The Valley

Linkville Horror #2

by Mike Salt

When Conrad and his wife set out to meet their friends for a simple weekend retreat, all they wanted was an easy weekend full of catching up and drinking. But when the group discovers a map that shows them the location of a hidden waterfall, hidden in the heart of an uncharted valley, they can’t help but jump at the opportunity to rediscover it.
What they don’t expect is to find an abandoned ghost town. Hidden away from the world with an evil secret.
Now Conrad and his group must do whatever they can to stay alive as they are hunted by an entity that feeds off the horrors that occur in the valley.
A horror they are doomed to repeat for eternity.

Winner of Inkshares 2018 Horror Competition, Mike Salt brings the reader into a dark world and never lets off the throttle.

Genres: Horror, Ebooks, Fiction, Horror Thriller

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 20, 2020

Reviews

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three couples take a mountain vacation in a little cabin in the middle of nowhere. They find a hidden map leading to waterfalls and a small town on a hiking trail in the woods behind the cabin. Along the way, a bushy bearded stranger attempts to hold them at gun point. The couples race to the small town for help, only to find it abandoned. They can't leave the town because a strange fog and shadow creature is blocking all exits. There we are subjected to weird death loops, ghosts running around town, and some mystery Narnia tree with a door. Which there is never an explanation for. Nope, not one hint. The ending left me just as clueless as what was behind the Narnia tree door.

[Carl Bluesy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun read. It felt familiar yet unique. And with an interesting group of characters, this book was easy to shoot though!

I’d recommend this for anyone who needs a quick dose of good standard horror!

[Aiden Merchant · Rating 3 out of 5]

A weekend retreat with your friends - what could go wrong?

The Valley was my first time reading Mike Salt, so I went into this novel completely blind.Once the group has stumbled through the fog into the hidden town, the terrifying and weird crank up drastically for an exciting and curious time.

This ride isn’t without its hitches, though. There are things that happen and actions by characters that don’t seem to make much sense, much of the cast is forgettable, and the ending left me thinking I had an unfinished ARC. That being said, Salt shows a lot of promise throughout this novel, enough so that I did have a good time and I would read more of his work.

Salt has also hinted on writing more of this location, so chances are I’ll be rereading this title down the road prior to my return in …

The Valley!

**

Highlights: The sequences in town are very atmospheric and sometimes trippy … Johnny is a genuinely likeable character that you feel bad for throughout … a lot of potential for things to be terrifying and weird in prequels or sequels … a backdrop that brings to mind Silent Hill, The Endless, and The Hills Have Eyes

Shadows: Some additional editing necessary (too many instances of rephrasing) … some unanswered questions … unclear ending … a cast that blends together … actions by characters that didn’t make sense

For fans of: Horror fiction that leans on the weird … time loops in horror … weekend retreats gone wrong … group slaughters … atmospheric reads … isolated settings

Takeaway: Though it could have benefited greatly from some additional beta reading and edits, The Valley introduces an atmospheric and eerily weird universe that I would like to explore further. This novel becomes so much more interesting after the first hundred pages.

Would I read this author again? Yes

REVIEW BY AIDEN MERCHANT
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[J.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Mike Salt for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summary

A group of friends decide to take a trip to a romantic cabin in the mountains with their spouses. Things get off to a good start until the guys find a map with a hidden trail to a place called Freedom Falls in the basement.
On the way there the next day, the group is chased by a seemingly crazy man with a gun. That ends up being nothing compared to what awaits them through the fog surrounded valley they end up in.

Personal Opinion

A spooky read with a great setting, a spooky monster and a Twilight Zone vibe. The plot itself was original and unique while also being very entertaining.
The story starts off a bit slow, giving some time for the reader to get a feel for the characters before they begin to get picked off one by one.
The ending had a twist I didn't see coming, but did leave a few things left unexplained. Could possibly lead to a second book in the future.
Overall, I could see this being made into a spooky movie one day that I would definitely want to see! I would recommend as a good, short read for horror fans.

[Kasey Loftis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out so good and I really liked it. But I felt like we weren't getting enough information on what was happening to some of the characters. There's four different couples, so it's a little hard to keep up with who is who and who is with who. I feel like we should have gotten to know the characters a little more, like given a good description of them so we know them better, and that would have helped keep up with everyone. I feel like the end just left us hanging. There was no resolution, no explanation for what was going on. Some people we assume died, but we don't hear how. I feel like the story just stopped in the middle.

[Mike Salt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book was just full of swimsuit photos of the author.

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"She wasn't going to leave another friend to die here. Not if she could do something about it."

This book started off so well. I was enjoying every second of it, a unique storyline about a town of dead people cursed to relive their deaths over and over again. But... what was that ending? I was so annoyed at the way it ended, because it felt like it easily could have continued, and I felt like there were a lot of unanswered questions. I hope this story carries on at some point down the line.

[Jessi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoiler Heavy Review! (Don't worry, I'll format them to be hidden)

Allow me to start off this review by saying that I bought this book specifically to hype myself up for a mountain vacation with my husband and our married friends. Based on the blurb I read on Goodreads, this was the perfect book to get me in the mood.

The Valley definitely did make me feel Some Kind of Way™ with its premise being so similar to the type of situation my vacation would be. That's why I feel so bad only giving this novel three stars. Mike Salt's writing and story crafting is so sincere and most of my issues fall on the editing, rather than the initial writing. Seriously, the editing of this novel is beyond bad. Aside from frequent, uncorrected typos (think silly autocorrect errors when you are texting) and super awkward sentences making it through the editing process, The Valley felt very much like a rough draft that could have been refined and polished into a gripping horror story. Instead, it feels like that college paper you ran out of time writing and said "Eh, good enough!" and turned in without having a peer proofread it.

A huge complaint I have against this book is the cast of characters. For starters, there is no discernable "main" protagonist. Since the only name mentioned on the back cover is Conrad, I thought he'd be the main character, especially as he is described as being the "natural leader" of the eight friends. Then I thought it could be Johnny, but it wasn't because Laney took over perspective when things started to go down. As for Bryant, Jan, Zach, and Becca, they were really of no consequence whatsoever and didn't add much to the story at all. I feel bad saying that because Salt cites his friends as inspiration for all the characters in this novel. I feel even worse for whomever he based Nessa off of. The thing is, having EIGHT protagonists, each with one (or two if they are extra important) personality traits is excessive. Honestly, the cast of friends could have been refined from eight to four (Conrad, Laney, Johnny, and Nessa) easily. Here's my take on each character:

Mary S...erm, CONRAD is described more than once as the natural leader of the group, though I sincerely could not find a reason why. He has shaggy hair, and an implied strong relationship with his wife, I think. As stated above, I ASSUMED her was the main character, but he died almost as soon as things started getting spooky.
Laney, Conrad's wife, and our "final girl" is the only character with more than two character traits. She has three! Laney is able to laugh in the face of danger, is the only character to really display any type of empathy (sometimes), and is protective of her friends.
Johnny is the "gee guys, I don't know about this" trope. He's physically described as fat. Repeatedly. For a minute, I thought maybe he was the main character all along.
Nessa is Johnny's wife. Her character trait is that she's bitchy. She also has a secret. For some reason, Laney is the only other person in the group who knows Nessa's secret, even though it is stated many times that the two do not get along.
Zach was in the military. That's it. That's his entire personality.
His wife, Becca, is just as pointless. Towards the end of the book, we learn that they have children and the only point of this is to lure Becca into danger.
Bryant is a Boy...oh, sorry EAGLE (that joke gets old) Scout, but this is pretty much useless because he doesn't keep his friends from getting lost or put in danger. Bryant shared a harrowing experience with Conrad in the woods in his youth, but this is also pointless information because it does not relate to the plot, nor does it make anyone more cautions. He dies off-screen and nobody cares.
Jan has no personality at all. Even the other characters forget she's there. She's Bryant's wife, but I don't think the two share any real dialogue. She put on makeup to go hiking, so I THINK I was supposed to infer she was high maintenance or insecure or SOMETHING from that.
Patrick is the worst guardian ever. When we finally learn his name halfway in, we find out he's not just a crazy guy in the woods with a gun but a GOOD GUY who has taken up the family mantle of keeping people out of the Valley. Only he sucks at it. Instead of warning the group of friends that there is danger on their path, he just pulls a gun on them, threatens to execute them, and then chases them directly into the mist. All of this could have been avoided if he had just purchased the previous guardian's home when it went on the market, but he let it get sold and turned into the Airbnb the friends were staying at.

I really wish the characters could have been fleshed out a little more so it would be easier to understand the choices they made. Johnny in particular contradicts himself a lot. He doesn't want to go hiking with his friends because of dreams he had prior to the trip, but as soon as he and the other men find a map to a secret waterfall that isn't on the well-trafficked trail they had originally planned to hike, he's all in. The friends tell Johnny that if he gets uncomfortable at any time on their hike, they will turn back, no questions asked. Only Johnny see's the ghost of a drowned man who is warning him to go no further and he still decides to keep quiet and continue hiking.

As for the actual spookiness in the town the friends are trapped in, I have so many questions. The Big Bad™ is the ghost, I think, of an 18th man who went on a killing spree in his town because he didn't want to be overrun with gold prospectors. Why? Why was he so adamantly against prospecting in his town? If he didn't want new people coming into his town, why does his ghost draw people to said town now? Why did his act of violence cause his town to be a weird time warp/haunted Groundhog's Day killing field? Was he ever human? Was the town cursed from the get-go? These questions are not answered and I honestly want to know. There was about a page and a half tops of exposition about the town and it deserved more. Also, what was up with the Keebler Elf door in the tree that led to a portal? What did that have to do with anything? I really need to know because it felt like one big MacGuffin.

And the end. Oh boy, the end. There's this really weird THE END...Or IS it vibe to it. I assume Zach got out through the waterfall, but when Laney and Johnny are moving towards the falls, they see Zach's daughter and her friends in the fog. He's what bothers me about that. 1. You would think that Zach would tell his daughter about the place and how dangerous it is, since her mother died there. 2. SUPPOSEDLY Patrick went into the portal to MacGuffin Island to
fix...whatever it was...and stop the curse(?) in the town. So why would Zach's daughter be trapped there? 3. When Laney sees said daughter in the fog, she basically says "Screw them, better them than us," and leaves the fog via the waterfall. And why was the waterfall the way out, anyway? I NEED ANSWERS.

Honestly, I wouldn't be upset with a sequel or prequel book because at least that gives Salt an opportunity to answer all the questions I have. I'd actually love to see Salt's writing more refined and revisit this story. Honestly, even a "second edition" of this book would be nice. Right now, I'm just a little salty (hehe) because I paid full price for what I honestly thought was an ARC several times while reading.

[Steve Stred · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Disclosure – ‘The Valley’ was published by DarkLit Press and was offered to me as a digital ARC. I have a novella releasing through DarkLit in 2024, but saying that, I declined accepting the ARC and preordered the three books in the series – at that time – and have recently purchased the fourth. This review is completely my own thoughts.*

After whipping through the first book in this ‘linked’ series (see what I did there!) of horrors set in and around Linkville, ‘Damned to Hell,’ I dove into book two, ‘The Valley.’ This book had me really excited and if you’ve read my reviews before or read any of my own works, you’ll know I’m always up for strange things happening in the woods.

This one, just from the description, had me salivating over a novel that sounded like it would be a throw back to the Eli Roth time period of horror movies. There was a solid stretch there where every director was ripping and shredding their actors and actresses by tossing them into the woods – in literally every country – and having things there attack. And I was all for it.

So, with this one, a group of friends rent a cabin in the woods (YES!) and find a strange map (DOUBLE YES!) and they decide to hike to the place on this strange map (GOOD GOD YES!) only to run into trouble (AHHHHHH!!!!!!), I knew this novel was gonna be perfect for me!

What I liked: If you read that previous paragraph and didn’t skip it – thanks for that! – then you’ll know exactly what you’re in for. A group of friends, who gather annually in different places around the world to have fun, decide this year that they’re going to go to the mountains instead of say, Vegas, or Cancun. At first, there are some grumblers, a few who are annoyed and don’t want to hike, but the cabin is great and the scenery is world class.

Salt does a solid job of getting us to that point, some great banter between life long friends, but it’s when the generator runs out of fuel that things really take off. A few head to the basement to refuel it and while down there, stumble upon what looks like a desk specifically for researching an area of the mountains. A waterfall that isn’t noted on some standard maps. And as a group, they decide to hike to it and see what it’s all about.

Of course, this is after learning that the previous owner died a grisly death and one of the friends in the group has been having strange dreams. You know, normal stuff in horror books that characters immediately overlook, ha!

It’s from here that the group faces its first real obstacle. As they go, a stranger arrives. They threaten them, the group scatters and soon enough they find themselves in a ghost town that seems to have been abandoned long ago. While here, a strange fog settles, time becomes irrelevant and they have to work together to potentially escape.

Mike keeps the tensions high, the anxiety growing and the hope of any of them surviving barely dangling out in front. We learn the horrible truth of this cursed place and when we get to the very end, are given a glimpse of just how much that strange town had wrecked havoc on those who make it out.

What I didn’t like: While I did enjoy the group of friends, I did find that there was almost too many of them, which made for tough going as the story progresses and you’re trying to remember who is who and who they are with. This also worked to diminish some of the emotional moments where a stronger connection between reader and characters would’ve resulted in a more impactful reaction.

As well, the time spent in the town did feel a bit longer, as we do circle around a few times, seemingly not progressing towards a resolution. It pays off in the end, but a few chapters did come off as repeats of the previous ones.

Why you should buy this: After reading the first two books in Salt’s Linkville series, I’m invested and really want to see what book three will throw at me. So far, both books can be read as individual books with no ties to each other, other than a shared location, and even that was a bit of a stretch based on this one being up in the mountains.

This one was a fast-paced story, set in a great spot with some truly fantastic storytelling that had me intrigued and unsettled at the same time! Now, onto book three!

[Amanda (spooky.octopus.reads) Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could go wrong when a group of friends meet up for a secluded mountain getaway weekend? Well....if you've seen any horror movies, you know A LOT can happen. A lot of BAD can happen...and that's exactly how this story goes down. What starts as a relaxing weekend full of catching up, having a few drinks, and hiking turns into a fight for survival when the group find a mysterious map that points them in the direction of a hidden waterfall. The valley they come upon is not as it seems. A forgotten town, people who seem to be living in a loop of their own horrors, and something sinister lurking in the fog....

This story starts with a lot of friendly banter and "getting to know" the characters. Once the group decides to go hiking and meet a mysterious man in the woods who threatens them if they don't turn back, the action picks up quite quickly. I enjoyed the bit of mystery present. While reading, I had lots of questions about the fog, the evil entity, and the secluded time loop village... but especially the abrupt ending. I think some of the mystery was intentional and enjoyable, while other parts could have been a bit more fleshed out. The setting itself was very atmospheric and spooky; it'll certainly give you some chills. Fog always freaks me out...like, it's so beautiful, but dense fog is just creepy in the way that it can hide anything within it...and the fog in this story...ummm....so spooky! The book had a lot of slasher vibes as the characters were picked off one-by-one, and we all know I am ALWAYS here for slashers! As others have said, I think this book would translate really well to the screen.

Overall, this is a pretty solid chilling horror story. It's def not one I want to read while on a secluded mountain getaway- hahaha. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy eerie, mysterious, survival horror.

**Thank you to Mike Salt for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.**

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book blind after I started following the author's page. With a fun personality and diverting content I imagined he would put some entertaining stories on paper. My initial thought was correct. This was a strong first read. There is a joke about this book when a reviewer compared it to toilet paper. This actually made me want to read "The Valley" sooner than later. I am happy to report there will be no ass wiping with these pages. I really liked this book and it's not hard to imagine it on screen. This was a unique and mind twisting horror story that begins when four couples escape for the weekend to a cabin in a peaceful and secluded location. They decide to go hiking on uncharted land in search of a hidden waterfall. Perfect recipe for disaster right? Everything goes south from there. Their spontaneous decision leads them to an eerie town located in a Valley. Once they enter, time stands still and they each begin to have their own terrifying experiences. Unable to determine what's reality, one thing they can all agree on is that its time to go. Unfortunately, leaving will be not be so easy. Nothing brings out the best and worst in people more than when survival mode kicks in. The setting was spooky and easy to visualize. The story had its jaw dropping moments and after I reached the second half I could not put it down. My son laughed when he heard me squealing. This book gives you a lot to think about with each character and the ending but I don't want to give anything away. Definitely a great read.

[Alex | | findingmontauk1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how a 2nd book in this series was going to go, but I had a good time with this approach! It's a different story and it's got some friends in a cabin in the woods, a time loop, a mysterious door, ominous fog, etc. It's survival horror realness! I loved all the time at the beginning to set up the characters and establish their relationships... sometimes watching a horror movie, my favorite part is just all the conversations and banter and shenanigans. Good stuff for Book 2 in the Linkville Horror Series! Mike Salt, once again, delivers an excellent concept in a unique way! I *do* wish we had a little more clarity/understanding at the end, but, sometimes the ambiguity in horror is another of its strong talking points and can make things scarier!

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨4.5/5

“Johnny may have been the biggest nerd of the group; the big, ol’ punching bag that took blow after blow from the guys. He was an easy target, but he took it, it was never meant to be anything malicious.”

If you’re a fan of The Descent and Evil Dead (1981), this is the book for you.

The first impression gave off a horror theme similar to that of the movie The Descent. That begins with eight friends deciding to go on vacation in the Cascade Mountains and getting into a horrific situation.

As the book progresses, the characters tactically adapted to each obstacle they face. Despite their tactfulness, it still leads to their doom. There are moments when the characters make questionable decisions, but they’re understandable, especially with Jan.

The only despicable thing is the ending. That was not an ending. The amount of questions that formed at the end of this book leads one to wonder if there will be a sequel. The ending was so abrupt; I spent ten minutes reread the last three chapters.

Regardless of my beef with the ending, this story is a great read, especially if you’re a fan of horror.

Mini Rant/Spoilers

First, of, Johnny deserves better! That poor man is a precious treasure that needs to be protected at all costs. Nessa was the absolute worst and didn’t die as gruesome as I expected. Poor Jan, her death was the bittersweet one. The ending, though, has me questioning everything. Are Johnny and Laney alive? If they are, how long were they in there? What about Zack? What about Patrick? So many questions. The book is a fantastic read but good god; that ending was not expected and messed up.

Also, a big thanks to Mike Salt for allowing me to read this story in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

After thinking about this every day since I put this book down, I’ve decided I need to come back and amend my review. Despite the faults I found below, this story was so atmospheric and creepy that I can’t get it out of my head. Definitely deserves four stars.

This was a solid scary story, typical of a 90s slasher film. There were moments when I had real chills and even glanced over my shoulder once or twice. That being said, there were a couple things that kept this from being great.
- There were so many characters that character development was lacking. Honestly, aside from the character of Johnny, who I really liked, there was few defining characteristics.
- There were moments where the story was confusing--either because the narrative jumped between characters or because the sentence structure was poor.
- There were times when the word choice was incorrect. This didn't necessarily detract from the storyline but for me it affects how I feel about the writing overall.
- The ending was so much of a cliffhanger that I thought my book was missing pages. And maybe I am. I messaged the author to ask if that was really how the story ended.

All in all this was super promising and a really quick read. I definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who loves 90s slashers.

[Michael Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of friends and their spouses gather for their annual retreat at a secluded cabin. What should have been a relaxing weekend quickly turns into a race for survival as they find themselves trapped at the bottom of a valley in a thick fog... And they're not alone.

This story delivers nearly non-stop action and thrills from beginning to end. After setting up a large cast of characters, the story jumps right in with spooks and scares right alongside horrors and humor, and doesn't let up until the very last page. The hits keep coming for this group of friends, and no matter how much I tried to guess what would happen next, I was always happily wrong.

Salt writes approachably and made all of his characters come to life with ease. With nearly a dozen of them, making them all stand out and have their own development arcs, all while chasing a plotline that is moving at a rocket's pace, is an impressive feat to say the least. The ending may be a little abrupt for some, but I personally like that in a story.

The cast, the setting, the premise and history crafted into the ghost town and its fog, all of it just works. I finally see why I've heard so many people rave about this book on Instagram.

What's more, I know that I will never look at thick, rolling fog quite the same ever again.

[Alana K. Drex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something is wrong in the valley surrounded by the thick fog, hiding an abandoned town - or is it so abandoned? Four couples meeting for a weekend vacation will be confronted by their infallacies and something even more disturbing in this particular valley...

I was pulled in from the start. Mike has a way of introducing the characters. You will recognize some of these personalities in your own life! Sometimes I actually wanted to talk to these people, like "no, don't be crazy" or "it will be ok, just get through this!", etc.

Then we have the supernatural element that will have you shivering as you try to figure out a route of escape right along with this tortured group!

The end came at me fast with a conclusion that was swiftly striking, just as sure as real life is, if this in fact could be found in real life - and let's hope not! I recommend this to horror fans - put it near the top of your lists!

[Jessica Wireman Couch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacationing with beautiful scenery waterfalls cabins and who knows what else .... literally who knows what. Twists turns and major mind games will lead the reader into a thrilling hike of all hikes . What starts out as reading into someone’s awesome plans for a friendly get away soon turns into a much needed get away leaving the reader screaming DO NOT LOOK JUST NO yet as the author expertly captures your attention throughout with detail into the unknown regardless you ....always look. captivatingly creepy as Hell you won’t want to put this story down.

[Tim Bodnar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing and worth the read. I hope that mike salt will continue to write because I really enjoyed this book.

[Joshua Jonah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was trippy. It starts with a group of friends going on a camping trip but ending up in a very sinister valley with its own secrets. From its gripping opening to the complete come around, it’s kept my attention through and through with some small comedy relief.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book a long time ago, before DarkLit imploded. I found it buried in my email and decided to give it a try. The core of the story has a very cool concept, that I wish had been fleshed out more. I didn't care about the characters at all. They had no individual personalities, so it took me til almost 2/3 of the way through the book to stop getting them confused. Because I wanted to know more about the valley, I kept reading, but when I got to the end, I wish I had DNF'd. Mike Salt has grown and improved as an author tremendously, so I think it would be cool to see him rewrite and expand on the story. As it stands, 2 stars.

[summer | the.hellbound.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in to The Valley completely blind. This was my first time reading a book by Mike Salt and I LOVED it.

As soon as I picked this book up I was consumed. I couldn’t stop reading, and just when I thought I had something figured out he threw a curveball at me. I enjoyed the twists and turns within this story and they had me unable to put the book down.

The Valley had all the spooky, creepy vibes I hope for in a good horror story. It was such a chilling novel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can’t wait to read more of Mike Salt’s work.

[Gillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Valley - Mike Salt ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Like others I discovered Mike on Instagram & his comedic posts about the struggle of meeting that daily word count. Happy to report that I'm glad I went in blind on reading something by this Author for the first time. The Valley is a fast paced campy horror with a unique plot. I quickly felt invested in this group of characters. So much so that my attention was drawn from the very beginning. It appears a lot of reviews were upset by not being able to differentiate between protagonist & supporting characters. I personally love when you are not exactly 100% sure. The narrative shift kept me on my toes at all times, anything could happen to anyone.

[kentuckyfriedfart [Nessa] · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had me in the first 12 chapters and I thought it would be a good one. It’s confusing and just not very good. If you like time jumps, time loops and a confusing read this is for you. It wasn’t the worst book I’ve read but I definitely had to force myself to finish it. 2 stars ⭐️ for creativity.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We should split up." _ Said by almost every dead person ever.

I could not put this book down. It was so spooky! Not the me not putting the book down thing, but the BOOK itself. How do you praise an amazing book so great that It MUST be read by everyone who isn't afraid of a little paranormal horror? This story will stick with me for a long time. Definitely worth more than a few re-reads and great reminder that if the topic of splitting up in a group during a spooky situation arises, to ask yourself, "do you want to die? Because that's how you die! Did you not read the book or watch any horror movies growing up?" And if that's the case, and you decide to split up, then I blame your parents and teachers for not giving you the proper materials to learn how to survive in life. Read this book. Seriously.

[D.K. Hundt]

THE VALLEY – by Mike Salt

DNF – 71%

I Love the premise of the story. However—how it plays out—feels a bit discombobulated to me.

Thank you, DarkLit Press, for providing me with an eBook of THE VALLEY at the request of an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel and couldn’t put it down. A must read for any horror fans!

[Kelly Rickard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couples holiday leaving them wishing they gone back to Vegas 


If you've read the other Linkville horrors then are mentions of the other books but this one doesn't work as well as the other books. 


There is a lot of promise to this.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Its also a prime example of why you should never follow an old map you find in a rental, and when someone tells you they dreamt you all dying to listen to them! There were a few things that bothered me. For one, the door Patrick went through was never explained, and two, it just wasn't long enough. I would have loved more. A little more background of the other people trapped in the town and the ending not to be a cliffhanger. But overall, i loved it, i devoured this book in one day

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. The action came quickly. And this book honestly left me wanting more. I felt like the characters were people I knew which made me feel much more involved with wanting to know what happened next. So far I think this is one of my favorites from this author.

[cosmic_truthseeker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Valley introduces us to a band of old friends who are getting back together at an AirBNB. Whilst there, they discover a forgotten walking trail, which they just have to investigate. This fateful decision results in the dark events of the rest of this book.

The Valley is a tense, entertaining story. Initially, I struggled to connect with the characters, but as the story went on I found myself appreciating them more. I think Mike did a good job of making them multilayered, and as such some were more likeable than others - I imagine every reader will have a different favourite. For me, it was probably Johnny.

Throughout the book, we are confronted with a dark legacy, with the story gradually unfolding, revealing the history of the setting whilst also presenting new questions. The threat of the supernatural is built up well, gaining in intensity as the story progresses.

By the end, questions still remain, but it has been adequately set up for a sequel that I look forward to reading, with an effective cliffhanger that also wraps up this story fairly well.

Looking forward to finding out where this leads. Mike has constructed a tense, fear-inducing tale that keeps the twists coming, and now I'm sure to read more of his work soon.

I have to be honest, though: I did struggle to read this book at times. With all due respect to Mike, whilst the writing wasn't awful, there were frequent grammatical errors that genuinely affected my enjoyment. Usually I can overlook these, but on this occasion they were frequent and broke my immersion. I feel the review would be inaccurate if I didn't mention this, as other readers may struggle.

However, I have it on good authority that there is a re-release on its way that I am confident will address these issues.

I am giving The Valley ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 as it is, but I definitely feel it will become a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read following some thorough editing.