In the isolated town of Milburn, New York, four elderly men known as the Chowder Society gather to share ghost stories, haunted by a collective memory from their youth. Decades earlier, their negligence caused the death of a young woman named Eva Galli, an event they buried under layers of social respectability. When one of their members dies under suspicious circumstances and they begin suffering from shared, terrifying nightmares, they realize an ancient, shapeshifting entity has returned to exact revenge. The narrative tracks these men as they confront a supernatural force that assumes different female identities to dismantle their lives during a record-breaking winter storm.
This book is for readers who appreciate slow-burning horror and the mechanics of traditional folklore. It appeals to those interested in how guilt manifests physically and how small-town secrets collapse under external pressure. Readers walk away with a technical understanding of the "shaper" mythology and a cold, atmospheric perspective on the inevitability of facing one's past. It serves as a study in building dread through nonlinear timelines and the slow accumulation of supernatural occurrences in a realistic domestic setting.
Growth-minded and escapist; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1979
- Language
- EN
