What do you think?
Rate this book
Lovely, Dark & Deep
Every year, Six Mile Island has a seasonal shutdown for serious weather. This year, the forecast is calling for the storm of a century, so most of the population has agreed to an evacuation in order to more safely ride out the storm on the mainland. When a child goes missing on the cusp of the oceanic storm, a select few inhabitants are left behind to perform a frantic search. Little do they know that the ocean is bringing more than a storm to Six Mile... An ancient species hungers from the sea.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2024
185 people are currently reading
3,315 people want to read
About the author
Megan Stockton
44books225followersMegan Stockton is an indie author who lives in rural Middle Tennessee with her husband and two children. She primarily writes, horror, thriller, dystopian, and science fiction/fantasy novels that are character-driven and immersive. She is known for delivering works that are raw, thought-provoking, brutal, and cinematic.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
March 4, 2024
A storm is rolling over Six Mile Island. With it comes something ancient.
Lovely, Dark & Deep is my kind of book!! The writing is engaging and perfectly paced. The characters are fleshed out and interesting. And the plot is full of dark imagery.
I went into this book fairly blind but assumed it was going to be cosmic horror based on the blurb...not sure why now, lol. However, the narrative took a hard turn, and while cosmic is my favorite subgenre, I was 100% in for this.
I didn't want it to end. Now that it did, I feel a book hangover coming on.
5 Dark and stormy nights!!!
Lovely, Dark & Deep is my kind of book!! The writing is engaging and perfectly paced. The characters are fleshed out and interesting. And the plot is full of dark imagery.
I went into this book fairly blind but assumed it was going to be cosmic horror based on the blurb...not sure why now, lol. However, the narrative took a hard turn, and while cosmic is my favorite subgenre, I was 100% in for this.
I didn't want it to end. Now that it did, I feel a book hangover coming on.
5 Dark and stormy nights!!!
February 29, 2024
They All Longed for the Sea...
LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP by Megan Stockton
No spoilers. 4 stars. Six Mile Island was preparing to evacuate its population to the mainland due to an expected storm...
The storm of the century...
A bloated body was found on the beach covered in light-reflecting crystals of sea salt...
Or maybe it was just sand...
Little Fisher hid behind a clump of beach grass to get a better look at the dead man. He was curious...
And curiosity killed the cat...
His dad called to Fisher from the dock where he was sitting. Fisher told dad about the sparkly body on the beach...
Sheriff Lyra Hirsch had enough on her hands with the evacuation and the storm's eminent approach. Now this, the body...
Sheriff Hirsch liked smooth sailing...
Barbora Todd reported that her baby had been stolen from his crib. He was all she had left since her husband went missing at sea...
Barbora was a bit of a nutter...
When the sheriff looked at the open nursery window, she saw a long trail of black slime from the sill to the sand...
Footprints were embedded in the slime...
With the Storm bearing down on the island, little Fisher ran away from mom to the other side of the island to be with dad...
Had the entire population of Six Mile Island gone mad? They all suddenly seemed to long for the sea...
This was an atmospheric story that was, imo, better in the first half than it was in the second half. Midway, the story became somewhat repetitive, and the reveal at the end needed more explanation.
Overall, this was a good story that lacked adequate closure.
LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP by Megan Stockton
No spoilers. 4 stars. Six Mile Island was preparing to evacuate its population to the mainland due to an expected storm...
The storm of the century...
A bloated body was found on the beach covered in light-reflecting crystals of sea salt...
Or maybe it was just sand...
Little Fisher hid behind a clump of beach grass to get a better look at the dead man. He was curious...
And curiosity killed the cat...
His dad called to Fisher from the dock where he was sitting. Fisher told dad about the sparkly body on the beach...
Sheriff Lyra Hirsch had enough on her hands with the evacuation and the storm's eminent approach. Now this, the body...
Sheriff Hirsch liked smooth sailing...
Barbora Todd reported that her baby had been stolen from his crib. He was all she had left since her husband went missing at sea...
Barbora was a bit of a nutter...
When the sheriff looked at the open nursery window, she saw a long trail of black slime from the sill to the sand...
Footprints were embedded in the slime...
With the Storm bearing down on the island, little Fisher ran away from mom to the other side of the island to be with dad...
Had the entire population of Six Mile Island gone mad? They all suddenly seemed to long for the sea...
This was an atmospheric story that was, imo, better in the first half than it was in the second half. Midway, the story became somewhat repetitive, and the reveal at the end needed more explanation.
Overall, this was a good story that lacked adequate closure.
March 24, 2024
LOVELY, DARK & DEEP [2024] By Megan Stockton
My Review 4 Stars Out Of 5
I became a fan of Megan Stockton with “Bluejay�, and had no reservations about buying her latest novel. This one is billed “Occult� Suspense/Horror. The threat comes from the sea, thus the author’s decision to set the story on “Six Mile Island� in the wake of a powerful and destructive storm rolling in which will drive nearly all residents from their homes and onto the mainland for safety is both smart on the author’s part and scary as hell for us readers.
First a word of praise for Stockton’s ability to build tension in her readers tight as a bowstring ready to snap. This frightening outing is claustrophobic in feel and movement from the first page, and the author creates an acute sense of immediacy by using the first-person perspective of her main characters with alternating chapters, each chapter titled with the POV.
We first meet our young boy Fisher snooping around at the shoreline where the Sheriff (Lyra) and her fawning Deputy (Landon) are scoping out a dead body on the beach. The author’s talent for writing descriptive detail had me mildly nauseated reading the description of the corpse. The bloated, ruptured corpse still looked 9 months pregnant and was covered in crystals, not to mention sans sex organs. The “John Doe� is taken to the local coroner and we all know how that goes, do we not?
Five fishermen had gone out on a boat two years earlier and never returned to the island. Their bodies, nor their gear or their boat were ever located. A sailor named Felix, one of our main characters did not go out on the sea that day.
I was initially just a little confused because the boy Fisher was having a conversation with his father on the island while his dad had the boat anchored. His mother (Juno) was bearing the brunt of the kid’s continued heartache and wrote in his diary that his mom did not understand how much he needed his father to come home.
The Sheriff (Lyra) was in her forties, and trying to handle a significant romantic crush from her Deputy Landon, who among other considerations was likely at least fifteen years her junior. Significantly, Lyra was not healed from her breakup with Felix. There was no fanfare when she broke it off with Felix, but inside she felt like it had left something irreparable inside her. The reader finds out a little later that “Felix� is a woman, and that she is still in love with Lyra.
The storm is bearing down and now the Police Station gets a distress call from Barbora Todd, one of the women whose husband never returned. But, Barbora has a young baby which is a mystery to everyone. She is hysterical because her baby is suddenly missing. This requires a police investigation, which solves the crime�. until it doesn’t.
This is not a long novel, but Stockton makes every paragraph count. There is hardly a moment you are not saying to yourself “What the---?� The sheriff locks Barbora Todd up in the Police Station because of physical evidence of foul play relative to her baby. Landon had obviously wanted to kill the mother, but when she was in custody, he did (accidentally?) shoot her in the head while Lyra was out. He had a tall story about a man who was sucking on Barbora’s throat who was not human.
This fast-moving plot is rich with well developed characters and spot-on descriptions of all the blood, carnage, and strange inhuman creatures that are being encountered along the way. Fisher becomes convinced he is hallucinating his father and sends his mother Juno from the safety of the Church back to the house to lock the doors. The Coroner Phillip calls and wants to come to talk to the police about his autopsy on John Doe. Landon goes to see Phil (without) his gun because of the shooting incident and Landon later returns but he is not the same man who left to see Phil.
The sense of claustrophobia, the fear of the unknown, the certainty of a bite on the neck by the “infected� meaning you would change into the unrecognizable…the immediacy she successfully created by the first person POVs of the main characters and then their urgent trips around town to check this person, pick up that person, it was nerve wracking. It kept the tension palpable.
Perhaps most of all, and the only criticisms that might remain is that the ending was hopeless and bleak, and there was the question of the etiology of the “ancient species that hungered from the sea�. The author’s afterword in the form of “Three Years Earlier� offered details about the men who were lost at sea. I interpreted it to be the author’s idea or construct of what “Sirens� might have been and how that the sailors were lured from the safety of their vessels. In any case, another original, solid, and exciting horror yarn from Megan Stockton.
“Ancient Species That Hungered from The Sea�
My Review 4 Stars Out Of 5
I became a fan of Megan Stockton with “Bluejay�, and had no reservations about buying her latest novel. This one is billed “Occult� Suspense/Horror. The threat comes from the sea, thus the author’s decision to set the story on “Six Mile Island� in the wake of a powerful and destructive storm rolling in which will drive nearly all residents from their homes and onto the mainland for safety is both smart on the author’s part and scary as hell for us readers.
First a word of praise for Stockton’s ability to build tension in her readers tight as a bowstring ready to snap. This frightening outing is claustrophobic in feel and movement from the first page, and the author creates an acute sense of immediacy by using the first-person perspective of her main characters with alternating chapters, each chapter titled with the POV.
We first meet our young boy Fisher snooping around at the shoreline where the Sheriff (Lyra) and her fawning Deputy (Landon) are scoping out a dead body on the beach. The author’s talent for writing descriptive detail had me mildly nauseated reading the description of the corpse. The bloated, ruptured corpse still looked 9 months pregnant and was covered in crystals, not to mention sans sex organs. The “John Doe� is taken to the local coroner and we all know how that goes, do we not?
Five fishermen had gone out on a boat two years earlier and never returned to the island. Their bodies, nor their gear or their boat were ever located. A sailor named Felix, one of our main characters did not go out on the sea that day.
I was initially just a little confused because the boy Fisher was having a conversation with his father on the island while his dad had the boat anchored. His mother (Juno) was bearing the brunt of the kid’s continued heartache and wrote in his diary that his mom did not understand how much he needed his father to come home.
The Sheriff (Lyra) was in her forties, and trying to handle a significant romantic crush from her Deputy Landon, who among other considerations was likely at least fifteen years her junior. Significantly, Lyra was not healed from her breakup with Felix. There was no fanfare when she broke it off with Felix, but inside she felt like it had left something irreparable inside her. The reader finds out a little later that “Felix� is a woman, and that she is still in love with Lyra.
The storm is bearing down and now the Police Station gets a distress call from Barbora Todd, one of the women whose husband never returned. But, Barbora has a young baby which is a mystery to everyone. She is hysterical because her baby is suddenly missing. This requires a police investigation, which solves the crime�. until it doesn’t.
This is not a long novel, but Stockton makes every paragraph count. There is hardly a moment you are not saying to yourself “What the---?� The sheriff locks Barbora Todd up in the Police Station because of physical evidence of foul play relative to her baby. Landon had obviously wanted to kill the mother, but when she was in custody, he did (accidentally?) shoot her in the head while Lyra was out. He had a tall story about a man who was sucking on Barbora’s throat who was not human.
This fast-moving plot is rich with well developed characters and spot-on descriptions of all the blood, carnage, and strange inhuman creatures that are being encountered along the way. Fisher becomes convinced he is hallucinating his father and sends his mother Juno from the safety of the Church back to the house to lock the doors. The Coroner Phillip calls and wants to come to talk to the police about his autopsy on John Doe. Landon goes to see Phil (without) his gun because of the shooting incident and Landon later returns but he is not the same man who left to see Phil.
The sense of claustrophobia, the fear of the unknown, the certainty of a bite on the neck by the “infected� meaning you would change into the unrecognizable…the immediacy she successfully created by the first person POVs of the main characters and then their urgent trips around town to check this person, pick up that person, it was nerve wracking. It kept the tension palpable.
Perhaps most of all, and the only criticisms that might remain is that the ending was hopeless and bleak, and there was the question of the etiology of the “ancient species that hungered from the sea�. The author’s afterword in the form of “Three Years Earlier� offered details about the men who were lost at sea. I interpreted it to be the author’s idea or construct of what “Sirens� might have been and how that the sailors were lured from the safety of their vessels. In any case, another original, solid, and exciting horror yarn from Megan Stockton.
“Ancient Species That Hungered from The Sea�
February 26, 2024
The synopsis of this one is brief and so is the book itself, so I'm not going to add to the description at the risk of giving anything away. This story of what happens to the inhabitants of a small island who stay behind when a big storm hits is told from multiple POVs. The gory action sets in as quickly as the storm, and the writing is solid. I got vibes of John Carpenter's The Fog among other references I won't reveal for fear of spoilers. Just trust that if you're looking for an entertaining story that pulls no punches and evokes the salty atmosphere of the sea, you can find it in Lovely, Dark & Deep. One caveat: I wouldn't go into this expecting a story that is neatly tied up in the end. I have unanswered questions and that doesn't necessarily bother me, I just wonder if a sequel (or perhaps prequel) might be in the cards.
September 4, 2024
Not my favorite, but definitely had some creepy/graphic descriptions!! It felt a bit clunky but I will definitely check out more from this author (I’ve read Bluejay and MAN it packed a punch). I’d still recommend if you like indie horror!!
March 3, 2025
3.5 stars. I can see why a good portion of the other reviews were a bit more tepid. Some of the creative decisions here could have been taken badly, especially the final chapter. I didn't dislike any of it. It took a concept akin to 30 Days of Night (Storm instead of snow) and mixed it with a bit of Salem's Lot (The name Mears appeared here) and infused it with some elements from mythology. So, the author did a good job of creating something unique. Where I felt the story faltered a bit was the untimely conclusion of so many of the characters and a bit of a weaker conclusion. I also greatly struggled with the number of characters and the constant jumping person to person with each chapter. Not sure exactly how this could have been retooled, but I think keeping the perspective with Lyra would be a good start. And the ending needed to be adjusted, with maybe some additional options for the characters, too. Not a bad read, by any means, but just had some minor issues that worked against it at times.
February 19, 2024
FANTASTIC!
If you like movies like The Fog (OG), books like Clickers, or shows like Midnight Mass, then this book is right up your alley. I flew through this book! Everything feels like you can smell the ocean, hear the noises, and the pursuit of saving yourself as things start to happen.
A small population on a small island right of the coast, is preparing for a big storm. Most folks already left for the main land but a few still haven't yet. The sheriff and her deputy have to take care of a body, find a missing baby, and remind the rest of the population to get off the island or to hunker down. And this is just the beginning, as something comes from the sea. Something unexpected.
Vividly written with strong characters, you are about to experience a scary tale about the things that hide in the sea.
If you like movies like The Fog (OG), books like Clickers, or shows like Midnight Mass, then this book is right up your alley. I flew through this book! Everything feels like you can smell the ocean, hear the noises, and the pursuit of saving yourself as things start to happen.
A small population on a small island right of the coast, is preparing for a big storm. Most folks already left for the main land but a few still haven't yet. The sheriff and her deputy have to take care of a body, find a missing baby, and remind the rest of the population to get off the island or to hunker down. And this is just the beginning, as something comes from the sea. Something unexpected.
Vividly written with strong characters, you are about to experience a scary tale about the things that hide in the sea.
May 7, 2024
Lovely, Dark & Deep was a sleep hit with me. It took me a bit to get used to Megan’s writing, like “army crawled.� However, once I did, I flew through it in one sitting. So fucking good! A proper review is coming later.
February 22, 2024
This novella reads like the last two episodes of Midnight Mass, the notorious scene on the boat included (though developed a bit differently). I was surprised to find so many similarities (there's an infected pastor, a secluded island, and so on). That said, the story is so well-written it easily stands on its own and there's even an epilogue differentiating it radically from the show. Stockton is a master of dialogue and characterization; I couldn't put the book down, just to see where the poor people would end up. A solid 5-stars story and a huge recommendation from me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2024
Calling Lovely, Dark & Deep a quintessential creature feature feels both accurate and dismissive as Stockton blends various elements of horror to create something that feels entirely unique, even if it's wrapped in a familiar package.
Set against the background of a record-breaking storm, a few residents of Six Miles Island decide to bunker down instead of taking the ferry to the mainland and quickly realize there's much more to fear than losing power. I can't remember the last time I was this painfully invested in the fate of a group of characters, and it's a testament to Stockton's writing how easy it is to empathize and like everyone. I wanted to reach into the page and protect them, but all it amounted to was papercuts and blood.
While Stockon takes some time setting up various relationships and an almost idyllic sense of what it means to live on the island, she wastes no time ripping everything apart. Short, tense chapters guide you through an intense fight for survival that's as gruesome as it is heartbreaking. Seriously, you won't walk away feeling okay. By the time you finish, you're going to be bruised and battered from being tossed around the surf and immediately wary of the smell of the ocean being carried in by the wind.
Eerie, atmospheric, and surprisingly heartfelt, Lovely, Dark & Deep once again reminds me why Stockton has quickly become one of my favorite authors. This is perfect for fans of creature features, small-town horror, and the inescapable feelings that come with 30 Days of Night and The Thing.
I stopped giving star ratings, but this is easily a 5-star read.
Set against the background of a record-breaking storm, a few residents of Six Miles Island decide to bunker down instead of taking the ferry to the mainland and quickly realize there's much more to fear than losing power. I can't remember the last time I was this painfully invested in the fate of a group of characters, and it's a testament to Stockton's writing how easy it is to empathize and like everyone. I wanted to reach into the page and protect them, but all it amounted to was papercuts and blood.
While Stockon takes some time setting up various relationships and an almost idyllic sense of what it means to live on the island, she wastes no time ripping everything apart. Short, tense chapters guide you through an intense fight for survival that's as gruesome as it is heartbreaking. Seriously, you won't walk away feeling okay. By the time you finish, you're going to be bruised and battered from being tossed around the surf and immediately wary of the smell of the ocean being carried in by the wind.
Eerie, atmospheric, and surprisingly heartfelt, Lovely, Dark & Deep once again reminds me why Stockton has quickly become one of my favorite authors. This is perfect for fans of creature features, small-town horror, and the inescapable feelings that come with 30 Days of Night and The Thing.
I stopped giving star ratings, but this is easily a 5-star read.
February 23, 2025
truly a page-turner, i was quickly hooked on the eerie sense of discontent in this gruesome horror novella. an isolated island community, an impending storm, and the arrival of breathtakingly freaky creatures!
unfortunately, it's oddly lacking in detail and in serious need of an editor. my nitpicky brain was in overdrive with lil things that made no sense! still a really fun read though.
rtc.
unfortunately, it's oddly lacking in detail and in serious need of an editor. my nitpicky brain was in overdrive with lil things that made no sense! still a really fun read though.
rtc.
June 17, 2024
Ok, I thought the setting was excellent, enjoyed the characters, and thought the plot had great potential. So what went wrong?
1. Literally everyone dies except one person. The problem I have with this is that everyone died so quickly and there was barely any suspense to it. There was no, "Oh my gosh, is this person going to make it?!" No hiding in closets, no fighting the monsters and fending them off to fight another day, no finding their weakness and exploiting it. It's boring when you know no one really has a chance to even try.
2. Not enough explanation about what was going on. Hear me out, I'm a huge fan of leaving a lot of ambiguity in horror. I think it makes everything that much more scary when you're not given all of the answers. But...I do need some? What was happening? Was everyone being turned into mermaids? Were mermaids in the ocean turning everyone into zombies? Why were there horse zombies too? Why did some zombies come back months earlier than others before the main infestation? And if the village had this same issue hundreds of years ago when it was founded, why did it happen again when the fishing boat was attacked and then only 3 years later?
The setting and atmosphere is 10/10. The rest...well the framework was all there, I think it just needed to be expanded.
1. Literally everyone dies except one person. The problem I have with this is that everyone died so quickly and there was barely any suspense to it. There was no, "Oh my gosh, is this person going to make it?!" No hiding in closets, no fighting the monsters and fending them off to fight another day, no finding their weakness and exploiting it. It's boring when you know no one really has a chance to even try.
2. Not enough explanation about what was going on. Hear me out, I'm a huge fan of leaving a lot of ambiguity in horror. I think it makes everything that much more scary when you're not given all of the answers. But...I do need some? What was happening? Was everyone being turned into mermaids? Were mermaids in the ocean turning everyone into zombies? Why were there horse zombies too? Why did some zombies come back months earlier than others before the main infestation? And if the village had this same issue hundreds of years ago when it was founded, why did it happen again when the fishing boat was attacked and then only 3 years later?
The setting and atmosphere is 10/10. The rest...well the framework was all there, I think it just needed to be expanded.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
If Grimms Fairy Tales Were Like This, Boys Would Read Them.
5 stars out of 5.
Lovely, Dark & Deep by Megan Stockton is a tale about an Island surrounded by an ocean filled with mystery and a deep darkness. In this story the darkness arrives in the midst of a raging storm that traps the last of the island's inhabitants after most flee to the mainland.
I got swept away by the engrossing plot and the depth of the characters that Stockton has created along with the fascinating world building they have done. Dip your feet into the shallows as you encounter horrors and chills that will have you pulling your blankets closer around you.
I really enjoyed this story and, puns aside, I would highly recommend this for newcomers to horror stories. Filled with enough to satisfy even the elitist of horror fans it moves along rapidly with no time for boredom or the act of putting the book down. Seriously, I read it in two sittings. It is so good.
I really don't want to spoil this for anyone because uncovering this mystery is one of the most fun things I've done this week.
Does this author have any more books?
I hope so, and I am off to find out!
5 stars out of 5.
Lovely, Dark & Deep by Megan Stockton is a tale about an Island surrounded by an ocean filled with mystery and a deep darkness. In this story the darkness arrives in the midst of a raging storm that traps the last of the island's inhabitants after most flee to the mainland.
I got swept away by the engrossing plot and the depth of the characters that Stockton has created along with the fascinating world building they have done. Dip your feet into the shallows as you encounter horrors and chills that will have you pulling your blankets closer around you.
I really enjoyed this story and, puns aside, I would highly recommend this for newcomers to horror stories. Filled with enough to satisfy even the elitist of horror fans it moves along rapidly with no time for boredom or the act of putting the book down. Seriously, I read it in two sittings. It is so good.
I really don't want to spoil this for anyone because uncovering this mystery is one of the most fun things I've done this week.
Does this author have any more books?
I hope so, and I am off to find out!
June 23, 2024
On Six Mile Island a storm is brewing; mother nature is raring her ugly head and, something otherworldly.
It all starts when a body washes up on the beach, followed by the disappearance of a baby. As the storm progresses and most residents retreat to the mainland, others remain behind. Some are riding out the storm, others are there to serve and protect their little island. As our characters hunker down things take a turn for the worse as yet another body is discovered. This is where things start to go awry and events on this little island, take a turn for the worse. The storm becoming the least of the remaining residents problems.
I liked this book and was able to get through it in a few short hours. The book has five main characters and five different POVs: Lyra(The Sheriff) and her partner Landon. Felix, Lyra's ex and Juno and Fisher, mother and son.
The author spends the first 1/4 of the book introducing characters and their backstories, building up the suspense and setting the scene. However, when things get going it was full momentum from then on. I liked the we got to to experience the events through the eyes of each character. The fear, the terror, the sudden realization that something is very wrong, was all well done and I was completely invested.
It was gritty, unnerving, unsettling and filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding. They were times when the story felt a little too repetitive. Also, I found some of the characters to be dumb as rocks. The ending was also a bit disappointing as I wanted more explanation as to what these things were and how they came to be. I just called them "sea zombies" but, then the epilogue threw me as it was giving sirens vibes. I don't know but, I would've loved a more in depth look into what these creatures and what brought them back from their watery graves.
Overall, it was still a good read that was enjoyable enough to warrant a 4 star rating and, I would recommend to others. I love a good creature feature and this was a good one.
It all starts when a body washes up on the beach, followed by the disappearance of a baby. As the storm progresses and most residents retreat to the mainland, others remain behind. Some are riding out the storm, others are there to serve and protect their little island. As our characters hunker down things take a turn for the worse as yet another body is discovered. This is where things start to go awry and events on this little island, take a turn for the worse. The storm becoming the least of the remaining residents problems.
I liked this book and was able to get through it in a few short hours. The book has five main characters and five different POVs: Lyra(The Sheriff) and her partner Landon. Felix, Lyra's ex and Juno and Fisher, mother and son.
The author spends the first 1/4 of the book introducing characters and their backstories, building up the suspense and setting the scene. However, when things get going it was full momentum from then on. I liked the we got to to experience the events through the eyes of each character. The fear, the terror, the sudden realization that something is very wrong, was all well done and I was completely invested.
It was gritty, unnerving, unsettling and filled with an overwhelming sense of dread and foreboding. They were times when the story felt a little too repetitive. Also, I found some of the characters to be dumb as rocks. The ending was also a bit disappointing as I wanted more explanation as to what these things were and how they came to be. I just called them "sea zombies" but, then the epilogue threw me as it was giving sirens vibes. I don't know but, I would've loved a more in depth look into what these creatures and what brought them back from their watery graves.
Overall, it was still a good read that was enjoyable enough to warrant a 4 star rating and, I would recommend to others. I love a good creature feature and this was a good one.
February 21, 2024
Megan Stockton writes on a different plane than the rest of us. There’s poetry in her madness, and chilling sea songs sunk layers deep within her prose. lovely, Dark & Deep is an oil spill. You’ll be tricked by Megan’s smooth writing because it’s as beautiful as the most vibrant iridescence, but within those sharp colors hides a story slick black and coated with oceanic trauma. This book is Megan’s best, and it’s a sneak peak into the future of indie horror.
February 27, 2024
My first Stockton book, but certainly not my last. I see now why her work is so frequently mentioned in horror circles. Megan Stockton is insanely talented!
She breathes life into her characters and allows the story to unfold in such a natural way. The sense of threat and foreboding was present from the beginning, and the atmosphere just continued to ramp up. I got huge 30 Days of Night vibes, and apparently, that's the elevator pitch used by the author: 30 Days of Night meets True Detective. A very apt description!
I can't wait to dive into more of Stockton's work. Highly recommend this one!
She breathes life into her characters and allows the story to unfold in such a natural way. The sense of threat and foreboding was present from the beginning, and the atmosphere just continued to ramp up. I got huge 30 Days of Night vibes, and apparently, that's the elevator pitch used by the author: 30 Days of Night meets True Detective. A very apt description!
I can't wait to dive into more of Stockton's work. Highly recommend this one!
April 2, 2024
Book Review: Lovely, Dark & Deep by Megan Stockton ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I have alot of praise for this book but I do have a few issues with it as well. I do give this book a strong recommendation.
Let me start with the positives. This book is well written and has a fantastic set up and the cover art alone is beautiful and sets the tone for the novel. Pacing is quick and engaging. Definitely a single sit down read. I also really loved the set up and tone this book starts out with. You really feel like you’re in this moment and waiting for the storm to come.
The characters were very all unique and each had a stand out voice in the text. I especially liked Fishers and Lyras POVs but I enjoyed each one on their own merit.
Unfortunately this is where the cons start to come one. (I understand these will be more my preference of how I hoped the novel would improve/explore.)
1.) once the storm happens. It seems to disappear. We get descriptions of it still. But our characters don’t really seem hindered by the “storm of the century. They can still get to locations with relative ease.
2.) the creatures were slightly disappointing. I wish we got more story as to what was happening. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or holding my hand but they were a tad one dimensional to the story.
3.) length. I really wish this book had another 100 pages. I would have loved to gotten more connections to these characters. The author does a great job with building this community. But I do think it ends and events happen too fast that we loose the weight and impact that could’ve been felt harder given more time to these characters.
Overall. This is a fast paced horror filled novel. Full of nasty descriptions and characters you want to pull for. I just wish we got more out of the actual story and a better resolution.
***Possible Spoiler***
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I’d love to know more about the last chapter. Were the women sirens or mermaids? I feel like I missed something important from it.
I have alot of praise for this book but I do have a few issues with it as well. I do give this book a strong recommendation.
Let me start with the positives. This book is well written and has a fantastic set up and the cover art alone is beautiful and sets the tone for the novel. Pacing is quick and engaging. Definitely a single sit down read. I also really loved the set up and tone this book starts out with. You really feel like you’re in this moment and waiting for the storm to come.
The characters were very all unique and each had a stand out voice in the text. I especially liked Fishers and Lyras POVs but I enjoyed each one on their own merit.
Unfortunately this is where the cons start to come one. (I understand these will be more my preference of how I hoped the novel would improve/explore.)
1.) once the storm happens. It seems to disappear. We get descriptions of it still. But our characters don’t really seem hindered by the “storm of the century. They can still get to locations with relative ease.
2.) the creatures were slightly disappointing. I wish we got more story as to what was happening. It doesn’t need to be elaborate or holding my hand but they were a tad one dimensional to the story.
3.) length. I really wish this book had another 100 pages. I would have loved to gotten more connections to these characters. The author does a great job with building this community. But I do think it ends and events happen too fast that we loose the weight and impact that could’ve been felt harder given more time to these characters.
Overall. This is a fast paced horror filled novel. Full of nasty descriptions and characters you want to pull for. I just wish we got more out of the actual story and a better resolution.
***Possible Spoiler***
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I’d love to know more about the last chapter. Were the women sirens or mermaids? I feel like I missed something important from it.
January 3, 2025
‘Lovely, Dark & Deep� is such a quick, easy read that kept me interested the entire duration - I finished it in two sittings. The ancient entities do not care for happy endings for any of the characters, with their only motive being spreading their longing for the ocean. Although it’s a short novel, Megan Stockton really immersed me in the little town of Six Mile Island and the townfolk that live there.
If you love small town horror, ancient creatures and a hint of depravity - this book is for you!
If you love small town horror, ancient creatures and a hint of depravity - this book is for you!
October 4, 2024
I’ve been on a mission for a book that genuinely spooks me and this one did it! As I read this one at night, I found myself turning lights on as I moved around the house, looking for things in the shadows. This was a short read but it was jam packed with beautiful writing, creepy atmosphere, well developed characters and scary things that go bump in the night (or storm).
It was a like The Fog meets The Strain meets 30 Days of Night. I was here for it!
There was so much left unexplained, it definitely feels a bit incomplete. I’d easily eat up another 100 pages of details and storyline. But it’s a short book and the mystery and unexplained definitely ups the creepy factor. But I desperately want to know about the monsters and the residents of the island and the aftermath of the storm.
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
It was a like The Fog meets The Strain meets 30 Days of Night. I was here for it!
There was so much left unexplained, it definitely feels a bit incomplete. I’d easily eat up another 100 pages of details and storyline. But it’s a short book and the mystery and unexplained definitely ups the creepy factor. But I desperately want to know about the monsters and the residents of the island and the aftermath of the storm.
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
February 3, 2025
CW: blood, gore, violence, injury description, description of a corpse, animal death, child death (), grief, suicide attempt
Midnight Mass core
Midnight Mass core
April 20, 2024
A fun, fast read. Lots going on, good character building, plenty of horror, and it all wraps up in a nice, creepy way. Well worth the read!
June 9, 2024
I’m not good at words�.. but I enjoyed this book. It was different, and interesting. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a short horror read!
September 12, 2024
This ended up being a very fun read. Also, I didn't see the whole vampire twist coming at all.
February 8, 2024
I swear this woman couldn't write a bad story if she tried. The characters in this one are as real life as can be. I loved that each chapter progressed the story while being from the viewpoint of a different character. Each character is flawed in some way and made more real by that fact.
The story itself was crafted beautifully. Stockton has a true gift for building tension gradually to a visceral final payoff. It was no different here, as with each chapter and revelation brought with it another level to the horror playing out on the page.
Finally, this is how to do a dark and beautiful creature feature right. The creatures were a creative twist on some common horror tropes that made them truly horrific; in actions, appearance, and the truth of the backstories.
I read this in one sitting, and couldn't look away until I reached the phenomenal conclusion. Full of horror and even heartbreak, Stockton has hit another Grand Slam.
The story itself was crafted beautifully. Stockton has a true gift for building tension gradually to a visceral final payoff. It was no different here, as with each chapter and revelation brought with it another level to the horror playing out on the page.
Finally, this is how to do a dark and beautiful creature feature right. The creatures were a creative twist on some common horror tropes that made them truly horrific; in actions, appearance, and the truth of the backstories.
I read this in one sitting, and couldn't look away until I reached the phenomenal conclusion. Full of horror and even heartbreak, Stockton has hit another Grand Slam.
January 6, 2025
"The real monster was the terrifying, sobering fact that it was so easy for us to lose our minds."
Short, great descriptions but not my favourite. I would love to have known the origins of the creatures and why they did what they did, were they vampires... Deep sea vampires?
The descriptions really had my imagination going. Fisher was my favourite character by far, he was such a sweet boy and there may have been a chapter or two which had me shed a tear.
There was one character's death, and more to the point, how she was killed which was pretty gruesome and made me wince. But I won't mention which character as if you read it, you'll understand who it was.
Overall, although short it was a little slow to start but when it picks up it's really hard to put down.
Short, great descriptions but not my favourite. I would love to have known the origins of the creatures and why they did what they did, were they vampires... Deep sea vampires?
The descriptions really had my imagination going. Fisher was my favourite character by far, he was such a sweet boy and there may have been a chapter or two which had me shed a tear.
There was one character's death, and more to the point, how she was killed which was pretty gruesome and made me wince. But I won't mention which character as if you read it, you'll understand who it was.
Overall, although short it was a little slow to start but when it picks up it's really hard to put down.
February 8, 2024
A massive storm is coming to Six Mile Island. A majority of the island's inhabitants have left for the mainland to wait out the storm. A handful of residents stay behind to ride it out. A body has washed ashore. A baby is reported missing. A storm of the century. That's the least of their problems.
Last month we got the stellar The Adleparneum that Megan coauthored with Kelvin V.A. Allison, and then this month she follows it up with this absolutely fantastic tale. Each chapter is told through the POV of the characters, and it is a fast-paced thrill ride. Intense and emotional. A flawless tale told by an incredible storyteller. This is not to be missed.
5 severed fingers out of 5
Last month we got the stellar The Adleparneum that Megan coauthored with Kelvin V.A. Allison, and then this month she follows it up with this absolutely fantastic tale. Each chapter is told through the POV of the characters, and it is a fast-paced thrill ride. Intense and emotional. A flawless tale told by an incredible storyteller. This is not to be missed.
5 severed fingers out of 5
February 9, 2024
“I’ve seen this one before. I don’t like the ending.�
A stunning story that is perfectly and viciously written!
I will try not to gush too much about this story but it is just so good that it’s difficult not to.
Lovely, Dark & Deep is one of those novellas that sits splendidly in the “feels like a modern classic� area for me.
It blends several different horror elements (ocean horror, paranormal, creature features) with brilliantly poignant character relationships and depiction.
If you are into the tv show Midnight Mass or enjoyed the book Into The Drowning Deep, I think you’ll enjoy this one.
The vibes are immaculate.
A stunning story that is perfectly and viciously written!
I will try not to gush too much about this story but it is just so good that it’s difficult not to.
Lovely, Dark & Deep is one of those novellas that sits splendidly in the “feels like a modern classic� area for me.
It blends several different horror elements (ocean horror, paranormal, creature features) with brilliantly poignant character relationships and depiction.
If you are into the tv show Midnight Mass or enjoyed the book Into The Drowning Deep, I think you’ll enjoy this one.
The vibes are immaculate.
June 22, 2024
not good
This is not a good story. The people aren’t even likable. I want rooting for any of them. And how do all the women have strange names? Lyra, Juno, Felix? Things happen and there is literally no clue as to why they happen and No resolution.
This is not a good story. The people aren’t even likable. I want rooting for any of them. And how do all the women have strange names? Lyra, Juno, Felix? Things happen and there is literally no clue as to why they happen and No resolution.
February 27, 2024
This was a powerhouse of a story!! I absolutely loved it! While a completely distinctive tale, it had the vibe of 30 Days of Night and “Dead Water� by C.A. Fletcher.
Trapped on an island with an alarming history, the remaining townsfolk try to survive a storm and the monsters it brings forth.
“The bloated corpse was covered in crystals. From the distance, he couldn’t tell if the chunky layer of glitter across the body was caused by sea salt or sand.�
Megan Stockton keeps blowing readers out of the water with her variety and quality of stories! I’m so, so glad I picked this book up when I did.
Trapped on an island with an alarming history, the remaining townsfolk try to survive a storm and the monsters it brings forth.
“The bloated corpse was covered in crystals. From the distance, he couldn’t tell if the chunky layer of glitter across the body was caused by sea salt or sand.�
Megan Stockton keeps blowing readers out of the water with her variety and quality of stories! I’m so, so glad I picked this book up when I did.
April 25, 2024
Another solid read. This is my first book by Megan Stockton and I went in blind. The story starts off pretty wild, but it’s a fairly slow burn until about the 50% mark. The ominous vibe definitely creeps up on you and the second half goes pretty hard.
The monsters in the book were the thing of nightmares, but much of the folklore is never really explained. There were a few loose ends that I would’ve loved to have to come to light. The story is never totally clear on the nature of the creatures, and at times they just felt like a blend of several different things.
Overall, Stockton is absolutely an author to watch and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend.
The monsters in the book were the thing of nightmares, but much of the folklore is never really explained. There were a few loose ends that I would’ve loved to have to come to light. The story is never totally clear on the nature of the creatures, and at times they just felt like a blend of several different things.
Overall, Stockton is absolutely an author to watch and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.