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Scratch Moss: The most original folk horror novel of the year from the author of Withered Hill
Not yet published
Expected 1 Sep 26352 pages, Paperback
Expected publication September 1, 2026
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
David Barnett
156 books118 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 4, 2026
I was kindly sent Scratch Moss as part of the @novel.tours Book Tour 🖤
⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️
Oh wow! This was such an interesting and haunting read.
One of the things I loved most was the structure. The story unfolds across five timelines spanning 160 years, beginning in 2025 and steadily moving backwards through multiple generations of the families living in Scratch Moss. Each era reveals new pieces of the puzzle and shows how deeply the folklore has woven itself into their lives, and by the time you’re brought back to the present day, everything clicks together so cleverly.
There are several key characters, but it was the central family that really captured me. Their story adds an emotional depth I wasn’t expecting, adding something real and heartfelt into the horror.
The blend of history and folklore give the book an eerily realistic edge, one that makes the horror feel different from anything else I’ve read. The shifting perspectives and timelines kept me fully engaged as I tried to unravel the legend of Red Clogs, and I loved how the narrative loops back to where it all began.
The underlying themes make this a heavier read at times, but I absolutely devoured it. I felt completely absorbed in the storytelling.
The author’s note at the end was such a highlight. Learning about the town he grew up in, the real stories that inspired Scratch Moss, and the connection to his Grandad, who worked in the very pits the book draws from, made the whole experience feel even more authentic.
Overall, this is a delightfully detailed and eerie horror that gripped me from the very first page. I’ll definitely be picking up more from David Barnett
⭐️ 4.5 stars ⭐️
Oh wow! This was such an interesting and haunting read.
One of the things I loved most was the structure. The story unfolds across five timelines spanning 160 years, beginning in 2025 and steadily moving backwards through multiple generations of the families living in Scratch Moss. Each era reveals new pieces of the puzzle and shows how deeply the folklore has woven itself into their lives, and by the time you’re brought back to the present day, everything clicks together so cleverly.
There are several key characters, but it was the central family that really captured me. Their story adds an emotional depth I wasn’t expecting, adding something real and heartfelt into the horror.
The blend of history and folklore give the book an eerily realistic edge, one that makes the horror feel different from anything else I’ve read. The shifting perspectives and timelines kept me fully engaged as I tried to unravel the legend of Red Clogs, and I loved how the narrative loops back to where it all began.
The underlying themes make this a heavier read at times, but I absolutely devoured it. I felt completely absorbed in the storytelling.
The author’s note at the end was such a highlight. Learning about the town he grew up in, the real stories that inspired Scratch Moss, and the connection to his Grandad, who worked in the very pits the book draws from, made the whole experience feel even more authentic.
Overall, this is a delightfully detailed and eerie horror that gripped me from the very first page. I’ll definitely be picking up more from David Barnett
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to @canelo_co for sending me this book and to @novel.tours for having me on this tour.
Pr - Gifted Product
Out: 05.03.26
Today is my review stop.
A small town, folklore horror, told over multiple timelines? … Sold!
I ate this story up. The creepy vibes set in quickly and I was well and truly sitting comfortably for this tale.
The storytelling from Barnett was on point. The creepiness set in quickly, but felt so natural and then suddenly something would happen that left me shook. The multiple timelines and how it all connected was genius.
Although Scratch Moss is a fictional town, Barnett drew inspiration from Ince, near Wigan, where he grew up. Ince had a coal pit that closed in the early 60’s, and its industrial past clearly influenced the novel’s setting.
Ince also had its own local folklore, including the legend of Red Clogs, said to be the ghost of an old miner. While the Red Clogs in this story is only loosely based on the legend, I love how this old tale was the spark for this novel.
What I loved about this story was the unusual setting. Folklore tales tend to be associated with isolated rural places, but this one is within an urban, working-class community shaped by the coal industry. This felt so original to me and added to the unsettling feeling throughout.
Another part I adored about this story was the multiple timelines. Starting off in 2025 but going all the way back to AD85, to help explain the whole tale and how the town came to be. I was completely riveted. There quite a lot of characters to get to grips with in this story, which sometimes I can find a bit overwhelming, but this wasn’t the case at all with this read. It made it even more compelling. And that ending was so bitter sweet.
A cursed town, living with secrets long buried. Death, sacrifice, folklore, and magpies (I’ll never look at a magpie the same way again).
If creepy, haunting, dark folklore is your vibe, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Pr - Gifted Product
Out: 05.03.26
Today is my review stop.
A small town, folklore horror, told over multiple timelines? … Sold!
I ate this story up. The creepy vibes set in quickly and I was well and truly sitting comfortably for this tale.
The storytelling from Barnett was on point. The creepiness set in quickly, but felt so natural and then suddenly something would happen that left me shook. The multiple timelines and how it all connected was genius.
Although Scratch Moss is a fictional town, Barnett drew inspiration from Ince, near Wigan, where he grew up. Ince had a coal pit that closed in the early 60’s, and its industrial past clearly influenced the novel’s setting.
Ince also had its own local folklore, including the legend of Red Clogs, said to be the ghost of an old miner. While the Red Clogs in this story is only loosely based on the legend, I love how this old tale was the spark for this novel.
What I loved about this story was the unusual setting. Folklore tales tend to be associated with isolated rural places, but this one is within an urban, working-class community shaped by the coal industry. This felt so original to me and added to the unsettling feeling throughout.
Another part I adored about this story was the multiple timelines. Starting off in 2025 but going all the way back to AD85, to help explain the whole tale and how the town came to be. I was completely riveted. There quite a lot of characters to get to grips with in this story, which sometimes I can find a bit overwhelming, but this wasn’t the case at all with this read. It made it even more compelling. And that ending was so bitter sweet.
A cursed town, living with secrets long buried. Death, sacrifice, folklore, and magpies (I’ll never look at a magpie the same way again).
If creepy, haunting, dark folklore is your vibe, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
March 4, 2026
The plot unfolds gradually over several decades through a journey back in time, revealing Scratch Moss’s history. This clever approach keeps readers turning pages by following multiple characters from different eras.
Joe returns to Scratch Moss after his father’s death, which occurs 40 years in jail. His father, a local hero, is a mystery to Joe given his violent past. Many townspeople, including Joe, struggle to remember life before his disappearance. Determined to rediscover his childhood memories, Joe embarks on a journey to Scratch Moss before his mother sent him away.
This masterful book weaves a tapestry of dread, interweaving ancient folklore – both real and imagined – to create a captivating narrative. Readers will peel back layers of myth and folklore across different timelines, ultimately painting a comprehensive picture. Certain sections left an indelible mark, sending shivers down my spine. As humans, we’re naturally wired to fear the unknown, and Scratch Moss taps into these primal fears.
I absolutely adore folklore! This was my first Barnett novel and I’m definitely going to read more of his books.
This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in small-town folk horror or a fascinating glimpse into British coal mining history.
Joe returns to Scratch Moss after his father’s death, which occurs 40 years in jail. His father, a local hero, is a mystery to Joe given his violent past. Many townspeople, including Joe, struggle to remember life before his disappearance. Determined to rediscover his childhood memories, Joe embarks on a journey to Scratch Moss before his mother sent him away.
This masterful book weaves a tapestry of dread, interweaving ancient folklore – both real and imagined – to create a captivating narrative. Readers will peel back layers of myth and folklore across different timelines, ultimately painting a comprehensive picture. Certain sections left an indelible mark, sending shivers down my spine. As humans, we’re naturally wired to fear the unknown, and Scratch Moss taps into these primal fears.
I absolutely adore folklore! This was my first Barnett novel and I’m definitely going to read more of his books.
This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in small-town folk horror or a fascinating glimpse into British coal mining history.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Spanning several generations this creepy and unsettling tale of the struggles of an isolated mining community pre and post Thatcherism is an engaging read. It is a work of fiction but also does reflect the ways in which isolated communities and people generate their own set of rules, beliefs, and conditions. When this gets out of hand and embedded in several generations the results can indeed be terrifying. All in all, a must read text.
Review of advance copy
Fantastic book, so well structured. great characters and depiction of a northern England mining town. captures the bleak yet cosy feel of these smaller towns, all intertwined in a supernatural mystery that spans decades.
I dont want to spoil it but the structured of the book is perfect and just keeps your hands and eyes glued to the pages.
I dont want to spoil it but the structured of the book is perfect and just keeps your hands and eyes glued to the pages.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An old isolating mining town filled with wellwritten characters that struggles - mix well and add unsettleness and the supernatural and you have Barnett's Scratch Moss.
I don't want to spoil your reading by writing anything further.
Read this!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.
I don't want to spoil your reading by writing anything further.
Read this!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews