The Chill

Starred review from December 2, 2019
Aaron Ellsworth, the protagonist of this creepy tale of supernatural terror from the pseudonymous Carson (a bestselling author), has returned home to upstate New York to a life of substance abuse and minor criminality after being expelled from the Coast Guard. He lost his temper with his partner, a less competent swimmer, during a panic training drill. In order to control his temper through exercise, Aaron decides to swim in the dangerous Chilewaukee Reservoir, whose creation decades earlier submerged the town of Galesburg. After cutting his foot badly during a swim, he gets angry at a state dam inspector who tries to help him. Aaron hits the inspector with a bottle, knocking him into the water, where he drowns. That killing proves to be the precursor to an effort by sinister, ghostly forces to get revenge on those they deem responsible for the destruction of Galesburg. Carson suspends disbelief through plausible characterizations and convincing descriptive passages, especially of the water tunnel system that feeds New York City. Fans of Michael Koryta’s horror thrillers such as The Ridge will be more than satisfied. Agent: Richard Pine, Inkwell Management Literary Agency.

December 15, 2019
In the pseudonymous Carson's debut, something uncanny has awakened in the swelling depths of upstate New York's Chilewaukee Reservoir, aka "The Chill." It's been nearly 80 years since the town of Galesburg was flooded to build the Chilewaukee, and the town didn't go easy. A small contingent of people rebelled, leading to shocking acts of violence. Since then, an otherworldly evil has been waiting for the right time to take revenge against those responsible for destroying the town, which, on a clear day, can still be glimpsed just under the surface of the Chill. Opportunity presents itself in the form of Mick Fleming, chief engineer with the state's division of dam safety, whose grandfather designed the dam. During an inspection, Mick's concerns for the safety and integrity of the Chill--especially in light of recent unrelenting rain--are eclipsed by the appearance of a strange photographer who looks like a figure out of time, and Mick soon finds himself not quite in his right mind. Meanwhile, Gillian Mathers, an officer with the Department of Environmental Protection Police who has old familial ties to Galesburg, is sucked in when she responds to a report of an inexplicable murder at the dam that turns out to be something far stranger. Gillian, Mick, and others are soon drawn in by an insidious force, and inevitably, the sins of the past tragically collide with the present. The premise brims with creepy potential, and readers will learn more than they ever thought they wanted to know about dams and the challenges of harnessing a relentless force of nature that is often taken for granted. However, the meandering plot and muddled mythology eventually give way to scenes from a disaster film, with a thinly fleshed-out cast failing to provide the necessary emotional heft. A waterlogged ghost tale.

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January 1, 2020

The Chilewaukee Reservoir upriver from New York City, aka "The Chill," has a dark past. Under its waters lies the drowned town of Galesburg, which residents were forced to evacuate in order to create the reservoir, all in the name of progress. A century later, many of their descendants remain, but so, too, does a patiently waiting evil. Told from multiple points of view, this latest from pseudonymous author Carson provides a wealth of historical details on everything from engineering to legends. The details build as the perspective switches, adding suspense, quickening the pace, and ratcheting up the terror until everyone and everything in the story seems as if it might burst. VERDICT Based on the true history of a drowned town and inspired by recent articles about the state of New York City's water tunnels, this novel provides an alluring mix of truth and ghost story which will draw interest and keep readers hooked. Read-alikes include Christopher Golden's "Ben Walker" series and the novels of Jennifer McMahon, where humans clash against a monster from the past seeking revenge.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2020
The upstate New York village of Galesburg was drowned seventy-five years ago to create the Chilewaukee Reservoir, or The Chill. The survivors of the families that lived there carry a burden and have a mission. Gillian Mathers, a police officer that protects the reservoirs, is one of these survivors, and she recognizes the signs of danger when strange things begin to happen at the dam. Aaron Ellsworth is the local sheriff's son, who keeps getting himself into trouble. After being kicked out of the Navy, he lacks direction and tries to prove himself by going for a night swim in The Chill. When the man he accidentally kills walks back into the crime scene as if nothing happened, Aaron and Gillian are alerted that not all is right and Gillian is beginning to remember stories from her childhood that might explain what is happening. The citizens of Galesburg are fighting back. The tension of the novel is masterful with a conclusion that feels earned and reasonable as the past hauntingly plays with the present.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)