Campbell Law Spotlight: Melanie Robinson ’28 publishes horror novel

As if the first year of law school isn’t difficult enough, Melanie Robinson ’28 added to the challenge by publishing her first book in August 2025, just one week before her first day as a first-year student at Campbell Law School.

Robinson’s book, “It Ate Us: The Haunting of the Burrow Estate,” is a horror novel that blends fictional terrors, like a haunted estate, with real ones, exploring toxic relationships and the struggles women have faced throughout history and today.

Kia Davis ’26 had the opportunity to sit down with Robinson to learn more about what sparked her love for writing.

Robinson shared that she has always loved reading and finds that horror and other works of fiction allow readers to escape the everyday horrors of real life. When asked why she chose to write a horror novel as her first book, she explained that it felt natural given her love of Halloween and her lack of belief in happy endings.

“Horror gives you the room to not only show but also bring out your creative side without having to sacrifice what can really be scary in life,” Robinson said during the interview.

When discussing what inspired her to write, Robinson opened up about a traumatic brain injury (TBI) she suffered while serving in the Marine Corps. As a result, she spent several months in intensive therapy relearning how to read and write, a frustrating experience for someone who had always loved words.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Robinson worked as a literacy tutor for adult learners reading below a fourth-grade level. She taught her students the same methods she learned during her own recovery and often wrote short stories to help them practice. It was those very students who encouraged her to write her first book.

The following description of the book is on Amazon.com:

“After a horrific car accident leaves their daughter paraplegic, Sarah and her family move to the isolated town of Aditville, known for its ancient underground mines. The Burrow Estate, the first manor built in Aditville during the 1800s, is offered at a price too good to resist. Despite the warnings, Sarah believes this quiet town is just what they need— she is gravely mistaken. The Burrow Estate, with its dark history and unexplained phenomena, seems to hold a terrible secret, and Sarah is determined to uncover the truth. The deeper she digs, the more disturbing the revelations, leading her into the town’s forgotten past, where something sinister lurks in the darkness. But as the line between reality and madness blurs, Sarah must decide: is the manor hiding a dark secret, or is it her mind that’s slowly unraveling? And if the truth is as terrifying as she fears, will her family be able to survive it?”

Robinson will be holding book readings/signings throughout the month of October at the following locations:

• Oct. 19 from noon to 4 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Jacksonville, North Carolina
• Oct. 26 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville, North Carolina  
• Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Bazaar at Campbell University

The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com, among others.