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Copperwood: Book One of The Odd World Society
A vanished sheriff. A forgotten clearing that shouldn't exist. And a bloodline pact older than the town itself.
Copperwood doesn't show up on most maps, and that's exactly how the people who fled there like it. Wedged against the Canadian border, it's a dying mining town full of hard people running from harder pasts. So when its longtime sheriff walks into the woods and simply disappears, nobody expects the truth to be anything but tragic.
Spencer Cole isn't looking to be anyone's hero. A former Marine sergeant chewing through whiskey and nightmares from an ambush in Herat he still can't explain, he's spent years chasing the unexplainable — the claw marks, the sigils, the things that don't fit in any official report. So when an old friend and fellow veteran, now a Maine county sheriff, begs him to take the vacant badge in Copperwood, Spencer knows it's not really about law enforcement.
It's about what's hunting in those woods.
What he finds is worse than he imagined. A Wabanaki elder who swears the end of the world has already begun. A copper-mining dynasty, the Van Hornes, hiding a four-century-old bargain struck to protect the town and the land. A hidden clearing that appeared out of nowhere, exactly where the old sheriff vanished. And a secretive organization called The Odd World Society, whose reach extends far beyond one small town.
As disappearances mount and the veil between worlds grows thinner, Spencer must decide how far he's willing to go to stop something ancient from finishing what it started, before Copperwood - and everyone in it - pays the price for breaking a promise made generations ago.
Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Nick Cutter, and cosmic horror with real emotional teeth — Copperwood blends supernatural thriller pacing with folk horror dread and Lovecraftian scope. It's Book One in the Odd World Society series, and the story is only getting started.
Read Copperwood today and find out why the deepest woods keep the darkest secrets.
Copperwood doesn't show up on most maps, and that's exactly how the people who fled there like it. Wedged against the Canadian border, it's a dying mining town full of hard people running from harder pasts. So when its longtime sheriff walks into the woods and simply disappears, nobody expects the truth to be anything but tragic.
Spencer Cole isn't looking to be anyone's hero. A former Marine sergeant chewing through whiskey and nightmares from an ambush in Herat he still can't explain, he's spent years chasing the unexplainable — the claw marks, the sigils, the things that don't fit in any official report. So when an old friend and fellow veteran, now a Maine county sheriff, begs him to take the vacant badge in Copperwood, Spencer knows it's not really about law enforcement.
It's about what's hunting in those woods.
What he finds is worse than he imagined. A Wabanaki elder who swears the end of the world has already begun. A copper-mining dynasty, the Van Hornes, hiding a four-century-old bargain struck to protect the town and the land. A hidden clearing that appeared out of nowhere, exactly where the old sheriff vanished. And a secretive organization called The Odd World Society, whose reach extends far beyond one small town.
As disappearances mount and the veil between worlds grows thinner, Spencer must decide how far he's willing to go to stop something ancient from finishing what it started, before Copperwood - and everyone in it - pays the price for breaking a promise made generations ago.
Perfect for fans of Stephen King, Nick Cutter, and cosmic horror with real emotional teeth — Copperwood blends supernatural thriller pacing with folk horror dread and Lovecraftian scope. It's Book One in the Odd World Society series, and the story is only getting started.
Read Copperwood today and find out why the deepest woods keep the darkest secrets.
- GenresHorror
564 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 22, 2026
About the author
Scott Alward
3 books11 followersHey, I'm Scott. Nice to meet you. I write the kind of books that make perfectly reasonable people sleep with the lights on. You're welcome.
My fiction sits at the crossroads of supernatural thriller, horror, and urban fantasy, with deep roots in cosmic horror, Lovecraftian dread, folk horror, psychological horror, and the occasional biotech nightmare. I'm fascinated by the rules of the supernatural. How they work, what happens when someone breaks them, and why humans are so spectacularly bad at leaving well enough alone. Themes of scientific arrogance, occult conspiracy, isolation, and survival run through most of what I write, though I try to make sure there's always a thread of dark humor running alongside the dread. It's always darkest just before the dawn, as they say. I'm a big believer in that. Narratively speaking.
My debut, The God Makers, is a standalone sci-fi thriller about what happens when humanity reaches for something it was never designed to touch. Part cosmic horror, part survival story, all bad decisions with very high stakes.
Copperwood: Book One of The Odd World Society kicks off my supernatural thriller series. Rooted in New England folklore, occult mystery, and the deeply unsettling vibe of small towns that have been around just a little too long.
I live in one of those towns, by the way. It's great for writing. Less great for sleeping.
When I'm not at the keyboard, I'm probably on a stage somewhere. I've been in over 100 productions — mostly musicals — which means I have strong opinions about character arcs, dramatic timing, and the importance of a well-placed pause. These opinions have absolutely infected my fiction and I regret nothing.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Blake Crouch, John Connolly, or Stephen Graham Jones, there's a good chance we'll get along.
Thanks for stopping by. Now go check the locks again.
My fiction sits at the crossroads of supernatural thriller, horror, and urban fantasy, with deep roots in cosmic horror, Lovecraftian dread, folk horror, psychological horror, and the occasional biotech nightmare. I'm fascinated by the rules of the supernatural. How they work, what happens when someone breaks them, and why humans are so spectacularly bad at leaving well enough alone. Themes of scientific arrogance, occult conspiracy, isolation, and survival run through most of what I write, though I try to make sure there's always a thread of dark humor running alongside the dread. It's always darkest just before the dawn, as they say. I'm a big believer in that. Narratively speaking.
My debut, The God Makers, is a standalone sci-fi thriller about what happens when humanity reaches for something it was never designed to touch. Part cosmic horror, part survival story, all bad decisions with very high stakes.
Copperwood: Book One of The Odd World Society kicks off my supernatural thriller series. Rooted in New England folklore, occult mystery, and the deeply unsettling vibe of small towns that have been around just a little too long.
I live in one of those towns, by the way. It's great for writing. Less great for sleeping.
When I'm not at the keyboard, I'm probably on a stage somewhere. I've been in over 100 productions — mostly musicals — which means I have strong opinions about character arcs, dramatic timing, and the importance of a well-placed pause. These opinions have absolutely infected my fiction and I regret nothing.
If you're a fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Blake Crouch, John Connolly, or Stephen Graham Jones, there's a good chance we'll get along.
Thanks for stopping by. Now go check the locks again.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 24, 2026
There's a lot to say about a horror book such as this (especially given it's not a debut novel, but it certainly feels like one). It's ambitious, cleverly and tightly plotted, with a large and interesting cast, and a satisfying ending (despite it being a cliffhanger; it's the first volume in a planned series) - but most of all, what I can attest is that the book definitely has that special feel that makes a story truly creepy and atmospheric, exactly what I want in a small-town, supernatural horror novel!
You can feel the wrongness from very early on, and experience the dread and the suspense as Spencer, the main character, gets closer and closer to the truth. The central mystery is outstanding, and the violence graphic and intense. The author quite capably combines strange lore and elements of a typical creature feature with the better aspects of woods horror, isolation horror, and grief horror, painting a horrific picture of a small mining town under attack by strange monsters the main character cannot account for.
My single complaint would be the uneven pacing. Particular scenes are very well done, but when it comes to the combined result, I felt it suffered a little - similar to a TV series you're binging, and there are episodes that feel like fillers, keeping the story stuck in the same place and losing some of the initial momentum.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
You can feel the wrongness from very early on, and experience the dread and the suspense as Spencer, the main character, gets closer and closer to the truth. The central mystery is outstanding, and the violence graphic and intense. The author quite capably combines strange lore and elements of a typical creature feature with the better aspects of woods horror, isolation horror, and grief horror, painting a horrific picture of a small mining town under attack by strange monsters the main character cannot account for.
My single complaint would be the uneven pacing. Particular scenes are very well done, but when it comes to the combined result, I felt it suffered a little - similar to a TV series you're binging, and there are episodes that feel like fillers, keeping the story stuck in the same place and losing some of the initial momentum.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Copperwood is a fun mix of supernatural horror, mystery, and small-town thriller, with just enough humor to keep things from getting too dark.
What I enjoyed most was the atmosphere. Copperwood feels like the kind of town where something has been wrong for a very long time, and the deeper Spencer gets into the mystery surrounding Sheriff Hank’s disappearance, the more you realize there’s much more going on beneath the surface. The setting, the old mine, the legends, and the strange things happening in the woods all work together to create a really creepy sense of isolation.
Spencer Cole is also an interesting protagonist. He comes into Copperwood carrying a lot of baggage from his past, and his investigation slowly becomes personal in ways he never expected. I liked that his character wasn’t simply about fighting monsters—the story also deals with grief, trauma, guilt, and finding a reason to keep moving forward.
The supporting characters add a lot to the story as well. There are some great personalities throughout the book, and the dialogue has a sarcastic, sometimes downright hilarious quality that I really enjoyed. Olathe especially steals just about every scene she’s in. 😂
The horror can get pretty graphic at times, so this definitely isn’t one for readers looking for a gentle supernatural mystery. The creature scenes are intense, and the book doesn’t shy away from the gruesome side of things. At the same time, there’s enough mystery and character development to make the story more than just monster attacks.
The ending wraps up the main conflict while leaving plenty of unanswered questions for the larger story to continue, which definitely made me curious about where the Odd World Society goes from here.
Overall, Copperwood is an entertaining supernatural mystery with creepy atmosphere, memorable characters, dark humor, and plenty of strange things lurking beneath the surface. If you enjoy horror with a mystery to unravel and a little bit of paranormal weirdness thrown in, this is worth checking out.
Copperwood is a fun mix of supernatural horror, mystery, and small-town thriller, with just enough humor to keep things from getting too dark.
What I enjoyed most was the atmosphere. Copperwood feels like the kind of town where something has been wrong for a very long time, and the deeper Spencer gets into the mystery surrounding Sheriff Hank’s disappearance, the more you realize there’s much more going on beneath the surface. The setting, the old mine, the legends, and the strange things happening in the woods all work together to create a really creepy sense of isolation.
Spencer Cole is also an interesting protagonist. He comes into Copperwood carrying a lot of baggage from his past, and his investigation slowly becomes personal in ways he never expected. I liked that his character wasn’t simply about fighting monsters—the story also deals with grief, trauma, guilt, and finding a reason to keep moving forward.
The supporting characters add a lot to the story as well. There are some great personalities throughout the book, and the dialogue has a sarcastic, sometimes downright hilarious quality that I really enjoyed. Olathe especially steals just about every scene she’s in. 😂
The horror can get pretty graphic at times, so this definitely isn’t one for readers looking for a gentle supernatural mystery. The creature scenes are intense, and the book doesn’t shy away from the gruesome side of things. At the same time, there’s enough mystery and character development to make the story more than just monster attacks.
The ending wraps up the main conflict while leaving plenty of unanswered questions for the larger story to continue, which definitely made me curious about where the Odd World Society goes from here.
Overall, Copperwood is an entertaining supernatural mystery with creepy atmosphere, memorable characters, dark humor, and plenty of strange things lurking beneath the surface. If you enjoy horror with a mystery to unravel and a little bit of paranormal weirdness thrown in, this is worth checking out.
Review of advance copy
I received a copy of this book for free from Book Sirens. This has no bearing on my review, that of which i leave willingly.
The fact that i am the FIRST person to leave a review on Goodreads is CRAZY. My favorite past time is reading horror and nothing is more satisfying than reading a book that leaves me so creeped out that i have to double check dark rooms and hallways. The tension and build in this book is relentless. Every chapter adds another layer to the story whilst feeding the dread. It is delicious.
The wide range of characters also add another layer of authenticity to the story. We have monsters, a rebellious teenager, a courageous sheriff, a foul mouthed old lady (hilarious if i may add), the bartender that knows everything about everyone and many more. They all felt genuine and i found myself so connected to them and their story that i had a running oral commentary when things got real hairy.
If you like creepy monsters, ancient magic mixed with tribal folklore, lots of guns and a cricket bat named Pacifier, all set in an old mining town, you need to read this book. Oh, and did i mention, this is going to be a series?! The cliffhanger at the end is chef's kiss. I am actually annoyed that i can't immediately start book 2. So, thanks Scott Alward for simultaneously making my day and ruining it. ;)
The fact that i am the FIRST person to leave a review on Goodreads is CRAZY. My favorite past time is reading horror and nothing is more satisfying than reading a book that leaves me so creeped out that i have to double check dark rooms and hallways. The tension and build in this book is relentless. Every chapter adds another layer to the story whilst feeding the dread. It is delicious.
The wide range of characters also add another layer of authenticity to the story. We have monsters, a rebellious teenager, a courageous sheriff, a foul mouthed old lady (hilarious if i may add), the bartender that knows everything about everyone and many more. They all felt genuine and i found myself so connected to them and their story that i had a running oral commentary when things got real hairy.
If you like creepy monsters, ancient magic mixed with tribal folklore, lots of guns and a cricket bat named Pacifier, all set in an old mining town, you need to read this book. Oh, and did i mention, this is going to be a series?! The cliffhanger at the end is chef's kiss. I am actually annoyed that i can't immediately start book 2. So, thanks Scott Alward for simultaneously making my day and ruining it. ;)
September 23, 2026
One sub-genre of horror I like to read is folklore. This book had a deep and long standing history of keeping a pact with an unseen entity to protect the town and the family. The pact had been sealed for many years until one person decided they wanted more than the pact offered. That one person brought on a large scale destruction of what the person claimed to love. That love became warped and the town and its people became prey for the creatures. To fight the beginning of the end; it would take brave, special people to turn the tide. This book provided a story of secrets, love, redemption, and hope in order to save them all. The characters in this book were the kind of people that the reader could relate to. An added pleasure to the reading was my husband and the main character are named Spencer. So of course I had to read the story. The Spencer in this book share some of my Spencer’s characteristics therefore making this story more realistic. The scenes were quite frightening and the feeling when confronted with the creatures came off the pages as though they were happening in real time. I swear I could feel the biting cold and the atmosphere of the mine. This is an excellent book to read if one enjoys folklore and creatures.
Review of advance copy
Receiven an ARC from the lovely people in BookSirens.
I do have to admit that I'm not really into ebooks, never been never will, so the very best thing I can say about one is that, if I like it, I stop reading it and search for the paperback; let's say that I use them as samplers, like when you listen to 30 second smippets of an album before buying it.
And this book was like that. I was about 50 pages in when I went looking for the paperback, but I couldn't find it (damn!), and it seems that there won't be...
Shame, because this was really fun to read. Compelling characters, a very complex lore and the pace was so fast that I had to pause to breath... And the best thing is that it's the first entry of what I really hope will be at least a trilogy!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I do have to admit that I'm not really into ebooks, never been never will, so the very best thing I can say about one is that, if I like it, I stop reading it and search for the paperback; let's say that I use them as samplers, like when you listen to 30 second smippets of an album before buying it.
And this book was like that. I was about 50 pages in when I went looking for the paperback, but I couldn't find it (damn!), and it seems that there won't be...
Shame, because this was really fun to read. Compelling characters, a very complex lore and the pace was so fast that I had to pause to breath... And the best thing is that it's the first entry of what I really hope will be at least a trilogy!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy
This is a mixture of Folklore, Mythology and the Supernatural. There are places in this world where the veil between the living and the dead is thin. Copperwood has such a place and what has found its way through to the living, is everyone's worst nightmare.
There are quite a few "lull before the storm" moments in this book, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, as do villains. Sometimes it's hard to tell the two apart. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Somehow I don't think Cole is going to particularly like the answers he finds at The Odd World Society.
I received a free Advance Reader Copy of this book through BookSirens, and have chosen to leave a review.
There are quite a few "lull before the storm" moments in this book, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, as do villains. Sometimes it's hard to tell the two apart. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Somehow I don't think Cole is going to particularly like the answers he finds at The Odd World Society.
I received a free Advance Reader Copy of this book through BookSirens, and have chosen to leave a review.
September 30, 2026
There is nothing I love more than creepy monsters and tribal lore/magic. The wide range of characters also add another layer of authenticity to the story. I think my overall favorite character in the wide cast of characters is the sassy older lady who swears like a sailor.
Can't wait for book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Booksirens.
Can't wait for book 2.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you Booksirens.
Read
August 22, 2026A most entertaining book. I’m definitely going to need to read the series now. Wonderful characters and storyline.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 23, 2026
I can't believe I got this book. I am so excited to read the rest of the books. Even happy I received an ARC. Thank you to the author, Scott Alward, for letting me read his book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews