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Moon Lake
Michael and Sandy Williams cruise an isolated southern lake, unaware of the tiny, ferocious creatures that inhabit the lake's hyacinth-choked waters
- GenresHorror
302 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1982
1 person is currently reading
91 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Gresham
33 books36 followersSuspense, supernatural, and young adult fiction writer Stephen Gresham (1947- ) has been intrigued by the gothic tradition of the South since moving to Auburn, Lee County, in 1975 to take a teaching position at Auburn University. This area of Alabama provides the backdrop for his novel The Fraternity (2004) and imbues works such as Rockabye Baby (1984) with the horror and fantasy elements of the southern magic genre that guide him as he writes of supernatural creatures and forces.
Gresham was born in Halstead, Kansas, on September 23, 1947, to Chester Gresham, a building contractor, and Helen Kennedy, housewife and wartime riveter. He was raised with five brothers. Gresham's literary passion was sparked by listening to his grandmother read him everything from comic books to Edgar Allan Poe and watching 1940s B movies by horror film producer Val Lewton. Gresham studied journalism for two years at Wichita State University, where he began his professional writing career as a freelance sports reporter at the Wichita Eagle. He then transferred to Kansas State Teachers College (present-day Emporia State University) to earn a bachelor's and a master's degree. In 1975, he completed a Ph.D. in English Renaissance literature at the University of Missouri. While in Missouri, Gresham married Linda Duffy in 1969, and the couple had their only child, Aaron, in 1974.
In 1975, Gresham joined the English Department at Auburn University as a professor of creative writing. By the later 1970s, he had published several pieces of short fiction with two small presses. Gresham is drawn to the mythical South and has described east Alabama as an inspirational place. Moon Lake, Gresham's first novel, uses such a backdrop to tell the tale of two honeymooners who encounter evil hidden in the water hyacinths on Moon Lake.
Gresham's novels have aimed to mesh the supernatural world of ghosts, magic, and witchcraft with the real horrors of places like his boyhood Kansas, with its tornados, polio scares, and threats of nuclear war. The most distinctive aspect of his writing is the centrality of unrequited love and the unexpected yet powerful bonds formed by his characters. When Teddy, the teenage hero of Haunted Ground, battles ghosts at a neighboring farm, he must also come to terms with his adolescence and the wrath of his dysfunctional family. This focus on the destructive innerworkings of families is balanced by a respect for what Gresham refers to as "soul" families, those united not necessarily by blood but by heart or circumstance. Even after Teddy is assaulted by his own brother and neglected by his psychologically unfit mother, he is able to find solace with his cousin Judith, the black sheep of his extended family.
Another characteristic of Gresham's books is his attention to research and historical settings. In the 1990 novel Blood Wings, Gresham researched the field of cryptozoology to create the massive batlike creature from which the novel gets its title. In The Fraternity (2004), two warring vampire fraternities battle against the backdrop of Depression-era America where the only threat greater than the crumbled economy of the Hoover years is the risk of being kidnapped by rival vampires.
In addition to the many novels he has published under his own name, Gresham has also written under two pennames to establish a distinct identity between his suspense thrillers and his young adult fiction. For the 1994 suspense/thriller Primal Instinct, he adopted the name John Newland from the 1950s television series "One Step Beyond." The next year, he paid homage to director Val Lewton when he published two novels, Just Pretend and Called to Darkness, under the name J. V. Lewton. Gresham's best selling novel to date has been Midnight Boy (1987), and Haunted Ground (2003) has garnered the most favorable response from readers. Reception from readers, especially young ones, has been largely favorable, and he continues to publish thrillers.
Gres
Gresham was born in Halstead, Kansas, on September 23, 1947, to Chester Gresham, a building contractor, and Helen Kennedy, housewife and wartime riveter. He was raised with five brothers. Gresham's literary passion was sparked by listening to his grandmother read him everything from comic books to Edgar Allan Poe and watching 1940s B movies by horror film producer Val Lewton. Gresham studied journalism for two years at Wichita State University, where he began his professional writing career as a freelance sports reporter at the Wichita Eagle. He then transferred to Kansas State Teachers College (present-day Emporia State University) to earn a bachelor's and a master's degree. In 1975, he completed a Ph.D. in English Renaissance literature at the University of Missouri. While in Missouri, Gresham married Linda Duffy in 1969, and the couple had their only child, Aaron, in 1974.
In 1975, Gresham joined the English Department at Auburn University as a professor of creative writing. By the later 1970s, he had published several pieces of short fiction with two small presses. Gresham is drawn to the mythical South and has described east Alabama as an inspirational place. Moon Lake, Gresham's first novel, uses such a backdrop to tell the tale of two honeymooners who encounter evil hidden in the water hyacinths on Moon Lake.
Gresham's novels have aimed to mesh the supernatural world of ghosts, magic, and witchcraft with the real horrors of places like his boyhood Kansas, with its tornados, polio scares, and threats of nuclear war. The most distinctive aspect of his writing is the centrality of unrequited love and the unexpected yet powerful bonds formed by his characters. When Teddy, the teenage hero of Haunted Ground, battles ghosts at a neighboring farm, he must also come to terms with his adolescence and the wrath of his dysfunctional family. This focus on the destructive innerworkings of families is balanced by a respect for what Gresham refers to as "soul" families, those united not necessarily by blood but by heart or circumstance. Even after Teddy is assaulted by his own brother and neglected by his psychologically unfit mother, he is able to find solace with his cousin Judith, the black sheep of his extended family.
Another characteristic of Gresham's books is his attention to research and historical settings. In the 1990 novel Blood Wings, Gresham researched the field of cryptozoology to create the massive batlike creature from which the novel gets its title. In The Fraternity (2004), two warring vampire fraternities battle against the backdrop of Depression-era America where the only threat greater than the crumbled economy of the Hoover years is the risk of being kidnapped by rival vampires.
In addition to the many novels he has published under his own name, Gresham has also written under two pennames to establish a distinct identity between his suspense thrillers and his young adult fiction. For the 1994 suspense/thriller Primal Instinct, he adopted the name John Newland from the 1950s television series "One Step Beyond." The next year, he paid homage to director Val Lewton when he published two novels, Just Pretend and Called to Darkness, under the name J. V. Lewton. Gresham's best selling novel to date has been Midnight Boy (1987), and Haunted Ground (2003) has garnered the most favorable response from readers. Reception from readers, especially young ones, has been largely favorable, and he continues to publish thrillers.
Gres
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 22, 2021
Absolutely eerie blast from the past. Loved that story about a love story gone wrong, revenge, mysterious hyacinths, a woman returned from the dead. It's a very gothic novel with great uncanny details set in the early 1980s. Couldn't put it down until the very end. Will the modern couple survive their boat ride? What about the successful brother? Really recommended dark floating classic!
March 4, 2020
I'd go ALMOST a three, maybe like a 2.75/5?
Moon Lake by Stephen Gresham. Zebra Horror, 1982.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
An early entry in the Zebra Horror legacy, and the debut of one of their longest running stalwarts, Stephen Gresham. A very "safe" novel, painting it's story by the numbers, as many Zebra Horror titles seem to do. I haven't read anything else by this author, so I have little to compare it to, but this is all known territory to anyone who has read horror literature. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A couple takes their long-delayed honeymoon on a haunted lake and face murderous hyacinths, ghostly apparitions, flesh eating centipedes and rat attacks. This is all driven by a classic ghost motif attached to unrequited love. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'll tell ya, Gresham shows some great writing chops and promise. There's fantastic moments of atmosphere, particularly dread and a lush depiction of southern aquatic landscapes. The issues here are purely lying within it's largely inactive storyline and plot derived from many other elsewheres. Worth a look for the historian, collector and the none-too-picky reader of spooky, but fairly tame, horror.
Moon Lake by Stephen Gresham. Zebra Horror, 1982.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
An early entry in the Zebra Horror legacy, and the debut of one of their longest running stalwarts, Stephen Gresham. A very "safe" novel, painting it's story by the numbers, as many Zebra Horror titles seem to do. I haven't read anything else by this author, so I have little to compare it to, but this is all known territory to anyone who has read horror literature. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A couple takes their long-delayed honeymoon on a haunted lake and face murderous hyacinths, ghostly apparitions, flesh eating centipedes and rat attacks. This is all driven by a classic ghost motif attached to unrequited love. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I'll tell ya, Gresham shows some great writing chops and promise. There's fantastic moments of atmosphere, particularly dread and a lush depiction of southern aquatic landscapes. The issues here are purely lying within it's largely inactive storyline and plot derived from many other elsewheres. Worth a look for the historian, collector and the none-too-picky reader of spooky, but fairly tame, horror.
June 14, 2024
Moon Lake, written in 1982, carries the unique distinction of being one of the first true Zebra horror novels as well as Stephen Gresham’s first of many novels he would go on to write and be produced by Kensington. I would usually try to be a bit more kind to book that is the first of an author and a company just really starting to find their footing, but after finishing this one, and knowing that Gresham actually proceeded to get worse as an author, I honestly can’t find it in my heart to give this one anything other than a single star.
Moon Lake starts decently enough, dredging up a southern gothic feel, complete with scorned lovers, haunted lakes, and deadly plants. The atmosphere is spooky and thick with dread and Gresham tries his damndest to make a name for himself by adding rich details to each sentence.
This is all fine and dandy…for about 10% of the book. After page 30, Moon Lake quickly becomes a true test of patience as every page is an absolute bore. Gresham’s characters talk and talk and talk and talk, and then they suddenly decide to wax nostalgic and talk some more about the past. I get Gresham is trying to establish some background for his main players, but dear lord, they’re boring people.
They’re also lame, unlikable people. Michael is such a milquetoast individual who is weak and lacks any kind of testosterone. His wife isn’t much better…always complaining about her pale skin and small boobs. Kevin, Michael’s brother, is a little better, but since this is an 80’s horror novel, is stuck in the middle of melodrama with his wife who is probably gonna divorce him (though we really never truly know why).
The haunted house/lake backstory is interesting and could have been a lot more fun, but it quickly becomes derivative and Gresham tries to be Stephen King and takes way too long explaining it the how and why. Then come the horror elements that are so bizarre and take this book into some truly strange areas. They would be good in a Graham Masteron novel maybe, but here, it feels incredibly out of place, considering the more gothic kind of genre I think it’s supposed to be in.
Am I really all that surprised this one sucked? Nah. Not really. It’s a Gresham Zebra, which, after 3 of his books that have all been ridiculously boring, has quickly shown he’s a terrible author. Basically the male equivalent of another Zebra staple, Patricia Wallace. If you’re a collector of Zebras, then by all means, pick up this book to look good on your shelf amongst all those other infamous “Z” logo spines, but don’t bother reading it unless you want to be bored out of your gourd.
Moon Lake starts decently enough, dredging up a southern gothic feel, complete with scorned lovers, haunted lakes, and deadly plants. The atmosphere is spooky and thick with dread and Gresham tries his damndest to make a name for himself by adding rich details to each sentence.
This is all fine and dandy…for about 10% of the book. After page 30, Moon Lake quickly becomes a true test of patience as every page is an absolute bore. Gresham’s characters talk and talk and talk and talk, and then they suddenly decide to wax nostalgic and talk some more about the past. I get Gresham is trying to establish some background for his main players, but dear lord, they’re boring people.
They’re also lame, unlikable people. Michael is such a milquetoast individual who is weak and lacks any kind of testosterone. His wife isn’t much better…always complaining about her pale skin and small boobs. Kevin, Michael’s brother, is a little better, but since this is an 80’s horror novel, is stuck in the middle of melodrama with his wife who is probably gonna divorce him (though we really never truly know why).
The haunted house/lake backstory is interesting and could have been a lot more fun, but it quickly becomes derivative and Gresham tries to be Stephen King and takes way too long explaining it the how and why. Then come the horror elements that are so bizarre and take this book into some truly strange areas. They would be good in a Graham Masteron novel maybe, but here, it feels incredibly out of place, considering the more gothic kind of genre I think it’s supposed to be in.
Am I really all that surprised this one sucked? Nah. Not really. It’s a Gresham Zebra, which, after 3 of his books that have all been ridiculously boring, has quickly shown he’s a terrible author. Basically the male equivalent of another Zebra staple, Patricia Wallace. If you’re a collector of Zebras, then by all means, pick up this book to look good on your shelf amongst all those other infamous “Z” logo spines, but don’t bother reading it unless you want to be bored out of your gourd.
February 19, 2023
Wanted To Like It
Michael and Sandy are going to enjoy a weekend on a houseboat at Moon Lake for to celebrate their honeymoon.
But the weekend becomes a nightmare that just may haunt them for the rest of their lives.
I really wanted to like this book but I had some issues with the story that kept causing me not be able to enjoy it. I'll do my best without spoilers:
1. The characters were, in my opinion, whiny and seem to suffer from some deep seated mental issues. I could not relate to these people ( And the ironic thing is I'm originally from Alabama).
2. The "things" that reek havock on the couple are never really described as what you would call supernatural, but rather natural that act weird.
3. Nothing explains why this Lake is the way it is. Sure there is a story concerning a historical setting but it doesn't really explain anything.
4. The word Hyacinth was used a lot....in fact the story itself was ambushed by Hyacinths as much as the Lake in the story was.
In conclusion, and I hate to say it, but it's as if I've read absolutely nothing. No regard for the characters and no substance for an actual plot, again my own experience.
Michael and Sandy are going to enjoy a weekend on a houseboat at Moon Lake for to celebrate their honeymoon.
But the weekend becomes a nightmare that just may haunt them for the rest of their lives.
I really wanted to like this book but I had some issues with the story that kept causing me not be able to enjoy it. I'll do my best without spoilers:
1. The characters were, in my opinion, whiny and seem to suffer from some deep seated mental issues. I could not relate to these people ( And the ironic thing is I'm originally from Alabama).
2. The "things" that reek havock on the couple are never really described as what you would call supernatural, but rather natural that act weird.
3. Nothing explains why this Lake is the way it is. Sure there is a story concerning a historical setting but it doesn't really explain anything.
4. The word Hyacinth was used a lot....in fact the story itself was ambushed by Hyacinths as much as the Lake in the story was.
In conclusion, and I hate to say it, but it's as if I've read absolutely nothing. No regard for the characters and no substance for an actual plot, again my own experience.
March 14, 2026
2.5/5 The parts it did well were not present enough. I thought the two main characters were some of the most uninteresting people I read about. This is the first time I have been bored by a horror book.
October 10, 2016
Solid ghost story involving a cursed lake. Another used bookstore find,not terrifying,sexual or graphic it ended strong.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews