Welcome to Bleak The town you won't (or can't!) leave...
The next eerie novel in the Bleak Haven series, in Vincent Ralph's signature, terrifying style!
In 2008, Ethan’s older brother drowned in Bleak Haven’s cursed creek. While the coroner ruled out foul play, Ethan has always suspected that there’s more to the story.
Four years later, 18-year-old Ethan chooses the anniversary of the tragedy to finally return to the creek, attempting to gain the closure that has always eluded him.
What starts as a healing process aided by his loyal friends turns sinister when something emerges from the a figure that looks unnervingly like Ethan’s dead brother, begging for a sacrifice that could change everything.
As Ethan digs deeper into the creek’s dark history, he discovers that someone did return when all seemed lost. Maybe they were the ‘miracle’ child the news reports painted them as. Or perhaps they only came back because someone took their place.
If that’s true, Ethan really could bring his lost brother home. But how far is he willing to go…and at what cost?
Vincent Ralph is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of YA thrillers 14 Ways to Die, Lock the Doors, Secrets Never Die, and One House Left. He is an Edgar Award nominee, winner of the Southern Schools Book Award, and the author of picture book A Boy Called Book. The first two novels in the Bleak Haven series - Dead Fake and Night Terror - will be published in January 2026.
Corpse Creek is set in Bleak Haven, a town haunted by a history of serial killers and tragedy. In 2008, Ethan’s older brother drowned in the creek, but Ethan always doubted it was an accident. Four years later, on the anniversary of his brother’s death, Ethan goes back to the creek. There, he sees a shadow that looks like his brother, who tells him that a sacrifice could bring him back. As Ethan searches for answers, he begins to suspect something supernatural is happening at the creek and wonders if someone has already made a sacrifice to bring back someone they loved.
Corpse Creek is an emotional thriller that keeps you guessing until the last page. Ethan wrestles with his grief while trying to find out if something supernatural is hidden in Corpse Creek. As he digs deeper, his emotions start to affect his friendships and family. The story explores how far someone might go to bring back a loved one. If you liked other books in the Bleak Haven series, I recommend returning to the cursed town in Corpse Creek.
Corpse Creek is out September 15th.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review Corpse Creek. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Corpse Creek is yet another novella set in Bleak Haven, a town know for its unfortunate history. Every single generation of Bleak Haven residents has at least one notable killer in they midst. This place seems to be a breeding ground for that killing gene for some reason.
Corse Creek follows Ethan, an 18 year old with a dead older brother. Except he wasn’t a tragic victim of yet another homicide. He accidentally drowned four years ago. Brody was an exceptional swimmer, but something took him that day and Ethan is determined to figure it out.
On Brody’s four-year death anniversary, Ethan and his friends try to cleanse the creek from bad memories and give it a second chance. But the candle ritual fails and Ethan sees something that looks exactly like Brody in the woods nearby.
The entity starts to follow him everywhere, taunting him with Brody’s possible return. All Ethan has to do is sacrifice someone. Blood for blood, and they will be reunited.
Will he continue to resist this temptation or will the voices grow too loud to ignore?
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I enjoyed Corpse Creek. I felt Ethan’s desperation through the page and was actually debating if he’d go through with it or not. He surprised me, that’s for sure.
Overall, good and terrifying. Read at night at your own risk.
And huge thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with an early copy
ARC review Book 3 of the Bleak Haven series, though you don’t need to read the other two in order to enjoy this one. A YA suspense novel that centers around the most messed up town you will ever known. Decades of massacres and death haunt this small town, with this novel focused on the mystery of the towns creek, called “corpse creek” by the inhabitants due to deaths that have occurred there. Ethan is a troubled teenager trying to navigate the trauma of his brothers death when he doesn’t know what is real or make believe anymore. We see ghosts and demons and the past haunting him at every turn. This story leaves the reader wondering what is real until the very end, and even then it’s open for discussion. It is an easy read, not too many characters to know, with a nice tie in to the previous novels if you did indeed read them, but not necessary. The very end was a bit of a let down, though satisfying enough not to ruin it.
Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Corpse Creek” by Vincent Ralph is a bit different than the previous Bleak Haven books. At first, it appears to be a horror thriller on the surface, but once you get into it, it’s really more about grief with a creepy, supernatural edge.
Set in the unsettling town of Bleak Haven (it’s not required to read the previous Bleak Haven book but is recommended as this story includes references to the town’s history like the other books), the story follows Ethan, who’s trying to cope with the sudden death of his brother. Everyone else says it was just a drowning accident at Corpse Creek, but Ethan isn’t buying that for a second. And the deeper he digs, the more things start to feel off—like, possibly supernatural off.
One of the strongest parts of this book is how it handles grief. Ethan is messy, angry, and desperate for answers, and it feels very real. His relationship with his dad is especially well done; they’re both grieving in different ways but still trying to connect, which adds a lot of emotional weight. He also has a solid group of friends who try to support him, even when he starts pushing everyone away and making some pretty self-destructive choices.
Ethan definitely spirals a bit as he isn’t dealing with his grief in a healthy way. He becomes obsessed with figuring out what really happened to his brother and possibly even bringing him back. That’s where the story leans more into its central question: what would you do if you could bring someone you love back? And more importantly…what would it cost?
Because something is definitely wrong with Corpse Creek, just like with the rest of the town. Ethan starts seeing his brother and hearing whispers, and the book keeps you guessing whether it’s grief messing with his mind or something genuinely supernatural. That ambiguity adds a lot of tension, especially as things escalate and the town’s darker history starts creeping in, like the pattern of murdered kids and the intersection between victim and killer.
In terms of pacing, it’s pretty quick and easy to get through, but don’t expect nonstop action. This is more of a slow-burn, introspective kind of story with bursts of creepiness rather than constant scares. There are some genuinely tense moments, though, especially when Ethan starts getting in over his head.
One thing that might throw you off (like it did to me) is Ethan’s inner narration; it can get pretty poetic and philosophical in a way that doesn’t always feel like how a teenage guy would actually think. It doesn’t ruin the story, but it can take you out of it a bit.
The ending is pretty interesting and unique. It’s open-ended and a little ambiguous, so whether you find it satisfying or confusing probably depends on your taste. It leans more bittersweet than anything else, but there’s still a small sense of hope underneath all the darkness.
Overall, “Corpse Creek” is less of a slasher (definitely different than the last book in the series) and more of a quiet, eerie exploration of loss, guilt, and letting go. If you’re going in expecting constant horror, you might be surprised, but if you like emotional stories with a supernatural twist and a strong atmosphere, this one is definitely worth checking out.
I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to arc read this book. I truly appreciate it.
I have had the absolute privilege of being able to also arc read the previous books in this series, and I was so ecstatic when the publisher reached out to me again to arc read the finale two. I'm so sad to see this series end, but my gosh is this book and this entire series fantastic!
If you've read the previous books in this series, then you know that sometimes its just a real person, and sometimes it's something of the supernatural nature. This time however it's both with a truly dark and delicious psychological element, which I really wasn't expecting, but absolutely loved! I also really want to say despite this series being YA, I would class this series as upper ya for sure, but adult readers of horror will also absolutely love this series, like I do!
As always we have a truly fantastic, and well fleshed out cast of characters, with a truly amazing and immersive plot and storyline. You're going to be left questioning the end the most though! Was it all psychological or was it really supernatural? This is the only book in the series that leaves you with an open ending. Due to that and a few other mentions throughout the book I would highly suggest you read this series out of order for the most chronological impact by reading 2, 4, 3 (this one), and then 1. There are a lot of nods to the other books in this series, and so you don't feel possibly a little clueless about what they're referencing (as some of the moments are in other books), I would highly suggest reading in this order for the biggest Easter egg emotional impact. However if you want the biggest cliffhanger impact of an ending for a series ever read 2,4,1, and then this one!
So if you really love horror, but you need a lot less or a little less gore, or you just love a truly great supernatural, or psychological thriller book you're going to love this one and this series!
Thank you so very much again from the bottom of my heart to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to arc read this entire series! I loved every minute of it!
Thanks Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A quick read that kept me hooked! We return to Bleak Haven, a town known for death. It’s produced more killers than any other. And where every victim is memorialized for all to remember. But what about those that aren’t murdered? Nobody ever seems to remember them. That’s the case with Ethan’s brother Brody, he drowned in Corpse Creek, but his death was too ordinary for it to matter. Not that Ethan ever really believed that he spent months trying to find a killer, his brother was an excellent swimmer there’s no way he drowned. He finally gave it up when he risked losing all his friends and his dad. But now it’s been four years and every year on the anniversary they light a candle and try to think of good memories. This year Ethan wants closure and the only place he can get it is at Corpse Creek. But no happy memories will come and then he sees his brother. Is he real? Is he hallucinating? Or is there something far more sinister going on? Everyone believes Corpse Creek to be evil and it just may be, for the voice that he’s hearing, maybe his brother, is telling him that it’s a life for a life. He can have his brother back all he has to do is sacrifice someone else. This story was intense and thrilling! A deep look at grief and how it can take a hold of us. Also how it looks different for everyone. Part supernatural and horror, part grief and family and the lengths we might go to keep ours safe. Vincent Ralph provides twists and puzzles that had flipping the pages! I can’t wait to see what’s next in Bleak Haven!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own. I haven’t read books one and two but wanted to read this one because my students are always looking for scary books. I was hoping it would be one i could get the librarian to buy if i found I liked it, but no such luck. There were times I felt like, ok, this might work for them, but there were more times where this fell short. First of all, I didn’t love the main character. I understand and appreciate the struggles with grief and wanting to solve the mystery behind his brother’s death that has left him with questions and doubts but honestly found him annoying more than anything. He acts like he’s getting better and going to make good decisions and then goes off the rails and is crappy to his friends. There’s hints at the other mysteries to this town, which make me wonder why in the world anyone lives there. The friends also seemed a little strange and like they didn’t really support the main character. The love interest seemed to come out of nowhere and let herself be treated poorly. Then, why on this particular anniversary of the brother’s death did all heck break lose? I thought the other disappearance of another character who mysteriously comes back was going to bring it all together and save the story, but it just got even weirder. The cover art was honestly the best part of the book. The ending also just felt way out there. This one wasn’t for me and isn’t one I’m going to recommend for students. FYI violent themes, mental health struggles, grief, profanity that didn’t seem necessary
Corpse Creek is a chilling horror story, reminiscent of early Stephen King. The town of Bleak Haven has a reputation for attracting child killers. In the town's history, there have been murdered children every decade or so. The school holds a wall of framed photographs of the murdered students. But Ethan's brother's photo is not on the wall, because his death was reportedly a drowning accident at Corpse Creek. But Ethan knows better. As he digs into the death of his brother, he encounters supernatural occurrences that shake him and threaten his sanity. And now the Creek wants another life. First of all, why would anyone name a town Bleak Haven, and why would anyone move there? The book was paced well and gave me the genuine creeps throughout. The author captured the desperation of grief and the power of secrets. If you like a book that makes the hairs on your neck stand up, this is for you.
With mixed feelings after finishing this third book my first thought is to warn that this particular story has trigger points that may be a little too much for some of its target audience.
Spending time with Ethan, the 18-year-old main character was both easy and hard.
I fully understand how his inability to find the answers he is still seeking about his older brothers’ death has led to somewhat irrational behavior and thinking as well.
While his three friends Callum, Jada and Madison continue to try and support Ethan four years later he can tell their understanding is slowly waning.
The saying that “The Truth will set you Free” definitely does not apply to anything happening in Bleak Haven, in the past, present or even the future.
Not my favorite of the three mostly due to an ending that resolved nothing for me.
I'm conflicted on how to rate this one. I had been hoping that when book 3 came out, it would be a slasher style. Maybe Mallory Crow's story. However, Corpse Creek is grief horror which is not my favorite subgenre. Instead of murders, you get an atmospheric exploration of grief and loss with an eerie setting and a few creepy moments. Despite not being what I was hoping for, I did find the story engaging and it kept my interest wondering what would happen. I do wish the ending had been different because I don't completely understand it. Maybe I'm just dense but I would have liked it to continue and explain everything better. Oh well, I still enjoyed this book overall and I'm excited to start the next one. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.
*thank you netgalley for the ARC copy in exchange for a honest review*
I did not read the first 2 books in this series so i was hoping it wouldnt affect my review but it didnt. The story is about Ethan and the lose of his brother. The story moves fast and a great premises. Like a younger verison of Stephen King i really did like the writer's style and character development. This book has a very sad undertone which i didnt mind it was a change of what type of horror i usually read. I will be going back to read other books in this series.
A wonderful addition to the Bleak Haven series. It might actually be favorite (as of now) in the this series. The setting is well written and sucked me right into both the novel and our MC’s life. The characters, like others in this series are very well written and well developed throughout their book. This book has a lot of raw and real emotions that I don’t always find in this genre, but I appreciate so much. Another great read, the bleak haven series are all must reads.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Vincent Ralph for the ARC and the chance to share my honest review!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Corpse Creek delivered creepy small-town vibes, emotional depth, and a mystery that kept pulling me deeper with every chapter. Vincent Ralph has such a talent for building tension while still making the characters feel real and relatable. The twists were sharp, the pacing was strong, and the atmosphere was haunting in the best way possible. Definitely a thriller that stayed with me after the final page.
3⭐️ A HUGE thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books Publishing for sending this ARC my way!
This book was very different from the previous two books in the series. It was very interesting to read about Ethan's grief, and it was done very well. One of the best parts about the book in my opinion was the relationship between Ethan and his dad, it felt so real to me. I felt for Ethan throughout the story, even when he made questionable choices. Overall, my least favorite out of the series thus far, but a very fast-paced and intriguing read, I recommend!
5 out of 5 stars YA Horror/Suspense This is the third book in the Bleak Haven series and no matter how many books I read about Bleak Haven I always finding myself wanting more. Four years ago after his brother "drowned" in the creek, Ethan finds himself returning to the creek on the anniversary of the accident. He sees a figure that looks just like his dead brother, who tells Ethan he needs a sacrifice in order to save him. That makes Ethan to do a deep dive into the creeks dark history. Could Ethan find a way to bring his brother back or would the cost be too much?
As always the cover art for these books are absolutely sick! This book hit different than the first two; it had the creepy factor for sure but more than anything overwhelming grief Ethan has lost his brother and he is truly broken he sees his ghost and there is a way he can bring him back but it’s a deadly choice! The ending made me sad I wish it had turned out differently but it still was a great book 3.5 stars
Another great addition to bleak haven. I gotta say, I love this series. Each is different and unique but all set in the same cursed town and you get little call backs to the other books through the towns history. This one is probably the darkest of the 4 out now. It’s a deep dive into grief just as much as it is a teen scream. It’s still got that Bleak Haven twist but it is very much a story of a brother struggling with the death of his older brother.
This book was an enjoyable and engaging read. Even though it falls under the young adult category, the supernatural elements truly resonated throughout the story. I appreciated the eerie atmosphere it created. The narrative follows Ethan, a young man from the small town of Black Haven, who is grappling with the loss of his older brother, who drowned in a creek. Convinced that his brother's death was not accidental, Ethan begins to investigate further.
Thank you to Goodreads and Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press Group for this ARC copy. I haven't read either of the first two books in the series but it didn't hinder my reading experience at all. Lots of creepy things start happening when Ethan decides to get answers to his brother's drowning. It's a bit of a slow burn and there were twists I wasn't expecting. The ending was left open and ambiguous but overall it was a good read. I love the cover art!
Another Bleak Haven book which is honestly the most messed up place to live. It’s like fear street on a whole other level. You don’t necessarily have to read these books in order although they do mention each other from time to time. I liked the premise of Corpse Creek and I really enjoyed the characters. But I’ve got to say that I really didn’t enjoy the ending of this one. This will be out in September of 2026.
Corpse Creek is about Ethan who lost his brother 4 years prior to drowning. The prologue made it seem promising but it was kind of a let down from there. This book is a horror grief novel, which wasn’t super spooky like I was hoping. I think this would be good for someone who is going through grief but also wanting a “horror” novel. I thought the ending was the better part of the book otherwise it fell a little flat for me.
OMG!!!!! I never thought this book would be this good when I picked it up, but my god! It did not disappoint!!! Ethan was such a good character for this book, with all of his flaws and strengths! The way that each clue uncovered a bit of the puzzle was satisfying. I think it's safe to say that I will absolutely be reading more books my Vincent Ralph!
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I was so looking forward to the third book in this series. This was not what I was expecting at all unfortunately. It was still decent but just wasn't the greatest.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
This was another really fun, really quick read from Vincent Ralph! I loved Dead Fake, the first book in the Bleak Haven series, and I really appreciated how similar the setting was but how different the story and characters were in Corpse Creek. I say it all the time, it is a very unique experience to be in the mind of a mentally ill teenager and it is one of my favourite genres to immerse myself in. In such a volatile time in their lives, when tragedy strikes, watching a character try to put themselves back together in any semblance of familiarity can be heartbreaking.
Watching Ethan struggle to continue his relationships with his friends, with his father, and keeping that connection to his brother, I enjoyed how supernatural this was. There was no kind of confirmation but all the signs were there and I loved how this book ended!
With Fear Farm continually being referenced all throughout Dead Fake and Corpse Creek, I cannot wait to sink my teeth into Fear Farm next!