Blackwater I: The Flood

THE DARK GOTHIC HORROR PHENOMENON FROM THE SCREENWRITER OF BEETLEJUICE, PERFECT FOR FANS OF GRADY HENDRIX, STEPHEN KING, AND SHIRLEY JACKSON

OVER 2 MILLION COPIES SOLD

'RIVETING, TERRIFYING...JUST ABSOLUTELY GREAT' STEPHEN KING

You are now entering Perdido, Alabama. In this small southern town, the dark, menacing waters of the local river have risen, submerging buildings and causing the inhabitants to seek higher ground. And as those waters recede, something terrifying will emerge.

The town is ruled by the Caskey clan, a family of rich local landowners dominated by the fierce, morally grey matriarch, Mary-Love. When her son meets Elinor Dammert - a compelling but ambiguous young woman with a troubling past - a power struggle ensues.

But perhaps the biggest threat to the family lies in what they cannot see, what lies in the swamps beyond the boundaries of their fine mansion and the sawmills and lumberyards of the town.

The first to disappear is a child. He won't be the last...

_______

'Beyond any trace of a doubt, one of the absolutely best writers of horror' Peter Straub

What readers say:

‘It's one of those books that doesn't just make you want to turn the page, it makes you utterly desperate to find out what happens next, as if your life depends upon it.’

5 Bajillion Stars!! I can’t even fathom how to write a review at this moment. What I need to do at this time is sit back and soak it all in.’

A powerful water-based beasty… The supernatural is never the focus, merely a spice. The family is the meat. Sometimes literally.’

‘I didn’t feel like I was reading a book. I felt like I was living in Perdido and the lives of the Caskeys felt like a part of my life.’

‘Came for the monster suspense, stayed for the family drama’

‘Reminded me of Game of Thrones, only played out in an Alabama river town over the course of three generations.’

‘This is going in my top ten books of all time

'One Hundred Years of Solitude for horror fans'

A bloody masterpiece of Southern Gothic historical fiction. From intricate family dramas that span decades, beautiful slice of life, brilliant characters, masterfully crafted character dynamics and so much more.’

Riveting, terrifying, and just absolutely great ... Michael McDowell must now be regarded as the finest writer of paperback originals in America.

Stephen King

About Michael McDowell

MICHAEL MCDOWELL was born in 1950 in Alabama. His notable books include the gothic novels Gilded Needles, The Elementals, Katie, and the gothic horror saga, Blackwater, which has become a phenomenal bestseller across Europe and elsewhere. He was also a successful screenwriter for film and TV, including his scripts for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice, Tales from the Crypt and The Nightmare Before Christmas. McDowell died in 1999. Tabitha King, wife of author Stephen King, completed his unfinished novel, Candles Burning.
Details
  • Series: The Blackwater Saga
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • ISBN: 9781804996379
  • Length: 240 pages
  • Dimensions: 197mm x 15mm x 129mm
  • Weight: 172g
  • Price: £9.99
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