Ten Sleep

Belardes (The Deading) sets this creepy and immersive horror novel in the wilds of Wyoming and uses intermittent narration from local wildlife to create a palpable sense of unease. In the early 20th century, cattle barons made a bargain with the “mother canyon” through which they had to drive their herds—and which demanded payment in blood. That obligation was fulfilled by back from the dead gun-for-hire Tom Horn, who massacred two families who’d been squatting on the barons’ land. More than one hundred years later, Greta Molina heads out on a 10-day cattle drive through the canyon. She and her two companions find their journey complicated by mysterious visions of unsettling creatures, including a giant bird strong enough to carry off a calf, and a reanimated taxidermy specimen. Greta’s fraught experiences alternate with sections recounted by animals, including a courageous prairie dog seeking to fend off unusual threats to its clan. Belardes adroitly keeps readers guessing about whether his protagonists will survive their harrowing journey, while demonstrating a mastery of daylight terror. Matthew Lyons fans will be riveted. (June)