 stars!
________________________________________________________
This was a very interesting little book! It’s incredibly atmospheric and makes for a perfect winter read. The concept—that something odd happens when a snow storm blows in—was very eerie and the gore and horror that follow delivered the chills. The story reminds me of a winter version of The Happening, but much less corny and the phenomenon remains unexplained, which I feel is a stronger end (I’m a sucker for open endings and very little explanations in my horrors).
There were a couple things that made this read just short of a five star: there were A LOT of characters for such a short book. Because of the length of the novel, the plot has to keep going and not linger too long on explaining who everyone is, which meant I got a little confused about who was who and how they knew each other. It doesn’t help that I’m horrible with names and a few too many names resembled each other or were so common (i.e. three J names! Jackie, Janet, John and common names like John, Tom, Kim, and Steve.) Maybe it was a deliberate choice to have so many interchangeable sounding names so that it feels like this could happen to any (white) person, and if that’s the case, well done because I was lost at times especially as the story jumped around to different characters on top of media excerpts.
The other thing that I didn’t love is the order of the final two chapters. I feel very strongly that they should be reversed. The excerpt with a final bit of mystery and eeriness should come before the conclusion to the main storyline because while the creepy reveal is interesting, the reader was most invested in what was happening present day. That feeling you get when you close the book and reflect on all that happened is mostly focused on what you got invested in and then pulls in other details as you process everything. So the order of the ending should follow that: put in a detail that will make the story even creepier as you reflect on it and end it on the main storyline, especially since the main storyline had such a wonderful, natural conclusion.
Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC.
________________________________________________________
This was a very interesting little book! It’s incredibly atmospheric and makes for a perfect winter read. The concept—that something odd happens when a snow storm blows in—was very eerie and the gore and horror that follow delivered the chills. The story reminds me of a winter version of The Happening, but much less corny and the phenomenon remains unexplained, which I feel is a stronger end (I’m a sucker for open endings and very little explanations in my horrors).
There were a couple things that made this read just short of a five star: there were A LOT of characters for such a short book. Because of the length of the novel, the plot has to keep going and not linger too long on explaining who everyone is, which meant I got a little confused about who was who and how they knew each other. It doesn’t help that I’m horrible with names and a few too many names resembled each other or were so common (i.e. three J names! Jackie, Janet, John and common names like John, Tom, Kim, and Steve.) Maybe it was a deliberate choice to have so many interchangeable sounding names so that it feels like this could happen to any (white) person, and if that’s the case, well done because I was lost at times especially as the story jumped around to different characters on top of media excerpts.
The other thing that I didn’t love is the order of the final two chapters. I feel very strongly that they should be reversed. The excerpt with a final bit of mystery and eeriness should come before the conclusion to the main storyline because while the creepy reveal is interesting, the reader was most invested in what was happening present day. That feeling you get when you close the book and reflect on all that happened is mostly focused on what you got invested in and then pulls in other details as you process everything. So the order of the ending should follow that: put in a detail that will make the story even creepier as you reflect on it and end it on the main storyline, especially since the main storyline had such a wonderful, natural conclusion.
Thank you NetGalley and CLASH Books for the ARC.
July 31, 2025
Eminence Front is a relatively short horror novel which takes a while to get going. We started with a flashback to a legendary snow storm and then moved to the present day where it looks like another might be coming. And then we moved into a series of chapters which establish the cast of characters. All momentum was lost, which in a book that is only 200 pages long is not a great idea. Having characters for whom the reader feels little or no sympathy is also a bad idea. I didn’t feel anything for any of them and their rather trite lives (the agrophobic, the teacher, the teacher’s deaf mother with dementia, the womanising barman, the empty couple whose marriage the womanising barman was forcing himself into, the would-be swingers. None of them had any real substance and most were appalling human beings.
Some US authors have a blind spot about where their readers might be and Rowland is one such. There are American idioms and sociocultural references which are lost on someone from the UK. The sex scenes in the book are salacious and add nothing to the plot. To a British reader a character called Brandee is enough to cause a stroke. Nobody is called Brandee in our world and it just grates.
I finished it, but derived little satisfaction from having done so. I do not really consider this book to be horror. The way in which the story is broken up with flash forwards to news conferences and autopsy reports was irritating - once again a misfire which reduced tension and broke up the flow. As soon as something interesting began to happen (for example when Sleazy Steve met his end at the hands of the spectral woman), the action immediately jumped away to something less interesting. It was like reading the script for a low budget TV show.
Thank you to NetGalley for making an advance copy of this book available for review. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own, following a full read of the novel.
Some US authors have a blind spot about where their readers might be and Rowland is one such. There are American idioms and sociocultural references which are lost on someone from the UK. The sex scenes in the book are salacious and add nothing to the plot. To a British reader a character called Brandee is enough to cause a stroke. Nobody is called Brandee in our world and it just grates.
I finished it, but derived little satisfaction from having done so. I do not really consider this book to be horror. The way in which the story is broken up with flash forwards to news conferences and autopsy reports was irritating - once again a misfire which reduced tension and broke up the flow. As soon as something interesting began to happen (for example when Sleazy Steve met his end at the hands of the spectral woman), the action immediately jumped away to something less interesting. It was like reading the script for a low budget TV show.
Thank you to NetGalley for making an advance copy of this book available for review. The opinions expressed above are entirely my own, following a full read of the novel.
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