Not only does March signify Women’s History Month, but it’s also a celebration of Women in Horror. Whether that be through brilliant directors like American Psycho’s Mary Harron and The Substance’s Coralie Fargeat, or incredibly talented horror authors, like Tananarive Due, Rachel Harrison, and Catriona Ward.
Receiving a Bram Stoker Award nomination for her 2023 novel, Sundial, Catriona Ward has released nothing but creepy, atmospheric horror thrillers, often with mind-bending plots that catch even the most perceptive readers off guard. Each one of her novels has either been nominated for or won a prestigious British Fantasy Award, including Rawblood, Little Eve, The Last House on Needless Street, and Looking Glass Sound. We can expect the same from Ward’s newest release, Nowhere Burning, published by Tor Nightfire.
Nowhere Burning follows 14-year-old Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Oliver, as they live with their abusive, religious zealot of a cousin, who tries to starve them in hopes of exorcising the demon he believes lives within them. When Riley is followed home from school by a strange teenager, she confronts him and learns that he belongs to a community of kids who live in the dense forests of Rocky Mountain National Park, and he invites the duo to join them.
Riley and Oliver must escape their cousin and brave the wilderness in order to find “Nowhere,” the abandoned property of long-dead movie star-turned-serial killer, Leaf Winham. When they finally arrive, they find that the group may not be as welcoming as they once thought, and that they believe sacrifices must be made to keep the grounds fertile and prospering.
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Like most of her books, Ward does an amazing job of creating deeply traumatized characters who often must maneuver through their own mental challenges to overcome new, deadly obstacles. Sometimes her characters make it out alive, but few of them make it out emotionally unscathed. Nowhere Burning is no exception, as Riley and Oliver are already struggling to survive, and Riley’s decision to take Oliver to Nowhere in fear of his safety is admirable, but extremely dangerous and reckless.
Ward writes both kids with such precision: Riley being forced to think and act like a responsible adult for her sibling, and Oliver trying to find the balance between bravery and regression into a younger, child-like state. The depth of these characters is fantastic, and as the story moves forward, the reader knows that regardless of where they are, they’ll never be as strong as they are when they’re together. It’s a perfect display of real-life scenarios where kids and teens are made to become parents to their siblings.
The backstory behind Nowhere is engaging and devious. Learning about serial killer Leaf Winham and the murderous history behind the land combined with Ward’s description of the beautiful Rocky Mountains makes the setting as mysterious as it is gorgeous. Things get even cooler when it’s revealed that Winham had his own Ferris wheel and exotic zoo on the grounds, the remnants of both of which still hold dangerous implications for the characters.
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Riley and Oliver’s story also coincide with Marc and Kimble, a duo of documentarians who are intending to create a TV show revealing the secrets of the mythical Nowhere children. The two find themselves in the middle of the situation, adding a couple more interesting supporting characters to the tale.
Nowhere Burning’s pacing is moderately fast, and the story never gets too convoluted or boring. The pace is held up by a longing to know more and a few well-thought-out twists, one a little predictable, and the other a massive shock. Honestly, the only overall issue I had came from feeling as though the final act was rushed. To be clear, it wasn’t written badly or nonsensical, everything just seemed to happen in the blink of an eye, which could also be a testament to how engaged in the story I was.
Nowhere Burning, or really, any of Catriona Ward’s novels are perfect reads for Women in Horror Month, as you’re promised in-depth characters, horrifically brutal moments, twists that will spin your head, and gorgeous descriptive writing. I absolutely recommend picking this one up.
Nowhere Burning is now available at all major book retailers.
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