The Key and the Countess

by Michael Neeb

“LOVE. LIFE. FAMILY. ALL YOU’VE EVER WANTED. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DRINK.”

When an ancient evil is unearthed from the bottom of Georgian Bay, everything in Key Harbour will change. Mutilated animal corpses. Mysterious disappearances. Strange dreams of a Woman in Black. Life in Key was quiet and peaceful. A small marina town. A close-knit community. But soon, Isaac Matthews and the townsfolk must each make an impossible decision, which won’t only determine the fate of everyone in Key Harbour, but perhaps, everyone with a pulse.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO PROTECT THE ONES YOU LOVE?

WHAT WOULD YOU SACRIFICE FOR ETERNAL LIFE?

“I will protect you. I swear it,” Hutch pledges and smiles. This feeling of devotion, so utterly and completely, makes him feel more alive than he ever has before.  “Tell me what you need… my Countess.”

Just one word, when whispered, sends a cold chill down his spine, as if a thousand spiders with thousands of legs were dancing upon his back. Yet, he knows he will comply, for his life is hers, now and forever.  

Blood.

466 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2025

About the author

Michael Neeb lives in Brantford, Ontario. A husband and a father, voice-over actor and writer. In the winter he can be found strumming a guitar and playing hockey. In the summer you can find him fishing unsuccessfully or golfing terribly and enjoying the lakes of Northern Ontario. And always reading, watching, or listening to stories.
Website - www.michaelvo.ca
TikTok - @michaelreadsandwrites
Facebook - www.facebook.com/michael.neeb.372/

Reviews

[Nicholas Farrant · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bloody romp with shades of Salem's Lot and The Village of the Damned. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced readers copy and it got me right in the mood for the spooky season. The characters were great, the plot was well executed, and the violence just to the right side of grotesque. To me the strongest element (besides a loyal dog who deserves a medal) was the town. It felt like a real place, a character in its own right, full of small town charm and dark secrets for the evil to exploit.

[libraryofkara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me frantically turning the page to find out what happened next! The town felt like a true Northern Ontario small town and I could really imagine the characters as people I knew in my real life. A classic vampire story but with unexpected twists that had me gasping and needing to put the book down to wrap my head around what happened.
Highlights: Cash the dog (the goodest boy who ever was) and Priest Mackie (stoner and Lord of the Rings fan)

[Jenny Farion · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't many books where I turn the page frantically to see what happens next, but I sure did with The Key and the Countess. The story itself was phenomenal. The action was described in a way that made me feel like I could actually see the characters as their journeys unfolded. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[NA Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, a page-turner from the start to finish! I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good vampire tale that'll leave you begging for more.