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Black Creek
In 1979, the US government relocated more than eight hundred families from Love Canal, New York, after decades of toxic contamination. Not all of the residents some remained in their homes on the outskirts of the disaster area. Others went underground. Hiding. Changing. Breeding.
Almost four decades later, Love Canal has been renamed Black Creek Village and restored for inhabitation. The residents there and on neighboring Cayuga Island remember the tragedy of Love Canal but have no knowledge of the monsters living below the surface. When the worst snowstorm in forty years isolates all of western New York, the forgotten inhabitants of Love Canal emerge from hiding to reclaim what once belonged to them.
And they are hungry.
Almost four decades later, Love Canal has been renamed Black Creek Village and restored for inhabitation. The residents there and on neighboring Cayuga Island remember the tragedy of Love Canal but have no knowledge of the monsters living below the surface. When the worst snowstorm in forty years isolates all of western New York, the forgotten inhabitants of Love Canal emerge from hiding to reclaim what once belonged to them.
And they are hungry.
432 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2016
2 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Gregory Lamberson
29 books116 followersGregory Lamberson is an author and filmmaker who specializes in horror entertainment. He is a two-time winner of the IPPY Gold Medal for Horror and a three-time Bram Stoker Award finalist. A motion picture based on his award-winning novel JOHNNY GRUESOME will be completed and released in 2017,. Fangoria magazine called him "the hardest working man in horror."
Lamberson is the author of the six-novel occult detective series The Jake Helman Files (PERSONAL DEMONS, DESPERATE SOULS, COSMIC FORCES, TORTURED SPIRITS, STORM DEMON and HUMAN MONSTERS), the werewolf trilogy The Frenzy Cycle (THE FRENZY WAY, THE FRENZY WAR and THE FRENZY WOLVES). In addition to GRUESOME, his stand alone works include BLACK CREEK, THE JULIAN YEAR, the zombie novella CARNAGE ROAD, and the instructional filmmaking book CHEAP SCARES: LOW BUDGET HORROR FILMMAKERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS.
In 2016, Lamberson directed a feature length movie version of JOHNNY GRUESOME, currently in post-production. He previously directed the cult films SLIME CITY, SLIME CITY MASSACRE and KILLER RACK. He is currently hard at work developing his literary properties as films and TV series.
Lamberson is the author of the six-novel occult detective series The Jake Helman Files (PERSONAL DEMONS, DESPERATE SOULS, COSMIC FORCES, TORTURED SPIRITS, STORM DEMON and HUMAN MONSTERS), the werewolf trilogy The Frenzy Cycle (THE FRENZY WAY, THE FRENZY WAR and THE FRENZY WOLVES). In addition to GRUESOME, his stand alone works include BLACK CREEK, THE JULIAN YEAR, the zombie novella CARNAGE ROAD, and the instructional filmmaking book CHEAP SCARES: LOW BUDGET HORROR FILMMAKERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS.
In 2016, Lamberson directed a feature length movie version of JOHNNY GRUESOME, currently in post-production. He previously directed the cult films SLIME CITY, SLIME CITY MASSACRE and KILLER RACK. He is currently hard at work developing his literary properties as films and TV series.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 19, 2017
I had a bit of a reading slump the other day, and I needed to read something that was not too heavy, something that would entertain me. Some people may go for a chick-lit or perhaps a cozy mystery book. I choose a monster book. I just know that it will take away the funk I'm in. Sure a cozy mystery could probably help also, but sometimes I just love to get lost in a really gruesome monster book. And I was really lucky because BLACK CREEK is really good. This is the first book I have read by Gregory Lamberson, and I'm impressed because he managed to write a truly disturbing story.
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT FRESH FICTION!
November 23, 2015
While the main plot - mutants created by toxic waste - is not really new, the setting of 'Black Creek' during a whiteout blizzard was scary as hell. For a long part of the story, the snow storm is the only enemy the people living in the Black Creek area have to face, and it's a really mean one. The author did a great job bringing it to live, making me shiver to the bone just reading about and imagining it.
The invasion of the long forgotten underground inhabitants seemed just like the icing on the cake, so to speak, adding another layer of horror to make this book a perfect read. But the real horror definitely was the snow blizzard - without it this would have been just another variation of the mutant creature theme, something like Silent Hill during bad weather.
The author did a great job bringing his characters to life and creating an ever-present intimidating atmosphere that doesn't allow anyone to take a breath, not even the reader. I recommend reading this not only with the lights on, but the thermostat as well.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
The invasion of the long forgotten underground inhabitants seemed just like the icing on the cake, so to speak, adding another layer of horror to make this book a perfect read. But the real horror definitely was the snow blizzard - without it this would have been just another variation of the mutant creature theme, something like Silent Hill during bad weather.
The author did a great job bringing his characters to life and creating an ever-present intimidating atmosphere that doesn't allow anyone to take a breath, not even the reader. I recommend reading this not only with the lights on, but the thermostat as well.
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)
October 4, 2015
"Black Creek" is based upon facts concerning the famous, or is it infamous, Love Canal located in upstate New York. The canal was begun long ago by William T. Love who aspired to create a big industrial city. But Love ran out of money and only a mile of his canal was finished. By the 1920's the canal became a dump for chemical waste and local children suffered birth defects and women living nearby endured a high number of miscarriages. In this story set in modern times, Paul Goodman, his family, neighbors, and friends live nearby and people begin to have sightings of inhuman figures who disappear into the dark woods near the old Love Canal. And so begins this story of violence and blood, murders that has good plot development throughout. Believable, consistent characters and a building of suspense fill the pages of this book to its conclusion which hints of a sequel.
October 5, 2015
An exciting horror story that combines the fears of being trapped in a whiteout blizzard and being hunted by cannibal mutants. The most imaginative take yet on what the Love Canal disaster might have spawned.
June 23, 2021
A decent, off not overly original tale.
January 14, 2016
I enjoyed this book!
There were a lot of different characters, but the story line kept them in your mind so it was easy to remember who was who.
This is the kind of genre of book that I read quite often. I thought he did a very good job with keeping it moving while throwing in some things that made you wonder if that was really what you read and happened.
The only part I didn't enjoy was when the book came to an end. I thought it was too quick of an ending. I wanted more. Maybe Mr. Lamberson will come out with a sequel to this.
Great book!
There were a lot of different characters, but the story line kept them in your mind so it was easy to remember who was who.
This is the kind of genre of book that I read quite often. I thought he did a very good job with keeping it moving while throwing in some things that made you wonder if that was really what you read and happened.
The only part I didn't enjoy was when the book came to an end. I thought it was too quick of an ending. I wanted more. Maybe Mr. Lamberson will come out with a sequel to this.
Great book!
July 1, 2016
Entertaining story, but weirdly paced. First 2/3 were slow and the last bit was like out of an action movie.
February 26, 2018
Ok, I actually did finish this book although I almost put it down quite a few times. It wasn't even the blood or gore that lost me, it was the amount and nature of the more mature rated scenes- I personally don't like to read things like that. I really liked some of the characters and by the time these scenes started popping up I wanted to know how the characters came out at the end, especially the family (Helen, Paul, Piper and Evan). The scenes I didn't like didn't occur too often so eventually I just skipped over them to get to the end of the book. Honestly, apart from those scenes, I would have given this book closer to 4 stars. Good premise, very diverse good characters (you feel like part of the neighborhood at the end), you see some character growth, but then things just got really, really weird at the end. Would I recommend it or read another by this author? No, but that's just me.
January 15, 2026
Having grown up in Buffalo where the story takes place, and knowing the overall tragic history of Love Canal, I was especially curious to crack this one open. I was only familiar with Lamberson's independent genre movies, which have a fun grindhouse vibe. I was pleasantly surprised to find his prose to be grounded, gritty and heartfelt. Black Creek takes its time building up to the horror, but when it does it's pretty intense. My hands were literally sweating as I turned the pages by the end, and that doesn't happen often (I'm a horror writer myself). This book starts off like Stephen King's Storm of the Century (blizzard crippling a small town) and, without spoilers, ends up turning into something with the savage brutality of Bone Tomahawk. If that sounds like your kinda thing, I highly recommend Black Creek. Definitely not for the squeamish. Looking forward to checking out his other books...
July 3, 2018
This review was first published on Kurt's Frontier.
Synopsis:
For decades, hundreds of families lived above a toxic waste dump in a place called Love Canal, New York. There were reports of birth defects, cancer, and deaths. In 1979, the United States government finally relocated over eight hundred families. However, not all the residents left. Some remained in their homes just outside the disaster area. Others went underground. They hid from the authorities. They breed. And they mutated.
Forty years after the evacuation, Love Canal has been restored. Renamed Black Creek, the people in the region remember the tragedy. However, they are unaware of the monsters living under Black Creek, descended from those who did not leave. When the worst storm in four decades isolates western New York, this forgotten tribe emerges to hunt and reclaim what was once theirs. They have also developed a taste for human flesh.
Review:
Gregory Lamberson’s story had a special appeal to me. I lived in western New York when I was working on my Ph.D. Though I didn’t often travel far past North Tonawanda, I recognized many of the places. Paul Goodman and his family have been living on Cayuga Island, a short way from Black Creek. In the opening chapters, people begin noticing strange things. Paul’s son, Evan has a friend who saw a strange, man-like creature in the woods. The boy begins displaying signs of post-traumatic stress. In February, three major storms converge on western New York. (I still remember lake effect snow.) Snow piles up fast and the monsters come out of hiding.
As the story progresses, the residents have to contend with mountains of snow, frozen pipes, power outages, and cannibalistic monsters. The book was hard to put down. The characters became more sympathetic as they faced adversity and would either rise or fall. While I wasn’t particularly scared, I did find the story suspenseful.
Synopsis:
For decades, hundreds of families lived above a toxic waste dump in a place called Love Canal, New York. There were reports of birth defects, cancer, and deaths. In 1979, the United States government finally relocated over eight hundred families. However, not all the residents left. Some remained in their homes just outside the disaster area. Others went underground. They hid from the authorities. They breed. And they mutated.
Forty years after the evacuation, Love Canal has been restored. Renamed Black Creek, the people in the region remember the tragedy. However, they are unaware of the monsters living under Black Creek, descended from those who did not leave. When the worst storm in four decades isolates western New York, this forgotten tribe emerges to hunt and reclaim what was once theirs. They have also developed a taste for human flesh.
Review:
Gregory Lamberson’s story had a special appeal to me. I lived in western New York when I was working on my Ph.D. Though I didn’t often travel far past North Tonawanda, I recognized many of the places. Paul Goodman and his family have been living on Cayuga Island, a short way from Black Creek. In the opening chapters, people begin noticing strange things. Paul’s son, Evan has a friend who saw a strange, man-like creature in the woods. The boy begins displaying signs of post-traumatic stress. In February, three major storms converge on western New York. (I still remember lake effect snow.) Snow piles up fast and the monsters come out of hiding.
As the story progresses, the residents have to contend with mountains of snow, frozen pipes, power outages, and cannibalistic monsters. The book was hard to put down. The characters became more sympathetic as they faced adversity and would either rise or fall. While I wasn’t particularly scared, I did find the story suspenseful.
May 13, 2024
This story takes place in love canal, a chemical waste area near Niagara Falls. It involves teachers who live on Cayuga Island, a close knit neighborhood where people look out for each other. Residents of love canal were relocated but not all of the families left the toxic dump. Those who remained did not fair well, they became mutants with horrible health issues...becoming less human as time went on. Black Creek is the story of what happens when the creatures get hungry during a triple snow storm that leaves people stranded and alone. Too much of the book is telling you about all the characters, which there are way too many....lots of names to remember. When the storm hits and havoc ensues it comes quick and is brutal. The beginning is a long set up and the end is a horror story.
July 10, 2017
I really enjoyed the majority of this book, but the ending definitely lowered the amount of stars I was planning on giving it. I felt like the ending came on much too fast. A creature that had been hinted at a few chapters earlier is introduced and dealt with in a way that left a lot more questions than it resolved.
I thought the character development was great and the overall story idea was riveting (I had done a driveby of the Love Canal site the day before discovering this book). It was only the ending (specifically the next to last chapter) that I found disappointing.
With that said, give it a shot. Your opinion, as always, may be much different than mine.
I thought the character development was great and the overall story idea was riveting (I had done a driveby of the Love Canal site the day before discovering this book). It was only the ending (specifically the next to last chapter) that I found disappointing.
With that said, give it a shot. Your opinion, as always, may be much different than mine.
February 24, 2020
I didn't 100% realize this book was going to so thoroughly be a gory horror screenplay adapted for novel? It was fine! But not for me!
June 5, 2018
A very enjoyable read. Fast paced and thrilling. However, the idea that the story is about inbred cannibals feels slightly misleading. The majority of the story is taken up in surviving the harsh and dangerous winter storms. The cannibals play second tune until the very last part of the book. I enjoyed the survival aspect, but found the tone of the book shifted from thriller to horror at the end.
April 3, 2016
Gregory Lamberson likes horror movies. No, I mean, he really likes horror movies.
It’s no coincidence then that the award-winning director of cult-favorite films like Slime City and Killer Rack wears his cinematic B-movie influences proudly in is latest novel, Black Creek.
For the residents populating Lamberson’s version of Black Creek Village – the real-life Niagara Falls neighborhood that sits atop the infamous Love Canal, in which 22,000 barrels of toxic waste were dumped in the late 1970’s causing widespread health problems and population displacement – there is less love in the air this Valentine’s Day than there is snow and blood. Lots of snow, lots of blood.
Read the review in its entirety here.
It’s no coincidence then that the award-winning director of cult-favorite films like Slime City and Killer Rack wears his cinematic B-movie influences proudly in is latest novel, Black Creek.
For the residents populating Lamberson’s version of Black Creek Village – the real-life Niagara Falls neighborhood that sits atop the infamous Love Canal, in which 22,000 barrels of toxic waste were dumped in the late 1970’s causing widespread health problems and population displacement – there is less love in the air this Valentine’s Day than there is snow and blood. Lots of snow, lots of blood.
Read the review in its entirety here.
August 23, 2016
The story has a slow build in the first couple of chapters, and Lamberson uses this time to flesh out the characters, their past, and the area they are living in. The characters feel very real, and it's easy to grow attached to them. With that being said, this is a horror novel meaning anyone and anything is fair game to be a target.
The action and terror were intense, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns in this novel. At times it felt like I was in a horror movie. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
The action and terror were intense, and I enjoyed all the twists and turns in this novel. At times it felt like I was in a horror movie. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
March 5, 2016
I've never read this author before, but by gosh I'm going to. A wonderfully awesome book. Great characters. Loved it
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews