Blackwater 1: The Flood by Michael McDowell
Blackwater 2: The Levee by Michael McDowell
Blackwater 3: The House by Michael McDowell

(Penguin, 2024)

Reviewed by Dave M. Roberts

This is the first three of a series of six books, originally published in 1983 all within the space of a few months. Penguin are repeating this exercise publishing the six books, each one a few weeks after the last. With glowing reviews from the likes of Stephen King, Peter Straub and Poppy Z. Brite, it comes with a hefty reputation amongst Horror aficionados.

Firmly entrenched in the Southern Gothic mode, the story opens in 1919 as a devastating flood is starting to subside in the small rural town of Perdido. The titular Blackwater River has flooded out the entire town, and as it retreats the first people making a reconnaissance of the damage to the town find Elinor, an apparent survivor in one of the hotel rooms. It is made subtly clear right at the beginning that there is more to Elinor than meets the eye. It’s not giving anything away to suggest that Elinor is in some way a spirit of the river, and clearly has some significant control over it. It would be no great surprise if the later books revealed that it was Elinor, or at least some aspect of her, that was behind the flood.

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Review from BSFA Review 25 - Download your copy here.