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A Lake with No Bottom
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26A 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.
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.
Unknown Binding
Expected publication October 20, 2026
53 people want to read
About the author
H.D. Hunter
8 books74 followersHugh “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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.)
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.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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
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
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews