Tag: Gothic Fiction

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR: Yule Island by Johana Gustawsson

Published November 21st, 2024 by Orenda Books
Mystery, Thriller, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Fairy Tale, Historical Mystery

Today is my stop on the blog tour to celebrate the paperback publication of this mesmerising gothic fiction. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda for the proof copy of the book.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

An art expert joins a detective to investigate a horrific murder on a Swedish island, leading them to a mystery rooted in Viking rites and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter. The Queen of French Noir returns with a chilling, utterly captivating gothic thriller, based on a true story. FIRST in the The Lidingö Mysteries series.
 
‘Scarier than anything … a dark, dark slice of atmospheric Scandi Noir’ Heat
Heat magazine *Book of the Month*
 
‘The pace steadily accelerates as Gustawsson orchestrates her plot with breathless ingenuity. A successful page-turner from a rising star’ Financial Times

‘Gustawsson’s writing is so vivid, it’s electrifying’ Peter James
  
** Winner of the Livre de Poche Readers Crime of the Year and Cultura Ligue de l’Imaginaire Award**

________


Don’t
 
Art expert Emma Lindahl is anxious when she’s asked to appraise the antiques and artefacts in the infamous manor house of one of Sweden’s wealthiest families, on the island of Storholmen, where a young woman was murdered nine years earlier, her killer never found. 
 
Emma must work alone, and with the Gussman family apparently avoiding her, she sees virtually no one in the house. Do they have something to hide?
 
Trust
 
As she goes about her painstaking work and one shocking discovery yields clues that lead to another, Emma becomes determined to uncover the secrets of the house and its occupants.
 
When the lifeless body of another young woman is found in the icy waters surrounding the island, Detective Karl Rosén arrives to investigate, and memories of his failure to solve the first case come rushing back. Could this young woman’s tragic death somehow hold the key?
 
Anyone
 
Battling her own demons, Emma joins forces with Karl to embark upon a chilling investigation, plunging them into horrifying secrets from the past – Viking rites and tainted love – and Scandinavia’s deepest, darkest winter…

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MY REVIEW:

OMG. My mind is completely blown and I’m still trying to pick my jaw up from the floor after reading this mesmerising gothic thriller. Darkly atmospheric, unsettling and original, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year.

Art expert Emma Lindahl has come to the manor house on the island of Storholmen to appraise the artwork belonging to the Gussman family. But that isn’t all this house is famous for. It is also the place where the infamous hanging girl was found nine years ago. A brutal murder that remains unsolved. And when the body of another young woman is found in the icy waters that surround the island, it looks like Detective Karl Rosen might have found a connection between the crimes. What follows is a breathtaking story of murder, dark secrets and Norse mythology that you won’t be able to put down.

You know when you pick up one of Johana Gustawsson’s books that you should expect the unexpected; a heart-stopping thrill-ride that you can’t put down. Yule Island is all that and more. From the moment I read the author’s note at the start I was in Gustawsson’s thrall, feeling like I’d actually stepped inside the book as I read in breathless anticipation. Expertly written and cleverly plotted, this is a masterclass in storytelling. I was blindsided as she pulled the rug from under me again and again, not giving me time to catch my breath before delivering yet another shocking revelation. As tension builds, Gustawsson intricately interweaves meticulously researched Norse mythology and Swedish history to keep you on the edge of your seat. ‘The Queen of French Noir’ is living up to her title and it’s easy to see why this book has already received so much acclaim.

Gothic fiction is one of my favourite genres and Gustawsson absolutely nailed the dark, gothic vibes of this story from the start: the cold weather, an isolated island shrouded in silence, an old, echoing manor house filled with mysterious residents and the trappings of faded opulence, the screams that can be heard randomly, and the haunting history of the hanging tree. Knowing that Storholmen is a real island and this is all based on a true story adds to the unease that permeates every page. This is one of those books that will have you looking for the monsters that lurk in the shadows and I loved every second.

Told from multiple points of view, the characters are fascinating, relatable and richly drawn. The two protagonists, Emma and Karl, are very different in terms of age, circumstance and perspective. I enjoyed their distinct voices and seeing the investigation from both a professional and lay perspective. But they have similarities too: both are intelligent, determined and have a sober air that surrounds them. I enjoyed how Gustawsson slowly teased their backstories, allowing us to feel invested in their lives and root for them before making us question everything as we wonder if they are unreliable after all. There was a third narrator, Viktoria, who was a housekeeper at the manor. Her chapters gave us a glimpse of life behind the closed doors of the manor and added to the mystery that surrounds it. The background characters are just as well written and I loved the sense of community that existed on the island and how they welcomed Emma into their midst when a lot of small communities will make outsiders feel like just that. But it did make me wonder about the killer as it surely had to be one of the three hundred residents on Storholmen. Could one of them really commit vicious crimes like these while looking their neighbours in the eye? Or was there another explanation?

Claustrophobic, eerie, sinister and unnerving, Yule Island is an absolute must-read. An outstanding Gothic thriller that is perfect for this time of year, I have no hesitation in highly recommending it.

Rating: ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Born in Marseille, France, and with a degree in Political Science, Johana Gustawsson has worked as a journalist for the French and Spanish press and television. Her critically acclaimed Roy & Castells series (Block 46, Keeper and Blood Song) has won the Plume d’Argent, Balai de la découverte, Balai d’Or and Prix Marseillais du Polar awards, and is now published in twenty-three countries. The third in the series, Blood Song, was longlisted for the CWA International Dagger. A TV adaptation is currently underway in a French, Swedish and UK co-production. Johana lives in London with her Swedish husband, and three young sons, and is currently working on the book four in the Roy & Castells series. 

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the blog tour.

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2023

BOOK REVIEW: Weyward by Emilia Hart

Published February 2nd, 2023 by The Borough Press
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Supernatural Fiction, Horror Fiction,

Today I’m sharing my thoughts on this powerful and beguiling debut.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

*As seen on BBC’s BETWEEN THE COVERS

* A #2 Times bestseller

* A New York Times bestseller

OVER 500,000 COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE

‘Humming with a sly, exhilarating magic’ BRIDGET COLLINS
‘A much-heralded epic’ OBSERVER
‘Empowering’ GLAMOUR

Three women, five centuries, one spellbinding story

In the present day, Kate flees a traumatic relationship to the Cumbrian cottage she inherited from her great-aunt; but the cottage hides secrets of its own.

In 1942, Violet rebels against her father’s ideas of a ‘proper young lady’ . . . until he takes matters into his own hands.

In 1619, Altha is on trial for witchcraft, implicated in the gruesome death of a local man.

Three women they tried to cage – but Weyward women belong to the wild. And they cannot be tamed…

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MY REVIEW:

“Witch. The word slithers from the mouth like a serpent. Drips from the tongue as thick and black as tar. We never thought of ourselves as witches, my mother and I. For this was a word invented by men. And with that brings power to those who speak it not those it describes. A word that builds gallows and pyres, turns breathing women into corpses. No, it was not a word we ever used.” 

Spellbinding, haunting, moving, fierce and empowering, Weyward is an outstanding debut that explores the threads that reach across time to connect women. 

The story is told from the perspective of three women: Altha, Violet and Kate. In 1619 Altha, who is a healer, is on trial for witchcraft after being implicated in the gruesome death of a local man. In 1942 Violet lives a suffocating life with her father and brother and rebels against what a ‘proper young lady’ should be. But her rebellion will spark a chain of events that have devastating results. And in 2019 Kate flees an abusive relationship and takes refuge in the Cumbrian cottage she inherited from her great-aunt. But as she will discover, the cottage – and her aunt – hide long-buried secrets of their own. 

Emilia Hart showcases herself as an author to watch with this incredible debut. Beautifully written, expertly crafted and intricately woven, it moves between the three narrators and timelines to slowly unveils their stories and ultimately reveals how their paths are connected. The three women at the centre of the book are strong, fierce, relatable and compelling characters. My heart went out to each of them and the terrible situations they faced but I ultimately found myself in awe of their strength and resilience. Interwoven into each woman’s story is a hint of the supernatural as Hart explores the way that women who are healers or have a deeper connection to nature have found themselves accused of witchcraft. While this is explored in each timeline, Altha’s storyline focuses most on this as she lived at the time of the witch trials and is on trial for witchcraft. 

Hart explores themes such as oppression, male violence and domestic abuse, which each woman experiences despite living centuries apart. It was a sad reminder of how so much may change, yet some things seem to stay the same and women are still battling against the same things as their ancestors centuries ago. And while this is undoubtedly a feminist book, it isn’t man-hating or a book that calls women to take revenge against men. It is simply telling the truth of what women have experienced and encouraging us to find our strength. After all, we women all have a little bit of witch in us. Thank you, Ms Hart, for the reminder.  

Powerful, witchy, bold and beguiling, Weyward is an astonishing debut not to be missed. 

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Emilia Hart is a British-Australian writer. She was born in Sydney and studied English Literature and Law at the University of New South Wales before working as a lawyer in Sydney and London. Emilia is a graduate of Curtis Brown Creative’s Three Month Online Novel Writing Course and was Highly Commended in the 2021 Caledonia Novel Award. Her short fiction has been published in Australia and the UK. She lives in London.​

The award-winning WEYWARD was published in 2023, and Emilia’s latest novel, THE SIRENS, will publish in 2025.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these links are affiliate link

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: Moonstone by Laura Purcell

Published May 23rd, 2024 by Magpie
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Fiction, Romantic Fantasy, Romance Novel, Regency Romance, Paranormal Fantasy, Lesbian Literature

Welcome to my thoughts on this atmospheric gothic thriller. Thank you to Magpie for the gifted proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A sparkling gothic romance from award-winning bestseller Laura Purcell

‘Brilliant and beautiful, Moonstone is the gothic werewolf love story we’ve all been waiting for. Easily one of my favourite books of the year!’ JJA Harwood, author of The Thorns Remain

Don’t misbehave. Beware the moon. And never go out after dark …

Following a scandal at the Vauxhall pleasure gardens, Camille is sent to the woods to live with her reclusive godmother and her strange daughter, Lucy. Cast out from polite society, she must learn to live by her godmother’s strict rules.

Camille has never met anyone quite like Lucy before, and as they grow closer and cross forbidden boundaries, strange things begin to happen. Mysterious deaths, claw marks raking the doors, and the nights are pierced by the howls of a creature that sounds almost … otherworldly.

Should Camille be more afraid of what’s hiding in the woods – or her own heart?

From the award-winning, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Silent Companions, Moonstone is a haunting gothic romance with real bite.

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MY REVIEW:

Following a scandalous night at the Vauxhall pleasure gardens, Camille’s family send her to stay with Rowena, her reclusive godmother, and her strange daughter, Lucy, until the controversy dies down. It is a huge adjustment for Camille, with strict and bizarre rules she must adhere to. And she has never met anyone like Lucy, finding herself at first repelled but then fascinated by her and the two grow closer, beginning to cross forbidden boundaries. But the closer they get, the stranger things become; howls pierce the nighttime air, claw marks appear on the doors, and there are deaths that can’t be explained. What is behind it all? And should Camille be afraid of what lives in the woods, or someone in the house that was supposed to be her sanctuary?

Gothic fiction is one of my favourite genres and Laura Purcell is one of the best in the genre, so I was excited to pick up her latest book, Moonstone. I mean, just look at that cover! I was delighted to find that what was on the pages was as hauntingly atmospheric as its cover; a sapphic gothic fairytale that blends werewolf lore with a journey of self-discovery and first love. Magnificently written and expertly plotted, this is a narrative that gleams with malice, oozes mystery, blooms with the joy of new romance. Purcell also explores the strict rules that governed women at the time through a quartet of strong, feisty and unusual women who I loved reading. I was in her thrall and flew through this in under a day.

Atmospheric, spellbinding and eerie, I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Purcell is a former bookseller living in Colchester, Essex with her husband and pet guinea pigs.

She began her career with two historical novels about the Hanoverian monarchs, Queen of Bedlam and Mistress of the Court before her break-out Gothic ghost story The Silent Companions.

The Silent Companions won the WHSmith Thumping Good Read Award in 2018 and was shortlisted for the Goldsboro Glass Bell. It was selected for both the Radio 2 Book Club and Zoe Ball’s ITV Book Club.

Her other Gothic titles include The Corset, Bone China, The Shape of Darkness (winner of Historical Crime Book of the Year at the Fingerprint Awards 2022) and The Whispering Muse (winner of The Dracula Society’s Children of the Night Award 2023) .

Laura’s short stories have been published in a number of collections including the Sunday Times best-selling The Haunting Season and The Winter Spirits. She worked as lead writer on Roanoke Falls, a Realm horror podcast executive produced by John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter. It won a silver Signal Award for Best Scripted Fiction.

Laura’s YA debut Moonstone was published in May 2024 by HarperCollins’ Magpie imprint.

Please note that in the USA Laura is published by Penguin Books, where The Corset is titled The Poison Thread and Bone China is called The House of Whispers.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Most Anticipated 2024

BOOK REVIEW: The Burial Plot by Elizabeth Macneal

Published June 6th, 2024 by Picador
Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Historical Romance

Welcome to my review of this outstanding gothic thriller. Thanks to Picador for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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BOOK DESCRIPTION:

The Burial Plot is a spellbinding historical Gothic thriller about murder and manipulation, set in Victorian London. From Elizabeth Macneal, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Doll Factory.

London, 1839. With the cemeteries full and money to be made in death, tricksters Crawford and Bonnie survive on wicked schemes and ill-gotten coin. But one blistering evening, their fortunes flip. A man lies in a pool of blood at Bonnie’s feet and now she needs to disappear.

Crawford secures her a position as lady’s maid in a grand house on the Thames. As Bonnie comes to understand the family – the eccentric Mr Moncrieff, obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and their peculiar daughter Cissie, scribbling imaginary love letters to herself – she begins to question what secrets are lying behind the house’s paper-thin walls and whether her own presence here was planned from the beginning.

Because Crawford is watching, and perhaps he is plotting his greatest trick yet . . .

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MY REVIEW:

As the nights darken I find myself drawn to darker books, particularly those with a gothic or supernatural element, so it felt like the perfect time to start this book. And it was. Darkly atmospheric, hypnotic and alluring, The Burial Plot is a gorgeous gothic thriller perfect for this time of year. It consumed me and I devoured it whole, enrapt by the story of murder, manipulation, secrets and betrayal. This is Elizabeth Macneal’s best book yet; a haunting tour-de-force that you won’t be able to put down.

It transports us to London, 1839, where we meet Bonnie, a young woman surviving on schemes and tricks she carries out under the guidance of her boyfriend, Crawford. But one night their tricks go too far and a man lies dead in a pool of blood. Bonnie needs to disappear. And, luckily, Crawford knows the perfect place. So, Bonnie travels to Endellion, a grand house on the Thames, to begin working as a Lady’s Maid. Endellion is inhabited by Aubrey Moncrieff, a strange man who spends his days obsessively drawing mausoleums for his dead wife, and his daughter, Cissie, who lives in a daydream scribbling imaginary love notes to herself. The late Mrs. Moncrieff died in mysterious circumstances, and it is soon clear that there are secrets hidden at Endellion. Secrets that some will kill to protect.…

It’s no secret that I’ve been a huge fan of Elizabeth Macneal ever since her debut and will buy anything she writes. Masterfully written, cleverly choreographed and intricately woven, I was bewitched from the start. Macneal’s meticulous research about the fascinating historical period and subject is expertly woven into the mystery, allowing her reader to lose themselves completely in the story. Dark, ominous, oppressive and foreboding vibes radiate from the pages and there’s a twisted game of cat and mouse being played between Bonnie and Crawford. Then there’s the overwhelming sense of claustrophobia that we feel as Bonnie wrestles with her conscience. She’s trapped. Imprisoned by not only her crime but by Crawford and the lies she’s already told. 

The book is filled with very real, vivid characters. The protagonist, Bonnie, is a complicated and flawed heroine, an anti-hero who wades in murky moral territory with all of her lies, schemes and plots. But despite this she’s very compelling, likeable and easy to root for. You want her to win despite all she does wrong and you get the sense that many of her erroneous deeds stem from her toxic and controlling relationship with Crawford. I really hated Crawford. He’s a mass of red flags from the beginning but has a charm to him that allows you to understand Bonnie’s attraction to him. And as we hear about Bonnie’s past, we understand she thinks he saved her when she needed it, never realising he was trapping her in a cycle of abuse from the start. The background characters are equally as richly drawn and compelling, with young Cissie stealing my heart. My heart broke for this young girl and all she’d gone through and I loved the bond that grew between her and Bonnie. 

Taut, twisty, unnerving and utterly breathtaking, The Burial Plot is a gothic masterpiece that demands to be read. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. You can get 60 days listening free with this link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elizabeth Macneal was born in Scotland and now lives in East London. She is a writer and potter and works from a small studio at the bottom of her garden. The Doll Factory, Elizabeth’s debut novel, was a Sunday Times bestseller, has been translated into twenty-nine languages and has been optioned for a major television series. It won the Caledonia Novel Award in 2018, and was a No. 2 Sunday Times bestseller. In 2019, Elizabeth was chosen as one of The Observers ‘hottest-tipped debut novelists’. Her second novel, Circus of Wonders, was an immediate Sunday Times bestseller, hitting No. 4 after only a partial week of sales.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Book of Witching by C. J. Cooke

Published October 10th, 2024 by Harper Collins UK
Thriller, Historical Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Horror Fiction, Suspense, Supernatural Fiction, Contemporary Horror

Welcome to my bookish thoughts on this eerie, haunting and addictive gothic mystery. Thank you to Harper Fiction for sending me a proof copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Chilling and beautifully written … C.J. Cooke’s finest novel yet’ Emilia Hart

‘A spellbinding thriller’ Scots Magazine

Four hundred years separate them.

One book binds them.

Glasgow 2024: Clem waits by her daughter’s hospital bed. Erin was found on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney with catastrophic burns and only one memory: her name is Nyx.

But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?

Orkney 1594: accused of witchcraft, Alison Balfour awaits trial. The punishment? To be burned alive.

Separated by four hundred years but bound by the Book of Witching, two women stand imperilled. Can they unlock a centuries-old mystery? And will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?

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MY REVIEW:

Two women, four hundred years apart, are bound by a dark and mysterious book: the book of witching in this unnerving gothic thriller. 

The story is told in dual timelines, moving between Glasgow in the present day and Orkney in 1594. In the present, Clem’s daughter, Erin, is hospitalised with catastrophic burns after being found on a beach in Fynhallow Bay. At first she’s unconscious, but when Erin comes around, she doesn’t remember her parents or who she is and insists that her name is Nyx. 1594, Alison is accused of witchcraft and awaiting trial. If convicted, she will be burnt alive. Can she prove her innocence to people who only want to hear she’s guilty? 

In the last few years C. J. Cooke has solidified herself as one of the Queens of the Gothic Thriller, even counting Stephen King among her fans. Her books have become a Halloween staple for me so I was determined to squeeze in her latest offering, The Book of Witching, before October was over. Eerily atmospheric, witchy, malevolent and haunting, I inhaled this in a day, completely transfixed by this spellbinding tale. Spectacularly written, perfectly plotted, intricately interwoven and with vivid imagery, she held me in her thrall, my heart in my throat the entire time I was reading. And that ending! Omg. I still have chills. 

Cooke’s meticulous research is evident throughout and she doesn’t shy away from the grisly torture that those accused of witchcraft was subjected to. The lengths these powerful men went to as they tried to force Alison to confess were horrific and even included the torture and murder of people they knew were innocent to try and reach their goal. I could understand why women falsely confessed during the witch trials when they were subjected to such awful torture and it made me angry to think of everything they went through.

Dark, mystical, sinister and addictive, I highly recommend this magnificent bewitching tale. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

*I listened to this on Bookbeat. Click here to get 60 days listening free with my affiliate link*

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

C J Cooke (Carolyn Jess-Cooke) lives in Glasgow with her husband and four children. C J Cooke’s works have been published in 23 languages and have won many awards. She holds a PhD in Literature from the Queen’s University of Belfast and is currently Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, where she researches creative writing interventions for mental health. Two of her books are currently optioned for film

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Audio Books Beat the Backlist book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK REVIEW: The Whistling by Rebecca Netley

Published October 14th, 2021 by Michael Joseph
Ghost Story, Horror Fiction, Gothic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Suspense, Supernatural Fiction

Welcome to my review for this unsettling gothic thriller. Thank you to Michael Joseph Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

FEEL SHIVERS DOWN YOUR SPINE WITH THIS CHILLING AND GRIPPING GHOST STORY SET ON A FAR-FLUNG SCOTTISH ISLAND . . .

‘Wonderfully atmospheric, genuinely eerie’ GUARDIAN
‘Gripping, chilling and very, very satisfying’ DAILY MAIL
‘A ghost story that kept me guessing’ SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN
‘Perfect for a cold winter’s night’ DAILY MIRROR
‘It will chill you to the bone’ ANITA FRANK
‘If you’re looking for a chilling tale as we head towards Halloween, you’ve found it’ HEAT
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When Elspeth arrives on a remote Scottish island to become nanny to a young child, she hopes to bond with her. Until she learns that, for reasons no one will explain, Mary has not spoken for months.

And the girl’s silence is not the only mystery.

Hypnotic lullabies drift down empty corridors.
Strange dolls appear in abandoned rooms.
And as the nights draw in, darker questions arise . . .

What happened to Mary’s late twin, William? Why did their previous nanny disappear so suddenly?

And is the whistling Elspeth hears at night just the storm outside?

Or is somebody coming for her . . . ?

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MY REVIEW:

As it’s spooky season I decided to finally read The Whistling. It follows Elspeth who has taken up the position of nanny on the remote Scottish island of Skelthsea. Her new charge, Mary, is a troubled child who hasn’t spoken a word since the sudden death of her twin brother, William, and the disappearance of their former nanny. No one will speak of what happened, and in a desperate attempt to help her charge, Elspeth searches for answers. But the islanders remain defiantly silent. And then there’s the strange whistling that Elspeth hears at night. Is the house haunted? Or is there a more human explanation for what’s happening at Iskar House.

Chilling, eerie and unsettling, this gothic tale was definitely a book you need to read in the daytime. I decided to listen to it on audiobook and from the opening pages I was hooked. Skillfully written and expertly choreographed, Rebecca Netley has created a sensational debut. Also woven into the narrative is a heart-rending exploration of loss and grief that adds depth, while the remote setting merges with the atmosphere of unease to create a gloriously ghostly tale.

Elspeth is a fascinating protagonist who was easy to like, while young Mary is a heartbreaking and unsettling youngster that I couldn’t make my mind up about. The background characters are equally compelling and there’s a real sense of this small island closing ranks to protect their own. 

Dark, spine-tingling and addictive, The Whistling is the perfect read for spooky season.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rebecca Netley grew up as part of an eccentric family in a house full of books and music, and these things have fed her passions.

Family and writing remain at the heart of Rebecca’s life. She lives in Reading with her family and an over-enthusiastic dog, who gives her writing tips.

Rebecca is a writer of long and prize-winning short fiction. The Whistling, Rebecca Netley’s debut novel won the Exeter Novel Prize and was longlisted for the Michael Ondaatje Prize. The Whistling has been adapted for stage.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*these are affiliate links

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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

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Blog Tours book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BLOG TOUR REVIEW: The Torments (The Annie Jackson Mysteries, Volume 2) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 12th, 2024 by Orenda
Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Gothic Fiction, Horror Fiction, Contemporary Horror, Hardboiled, Book Series

Happy publication day to this chilling gothic thriller and welcome to my stop on the blog tour. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and Orenda for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘A tense, creepy page-turner’ Ian Rankin, New Statesman
 
`Malone is the master of twists, turns and the unexpected´ Herald Scotland
 
_______
 
Annie surged forward, but she was too slow, too late.
A hand came over and down, and she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck.
Then all became smoke, and silence.
 
Hiding from the world in her little white cottage on the shores of a loch, Annie Jackson is fighting to come to terms with the world of the murmurs, a curse that has haunted female members of her family for centuries.
 
While she is within the ancient, heavy stone of the old dwelling, the voices merely buzz, but the moment she steps outside the door they clamour to torment her all over again, bringing with them shocking visions of imminent deaths.
 
Into this oasis comes her adoptive mother, Mandy McEvoy, begging for Annie’s help. Mandy’s nephew Damien has gone missing, after dropping off his four-year old son at his mother’s home.
 
Unable to refuse, but terrified to leave her sanctuary, Annie, with the help of her brother Lewis, is drawn in to a secretive, seductive world that will have her question everything she holds dear, while Lewis’ life may be changed forever…
 
The second book in the critically acclaimed Annie Jackson Mysteries series, The Torments is both a contemporary gothic thriller and a spellbinding mystery that deeps deep into a past that should, perhaps, remain undisturbed…
 

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MY REVIEW:

He’s done it again. The second book in Michael J. Malone’s Annie Jackson mysteries is another eerie, haunting and compulsive journey into the unknown. This time Annie and her twin brother, Lewis, are drawn into investigating the disappearance of a family friend, leading them to a darker mystery and long-held secrets that are better left undisturbed….

This is a stay up all night and feel knackered the next day, but it’s totally worth it kind of a book. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and this one is deliciously dark, merging folklore and mystery with an unsettling but hypnotic atmosphere that kept me glued to the pages. Exquisitely written, intricately woven and cleverly choreographed, Malone toys with the reader, taking us down a road of misdirection and shocking twists. Other than a theme of the characters being tormented by forces that feel beyond their control, I had no idea how the two timelines or characters were connected or what would happen next and I devoured the book in one sitting, forcing myself to stay awake long into the early hours in my desperate need for answers.

The story is told in dual timelines: then and now. Both narratives are dripping with menace, foreboding, disquiet, mystery and intrigue, chilling me to the bone while keeping me on the edge of my seat. Annie narrates the present and follows as she and Lewis begin their hunt for their missing family friend. Annie is still trying to adjust to life with the murmurs, which remain unpredictable. All she can predict is for some reason they leave her alone when she’s home at her cottage, leading her to isolate herself a lot. I loved Annie’s relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, and think they make a great investigative duo. Meanwhile, the past timeline is narrated by Ben and Sylvia, two lost souls tormented by darkness and found by the wrong kind of people. They are children when their story begins, and I felt sorry for them at the start, but they made my skin crawl when they were adults. Malone has witten them cleverly, surprising me many times with their character arc, particularly  when all was finally revealed. 

Nerve-shredding, dark, twisting and unputdownable, this is a must for your spooky-season TBR. So, if like me you enjoy your thrillers with a slice of gothic, then this book and series is for you.

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✮

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought upin the heart of Burns’ He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx

Please chcek out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

PUBLICATION DAY REVIEW: Blackwater I: The Flood by Michael McDowell

Published September 5th, 2024 by Doubleday UK
Gothic Fiction, Horror Ficiton, Supernatural Fiction, Southern Gothic, Historical Fiction, Family Sagas, Contemporary Horror

Happy Publication Day to this intriguing gothic story. Thank you to Milly at Doubleday for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

Discover the gothic horror phenomenon that is sweeping across Europe, with over 2 million copies sold

‘RIVETING, TERRIFYING…JUST ABSOLUTELY GREAT’ STEPHEN KING

As the dark and menacing waters of the local river submerge Perdido, a small town in the south of Alabama, the Caskeys – a family of rich landowners – must confront the tide of damage caused by the flood. Led by Mary-Love, the powerful matriarch, and by Oscar, her devoted son, the family must pick itself back up. But what they haven’t anticipated is the sudden appearance of Elinor Dammert – a mysterious but seductive young woman with a troubling past. Her sole ambition appears to be to infiltrate the very heart of the Caskey clan…

‘Beyond any trace of a doubt, one of the absolutely best writers of horror’ Peter Straub

‘One of the genre’s most underrated writers’ Poppy Z. Brite

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MY REVIEW:

The Blackwater Saga by Beetlejuice writer Michael McDowell was first published as a series of six volumes in 1983. With fans that include King of Horror Stephen King, it gained a cult following and has recently been gaining in popularity in Europe. Today, it is finally published in the UK and I was thrilled when Doubleday offered me the chance to read the first volume in the series.

The Flood opens with a very haunting and intriguing vibe that had me excited for what I was about to read. Set in Perdido, Alabama, it tells the story of Elinor Dammert, a mysterious young woman who arrives with the dark, menacing floodwater that damages the smalltown. People wonder how she survived the high waters but quickly dismiss their concerns, quickly seduced by the shcoolteachers’ charms. Everyone except for Mary-Love Caskey, matriarch of one of Perdidos wealthiest three families, who takes an instant dislike to Elinor. The conflict between the two women provided much added tension and provided one person who was actually questioning Elinor as everyone else seemed to blindly accept her. This hold she seemed to have over everyone added to the eerie vibes, as did her uncanny ability to make things happen or do things that should be possible. People do question this, but brush it aside or believe it to be kismet/a miracle. But not Mary-Love. She is suspicious of Elinor and wants her out of her town. But as her son, Oscar, has fallen in love with Elinor, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. 

I enjoyed this quick and readable novella. However there were times it felt a little hollow and I would have liked more of the supernatural element as this is billed as a horror. It sets the scene for book two really well and I think I will pick up the rest of the series at some point as I am intrigued to see what happens next. 

Rating: ✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael McDowell was born June 1, 1950 in Enterprise, Alabama and attended public schools in southern Alabama until 1968. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in English from Harvard, and in 1978 he was awarded his Ph.D. in English and American Literature from Brandeis.

His seventh novel written and first to be sold, The Amulet, was published in 1979 and would be followed by over thirty additional volumes of fiction written under his own name or the pseudonyms Nathan Aldyne, Axel Young, Mike McCray, and Preston Macadam. His notable books include the Southern Gothic horror novel The Elementals (1981), the serial novel Blackwater (1983), which was first published in a series of six paperback volumes, and the trilogy of “Jack & Susan” books.

By 1985 he was writing screenplays for television, including episodes for a number of anthology series such as Tales from the Darkside, Amazing Stories, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Tales from the Crypt. He went on to write the screenplay for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), as well as the script for Thinner (1996). McDowell died December 27, 1999 from AIDS-related illness. Tabitha King, wife of author Stephen King, completed an unfinished McDowell novel, Candles Burning, which was published in 2006.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
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Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures

BOOK BLITZ: The Murmurs (The Annie Jackson Mysteries, Volume 1) by Michael J. Malone

Published September 14th, 2023 by Orenda
Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Gothic Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Horror Fiction, Religious Fiction, Book Series

With the second instalment in the Annie Jackson Mysteries out next week, today I’m resharing my review for the beguiling first book, The Murmurs. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the invitation to take part and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

A young woman starts experiencing terrifying premonitions of people dying, as it becomes clear that a family curse known only as The Murmurs has begun, and a long-forgotten crime is about to be unearthed…
 
‘His biggest smash hit yet, an assured paranormal thriller in which the paranormal isn’t even the scariest part … A tale that leaves our interest piqued throughout, with the tension and foreboding reaching fever pitch’ Herald Scotland
 
`A tense, creepy page-turner´ Ian Rankin
 
`A master storyteller at the very top of his game, Michael J. Malone weaves the most exquisite tale … mesmeric and suspenseful´ Marion Todd
 
________________
 
In the beginning there was fear.
White-hot, nerve-shredding fear.
Terrifying premonitions of deaths.
And then they started…
The Murmurs…
 
On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.
 
How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as ‘the murmurs’…
 
With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.
 
And this time, it will never let go…
 
A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors…

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MY REVIEW:

“Who are they? 
They are every woman, burned, every man flayed and skinned, they’re every trauma visited upon every human—they’re pain they’re torture, they are the scream echoing in the distant dark, the whispered taunt in your ear.
They’re the baited breath, the hammering pulse, the cold beaded sweat, dry mouth, and the bunched yet frozen muscle ignoring the command to run, run, RUN.
They are vengeance and they will never stop.”

A family curse, long-forgotten crimes, repressed memories, and decades-old secrets all come together in this beguiling gothic thriller that is perfect for spooky season. 

Annie Jackson is a young woman whose life has been marred by tragedy. She survived the accident that killed her mother but it took her memories, leaving her with only a nightmare that returns just as she’s about to start a new job at a care home. And on her first day it gets worse as a disturbing vision and murmuring voices tell her one of the residents is about to die. From that day on she is plagued by foreshadowings of the fates of those on the margins of life and death. The eponymous murmurs come unwelcome and unbidden, leaving her frightened, bewildered and scared to look people in the eye. Annie soon discovers the murmurs are part of a curse that has cascaded through the generations of women in her family. Desperate to know more and understand what is happening to her, she and her twin brother, Lewis, begin to explore their family history. But what they discover is much darker than they ever imagined and they find themselves embroiled in old mysteries that are far more dangerous than they realise…

He’s done it again! Michael J. Malone is a masterful gothic storyteller and he had me spellbound as I read. Evocatively told, it oozes a sinister atmosphere as he weaves elements of folklore and the supernatural into the narrative, blurring the lines between what is real and what is in our imagination. Ghostly fingers of the past tighten their grip on Annie and rekindle ashes of memory that slowly reveal horrifying secrets that have been buried for decades. It is chilling, twisty, and there’s a creeping sense of dread that permeates the pages. There are elements of the unknown, the inexplicable, and the unexpected alongside complex family dynamics, dark secrets, and lots of emotion. The story is steadily paced and slowed down a little in the middle before picking up pace again during the last third of the book. This is where I couldn’t put it down, pushing aside my sleepiness in the early hours and flying through the pages as the tension escalated at breakneck speed and we hurtled towards the heart-pounding and shocking finale. 

Malone tells the story in multiple vividly drawn timelines by multiple compelling narrators. But it is Annie who is at the heart of this book. She’s is a bit of a lost soul and we can feel her confusion, fear, and isolation as she tries to figure out what on earth is happening to her. I liked her relationship with her twin brother, Lewis, which felt authentic and grounding in a story that generally feels quite bizarre. I also really enjoyed reading the historical family members and loved the addition of Moira McLean’s memoir. 

Haunting, ominous, darkly atmospheric, and captivating, this is the best I’ve read yet from this author. Add it to your TBR now. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮.5

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. Other published work includes: Carnegie’s Call; A Taste for Malice; The Guillotine Choice; Beyond the Rage; The Bad Samaritan; and Dog Fight. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines and After He Died soon followed suit. Since then, he’s written two further thought-provoking, exquisitely written psychological thrillers In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation, cementing his position as a key proponent of Tartan Noir and an undeniable talent. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

********

BUY THE BOOK:

Orenda Books | Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These links are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliphiles xxx

Categories
book reviews Emma's Anticipated Treasures Squadpod Squadpod Book Club Squadpod Recommends

SQUADPOD BOOK CLUB: The Drownings by Hazel Barkworth

Published August 1st, 2024 by Headline
Gothic Fiction, Fairy Tale, Dark Academia, Horror Fiction, Coming-of-Age Story

Welcome to my review for this intoxicating novel which was our SquadPod Book Club book this month. Thank you to Headline for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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ABOUT THE BOOK:

‘Breathtaking… dark academia at its most compelling’ ERIN KELLY
‘An extraordinary story of female power, rage and oppression’ KATIE BISHOP
‘Barkworth is excruciatingly good’ OBSERVER

These waters became wild centuries before this university was dreamed of. Leysham has always been a dangerous place for women . . .

Serena arrives on campus reeling from the injury that destroyed her champion swimming career. She is lost until she meets Jane, an enigmatic tutor obsessed with the historic witch trials that took place in Leysham’s freezing waters.

When several young women are assaulted, the university’s shadowy legacy becomes inescapable. Those in power turn a blind eye, but Jane urges Serena and her friends to rise up. As their anger builds into an inferno of female rage, Serena takes matters into her own hands.

Leysham has reawakened something within her, a dark, impossible power. In the waters, she can see what must be done – and the sacrifice it will demand.

From the author of Heatstroke, an intoxicatingly atmospheric new novel about competition, obsession and influence – for readers of The Things We Do to Our Friends, Weyward and Promising Young Woman.

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MY REVIEW:

“What is a witch but a woman with power?”

Leysham University is a place with a dark history. A river flows alongside the campus where witch trials were once held, and last year students died after falling into the river on their way home from a night out. Serena Roberts is in her first year at the university and struggling to adjust, not only to life on campus, but to life without competitive swimming after an injury forced her to retire. Then one night she saves another student from drowning with the help of Jane, an enigmatic history professor who is obsessed with the historic witch trials, and everything changes. When Serena and her friends discover the college’s history of covering up assaults against female students, Jane encourages them to rise up against the university. Sparking a series of events that quickly gets out of control…

Fierce, powerful and enraging, The Drownings is an intoxicating story of female rage, obsession, rivalry, jealousy and influence. It also explores identity and desire, taking her characters on journeys of self-discovery and exploring the many different facets of desire in our lives. Hazel Barkworth’s writing is darkly atmospheric and discerning, drawing you into the murky world of Leysham. This is a story with many layers that are all intricately interwoven. I loved the eerie opening pages which made me think this was going to be a very gothic book, but while it still had a darkness, this is a thriller rather than gothic fiction. Barkworth blends modern themes such as social media and the Me Too movement with history. It feels timely and relatable while also showing us how little has really changed as women are still subjected to the same treatment but with a different name and means of punishment. Where women were once called witches and dunked, they are now trolled on social media and their truths hushed up to protect the men who harm them.  Barkworth also explores themes of identity and desire; and the toxicity of jealousy, comparison, and how harshly we talk to ourselves, taking us along for the ride with her characters on their journey of self discovery. 

The book is filled with an assorted cast of richly drawn and compelling characters. The protagonist, Serena, is a great character and I really felt for her. With her injury she hasn’t just lost swimming, she’s lost her whole identity and is forced to find herself again. Being away at university only compounds her confusion and loneliness, and I just wanted to reach out and hug her. Serena’s cousin, Zara, is another character we get to know well. Zara is a familiar character: living a carefully curated online life that hides her real insecurities. The rivalry between Serena and Zara is an important facet of both character’s lives as it has shaped how they’ve seen themselves from a young age. And the change in their dynamic now that Zara is a successful influencer while her star no longer shines bright, is particularly hard for Serena to deal with. Jane is also a very interesting character and her fixation on the witch trials is contagious, making it easy to understand how the students got pulled into everything. I enjoyed the activism storyline that is introduced by Zara but then merges with Jane’s cause to create something bigger and more out of control than any of them expected. Their anger, resolve and terror leaped from the pages and made me feel like I was right there with them. 

An absorbing and immersive piece of dark academia, this is one I highly recommend. 

Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hazel grew up in Stirlingshire and North Yorkshire before studying English at Oxford. She then moved to London where she spent her days working as a cultural consultant, and her nights dancing in glam rock clubs. Hazel is a graduate of both the Oxford University MSt in Creative Writing and the Curtis Brown Creative Novel-Writing course. Her debut novel Heatstroke was published by Headline in 2020. She now lives in York with her partner.

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BUY THE BOOK:

Bookshop.org* | Waterstones* | Amazon*
*These are affiliate links

********

Thanks for reading, Bibliophiles xxxx