So much gratitude to Literary Press Group of Canada, Now Or Never Publishing and NetGalley for giving me access to an early copy of Lowfield!

Being immersed in the descriptions of nostalgic 90's pop culture references and Canadian east coast imagery was quite possibly one of my favorite things to experience, along with the terrifying grip the story had on me to keep reading. A eerily gothic cosmic horror, set in Prince Edward Island 🇨🇦, was packed with disturbing and existentially dreadful consequences, from the very beginning!

This was a truly harrowing and reflective story that had a blend of historical facts mixed with horrific, otherworldly fiction 😱 Sampson's writing is witty, easy to follow, even if the content and topics discussed are hard to stomach. Not for the faint of heart (HEAVY TRIGGER WARNING⚠️), but definitely for the morbidly curious 🫣

A quietly powerful novel about isolation, belonging, and the weight of the past in a rural community. Sampson’s sharp prose and atmospheric storytelling make this a deeply reflective read

Luckily, I read a few of the other reviews before picking this one up, but after requesting. I refuse to read anything that has pedophilia in it. How people can even write about that in a book meant for entertainment is beyond me. I'm going to be generous and give 3 stars, but honestly, I would not recommend this to anyone, and won't read it. You can't unseen things after they end up in your head.

Trigger warnings will be very helpful with this one. If I’d known or even had an indication from the description the amount and types of sexual assault that would be referenced and shown I wouldn’t have requested this one. As I read I mentally prepared for the possibility of a rape scene. I was not prepared for a pedophilia fantasy.

If the author meant to make Riley unlikable and illustrate how women are often thought of as accessories to someone else’s story, well done author. (Side note: I don’t know what potato titted means but I don’t want to read it ever again) It wasn’t enjoyable for me but I may not be the target audience. Plot wise, I actually enjoyed the progression and pacing.

“There was very little life out here, which made it sort of spooky. But still.”

Genre:
General Adult Fiction
Horror:
-Cosmic
-Canadian
-gothic
-occult
-philosophical
historical fiction

Trigger warnings:
Death
Rape
Incest
Suicide and suicidal ideations
Abortion
Sexual assault
Intergenerational trauma and abuse
“So this raises the question:why don’t I leave? If I know that my presence here might cause something terrible to happen, then why don’t I flee from this place and never come back? “

If you are looking for a horror read for the cathartic release that accompanies a happy ending, then please do not pick up this book. It isn't the read for you. It is in every sense of the term a cosmic horror narrative.

I actually really liked this book, but know that it will be very triggering to many people due to the incest and rape that features heavily in the second half of the narrative. That being said there is really no graphic descriptions of any of those things happening and the reader is only made aware that these events when the protagonist is told by other characters that the girls and women of the town have accused their male family members of such horrific abuse and that these events have occurred in the past.

“He knew there was a bigger story—decades or even centuries old, and much darker than he could have imagined—burbling under the surface of his own tale.”

I received a physical copy of this book from the publishing company and an ebook arc copy from Netgalley for reviewing purposes.

Lowfield is a testament to exquisite writing. Its prose is both elegant and meticulously crafted, showcasing the author's undeniable talent. However, despite the beauty of the language and the richness of its narrative world, I found it challenging to connect with the story on a personal level. The narrative, while intricately woven, didn't quite resonate with me, and I struggled to maintain my engagement throughout.

This disconnect is not a criticism of the author's skill; rather, it reflects my own reading preferences. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete the book, and I feel that providing a rating would not do justice to the effort invested in this work. As such, I cannot provide ratings on GoodReads and Fable for books I did not finish.

A dark story that really does fit into the cosmic horror genre. I am used to New England as my setting for a great deal of this type of horror but it was refreshing to have a different setting, in this case Prince Edward Island. The pacing is good and the journal/diary entries really helped ramp up the suspense. 4 stars.

Creepy house, suspicious family history, spooky vibes all around!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

This is creepy AF. A disgraced cop moves to his families ancestral home for a new start. But the house is wicked and his family history is even more wicked. There’s an abandoned village behind the property where an entity is trying to escape. Really, really disturbing and upsetting things happen. There’s a lot of sexual deviancy in this and it will turn your stomach. Be warned. I kept reading thinking, how much worse can it get? It gets worse. Lots of history about Prince Edward Island as well. Love the cover art. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Sometimes you should not look for secrets within your bloodline…
Riley Fuller is an Off-Duty Sick Mountie that has had a rough few years. He’s middle-aged, an ex-wife, small apartment, and PTSD from watching three of his colleagues murdered. The big question is: should he give into the hope of a second chance or just use his Glock to end his misery?
Riley does get another chance when he finds an old deed in his deceased father’s belongings. The deed is for a house on Prince Edward Island that has been abandoned for the last 65 years. Riley decides to plant roots at Applegarth but is wholly unaware of quite what he has planted in his hopes of a second chance.
I really enjoyed this book, this morally grey character, and Mark Sampson's writing style. I think that it is worth the read.
TW: Sexual Themes (I try my darndest to not give away spoilers, but there are some unpleasant sexual elements in this novel that may not be suitable for some)

This is a well written book. It has some fine lines, a few well conceived set pieces, a fair share of perceptive and insightful observations, and some lean dialogue. Atmosphere and setting is top drawer. That said, try as I might I found neither the characters, nor their situations, nor the overall narrative engaging enough to arouse or hold my curiosity and attention. As a consequence, it doesn't seem fair to write much more of a review, apart from encouraging inquisitive readers to give the book a try.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc! I’m excited to look into more work from this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Sampson’s “Lowfield” is a spooky read with elements of cosmic horror, while also pulling in unique elements of Prince Edward Island’s history and geography.

The plot focuses on disgraced RCMP officer Riley Fuller, who inherits Applegarth - a dilapidated but historic family home. Seeing an opportunity for a fresh start on PEI, he moves in and the house’s dark influence reawakens and begins taking a toll on him… and on the surrounding community. With the help of some locals, including a young and ambitious newspaper reporter, he unravels the mystery of Applegarth’s dark past, while simultaneously grappling with a recent tragedy in his life.

Initially, the similarities to Stephen King, particularly the novel Salem’s Lot (and especially his short story “Jerusalem’s Lot”, which goes into the backstory of that cursed village) were a bit too strong for my liking, but seeing a few wink-and-nudge direct references to King’s setting made me realize it’s more of an homage to his work rather than a duplication.

The only content warning I’d call out is that, as the house reawakens and exerts its influence on the community, there are a lot of mentions of sexual assault, which adds to the grim and unsettling atmosphere but may not be to every reader’s liking.

Overall, “Lowfield” was an enjoyable read and would be great for fans of Stephen King who also want a little Canadian history mixed in with creepy atmosphere and classic horror moments!