A Lake with No Bottom

by H.D. Hunter

A Lake with No Bottom is a chilling young adult novel about a teenaged white boy who is haunted by the victims of a Black town erased from history and is recruited by the restless souls left behind to bring them justice.
When Sidney Cromwell moves to rural Forsyth County, Georgia from the big city of Atlanta, all he wants is to fit in at his new high school. But when Sidney nearly drowns in Lake Lanier, an allegedly haunted lake that is the site of numerous inexplicable freak accidents and deaths, he becomes a social pariah as he starts to suffer terrifying visions from the past and hauntings by apparitions calling him to Lanier.

Sidney returns to the lake for answers, and he finds in its murky depths the spirits of former residents from Oscarville, the Black town that lies beneath the man-made lake. They enlist Sidney to remind Forsyth of its devastating history and push its citizens to make amends so that the souls in Oscarville can finally rest.

But Sidney soon learns that people will go to great lengths to avoid facing truths they’d rather not hear. The people of Forsyth County refuse to acknowledge the past, and as Oscarville’s populace starts to lose their patience, their rage and thirst for vengeance rise like a tidal wave.

Poignant, timely, and utterly terrifying, this gripping supernatural tale is perfect for fans of Internment and She Is a Haunting.

Genres: Young Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Unknown Binding

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Hugh “H.D.” Hunter is a storyteller and community organizer from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s the winner of several indie book awards for multicultural fiction.

Hugh is committed to #ownvoices stories about Black kids and their many expansive worlds.

He loves vegan snacks, basketball, and stories that make you cry -- but make you smile after.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my usual genre, but every so often I read a horror novel. There were bits of this, the magic involved, that I didn't understand, but the author definitely hooked me in and kept me reading to figure out what was happening to these characters.

[Ladiami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this expecting a supernatural thriller, but it ended up being much heavier in the best way.
Sidney’s story hit me early on. He’s just trying to adjust to a new school and figure out where he belongs, and then everything takes a turn after the incident at Lake Lanier. Knowing how many real stories and rumors surround that lake added an extra layer for me. It made everything feel a little more eerie, like the line between fiction and reality wasn’t as far apart as it should be.

The visions, the voices, and the constant pull back to the water created a haunting atmosphere that stayed with me while reading. But what really grounded the story was the history tied to Oscarville. Learning about the town beneath the lake added so much depth and emotion. It wasn’t just about ghosts, it was about people who were wronged and forgotten, and that made the story hit harder.

I felt for Sidney the entire time. The isolation, the way people treated him, and the pressure of carrying something bigger than himself all felt believable. Watching the town avoid the truth was frustrating, but it also made everything feel more realistic and added to the tension.

This one balances eerie moments with a deeper message, and I appreciated how it handled both. It’s emotional, unsettling, and thought provoking.

I went into this expecting a supernatural thriller, but it ended up being much heavier in the best way.
Sidney’s story hit me early on. He’s just trying to adjust to a new school and figure out where he belongs, and then everything takes a turn after the incident at Lake Lanier. Knowing how many real stories and rumors surround that lake added an extra layer for me. It made everything feel a little more eerie, like the line between fiction and reality wasn’t as far apart as it should be.

The visions, the voices, and the constant pull back to the water created a haunting atmosphere that stayed with me while reading. But what really grounded the story was the history tied to Oscarville. Learning about the town beneath the lake added so much depth and emotion. It wasn’t just about ghosts, it was about people who were wronged and forgotten, and that made the story hit harder.

I felt for Sidney the entire time. The isolation, the way people treated him, and the pressure of carrying something bigger than himself all felt believable. Watching the town avoid the truth was frustrating, but it also made everything feel more realistic and added to the tension.

This one balances eerie moments with a deeper message, and I appreciated how it handled both. It’s emotional, unsettling, and thought provoking.

Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) for the ARC and opportunity to provide an honest review.

[E W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and H. D. Hunter for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 2.5 rounded up

Sidney nearly drowned in a lake—and now something beneath the water won’t let him go. Plagued by nightmares and haunting visions, it feels as though the voices of those lost below are calling him back.

The premise is especially compelling, drawing inspiration from the real history surrounding Lake Lanier and the communities that once lived there. The idea of a submerged town with spirits seeking acknowledgment and justice immediately pulled me in and gave the story a strong emotional foundation.

One of the highlights of the novel is the author’s writing style. The imagery is vivid and often beautifully eerie, particularly in the nightmare sequences and supernatural moments. Certain descriptions stood out and helped create a haunting atmosphere that lingered beyond the page.

I also appreciated the deeper themes woven throughout the story. The haunting is tied to something more meaningful than surface-level horror, which adds weight and purpose to the narrative.

While the premise suggests a mystery, the story doesn’t fully lean into a suspense-driven or investigative approach, which made it feel less engaging than I expected. Additionally, although the book has been praised for its horror elements, it didn’t feel particularly frightening to me. The atmosphere is present, but the tension never fully builds in a way that feels impactful.

The pacing does improve toward the end, and the final portion of the book is more engaging and eventful. These moments added a sense of urgency that I found myself wishing had been present throughout the entire story.

Overall, this is a novel with a strong concept and meaningful themes, but it didn’t fully deliver on its potential for me. I would still be interested in reading more from this author in the future, as the writing itself shows promise.

[Casey R Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Terrifying, Timely, and Rooted in the Real History of Lake Lanier”

📚 On Casey’s Bookshelf

Book: 39
Dates read: 02.24.2026 – 02.25.2026
Title: A Lake with No Bottom
Author: H. D. Hunter
Format: digital ARC

#caseysbookshelf

I ain’t even gonna hold you. About 12% into this book I was texting the group chat telling them I was scared out of my mind and could only read it during the day… with the lights on.

Y’all already know I don’t fool with horror. Fear had me ready to put this book down more than once. But the story was so captivating I had to keep going. As they say… got to see it through my boi.

The entire history behind Lake Lanier and the submerged Black town of Oscarville has always fascinated me. When I first moved to Atlanta after college, a coworker invited me to a team-building outing at the lake. My older cousin immediately told me I was absolutely not allowed to take my Black behind there under any circumstances. I didn’t go… but the mystery around that place has intrigued me ever since.

So a supernatural thriller built around that history? I was locked in.

The story follows Sidney, a teen who moves to Forsyth County and nearly drowns in the lake, only to begin experiencing terrifying visions tied to the past. What unfolds connects him to the spirits of Oscarville, who are demanding that the truth about what happened to their community finally be acknowledged.

What makes this book work so well is that the horror isn’t just about ghosts. It’s about memory, erased history, and the lengths people will go to avoid confronting the truth.

The book releases October 20, perfectly timed for Halloween. Go ahead and preorder it now… because by October you will have forgotten.

Another book off the shelf. We keep reading with intention. 📚

[Katie Petriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

a YA horror set at Lake Lanier based on the REAL history of the lake?? sign me up immediately.

ok so if you don't know, Lake Lanier in Georgia is already one of the creepiest bodies of water in America. they literally flooded a town to build it. and Hunter takes that real history and runs with it into full supernatural horror territory and it works so well.

Sidney moves to Forsyth County knowing nothing about any of this, nearly drowns in the lake, and suddenly he's seeing things. ghosts. visions. the whole nine. and the horror elements genuinely deliver. this book is creepy!! like actually unsettling in a way that a lot of YA horror doesn't quite manage.

but what elevates it beyond just a good scare is the way Hunter threads in the real history. the erasure of Oscarville, the displacement of Cherokee people, the way a whole community just... looks away from what's underneath the water they boat on every summer. the book is asking real questions about what we owe to history and to the people who were buried by it, literally and figuratively. and it doesn't shy away from how that trauma doesn't just disappear. it festers.

honestly don't have a major complaint here. this is just a really well done YA supernatural horror that has something to say and says it without losing the scares.

4 stars.

(thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC copy. all thoughts are my own.)

[Bianca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Lake With No Bottom is intense, impactful, and really relevant to today. It is about a 14 year old white boy, Sidney, who almost drowns in Lake Lanier. This Lake is haunted by a city that was submerged in the 1950s, but everyone forgot. Sidney is the first to hear the people in the lake, to recognize them. The first to CARE. Jeremy, a boy from the original town, haunts him until he returns to the bottom of the lake though. Until he returns to help them to salvation. He has to reckon with his own fate and decide how and if he can even do anything. After all, he is a child, and they are a bunch of spirits lost to the bottom of a lake.

With the way things are happening in the 2020s, this story feels very important. The Author emphasizes what it means to forget or past, how to forget an entire people can have detriment for generations to come. The book is YA, and appropriate for nearly anyone, but touches on the heavy topics of racism(especially systemic) and death. I love the supernatural aspect of it all, and that somehow, there are people, just *existing* underneath a lake. At one point in the story, JD and Odie explain a little about how it works, and that there is a pond inside the lake that just keeps going down forever. I just find the concept fascinating and the author did a great job tying everything together!

If giving a star rating, I would give A Lake With No Bottom five stars and will recommend to friends and family who are looking for a bit of a more serious YA fiction option. As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Maria Lewczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

This book was a great supernatural twist on the long-standing and often-erased history of Lake Lanier and its peoples. As a Georgia native, it’s also pretty dang cool to see places and things I’m familiar with in this context.

Story wise: YA can be a tricky genre, and it works well here when you remember the main characters are all around 14-15. The action sequences were so well written you felt in motion at the same time, and the moments of character growth felt steady and built over time. My only critiques were with pacing, that some dialogue felt repetitive, and there was a bit of telling instead of showing (some info dumps), but that is more personal preference.

Overall, this is for fans of:
- creative and innovative supernatural stories tied to historical events
- coming of age and coming of history
- reckoning the past with future action
- anyone who has ever heard of lake lanier!!!

* huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review *

[sniksnak · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Lake with No Bottom is a chilling YA supernatural thriller inspired by the haunted real history of Lake Lanier, Georgia.
The massive 1950s reservoir flooded the black town of Oscarville, fueling legends of trapped bodies, restless ghosts, and endless depths.
Black teen Sidney Cromwell moves from Atlanta to rural Forsyth County hoping to fit in at his new school, until he nearly drowns in the infamous lake. Plagued by terrifying visions and ghosts, he becomes an outcast.
Drawn back to the water, Sidney uncovers the angry spirits of Oscarville’s former residents, who demand the town confront its buried past for peace, but some locals want those secrets drowned forever.
A scary, heartfelt blend of real history, ghosts and teen drama.

**I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read this gifted ebook in exchange for an honest review. #ARC #NetGalley
#ALakeWithNoBottom

[Autumn Ketchum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and to the Publishers for this ARC! Firstly, I love aquatic horror so I was vey excited to read this. Secondly, this is based off a real town that was turned into a lake, the history is so chilling and spooky. Just the thought of a whole town underwater is so creepy. Sidney is a new kid in town and is invited with local kids to hang out on this lake that has rumors of being haunted. After he almost drowns in the lake, he starts seeing ghostly visions and hearing voices drawing him to the lake. I really enjoyed the supernatural elements to the story, and I did enjoy the history of the lake, and overall empowering message at the end.

[Charteir (InkEncountersPaper) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Lake with No Bottom by Hugh “HD” Hunter is a haunting, atmospheric exploration of the weight of history and the silent ripple effects of grief. Set against a backdrop that feels both expansive and claustrophobic, Hunter crafts a narrative that is less about a physical location and more about the depths of the human psyche.

The book operates on a frequency of quiet devastation. Hunter explores the concept of intergenerational trauma—the idea that the secrets of our ancestors are buried in the sediment of our own lives, waiting to be disturbed. There is a profound sense of "stuckness" in the characters; they are people tethered to a past they didn't choose, struggling to keep their heads above water in a present that feels increasingly shallow.
The prose is lyrical but sharp, often making the reader feel the damp chill of the setting. It captures the specific ache of realizing that some questions will never have answers, and that closure is often a myth we tell ourselves to stay sane.

The author uses sensory details—the smell of stagnant water, the shifting light at dusk, the sound of wind through reeds—to create a tension that never quite breaks. The characters are deeply flawed and painfully relatable. They don't always make the right or heroic choices, which makes their eventual reckonings feel earned rather than forced. Hunter avoids melodrama, opting instead for a slow-burn internal conflict that mirrors the stillness of a deep body of water.

A Lake with No Bottom is not a light read, nor is it a traditional mystery. It is a literary meditation on loss. While the pacing might feel sluggish to those looking for a high-octane thriller, it is perfectly calibrated for a story about the slow erosion of the soul. Memory, isolation, the persistence of the past are very apparent in this novel. Readers who enjoy moody, character-driven Southern Gothic or contemporary literary fiction with a dark edge will definitely enjoy this book.

Overall, this story leaves you with the lingering realization that we are all, in some way, navigating waters where we cannot see the floor. Trying to stay afloat in this wonderous world, while dealing with generations of traumatic history that plagues all of our souls.

[Lysz Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t finished but i am already locked in. The characters feel tangible and a bit too real lol. This is horror at its finest to me. What you may expect is not even the half truth. It keeps spiraling into more and peaking my curiosity. This is a YA that makes you ask questions, but also has me shook and the kids actually have parents. Often stories have the kids gallivanting without worried parents. The spook is REAL and sits with you long after. I also am enjoying the relationships and imagery. This is a phenomenally written story within stories that carried real relationships, discomforting truths, and vindicating spin with bouts of humor on history, magic, and possibility. I was at the edge of my seat from beginning to end. This is a world i will think about for ages. The characters and world felt so immersive and tangible. A beautifully worded and intentionally created with care for the reader. A must read.