Review: Lowfield by Mark Sampson

Lowfield

by Mark Sampson

Release Date: April 15, 2025

2025 Now or Never Publishing Company

Softcover ARC; 347 Pages

ISBN: 978-1989689813

ASIN: 1989689817

Genre: Fiction / Horror

Source: Review copy from publisher

 

3.5 / 5 Stars

 

Summary

Riley Fuller, a police officer sidelined by the devastating loss of three colleagues in a tragic shooting, seeks solace in rural Prince Edward Island as he lays claim to his family's ancestral property—an ancient, dilapidated house known locally as Applegarth. Eager for a fresh start and relief from his traumatic past, Riley's hopes are soon dashed as he uncovers the dark secrets hidden within the very walls of the Victorian-era mansion. Soon, he realizes that Applegarth is merely a harbinger of something far more sinister—a malevolent force lurking within the nearby abandoned village of Lowfield, its ominous presence intricately entwined with the rich history of PEI itself.

 

 

 

My Thoughts

Lowfield is a slow-burn horror that I found intriguing due to its mix of cosmic horror with the history and geography of Prince Edward Island, a beautiful province in Canada.  It also delves into toxic masculinity and the consequences of that abuse of power during a time when social media was non-existent, but people wanted a voice to express their concerns as to what was happening, especially women. During a time when abortion was still banned on the island, and the politics surrounded the building of the bridge to the mainland, this was an interesting mix of politics, history, and survival.

 

The book focuses on Riley, a disgraced RCMP officer from Moncton, who discovers he has inherited an old home and property on PEI. The character is not especially likable, but I was drawn to him because of this factor, and also due to the fact he was an unreliable narrator. Riley continuously has thoughts about younger women, and while this may be off-putting, it is connected to the house and the story and is supposed to make you uncomfortable.  I did like how the author showed Riley's confusion and disgust as he was going through his visions and his dreams as it did make him, while not exactly relatable, but more real.  I did feel that the character development on a whole however, was inconsistent, and the secondary characters were very much one-dimensional. I don't know if this was done on purpose to try to throw off the reader, but I would have been a lot more invested in the characters if I had actually been able to develop more of a link with them and knew them a bit better. I don't have to like them, but I do have to empathize with them.

 

The plot itself is very much a slow-burn one for two-thirds of the book, something that didn't bother me too much.  I don't necessarily need my horror books to have these crazy twists and turns, but there was definitely enough to keep me interested and engaged despite the slower development. A lot happened during the last third of the book and I did need time to digest the information when I was finished. I will be hones though, I did have a suspicious as to what part of the ending would be and I was right.  

 

The themes of toxic masculinity and sexual abuse do dominate the narrative. Multiple generations of abuse is discussed and the effects this has on the current generation, something I thought was well done in this book. It doesn't give solutions, just highlights the issues and the consequences, but makes you think of the impact on families. Is it uncomfortable? Absolutely, but it should be. 

 

Verdict

Lowfield definitely had interesting moments and I enjoyed it overall. I loved the setting and thought the descriptions were beautifully done. However, there were things that were inconsistent plot-wise, and I really wished some of the characters had been developed a bit more to make the story that much richer. I definitely like this author's writing style and look forward to reading more of his work. And while I try not to give away spoilers in my reviews, I would definitely check the trigger warnings for this book, especially for sexual themes.