12 new August science fiction and fantasy releases to help wind down summer
By Lacy Baugher
August 2021 release: The Dead and the Dark – Courtney Gould
Courtney Gould’s debut The Dead and the Dark is about the shadowy things that lurk in dark corners, the oppressive judgment of small town life, and finding a home in places – or people – you didn’t expect.
The story follows Logan, whose fathers drag her to Snakebite, Oregon to film their popular paranormal investigation show. She’s not excited about it and only feels worse once they get there and discover that a local boy has gone missing. As the town’s newest arrivals, the family is instantly greeted with suspicion – despite the fact that Logan’s dads both have past ties to Snakebite and the people that live there.
But it turns out there’s something darker and much more nefarious lurking beneath Snakebite’s surface – and Logan will have to find out what it is.
The official synopsis describes the story as follows.
"Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV’s ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there’s more secrets buried here than they originally let on. Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness."
The Dead and the Dark is available on August 3.