Coldwell

by David Gladwin

Eyam, Derbyshire, 1666 - Dark forces and terrible disease contaminate the land and its people. Literate yet ostracised from his community, young William Coldwell, under the guidance and spell of the inexplicable Owd Jack, haunts the countryside in search of a place of refuge. In doing so, he uncovers a sinister and awful truth.

80 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2025

Reviews

[Jamie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coldwell is a dark, mysterious novella that plunges you straight into plague-ridden 17th-century Derbyshire, England — a place rife with superstition and hardship, where dread festers in both the minds and bones of its tormented townsfolk.

An outcast and scapegoat, Will Coldwell is lost — even when he stumbles upon some semblance of a home.

Lost, but never alone. Owd Jack is Coldwell’s omnipresent companion and driving force (whether Will likes it or not): a devious, threatening guide who offers sanctuary one moment and warns of doom the next.

An unfathomable, earthbound spirit, Owd Jack is reminiscent of the equally inexplicable Dead Papa Toothwort from Max Porter’s Lanny — though even more sinister and calculating.

The commitment to vernacular authenticity lends a haunting urgency that pulses throughout Coldwell. This pace is mirrored and intensified by the unrelenting spread of sickness, and by Owd Jack’s constant insistence that Will keep moving, keep hiding, stay one step ahead of the mire of doom closing in from all sides.

Coldwell is a stark and accomplished debut: a raw folk tale that urges readers to re-examine the darker parts of English history and consider — although our livelihoods have undoubtedly improved — how much our limiting beliefs and attitudes have really changed.

[Andrew Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a lover of economical, pared-down writing, I was onto a winner with Coldwell, by David Gladwell, from the start. David has combined these admirable traits with the ability to conjour a unique and compelling voice from the depths of 17th century Derbyshire. It is a voice that to me sounds entirely authentic, and it drives this bleak and gripping tale inexorably and absorbingly forward.
The book itself is crisply and stylishly presented and I look forward to reading more of David's work and seeing more from Road Song Books.

[N.Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful novella written in the voice of a 17th century semi-literate. The mixture of humanity, ancient earth spirituality and a realistically revised lens on history make this a powerful and beautifully strange read. Reminiscent of Alan Garner, it raises questions of perception, perspective and how we view the past - and present. Fabulous.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in one go - incredible!

[Neil Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a short book but very different from what I usually read and a different style too. Was a bit of a page turner and the penny dropped for me towards the end. Nicely written and nicely atmospheric to close. Will check for this author and publisher again.

[Alan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

A direct and chilling folk-horror for all times; a deft cinematic tale reminiscent of Anchoress, and Dead Man’s Shoes... Thoroughly recommended.

[Paul Taylor-McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 'Coldwell', Gladwin conjures the real-world horror of Eyam in the summer of 1666, when the Great Plague came to a quiet Derbyshire village and its people chose to wall themselves in, sealing their fate to spare the outside world. Against this stark historical canvas, young Will Coldwell, literate yet an outsider in his own community, becomes both chronicler and pawn of forces human and inhuman, drawing us into a quarantine of fear as real as any in our headlines today.

Gladwin’s choice to render speech in a richly wrought 17th-century dialect, gives the narration an authenticity and haunting quality. Every clipped consonant and rolled R evokes the creaking carts and rattling chamber pots of plague-struck lanes, immersing us in a world where superstition and faith hold equal sway. We come to admire Will, for the choices he makes and for his ability to tread his own path, as both survivor and critic of local governance. When the enigmatic “Owd Jack” slinks through ruined cottages, the vernacular becomes incantation: a chant summoning dread from the very soil.

This novella wears its historical truth lightly but unflinchingly. Gladwin weaves documented acts of heroism and sacrifice with folkloric terror, forging a tale that’s both an elegy for the dead and a mirror for our age of contagion and conspiracy.

'Coldwell' is lean, lyrical, and utterly unshakable. A folk-horror born of fact, dressed in the language of its time and stays with you long after its final page.

[Sandy Fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

17th century Eyam gripped by the plague.
Sinister and dark with a ribbon of unease that runs through the rich and redolent language.
Will Coldwell is driven by the forces around him. Guided and manipulated, he is utterly alone and lonely save for the malevolent voice that leads. Truth is not a story he can tell.
I found this gripping and authentic and only wish that it were longer.

[Joe Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short book with a great deal in it. The language is fascinating - whether the vernacular the author uses is correct or not, it feels wholly convincing throughout, and it's the use of language which creates both the main character (and makes him compelling and sympathetic) and the disturbing world he lives in - both the doomed village and the mysterious underworlds, caves and woodlands which fail to provide any respite. The alternative view of the fate of the village of Eyam, and the depiction of the reigning power blocs, have certain modern-day relevance but is thankfully never underlined. As I say, it's a short piece but will leave you thinking long after finishing.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compact and poetic slice of historical fiction and a creepy little tale, voiced by an utterly authentic and engaging central character.

[Ross Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many of us know the story of the plague at Eyam, of the Derbyshire villagers who bravely chose to seal themselves off from the rest of the country to close off the spread of this deadly disease as it ravaged the population of seventeenth century Britain.

But few will have heard it told like this. David Gladwin's novella, published by Roadsong Books, is told from the point of view of William Coldwell, an Eyam villager present when the Great Plague strikes. Through his eyes, and through those of his mysterious subterranean guide Owd Jack, we see a different and altogether more disturbing side to the story that has evolved and established itself down the years since 1666.

Coldwell is a beautifully written and somewhat tragic character who fascinates from the outset, and who manages to really draw up a solid and chilling sense of atmosphere, both of the Derbyshire countryside, and of the sense of panic, fear, and frustration felt in the era of The Great Plague. It's a time where superstition and suspicion are rife and judgement is harsh. There are some disturbing and very notable parallels with the current world situation that emerge as you read. It makes for a compelling 60 pages that I will certainly enjoy reading again.

A real eye-opener, and a terrific story well told.

Highly recommended!!

[Ian Critchley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb novella by David Gladwin that explores events in Eyam village in Derbyshire during the plague year of 1666. Eyam is famous for its residents having voluntarily chosen to self-isolate during the plague in order to stop it spreading to neighbouring areas - but was it entirely altruistic? Gladwin draws on both history and folklore to great effect and the book has a brilliantly distinctive narrative voice.

[Dora Masullo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this short story – it's the perfect book to pick up on a Sunday afternoon. At first, the writing style felt a bit tricky to follow, but once I settled into the rhythm, it became much less noticeable and actually added to the uniqueness of the narration. The distinctive voice really helps bring the protagonist and the historical setting to life. A creepy and dark story!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short novella, although personally I'm not a fan of dialect or historical stories, so my 3* review should be considered with that bias in mind. Economical prose, sharp characterisation, and a gradual sense of unease makes this an interesting read.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Gladwin conjures a thoroughly convincing historical landscape, imbued with folklore and mystery. Coldwell is a fascinating and loveable narrator who reminded me of Max Porter's Lanny.

[Emily Macdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is a delight. Atmospheric, evocative, rooted in time and place, poetic and a bit creepy to boot!