The Night Pool

The Night Pool is a blood-soaked, page-turning horror set in the Gold Rush West, where three women must battle monsters both human and inhuman to survive--perfect for fans of Alma Katsu's The Hunger and Victor LaValle's Lone Women.

The American West is no safe haven for women--least of all in the Gold Rush town of Coloma, California. Not for Clara Tice, the blacksmith's strange and stubborn daughter. Not for Mei, the healer whose calm presence in the makeshift camp for Chinese immigrants contrasts sharply with her brother's hard-eyed pursuit of riches. And certainly not for Haloke, a Nisenan shaman's granddaughter whose native village has been devastated by smallpox, hunger, and the relentless greed of Outsiders.

One night, Clara and Haloke meet at the river's edge and watch in horror as Clementine Cobbs, the town beauty, is lured across the water. Together they witness something terrible in the Night Pool. Soon after, an unseen attacker descends upon the mining men of Coloma, abandoning heartless bodies one by one. As the gruesome killings in Coloma threaten to incite further violence, Clara, Haloke, and Mei find themselves unlikely allies--without the gangs, guns, or bravado of the men who claim Coloma's riches. The three women must work together to confront the evil that menaces them from both monsters and men.

A gripping tale of sisterhood, vengeance, and survival, The Night Pool explores the horrors of greed and lust, and the hidden strength of the most vulnerable among us.

Lauren Lee Smith was born and raised in rural Northern California Gold Country on Nisenan land, and grew up with history all around her, from pioneer cemeteries to gold mines to Native American caves and grinding rocks. As a mother, mental health advocate, and history lover, her work often explores maternal mental health, trauma, male brutality, and the historical intersections of diverse cultures through the lens of feminist horror. She lives by the sea in Southern California with her family, four dogs, two cats, and enjoys growing old fashioned roses and writing scary movies for Hollywood that confront the darker, more taboo elements of the feminine experience. The Night Pool is her first novel.