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The Sea Hides Its Dead
YOUR SINS WON’T SAVE YOU.
Trapped in an underwater cave, a group of academics must face a series of deadly, supernatural trials – each one demanding they confront their darkest sins – in this chilling aquatic cult horror debut from Megan Bontrager.
Grad student Caro has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but when an opportunity arises to act as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she doesn’t hesitate.
Beck assembles a team of academics and professionals to study the ancient sea-based Cult of the Leviathan, and the expedition descends into the sea caves where the cult are said to have dwelt.
But when the cave entrance collapses, trapping them inside, the expedition will find they are not alone in the darkness. Surrounded by strange artefacts and scattered bones, an ancient trial has been set in motion. One by one, the members of the expedition will be tested and forced to atone for their greatest sin. . . or die.
Trapped in an underwater cave, a group of academics must face a series of deadly, supernatural trials – each one demanding they confront their darkest sins – in this chilling aquatic cult horror debut from Megan Bontrager.
Grad student Caro has no idea what she wants to do with her life, but when an opportunity arises to act as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she doesn’t hesitate.
Beck assembles a team of academics and professionals to study the ancient sea-based Cult of the Leviathan, and the expedition descends into the sea caves where the cult are said to have dwelt.
But when the cave entrance collapses, trapping them inside, the expedition will find they are not alone in the darkness. Surrounded by strange artefacts and scattered bones, an ancient trial has been set in motion. One by one, the members of the expedition will be tested and forced to atone for their greatest sin. . . or die.
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Megan Bontrager
4 books128 followersMegan Bontrager is a Horror and SFF author, and long-suffering PhD student, currently based in Yorkshire. Megan received her BFA in English from the University of Central Florida, and her MA in Writing from Johns Hopkins University. In her free time, Megan loves to play TTRPGs, and is a lifelong horse girl who dreams of rehabilitating rescues. She is represented by Clara Chuiton at The Rights Factory.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
August 20, 2026
This book was fantastic!! It was unsettling and, surprisingly, emotionally evocative.
August 12, 2025
Oh, hey! I wrote this!
It's only right and fair that I write myself a little review here, leaving it as a note to all readers who might stumble upon this weird little book. This is a deeply personal book that touches on some difficult things (there will be content warnings included, so please do feel free to shoot me a message on any of my socials before reading if you're unsure of tackling anything within) that I've struggled with in my own life, and it was honestly really, really healing to write once I got past the discomfort of quite literally putting all my damage on the page. Not that I've ever found myself trapped in a collapsed sea cave - I value life too much to even go there!
But really and truly, this book means so much to my own healing journey, and my own sense of self. That kind of thing is explored throughout, all lumped onto the shoulders of our intrepid protagonist, Caro. It wasn't fun to write at first, I'll admit - in fact, it was really very hard. But that's because it was all me! Everything I struggle with, everything that's too hard to talk about sometimes. Putting it on the page was a task and a half, and I felt like it was a genuine mess because of it. But then I saw the beauty in it: it's good because it's hard. And it's good because it hurts sometimes, but we persevere anyway. That's what cosmic horror is all about, too. Sometimes things feel too big. Way bigger than ourselves. But it's human nature to try.
I hope you all enjoy this wild ride of a story. And I hope it convinces you all to stay out of sea caves! Seriously. Don't even think about it!
It's only right and fair that I write myself a little review here, leaving it as a note to all readers who might stumble upon this weird little book. This is a deeply personal book that touches on some difficult things (there will be content warnings included, so please do feel free to shoot me a message on any of my socials before reading if you're unsure of tackling anything within) that I've struggled with in my own life, and it was honestly really, really healing to write once I got past the discomfort of quite literally putting all my damage on the page. Not that I've ever found myself trapped in a collapsed sea cave - I value life too much to even go there!
But really and truly, this book means so much to my own healing journey, and my own sense of self. That kind of thing is explored throughout, all lumped onto the shoulders of our intrepid protagonist, Caro. It wasn't fun to write at first, I'll admit - in fact, it was really very hard. But that's because it was all me! Everything I struggle with, everything that's too hard to talk about sometimes. Putting it on the page was a task and a half, and I felt like it was a genuine mess because of it. But then I saw the beauty in it: it's good because it's hard. And it's good because it hurts sometimes, but we persevere anyway. That's what cosmic horror is all about, too. Sometimes things feel too big. Way bigger than ourselves. But it's human nature to try.
I hope you all enjoy this wild ride of a story. And I hope it convinces you all to stay out of sea caves! Seriously. Don't even think about it!
June 22, 2026
If you’ve ever had the thought, oh what a cool cave, I should explore that…this book will forever cure you of that impulse. Part descent, part Ring and all the way scary. I will not be sleeping well, like, ever. I also chose to read this when I was completely alone in my house at night. That’s on me.
What was hiding under the horror (see what I did there) was another, more important thread to the story. Living in the shadow of a narcissistic person, especially a parent, creates sort of void. Yes of love and acceptance, but also of a sense of self. You are a blank slate, there to be written on and filled by that person. You aren’t you. The Sea Hides its Dead deals with the aftermath of that void in a completely unexpected way that’s both thoughtful and affirming. I went into this book expecting horror. I did not expect to come out with a sense of validation in separating myself from my own narcissistic parent. Megan Bontrager clearly understands the rebuilding of self that’s required after, and The Sea Hides Its Dead takes it head on and delivers that absolution. (Especially for those of us that may have fallen into the narcissist trap more than once.)
Don’t mistake me, this is horror. It’s grisly, gory, unnerving and dark. There’s also a lightness to it. One that takes the guilt we all may hold for less than altruistic actions and brings a fresh take to how we reconcile them. I could not stop thinking about this book after I finished it. It’s been days and I’m still turning over everything that happened and finding a new way to look at it. This may be horror in genre, to me though, it’s vindication.
I will most definitely be buying this book for my shelf. I can easily see myself coming back to it over and over again. Grab it for hours when it comes out July 14.
Huge huge thank you to Orbit Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
What was hiding under the horror (see what I did there) was another, more important thread to the story. Living in the shadow of a narcissistic person, especially a parent, creates sort of void. Yes of love and acceptance, but also of a sense of self. You are a blank slate, there to be written on and filled by that person. You aren’t you. The Sea Hides its Dead deals with the aftermath of that void in a completely unexpected way that’s both thoughtful and affirming. I went into this book expecting horror. I did not expect to come out with a sense of validation in separating myself from my own narcissistic parent. Megan Bontrager clearly understands the rebuilding of self that’s required after, and The Sea Hides Its Dead takes it head on and delivers that absolution. (Especially for those of us that may have fallen into the narcissist trap more than once.)
Don’t mistake me, this is horror. It’s grisly, gory, unnerving and dark. There’s also a lightness to it. One that takes the guilt we all may hold for less than altruistic actions and brings a fresh take to how we reconcile them. I could not stop thinking about this book after I finished it. It’s been days and I’m still turning over everything that happened and finding a new way to look at it. This may be horror in genre, to me though, it’s vindication.
I will most definitely be buying this book for my shelf. I can easily see myself coming back to it over and over again. Grab it for hours when it comes out July 14.
Huge huge thank you to Orbit Books for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
July 16, 2026
Believe me, no one is more disappointed in this rating than I am. I wanted to love this one SO. BAD. Just look at that blurb! Unfortunately I felt like I was trapped in my own labyrinth of cosmic horror because this book felt endless. It was also extremely repetitive. I am begging this author to learn synonyms for eddying, arrowed/arrowing, squelched, glacial, and vermillion.
July 19, 2026
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I love the mixed vibes of the Descent with As Above So Below, however, the emotional high point of the story left me a little confused.
Beck is a professor studying the Cult of Leviathan so when the opportunity arises to investigate some caves connected to the cult he assembles a team, including his teaching assistant and lover, Caro, to explore the caves. However when they get there, things quickly spiral out of control.
The horror element was very well written and felt very visceral at points. Especially the few initial deaths were described in such a horrific way they made me wince. The "monster trials" were very inventive and once we had a little more context it was interesting to see what the characters could do to beat them. I did wish we had a little bit more context at the beginning to explain the concept of the story a bit more. The beginning felt a little contrived for no reason.
I thought it was interesting to make our main character have such a difficult personality. She thinks of herself as so worthless and loses herself in the worst relationship with a terrible man just to feel a little bit of validation. It takes her so long to finally realise that she deserves better than him, but I did enjoy that it felt like this was were the book was going the whole time and we weren't supposed to find the whole relationship in any way good.
My problem does however come with the ending. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended to tell us. As we get the story from the perspective of Caro, it might be a case of an unreliable narrator for sure, but the ending feels like its intended to be such a high moment of character development for her. Instead it reads very much like Caro just transferred her unhealthy obsession to a new person. The relationship felt very intense and unexpectedly so. It might be that there wasn't enough background given for the characters but the intensity just came out of nowhere.
Still it's an interesting horror book that deals with an unusual concept.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and Megan Bontrager for providing me with this ARC.
Beck is a professor studying the Cult of Leviathan so when the opportunity arises to investigate some caves connected to the cult he assembles a team, including his teaching assistant and lover, Caro, to explore the caves. However when they get there, things quickly spiral out of control.
The horror element was very well written and felt very visceral at points. Especially the few initial deaths were described in such a horrific way they made me wince. The "monster trials" were very inventive and once we had a little more context it was interesting to see what the characters could do to beat them. I did wish we had a little bit more context at the beginning to explain the concept of the story a bit more. The beginning felt a little contrived for no reason.
I thought it was interesting to make our main character have such a difficult personality. She thinks of herself as so worthless and loses herself in the worst relationship with a terrible man just to feel a little bit of validation. It takes her so long to finally realise that she deserves better than him, but I did enjoy that it felt like this was were the book was going the whole time and we weren't supposed to find the whole relationship in any way good.
My problem does however come with the ending. I'm not entirely sure what the author intended to tell us. As we get the story from the perspective of Caro, it might be a case of an unreliable narrator for sure, but the ending feels like its intended to be such a high moment of character development for her. Instead it reads very much like Caro just transferred her unhealthy obsession to a new person. The relationship felt very intense and unexpectedly so. It might be that there wasn't enough background given for the characters but the intensity just came out of nowhere.
Still it's an interesting horror book that deals with an unusual concept.
Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and Megan Bontrager for providing me with this ARC.
July 15, 2026
This book is really, really dark and horrifying. There are definitely scenes that I’ll have a hard time getting out of my head. I do wonder how the small group was able to get inside the cave, considering that it should have been swarming with the military, but you’ll just need to suspend your disbelief.
Caroline is our main character, a young college student whose mother recently passed away. Their relationship explores several dark themes about mental health, and I really appreciated how Bontrager was willing to delve into the topics no one wants to talk about, because WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEM. Caroline was drifting aimlessly in life until she met Professor Beck, a married man with an obsession for a particular sea cult. She allows herself to be swept up in his manic pursuit for “the truth”, and she believes him when he says he’ll leave his wife for her.
I want to take a moment and point out to those who were disgusted and perplexed by Caroline’s affair and devotion to Beck: I’ve had my share of crushes on teachers and professors when I was much younger, but they never went anywhere, which is as it should be. Beck is abusing his position of power to exploit a vulnerable young woman, and his behavior is despicable. Caroline didn’t really have a purpose before meeting him, and he is extremely charismatic. Of course she’s flattered when he takes an interest in her! Of course she doesn’t see the red flags—remember, she’s young and naive, and Beck knows that. It’s only as we age and gain more life experience that we learn to spot those red flags. I totally get where she’s coming from, and the relationship, although super icky, is entirely plausible.
During this story, I was introduced to a type of writing and worship that I had never heard of before. I had thought it was made up by Bontrager, only to find entries about it on the internet. It’s unsettling and quite honestly creeped me out. I have a fervent desire to never read about it again. Did I mention that the author’s take on it is dark and horrifying?
I won’t say much more, but pick this up if you’re into Lovecraft, extreme gore, claustrophobic horror and paranormal activity. It’s definitely a one-and-done for me.
Again, the author’s deep dive into mental health, guilt, shame, and perceived sin is well-done, and they are topics that we should be discussing out in the open.
My thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for an eARC. I am writing this review entirely voluntarily.
Caroline is our main character, a young college student whose mother recently passed away. Their relationship explores several dark themes about mental health, and I really appreciated how Bontrager was willing to delve into the topics no one wants to talk about, because WE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEM. Caroline was drifting aimlessly in life until she met Professor Beck, a married man with an obsession for a particular sea cult. She allows herself to be swept up in his manic pursuit for “the truth”, and she believes him when he says he’ll leave his wife for her.
I want to take a moment and point out to those who were disgusted and perplexed by Caroline’s affair and devotion to Beck: I’ve had my share of crushes on teachers and professors when I was much younger, but they never went anywhere, which is as it should be. Beck is abusing his position of power to exploit a vulnerable young woman, and his behavior is despicable. Caroline didn’t really have a purpose before meeting him, and he is extremely charismatic. Of course she’s flattered when he takes an interest in her! Of course she doesn’t see the red flags—remember, she’s young and naive, and Beck knows that. It’s only as we age and gain more life experience that we learn to spot those red flags. I totally get where she’s coming from, and the relationship, although super icky, is entirely plausible.
During this story, I was introduced to a type of writing and worship that I had never heard of before. I had thought it was made up by Bontrager, only to find entries about it on the internet. It’s unsettling and quite honestly creeped me out. I have a fervent desire to never read about it again. Did I mention that the author’s take on it is dark and horrifying?
I won’t say much more, but pick this up if you’re into Lovecraft, extreme gore, claustrophobic horror and paranormal activity. It’s definitely a one-and-done for me.
Again, the author’s deep dive into mental health, guilt, shame, and perceived sin is well-done, and they are topics that we should be discussing out in the open.
My thanks to NetGalley and Run For It for an eARC. I am writing this review entirely voluntarily.
August 11, 2026
🩸 Cave/Ocean Horror
🕯 Mad Professor Vibes
🩸 Inner + Outer Demons
🕯 Cosmic Intervention
🩸 Claustrophobic
Whew. I'm not sure how the author took an absolutely terrifying concept and setting—and somehow turned the whole book into a preachy sermon—but I can't say I enjoyed it.
•
Grad student Caroline decides to join her secret lover, Professor Edward Beck, on an expedition into a mysterious sea cave where the "Cult of Leviathan" was once said to dwell. Accompanied by a team of academics, they venture inside but become trapped shortly after arriving. As the cave closes in, dark secrets rise from beneath the surface, threatening the survival of the entire crew.
•
Okay, so at first this was terrifying—aside from the melodrama of a protagonist who doesn't know what to do with her life having an illicit affair with her professor. The one redeeming quality of this book is that it starts out feeling very spooky and nightmare-inducing, but unfortunately, that claustrophobic, overbearing horror quickly fizzles out and becomes almost... silly. Aside from having to suspend disbelief about the plot itself and why these specific characters were even on this expedition: I don't read horror to feel like I'm being preached at. There's a prominent undercurrent of "owning your trauma and coming out on top," which honestly made the book feel like self-help wrapped in a spooky package.
None of the characters are particularly likable or memorable. Caroline is supposed to be manipulated by Professor Beck, but it feels oddly forced, and she's almost too self-aware to fall for his antics. I also couldn't understand why this random group banded together for this trip considering no actual scientific study was happening. (It's explained later on, but it still had me thinking, girl, please.) Aspects of the horror felt consistent at first, but then we get atonement trials for each character? I lost a lot of interest when I realized they had to go on a morality quest just to escape the cave.
I finished reading for the big reveals, and they felt so... inconsequential. Caroline did some big, terrible thing she has to atone for, and when the big terrible thing was finally revealed, I was just left thinking, really? I was expecting something much bigger.
Overall, it's a cool concept, but the delivery just fell flat. The prose is fine, but the plot feels oddly preachy, and the characters relied so heavily on common archetypes that I really didn't care what happened to any of them.
•
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
🕯 Mad Professor Vibes
🩸 Inner + Outer Demons
🕯 Cosmic Intervention
🩸 Claustrophobic
Whew. I'm not sure how the author took an absolutely terrifying concept and setting—and somehow turned the whole book into a preachy sermon—but I can't say I enjoyed it.
•
Grad student Caroline decides to join her secret lover, Professor Edward Beck, on an expedition into a mysterious sea cave where the "Cult of Leviathan" was once said to dwell. Accompanied by a team of academics, they venture inside but become trapped shortly after arriving. As the cave closes in, dark secrets rise from beneath the surface, threatening the survival of the entire crew.
•
Okay, so at first this was terrifying—aside from the melodrama of a protagonist who doesn't know what to do with her life having an illicit affair with her professor. The one redeeming quality of this book is that it starts out feeling very spooky and nightmare-inducing, but unfortunately, that claustrophobic, overbearing horror quickly fizzles out and becomes almost... silly. Aside from having to suspend disbelief about the plot itself and why these specific characters were even on this expedition: I don't read horror to feel like I'm being preached at. There's a prominent undercurrent of "owning your trauma and coming out on top," which honestly made the book feel like self-help wrapped in a spooky package.
None of the characters are particularly likable or memorable. Caroline is supposed to be manipulated by Professor Beck, but it feels oddly forced, and she's almost too self-aware to fall for his antics. I also couldn't understand why this random group banded together for this trip considering no actual scientific study was happening. (It's explained later on, but it still had me thinking, girl, please.) Aspects of the horror felt consistent at first, but then we get atonement trials for each character? I lost a lot of interest when I realized they had to go on a morality quest just to escape the cave.
I finished reading for the big reveals, and they felt so... inconsequential. Caroline did some big, terrible thing she has to atone for, and when the big terrible thing was finally revealed, I was just left thinking, really? I was expecting something much bigger.
Overall, it's a cool concept, but the delivery just fell flat. The prose is fine, but the plot feels oddly preachy, and the characters relied so heavily on common archetypes that I really didn't care what happened to any of them.
•
Thank you to Orbit Books for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
August 12, 2025
i have said this before and i will say it again - megan never misses 🩷
April 29, 2026
For most of this I was so sure this was going to be a 4 star or higher read, but it all went downhill after around about halfway through. But, this book isn’t without its strengths!
First off, this is a lot like The Descent, but a MILLION TIMES more creative and layered. This surprisingly liminal story is like backrooms, sea cave edition. It involves being trapped in a sea cave that rose from the sea out of nowhere, the cave being tied to some sort of cult, and the characters being picked off one by one. But, it’s not just violence for the sake of violence, which tbh I really dislike in horror, but luckily this wasn’t that. This book has layers to its creativity with everything from insane shared hallucinations to a paranormal trial of sorts that they each must endure, one by one. I’m sure you can guess what happens to those who don’t pass!
Caroline, a grad student who is sleeping with her jackass professor Beck because he’s the only one who understands her apparently, joins his expedition to explore a monolith that has risen from the sea. Beck has devoted his life to studying some cult of Leviathan. He employs this group of people to travel to this occultist sea cave that appeared out of nowhere, because that sounds like a great idea! They are somehow able evade the navy who intend to blow the cave up, plus evade the huge media circus stalking the area, and make their way inside into an unmapped cave system. None of these characters watch horror movies, do they!
In pure horror movie fashion, you see a bunch of human beings make the worst possible decisions you can think of, led by a douche bag who has no qualms sacrificing innocent lives for the sake of discovery. Beck is a COMPLETE asshole and one of the worst characters I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. He’s a sadist who doesn’t blink when the bodies start dropping, no matter how brutal the fate he just witnessed. He’s an actual psychopath and just when you think he can’t get worse, you hate him more. It also makes you hate Caro too, seeing as she spends most of the book defending him no matter how many red flags and obviously psychotic he is, not to mention the fact that she’s sleeping with him when he’s MARRIED. They both deserve each other!
For the benefit of readers who get bored easily and don’t like a slow start, there’s no slow build up either the violence starts fast as soon as they get into the cave. The descriptions are very well written and the imagery is so well described that you can practically see and hear it. Which I don’t know if you necessarily want in a book like this, but. For a horror novel, this is really well written, and has a really gripping and creative plot.
So now for the critical parts. So here’s the thing. I was enjoying this. I was so sure this was going to be 4 stars. But unfortunately the more I got into this book, the more my opinion of this book changed. First, as a Christian, I really didn’t like the parts where Caro and Beck give their inaccurate and misunderstood take on religion. TBH it was kind of offensive. The way some things were stated about the Christian faith, even though I know it was through the lenses of a flawed character’s misconstrued opinion, it still felt frustrating to read. Beck is definitely written to be unlikeable on purpose, and I don’t know if Caro was purposely written to be unlikeable but I suppose it’s possible (I hope so because she is lol) but I just really did not like it when they both gave their incomplete, inaccurate, and misconstrued opinions about Christian beliefs. This did vastly affect my opinion on this book. Just overall, these two happen to be two of the least likable characters I’ve ever read in fiction. They’re both just very messed up humans, especially Beck who’s just a complete psychopath. They’re both just characters who really need Jesus in their lives fr.
And, the whole thing about Caro’s test? I can’t go into detail without spoilers it really seems like the message this part is pushing is, if someone wrongs you, letting them die is the right thing to do and you shouldn’t regret it, or take it back if you get the chance. Like HUH? Am I missing something? Obviously this is different in cases of self defense but that is not Caro’s case. This book tries to portray her as a good person compared to Beck because she “feels remorse” over it unlike him, when feeling remorse for someone dying is literally bare minimum? I’m confused?
The first half-ish was great and it was all downhill from there. Morally some parts of this book are just confusing. But if you can overlook these critiques mentioned earlier that personally did bug me, and the fact that these are two of the least likable characters in the history of fiction, the plot itself is like a fever dream that you can’t stop reading. Once you get to the 75% mark, THIS BOOK IS UNPUTDOWNABLE. But MAN I had never gone through so much back and forth on an opinion about a book! I’d start enjoying it then something else would pmo.
BUT the plot itself is intense, plotted very well, and the book is so easy to visualize. And I really wish this didn’t have the parts I didn’t like because of it weren’t for that, I could see myself really hyping this book up because the plot, the pacing, the visualization aspects are fantastic. It’s compulsively readable. But certain things just kept me from full enjoyment. It was really well written and very creatively plotted though!
Thank you for Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
First off, this is a lot like The Descent, but a MILLION TIMES more creative and layered. This surprisingly liminal story is like backrooms, sea cave edition. It involves being trapped in a sea cave that rose from the sea out of nowhere, the cave being tied to some sort of cult, and the characters being picked off one by one. But, it’s not just violence for the sake of violence, which tbh I really dislike in horror, but luckily this wasn’t that. This book has layers to its creativity with everything from insane shared hallucinations to a paranormal trial of sorts that they each must endure, one by one. I’m sure you can guess what happens to those who don’t pass!
Caroline, a grad student who is sleeping with her jackass professor Beck because he’s the only one who understands her apparently, joins his expedition to explore a monolith that has risen from the sea. Beck has devoted his life to studying some cult of Leviathan. He employs this group of people to travel to this occultist sea cave that appeared out of nowhere, because that sounds like a great idea! They are somehow able evade the navy who intend to blow the cave up, plus evade the huge media circus stalking the area, and make their way inside into an unmapped cave system. None of these characters watch horror movies, do they!
In pure horror movie fashion, you see a bunch of human beings make the worst possible decisions you can think of, led by a douche bag who has no qualms sacrificing innocent lives for the sake of discovery. Beck is a COMPLETE asshole and one of the worst characters I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. He’s a sadist who doesn’t blink when the bodies start dropping, no matter how brutal the fate he just witnessed. He’s an actual psychopath and just when you think he can’t get worse, you hate him more. It also makes you hate Caro too, seeing as she spends most of the book defending him no matter how many red flags and obviously psychotic he is, not to mention the fact that she’s sleeping with him when he’s MARRIED. They both deserve each other!
For the benefit of readers who get bored easily and don’t like a slow start, there’s no slow build up either the violence starts fast as soon as they get into the cave. The descriptions are very well written and the imagery is so well described that you can practically see and hear it. Which I don’t know if you necessarily want in a book like this, but. For a horror novel, this is really well written, and has a really gripping and creative plot.
So now for the critical parts. So here’s the thing. I was enjoying this. I was so sure this was going to be 4 stars. But unfortunately the more I got into this book, the more my opinion of this book changed. First, as a Christian, I really didn’t like the parts where Caro and Beck give their inaccurate and misunderstood take on religion. TBH it was kind of offensive. The way some things were stated about the Christian faith, even though I know it was through the lenses of a flawed character’s misconstrued opinion, it still felt frustrating to read. Beck is definitely written to be unlikeable on purpose, and I don’t know if Caro was purposely written to be unlikeable but I suppose it’s possible (I hope so because she is lol) but I just really did not like it when they both gave their incomplete, inaccurate, and misconstrued opinions about Christian beliefs. This did vastly affect my opinion on this book. Just overall, these two happen to be two of the least likable characters I’ve ever read in fiction. They’re both just very messed up humans, especially Beck who’s just a complete psychopath. They’re both just characters who really need Jesus in their lives fr.
And, the whole thing about Caro’s test? I can’t go into detail without spoilers it really seems like the message this part is pushing is, if someone wrongs you, letting them die is the right thing to do and you shouldn’t regret it, or take it back if you get the chance. Like HUH? Am I missing something? Obviously this is different in cases of self defense but that is not Caro’s case. This book tries to portray her as a good person compared to Beck because she “feels remorse” over it unlike him, when feeling remorse for someone dying is literally bare minimum? I’m confused?
The first half-ish was great and it was all downhill from there. Morally some parts of this book are just confusing. But if you can overlook these critiques mentioned earlier that personally did bug me, and the fact that these are two of the least likable characters in the history of fiction, the plot itself is like a fever dream that you can’t stop reading. Once you get to the 75% mark, THIS BOOK IS UNPUTDOWNABLE. But MAN I had never gone through so much back and forth on an opinion about a book! I’d start enjoying it then something else would pmo.
BUT the plot itself is intense, plotted very well, and the book is so easy to visualize. And I really wish this didn’t have the parts I didn’t like because of it weren’t for that, I could see myself really hyping this book up because the plot, the pacing, the visualization aspects are fantastic. It’s compulsively readable. But certain things just kept me from full enjoyment. It was really well written and very creatively plotted though!
Thank you for Netgalley for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.
August 14, 2026
Hm. I really wanted to love this but I could not get over my burning hatred for Caroline’s “relationship” with her PI. It's overall a good book and the horror aspects were pretty fun and scary.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 5, 2026
Unfortunately, this was one of the most anticipated books of the year. First off, it wasn't exactly what I expected, though I could kinda get behind the plot for a bit.
However, the characters. What a complete waste of time. They’re all absolutely stupid; they lack any survival instinct whatsoever. Why were they even there? some contributed absolutely nothing, except maybe to add to the shock factor and I say "maybe" because I was not shocked at all. I couldn't care less about them, they were useless.
Each character has just one singular piece of very important backstory, and that’s it. Like was nothing else going on in y’all’s life? None of the characters are even remotely fleshed out, not even the main character. Speaking of whom, Caroline pissed me off: girl, get a personality and some self-respect. I understand what the book is trying to do, explore what happens to someone whose life has been shaped by a narcissistic parent, resulting in a blank, insecure person, who doesn’t really know what they want for themselves. But we don't see enough of that before to truly understand the after. We’re told what happened, but it’s never shown in a meaningful way. In the end, it doesn't even matter, because there was no real growth, she keeps doing everything for someone else’s sake.
Caro went back and forth with Beck so many times that I felt like throwing a rock at both of them just to end the whole thing. I get that the situation is complicated, but she "made up her mind" about five different times; she needs to pick a side and stick to it; either she’s in love with him, or she accepts that he doesn't care about her. But please leave me out of it.
Beck gave me the ick me from his very first appearance, and things only got worse. Which I guess was the point. He’s completely obsessed with the cult; it’s the only thing that matters to him. You have to give it to him for being the only one with conviction. He was far more interesting than the rest. If we had understood his motivations beyond him simply being an narcissistic, delusional, obsessive and selfish bad bad guy, I think he would have been even more fascinating. His character had great potential to delve into the themes of cults and religious fanaticism. That potential was completely wasted, both regarding the character himself and his relationship with Caro.
As for the other relationships, they make no sense because, again, we don't have much background on the characters; we don't really know how they met, who they are or what their dynamic was like before the cave, so you will just have to buy into whatever Caro says is was.
The plot revolves mainly around the relationship between Caro and her supposed best friend, Mallory. Those two were acquaintances at the very best. We’re shown time and again how much they love each other, yet neither has ever been honest with the other about anything important. You two are not friends be so serious. They seem more pushed together by circumstance than anything else.
The writing is convoluted and incredibly repetitive. I swear we had the same conversations over and over and I felt like I was rereading the same sentences endlessly. If I read the word "congealed" one more time istg.
And you know what? I’m even gonna throw the Leviathan under the bus too, because her trials made absolutely no damn sense. I never understood what we were trying to achieve: were we trying to absolve? To punish? What exactly was being tested? she was just playing them for fools and honestly that would’ve been more fun. We didn't accomplish anything. Even that character was poorly constructed, it wasn't imposing, scary or powerful. And those speeches omg just shut up already. The whole thing struck me as a very mediocre exploration of human nature, morality and guilt. Everything felt very black-and-white.
I’m sure this would make a great movie because 1. It’s very visual and the atmosphere is there, not hard to picture although very confusing. 2. You wouldn't have to be inside Caroline's head. As a book, it doesn't work. If you strip away the fantasy element, its a repackaged self-help book about facing your demons and choosing yourself. It drags on forever, finishing it is a trial in itself.
That’s all. Booooo! tomatoe tomatoe 🍅🍅🍅🍅
However, the characters. What a complete waste of time. They’re all absolutely stupid; they lack any survival instinct whatsoever. Why were they even there? some contributed absolutely nothing, except maybe to add to the shock factor and I say "maybe" because I was not shocked at all. I couldn't care less about them, they were useless.
Each character has just one singular piece of very important backstory, and that’s it. Like was nothing else going on in y’all’s life? None of the characters are even remotely fleshed out, not even the main character. Speaking of whom, Caroline pissed me off: girl, get a personality and some self-respect. I understand what the book is trying to do, explore what happens to someone whose life has been shaped by a narcissistic parent, resulting in a blank, insecure person, who doesn’t really know what they want for themselves. But we don't see enough of that before to truly understand the after. We’re told what happened, but it’s never shown in a meaningful way. In the end, it doesn't even matter, because there was no real growth, she keeps doing everything for someone else’s sake.
Caro went back and forth with Beck so many times that I felt like throwing a rock at both of them just to end the whole thing. I get that the situation is complicated, but she "made up her mind" about five different times; she needs to pick a side and stick to it; either she’s in love with him, or she accepts that he doesn't care about her. But please leave me out of it.
Beck gave me the ick me from his very first appearance, and things only got worse. Which I guess was the point. He’s completely obsessed with the cult; it’s the only thing that matters to him. You have to give it to him for being the only one with conviction. He was far more interesting than the rest. If we had understood his motivations beyond him simply being an narcissistic, delusional, obsessive and selfish bad bad guy, I think he would have been even more fascinating. His character had great potential to delve into the themes of cults and religious fanaticism. That potential was completely wasted, both regarding the character himself and his relationship with Caro.
As for the other relationships, they make no sense because, again, we don't have much background on the characters; we don't really know how they met, who they are or what their dynamic was like before the cave, so you will just have to buy into whatever Caro says is was.
The plot revolves mainly around the relationship between Caro and her supposed best friend, Mallory. Those two were acquaintances at the very best. We’re shown time and again how much they love each other, yet neither has ever been honest with the other about anything important. You two are not friends be so serious. They seem more pushed together by circumstance than anything else.
The writing is convoluted and incredibly repetitive. I swear we had the same conversations over and over and I felt like I was rereading the same sentences endlessly. If I read the word "congealed" one more time istg.
And you know what? I’m even gonna throw the Leviathan under the bus too, because her trials made absolutely no damn sense. I never understood what we were trying to achieve: were we trying to absolve? To punish? What exactly was being tested? she was just playing them for fools and honestly that would’ve been more fun. We didn't accomplish anything. Even that character was poorly constructed, it wasn't imposing, scary or powerful. And those speeches omg just shut up already. The whole thing struck me as a very mediocre exploration of human nature, morality and guilt. Everything felt very black-and-white.
I’m sure this would make a great movie because 1. It’s very visual and the atmosphere is there, not hard to picture although very confusing. 2. You wouldn't have to be inside Caroline's head. As a book, it doesn't work. If you strip away the fantasy element, its a repackaged self-help book about facing your demons and choosing yourself. It drags on forever, finishing it is a trial in itself.
That’s all. Booooo! tomatoe tomatoe 🍅🍅🍅🍅
Did Not Finish
June 28, 2026I cannot believe I’m saying this on a book with a synopsis this good but I have to DNF.
I could move past the writing style, it’s unique and challenging but sometimes that can be good. I cannot move past the FMC simping this badly for THE WORST man ever. She made the worst possible choice at every opportunity and now we are going to put our life on the line, for a man? For that man?
No.
Also why are we here? Why is this particular group at the rock/cave that suddenly appeared in the ocean? That is still unclear. Most importantly why is the teachers aid here? What is happening?
I get it there is going to be character growth throughout the book and I’m sure the horrible characters get theres but the FMC motivations are so unclear and unbelievable that I couldn’t buy in. It was DNF or risk putting myself in the greatest reading slump of my life.
I could move past the writing style, it’s unique and challenging but sometimes that can be good. I cannot move past the FMC simping this badly for THE WORST man ever. She made the worst possible choice at every opportunity and now we are going to put our life on the line, for a man? For that man?
No.
Also why are we here? Why is this particular group at the rock/cave that suddenly appeared in the ocean? That is still unclear. Most importantly why is the teachers aid here? What is happening?
I get it there is going to be character growth throughout the book and I’m sure the horrible characters get theres but the FMC motivations are so unclear and unbelievable that I couldn’t buy in. It was DNF or risk putting myself in the greatest reading slump of my life.
May 11, 2026
Great Concept But Poorly Executed
First, the positives… This book has great cover art. The concept behind the storyline was intriguing, kind of mashup of the film “The Descent” and the mystery behind Leviathan. Unfortunately, the book isn’t well written, and the exploration of subject matter is clumsy. If you’re the type of reader that only consumes a couple of books a year, you may enjoy it more than I did.
Thanks to Orbit Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the complimentary eDRC. All opinions are my own.
First, the positives… This book has great cover art. The concept behind the storyline was intriguing, kind of mashup of the film “The Descent” and the mystery behind Leviathan. Unfortunately, the book isn’t well written, and the exploration of subject matter is clumsy. If you’re the type of reader that only consumes a couple of books a year, you may enjoy it more than I did.
Thanks to Orbit Books and Goodreads Giveaways for the complimentary eDRC. All opinions are my own.
August 21, 2026
Review originally on JamReads
It's not a secret that I love horror, and the more uncanny and unsettling, the better, so when a book is presented as The Descent meets The Ritual, it will be immediately on my radar; but trust me when I say that The Sea Hides Its Dead is more that simply that, as Megan Bontrager has not only managed to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the setting but also delivered a deeply emotional story, with a cast of characters that provokes visceral reactions and that feels extremely real. A horror novel that is excellent from start to the end, so let's dive (pun not really intended) in.
Caro is not sure what to do with her life, a young college student whose mother recently passed away, so when the opportunity arises to join as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she immediately takes it. An expedition to descend into the sea caves where the ancient Cult of the Leviathan; a team of academics and professionals that will get trapped after the entrance collapses, putting in motion an ancient trial where they will have to face and atone for their greatest sin, or die after proving they are not worthy of the Leviathan.
And it's in this kind of situation where we have the perfect excuse to analyze the characters created by Bontrager and why they feel so brilliant. Let's start by addressing Edward Beck, who will be the main antagonist. Selfish, manipulative, a character that you end up hating just as you see how he only cares about his personal glory, how he manipulates vulnerable people even if that means hurting them just in order to fulfill what he considers his goal, his destiny. You can see how he represents that kind of person that abuses their position of power, that preys on the vulnerable; but there's also a kind of messianic touch on how he behaves, how he sees himself as the chosen by the Leviathan, how this is just the culmination of all his life's work.
However, it's on the figure of Caroline where I would say Bontrager's writing shines. A complicated character, a person who has suffered and whose vulnerability is being used by Edward Beck, being groomed into a relationship where the power is clearly unbalanced; he's a jerk, he's treasoning her trust, and still, you will see how she will justify anything that comes from Beck. The reader sees the abusive relationship, but when somebody is so deep into the pit, almost hopeless, it's difficult to find that anchor that helps you to reach the surface.
Caro already experienced the abuse of a narcissistic person, and partly, I feel that was what pushed her towards Beck; through her Leviathan's test, we see her facing the first figure that created that trauma, but it's definitely Mallory the hand that helps her float above the wave. At the end, Mallory is that hope, that support she needed to survive and overcome, and that's something we all should take from this story, as many times, people need help to heal.
Almost as important as the character is the atmosphere and the setting they are put it; a dark and oppressive one, a sea cave where there's more than what they thought, delving into the Enocian scriptures and the figure of Leviathan, but always keeping that halo of mystery about the true nature of that figure. The trials put the whole group against what could be considered their biggest sin, but atoning is not as simple as repenting; an exploration of concepts such as guilt and sin that is more complex than the binaries usually paired with religion.
In terms of pacing, we have an excellent book, which keeps you tense from start to the end, while naturally introducing character work that will eventually play important roles in the story. A book that almost invites you to devour it.
The Sea Hides Its Dead is a deliciously dark horror novel, putting Megan Bontrager as a voice to follow in the future, especially if you like complicated characters that are just reflections of what real people could be paired together with a superb setting that is the perfect scenario for the story. A candidate to be one of my favourite books of the year!
It's not a secret that I love horror, and the more uncanny and unsettling, the better, so when a book is presented as The Descent meets The Ritual, it will be immediately on my radar; but trust me when I say that The Sea Hides Its Dead is more that simply that, as Megan Bontrager has not only managed to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the setting but also delivered a deeply emotional story, with a cast of characters that provokes visceral reactions and that feels extremely real. A horror novel that is excellent from start to the end, so let's dive (pun not really intended) in.
Caro is not sure what to do with her life, a young college student whose mother recently passed away, so when the opportunity arises to join as a research assistant on an anthropological expedition for her professor and lover, Edward Beck, she immediately takes it. An expedition to descend into the sea caves where the ancient Cult of the Leviathan; a team of academics and professionals that will get trapped after the entrance collapses, putting in motion an ancient trial where they will have to face and atone for their greatest sin, or die after proving they are not worthy of the Leviathan.
And it's in this kind of situation where we have the perfect excuse to analyze the characters created by Bontrager and why they feel so brilliant. Let's start by addressing Edward Beck, who will be the main antagonist. Selfish, manipulative, a character that you end up hating just as you see how he only cares about his personal glory, how he manipulates vulnerable people even if that means hurting them just in order to fulfill what he considers his goal, his destiny. You can see how he represents that kind of person that abuses their position of power, that preys on the vulnerable; but there's also a kind of messianic touch on how he behaves, how he sees himself as the chosen by the Leviathan, how this is just the culmination of all his life's work.
However, it's on the figure of Caroline where I would say Bontrager's writing shines. A complicated character, a person who has suffered and whose vulnerability is being used by Edward Beck, being groomed into a relationship where the power is clearly unbalanced; he's a jerk, he's treasoning her trust, and still, you will see how she will justify anything that comes from Beck. The reader sees the abusive relationship, but when somebody is so deep into the pit, almost hopeless, it's difficult to find that anchor that helps you to reach the surface.
Caro already experienced the abuse of a narcissistic person, and partly, I feel that was what pushed her towards Beck; through her Leviathan's test, we see her facing the first figure that created that trauma, but it's definitely Mallory the hand that helps her float above the wave. At the end, Mallory is that hope, that support she needed to survive and overcome, and that's something we all should take from this story, as many times, people need help to heal.
Almost as important as the character is the atmosphere and the setting they are put it; a dark and oppressive one, a sea cave where there's more than what they thought, delving into the Enocian scriptures and the figure of Leviathan, but always keeping that halo of mystery about the true nature of that figure. The trials put the whole group against what could be considered their biggest sin, but atoning is not as simple as repenting; an exploration of concepts such as guilt and sin that is more complex than the binaries usually paired with religion.
In terms of pacing, we have an excellent book, which keeps you tense from start to the end, while naturally introducing character work that will eventually play important roles in the story. A book that almost invites you to devour it.
The Sea Hides Its Dead is a deliciously dark horror novel, putting Megan Bontrager as a voice to follow in the future, especially if you like complicated characters that are just reflections of what real people could be paired together with a superb setting that is the perfect scenario for the story. A candidate to be one of my favourite books of the year!
June 9, 2026
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
It was a solid read. The atmosphere was definitely grim and gritty, the author created something quite dreadful successfully. The plot was very interesting and well-paced, it’s wasn’t too fast-paced or slow-paced I would consider it to be medium but gradually building a feeling of unease until the last few pages. The author crafted an unique world-building in a unusual setting that was quite engaging. Caroline was a fine main character, the other characters were also multilayered enough for such a story. However, I really hated one of the male characters especially, I couldn’t stand him. He’s the type of character that is extremely cocky and delusional, the kind that believes his words are the right ones and nobody’s as good as he is. Really annoying. But the ending was satisfying enough for me to have an overall good feeling about this book. I would absolutely recommend it, but I would advise you to check the content warnings though.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
It was a solid read. The atmosphere was definitely grim and gritty, the author created something quite dreadful successfully. The plot was very interesting and well-paced, it’s wasn’t too fast-paced or slow-paced I would consider it to be medium but gradually building a feeling of unease until the last few pages. The author crafted an unique world-building in a unusual setting that was quite engaging. Caroline was a fine main character, the other characters were also multilayered enough for such a story. However, I really hated one of the male characters especially, I couldn’t stand him. He’s the type of character that is extremely cocky and delusional, the kind that believes his words are the right ones and nobody’s as good as he is. Really annoying. But the ending was satisfying enough for me to have an overall good feeling about this book. I would absolutely recommend it, but I would advise you to check the content warnings though.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
July 16, 2026
such a great, unique concept but the execution really fell flat for me. the potential is there! the prose is rich and eerie! but the characterization is so stilted and sloppy to the point where none of these characters feel like real, fathomable people. so much of the story hinges on the reader just accepting that for some completely unclear reason, caro is enamored with this stinking garbage heap of a man who clearly is going to fuck her over from day one. I just couldn’t even suspend my disbelief enough to buy it.
Did Not Finish
July 14, 2026DNF 17%
While the premise of The Sea Hides Its Dead is right up my alley, this isn't a good fit for me stylistically.
The interpersonal dynamics, dialogue, and internal monologue have a more youthful tone than I typically enjoy. The writing resembles what's usually found in commercial contemporary fiction to me—clean, accessible, modern, familiar, and transparent—instead of the darker, denser style with more lush, literary vigor I tend to prefer in horror.
I think fans of Racheal Harrison and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will get along with the narrative style of this read more than I did.
While the premise of The Sea Hides Its Dead is right up my alley, this isn't a good fit for me stylistically.
The interpersonal dynamics, dialogue, and internal monologue have a more youthful tone than I typically enjoy. The writing resembles what's usually found in commercial contemporary fiction to me—clean, accessible, modern, familiar, and transparent—instead of the darker, denser style with more lush, literary vigor I tend to prefer in horror.
I think fans of Racheal Harrison and Tatiana Schlote-Bonne will get along with the narrative style of this read more than I did.
July 7, 2026
More like 2.75;
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I’ll start with what I liked: the premise, a very intriguing story about creepy creatures found in a very old cave with the Leviathan myth. I liked the cover, even if it gave me goosebumps. And I liked only one character out of all of them.
What I didn’t like was the pace. It goes from slow paced to fast paced and then to slow and then to fast and so on. It’s not a long book, but throughout it I felt like I’m reading a 800+ pages novel. It annoyed me with all the unnecessary and repetitive descriptions.
Another thing that I didn’t like were the characters. As j said, I liked only one and i don’t wanna say who because it can be a spoiler. But I didn’t like the FMC. I didn’t like how childish she was and her inner monologue about her love choice (a married professor) was way too much. That’s what she’s thinking about for more than half a book, I just started to skim through her thoughts. Way too much. I don’t want to even speak about the MMC, he’s an idiot. Annoying to say the least. Ugh.
Also, there’s no horror.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I’ll start with what I liked: the premise, a very intriguing story about creepy creatures found in a very old cave with the Leviathan myth. I liked the cover, even if it gave me goosebumps. And I liked only one character out of all of them.
What I didn’t like was the pace. It goes from slow paced to fast paced and then to slow and then to fast and so on. It’s not a long book, but throughout it I felt like I’m reading a 800+ pages novel. It annoyed me with all the unnecessary and repetitive descriptions.
Another thing that I didn’t like were the characters. As j said, I liked only one and i don’t wanna say who because it can be a spoiler. But I didn’t like the FMC. I didn’t like how childish she was and her inner monologue about her love choice (a married professor) was way too much. That’s what she’s thinking about for more than half a book, I just started to skim through her thoughts. Way too much. I don’t want to even speak about the MMC, he’s an idiot. Annoying to say the least. Ugh.
Also, there’s no horror.
July 31, 2026
if you liked the movie the descent but thought it would be better as an aquatic ocean cult eldritch-y cosmic horror ….. !!!! this is the book for you!
this is an ARC review! shoutout orbit for the chance to read this early!
the vibes are (if you squint, like, really hard) sort of like if love, theoretically was a horror story, and NOT AT ALL a romance, because jack was The Worst and Married, and if elsie was his student instead of colleague and her battle against her own people pleasing, no-sense-of-real-identity became the moral lens through which she’s evaluated by an ancient eldritch horror in a terrifying oceanic monolith cave that appeared overnight off the coast of maine.
this was diabolically funny at times, and then absolutely stomach turningly gross at other parts. terrifying in a claustrophobic kind of way while also being a devastating and tragic reckoning with personal identity and trauma. BIG fever dream vibes, but in an enjoyable, what-happens-next, watched-the-descent-too-young-and-it-forever-altered-my-brain-chemistry, major astrological placement in libra kind of way!
if you’re a horror fan and don’t mind things being surreal, confusing, and at times a smidge corny, DEFINITELY pick this up! it’ll make you laugh, make you cry, give you nightmares, and solidify that going to grad school is always a bad idea.
this is an ARC review! shoutout orbit for the chance to read this early!
the vibes are (if you squint, like, really hard) sort of like if love, theoretically was a horror story, and NOT AT ALL a romance, because jack was The Worst and Married, and if elsie was his student instead of colleague and her battle against her own people pleasing, no-sense-of-real-identity became the moral lens through which she’s evaluated by an ancient eldritch horror in a terrifying oceanic monolith cave that appeared overnight off the coast of maine.
this was diabolically funny at times, and then absolutely stomach turningly gross at other parts. terrifying in a claustrophobic kind of way while also being a devastating and tragic reckoning with personal identity and trauma. BIG fever dream vibes, but in an enjoyable, what-happens-next, watched-the-descent-too-young-and-it-forever-altered-my-brain-chemistry, major astrological placement in libra kind of way!
if you’re a horror fan and don’t mind things being surreal, confusing, and at times a smidge corny, DEFINITELY pick this up! it’ll make you laugh, make you cry, give you nightmares, and solidify that going to grad school is always a bad idea.
August 23, 2026
4 ⭐️ | 4 🔪
The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager is a book I have some VERY complicated feelings about because I absolutely despised most of these characters. But the horror? Incredible.
The underground/cave/oceanic setting was suffocating, disorienting, claustrophobic, and scary. As the group is picked off one by one and forced to confront unspeakable things, the story becomes a terrifying descent into something I couldn’t have anticipated. The body horror was visceral and so immersive. I could practically see, feel, smell, and taste everything happening.
Mallory was easily my favorite character and the moral center of the entire group.
Unfortunately, I found Caroline and Beck’s dynamic unbearable. I can appreciate the humanness of a character, and I know there will be characters I just don’t like, but I genuinely considered DNFing because of it. The writing and the increasingly horrifying plot kept me going, though, and ultimately is reflected in my high rating.
Absolutely brutal and gross, but never exploitative. And the ending? So 👏🏼 good.
The Sea Hides Its Dead by Megan Bontrager is a book I have some VERY complicated feelings about because I absolutely despised most of these characters. But the horror? Incredible.
The underground/cave/oceanic setting was suffocating, disorienting, claustrophobic, and scary. As the group is picked off one by one and forced to confront unspeakable things, the story becomes a terrifying descent into something I couldn’t have anticipated. The body horror was visceral and so immersive. I could practically see, feel, smell, and taste everything happening.
Mallory was easily my favorite character and the moral center of the entire group.
Unfortunately, I found Caroline and Beck’s dynamic unbearable. I can appreciate the humanness of a character, and I know there will be characters I just don’t like, but I genuinely considered DNFing because of it. The writing and the increasingly horrifying plot kept me going, though, and ultimately is reflected in my high rating.
Absolutely brutal and gross, but never exploitative. And the ending? So 👏🏼 good.
July 21, 2026
This was so fucking good
RTC
RTC
July 21, 2026
Eh. Pretty good in terms of horror, it's definitely disturbing, but it was more fever dream-y than I prefer and Caro's arc would've been more compelling if her characterization was stronger. Also, why are we calling things eldritch horror that are definitely not eldritch horror? There's nothing eldritch about this entity. It's not unfathomable because Caro...fathoms (?) it. She comprehends it enough to manipulate it by flattering its ego, and I simply don't think you should be able to butter up an eldritch being. She literally sees it, it's not even that big! I know no one cares but I care. I signed up for horrors beyond human comprehension and I got a big snake with a god complex that simply cares way too much about the affairs of puny humans.
November 14, 2025
I had the honour of reading an early version of this book and WOW. If you don’t know me, I LOVE caves and caving horror stories so this book activated the descent sleeper agent inside me and I finished it in a two-day rush, scrambling hungrily from page to page. For readers who love the tension of The Descent and the claustrophobia of As Above So Below, this book welcomes you with open arms.
As PhD student Caro, attempts to untangle herself from a life of manipulation — from her mother to her professor/lover — and she finds herself stuck in a cave off the coast that promises knowledge… and something darker.
Caro really hit home for me as someone who doesn’t know where they’re going in life. She’s unsure, a follower, but she really flourishes against the horrors presented to her. She becomes a survivor. Amidst the horrors, she finds her footing and comes out on top. I was rooting for her from the moment I met her, wanting to protect her from all the bad things in the world, terrible things both old and new, especially her professor.
Beck is a force. He’s deeply charismatic and well-learned and even when I knew I shouldn’t like him, I found myself drawn in. Bontrager understands all the things that make a good manipulator and employs them in Beck.
The atmosphere is perfectly tense and claustrophobic with a side of perfectly timed comedic interjections. Usually I struggle with horror books, finding dips and slow moments in the narrative, but this book had me hooked from the moment I opened it. Bontrager knows how to keep the reader on their toes, always paranoid for when the next horror will arrive. This book will sit with you long after it’s left.
As PhD student Caro, attempts to untangle herself from a life of manipulation — from her mother to her professor/lover — and she finds herself stuck in a cave off the coast that promises knowledge… and something darker.
Caro really hit home for me as someone who doesn’t know where they’re going in life. She’s unsure, a follower, but she really flourishes against the horrors presented to her. She becomes a survivor. Amidst the horrors, she finds her footing and comes out on top. I was rooting for her from the moment I met her, wanting to protect her from all the bad things in the world, terrible things both old and new, especially her professor.
Beck is a force. He’s deeply charismatic and well-learned and even when I knew I shouldn’t like him, I found myself drawn in. Bontrager understands all the things that make a good manipulator and employs them in Beck.
The atmosphere is perfectly tense and claustrophobic with a side of perfectly timed comedic interjections. Usually I struggle with horror books, finding dips and slow moments in the narrative, but this book had me hooked from the moment I opened it. Bontrager knows how to keep the reader on their toes, always paranoid for when the next horror will arrive. This book will sit with you long after it’s left.
April 8, 2026
A group of academics are trapped in a sea cave and must reckon with eldritch horrors as they are forced to atone for their greatest sins. This aquatic cosmic horror that has been described as “Dante’s Inferno meets The Descent” is well worth the hype. This book had me on the edge of my seat throughout the entirety of it, I had trouble putting it down. I had so much fun reading this captivating, gross, squishy book! This book is not for the faint of heart, so be sure to read the content warnings before diving in. I will say regarding one of the content warnings, there is “animal death” listed, which I know will scare some people away, but listen to me… it’s ok, you can read through it. I am super sensitive to stuff like that, but without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just say it’s not super graphic for that particular bit, and it’s important to the story. I’m so glad I got the opportunity to read this book early, but I’m sad it’s over now. I will definitely be buying a physical copy and recommending it to anyone that will listen.
August 20, 2026
Oh this sucked so bad. Was debating giving it one star but it was technically readable.
The book follows a group of academics as they enter a cave and cannot get out and basically just killed slowly by an unforeseen force.
Caroline is a sad girl. Actually, the opening scene in the book was the best part. Sad girl sees a dying deer hit by a car and holds it in her arms until it dies, and you are like- oh fuck we are about to go on an emotional journey. Buy in is easy.
Cut to scene two where Caroline is revealed to be having an affair with her college professor, who by all means she seems to hate. If you’re going to establish a relationship, no matter how toxic, and your intention is to make it feel kind of believable for us, you need to try to sell it.
A really big issue with fiction today is that the authors are so afraid of being accused of supporting things that are bad that they bash you over the head with what their actual opinion is. Caroline is dating this guy that is basically scum of the Earth, and rather than having a broken idea of who he is as a person and being delusional about how they feel about each other, she’s constantly just talking shit about him. The very first scene that she and him are together, she irritatingly notes how she never orgasms having sex with him, and how he’s incapable of giving that to her.
And we are supposed to believe that she’s in this really twisted power struggle of a relationship? Absolutely not. I am not buying at all for a second that she actually likes this guy, despite several times just kind of doing whatever he says. If you’re gonna write a fucked up relationship, you need to believe the person is actually interested in the person that they’re with, even if the intention is to make the relationship fall apart later and for the lead to realize she was in something toxic all along.
The author mentioned in the special edition note that this was sort of one of those books about women finding their power and female rage/men in academia sucking, but the deep personal element of the dying deer never really comes back. the characters background is revealed, but the intimacy behind the scene never reveals itself again.
The monster is weird. You have long drawn out scenes where people are being caught in memories or past experiences, you have scenes with full out carnage, you have scenes where people are hallucinating voices, but somehow not dying, I don’t know, the whole thing is weird. It’s like this book just couldn’t decide what kind of horror It actually wanted to be. The details of the story mention a cult, but that’s not a very relevant part of the book at all. It tries to do a Scary cave thing, but half of the time the atmosphere is not very clear and you sort of forget that you’re in a cave.
The character reactions are all very weird, like characters will react to people dying and then kind of get over it quickly? They just don’t do anything that feels natural, like the author had full intention to get the main character across the finish line, but didn’t really understand how to get there. The result ended up being a boring and disheveled work.
The book is boring, the relationship is stupid and doesn’t have a whole lot of impact because you can’t believe it in the first place, and the characters feel half baked. Frankly, I think there were too many of them.
The book follows a group of academics as they enter a cave and cannot get out and basically just killed slowly by an unforeseen force.
Caroline is a sad girl. Actually, the opening scene in the book was the best part. Sad girl sees a dying deer hit by a car and holds it in her arms until it dies, and you are like- oh fuck we are about to go on an emotional journey. Buy in is easy.
Cut to scene two where Caroline is revealed to be having an affair with her college professor, who by all means she seems to hate. If you’re going to establish a relationship, no matter how toxic, and your intention is to make it feel kind of believable for us, you need to try to sell it.
A really big issue with fiction today is that the authors are so afraid of being accused of supporting things that are bad that they bash you over the head with what their actual opinion is. Caroline is dating this guy that is basically scum of the Earth, and rather than having a broken idea of who he is as a person and being delusional about how they feel about each other, she’s constantly just talking shit about him. The very first scene that she and him are together, she irritatingly notes how she never orgasms having sex with him, and how he’s incapable of giving that to her.
And we are supposed to believe that she’s in this really twisted power struggle of a relationship? Absolutely not. I am not buying at all for a second that she actually likes this guy, despite several times just kind of doing whatever he says. If you’re gonna write a fucked up relationship, you need to believe the person is actually interested in the person that they’re with, even if the intention is to make the relationship fall apart later and for the lead to realize she was in something toxic all along.
The author mentioned in the special edition note that this was sort of one of those books about women finding their power and female rage/men in academia sucking, but the deep personal element of the dying deer never really comes back. the characters background is revealed, but the intimacy behind the scene never reveals itself again.
The monster is weird. You have long drawn out scenes where people are being caught in memories or past experiences, you have scenes with full out carnage, you have scenes where people are hallucinating voices, but somehow not dying, I don’t know, the whole thing is weird. It’s like this book just couldn’t decide what kind of horror It actually wanted to be. The details of the story mention a cult, but that’s not a very relevant part of the book at all. It tries to do a Scary cave thing, but half of the time the atmosphere is not very clear and you sort of forget that you’re in a cave.
The character reactions are all very weird, like characters will react to people dying and then kind of get over it quickly? They just don’t do anything that feels natural, like the author had full intention to get the main character across the finish line, but didn’t really understand how to get there. The result ended up being a boring and disheveled work.
The book is boring, the relationship is stupid and doesn’t have a whole lot of impact because you can’t believe it in the first place, and the characters feel half baked. Frankly, I think there were too many of them.
July 24, 2026
What sold me on this book was the premise. A cave pops out of nowhere and is believed to be tied to some leviathan cult? Count me in. As an anthropology major, I appreciated the anthropological elements, even if no anthropologist I know would be as reckless as these characters.
Despite the intriguing premise, the story gets extremely repetitive, since each character essentially goes through their own test and we just watch to see whether they make it out alive. This wasn’t especially fun for me, since I pretty much knew what to expect most of the time. I did enjoy the Lovecraftian elements and the descriptions were fantastic, but I found the characters themselves frustrating and annoying in how they acted.
The ending was ok, not the worst, but I didn’t really like the direction it went either. Overall though, the strong descriptions and atmosphere are what stood out most. The characters and some elements of the plot, on the other hand, felt a bit lacking.
Despite the intriguing premise, the story gets extremely repetitive, since each character essentially goes through their own test and we just watch to see whether they make it out alive. This wasn’t especially fun for me, since I pretty much knew what to expect most of the time. I did enjoy the Lovecraftian elements and the descriptions were fantastic, but I found the characters themselves frustrating and annoying in how they acted.
The ending was ok, not the worst, but I didn’t really like the direction it went either. Overall though, the strong descriptions and atmosphere are what stood out most. The characters and some elements of the plot, on the other hand, felt a bit lacking.
August 10, 2026
When I read the blurb, it sounded really promising. But there were some things that bothered me in the actual execution.
I loathed the relationship between the main character and her teacher. These sort of forbidden relationships are usually something I find alluring, but this just came across as obsessive and unhealthy.
I also thought that these people facing their sins would play out differently. Now it was more of a hallucination where they had to relive this moment and right their wrongs, but they didn’t even realize that this was the goal or that they were in a trial/hallucination.
You would think that fraternizing with your students when married would be a sin that would be addressed. But instead all the characters just had variations of the same sin, which instead made the plot feel repetitive.
The ending wasn’t satisfying and while this book will probably find its audience, it wasn’t for me.
I loathed the relationship between the main character and her teacher. These sort of forbidden relationships are usually something I find alluring, but this just came across as obsessive and unhealthy.
I also thought that these people facing their sins would play out differently. Now it was more of a hallucination where they had to relive this moment and right their wrongs, but they didn’t even realize that this was the goal or that they were in a trial/hallucination.
You would think that fraternizing with your students when married would be a sin that would be addressed. But instead all the characters just had variations of the same sin, which instead made the plot feel repetitive.
The ending wasn’t satisfying and while this book will probably find its audience, it wasn’t for me.
July 27, 2026
3.75-super interesting and unique idea
June 3, 2026
A gripping tale of feminine rage, guilt, abuse and power imbalance. I enjoyed the book so much that I didn’t want to put it down. Devouring it in about 24 hours.
If you’re coming for a cult story this is definitely for you. If you have a fear of caves or get claustrophobic when watching videos of cave divers this is going to send a chill down your spine.
This book wasn’t five stars for me, mostly because I didn’t cry (which is what separates a 4 from a 5 star read for me). I also found some of the lore, story concept and characters difficult to follow. I think you need to have a baseline understanding of some of the mythology otherwise it’s kind of hard to understand why these characters are going on this expedition. I wish I had more time with each of the characters. We really only get to see them through the eyes of our FMC. Because of that I didn’t feel compelled to fully understand their purpose/her closeness to them as she has a general distance (rightfully so) between herself and others.
Overall, it was still a good read as long as I took time to slow day and reread the parts with mythology and relationships that I was personally struggling to understand. But if you have a base understanding of some of the discussed mythology you’ll do just fine reading this!
If you’re coming for a cult story this is definitely for you. If you have a fear of caves or get claustrophobic when watching videos of cave divers this is going to send a chill down your spine.
This book wasn’t five stars for me, mostly because I didn’t cry (which is what separates a 4 from a 5 star read for me). I also found some of the lore, story concept and characters difficult to follow. I think you need to have a baseline understanding of some of the mythology otherwise it’s kind of hard to understand why these characters are going on this expedition. I wish I had more time with each of the characters. We really only get to see them through the eyes of our FMC. Because of that I didn’t feel compelled to fully understand their purpose/her closeness to them as she has a general distance (rightfully so) between herself and others.
Overall, it was still a good read as long as I took time to slow day and reread the parts with mythology and relationships that I was personally struggling to understand. But if you have a base understanding of some of the discussed mythology you’ll do just fine reading this!
May 26, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and OrbitBooks for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review.
This book…was interesting. I will start off by saying I didn’t enjoy the author’s writing style, especially in the beginning since the pace was quicker compared to the rest of the book. I personally didn’t understand the purpose of the research assignment of the cave in the beginning until the characters actually get trapped in the cave. I wished there was a better lead up/introduction to the assignment. There was also a lot of telling rather than showing, which made this harder to work through for me.
I also didn’t like how one-dimensional the characters felt. Even our FMC, Caro, felt bland. However, I do feel like this fits the cult-like narrative since vulnerability can get an individual involved in a cult (which I feel fits Caro’s character perfectly).
Otherwise, this book was an okay read for me and it did pick up after the characters got trapped in the cave. The mythology aspect of this book was the most interesting part.
This book…was interesting. I will start off by saying I didn’t enjoy the author’s writing style, especially in the beginning since the pace was quicker compared to the rest of the book. I personally didn’t understand the purpose of the research assignment of the cave in the beginning until the characters actually get trapped in the cave. I wished there was a better lead up/introduction to the assignment. There was also a lot of telling rather than showing, which made this harder to work through for me.
I also didn’t like how one-dimensional the characters felt. Even our FMC, Caro, felt bland. However, I do feel like this fits the cult-like narrative since vulnerability can get an individual involved in a cult (which I feel fits Caro’s character perfectly).
Otherwise, this book was an okay read for me and it did pick up after the characters got trapped in the cave. The mythology aspect of this book was the most interesting part.
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