Book Review: Corpse Creek by Vincent Ralph

A Bleak Haven Novel

Corpse Creek by Vincent Ralph is the fourth book I've read in the Bleak Haven series, and of the two most recent installments, I definitely preferred this one.

The story follows eighteen-year-old Ethan, who returns to the creek where his older brother drowned four years earlier. What begins as an attempt to find some closure quickly takes a darker turn when Ethan encounters a figure that looks remarkably like his dead brother—and suddenly the possibility of bringing him back doesn't seem quite as impossible as it should.

I enjoyed the premise of Fear Farm more; however the execution of Corpse Creek was considerably smoother. There were fewer of the continuity issues that pulled me out of Fear Farm, which made it easier to settle into Ethan's story and follow the mystery surrounding the creek.

That said, of the four Bleak Haven books I've read so far, I still enjoyed the first two—Night Terror and Dead Fake—the most. There's something about the earlier books that worked particularly well for me, although Corpse Creek is still a fun addition to the series.

One thing readers should probably know going into the Bleak Haven books is that, despite the horror elements, these aren't particularly bleak stories when it comes to their conclusions. The books tend to work their way toward relatively happy, feel-good endings rather than leaving you with the kind of darkness you might expect from a horror series. For me, that makes them more accessible than truly brutal horror, but readers looking for something considerably darker may want to keep that in mind.

Overall, Corpse Creek is an enjoyable supernatural mystery with a creepy premise, some interesting questions about death and sacrifice, and a satisfying addition to the ongoing history of Bleak Haven. Of the two most recent books, this one worked better for me.