What Scratches Beneath the Surface

by Thomas Emry

Adam Newcommer is missing. In the idealistic town of Marshport, Ohio, the eleven-year-old has seemingly vanished from his friend's house in the deep of the night. While his parents question who they can trust and struggle to remain hopeful, the town's sheriff and a young private investigator look into the mysterious disappearance. The deeper they dig, the more they fight against small-town secrets and local superstitions as they search for Adam to bring him back home.

243 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2025

Reviews

[Darin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

They just don’t make houses like they used to.

Tall ceilings, spacious rooms, real hardwood flooring—craftsmanship you just don’t find these days. Not that these houses are without issues. Settling joists, creaking floorboards, and inexplicable cold spots are part of their aged charm.

Or are they?

Julie Newcommer and her husband Wyatt are helping their friends, the O’Learys, move once again. It isn’t a big move—only across town. The new house isn’t even that dissimilar from the old one, but Corrine O’Leary feels that this house ‘fits’ them much better than their current dwelling, and her husband, Phillip, has learned to pick his battles carefully over the years. Happy wife, happy life.

The Newcommers’ two sons, Stephen and Adam, are fast friends with the O’Learys’ son, Connor, and it isn’t long before the boys have convinced their parents that a sleepover is in order to properly christen the new house. It’s nothing new, and the boys generally get along well, but Julie is a little unsettled when the next morning, Adam comes home out of sorts, insisting he’d rather not spend the night again. It’s nothing he can really put his finger on—just a drafty old closet with an eerie vibe that he found unsettling.

Less than a week later, Adam finds himself in the unenviable position of having to take one for the team. If he refuses to spend the night at the O’Learys’ with Corrine watching him, it will ruin plans for both his parents and his older brother, and he certainly doesn’t want to be the cause of that. Sucking it up, he packs a bag and heads over for a night that will change everyone’s lives forever.

When Julie returns to pick up her son the following morning, she soon discovers that he’s vanished—seemingly having disappeared into nothingness.

Frantic, she contacts the local authorities in the small Ohio town of Marshport, and the sheriff immediately organizes a search and rescue team, soliciting help from volunteers who come out in force. Clues are few and far between, and it doesn’t take long before enthusiasm wanes, and Julie begins to question their dedication to the cause. They’re all just so—strange.

Emry continues to turn the screw as he peels back the layers on a tale that is virtually every parent’s waking nightmare. Can the Newcommers bring their youngest son back from wherever he’s been taken, or is it already too late?

Creepy, claustrophobic, and thoroughly entertaining.

[Olivia Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, clever, and quietly devastating — this one lingered.

From the first chapter, What Scratches Beneath the Surface pulls you into a foggy, small-town mystery that feels way too real for comfort. The disappearance of Adam Newcommer isn’t just the plot — it’s the catalyst for everything simmering beneath Marshport’s surface, and Thomas Emry delivers it all with a slow burn that never lets up.

What stood out the most to me was the dual investigation: the weary sheriff and the determined young PI are such a compelling pair, each digging through secrets no one wants to uncover. The way their paths twist and cross is quietly brilliant. But the real gem? The atmosphere. You can feel the isolation. The suspicion. The silence.

This book doesn’t rely on gore or cheap twists—it relies on psychological tension, sharp dialogue, and characters that feel lived-in and real. It reminded me a bit of early Dennis Lehane or even Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, but with its own voice and weight.

It’s hard to believe this is a debut. I’ll absolutely be keeping an eye out for whatever Emry writes next. Especially if he plans to give us more of Marshport’s ghosts.

[Nolan Emerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I flew through this one in just two days. The story was super captivating, the plot was emotionally charged, and I enjoyed that it was not just full of surface level characters. There's real depth to the main couple Wyatt and Julie. I genuinely enjoyed being on the ride with them through the horrors they endure. There was a gut punching twist leading into the final act that I did not see coming at all. I had to set the book down for a couple minutes after it happened 😂
Without getting into spoilers, there were a couple of things in the end that didn't quite hit the mark fully for me, but overall this was a damn good page-turner. If you're in the mood for a good thriller, check this one out!
What Scratches Beneath the Surface - 8/10

[A.L. Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It sucked me in from the beginning and kept me wondering whodunnit until the end! During the course of the book, I played out multiple different scenarios in my head. The true ending of the book was partially one of my options but the way it was presented had me glued to the pages. I HAD to know what happened next! There was also something that happened close to the end that I did NOT see coming! 😳

I will be recommending this book to others! Would definitely read more books my this author.

[Tana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This went from decently good to utterly ridiculous, and I’m really mad that I even picked it up to begin with. The first part of the book was maybe a 4-star read for me. Unfortunately, there was no hint to the direction it would take in the last few chapters (2 stars at best). I’m splitting the difference and rating 3 stars, but I’m throwing it down in frustration and grumbling quite loudly about it. Bah! 😖

[Julius Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a chilling and beautifully written mystery that pulls you in from the very first chapter. Adam Newcommer’s disappearance is haunting, and the quiet town of Marshport feels alive with tension and unspoken secrets. The emotional toll on Adam’s parents is portrayed with heartbreaking realism, while the investigation unfolds at a perfectly measured pace. The blend of small town superstition and grounded detective work makes this story unforgettable. I couldn’t put it down.

[Kim Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great book. So good, in fact, that I read it in one day! The build up of finding this young boy kept me reading. I knew the town was in on the boys disappearance but the ending was not what I expected at all! I highly recommend this book!

[Jama Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I narrated this audiobook and I absolutely loved it! I was captivated and could not stop working because I NEEDED to know what happened to Adam.

[Lori Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for October. Kept me
Engaged and wanting more

[Kristy L · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thriller. Some people won’t make it to the end. The writing is fantastic.

[laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1 day. Wish it had been more from the pov of the kids not the parents. Supernatural or crime it leaves u flip flopping and trying to figure out what’s wrong with this small town