Misery Plaza - by J J Alo (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"Ideal for fans of the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. A genre-hopping and action-packed read."

- Kirkus Reviews

2025 Readers' Choice Book Award Winner

Joseph Griffin-the ruthless outlaw whose bloodstained past has caught up with him at last-thought he could escape. But fate has other plans. Now going by the name William Potter, he's forced to flee with his children to the isolated and strange village of Missouri Plaza. A place where every neighbor harbors secrets, and the line between friend and foe is blurred. Here, among thieves, liars, and killers, the danger isn't just from the law-it's something far darker.

When a long-buried treasure is unearthed, Potter sees it as his last chance to vanish for good. But riches come at a steep price. What begins as a simple hope for freedom soon spirals into an unimaginable nightmare. As the shadows of Missouri Plaza close in, Potter must face the ghosts of his past while fighting to protect his family from a bounty hunter with a deadly obsession, the relentless pursuit of the U.S. Cavalry-and something ancient, vengeful, and far more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

Time is running out, and escape may be impossible. In this village, nothing stays buried for long.

If you enjoyed Andy Davidson's In the Valley of the Sun and R.S. Belcher's Golgotha series, you'll love this page turning tale of survival and redemption.

From the award-winning author of The Street Between the Pines.

*Books in this series are all stand-alone stories in a shared universe and can be read in any order.*

Review Quotes

Kirkus Reviews

"Alo's novel is a charmingly spooky Western adventure, ideal for fans of the works of H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. A genre-hopping and action-packed read."

BookLife Reviews

"Brisk and brutal, alive with clever action, slasher horror, desperate showdowns, with mysteries that (quite literally) lurk beneath town. A splattery epic mashup of western, SF, and horror."

The MIdwest Review

"Packed with twists and historical references readers won't see coming, its sharp contrasts between place and people creates a page-turner of horror and revelation that is impossible to predict and easy to love."

The Book Commentary

"Misery Plaza is a compelling, chilling, and unique supernatural Western with richly developed characters, a phenomenal conflict, and delectable writing."