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The Swallowed Town
In order to investigate the macabre murders of the Rowlings family — what the locals ███████ call the Lighthouse Killings — freelance journalist Felix Trellis must navigate the town’s its esoteric origins, unusual marine organisms, an insular religion (the Church of ███████), and elusive accounts surrounding a figure known only as ███████. Before long, he finds himself descending into rabbit holes never meant for human minds to traverse.
- GenresHorror
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 20, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 20, 2026
The more I read books and stories from CF Page, the more I appreciate the effort that goes into refining his skills as an author. His second novel, The Swallowed Town & Other Rabbit Holes You Should Avoid, is ambitious in scope and style. It succeeds on every level. There’s so much to enjoy in reading this book. There’s cosmic horror, mystery, and dark humor in a novel that features investigative reporting, bizarre murders, and religious cults, all using modern epistolary methods and some bone-chilling found footage. He even seems to be building his own multiverse. I’m reminded of his stories “The Hand” and “The Globster of Cape Frankfurt” in his short fiction collection, Orphans of the Atercosm.
Here’s the story: Freelance journalist Felix Trellis arrives into a (name redacted) coastal town to investigate the infamous Lighthouse Killings, a gruesome family murder wrapped up in secrets. As he meets the residents and learns of the town’s eerie history, he tumbles down the mind-bending rabbit holes mentioned in the title.
Delivered with just enough information through a collage of journal entries, letters, Reddit posts, and transcripts, the reader is led down a foggy path that draws inspiration from Lovecraft’s cosmic dread, David Lynch’s surreal weirdness, and True Detective’s Southern Gothic noir.
No spoilers here, but I can promise that the atmospheric tension and psychedelic horrors make The Swallowed Town a spellbinding tale from the first paragraph. This is a must-read for fans of weird fiction and legendary horror.
Here’s the story: Freelance journalist Felix Trellis arrives into a (name redacted) coastal town to investigate the infamous Lighthouse Killings, a gruesome family murder wrapped up in secrets. As he meets the residents and learns of the town’s eerie history, he tumbles down the mind-bending rabbit holes mentioned in the title.
Delivered with just enough information through a collage of journal entries, letters, Reddit posts, and transcripts, the reader is led down a foggy path that draws inspiration from Lovecraft’s cosmic dread, David Lynch’s surreal weirdness, and True Detective’s Southern Gothic noir.
No spoilers here, but I can promise that the atmospheric tension and psychedelic horrors make The Swallowed Town a spellbinding tale from the first paragraph. This is a must-read for fans of weird fiction and legendary horror.
January 22, 2026
First and foremost, I must admire the author for their sheer amount of ambition. I can tell every ounce of their being was poured into crafting this book. The enjoyment I found in The Swallowed Town mainly stemmed from my appreciation of the author’s efforts—so much exertion in tying and twisting together multiple texts and genres while infusing them with atmosphere and dread.
Still, with so much ambition can come the difficult task of execution. For me, this novel struggles in its lack of distinction in voices. Given the epistolary, found-footage nature and a wide cast of characters, you would expect a variety of distinct, individual voices with each text or character. Unfortunately, almost every document is written in the same erudite, highbrow style. Almost every character speaks in the same tangled, convoluted manner. Thus—rather than suspending my disbelief and losing myself in the story—I found myself continuously tripping over the language, too aware that these texts and characters are but the product of a singular person with what seems to be, in most cases, only one possible style.
And that purple style, which the author admits to in the acknowledgments, at times hinders the story. For example, action scenes are painfully slowed down with too much imagery, metaphor, and parenthetical asides. Consequently, the plot gets lost in the language and is sometimes almost impossible to follow. Then, drowning in words, I often had to fight the urge to skip ahead if it only meant getting back to the story.
Nevertheless, aside from my complaints about the language, I still appreciate what the author has done here—especially the depth of lore surrounding the town and its history as well as connections to the Bible and the author’s wider mythos, which is a laudable feat. I will most definitely be willing to try one of their future works when the time comes, and I’m sure their mastery of the craft will only improve.
Still, with so much ambition can come the difficult task of execution. For me, this novel struggles in its lack of distinction in voices. Given the epistolary, found-footage nature and a wide cast of characters, you would expect a variety of distinct, individual voices with each text or character. Unfortunately, almost every document is written in the same erudite, highbrow style. Almost every character speaks in the same tangled, convoluted manner. Thus—rather than suspending my disbelief and losing myself in the story—I found myself continuously tripping over the language, too aware that these texts and characters are but the product of a singular person with what seems to be, in most cases, only one possible style.
And that purple style, which the author admits to in the acknowledgments, at times hinders the story. For example, action scenes are painfully slowed down with too much imagery, metaphor, and parenthetical asides. Consequently, the plot gets lost in the language and is sometimes almost impossible to follow. Then, drowning in words, I often had to fight the urge to skip ahead if it only meant getting back to the story.
Nevertheless, aside from my complaints about the language, I still appreciate what the author has done here—especially the depth of lore surrounding the town and its history as well as connections to the Bible and the author’s wider mythos, which is a laudable feat. I will most definitely be willing to try one of their future works when the time comes, and I’m sure their mastery of the craft will only improve.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When I reviewed Jordan CF Page's "Orphans of the Atercosm," a horror collection whose strength lies in its brilliantly updated and unique use of Lovecraftian motifs in a fireworks display of terrific skill and artistry, I’d mentioned then how the collection blew me away, caught me totally unawares, and left me speechless. Whether or not you enjoy cosmic horror or the True Detective atmospheric style of narration, this collection is a must-read and signals the coming on the scene of a major talent.
That said, the "Orphans" collection had the bizarre phrase “(Side A)” appended to it, which I never quite made head or tail of. Well, I’ve now read Page’s novel "The Swallowed Town," with the phrase “(Side B)” attached, and both the previously mysterious phrase and this one finally make sense: the book was originally intended as the final story of the collection, its “Side B” so to speak, but when it grew from a novella into a whole book (thematically and narratively still connected to the stories), it could no longer be included in the collection.
Although it reproduces some of the "Orphans" narrative devices, ultimately "The Swallowed Town" stands on its own. It showcases Page’s flexibility in the choice of storytelling means, moving from journal entries to found footage descriptions to podcast transcripts to internet forums to therapy sessions recordings. Letters, newspaper articles, news clippings, non-fiction book fragments – they’re all used in masterful ways not just to create atmosphere (which they definitely do), but also to drive the story forward without having it collapsing due to some sort of pathological intricacy and multimedia complexity of the narrative resources at work. And yet, it’s not exactly an epistolary novel. The novel is just too mad, too complex, too intricate!
Page himself describes "The Swallowed Town" as “an analog-occult-cosmic horror that I’d pitch as 'House of Leaves' meets John Langan’s 'The Fisherman' meets True Detective.” He nailed it – the book, as is the case with "House of Leaves," also employs “experimental structural stuff” (Page’s term) to equally great effect. And it's at least equally insane, and well-written to boot, as the books mentioned!
What's the novel about, then? An investigative journalist is hired by a filthy rich recluse to look into the massacre of a family; the murders took place in [NAME REDACTED], a coastal town infamous for its annual festival celebrating some unknown species of marine organisms washing ashore for a few days a year, and never having been scientifically studied. The alleged murderer is known and imprisoned; the place it happened is a mysterious lighthouse; all connected to the town’s history, a town founded by three families fleeing Salem centuries ago. The journalist slowly uncovers a whole tapestry of mysteries, experiences his own kind of madness, and falls into one rabbit hole after another. He’s not even the first to get hired to look into the mystery. Thankfully(?), he takes the readers along with him, and we have the chance to experience almost first-hand the insane trajectory he follows.
I can't recommend the book highly enough! The imagination that’s gone into "The Swallowed Town" blows the mind, and its deliciously wry sense of dark and intense paranoia makes it hugely enjoyable. It's a literary achievement of the highest order, avoiding cheap horror thrills for mind-boggling, epic, cosmic horror vistas and existential dread - so much dread!
I wonder how Page manages to keep up such a consistent high level of quality.
That said, the "Orphans" collection had the bizarre phrase “(Side A)” appended to it, which I never quite made head or tail of. Well, I’ve now read Page’s novel "The Swallowed Town," with the phrase “(Side B)” attached, and both the previously mysterious phrase and this one finally make sense: the book was originally intended as the final story of the collection, its “Side B” so to speak, but when it grew from a novella into a whole book (thematically and narratively still connected to the stories), it could no longer be included in the collection.
Although it reproduces some of the "Orphans" narrative devices, ultimately "The Swallowed Town" stands on its own. It showcases Page’s flexibility in the choice of storytelling means, moving from journal entries to found footage descriptions to podcast transcripts to internet forums to therapy sessions recordings. Letters, newspaper articles, news clippings, non-fiction book fragments – they’re all used in masterful ways not just to create atmosphere (which they definitely do), but also to drive the story forward without having it collapsing due to some sort of pathological intricacy and multimedia complexity of the narrative resources at work. And yet, it’s not exactly an epistolary novel. The novel is just too mad, too complex, too intricate!
Page himself describes "The Swallowed Town" as “an analog-occult-cosmic horror that I’d pitch as 'House of Leaves' meets John Langan’s 'The Fisherman' meets True Detective.” He nailed it – the book, as is the case with "House of Leaves," also employs “experimental structural stuff” (Page’s term) to equally great effect. And it's at least equally insane, and well-written to boot, as the books mentioned!
What's the novel about, then? An investigative journalist is hired by a filthy rich recluse to look into the massacre of a family; the murders took place in [NAME REDACTED], a coastal town infamous for its annual festival celebrating some unknown species of marine organisms washing ashore for a few days a year, and never having been scientifically studied. The alleged murderer is known and imprisoned; the place it happened is a mysterious lighthouse; all connected to the town’s history, a town founded by three families fleeing Salem centuries ago. The journalist slowly uncovers a whole tapestry of mysteries, experiences his own kind of madness, and falls into one rabbit hole after another. He’s not even the first to get hired to look into the mystery. Thankfully(?), he takes the readers along with him, and we have the chance to experience almost first-hand the insane trajectory he follows.
I can't recommend the book highly enough! The imagination that’s gone into "The Swallowed Town" blows the mind, and its deliciously wry sense of dark and intense paranoia makes it hugely enjoyable. It's a literary achievement of the highest order, avoiding cheap horror thrills for mind-boggling, epic, cosmic horror vistas and existential dread - so much dread!
I wonder how Page manages to keep up such a consistent high level of quality.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had previously read – and loved – C.F. Page's collection Orphans Of The Atercosm, so when I saw he was releasing a new novel that tied into that book, I jumped at the chance to read it. I was delighted to find that the parts of that read I enjoyed most, namely the strong prose and the compelling weirdness of his brand of cosmic horror, are more than present here. This isn't retreading old ground, though. This book is a step up, both narratively and with the risks and effort taken in the way the story is told.
The Swallowed Town follows a journalist named Felix Trellis, hired to investigate infamous killings in the town of ███████. What may seem straightforward to begin soon changes, with the local waters muddied by strange local inhabitants, marine life that isn't found anywhere else, and followers of a disturbing and unique religion. Felix soon finds the case, and perhaps his very sanity, begins to unravel. The book is very much in the tradition of weird small towns, such as Twin Peaks, Alan Wake, and even the Resident Evil and Silent Hill game series, but here it's much more about how the story is told.
Page has meticulously crafted a compelling meta-narrative around the town of ███████, made up of a variety of different sources. Encompassing everything from found footage descriptions to journal entries, Reddit comment threads to interview transcripts, even reviews of an in-universe book called The Swallowed Town (not to be confused with the book reviewed here) – every chapter feels unique, approaching the fragmented narrative from a different angle, covering a perspective that may shine more light on the events. The central mystery here is always compelling, and the format made it very difficult for me to put the book down.
The Swallowed Town challenges you to interpret what you're reading, to make connections that aren't explicitly spelt out, and while some people will no doubt want a clearer narrative, I felt satisfied upon finishing the book. It's not exactly House Of Leaves, but the formatting, footnotes and redactions may require more focus than the standard novel, and you may find a physical book is easier to navigate than an ebook (although I had no issues with my copy). I don't expect this to be a book for everyone, and I'm sure you know by now if this is something you want to read. It was right up my street, though, and the style here is executed so well that I can't give it less than the full 5*. My first book of the new year, and already a contender for my end of 2026 best-of list.
The Swallowed Town follows a journalist named Felix Trellis, hired to investigate infamous killings in the town of ███████. What may seem straightforward to begin soon changes, with the local waters muddied by strange local inhabitants, marine life that isn't found anywhere else, and followers of a disturbing and unique religion. Felix soon finds the case, and perhaps his very sanity, begins to unravel. The book is very much in the tradition of weird small towns, such as Twin Peaks, Alan Wake, and even the Resident Evil and Silent Hill game series, but here it's much more about how the story is told.
Page has meticulously crafted a compelling meta-narrative around the town of ███████, made up of a variety of different sources. Encompassing everything from found footage descriptions to journal entries, Reddit comment threads to interview transcripts, even reviews of an in-universe book called The Swallowed Town (not to be confused with the book reviewed here) – every chapter feels unique, approaching the fragmented narrative from a different angle, covering a perspective that may shine more light on the events. The central mystery here is always compelling, and the format made it very difficult for me to put the book down.
The Swallowed Town challenges you to interpret what you're reading, to make connections that aren't explicitly spelt out, and while some people will no doubt want a clearer narrative, I felt satisfied upon finishing the book. It's not exactly House Of Leaves, but the formatting, footnotes and redactions may require more focus than the standard novel, and you may find a physical book is easier to navigate than an ebook (although I had no issues with my copy). I don't expect this to be a book for everyone, and I'm sure you know by now if this is something you want to read. It was right up my street, though, and the style here is executed so well that I can't give it less than the full 5*. My first book of the new year, and already a contender for my end of 2026 best-of list.
January 20, 2026
Congrats to author C.F. Page on the publication of his new, extraordinary novel, The Swallowed Town (Truborn Press.) It was my privilege to read an advance reader copy, and I recently ripped through it voraciously. The novel pulled me in immediately, and perfectly satisfied my need for dread. I felt as though I were reading the ideas for a long-lost collaboration between Thomas Pynchon (obscure underground figures, secret cults, idiosyncratic detectives/journalists) and David Lynch (cosmic weirdness, bizarre crimes, strange dreamworlds.)
The novel is constructed not as a straight-ahead, linear narrative but built more like a cathedral whose architecture includes mysterious locked rooms, shadowy nooks and crannies, and half-hidden stairwells to the unknown. With each passing chapter I looked forward to finding out which document, which interview, or which clip of found footage would add to the increasingly layered story. That being said, the novel did not seem like a puzzle to me, where I needed to put clues together. Rather, it unfolded itself organically, which I appreciated.
I must point out that although the novel is saturated with cosmic dread, there were moments of the darkest comedy—bleak comedy, if you will. Not funny-haha, but more like razor-sharp wit. Not sure if it seeped onto the pages from the author’s subconscious, but the online forums section in particular were some of the choicest passages in this regard. Not only that, but I picked up on a few Easter eggs, I believe. Don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say that this book may be set in the author’s own weird universe. And there were some metafictional notes along the way—did I detect the alter ego/evil twin of the author himself? Interesting.
This book is a 5/5, strongly recommended for fans of cosmic horror, weird fiction, nonlinear storytelling, or unique horror books in general. It’s a significant contribution to the genre. I urge you to check it out, and after that check out C.F. Page’s other books. I recommend Orphans of the Atercosm, Native Fear, and Anterior Skies, an anthology which he edited. Again, congrats on a tremendous new book of true cosmic horror.
The novel is constructed not as a straight-ahead, linear narrative but built more like a cathedral whose architecture includes mysterious locked rooms, shadowy nooks and crannies, and half-hidden stairwells to the unknown. With each passing chapter I looked forward to finding out which document, which interview, or which clip of found footage would add to the increasingly layered story. That being said, the novel did not seem like a puzzle to me, where I needed to put clues together. Rather, it unfolded itself organically, which I appreciated.
I must point out that although the novel is saturated with cosmic dread, there were moments of the darkest comedy—bleak comedy, if you will. Not funny-haha, but more like razor-sharp wit. Not sure if it seeped onto the pages from the author’s subconscious, but the online forums section in particular were some of the choicest passages in this regard. Not only that, but I picked up on a few Easter eggs, I believe. Don’t want to give anything away, but I’ll just say that this book may be set in the author’s own weird universe. And there were some metafictional notes along the way—did I detect the alter ego/evil twin of the author himself? Interesting.
This book is a 5/5, strongly recommended for fans of cosmic horror, weird fiction, nonlinear storytelling, or unique horror books in general. It’s a significant contribution to the genre. I urge you to check it out, and after that check out C.F. Page’s other books. I recommend Orphans of the Atercosm, Native Fear, and Anterior Skies, an anthology which he edited. Again, congrats on a tremendous new book of true cosmic horror.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Woah, what an aggressively delightful mindfuck that was. I think this is my first read by Page but I’m fairly confident I have Orphans of the Atercosm hanging around somewhere and that’s getting moved to the front of the tbr asap. This was wild. I saw some comparisons with House of Leaves with some VanderMeer weirdness thrown in there and that’s a fair yet overly concise description. The book is an epistolary journey into the abyss in every possible configuration of that unyielding absence. Page uses journal entries, transcripts, internet posts and news articles to tell a multi faceted tale of madness, multiverse, Lovecraftian-esque sea monsters and biological disintegration into fungi. There’s also significant discussion on various states of consciousness (awake, dreams, hypnosis and altered via psilocybin) which was fascinating and blurred many conventional lines.
The Swallowed Town is difficult to describe in a linear fashion, but mostly follows journalist, Felix Trellis, when he is given a significant sum to look into a brutal murder. But nothing is as it appears. The Swallowed Town has some stylistic similarities with House of Leaves but it’s *much* more accessible. There are annotations in both, but TST doesn’t require a fraction of the cross referencing needed in HoL. I still wouldn’t consider TST to be a super chill beachy read. It a fantastic read but Page doesn’t spoon feed it to you. There are dots to connect and a fair bit left to interpretation. If peculiar, cosmic horror written in an epistolary style sounds like a vibe then I’d definitely recommend this one. I tend to be an opportunistic reader (ie I read whenever I can, even in 2min bursts) but found this book digests better when you tackle large chunks. I read the last 2/3rds in a day and could not get it off my brain. I received an early arc but I absolutely will be grabbing a copy upon release as I’ve heard it’s been expanded and polished a bit. Highly recommend and Page is an author to keep watching.
The Swallowed Town is difficult to describe in a linear fashion, but mostly follows journalist, Felix Trellis, when he is given a significant sum to look into a brutal murder. But nothing is as it appears. The Swallowed Town has some stylistic similarities with House of Leaves but it’s *much* more accessible. There are annotations in both, but TST doesn’t require a fraction of the cross referencing needed in HoL. I still wouldn’t consider TST to be a super chill beachy read. It a fantastic read but Page doesn’t spoon feed it to you. There are dots to connect and a fair bit left to interpretation. If peculiar, cosmic horror written in an epistolary style sounds like a vibe then I’d definitely recommend this one. I tend to be an opportunistic reader (ie I read whenever I can, even in 2min bursts) but found this book digests better when you tackle large chunks. I read the last 2/3rds in a day and could not get it off my brain. I received an early arc but I absolutely will be grabbing a copy upon release as I’ve heard it’s been expanded and polished a bit. Highly recommend and Page is an author to keep watching.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay so, this was freaking amazing.
I love Page’s writing, there is just something about it that gets into your brain and I forget I’m even reading, which for someone who cannot see pictures in my head, I think is amazing.
Now to the really good stuff, we have what is one of my favorite type of character, a weird detective type ( in this case a investigative journalist) named Felix, who is hired by someone with far far too much money, big red flag. He is supposed to be investigating a really wild murders, but the town isn’t what it seems. When you already have strange murders, then unknown wildlife, weird cultish religions and the people are weird, I can defiantly understand how Felix really started to loose what was real and whatever was going on here.
He digs into the investigation, the supposed culprit of the murders is currently locked up but the more he looks into this the weirder it got and let me tell you, when I realized he wasn’t the first to have been hired, I knew there was no way this was going to be a quiet investigation lol
I loved finding out about the town and the founding families and just the weird that went on, I did not want to stop reading, needed to know, what is really going on here..
I loved how extra this was done, I have really started enjoying books where its not just the words but how you write them, Page has a story in an anthology called Hibernator where he plays with how his story is written and I loved it and glad to see that carried over here with how the evidence and footage that was presented through out the story was displayed to us, it was truly like we were following along and investigating, those little pieces had me invested.
How do you keep a grip on reality when you’re investigating not just terrible murders but a whole town that seems to be constantly off from what you expect from realty.
This is very high up there on books I need others to read, this is going up there on my list of top cosmic horrors.
I love Page’s writing, there is just something about it that gets into your brain and I forget I’m even reading, which for someone who cannot see pictures in my head, I think is amazing.
Now to the really good stuff, we have what is one of my favorite type of character, a weird detective type ( in this case a investigative journalist) named Felix, who is hired by someone with far far too much money, big red flag. He is supposed to be investigating a really wild murders, but the town isn’t what it seems. When you already have strange murders, then unknown wildlife, weird cultish religions and the people are weird, I can defiantly understand how Felix really started to loose what was real and whatever was going on here.
He digs into the investigation, the supposed culprit of the murders is currently locked up but the more he looks into this the weirder it got and let me tell you, when I realized he wasn’t the first to have been hired, I knew there was no way this was going to be a quiet investigation lol
I loved finding out about the town and the founding families and just the weird that went on, I did not want to stop reading, needed to know, what is really going on here..
I loved how extra this was done, I have really started enjoying books where its not just the words but how you write them, Page has a story in an anthology called Hibernator where he plays with how his story is written and I loved it and glad to see that carried over here with how the evidence and footage that was presented through out the story was displayed to us, it was truly like we were following along and investigating, those little pieces had me invested.
How do you keep a grip on reality when you’re investigating not just terrible murders but a whole town that seems to be constantly off from what you expect from realty.
This is very high up there on books I need others to read, this is going up there on my list of top cosmic horrors.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Macabre murders. Treacherous journalistic inquiry. A creepy lighthouse. Cults. Unusual marine organisms and cosmic horrors. What more could you want?
Thanks to C. F. Page for the advanced reader copy. I am a big fan of his collection “Orphans of the Atercosm,” so I was really excited for this one. Page is a unique and severely underrated voice in indie horror.
The story follows freelance journalist Felix Trellis as he investigates “the Lighthouse Killings,” and naturally, things get really weird. I'll leave it that, if you like cosmic horror just read it.
How do you even describe a book like this? I guess it’s something like if Shinji Mikami produced a video game based on a Lovecraft story, but David Lynch messed with the game’s final cut and then gave it back to Lovecraft to create a novelisation of his own twisted narrative. But even that feels like selling it short.
The story is delivered through a variety of mediums, including interview transcripts, found footage transcripts, journals, notes, and even some chat forum threads, among other experimental modes. The combination adds to the feeling of the story being almost interactive, like you should be paying more attention, taking notes, looking for secrets. You might be tested later on; perhaps there is a secret code to unlock the last chapter. It’s quite game-like, at time reminding me of something like the “The Evil Within.” Obscure passages trigger slips into a brief psychosis of hallucinatory horror.
The prose is fantastic. Page doesn’t hold back and throws the kitchen sink at you at times, but it never feels forced or over the top, it feels necessary.
It’s a very enjoyable and satisfying read, but it’s not easy to read. You have to meet Page on his home ground and accept that you will be confused at times. But don’t worry, it all comes together at the end (I think), I do foresee a second read sometime to test my understanding.
Five crucified fish heads out of five.
Thanks to C. F. Page for the advanced reader copy. I am a big fan of his collection “Orphans of the Atercosm,” so I was really excited for this one. Page is a unique and severely underrated voice in indie horror.
The story follows freelance journalist Felix Trellis as he investigates “the Lighthouse Killings,” and naturally, things get really weird. I'll leave it that, if you like cosmic horror just read it.
How do you even describe a book like this? I guess it’s something like if Shinji Mikami produced a video game based on a Lovecraft story, but David Lynch messed with the game’s final cut and then gave it back to Lovecraft to create a novelisation of his own twisted narrative. But even that feels like selling it short.
The story is delivered through a variety of mediums, including interview transcripts, found footage transcripts, journals, notes, and even some chat forum threads, among other experimental modes. The combination adds to the feeling of the story being almost interactive, like you should be paying more attention, taking notes, looking for secrets. You might be tested later on; perhaps there is a secret code to unlock the last chapter. It’s quite game-like, at time reminding me of something like the “The Evil Within.” Obscure passages trigger slips into a brief psychosis of hallucinatory horror.
The prose is fantastic. Page doesn’t hold back and throws the kitchen sink at you at times, but it never feels forced or over the top, it feels necessary.
It’s a very enjoyable and satisfying read, but it’s not easy to read. You have to meet Page on his home ground and accept that you will be confused at times. But don’t worry, it all comes together at the end (I think), I do foresee a second read sometime to test my understanding.
Five crucified fish heads out of five.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was fortunate to read an ARC of "The Swallowed Town", the newest cosmic horror by C.F. Page. "The Swallowed Town" follows Felix, a freelance investigative journalist who travels to a small town (redacted name in the text) to investigate a cold case known as the Lighthouse Killings. Throughout the investigation, the reader is introduced to a local religion/cult, unusual marine life, and supernatural forces...how these elements blend together and the role they play in the story is up to you, reader, to discover.
This book is fantastic. I would describe it as an epistolary novel with the story unfolding through a combination of first person narrative from the main character (Felix), journal entries/handwritten letters across multiple periods of time, audio/video transcrips, Reddit posts, redacted government files, and more. The story is atmospheric with Page doing an amazing job creating a strong, tense mood using the reader's senses and imagination. Each scene is moved forward through "showing" rather than "telling" with the reader often wondering if what's happening is ACTUALLY happening, or if it is just part of Felix's fracturing psyche.
This is a novel that, throughout as well as at the end, I had to pause, digest, reflect, and at times re-read to make sure I'm following the book correctly. At times I was creeped out, terrified, thinking WTF, and so much more. This is how a horror novel should be written. If this is something that might interest you, I strongly recommend "The Swallowed Town".
5/5 stars.
This book is fantastic. I would describe it as an epistolary novel with the story unfolding through a combination of first person narrative from the main character (Felix), journal entries/handwritten letters across multiple periods of time, audio/video transcrips, Reddit posts, redacted government files, and more. The story is atmospheric with Page doing an amazing job creating a strong, tense mood using the reader's senses and imagination. Each scene is moved forward through "showing" rather than "telling" with the reader often wondering if what's happening is ACTUALLY happening, or if it is just part of Felix's fracturing psyche.
This is a novel that, throughout as well as at the end, I had to pause, digest, reflect, and at times re-read to make sure I'm following the book correctly. At times I was creeped out, terrified, thinking WTF, and so much more. This is how a horror novel should be written. If this is something that might interest you, I strongly recommend "The Swallowed Town".
5/5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“It is almost as if a part of his psyche remains tethered to that place, leaving an indelible psychic stain.”
C.F. Page’s writing impressed me so much with his debut novel Native Fear, that it was no question I’d be reading more from him.
The Swallowed Town is a slow creeping cosmic horror, with a true crime feel. Felix is a journalist investigating a murder in a small town that has peculiarities surrounding it, like mysterious marine life and religion.
Page’s prose is top tier for me. This book is not for someone looking for a speed read. He’s eloquent in his descriptions, while you feel like you’re maybe losing your mind alongside these characters. Hes an author that will make you question things (and same as his last book, inspired suspicion in me.) Not only his prose, but the way you see his words in print. Words in bold, words in italics, inserted and incomplete phrases between thoughts, [redacted names] that you’ll never learn, etc. I’ve yet to come across anyone who writes like he does.
The multimedia that was used really added to the creep factor for me. I felt like I was watching one of those scary movies filmed as a documentary. Page wrote this book using journal entries, Reddit threads, camera footage, interview transcripts, and more. It kept things very modern and helped you make some vague sense of the story.
Go and follow Felix into the mystery in this book.
C.F. Page’s writing impressed me so much with his debut novel Native Fear, that it was no question I’d be reading more from him.
The Swallowed Town is a slow creeping cosmic horror, with a true crime feel. Felix is a journalist investigating a murder in a small town that has peculiarities surrounding it, like mysterious marine life and religion.
Page’s prose is top tier for me. This book is not for someone looking for a speed read. He’s eloquent in his descriptions, while you feel like you’re maybe losing your mind alongside these characters. Hes an author that will make you question things (and same as his last book, inspired suspicion in me.) Not only his prose, but the way you see his words in print. Words in bold, words in italics, inserted and incomplete phrases between thoughts, [redacted names] that you’ll never learn, etc. I’ve yet to come across anyone who writes like he does.
The multimedia that was used really added to the creep factor for me. I felt like I was watching one of those scary movies filmed as a documentary. Page wrote this book using journal entries, Reddit threads, camera footage, interview transcripts, and more. It kept things very modern and helped you make some vague sense of the story.
Go and follow Felix into the mystery in this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Swallowed Town is a haunting and richly layered horror-mystery that defies simple categorization. What begins as a routine true-crime assignment quickly devolves into a descent into something far more disturbing and uncanny.
Page constructs his tale through narrative mosaic: journal entries, letters, found footage, and digital posts all interweave to create a collage of perspectives. This fragmented structure invites comparisons to experimental horror like House of Leaves—drawing readers not just into the story’s mysteries but into the psyche of the unraveling narrator.
The town itself becomes a character: its esoteric origins, strange marine life, and insular cult-like religion enrich the sense of otherness. These elements are paired with slipping sanity, rumor, and folklore, giving the narrative an edge that frequently blurs the boundaries between reality and madness, leaving the reader feeling as if they themselves are lost within its borders.
Page’s prose favors mood over exposition, often placing uncanny imagery and ambiguity ahead of conventional plot resolution. This could frustrate readers seeking clear answers, but will please fans of atmospheric, cerebral horror, as it pleased me.
I enjoyed my time in The Swallowed Town. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a culty, cosmic good time.
Page constructs his tale through narrative mosaic: journal entries, letters, found footage, and digital posts all interweave to create a collage of perspectives. This fragmented structure invites comparisons to experimental horror like House of Leaves—drawing readers not just into the story’s mysteries but into the psyche of the unraveling narrator.
The town itself becomes a character: its esoteric origins, strange marine life, and insular cult-like religion enrich the sense of otherness. These elements are paired with slipping sanity, rumor, and folklore, giving the narrative an edge that frequently blurs the boundaries between reality and madness, leaving the reader feeling as if they themselves are lost within its borders.
Page’s prose favors mood over exposition, often placing uncanny imagery and ambiguity ahead of conventional plot resolution. This could frustrate readers seeking clear answers, but will please fans of atmospheric, cerebral horror, as it pleased me.
I enjoyed my time in The Swallowed Town. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a culty, cosmic good time.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Part mystery, part crime thriller, and part cosmic horror, The Swallowed Town by C.F. Page kept me thoroughly confused until the ending (I may still be confused on some parts). But I think that's the beauty in this story. As the reader, I felt as if I was investigating the eerie town of ⬛⬛⬛ with our protagonist, investigative journalist Felix Trellis. Hired by a mysterious contact to look into the validity of a convicted family annihilator's confession, Felix is quickly consumed by the story. Told through interviews, podcast transcripts, Reddit threads, and various correspondence, The Swallowed Town is sure to keep you guessing until the last page.
Page writes with such a unique and interesting voice that it's hard not to get sucked into his writing immediately. I really enjoyed the mixed media aspect of this book. It kept the story fresh with different points of view being explored and new information being given to us, but not necessarily to the protagonist. The mystery revolving around the town and its residents was interesting and kept me intrigued until the end. This has fewer cosmic horror references than previous stories by Page, which may make it an easier introduction to the genre if you're looking for a place to start with his writing. All hail Dag Elohim. 🙌🏻
Page writes with such a unique and interesting voice that it's hard not to get sucked into his writing immediately. I really enjoyed the mixed media aspect of this book. It kept the story fresh with different points of view being explored and new information being given to us, but not necessarily to the protagonist. The mystery revolving around the town and its residents was interesting and kept me intrigued until the end. This has fewer cosmic horror references than previous stories by Page, which may make it an easier introduction to the genre if you're looking for a place to start with his writing. All hail Dag Elohim. 🙌🏻
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have always been a connoisseur of Lovecraftian cosmic horror & unsettling supernatural cults. I had the incredible opportunity to read a copy of C.F. Page’s newest story, “The Swallowed Town”. You will find all of these creepy qualities & much more (alongside a really awesome lighthouse!) The best way to describe this book without giving away too much is it’s a combination of The Shadow Over Innsmouth & Last Days by Adam Nevill. The story is written in the style of Bram Stoker’s Dracula as you follow the events through news articles, journals, & podcasts. It feels like a modern approach to a detective noir story. You may even catch a “wink & a nod” to another well known C.F. Page story but don’t wait for me to tell you what happens in this awesome cosmic story! Put “The Swallowed Town” on your TBR list & start 2025 off right
Review of advance copy received from Author
Not gonna lie, some parts went way over my head, but I think that meant Page respected my and other readers intelligence too much to just tell instead of show. And he sure showed. Not sure what he showed but whatever it was was way more than what my head could process, probably because I haven’t done much reading lately. This sounds like this could be a 1 star review, but I like challenges. That’s why I liked Native Fear, it being compared by other reviewers to Resy Evil was the reason I discovered it. The Swallowed Town is definitely not like Native Fear, but it’s as challenging in different ways. I got a little bit of The Fisherman vibes. Some Lovecraft. House of Leaves too but only its experimental structure. It’s a weird, ambitious, original. If that sounds like your thing, I think you’ll like it.
January 3, 2026
I recently finished an ARC of The Swallowed Town by C.F. Page, and wow, this was an intense, unsettling read.
After loving Orphans of the Atercosm, I was really excited to dive back into Page’s gorgeous prose, and this one did not disappoint. I’d describe it as a cosmic/occult, found-footage–style horror that’s told through journal entries, transcripts, and even Reddit threads. The mixed-media format was one of my favorite parts and really added to the atmosphere.
I’ll admit, there were moments where I felt confused or had to slow down and reread sections, but honestly, that felt intentional and fitting for the kind of story this is. It’s disorienting in a way that pulls you deeper rather than pushing you out. I’ve never read House of Leaves, but I can definitely see why people compare the vibes.
This isn’t just horror for the scares; it’s the kind of book that makes you stop, think, and sit with it for a while after you’re done.
The Swallowed Town releases January 20th, and if you like cosmic horror that experiments with form and messes with your head a little, this one’s worth checking out.
After loving Orphans of the Atercosm, I was really excited to dive back into Page’s gorgeous prose, and this one did not disappoint. I’d describe it as a cosmic/occult, found-footage–style horror that’s told through journal entries, transcripts, and even Reddit threads. The mixed-media format was one of my favorite parts and really added to the atmosphere.
I’ll admit, there were moments where I felt confused or had to slow down and reread sections, but honestly, that felt intentional and fitting for the kind of story this is. It’s disorienting in a way that pulls you deeper rather than pushing you out. I’ve never read House of Leaves, but I can definitely see why people compare the vibes.
This isn’t just horror for the scares; it’s the kind of book that makes you stop, think, and sit with it for a while after you’re done.
The Swallowed Town releases January 20th, and if you like cosmic horror that experiments with form and messes with your head a little, this one’s worth checking out.
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January 17, 2026This book is not going to be for everyone...
I appreciate the fact that it's laid out in a very unique way. Mostly it reads like a movie or screenplay manuscript, complete with journal entries, text messages, found footage manuscripts, interview transcripts, redacted documents, etc.
I enjoyed the challenge of this book, but ultimately about 2/3 of the way through I had to DNF it. I'm mad that I ended up giving up because the story was great; however, it was taking me weeks to read through. I had to keep re-reading and going backwards to make it all connect in my brain.
Overall, if you like a challenging read- this book will be a favorite for you! If you're like me and prefer the more straightforward stories, you'll likely have some trouble with this one.
I appreciate the fact that it's laid out in a very unique way. Mostly it reads like a movie or screenplay manuscript, complete with journal entries, text messages, found footage manuscripts, interview transcripts, redacted documents, etc.
I enjoyed the challenge of this book, but ultimately about 2/3 of the way through I had to DNF it. I'm mad that I ended up giving up because the story was great; however, it was taking me weeks to read through. I had to keep re-reading and going backwards to make it all connect in my brain.
Overall, if you like a challenging read- this book will be a favorite for you! If you're like me and prefer the more straightforward stories, you'll likely have some trouble with this one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Swallowed Town by C. F. Page
I received an advanced copy.
The Swallowed Town is a found footage story about a journalist investigating a murder. The novel is filled with cosmic dread and characters that you don’t quite trust. This is perfect for anyone who is seeking a novel that is under 300 pages but packs so much inside of those pages. What I loved most about this book was how well it was written. It has excellent descriptive narrative and a good pace right from the get-go. There were a few scenes that seemed a bit confusing, but I think the author did this on purpose because the end result was very satisfying.
I received an advanced copy.
The Swallowed Town is a found footage story about a journalist investigating a murder. The novel is filled with cosmic dread and characters that you don’t quite trust. This is perfect for anyone who is seeking a novel that is under 300 pages but packs so much inside of those pages. What I loved most about this book was how well it was written. It has excellent descriptive narrative and a good pace right from the get-go. There were a few scenes that seemed a bit confusing, but I think the author did this on purpose because the end result was very satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Going in, I knew Page’s prose would be out of this world. I knew I’d enjoy his story. He could write about a bandaid stuck to his shoe and carve it into an interesting and stunningly twisted masterpiece.
The Swallowed Town offers seaside cultish vibes rich with religious histories, blending beautifully with an outside journalist’s mission to find answers better left buried. His lofty aspirations turned into a glorious blend of science fiction, religious horror, and mystery, among other genres. To attempt to fit this book into a box would be an enormous waste of time. It is everything. All of the above and more.
A reader must work at this story. It is heavy with prose, dripping with mystery, and offered up via multiple formats to keep interest high and gears turning. A perfect way to entertain and expand your mind.
Well done! 🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈
The Swallowed Town offers seaside cultish vibes rich with religious histories, blending beautifully with an outside journalist’s mission to find answers better left buried. His lofty aspirations turned into a glorious blend of science fiction, religious horror, and mystery, among other genres. To attempt to fit this book into a box would be an enormous waste of time. It is everything. All of the above and more.
A reader must work at this story. It is heavy with prose, dripping with mystery, and offered up via multiple formats to keep interest high and gears turning. A perfect way to entertain and expand your mind.
Well done! 🦈🦈🦈🦈🦈
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you find yourself craving a visit to a cultist-swarmed lighthouse teeming with ancient sea deity folklore on the edge of a cursed abyssal sea, you’ve come to the right place! C.F. Page’s The Swallowed Town is a beautifully constructed found footage, cosmic horror, true crime, meta narrative that will send you down to the dampest darkest places from our collective waterlogged nightmares. You’re going to love this bleak read!
February 7, 2026
I saw the author plug this book on the Books of Horror page and bought it that night.
Just finished and it was excellent, proper contemporary weird/cosmic horror in the vein of Barron, Langan, Fracassi, etc. I loved the different forms of media to aid the storytelling.
This was a rabbit hole I thoroughly enjoyed falling down, I added Born of Blood and Orphans of the Atercosm by Page immediately, excited for more 👌
Just finished and it was excellent, proper contemporary weird/cosmic horror in the vein of Barron, Langan, Fracassi, etc. I loved the different forms of media to aid the storytelling.
This was a rabbit hole I thoroughly enjoyed falling down, I added Born of Blood and Orphans of the Atercosm by Page immediately, excited for more 👌
December 22, 2025
Highly recommended for Weird and horror fans - a very strange tale, and a riveting psychedelic horror mystery. The Swallowed Town explores the mystery of the gruesome Lighthouse murders using journal entries, letters, found footage, and reddit posts. Fans of House of Leaves and The King in Yellow will love this book and its mythos.
Review of advance copy received from Author
So I read a very advanced copy of this in April 2024, and have been impatiently tapping my toes for the final FINAL FINAL version to be published. When I read it (nearly two(!!) years ago now) I did a review for the author. And it was... utterly amazing. I wasn't even a few pages into the story when I immediately ordered physical copies of his other books. He immediately jumped to the "auto-buy physical copies author" category for me. Here is the review I posted on a few socials on May 5, 2024 (I'll be posting an updated review once I get my mits on a physical copy:)
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Ok, so I was recently privileged enough to be allowed to beta read Jordan C.F. Page's forthcoming novel, The Swallowed Town (released hopefully in the fall?!?) This was my first beta read, and my first time reading something by Page. So, I feel like this experience has set the bar for any future ARC/beta reads really, really high.
I was utterly blown away by the story and the very high quality of writing – the setting, the mystery, the characters… Page pulls off a meta-meta complexity of a tale of a small southern coastal town with a mysterious origin story that was a weird and wonderful cross of House of Leaves and The Shadow over Innsmouth set in our modern technologically driven world. The ‘found footage’ of documents, video, audio, newspaper articles, forum posts, and journals as a narrative device is perfectly woven into a deeply creepy tale that I can’t shake.
It's a kind of ‘cosmic’ horror, but less overt, it’s more subtle. It is an abyssal horror that seems like it’s a few hundred years old, but you just know or feel is really all about that deep time that is unknowable and terrifying.
There is a beautiful, haunting imagery here that paints an atmosphere of dread. If you’ve watched, and appreciated, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks Season 3, particularly the ground-breaking Episode 8 (The Return) and were left with that frisson of emotional and physiological fear, this will also set your teeth and nerves on edge in the best possible bizzarro-creepy vibe way. It’s like reading the literary version of those aural and visual assaults on your senses. There are stunning pieces of prose – whole paragraphs – that stole my breath away and I felt myself unavoidably and inextricably spiralling into the mystery at the heart of the story.
Stylistically, there are influences of, and comparisons to be made, to Langan, Lynch, Evenson, Danielewski and Kiernan that for me, are all about that unshakable feeling of unease that just kind of stays with you and rises up from your subconscious during the most normal, mundane part of your day, like when you’re on the bus going to work or standing in line to pick up your coffee.
Page’s story has taken up permanent space in my brain and I am all the better for it. I fully intend on making more room for his stories on my bookshelves and in my apperception.
__________________________________
Ok, so I was recently privileged enough to be allowed to beta read Jordan C.F. Page's forthcoming novel, The Swallowed Town (released hopefully in the fall?!?) This was my first beta read, and my first time reading something by Page. So, I feel like this experience has set the bar for any future ARC/beta reads really, really high.
I was utterly blown away by the story and the very high quality of writing – the setting, the mystery, the characters… Page pulls off a meta-meta complexity of a tale of a small southern coastal town with a mysterious origin story that was a weird and wonderful cross of House of Leaves and The Shadow over Innsmouth set in our modern technologically driven world. The ‘found footage’ of documents, video, audio, newspaper articles, forum posts, and journals as a narrative device is perfectly woven into a deeply creepy tale that I can’t shake.
It's a kind of ‘cosmic’ horror, but less overt, it’s more subtle. It is an abyssal horror that seems like it’s a few hundred years old, but you just know or feel is really all about that deep time that is unknowable and terrifying.
There is a beautiful, haunting imagery here that paints an atmosphere of dread. If you’ve watched, and appreciated, David Lynch’s Twin Peaks Season 3, particularly the ground-breaking Episode 8 (The Return) and were left with that frisson of emotional and physiological fear, this will also set your teeth and nerves on edge in the best possible bizzarro-creepy vibe way. It’s like reading the literary version of those aural and visual assaults on your senses. There are stunning pieces of prose – whole paragraphs – that stole my breath away and I felt myself unavoidably and inextricably spiralling into the mystery at the heart of the story.
Stylistically, there are influences of, and comparisons to be made, to Langan, Lynch, Evenson, Danielewski and Kiernan that for me, are all about that unshakable feeling of unease that just kind of stays with you and rises up from your subconscious during the most normal, mundane part of your day, like when you’re on the bus going to work or standing in line to pick up your coffee.
Page’s story has taken up permanent space in my brain and I am all the better for it. I fully intend on making more room for his stories on my bookshelves and in my apperception.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Page creates an unsettling Lovecraftian mystery that on it's own will terrify, but he adds to the horror by having it unfold in our conspiracy-drenched modern world. This books crawls under your skin and nests there.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I had so much fun reading this book! It's a fast-paced deep-dive into a mysterious murder, but turns out to be so much more than that! Fans of House of Leaves, as well as those who love cults and even cosmic horror will absolutely love this book, like I did. I look forward to reading more from this superbly talented author!
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