Sci-fi/Fantasy/Romance/Horror
Pub date: 6 August 2026
My rating 4.5/5 ⭐️
Summary:
Amongst mountains as old as time, the jackalopes and ghouls are the least of your worries…
Working in Human Resources was not what Alexys had in mind when she joined Entity, the company who categorise and manage the monsters and cryptids of the world. But after her dad was killed as a Warden in the Appalachian mountains, she was filled with noble ideas of carrying on his legacy… from behind the safety of a desk.
But when one of her new Wardens, Elliot, goes missing, her chances of promotion go missing too. Determined to find him safe and sound, she marches off into the mountains to find him herself.
Because Elliot had been talking about sightings of a highly dangerous and never-recorded monster, The Hollow Walker, and she’s promised herself that no Warden will ever die on her watch.
Meanwhile Nic, Director of Research and Categorisation, is not one to ignore the words ‘never-recorded’. With Alexys, his work nemesis, leading the charge into the mountains, he’s not going to let her have all the fun. If he can be the youngest Entity employee to discover a new monster, his name will go down in the annals of cryptozoology… and if it means spending some extra time with Alexys then he’s not one to argue.
But Alexys and Nic are about to discover why the Appalachian Mountains are the last place you want to find yourself after dark…
The first instalment in a new series following the employees of Entity, where not every monster stays in the shadows—and survival is never guaranteed.
Review:
“The possibilities of what could have been would haunt him, he was sure of it”
Full disclosure, I am part of Grace’s street team but that has never stopped me from giving a negative review if needed. Having said that, let’s get into my thoughts.
A love letter to Appalachia, folklore, X-Files and all things spooky.
Sometimes atmospheric, sometimes silly, always entertaining genre-bending romp across the Appalachian region.
The addition of the handbook and diary excerpts at the beginning of each chapter was an excellent move as it really helped with world building.
I loved Nic (eventually) and Alexys (straight away) and their quippy relationship, it was very reminiscent of every work friendship and relationship I’ve had. I cannot wait to see how the secrets of this book will inevitably tear them apart in the future.
There’s definitely some pacing issues, some character choices that are questionable and I wasn’t sure if Nic was actually likeable for like a quarter of it; but all the good things about this story definitely outweigh the bad.
I’ve also seen a few complaints saying that Alexys’ transfer doesn’t make sense given the circumstances, but I think it does! Giving her District 13 is a clear punishment, and they get to restructure as they please without losing experienced staff. If you’ve ever worked in an office environment this will absolutely make sense.
I do hope Grace leans more into the horror and the chaos of the third act more in book 2. Those mine scenes were my absolute favourite.
And oh I cannot wait to see more of my boy Silas in the future. I have a strangely soft spot for that psychopath. Definitely a strong start to a series. You will find me gnawing at the bars of my enclosure until book 2 comes out.
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