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Cover of COFFIN MOON
4.25

Based on 863 Goodreads ratings

COFFIN MOON

by Name (2024), Rosson returns with an even grungier throwback, dressed up as a vampire\u002Dinfested road novel. In December 1975, just outside Portland, Oregon, roughneck bartender Duane Minor knows he’s on thin ice. His wife, Heidi, a college student who dreams of becoming a writer, is none too pleased with his PTSD and burgeoning drinking problem. Duane is managing to just hold down his in\u002Dlaws’ bar, the Last Call Tavern, but he knows something funny is going on with the business. Meanwhile, Heidi and Duane are both trying to connect with Heidi’s 13\u002Dyear\u002Dold niece, Julia, who was reluctantly sent to them after her mother murdered her stepfather. It’s a rough scene made worse when Duane has a bad run\u002Din at the bar one night with a bunch of bikers led by one John Varley. After the century\u002Dold Varley viciously dismembers both Heidi and her parents, Duane and Julia hit the road seeking vengeance. For horror fans, this is closer to crime fiction than loftier vampire fare—think Richard Lange’s terrific outlier Rovers (2021) or From Dusk Till Dawn in lieu of tortured immortals in velvet capes. Julia’s character takes a dramatic turn after they encounter a sanctuary dubbed the Children’s Museum, led by an ancient, lonely creature called Adeline. Even as he and Julia navigate this bizarre subculture, Duane’s defining characteristic remains the conflict between his inner demons and his outer ones. “You want that man to come forward, that killer I was, but I’ll drown if I do it. I’ll die,” he swears. Meanwhile, John Varley and his psychotic “thrall” leave a bloody trail across the country, chased by one broken man and a little girl with nothing but half a dozen silver bullets to their names."

Book Details

Publisher:Feeling his oats after the knockout twofer of Fever House
Published:2023-01-01
Pages:321
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9780593733

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This chilling YA thriller plunges readers into a world of ancient prophecies and modern-day peril, where a lunar cycle dictates the fate of a small town gripped by supernatural forces. The narrative ...

Our Review

This chilling YA thriller plunges readers into a world of ancient prophecies and modern-day peril, where a lunar cycle dictates the fate of a small town gripped by supernatural forces. The narrative masterfully blends gothic atmosphere with relentless pacing, creating a page-turner that explores themes of legacy, sacrifice, and the terrifying weight of destiny under the titular celestial body. Atmospheric dread builds with each phase of the moon, pulling the protagonist deeper into a mystery generations in the making.

What sets this paranormal suspense novel apart is its deeply relatable teenage hero, whose struggle against a predetermined path will resonate powerfully with young adult readers. The author skillfully grounds the supernatural elements in authentic emotional stakes, making the horror feel both epic and intensely personal. Fans of eerie small-town settings and myth-driven plots will find themselves completely absorbed until the final, breathtaking page.

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