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Chestatee: An Extreme Horror Novel
A new river. A new killer.
Three years after suffering unspeakable abuse at the hands of Trent and Tripp Nix, Rachel Fisher is determined to take control of her relentless trauma. That is, until her evil family roots are exposed, sending Rachel into a fit of rage. With her blade in hand, the young college freshman reaches deep into the darkest depths of her soul to uncover the most primitive parts of her being. A sequel that can also be read as a standalone, Chestatee unfurls like the bloody banks of the Cartecay, rushing with waves of carnage, gritty body horror, and psychological terror.
WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT!
Three years after suffering unspeakable abuse at the hands of Trent and Tripp Nix, Rachel Fisher is determined to take control of her relentless trauma. That is, until her evil family roots are exposed, sending Rachel into a fit of rage. With her blade in hand, the young college freshman reaches deep into the darkest depths of her soul to uncover the most primitive parts of her being. A sequel that can also be read as a standalone, Chestatee unfurls like the bloody banks of the Cartecay, rushing with waves of carnage, gritty body horror, and psychological terror.
WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT!
Paperback
First published September 29, 2026
About the author
D.Z. Hollow
8 books26 followersD.Z. Hollow is an author and musician who lives in the Appalachian Mountains with a slew of rescue animals. When not writing, he enjoys watching horror movies and television shows. He also loves playing music and hiking.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 12, 2026
Well… that escalated quickly. 😂🩸
I went into Chestatee knowing I was getting extreme horror, body horror, psychological terror, and graphic content. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how relentlessly this story gets under your skin.
Rachel Fisher has spent three years trying to take control of the trauma left behind by Trent and Tripp Nix. She’s trying to move forward, build a new life, and figure out who she is after everything she’s survived.
Then her family roots come crawling out of the darkness.
And THAT is when things get seriously ugly.
What I really enjoyed about Chestatee is that beneath all the blood, carnage, and body horror, there’s a psychological darkness driving the story. Rachel isn’t simply dealing with outside monsters she’s confronting some deeply buried parts of herself.
And D.Z. Hollow does not gently open that door.
He kicks it off the hinges. 😂
The horror is visceral, uncomfortable, and absolutely not for the faint of heart. There are moments where I genuinely had to stop and think:
“Okay… who hurt this author?”
Because WOW. 😳
If you’re an extreme horror reader who enjoys graphic body horror, psychological terror, revenge, trauma, disturbing imagery, and stories that are willing to get REALLY nasty, Chestatee deserves a spot on your radar.
And the fact that it can be read as a standalone makes it even easier to jump into.
Just don’t come into this expecting a cozy little character study.
This book brought a chainsaw to therapy.
I went into Chestatee knowing I was getting extreme horror, body horror, psychological terror, and graphic content. What I wasn’t prepared for was just how relentlessly this story gets under your skin.
Rachel Fisher has spent three years trying to take control of the trauma left behind by Trent and Tripp Nix. She’s trying to move forward, build a new life, and figure out who she is after everything she’s survived.
Then her family roots come crawling out of the darkness.
And THAT is when things get seriously ugly.
What I really enjoyed about Chestatee is that beneath all the blood, carnage, and body horror, there’s a psychological darkness driving the story. Rachel isn’t simply dealing with outside monsters she’s confronting some deeply buried parts of herself.
And D.Z. Hollow does not gently open that door.
He kicks it off the hinges. 😂
The horror is visceral, uncomfortable, and absolutely not for the faint of heart. There are moments where I genuinely had to stop and think:
“Okay… who hurt this author?”
Because WOW. 😳
If you’re an extreme horror reader who enjoys graphic body horror, psychological terror, revenge, trauma, disturbing imagery, and stories that are willing to get REALLY nasty, Chestatee deserves a spot on your radar.
And the fact that it can be read as a standalone makes it even easier to jump into.
Just don’t come into this expecting a cozy little character study.
This book brought a chainsaw to therapy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
From the convoluted mind of Mr. DZ Hollow comes a transgressive extreme horror story so twisted and deranged, that it rivals both James Dickey’s Deliverance, and Jack Ketchum’s Off Season.
Chestatee is the second installment in his Appalachian horror series, and has all the vile depravity of its predecessor, Cartecay, while including additional vengeance and retribution. But don’t go into Chestatee expecting the exact same narrative as Cartecay. Chestatee is definitely its own twisted beast.
The story follows 4 friends on their quest to heal from trauma so visceral, and with such sheer brutality, that they themselves risk turning into monsters far worse than those they are running from. The characters are deeply multifaceted, and just when you think you’ve pinpointed the one with the darkest past, Hollow slaps you in the face with something infinitely more unhinged and demented.
This story is reminiscent of a corpse flower. Exotic and intriguing at first, but when it blooms you are left with a rotten, putrid core. It also attempts to answer the timeless questions, “What happens when you open Pandora’s box?” And, “At what point does a mind shatter beyond repair?”
Just like Cartecay, Chestatee grips you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. These books are not for the faint of heart, but worth every nail biting second. Several times I felt like my chest was in a vice. You truly absorb every ounce of agony and grief that this story oozes. DZ Hollow is an amazing, underrated author, and you can tell that these stories are deeply personal for him.
If you are an extreme horror connoisseur, this one is for you! If not, just know that Chestatee utilizes just about every trigger you can imagine. You have been warned!
Chestatee is the second installment in his Appalachian horror series, and has all the vile depravity of its predecessor, Cartecay, while including additional vengeance and retribution. But don’t go into Chestatee expecting the exact same narrative as Cartecay. Chestatee is definitely its own twisted beast.
The story follows 4 friends on their quest to heal from trauma so visceral, and with such sheer brutality, that they themselves risk turning into monsters far worse than those they are running from. The characters are deeply multifaceted, and just when you think you’ve pinpointed the one with the darkest past, Hollow slaps you in the face with something infinitely more unhinged and demented.
This story is reminiscent of a corpse flower. Exotic and intriguing at first, but when it blooms you are left with a rotten, putrid core. It also attempts to answer the timeless questions, “What happens when you open Pandora’s box?” And, “At what point does a mind shatter beyond repair?”
Just like Cartecay, Chestatee grips you from the very beginning and doesn’t let go. These books are not for the faint of heart, but worth every nail biting second. Several times I felt like my chest was in a vice. You truly absorb every ounce of agony and grief that this story oozes. DZ Hollow is an amazing, underrated author, and you can tell that these stories are deeply personal for him.
If you are an extreme horror connoisseur, this one is for you! If not, just know that Chestatee utilizes just about every trigger you can imagine. You have been warned!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is the sequel to DZ Hollow's book, Cartecay. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I'm glad I caught up by reading Cartecay as it provided me with even more context. All I can say is this book doesn't pull punches as dark secrets are revealed about a small town and how it all interconnects with Rachel's trauma of being abused. However, the story really blows open when the reader finds out this is not a simple revenge story as you'll find out why the Nix family turned out to be as screwed up as they were. It all leads to a very good interconnected story that is dark as heck.
Man oh man, DZ Hollow outdid himself with this one. I really want to spoil it, but my policy is not to do so. You'll just have to read for yourself. Just remember, don't go near that river as your mother would tell you. For those who love extreme horror, there are plenty of guts and gore in this one. However, it also has a psychological horror aspect once you dig into the connection between the past and the present. This is a disturbing story, but it's by design. Check your triggers before reading.
Man oh man, DZ Hollow outdid himself with this one. I really want to spoil it, but my policy is not to do so. You'll just have to read for yourself. Just remember, don't go near that river as your mother would tell you. For those who love extreme horror, there are plenty of guts and gore in this one. However, it also has a psychological horror aspect once you dig into the connection between the past and the present. This is a disturbing story, but it's by design. Check your triggers before reading.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Chestatee…..
It was as beautifully disgusting and depraved as I hoped…
I know it can be read as a stand alone novel but I really would recommend reading Cartecay first because you will be more familiar with the characters and how they were before all the trauma and the horrific experiences that shaped them. This book answers all the questions as to why and how the Nix family became the twisted, sick creatures they were. Filled with all the blood, guts and bodily fluids you can imagine, this book is a must read! Not for the weak of stomach or easily disturbed… because you will absolutely be disturbed afterwards. I give this book ALL the stars!
And always heed Mamma’s advice and ‘don’t go near that river’
It was as beautifully disgusting and depraved as I hoped…
I know it can be read as a stand alone novel but I really would recommend reading Cartecay first because you will be more familiar with the characters and how they were before all the trauma and the horrific experiences that shaped them. This book answers all the questions as to why and how the Nix family became the twisted, sick creatures they were. Filled with all the blood, guts and bodily fluids you can imagine, this book is a must read! Not for the weak of stomach or easily disturbed… because you will absolutely be disturbed afterwards. I give this book ALL the stars!
And always heed Mamma’s advice and ‘don’t go near that river’
October 2, 2026
Chestatee by D.Z. Hollow
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bold, disturbing, graphic, and psychological devastating!
A truly deep and dark read!! This is a book you can’t and don’t want to put down!!
The story follows Rachel who has endured horrific traumas and abuse. Can she recover from what she has gone through?
There’s so much put into this book and you feel all the feels!! There are a lot of characters with different life traumas and horrors they have to contend with.
This is the second book in the series. Cartecay is the first. This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading Cartecay first to gather the context and character development.
D.Z. Hollow is a must read author for me!
***I highly recommend this extreme horror read!!***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bold, disturbing, graphic, and psychological devastating!
A truly deep and dark read!! This is a book you can’t and don’t want to put down!!
The story follows Rachel who has endured horrific traumas and abuse. Can she recover from what she has gone through?
There’s so much put into this book and you feel all the feels!! There are a lot of characters with different life traumas and horrors they have to contend with.
This is the second book in the series. Cartecay is the first. This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading Cartecay first to gather the context and character development.
D.Z. Hollow is a must read author for me!
***I highly recommend this extreme horror read!!***
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this in almost 1 sitting. I've been waiting for this since I finished Cartecay and WOW! It did not disappoint. At no time did I know where this story was going. I don't want to say too much and spoil it for anyone so all I'm going to say is grab this as soon as it comes out. If you want an Appalachian horror that will make you day "wtf" many times, this is for you! I hope there is a 3rd installment someday. I will be first in line for it
Review of advance copy received from Author
Holy.fuck.
Im still on a high and have so many things to say.
The level of revenge is so fucked up and yet... well deserved if you know the roots of this whole town.
A cesspool of depravity from fucked up families that intertwine lives like you couldnt even imagine.
Dz Hollow, you WRECKED me. Thank you🤣
Im still on a high and have so many things to say.
The level of revenge is so fucked up and yet... well deserved if you know the roots of this whole town.
A cesspool of depravity from fucked up families that intertwine lives like you couldnt even imagine.
Dz Hollow, you WRECKED me. Thank you🤣
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ok, I have to start by saying I have been waiting for this book 😅
Chestatee is everything I could hope for. Not only is it a continuation of Cartecay, giving a view of the aftermath and effects caused by the survivors trauma, but also backstory to so many of the characters. It's emotional, violent, and extremely twisty. Just chef kiss🤌🏼🤌🏼
Chestatee is everything I could hope for. Not only is it a continuation of Cartecay, giving a view of the aftermath and effects caused by the survivors trauma, but also backstory to so many of the characters. It's emotional, violent, and extremely twisty. Just chef kiss🤌🏼🤌🏼
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews