AMBERHOLLOW

check your sanity at the town line

The New Book

– by Edgar Swamp

CHECK YOUR SANITY AT THE TOWN LINE

Amber Hollow

On July 14, 1991, an isolated village in Northern Wisconsin is ground zero for an unprecedented, fiery tragedy. Of the community’s 600 residents, there are only five survivors.

Detailed accounts by the victims contradict one another; the only link is a man named Anthony Guntram, who they allege is the primary suspect. Because he is presumably dead, this claim can’t be verified.

Only the villagers know the secret of Amber Hollow, a place where sanity is checked at the town line, and the parameters of reality become blurred. An unconventional horror story by design, Edgar Swamp delivers an action-driven page-turner that will keep readers guessing until the calamitous ending.

about the author

Edgar Swamp graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1995, having majored in Literature with a minor in marine biology…okay, I’m yankin’ ya. I dropped out of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee after two semesters to go on the road with various rock/metal bands, entertaining/annoying drunks and miscreants with my off-key caterwauling. I traveled about this fine country in a delirious haze, soaking up local cultures, enjoying the regional cuisine and sampling the many proffered fermented beverages with great gusto.

To say it was educational is being trite; I felt I learned far more about human psychology in those travels than I ever could have in the quaint academic lecture halls of the university. Yet for every pool cue I took to the noggin after an argument over who was to buy the next round there were also bad times, lonely times. I was fired from more than one band for my insolent, irrational, reckless behavior, leaving me stranded in various cities where I would take up residence, working demeaning jobs to earn enough money to move on. I lived in some truly awful places: closet-sized boarding rooms where the cockroaches outnumbered me a thousand to one, warehouses inhabited by social misfits who rarely traveled farther than the liquor store at the end of the block, and once, for a period of about four weeks, in a battered 1981 Ford Escort station wagon in Stone Mountain Park outside of Atlanta, Georgia.

Introspection became key to my survival, the examination of my own tattered psyche, as well as studying the unique life forms I came upon and watching curiously as the threads of their dubious sanity unraveled like an old, worn sweater. My own sanity came into question many times (or lack thereof) and it was only through writing that I could mine the depths of my soul, all the emotional torture and torment, and somehow find a way to put the pieces back together, not quite the same as before but wholly anew, awash in a newfound insight. I found out who I truly was in those filthy boardinghouse rooms, in the dim light of a storage shed on the property of an abandoned lumberyard: a creative force to be reckoned with.

Over a decade of determined writing finally found my words in print, and three years of focused concentration produced the book I am proudly displaying for all the world to see. It was a long, strange trip up to this point, but in reality it is only the beginning…

Amber Hollow a semi-finalist in the International CLUE Book Awards

BOOKs & REVIEWS

Amber Hollow is a captivating debut mystery that combines classic Whodunit elements with eerie, Twilight Zone-like twists. Set in the author’s hometown of East DePere, Wisconsin, the novel showcases the haunting charm of small-town life in 1991, rich with eccentric characters and dark history. A central theme is the cyclical nature of history and humanity's tendency to repeat mistakes, encouraging readers to reflect on personal growth. The narrative also addresses contemporary issues inspired by the #MeToo movement, exploring women’s empowerment and societal inequalities. Overall, Amber Hollow is a gripping and thought-provoking tale that sets a high standard for future mysteries.
Dav of Darkness
The supernatural events that plague the residents of Amber Hollow make this a unique and thrilling story. In Edgar Swamp's horror novel Amber Hollow, a town's inhabitants are cursed to suffer until justice is served. Detectives Jeremy and Sadie have been partners for a long time, but their newest case is unlike anything they've ever seen. Almost all of the inhabitants of Amber Hollow just died in a mysterious fire, and the survivors' stories don't match up. Still, the truth is even stranger than their lies. As Sadie and Jeremy unravel the secrets of the isolated town, they experience supernatural events that they can't explain. Their sanity, along with their trust in each other, is tested.
Foreword
This October, author Edgar Swamp will release his first mystery novel, Amber Hollow, a departure from his previous works like Gyre Mission and Blackout. Set in a fictional Wisconsin village in the 1990s, the story follows two detectives investigating the murders of over 500 people. Swamp researched the area to create an authentic setting, deliberately avoiding modern technology in favor of 1990s communication methods. While the novel diverges from his usual "snarky writing style," he aims to engage a broader audience by focusing on character and story. Swamp is excited to pay tribute to Wisconsin, Green Bay, and the era.
Times of San Diego
Mr. Edgar Swamp was kind enough to send me a copy of his book "THE GYRE MISSION: JOURNEY TO THE *SSHOLE OF THE WORLD" and I'm ridiculously stoked to read it. Hooray for badass new books (and trust me, this looks mighty badass)!..
BiblioBabes.ca
KirkusReviews.com
First-time novelist Edgar Swamp crafts an epic tale in Amber Hollow, where a crew is sent to assess a massive garbage heap in the Pacific Ocean and uncover the fate of the last team sent to investigate. The North Pacific Gyre has amassed debris three times the size of Texas. After a previous group of scientists disappears mysteriously, the U.S. president opts to send “expendable volunteers” instead. This eclectic crew includes college students, naval recruits avoiding jail time, and a dominatrix hired by the California governor. Upon reaching the gyre, they discover more than just trash—a far more hazardous situation awaits. The novel’s droll, satirical tone is underscored by its ragtag characters, such as Dante, a drug-trial guinea pig; Kenny, a former football player addicted to painkillers; and Tyler, a con man who believes he genuinely loves Melissa, the dominatrix. Divided into three parts, the first two introduce the crew and the oceanic excursion, while the third takes a Lovecraftian turn as they confront putrid odors, vile substances, and mutated creatures. Filled with grotesque imagery, this section may challenge even the most steadfast readers. While some characters lack depth, savvy Melissa and selfless Dante offer enough sympathy to engage the audience. Overall, it’s a visually engaging, intoxicating adventure.
KirkusReviews.com