Thank you to NetGalley for approving me to be ARC reader.

Coffin moon is a story based around revenge, trauma & addiction. There are moments of vivid horror & plus vampires are involved!

Duane Minor is trying to keep his life together after experiencing a trouble past and take care of his adopted niece who also has a traumatic troubled past whilst both are experiencing grief and rage. Both of them go on a journey to seek revenge until Julia makes a promise she’ll never be able to turn back on which weakens their relationship but still keeps them on the path of seeking revenge towards John Varley who has an terrifying history.

1970’s culture with added vampire lore & supernatural lore.

This is a slow burn story of revenge and I do feel the ending was a little rushed. I also feel the story was a little chaotic at times and felt it really hard to keep up with what was going on. I feel the second half of the book was much better than the first and the second half displayed ‘horror’. The premise sounded so good but the story lacked something for me.

Duane is a Vietnam veteran who has managed to recover part of his life by finding a precarious balance: working at his in-laws' bar, living with his wife, and taking care of Julia, his niece who has no one else. But when John Varley crosses his path, everything that was keeping him sane falls apart. After the brutal murder of his in-laws and his wife, Duane and Julia are driven exclusively by their thirst for revenge, guilt, and rage.

But their enemy is not of this world: he sleeps during the day, feeds at night, and butchers indiscriminately while spreading terror even among his peers.

This modern vampire novel is everything you’d hope for in a book about blood-drinkers. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the classic vampire archetype played with such mastery, drawing from familiar lore without falling into clichés or making you feel like you've read the same story before.
John Varley is a striking and memorable antagonist driven by bloodlust, but just when you think he’s nothing more than a brainless predator following his animal instincts, we’re given his backstory, something that justifies, or at least explains, how he came to be like this in a way that’s deeply satisfying for the reader. Duane, one of our two protagonists, has just the right balance of tortured and a torturer, making him a compelling character you want to follow, lost in grief but still able to move forward and keep the plot flowing at a solid pace. I also appreciated that we’re dealing with a veteran who’s in conflict with what he did and why he had to do it, rather than a glorification of yet another American invasion. This really went a long way in making him someone likable, his suffering is laid bare without ever trying to justify the unjustifiable. But the real gem is Julia, an endearing child character you’ll want to protect at all costs, even though she’s perfectly capable of handling herself. Together, they form a duo I loved following.

I get the sense that Rosson has managed to create an entire urban universe in a single book, one that brings blood-drinkers into the modern age. He strikes the perfect balance between present-day action, rich backstory, and creature lore, making you feel like the world extends beyond the book itself while it all remains self-contained and cohesive.

Finding horror novels that balance plot, emotional depth, and delightfully gritty gore is always exciting, but for all vampire lovers, this one is bound to become essential reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, I had a blast.

Bloody, revenge-fuelled carnage, “Coffin Moon,” is an action-packed and gritty take upon the vampire, and I adored it. With the pulpy soul of a tattered 70s paperback or a Tarantino film, Rosson’s latest is a messy tangle of love, rage and grief (and vampires) all wrapped up in grime and crime. I found myself stuck in that awful reader’s paradox of wanting to literally inhale this book, whilst not wanting it to end. In “Coffin Moon,” John Ajvide Lindqvist’s “Let The Right One In,” meets Cosby’s “Razorblade Tears,” meets the addictive, brutal prose and pacing signature to Rosson’s work, and I could probably wrap this up here because how could that not be a hit? You’re sold right? It’s out September 9th, a very good day indeed, from Penguin Random House in the US and Black Crow in the UK.

We follow Duane Minor, a war veteran, bartender and recovering alcoholic, who is adjusting to his new life as a family man. His life with his wife Heidi is a pleasant one, albeit one that changed completely when her niece Julia started living with them. It’s not perfect- Julia frequently finds herself in the principal’s office, Heidi’s dad is sick, Minor can’t seem to exorcise his friend Lyle’s death from his head. But it’s good. Flawed but peaceful. Fulfilling. Until it’s dismantled. John Varley and the Crooked Wheel gang want to peddle heroin out the back door of the bar Minor works at -something he refuses to let happen in spite of what his boss (his mother in law) has to say about it. He puts a stop to it, but when he finds his home broken into, Heidi and her parents slaughtered, Minor realises that Varley is not a man who is denied, or indeed a man at all.

The message central to “Coffin Moon,” is similar to that of “Fever House.” It is as old as humanity and as current as today’s headlines. It is that power, and the pursuit of it, corrupts. There are instances of greed over territory, status, money, and when explored alongside immortality, we learn that these are pretty eternally warred over. People hurt people. In the 70s, when the bulk of the novel is set, during the Vietnam war, where Minor saw things he can’t unsee, in the 30s, where the then human John Varley worked to protect the reputation of a bar-owner, and certainly before that… and ever since too. It’s pride and power and its pursuit that can be held responsible for the deaths of Minor’s wife and her parents, along with most things that are wrong with the world frankly, and that’s something Rosson continues to explore with his work.

In “Coffin Moon,” power and rage is the fuel that drives nearly every character forward- it is endlessly destructive. As a counter-weight to all that carnage and bloodshed though Rosson gives us the bond between Minor and Julia. Their relationship is strained, born of pain even, but fiercely genuine, even more so when set against Varley and his long, loveless existence. Yes, we are capable of atrocities fuelled by greed and power and retribution, yet we are equally capable of kindness and care, offering safety, looking out for our friends, standing by our convictions. People hurt people, but, I’d like to think more frequently, people love people.

All of this is presented in a bloody, raucous, action-packed, cross-country, high-speed chase. As I mentioned earlier, “Coffin Moon,” is practically addictive. Propulsive, beautifully written and easy to read, readers will absolutely tear through this one, and can’t be blamed for it. Rosson’s pacing is a relentless, unbroken current that I for one was happy to let carry me away. The character work is equally admirable. Minor is flawed, sure, a man shaped by his trauma and a recovering alcoholic who falls back into old habits when he is probably needed most by the child he’s now responsible for. Julia is only under Duane’s guardianship via a bittersweet, truly violent end to life as she knew it. She is (rightfully) angry and compulsive. They are both driven by retribution, and yet they are both unwaveringly decent people who we feel incredibly deeply for. Their bond, forged mostly in bloodshed and anguish, is the beating heart of “Coffin Moon.”

If you’re already a fan of Keith Rosson, it’s as simple as this… it’s exactly as kick-ass as you think it is. An unrelentingly, explosively, carotid-burstingly violent continuation of his signature high octane gritty, pulpy, grimy, crime-y writing, but this time with vampires. If you’ve yet to read any Rosson, you’re in for something special. A novel that speaks to power and rage and trauma and love and war and immortality, what it means to be human, and what it’s like to lose that… I suppose the word to summarise “Coffin Moon,” would be epic.

A compelling blend of survival and crime which is set in a vivid 1970s setting that pairs surprisingly well with vampire trope that is used. I will say this is a very slow book until it gets to about 75% in and it feels slightly rushed.

Overall I did enjoy this novel for it's unique narrative on the vampire trope, it's inclusion of revenge and prose.

Perfect for fans of slow-burn crime books.

3-3.5 stars from me

When Duane comes home to find his wife and parents-in-law brutally murdered, he and his niece embark on an epic quest to find the man that did it. But John Varley is much more than a man, and revenge will not be easy…

Coffin Moon is a well-written story of revenge, trauma, survival, and blood. Combining 1970s culture with vampire lore works really well to make a unique take on the tale. Duane’s past as a troubled Vietnam veteran combined with Julia’s troubled past at home make for some of the more complex characters around. As a villain, Varley is mean, unstoppable, yet vulnerable: he really kept me reading.

I found the relationship between Duane and Julia a little weak: considering their bond and everything they had been through, there is a disconnect there that didn’t quite fit for me. I questioned motivations and interactions more than I thought I should have. While this disconnect could easily be chalked up to their respective PTSD, words and actions/tone didn’t match up.
This is a slow burn story of revenge, I did feel the ending was a little rushed because of that, but if nothing else it was explosive!

I can see how well this will do, and it is deserving of praise, for the elegant prose, sweeping story arc, and the complexity of the lore. It is a new take on the vampire story, and one which works well.

Ultimately, this was a good story written very well, but there were a few elements that I wished were different. I did also struggle with the formatting of my copy, so I would read this again when released to see if I gel with the book a bit more.

Gruesome murders of violence and moments of beauty to extremely tender and heartbreaking events, lots to like about this book.

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me. I can't explain it, but I just could not get into it. I just couldn't care about anything that was happening. The writing was good, but I just couldn't get into the story!

Coffin Moon doesn’t just sink its teeth into you — it rips. This is a viscerally brutal novel, soaked in blood, grief, and raw fury. Keith Rosson delivers a vengeance odyssey that barrels through the backroads of 1970s America like a muscle car on fire, driven by two unforgettable characters: Duane, a broken Vietnam vet with nothing left to lose, and Julia, his fierce, complex 13 year old niece.

Their dynamic is the heart of the book - two wounded souls bound by bloody vengeance and shared loss. Rosson handles Julia with remarkable care, portraying her on the precipice of adolescence with sharp realism and never once falling into the traps of infantilisation or exploitation. She’s not there to be pitied or protected - she's there to choose, to act, and to reckon.

And then there's John Varley. A monstrous, magnetic villain — savage, unrepentant, fascinating. Every glimpse into his bloody past only makes him more despicable and more riveting. The flashbacks to his story are among the most haunting, feral parts of the novel. He's the kind of villain you can't stop reading about even as you hope he gets exactly what's coming.

The opening is a slow burn. Rosson takes his time, building the emotional scaffolding behind the slaughter. It adds weight but we know what’s coming from the blurb. Rosson also uses the space to delve into more than just carnage: is vengeance hollow? or does it become the forge that remakes you? is it ruin or rebirth?

But personally I was a little impatient to get to the reckoning. That said, once the story hits the gas, it doesn’t let up. Gritty, emotionally loaded, and steeped in darkness, Coffin Moon is horror with a pulse. More than just another bloody vampire novel it's about family, about finding the place you belong, about the terrible, beautiful things we do in love's name - and what we lose in the process.

My thanks to Black Crow Books for the ARC.

“Everything hurts. Is that rude of me? Everything hurts, always. Sorrow, vengeance, even joy. Everything’s got teeth on it.”

Portland, Oregon, 1975. Duane Minor, a Vietnam vet recently home with a head full of nightmares, a boozy monkey on his back, and a bartending job. His wife Heidi's niece, 13-year-old Joanna, is living with them; he hasn't had a drink in 18 months, and he's finally starting to feel like a future is forming for him and his family. Then John Varley walks into the bar and pulls the rug out from underneath Duane's dreams—permanently.

This is my first time reading Keith Rosson, although I have heard a lot of hype around the Fever House duology, and I can now understand why so many are high on him. Rosson writes in a rather stark, occasionally brutal prose but manages to find beauty within it. Equally at home writing a gore-soaked crime scene or a moment of quiet internal introspection from a broken man, there's an energy and propulsion to his style that kept me turning pages, even during slower moments.

The story itself isn't overly complicated, but it is compelling. The idea of a vampiric figure infiltrating the organised crime world makes perfect sense—after all, they're strong, they're ruthless, and they would much rather be working in the darkest hours of night—and Rosson seems to be having fun exploring this idea. With the other side of this story taking inspiration from the likes of Let The Right One In, there's much to love for fans of this subgenre.

I did find the book slowed down a little in the back half of the middle section, never boring as the character development is so gripping, but it felt like the pacing was slightly off. Some readers may struggle to deal with having main characters that aren't necessarily easy to root for—I personally loved it but understand why others may not—and I'd argue it doesn't feel like it's doing anything necessarily new with the vampire as a monster. These are minor quibbles, though, that wouldn't stop me from wholeheartedly recommending it to anyone interested. A fantastically fun, pulpy thriller, with some wince-inducing horror and emotional story beats that may just melt even the blackest of hearts.

The idea of vampirism intertwined with organized crime is a match made in heaven. Add Rosson's organic sensibility for writing gritty, immoral characters that revel in crime, as well as morally ambiguous and flawed protagonists, and you've got one hell of a recipe.
Coffin Moon is just that. One hell of a recipe. Pacing that prevents you from putting the book down, gore in just the right amounts, guilt and grief as pitch-perfect seasonings, and two main characters whose emotional beats hit like machine gun fire. It's a smaller, more intimate story than Fever House, without sacrificing any of the larger lore building, and contains one of the creepier things I've read this year in the children's museum.
Vampire stories can get real old, real quick, so any time a writer can put a fresh and exciting spin on it, sign me up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Vampire stories are long since well trodden ground in the modern era. It’s tough to find something that does something new, but ‘Coffin Moon’ succeeds on thay front. Driven by interesting characters who have more than their share of flaws, it makes for an interesting ride.

As protagonists, Duane and Julia are well-developed, even if they are a little out of time in their setting. Varley is a nasty piece of work, and it results in a very solid sense of menace throughout the book. Without spoiling too much, the action moves at a fantastic pace, with every situation feeling more high stakes than the last.

There is a certain level of pacing that could have been a bit better, but with that said, the book as a whole is fantastic. Definitely a voice in horror to keep an eye out for!

Thanks to Black Crow Books for providing me the chance to review.
Coffin Moon is a gritty story with punchy prose and violent scenes. At some points it felt like Quentin Tarantino and Stephen King (in his 80s era) both had a hand in this story.
Duane Minor returned from the Vietnam War a year ago, and, on the outside, appears to have settled into family life. But when a gang of bikers shows up at his in-laws bar, selling drugs and starting trouble, Minor can't help but get involved. When the bikers return and murder his wife, Julie, Minor begins a road trip for revenge.
I enjoyed this story, which, like I said above, had a Stephen King is his prime type feel about it. But there was something about the characters that I just couldn't connect with. Minor in particular, which is a shame as he is the main character, his dialogue just felt to mechanical, like a B-grade film script. A great idea for the plot, though, and I was impressed by the finale.

4.5 rounded up to 5
What a rollercoaster of horror, suspense and emotion all rolled up with a nice nostalgia bow on top. I’ve never read any of Rossen’s stuff before and was pleasantly surprised by this character driven romp into vampire territory that gave me full on Interview with a Vampire/moral dilemma vibes. Gritty and violent but also poignant, this was a fantastic read that sees the unravelling of Duane, as he hunts down the ferocious and mysterious Varley culminating in the ultimate face off. Give me more!

Title - Coffin Moon
Author - Keith Rosson
Release Date - September 2025
Page Count - 304 pages
Read/Listen Time - 8hrs
Brief overview - gruesome scenes, somewhat nostalgic, but predictable and nothing new
Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️ /3 stars

1975, and Vietnam vet, Duane Minor, is having a hard time. There's drug deals going down at his bar, and he's trying to do his best for his niece, who's moved in with them after her mother killed her stepfather. The last thing he needs is for the situation to escalate. But when a mysterious dealer takes revenge on Minor by killing his wife, it's only the beginning of his descent into hell as Minor discovers a world that exists in the shadows of his own, peopled by monsters that include the thing who killed his wife. But as much as he burns for revenge, his daughter burns even brighter, making a choice that will change their world forever...

A brilliantly judged mix of noir tropes, body horror, vampire lore and 70s aesthetics, COFFIN MOON is the kind of horror story that will resonate with those who loved Kathryn Bigelow's film, NEAR DARK. It's part small town thriller, part road movie, and all gripping drama as we watch our characters follow their best intentions to the darkest of places. The prose gallops along, the atmosphere grips and squeezes, and the twists come thick and fast in the final third. An absolute cracker of a novel, and now I know Keith Rosson's name, I'll be looking out for whatever else he writes.

Thank you Black Crow PR and NetGalley for the arc!

1970s vampire horror? I was intrigued and this delivered. It genuinely has been convinced I can maybe be a horror girly now 👀

Duane Minor returns to Portland from Vietnam, battling trauma, addiction, and a fragile marriage. His young niece Julia comes to live with him and his wife Heidi after a family tragedy, and so the three begin to forge a new life together.

But everything shatters when Duane clashes with John Varley: a monstrous figure with a violent past who sleeps during the day and grows teeth in the light of the moon. A murderous spree leaves Duane and Julia are consumed by grief and vengeance, setting off on a harrowing journey seeking nothing but revenge.

As they descend into a world of undead children, silver bullets, and haunted men, the line between justice and obsession blurs. In their pursuit of a creature born of nightmare, they must confront what’s left of their own humanity.

I could not put this down!! The pacing was really excellent, it had me gripped from the very start. The whole story was incredibly atmospheric - it felt so clear in my mind which made for a great immersive reading experience.

Duane and Julia's journey together felt raw and real. They are far from perfect, and both make incredibly questionable choices. They're brought together by unbelievable trauma and had to work out how to go on...and how to get revenge.

Varley's character was also fascinating. Like we can all agree he's genuinely awful, but I was also eager to learn more about him and his past.

Bloody, gory, intense. Coffin Moon is out in September!

Vampires! Horror! Blood! I loved this from the first to the last page. The book doesn't make any apologies and that feels good. It's not afraid to take it to another level.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sinks its teeth in deep and shows no mercy. This irresistible vampire tale finds the beauty in broken things and the poetry in vengeance. Amid the blood-drenched carnage, its benevolent heart beats loud right to the very end.

COFFIN MOON by @rossonkeith 10/10 for Horror, Vampires, revenge and everything that I love in a book for fans of Salems Lot and The Last Of us 📕@blackcrow_pr @blackcrow_bks

kay this book was IT for me!! Keith Rosson I love you. I'm a biggg vampire fan and i'm so glad they're rising up again in these delightful horrors! This was absolutely wild in the best way, it had that 70's horror vibe I really love whilst having me being really emotionally invested in the characters! This was bloody and heartbreaking and I seriously couldn't put it down, I'm going to need to buy a physical copy asap!