Hellmouth

How it reads

Hellmouth is horror (historical supernatural horror, specifically), and its dominant mood is eerie. It's atmospheric and uncanny, with a sense that something is wrong. It moves fast: plot-driven and hard to put down, the kind of book that carries you along even when you're tired.

It's set in the wilderness or at sea, in the historical past, told in the third person, staying close to one character. Its central concerns are survival, faith and redemption. In weight it's light and escapist — easy to fall into.

It stands alone, so there's nothing else you need to read first or after. The ending is dark — no rescue, no neat bow. At 52 pages it's a single-sitting book. It's moderately known: read by plenty of people, but not a household name.