For nearly three centuries, one family has guarded a quiet patch of land that most people believe is nothing more than weeds. Jack Durkin, the ninth caretaker of Lorne Field, knows better. Every day he pulls the writhing growths that threaten to take root. If he fails, the creature they form, an Aukowie, will awaken and destroy everything he loves.
But exhaustion, family strain, and a town that mocks his devotion make Jack question whether the danger is real or the product of inherited delusion. As the season deepens and the field stirs with unsettling life, his duty becomes a test of faith, fear, and the thin line between sacrifice and madness.
With 4.4 stars on Amazon, more than 800 Goodreads ratings, and honors from the American Library Association and the Black Quill Awards, this atmospheric novel remains a celebrated entry in modern horror.
