Midwestern Gothic

2024 SHIRLEY JACKSON AWARD WINNER Four gothic novellas from the novelist of Kill Creek and Violet, praised by the New York Times, National Public Radio, and the American Library Association. In The Door in the Field, a construction worker's bad day becomes a far worse night when drinks at an off-the-books bar send him down an unforeseeably bloody path. In The Boy in the Woods, something evil has infected the counselors at a summer camp, and a young boy will have to do anything he can to survive the night. In One Half of a Child’s Face, a woman spying on her daughter and ex-husband notices an odd painting hanging in an empty apartment . . . one that seems to call to the building’s children. In Wear Your Secret Like a Stone, a big-box clerk discovers that her book pick for a Halloween display echoes a dark secret hidden beneath the idyllic facade of her hometown. With this collection, Scott Thomas digs his hands into the soil of the American heartland and establishes himself as a master of Midwestern Gothic.

About the Author :
Scott Thomas is the Shirley Jackson Award-winning and Stoker-nominated author of Kill Creek, which was selected by the American Library Association's reader committee as the top horror book of 2017, and of Violet, which was praised by NPR. Originally from Coffeyville, Kansas, Scott attended the University of Kansas where he earned degrees in English and Film. He is the Executive Producer/Showrunner of Disney Channel’s Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, Best Friends Whenever and Raven’s Home, Netflix’s Malibu Rescue and Syfy’s Day of the Dead. Scott has been nominated for Emmys for his work on R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour and Raven’s Home. He lives in Sherman Oaks, California with his wife and two daughters. Midwestern Gothic is his third book.

Review :
Praise for Midwestern Gothic “An immersive, chilling, and unsettling read that will put Blantonville on the horror map right next to Castle Rock. Dripping with overwhelming dread on every page.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Midwestern Gothic roots its dread down deep into the region . . . every howl could be the wind or a scream.” —Clay McLeod Chapman “Grabs you by the face. Grim and brutal.” —Stephen Graham Jones “Scott Thomas puts a cool, creepy twist on the summer camp killer story.” —Paul Tremblay Praise for Kill Creek “I’ve only dared to read it in the daylight.”―Kaly Soto, Deputy Weekend Editor, the New York Times Book Review "Intensely realized and beautifully orchestrated Gothic horror."―Joyce Carol Oates "A meditation on horror itself. Why we read it, why we enjoy it... Stephen King-esque storytelling."―The A.V. Club "Not since I readThe Shining in eighth grade has a book scared the crap out of me as much as Kill Creek. The combo of a great premise and an exquisite ability to conjure dread and terror make Scott Thomas’ debut the perfect Halloween treat."―Andy Lewis,The Hollywood Reporter "The horror debut of 2017."―B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog "A menacing and cinematic story that evolves into a bloody, action-driven terrorfest. It is also a thought-provoking and enjoyable look at the genre itself... A match for readers who enjoyed Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House."―Booklist (starred review) "There'll be no admonitions to read this one with the lights on or alone at night. That’s a given. Alone or with friends, lights blazing, or a single reading lamp casting shadows over the page, it won't matter. The result will be the same: shivers for many nights afterward. Kill Creek is the perfect novel to read on Halloween."―New York Journal of Books "Kill Creek is a slow-burn, skin-crawling haunted house novel with a terrifying premise and a shockingly brutal gut-punch of a conclusion. This debut establishes Scott Thomas as a force to be reckoned with on the horror scene. His remarkable ability to build tension and suspense had me on the edge of my seat until the last page." ―Shane D. Keene, HorrorTalk