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The Town That Hates Us
It was supposed to be a quick stop.
Gas. Food. Back on the road.
Instead, five friends pull into Ebensfield, a quiet town frozen in another era. The streets are spotless. The smiles are polite. But something about this place isn't right.
Eyes follow them everywhere. Conversations stop when they walk in. Beneath the town's charm runs an unspoken rule about who leaves, and who doesn't.
As the sun begins to set, the truth becomes
Ebensfield isn't just another small town.
It's a trap.
Gas. Food. Back on the road.
Instead, five friends pull into Ebensfield, a quiet town frozen in another era. The streets are spotless. The smiles are polite. But something about this place isn't right.
Eyes follow them everywhere. Conversations stop when they walk in. Beneath the town's charm runs an unspoken rule about who leaves, and who doesn't.
As the sun begins to set, the truth becomes
Ebensfield isn't just another small town.
It's a trap.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 21, 2026
I would hate to be stuck in a sundown town in real life but this one may be even more terrifying! This book showed how minor transgressions may be overlooked by people who aren’t fully Black even if a person is biracial.
I was hooked from the beginning! I’m left nearly speechless as I’m sitting here still processing it. The story follows a group of five friends on a road trip, one of which is dealing with the recent death of her only remaining parent. They take a wrong turn and end up in a place where cell phones/gps systems don’t work due to the entire town being set in the past. The groups navigates the town in hopes to have their vehicle repaired and getting back on the road but things don’t go quite as planned. As night falls, they endure the literal fight of their lives to escape this Ebensfield aka as The Town That Hates Us.
I was hooked from the beginning! I’m left nearly speechless as I’m sitting here still processing it. The story follows a group of five friends on a road trip, one of which is dealing with the recent death of her only remaining parent. They take a wrong turn and end up in a place where cell phones/gps systems don’t work due to the entire town being set in the past. The groups navigates the town in hopes to have their vehicle repaired and getting back on the road but things don’t go quite as planned. As night falls, they endure the literal fight of their lives to escape this Ebensfield aka as The Town That Hates Us.
August 9, 2026
Spoiler-free advanced reader review.
Marissa and her friends are on a road trip from NY to Georgia. On the way, they end up in the small town of Ebensfield, but is it by choice or some other force? While many in the town are welcoming, in an odd way, there’s an underlying ominous tone. Marissa seems to be the main one noticing that there’s something strange about the town’s inhabitants, the weird interactions, and reading between the lines of what people are saying. She also feels as if something or someone is trying to tell her something, but she doesn’t quite understand it.
As the day turns to night, things start to go wrong, making the group question each other’s loyalty as they try to figure out how to make it to the next day.
This story was slow-paced for much of the first part of the book, building the tension. For me, it was a bit of an emotional read because of the decisions some of the characters made, much like watching a horror movie and wondering why someone would go into that room.
As things started to pick up, it was non-stop WTF moments. I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the book, as it made me think of the many Black towns that no longer exist, where the land holds heartbreaking secrets of what happened to its residents. This book will make you think about how people become selfishly complicit, how and when tradition becomes immoral, and the responsibility we have in caring for our loved ones. I look forward to reading more from K. Powell.
Marissa and her friends are on a road trip from NY to Georgia. On the way, they end up in the small town of Ebensfield, but is it by choice or some other force? While many in the town are welcoming, in an odd way, there’s an underlying ominous tone. Marissa seems to be the main one noticing that there’s something strange about the town’s inhabitants, the weird interactions, and reading between the lines of what people are saying. She also feels as if something or someone is trying to tell her something, but she doesn’t quite understand it.
As the day turns to night, things start to go wrong, making the group question each other’s loyalty as they try to figure out how to make it to the next day.
This story was slow-paced for much of the first part of the book, building the tension. For me, it was a bit of an emotional read because of the decisions some of the characters made, much like watching a horror movie and wondering why someone would go into that room.
As things started to pick up, it was non-stop WTF moments. I enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the book, as it made me think of the many Black towns that no longer exist, where the land holds heartbreaking secrets of what happened to its residents. This book will make you think about how people become selfishly complicit, how and when tradition becomes immoral, and the responsibility we have in caring for our loved ones. I look forward to reading more from K. Powell.
August 5, 2026
Enjoyable read
The Town That Hates Us by K. Powell
I was highly anticipating this read and it absolutely did not disappoint.
The Town That Hates Us follows four friends who find themselves trapped in a sundown town, and from the very beginning, the tension is undeniable.
I can’t even imagine the terror of being in a place where you’re not just unwelcome but you’re in danger simply for existing. That’s what makes this story so powerful. It’s not just horror for shock value; it’s horror rooted in truth, history, and vulnerability.
If you enjoy socially conscious horror that unsettles you and makes you think, this one is definitely worth the read.
The Town That Hates Us by K. Powell
I was highly anticipating this read and it absolutely did not disappoint.
The Town That Hates Us follows four friends who find themselves trapped in a sundown town, and from the very beginning, the tension is undeniable.
I can’t even imagine the terror of being in a place where you’re not just unwelcome but you’re in danger simply for existing. That’s what makes this story so powerful. It’s not just horror for shock value; it’s horror rooted in truth, history, and vulnerability.
If you enjoy socially conscious horror that unsettles you and makes you think, this one is definitely worth the read.
August 22, 2026
K. Powell created a horror thriller that builds tension and suspense from the start. It starts as a deliberate, slow-burn mystery, allowing readers to sit with Marissa's sharp observations as she tries to decipher the town's subtle warning signs. Once the sun sets, the story explodes into a fast-paced, relentless ride packed with unpredictable twists, tested loyalties, and jaw-dropping suspense. You would never know this was K. Powell 1st horror. I hope it isn't her last. She did great with this story. I could see this being on the big screen
August 22, 2026
Go back! Turn around!
My stress levels were on tilt the whole time! A group of friends take a road trip for some fun and relaxation...somehow they wind up in a town that is both cold and too attentive. Everything is screaming for them to leave and by the time they get the message...well...by then leaving is not so easy.
This is a fast paced read with hardly any moments that give you a chance to breathe. It's scary because it could really happen. Just remember to keep your cars filled with gas and avoid very small towns!
My stress levels were on tilt the whole time! A group of friends take a road trip for some fun and relaxation...somehow they wind up in a town that is both cold and too attentive. Everything is screaming for them to leave and by the time they get the message...well...by then leaving is not so easy.
This is a fast paced read with hardly any moments that give you a chance to breathe. It's scary because it could really happen. Just remember to keep your cars filled with gas and avoid very small towns!
August 7, 2026
ARC REVIEW — Sometimes the hardest books to read are the ones based from truth! This horror book brings the scariest horror, the one that can be true! While the book starts off with a roadtrip for a group of friends it takes a turn and shares kind of a different perspective for each friend. This book will definitely take you for a ride!
August 11, 2026
I was immediately locked in as soon as I started the book. There are so many different dynamic characters who all complement each other very well. The story was thrilling, scary, captivating, all of the adjectives, and it ended absolutely beautifully. I look forward to more stories like this from this author.
August 9, 2026
excellent read
Wow! That’s all I can say about this book! This was absolutely phenomenal! Between the characters and the setting I felt like I was there with the crew! Sad to know we still have these sundown towns… really good read
Wow! That’s all I can say about this book! This was absolutely phenomenal! Between the characters and the setting I felt like I was there with the crew! Sad to know we still have these sundown towns… really good read
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review-The Town that Hates us is a perfect summer thriller.
I could not put this book down. I needed to figure out what was going on in that town.
I could not put this book down. I needed to figure out what was going on in that town.
Review of advance copy received from Author
If I can go find this book another star, I certainly would! This story has me glued in from the absolute beginning and did not let up until the very last page. As a fan of horror movies and books, K Powell did an amazing job writing in this genre. I’m quite sure as this friend group began their travels taking a little getaway to help Merissa get her mind off of her dad’s death, they were not expecting to get stuck in a sundown town. K set up the perfect horror scene as she slowly led us to the sequence of events that got them stuck here. She did a great job at being descriptive, so much so I felt as though I could see the scenes playing out as they unfolded. I will definitely be getting this one for my shelf and can see myself rereading this one multiple times.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What started as a much-needed getaway turns into a living nightmare when a group of friends finds themselves in a Sundown town forced to fight for a way out of a town designed to snatch their souls.
After unexpected car troubles, the crew of friends ends up in an eerie town where nothing adds up. Soon they notice that they’re the only Black people in town and nothing seems to be adding up. Strange looks, unexplainable visions, and an unsettling feeling that something is very wrong lead the group of friends on a fast-paced journey to finding answers and an excuse from Ebensfield, aka hell on earth.
This was a great read with excellent story structure, unlikely surprises, and all the suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat while reading.
After unexpected car troubles, the crew of friends ends up in an eerie town where nothing adds up. Soon they notice that they’re the only Black people in town and nothing seems to be adding up. Strange looks, unexplainable visions, and an unsettling feeling that something is very wrong lead the group of friends on a fast-paced journey to finding answers and an excuse from Ebensfield, aka hell on earth.
This was a great read with excellent story structure, unlikely surprises, and all the suspense to keep me on the edge of my seat while reading.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews