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**I received an ARC for an honest review**
Description
A man lunges in front of a car. An elderly woman silently drowns herself. A corpse sits up in its coffin and speaks. On this reservation, not all is what it seems, in this new spine-chilling mythological horror from the author of Sisters of the Lost Nation.
All Noemi Broussard wanted was a fresh start. With a new boyfriend who actually treats her right and a plan to move from the reservation she grew up on—just like her beloved Uncle Louie before her—things are finally looking up for Noemi. Until the news of her boyfriend’s apparent suicide brings her world crumbling down.
But the facts about Roddy’s death just don’t add up, and Noemi isn’t the only one who suspects that something menacing might be lurking within their tribal lands.
After over a decade away, Uncle Louie has returned to the reservation, bringing with him a past full of secrets, horror, and what might be the key to determining Roddy’s true cause of death. Together, Noemi and Louie set out to find answers…but as they get closer to the truth, Noemi begins to wonder whether it might be best for some secrets to remain buried.
Summary
A very belated review of Indian Burial Ground by indigenous US horror author Nick Medina.
Review
Indian Burial Ground is a beautifully crafted horror novel blending supernatural dread with First Nations legends and cultural folklore. Medina focuses the plot on a Native American reservation with dual-narratives from protagonists Noemi Broussard and Uncle Louie after Noemi returns to the reservation only to confront a series of unexplained deaths, eerie legends, and dark secrets hidden within the tribal lands.
Uncle Louie left the reservation more than a decade ago and returns carrying secrets from his own past. The pair investigate the deaths on the reservation but peeling back layers of history and folklore but some forces may be better left undisturbed.
Medina brings an eerie and relentless dread to to the narrative, crafting horror that is both dark and emotionally grounded. The blend of supernatural elements and real-world struggles of reservation life give the novel a haunting complexity.
Medina’s dual-timeline structure with protagonist Louie’s experiences from decades ago are woven into Noemi’s present enriching the narrative where the past isn’t just background; these are reverberations shaping the present.
Conclusion
Indian Burial Ground is a formidable work of modern horror—haunting, reflective, and deeply rooted in its setting and characters. Medina ventures beyond traditional horror works developing a narrative where indigenous lore, memory, and generational trauma intertwine. This is perfect for readers who enjoy an atmospheric horror that lingers well after the last page is turned.
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
Leanbh Pearson 