Rootbound: Book One of The Harvest Below

by Stephanie Tyo

Beneath the fields, something ancient stirs—and it remembers us.

After a public breakdown ends her academic career, botanist Tessa Morrell returns to her rural hometown of Ashford Bend to care for her estranged father. But the soil she once knew is no longer the same.

Crops are growing at impossible rates. Livestock are dying—split open and filled with sweet-smelling fungi. And children are disappearing.

The locals call it a blessing.
Tessa knows it’s a warning.

As she investigates the terrifying resurgence of life in the soil, she uncovers an ancient fungal intelligence that has been blooming beneath their feet for generations. Watching. Waiting. And now, it’s waking up.

Rootbound is the chilling first installment of The Harvest Below trilogy—a slow-burn eco-horror about unnatural growth, ancestral secrets, and the cost of ignoring what lies beneath.

173 pages, Paperback

Published May 27, 2025

About the author

Stephanie Tyo is a multi-genre author based in Cornwall, Ontario, known for unforgettable stories that span middle-grade misadventures, dark romance, literary horror and many more. Her work blends heart, humor, and haunting depth, exploring themes of memory, connection, and the beauty in life's unexpected detours. Whether she's writing for kids or adults, Stephanie crafts worlds where every detail matters—and every story leaves a mark.

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to Rootbound by Stephanie Tyo. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. A huge thank you to this author for renewing my interest in eco-horror, probably one of the most fascinating subgenres of any genre out there. This reminded me of Mexican Gothic in the best way possible. One of my favourite eco-horror tropes (?) is when the earth is alive and there’s evil mushrooms/underground networks running the show. I loved the setting for the town, the actions/attitudes of the small town characters, and most importantly the creepy AF flora and fauna happenings. The writing was so rich I was almost overwhelmed, but it really worked to make you feel like you were right there with the FMC. I think this first book had a solid start, and while I do feel like a few more elements of the book could have been more fleshed out and detailed, I don’t think those elements fully detracted from my reading experience. I will absolutely be reading the rest of this series! I have so many questions and concerns!!

[Leslie Walbolt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my fourth book by Stephanie Tyo and she never disappoints. Her writing style sucks you in immediately and holds on to you until the last page. This is the 1st book in The Harvest Below series. Tessa comes back home to her small town to take care of her father. But she stumbles upon changes that have been happening. The town folks have seen how their livestock are dying and how the soil has changed but Tessa knows that something isn’t right. It’s a wonderful suspense story that makes you want more. I loved this one.

[Kira K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughts:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Tyo has done it again, with another creepy story that kept me guessing till the end and now I can’t wait for the next installment. This is my 5th book by this author and she has yet to disappoint me. The writing has a way of sucking me right in as if I was both watching in horror but also in Tessa’s shoes with the combination leaving me feeling really unnerved. Being set in a small town was a great touch and the small town community feels very realistic, coming from a small town family myself (most of my maternal side), and the reactions to Tessa as someone who left and came back for a visit was also disappointingly realistic in my experiences too. I really enjoyed the spirit of Tessa and the fact that she refused to change herself to fit back into small town life, especially since she knew there was more going on than people wanted her to know.

Favourite Quote:
“She hated this. The fragile dance of caretaking someone who still looked like her father, but spoke in half-phrases and riddles. And the worst part? Part of her welcomed the distraction.”

[Vaishali Muzumdar · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful book it's scary & it take inside it's own world while reading you feel as if you are walking inside that different world created by writer I don't write which sort of world read the book to learn about it yourself. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Micki-D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a scary but suspenseful easy read
Tessa comes back to small town she grew up in to take care of her father. Only things have changed since she has last been here. People have seen how their livestock dying, how the soil has changed. Tessa knows deep down that something isn’t right.
But what?
And what’s really growing in this town?

[Jessica Forbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I could have screamed when I came to the cliffhanger, that was only because I wanted to know what came next! This does a great job of setting up a seriously creepy atmosphere that I loved!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Dawn J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story very much. Easy to read and follow. What's really growing in this town? Kept me guessing. I definitely want to continue reading!

[Emily Haynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa returns home but things have changed. Something is happening. Suspenseful