🩸 Horror Fiction

Circles in Hermes' Footsteps

✍️ Brian Harmon
Reader Score
4.4
(1 review)
$17.99
In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days
📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A couple investigates a haunted forest linked to childhood trauma and ancient secrets.

Harmon explores the psychological toll of unresolved past events through the lens of supernatural horror. Wayne’s journey is not merely about survival but understanding the roots of his near-death experience. The narrative connects personal grief with communal history in Gutler's Weep. The presence of the Temple of the Blind suggests a deeper, older evil influencing current events. Harmon avoids simple monster tropes by focusing on the environmental horror of a land that refuses to stay still. The story examines how family secrets can manifest as physical threats. Olivia’s role highlights the shared burden of uncovering painful truths. The text suggests that some mysteries are better left buried, yet the characters are compelled to dig deeper.

Key Themes
Gutler's Weep Temple of the Blind Circles in Hermes' Footsteps
Literary Context

The work engages with American gothic fiction traditions, specifically the trope of the haunted wilderness. It references local folklore surrounding remote areas and the supernatural. The narrative draws on themes of family trauma and historical mystery prevalent in contemporary horror literature.

Difficulty
●●● Challenging
Recommended For Fans Of
H.P. Lovecraft · Shirley Jackson · Thomas Ligotti
🩸
Horror Fiction
🏛 Brian Harmon 📅 2023 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781945559242

📝 Description: Circles in Hermes' Footsteps

Brian Harmon presents a horror narrative centered on Wayne, who dreads family gatherings. His reluctance intensifies as an adult living apart from his relatives. He wishes to return home to his fiancée, Olivia, after a brief weekend visit. A disturbing revelation regarding a childhood accident that nearly killed him serves as the initial shock of this hot July night. This discovery leads Wayne and Olivia into Gutler's Weep, a remote wilderness area known for its shifting landscape and undead entities. Ghostly children haunt trespassers in this region where reality itself is fractured. The plot investigates a hundred-year-old mystery linked to the Temple of the Blind. Harmon structures the story around the search for the Circles in Hermes' Footsteps. The narrative draws on gothic traditions of haunted landscapes and supernatural folklore. It appeals to readers who enjoy atmospheric dread and mysterious locales. Those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions may find the shifting reality disorienting. The book relies on the tension between past trauma and present danger. Harmon uses the setting of Gutler's Weep to explore how old sins resurface. The story concludes with the protagonists facing the consequences of their investigation into the forest's dark history.

💎 Our verdict on Circles in Hermes' Footsteps

“
🩸
Horror Reads editorial team
Horror desk
Harmon crafts a tense exploration of how old sins resurface through the lens of supernatural horror. The narrative excels in building atmospheric dread within Gutler's Weep, where the landscape itself becomes a hostile entity reflecting internal trauma. By avoiding simple monster tropes, the story achieves a chilling effect through its focus on fractured reality and ancestral secrets. This approach suits readers who enjoy gothic traditions and mysterious locales. However, those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions may find the shifting perspective disorienting. The book effectively links personal grief with communal history, offering a thoughtful critique of how family secrets can manifest as physical dangers in a world that refuses to stay still.
✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate slow-burn atmospheric horror and psychological depth will find this narrative compelling. It appeals to those interested in how unresolved family trauma manifests as physical threats within a supernatural context. The book is ideal for individuals who enjoy exploring the intersection of personal grief and communal history through a lens of environmental dread. Those who prefer complex, ambiguous narratives over straightforward monster tales will appreciate the focus on the psychological toll of uncovering past sins. It offers a unique experience for readers willing to navigate disorienting shifts in reality to understand the roots of fear.

⭐ 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

Harmon crafts a tense exploration of how old sins resurface through the lens of supernatural horror. The narrative excels in building atmospheric dread within Gutler's Weep, where the landscape itself becomes a hostile entity reflecting internal trauma. By avoiding simple monster tropes, the story achieves a chilling effect through its focus on fractured reality and ancestral secrets. This approach suits readers who enjoy gothic traditions and mysterious locales. However, those seeking fast-paced action or clear resolutions may find the shifting perspective disorienting. The book effectively links personal grief with communal history, offering a thoughtful critique of how family secrets can manifest as physical dangers in a world that refuses to stay still.

📖 From the series “The Temple of the Three Whispers”

The Lady of Cedric's Cove
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Lady of Cedric's Cove
$17.99
78
Read →
The Denselands
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Denselands
$17.99
78
Read →
Misplaced in Mysteria
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Misplaced in Mysteria
$17.99
78
Read →
Priestess of Ruin
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Priestess of Ruin
$17.99
81
Read →
The Keeper's Dollhouse
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Keeper's Dollhouse
$17.99
81
Read →

✍️ More books by this author Brian Harmon

Whispers in the Murk
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Brian Harmon
Whispers in the Murk
$31.99
86
Read →
Priestess of Ruin
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Priestess of Ruin
$17.99
81
Read →
The Keeper's Dollhouse
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Keeper's Dollhouse
$17.99
81
Read →
The Denselands
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Denselands
$17.99
78
Read →
Misplaced in Mysteria
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Misplaced in Mysteria
$17.99
78
Read →
The Lady of Cedric's Cove
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Lady of Cedric's Cove
$17.99
78
Read →

🏛 Books from this publisher Brian Harmon

Rushed: Relic
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Rushed: Relic
$17.99
78
Read →
Rushed: Evancurt
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Rushed: Evancurt
$19.99
78
Read →
Broken Clocks and Amber Threads
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Brian Harmon
Broken Clocks and Amber Threads
$29.99
86
Read →
Whispers in the Murk
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
Brian Harmon
Whispers in the Murk
$31.99
86
Read →
The Lady of Cedric's Cove
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
The Lady of Cedric's Cove
$17.99
78
Read →
Priestess of Ruin
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.5
Brian Harmon
Priestess of Ruin
$17.99
81
Read →

You might also like

See more →
Broken Clocks and Amber Threads
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Brian Harmon
Broken Clocks and Amber Threads
$29.99
86
Read →
Whispers in the Murk
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.6
1
Brian Harmon
Whispers in the Murk
$31.99
86
Read →
The Haunting of Hill House
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Shirley Jackson
The Haunting of Hill House
$16.99
92
Read →
Frankenstein
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Mary Shelley
Frankenstein
$15.95
92
Read →
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Dracula (Masterpiece Library Edition)
$22.99
92
Read →
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works
★★★★★
★★★★★
4.8
1
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe: Collected Works
$24.99
92
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