The Burial Tide

By Neil Sharpson

“A real page turner. Every time I thought I had it figured out, the plot twisted into a different shape. Thoroughly enjoyable, delightfully grotesque, and an absolutely satisfying read.” —T. Kingfisher, New York Times bestselling author of What Feasts at Night

Drawing on the creatures and horrors of Irish folklore, The Burial Tide unearths our darkest truths: how far we’d go to win our freedom, and how quickly our desires can become monstrous.


A woman who can’t remember her death.
On an eerily quiet island off the coast of Ireland, a woman with no memory claws her way out of her grave and back to life. But not everyone welcomes the return of Mara Fitch.

An island with a terrible secret.
Inishbannock. Where strange misshapen figures watch from the trees and the roads are covered in teeth. Where two brothers gamble for nothing, the doctor only treats one patient, and the pub owner speaks in riddles. Where a poet loses and finds his soul. And a man without a heart claims he's the key to unlocking Mara's secrets.

A past that refuses to stay buried.
As Mara returns to her life on this upside-down island, her memories begin to leech their way back to the surface. The more she remembers, the more the village will do anything to stop her . . .

But the sea remembers it all.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Sep 9, 2025

384 pages

Average rating: 8.15

13 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

juli1357
Mar 26, 2026
8/10 stars
Not only was this a good book, it is some of the best folk horror I've read. I enjoyed learning about the Fomor. There’s not much character development, but it’s an interesting story, and there are lots of twists and turns.

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.