February 27

Possessed – Peter Laws

 

 

When a blood-soaked man is discovered with the word Baal-Berith scored into his flesh, the bewildered police call on expert Professor Matt Hunter to assist. Before long, a gruesome discovery is made and Hunter is drawn into a frenzied murder investigation. With a fury of media interest in the case, and the emerging link to a documentary on demonic possession, Hunter is unable to escape a dark world of exorcism and violence . even when events spiral frighteningly out of control.

 

My thanks to publisher, Allison & Busby for a review copy of Possessed.

After a run of reading a run of crime novels it was a welcome change of tone to pick up Possessed and let some demonic possession into my reading.

This chilling tale puts Professor Matt Hunter back into the thick of the action as he faces the horror of a brutal murder and then the even more alarming prospect of a reality television show seeking to exorcise demons from a group of individuals who believe they are each possessed.

Matt is initially asked to assist the police after a suspect showing signs of “possession” is discovered to have carved the name of a demon into his own body. The suspect is identified and it is not long before Matt and the police find a body – brutally mutilated and abandoned in her home.

The suspect appears to have no self control and indicates all his actions are being controlled by a demon – one famed for murdering thousands of humans down the centuries.  A local minister and friend of the suspect insists he knew of the possession and had tried to perform an exorcism. Matt maintains demons and possession cannot be real and the murderer must be ill and in need of medical care.

News of the horrific murder soon reaches the media and Matt is brought to the tv studios to provide the balanced viewpoint on discussions around the possibility of demons being real and the effectiveness of exorcism. During the course of the show a “famed” expert tries to conduct an exorcism on air. Matt ends the debacle but the show’s producer sees the potential in giving more airtime to a live exorcism.

Matt is approached again to participate in a documentary which will give him the opportunity to explain why demons cannot be real and exorcisms are not authentic treatments for people who may be in real need of medical intervention.  Sadly for Matt the producers have not been honest with him in the nature of the show they planned and a reality tv show which plans to conduct full exorcisms live on air has been arranged.

Against his better judgement Matt agrees to provide scientific balance to the occasion.  It should come as no surprise to fans of horror fiction that all does not go as planned.

I love an unpredictable horror tale and Possessed delivers the shocks, the chills and the nasty surprises I had hoped for.  The use of a calm voice of reason (Matt) in a scenario of hysteria and drama is particularly effective and Peter Laws brings a devious mystery to the story which will keep readers guessing.

Horror fans should jump at the chance to read the Matt Hunter books – Possessed may just be the best of the series (so far).  More like this please!

 

Possessed is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0749024674/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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October 25

Haverscroft – S.A. Harris

 

Kate Keeling leaves all she knows and moves to Haverscroft House in an attempt to salvage her marriage. Little does she realise, Haverscroft’s dark secrets will drive her to question her sanity, her husband and fatally engulf her family unless she can stop the past repeating itself. Can Kate keep her children safe and escape Haverscroft in time, even if it will end her marriage?

Haverscroft is a gripping and chilling dark tale, a modern ghost story that will keep you turning its pages late into the night.

 

 

My thanks to Salt Publishing for my review copy and the chance to  join the blog tour.

 

A halloween blog tour and what could be better than reaing a chiller about a haunted house? Haverscroft is the house in question and Kate Keeling and her family have just moved in. It’s not long before Kate begins to feel unsettled in their new surroundings.

Haverscroft is an old home which had been owned by the same family for many years. Circumstances forced the last surviving family member to sell the property yet the elderly lady who reluctantly parted with the house has been actively deterring families from moving in.  Kate’s husband arranged the purchase as Kate hadn’t been in the best of health. He sheltered her from the warnings and it is only after they move into Haverscroft that Kate begins to realise their home may not be the sanctuary they sought

The author does get the chill factor right. Strange noises, doors which will not stay closed, a loft filled with memories and belongings of a family long gone and a room which nobody can stand to spend any time in.

If the chilling house isn’t enough foe Kate to contend with, her personal life is also going through the wringer. Kate’s husband is a junior member of a successful law firm. He has been asked to work away on a big case and is not around when Kate needs him. Kate is convinced he is having an affair with one of his colleagues and his increasingly erratic behaviour fuels her fears.

As events in Haverscroft start to escalate we see Kate’s mental health start to suffer. Her focus remains keeping her kids safe but she can’t watch them around the clock and the house holds many dangers.

Haverscroft is a cracking read, an atmospheric chiller and compelling family drama. Perfect halloween reading.

 

Haverscroft is published by Salt and is available in digital and paperback. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1784632007/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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October 3

One By One – D. W. Gillespie

The Easton family has just moved into their new fixer-upper, a beautiful old house that they bought at a steal, and Alice, the youngest of the family, is excited to explore the strange, new place. Her excitement turns to growing dread as she discovers a picture hidden under the old wallpaper, a child’s drawing of a family just like hers.

Soon after, members of the family begin to disappear, each victim marked on the child’s drawing with a dark black X. It’s up to her to unlock the grim mystery of the house before she becomes the next victim.

 

My thanks to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours for the chance to close out the One By One blog tour.  I received a review copy from publishers, Flame Tree Press – my thanks to them too.

 

October does bring out my craving to read creepy books so huge thanks to Flame Tree Press for the opportunity to read DW Gillespie’s latest release – One By One.  As you will have picked up from the blurb (above) this one sounded a proper chiller…new family move into big old house.  Haunted?  Unusual for sure and the child’s stick drawing of a family and their pet dog (uncovered by 10 year old Alice when she peeled away a strip of wallpaper) has a sinister element rather than the cute cheery image the picture *could* have had.

Alice is the main focus for One By One, indeed it is her story we share for the most part.  Though for reasons which partly fall into the “spoiler” category there are some necessary parts of the story which are told through the eyes of another.

Alice, her parents and her elder brother, Dean, have moved into their new home.  It has very unusual design features, quirky and peculiar interior planning and it really needs a lot of work done. A “fixer-upper” and a bargain…but bargains usually come with a story which Alice’s father seems happy to ignore.  Soon after the family move into the house things begin to change and tempers become frayed.

Alice, as the youngest, is scared by the new house not helped by the “face” she saw at her window on the first night. Her imagination runs wild but as a natural daydreamer her parents are not listening to her worries.  But they cannot ignore the reality of a death in the household and a large black cross painted over the corresponding figure from the child’s drawing of the family.

I don’t want to share too much more detail about events in One By One but for Alice the danger is very real.  Her family are disappearing and more crosses are appearing on the picture – can Alice save herself?

Small cast of characters, isolated location and a child terrified and unsure who to trust. A tense chiller which I zipped through in two fully captivated sittings.

 

One By One is published by Flame Tree Press and is available in paperback and digital format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07X3Q89JS/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ETV6WWVV5DDU&keywords=one+by+one+dw+gillespie&qid=1570124437&s=digital-text&sprefix=one+by+one+%2Cdigital-text%2C759&sr=1-1

 

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August 15

The Darkest Lullaby – Jonathan Janz

The old house waited. For years there had been rumors that the owner, Lilith Martin, had been part of an unholy cult. People spoke of blasphemous rituals, black rites filled with blood, sex…and sacrifices. Then Lilith died and the house sat empty. Until now.

Lilith’s nephew, Chris, and his wife, Ellie, are moving in. Ellie isn’t happy about living in such a dark, foreboding place, but she wants to get pregnant and this house has a lot more room to raise a baby than their apartment. Unfortunately, she and Chris will soon learn that Lilith has other plans.

 

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for my review copy and to Anne Cater at Random Things for the chance to join the blog tour.

 

I think there must come a point in every horror book or film where the viewer/reader asks “why don’t they just leave this place?”  In The Darkest Lullaby I think I reached this point around the time my Kindle told me I had read 40% of the story.

Clearly Jonathan Janz also appreciated his characters should have been getting the Hell out of Dodge as he worked in a couple of nice twists to ensure Chris and Ellie (our couple in peril) have to remain in their creepy house in the woods. No escape for Ellie from her husband’s odd and threatening behaviour. No escape for Chris from the strange woman he is compelled to follow into the woods. No escape from the strange things in the old run down house.  Uh oh.

I have read a few of Jonathan Janz’s books and he is great at building up the tension, has no qualms about bumping off characters in grizzly and disturbing ways and you cannot be sure if the good guys will survive (or if they even are the good guys).  For fans of a good-old horror tale you can’t go far wrong with Janz’s books.

In The Darkest Lullaby we have an entity who wants to use her nephew to find a way to return from the grave…if she even made it to her grave! Chris and Ellie move into Chris’s aunt’s old home in the hope of finding peace and a nice place to start a family.  However soon after they arrive Chris starts to behave oddly and Ellie becomes increasingly alarmed by strange goings on in the house.

As the story unfolds we learn that Lillith, Chris’s aunt, had an unhealthy obsession with her nephew and a really strong dislike of Ellie. That really can’t be a good combination!

The Darkest Lullaby is one for the horror fans. Bloody, unsettling and with strong adult themes. A late night page turner which kept me reading…mainly so I could find out which characters survived!

 

The Darkest Lullaby is published by Flame Tree Press and is available in digital and paperback format here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Darkest-Lullaby-Fiction-Without-Frontiers/dp/178758271X/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=jonathan+janz&qid=1565820624&s=gateway&sr=8-16

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April 12

Second Lives – P.D. Cacek

When four patients unexpectedly wake after being declared dead, their families are ecstatic and the word “miracle” begins to be whispered throughout the hospital. But the jubilation is short lived when the patients don’t respond to their names and insist they are different people. It is suggested all four are suffering from fugue states until one of the doctors recognizes a name and verifies that he not only knew the girl but was there when she died in 1992. It soon becomes obvious that the bodies of the four patients are now inhabited by the souls of people long dead.

 

I received a copy of the book from the publisher so I could join the blog tour.  My thanks to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for the opportunity to host a leg of the Second Lives blog tour.

 

For the first fifty (or so) pages of Second Lives we are introduced to the key characters. Half of them died shortly after we were introduced. Their deaths are not glorified or gruesomely depicted, as I may have expected from a horror novel, but are shown with compassion and the characters are given a dignity as the curtain draws on their lives.

I had originally believed Second Lives to be a horror tale but despite edging towards a supernatural slant it is not a gore-fest, monster mash, chilling tale of death and resurrection. It is a cleverly crafted, character driven story which raised some thought provoking moments.

Much of the enjoyment in Second Lives comes from reading about how the characters cope with the situation which they find themselves in. To have died and be ‘reborn’ into the body of a stranger. Not as a baby to grow and live anew but to drop into someone else’s life.  Sometimes the new life lives in a time period long after the deceased character originally lived so the body-shock issue is compounded by a radical lifestyle shift too. It can be overwhelming.

 

Second Lives was an opportunity to read a story vastly different from the “normal” thrillers I read. The premise is very clever and the execution equally so.

 

Second Lives is published by Flame Tree Press and is available to order here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Lives-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07QCVBDRS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1555013420&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

 

 

 

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March 1

More Catching Up – Belsham/Arnopp

I recently shared a catch-up post where I covered three books in one go. I was aiming for a more rapid review to let me catch up on sharing my thoughts on some of the great books I have been reading (but my non-blogging commitments prevented me from reviewing them in a more timely manner).

Happy with how that first post was received I am revisiting the rapid review format to do a bit more catching up…

THE TATTOO THIEF

A policeman on his first murder case
A tattoo artist with a deadly secret
And a twisted serial killer sharpening his blades to kill again…

When Brighton tattoo artist Marni Mullins discovers a flayed body, newly-promoted DI Francis Sullivan needs her help. There’s a serial killer at large, slicing tattoos from his victims’ bodies while they’re still alive. Marni knows the tattooing world like the back of her hand, but has her own reasons to distrust the police. So when she identifies the killer’s next target, will she tell Sullivan or go after the Tattoo Thief alone?

 

I received a review copy from the publisher through Netgalley.

I was at Bloody Scotland in 2016 when I first heard of The Tattoo Thief.  Alison Belsham had just won the Pitch Perfect panel and the halls were buzzing with whispers of a story where a killer was stealing tattoos from the body of his victims.  It sounded terrific.  Two years later I finally read it and it was as dark and twisted as I had hoped.

The murders and the detail of the tattoo depictions were high points in the story. I became completely caught up with the murder scenes and when the investigation began to focus on tattoos I loved the detail and discussions about the art and styles. It was engaging and fascinating and gave a fresh feel to a crime thriller.

The investigating officers were a bit more challenging to like.  The lead character, DI Frances Sullivan, has just been promoted and at 29 years of age is running his first murder case.  His second in command feels he should have got the job Sullivan holds and there is conflict from the outset.  The power struggle detracted from the investigation at times and personal rivalries seemed to get in the way of getting the investigation running correctly.  That said, the conflict brought out some strong characters – more memorable as a consequence of their conflict.

Dark murder mysteries are what I enjoy and my time with The Tattoo Thief was time well spent.

 

The Tattoo Thief is published by Orion and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format.  Order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0719VZB2Z/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

 

 

The Last Days of Jack Sparks – Jason Arnopp

It was no secret that journalist Jack Sparks had been researching the occult for his new book. No stranger to controversy, he’d already triggered a furious Twitter storm by mocking an exorcism he witnessed.

Then there was that video: forty seconds of chilling footage that Jack repeatedly claimed was not of his making, yet was posted from his own YouTube account.

Nobody knew what happened to Jack in the days that followed – until now.

 

This was a great read.  A chilling supernatural thriller which got far darker than I had originally anticipated – and that only increased its standing in my estimation.

Jack Sparks is a writer. He has a chaotic lifestyle, addictions, a “secret” love for his flatmate (which she knows about) and he wants to debunk the supernatural. To achieve this task Jack is going to attend an exorcism to record events and, he believes, highlight the ridiculousness of the event.  Things do not go to plan.

Jack comes to the attention of dark forces, forces which are far beyond his understanding and it is not long before Jack’s life starts to come unstuck.  People are going to die. Horribly. Jack will be in peril, he will lose everything he holds dear and the manner of his decline will stick with you.

Jason Arnopp will put his cast through the wringer and doesn’t hold back when he shocks and repulses his readers. Many horror tales can be crass or lurid at the expense of good writing, not so here.  Arnopp is a great storyteller and he will captivate readers and keep them hooked.

 

The Last Days of Jack Sparks is published by Orbit and is available in paperback, digital and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010PIFZMO/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

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February 21

The Haunting of Henderson Close – Catherine Cavendish

Ghosts have always walked there. Now they’re not alone.

In the depths of Edinburgh, an evil presence is released.

Hannah and her colleagues are tour guides who lead their visitors along the spooky, derelict Henderson Close, thrilling them with tales of spectres and murder. For Hannah it is her dream job, but not for long. Who is the mysterious figure that disappears around a corner? What is happening in the old print shop? And who is the little girl with no face?

The legends of Henderson Close are becoming all too real. The Auld De’il is out – and even the spirits are afraid.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publishers to provide a review as part of the blog tour.

 

I find it surprising that there are not more horror stories set in Edinburgh’s Old Town.  If you have ever have the opportunity to visit the narrow streets of the Scottish capital then you will know how atmospheric it can feel.  The city has its fair share of ghost stories and there are plenty of ghost tours and accompanied ghost walks to entertain residents and visitors alike.

That is what makes The Haunting of Henderson Close so appealing – the key characters in the story (well in the modern day part of the tale) are staff at a ghost walk.  Clad in period costume and taking the role of real characters who lived in their corner of the Old Town, Hannah and her colleagues tell eerie stories of days gone by. They give tourists a look into the past and explain what life was like in olden days when the streets were slums and disease was rife.

Hannah is the lead character in The Haunting of Henderson Close.  She is just starting in her new role as cast member on the tours.  As she finds her feet and learns the background to the people and the houses she needs to discuss we get glimpses of strange figures in places they should not be.  Cold gusts of wind on a still day and the sensation of being watched.

The author does a fabulous job of capturing the sense of location, the narrow streets, dark corners all make the chilling encounters seem so vivid.  As we get drawn into the story the peril to Hannah and her colleagues increases.  Soon the visions and visitations will escalate, danger becomes more imminent and Hannah even finds herself experiencing a flashback? (maybe) to decades previously when the streets buzz with the poorest wretches of Edinburgh’s past.

To build on the experiences Hannah is encountering we are also taken back in time to meet people who lived in the streets of the Old Town.  Some of those we meet are not destined to end their lives peacefully and we begin to question if their spirits are those that Hannah is encountering in modern day.

The time hops in the story become more significant as we get drawn into events (no spoilers as to why) but it was a nice shift in the narrative which I felt worked well and made me keen to keep reading.

If supernatural chills are what you seek then The Haunting of Henderson Close is highly recommended.

 

The Haunting of Henderson Close is published by Flame Tree Press and is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Haunting-Henderson-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07L9L8P9Z/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550695144&sr=8-1&keywords=catherine+cavendish

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January 22

Catching Up: Hall/Tudor/Foley

I won’t bore you with the details but the last few weeks have been a bit manic Chez Grab and I fell behind with my reviews.  I still managed to grab reading time but now I have a bit of catching up to do.

I have taken the executive decision to do some rapid reviews and aim for two or three titles per post. So without further ado here is a flavour of what I have been reading:

 

The Party – Lisa Hall

It was just a party. But it turned into a nightmare.

When Rachel wakes up in a strange room, the morning after a neighbour’s party, she has no memory of what happened the night before. Why did her husband leave her alone at the party? Did they row? Why are Rachel’s arms so bruised? And why are her neighbours and friends so vague about what really happened?

Little by little, Rachel pieces together the devastating events that took place in a friend’s house, at a party where she should have been safe. Everyone remembers what happened that night differently, and everyone has something to hide. But someone knows the truth about what happened to Rachel. And she’s determined to find them.

A story set at New Year but not a party that Rachel will ever forget. She awakes in her friends house with little memory of what occurred the previous night. However Rachel quickly realises that she was raped and cannot identify her attacker.

Lisa Hall builds a cracking, suspense-filled tale around this deeply upsetting incident. Rachel doesn’t know who she can trust and the lack of support she feels she is receiving really isolates her amongst her family and friends.  When Rachel begins to fear she may still be in danger that isolation really hits home.

This was the first Lisa Hall novel I have read but I was well aware of her reputation for writing clever and engaging thrillers.  The Party did not disappoint and I will add my voice to the ranks of bloggers who strongly recommend reading Lisa’s books.

 

Order The Party here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Party-gripping-psychological-thriller-bestseller-ebook/dp/B06W5RT7JD/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1548189986&sr=1-1&keywords=the+party+lisa

 

The Chalk Man – C.J. Tudor

It was only meant to be a game . . .

None of us ever agreed on the exact beginning.

Was it when we started drawing the chalk figures, or when they started to appear on their own?

Was it the terrible accident?

Or when they found the first body?

 

 

 

A delightfully dark debut from CJ Tudor. I have had The Chalk Man in my “TBR” pile for longer than I intended (her second novel is just a few weeks away).

I enjoyed The Chalk Man – the story zipped along at cracking pace and happily I was totally wrong in my predictions as to how the story was going to pan out. Through a nice series of then/now narratives I felt that the reader got a comprehensive look at the key characters in the story from their formative years to present day.

The formative years are important as it is in the past that the seeds of horror are sewn. A tragic event at a funfair has lasting consequences for a young girl. A group of young friends are on the cusp of their teen years – they will face fears, family turmoil and experience tragedy before the book draws to a conclusion.

The key character is Ed.  As an adult he is a 40-something single man and he has a few significant character flaws.  As a child Ed was a troubled 12 year old, member of a gang of 5 pals from very different backgrounds.  His parents were causing him embarrassment (and his mother’s job brought unwelcome attention). Also Ed is right on hand at the funfair incident – a day which may shape how Ed’s life will pan out.

The Chalk Man delivered surprises and twists and, as I indicated above, I enjoyed the story as it kept me reading to see how it would pan out.  Well worth picking this one up.

 

Order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chalk-Man-Sunday-bestseller-chilling-ebook/dp/B06XXSVQ9T/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1548189938&sr=1-1&keywords=the+chalk+man

 

 

The Hunting Party – Lucy Foley

In a remote hunting lodge, deep in the Scottish wilderness, old friends gather for New Year.

The beautiful one
The golden couple
The volatile one
The new parents
The quiet one
The city boy
The outsider

The victim.

Not an accident – a murder among friends.

 

A remote lodge in the Scottish Highlands is the setting for this unusual murder story.

Unusual because the reader learns very early that someone is dead but the identity of the victim (and of the killer) is not revealed until the endgame plays out.  This is clever writing from the author as she has introduced a large cast of characters in which both victim and murderer will be hidden in plain sight for the duration of the story. Readers have to try and work out who will be vulnerable and also the potential aggressors.

Our likely suspects appear to be members of a party of friends who have left the city behind to celebrate New Year in the remotest cabin in The Highlands.  A resident housekeeper and the Gameskeeper are virtually the only locals they will encounter. There are two other guests (who the friends will try to avoid) and just to keep readers in their toes there is a murder investigation being conducted by local police – have our friends placed themselves at the mercy of a murderous stranger?

Of all the books I read over Christmas this one caused me the most frustration. I enjoyed the story, it is a clever premise and the tension is maintained throughout the story. There are clues and red herrings as to the identity of murderer and victim so it should have been a joy to read. Sadly I found all the city friends to be extremely irritating – which I am sure is intentional as their flaws are clearly flagged and they behave in an abhorrent manner for much of the story.

At points I would have been happy for ALL the friends to have been bumped off and my irritation with most of the cast made me reluctant to keep reading. But perseverance was rewarded and the great premise and ongoing thrills won out in the end.

I have seen lots of praise heaped upon The Hunting Party so I have no doubt it will do well.  It is cleverly done and I think would make a great book-group read.

 

Order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07FK6L3T1?pf_rd_p=71cb17e9-f468-4d3f-94d5-a0de44c50a7e&pf_rd_r=HY9JYDZHZ9AJC10APTN1

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November 27

The Sorrows – Jonathan Janz

The Sorrows, an island off the coast of northern California, and its castle have been uninhabited since a series of gruesome murders in 1925. But its owner needs money, so he allows film composers Ben and Eddie and a couple of their female friends to stay a month in Castle Blackwood. Eddie is certain a haunted castle is just the setting Ben needs to find inspiration for a horror film.

But what they find is more horrific than any movie. Something is waiting for them in the castle. A malevolent being has been trapped for nearly a century. And he’s ready to feed.

 

My thanks to Flame Tree Press for my review copy and to Anne Cater of Random Things Blog Tours for the chance to join this tour.

 

I find horror tales to be the most unpredictable reads in my tbr pile.   With a crime thriller you generally know what to expect, adventure stories feature the “untouchable” heroes and psychological thrillers are twisty unexpected tales where the lead character will usually prevail in the end.   In a horror story – all bets are off.

My favourite chilling tales are the haunted house stories where the menace is hidden, subtle and is slowly revealed.  But there is very much a place on my bookshelves for a “schlock horror” where everything is bloody and brutal and the story has zero subtlety.

So what of The Sorrows?  This one evolved as the story developed.  Early indications were that this would be a subtle read.  Four key characters in a remote location.  Each brings their personal demons to a large lonely castle on a quite island off the coast of California.  The aim is to produce the score for a forthcoming horror film – the creepy location to inspire the creative process for the composers.

At first the castle seems to be tormenting each of the residents, apparitions or memories will surface.   Footsteps stopping outside a locked bedroom door but no sound of the person leaving again. The castle has a dark history and it soon becomes apparent that our residents are in grave danger.  However, it is hard to feel too sorry for one of the guests as he really does not come across as a nice guy.  Heavily in debt and unable to convince his father to bail him out of his latest predicament – the castle presents a haven to escape the unwelcome attentions of the debt collectors.  If something bad were to happen to this chap it may make for entertaining retribution!

Happily Jonathan Janz knows how to deliver the chills.  The subtle chills give way to monster perils, the danger full and bloody and very much in your face. The tone of the story changes up once the scene has been set and the back stories established.  Danger escalates, terror increases and the psychological chiller gives way to a brutal battle with a demonic entity.

The unpredicability of the story kept me reading, I wanted to see which of the characters may survive and which would meet a grim fate.   It is the eternal lure of a horror tale – we know there is a “big bad” out there and that not every character will make it to the end of the story…the fun is seeing what may happen.

 

The Sorrows is published by Flame Tree Press and releases on 30 November 2018 in paperback and digital format.  You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sorrows-Fiction-Without-Frontiers-ebook/dp/B07JGDX81V/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543257520&sr=8-1&keywords=the+sorrows+janz

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November 24

The Lingering – SJI Holliday (Audiobook)

Married couple Jack and Ali Gardiner move to a self-sufficient commune in the English Fens, desperate for fresh start. The local village is known for the witches who once resided there and Rosalind House, where the commune has been established, is a former psychiatric home, with a disturbing history

When Jack and Ali arrive, a chain of unexpected and unexplained events is set off, and it becomes clear that they are not all that they seem. As the residents become twitchy, and the villagers suspicious, events from the past come back to haunt them, and someone is seeking retribution…

At once an unnerving locked-room mystery, a chilling thriller and a dark and superbly wrought ghost story, The Lingering is an exceptionally plotted, terrifying and tantalisingly twisted novel by one of the most exciting authors in the genre.

My thanks to Karen at Orenda Books for the opportunity to review the audiobook of The Lingering for the blog tour.

 

I was lucky to receive an early review copy of The Lingering and my review of the book is reproduced below. Spoiler…I loved it. But when I was invited to join the blog tour I asked if I could review the audiobook of The Lingering.

Over the last 12 months I have become an audiobook convert.  While the reading pace is frustratingly slow I am finding I get so much more from my books when every word is carefully articulated by an array of excellent actors.  The Lingering really emphasised the difference between two reading experiences and the audio Book is incredible.

Knowing the story made no difference to my enjoyment, the dual voice narrative was a treat and, while I did not think it possible, it is was a more eerie and chilling experience to have the story told to me.

The Lingering has been one of my favourite stories if the year. Outstanding and capitvating in equal measure – to listen to the audiobook rubberstamped that opinion. Whether you elect to read or listen to this book you need to make sure it is one you grab as soon as you can.

 

My original review:

I spent most of my teen years pouring over all the ghost stories and horror books I could get my hands on but I do feel that there is currently a lack of good new ghostly tales for readers to enjoy. This is why, when I first heard that Susi Holliday was writing a spooky thriller, I was beyond excited and The Lingering instantly became my “most anticipated” book.

The wait was entirely worth it as there was no Lingering over this story.  I was flicking pages so fast I am surprised the pages didn’t burst into flame.

The setting for The Lingering is a large creepy house which was once used as a psychiatric hospital. Within the house is a commune,  the residents are odd collection of characters who live a seemingly simple and self-sufficient life. Into this mix come Ali and Jack Gardiner – they bring secrets and their past is a mystery but it is clear to the reader that the couple are trying to escape a troubled past and get a fresh start.

Jack and Ali discover that their new home is rumoured to be haunted and it is not long before Susi Holliday starts to unsettle the reader with odd occurrences and strange sightings. The constant ghostly undertone to the story is a joy and when chilling incidents arose I found myself drawing deeper back into my chair and scanning the dark corners of the room to ensure I really was alone.

As with all her previous books the characters in The Lingering are wonderfully defined so you will get drawn into the lives of Ali and Jack and also that of “Fairy” Angela (the resident self-appointed ghost hunter) and Smeaton, the commune leader. Strong characters give me much more of a personal investment into a story and this meant when unpleasant things started to happen I felt an anger/outrage and upset that I don’t normally expect to get from books.

The joy of The Lingering is that Susi Holiday sets up many mysteries throughout the story and it is the desire to uncover the truth which will keep you reading. Make no mistake this is a dark, dark story and there are some deeply unpleasant events to be uncovered but discovering these secrets is an absolute joy.

I am reluctant to share too much about what happens within Rosalind House and its occupants past and present.  Suffice to say that The Lingering is a brilliantly chilling tale and that Susi Holliday is on top, top form delivering a story which feels like an instant classic

 

The Lingering is published by Orenda Books and is available in digital, paperback and audiobook format. You can order a copy here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lingering-S-J-I-Holliday-ebook/dp/B07DFVXVDX/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543010848&sr=8-1&keywords=the+lingering

Category: 5* Reviews, Audiobook, Blog Tours, From The Bookshelf | Comments Off on The Lingering – SJI Holliday (Audiobook)