What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 19:29:28
10 copies available
U.S. only
Hollow Folk
Not yet published
Expected 29 Sep 26Win a free print copy of this book!
9 days and 19:29:28
10 copies available
U.S. only
The night shift at the Holloway was supposed to be quiet. When grad student Ethan Ray clocks in as night auditor at the aging Holloway mountain resort, he expects paperwork, silence, and a paycheck. Instead, reddish-brown lights bleed across the Appalachian sky. Hard winds whip through the trees without making a sound, and mysterious owl gargoyles come to life.
At 3 a.m., every clock stops. Trapped inside with his co-workers, Kal and Teresa, Ethan realizes the hotel isn’t just old. It’s a boundary. Something ancient has been waiting and is now awake. To escape, they must uncover the Holloway’s secrets, even as unexpected love blossoms between Ethan and Teresa. The problem is, the visions haunting each of them carry the same someone in the hotel cannot be trusted. Gothic romance meets Appalachian folk horror, where the mountains are watching and the dark leaves marks.
At 3 a.m., every clock stops. Trapped inside with his co-workers, Kal and Teresa, Ethan realizes the hotel isn’t just old. It’s a boundary. Something ancient has been waiting and is now awake. To escape, they must uncover the Holloway’s secrets, even as unexpected love blossoms between Ethan and Teresa. The problem is, the visions haunting each of them carry the same someone in the hotel cannot be trusted. Gothic romance meets Appalachian folk horror, where the mountains are watching and the dark leaves marks.
- GenresHorror
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 29, 2026
About the author
Andrew K. Clark
7 books81 followersAndrew K. Clark is a writer from Western North Carolina where his people settled before the Revolutionary War.
His debut novel, Where Dark Things Grow (Cowboy Jamboree Press) was a finalist for the Manly Wade Wellman Award, shortlisted for the Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award, and won an IPPY from the Independent Book Publishers Awards.
The sequel, Where Dark Things Rise (Quill and Crow Publishing House) won an IndieReader Discovery Award and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award. Hollow Folk (Quill and Crow) is his third novel.
His poetry collection, Jesus in the Trailer, was published by Main Street Rag Press. His work has appeared in The American Journal of Poetry, UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, The Wrath Bearing Tree, and many other journals. He received his MFA from Converse University. Connect with him at andrewkclark.com.
His debut novel, Where Dark Things Grow (Cowboy Jamboree Press) was a finalist for the Manly Wade Wellman Award, shortlisted for the Sir Walter Raleigh Fiction Award, and won an IPPY from the Independent Book Publishers Awards.
The sequel, Where Dark Things Rise (Quill and Crow Publishing House) won an IndieReader Discovery Award and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award. Hollow Folk (Quill and Crow) is his third novel.
His poetry collection, Jesus in the Trailer, was published by Main Street Rag Press. His work has appeared in The American Journal of Poetry, UCLA’s Out of Anonymity, Appalachian Review, Rappahannock Review, The Wrath Bearing Tree, and many other journals. He received his MFA from Converse University. Connect with him at andrewkclark.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2,5 stars
Ew, just ew.
Hollow Folk is an eerie blend of Appalachian folklore, Gothic horror, supernatural mystery, and subtle magical realism. Set against the isolated backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, the story transforms an ordinary overnight shift at the Holloway Resort into an increasingly unsettling nightmare, where time becomes distorted, strange lights illuminate the sky, and reality itself begins to unravel.
What initially drew me to this book was its setting. Appalachian folklore has always fascinated me—the countless legends, mysterious creatures, and the unsettling stories warning people about what should never be done in those mountains. There's something uniquely captivating about horror rooted in local myths, and this novel captured that atmosphere remarkably well. It perfectly evokes the feeling of stepping into a place where ancient secrets and unexplained phenomena are simply part of everyday life.
The only aspect that kept me from fully enjoying the novel was the body horror. The repeated imagery involving holes in the body was simply too uncomfortable for my personal taste. While I understand that it fits the unsettling tone the author was aiming for, it occasionally pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me deeper into it. Without that particular element, I believe I would have connected with the novel much more.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC.
Ew, just ew.
Hollow Folk is an eerie blend of Appalachian folklore, Gothic horror, supernatural mystery, and subtle magical realism. Set against the isolated backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, the story transforms an ordinary overnight shift at the Holloway Resort into an increasingly unsettling nightmare, where time becomes distorted, strange lights illuminate the sky, and reality itself begins to unravel.
What initially drew me to this book was its setting. Appalachian folklore has always fascinated me—the countless legends, mysterious creatures, and the unsettling stories warning people about what should never be done in those mountains. There's something uniquely captivating about horror rooted in local myths, and this novel captured that atmosphere remarkably well. It perfectly evokes the feeling of stepping into a place where ancient secrets and unexplained phenomena are simply part of everyday life.
The only aspect that kept me from fully enjoying the novel was the body horror. The repeated imagery involving holes in the body was simply too uncomfortable for my personal taste. While I understand that it fits the unsettling tone the author was aiming for, it occasionally pulled me out of the story rather than drawing me deeper into it. Without that particular element, I believe I would have connected with the novel much more.
Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Hollow Folk by Andrew K Clark is the kind of novel that plays with the uncanny and is rich with symbolism. On the surface, the relationship at the center of the story can feel strange and unsettling as it toys with the reader's phobias. But if you read past the shock and into the imagery, a deliberate emotional logic starts to take shape.
Fireflies, for instance, function as creepy crawlies. But they also symbolize the first spark of love: the fluttering lightness that blooms with touch, the way we "light up" when we're in the presence of our lover, and that intense, involuntary emotional flood that pours from every cell of our being when we fully connect.
Time stops for young lovers, music fills their heads, and they exist entirely for the needs of their hearts while everthing else fades away. Being consumed by this feeling is the theme that drives the novel — for our heroes and our villains.
While saturated in strange romance, the horrors in the novel shouldn't be dismissed. They are the counterpoint to the relationships in this story. The darkness lies in obsession, voyeurism, and desperation. If you look closely, the paranormal shows how love curdles when longing turns into fixation. The ghostly elements stand as a warning for what happens when intimacy stops being mutual and becomes oppressive and dangerous.
Not every element is explained. In a Lynchian way, you are invited to do some of the work by connecting imagery, interpreting symbolism, and deciding what the story means for you. If you are left with "wtf did I just read?" consider yourself lucky! You've just experienced a thrill ride worth coming back to after the last page.
Many thanks to the author for an advanced copy of this book, and for the opportunity to give thoughtful feedback followed by an honest review.
Fireflies, for instance, function as creepy crawlies. But they also symbolize the first spark of love: the fluttering lightness that blooms with touch, the way we "light up" when we're in the presence of our lover, and that intense, involuntary emotional flood that pours from every cell of our being when we fully connect.
Time stops for young lovers, music fills their heads, and they exist entirely for the needs of their hearts while everthing else fades away. Being consumed by this feeling is the theme that drives the novel — for our heroes and our villains.
While saturated in strange romance, the horrors in the novel shouldn't be dismissed. They are the counterpoint to the relationships in this story. The darkness lies in obsession, voyeurism, and desperation. If you look closely, the paranormal shows how love curdles when longing turns into fixation. The ghostly elements stand as a warning for what happens when intimacy stops being mutual and becomes oppressive and dangerous.
Not every element is explained. In a Lynchian way, you are invited to do some of the work by connecting imagery, interpreting symbolism, and deciding what the story means for you. If you are left with "wtf did I just read?" consider yourself lucky! You've just experienced a thrill ride worth coming back to after the last page.
Many thanks to the author for an advanced copy of this book, and for the opportunity to give thoughtful feedback followed by an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Hollow Folk is a mix of "EWWW", "WHAT THE F^ÇƘ", & "WOW". I was creeped out and in awe the whole time reading. This is unlike any other book I have ever read & something I will always remember.
Hollow Folk an Appalachian Gothic Folk Horror with elements of occult, supernatural/paranormal, & magical realism. Interesting isn't even the word for this book. I believe mind-altering would be a better fit. I swear I could feel my mind alter the same way the characters minds in the book were being altered.
Our main guy Ethan works overnight at the Holloway Resort with his friend Kal & co-worker Teresa. A mysterious phenomenon occurs which leaves them frozen in time. During this time freeze they experience hallucinations, paranormal activity, manipulation. Theres even a steamy romance that blooms within this chaos. Ethan, Kal & Teresa uncover the dark history of the hotel & have to work together to make things right.
Andrew K. Clark did an incredible job making this book feel like a movie. He made this engaging & gripping where you felt exactly what the characters were experiencing word for word. Hollow Folk will make you feel like you're experiencing one heck of an acid or mushroom trip.
Hollow Folk an Appalachian Gothic Folk Horror with elements of occult, supernatural/paranormal, & magical realism. Interesting isn't even the word for this book. I believe mind-altering would be a better fit. I swear I could feel my mind alter the same way the characters minds in the book were being altered.
Our main guy Ethan works overnight at the Holloway Resort with his friend Kal & co-worker Teresa. A mysterious phenomenon occurs which leaves them frozen in time. During this time freeze they experience hallucinations, paranormal activity, manipulation. Theres even a steamy romance that blooms within this chaos. Ethan, Kal & Teresa uncover the dark history of the hotel & have to work together to make things right.
Andrew K. Clark did an incredible job making this book feel like a movie. He made this engaging & gripping where you felt exactly what the characters were experiencing word for word. Hollow Folk will make you feel like you're experiencing one heck of an acid or mushroom trip.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What can I say, Hollow Folk is weird.
However, I mean that in the best way. If you are looking for a weird, atmospheric Appalachian horror; you have found it here. There are very few novels that fully immerse you in an atmospheric setting the way Hollow Folk does. The gothic hotel set in the Appalachian mountains ends up feeling like a character itself, taking on a personality of its own much like The Overlook from The Shining.
But the horror is not just in the atmosphere, the body horror starts fairly early in the story and doesn’t let up.
Warning: maybe stay away if you have trypophobia.
And wrapped up in it all is a truly bizarre love story. I spent most of my time reading wondering if these characters really loves each other, or if it was just a trick of the circumstances they found themselves in. That, along with all the other mysteries of the hotel, kept me fully entranced by this book. This story will definitely live rent free in the back of my mind for a long, long time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House, for this ARC.
However, I mean that in the best way. If you are looking for a weird, atmospheric Appalachian horror; you have found it here. There are very few novels that fully immerse you in an atmospheric setting the way Hollow Folk does. The gothic hotel set in the Appalachian mountains ends up feeling like a character itself, taking on a personality of its own much like The Overlook from The Shining.
But the horror is not just in the atmosphere, the body horror starts fairly early in the story and doesn’t let up.
Warning: maybe stay away if you have trypophobia.
And wrapped up in it all is a truly bizarre love story. I spent most of my time reading wondering if these characters really loves each other, or if it was just a trick of the circumstances they found themselves in. That, along with all the other mysteries of the hotel, kept me fully entranced by this book. This story will definitely live rent free in the back of my mind for a long, long time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House, for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Trying to come up with a summary of what this book is like is difficult. Ethan Ray, Kal, and Teresa all work the night shift at the Holloway hotel. During one of their shifts, the clock strikes 3 a.m. and then stops. With me so far? Good, because that’s about as far as I can go with a summary. What follows feels like a fever dream, and I’m still not entirely sure what I read. From there, the characters dive headfirst into the weird. They meet… people? They have visions. They experience emotions that may or may not be their own. There is body horror, and parts are genuinely gross, so keep that in mind before picking this one up. It didn’t bother me, but it was weird. Trypophobia sufferers should probably stay away. Overall, this was a trippy horror story that reveled in the weird. If that sounds like your kind of horror, I think you’ll enjoy the ride.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
A big thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Quill & Crow Publishing House and also to NetGalley for access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Three employees are trapped on hotel grounds in Appalachia, and the clock is stuck at 3am. A history of the hotel begins to unravel and they need to figure out the details before there is no escape back to the present.
Okay. So. Some things definitely worked for me. The body horror, scene imagery, the concept of the story, all of these things were so great! I loved the detail and descriptions to really immerse yourself in the unnatural events happening. Unfortunately the story has a lot of seemingly important plot points that are just never really explored further. The goat, Teresa’s entrance, Kal’s trip, etc. This kind of took me out of the story. Overall solid story but ultimately not necessarily for me.
Three employees are trapped on hotel grounds in Appalachia, and the clock is stuck at 3am. A history of the hotel begins to unravel and they need to figure out the details before there is no escape back to the present.
Okay. So. Some things definitely worked for me. The body horror, scene imagery, the concept of the story, all of these things were so great! I loved the detail and descriptions to really immerse yourself in the unnatural events happening. Unfortunately the story has a lot of seemingly important plot points that are just never really explored further. The goat, Teresa’s entrance, Kal’s trip, etc. This kind of took me out of the story. Overall solid story but ultimately not necessarily for me.
July 25, 2026
Hollow Folk follows the night shift of three coworkers at a hotel in Appalachia that find themselves stuck in a sort of limbo when time suddenly stops at 3 am. What follows are horrific visions and revelations. The question remains, will they find a way out? And can they do so while maintaining their humanity?
I really enjoyed the premise of this story, and the empty Appalachian hotel makes for a great setting. There is plenty of the macabre and grotesque here for horror fans as well. I felt like parts of this book did lack some coherence, but it also seems like maybe it was meant to feel that way.
My thanks to the publisher and the author for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It was provided to me through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Everything stated in my review is my own opinion written in my own words.
I really enjoyed the premise of this story, and the empty Appalachian hotel makes for a great setting. There is plenty of the macabre and grotesque here for horror fans as well. I felt like parts of this book did lack some coherence, but it also seems like maybe it was meant to feel that way.
My thanks to the publisher and the author for sending me an Advance Reader Copy of this book. It was provided to me through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Everything stated in my review is my own opinion written in my own words.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
3.5 rounded to 4 for Goodreads
This hotel horror was something else . I don't even know what word I want to use. Did I enjoy it ? I think so. The Appalachian folklore, setting and complete unease of the entire novel had me invested in its outcome . Imagine working the graveyard shift and being locked in a hotel where time itself stops. Haunting visions, unsettling shadows , and erie warnings.The hotel lulls them into a false sense of security which gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes. I would have to say I wasn't sure about the heavy lust between the characters even though obviously it was being enhanced by the presence in the hotel. Overall this was a well written hotel horror that is easy to become invested in , even if I said "eeww" "that's nasty " and "ick" multiple times while reading .
This hotel horror was something else . I don't even know what word I want to use. Did I enjoy it ? I think so. The Appalachian folklore, setting and complete unease of the entire novel had me invested in its outcome . Imagine working the graveyard shift and being locked in a hotel where time itself stops. Haunting visions, unsettling shadows , and erie warnings.The hotel lulls them into a false sense of security which gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes. I would have to say I wasn't sure about the heavy lust between the characters even though obviously it was being enhanced by the presence in the hotel. Overall this was a well written hotel horror that is easy to become invested in , even if I said "eeww" "that's nasty " and "ick" multiple times while reading .
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ARC REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐ (3.5/5)
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I enjoyed the summary of "Hollow Folk"! It's an intriguing mix of the Appalachian Mountains, folk horror, and supernatural elements. While it may not be the best book I've read, it's quite enjoyable.
The story is an emotional rollercoaster with themes of the occult and unsettling body horror. If you have trypophobia, be cautious!
Amid the eerie atmosphere, a peculiar love story makes you question the characters' true feelings. The hotel’s mysteries kept me engaged. Andrew K. Clark creates vivid narratives, making "Hollow Folk" a uniquely wild experience!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
I enjoyed the summary of "Hollow Folk"! It's an intriguing mix of the Appalachian Mountains, folk horror, and supernatural elements. While it may not be the best book I've read, it's quite enjoyable.
The story is an emotional rollercoaster with themes of the occult and unsettling body horror. If you have trypophobia, be cautious!
Amid the eerie atmosphere, a peculiar love story makes you question the characters' true feelings. The hotel’s mysteries kept me engaged. Andrew K. Clark creates vivid narratives, making "Hollow Folk" a uniquely wild experience!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Quill & Crow Publishing House & NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC of Hollow Folk.
I first heard about this book on Instagram and immediately had to go request it. A haunted Appalachian hotel? I have so many questions now that I finished, but in a good way. I think. I read this pretty quickly, in only a few hours, and I may need to sit with it to fully process it.
The story starts off strong, and very eerie, creepy, and then descends into a fever dream. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I am very creeped out about the ending. I feel like the narrator is very unreliable, and I love that. Just, what the fuck? Andrew, are you okay?
I first heard about this book on Instagram and immediately had to go request it. A haunted Appalachian hotel? I have so many questions now that I finished, but in a good way. I think. I read this pretty quickly, in only a few hours, and I may need to sit with it to fully process it.
The story starts off strong, and very eerie, creepy, and then descends into a fever dream. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, but I am very creeped out about the ending. I feel like the narrator is very unreliable, and I love that. Just, what the fuck? Andrew, are you okay?
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🛎🏨🕰🌌🚬
Just some strange events piling one after another during one Ethan Ray's night shift. Not really intriging. Not really empathetic. No action. Dark promising setting that gets you bored after another 10 percent of casual oddities. Which don't stop. Just throw in some more, more, and more and here's the end of the story. I guess it's just not my kind of unnatural elements, also it's just me expecting different folklore from "an appalachian gothic".
- - -
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
Just some strange events piling one after another during one Ethan Ray's night shift. Not really intriging. Not really empathetic. No action. Dark promising setting that gets you bored after another 10 percent of casual oddities. Which don't stop. Just throw in some more, more, and more and here's the end of the story. I guess it's just not my kind of unnatural elements, also it's just me expecting different folklore from "an appalachian gothic".
- - -
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!
July 26, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC :)
Hmmm… not sure about how I feel about this book. The writing was good, the story was interesting but the body horror was not for me. I’m pretty sure I have trypophobia and the imagery in this book was making me feel ill. If you like body horror, this will be the book for you!
The only thing that would have made this ARC better is if I was able to read it on my kobo. That’s just a personal preference though as I found it hard to read off my phone/computer.
Hmmm… not sure about how I feel about this book. The writing was good, the story was interesting but the body horror was not for me. I’m pretty sure I have trypophobia and the imagery in this book was making me feel ill. If you like body horror, this will be the book for you!
The only thing that would have made this ARC better is if I was able to read it on my kobo. That’s just a personal preference though as I found it hard to read off my phone/computer.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I have no idea where to begin with this story or how to even describe it 😭 3 employees at a hotel in the Appalachian Mountains get stuck at 3am…from there it just gets weird and saying it out loud sounds almost ridiculous lol I remember thinking WTF multiple times while reading this. Definitely read the trigger warnings beforehand! Safe to say this was definitely one of my weirder reads of 2026 so far 😂
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Weird things happen at 3am and apparently time can stop altogether, forcing three coworkers to figure out wtf is happening.
So much was going on here, I was lost for a little bit but things started to piece together. This had an eerie, folk horror atmosphere with a tension that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Watching the history of the hotel slowly unravel throughout the story was so much fun.
Thank you NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the ARC
So much was going on here, I was lost for a little bit but things started to piece together. This had an eerie, folk horror atmosphere with a tension that kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Watching the history of the hotel slowly unravel throughout the story was so much fun.
Thank you NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the ARC
August 5, 2026
This book is a gothic horror so odd things are to be expected. Protect yourself and check your trigger warnings.
This book is about a hotel in the Appalachian mountains. There are three main characters in this story and they are all stuck at work, time will not more forward. Throughout the night they all experience very odd acid trip experiences while balancing the fear of time not moving. It’s up to them to figure out the mystery behind the hotel so that they can back to their reality.
This book is about a hotel in the Appalachian mountains. There are three main characters in this story and they are all stuck at work, time will not more forward. Throughout the night they all experience very odd acid trip experiences while balancing the fear of time not moving. It’s up to them to figure out the mystery behind the hotel so that they can back to their reality.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*thank you netgalley for the ARC so i was able to read and give my honest review*
When i read the story of what this book was about i was excited. Who doesnt like some appalachia mountains with some holk horror and i was ok with the book. Overall it wasnt something that blew me away but was a middle of the line story. Still enjoyable so give it a read
When i read the story of what this book was about i was excited. Who doesnt like some appalachia mountains with some holk horror and i was ok with the book. Overall it wasnt something that blew me away but was a middle of the line story. Still enjoyable so give it a read
June 25, 2026
I mean this in the best way possible, but what did I just read?? Is this what an acid trip feels like? I really enjoyed the gothic horror aspect and how the hotel was a main character. I however, did NOT like the holes! Holes on bodies and holes in mushrooms. Trypophobia is real and that’s all I could think of. The lightning bugs were precious though.
August 2, 2026
Great concept for a book a haunted hotel, gave me shining vibes. Really liked the setting and some of the horror visuals. I unfortunately felt the pacing of the book felt slow. Maybe the book could be shorter and I wish the characters felt more fleshed out. Definition an unexpected conclusion in the end.
ARC Netgalley Review
ARC Netgalley Review
July 28, 2026
I seriously need to gather my thoughts before I write a review..
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews