Can dirt be evil? Not conceptual evil that's either moral or natural. But dank, almost ethereal malevolence comprised of sand, silt, and clay. A profound evil, like the evil that lurks in the sleepy town of Jasper Mill, Tennessee.
Some claim evil came to the Mill in the summer of '94 with the death of little David Abrams at the Kromwell summer camp. But that just shook the hive. Others say old John Tate-the madman who plagued the town in the '60s-planted the evil in the dirt himself, punched it right into the earth with his two big, bloody fists.
But Jasper Mill is evil. It's always been there. Always. Right there in the dirt.
Joey Carpenter doesn't know it, but the dirt is coming for him. At just fifteen, he's learned what the hands of depraved men can do. It had been an innocent conversation with another gay person, another "unicorn." Something to make him feel less alone in the world. But when he awoke in the ICU, he realized it had been much darker.
Joey will escape his bigoted father. He'll flee from the courtroom trial that threatens to publicize his secrets. He'll run all the way to the Tennessee mountains, to Kamp Kromwell, where the dirt waits for him.
2025 IngramSpark(R) Editorial Selection - Horror
About the Author :
A.J. Grea is an author and screenwriter living in East Tennessee with his husband of twenty years, three snarky cats, and a meddlesome squirrel who will not stay away from the windows. A lover of 80s horror, he began writing short stories at the age of nine. One of his first stories, "The Monster Who Ate My Brother," resulted in a parent-teacher conference, during which his mother had to assure the concerned faculty that his siblings were fine. When not spinning hair-raising yarns, A.J. spends time as most middle-aged comic book fans do--playing video games and collecting childhood toys that remind him of when his only responsibility was being home before streetlights began to glow.
Review :
"A compelling thriller that effortlessly balances horror with humor and heart."
- Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)-
- Top Indie Books of 2025 (Kirkus Magazine)
- #1 in Best LGBTQ+ Books of 2025 (Kirkus Magazine)
"Full of heart-pounding suspense and action-packed horror..."
- Booklife Reviews-
- Best in Sci-fi/Fantasy/Horror (2025 Booklife Prize)
- 2025 Booklife Prize Finalist
