Book Review: ‘Scuttler’s Cove’ by David Barnett

Scuttler’s Cove by David Barnett is a folk horror story that is both a stand-alone novel but one that links/references, as far as I can tell, to some of Barnett’s other works.

The story follows two female protagonists. Merrin Moon returns to her home town of Scuttler’s Cove after her mother’s death. She decides to ditch her old life in London and settle permanently in the seaside town. After years away she must reconcile her childhood memories of Scuttler’s Cove with the place it has transformed into. Jen thought she had met the man of her dreams when she married Justin Luther…then he died a week later. To distract her, Justin’s friends insist she join them in at their new summer homes in Scuttler’s Cove. As Jen moves into the house she was supposed to share with Justin all she can think about is what she’s lost – and how different her working class background is from her companions ultra privileged lifestyles.

As the two women navigate their new lives, Scuttler’s Cove is secretly at war with itself. The seaside town has become a honeytrap for tourists. With everything increasing to ‘tourist prices’ the locals are struggling but equally they need the money the summer tourists bring in to survive the quieter winter months. Now the town’s fishing industry is struggling too. Some residents believe the town is cursed and the only way to lift the curse is to appease both the goddess of the sea and her lover, the ancient evil that lives on the hill where Merrin and Jen now both reside.

Straight away the book’s cover really set the tone for this novel. The red crab made of strands of seaweed on a black background made the story feel atmospheric and unnerving before I’d even begun reading. The cover completely drew me in and made me excited to read the story behind this image.

Folk horror is not a sub-genre I typically read but Scuttler’s Cove had me gripped from beginning to end. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this book but I really liked the focus on the unsettling and thriller-eqsue elements where Merrin and Jen feel increasing isolated and paranoid as both they and the reader question whether the strange happenings around town are real or not.

At first the novel only provides its readers with the same information that Merrin and Jen have but, through flashbacks later in the book, we are given more information. We see the plotting and scheming that the town’s older generation set in motion when they were younger. Barnett gives us clues to work out what might happen in the story’s finale but still withholds some of the puzzle pieces in order to leave the ending with enough twists to keep everyone guessing as to who they should trust.

As protagonists, Merrin and Jen complement each other well. Both women start out as mild-mannered, needing a change in their life but drifting slightly, wanting to find a place in the world where they belong – whether that’s geographical, emotional, or career-wise. They are both searching for happiness and find themselves caught up in situations beyond their control. They must find their inner strength or be lost to the machinations of the powers around them. I found it very easy to root for both characters and I liked them both equally.

If I had to give the book one negative it would be that, after all the excellent build up, the ending did feel a little rushed. This might have been due to the number of characters  – with Merrin and Jen’s worlds colliding in the final showdown. With 10+ characters being moved around the chessboard in rapid succession it meant a lot of players jostling for our attention.

But despite this I still completely enjoyed Scuttler’s Cove, which held my interest throughout. I’m really glad I took a chance on a new genre and I would happily read more of Barnett’s work.

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