Lure by Tim McGregor
Lure is a dark fantasy horror novella by Tim McGregor. Edited by Alex Woodroe, and published by Tenebrous Press on July 18, 2022, it weighs in at 178 pages.
This is a slow burn of a tale involving a family that moves to Torgrimsvaer, a small town only accessible by the sea, for the father to fulfill the role of reverend. The story is told from the point of view of the reverend’s son Kaspar, a 15-year-old boy learning his place in the world as well as the town. I enjoyed how McGregor changed the pace and the language when Kaspar was telling the story.
I was taken in immediately in the first scene when we are introduced to the bones of a sea monster hanging in the rafters of the church, along with the history of the town and its heroic fishermen. From there, the story comes to life as we learn about Kaspar and his family, outsiders living amongst a town full of old school fishermen and old school ideals. When a mermaid appears in the harbor, Kaspar’s life is turned upside down in a variety of aspects.
The townsfolk in Lure live in an archaic patriarchy full of barbaric, self-important men, and they don’t take kindly to the mermaid who appears. Her brazen display of freedom serves as a smack in the face to their culture. This is an enlightening demonstration of what happens when a group of oppressed people get a taste of a different life and the dissension and chaos that is birthed from that realization.
The themes in this story are coming of age, self-destruction, and revenge. Lure is steeped in folklore and religious overtones. I love stories that play with old language and fantasy, and McGregor does an excellent job bringing life to the characters. There is a series of subplots at play in the book, as well, and they’re all satisfyingly tied together in the end.
***I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this story, but I am grateful to have gotten the chance. Once it got going, I couldn’t put it down. Best of all, I was able to read this while lying beneath a palapa on the beach listening to waves crashing and smelling a briny breeze - it was perfect! No matter where you read Lure, you’ll be ensnared. This seaside tale and its alluring characters will keep you turning the pages as the story unfolds.
More books by Tim McGregor:
Who is Tim McGregor?
Tim McGregor is the author of the Spookshow series and the Bad Wolf trilogy. He lives in Toronto with his wife and kids, and a petulant ghost that scratches inside the walls.
Who is Tenebrous Press?
TENEBROUS PRESS WAS CONCEIVED IN THE PLAGUE YEAR 2020 AND UNLEASHED, HOWLING AND FERAL, IN SPRING 2021 TO DELIVER THE FINEST IN NEW WEIRD HORROR FROM DIVERSE AND UNSUNG VOICES AROUND THE WORLD.
TENEBROUS PRESS is:
MATT BLAIRSTONE
Publisher, Bane, Fabulator of Folderol
ALEX WOODROE
Submissions Editor, Red Right Hand, Wrangler of Fools, Cracker of Whips
Who is Alex Woodroe?
Alex Woodroe was raised—possibly by wolves—in Romania, where she stumbled into weird speculative fiction and an endless supply of folklore. She made a career out of doing terrible things to words in multiple languages, and her favourite horror story is Alice in Wonderland. She is a member of the Horror Writers Association.
