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Dead Mountain: A Horror Novel
Experience a fast-paced creature horror inspired by one of history's creepiest incidents.
In 1959, nine experienced hikers died on a nameless Russian mountain. They cut their way out of their tent from the inside and fled barefoot into a blizzard. No one has ever explained why.
The locals have always known. They call that place Holatchahl. Dead Mountain.
Sixty years later, a documentary crew goes silent in the same frozen pass. When Caleb Forrester learns his twin sister was among them, he joins a desperate expedition into the Urals to bring her home. But the cold isn't what's hunting them. Something waits beneath the snow — something patient, something hungry — and the mountain has been keeping its secret for a very long time.
Dead Mountain is not about to let those secrets out now.
In 1959, nine experienced hikers died on a nameless Russian mountain. They cut their way out of their tent from the inside and fled barefoot into a blizzard. No one has ever explained why.
The locals have always known. They call that place Holatchahl. Dead Mountain.
Sixty years later, a documentary crew goes silent in the same frozen pass. When Caleb Forrester learns his twin sister was among them, he joins a desperate expedition into the Urals to bring her home. But the cold isn't what's hunting them. Something waits beneath the snow — something patient, something hungry — and the mountain has been keeping its secret for a very long time.
Dead Mountain is not about to let those secrets out now.
- GenresHorror
383 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 30, 2026
I think I’ve read too many of this kind of story lately. This was pretty predictable. I’ve heard about the vanished team on which this story was based. The premise was good, I think I just expected more.
October 26, 2026
A dead mountain where people disappear.
No tracks, no blood, no sign of what took them.
Caleb is looking for his twin sister Christy who went missing on the mountain. Can he find her and what else will he find?
No tracks, no blood, no sign of what took them.
Caleb is looking for his twin sister Christy who went missing on the mountain. Can he find her and what else will he find?
October 16, 2026
I have read a few Dyatlov Pass books, and this one is a real cracker. I couldn’t put it down and read it in a day. Of course a great location and story to get it started but then it takes off on its own gruesome journey.
October 19, 2026
In 1959, a team of nine Russian college students set off on a cross-country ski trip across the Ural Mountains in Siberia. They embarked in late January, and were expected to return by mid-February. When that deadline came and passed, rescue crews were dispatched, and made a grim discovery. All nine students were dead, their frozen, mutilated bodies discovered partially clothed along the mountain pass that was eventually renamed for their leader, Igor Dyatlov. They'd died after apparently fleeing in the middle of the night from the relative safety of their tent, which searchers found had been cut open from the inside to allow those within it to escape. Although theories abound as to what might have happened, ranging from an avalanche in the night, to armed bandits, and even UFOs or Bigfoot, no definitive conclusions have ever been reached.
It's against this enigmatic and sinister backdrop that author Brad Ricks sets his latest novel, "Dead Mountain." (The title comes from the literal translation for Kholat Syakhl, the mountain along which Dyatlov and his team met their untimely fates.)
As the story opens, one-time adrenaline junkie Caleb Forrester reluctantly accepts an invitation to meet with his old college buddy, Damian, who is now a successful television producer. Although once roommates, the two men have fallen out of touch in recent years, and while Caleb expects an awkward reunion, instead he is caught off-guard when Damian asks for his help. Caleb's twin sister, Christy, who'd continued the adventurer life after Caleb retired, has gone missing. While scouting locations for a survival-themed reality competition in Siberia -- at Dyatlov Pass, in fact -- Christy and her entire production team had fallen radio silent, seeming to have disappeared, much as the pass's namesake team more than 70 years earlier.
Caleb's relationship with his sister had grown strained over the years, but even so, he loves Christy and agrees to travel with Damian and a rescue team to try and find out what happened to her. Together with a trio of ex-military American mercenaries, a Russian named Anastasia who serves as their translator, and a rough-hewn smuggler named Karpov, Caleb and Damian set off for the brutal wilds of Siberia.
Needless to say, they find much more than they bargained for.
At first, Caleb holds out naive hope that Christy is still alive, that she was somehow smart and tough enough to have survived whatever misfortune befell her team. But once they reach the isolated campsite where the production crew had been staying, and Caleb sees the destruction to the trailers, generators, and snowmobiles left behind -- torn apart and mangled as if by crazed beasts -- he begins to suspect a grim and heartbreaking truth. Even when Caleb and the gang find themselves face-to-face with the same brutal monsters that had terrorized Christy and the others, he clings desperately to the notion that survival is possible -- not just for him, or even Christy, too, but for all of them.
Needless to say, he's wrong.
This is a fantastic story. What starts out as a frightening creature feature shifts gears and evolves into something much more terrifying. The deeper Caleb digs to try and uncover the truth -- literally, as well as figuratively -- the bigger and more horrific the scope truly becomes. There's plenty of gore, and a pervasive sense of dread that builds steadily and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you know where Ricks is leading the story, he takes a sharp turn in the plot and surprises the hell out of you. At one point, he draws from a well-known urban legend/creepypasta about Russian scientists and an experiment gone wrong, but even then, he finds a way to make it feel fresh, new, and unexpected.
Through Ricks's rich and descriptive prose, the reader feels fully immersed in the bleak, unforgiving setting, where the snow is deep, the cold vicious enough to pierce like knives, and the earth and sky meld together in a snow-blurred, colorless haze of gray. The setting mirrors the growing sense of helplessness and despair Caleb feels as the story progresses, the growing, claustrophobic fear that comes from being hunted down, preyed upon. Even the "Dead Mountain," Kholat Syakhl itself, is an malevolent threat, a looming presence that Ricks brings to life and unleashes against those who dare intrude upon its slopes. There are no safe havens here, no plot armor to be found.
"Dead Mountain" delivers a gripping story with a dark, twisted ending that's sure to stick with readers for a long, long time.
It's against this enigmatic and sinister backdrop that author Brad Ricks sets his latest novel, "Dead Mountain." (The title comes from the literal translation for Kholat Syakhl, the mountain along which Dyatlov and his team met their untimely fates.)
As the story opens, one-time adrenaline junkie Caleb Forrester reluctantly accepts an invitation to meet with his old college buddy, Damian, who is now a successful television producer. Although once roommates, the two men have fallen out of touch in recent years, and while Caleb expects an awkward reunion, instead he is caught off-guard when Damian asks for his help. Caleb's twin sister, Christy, who'd continued the adventurer life after Caleb retired, has gone missing. While scouting locations for a survival-themed reality competition in Siberia -- at Dyatlov Pass, in fact -- Christy and her entire production team had fallen radio silent, seeming to have disappeared, much as the pass's namesake team more than 70 years earlier.
Caleb's relationship with his sister had grown strained over the years, but even so, he loves Christy and agrees to travel with Damian and a rescue team to try and find out what happened to her. Together with a trio of ex-military American mercenaries, a Russian named Anastasia who serves as their translator, and a rough-hewn smuggler named Karpov, Caleb and Damian set off for the brutal wilds of Siberia.
Needless to say, they find much more than they bargained for.
At first, Caleb holds out naive hope that Christy is still alive, that she was somehow smart and tough enough to have survived whatever misfortune befell her team. But once they reach the isolated campsite where the production crew had been staying, and Caleb sees the destruction to the trailers, generators, and snowmobiles left behind -- torn apart and mangled as if by crazed beasts -- he begins to suspect a grim and heartbreaking truth. Even when Caleb and the gang find themselves face-to-face with the same brutal monsters that had terrorized Christy and the others, he clings desperately to the notion that survival is possible -- not just for him, or even Christy, too, but for all of them.
Needless to say, he's wrong.
This is a fantastic story. What starts out as a frightening creature feature shifts gears and evolves into something much more terrifying. The deeper Caleb digs to try and uncover the truth -- literally, as well as figuratively -- the bigger and more horrific the scope truly becomes. There's plenty of gore, and a pervasive sense of dread that builds steadily and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you know where Ricks is leading the story, he takes a sharp turn in the plot and surprises the hell out of you. At one point, he draws from a well-known urban legend/creepypasta about Russian scientists and an experiment gone wrong, but even then, he finds a way to make it feel fresh, new, and unexpected.
Through Ricks's rich and descriptive prose, the reader feels fully immersed in the bleak, unforgiving setting, where the snow is deep, the cold vicious enough to pierce like knives, and the earth and sky meld together in a snow-blurred, colorless haze of gray. The setting mirrors the growing sense of helplessness and despair Caleb feels as the story progresses, the growing, claustrophobic fear that comes from being hunted down, preyed upon. Even the "Dead Mountain," Kholat Syakhl itself, is an malevolent threat, a looming presence that Ricks brings to life and unleashes against those who dare intrude upon its slopes. There are no safe havens here, no plot armor to be found.
"Dead Mountain" delivers a gripping story with a dark, twisted ending that's sure to stick with readers for a long, long time.
Review of advance copy received from Author
As a horror fan, the moment I hear the words "Dyatlov Pass" - the place in Russia up the Ural Mountains where nine Soviet experienced hikers died under very mysterious cirumstances in 1959 -, I start salivating! Rarely, however does horror fiction based on the Dyatlov Pass incident deliver what it promises, and usually I'm just disappointed. NOT THIS TIME! In fact, this time I got everything I wanted - and more, much more!
"Dead Mountain" is superb survival horror, a page-turner that takes advantage of all the little details making the event the hotbed it's been for wild theories and countertheories, turning them into a brilliant and unique story going far beyond the oft-repeated kernels of fact! The book combines the spirit of riveting, anxiety-riddled mountain adventure, with the dread of rescue missions gone catastrophically wrong - and naturally comes up with even wilder conjectures than usual, a properly complex and immersive story that goes straight for the jugular: swarms of flesh-eating creatures, nods to the Soviet Sleep Experiment, terrifying chases in the snow and in tunnels underground, disturbing elements of body horror messing perfectly with terrifying glimpses of grand cosmic horror vistas as the tale develops, and by the time you reach the ending, the book has grown into a thrilling, expertly-researched, suspenseful and gripping horror epic! Weirdly, everything, especially the atmosphere, the characters' fear and their feelings of helplessness and isolation, come across as authentic and seemingly drawn from on-the field experience. Amazing storytelling skills!
Honestly, once I started it I couldn’t put it down. And what about that ending? WTF. By any measure, this is a horror triumph I highly recommend to everyone! I enjoyed it immensely.
"Dead Mountain" is superb survival horror, a page-turner that takes advantage of all the little details making the event the hotbed it's been for wild theories and countertheories, turning them into a brilliant and unique story going far beyond the oft-repeated kernels of fact! The book combines the spirit of riveting, anxiety-riddled mountain adventure, with the dread of rescue missions gone catastrophically wrong - and naturally comes up with even wilder conjectures than usual, a properly complex and immersive story that goes straight for the jugular: swarms of flesh-eating creatures, nods to the Soviet Sleep Experiment, terrifying chases in the snow and in tunnels underground, disturbing elements of body horror messing perfectly with terrifying glimpses of grand cosmic horror vistas as the tale develops, and by the time you reach the ending, the book has grown into a thrilling, expertly-researched, suspenseful and gripping horror epic! Weirdly, everything, especially the atmosphere, the characters' fear and their feelings of helplessness and isolation, come across as authentic and seemingly drawn from on-the field experience. Amazing storytelling skills!
Honestly, once I started it I couldn’t put it down. And what about that ending? WTF. By any measure, this is a horror triumph I highly recommend to everyone! I enjoyed it immensely.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but it ended up being one hell of a terrifying ride! Everyone has heard the story of the research team that mysteriously perished at Dyatlov Pass in the Ural Mountains, and this story takes that unsettling premise and expands on it in a much more detailed and horrifying way.
From the very beginning, every page is pulsing with dread and fear. Once the group becomes aware of the creatures lurking around them, it feels like they could be waiting around every corner. There is this constant sense that something is watching, waiting, and closing in—and that tension never really lets up.
Caleb joins a crew searching for his sister and her team after they unexpectedly go radio silent. Everyone fears the worst, and unfortunately, they have very good reason to. What they initially suspect might be the work of demons turns into something far more terrifying, and the deeper they venture into the mountains, the more they uncover. There are things waiting for them that nobody could have possibly been prepared for.
Along the way, they endure unimaginable horrors and lose so much. The isolation, the creatures, the uncertainty, and the constant feeling that survival is slipping further and further away all work together to create an atmosphere of pure terror.
If you enjoy survival horror, mysterious disappearances, terrifying creatures, and stories that keep you wondering just how much worse things can possibly get, this one is definitely worth checking out!
From the very beginning, every page is pulsing with dread and fear. Once the group becomes aware of the creatures lurking around them, it feels like they could be waiting around every corner. There is this constant sense that something is watching, waiting, and closing in—and that tension never really lets up.
Caleb joins a crew searching for his sister and her team after they unexpectedly go radio silent. Everyone fears the worst, and unfortunately, they have very good reason to. What they initially suspect might be the work of demons turns into something far more terrifying, and the deeper they venture into the mountains, the more they uncover. There are things waiting for them that nobody could have possibly been prepared for.
Along the way, they endure unimaginable horrors and lose so much. The isolation, the creatures, the uncertainty, and the constant feeling that survival is slipping further and further away all work together to create an atmosphere of pure terror.
If you enjoy survival horror, mysterious disappearances, terrifying creatures, and stories that keep you wondering just how much worse things can possibly get, this one is definitely worth checking out!
October 26, 2026
'Dead Mountain' is a nifty little survival horror creature feature that reminded me a lot of Renny Harlin's excellent 2013 found footage horror thriller 'Devil's Pass' or 'The Dyatlov Pass Incident'. This novel takes place in the same area, focusing on a brother who is on the hunt for his missing twin sister, who disappeared when she went to prepare the way for a new extreme survival reality show that would be filming in the pass. Joined by a group of ex-military operatives, a former buddy from college, and two Russian guides, the group hits the mountain slopes and find a lot more than they bargained for.
Brad Ricks writes in a very cinematic style and it's definitely a strength, as I could see this becoming a really cool flick you might come across on Shudder or one of the other streaming services. The creatures are cool and he gives them a really interesting cosmic horror background, and the ending is one of those gut-punches I always like. My biggest complaint is with the pacing. 'Dead Mountain' comes in a 373 pages and I really feel if Ricks had shaved off about 70 to 80 of those he would have a new classic of the genre on his hands. There are times where it feels like he's padding things just to pad, and some of the flashbacks could have been jettisoned without losing anything.
Bottom line, though, 'Dead Mountain' is a fun-read. It delivers on the monsters and it's perfect for this time of year, when the nights are long and the temperatures are dropping.
Brad Ricks writes in a very cinematic style and it's definitely a strength, as I could see this becoming a really cool flick you might come across on Shudder or one of the other streaming services. The creatures are cool and he gives them a really interesting cosmic horror background, and the ending is one of those gut-punches I always like. My biggest complaint is with the pacing. 'Dead Mountain' comes in a 373 pages and I really feel if Ricks had shaved off about 70 to 80 of those he would have a new classic of the genre on his hands. There are times where it feels like he's padding things just to pad, and some of the flashbacks could have been jettisoned without losing anything.
Bottom line, though, 'Dead Mountain' is a fun-read. It delivers on the monsters and it's perfect for this time of year, when the nights are long and the temperatures are dropping.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dead Mountain by Brad Ricks is a survival horror read set in the Ural Mountains in Russia. That's always been a place I've loved to visit, but how would a survival horror book read? I had to find out for myself. What I got was an awesome survival horror read with plenty of nods to the old Soviet Union. As a history buff, I truly enjoyed the historical context and conspiracy theories.
As for the horror, you have that classic survival horror feel as the characters feel hopeless as they explore old Soviet facilities only to find out the 'creatures' hiding are far worst than they could imagine. The horror aspects in this one are just as great as the historical research that went into this one. Wow, this was one fun ride by Brad Ricks. I'm a sucker for good atmosphere and if that's important to you, this one has it in spades. Be warned, it'll get lonely in the Russian wilderness. You'll be left feeling the 'cold shoulder' after reading.
It's a long one, so be prepared to invest quite a bit of time. However, this one rewards the patient. So bring out the warm jacket and boots as you prepared to visit the Urals.
As for the horror, you have that classic survival horror feel as the characters feel hopeless as they explore old Soviet facilities only to find out the 'creatures' hiding are far worst than they could imagine. The horror aspects in this one are just as great as the historical research that went into this one. Wow, this was one fun ride by Brad Ricks. I'm a sucker for good atmosphere and if that's important to you, this one has it in spades. Be warned, it'll get lonely in the Russian wilderness. You'll be left feeling the 'cold shoulder' after reading.
It's a long one, so be prepared to invest quite a bit of time. However, this one rewards the patient. So bring out the warm jacket and boots as you prepared to visit the Urals.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Inspired by the real-life Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959, a documentary crew goes missing on a mountain known to locals as Holatchal (AKA Dead Mountain). Caleb discovers his twin sister is among the missing and joins a dangerous expedition to track them down and bring them home. As they push further into the wilderness, they quickly realize that the brutal weather conditions are the least of their worries.
This is the first book I’ve read by Ricks and I had a hell of a good time reading it. There’s atmospheric horror with the story effectively showing slow-burning, escalating dread before turning into a creature feature. As a creature feature, it will leave you smiling and cringing. Smiling because of Ricks’s talent as a horror author, and cringing because of the brutality and ruthlessness of the creature(s). The pacing throughout the story was effective in hanging the dread, the big reveal creative and original, with the finale (last page) leaving me with chills.
This is a must read. Thank you for the ARC opportunity!
This is the first book I’ve read by Ricks and I had a hell of a good time reading it. There’s atmospheric horror with the story effectively showing slow-burning, escalating dread before turning into a creature feature. As a creature feature, it will leave you smiling and cringing. Smiling because of Ricks’s talent as a horror author, and cringing because of the brutality and ruthlessness of the creature(s). The pacing throughout the story was effective in hanging the dread, the big reveal creative and original, with the finale (last page) leaving me with chills.
This is a must read. Thank you for the ARC opportunity!
October 13, 2026
I absolutely loved this. If you aren't familiar with the true mystery of what happened to a group of hikers in 1959 in the most remote mountains in Russia, I'd say hunt around in YouTube. The real story is wild. The follow up investigation seemed unsatisfying, possibly even a cover up for something much more sinister.
And now the legend comes back to life and the story of what happened in 1959 continues in present day. A small group goes back to Dead Mountain looking for a lost researcher. And as with the crew in 1959, she should have been fine. She was expert at survival in remote and freezing temperatures. But communication just stopped. Why?
This quick paced thriller horror will keep you guessing as the surprises come like mini avalanches. Cold. Remote. Isolated. Secrets. Mystery. Cryptids? Something...something terrifying...is waiting.
Ricks writes with a terrific balance between pace and backstory. His characters become quite real and you care what happens to them...and hope they survive.
And now the legend comes back to life and the story of what happened in 1959 continues in present day. A small group goes back to Dead Mountain looking for a lost researcher. And as with the crew in 1959, she should have been fine. She was expert at survival in remote and freezing temperatures. But communication just stopped. Why?
This quick paced thriller horror will keep you guessing as the surprises come like mini avalanches. Cold. Remote. Isolated. Secrets. Mystery. Cryptids? Something...something terrifying...is waiting.
Ricks writes with a terrific balance between pace and backstory. His characters become quite real and you care what happens to them...and hope they survive.
October 12, 2026
All I have to say is WOW! This Creature Feature novel far exceeds my expectations of what I thought it would be. Right from the very beginning it sucks you in and takes you on a roller coaster of a ride through the whole book. The last 25% of the book goes to places that blew my mind and so unexpected . If you love Creature Feature books …. This is the book for you!!
This book comes out Tomorrow!!! Go get it!!
Thank you to Brad Ricks for providing me an advance copy to read and review.
This book comes out Tomorrow!!! Go get it!!
Thank you to Brad Ricks for providing me an advance copy to read and review.
October 13, 2026
Dead Mountain takes the Dyatlov pass incident and turns it inside out, upside down, and sideways. This was a terrifying read right from the first page. The dread and tension bled through the page making me feel the terror and the isolation. I finished this in one night I couldn't stop reading. The ending was absolutely perfect. If you're looking for a survival horror, creature feature check this one out.
October 13, 2026
Perfect setting for spooky season.
This heart pounding thriller will leave you terrified and on the edge of your seat. That creepy feeling of dread lingers from page to page. A survival thriller with a big splash of creature horror. I absolutely loved this book. Great story with amazing characters. That ending had me crying.
This heart pounding thriller will leave you terrified and on the edge of your seat. That creepy feeling of dread lingers from page to page. A survival thriller with a big splash of creature horror. I absolutely loved this book. Great story with amazing characters. That ending had me crying.
October 15, 2026
An amazing horror novel with sci-fi elements and a creature feature. And babes, you know how I love those. This book will keep you on your toes, a nailbiter for sure. The historical elements that are interwoven throughout the story create depth and texture to the read. It’s a must read. Add it to your list
October 27, 2026
It was okay
Good plot. Interesting characters. Overall well written. It was overly descriptive at times and in some areas it was too slow. When it got to the part that described and explained what was happening, I was disappointed and found the story lost its believability. I almost stopped there but made myself finish it.
Good plot. Interesting characters. Overall well written. It was overly descriptive at times and in some areas it was too slow. When it got to the part that described and explained what was happening, I was disappointed and found the story lost its believability. I almost stopped there but made myself finish it.
November 2, 2026
This book is a masterclass in building tension. The setting feels like a character of its own—cold, unforgiving, and deeply unsettling. The pacing is relentless, and the author does an incredible job of blending historical intrigue with pure, unadulterated dread. The final third of the book had my heart racing. Highly recommended for any true horror fan.
October 13, 2026
A group go to find a missing crew of people. The mountains they are headed to are dangerous people have died there. Now they are trapped and have discovered the mountains secrets and they are angry.
October 23, 2026
Pretty good overall and an interesting take on the Dyatlov Pass Incident. It delivers plenty of mystery, tension, and genuinely unsettling moments. And that ending? Well... damn. I definitely didn't see that coming.
October 25, 2026
Unique horror
This book really surprised me and kept me reading all afternoon. The story is unique and detailed so that you feel like you're right there with the characters. I will read more from this author.
This book really surprised me and kept me reading all afternoon. The story is unique and detailed so that you feel like you're right there with the characters. I will read more from this author.
October 16, 2026
Wow!
Explosion of excitement and kept me on edge throughout the entire book. I kept screaming for the characters to use a grenade! Oh well,they finally did.
Explosion of excitement and kept me on edge throughout the entire book. I kept screaming for the characters to use a grenade! Oh well,they finally did.
October 26, 2026
Loved the ending!
Mix of mystery, history and sci-fi that was easy to read and stayed interesting throughout the book. Love books that I haven't figured out halfway through!
Mix of mystery, history and sci-fi that was easy to read and stayed interesting throughout the book. Love books that I haven't figured out halfway through!
October 26, 2026
I didn’t want this book to end! It was so intense that I often caught myself holding my breath.
I do wish there was an epilogue or possibly a chance for a second book.
I do wish there was an epilogue or possibly a chance for a second book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
5/5 for Dead Mountain
The mysterious Dyatlov Pass Incident has captivated mystery lovers and conspiracy theorists everywhere, even continuing into modern times. Brad Ricks delivers his take on the mystery by transporting us to modern times, complete with a missing documentary crew and a brother who will stop at nothing to find answers about what happened to his missing twin sister.
Dead Mountain transports you to a chilly mountainside, leaving you flying through the pages to find out what exactly is going on. Complete with horrifying creatures, an atmospheric tension and dread, and characters you’ll wish you never came to love. This is a perfect read for spooky season, winter, or even on a hot summer day when you wanna feel the chill of winter in your bones.
The mysterious Dyatlov Pass Incident has captivated mystery lovers and conspiracy theorists everywhere, even continuing into modern times. Brad Ricks delivers his take on the mystery by transporting us to modern times, complete with a missing documentary crew and a brother who will stop at nothing to find answers about what happened to his missing twin sister.
Dead Mountain transports you to a chilly mountainside, leaving you flying through the pages to find out what exactly is going on. Complete with horrifying creatures, an atmospheric tension and dread, and characters you’ll wish you never came to love. This is a perfect read for spooky season, winter, or even on a hot summer day when you wanna feel the chill of winter in your bones.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews