🌙 Paranormal

Birds in the Black Water: A Dark, Paranormal Drama

✍️ Kodie Van Dusen
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$17.58
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A counselor faces her past guilt while hunting for a missing mother in a paranormal thriller.

Neviah’s ability to see the Other Side has defined her life since childhood. She uses this connection to help others, yet remains haunted by the consequences of a decision that endangered Martha. The arrival of Martha’s son disrupts her routine and forces her to confront her failures. As she searches for the mother, the shadowy creatures become more aggressive. The narrative focuses on Neviah’s internal struggle with guilt and her external race against time. Dusen presents a story where supernatural threats mirror psychological burdens. The plot relies on character motivation rather than complex world-building. Readers will follow Neviah’s attempts to right her wrongs while protecting her loved ones from the entities that plague her.

Key Themes
maternal instinct supernatural guilt psychological trauma
Literary Context

This work sits within the contemporary paranormal drama tradition, published in 2022. It draws on gothic and supernatural fiction styles to explore modern mental health issues. The narrative blends personal grief with eerie, otherworldly elements typical of dark fiction.

Difficulty
●● Medium
Recommended For Fans Of
Shirley Jackson · Stephen King · Paul Tremblay
🌙
Paranormal
🏛 Big Cheese Books 📅 2022 📖 400 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781778227103

📝 Description: Birds in the Black Water: A Dark, Paranormal Drama

Kodie Dusen crafts a narrative centered on Neviah, a woman who perceives a shadowy realm between past and present. She channels these visions into a successful counseling practice, yet carries deep guilt over a professional error that placed her former client Martha in protective custody nearly a decade ago. The plot intensifies when a young boy arrives at her clinic alone, bearing a letter that identifies him as Martha’s son. This event offers Neviah a path to redemption. The story explores the intersection of mental health, maternal instinct, and grief through a paranormal lens. Neviah must locate the boy’s mother before time expires and before the shadowy creatures that have watched her since childhood cause further harm to those she loves. Dusen crosses genre boundaries to examine how trauma and supernatural elements intertwine in the human experience. The book suits readers interested in dark drama and psychological tension involving grief and redemption. It may not appeal to those seeking lighthearted fiction or pure action without emotional depth.

💎 Our verdict on Birds in the Black Water: A Dark, Paranormal Drama

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Kodie Van Dusen delivers a poignant exploration of guilt and redemption through a paranormal framework. The narrative effectively uses shadowy creatures to mirror Neviah’s internal burdens, creating a tense atmosphere rooted in character motivation rather than elaborate lore. By focusing on the intersection of mental health and supernatural threats, the story offers emotional resonance that transcends typical genre conventions. While it may disappoint those seeking lighthearted fiction or fast-paced action, it rewards readers with a nuanced look at trauma. The integration of psychological depth with horror elements results in a compelling, introspective thriller that examines how past failures haunt the present.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers drawn to dark drama and psychological tension will find significant value in this narrative. Those interested in how grief and redemption intertwine with supernatural elements will appreciate the character-driven approach. It suits individuals who prefer emotional depth over pure action, offering a compelling look at maternal instinct and professional guilt. The book appeals to those who enjoy internal struggles mirrored by external threats, providing a thoughtful examination of trauma without relying on complex world-building. It is ideal for fans of paranormal thrillers that prioritize motivation and psychological burden over traditional horror tropes.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.4
Based on 1 reviews
5
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
0
H
Horror Reads editorial team

Kodie Van Dusen delivers a poignant exploration of guilt and redemption through a paranormal framework. The narrative effectively uses shadowy creatures to mirror Neviah’s internal burdens, creating a tense atmosphere rooted in character motivation rather than elaborate lore. By focusing on the intersection of mental health and supernatural threats, the story offers emotional resonance that transcends typical genre conventions. While it may disappoint those seeking lighthearted fiction or fast-paced action, it rewards readers with a nuanced look at trauma. The integration of psychological depth with horror elements results in a compelling, introspective thriller that examines how past failures haunt the present.

You might also like

See more →
The Haunting of Hill House ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House
$16.99
92
Read →
Frankenstein ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Shelley
Frankenstein
$15.95
92
Read →
Frankenstein ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Frankenstein
$12.99
92
Read →
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
$22.99
92
Read →
The Willows + The Wendigo (Heathen Edition) ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Algernon Blackwood
The Willows + The Wendigo (Heathen Edition)
$17.95
86
Read →
Stars and Other Monsters ✨ New
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Cassandra Celia
Stars and Other Monsters
$17.99
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