The Burning House – Neil Spring
It was a victimless crime…
Estate Agent Clara is struggling to make a sale. With her abusive ex-husband on the brink of finding where she’s hiding, she needs to make a commission soon or lose her chance to escape.
Boleskine House on the shores of Loch Ness has remained unsold for years, and Clara is sure that an ‘innocent’ fire will force the price down. But the perfect crime soon turns into the perfect nightmare: there was a witness, a stranger in the village, and he’s not going to let Clara get away with it that easily…
My thanks to Millie at Quercus Books for my review copy and the chance to join the blog blast
Many years ago I lived in the Highlands of Scotland – I spent a large part of my teenage years just a few miles away from one of the most famous stretches of water in the world…Loch Ness. The loch offers an amazing combination of stunning beauty surrounding a dark foreboding stretch of water – home (of course) to The Loch Ness Monster.
If you have lived in urban areas all your life it is hard to understand just how remote, isolated or atmospheric some areas in rural Scotland can be. Neil Spring captures the sense of location in The Burning House perfectly – the majority of the book is set by the Ness and Neil Spring is terrific at conveying tension and atmosphere in his writing.
We are brought to the Highlands by Clara. We first meet her as she is trying to secure the sale of Boleskine House – a large unloved property on the banks of Loch Ness which has a dark and unpleasant history. Clara works for the local estate agents. In a bid to try to improve the chances of selling Boleskine House (and get her commission) Clara has set a small fire in one of the rooms…some fire damage will bring down the asking price and her dire financial situation will be improved.
Unfortunately for Clara someone has seen her set the fire and she will find herself at the mercy of their whims. Having fled London to the Highlands to escape a violent and abusive marriage Clara is no stranger to being at the mercy of another but she will not accept her situation without a fight.
Meanwhile in London Clara’s husband is unwilling to accept that his wife has gone forever. Even though months have passed since she fled their unhappy home he remains determined to track her down.
Clara finds herself a resident at the creepy Boleskine House and it is not long before strange incidents start to occur. It makes for engrossing reading and Neil Spring is a master at captivating readers with his chilling narrative.
The Burning House offers a delicious combination of large ominous house, remote location and a nearby small village (small communities always have the best secrets). The author spins a wonderfully dark tale around Clara and I just could not get enough of this story.
I had been very much looking forward to reading The Burning House as I have thoroughly enjoyed all of Neil Spring’s previous books – it did not disappoint. If you want an author who delivers on the chills – look no further.
The Burning House is published by Quercus Books and is available from today in paperback, audio and digital format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burning-House-Shocking-Thriller-Based-ebook/dp/B077P3LMWH/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1543428990&sr=8-3&keywords=neil+spring
