The Lost Story was Inspiring and Imaginative, Wondrous and Beautiful. What a Heartfelt Story of Pure Escapism.
In May 2007, two 14-year-old boys, best The Lost Story was Inspiring and Imaginative, Wondrous and Beautiful. What a Heartfelt Story of Pure Escapism.
In May 2007, two 14-year-old boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Ralph (Rafe) Howell, went missing from Red Crow State Forest in West Virginia. Later that same year they suddenly reappeared, as if from thin air, found by two hikers in a spot that had been searched dozens of times. Rafe had no memory of those lost six months. Jeremy recalled it all but was bound by a promise to keep it secret, even from Rafe. His doing so drove a wedge between the two boys, and soon after Jeremy’s family moved away.
Fifteen years later Jeremy works as an investigator locating missing girls. Rafe lives a reclusive life, in a cabin in the woods. Jeremy is approached by a young woman – Emilie Wendell. Adopted as a baby, Emilie has only recently discovered that her older, half-sister, Shannon, went missing from the same forest as Jeremy and Rafe, five years before they did. Shannon was thirteen at the time of her disappearance, and in her case, there was evidence that she was kidnapped and murdered, although her body was never found. Emilie enlists Jeremy’s help to locate her sister’s body for burial and closure. Jeremy reluctantly agrees, he hasn’t been near Red Crow State Forest since the day he and Rafe were found. Neither has Rafe, but desperate for answers regarding what happened to him all those years ago, he is convinced to go along. And that is just the beginning of what will be a life-changing, epic journey for all three.
The Lost Story was at its core a story of lost, and found, love. The focus was on relationships – lovers, family, friends, and animals. It was also an adventure story, fairytale, fantasy, coming of age, mystery, and magical realism. In The Lost Story the power of imagination and strength of belief in yourself and those closest to you meant you could face, and stand up to, any demon – internal or external. It contained serious topics, so trigger warnings for child abuse, family violence, homophobia, and abduction. This novel drew inspiration from C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia series but for me The Lost Story had much more in common with Peter Pan and Alice and Wonderland.
The writing, dialogue, and characters were faultless. The word building was immersive and unique, and the various clues, foreshadowing, setups and payoffs impressed me to no end. (view spoiler)[My one tiny negative was that I never felt any of the characters were in any real danger, the villains were easily dispersed, but because it was a fairytale, and I’m all about the happily ever after, and because I loved these characters so much, I didn’t really care. (hide spoiler)] There was a handy map at the beginning of the novel, and recipes throughout that I understand are also included as a pdf alongside the audiobook.
The Lost Story was an utter delight from the first word to the last. The releases this year overall have been of an exceptionally high standard, and this novel is another favourite that I’m sure will make my end of year top ten. I’m thrilled to bits that I have The Wishing Game by this author still to read....more
The author has a creative imagination, but I wasn’t sold on the way it was written!
Eve Palmer, and her partner Charlie Bastion fix up old houses with The author has a creative imagination, but I wasn’t sold on the way it was written!
Eve Palmer, and her partner Charlie Bastion fix up old houses with the intention of flipping them for a profit, and their current home – 3709 Heritage Lane – in the backcountry of Oregon is their most ambitious project to date. One Friday night, Eve and their dog Shylo (no harm comes to the dog btw) are alone in the house, waiting on Charlie’s return, when the doorbell sounds.
Eve reluctantly opens the door to a family of five – Thomas, his wife Paige, and their children, Kai, Newton, and Jenny. Turns out Thomas grew up in the house, and since they were passing, he was hoping to show his family the interior. They seem harmless, so Eve agrees. But the tour stretches on forever, and finally just when they’re about to leave, Jenny, their youngest, goes missing… And that’s just the start of the bizarreness…
Unhinged and mind-bending! I savoured the idea of this, the concept, the cleverly concealed clues and hints, the insertion of news articles, interviews, relevant articles, etc, the gothic setting, and best of all, the chilled-me-to-my-bone ending, and the place it ended. However, the way it was written just didn’t do it for me – it was all over the show – choppy, hard-to-keep-track of plot, some downright awful dialogue, and inconsistent character behaviour. I appreciate that given the trippy and strange plot, the writing needed to contain a certain amount of surrealism especially the further into the novel things got, but it was this way from the beginning, which made it hard to connect with any characters as they were all odd from the first meeting, therefore tough to care about. For me the most terrifying part of a horror novel is when your characters are living their lives as if everything is normal, only to be confronted with something supernatural or paranormal, and it would’ve worked with this exact plot and not lost anything. I’ve seen a similar plot work in a TV show, and another book, and the characters were 100% more realistic to life – can’t name either obviously due to spoilers.
It will be interesting to see if the Netflix movie will get it right (by me).
The third rule of Camp Emerson is the most important, ‘When lost sit down and yell.’
Just like the battle cry of Pan: The Greek God of the Woods.
SituatThe third rule of Camp Emerson is the most important, ‘When lost sit down and yell.’
Just like the battle cry of Pan: The Greek God of the Woods.
Situated in the Adirondack Mountains is the Van Laar Preserve. Atop its ridge is the Van Laar’s colossal summer home, named Self-Reliance. Far below, is the camp they own, Camp Emerson, which is open to campers eight weeks of the year (June to August).
July 1961: 8-year-old, Peter “Bear” Van Laar the fourth (the only child of Peter the third and his wife Alice) vanishes without a trace while hiking with his grandfather (Peter II) in the Adirondacks near the family home Self-Reliance. Following an extensive search no trace of him is ever found.
August 1975: The girls in Balsam cabin, Camp Emerson, awaken to find 13-year-old Barbara’s bunk bed empty. Barbara’s surname is also Van Laar – she’s Bear’s younger sister, born after his disappearance, to replace the void he left.
Is the Van Laar line cursed?
Surely it can’t be a coincidence that they’re two children from the same privileged family!
Or are they simply two separate unrelated tragedies?
What happened to Bear, and then Barbara?
If I could rate The God of the Woods 14 stars (for the 14 cabins of Camp Emerson) then I absolutely positivity would, but I guess 5 stars is enough to convey just how immersive, momentous, and affecting it was. A flawlessly written epic masterpiece of literary suspense fiction, and deep dive character study. There were twists that left me reeling over how shockingly clever they were, and Liz Moore’s use of misdirection and carefully concealed clues were meticulously placed. Every once and a while there is a book that comes along that is so special that I find myself taking much longer than normal to read it, inhaling every word, and taking frequent breaks to reflect on the plot, and characters, to prolong the experience, and The God of the Woods was one such example.
The story contained many gothic elements which increased my sense of unease and claustrophobia tenfold. A prickling sensation at the back of my neck permeated the novel from the very first page. First up, was the secluded setting, far enough away from the nearest town of Shattuck to be isolating, surrounded by endless wilderness and the looming Hunt Mountain, with Lake Joan cutting them off even further. Then there were the dilapidated log cabins, once used for hunting parties, complete with unused fireplaces, whose chimneys were occasionally inhabited by bats. Not to mention the origins of Self-Reliance – there was something off-putting and out-of-place about it previously being a Chalet in Switzerland, transported by ship to New York piece-by-piece and then reassembled on the Van Laar Preserve. As expected, there were numerous campfire style legends circulating – whispered stories warning of Slitter, of Scary Mary, and Old John. And last but not least, the plot was built around not one, but two disturbing enthralling mysteries.
Those who know me are aware that I love a summer camp setting and this novel contained everything I wanted in one – new friendships, secretive and untrustworthy behaviour, counsellors and campers sneaking around after dark, campfires, sing-a-longs, swimming, hiking, a camper survival trip in the woods, and an end of summer dance. The vivid and intricate descriptions of the campgrounds really brought Camp Emerson to life. There was also a handy map included at the front of the book, showing the layout of the grounds and buildings.
And I was thrilled that the author chose to set the camp story arc in the 70's – I adored the nostalgic trip, the slang, and pop culture references. The 1950’s/1960’s timelines were equally compelling. Instead of Camp Emerson, that plot focused on Self-Reliance and Peter and Alice's marriage within its walls, and of course, Bear's disappearance, and what lead up to it, and the fallout resulting from it.
The majority of the POV’s were pre-teen/teenage girls and twenty-something women (with the exception of Alice in 1975. She was 41 by this stage), and most of them were damaged or broken (and given what they'd been dealt in life I'm not surprised), beaten down and trapped by their circumstances. Back then women were considered inferior – utterly dependent on the men in their lives to make decisions for them regarding how to look, act, and behave. And a lot of the male characters in this book took advantage of this – were dismissive, controlling and abusive. Not only that when female characters were abused by men, they saw it as their failure, and thought it was them who needed to change, who needed to be more compliant. And those who did take a stand were belittled, mocked, and shunned, by both men and women, for not conforming to the norm.
Class, prejudice, injustice, and resentment was another prominent theme. With the Van Laar family and their rich, entitled friends on one side, and the locals from Shattuck (including camp staff, counsellors, household staff, and caretakers) on the other. Self-Reliance, sat high on the hill, on prominent display, lording it over everyone, literally and figuratively, looking down on people. Even its name, Self-Reliance, was an exclusion, a slap in the face for the townspeople, implying that the Van Laar’s had build it themselves with no assistance, when it had been the entire eligible male population of Shattuck who had done so, with no help from the Van Laar’s. And even the fact that the camp staff quarters were situated way down lake from Self-Reliance in the farthest south corner possible, placed in the half of the camp separated by a creek, spoke volumes.
The God of the Woods was in my opinion a smash-hit and I strongly urge everyone to read it and experience the magic for themselves. My top read for 2024 so far. Actually, a top read full stop....more
The Midnight Feast was Unsettling, Creepy, and it Sure Kept Me Guessing!
June 2025 – It’s the opening weekend of The Manor, an excl*HAPPY RELEASE DAY!*
The Midnight Feast was Unsettling, Creepy, and it Sure Kept Me Guessing!
June 2025 – It’s the opening weekend of The Manor, an exclusive, cliffside, health and wellness resort hotel, nestled away in the tiny village of Tome, Dorset, with the beach on one side and the woods on the other. The retreat promises three days of luxury, spirituality, and pampering, culminating in a Midnight Feast on The Day of the Solstice.
But just before dawn The Day After the Solstice fishermen make two grisly discoveries, floating in the water is a body, and high up on the cliff The Manor is burning!
Just what went on at The Midnight Feast?
After finishing The Midnight Feast I can honestly say that Lucy Foley is the master of misdirection – the plot had more twists than the trees featured in this novel – the mystery was multi-layered, clever, and exciting, and the shocks and secrets just kept on coming. I can’t stop thinking about that last 25%!
The characters were a mix of one’s I cared about, other’s I wasn’t sure about, and a few that were evil to the core. All were compelling, three-dimensional and intriguing. I even teared up a couple of times and was surprised how emotionally invested I was in some of these character’s situations and trauma. The setting of Tome took on a life of its own – steeped in class conflict and divide, exacting justice, and customs and folklore. Now, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that I’m terrified of birds – although I’m not keen on their squawking, flapping wings, and beady eyes – but the bird legends featured in this novel, coupled with the fact that people kept finding ominous feathers, really freaked me out.
There were several timelines to keep track of. The present story arc, which took place over the three-day retreat weekend – Opening Night, The Day Before the Solstice, The Day of the Solstice – via four POV’s. Then there were flashbacks to the summer of 2010 in the form of italicised journal entries narrated by a teenage girl, as well as flash forwards to The Day After the Solstice beginning with the discovery of the fire and an unidentified body. There was also a spooky, foreboding prologue titled, The Woods. The summer journal was the standout for me, that is until the last 25% when every moment was my favourite.
Now I can’t decide which Lucy Foley book is my favourite, this one, or The Guest List. I think I love them both equally.
P.S. As a teenage I also devoured Bella by Jilly Cooper, as well as the other books in the series, Harriet, Octavia, etc.
I’d like to thank Netgalley UK, Harper Collins UK, and Lucy Foley for the e-ARC.
Take note of the release date, 6th June 2024, as The Midnight Feast is a must-read thriller....more
‘If you see the burning girls, something bad will befall you.’
Reverend Jack Brooks, widowed, with a teenage daughter Flo, reluctantly takes on 3.5
‘If you see the burning girls, something bad will befall you.’
Reverend Jack Brooks, widowed, with a teenage daughter Flo, reluctantly takes on the temporary position of interim vicar in a tiny Sussex village.
Chapel Croft has seen its fair share of tragedy.
The sixteenth century saw eight Protestants – including two young girls Abigail and Maggie – burned to death in front of the church.
In 1990, two teenagers Merry and Joy, disappeared without a trace. They have never been found.
And Jack's predecessor – Reverend Fletcher – hanged himself in the chapel.
The ghosts of Abigail and Maggie are said to haunt the church grounds, and building.
So when Flo sees a girl on fire in the graveyard, who promptly vanishes, and a box addressed to Jack containing an exorcism kit is left on the chapel doorstep, It appears evil is still afoot in Chapel Croft and it's set its sights firmly on Jack and Flo.
The Burning Girls contained its fair share of wickedness and intrigue, but I craved more. Her first two books The Chalk Man and The Taking of Annie Thorne (a.k.a. The Hiding Place) were truly terrifying and chilled me to the bone, but I never experienced that level of terror while reading this. In fact, it was slow to begin with and parts of it were kind of boring. The building sense of ominous dread was absent. Despite the macabre premise, dark history, and gothic setting, I never felt unsettled.
What’s more I guessed one of the bigger twists early on, so that really hampered my enjoyment. A smaller one I figured out too, but that one was very obvious. I'm not even sure it was supposed to be a twist. However, there were several other big reveals that shocked me to the core which I really enjoyed.
The two main characters were what really kept me invested. Jack and Flo were both strong independent flawed people and their pain was real. I loved their relationship, teasing banter and witty remarks. Even when they were at odds their bond was unbreakable.
Just like C.J.Tudor's previous work, The Other People, I can see The Burning Girls appealing to a wider audience as it wasn't as weird, sinister or ambiguous as TCM and TTOAT but those were the qualities that first drew me to this author, so I couldn't help feeling disappointed. Overall, a satisfying, suspenseful, somewhat surprising mystery but little about it separated it from other's in the thriller/supernatural genres.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Penguin Michael Joseph UK, and CJ Tudor for the e-ARC.
‘Whether this is a devil dressed as a man, or a man dressed as a devil, our course of action remains the same.’
If you're a fan of any, or all, of
‘Whether this is a devil dressed as a man, or a man dressed as a devil, our course of action remains the same.’
If you're a fan of any, or all, of these authors and books – Ken Follet, Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, The Shining, or Lord of the Flies, then The Devil and the Dark Water is going to be a sure-fire winner for you. Even if you're not, there is still plenty to enjoy.
The year is 1634. When passengers set sail on the Saardam (one in a fleet of seven Indiaman ships) at Batavia, for an eight-month journey to Amsterdam, they anticipated boredom, misery, and the potential hazards of pirates, storms, fire, shipwreck, disease, or accident. What they didn't expect was a manifestation of a dead leper haunting the decks and cargo hold. A whispering voice echoing through the night – taunting and tormenting, offering rewards and riches in return for servitude. An ominous eighth lantern out at sea that shouldn’t be there. And the prediction of three unholy miracles, each worse than the last – two of which have already come to pass.
All I can say is WOW!The Devil and the Dark Water was equally as original, clever, puzzling, and enthralling as Stuart Turton's debut, The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Strap yourself in for a wild voyage of epic proportions. TDATDW fits multiple genres – historical, horror, gothic-horror, crime, mystery, suspense, thriller, action, adventure, drama, and romance. It’s a slow burn, but pay attention and read carefully, as it's always the small details that count, otherwise you may be confused by the end reveal. To give you some context, the first 35% only covers the first day of the voyage, beginning with the passengers arriving, boarding, and then setting sail. I feel this gradual build approach was necessary due to the extension cast of characters introduced, as well as to get your head around the layout, hierarchy of the crew and passengers, and the operation, routine, and conduct aboard the Saardam – all things pertinent to the plot. Included at the front is a ‘Manifest of Notable Crew and Passengers’ which I kept flipping back to until I had all the players straight.
The prevalent question continuously plaguing me throughout was whether or not the threat was supernatural? Was someone actually possessed or controlled by a Devil entity to do its bidding, or was the answer trickery perpetrated by a cunning mastermind/s? And, I was constantly torn one way or the other, my every theory (and admittedly all my ideas were weak) soon shot down by the author. The growing hysteria and paranoia of the people on board increased the tension, claustrophobia and desperateness of the situation and had me anxious for the characters that were my favourites. Superstitious beliefs were commonplace in the 17th century, and crew and sailors on board the Saardam used charms, prayers, and rituals as a protective barrier to ward off the Devil and disaster. Fights, resentments, rivalries, riots, and insubordination went hand-in-hand with such closed quarters, and when exacerbated by a satanic presence inciting discord, rage, hatred, fear, and terror, mutiny and murder were but a stone’s throw away.
The Devil and the Dark Water definitely makes my top three favourite reads of 2020. In his Author’s Note Stuart Turton has promised another book in the next two years, and I'm going to hold him to that! With Halloween approaching, this would be the perfect time to read this....more
This was such a hard one to rate as the mystery was going well until the end when I was left with several unanswered questions. I also wasn’t that keeThis was such a hard one to rate as the mystery was going well until the end when I was left with several unanswered questions. I also wasn’t that keen on the dialogue as some lines had me scratching my head in confusion as it didn’t sound like the way people speak....more
Raven Hall – A beautiful stately, yet gloomy, isolated mansion, complete with turrets, situated deep in t4.5
‘Just think of it as – a little game.'
Raven Hall – A beautiful stately, yet gloomy, isolated mansion, complete with turrets, situated deep in the marshlands and fields of eastern England.
1988 – Recently orphaned 14-year-old Beth is thrilled to escape the children's home and spend the summer at Raven Hall as a companion for the owners teenage daughter. But carefree days of swimming, picnics, exploring, and fun and games soon turn into a game of a different sort. One Beth's not sure she wants to play along with.
2019 – Struggling actor Sadie is hired to take part in a trial run murder mystery weekend at Raven Hall. And she’s relishing the idea of a two-day getaway starting with a chauffeured Mercedes, vintage clothing, and a dinner party complete with a parlor game. But someone has a far deadlier game planned for an unsuspecting Sadie and the other unfortunate guests.
The Perfect Guests was an enticing blend of multi-generational sordid secrets and lies, dysfunctional families, obsession, loneliness and trickery. And at the heart of it all, lies Raven Hall, in all its magnificent, haunting, gothic glory. Beth's story made me think of Heidi crossed with VC Andrews while the present storyline gave me all the And Then There Were None spooky vibes. Both timelines were engrossing and mysterious and I connected with the two main characters right away, and quickly became invested in their individual plights. I loved the parallel of Beth and Sadie both approaching their new adventures at Raven Hall with enthusiasm and excitement but soon finding their situations uncomfortable and disconcerting.
To be honest, I was expecting something a bit darker, but the more I thought on it have decided that I was not disappointed over how it all came together in the end. I enjoyed reading it immensely, and always looked forward to picking it up. So maybe some of the reveals were a tad unbelievable and convenient, but they were surprising and the little clues and hints, and how it all wove together, were cleverly done. As you've probably guessed chapters alternated between Beth and Sadie, but there was also a third italicized unknown POV that I had no clue about, and as much as I tried to puzzle it out, things did not start to make any kind of sense until about half-way through.
For those who want a break from being scared to death, or who prefer psychological thrillers that are tense and foreboding rather than terrifying, with characters you care about, and content that packs an emotional punch, then look no further than The Perfect Guests. And since this was Virginia Andrews-esqe, pay attention YA readers, because this one's for you too.
P.S. The title couldn't be more appropriate.
I’d like to thank Edelweiss, Berkley Penguin Publishing Group, and Emma Rous for the e-ARC.
‘We lived in the attic, Christopher, Cory, Carrie, and me.’
The tragic death of her husband leaves Corinne penniless, unable to support her
‘We lived in the attic, Christopher, Cory, Carrie, and me.’
The tragic death of her husband leaves Corinne penniless, unable to support her four children. At the tender age of eighteen, she was disowned by her wealthy parents for her sins, but a desperate letter to her mother, begging to be allowed to return to her childhood home, sees the five of them travelling to the sprawling estate – Foxworth Hall – in rural Virginia.
Corinne tells her children, Chris (14), Cathy (12), Cory and Carrie (5), that she needs a day or two to prepare her father to meet them. She informs them their Grandfather is dying, and that once she wins back his affections, she will inherit everything and they will be rich. But in the interim they must remain quiet and hidden, locked in a back bedroom on the second floor their Grandmother has prepared for them, with access to the attic via a staircase in the closet, to use as a playroom. But a day turns into a week, then a month, and then years pass. Chris, Cathy, Cory, and Carrie have long ago stopped caring about the Grandfather and the money. All they want is their freedom.
First published in 1979, set in the late 1950’s, Flowers in the Attic, and it's three sequels, Petals on the Wind (1980), If There Be Thorns (1981), Seeds of Yesterday (1984), and the prequel, Garden of Shadows (1986) have been favourites of mine for over thirty years. Part horror, family saga and drama, forbidden romance, coming of age and gothic tale, Flowers in the Attic is the troubling story of love, loss, abuse, secrets, lies, and betrayal.
Cathy is the sole first-person narrator, and we experience every injustice and shocking revelation as she, along with her brothers and sister, do. As a pre-teen I found Cathy’s thoughts, hopes and dreams, teen angst, body image issues, and mood swings to be very relatable, and as an adult reader my heart ached for her and her siblings and their suffering, and I admired Cathy's strength of character, and her caring nature. Chris, Cory, and Carrie were just as compelling, all with their own unique personality traits, and I love them all. The Grandmother and Corinne's behaviour and actions, particularly the latter’s selfishness and motivations, held a particular horrified fascination on this read through. How could any mother cast her children aside like this one did?
A prominent theme is the end of innocence. The consequences of being isolated and shut away drastically affect the children's physical, mental, emotional, and social development, as well as alter the course of their lives. Cathy and Chris are forced to grow up fast, taking on adult roles of surrogate parents and teachers to their younger siblings – sacrificing their own childhood to care for them. They do everything in their power to minimise the twins suffering, keeping them busy and entertained, making their tiny living space as comforting and homely as possible, and protecting them from the worst of the horrors that surround them.
For Chris and Cathy, teenagers on the cusp of manhood and womanhood, experiencing puberty in close quarters, acting the part of mother and father, causes them to become dangerously close, and develop sexual feelings for one another. The combination of the dark shadow of their recently learned family history hanging over them, and their fanatically religious Grandmother constantly reminding them that they are wicked, spawned from the Devil, evil from the moment of conception, and that it's only a matter of time until they succumb to their sinful lust contributes to this. Bored, starved of love, education, peer-to-peer contact, and adolescent milestones, it made sense that they become drawn to one another in an inappropriate way. It does contain a certain amount of the ick factor, but to be honest I think it helps that I don't have any brothers, and my overwhelming emotion back then, and now, were sadness for both Cathy and Chris.
Flowers in the Attic has elements of dark fairy tale. Cathy, with her long flowing blonde hair, is reminiscent of Rapunzel or a princess, locked up in a dark tower. The Grandmother is cruel, strict, cold, and severe looking, and controls their behaviour and environment through corporal punishment deprivation, judgement, authority, and humiliation. The mere thought of her strikes fear in the children and she is the embodiment of the hag, the old woman, and the witch of fairytale lore. Their mother is beautiful, helpless, weak-willed, and spoiled, showering them with gifts, but the longer they are kept in the attic the less connected she feels to them. The children possess doll-like features, are collectively called the Dresden dolls, their surname is Dollanganger, and Cathy is a talented ballerina who envisions her future stage name as Catherine Doll. The imposing Foxworth Hall has all the gothic trappings – creepy, shadowy, gloomy, depressing, and cut off from civilisation.
In my opinion Flowers in the Attic remains a must read. If you’ve never read it then what are you waiting for? If, like me, you devoured it when you were young, then I'm telling you now it deserves a re-read. I’m undoubtedly bias, because I read it for the first time when I was eleven, and wasn't scarred for life, but I still think it is suitable for a YA audience, the POV is a young person after all, and my local library agrees with me, and has it shelved accordingly. I look forward to picking up Petals on the Wind later this year, when the 40th Anniversary edition is released....more
The first half of Good Girls Lie contained many gothic horror and YA thriller elements I love – an isolated, prestigious all girls boarding school2.5.
The first half of Good Girls Lie contained many gothic horror and YA thriller elements I love – an isolated, prestigious all girls boarding school setting complete with arcane rules and social structures, secret societies, mean girls, gossip, ghost stories, past tragedies, and suspicious deaths. The intricate level of detail that went into describing Goode School – gated ivy-covered walls, enclosed glass-and-wood walkways, massive curving twin staircases, spooky tree-lined pathways, etc, had my anticipation levels high. The POV's – new sophomore student (all the way from England) Ash Carlyle and the dean of students (Ford Julianne Westhaven) were mysterious and fascinating, and the unknown third person omniscient narrator increased my foreboding.
But, while reading I had my misgivings, was fairly certain I had uncovered the major twists, but kept telling myself there must be bigger shockers to come, that surely that couldn't be all there was to it? Unfortunately, that ended up being all there was to it. The clues were too obvious, nothing surprised me, the story headed exactly where I expected, and on top of that, took far too long to get there. Too much time was spent re-explaining redundant information, when a particular secret/s had already been revealed. Character POV's were introduced throughout whose story arcs led nowhere, and there were subplots that either fizzled out or served no purpose. And don't get me started on the ridiculousness of the plot the further I read. Maybe the succinct chapter titles – The Dean, The Meeting, The Warning, The Hanging (you get the point) should have alerted me to the fact that the plot was intended to be ironic rather than sophisticated. I did appreciate the title though and its clever play on words
If you are looking for a playful, entertaining, amusing thriller, and are willing to suspend your disbelief, you may find this more satisfying, but if you are after a creepy, complex, suspenseful gothic horror then I’m unable to recommend this. If this is J.T. Ellison’s usual style then I'm afraid she's not the right fit for me....more
Eight strangers receive invitations to Soldier Island by the elusive, mysterious owners – the Owens. Upon arrival One of my top mysteries of all time!
Eight strangers receive invitations to Soldier Island by the elusive, mysterious owners – the Owens. Upon arrival they are surprised to be greeted by the property caretakers – Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, no sign of their host and hostess in sight.
Almost immediately they discover they've been lured to the island off the Devon coast under false pretenses.
Then a guest dies, then another, followed by a third. They are being picked off one by one in quick succession.
There's a murderer among them, and for all ten their time is up.
And Then There Were None (published and set in 1939) is arguably Agatha Christie's most popular and well known whodunit, continuously copied and paid tribute to over the years. And for good reason - it's an intricate mystery, exciting and suspenseful thriller, psychologically disturbing, creepy gothic, tense, fast-paced, and promotes numerous ethical discussions. Prominent themes are crime and punishment; degrees of guilt, innocence, and retribution; lack of conscience; vigilante justice; and the dynamics of a group of people trapped together, in mortal danger, while desperately racing to figure out who is bumping them off. A standalone book with no Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple to investigate, and solve the puzzle, which is lucky because as the title states – no survivors.
There is no protagonist, hero or heroine, all ten characters are revealed early on to be shady, unlikable, and self-centered. They are easily differentiated from one another, therefore a breeze to keep straight. There's a Harley street doctor, ex-cop, retired general, school games mistress, hanging judge, self-righteous spinster, freelance mercenary, privileged spoiled playboy, butler, and a housekeeper/cook. As their number dwindles so does their rage, paranoia, suspicion, and delusional behaviour.
The isolated, cut-off-from-civilisation, setting, with no way to contact or reach the mainland sent many a shiver down my spine. Naturally there's also an impending storm bearing down on the small island shutting them in even further. What makes the landscape even more unsettling and eerie is that it is no bigger than a large rock – a bare wide open space with no outbuildings, trees or caves. Similarly the house is newly-built modern devoid of secret rooms/passages, so where exactly is the killer hiding? And how is he/she able to sneak around so easily and avoid being seen or caught?
Adding to the spooky atmosphere is the way rhyme and figurines feature in the murder plot. The title is the last line of a nursery rhyme – Ten Little Soldier Boys (a framed copy of the poem hangs in every room of the house on Soldier Island taunting the guests) foreshadowed the macabre way each of the ten will die. Ten ceramic soldier statues (one for each), centered on the dining table, decreases in number (removed by the killer) every time someone dies.
Mystery lovers, And Then There Were None is an essential read, and retains the position of my second favourite Agatha Christie, bested only by The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (overdue for a re-read, and needs a review).
I also highly recommend checking out the 2015 mini-series. It's an excellent adaptation, well-acted, and remains faithful to the book....more
Welcome to the lavish wedding of Will Slater and Julia Keegan on an island off the coast of Ireland.
The Guest List narrators are as follows:
Aoife: TheWelcome to the lavish wedding of Will Slater and Julia Keegan on an island off the coast of Ireland.
The Guest List narrators are as follows:
Aoife: The Wedding Planner – Turned the island’s crumbling, dilapidated ‘folly’ (fifteenth century castle-like structure) into an elegant wedding venue. Lives there with her husband Freddie.
Hannah: The Plus One – Her husband, Charlie is the bride's best friend.
Jules: The Bride – Her relationship with Will has been a whirlwind romance.
Johnno: The Best Man – Mates with the groom since their boarding school days.
Olivia: The Bride's half-sister – the teenage bridesmaid.
Long buried secrets will come to light, and The Wedding Night will end in murder.
The Guest List had all the right gothic ingredients to satisfy me – the whispering cave, abandoned houses and outbuildings, a graveyard with Celtic crosses, a bog, superstition in the form of a cormorant perched atop a church steeple serving as a warning of bad luck to come, and a legend involving the first settlers and a massacre on the island. There were moments that were a little cliché and exaggerated, but the teasing and tantalising juicy secrets, the fact that it centered around a wedding, and the climatic roller coaster last 20% more than made up for it.
Snippets from ‘Now – The Wedding Night', starting with a power cut followed by a scream echoing through the darkness were interwoven with ‘Then – The Day Before' introducing the various characters, their relationships to one another, and glimpses into what they were hiding. Just like her previous book, the identity of the victim remained unknown for most of the novel. I became pretty attached to certain characters so the closer I got to the end, the more anxious I became that one of my favourite’s was either going to die, or be a murderer. Of course, I'm not about to say whether that happened. I think Lucy Foley would do very well if she ever decided to write a family saga or contemporary drama.
Admittedly there were a lot of similarities between this one, and the author's debut mystery, The Hunting Party, which may annoy some readers, but because I loved this one so much more, it felt like I was receiving a do-over, so no complaints here. If you've never read a novel by Lucy Foley, The Guest List would be my recommendation.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Harper Collins Publishers Australian, and Lucy Foley for the e-ARC....more
‘It is not a mountain as we know other mountains. It is something else.'
The Wheel – The world's greatest and highest mountain. Located halfway bet
‘It is not a mountain as we know other mountains. It is something else.'
The Wheel – The world's greatest and highest mountain. Located halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica in the Sothern ocean it stands twenty-five thousand metres high penetrating thirteen kilometres into the stratosphere.
On November 14th, 1974, billionaire Walter Richman became the first, and only man since, to climb to the very top of The Wheel. Now forty-two years later his newly finished house, The Observatory, burrows deep into the adjacent smaller mountain with spectacular views of The Wheel.
One of his first guests is Rita Gausse (whose father was the architect who suffered a fatal heart attack on the premises), who is invited along with a select few to a private celebration, a trial run for the large housewarming he intends to host in a few months time. But Rita soon finds herself in a catastrophic situation, trapped and cut off with five other people, including Walter, seemingly with no way out.
The Rich Man's House was an epic 608 pages of pure adrenaline. Hold your breath because it's thriller, horror, supernatural, adventure, disaster and gothic tale all rolled into one. The first 50% set a leisurely pace alternating between the present (narrated by Rita) with flashbacks to her past, as well as articles and reports on The Wheel's history, and the numerous climbers who attempted to reach the summit and failed, with a particular focus on Walter successful expedition in the 70’s. Who knew that climbing gear, logistics, weather patterns, and the dangers climbing a mountain presents could be so interesting? The last half exploded into a non-stop action, exciting, frenetic, tense, and fast paced ride. Whew, it was so good.
The supernatural element was one I've never heard of before, and it creeped me out no end. Be warned, there are some pretty gruesome death scenes though. Parts were reminiscent of an Agatha Christie mystery in that you have a handful of people thrown together, isolated, and threatened, turning on one another even as they are forced to trust each other and work together to survive and find a way out. Another prominent theme was the desecration of nature, and the wrath and fury it can inflict. The Wheel was given a thorough backstory detailing its historical significance, and in this universe it surpassed Everest in scope, glory and fame, and its mysteriousness and numerous legends and superstitions held a particular fascination to climbers and the world alike.
The Rich Man's House a.k.a. The Observatory was a unique design masterpiece of epic proportions, with no luxury, comfort, or elaborateness spared, and the author's intricate descriptions of the layout, architecture, features, functions, amenities, and unusual location had me utterly enthralled, and I could completely picture in my head how everything was suppose to look. It was as enormous and breathtaking as it was eerie, macabre and foreboding.
My one tiny gripe was that the title's kind of lame – ‘The Wheel' or ‘The Observatory’ or even simply ‘The Mountain' would've been more impacting. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be the final title as sadly author Andrew McGahan passed away from cancer just prior to this novel being published. I'm so grateful he wrote this amazing book but it breaks my heart that he missed out on all the wonderful feedback and positive reviews.
The Rich Man's House shoots to the mountaintop as my favourite book so far this year, and the best Australian novel I've ever read. I read this on kindle, but as soon as the bookstores reopen their doors here I will be buying myself a physical copy for my collection, and to show off on my bookstagram feed as much as possible....more
In the days leading up to that fateful day in April of 1912, the guests of the infamous luxury ocean liner, Morbidly fascinating, ghostly, and spooky!
In the days leading up to that fateful day in April of 1912, the guests of the infamous luxury ocean liner, the Titanic, are being plagued by strange occurrences – cold spots, disappearing belongings, whispered voices emanating from the sea, overwhelming feelings of paranoia and suspicion, and sudden unexplained deaths. Is it a warning, an omem of death, or something even more monstrous?
Four years later, during WW1, a survivor of the sinking, works as a nurse on the Britannic (a fleet mate of the Titanic, with an eerily identical layout) which is being used as a hospital. There she encounters a patient who shouldn't be there. And unbeknownst to everyone on board, this voyage too will end in disaster.
Trapped at sea, isolated, alone, with no way off, haunted by an unseen presence – I could not have been more excited to read this. Not only that, the ship in question was the Titanic, which sold me on the idea even more. The writing had a surreal, hypnotic quality which suited the mystical storyline. Events alternated between the Britannic (1916) and the Titanic (1912), and Alma Katsu seamlessly wove historical fact and fiction. Post finishing, I went into research mode, as my knowledge of the Titanic was limited to the actual sinking rather than the names and backgrounds of the passengers, and I knew next to nothing about Britannic (bombed and sank by the Germans during the first world war). It surprised me how much of The Deep was based on real events, rather than the author's imagination. I'm glad I went in blind, and didn't do my research beforehand. Having said that, if you are a Titanic expert, I think there is still enough within the pages to satisfy, as the emphasis of the novel is on the paranormal.
There were instances where the plot felt somewhat disjointed, possibly due to the dreamlike prose, but it's only a small gripe. I had my suspicions regarding the supernatural happenings that proved to be correct, but that didn't distract from my overall enjoyment, and there was still a stockpile of unexpected revelations. The large cast of characters, and multiple POV's was a lot to take in, so read carefully. Those familiar with the history will likely find this easier, since some of the names will be known to them, but I didn't know who anyone was, and was able to keep track just fine.
I have a copy of The Hunger on my bookshelf, and if it's as absorbing and seductive as this one, then I'm in for another treat. All aboard!
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers – Bantam Press, and Alma Katsu for the e-ARC.
A modern mystery with a classic feel that pays tribute to some of the best thrillers of the 20th century.
Bookshop owner Malcolm Kershaw once publishedA modern mystery with a classic feel that pays tribute to some of the best thrillers of the 20th century.
Bookshop owner Malcolm Kershaw once published an entry for the store’s official blog titled ‘Eight Perfect Murders' – a compiled list of his top favourite perfectly executed murders in crime fiction.
Now it appears Malcolm's list is being used as a killer's playbook. Several recent murders committed in the Boston area appear to be eerily similar to twists in two of those mystery novels. And as the body count rises it quickly becomes clear that the murderer intends to reenact all eight.
Psychological suspense coupled with a puzzling, layered mystery, Rules for Perfect Murders is littered with clues, twists, and misdirection. I was utterly hooked in by the intriguing, creepy premise, transfixed while reading, and completely satisfied by the ending. The snowy winter and the bookstore setting added to my sense of foreboding, claustrophobia and the notion of a killer closing in. It goes without saying that I relished every mention of book titles, plots, editions, collections, and love of reading in general.
You need to know that the plot of this book contains massive spoilers for the eight mystery novels mentioned in the blog post; The Red House Mystery – A.A. Milne (1922), Malice Aforethought – Anthony Berkeley Cox (1931), Double Indemnity – James M. Cain (1943), Strangers on a Train – Patricia Highsmith (1950), The Drowner – John D. Macdonald (1963), Deathtrap – Ira Levin (1978), The Secret History – Donna Tartt (1992), and The ABC Murders – Agatha Christie (1936), as well as two other Christie novels, And Then There Were None {1939), and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (1926). So, if you have plans to read any of these, I advise you to do so beforehand.
The novel is written as a fictitious memoir, narrated in the first person by Malcolm Kershaw. It opens with a ‘Disclaimer' that explicitly states that our protagonist is omitting certain details, so right from the onset we know he's unreliable, but not why, what, and to what extent, he's hiding. A fast-paced, quick read that I ripped through in no time, and you will too.
I now consider Rules for Perfect Murder Peter Swanson's finest. He definitely brought his A-game on this one.
I'd like to thank Netgalley, Faber & Faber, and Peter Swanson for the e-ARC.
1983 – Kay Kelly is beyond excited to be invited to Violet-May Duff’s tenth birthday concert – the most beautiful and mysteriousI had such high hopes…
1983 – Kay Kelly is beyond excited to be invited to Violet-May Duff’s tenth birthday concert – the most beautiful and mysterious girl in class – at her lavish estate. From that day on the girls become inseparable, and Kay is not only enamoured with Violet-May, but the rest of her family as well.
1984 – An innocence excursion to go on a nut hunt, leads to a terrible tragedy on Bone Bridge, and ends in the Duff family leaving town.
2013 – Kay encounters the Duff family again, and becomes embroiled in their lives once more.
Part 1 had me fully immersed in Kay’s childhood. Her ten year-old view of what she witnessed and how she interpreted and justified those around her behaviour was hard to fault. It was well-paced, creepy and foreboding, complete with a gothic setting, and family relations reminiscent of V. C. Andrews, and I was thrilled to see where it heading. Unfortunately things took a drastic, and disappointing nose-dive from Part 2 onwards (34% of the way through the book). Kay’s adult voice just didn’t work for me – still came across as a ten year-old, as did the actions and behaviour of the other characters. Furthermore, their reactions to serious situations were off as well – swung between matter-of-fact, and over-emotional, to the point of hysteria, neither of which worked. Parts of the plot were ridiculous, especially the last half, and the middle with Kay’s years in London during the intervening years did nothing to further the plot, and I think a time jump would’ve worked better.
Regular readers of this genre will, like me, likely guess what happened that day on Bone Bridge, and work out the other twists. I wouldn’t go as far to say that the mystery was obvious, but there’s nothing new here to make it stand out from the rest. I think novice’s to the mystery genre, and those who prefer contemporary drama romance, with a mystery suspense sub-plot would enjoy this one more. ...more
American Historian, Jon Keller, is attending a Conference at the remote L’Hotel Sixteme in Switzerland when the end of tAn Apocalyptic Murder Mystery!
American Historian, Jon Keller, is attending a Conference at the remote L’Hotel Sixteme in Switzerland when the end of the world hits.
WASHINGTON gone. LONDON gone. NEW YORK gone. BERLIN gone. SCOTTLAND gone.
Decimated in nuclear attacks around the globe.
Then the INTERNET dies.
Jon, and the 20 staff and guests who make the decision to remain at L’Hotel Sixteme, are cut-off with no idea of what’s happening outside their walls. Has Switzerland been hit? Is there anybody else out there? Is help coming? Jon has no idea if his wife, and two daughters, living in San Francisco are still alive?
Then, as if their situation isn’t dire enough, on Day Fifty, the body of a young girl is discovered floating in the sealed rooftop water tank. An autopsy by the hotel’s only doctor reveals no water in her lungs, and the estimated time of death is approximately two months ago. Is someone in the hotel a murderer? In the pursuit of justice, Jon decides to investigate, penning a historical account, written in real time, of what he discovers, so that anyone who reads it in the future will know what went on.
It rare to find a book that combines ‘survivors of a nuclear attack’ and a ‘locked room Agatha Christie style murder mystery’, and I have to say I’ve never read anything quite like this before. A small isolated group of people’s growing fear, grief, uncertainty and paranoia over being trapped together, clinging to life and hope that they WILL survive, all the while praying that there are others out there working just as hard to stay alive, and that humanity stands a chance of building a future together, made this a scary and eye-opening read. Coupled with this, the possibility that one among them may be a child killer chilled me to the bone.
Some parts brought The Shining to mind – grand expansive hotel in the middle of nowhere, with a dark past, and possibly haunted. Kept me on my toes constantly wondering whether the building was a sanctity or a threat – part of me wanted them to flee, part of me wanted them to stay.
I would’ve preferred a more action-based plot. The scenes that were I found fast-paced and exciting, but there just wasn’t enough of them for my liking, meaning the middle of the book dragged, with not a lot happening. I already knew this going in having read other reviews, but just in case you don’t, I will say that you are never given any answers as to why the nuclear war happened in the first place, who was responsible, and no details regarding the US President and government. Somewhat frustrating, but I accept that it wasn’t relevant to the storyline. I was a little annoyed that the mystery took somewhat of a backseat, instead tended to focus on, sharing, and preserving, stories about character’s lives, although I will admit that the resolution to the mystery was immensely satisfying and surprising. Same goes for the last 100 pages, and I was very happy with how everything wrapped up, and I now understand why the plot was so character-driven.
An utterly original little story, that threw me for a loop. Recommend giving it a read....more
Somewhat creepy, suspenseful, and eerie, but I felt like there was something missing. I much prefer the Rizzoli & Isles series, and The Bone Garden anSomewhat creepy, suspenseful, and eerie, but I felt like there was something missing. I much prefer the Rizzoli & Isles series, and The Bone Garden and The Silent Girl gave off more of a scary supernatural vibe than this one. I don’t seem to do as well with Gerritsen’s standalone’s. Playing With Fire wasn’t my favourite either....more
Loading...
