What do you think?
Observer: A Novel
A disquieting, atmospheric debut horror novel about a young woman investigating her mother’s disappearance at an abandoned Nevada observatory, for fans of Jeff VanderMeer and Mariana Enriquez
On a scorched summer day, Renata Scarborough comes home to find the contents of her estranged mother Corinne’s life on her doorstep. Her aunt and cousin seem eager to conclude that the troublesome Corinne is dead. Renata isn’t convinced and begins poring over her mother’s journals for answers. Among descriptions of Corinne’s work at the McNairy Observatory, Renata unearths a hidden obsession with an early twentieth-century surveyor whose encounters with a mysterious entity bear a startling resemblance to her mother’s reports. Compelled beyond reason, Renata journeys to that now-abandoned outpost in the Nevada wilderness to search for the truth.
But in McNairy, a thorny, decades-long clash between science and the desert only complicates Renata’s questions. The town’s scarred and suspicious residents refuse to discuss the observatory’s closure, leaving Renata to wonder if Corinne’s version of events reflects reality. As she ascends the peak that looms over McNairy, Renata witnesses unnerving phenomena she can’t explain and feels a creeping dread that what is waiting for her isn’t her mother at all.
Haunting, darkly comic, and captivating, Observer reveals the pure cosmic terror of the desert, a place of wonder and menace, asking what happens when we look out at nature and find something inhuman looking back.
On a scorched summer day, Renata Scarborough comes home to find the contents of her estranged mother Corinne’s life on her doorstep. Her aunt and cousin seem eager to conclude that the troublesome Corinne is dead. Renata isn’t convinced and begins poring over her mother’s journals for answers. Among descriptions of Corinne’s work at the McNairy Observatory, Renata unearths a hidden obsession with an early twentieth-century surveyor whose encounters with a mysterious entity bear a startling resemblance to her mother’s reports. Compelled beyond reason, Renata journeys to that now-abandoned outpost in the Nevada wilderness to search for the truth.
But in McNairy, a thorny, decades-long clash between science and the desert only complicates Renata’s questions. The town’s scarred and suspicious residents refuse to discuss the observatory’s closure, leaving Renata to wonder if Corinne’s version of events reflects reality. As she ascends the peak that looms over McNairy, Renata witnesses unnerving phenomena she can’t explain and feels a creeping dread that what is waiting for her isn’t her mother at all.
Haunting, darkly comic, and captivating, Observer reveals the pure cosmic terror of the desert, a place of wonder and menace, asking what happens when we look out at nature and find something inhuman looking back.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Did Not Finish
September 7, 2026DNF 29%
I'm becoming increasingly impatient with novels that seem to be committed to never-ending exposition.
I'm no stranger to a slow burn or long books (my favorite horror novel of all time is over 600 pages), but there's a difference between a slow burn and a slog—a slow burn makes you wait for something to happen; a slog makes you wait for the story to start. Unfortunately, Observer is the latter for me.
Despite the writing, which I did like, I cannot make myself continue. There's family history and backstory and scene setting and they're all fine in themselves, but I was never given a reason to care in the moment. There's no reason I should still be waiting for the premise to arrive or an inciting incident to occur at a third into a horror novel; the fact that I am let's me know that this story was started in the wrong place.
I'm becoming increasingly impatient with novels that seem to be committed to never-ending exposition.
I'm no stranger to a slow burn or long books (my favorite horror novel of all time is over 600 pages), but there's a difference between a slow burn and a slog—a slow burn makes you wait for something to happen; a slog makes you wait for the story to start. Unfortunately, Observer is the latter for me.
Despite the writing, which I did like, I cannot make myself continue. There's family history and backstory and scene setting and they're all fine in themselves, but I was never given a reason to care in the moment. There's no reason I should still be waiting for the premise to arrive or an inciting incident to occur at a third into a horror novel; the fact that I am let's me know that this story was started in the wrong place.
August 16, 2026
I received an advanced copy thanks to a Goodreads Giveaway!
Sadly, I found Observer to be very slow paced and lacking in scares. There’s a bit of spookiness to be found before the weirdness runs off the cliff but this book felt like a long, dry walk up a mountain and failed to hold my interest. I skimmed towards the end. Maybe would have worked better for me if it was shorter? There’s a lot of characters that feel disconnected from The Horror element of the book and don’t really get resolved in the end. Also there’s a bunch of weird slurs used in journal entries that felt like callbacks to the unsavory parts of Lovecraft, but really stuck out for me. 1.5 ⭐️
Sadly, I found Observer to be very slow paced and lacking in scares. There’s a bit of spookiness to be found before the weirdness runs off the cliff but this book felt like a long, dry walk up a mountain and failed to hold my interest. I skimmed towards the end. Maybe would have worked better for me if it was shorter? There’s a lot of characters that feel disconnected from The Horror element of the book and don’t really get resolved in the end. Also there’s a bunch of weird slurs used in journal entries that felt like callbacks to the unsavory parts of Lovecraft, but really stuck out for me. 1.5 ⭐️
August 6, 2026
**Netgalley ARC, publishing September 2026**
I think the bottom line for this story is that the creatures in it were just too weird for me and I didn’t get a sense of closure at the end. And not in a good way.
My favorite parts of this were the diary entries about Francis and I wanted to hear more about him as well as Corinne. Also, I did enjoy a lot of the atmosphere of the story.
What exactly are these creatures? How did Corinne become one? Where is Renata leading them to? These are some of the questions I have.
QUOTE: “I do not actively believe myself to be writing in any way for posterity—I simply hope to know my own mind…I cannot shed this impulse to clarify all that might be misconstrued and in doing so, new revelations peek out from behind the thistle and chaff of my thoughts.”
I think the bottom line for this story is that the creatures in it were just too weird for me and I didn’t get a sense of closure at the end. And not in a good way.
My favorite parts of this were the diary entries about Francis and I wanted to hear more about him as well as Corinne. Also, I did enjoy a lot of the atmosphere of the story.
What exactly are these creatures? How did Corinne become one? Where is Renata leading them to? These are some of the questions I have.
QUOTE: “I do not actively believe myself to be writing in any way for posterity—I simply hope to know my own mind…I cannot shed this impulse to clarify all that might be misconstrued and in doing so, new revelations peek out from behind the thistle and chaff of my thoughts.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 Stars
To start, I want to say that there is plenty to like in this book. It almost feels like this was written specifically at my request with many of my preferred elements thrown in. And while I believe that there are many people who might enjoy this book, to my dismay, I was not one of them.
The characters seem to be unlikable by design, but this is always a bit perilous. Unlikable characters can still be interesting or even sympathetic, but fully halfway through this book, I found myself wondering why I should care about our protagonist's problems. This is not helped by the slow pacing. Slow, bordering on ponderous. I'm all for a slow burn and taking time to build, but there's a difference between deliberate pacing and a story fully sagging. By the time we got to the town at the heart of the mystery, I found myself less excited to look forward and more relieved that I had cleared the first act.
I also feel like we hint at a lot of deeper themes or even baldly state them here and there. There's an ongoing current of racism throughout that never quite links to anything in the main narrative. I can't know this for a certainty, but it feels like the author was going for "this is my observed reality" but failing to put that framing on it. While it may be so, to continuously bring it up, makes the reader believe it will figure into the story in a significant way beyond what's literally on the page. Some weird use of slurs for persons with intellectual disabilities and LGBTQ+ persons feel similarly "that's just how people talked in the 90s, man." Which is true, but much like with the race thing, it's just a heavy spice to add willy-nilly without some kind of deeper thematic connection. A major character in this thing is non-binary which leads me to think that there was an intentionality to some broader theme of discrimination across various axes of difference, but if there was one, it evaded me.
Despite unlikable characters, a slow-moving plot, and some weird choices, Russell is clearly a very good writer. The prose is well done and while it wasn't particularly to my taste, the telling of a multi-generational story has handled well with each story adding to the narrative and the mystery in a believable way.
Strangely, one of the main things that is lacking is horror. Others have referred to this as psychological horror or cosmic horror or whatever, but it's almost non-existent. It feels to me like the author was going for "understated" but then understated so much, he never stated much. What you end up with then is less a horror novel and more an inter-generational family mystery with weird sci-fi elements thrown in. Frankly, marketing it that way might've helped me adjust my expectations and enjoy it more.
Simply put, I can recommend this only to people who read the description of the book, said "hell yeah!" read my review and said "none of those things bother me." They will probably like this book a great deal. While it clearly did not connect with me, I saw enough good there that I'm quietly adding Russell to my little stack of authors to watch. Maybe I'll connect with the next one.
To start, I want to say that there is plenty to like in this book. It almost feels like this was written specifically at my request with many of my preferred elements thrown in. And while I believe that there are many people who might enjoy this book, to my dismay, I was not one of them.
The characters seem to be unlikable by design, but this is always a bit perilous. Unlikable characters can still be interesting or even sympathetic, but fully halfway through this book, I found myself wondering why I should care about our protagonist's problems. This is not helped by the slow pacing. Slow, bordering on ponderous. I'm all for a slow burn and taking time to build, but there's a difference between deliberate pacing and a story fully sagging. By the time we got to the town at the heart of the mystery, I found myself less excited to look forward and more relieved that I had cleared the first act.
I also feel like we hint at a lot of deeper themes or even baldly state them here and there. There's an ongoing current of racism throughout that never quite links to anything in the main narrative. I can't know this for a certainty, but it feels like the author was going for "this is my observed reality" but failing to put that framing on it. While it may be so, to continuously bring it up, makes the reader believe it will figure into the story in a significant way beyond what's literally on the page. Some weird use of slurs for persons with intellectual disabilities and LGBTQ+ persons feel similarly "that's just how people talked in the 90s, man." Which is true, but much like with the race thing, it's just a heavy spice to add willy-nilly without some kind of deeper thematic connection. A major character in this thing is non-binary which leads me to think that there was an intentionality to some broader theme of discrimination across various axes of difference, but if there was one, it evaded me.
Despite unlikable characters, a slow-moving plot, and some weird choices, Russell is clearly a very good writer. The prose is well done and while it wasn't particularly to my taste, the telling of a multi-generational story has handled well with each story adding to the narrative and the mystery in a believable way.
Strangely, one of the main things that is lacking is horror. Others have referred to this as psychological horror or cosmic horror or whatever, but it's almost non-existent. It feels to me like the author was going for "understated" but then understated so much, he never stated much. What you end up with then is less a horror novel and more an inter-generational family mystery with weird sci-fi elements thrown in. Frankly, marketing it that way might've helped me adjust my expectations and enjoy it more.
Simply put, I can recommend this only to people who read the description of the book, said "hell yeah!" read my review and said "none of those things bother me." They will probably like this book a great deal. While it clearly did not connect with me, I saw enough good there that I'm quietly adding Russell to my little stack of authors to watch. Maybe I'll connect with the next one.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and ECCO for the advanced copy of this title.
I realize Observer is supposed to be atmospheric horror, and I get some of that. Did it create a sense of the unknown and an overall eeriness? Yes. Is that horror? Well, I think that depends on your definition of a horror novel.
There are some graphic moments, but nothing that really ruffled my feathers or scared me, and I think a lot of that comes down to the way the story is laid out and the pacing of what’s happening.
It took me a bit to even understand that Renata’s mother is missing and presumed dead—at least, that’s what I gathered from the first part of the story. Renata still has questions, so she goes searching for answers about what may have happened to her mother. That’s also where things started to get a little muddled and foggy for me because I didn’t always understand what was happening in context with what had already been laid out.
She travels to the town where her mother worked and was last seen, and everything about this place screams LEAVE, yet she stays. At first, I thought there may have been some type of accident at the lab where her mother worked, but then the story seems to talk in circles about her mother simply disappearing without anyone really knowing what happened to her.
Toward the end, the story shifts from something that felt like it could have been light horror or a thriller into something much more sci-fi, and I think that’s where it lost me. I didn’t completely understand what it was trying to explain or some of the metaphors used. By the time everything started coming together, it just fell flat for me. We get a little explanation about what happened and why Renata is the way she is, but not enough for everything that came before it to really click into place.
There’s also a bit about the family—or cousin—who raised Renata, but that part never felt significant enough to make much of a point or add something meaningful to the overall story.
Again, the premise is good, and there were definitely elements that interested me, but the execution just didn’t follow through with what I thought I was getting from the synopsis. In the end, I was left with more confusion than horror.
I gave this title 3 ✨✨✨ stars.
I realize Observer is supposed to be atmospheric horror, and I get some of that. Did it create a sense of the unknown and an overall eeriness? Yes. Is that horror? Well, I think that depends on your definition of a horror novel.
There are some graphic moments, but nothing that really ruffled my feathers or scared me, and I think a lot of that comes down to the way the story is laid out and the pacing of what’s happening.
It took me a bit to even understand that Renata’s mother is missing and presumed dead—at least, that’s what I gathered from the first part of the story. Renata still has questions, so she goes searching for answers about what may have happened to her mother. That’s also where things started to get a little muddled and foggy for me because I didn’t always understand what was happening in context with what had already been laid out.
She travels to the town where her mother worked and was last seen, and everything about this place screams LEAVE, yet she stays. At first, I thought there may have been some type of accident at the lab where her mother worked, but then the story seems to talk in circles about her mother simply disappearing without anyone really knowing what happened to her.
Toward the end, the story shifts from something that felt like it could have been light horror or a thriller into something much more sci-fi, and I think that’s where it lost me. I didn’t completely understand what it was trying to explain or some of the metaphors used. By the time everything started coming together, it just fell flat for me. We get a little explanation about what happened and why Renata is the way she is, but not enough for everything that came before it to really click into place.
There’s also a bit about the family—or cousin—who raised Renata, but that part never felt significant enough to make much of a point or add something meaningful to the overall story.
Again, the premise is good, and there were definitely elements that interested me, but the execution just didn’t follow through with what I thought I was getting from the synopsis. In the end, I was left with more confusion than horror.
I gave this title 3 ✨✨✨ stars.
Review of advance copy
Note that I listened to the audiobook. Goodreads doesn't have that edition listed yet.
A science fiction/horror story set in the Nevada desert.
Let me start out with a disclaimer. I should have DNF'd this book long before the end. It's not that the novel is poorly written, it's more of a case that this isn't my kind of book. I have always had trouble with reading horror.
Here's the general setup. Renata, abandoned by her mother, was raised since infancy by her aunt. One day she comes home from work to find the house she shares with her aunt and cousin filled with boxes. In those boxes are her mother's possessions and research. She also finds a $300,000 check. Here's the question: What happened to her mother? There's no death notice or criminal report.
Against all advice, Renata decides to visit her mother's observatory, 4 hours away from Los Vegas in a remote part of Nevada, to find answers. All she has is her own wits, her mother's journal, and the diary of a 19th-century surveyor.
Everyone she meets in McNairy is a bit off, and everyone discourages her from visiting the now-closed observatory. As she hikes up the mountain, she gets the sense that she's not alone and that there may be someone watching her. Regardless of all warnings--including mercury contamination--she keeps going. What will she find at the top?
Okay, I don't think I fully understood what was going on, so I ended up being more confused that spooked. I felt some tension when Renata was in the town of McNairy (thanks to the creepy people she meets), but I became less invested the closer she came to the observatory. I don't know. I think it's a me thing.
The audiobook was performed by January LaVoy. I love her work, and I'm sure it was her narration that kept me from quitting the novel.
Thanks to Ecco via Libro.fm for the review copy.
A science fiction/horror story set in the Nevada desert.
Let me start out with a disclaimer. I should have DNF'd this book long before the end. It's not that the novel is poorly written, it's more of a case that this isn't my kind of book. I have always had trouble with reading horror.
Here's the general setup. Renata, abandoned by her mother, was raised since infancy by her aunt. One day she comes home from work to find the house she shares with her aunt and cousin filled with boxes. In those boxes are her mother's possessions and research. She also finds a $300,000 check. Here's the question: What happened to her mother? There's no death notice or criminal report.
Against all advice, Renata decides to visit her mother's observatory, 4 hours away from Los Vegas in a remote part of Nevada, to find answers. All she has is her own wits, her mother's journal, and the diary of a 19th-century surveyor.
Everyone she meets in McNairy is a bit off, and everyone discourages her from visiting the now-closed observatory. As she hikes up the mountain, she gets the sense that she's not alone and that there may be someone watching her. Regardless of all warnings--including mercury contamination--she keeps going. What will she find at the top?
Okay, I don't think I fully understood what was going on, so I ended up being more confused that spooked. I felt some tension when Renata was in the town of McNairy (thanks to the creepy people she meets), but I became less invested the closer she came to the observatory. I don't know. I think it's a me thing.
The audiobook was performed by January LaVoy. I love her work, and I'm sure it was her narration that kept me from quitting the novel.
Thanks to Ecco via Libro.fm for the review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Title: Observer
Author: Nicholas Russell
Release date: 9/15/26
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
One day, Renata Scarborough receives her mother Corinne's belongings on her doorstep. Her extended family, Aunt Tara and Cousin V, quickly assume she is dead. Renata, refusing to believe her mother is dead without proof, pours over her mother's personal journals and find's Corinne's obsession with her workplace, the McNairy Observatory. After further reading, Renata notes erie similarities with Corinne's experience, documented in her journay, and 100 year-old field notes from a desert surveyor detailing their encounters with an ancient entity. Needing to find the truth, Renata travels to McNairy and is met with townspeople who refuse to talk about the abandoned facility. Questioning whether her mother experienced real horror or was havin a mental breakdown, Renata goes up to the observatory. Anomalies occur, and the line between Renata's mind and her mother's journals is blurred. She quickly learnes that an inhuman force is at work.
This was unfortunately a book I wasn’t able to get into. The Prologue was good, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, it was very slow. Not a slow burn, but ponderously slow. By the time the pace started to pick up, I had already lost interest and just finished the book out of a feeling of obligation. Strike one. As the book progressed, there were relatively frequent perspective changes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but as the story was already very slow, the change in perspective felt like it halted any momentum the story had built. Strike 2. Finally, the characters, particularly the protagonist, were rather dull and unlikeable. As well, the protagonist was deeply involved in the story for at least 90% of it but at the end, felt very one dimensional and boring. Strike 3.
Some people will enjoy this for sure, it just wasn’t for me.
Author: Nicholas Russell
Release date: 9/15/26
Rating: ⭐️⭐️/5
One day, Renata Scarborough receives her mother Corinne's belongings on her doorstep. Her extended family, Aunt Tara and Cousin V, quickly assume she is dead. Renata, refusing to believe her mother is dead without proof, pours over her mother's personal journals and find's Corinne's obsession with her workplace, the McNairy Observatory. After further reading, Renata notes erie similarities with Corinne's experience, documented in her journay, and 100 year-old field notes from a desert surveyor detailing their encounters with an ancient entity. Needing to find the truth, Renata travels to McNairy and is met with townspeople who refuse to talk about the abandoned facility. Questioning whether her mother experienced real horror or was havin a mental breakdown, Renata goes up to the observatory. Anomalies occur, and the line between Renata's mind and her mother's journals is blurred. She quickly learnes that an inhuman force is at work.
This was unfortunately a book I wasn’t able to get into. The Prologue was good, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, it was very slow. Not a slow burn, but ponderously slow. By the time the pace started to pick up, I had already lost interest and just finished the book out of a feeling of obligation. Strike one. As the book progressed, there were relatively frequent perspective changes. Not necessarily a bad thing, but as the story was already very slow, the change in perspective felt like it halted any momentum the story had built. Strike 2. Finally, the characters, particularly the protagonist, were rather dull and unlikeable. As well, the protagonist was deeply involved in the story for at least 90% of it but at the end, felt very one dimensional and boring. Strike 3.
Some people will enjoy this for sure, it just wasn’t for me.
September 16, 2026
Received This ARC Via A GoodReads Giveaway
📚 The Observer by Nicholas Russell
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
Okay… I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, The Observer was a slow burn that burned a little TOO slowly for me. 😩
The biggest issue? The pacing. There were moments where I kept thinking, Okay… when are we getting somewhere? The story takes its time building the mystery around the sisters and their missing mother, but for me, that buildup didn’t always translate into enough tension or urgency.
I actually found the sister relationship and family drama more interesting than the horror. Watching the sisters navigate their complicated history while trying to figure out what happened to their mom added an emotional layer to the story. Their search eventually leads them to a strange, isolated town where they discover their mother—and THAT part definitely had me paying attention. 👀
But let’s talk about the “horror” label… because honestly, I wouldn’t personally categorize this as horror. 🫣 There are unsettling moments, eerie surroundings, and an overall feeling that something is off, but I was expecting much more fear, suspense, and creepiness.
The premise had potential, and I liked the mystery of uncovering what happened to their mother, but the execution just wasn’t gripping enough for me.
Final verdict: A mysterious, atmospheric family drama with some unsettling elements, but not the horror story I was expecting. The sister dynamics and missing-mother storyline were the highlights for me, but the slow pacing made this a 3⭐️ read.
Would I recommend it? Maybe if you enjoy VERY slow-burn mysteries with an eerie atmosphere and family drama—but if you’re picking this up expecting a true horror novel… manage those expectations. 😅
📚 The Observer by Nicholas Russell
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
Okay… I really wanted to love this one, but unfortunately, The Observer was a slow burn that burned a little TOO slowly for me. 😩
The biggest issue? The pacing. There were moments where I kept thinking, Okay… when are we getting somewhere? The story takes its time building the mystery around the sisters and their missing mother, but for me, that buildup didn’t always translate into enough tension or urgency.
I actually found the sister relationship and family drama more interesting than the horror. Watching the sisters navigate their complicated history while trying to figure out what happened to their mom added an emotional layer to the story. Their search eventually leads them to a strange, isolated town where they discover their mother—and THAT part definitely had me paying attention. 👀
But let’s talk about the “horror” label… because honestly, I wouldn’t personally categorize this as horror. 🫣 There are unsettling moments, eerie surroundings, and an overall feeling that something is off, but I was expecting much more fear, suspense, and creepiness.
The premise had potential, and I liked the mystery of uncovering what happened to their mother, but the execution just wasn’t gripping enough for me.
Final verdict: A mysterious, atmospheric family drama with some unsettling elements, but not the horror story I was expecting. The sister dynamics and missing-mother storyline were the highlights for me, but the slow pacing made this a 3⭐️ read.
Would I recommend it? Maybe if you enjoy VERY slow-burn mysteries with an eerie atmosphere and family drama—but if you’re picking this up expecting a true horror novel… manage those expectations. 😅
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The story’s opening is a rough read, not in horror but in engagement. We are introduced to a vast grouping of characters who dump a massive amount of information/set up to the reader then make us stew on it. None of these characters are likeable, not in the way the author intended either. Not only do we not trust these characters but I do not care about their past, present, or future. Moving forward… it takes until act 2 for something of meaning and interest shows up. I seriously considered DNF-ing this story multiple times. While there are interesting bones to this story, I find that the actual writing and execution failed. By act 3 we finally are getting introduced to the mystery and horror more. Honestly I wished that we got this all along, give us a little set up and then let the creepy begin. I agree with some of the other reviews that say the diaries are some of the best parts, they unfortunately become redundant when the same information is repeated through the main characters conversations. I think this story would have benefited by being cut down to a shorter amount of pages and faster paced actions.
I skimmed the ending of the story, unfortunately the creepy body horror came to late for me. I believe this story would benefit by 100 less pages. The beginning takes too long to set up and there is way too much repetition. It lost my attention way too early and never had enough to draw me back in because so much was repeating past discoveries and new ones.
Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for letting me read this book early.
I skimmed the ending of the story, unfortunately the creepy body horror came to late for me. I believe this story would benefit by 100 less pages. The beginning takes too long to set up and there is way too much repetition. It lost my attention way too early and never had enough to draw me back in because so much was repeating past discoveries and new ones.
Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for letting me read this book early.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Observer by Nicholas Russell is the kind of horror that creeps under your skin rather than jumping out at you.
I loved the eerie Nevada desert setting and the feeling that something was deeply wrong long before I could figure out exactly what it was. Renata’s search for her missing mother pulled me into the mystery, and the journals, abandoned observatory, strange history, and increasingly unsettling discoveries created this wonderfully uncomfortable sense of dread.
The horror here is definitely more cosmic, psychological, and atmospheric than outright terrifying, and I really enjoyed that. There’s something incredibly unsettling about staring into the unknown and realizing that maybe the unknown has been staring back at you the entire time.
The audiobook worked especially well for this story. January LaVoy’s narration helped build that isolated, dreamlike feeling and made the strange moments feel even more immersive.
This is a weird, atmospheric, slow-burn horror debut that won’t give you every answer—and honestly, I think that makes it even more unsettling. I finished it still thinking about the things Renata encountered and wondering how much of the world around her could actually be trusted.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco, and the author for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved the eerie Nevada desert setting and the feeling that something was deeply wrong long before I could figure out exactly what it was. Renata’s search for her missing mother pulled me into the mystery, and the journals, abandoned observatory, strange history, and increasingly unsettling discoveries created this wonderfully uncomfortable sense of dread.
The horror here is definitely more cosmic, psychological, and atmospheric than outright terrifying, and I really enjoyed that. There’s something incredibly unsettling about staring into the unknown and realizing that maybe the unknown has been staring back at you the entire time.
The audiobook worked especially well for this story. January LaVoy’s narration helped build that isolated, dreamlike feeling and made the strange moments feel even more immersive.
This is a weird, atmospheric, slow-burn horror debut that won’t give you every answer—and honestly, I think that makes it even more unsettling. I finished it still thinking about the things Renata encountered and wondering how much of the world around her could actually be trusted.
Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco, and the author for the advanced audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy
So, I listened to the audio book and I think this is a story that benefits from being read visually. I'm sure I missed things because I got a little lost in the abstractions. That's not a reflection of the writing itself or the VA, I just wish I had the opportunity to reread certain parts. Otherwise, I was pleasantly surprised by the end. The twist was not overtly obvious, and the reveal was well paced. If I could change anything about the book it would be to spend more time with the Observer (I won't say anything more about it to avoid spoilers).
The characters are complex and compelling. There are several moments where I am disgusted and delighted by the same person. Part of me wants to hate Corinne, the same part of me that wanted to like Ken, probably, but by the end, I was able to accept their motivations. Too often I find myself disliking a book because the characters do things that don't make sense. But here even when they're illogical or impulsive, I still understand them.
Essentially, I liked the story. I found it compelling, but I finished wanting more. And sometimes that's a good thing. I'm not sure. I may revisit this in the future.
The characters are complex and compelling. There are several moments where I am disgusted and delighted by the same person. Part of me wants to hate Corinne, the same part of me that wanted to like Ken, probably, but by the end, I was able to accept their motivations. Too often I find myself disliking a book because the characters do things that don't make sense. But here even when they're illogical or impulsive, I still understand them.
Essentially, I liked the story. I found it compelling, but I finished wanting more. And sometimes that's a good thing. I'm not sure. I may revisit this in the future.
Review of advance copy
Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: I read this one a bit ago, but I don't really remember any
Whoa - this book was delightfully weird and creepy. It's not a fast paced horror, so if you're looking for that, this one will probably not scratch that itch. It definitely reads almost like a literary horror. The writing is really well done, and the plot definitely kept me guessing. I wasn't sure until it was hitting me over the head what was actually happening. This almost had a sense of folk horror, which I loved. This was definitely a worth while read. If you like slow scares with literary writing, then this one is a good one to pick up!
Spice: I read this one a bit ago, but I don't really remember any
Whoa - this book was delightfully weird and creepy. It's not a fast paced horror, so if you're looking for that, this one will probably not scratch that itch. It definitely reads almost like a literary horror. The writing is really well done, and the plot definitely kept me guessing. I wasn't sure until it was hitting me over the head what was actually happening. This almost had a sense of folk horror, which I loved. This was definitely a worth while read. If you like slow scares with literary writing, then this one is a good one to pick up!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gripping, haunting and atmospheric, this book unleashes a different way to look at the desert as its storytelling looks at a young woman investigating her mother’s disappearance in one.
Renata Scarborough comes home to find the contents of her estranged mother, Corrine, on her doorstep. While her aunt may think Corrine is dead, Renata doesn’t. She reads her mother’s journals and finds a hidden obsession her mother had over a surveyor who met an entity with a startling resemblance Corrine had documented in her work for the McNairy Observatory. She travels to the now defunct Observatory looking for her mother and finds a horrible secret.
I’m not sure what I experienced. Strange creatures. Strange rash. The repetitious “accept, accept, accept.” I will grant that as you read Renata’s journey at the end into the shuttered Observatory there is a creepiness that comes over you but I wasn’t sure what I was happening or what the author wanted me, as the reader, to understand.
I think readers who enjoy a teasing horror read will enjoy this one.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for granting me access to this ARC.
Renata Scarborough comes home to find the contents of her estranged mother, Corrine, on her doorstep. While her aunt may think Corrine is dead, Renata doesn’t. She reads her mother’s journals and finds a hidden obsession her mother had over a surveyor who met an entity with a startling resemblance Corrine had documented in her work for the McNairy Observatory. She travels to the now defunct Observatory looking for her mother and finds a horrible secret.
I’m not sure what I experienced. Strange creatures. Strange rash. The repetitious “accept, accept, accept.” I will grant that as you read Renata’s journey at the end into the shuttered Observatory there is a creepiness that comes over you but I wasn’t sure what I was happening or what the author wanted me, as the reader, to understand.
I think readers who enjoy a teasing horror read will enjoy this one.
My thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for granting me access to this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A woman discovers her estranged mother is missing and presumed dead. She ventures out to a small town, and an abandoned observatory to find answers.
I really enjoyed how atmospheric this book was. The writing was beautiful and painted a really eerie picture. While I enjoyed a good bit of the beginning, at a certain point however it began to sort of plateau. When the end came, it felt pretty abrupt. I didn't feel like the plot really propelled itself forward but rather meandered to its finale. It was a really effective take on a cosmic horror, so if that's your genre I think you'll at least enjoy the journey.
I really enjoyed how atmospheric this book was. The writing was beautiful and painted a really eerie picture. While I enjoyed a good bit of the beginning, at a certain point however it began to sort of plateau. When the end came, it felt pretty abrupt. I didn't feel like the plot really propelled itself forward but rather meandered to its finale. It was a really effective take on a cosmic horror, so if that's your genre I think you'll at least enjoy the journey.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Thanks to GoodReads for the giveaway win!
I was initially intrigued by Renara's interest in finding her mother. While creepy at points, this novel was a touch too plodding with not enough scares to pay off. It felt ethereal and left you guessing, which is sometimes good but then you never got an explanation. I left feeling incomplete and sad which I suppose was the intention? The strong points were the diary entries and I wish we had those with more explanation. I also wish we had had more closure. Again, I felt intrigued but wanted a more cohesive story for over 300 pages.
I was initially intrigued by Renara's interest in finding her mother. While creepy at points, this novel was a touch too plodding with not enough scares to pay off. It felt ethereal and left you guessing, which is sometimes good but then you never got an explanation. I left feeling incomplete and sad which I suppose was the intention? The strong points were the diary entries and I wish we had those with more explanation. I also wish we had had more closure. Again, I felt intrigued but wanted a more cohesive story for over 300 pages.
Review of advance copy
A slow crawl that never seemed to escalate to anything faster than a walk. The story never really felt like it ever got out of exposition. A lot of jarring perspective switches and time hops trying to unravel the mystery of the book. By the time you start getting that feeling of “oh shit something’s about to happen” it’s over. A lot of warning with no consequence.
Review of advance copy
I received this book from a friend who received an advanced copy. I found the writing to be very good, but the story itself did not hold my interest. This is classified as a horror but I was halfway through the book before anything even mildly scary happened. The book was good enough that I finished it, but I would not recommend it, and I would not search out other books from this author.
September 19, 2026
I've never experienced anything like this book in my lifetime of reading. I time traveled, I soul traveled. Seriously.
Also: I listened to the audio book, narrated by January LaVoy, and am quite sure I created brand new neuropathways. Thank you Libro.fm for the advanced listeners copy (Sept 2026).
Also: I listened to the audio book, narrated by January LaVoy, and am quite sure I created brand new neuropathways. Thank you Libro.fm for the advanced listeners copy (Sept 2026).
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
The author is a great writer. The story itself lacked a bit. Very drawn out. For being listed as a horror novel, there is no "blood and guts" type of horror to be found. A fascinating premise for the story, but it lacked a bit.
Review of advance copy
This was such a fun horror read! Tons of delightfully frightful imagery and atmosphere throughout!
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Steady and creepy throughout will get your skin crawling.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Review of advance copy received from Author
Eerie, precise, almost hypnotic prose. This guy rocks 🕷️
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