🩸 Horror Fiction

A Fresh Start

✍️ Somer Canon
Reader Score
4.5
(1 review)
$9.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A mother fights supernatural attacks in a haunted rural hollow with help from local oddballs.

The narrative follows Melissa Caan as she attempts to rebuild her life after divorce. She moves to a remote home where the past refuses to stay buried. Unseen hands attack her and her children, while a neighbor avoids discussing past murders. Canon introduces a diverse group of helpers including ghost hunters and witches. These characters help Melissa confront the entities haunting the hollow. The story balances domestic struggle with supernatural horror elements.

Key Themes
supernatural attacks rural isolation community intervention
Literary Context

Published by Macabre Ink in 2019, this work sits within the contemporary American horror genre. It utilizes the rural gothic tradition to explore themes of trauma and healing through a lens of supernatural fiction.

Difficulty
● Easy
Recommended For Fans Of
Shirley Jackson · Stephen King · Clive Barker · Sarah Waters
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Macabre Ink 📅 2019 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781950565481

📝 Description: A Fresh Start

Somer Canon presents a narrative centered on Melissa Caan, who relocates with her two young children to a rural property in an effort to recover from her divorce. The setting is a strangely named hollow where past violence lingers. Melissa encounters violent phenomena including slamming doors and physical attacks by unseen hands. Her elderly neighbor remains silent regarding murders that occurred at this location years ago. Canon structures the story around community intervention. Ghost hunters, witches, and a sassy cancer survivor unite to assist Melissa in protecting her family from these supernatural threats. The plot examines the intersection of personal grief and local history. It draws on traditions of rural horror and ghostly interference. The narrative does not shy away from the physical danger faced by the protagonist. This book suits readers who enjoy stories about family resilience against paranormal forces. It may not appeal to those seeking purely academic analyses of gothic literature or historical non-fiction. Canon’s work focuses on character-driven conflict within a specific haunted setting. The resolution depends on whether Melissa can secure safety for her children in this troubled environment.

💎 Our verdict on A Fresh Start

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Somer Canon delivers a tense narrative that effectively merges the trauma of divorce with the visceral fear of supernatural attacks. The story succeeds by grounding its horror in the immediate physical safety of the protagonist and her children, creating high stakes through unseen hands and slamming doors. Canon’s choice to include a diverse group of helpers, including witches and ghost hunters, revitalizes the rural horror subgenre by emphasizing community intervention over solitary struggle. The tone balances domestic resilience with genuine dread, avoiding academic pretension in favor of character-driven conflict. This approach makes the terrifying events feel personal and urgent. The book is best suited for readers who enjoy family-centric paranormal thrillers where the environment itself acts as an antagonist. It offers a satisfying exploration of local history and past violence without resorting to complex literary theory.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers seeking a blend of domestic drama and supernatural terror will find this narrative compelling. It appeals to those who enjoy stories where personal grief intersects with local history, offering a grounded perspective on paranormal threats. The inclusion of diverse helpers provides a unique community dynamic often missing in isolated horror tales. Fans of character-driven conflict within haunted settings will appreciate the focus on family resilience. The book offers an accessible entry point into rural horror without requiring academic knowledge. It is ideal for audiences who prefer physical danger and emotional stakes over abstract gothic analysis. The balance of ghostly interference and practical intervention creates a tense, engaging experience for those who like to see protagonists actively fight back against unseen forces in their homes.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Somer Canon delivers a tense narrative that effectively merges the trauma of divorce with the visceral fear of supernatural attacks. The story succeeds by grounding its horror in the immediate physical safety of the protagonist and her children, creating high stakes through unseen hands and slamming doors. Canon’s choice to include a diverse group of helpers, including witches and ghost hunters, revitalizes the rural horror subgenre by emphasizing community intervention over solitary struggle. The tone balances domestic resilience with genuine dread, avoiding academic pretension in favor of character-driven conflict. This approach makes the terrifying events feel personal and urgent. The book is best suited for readers who enjoy family-centric paranormal thrillers where the environment itself acts as an antagonist. It offers a satisfying exploration of local history and past violence without resorting to complex literary theory.

📖 From the series “Crossroad Press Ladies of Horror”

Madame Vampire
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Robin Burks
Madame Vampire
$10.99
86
Read →
Sacrificial Lambs and Others
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Sheri White
Sacrificial Lambs and Others
$9.99
81
Read →
Absalom's Wake
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Nancy A Collins
Absalom's Wake
$9.99
81
Read →
Zombie: A Love Story
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Patricia Lee Macomber
Zombie: A Love Story
$9.99
78
Read →
Cold Comforts
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Marianne Halbert
Cold Comforts
$9.99
86
Read →
Sacrifice Island
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Kristin Dearborn
Sacrifice Island
$10.99
78
Read →

✍️ More books by this author Somer Canon

Picking You Out of My Teeth
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Somer Canon
Picking You Out of My Teeth
$9.99
81
Read →
Slaves To Gravity
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Somer Canon
Slaves To Gravity
$11.99
81
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Macabre Ink

The Devil's in the Flaws & Other Dark Truths
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
David Niall Wilson
The Devil's in the Flaws & Other Dark Truths
$35.99
86
Read →
The Red Death
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Dan Henk
The Red Death
$12.99
81
Read →
Hawg
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Steven Shrewsbury
Hawg
$10.99
81
Read →
Read Me and Other Ghost Stories
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Keith Minnion
Read Me and Other Ghost Stories
$12.99
81
Read →
Catching Hell
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Greg F Gifune
Catching Hell
$10.99
81
Read →
I Am Dracula
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
C Dean Andersson
I Am Dracula
$12.99
81
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Picking You Out of My Teeth ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Somer Canon
Picking You Out of My Teeth
$9.99
81
Read →
Slaves To Gravity ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
1
Somer Canon
Slaves To Gravity
$11.99
81
Read →
Cold Comforts ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Marianne Halbert
Cold Comforts
$9.99
86
Read →
Delightful Agony ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
David Whitman
Delightful Agony
$9.99
86
Read →
Twelfth Krampus Night ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Matt Manochio
Twelfth Krampus Night
$9.99
86
Read →
Strange Roads ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Steven Lloyd
Strange Roads
$9.99
86
Read →

Have a question about this item?

Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.

Home Genres
Cart
Wishlist