When Willow Stone goes missing, her brother Harper traces her last known location to Clifford Island, a sparsely inhabited place in Lake Michigan. Determined to uncover the mystery of her disappearance, he embarks on a journey that reveals an island stuck in the past, where monsters both literal and figurative dwell.

Jimmy Juliano’s debut novel Dead Eleven begins with an author’s note from the fictional protagonist, Harper Coates. I really loved this introduction. I was initially really excited because it gave me the impression that, rather than following a traditional narrative structure, Dead Eleven is more of a collection of interconnected short stories interspersed with a scattering of interviews and transcripts and I was excited at that unique idea. The novel didn’t end up following much of an epistolary structure, and it most certainly was not a collection of short stories beyond the first chapter, but Juliano’s writing skill ensures that this deviation is not disappointing, and it sets the tone for the rest of the book.

Throughout the book, Juliano is very good at finding a balance between hinting at larger mysteries while revealing enough information to keep the reader engaged without confusion. The characters are complex and interesting, and the dialogue feels natural. By the end of the second chapter, we already know quite a bit about Harper and Willow, and have an idea of what life on the island looks like.

The island’s residents seem to be stuck in the year 1994, as if all time stopped 25 years before. The plot unfolds through various perspectives, including Harper, Willow, and Lily Becker, a high school student who befriends Willow after her arrival on the island.

There are some moments where the story seems to lag a bit, but then the author adds in something interesting to keep the reader engaged. I never felt like this book was too long – in fact, I was so engrossed that I finished it within 24 hours.

Juliano had some terrifying ideas that could have elevated this to a true horror if he had explored them more slowly. Some elements felt a bit rushed. I also found myself wondering how, if some of the characters had disappeared without a trace (particularly those he had never met), Harper knew what they were doing and thinking in the moments before they had disappeared.

Overall, Dead Eleven is an impressive debut novel. It’s well-written, interesting, and feels a bit like an episode of Lost. The novel’s unique concept makes it a standout read, and I’m excited to see what Juliano will write next.