Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis

Bibliographic Information:

• Title: Harrow Lake
• Author: Kat Ellis
• ISBN: 1984814532
• Publisher: Dial Books
• Copyright Date: August 25, 2020

Genre: Horror/Mystery/Thriller

Format: Book

Awards/Honors: YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers nominee 2021

Reading Level/Interest Level: Teens ages 13-18 (Goodreads.com, 2021)

Plot Summary: When Lolo Nox’s father is found stabbed in their New York City apartment, Lola is sent to stay with her estranged grandmother in Harrow Lake, Indiana. Lola’s father is a famous horror movie director, and Harrow Lake is the town where his most famous film was shot. It is also where he met and fell in love with Lola’s mother. The town is overly obsessed with the movie, and Lola quickly discovers that the town is hiding many secrets. There are strange disappearances that go unanswered and Lola feels as if she is constantly being watched and followed. As Lola digs into her mother’s past, she discovers that her father is not the man she thought he was, and that many secrets are better off left buried.

Author Background: Kat Ellis is a writer, blogger, and tweeter from North Whales. She has written several YA horror books, including Blackfin Sky (2014), Breaker (2016), Purge (2016), and Harrow Lake (2020). When Kat is not writing, she enjoys taking pictures in cemeteries and watching horror movies with her husband and cat. Her next book, Burden Falls, is scheduled to be released in August, 2021 (Bent Agency, N.D.).

In an interview on the podcast We Love Books (2021), Kat Ellis admits that she was a “creepy” child. Her father had an extensive collection of classic horror movies that she used to watch with him. Ghoulies was the first one that she remembered watching that kept her up at night, and has stayed with her through the years. Ellis says she draws a lot of her inspiration from the ruins and history in North Wales.

Ellis studied writing in college, and said it takes her six to eight months to write a book. She starts with the setting if the book- the sense of place, and then adds the characters and storyline. Her tip for kids who would like to be writers is to read as much as you can of stories that you love (We Love Books, 2021).

Critical Evaluation: Harrow Lake by Kat Ellis is an edge-of-your- seat horror/thriller book that is sure to keep some readers up at night. Creepy and full of twists and turns, the story is fast moving and engaging. The setting is described in detail and is as creepy as the story and the characters. Lola is a likeable character as are many of the seconday charaters. Ellis does a good job of combining the life of a modern day teenager with the mysterious history of the town of Harrow Lake and with her mother’s past. This book is different than any other book I have read- the story is original and unique. Teens who like horror combined with mystery/thriller with a little bit of fandom thrown in, will love this book.

Creative Use for a Library Program: Since Lola’s father is a director of horror movies, for a library program, we could have a horror movie marathon. The teens could pick out a few classic horror movies such as the Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby and eat creepy themed snacks.

Speed-Round Book Talk: A town frozen in time. Several mysterious disappearances. A tree with teeth hanging from it. Abandonded fair grounds. An underground ruined town. If you are still reading this, Harrow Lake is for you! This book is not for the faint of heart! Read it if you dare!

Potential Challenge Issues and Defense: I could not find any challenges to Harrow Lake. Some parents might object that it is too creepy for younger teens. Compared to other books in this genre, Harrow Lake was not as scary as others.

Reason for Inclusion: I included Harrow Lake because horror is a popular genre with teens. The book is engaging and creepy with an original, unique plot. It is a fast-paced, short book that will keep teens on the edge of their seats until the end.

References:

Bay Shore – Brightwaters Public Library. (2021, January 7). Young adult book trailer – Harrow Lake. [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hb0jtG0eD0&t=4s&ab_channel=BayShore-BrightwatersPublicLibrary

The Bent Agency. (N.D.) Kat Ellis. Retrieved from http://www.thebentagency.com/portfolio/kat-ellis-2

Kat Ellis Writes. (N.D.) About me. Photo of Kat Ellis. Retrieved from https://katelliswrites.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html

McManus, Niamh, (Host). (2021, May 2). We Love Books Episode 22. [Audio Podcast Episode]. In We Love Books. Retrieved from https://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_welovebooks.xml?fbclid=IwAR10w3k8DzxewzF8jXptDYGlJ_5rF_whalBuJsiuhRpG5UXiLHs00XTDL1M