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The Cellar Below
In the deep woods of Potter County, long before the tragedies of The Hollow Tree, a town is born, and something ancient wakes beneath it.
In 1885, Terrence Fee arrives in the untouched valley of Bailey Run, scouting timber for the Goodyear company. With him are Silas Burke and the quiet, steady Maddox, men who believe the hemlock-rich hills will make their fortunes. What they build instead is a raw, growing settlement perched on the edge of wilderness older than memory.
Ezekiel Moran, his son William, and young Clara come to Blowville as the town takes shape and life begins to settle into the rhythm of frontier labor. But when a clearing is cut on the Freck warrant and a hollow hemlock is found towering above a strange patch of ground, unease creeps into the valley.
This prequel to The Hollow Tree reveals the origins of Blowville, the first stirrings of the presence in the woods, and the secrets buried long before the town’s final fall.
Some roots go deeper than the trees. And some things, once disturbed, do not sleep again.
In 1885, Terrence Fee arrives in the untouched valley of Bailey Run, scouting timber for the Goodyear company. With him are Silas Burke and the quiet, steady Maddox, men who believe the hemlock-rich hills will make their fortunes. What they build instead is a raw, growing settlement perched on the edge of wilderness older than memory.
Ezekiel Moran, his son William, and young Clara come to Blowville as the town takes shape and life begins to settle into the rhythm of frontier labor. But when a clearing is cut on the Freck warrant and a hollow hemlock is found towering above a strange patch of ground, unease creeps into the valley.
This prequel to The Hollow Tree reveals the origins of Blowville, the first stirrings of the presence in the woods, and the secrets buried long before the town’s final fall.
Some roots go deeper than the trees. And some things, once disturbed, do not sleep again.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2025
2 people are currently reading
About the author
Scott E Adams
3 books1 followerScott draws his inspiration from the quiet woods of Potter County, Pennsylvania, where he keeps a cabin tucked among the trees. After learning that a once-thriving logging community had existed near his property, he began researching its past—and uncovered a remarkable history of industry, hardship, prohibition, and everyday life in the Pennsylvania wilderness at the turn of the century. Those discoveries sparked the world in which his historical fiction novels now take place.
When he’s not spending as much time as possible at his Potter County retreat, Scott lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with his wife and their two cats.
When he’s not spending as much time as possible at his Potter County retreat, Scott lives in State College, Pennsylvania, with his wife and their two cats.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 6, 2026
I absolutely loved this prequel to The Hollow Tree! The story takes you back to 1885 Pennsylvania and shows how Blowville got started, and the author nails the atmosphere of those deep woods and lumber camps. You can feel the isolation and danger lurking just beyond the tree line.
What starts as men trying to make their fortune cutting timber slowly becomes something much creepier, and I was hooked from the start. The characters felt so real, especially the Moran family trying to build a life while something ancient is waking up beneath their feet.
If you like slow-burn atmospheric horror with great historical detail and that creeping "something's not right here" feeling, you need to read this. Highly recommend!
What starts as men trying to make their fortune cutting timber slowly becomes something much creepier, and I was hooked from the start. The characters felt so real, especially the Moran family trying to build a life while something ancient is waking up beneath their feet.
If you like slow-burn atmospheric horror with great historical detail and that creeping "something's not right here" feeling, you need to read this. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 of 1 review