The Others (The Unfinished #2)
Cheryl Isaacs
Heartdrum
Published September 16, 2025
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About The Others
In this haunting sequel to her deliciously scary debut, Cheryl Isaacs (Mohawk) explores the sharp edges of lingering trauma and the bonds of love that heal us.
Only weeks ago, Avery pulled her best friend, Key, from the deadly black water. The cycle from her family’s Kanyen’kehá:ka (Mohawk) stories is finally broken, the black water is now a harmless lake, and her problems are far from All Avery wants is a normal summer with Key, her now-boyfriend.
The trauma, however, casts a long shadow over the town. Some victims never returned. Terrifying memories threaten to resurface, but Avery pushes them down. Who she’s really worried about is Key. The two are supposed to be closer than ever—so why does he feel so distant?
Wracked by anxiety, Avery begins to see a chilling reflection in every mirror, one that moves on its own—and she’s not the only one. With her family’s safety in the balance, Avery must Run away to the safety of normal life with Key, or return to lake’s edge and face her reflection, before her home is subsumed by darkness once and for all….
My Review
I read the first book in this series recently, and I’m still blown away by how creepy the small pond in the story is. In this sequel, the story again takes something that we encounter all the time and makes it unsettling. This time, Avery starts seeing reflections behaving in ways that are not quite right. Isaacs nails that hackles-raising sensation of looking at something and not being able to say why it’s wrong, but being unable to shake the feeling.
If you didn’t read the first book, I think you could still follow this one. The narrative has some brief explanations of what happened in The Unfinished for readers who’ve forgotten the details or skipped straight to this novel.
I found myself wishing that there was a little more romance, especially toward the end. I wanted to see them finally connect after nearly two books of obstacles in their way. That said, I think keeping the romance on the back burner as the pacing sped up and the intensity deepened was the right call. It always feels a little false when characters who are in life-and-death situations seem to forget the danger they face because they’re attracted to each other. This book neatly avoids that potential pitfall.
I sped through this book even more quickly than Isaacs’ debut. If you’re looking for an eerie Halloween read that turns simple things into sinister things, put this one at the top of your list!
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 13 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Vague speculation about two adults who begin living together.
Spiritual Content
One character shares a Mohawk prayer of thanksgiving. Avery remembers this prayer and prays at a critical moment.
Violent Content
Situations of peril. Someone attempts to murder someone else. Avery finds herself in a dangerous landscape populated with unseen monsters.
Drug Content
Avery and her boyfriend sip alcoholic drinks at a party.
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