Three years later I finally get around to this one and it was enjoyable. I love a creepy story that is so reliant on the weather to help create its atmosphere. You can feel the rain in every description, every conversation. The engineering conversations were more accessible than I anticipate. I would read this author again.

A century ago, a town was drowned to bring water to the big city. The townspeople didn't want to leave, and some of them didn't. Sacrifices were made back then, and now, someone has to pay. This "who will pay for the sins of the past?" horror novel isn't breaking any new ground, but it's a good afternoon and a half.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I had trouble getting into it and decided to not finish it. Thank you netgalley for my free review copy.

The Chill is a supernatural thriller about a haunted area of land whose ghostly inhabitants have sinister plans for the reservoir that destroyed their town. The Chilewaukee reservoir was created in order to supply New York City with water from upstate New York, but in the process the town of Galesburg was flooded to be the basis for the reservoir. Some of the citizens of Galesburg still remain in the area and have plans to enact revenge on the city they believe stole their land and homes. The story follows many different characters including a sheriff and his son, a police officer whose jurisdiction includes the reservoir, a dam engineer, and a "sandhog" worker in NYC's underground tunnels. All of these characters are well developed within their own narratives and also in how they appear throughout the book in other perspectives as well.

I really enjoyed this book - it was a lighter supernatural/horror/thriller that had minimal gore but still incorporated a build up of suspense and dread as the reservoir was becoming increasingly compromised. While I did enjoy the book, it wasn't anything groundbreaking and it didn't feel like a book I wanted to tear through to find out what happens. The book is around 430 pages which is quite long and while reading there were several smaller storylines and descriptions that added to character development but did slow down the pacing of the book. I think people who like suspense/thriller books with a side of supernatural will really enjoy this book, if they don't get bogged down by the long and slower pace. I personally enjoyed the atmosphere created in the book and how it added to the creepiness and dread of the impending issues of the reservoir. I also liked the characters and their development throughout the book and how they reacted to the obvious supernatural occurrences. I would recommend this book to people who want a twist on an environmental/nature thriller or those who like their horror books without gore.

First off, the synopsis had me dying to read this book and I was hooked within the first 20%. Who knew a dam, reservoir and a water tunnel could be so interesting. Well, when you add the right elemetns to accompany it, it can be quite the story.

Once you start to meet a few of the characters, the story really starts to come together with some eerie twists. When the first big occurrence happened, I didn't want to put the book down. Sorry, I can't tell you what that is, you're going to have to read it for yourself.

Things just get more weird in between all the goings on of the New Your underground water tunnels, old town histories and ghosts that won't let the past die. Mistakes from the past will need to be righted and peaople must die to pay that price. You get to see generations of family lines entangle in this enthralling tale.

I do however think they story had a bit of a slow pace but I understandy why it was laid out the way it was. The anticipation was killing me.

Scott Carson (Michael Koryta) knows how to keep you wanting more! I definitely plan to check out some of his other work.

Absolutely LOVED this "old fashion" GREAT and SCARY ghost story!!! Everything written these days is usually a psychological thriller - but this was a ghost story as they should be written!!!

This book was exactly what I hoped it would be. It was delightfully creepy, and the tension slowly built up over time. I'm actually really interested in learning more about what inspired the story and the supernatural elements of it. If the author were to write another book in the same universe (not even necessarily continuing the story but following the photographer character), I would definitely be interested.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

Though excited by the premise, I felt that it dragged.

It was well done with an interesting premise, but it dragged for me at times. I don't plan to read the rest of the books in the series.

This ended up being kind of a disappointment. I wanted to love this one. However, it reminded me of the more recent Stephen king books that I have read: promising synopsis only to fail on execution. The premise was amazing and it had great potential. It just never got off the ground for me. Honestly, I was kind of bored. I wanted to be scared and I just never was. The big "moment" at the end was anti-climatic and I swear if you blink, you will miss it. This is the first book I have read by this author. I will give him another shot in the future.

The Chill by Scott Carson is a horror novel.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Atria Books, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
 

My Synopsis:   (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)

The town of Galesburg in up-state New York was flooded many years ago, to create the  Chilewaukee reservoir that would send water pumping downstate to help millions of people.  That's what the people of the town were told as their land was confiscated.  It was political.  It didn't sit well with many of the old-time residents, and some of them rebelled.   They swore they would have revenge, no matter how long it took, nor how many lives.

Now, Mick Fleming has been called to inspect the Chilewaukee dam.  His grandfather actually designed it.  When he arrives, Mick sees a problem, and one of the old-timers sees an opportunity.  The old-timers knew this day would come, and they have never stopped working.  Living or dead, they are ready.  Mick is ready too.

Meanwhile, Gillian Mathers, the great-granddaughter of one of the old-timers, works for the Department of the Environment and is also looking into the problem with the dam.  She is seeing some strange things, as she remembers her childhood.  Her father, DeShawn Ryan works on the tunnels underground in New York.  He is seeing some strange things as well.

Then there is Aaron Ellsworth.  All he wanted to do was to help people.  After being kicked out of the Coast Guard, Aaron has lost his way.  His father, the Sheriff, is insisting that Aaron goes to rehab.  Aaron heads to The Chill one night to see if his training is still with him.  What he sees will change his life forever.



 My Opinions:  

I really struggled with this one.  I should have given up....but those that know me will know that I just can't.  I kept waiting for that WOW moment, and it never came.  Yes, it was a ghost story, but there was no horror, no scary moments.  Just a very long tale of vengeance.  Yes, some of the people were dead, but it didn't really matter. 

The writing was clear, but way too detailed.  The actual premise of the book sounded good - a supernatural force threatens New York.  Somehow that premise got lost in all the water.  Too much information about the dam, the tunnels, the water, the geography....

Anyway, I will probably be in the minority on this one, but it just didn't do anything other than frustrate me.  Not every book is for every reader.

I really enjoyed this one! It felt like an old school Stephen King novel...which clearly the author was going for, due to his dedication to Mr. King. From the slow build of dread, to finally getting to the meat of what's actually happening, Scott Carson knows how to tell an engaging story that keeps you interested. The characters are great and fully fleshed out, and makes you root for them to get past the creepy residents of Galesburg.

If there's only one issue, I would say that the book might have served better at just under 400 pages, as there are plenty of areas that got bogged down under too much description and redundancy. While it doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book, it definitely had me skimming several times. I also thought there would be a bigger payoff to the death of one of the major characters...as it was leading up to that...but...then...nada. It would have been nice to have a little more closure with that character and their relationship with another one of the main characters.

But overall, this was a really fun read and I will definitely recommend at work!

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a creepy book! The story centers around a town that was destroyed purposely many years ago to build a dam in order to help supply water to NYC. In the present, the dam is looking like it will fail soon. To further complicate things, the engineer checking the dam is a relative of the original engineer of the dam.

This is told in alternating story lines by a cast of characters that really completes the story. It was definitely creepy!

The Chill is a book I wanted to read because I've been on the lookout for a quality supernatural thriller. Being a huge fan of Stephen King, I was excited when I read that he recommended this book on his Twitter feed. The Chill by Scott Carson (a pseudonym for the author, Michael Koryta) was not horrific, but it was a creepy, dark psychological thriller/ghost story with multiple well-drawn characters and tons of history and backstory. The Chill grabbed me from the start and I couldn't stop reading it. I had to know how it would end. It had that strange, creepy vibe I love that made me look over my shoulder once or twice. It was the perfect read during a non-stop rainy patch of weather we've been having.

The description of the settings was so vivid that I felt like I was underneath the streets of NYC, in the dark tunnels and in the Catskills in the rain, in the deep forests surrounding the Chilewaukee Dam and Reservoir (known to the locals as The Chill.). The settings and characters had a cinematic feel. My attention did lag at some points because the book felt a bit repetitious in parts, but overall I would recommend The Chill to anyone who loves a great ghost story.

I have been on the hunt for more horror books to read. I picked up a copy of this book to read. When I think horror, I instantly, think of stories that will give you nightmares. This book did not do that for me but it still was a fascinating story to read. It is more paranormal/psychological horror.

There is not really one main character. There are several prominent voices in this story. The things they experience have them questioning if they should be admitted to the psychological ward at the hospital.

While, I knew the concept of the whole story, it kept my interest in the way that the characters and the ghosts interacted with one another. Mr. Carson did everything right with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author. The Chill is worth your time to read.

The Chill drew me in right from the first page and picked up suspense quickly!

I was expecting more of a nature horror element instead of a supernatural style horror however I still enjoy the story. The characters relationships felt real and I enjoyed the way they got to grow. The town in the Catskills that hosts The Chill was described wonderfully and seemed completely real to me. Reading this I felt like I have been transported --like I have gone there. This made the story a little more chilling than usual.

Basically, simplified, this is a story of people overlooking little things and trying to sanitize history one family holds one and passes down a legacy of their own history. It's also a ghost story and a story about the power of water. I'd recommend it to those looking for something not scary in the typical sense, but those who like reading about small towns and what happens when they are almost forgotten.

I didn’t really enjoy this novel as a whole, but there were certain elements that I found fascinating and intriguing. Overall this novel difficult to get through at times. The whole book revolves around the past, what happened and what was forgotten in the building of the dam. I really liked how the characters whose family lived in Galesburg never forgot about the dam construction and what it meant to them, how it made them who they are today. An element that Carson executed well was the supernatural. I like how there was forgotten stories about the town that was underwater due to the building of the dam, how the workers were still working on the dam, and the supernatural of the water in the Dead Waters. I really wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. It has all the elements that I look for in a good thriller, but it felt too long and drawn out. This book is 448 pages; it could have been reduced to maybe half of that. I got bored quickly, there was too much attention to little details, and too many characters/background stories that I didn’t enjoy.

This is my first experience with this author (who also writes under the name Michael Koryta, and I actually have two of his older books in my TBR). I wasn't exactly sure what to expect here though - and it's an intriguing book from the start. Set both in upstate New York and the city, this book has a pretty large cast of characters, but they are well-developed enough that I don't think that anyone will have a hard time keeping them straight.

This book definitely has a cinematic flair to it - opening in October of 2000 with a rather haunting scene and the continuing the narrative one week and twenty years later. It's a story revolving around the freshwater supply of NYC - but something not quite right is going on... both not right and downright spooky. It's both visual and entertaining - I'm certainly hooked and definitely curious as to where the storyline is going.

I really like the imagery of these submerged towns. While this isn't the first time I've encountered them in fiction (Riley Sager's second novel features one), this one seems to have more going on - with mysterious characters cropping up and some chilling (haha) scenes. It's an exciting read, really - and while not quite the creature in the water story that I expected, this still will make you think twice about the water. The descriptions bring the story to life. There's some interesting history added to the creepiness and I think that it really brings to the forefront the importance of water sources - something that is easy to take for granted, I think. It's an interesting read that definitely provides the chills that the title promises to deliver. There are some real surprises to the plot, too! And the ending is just open enough that I imagine there's room for a sequel. It's an unique read and some of the descriptions are downright horrifying - I really enjoyed this fast-paced read!

The Chill by Scott Carson (pseudonym for Michael Koryta) is an interesting story. It has elements of small town folk lore, supernatural, dysfunctional family dynamics, and characters looking for redemption. It also has water. Lots and lots of water.

The water may be the main character of the story. A few generations before current day, eminent domain was declared for the town of Galesburg, NY, a small town in the Catskill mountains, in order to build a dam creating a reservoir to supply water to NYC. A few families refused to sell and relocate until the last minute when they convened a gathering a the local schoolhouse of the townsfolk and state/city officials. Tragedy ensued, and the dam was eventually built, burying the town of Galesburg, her buildings, horrors, and history. In the current day the water looms larger than life. The reservoir sits behind an aging and poorly maintained dam. Below the dam lies an eerie pooling area known as the Dead Waters before heading downhill as a river. This history maintained generationally by surviving family members from Galesburg is centered on the water. The son of the local sheriff grew up swimming in the area and sought to join the Coast Guard as a rescue swimmer. The demons of his past lie in water. The story takes place with record setting, torrential downpours of rain. The water is omnipresent in the story and central to all that takes place.

I am not generally a fan of the supernatural in books, television, or movies, so I was initially a bit skeptical of this book. Hearing glowing comments from the marketing team at Simon & Schuster (parent for Emily Bestler Publishing and Atria Publishing) my interest was piqued and I added the book to my TBR list. The supernatural elements took some time to evolve in the story. I didn't find them to be off-putting or annoying as I generally do. The story was well written, and the supernatural elements were a key component to the story. They were not overbearing, so I would recommend this to people like me, who are not fans of the supernatural.

The rural setting in the Catskills as well as the tunnels beneath NYC were very well written and developed. I found it very easy to paint pictures in my mind of the settings.

The story moved at a good pace generally. There was a point about half way through the story that I felt dragged some, but in general it progressed well.

The characters were interesting and somewhat compelling. There were very human elements to them that are easy to relate to, seeking redemption and forgiveness, balancing self image and worth with the expectations of others, and our role in maintaining family legacies.

I was pleased with the book and am happy to give it 4 stars. I received a free eBook copy from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my thoughts and review of the book.

In upstate New York, a village lays beneath the waters of the Chilewaukee reservoir. Politicians of that era deemed the demise of the town necessary for the greater good; millions of people living downstate now had access to water. Locals, however, believed differently. Residents of the small village since the formation of this country, they held a grudge against the big-city politicians that wiped their homes from existence. Generations later, many have moved to the neighboring village, feelings of malcontent ever-present. Some say the citizens of the village never left, continuing to watch over the land they held so precious.

Now, an inspector finds that the dam has been neglected for far too long. The waters of the Chilewaukee (known to locals as The Chill) hold more than just an abandoned village. A dark prophecy remains, one that is aching to be fulfilled. An abundance of rain causes the water levels to rise, increasing the call for a sacrifice pay for the sins of their fathers.
I enjoy a good thriller with a well-developed backstory! The story of the Chilewaukee reservoir is a haunting one; an entire village lay submerged beneath the water. With it comes a cast of well-developed characters, both past and present. Aaron Ellsworth, son of the sheriff, had so much going for him until one single act cost him is future. Gillian Mathers, a police officer, has direct ties to those lost in the Chilewaukee. Her father, Deshawn, works on the very tunnels that bring the reservoir water down to Manhattan. His character seems to be the only one accepting of the fate that has been bestowed upon them. Once fearful of what remains beneath the reservoir water, a newly gained respect is earned once he understands it’s power.

This thriller has been pegged by many as a horror, simply because of the mention of ghosts and a haunting past. I feel this does this a disservice, immediately removing it as an option for those who prefer not to read that genre. I wouldn’t call this a horror, much like I wouldn’t classify a book with a love scene as a romance. This has far more of the characteristics of a thriller for it to be labeled anything but that.

My only challenge with this title is the nicely wrapped up ending. It seemed to rushed; give me an ambiguous ending over a rushed one anytime!

Finally, though the name Scott Carson may seem like a new name to the thriller game, it is just a pen name for an author many of us have grown to love. I was given a hint prior to reading this title, but elements of his previous writing made it quite apparent early in the read. I’ll be interested to see who guesses the identity (without Googling!).

All in all, a truly captivating read.