The Crestwood Chronicles Genre: Mystery | Thriller | Horror
Story Type: Novel Primary Genre: Fiction, Mystery | Thriller | Crime, Horror Age Group: 16+ Themes & Tropes: Gothic: Dark, eerie atmosphere in a small town hiding deep secrets. Mystery: Unraveling long-buried family and town secrets, with cryptic clues and growing tension. Psychological: Xavier’s internal struggles with returning to Crestwood, his fractured family, and mysterious happenings. Paranormal: Subtle supernatural elements in the form of haunted places and strange figures watching from the shadows. Dark: Unease and tension build as Xavier digs deeper into Crestwood’s past and his family’s role in it. High Stakes: As more clues are revealed, Xavier realizes the mystery could have fatal consequences.
Details
- Age Group:Young Adult (13-18)
- Manuscript TypePartial Manuscript
- Draft Number:Second Draft
- Word Count (Rounded Up):Up to 50,000
- Spice Level2 Peppers (light spice)
Story Type:
- Novel
Primary Genre:
- Fiction
- Fantasy
- Mystery | Thriller | Crime
- Romance
- Horror
Themes & Tropes
- Mystery
- Witches | Vampires | Werwolves
Requirements & Requests
I’m looking for readers who enjoy atmospheric mysteries with a slow-burn supernatural element. Feedback on pacing, character development, and mystery-building would be particularly helpful.
Comparable Stories:
The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: Like Jackson’s gothic horror, the story centers around a haunted place (Crestwood) with dark, foreboding secrets. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater: A group of teenagers entangled in their town’s supernatural history, mirroring Xavier and his friends uncovering Crestwood’s eerie past. Locke & Key by Joe Hill: Similar use of an eerie, small-town setting with mystery and supernatural undertones.
Trigger Warnings:
Family conflict Psychological horror elements (e.g., feeling watched, haunted places) Mild violence (to be explored further as the story progresses) Death (implied, not graphic)
Manuscript Format
- Google Doc