| Title | : | Beyond the Creek |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published February 11, 2022 |
Beyond the Creek Reviews
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Not since Mark Towse’s Nana has a book taken such a dramatic swerve midway that made my jaw drop. But it was great! I loved the brevity of everything, but the story still felt complete. The creature descriptions were beautifully detailed and made me keep getting ‘the itchies.’ Again, their involvement here was such a completely unexpected event, but added this great depth to the book. The characters were all solid and fun to read, with the standout, of course, being Alex (And not just because she had the same name as my trilogy’s heroine.). I did want to know a lot more about her and Robert. I understand how manipulative and abusive he was supposed to be, but the author told the reader, as opposed to showing. This was a bit of a missed opportunity, that made part of the ending less impactful. The ending, however, was very well done and tied up the final loose ends in a very, very satisfying way. Consider Peter Topside a new fan of Nico Bell.
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Beyond the Creek is dark desperate and engaging. If you want to explore a world that is beyond the ordinary, then this a novella for you! A propulsive plot and the perfect read for spooky season.
A creature feature with a beating heart and venomous fangs, I was entrapped by its consummate storytelling and succinct narrative.
The ending had me high-fiving the person next to me. It was fresh air I was hitting but still, it felt good to have that conclusion.
Beyond the Creek – a perfect title that promised mystery and intrigue. The cover increased the appeal, I was beyond curious to find out just what was beyond the creek. I wanted to escape the Nox’s house and take a trepidatious walk to the creek. I wanted to hear the water making its journey through the forest, whilst running from tree to tree in case someone was following me. I don’t know what I was expecting but like a cat eyeing up its prey, I was played with and eventually swallowed whole.
I’m sure by now you’ve realised that I really enjoyed this story, so you want more details instead of my waffling, okay?
Alex Foster is on the run; she’s trying to escape the clutches of her ex-partner. She’s pregnant and she’s determined to keep her unborn child away from the abusive monster she’s spent so long trying to evade. She interviews for the position of caregiver to the Nox. The client, Peter has had a stroke and he needs help with daily care while he rehabs from the effects of his illness. It’ll provide a strong future for her and her unborn baby, there’s just one rule – don’t go beyond the creek. Sounds simple right?
She quickly discovers that there’s something inherently wrong with her employers. They seem secretive and no matter how friendly she is, Rachel isn’t interested in being nice to her. She becomes close to her employer’s granddaughter, who has a little pet that scared the crap out of me. Upon getting acquainted with some of the locals in town, including the granddaughter’s father it appears that nothing is as it seems with the Nox family. Dottie the grandmother, especially, there is something off about her, something reflected back that isn’t exactly warming.
The writing transported me to the heart of the story. The pacing was perfect and at first glance, you expected a very cut-and-dried story, but it ended up being very complex, no word was wasted. The characterisation was so expertly crafted that the characters created tension, the fear, it all gave me the creeps. This was one story that I was glad I’d opened the doors to. -
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
My first experience reading Nico Bell’s work was her entry into Unnerving’s Rewind or Die Series. ‘Food Fright’ was an 80’s based slasher where things get out of hand and people get salamied by insane creatures. Not only was it a blast, but it made me excited to see what else Bell would be releasing in the future.
When ‘Beyond the Creek’ was offered for review, I’d already seen the cover art and jumped at the chance, knowing I’d be in for a dark – if not fun – ride.
All I really knew going in was that it involved somebody being hired as a caretaker and an ancient evil threatening their safety. Boy was that accurate.
What I liked: The story follows a young woman, Alex, who has escaped an abusive relationship. She now finds herself starting over, and pregnant, but trying to find a glimmer of hope to make it through these dark moments.
When she applies for a job as a caretaker for a family, Peter, the grandfather, having had a stroke, she has no idea just what she’s in for.
Bell teases some of the darkness to come, letting us know that there are rumors about the house, the people, but for the most part they’re shrugged off as small town word of mouth, amplified by a gossipy game of telephone.
Alex doesn’t give it any thought and relishes seeing Peter recover. Bell does a great job of making Alex a solid character and how she’s focused completely on helping Peter, but also setting herself up for a future for herself and her soon to be born child.
The dark secret is an interesting one, and one that will be exceedingly creepier if that specific thing scares you, which will be fun to discover when you get there. And the way the (what I’ll call) the initial ending plays out was really well done.
What I didn’t like: When Alex arrives, she meets Helen and Jai, the woman who rents her the house and her wife. I found it a bit odd how fast Alex came to trust these two women, just based on her background and her being on the run from an abusive boyfriend. As well, the secondary ending/epilogue felt a bit like it was tacked on to wrap up a storyline. I think I’d have preferred it to have been not mentioned and left as a sequel option to further flesh it out.
Lastly, and I don’t want this to come off as me complaining about this story (as I really had a blast with it) but I found that I did have some difficulty with suspension of belief when it came to Alex. When the climactic scene arrives, she’s 7 months pregnant and moving and leaping/being beat up like she’s a professional Hollywood stunt actor!
Why you should buy this: This was a super fun, fast read that had me engaged from page one. Bell starts off by setting up some creepy events and then ramping those up by about a million percent. Alex is a great character and it has been a bit since I’ve read something where a pregnant woman is the main character, which I really enjoyed. Bell delivered another well done romp with some new insanity that rips and shreds. -
Alex left a troubled relationship and is looking to start a new life for her and her unborn baby. She accepts a care provider position with the Nox family. Alex is excited for the opportunity until weird things start to happen.
I enjoyed the mystery of the Nox family. Watching everything unfold was great. Bell did a wonderful job keeping my attention from beginning to end. The dark secret about Dottie finally becomes known and delivers quite a surprise. This will have you flipping through the pages! This was my first read by Bell and I look forward to reading more of her work. -
"Alex Foster never expected to survive her past; now she had no choice but to face the future."
Alex has fled from an abusive relationship. Pregnant and alone, she has to try to rebuild her life
and provide safety for herself and her unborn child. She feels fortunate to find a place to live and a job she can rely on. She becomes a private caregiver for the Nox family. Eccentric and somewhat unfriendly, Alex learns the Nox family has many dark secrets. She comes to cherish little Callie and will do anything to protect her from the darkness that lies in wait "Beyond the Creek".
Shrouded in mystery and evil intentions, we are spell bound to the unraveling of the hidden secrets. Alex's journey becomes one of survival, the pure love and protection of motherhood, and more than one underlying threat.
Supernatural, creepy and sinister , a creature that just may scare you and give you the chills.
A pretty strong female protagonist, considering she is pregnant and yet she stands strong and fights with all the strength she can muster. A surprise element pertaining to the Nox family women and little Callie is quite a twist that may cause you to squirm with shivery tingles. A bit of revenge in the end that put a smile on my face! -
Beyond The Creek by Nico Bell is one of those books where the rating bounces between a three and a four, so I always round up. What drew me in was the cover, then the title gave me that icky feeling that I look for in a horror novel, and the blurb finished me off.
We are in Madison, Virginia, where Alex Foster hopes for a new start, a second chance for her and her baby. Things are looking up for her. She just had to watch out for Harry, the tarantula, and don’t cross the creek. Would you? Sometimes being told not to do something makes me want to do it. You know that saying, curiosity killed the cat.
Alex didn’t care that her new home was not the Taj Mahal. There’s no Robert here.
The story sounded familiar to me…bit it didn’t take long for me to see it wasn’t what I was thinking. Nico Bell took it to a place that surprised me and I love when an author can do that.
I also love a characters that steps away from the norm. Alex is not a sleek, trim, model type. She’s giving and pregnant.
Danger arises, lives are at risk, monsters come a calling and I wonder, who will live and who will die.
Vivid, frightening descriptions of the monsters. Creepy good. So much better than I thought because it sounded so familiar to me, predictable, but by the time I got to the end, I had to hold my breath during the battle and smiled when she opened to door to….because I thought I knew what was coming. I loved the ending!
I vountarily reviewed a free copy of Beyond The Creek by Nico Bell.
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First off, I loved Alex. She is an exceptional character and the plot really makes you tense. You know something is coming...but what?
The whole book was fantastic. I loved Food Fright by Nico Bell, that was a lot of fun but this is on another level. It is so deliciously creepy and gets the reader hooked very quickly.
This book would also make a great film IMO and definitely isn't one to miss. -
Review is now live on deadheadspace.com
Beyond the Creek marks Nico Bell’s second foray into novella-length territory, the first being Food Fright. While this new release may not feature any croissant monsters, it’s every bit as entertaining.
Bell leads with a more serious tone this time around, dropping the reader directly into Alex’s life. On the run from an abusive past, Alex cons her way into a job taking care of an elderly stroke victim. This is horror, so of course, the people and the house contain more than a few creeps and questions. The opening third of the book contains hints of gothic horror, and while it’s entertaining to see Bell exploring something different, it’s around the halfway mark that Bell shines.
Yeah, that’s when things go off the rails. Bell proved her mettle with Food Fright at dealing with what I’ll call “controlled explosions”, a little bit of controlled chaos. Things go in a very unexpected direction, and they do so at a rapid clip, but without giving the reader whiplash or making them roll their eyes. The wild imagery on display draws from the subgenre of body horror. It drives the story while the relationship between Alex and Callie roots the reader and allows that suspension of disbelief.
With a pitch perfect ending that will leave the reader smiling, Beyond the Creek mixes heavy themes of family, legacy, and relationships, but Bell never forgets to have fun. -
Beyond the Creek by Nico Bell manages to be about as quiet as horror can get before launching into a full on wall of sound that makes you feel like you walked out of a wine tasting in an upscale resort and right into a punk show in basement. The transition is so far from jarring that you’re still carrying your little glass of wine with you. Bell has written a character driven story that asks questions about the traditional family unit. The horror here plays as the backing track to unearth some real traumas going on with each character. A quick, fun, solid, and thoughtful read! K thx.
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Nico Bell - Beyond The Creek
D&T publishing are really churning out some fantastic fiction right now, and I was super excited to read my first from author Nico Bell.
Our protagonist, Alex Foster has escaped her abusive relationship, pregnant, scared and constantly looking over her shoulder.
Alex takes a carer job to make ends meet with the mysterious, eccentric Nox family.
It’s not long before some creepy events develop, which leads Alex beyond the creek, which is the one place she was warned not to go.
This novella is fast paced and gripping, a one sitting read.
I would of liked more back ground on the ancient being that lurks beyond the creek, but overall an enjoyable horror from Nico Bell and the good folk at D&T -
This book was fascinating. Alex has fled an abusive relationship. Pregnant and needing a job she becomes a caretaker for a wealthy family. Strange things begin to happen, questions that need answering.
The story is engaging and unique. It moves quickly, but not too quick that you're left wondering what is going on. The characters are relatable and feel like real people. My favorite part was the end. I'm fur sure going to be checking out more with from this author. -
Beyond the Creek tells us the story of Alex Foster, a young woman who finally discovered the strength to escape from an abusive relationship when she learned she was pregnant. Starting over with nothing in a small forested town, Alex is desperate to provide a better life for her unborn child. She takes a job as a caregiver for Peter Nox, a recent stroke victim undergoing physical and speech therapy, and it seems like she might be on track to make a go of life away from her abusive ex.
Shrouded in mystery and the subject of rumors and superstitious whispers around town, the Nox family and their sprawling estate might be something more than Alex signed up for. Is it possible that she escaped from one monster in her life only to fall into the web of something far more terrifying? The answer to that question--and many others--may only be discovered beyond the creek on the property. Or are there answers to be found in the secret room beneath the Nox house?
Nico Bell spins a dizzying tale of survival, family, and motherhood that keeps the reader breathless as they follow Alex on her journey into the darkness. Drawing from Greek mythology, Bell provides us with something captivating and unpredictable as she guides us along with Alex to unravel the threads that threaten to bind her to a fate worse than anything we imagined as the story began. -
Nico Bell penned a dark and disturbing tale for her debut novel, Beyond the Creek. Alex Foster is alone, tired, scared, and pregnant. Running from past bad decisions, she is hoping to find a new start in a small town, somewhere safe to raise her baby.
She seeks employment at the Nox estate as a caretaker for Mr. Nox, who is recovering from a stroke. His wife Dottie is a stern woman that runs a strict household and is also raising her granddaughter, Callie. Alex is hired, much to her relief, but she is also given a warning to never venture outside beyond the creek.
Alex is befriended by Helen, the real estate agent who shows Alex the house that she has chosen to rent. Helen and her wife quickly welcome Alex to the small town with open arms and friendship. Things seem perfect until events at the Nox house begin to spiral into madness.
Soon, Alex finds herself caught up in a web of secrets and danger as the story unfolds to its disturbing end.
This story was very well-written and easily captures the attention of the reader. I found myself thoroughly intrigued as I read, hoping to learn the secrets of the Nox house for myself. Once I reached the conclusion, I almost wished I hadn’t as this book involves one of my biggest fears! This was a great read and a solid debut by Nico Bell. Four stars. -
good gritty gothic fairy tale. an urgency pervades, which for me excuses or explains the typos (plus i know all about typos, they suck and people suck for getting superiority complexes about “finding” them)
a little rumpled Du Maurier, slightly older Lois Duncan vibes
dash of Bentley Little -
What ever you do never go into the woods and past the Creek ever!!!
I absolutely blasted through this book one more chapter I'd say then the next and next whoosh, bish bash bosh done!!
The story is about Alex who has escaped an abusive relationship and is determined not to be a victim anymore and start afresh. She goes for a job that's at the Nox's family home, amazingly she gets the job a new start and new home she's pregnant and she'd do anything to protect her unborn child.
All's going well until creepy and sinister goings on start to happen, omg what has she got herself into, is she imagining things. This book takes you to an unexpected shockingly horrid twist. The author concluded the story excellently, it's an awesome read and it definitely won't be my last from this author. Looking forward to more!! -
Nico Bell’s novella Beyond the Creek is a tale of two halves. The first half we are introduced to a situation that feels very much like traditional gothic horror. A woman, Amy, takes a job at an old mansion being the caretaker of Phillip Nox, a stubborn old man who has had a series of strokes. The house is creepy, the rest of the family is standoffish and unpleasant, and we are led in a direction that we have seen before. The way that Nico Bell builds the characters and the scenes keeps us engaged and entangled in the story. We really care about the characters, particularly about Amy who is running from a traumatic situation, pregnant with an abuser’s baby, doing her best to survive while staying hidden. This job for the Nox family is important and dire for her, so we feel her anxiety and fear when things are not going good with her relationship with the rest of the family.
Halfway through the novella, everything changes completely, and this turns from a spooky gothic horror novella into a pure horror novella. We are so engaged in the story by this time that there is no way we can put the book down. The action is quick and sharp, and we are gripped with same horror that Amy is facing.
There are certain themes in this novella that make me understand the choices that the characters make. Sometimes I read or watch horror and think, “Why is this character even involved? Why don’t they just run off and live the rest of their life?” Nico Bell really gives good reasons why Amy wants to stay and fight the horrors that await her at Nox House. There are themes of abuse, and these themes are so intertwine with the decisions the characters make. Everything action makes sense. I do not think that every author spends time with the “why” of the characters motivations as much as they should. Beyond the Creek is a fantastic example of writing characters who are fully developed with honest motivations and believable choices when confronted by some serious life and death horror. Nico Bell’s writing and storytelling should not be missed. -
I’m sorry, but where have I been that I haven’t read any Nico Bell before last night?! Like, hello, rock I’ve been under, you have to go.
In her novella, BEYOND THE CREEK, Alex Foster is running from darkness, and his name is Robert (all Robert’s are butt farts, just saying). She needs money because she is pregnant and well, baby crap is not cheap. She takes a job as a caretaker for Peter Nox, a man who just had a stroke. The problem is, there is some shady shit going down in the Nox household and poor Alex is in the middle of it. You want suspense? This is for you. Spiders? Yep, this has them. Kick ass female (and one male) side characters? YUUUUUUP.
I read this book in record freaking time. I can’t remember the last time I speed read because I was not going to go to sleep without finishing it. This one is going to rock your socks off. I 100% promise that. D&T Publishing is hitting nothing but gotdang homeruns in 2022 and it’s NOT EVEN FEBRUARY!
Available on Godless 1/30/22
10/5 closeted family secrets -
Fast Paced, Beyond the Creek follows Alex, who recently escaped her abusive boyfriend after finding out she’s pregnant. After moving towns she starts working for the Nox family, helping the aging father while he goes through recovery after a stroke. Only one rule is given to her by her employer, never go past the creek deep inside the woods surrounding the family home.
I never expected the story to go the way it went. The foreshadowing went completely unnoticed until the big reveal, and it completely caught me off guard! I absolutely love not being able to figure out where a book is going, and this book gave me that chapter after chapter. I began reading this slowly, but after about the halfway point i no longer could control myself and had to figure out what happens! The book is overall fantastic, I couldn’t have asked for more from this story. I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone talk about this author before, her work is enchanting, and she has a way of pulling you into the world she creates. -
Video Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BASi5...
4 1/2
Somehow this is my first experience reading anything from Nico Bell. And this selection was a good way to un-fuck that mistake. This was fun, in that sort of psychotic sick way that makes people move away from you when they see you enjoying it too much.
The pacing was super-fast. The story hooked its claws in me from the beginning and didn’t let go until I had no skin left for them to latch on.
We meet Alex, our main protagonist, who has fled from an abusive relationship. She’s hiding out in a town she hopes her ex will never find her. She’s also pregnant and determined to keep the baby from her ex and giving it a successful life.
She gets a job as a caretaker for a family, the father suffered a stroke and a young child is motherless. Right away there are questions surrounding this family, and the advice they gave her, stay out of the woods, away from the Creek. There are also several rumors floating around town this family is haunted.
These teasers Bell adds to the story to get the haunting feel fit perfectly and sets the proper mood. The writer masterly crafts the narrative, allowing it to lead you in the direction she wants you to go.
As Alex settles in being the caregiver, she witnesses certain behaviors from the family members, and she thinks her eyes are playing tricks on her, causing her to see weird dark shadows.
The character of Alex is strong. She is a fighter. Her one goal is to protect her unborn child at all cost, and as the story unfolds, we see she doesn’t give up protecting others. With that said, more on this in a second.
Bell does an outstanding job setting the proper tone of the story with the description of the house and the woods. The eeriness comes through clear giving you that unsettling feeling we have come to expect with hauntings.
And then we have the twist! The big dark secret comes to a head. And it surprised the hell out of me. The direction it goes is shocking because I was ready for one thing, and I got hit upside the head with something totally different, and totally unique. BRAVO.
If this twist is representative of how Nico Bell usually writes, I should have been reading her stories a long time ago.
You want suspense, thrills, creepiness, the kind of horrors that gives you chills. This has it for you.
I will mention one small part that seemed a little off, not saying I didn’t like it because it was a very good adrenaline pumping scene, but closer to the climax of the story, Alex would have been 6 or 7 months pregnant, but we find her running through the woods, at times carrying a child on her back, fighting the bad guys. That is a little bit of a stretch. I’m all for powerful female characters, but this baby could have been delivered at anytime and we have Alex doing video game moves through treacherous conditions. It was still fun and exciting though.
I’m still thinking about the spine chilling twist. It was sort of a curve ball. Nice. It may stick with you for awhile. -
Beyond the Creek is a fast-paced tale that crawls under your skin in all the right ways.
The set-up lured me in right away. Alex, looking to start anew from her painful past, accepts a job as a caregiver for a family rife with secrets and rumors, and right from the start, something clearly isn’t right. This strange family gets even stranger as the narrative unfolds, and Alex is caught in the middle of it.
Nico Bell leads the reader through a twisting tale, revealing glimpses of a mystery that gets bigger and more sinister along the way. It was easy to root for Alex, who is not only a pregnant but a certified bad-ass. The pacing is fast, fun, and easy to follow--reminiscent of 80’s horror while still managing to maintain a heart and emotional connection with readers. The story itself is a solid one, and any horror fan should love the disturbing terror lurking within its pages. While at times I hoped for colorful prose or a deeper dive into character, the over-the-top ending makes this wholly unique and a truly memorable read. -
EXCELLENT. ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT.
i'm not one for the monstery type stories but...oh damn...ya'll got me on this one.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, so i will not disclose very much but OMFG...
and what an amazing ending! i knew Robert would come back into play at some point, but man i was not expecting ol girl to catch him up like that! again, excellent. I am SO glad i got to read this beauty. -
BEYOND THE CREEK freaked me out! I was not expecting the - well, read it, and you'll see. It's an impressive, modern Gothic where every page drips with dread, and then some! There are some truly horrific moments here that will get under your skin and send shivers down your spine. And the main character, Alex, is so well-written; I think she's one of the best protagonists/final girls I've read, someone who feels so real that you truly care for her, and she's someone you can't help but root for.
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A wonderful debut! I think what grabbed me most about this novella was the sense of constant vigilance of a woman on the run from an abusive ex. Always thinking over her choices to use social media, who notices and who can find her. I particularly liked that the storyline went way out nuts and into the paranormal, something I did not see coming.
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Bell blew me away with this book. It hit all the right notes for a great horror novel that also tells a great fresh story. At no point did I know where this was going, and I mean that in a good way. Not many times do I read a book and I am about as shocked as the character. Fantastic build up to a pretty wild end.
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There's a lot to admire in this quick read that combines gothic, folk, and creature horror. Nico Bell's books always have a certain charm that makes me want to recommend her work to people who don't usually read horror. There are not enough good spider women novels, and more people should read this one.
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I appreciate when a novel offers a satisfying ending and decent characterization. It can be difficult to properly pen a character’s motivations and give them a full arc in such a brief space, but it was done well here. I do wish that I felt just a little more dread overall, but the supernatural reveal was awesome!
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Kept me reading. Short and hard to put down.
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Loved this book so much - Bell surprised me with the directions this story went and it was a blast. And that ending was perfect. I felt like I’d just seen a killer drive-in horror movie.
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Bell’s writing is so wonderful that before finishing the first chapter, I already knew this novella would become one of the top ten reads of the year. It’s a modern gothic that has all of my favorite elements: a strong female lead, great queer representation, a creepy house, and a dark family secret.
The novella follows a woman, Alex, who’s desperate to get a job, seeing as she’s escaped her abusive husband and is pregnant. That’s how she becomes the new caretaker for Peter, which seems like a perfect opportunity at first until her landlady tells Alex about the (supernatural) rumors surrounding the X residence. Not long after that, she begins experiencing strange things while at the house and it becomes apparent that the family she’s been working for has their fair share of skeletons in the closet. Due to it being a novella, there’s not much build-up, once the first truly creepy thing happens, the rest followed quickly, and the plot becomes fast-paced. Even so, the story never feels rushed, the reading flowed well, and I was left feeling very satisfied with the ending. As weird as it may sound, the overall tone of the book is wholesome and advocates that everyone is strong enough to fight. It left me with a warm feeling of hope, something I’ve been needing these days and that I was not expecting to get from this novella. Bell ties up all the loose strands, however, she does leave the reader with an open ending, which I’m usually not a fan of, but it worked well with the plot she had constructed.
As I’ve mentioned time and time again, characters will always come before the plot to me and no matter how well a story is written, if I can’t feel for the characters then I’m incapable of getting invested in the story. Thankfully, Bell’s characters are constructed really well and there was also the bonus that all the “big players” in the story were women, something we don’t see enough when it comes to horror. On top of this, the main character is an abuse survivor who succeeded in escaping, the reader sees how much she still struggles with her trauma, but Bell makes sure that Alex never comes off as weak or fragile, even when that’s how she sees herself. I found this protagonist to be an incredible representative of trauma survivors and, although this isn’t the main (or perhaps, only) intent of the novella, Alex’s arch does great service for the perception of abuse victims. Still on the topic of good representation, Bell does another thing that’s out of the (mainstream) horror pattern: she writes a queer couple whose role in the story has absolutely no connection to their sexuality. It’s not even mentioned, not by Alex and not by anyone else in the story, it’s so wonderful to finally read a story with queer characters that does not center around their pain and trauma (related to their sexuality, Bell had plenty of creepy traumas to inflict on everyone).
Full review available on:
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