Face Beneath the River

The Face Beneath the River by Viktoryia Konan is a haunting literary horror novel that blurs the line between identity and obsession, folklore and madness, water and memory.

When diver Julian Cross discovers a strange mask buried in the silt of a forgotten riverwreck, he believes it's just another relic for the town museum. But this mask isn't made of wood, or metal-it breathes. And it remembers.

Soon, Julian begins to change. He hears whispers when alone, sees symbols in his dreams, and wakes with markings on his skin. As his mind frays, museum archivist Mara Keene notices inconsistencies-gaps in Julian's behavior, strange artifacts, and missing time. But the more she investigates, the closer she gets to the truth: this isn't the first time the mask has surfaced. And Julian may not be Julian anymore.

From eerie underwater discoveries to rituals older than language, The Face Beneath the River takes readers deep into a river town's drowned history-where forgotten shipwrecks are more than they seem, and ancient faces still wait beneath the surface, eager to be worn again.

This novel is a slow-burn psychological horror that weaves gothic dread with contemporary unease, perfect for fans of Paul Tremblay, Mariana Enríquez, and the mythic style of The Ritual or Annihilation. Told in creeping, lyrical prose, it explores what happens when the face in the mirror no longer feels like your own.

Enter the water. But don't answer if it calls your name.