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Going to the Six
On Lake Superior, some wrecks never rest.
When acclaimed documentary filmmaker Owen Wheeler leads a four–person crew aboard a Michigan DNR research vessel to investigate the wreck of the Keuka—a floating speakeasy long lost beneath the cold, black waters of Lake Superior—he believes he’s chasing history. What they bring back instead is something far stranger.
Told through fragmented footage, blog journals, news clippings, and Owen’s own testimony from inside a psychiatric facility, this haunting novel unfolds across two timelines: the ill-fated expedition, and the haunted present. Just as the record fractures, so too does Owen’s grip on what truly happened aboard the vessel.
Locals whisper of an old superstition—six signs that come before a person loses their mind. Did the crew uncover a secret buried with the Keuka? Or are Owen’s memories a labyrinth of guilt, grief, and madness?
A story of truth versus memory, the collapse of time, and the thin seam between reality and delusion, Going to the Six drags the reader down into the depths—where silence presses in, light cannot reach, and dread waits patiently in the dark.
“Going to the Six is a claustrophobic, itchy story told in a compulsively readable found-footage style. The combination of shipwrecks, eco-horror, and looming insanity is addictive. Do yourself a favor: open up this book and let the story in.”
—Viggy Parr Hampton, author of The Rotting Room
"Beware: If you read A.C. Hessenauer's Going to the Six too fast, diving in headfirst like I did, you'll end up with the bends by the time you return to the surface.
Never has a novel bubbled over in the bloodstream quite like this book, a haunted document that's equal parts gelatinous eco horror and a waterlogged Blair Witch."
- Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Devil Inside
“GOING TO THE SIX is an experience so close to being inside a found footage horror movie that the pages will almost be shaking in your hands—with authenticity and with fear. A.C. Hessenauer plays by the film genre’s rules, and this twitchy, itchy story is all the better for it. Paranoia, dread, things maybe or maybe not flitting just outside the camera’s view, and that awful red algae all swirl together to make a horrifying time.”
-Michael Wehunt, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The October Film Haunt
“Going to the Six gave me nightmares.
This is squishy, splashy dread, masterfully handled.”
-Ben Farthing
“A dark, engaging, and compulsively readable epistolary tale to increase your fear of water ten-fold.”
-Laurel Hightower, author of SILENT KEY
“A. C. Hessenauer delivers a potent, horrific mix full of shipwrecks, psychological horror, eco-horror, and found footage in “Going to the Six” her Cemetery Dance Publications debut! Do not miss this dark and mysterious novel!”
-Daniel Braum author of The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales
When acclaimed documentary filmmaker Owen Wheeler leads a four–person crew aboard a Michigan DNR research vessel to investigate the wreck of the Keuka—a floating speakeasy long lost beneath the cold, black waters of Lake Superior—he believes he’s chasing history. What they bring back instead is something far stranger.
Told through fragmented footage, blog journals, news clippings, and Owen’s own testimony from inside a psychiatric facility, this haunting novel unfolds across two timelines: the ill-fated expedition, and the haunted present. Just as the record fractures, so too does Owen’s grip on what truly happened aboard the vessel.
Locals whisper of an old superstition—six signs that come before a person loses their mind. Did the crew uncover a secret buried with the Keuka? Or are Owen’s memories a labyrinth of guilt, grief, and madness?
A story of truth versus memory, the collapse of time, and the thin seam between reality and delusion, Going to the Six drags the reader down into the depths—where silence presses in, light cannot reach, and dread waits patiently in the dark.
“Going to the Six is a claustrophobic, itchy story told in a compulsively readable found-footage style. The combination of shipwrecks, eco-horror, and looming insanity is addictive. Do yourself a favor: open up this book and let the story in.”
—Viggy Parr Hampton, author of The Rotting Room
"Beware: If you read A.C. Hessenauer's Going to the Six too fast, diving in headfirst like I did, you'll end up with the bends by the time you return to the surface.
Never has a novel bubbled over in the bloodstream quite like this book, a haunted document that's equal parts gelatinous eco horror and a waterlogged Blair Witch."
- Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Devil Inside
“GOING TO THE SIX is an experience so close to being inside a found footage horror movie that the pages will almost be shaking in your hands—with authenticity and with fear. A.C. Hessenauer plays by the film genre’s rules, and this twitchy, itchy story is all the better for it. Paranoia, dread, things maybe or maybe not flitting just outside the camera’s view, and that awful red algae all swirl together to make a horrifying time.”
-Michael Wehunt, Bram Stoker Award winning author of The October Film Haunt
“Going to the Six gave me nightmares.
This is squishy, splashy dread, masterfully handled.”
-Ben Farthing
“A dark, engaging, and compulsively readable epistolary tale to increase your fear of water ten-fold.”
-Laurel Hightower, author of SILENT KEY
“A. C. Hessenauer delivers a potent, horrific mix full of shipwrecks, psychological horror, eco-horror, and found footage in “Going to the Six” her Cemetery Dance Publications debut! Do not miss this dark and mysterious novel!”
-Daniel Braum author of The Night Marchers and Other Strange Tales
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
A.C. Hessenauer
12 books49 followersA.C. Hessenauer describes herself as a writer of horror, chaos, and madness. Her forthcoming novel, Going to the Six, will be published by Cemetery Dance Publications in June 2026 and was selected for the Cemetery Dance Trade Paperback Book Club alongside works by Jack Ketchum, Bentley Little, and Brian Hodge. The novel will also be released as an audiobook by Simon & Schuster Audio's Simon Maverick imprint in fall 2026.
When she’s not participating in macabre ceremonies dedicated to the eldritch horrors out in the woods, A.C. enjoys spending time with her family. She loves a good horror movie, and of course, getting swallowed whole by a good book.
When she’s not participating in macabre ceremonies dedicated to the eldritch horrors out in the woods, A.C. enjoys spending time with her family. She loves a good horror movie, and of course, getting swallowed whole by a good book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 23, 2026
While the story maintains a mod level of suspense, it never seems to peak. Nor is there any satisfaction in the outcome. It just kind of … ends.
There is no real revelation, plot twist, or definition.
The story doesn’t need the sunken Keuka at all; the ship is obliquely present, an introductory character that fades away. I kept waiting for the discovery of a cache of gold, barrels of whisky, crates of guns, sacks of cash, jewels, drugs…. But the Keuka is largely ignored. And never a correlation between the vessel and algae. With dozens of other sunken vessels in the lake, why is this the only one with the troubling algae? And why dangle the Al Capone reference if it is never developed?
It’s a meh for me. Three stars is a generous rating.
Cannot recommend.
There is no real revelation, plot twist, or definition.
The story doesn’t need the sunken Keuka at all; the ship is obliquely present, an introductory character that fades away. I kept waiting for the discovery of a cache of gold, barrels of whisky, crates of guns, sacks of cash, jewels, drugs…. But the Keuka is largely ignored. And never a correlation between the vessel and algae. With dozens of other sunken vessels in the lake, why is this the only one with the troubling algae? And why dangle the Al Capone reference if it is never developed?
It’s a meh for me. Three stars is a generous rating.
Cannot recommend.
July 5, 2026
Enjoyed the mixed media writing structure, characters, and the general plot. Thought the ending fell a bit short with no plot twist or significant paranormal presence. Despite that it was a fun quick read, I will definitely be reading more of her books.
July 7, 2026
I could not wait for this to come out, when I saw the promo for it while scrolling on Instagram and they mentioned, found footage, sunken ship, mysterious algae and a documentary crew....immediately take my money (taps credit card on desk).
And true to the promo Found footage, creepy vibes and complex characters is exactly what I got.
The use of mixed media within this book was superb, news reports, interview segments, transcripts from the documentary all serve to really build the main characters, but also build that feeling of dread, isolation and claustrophobia.
The story follows Owen wheeler and his documentary crew, who have been tasked with filming a gritty documentary of the Keuka, a floating speak easy that mysteriously sank in lake superior in the early 1900's.
While investigating the cold vast lake for the wreckage, lets just say all is not as it seems and there are greater risks in lake superior than diving an old wreckage.
Going to the six, is the perfect mix of psychological, bio and found footage horror. No easy task to pull off, but worked perfectly.
Creepy settings, claustrophobic atmosphere at every turn, and a storyline that has you descend into madness with the crew over the course of their filming.
That being said, I did feel the scenes centred around Keuka felt short and left more questions to be answered. Also the bio horror element tied to the wreckage wasn't fully explained. While this was probably the intention, I would have personally liked more story around the wreckage and what happened.
However this was totally personal preference, as the lore around the wreckage was what initially had me hooked.
Going to the six is a deep dive into guilt, grief, human experience, bio horror and found footage.
I highly recommend.
And true to the promo Found footage, creepy vibes and complex characters is exactly what I got.
The use of mixed media within this book was superb, news reports, interview segments, transcripts from the documentary all serve to really build the main characters, but also build that feeling of dread, isolation and claustrophobia.
The story follows Owen wheeler and his documentary crew, who have been tasked with filming a gritty documentary of the Keuka, a floating speak easy that mysteriously sank in lake superior in the early 1900's.
While investigating the cold vast lake for the wreckage, lets just say all is not as it seems and there are greater risks in lake superior than diving an old wreckage.
Going to the six, is the perfect mix of psychological, bio and found footage horror. No easy task to pull off, but worked perfectly.
Creepy settings, claustrophobic atmosphere at every turn, and a storyline that has you descend into madness with the crew over the course of their filming.
That being said, I did feel the scenes centred around Keuka felt short and left more questions to be answered. Also the bio horror element tied to the wreckage wasn't fully explained. While this was probably the intention, I would have personally liked more story around the wreckage and what happened.
However this was totally personal preference, as the lore around the wreckage was what initially had me hooked.
Going to the six is a deep dive into guilt, grief, human experience, bio horror and found footage.
I highly recommend.
June 26, 2026
Found footage is one of my favourite horror movie types so I grabbed the opportunity to read this one as soon as I could and boy was I glad I did. Going to the Six executes the found footage style expertly. It's creepy, atmospheric, intelligent and has a fantastic cast of characters that really make this one a must read for fans of this style of horror.
The story follows a documentary crew as they join the a research vessell investigating a potential invasive outbreak of red algae in Lake Superior. The crew themselves are particularly interested in investigating the old shiprick the Keuka which sank in the lake in the 1930s under mysterious circumstances.
As they progress with the investigation, a storm forces them to land onto Madeline island where a couple of the crew witness a violent killing with seemingly no motivation behind it. It's there, they learn the legend of what is called by the locals as "Going to the Six", a strange phenonomen that is said to infect people who "let the lake in" and drives them to madness.
I won't spoil any of the story from here but suffice it to say, hell breaks loose and the body count starts racking up and the reader will find themselves questioning what is real and what isn't along with the cast of characters.
This is not a run of the mill found footage horror story. It's multi-layered, with focuses on mental health and past trauma of characters as well as the situational horror they find themselves facing. The writing and pacing is spot on and I found myself reading way past my bedtime which is always a good sign of a great book which this one undoubtably is.
The story follows a documentary crew as they join the a research vessell investigating a potential invasive outbreak of red algae in Lake Superior. The crew themselves are particularly interested in investigating the old shiprick the Keuka which sank in the lake in the 1930s under mysterious circumstances.
As they progress with the investigation, a storm forces them to land onto Madeline island where a couple of the crew witness a violent killing with seemingly no motivation behind it. It's there, they learn the legend of what is called by the locals as "Going to the Six", a strange phenonomen that is said to infect people who "let the lake in" and drives them to madness.
I won't spoil any of the story from here but suffice it to say, hell breaks loose and the body count starts racking up and the reader will find themselves questioning what is real and what isn't along with the cast of characters.
This is not a run of the mill found footage horror story. It's multi-layered, with focuses on mental health and past trauma of characters as well as the situational horror they find themselves facing. The writing and pacing is spot on and I found myself reading way past my bedtime which is always a good sign of a great book which this one undoubtably is.
June 28, 2026
Going to the Six is without a doubt my favorite read of the year so far!
It was my first experience reading found footage and it set a high bar for the next found footage novel I pick up. The pacing in this book was perfect. The use of alternating camera footage, news stories, journal entries, and doctor/patient interviews was fantastic.
But beyond just the way it was crafted, the plot itself was unique and engrossing. Not to mention, more than a little terrifying.
I personally have never gone diving, but found myself feeling the pressure of the lake pushing down on me every time they went underwater. More than once, I felt my heart beating faster with claustrophobia, even though I'm not actually claustrophobic.
We are going on our yearly camping trip in a couple weeks, and I can guarantee that I will be telling everyone to make sure they don't let the lake in the whole time.
I couldn't put this book down! Definitely a five-star read!
It was my first experience reading found footage and it set a high bar for the next found footage novel I pick up. The pacing in this book was perfect. The use of alternating camera footage, news stories, journal entries, and doctor/patient interviews was fantastic.
But beyond just the way it was crafted, the plot itself was unique and engrossing. Not to mention, more than a little terrifying.
I personally have never gone diving, but found myself feeling the pressure of the lake pushing down on me every time they went underwater. More than once, I felt my heart beating faster with claustrophobia, even though I'm not actually claustrophobic.
We are going on our yearly camping trip in a couple weeks, and I can guarantee that I will be telling everyone to make sure they don't let the lake in the whole time.
I couldn't put this book down! Definitely a five-star read!
June 21, 2026
Hessenauer’s use of found footage is as submersible as the sunken speakeasy that the documentary crew in this story is reporting on.
Taking the best elements of found footage films she creates a reading experience that is on par with Blair Witch Project or REC. Imagine Cabin Fever, on the water, but told through a camera lens. That sums up the vibe of Going to the Six and it is executed with precision. The build up is paced perfectly and the payoff is gritty.
If you enjoy epistolary fiction, this is a terrifyingly sea-sick must-read!
Taking the best elements of found footage films she creates a reading experience that is on par with Blair Witch Project or REC. Imagine Cabin Fever, on the water, but told through a camera lens. That sums up the vibe of Going to the Six and it is executed with precision. The build up is paced perfectly and the payoff is gritty.
If you enjoy epistolary fiction, this is a terrifyingly sea-sick must-read!
June 21, 2026
A.C. Hessenauer’s “Going to the Six” is a deep-dive into psychosis, all puns intended. It’s starts off as an innocent enough journey of a group of young documentary filmmakers headed to find the secrets of a sunken ship called the Keuka. The ship exists in real life in Lake Charlevoix, and although this book only skims the surface of its history, it did cause me to go down a rabbit hole of sunken shipwrecks including the peculiar history of this former floating prohibition-era casino some believed was protected by Al Capone himself. Gordon Lightfoot’s tale of the Edmund Fitzgerald taught us all that “the lake, it is said, never gives up her dead”, and the same bodes true for “Going to the Six”. The author fittingly places the wreck in Lake Superior which is so vast in can take days to traverse and has over 500 shipwrecks nestled within the icy depths of its frigid embrace.
I thought this story did really well with the different characters. They each had their own personalities, conflicts, and fit the narrative pretty well. The author also had a grand knack for making things perfectly ambiguous where they needed to be. Whether that was the feelings and motivations of a developing love triangle, the ever-moving goalpost of the documentary (story inside the story), or the chain of events that happened on the Michigan DNR’s research vessel The Channel Cat, that all end in some very bloody intrigue.
The author clearly did proper research on scientific algae blooms, the geography of the great lakes region, and had a good penchant for creating a believable scenario of documentary filmmakers. As someone who actually makes a living in the film business, I was impressed by the accuracy. I thought perhaps the author might have a peak being the curtain of the inner workings of proper film production. In my opinion the only thing I didn’t like about the book is that it jumped back and forth between fictional narrative, to a script re-telling right out of Final Draft, to brief patient interviews, to documentary testimonials. Although this could be considered very clever, and actually did fit this particular story well, I felt that it often interrupted the flow of the narrative, and that was killing me Smalls. I fully admit, however, that could just be my personal taste.
There are plenty of red herrings as well. A spooktacular bed and breakfast on an off-season island, a string of dogs that turn on their owners, and most strikingly a local curse called “going to the six” which gives the book its title. These all keep the reader guessing just exactly what chaos will unfold next. Drop in a sprinkling of a “Jaws” inspired fear of the deep unknown and what lurks there, and a race to survival when being stranded at sea, and the stakes constantly rise. It kind of reads like a love letter to many horror films the least of which aren’t the aforementioned Spielberg classic and others like Kubrick’s “The Shining” and John Carpenter’s “The Thing”. If you like the feelings of isolation and impending doom those stories bring, “Going to the Six” might be for you.
All-in-all this is an intriguing read, with plenty to keep our short attention span minds occupied. By the end, you’ll have questions and will be rooting for the hopeless romantic inside of all of us. However, be careful what you wish for, because star-crossed lovers can be very forgiving of deep-seeded inherent character flaws.
A nice thriller, wrapped in the color tours of Michigan, and bathed in the deep blues of the beckoning void of Lake Superior. The characters within are like the shimmering beauty of the seemingly endless vast waves of the Great Lakes. Nice to look at from the outside but hiding something very dark and suffocating deep down below the surface.
I thought this story did really well with the different characters. They each had their own personalities, conflicts, and fit the narrative pretty well. The author also had a grand knack for making things perfectly ambiguous where they needed to be. Whether that was the feelings and motivations of a developing love triangle, the ever-moving goalpost of the documentary (story inside the story), or the chain of events that happened on the Michigan DNR’s research vessel The Channel Cat, that all end in some very bloody intrigue.
The author clearly did proper research on scientific algae blooms, the geography of the great lakes region, and had a good penchant for creating a believable scenario of documentary filmmakers. As someone who actually makes a living in the film business, I was impressed by the accuracy. I thought perhaps the author might have a peak being the curtain of the inner workings of proper film production. In my opinion the only thing I didn’t like about the book is that it jumped back and forth between fictional narrative, to a script re-telling right out of Final Draft, to brief patient interviews, to documentary testimonials. Although this could be considered very clever, and actually did fit this particular story well, I felt that it often interrupted the flow of the narrative, and that was killing me Smalls. I fully admit, however, that could just be my personal taste.
There are plenty of red herrings as well. A spooktacular bed and breakfast on an off-season island, a string of dogs that turn on their owners, and most strikingly a local curse called “going to the six” which gives the book its title. These all keep the reader guessing just exactly what chaos will unfold next. Drop in a sprinkling of a “Jaws” inspired fear of the deep unknown and what lurks there, and a race to survival when being stranded at sea, and the stakes constantly rise. It kind of reads like a love letter to many horror films the least of which aren’t the aforementioned Spielberg classic and others like Kubrick’s “The Shining” and John Carpenter’s “The Thing”. If you like the feelings of isolation and impending doom those stories bring, “Going to the Six” might be for you.
All-in-all this is an intriguing read, with plenty to keep our short attention span minds occupied. By the end, you’ll have questions and will be rooting for the hopeless romantic inside of all of us. However, be careful what you wish for, because star-crossed lovers can be very forgiving of deep-seeded inherent character flaws.
A nice thriller, wrapped in the color tours of Michigan, and bathed in the deep blues of the beckoning void of Lake Superior. The characters within are like the shimmering beauty of the seemingly endless vast waves of the Great Lakes. Nice to look at from the outside but hiding something very dark and suffocating deep down below the surface.
June 22, 2026
Earlier in the year, I read and absolutely loved A.C. Hessenauer's noirish supernatural story, "Manimal," so I was excited for the chance to check out her new release, "Going to the Six," which released on June 16. And while "Going to the Six" has very different narrative style, setting, and theme compared to "Manimal," at its heart, it showcases what I've discovered is Hessenauer's strongest suit as a writer: complex characters embroiled in complicated relationships.
"Going to the Six" is presented in the same "found footage" style as "Episode Thirteen" by Craig DiLouie., with a series of film transcripts, news clippings, personal interviews, medical records, and journal entries. Through these, the crew of a documentary film series called "Secrets of the Deep" joins an ecological research team traversing Lake Superior. While researching invasive algae growth in the Great Lake, the scientists have inadvertently stumbled across the shipwrecked remains of the Keuka, a Prohibition-era pleasure barge. "Secrets of the Deep" plans to dive and explore the site to try and find out why the Keuka mysteriously sank in 1932, killing more than 100 people aboard.
The film team consists of host/showrunner Owen Wheeler; actress turned cohost Arielle "Ari" Stone; cameraman Duncan Holcomb; and sound technician Kirk Lannigan. They're a well-oiled machine, and as they set off with the research vessel The Channel Cat and its crew, it seems pretty much like business as usual. Except that Ari has a bad feeling she just can't seem to shake, a persistent dread that lingers like the storm clouds gathering along the horizon. Owen can't seem to stop thinking about his grandfather, and a traumatic incident in Owen's youth in which the old man accused him of "letting the lake in." Duncan doesn't like the way an unusual flock of seabirds seems to be following them on the voyage. And Kirk's not a big fan of the way Owen and Ari keep making moon eyes at each other. There's a storm brewing in more ways than one for our intrepid filmmakers, and an unexpected detour to a tourist island leads to a disturbing encounter with peculiar locals, and the disclosure of even more disturbing local lore known as "Going to the Six."
The closer Owen and his friends get to discovering the truth about what "the Six" is and what really befell the Keuka, the greater the danger and depravity they face. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that heads will roll, hearts will be broken, and eyes will be gouged out.
"Going to the Six" is a fun, fast-paced, frightening read, filled with jump scares, escalating dread, unreliable narrators, and horrors of both the ecological and supernatural varieties. As I mentioned earlier, however, the real centerpieces of the story are the characters. With their secrets, flaws, unrequited affections, unspoken rivalries, and hidden resentments, each of the protagonists--Owen, Ari, Duncan, and Kirk--are realistic, sympathetic, and relatable. Hessenauer knows how to sink her writing hooks into readers by crafting characters you identify and empathize with, and whose fates you feel emotionally invested in. No matter how bloody, terrifying, or just plain weird the scene, her characters keep you grounded, while also feverishly turning the page to find out what happens next. She's a gifted author, one who has earned a spot on my list of horror authors to watch, and I'm excited to see where her imagination takes us next.
"Going to the Six" is presented in the same "found footage" style as "Episode Thirteen" by Craig DiLouie., with a series of film transcripts, news clippings, personal interviews, medical records, and journal entries. Through these, the crew of a documentary film series called "Secrets of the Deep" joins an ecological research team traversing Lake Superior. While researching invasive algae growth in the Great Lake, the scientists have inadvertently stumbled across the shipwrecked remains of the Keuka, a Prohibition-era pleasure barge. "Secrets of the Deep" plans to dive and explore the site to try and find out why the Keuka mysteriously sank in 1932, killing more than 100 people aboard.
The film team consists of host/showrunner Owen Wheeler; actress turned cohost Arielle "Ari" Stone; cameraman Duncan Holcomb; and sound technician Kirk Lannigan. They're a well-oiled machine, and as they set off with the research vessel The Channel Cat and its crew, it seems pretty much like business as usual. Except that Ari has a bad feeling she just can't seem to shake, a persistent dread that lingers like the storm clouds gathering along the horizon. Owen can't seem to stop thinking about his grandfather, and a traumatic incident in Owen's youth in which the old man accused him of "letting the lake in." Duncan doesn't like the way an unusual flock of seabirds seems to be following them on the voyage. And Kirk's not a big fan of the way Owen and Ari keep making moon eyes at each other. There's a storm brewing in more ways than one for our intrepid filmmakers, and an unexpected detour to a tourist island leads to a disturbing encounter with peculiar locals, and the disclosure of even more disturbing local lore known as "Going to the Six."
The closer Owen and his friends get to discovering the truth about what "the Six" is and what really befell the Keuka, the greater the danger and depravity they face. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say that heads will roll, hearts will be broken, and eyes will be gouged out.
"Going to the Six" is a fun, fast-paced, frightening read, filled with jump scares, escalating dread, unreliable narrators, and horrors of both the ecological and supernatural varieties. As I mentioned earlier, however, the real centerpieces of the story are the characters. With their secrets, flaws, unrequited affections, unspoken rivalries, and hidden resentments, each of the protagonists--Owen, Ari, Duncan, and Kirk--are realistic, sympathetic, and relatable. Hessenauer knows how to sink her writing hooks into readers by crafting characters you identify and empathize with, and whose fates you feel emotionally invested in. No matter how bloody, terrifying, or just plain weird the scene, her characters keep you grounded, while also feverishly turning the page to find out what happens next. She's a gifted author, one who has earned a spot on my list of horror authors to watch, and I'm excited to see where her imagination takes us next.
August 10, 2026
Going to the Six is focused on a research vessel in Lake Superior. There are lots of references to real places and scenarios to make it feel very authentic. It was my first time reading a "found footage" book, which I thought worked really well for the story line. Kept me trying to piece things together while reading. Highly recommend to horror/mystery readers with an interest in nature, lake life, or the Great Lakes.
June 27, 2026
I am very fond of found footage horror movies. This book was written like a found footage movie, so that was a real treat for me. The setting of a massive lake with some sinister red algae was unsettling to say the least. I also like the characters the story introduced me to. Some of the decisions made were questionable (especially from Owen), but horror stories generally need stupid decisions to move the plot along. There were some genuinely scary scenes, especially in the climax. This book was a real treat to read! I recommend it if you also love found footage horror!
July 24, 2026
Very well written, the horror simply wasn't there
July 7, 2026
don’t let the lake in
An obsessive story with a build up of dread! This story had me captivated from the start! I loved the eerie build and spooky feeling this story gives you!
An obsessive story with a build up of dread! This story had me captivated from the start! I loved the eerie build and spooky feeling this story gives you!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Water Horror? I let the lake in and I’m so happy I did!
This is my first Hessenauer book and what a great way to start. I love a good ocean/lake/water horror and this one was that, in spades. And it’s a hybrid epistolary structure with film footage, transcripts, interviews, and video diary entries, which is one of my favourite story structures.
We have a documentary film crew exploring a near 100-year-old mysterious ship wreck 🛳️ at the bottom of Lake Superior (an actual shipwreck relocated from Lake Charlevoix for the purposes of this story, which actually adds to the remoteness and jeopardy to good effect), along with a possible red algae bloom, maybe ghosts, superstitions, hallucinations, murder, and definitely people losing their minds.
Hessenauer sets up the story by immediately diving (pardon the pun 😉) into video transcripts of a doctor-patient interview with an apparent survivor of an incident that occurred out on Lake Superior (which, as a 70s 🇨🇦 kid is extra spooky – thanks Gordon Lightfoot.) It gives us just enough to get a good sense of something horrific – through the patient’s actions and reluctance to talk – but just enough to know that at least someone has survived this horror, at least in a fashion. The mystery is immediately apparent by the second chapter when we learn that a doc crew has gone to investigate a sunken ship mystery, and that ghostly mood builds perfectly to the end.
There’s a lot of factors playing into the horror and the atmosphere is made genuinely ominous through the use of the description of diving footage 🤿. There’s also the added bonus of a red algae bloom which, in this tale, is reminiscent of mycelium horror, another horror sub-genre I love.
This is a great take on that, and by having it water-based adds the extra element of ‘shipwreck ghost story’ to it, along with the eerie depths of the lake, which the author conveys perfectly – the murkiness of the water’s depths, the isolation on the water, the strange way water messes with sound and vision… and the main characters are interesting and complex to boot, so there’s a vested interest in their fates.
An excellent, creepy story! I’m definitely checking out more of this author’s work.
My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
This is my first Hessenauer book and what a great way to start. I love a good ocean/lake/water horror and this one was that, in spades. And it’s a hybrid epistolary structure with film footage, transcripts, interviews, and video diary entries, which is one of my favourite story structures.
We have a documentary film crew exploring a near 100-year-old mysterious ship wreck 🛳️ at the bottom of Lake Superior (an actual shipwreck relocated from Lake Charlevoix for the purposes of this story, which actually adds to the remoteness and jeopardy to good effect), along with a possible red algae bloom, maybe ghosts, superstitions, hallucinations, murder, and definitely people losing their minds.
Hessenauer sets up the story by immediately diving (pardon the pun 😉) into video transcripts of a doctor-patient interview with an apparent survivor of an incident that occurred out on Lake Superior (which, as a 70s 🇨🇦 kid is extra spooky – thanks Gordon Lightfoot.) It gives us just enough to get a good sense of something horrific – through the patient’s actions and reluctance to talk – but just enough to know that at least someone has survived this horror, at least in a fashion. The mystery is immediately apparent by the second chapter when we learn that a doc crew has gone to investigate a sunken ship mystery, and that ghostly mood builds perfectly to the end.
There’s a lot of factors playing into the horror and the atmosphere is made genuinely ominous through the use of the description of diving footage 🤿. There’s also the added bonus of a red algae bloom which, in this tale, is reminiscent of mycelium horror, another horror sub-genre I love.
This is a great take on that, and by having it water-based adds the extra element of ‘shipwreck ghost story’ to it, along with the eerie depths of the lake, which the author conveys perfectly – the murkiness of the water’s depths, the isolation on the water, the strange way water messes with sound and vision… and the main characters are interesting and complex to boot, so there’s a vested interest in their fates.
An excellent, creepy story! I’m definitely checking out more of this author’s work.
My thanks to the author for the complimentary copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily; all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Going to the Six by A. C. Hessenauer
Releases June 16, 2026
Going to the Six is a beautifully written epistolary story. A story about friendships put to the test while battling an evilness amongst themselves, as well as something out of their control. This is one of my favorite formats. And it takes a lot of talent to make it work. For me, Hessenauer has accomplished this.
We follow a group of documentarists on the hunt for a sunken ship named Keuka.
The first half of the book focuses on the highlights and lowlights of the characters. I enjoyed every moment I spent with the characters in this story. The character development helped me form a bond with all of them. The troubling times they faced, helped me to grow with them, immersing myself in the story. Even the annoying characters became a part of my family.
The book is set around a sunken ship that the crew wants to study. A bright red algae is growing around the ship and spreading across Lake Superiour. Scientists are searching for the reason why; while the documentarists are researching the ship. To me, the world building is even better than character development. Not that the characters weren’t fully developed, just that the world was better described. The total isolation of being on a boat in the middle of Lake Superior… a lake known for taking ships and lives, and to be hovering over one of the haunted ships - that has a bright red algae reaching out to them. Hessenauer does a fantastic job describing the desolation and loneliness. Lake Superior is such a vast and eerie lake. The descriptions of the lake are exactly how I would feel about it.
The writing style is awesome. The pacing is perfect. The ending is unique, and slightly unexpected. There is so much to the story… an underlying story as well as the horror story itself. An absolute must-read for all readers who enjoy a slow burn, epistolary horror.
A week later… The story is still living in my head.
Releases June 16, 2026
Going to the Six is a beautifully written epistolary story. A story about friendships put to the test while battling an evilness amongst themselves, as well as something out of their control. This is one of my favorite formats. And it takes a lot of talent to make it work. For me, Hessenauer has accomplished this.
We follow a group of documentarists on the hunt for a sunken ship named Keuka.
The first half of the book focuses on the highlights and lowlights of the characters. I enjoyed every moment I spent with the characters in this story. The character development helped me form a bond with all of them. The troubling times they faced, helped me to grow with them, immersing myself in the story. Even the annoying characters became a part of my family.
The book is set around a sunken ship that the crew wants to study. A bright red algae is growing around the ship and spreading across Lake Superiour. Scientists are searching for the reason why; while the documentarists are researching the ship. To me, the world building is even better than character development. Not that the characters weren’t fully developed, just that the world was better described. The total isolation of being on a boat in the middle of Lake Superior… a lake known for taking ships and lives, and to be hovering over one of the haunted ships - that has a bright red algae reaching out to them. Hessenauer does a fantastic job describing the desolation and loneliness. Lake Superior is such a vast and eerie lake. The descriptions of the lake are exactly how I would feel about it.
The writing style is awesome. The pacing is perfect. The ending is unique, and slightly unexpected. There is so much to the story… an underlying story as well as the horror story itself. An absolute must-read for all readers who enjoy a slow burn, epistolary horror.
A week later… The story is still living in my head.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A.C. Hessenauer has written something genuinely special with Going to the Six.
What impressed me most wasn't the mystery itself, but the confidence of the storytelling. This is a novel that trusts its readers. Rather than relying on cheap scares or easy answers, Hessenauer crafts an atmosphere of unease that builds steadily throughout the book and lingers long after the final page.
The structure is one of the novel's greatest strengths. The use of interviews, reports, journals, and firsthand accounts creates an immersive experience that feels remarkably authentic. It gives the story a documentary-like quality that constantly blurs the line between reality and speculation, pulling the reader deeper into the mystery.
Hessenauer's prose is excellent throughout. Her writing is sharp, confident, and highly readable, but it also knows when to slow down and let a moment breathe. She has a gift for creating tension without forcing it, allowing dread and uncertainty to emerge naturally from the story itself. The result is a novel that feels intelligent, atmospheric, and emotionally grounded.
The characters are equally strong. They feel like real people placed in extraordinary circumstances, and their relationships provide an emotional core that keeps the story engaging even during its most unsettling moments.
Perhaps what I appreciated most is that the novel embraces ambiguity without becoming frustrating. It leaves room for interpretation while still delivering a satisfying reading experience. Readers who enjoy stories that trust them to think, question, and draw their own conclusions will find a lot to love here.
Going to the Six is an ambitious, immersive, and beautifully crafted novel that showcases A.C. Hessenauer's considerable talent as a writer. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, compelling mysteries, and stories that stay with them long after they're finished.
An easy five stars.
What impressed me most wasn't the mystery itself, but the confidence of the storytelling. This is a novel that trusts its readers. Rather than relying on cheap scares or easy answers, Hessenauer crafts an atmosphere of unease that builds steadily throughout the book and lingers long after the final page.
The structure is one of the novel's greatest strengths. The use of interviews, reports, journals, and firsthand accounts creates an immersive experience that feels remarkably authentic. It gives the story a documentary-like quality that constantly blurs the line between reality and speculation, pulling the reader deeper into the mystery.
Hessenauer's prose is excellent throughout. Her writing is sharp, confident, and highly readable, but it also knows when to slow down and let a moment breathe. She has a gift for creating tension without forcing it, allowing dread and uncertainty to emerge naturally from the story itself. The result is a novel that feels intelligent, atmospheric, and emotionally grounded.
The characters are equally strong. They feel like real people placed in extraordinary circumstances, and their relationships provide an emotional core that keeps the story engaging even during its most unsettling moments.
Perhaps what I appreciated most is that the novel embraces ambiguity without becoming frustrating. It leaves room for interpretation while still delivering a satisfying reading experience. Readers who enjoy stories that trust them to think, question, and draw their own conclusions will find a lot to love here.
Going to the Six is an ambitious, immersive, and beautifully crafted novel that showcases A.C. Hessenauer's considerable talent as a writer. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy atmospheric horror, compelling mysteries, and stories that stay with them long after they're finished.
An easy five stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
**ARC Review**
Author: A.C. Hessenauer
Book: Going to the Six
Book Rating: 4.5 Stars
Genre: Horror
I want to thank A.C. Hessenauer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first found-footage horror novel, and let me tell you, I could visualize it just like a found-footage movie. There was slow-burn to build the tension with just enough drama sprinkled in that made you really believe you were watching…er, reading, a real film crew heading out to create their documentary.
Back in the early 1900s, during Prohibition, there was a ship called the Keuka, supposedly a floating speakeasy disguised as a roller rink. On one of its voyages on Lake Superior, it mysteriously disappeared. It was rediscovered in 2017 during a research expedition studying a red algal bloom in the lake. Our group of filmmakers enlists the research vessel The Channel Cat to film the documentary. Only, it seems like something else is out there on the water with them. And then there are the locals of Madeline Island who claim that there is a mysterious illness that they call Going To The Six. Could all of this be tied together?
As I already mentioned, this was more of a slow burn, but that only increased the tension. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read this novel. A.C. Hessenauer masterfully created terror in a way that seemed authentic and real. She didn’t use jump scares and gore, but built up to something truly more frightening: is this supernatural, or is this all in their heads?
This was my first A.C. Hessenauer book, and she has sold me. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of her work. If it is half as good as Going To The Six, I’m going to fly through them. If you are a fan of slow-burn horror, of not fully knowing what is going on, or of found footage, you will need to read Going To The Six when it is released on June 16th.
Author: A.C. Hessenauer
Book: Going to the Six
Book Rating: 4.5 Stars
Genre: Horror
I want to thank A.C. Hessenauer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first found-footage horror novel, and let me tell you, I could visualize it just like a found-footage movie. There was slow-burn to build the tension with just enough drama sprinkled in that made you really believe you were watching…er, reading, a real film crew heading out to create their documentary.
Back in the early 1900s, during Prohibition, there was a ship called the Keuka, supposedly a floating speakeasy disguised as a roller rink. On one of its voyages on Lake Superior, it mysteriously disappeared. It was rediscovered in 2017 during a research expedition studying a red algal bloom in the lake. Our group of filmmakers enlists the research vessel The Channel Cat to film the documentary. Only, it seems like something else is out there on the water with them. And then there are the locals of Madeline Island who claim that there is a mysterious illness that they call Going To The Six. Could all of this be tied together?
As I already mentioned, this was more of a slow burn, but that only increased the tension. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time I read this novel. A.C. Hessenauer masterfully created terror in a way that seemed authentic and real. She didn’t use jump scares and gore, but built up to something truly more frightening: is this supernatural, or is this all in their heads?
This was my first A.C. Hessenauer book, and she has sold me. I can’t wait to dig into the rest of her work. If it is half as good as Going To The Six, I’m going to fly through them. If you are a fan of slow-burn horror, of not fully knowing what is going on, or of found footage, you will need to read Going To The Six when it is released on June 16th.
August 3, 2026
I remember being a teenager during the late 2000s and early 2010s, when Hollywood had a sudden infatuation with found footage. Many movies from that era—Cloverfield, Rec/Quarantine, The Poughkeepsie Tapes, the Paranormal Activity series—I saw in theaters. Whether it is expressed on film, or in writing in the form of the epistolary novel, my opinion of found footage has never wavered: It either works well, or flops horribly.
In the case of Amanda Hessenauer’s Going To The Six, it works well.
Going To The Six introduces us to a film crew aboard a boat on Lake Superior, hoping to make a documentary about a recently uncovered sunken ship. During their assignment, they discover a mysterious algae which spreads rapidly, inexplicably, and with increasingly frightening outcomes. Hessenauer’s novel reads like a blend of The Blair Witch Project and Cabin Fever, with the crew’s slow descent into sickness and bloodshed told through newspaper articles, journal entries, and transcripts. Hessenauer’s video transcripts are enhanced by her employment of the signature camera angles and motions associated with found footage, which she does so masterfully I could envision the erratic, shaky camera while reading.
One crucial component of the genre is capturing the character’s mental deterioration, something which not every found footage story can pull off. Fortunately, Hessenauer doesn’t disappoint. I felt the tension and distrust grow with each page amongst the crew, watching this group of friends turn resentful and paranoid as circumstances grew grimmer. Sometimes, I even found myself wondering who I could trust—if at all. Overall, a very impressive read which will make those who enjoy found footage and epistolary novels feel right at home.
In the case of Amanda Hessenauer’s Going To The Six, it works well.
Going To The Six introduces us to a film crew aboard a boat on Lake Superior, hoping to make a documentary about a recently uncovered sunken ship. During their assignment, they discover a mysterious algae which spreads rapidly, inexplicably, and with increasingly frightening outcomes. Hessenauer’s novel reads like a blend of The Blair Witch Project and Cabin Fever, with the crew’s slow descent into sickness and bloodshed told through newspaper articles, journal entries, and transcripts. Hessenauer’s video transcripts are enhanced by her employment of the signature camera angles and motions associated with found footage, which she does so masterfully I could envision the erratic, shaky camera while reading.
One crucial component of the genre is capturing the character’s mental deterioration, something which not every found footage story can pull off. Fortunately, Hessenauer doesn’t disappoint. I felt the tension and distrust grow with each page amongst the crew, watching this group of friends turn resentful and paranoid as circumstances grew grimmer. Sometimes, I even found myself wondering who I could trust—if at all. Overall, a very impressive read which will make those who enjoy found footage and epistolary novels feel right at home.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love found footage horror (all kinds of epistolary horror, in fact), and this scratched that itch in the most satisfying of ways!
However, the book's far more than just another addition to the genre: the story's really ambitious and quite heavily detailed (expanding way further than the typical fare of found footage horror fiction, such as it is); it touches on a wide variety of themes (from marine biochemistry and shipwrecks to the concept of evil and Alzheimer's); it develops the narrative's multiple threads through several different kinds of approaches at the same time (transcripts of psychiatric interviews taking place after the fact, journal entries concurrent with the main happenings along with extensive reminiscences of older events, short newspaper articles as well as unadorned descriptions of footage, but also drawing on the occasional internal monologue); and often goes unusually deep into the emotional state of the characters (through multiple POVs).
Happily, despite the narrative's many layers and the large cast, the author never forgets, not even once, to keep spinning a terrific yarn, with a central mystery and a thought-provoking ending. Frankly, I wish I could talk more about the ending without spoiling it. I found its ambiguity and subtlety quite remarkable.
Even if one dislikes found footage, the book is worth a read for its high entertainment value: to put it bluntly, the story kicks ass, and just a few pages in you realize you got a absorbing page-turner in your hands! Highly recommend!
However, the book's far more than just another addition to the genre: the story's really ambitious and quite heavily detailed (expanding way further than the typical fare of found footage horror fiction, such as it is); it touches on a wide variety of themes (from marine biochemistry and shipwrecks to the concept of evil and Alzheimer's); it develops the narrative's multiple threads through several different kinds of approaches at the same time (transcripts of psychiatric interviews taking place after the fact, journal entries concurrent with the main happenings along with extensive reminiscences of older events, short newspaper articles as well as unadorned descriptions of footage, but also drawing on the occasional internal monologue); and often goes unusually deep into the emotional state of the characters (through multiple POVs).
Happily, despite the narrative's many layers and the large cast, the author never forgets, not even once, to keep spinning a terrific yarn, with a central mystery and a thought-provoking ending. Frankly, I wish I could talk more about the ending without spoiling it. I found its ambiguity and subtlety quite remarkable.
Even if one dislikes found footage, the book is worth a read for its high entertainment value: to put it bluntly, the story kicks ass, and just a few pages in you realize you got a absorbing page-turner in your hands! Highly recommend!
July 6, 2026
“I carry that stillness, those icy cold, black depths. That pocket of void.”
This book is like a love letter to found footage. Play-by-play descriptions of fractured video clips. Transcripts of interviews and scenes intended for a documentary. Diary entries, news articles. All of it framed inside another transcript of a doctor trying to wrestle the story out of a survivor.
When I grabbed this one, I expected something super adjacent to From Below by Darcy Coates. Even though there are underwater clips, that’s not quite the right comp. Going to the Six, to me, was much more giving We Used to Live Here vibes, maybe a dash of Episode Thirteen. But again: strongly *found footage* style. I definitely also thought of The Invisible World by Nora Fussner.
Don’t expect concrete answers. That there aren’t real answers is kind of the point. You’re here for a captured glimpse of something dancing on the edge of cosmic: whatever’s in the lake, or whatever the lake is, it claims things on its own vast and unpredictable schedule—if there’s any sense of order at all. It may just be pure whim.
The thread pulling all the fragments together is the doomed crew: their relationships and backstories and struggles. April and Owen are both, in their own way, always watching over their shoulders, always anticipating the worst. In this case, they’re right to do so . . . even though it’s unlikely to be enough to save them.
This book is like a love letter to found footage. Play-by-play descriptions of fractured video clips. Transcripts of interviews and scenes intended for a documentary. Diary entries, news articles. All of it framed inside another transcript of a doctor trying to wrestle the story out of a survivor.
When I grabbed this one, I expected something super adjacent to From Below by Darcy Coates. Even though there are underwater clips, that’s not quite the right comp. Going to the Six, to me, was much more giving We Used to Live Here vibes, maybe a dash of Episode Thirteen. But again: strongly *found footage* style. I definitely also thought of The Invisible World by Nora Fussner.
Don’t expect concrete answers. That there aren’t real answers is kind of the point. You’re here for a captured glimpse of something dancing on the edge of cosmic: whatever’s in the lake, or whatever the lake is, it claims things on its own vast and unpredictable schedule—if there’s any sense of order at all. It may just be pure whim.
The thread pulling all the fragments together is the doomed crew: their relationships and backstories and struggles. April and Owen are both, in their own way, always watching over their shoulders, always anticipating the worst. In this case, they’re right to do so . . . even though it’s unlikely to be enough to save them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
💀I am SO grateful that @a.c.hessenauer entrusted me with an e-arc of her upcoming book, Going to the Six. My life has been forever changed!!🖤
First off, I’m a sucker for a therapist/client transcript & this immediately starts off exactly that way! ✔️
Add a creepy deep diving wreckage documentary with an off season island full of disturbing events, count me in!✔️✔️
Then throw in the mystery of something seriously sinister you know will be revealed {yes please. Tell me more!}✔️✔️✔️
🌊A newly discovered wreckage deep at the bottom of Lake Superior holds long lost dark secrets. There’s something in the water that’s been buried for decades, but it’s back.
👁️I literally devoured this book in one sitting, as fast as my eyeballs could go! Honestly I wasn’t even planning on reading it minutes after receiving. I just opened it & my eyes started going! I could not physically pry them away!! I kept saying ‘ok, after this chapter.’ But I was gone, fully into the story, checked out of life & anything going on around me. Who needs to make dinner anyway? 😂
Fast paced, heart pounding, eerily haunting, it’s like watching your favorite movie! So so good!!
I cannot recommend this book enough!! It’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️ from me!!! LOVED!
I can’t wait for her next book!! 📖
First off, I’m a sucker for a therapist/client transcript & this immediately starts off exactly that way! ✔️
Add a creepy deep diving wreckage documentary with an off season island full of disturbing events, count me in!✔️✔️
Then throw in the mystery of something seriously sinister you know will be revealed {yes please. Tell me more!}✔️✔️✔️
🌊A newly discovered wreckage deep at the bottom of Lake Superior holds long lost dark secrets. There’s something in the water that’s been buried for decades, but it’s back.
👁️I literally devoured this book in one sitting, as fast as my eyeballs could go! Honestly I wasn’t even planning on reading it minutes after receiving. I just opened it & my eyes started going! I could not physically pry them away!! I kept saying ‘ok, after this chapter.’ But I was gone, fully into the story, checked out of life & anything going on around me. Who needs to make dinner anyway? 😂
Fast paced, heart pounding, eerily haunting, it’s like watching your favorite movie! So so good!!
I cannot recommend this book enough!! It’s ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️ from me!!! LOVED!
I can’t wait for her next book!! 📖
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Be careful what you let inside…
Going to the Six by A.C. Hessenauer fits snuggly in the found footage horror genre. This one grabbed me hard. A genuinely compulsive horror read, I was swiping digital pages so fast to see what happens.
Told through multiple POV via camera footage, transcripts, a blog, live action and exploratory sequences, the growing horror hedges in on the reader from all sides. Dive down to the bottom of Lake Superior with the Keuka, a floating speakeasy that sank for unknown reasons. Something is blooming on the lake itself, something that shouldn’t be there, and it’s affecting those on land. There’s an island, a refuge from a storm, or is it? Onboard, weird and frightening events unravel to terrifying psychological conclusions. The ending though…I’m haunted. It’s still creeping under my skin.
I love this author’s writing and storytelling style. She’s incredibly talented, with a wonderful, authentic voice, and great prose. Her characterization and dialogue are spot on. It’s my first novel by her, and funny enough, I’ve also recently had the privilege of reading some of her short fiction in anthos that have not yet been published. When I see her name, I get super excited. She delivers.
I highly recommend Going to the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Going to the Six by A.C. Hessenauer fits snuggly in the found footage horror genre. This one grabbed me hard. A genuinely compulsive horror read, I was swiping digital pages so fast to see what happens.
Told through multiple POV via camera footage, transcripts, a blog, live action and exploratory sequences, the growing horror hedges in on the reader from all sides. Dive down to the bottom of Lake Superior with the Keuka, a floating speakeasy that sank for unknown reasons. Something is blooming on the lake itself, something that shouldn’t be there, and it’s affecting those on land. There’s an island, a refuge from a storm, or is it? Onboard, weird and frightening events unravel to terrifying psychological conclusions. The ending though…I’m haunted. It’s still creeping under my skin.
I love this author’s writing and storytelling style. She’s incredibly talented, with a wonderful, authentic voice, and great prose. Her characterization and dialogue are spot on. It’s my first novel by her, and funny enough, I’ve also recently had the privilege of reading some of her short fiction in anthos that have not yet been published. When I see her name, I get super excited. She delivers.
I highly recommend Going to the Six ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 16, 2026
So, first of all, I should preface that I normally am just not into the found footage subgenre of horror books, I find it is VERY hard to pull off without some extremely overdone tropes and trying to transfer jump scares to paper, it just doesn’t work, at least not for me.
However, AC has shown an incredible amount of finesse and a clever work around with the genres biggest problem by interspersing a traditonal “found footage” narrative with various epistolary formats- news interviews, doctor-patient transcripts, and film script narratives that provide enough variance to keep things interesting. Not only that, but the pacing is excellent, dribbling out pertinent information just enough to want to keep you turning the page.
If I had to provide comps for this book, I’d say it was Bram Stoker’s Dracula (the book), meets Blair witch project, meets Ghost Ship.
Though this takes place on one of the Great Lakes, there’s a definite nautical theme that folks who like deep oceanic horror akin to Cutter’s “The Deep” will appreciate as well.
All in all, an incredibly solid book that takes some big risks and, thanks to skill and authorial finesse, AC has pulled off wonderfully.
4.5/5
June 13, 2026
Visiting supposed haunted places is a fascination for me. I have been to many a haunted house, school or abandoned location. The thrill of wondering if you will see or hear anything strange is very exciting. I have heard whispers and seen what I thought was an apparition. Would I be brave enough to scuba dive to an abandoned ship? That I do not know. The premise of this book is such an adventure. But what transpires could only be described as a horrific and terrifying experience. I do not think anyone aboard the vessel was expecting to have happen what occurred. Not on the island nor the abandoned ship. The scenes of the divers trying to find their way underwater were very claustrophobic; if that is how I would describe the feeling. The more that transpired on the boat, the more panicked I became for the people onboard. No wonder Owen felt the need to check himself into a psychiatric hospital once he and Arielle were rescued. I found this book even more interesting because the story was told via found footage and interview . I felt this made the experience more realistic. This is a great book from the list by this author. Go get this book to have your own experience.
July 26, 2026
A documentary film crew departs on a research vessel to film a TV series about a ship that sank in Lake Superior. But strange forces are at play within the lake’s dark depths, and every dive becomes dangerous for more than just the obvious reasons.
I really enjoyed this book. First and foremost because it is beautifully written. As someone who has visited Lake Superior before, I loved how the setting and the atmosphere were portrayed. The characters were also excellent, each with their own distinct personalities. But it was the prose itself that kept me turning the pages more than anything. I recall one line in particular that I highlighted on my Kindle about comparing the oppressive depths of the lake to a black hole that was just chef’s kiss. I’m probably more fascinated by black holes and scuba diving than the average person haha, but this is just one example of the breathtaking prose that pervades this book.
Going to the Six is definitely a slow burn. If you need constant action and a multitude of scares, it might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy atmospheric, character-driven horror, it is absolutely worth checking out!
I really enjoyed this book. First and foremost because it is beautifully written. As someone who has visited Lake Superior before, I loved how the setting and the atmosphere were portrayed. The characters were also excellent, each with their own distinct personalities. But it was the prose itself that kept me turning the pages more than anything. I recall one line in particular that I highlighted on my Kindle about comparing the oppressive depths of the lake to a black hole that was just chef’s kiss. I’m probably more fascinated by black holes and scuba diving than the average person haha, but this is just one example of the breathtaking prose that pervades this book.
Going to the Six is definitely a slow burn. If you need constant action and a multitude of scares, it might not be the book for you. But if you enjoy atmospheric, character-driven horror, it is absolutely worth checking out!
June 7, 2026
🌊 Going To The Six by A. C. Hessenauer 🌊
Looking for a watery found footage horror book reminiscent of Dead Silence and Into The Drowning Deep? Well I have the book for you!
Going To The Six follows a documentary crew as they record the finding of a long lost sunken ship popular in the prohibition era in Lake Superior. Surrounding the ship is a bunch of red algae and a team of scientists are also looking into the possibility of a red tide. When odd occurrences begin happening with both the local island folk and the crew members, they start to wonder if the legends of “going to the six” whispered around town may be true…
I loved this! It had the right blend of suspense and found footage. I loved the tension and the way this played out like a movie. At the end, I was left to question whether it was all in the characters heads or if the characters really “went to the six.”
This one releases June 16th! Add it to your radar if you’re a found footage lover like me!
Special thanks to the author @a.c.hessenauer for the gifted e-arc!
Looking for a watery found footage horror book reminiscent of Dead Silence and Into The Drowning Deep? Well I have the book for you!
Going To The Six follows a documentary crew as they record the finding of a long lost sunken ship popular in the prohibition era in Lake Superior. Surrounding the ship is a bunch of red algae and a team of scientists are also looking into the possibility of a red tide. When odd occurrences begin happening with both the local island folk and the crew members, they start to wonder if the legends of “going to the six” whispered around town may be true…
I loved this! It had the right blend of suspense and found footage. I loved the tension and the way this played out like a movie. At the end, I was left to question whether it was all in the characters heads or if the characters really “went to the six.”
This one releases June 16th! Add it to your radar if you’re a found footage lover like me!
Special thanks to the author @a.c.hessenauer for the gifted e-arc!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I do love a good found footage book. The author makes use of interviews, cameras, blogs, journals, news articles, etc.
It was a fast paced story that developed eerie and disturbing undertones immediately that escalated to bloodshed by the end.
I felt a bit confused about Owen’s history with lakes- was this the same lake as the one he boated on with his grandpa? What really happened to him in his youth? The last night on the ship was also a bit hard to follow/comprehend, but I do understand the narrative choice since the perspective is from someone unwell. The Keuka itself could’ve been more central to the story. There’s only a few entries with the documentarians actually within it, and it would’ve almost been its own ominous character if more time was spent with this sunken tomb. It was genuinely creepy when they were diving through the wreck.
The story taking place on the Great Lakes was fantastic! Water horror with a unique setting and concept that I really enjoyed reading about- despite the circumstances for the characters.
It was a fast paced story that developed eerie and disturbing undertones immediately that escalated to bloodshed by the end.
I felt a bit confused about Owen’s history with lakes- was this the same lake as the one he boated on with his grandpa? What really happened to him in his youth? The last night on the ship was also a bit hard to follow/comprehend, but I do understand the narrative choice since the perspective is from someone unwell. The Keuka itself could’ve been more central to the story. There’s only a few entries with the documentarians actually within it, and it would’ve almost been its own ominous character if more time was spent with this sunken tomb. It was genuinely creepy when they were diving through the wreck.
The story taking place on the Great Lakes was fantastic! Water horror with a unique setting and concept that I really enjoyed reading about- despite the circumstances for the characters.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Don’t let the lake in!
When Owen leads a crew to explore the ruins of the Keuka, he’s excited to see what secrets they can uncover. Except nobody is prepared for the truth that lies in the depths of Lake Superior.
Deep water terrifies me, so combining that fear with a haunting shipwreck made this book absolutely chilling. The atmosphere is thick with dread from the very first page, building into a slow-burn horror story that becomes impossible to put down.
What really stood out was the balance between psychological horror and pure aquatic terror. It made me think of the saying as above, so below, because whether they were on board their own ship or in the depths of the lake, they couldn’t escape the horror.
Told in a found-footage style, this story pulls you in and keeps the tension tight. I’m still thinking about that ending. Creepy, unsettling, and incredibly well done.
When Owen leads a crew to explore the ruins of the Keuka, he’s excited to see what secrets they can uncover. Except nobody is prepared for the truth that lies in the depths of Lake Superior.
Deep water terrifies me, so combining that fear with a haunting shipwreck made this book absolutely chilling. The atmosphere is thick with dread from the very first page, building into a slow-burn horror story that becomes impossible to put down.
What really stood out was the balance between psychological horror and pure aquatic terror. It made me think of the saying as above, so below, because whether they were on board their own ship or in the depths of the lake, they couldn’t escape the horror.
Told in a found-footage style, this story pulls you in and keeps the tension tight. I’m still thinking about that ending. Creepy, unsettling, and incredibly well done.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A.C. Hessenauer’s Going to the Six is a strong, atmospheric horror read with a setup that immediately pulled me in. I’m always a fan of stories told through transcripts, interviews, recovered documents, and found footage style pieces, and this one uses that structure really well. The story centers around a deep-water wreck in Lake Superior, an off-season island, a documentary crew, and the uneasy feeling that something hidden beneath the surface should have stayed there.
The atmosphere is easily one of the best parts. Hessenauer captures the cold, isolated setting in a way that makes the mystery feel heavy and unsettling without overdoing it. The pacing keeps things moving, but there is still enough character work to make the danger feel personal. It has that documentary-style horror feel that makes you want to keep turning pages. Creepy, fast-moving, and easy to get lost in.
The atmosphere is easily one of the best parts. Hessenauer captures the cold, isolated setting in a way that makes the mystery feel heavy and unsettling without overdoing it. The pacing keeps things moving, but there is still enough character work to make the danger feel personal. It has that documentary-style horror feel that makes you want to keep turning pages. Creepy, fast-moving, and easy to get lost in.
June 6, 2026
Thank you to the author and cemetery dance publishers for letting me read and review this ARC. This story follows Owen and his crew of documentary film makers. This story sucked me in from the first chapter it’s makes this feel like a found footage movie but in book form. The atmosphere is spooky and being in the middle of the ocean and on a small boat gives this book a creepy vibe. I had goosebumps reading this and some parts had me screaming what are you doing! This is my first read by this author and can’t to read more of her books I highly recommend this one if you liked Episode Thirteen by Craig Dilouie this book is definitely for you!
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