To Those Willing to Drown

By Mark Matthews

To save her daughter's soul, a grieving mother must battle a sinister pastor who feeds off the cremains of the dead and haunts a lake community.

"A beautiful, seismic novel." -Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Wake Up and Open Your Eyes

When Jewel Jordan dies from cancer, her father's wish is to scatter the ashes inside their beloved Torch Lake. But after the grieving mother hears her daughter's voice coming from inside the urn, how can she let the ashes go?

Especially after a mysterious pastor begs her to keep them and promises to reunite her with her daughter's spirit. Who should she listen to?

Even creatures from the lake whisper to her at night, pleading for the remains of her daughter. Who can she trust?

Nobody knows the truth and the bargain she made that led to her daughter's death. Now she has to fight to save her child's soul, and Torch Lake holds the answers. But the lake is cold, the truth is deep, and it will take the ultimate sacrifice, for the Lake Speaks Most Honestly to Those Willing to Drown.

"Matthews is the reigning king of modern psychological horror."

-Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Kin

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1737702134
• ISBN13: 9781737702139
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Wicked Run Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Darkly immersive and devastatingly beautiful

"I’ve heard men mutter words of epiphany under their last breath, messages from the other world." -Lucas "Seek out the dead, seek out their souls, and learn the curse of eternal life and eternal ache." -The Well "I’d rather my own child die than be responsible for the death of another." -Sharon "The lake speaks most honestly to those willing to drown." -Kai To Those Willing to Drown by Mark Matthews is a darkly immersive occult horror that weaves a story of mythology, tradition, legends and horror into two haunting timelines, resulting in a beautifully crafted, 209 page bundle of devastating beauty. Matthews demonstrates talented storytelling by blending events of emotional sacrifice around the eerie, myth-soaked Torch Lake. The historical timeline follows a civil war medic and veteran, known for performing brutal but often lifesaving amputations. His perspective is grim, raw and soaked in blood. As he fights to defend his actions, his reality alters until he feels God-like for the choices he’s made on others and their lives or deaths. In contrast, the present day story follows a woman who loves so deeply she promises to give up something she doesn’t yet possess. This act of selflessness becomes far more chilling and pivotal as the novel progresses, and never far from the creeping dread that lives beneath Torch Lake’s surface. The lake and The Well of promises connect these characters between the two timelines until they intersect with a deafening clash, two sets of parents metaphorically fighting to keep their heads above water and reunite with or free their respective children. Matthews breathes life into Torch lake with the lore until it becomes an entity of its own. As the past and present twist together, the story explodes into an unforgettable climax that is both devastating and satisfying. The horror elements weren’t as terrifying in written form, but I can see this being an epic horror movie. The ending was perfection embodied and the thought provoking story lingers well after the last page. What would you sacrifice to save your child? Their soul? Thanks to Netgalley and Wicked Run Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and written by me.