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Below
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO HELP A STRANGER?
While driving through the mountains of West Virginia during a late-night snowstorm, a recently divorced woman experiences bizarre electrical problems, leaving her with little choice but to place her trust with a charismatic truck driver. But when an unexplainable creature with haunting red eyes gets between them, she is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life. Will she abandon the stranger who kept her safe—or will she climb down below, where reality has shapeshifted into a living nightmare?
While driving through the mountains of West Virginia during a late-night snowstorm, a recently divorced woman experiences bizarre electrical problems, leaving her with little choice but to place her trust with a charismatic truck driver. But when an unexplainable creature with haunting red eyes gets between them, she is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life. Will she abandon the stranger who kept her safe—or will she climb down below, where reality has shapeshifted into a living nightmare?
124 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2022
126 people are currently reading
12944 people want to read
About the author
Laurel Hightower
38 books732 followersLaurel Hightower is a bourbon loving native of Lexington, Kentucky. She is the Bram Stoker-nominated author of WHISPERS IN THE DARK, CROSSROADS, BELOW, EVERY WOMAN KNOWS THIS, SILENT KEY, SPIRIT COVEN, and THE DAY OF THE DOOR, and has more than a dozen short fiction stories in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 915 reviews
September 21, 2024
The Devil You Know.
Addy is on the road, traveling alone. She is going to meet up with friends. But her drive is long and lonely.
She meets a truck driver at a road stop and he is charming. Mads is his name. He’s looking out for her and she is grateful for his help.
Once he guides her down the road it starts to snow and the road is icy and slippery. He slips and crashes down a ravine. And the show begins.
Laurel Hightower knows how to write a spooky tale. She raises the spooky level to another degree and then she takes it off the rails. There is so much happening that you won’t be able to keep up with the story.
The action in this story is very fast paced and you will have the chance for some interesting moments in this book. You will be surprised at how fast the book is read.
I’m glad I read this book.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
Addy is on the road, traveling alone. She is going to meet up with friends. But her drive is long and lonely.
She meets a truck driver at a road stop and he is charming. Mads is his name. He’s looking out for her and she is grateful for his help.
Once he guides her down the road it starts to snow and the road is icy and slippery. He slips and crashes down a ravine. And the show begins.
Laurel Hightower knows how to write a spooky tale. She raises the spooky level to another degree and then she takes it off the rails. There is so much happening that you won’t be able to keep up with the story.
The action in this story is very fast paced and you will have the chance for some interesting moments in this book. You will be surprised at how fast the book is read.
I’m glad I read this book.
Four stars. 💫💫💫💫
February 23, 2025
It Came Out of Nowhere...
BELOW by Laurel Hightower
No spoilers. 4 stars. As Addy Treadway sped along on her journey through the dark, snowy mountains of West Virginia...
It seemed to come out of nowhere...
A van in the middle of the road facing the wrong direction. Regathering her wits and her nerves from the near accident...
Addy carefully went around the van and drove onto a well-lit truck stop parking lot...
In the coffee shop she met a trucker...
The man, called Mads (Maddux), offered to lead the weary Addy to a motel 30 miles ahead so she could rest for the night...
As the snow came down...
Addy followed Mads' taillights along the darkened stretch of road until the lights suddenly disappeared over an icy bridge...
She was on a strange stretch of road...
No doubt about that...
Where many people reported seeing and hearing all kinds of unexplainable things...
... like car electrical problems and voices in the static of car radios and truck CBs...
What had Addy driven her car into?...
I avoided reading this novella for a while because I associated Laurel Hightower with vampire novels, and this book's cover seemed to affirm that association, but I'm glad I decided to try it.
This was a nifty little Twilight Zone style story and was a pleasant surprise.
So put on a nice warm jacket, light a fire, and dive into this frozen little tale for a chilling horror experience.
BELOW by Laurel Hightower
No spoilers. 4 stars. As Addy Treadway sped along on her journey through the dark, snowy mountains of West Virginia...
It seemed to come out of nowhere...
A van in the middle of the road facing the wrong direction. Regathering her wits and her nerves from the near accident...
Addy carefully went around the van and drove onto a well-lit truck stop parking lot...
In the coffee shop she met a trucker...
The man, called Mads (Maddux), offered to lead the weary Addy to a motel 30 miles ahead so she could rest for the night...
As the snow came down...
Addy followed Mads' taillights along the darkened stretch of road until the lights suddenly disappeared over an icy bridge...
She was on a strange stretch of road...
No doubt about that...
Where many people reported seeing and hearing all kinds of unexplainable things...
... like car electrical problems and voices in the static of car radios and truck CBs...
What had Addy driven her car into?...
I avoided reading this novella for a while because I associated Laurel Hightower with vampire novels, and this book's cover seemed to affirm that association, but I'm glad I decided to try it.
This was a nifty little Twilight Zone style story and was a pleasant surprise.
So put on a nice warm jacket, light a fire, and dive into this frozen little tale for a chilling horror experience.
September 11, 2022
I cannot stress just how freaking good this was!! It was insanely creepy, fast paced, over the top (in a good way), atmospheric, and fever-dreamish. It also had a few twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting, especially from such a short read. Highly recommend, this is a new favorite!!
April 15, 2022
Addy is on a road trip to a horror convention when a van sits in her way in the middle of the road. A man sits in it with a wicked grin, daring her to hit him. Narrowly missing him, she pulls into a truck stop to calm her nerves. Mads, a truck driver, witnesses the near accident and offers her a CB radio to be safe. Addy ends up behind his truck while chatting on the CB, when suddenly his truck jackknifes off the side of a bridge. Wanting to play superhero, she climbs down a steep embankment to help him. When she gets to the bottom, she realizes she not alone. Something is in the dark with her. Something very hungry.
February 19, 2022
"Came outta nowhere, didn't it?"
Having read last year's CROSSROADS, I knew Laurel Hightower's latest had to be something, so I was giddy to score an ARC of BELOW. This is a fast paced, on-the-move, nasty little creature feature and and I unreservedly loved it!
Addy is making her first solo road trip to a horror convention. She's recently divorced from her controlling husband and excited to be going away on her own. She's been with Brian for so long, every single thing she does results in Brian denigrating her, even in her own head. Addy isn't the most confident of drivers and stops off at a diner. There, she meets a trucker who offers to have her follow him as it's now starting to snow. Addy, reticent at first, takes him up on his offer and continues her trip following behind him. Then his tractor trailer drives off the road and through the guardrail, disappearing down a steep hill. Discovering she has no cell signal, (because of course, she doesn't), Addy decides she's going to try to help. What will she do? Drive somewhere to get a signal? Turn back? Or go down the hill to see if the trucker is okay? You'll have to read this to find out!
I adored Addy and I hated her ex-husband. We're talking very strong emotions here. Addy had been taking her ex's guff for so long, he belittles her via her own head. About this Laurel Hightower wrote:
"And there had been grief, lots of it over the years, but mostly she'd mourned herself. The narrow existence she'd embraced, the unfamiliar Addy-shaped mold she'd been melted down and poured into."
Her sense of self was destroyed. She didn't even know who she was anymore and I loved that about her. That and her incredible bravery and gumption-Addy is a bad-ass and she doesn't even know it.
The scares in this book are vivid. They are real. There is a cinematic feel to them and it was easy to visualize everything that was going on. I kept thinking of the film Descent during one portion of the tale, and I pictured John Carpenter's The Thing during a different section.
There is never a dull a moment here-even though Addy is alone for most of the book, conversations are going on in her head and the reader cannot help but stay by Addy's side for the ride. The tension hums, (how did Hightower do that in a story about one woman in the dark?), and the pages flew; then I was done and bummed that it was over.
Sure to be one of my top ten books of the year, I can't say enough good things about BELOW. As such it gets my highest recommendation!
*Thanks to Laurel Hightower for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
Having read last year's CROSSROADS, I knew Laurel Hightower's latest had to be something, so I was giddy to score an ARC of BELOW. This is a fast paced, on-the-move, nasty little creature feature and and I unreservedly loved it!
Addy is making her first solo road trip to a horror convention. She's recently divorced from her controlling husband and excited to be going away on her own. She's been with Brian for so long, every single thing she does results in Brian denigrating her, even in her own head. Addy isn't the most confident of drivers and stops off at a diner. There, she meets a trucker who offers to have her follow him as it's now starting to snow. Addy, reticent at first, takes him up on his offer and continues her trip following behind him. Then his tractor trailer drives off the road and through the guardrail, disappearing down a steep hill. Discovering she has no cell signal, (because of course, she doesn't), Addy decides she's going to try to help. What will she do? Drive somewhere to get a signal? Turn back? Or go down the hill to see if the trucker is okay? You'll have to read this to find out!
I adored Addy and I hated her ex-husband. We're talking very strong emotions here. Addy had been taking her ex's guff for so long, he belittles her via her own head. About this Laurel Hightower wrote:
"And there had been grief, lots of it over the years, but mostly she'd mourned herself. The narrow existence she'd embraced, the unfamiliar Addy-shaped mold she'd been melted down and poured into."
Her sense of self was destroyed. She didn't even know who she was anymore and I loved that about her. That and her incredible bravery and gumption-Addy is a bad-ass and she doesn't even know it.
The scares in this book are vivid. They are real. There is a cinematic feel to them and it was easy to visualize everything that was going on. I kept thinking of the film Descent during one portion of the tale, and I pictured John Carpenter's The Thing during a different section.
There is never a dull a moment here-even though Addy is alone for most of the book, conversations are going on in her head and the reader cannot help but stay by Addy's side for the ride. The tension hums, (how did Hightower do that in a story about one woman in the dark?), and the pages flew; then I was done and bummed that it was over.
Sure to be one of my top ten books of the year, I can't say enough good things about BELOW. As such it gets my highest recommendation!
*Thanks to Laurel Hightower for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
February 25, 2024
"But now Addy was in the middle of nowhere, in a truck stop in the middle of nothing, only dark and treacherous roads, awaiting her. And a grin shining in the night...she clenched her eyes shut."
4.25 ⭐'s
Initial Thoughts
I always love coming across a new author. Particularly when it's a good experience and there's a whole body of work to get stuck in to. But to be fair, Laurel Hightower is an author I've noticed has been getting some attention for some time now. And this novella in particular has got significant praise.
I knew going in that the story had something to do with that bizarre cryptid, the Mothman. I did a bit of digging about on the net and discovered there were numerous sightings during the 1960s in the state of West Virginia. Reports suggested a winged, humanoid creature with blazing red eyes and a ten-foot wingspan. Jesus H Christ! If that ain't the foundation for a cracking creature feature I don't know what is!
How Miss Hightower was going to weave this urban legend into a convincing horror yarn was anyone's guess. But I for one couldn't wait. Let's go!
The Story
We follow the central character of Addy, freshly divorced from her husband Brian but unable to get rid of his annoying commentary which plagues her conscience. On her way to a girl's night, to do what girls do when they break up, she takes a route through (you guessed it) West Virginia. After the onset of a snow storm, and a near accident, she decides to take refuge in a roadside diner.
It's there she meets Mads, a trucker who shows concern for Addy and offers to show her the best route through this treacherous section of road. But things aren't going to go quite as planned for the pair and it's going to get a whole lot worse before this ones finished. Before her ordeal is over Addy is going to have to decide whether her own safety is worth risking to help a stranger.
The Writing
Laurel Hightower is quite a storyteller and this is a quick, unrelenting tale. It kicks off like a freight train and doesn't stop, with lots of twists and turns packed in along the way. The chapters are short and concise, that end on cliffhangers. And this made it almost impossible to put down as I just had to know what would happen next!
But despite the rapid pace, there was a surprising amount of emotion packed in. In fact, for such a short story it was surprising how invested I became in this unsettling tale. The emotion that the author was able to inject was what took this novella to an elevated level from your average horror yarn. Right from the start you could feel the anxiety and dread, taste it, literally chew it up and fill your stomach with it.
"I don't have to understand it to be afraid."
The descriptions are high quality and add to the atmosphere and tension. There's some great horror moments as things get dark and bloody. So if you're into the scary stuff fear not, Laurel Hightower has got you covered. There's some truly spine chilling moments in Below.
The Characters
I normally skip this bit when doing novellas, as it's hard to fit a great deal of character development in such a short narrative. But this authors grasp of character is absolutely excellent as the the story is just as much about Addy as it is about the plot.
It's all done very subtly and it kind of crept up on me. But there's no doubt that Laurel's grasp of character is first rate. Throughout the book I was trapped inside Addy's head and believe me, there's no place scarier than the inside of a woman's head! But all jokes aside, I loved the direction this novel took and it was certainly refreshing.
"Who wanted to stay with the same old devil, if a new one might be waiting somewhere in the dark."
Even more so because Addy is not your typical heroine. As the author constructed her life in a very natural way, you get to see she's very much a 'normal' woman trapped in extraordinary circumstances. And you begin to wonder what would I do if I was in that situation myself as you can identify with how she thinks. And I'm a bloke with limited understanding of women!
She's got numerous flaws, as have we all, but a lot of heart. And that's what she's going to need if she's going to make it through the night. Yes she's been beaten down by life and that useless excuse of a man she was married to. But through this dark ordeal she has her moment to shine and show what's she's really made of. It's a simple choice...get busy living, or get busy dying. I don't know where I get these words of wisdom from!
Final Thoughts
So I really enjoyed this fantastic novella, that for me was a cross between the X Files and that fantastic underground horrorThe Descent. Sounds like a match made in heaven and it bloody well is.
I'm a huge fan of horror novellas. It's just a perfect format for this style of story. Short, sharp and brutal. Like a date with a serial killer! And while it doesn't quite hit the heights of my favourites by Stephen King, Robert McCammon and Peter Straub, it's still very, very good.
It's certainly made me sit up and take notice of Laurel Hightower. She could be my ideal woman. A good looking girl who writes fantastic horror. Sounds almost too good to be true! Can anyone get me her number? Answers in the comments Below..
And thanks for reading and...Cheers!
Miss Laurel Hightower
November 25, 2023
An intriguing, horror novela, Below, is about one woman's search for strength and autonomy after a lifetime of passive acceptance. Addy is on her way to some friends to go to a science fiction convention when she almost has an accident. An idiot is parked in the middle of the road and she narrowly avoids hitting him. At a truck stop, where she pulls in to calm her nerves, she is befriended by a truck driver who was also almost part of the collision. Mads, the trucker, leads her on a dangerous part of her journey as it's just beginning to snow. Bad weather is the least of their problems.
July 18, 2025
Laurel Hightower’s writing style is very unique - I can imagine one would either like it, or not gel with it. She does well at building a sense of terror and dread within just over 100 pages. However, the gory, creature-feature, elements are left up to the reader’s imagination/interpretation in parts. Is the main character, Addy, having some sort of psychotic break? She hears her ex-husband talking to her in her head, and also hallucinates seeing him at one point. Or is whatever is out there messing with her mind? There’s a horrifying night in store, beyond anyone’s worst nightmares, for her and a trucker she meets along her drive, Mads.
Was a group read with the Horror Aficionardos group! 💀🖤
3.6 Stars
Was a group read with the Horror Aficionardos group! 💀🖤
3.6 Stars
July 21, 2023
This book is so damn unsettling. It’s been a few days and when I think about it now it still gives me a strong case of the creeps.
Addy, newly divorced and on a solo road trip to a horror convention, has a weird encounter that shakes her up. It’ll probably shake you up too. The imagery here just sticks in your brain and doesn’t want to let go. She pulls into a rest stop to calm her nerves and meets a man who may be a wee bit too friendly, if you know what I mean. Or not. I’m still unsure, lol. Anyhow, thus begins a harrowing adventure that only gets weirder the deeper one gets into it.
Addy finds her strength during the toughest moments of this sometimes claustrophobic adventure. She’s been shushed and told what to do and how to do it for so long that the ex husband’s voice still infects her every decision and rolls around in her head. It’s a frightening story but also a cathartic one too.
I finally read Below as part of the Horror Spotlight readalong https://www.horrorspotlight.com/2023/... and it was so much fun to share theories and thoughts that way. I don’t think any of us were sure of exactly what happened in the end which made it all the more disturbing and unforgettable.
Highly recommended if you’re looking for a story that’ll surprise and horrify you with its weird turns!
Addy, newly divorced and on a solo road trip to a horror convention, has a weird encounter that shakes her up. It’ll probably shake you up too. The imagery here just sticks in your brain and doesn’t want to let go. She pulls into a rest stop to calm her nerves and meets a man who may be a wee bit too friendly, if you know what I mean. Or not. I’m still unsure, lol. Anyhow, thus begins a harrowing adventure that only gets weirder the deeper one gets into it.
Addy finds her strength during the toughest moments of this sometimes claustrophobic adventure. She’s been shushed and told what to do and how to do it for so long that the ex husband’s voice still infects her every decision and rolls around in her head. It’s a frightening story but also a cathartic one too.
I finally read Below as part of the Horror Spotlight readalong https://www.horrorspotlight.com/2023/... and it was so much fun to share theories and thoughts that way. I don’t think any of us were sure of exactly what happened in the end which made it all the more disturbing and unforgettable.
Highly recommended if you’re looking for a story that’ll surprise and horrify you with its weird turns!
April 6, 2022
One thing that we’ve all come to understand, is that a new novella/novel release from Laurel Hightower is a TBR buster. It will immediately go to the top, politely apologizing to the 1300 other books you have stacked beside your bed (or in my case taking up absolutely NO SPACE whatsoever on my Kindle – suckers!) as it makes its way to the top.
From ‘Whispers in the Dark’ to ‘Crossroads,’ Hightower has delivered in spades, and that’s not even mentioning her phenomenal short fiction spread across numerous must-read anthologies.
With ‘Below’ I was incredibly excited to see how she re-imagined the Mothman mythos. When I was just in high school, an older kid gave me a beat up copy of John Keel’s ‘The Mothman Prophecies’ and something like “dude, this book will change your life.” It didn’t really, but it did make me go ‘WHAT!’ upon reading it. Just what would Hightower do with this cryptid/creature?
Side note – I typically don’t mention book covers in reviews. There’s covers I’ve loved and covers I’ve hated and within those pages there’s been stories I loved and stories I’ve hated. But, I do want to add – my son is a MASSIVE Trevor Henderson fan. I’m a fan, but he is 1000% more a fan than I, and he’s only five years old. So, seeing a Henderson cover is always a fun thing for me, and it gives me great joy to show my son them as well.
What I liked: The story starts out innocently enough. A snow storm arrives as Addy is driving through a stretch of West Virginia. She stops at a dinner after a near-collision with a van. While warming up, a trucker who was also almost involved in the collision approaches her and after some back and forth, volunteers to drive ahead of her so that she doesn’t need to worry about the roads.
It’s on this drive that something appears on a bridge ahead, the truck slides and crashes through the guardrail – all in front of Addy.
Hightower does a great job of taking us from the opening to this moment, making us feel entrenched in the snow and the reality that the roads are not so great. Now, in truth, we know going in that this book is about Mothman or a variation of this creature, so the entire opening works to cause you to hold your breath, wondering just what’s going to happen. The fact that this truck careens over the side of the road and plunges down this ravine made for an unseen jump scare of sorts.
Laurel has created both a vulnerable and traumatized character in Addy, one trying to forge her own confidence and path in the world, now that she’s divorced. As events unfold we begin to see little sparks of strength and will begin to take hold and by the ending Addy is a powerful character, one that overcomes a lot to keep battling and stay alive. This becomes even more apparent when dealing with law enforcement at one point and how they try to belittle her and mansplain to her, which she isn’t having any of their crap.
I would be remiss to not mention the creature in this. I won’t say much, as I want you to experience it for yourself but Hightower gives us some phenomenal moments that will scare the heck out of you. Descriptions of things touched in the dark and appendages appearing into view will leave you shook.
What I didn’t like: I don’t really know if I bought into what was being hauled in the truck. I don’t think we get a full explanation (if we did I missed it), but if you eliminated that aspect completely, nothing would change for the story events or progression. It was cool, yes, but I just don’t know if it worked for me.
Why you should buy this: Hightower has created a claustrophobic, psychological nightmare masquerading as a creature-feature. It makes you connect and root for Addy from page one and as the story moves along, we see the insurmountable odds stacked against her. And still she fights to survive. This showcases Laurel’s phenomenal writing ability, stunning characters and of course, she tackles a re-imagining to the highest level.
Outstanding work from one of the best out there!
From ‘Whispers in the Dark’ to ‘Crossroads,’ Hightower has delivered in spades, and that’s not even mentioning her phenomenal short fiction spread across numerous must-read anthologies.
With ‘Below’ I was incredibly excited to see how she re-imagined the Mothman mythos. When I was just in high school, an older kid gave me a beat up copy of John Keel’s ‘The Mothman Prophecies’ and something like “dude, this book will change your life.” It didn’t really, but it did make me go ‘WHAT!’ upon reading it. Just what would Hightower do with this cryptid/creature?
Side note – I typically don’t mention book covers in reviews. There’s covers I’ve loved and covers I’ve hated and within those pages there’s been stories I loved and stories I’ve hated. But, I do want to add – my son is a MASSIVE Trevor Henderson fan. I’m a fan, but he is 1000% more a fan than I, and he’s only five years old. So, seeing a Henderson cover is always a fun thing for me, and it gives me great joy to show my son them as well.
What I liked: The story starts out innocently enough. A snow storm arrives as Addy is driving through a stretch of West Virginia. She stops at a dinner after a near-collision with a van. While warming up, a trucker who was also almost involved in the collision approaches her and after some back and forth, volunteers to drive ahead of her so that she doesn’t need to worry about the roads.
It’s on this drive that something appears on a bridge ahead, the truck slides and crashes through the guardrail – all in front of Addy.
Hightower does a great job of taking us from the opening to this moment, making us feel entrenched in the snow and the reality that the roads are not so great. Now, in truth, we know going in that this book is about Mothman or a variation of this creature, so the entire opening works to cause you to hold your breath, wondering just what’s going to happen. The fact that this truck careens over the side of the road and plunges down this ravine made for an unseen jump scare of sorts.
Laurel has created both a vulnerable and traumatized character in Addy, one trying to forge her own confidence and path in the world, now that she’s divorced. As events unfold we begin to see little sparks of strength and will begin to take hold and by the ending Addy is a powerful character, one that overcomes a lot to keep battling and stay alive. This becomes even more apparent when dealing with law enforcement at one point and how they try to belittle her and mansplain to her, which she isn’t having any of their crap.
I would be remiss to not mention the creature in this. I won’t say much, as I want you to experience it for yourself but Hightower gives us some phenomenal moments that will scare the heck out of you. Descriptions of things touched in the dark and appendages appearing into view will leave you shook.
What I didn’t like: I don’t really know if I bought into what was being hauled in the truck. I don’t think we get a full explanation (if we did I missed it), but if you eliminated that aspect completely, nothing would change for the story events or progression. It was cool, yes, but I just don’t know if it worked for me.
Why you should buy this: Hightower has created a claustrophobic, psychological nightmare masquerading as a creature-feature. It makes you connect and root for Addy from page one and as the story moves along, we see the insurmountable odds stacked against her. And still she fights to survive. This showcases Laurel’s phenomenal writing ability, stunning characters and of course, she tackles a re-imagining to the highest level.
Outstanding work from one of the best out there!
June 14, 2022
Driving to a horror convention on an out of the way West Virginian road, Addy has a mysterious near miss that shakes her up. That’s the beginning of a series of events that will drag her deeper and deeper into a terrifying hell of happenings. Hightower expertly drags you deeper and deeper until finally arriving at a slow reveal of where the real horror lies. Great novella, great author!
October 12, 2022
"Came outta nowhere, didn't it?"
There are four things that I love, all of which are present in this book: cryptids, feminist horror, Laurel Hightower's writing, and a story so action-packed I have to devour it in one sitting.
I love cryptid stories in general, and like many cryptid lovers, I have a soft spot for Mothman. (I'm a diehard member of the "Mothman isn't bad, actually, he's just trying to help" club, in case you were wondering.)
When I heard Laurel was writing a story involving him, I was immediately sold, though I did force myself to patiently wait a little while to read this because I knew one of my favorite bookish groups was planning to read it in October. It was so worth the wait!
I loved Addy's character and how angry and full of spite and pain she was over the misogyny she'd faced throughout her life, especially from her ex-husband. When we meet her, she's already jaded and mistrusting of men she meets, and honestly, it was very easy to relate to her concerns and wariness. But that element of the story takes a backseat pretty quickly because let me tell you, shit hits the fan fast in this novella, and once it does, it never lets up until the end.
I was totally captivated and loved every second of this. It would make such a fun horror movie adaptation (*cough cough, side-eyes streaming services*), and I absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes cryptids, creature features, and/or horror with badass, tough feminist heroines. I can't wait to see what Laurel comes out with next!
✨ Content warnings for:
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July 11, 2022
An edge of your seat ride.
I’m ashamed to say that this was my first Laurel Hightower novella but it certainly won’t be my last. Below is a re-imagining of the Mothman legend and it is one fantastic read. Right from the start you feel uneasy being in Addy’s world and very soon you realize you had every right to feel that way. Things turn nasty fast and the pace is relentless. Below will have you at the edge of your seat the entire read. Laurel is a gifted writer and if you enjoy creature features, this one is not to be missed.
I’m ashamed to say that this was my first Laurel Hightower novella but it certainly won’t be my last. Below is a re-imagining of the Mothman legend and it is one fantastic read. Right from the start you feel uneasy being in Addy’s world and very soon you realize you had every right to feel that way. Things turn nasty fast and the pace is relentless. Below will have you at the edge of your seat the entire read. Laurel is a gifted writer and if you enjoy creature features, this one is not to be missed.
July 22, 2024
Not a bad read … it was creepy with just the right amount of suspense. The character development was good. The main character started off as a fragile, emotionally distraught divorcee. By the end of the book she could take on the world. This was due to all the trauma she experienced with no way of proving that it happened. The ending left me hanging but it is not the first time that has happened. My suggestion to my GR friends, give it try. Who knows ….this may be the book for you.
August 26, 2024
BELOW [2022] By Laurel Hightower
My Review 5.0 Stars
What story could have more potential for scaring the hell out of you than one that begins driving alone through the mountains of West Virginia during a snowstorm? Laurel Hightower is a respected writer of several published works of horror and was a Bram Stoker nominee for this novel “Below” in Long Fiction.
Let’s just say that this “Bourbon loving Kentucky native” really “brings it” in this chilling, claustrophobic tale of a young divorcee “going that extra mile” to help a stranger in need. The description that is provided by Amazon does a good job of tantalizing the reader while still providing the basic scenario at the beginning of the story. Addy is a sympathetic character and the first-person narrator of this excursion into the twilight zone. She does experience bizarre electrical disturbances, but this is only after a near head on collision and terrifying encounter with a suspicious driver unsettles her.
Addy subsequently found herself in the middle of nowhere, at an isolated truck stop in an unfamiliar area. Since she has departed, the snow had fallen and the roads ahead were not only forbidding and dark, but factually treacherous as well.
It is at this point that Addy meets a friendly stranger, with a warm smile, and a congenial demeanor. It was an encounter with a smiling, outwardly nice and helpful stranger. The reader is privy to just how terrified that Addy felt on so many levels. She was intimidated by the very idea of driving long distances by herself and the inclement weather only added another dimension to her discomfort and growing anxiety. Addy was ambushed by the thoughts of her ex-husband at frequent intervals, and it was only after the divorce that she became aware of how little remained of her own thoughts, how little was left of her own mind. Now alone paranoia struggled very little to grab a good grip on Addy’s anxious mental state. She was en route to a horror convention but thought to herself that she wanted to experience the scares only vicariously.
The stranger was respectful of her space, cordial, and seemed genuine. He referenced the difficulty with his truck’s electrical system and confirmed to Addy that this was a known problem. There was an electromagnetic force which caused the uncanny disruption of electronics in the area. He introduced himself as Jay Maddux AKA Mads, and when he mentioned talking on the CB in his truck Addy expressed as interest in getting a CB. It was in this way that she accepted an antiquated but still reliable CB from Mads so that he could check in with her as they drove on the snow-covered roads. It was full dark, no stars, with a blackness that was oppressive as the two vehicles traveled on slippery hills that were rendered more dangerous by the snow. The two travelers were chatting over the CB radios when abruptly their destinies were both irreparable altered by the clash of metal, and the shriek of guardrails as they were demolished by the weight of a semi smashing them as it broke through their barrier.
This was not a long novel, but the narrative is taut, tense, and terrifying. The chilling sight of a semi seeming to hang suspended in the air as time stood still, the horror of seeing the driver Mads’ face filled with undiluted panic, and then to see the balance shift with the truck descending into the blackness below. The screams peeled loudly through the CB beside her. Addy clamped her hands over her ears to muffle his crying out and the sound of multiple crashes.
When Addy broke free of her shock she started to get out of the car, but she froze. Addy could see that something stood on the bridge in front of her and that its presence blotted out the moon. The thing was featureless in the inky darkness, but for two bright red eyes which were honed in on Addy’s face. She was like a statue unable to move for her fear, but with a blink of the eye it was gone.
This is the salient point of the story, that is how far would you go to intervene in the fate of a total stranger. Addy attempts to reach Mads with the CB radio to determine his condition if he is alive. She is rewarded by hearing her name, but just “Addy”. She was determined not to allow her irrational fear to freeze her again. But then like the reader, she asks herself whether it is really that irrational to be afraid of a ten-foot winged thing with red eyes.
Addy decides she would rather face “stupid” for the rest of her life than a “loud conscience”. Addy could not bring herself to leave Mads, a stranger but one who had been not only civil and kind but went that extra mile to help ensure her safety on the treacherous roads.
Addy’s exploits after she “swung her leg over the side, into darkness” is an absolutely terrifying trip for her and the reader. This one from Hightower deserved the nod she received from the Bram Stoker Committee. The story pulls you in at once and you are taken for a trip laced with terror, where reality is not easy to determine, and the way forward is impossible to see. It is horrifying and an unputdownable tale of terror.
No spoilers here. But this excursion into a landscape of hellish proportions and heart-pounding fear is a real winner. It really was a horror story superbly written, tightly scripted, perfectly paced, and with a likeable protagonist that the reader wanted to see safe. This tale was a bit more in that it was about a woman who was ultimately free of both her real shackles and those that remained in her psyche. I loved the ending.
A big thanks to Horror Aficionados Book Club for the voters who brought this winner to the club members.
WOW! TERRIFIC THRILLER, GREAT READ FROM HIGHTOWER
My Review 5.0 Stars
What story could have more potential for scaring the hell out of you than one that begins driving alone through the mountains of West Virginia during a snowstorm? Laurel Hightower is a respected writer of several published works of horror and was a Bram Stoker nominee for this novel “Below” in Long Fiction.
Let’s just say that this “Bourbon loving Kentucky native” really “brings it” in this chilling, claustrophobic tale of a young divorcee “going that extra mile” to help a stranger in need. The description that is provided by Amazon does a good job of tantalizing the reader while still providing the basic scenario at the beginning of the story. Addy is a sympathetic character and the first-person narrator of this excursion into the twilight zone. She does experience bizarre electrical disturbances, but this is only after a near head on collision and terrifying encounter with a suspicious driver unsettles her.
Addy subsequently found herself in the middle of nowhere, at an isolated truck stop in an unfamiliar area. Since she has departed, the snow had fallen and the roads ahead were not only forbidding and dark, but factually treacherous as well.
It is at this point that Addy meets a friendly stranger, with a warm smile, and a congenial demeanor. It was an encounter with a smiling, outwardly nice and helpful stranger. The reader is privy to just how terrified that Addy felt on so many levels. She was intimidated by the very idea of driving long distances by herself and the inclement weather only added another dimension to her discomfort and growing anxiety. Addy was ambushed by the thoughts of her ex-husband at frequent intervals, and it was only after the divorce that she became aware of how little remained of her own thoughts, how little was left of her own mind. Now alone paranoia struggled very little to grab a good grip on Addy’s anxious mental state. She was en route to a horror convention but thought to herself that she wanted to experience the scares only vicariously.
The stranger was respectful of her space, cordial, and seemed genuine. He referenced the difficulty with his truck’s electrical system and confirmed to Addy that this was a known problem. There was an electromagnetic force which caused the uncanny disruption of electronics in the area. He introduced himself as Jay Maddux AKA Mads, and when he mentioned talking on the CB in his truck Addy expressed as interest in getting a CB. It was in this way that she accepted an antiquated but still reliable CB from Mads so that he could check in with her as they drove on the snow-covered roads. It was full dark, no stars, with a blackness that was oppressive as the two vehicles traveled on slippery hills that were rendered more dangerous by the snow. The two travelers were chatting over the CB radios when abruptly their destinies were both irreparable altered by the clash of metal, and the shriek of guardrails as they were demolished by the weight of a semi smashing them as it broke through their barrier.
This was not a long novel, but the narrative is taut, tense, and terrifying. The chilling sight of a semi seeming to hang suspended in the air as time stood still, the horror of seeing the driver Mads’ face filled with undiluted panic, and then to see the balance shift with the truck descending into the blackness below. The screams peeled loudly through the CB beside her. Addy clamped her hands over her ears to muffle his crying out and the sound of multiple crashes.
When Addy broke free of her shock she started to get out of the car, but she froze. Addy could see that something stood on the bridge in front of her and that its presence blotted out the moon. The thing was featureless in the inky darkness, but for two bright red eyes which were honed in on Addy’s face. She was like a statue unable to move for her fear, but with a blink of the eye it was gone.
This is the salient point of the story, that is how far would you go to intervene in the fate of a total stranger. Addy attempts to reach Mads with the CB radio to determine his condition if he is alive. She is rewarded by hearing her name, but just “Addy”. She was determined not to allow her irrational fear to freeze her again. But then like the reader, she asks herself whether it is really that irrational to be afraid of a ten-foot winged thing with red eyes.
Addy decides she would rather face “stupid” for the rest of her life than a “loud conscience”. Addy could not bring herself to leave Mads, a stranger but one who had been not only civil and kind but went that extra mile to help ensure her safety on the treacherous roads.
Addy’s exploits after she “swung her leg over the side, into darkness” is an absolutely terrifying trip for her and the reader. This one from Hightower deserved the nod she received from the Bram Stoker Committee. The story pulls you in at once and you are taken for a trip laced with terror, where reality is not easy to determine, and the way forward is impossible to see. It is horrifying and an unputdownable tale of terror.
No spoilers here. But this excursion into a landscape of hellish proportions and heart-pounding fear is a real winner. It really was a horror story superbly written, tightly scripted, perfectly paced, and with a likeable protagonist that the reader wanted to see safe. This tale was a bit more in that it was about a woman who was ultimately free of both her real shackles and those that remained in her psyche. I loved the ending.
A big thanks to Horror Aficionados Book Club for the voters who brought this winner to the club members.
WOW! TERRIFIC THRILLER, GREAT READ FROM HIGHTOWER
September 13, 2022
I've been itching to read something by Laurel Hightower for a while. I first learned about this book through a booktube video, and I had high hopes for it. I prefer psychological and gory horror when it comes to the genre; the premise seemed somewhat uninteresting given the fantasy parts, but because it was brief, I decided to give it a shot.
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO HELP A STRANGER?
Given that my life is in danger, I won't and will instead run. And that is just what the thing with the red eye wanted our MC to accomplish. However, despite being the "powerful female protagonist", she made a number of poor choices that resulted in jumbled ideas and dangling narratives.
The most of the spooky incidents in this book are jumpscares, which have never piqued my attention in a book or movie. The fact that the reader is largely allowed to make their own interpretation of what happened leaves me feeling like we didn't really get any answers, which I find to be incredibly aggravating. That is not genius in my book; it is lazy writing. Given the entire build-up, there were many questions that the finale left unaddressed, making it quite sudden and unpleasant.
Andy is a terrible MC. She is a big part of why I didn't like this book very much. I was very let down by the author's conventional feminism. I felt that around half of the plot didn't make sense.
An uninspired and unappealing novel overall.
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO HELP A STRANGER?
Given that my life is in danger, I won't and will instead run. And that is just what the thing with the red eye wanted our MC to accomplish. However, despite being the "powerful female protagonist", she made a number of poor choices that resulted in jumbled ideas and dangling narratives.
The most of the spooky incidents in this book are jumpscares, which have never piqued my attention in a book or movie. The fact that the reader is largely allowed to make their own interpretation of what happened leaves me feeling like we didn't really get any answers, which I find to be incredibly aggravating. That is not genius in my book; it is lazy writing. Given the entire build-up, there were many questions that the finale left unaddressed, making it quite sudden and unpleasant.
Andy is a terrible MC. She is a big part of why I didn't like this book very much. I was very let down by the author's conventional feminism. I felt that around half of the plot didn't make sense.
An uninspired and unappealing novel overall.
August 29, 2022
TW: Anxiety, language, divorce, gory scenes, abusive relationship
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:While driving through the mountains of West Virginia during a late-night snowstorm, a recently divorced woman experiences bizarre electrical problems, leaving her with little choice but to place her trust with a charismatic truck driver. But when an unexplainable creature with haunting red eyes gets between them, she is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life. Will she abandon the stranger who kept her safe—or will she climb down below, where reality has shapeshifted into a living nightmare?
Release Date: March 29th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 106
Rating: ⭐⭐(2.5..would have been 3 before that ending)
What I Liked:
1. Quick short chapters
2. Ummm MOTHMAN ❤️
3. Writing about West Virginia (state can be creepy)
4. Great description of isolation
5. Writing style was good
6. Mention of Silver Bridge
7. Creepy parts
What I Didn't Like:
1. Addy was annoying
2. Inner voice of Addy's ex-husband
3. Addy does the dumbest things
4. No real ending
5. Ending disappointing
Overall Thoughts: Was really annoying when Addie kept saying "it came out of nowhere".
I've never seen a hotel on a toll road.
Let's talk about how annoying Addy is. Omg. First she's scared of Mads and then 3 pages later she is following him and thinking he is cute. She's overly worried about driving through the hills of West Virginia so I'm confused why she decided she wanted to do it. Every little thing that happens she is freaking out about it.
I absolutely HATE when characters in books have a voice telling them what to do or think. Is she that close to her ex-husband that she hears his voice and acknowledges his guidance? Every page he's "talking" to her and telling her what she is doing is dumb.
I just want to point out that Addy was scared of walking on the slick road with fear of falling but has decided that scaling down a mountain side in the dark and with ice is the much better option. Her argument is that she doesn't know where the thing with glowing red eyes is but she is right by the bridge where it was spotted. Addy go get help because Mads could be really messed up and you are not a medical professional👏🏻 She had anxiety about everything before this point but when she really needs to think about things she doesn't. Like what if she gets hurt going down the mountain? Who will help them? How is she going to bring Mads up of he is really hurt? What if she can't come back up because of the snow? Suddenly she has no anxiety.
I don't understand when Addy finally gets a signal somehow as she's going down a hill instead of being on top of it but okay. Her ex calls and she gets mad at him for not knowing where she is when she describes her location as "in West Virginia and there's a bridge". Ummm West Virginia has a lot of bridges. Mads even calls her on the cb and rather than asking him their location to tell Brian she ignores Mads. A smart person would stay in the area where you have signal but does Addy do that?.. NOPE! She continues down the hillside so she can lose service.
At this point I'm just hoping the Mothman eats Addy 🤞🏻
It's cool that the bridge that Parker mentions that Mads went off was the Silver Creek Bridge, which the bridge from Point Pleasant that went down after the Mothman sighting was the Silver Bridge.
Dude Addy just perfectly a-ok with everything happening... Mads is in an accident after they see a creature and she's thinking once they get out of this they'll have a cute date story. Mads is being eaten apart by a creepy creature and she is so chill. Sees a creature in a hole in the darkness and she takes a nap. Parker threatens to kill her and she's like I suppose I should try to get out of here. Falls into a black hole with no light and lands in the black hole with zero light and she's like why even try to get out of here. Like wasn't she terrified of water??? Like so scared that standing in ankle deep water almost killed her and when a stick was about to touch her???
So they just let her go because she wasn't meant to die? Wtf kind of creatures are these??
Final Thoughts: It's never explained why there are bodies in the truck. Or if Parker ever shows up. Who are all these different monsters? So we just end with the cops not believing her when she tells them everything that happened. Was Parker real? Where did the truck go? So many questions and I feel as though the author took the lazy way out and just left loose ends. Not cool.
Recommend For:
• Creepy scenes
• Monster features
• Strong female lead
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:While driving through the mountains of West Virginia during a late-night snowstorm, a recently divorced woman experiences bizarre electrical problems, leaving her with little choice but to place her trust with a charismatic truck driver. But when an unexplainable creature with haunting red eyes gets between them, she is forced to make one of the toughest decisions of her life. Will she abandon the stranger who kept her safe—or will she climb down below, where reality has shapeshifted into a living nightmare?
Release Date: March 29th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 106
Rating: ⭐⭐(2.5..would have been 3 before that ending)
What I Liked:
1. Quick short chapters
2. Ummm MOTHMAN ❤️
3. Writing about West Virginia (state can be creepy)
4. Great description of isolation
5. Writing style was good
6. Mention of Silver Bridge
7. Creepy parts
What I Didn't Like:
1. Addy was annoying
2. Inner voice of Addy's ex-husband
3. Addy does the dumbest things
4. No real ending
5. Ending disappointing
Overall Thoughts: Was really annoying when Addie kept saying "it came out of nowhere".
I've never seen a hotel on a toll road.
Let's talk about how annoying Addy is. Omg. First she's scared of Mads and then 3 pages later she is following him and thinking he is cute. She's overly worried about driving through the hills of West Virginia so I'm confused why she decided she wanted to do it. Every little thing that happens she is freaking out about it.
I absolutely HATE when characters in books have a voice telling them what to do or think. Is she that close to her ex-husband that she hears his voice and acknowledges his guidance? Every page he's "talking" to her and telling her what she is doing is dumb.
I just want to point out that Addy was scared of walking on the slick road with fear of falling but has decided that scaling down a mountain side in the dark and with ice is the much better option. Her argument is that she doesn't know where the thing with glowing red eyes is but she is right by the bridge where it was spotted. Addy go get help because Mads could be really messed up and you are not a medical professional👏🏻 She had anxiety about everything before this point but when she really needs to think about things she doesn't. Like what if she gets hurt going down the mountain? Who will help them? How is she going to bring Mads up of he is really hurt? What if she can't come back up because of the snow? Suddenly she has no anxiety.
I don't understand when Addy finally gets a signal somehow as she's going down a hill instead of being on top of it but okay. Her ex calls and she gets mad at him for not knowing where she is when she describes her location as "in West Virginia and there's a bridge". Ummm West Virginia has a lot of bridges. Mads even calls her on the cb and rather than asking him their location to tell Brian she ignores Mads. A smart person would stay in the area where you have signal but does Addy do that?.. NOPE! She continues down the hillside so she can lose service.
At this point I'm just hoping the Mothman eats Addy 🤞🏻
It's cool that the bridge that Parker mentions that Mads went off was the Silver Creek Bridge, which the bridge from Point Pleasant that went down after the Mothman sighting was the Silver Bridge.
Dude Addy just perfectly a-ok with everything happening... Mads is in an accident after they see a creature and she's thinking once they get out of this they'll have a cute date story. Mads is being eaten apart by a creepy creature and she is so chill. Sees a creature in a hole in the darkness and she takes a nap. Parker threatens to kill her and she's like I suppose I should try to get out of here. Falls into a black hole with no light and lands in the black hole with zero light and she's like why even try to get out of here. Like wasn't she terrified of water??? Like so scared that standing in ankle deep water almost killed her and when a stick was about to touch her???
So they just let her go because she wasn't meant to die? Wtf kind of creatures are these??
Final Thoughts: It's never explained why there are bodies in the truck. Or if Parker ever shows up. Who are all these different monsters? So we just end with the cops not believing her when she tells them everything that happened. Was Parker real? Where did the truck go? So many questions and I feel as though the author took the lazy way out and just left loose ends. Not cool.
Recommend For:
• Creepy scenes
• Monster features
• Strong female lead
IG | Blog
August 27, 2022
I was actually really surprised at how much this little novella had to say! This is a high action survival story that gets a little weird. Obviously the cover has this creature on it, so I went in expecting a creature feature, and while it was that it was also so much more.
If you're in it for the lore this may not be for you. Not a lot gets explained as far as what this thing actually is. But as we follow Addy fighting for her life, we see that this creature actually represents something else. Something less cryptid and more relevant to the everyday lives of women. I would definitely call this a feminist work.
There is some mildly gory body horror in here as well. It's got a fantastical, almost mystic atmosphere, while still staying solidly within the horror genre.
A really cool read! I'd definitely recommend it.
If you're in it for the lore this may not be for you. Not a lot gets explained as far as what this thing actually is. But as we follow Addy fighting for her life, we see that this creature actually represents something else. Something less cryptid and more relevant to the everyday lives of women. I would definitely call this a feminist work.
There is some mildly gory body horror in here as well. It's got a fantastical, almost mystic atmosphere, while still staying solidly within the horror genre.
A really cool read! I'd definitely recommend it.
March 19, 2023
This didn't really work for me. The writing was fine but there was way too much going on for a 120 page novella. The setup is great: A woman traveling solo has a budding friendship with a trucker. When his truck goes off the road, she climbs down the ravine to find him.
That's all good but, like I said, there's too much going on. SPOILERS: There are subterranean flesh eaters, the mothman is flying around, and there's a warlocky guy with a suit bookending the thing. As far as I can tell, these elements have little to nothing to do with each other. On the other hand, I love a good cave crawl and his has a great one in it.
So that's that. There are parts of this I liked but it didn't come together for me. Your mileage may vary.
That's all good but, like I said, there's too much going on. SPOILERS: There are subterranean flesh eaters, the mothman is flying around, and there's a warlocky guy with a suit bookending the thing. As far as I can tell, these elements have little to nothing to do with each other. On the other hand, I love a good cave crawl and his has a great one in it.
So that's that. There are parts of this I liked but it didn't come together for me. Your mileage may vary.
April 15, 2022
The Mothman book I always wanted but no one was able to write...until now. Laurel Hightower managed to creep me the hell out several times with this tale of desperation, darkness and the terrifying unknown. And that, my friends, is no easy task. A wonderful addition to cryptid lore and so much more.
April 3, 2022
Horror Bookworm Reviews
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
On the road and unescorted, Addy’s undertaking of letting go a portion of her binding past is in full swing. Breaking free of a thirteen year old controlling relationship is within her grasp. The goal, to be free and clear of someone else guiding her life. However this freedom will come at a costly price as a late night drive on a dark road leading to independence boldly confronts her inner fears and insecurities.
A winged creature of darkness inhabits a deserted highway and dwells beneath the blackness of the underground. Setting the mood with the ever presence of doom and the prominent tension of the unknown, author Laurel Hightower creates a cave-dwelling beast that feeds on isolation and vulnerability. Her novella entitled Below brings forth a narrative that is willing to enter death’s door all the while showcasing a struggle of survival and self worth.
Hightower once again accomplishes a much deeper message than what appears on the eerie and claustrophobic surface. Her creepy shadowed ambiance lurks within the peripheral vision of the reader. Obstacles of fear emerge in many forms, from cavern surreal nightmares to the reality of “there’s something else down here.”
Brought to you by Ghoulish Books, Below by Laurel Hightower is not only an exceptional journey into a frightening encounter with the unnatural, it’s a self-cultivation of one’s own virtue. Be sure to check this one out my fellow horror readers.
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
On the road and unescorted, Addy’s undertaking of letting go a portion of her binding past is in full swing. Breaking free of a thirteen year old controlling relationship is within her grasp. The goal, to be free and clear of someone else guiding her life. However this freedom will come at a costly price as a late night drive on a dark road leading to independence boldly confronts her inner fears and insecurities.
A winged creature of darkness inhabits a deserted highway and dwells beneath the blackness of the underground. Setting the mood with the ever presence of doom and the prominent tension of the unknown, author Laurel Hightower creates a cave-dwelling beast that feeds on isolation and vulnerability. Her novella entitled Below brings forth a narrative that is willing to enter death’s door all the while showcasing a struggle of survival and self worth.
Hightower once again accomplishes a much deeper message than what appears on the eerie and claustrophobic surface. Her creepy shadowed ambiance lurks within the peripheral vision of the reader. Obstacles of fear emerge in many forms, from cavern surreal nightmares to the reality of “there’s something else down here.”
Brought to you by Ghoulish Books, Below by Laurel Hightower is not only an exceptional journey into a frightening encounter with the unnatural, it’s a self-cultivation of one’s own virtue. Be sure to check this one out my fellow horror readers.
February 1, 2022
Review to Follow
July 31, 2024
An early read for the August BOTM for Horror Aficionados. "Below" is a novella that takes its inspiration from the famous cryptid of West Virginia, the Mothman, and adds elements of psychological horror with a damaged young woman who may or may not be experiencing delusions at the same time. Well written and tightly paced, and a very enjoyable read. Kudos to the author!
March 29, 2022
I love the simple old time feel of the cover and creature features. Below, a terrifying novella by Laurel HIghtower, has all the requirements for a B movie. Whenever I come across a story like this, it unrolls through my mind like a piece of film, each frame worse than the last. I love it!
Mothman and a snowstorm! YAY! A whoosh in the air, a blackness…oh yeah.
I must say, she is a much nicer (or dumber) person than I am. I would have got the hell out of there. Something isn’t right. I can’t imagine how she feels, but I can see it through Laurel Hightower’s words. I love when an author can paint a picture through words.
She’s alone. In the dark. Something is out there. What is it and what does it want? She keeps on going. Pushing forward. What else is there to do? She won’t quit.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Below by Laurel Hightower.
Mothman and a snowstorm! YAY! A whoosh in the air, a blackness…oh yeah.
I must say, she is a much nicer (or dumber) person than I am. I would have got the hell out of there. Something isn’t right. I can’t imagine how she feels, but I can see it through Laurel Hightower’s words. I love when an author can paint a picture through words.
She’s alone. In the dark. Something is out there. What is it and what does it want? She keeps on going. Pushing forward. What else is there to do? She won’t quit.
I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Below by Laurel Hightower.
February 24, 2022
4.5
I absolutely devoured this. This managed to blend creature horror with psychological and survival horror masterfully.
As someone who gets driving the anxiety I was anxious from the beginning of the story. I need more Laurel Hightower now!
I absolutely devoured this. This managed to blend creature horror with psychological and survival horror masterfully.
As someone who gets driving the anxiety I was anxious from the beginning of the story. I need more Laurel Hightower now!
April 8, 2022
A horror fiction lover who finds herself in a real life horror situation - what's not to love!? This was spooky and claustrophobic. As always, Laurel Hightower's characters are incredibly relatable.
"Has that been your experience, Addy Treadway? That when you speak, people listen?" OOF.
"Has that been your experience, Addy Treadway? That when you speak, people listen?" OOF.
April 21, 2022
BELOW by Laurel Hightower feels like a relentlessly paced pulse pounding episode of the X-FILES. The only things missing are Scully and Mulder. Jam packed full of the weird, the bizarre, the unknown, and the unexplainable.
Addy is haunted by the voice of her ex-husband. No, he hasn’t passed on to the other side and this isn’t anything supernatural. His words live rent free in her head, echoes speaking up to give his (unwanted) opinions and judgements whenever Addy is unsure or lacking conviction in herself. There is another man whose voice is currently present in Addy’s life as well, this via CB radio. A trucker, a stranger who seems nice enough, helping to guide Addy through the dark mountains of West Virginia as the weather quickly begins to deteriorate.
I’ll just say that things do not go as planned for Addy and Mads, the trucker. It’s at this point that Hightower cuts the brake line and smashes the accelerator down through the floorboard. BELOW reaches out of the impenetrable blackness, grabbing you around the throat and squeezing, only allowing you to finally catch your breath once you have turned that final page. This novella does not stop. It does not rest. Addy is dealt blow after blow after blow, both psychologically and physically. Only her grit and resilience can aid her in somehow escaping from the living nightmare she finds herself trapped within.
Most people will be drawn to BELOW due to the enigmatic red eyed presence of the Mothman, but there is so much more to be mined from this tale's surprising cavernous depths. The X-FILES famous line is “I want to believe” meaning in whatever it is that may or may not be lurking out there, but this novella is about wanting (no not wanting, needing) to believe in one's own self, in trusting one's own voice. About having the confidence to spread your wings (maybe even shadowy feathered wings) and stride down your own path in life with head held high.
There were some truly creepy, spine-chilling moments in BELOW. One in particular I was not expecting but that would have made me nope right on up out of there if I found myself in that situation. The small cast of characters, the desolate road, and the nighttime darkness all coalesce into a palpable sense of claustrophobia and isolation. And though Addy, and through her you the reader, is adrift in a tide of darkness there is that ever-present tingling crawling up your scalp, the sensation of being watched, of hidden eyes tracking your every move that you can't quite shake.
BELOW by Laurel Hightower is a completely different beast than her previous novella CROSSROADS but it still packs a raw emotional punch. There is a vulnerability to be found in Hightower’s prose. A flaying away of one’s outer layers until all of their inner demons, fears, and insecurities are laid bare for all to witness, along with the struggle of facing them head on, whether for better or for worse. On top of that throw in strange phenomena, disorientating horrors, the Mothman, and you’ve struck horror gold. Hightower for me is a must read author. A TBR jumper straight to the top anytime she has a new release. If you have yet to check out her work, what are you waiting for?
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/MpyeL0Ul6NE
Addy is haunted by the voice of her ex-husband. No, he hasn’t passed on to the other side and this isn’t anything supernatural. His words live rent free in her head, echoes speaking up to give his (unwanted) opinions and judgements whenever Addy is unsure or lacking conviction in herself. There is another man whose voice is currently present in Addy’s life as well, this via CB radio. A trucker, a stranger who seems nice enough, helping to guide Addy through the dark mountains of West Virginia as the weather quickly begins to deteriorate.
I’ll just say that things do not go as planned for Addy and Mads, the trucker. It’s at this point that Hightower cuts the brake line and smashes the accelerator down through the floorboard. BELOW reaches out of the impenetrable blackness, grabbing you around the throat and squeezing, only allowing you to finally catch your breath once you have turned that final page. This novella does not stop. It does not rest. Addy is dealt blow after blow after blow, both psychologically and physically. Only her grit and resilience can aid her in somehow escaping from the living nightmare she finds herself trapped within.
Most people will be drawn to BELOW due to the enigmatic red eyed presence of the Mothman, but there is so much more to be mined from this tale's surprising cavernous depths. The X-FILES famous line is “I want to believe” meaning in whatever it is that may or may not be lurking out there, but this novella is about wanting (no not wanting, needing) to believe in one's own self, in trusting one's own voice. About having the confidence to spread your wings (maybe even shadowy feathered wings) and stride down your own path in life with head held high.
There were some truly creepy, spine-chilling moments in BELOW. One in particular I was not expecting but that would have made me nope right on up out of there if I found myself in that situation. The small cast of characters, the desolate road, and the nighttime darkness all coalesce into a palpable sense of claustrophobia and isolation. And though Addy, and through her you the reader, is adrift in a tide of darkness there is that ever-present tingling crawling up your scalp, the sensation of being watched, of hidden eyes tracking your every move that you can't quite shake.
BELOW by Laurel Hightower is a completely different beast than her previous novella CROSSROADS but it still packs a raw emotional punch. There is a vulnerability to be found in Hightower’s prose. A flaying away of one’s outer layers until all of their inner demons, fears, and insecurities are laid bare for all to witness, along with the struggle of facing them head on, whether for better or for worse. On top of that throw in strange phenomena, disorientating horrors, the Mothman, and you’ve struck horror gold. Hightower for me is a must read author. A TBR jumper straight to the top anytime she has a new release. If you have yet to check out her work, what are you waiting for?
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/MpyeL0Ul6NE
February 1, 2025
I’m shocked that this was written by the same author as Crossroads. Below is genuinely one of the worst books I have ever read with one of the dumbest protagonists.
It’s so shockingly bad that I just had to keep reading to find out if it could get any worse - and it did. It feels as if the author was either forced to write a book in a couple of hours and this is the best she could come up with or as if she was purposefully trying to write the dumbest character with zero survival instincts who is just mindlessly bumbling around from one bad decision to another. The side characters also were all just ridiculous caricatures.
I guess the book was trying to say something about gaslighting, codependency and misogyny but it was so incredibly poorly done with painfully cringey dialogue that I can’t believe this was even published. Even though I enjoyed Crossroads I don’t think I’ll be reading anything from this author any time soon.
It’s so shockingly bad that I just had to keep reading to find out if it could get any worse - and it did. It feels as if the author was either forced to write a book in a couple of hours and this is the best she could come up with or as if she was purposefully trying to write the dumbest character with zero survival instincts who is just mindlessly bumbling around from one bad decision to another. The side characters also were all just ridiculous caricatures.
I guess the book was trying to say something about gaslighting, codependency and misogyny but it was so incredibly poorly done with painfully cringey dialogue that I can’t believe this was even published. Even though I enjoyed Crossroads I don’t think I’ll be reading anything from this author any time soon.
October 17, 2022
Pretty good novella for anyone not having to drive alone at night anytime soon.
December 10, 2023
I would've simply given up tbh...
lol props to our main girl Addy's resilience & ability to think things through for as long as she did. I also appreciated her character growth in being independent post-divorce & working with herself through trying to shake off her ex-husband's influence.
lol props to our main girl Addy's resilience & ability to think things through for as long as she did. I also appreciated her character growth in being independent post-divorce & working with herself through trying to shake off her ex-husband's influence.
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