337 pages

5 stars

This is a gripping and fast paced horror story. The Cornish town of Scuttler’s Cove is by the sea. Steeped in folklore and mystery its idyllic setting is much wanted by the incomer summer rich folk who snap up land and cottages at exorbitant prices.

Unlike the other towns along the Cornish coast, Scuttler’s Cove is blessed. But, with what? By what? This book has a delicious mix of folklore and horror. The town must honor the traditions. What are the traditions?

I cannot praise this creepy read enough. Just the right amount of deception, tension and terror to make a great well paced and descriptive little horror story. And even creepy crawlies make their entrance !

The main characters are well drawn and played out. The incomers have a big secret. All play their part extremely well. I was a little disappointed at the end, but it did not dampen my enjoyment of this novel. Very well done, Mr. Barnett. I will be looking at your other works.

I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for forwarding to me a copy of this great book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions cited in this review are solely my own.

Wow. David Barnett is officially in my list of favorite horror authors; Scuttler’s Cove is a masterful work of modern folk horror, and I absolutely loved this book!

Merrin Moon returns to her small seaside town of Scuttler’s Cove after her Mother dies, and finds the town transformed into a tourist attraction where the wealthy buy summer homes. But under the surface, the town’s inhabitants are clinging to the old ways… ancient, dark ways. As Merrin and out-of-towner Jen work to unravel the mysteries that abound in this sleepy seaside town, they realize that they may actually be connected to the darkness beneath Scuttler’s Cove.

Scuttler’s Cove is pitch-perfect folk horror for our modern world; the dangers of both the new and old collide in this story that explores the dark cycles that span generations, and what it could take to break them. This book is mysterious and creepy and wonderfully atmospheric. There’s a constant sense of dread that unspools through the story, which is one of the things I look for in folk horror. It’s not all atmospheric, though; there are some really scary moments throughout this book, and the entire final act is edge-of-your-seat tense.

I loved this book so much, I immediately borrowed Withered Hill from the library to read the author’s first scary novel. Please, please keep writing folk horror, Mr. Barnett; I will read anything you publish in this genre!

I would recommend Scuttler’s Cove to any fans of folk horror, especially authors like Andrew Michael Hurley or Adam Neville; you will not be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved this book. I loved the setting, I loved the folklore, I loved the depth of the characters.. it was just a perfectly unsettling read.

It's classed as a horror and it is in some aspects, but nothing too abhorrent. The steady thrum of foreboding and the chill that sits with you throughout, kinda knowing what's coming, but not truly until the end is somewhat magical.

All credit where it's due, David has done a really great job with this book! I'd highly recommend.

Thank you, David Barnett and NetGalley, for the ARC. I leave this review voluntarily and happily. Also, thank you publishers for your hard work!

This is the second book I've read by this author, and it definitely was another strange read. I didn't enjoy it as much as the first one, but I still enjoyed it. That said, the pacing was medium, and as you read the book, it picks up and shows down. This book definitely is filled with lore and interesting things i wasn't expecting. I think the lore is a huge part of what draws me into this author books. The detail and how I thought out it always is. Not only that, I enjoy the characters. I want nothing more than the best for them. They are characters you can root for. This book had me from the start and only sunk its claws deeper the further I got into it. There are some triggers like death and nudity, but nothing is truly horrific.

What if you had no choice for how your life was going to end up? What of you didn't even know the choices you were making were in motion of something far bigger than you knew? Merrin moved back home because her mother died and she needed a new start. Once she got there, strange things started happening. People from london have moved nearby and things only get stranger. What's going on in her hometown, and is there something far more dangerous happening? Can it be stopped, or will things continue on as they have?

Reading this authors work, it only has increased my interest in folk horror, and i want more of it. It's so interesting to me. The way he writes them it's so different from both his books I've read so far. i can't wait to see what he's going to do next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an ARC of Scuttler's Cove.

Withered Hill lives rent free in my head, so when I saw another title from this author I requested it right away and I was not disappointed! I loved the mounting dread I felt as a worked through the book. I also often think supernatural elements take away from an otherwise well-crafted storyline but the author adds such a richness to the story with the way he weaves in these details. I will definitely be looking forward to more from David Barnett!!

4.5 stars

Before I begin, I just want to say this book was provided to me from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes you on a ride! I loved this book from the start. It hooked me immediately. I love a good horror story. Mix in a little bit of folklore, with modern times, and some of the worst rich people I’ve encountered in literature in a long time, and you have a recipe for some good stuff!

Merrin Moon has to come back to her childhood town of Scuttler’s Cove after the sudden death of her mother, Lizzie. Merrin has been away in London for over a decade, but she doesn’t really know when she hasn’t been back. Something has kept her away all of these years.

Scuttler’s Cove is an old seaside town, with history and tradition dating back centuries. The town is on a constant upswing, with rich people buying up land at houses at an incredible rate. The town is flourishing! Enter Jen, her husband Justin, and their group of some of the worst young rich people around! They’ve purchased houses on the top of the cliffs overlooking the sea. The area is called Nans-Avallen, and at the center of it is a giant apple tree, that has a real tendency to draw people towards it, perhaps in a supernatural kind of way?

I don’t want to spoil anything else about this book. It’s a fast, extremely satisfying and twisty read. If you like old tales passed down through generations, crazy town folk, and power hungry rich people, this is the book for you!

Thanks to the publisher and author for the privilege in reading this ARC, the following are my own thoughts. Before spotting this on NetGalley I hadn't heard of David Barnett, and like David had an interest of British Folklore so I have given it a go. His previous book Withered Hill scored very well so high hopes for this one. A folk horror based in a small fishing village called Scuttler's Cove, I liked the cover and once you start reading you will understand why it has a crab on the front, I am not telling you why though that would be a spoiler. Lets just say a modern day new small housing estate of high end properties attracting second home owners in conflict with village traditions and folk lore causes tensions with the old traditional ways of working paying homage to old gods of the land and the sea. It soon comes apparent that 'mankind' interfering with a natural order of life and our wretched ways of destroying and perverting anything that we touch as greed reveals the darker side of humans and conflicts with nature and the old ways.
Tension soon prevails, superstitions are revealed, murder, is in the air, something ancient lies slumbering under the ancient apple tree and beneath the oceans we have caused it to rise. A great twisty read with depth of atmosphere and surprises, what more do we want, a well crafted novel with delicious creepy folk horror

I came for the crab on the cover, stayed for the folk horror that meets the moment. This book really is really timely in its commentary but also a very effective atmospheric horror tale (in other words; the commentary isn't so blunt that people who read for escapism will not be able to enjoy it).

It didn't feel nearly as long as the 273 pages long my reading app says it was, this is a testament to how well paced the story was, especially as it was kind of slow burn with a sense of unease that builds up one fragment at a time from the very beginning. Normally slow burn and atmospheric are 2 words that I wouldn't use to describe anything I enjoy (except maybe atmospheric death metal which I apparently enjoy) thanks to my lack of a functioning attention span but Barnett's writing style was so compelling and smooth that I never even stopped to think about it.

The imagery was great and unobtrusive in its introduction in the story.

Merrin and Jen were really easy to root for and to get invested in.

I received an eARC of this book through Netalley.

I massively enjoyed this coastal folk horror by David Barnett! I haven’t read Withered Hill yet but I’m checking it out STAT!

Wow, just wow. I hope that David Barnett is my new go to for Folk Horror, because currently it is Andrew Michael Hurley and he doesn't write enough lol .
Anyway, both great folk horror writers. I was lucky enough to read this one and Withered Hill and was extremely impressed by both. I hope this author stays in this vein of writing as it's my favorite sub genre of horror.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book. The bright, beachy atmosphere with a looming undercurrent of something dark and sinister kept the tension high throughout most of the story. I found myself itching to read more when I wasn’t actively reading it. I really liked Merrin and Jen’s characters. They felt well thought out and developed. Overall, a solid horror story!

Wow. I feel so lucky that I’ve gotten to read two books by this author in under a year! Scuttler’s Cove is just as good as Withered Hill. Both in the folk horror genre, but still very different. This one had some heart in it, which I quite enjoyed. The town, the characters, the folklore elements are all so amazing. There is a nice feminist message here that fits nicely, not shoehorned in. I can’t wait to read more by David Barnett!

Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the eARC.

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
An entertaining folk horror with a fairy tale’s heart, Scuttler’s Cove is my first book by David Barnett and I think it will not be the last.
At first, I thought the novel would be folk horror 101, that is to say, city girl comes back home to a small village, her family has secrets, people in town do not really trust her, things go crazy… and I was not wrong, but I was also not expecting the magnitude of what was coming.
I was not very fond of the nameless character, though. I know it was somehow necessary for the story, but I felt out of place and rhythm compared to the other characters. Speaking of, I love me some city folks being obnoxious and playing with things they do not understand.
All in all, a very quick reading with an irregular rhythm and a background that is worth exploring.

Happy to say this novel was another gem! Scuttler's Cove takes you on a wild ride of mystery, intrigue, and horrific folklore brought to life! From the POV of several characters, this book draws you in and grips you from start to finish! The story follows Merrin and Jen and their journey to Scuttler's Cove in Cornwall, a majestic seaside town with a deep rooted history that will change both women's lives forever.
A war between myth, monsters of men, and the very fabric of the laws of nature collide in this epic tale!
I think anyone who is a fan of The Harr, with a dash of clash of the titans then you will definitely enjoy this book by David Barnett!

This was such a great folk horror novel and worked with the concept that I was looking for. The plot had that overall feel that I was looking for and had enjoyed how terrifying the sea was in this book. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and was glad I got to read this. David Barnett wrote this perfectly and can’t wait for more.

"There was something in Scuttler’s Cove you couldn’t quite put your finger on. Even the name sounded a bit… creepy-crawly. Put her in mind of things scuttling. Of course, she knew the reason the town was named that, and it was the same reason , probably, that the townsfolk would never really take a copper to their hearts."
‘
⚠️Triggers⚠️
Animal death, murder

⚠️Possible spoiler⚠️


‘Reconcile Endellion and Avallen,’ said Taran. ‘Thee lord of the land and the lady of the sea. As it should always have been, before man interfered. Restore the balance. End the cycle of sacrifice.’

Endellion's fury is unbound because of men's greed and meddling. Yes to feminine rage!
The cover blurb says "A seaside idyll with horror at its heart." and I'm sold. I knew I had to request it though I didn't have high hopes it will be granted. So suffice to say I was pretty excited when I got approved for this ARC. I have seen mostly good reviews about Withered Hill and although I haven't read that one yet, I surely will after this. This is just right up my alley and it is very well-written and sprinkled with what makes a good folk horror - typical elements including a rural setting, isolation, themes of superstition or supernatural entity, folk religion, rituals, sacrifice and the dark aspects of nature. Moral ambiguity of the genre is also to be expected. I'm still curious as to what happened to one of the key characters and his mysterious disappearance. I was left thirsting for more! Withered Hill and Scratch Moss were mentioned at the end so I'm guessing that Scratch Moss is a possible sequel or could be another book entirely. 🤔🤔🤔 Really enjoyed this one. Dark, compelling and atmospheric. Def recommend!


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo publishing 🖤

I loved Withered Hill, but I might love Scuttler’s Cove even more. This is folk horror at its finest, with a great and creepy small town on the coast, some great lore, and characters you really care about. It leads to an intensely satisfying and fantastic ending that will have you actually cheering.

Merrin left the Cornish town of Scuttler's Cove for university and never returned. But now that her mother has died she's going back to the place she had all but forgotten. Jen is recently married and soon after widowed. Her wealthy husband and his wealthy friends have invested in new summer properties in Scuttler's Cove, and they're bringing her with them to take time off in their new investments. Unbeknownst to them, the two women are fated to be part of something ancient that resides in the seaside town.
This was English countryside folk horror at its finest. A secluded village that follows age-old traditions, ancient gods, mystic rituals, everything that makes for a great folk tale is present with a new spin on the theme. It almost feels like a modern version of The Wicker Man, but in best possible way and with its own unique take.

Scuttler's Cove is an absolutely creepy folk horror novel set in Cornwall. A story of old gods, class wars, and sacrifices, this book has secrets galore and, if you like folk horror as much as me, will definitely be among your favorites in the genre.

A woman moves back to the titular small town after the death of her mother. She's been gone for many years and finds the town is a haven for wealthy summer people, while pricing out locals. There's a tension present, rich vs. poor, and it's palpable throughout the story.

But there are things older than the town, living in the ocean and under the soil. Things which require sacrifice for the town to thrive. Old rituals and bloodshed in exchange for prosperity.

And our protagonist is going to find herself in the middle as a returned "daughter" of the town, even if she's not willing.

Filled with great characters, a downright creepy unsettling narrative, and surprises in store which you won't see coming, this is a must read folk horror novel. I highly recommend it.