THE HOUSE AT THE END OF LACELEAN STREET

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter, and have read a few of this author's books!

In a Nutshell: Unusual supernatural story about trauma and acceptance

I took the opportunity of receiving an (uncorrected) ARC, as I know Catherine McCarthy's stories are always worth reading. She is a master of atmosphere, writes with a fine turn of phrase and illustrates her characters so well.  

In this mysterious tale, Howard, Claudia and Stacey find themselves on a bus that takes them to the house of the title, where there is nobody else present (aside from the most efficient staff, who neither we nor the characters ever see).  All three are at rock bottom emotionally, because of adverse circumstances in their lives and particular events that appear to have been the 'last straw'.  As the truth about their lives is revealed, sometimes by hint, sometimes in a dream sequence or hallucination, the purpose of their stay becomes more apparent.

I was certainly invested in these characters, and read the book quickly, though I did feel a little 'yes, but why? How?' after I'd read the ending.  This is only personal taste; I'm one of those readers who likes to have everything spelled out at the end and get actual, definite answers.  The outcome is positive in many ways; I just wanted more of it!    

THE PRICE OF ATONEMENT by Mae Clair @MaeClair1 #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Ghostly mystery and secrets in 19th Century California

The Price of Atonement is Book #1 of the Harbor Pointe series of 8 books, each one written by a different author.  Isn't that a great idea?

'The Harbor Pointe Inn has loomed on California's cliffs for generations of Hawthornes. For some, it's been a blessing. For others, a curse. Travel through two centuries of stories to discover the old inn's secrets.'

This is a delightfully atmospheric story about the mysterious Leviticus and his employee Wyatt, who turn up at Harbour Pointe one dark October night in 1887.  Leviticus is haunted by his own personal tragedy, and now spends his time searching out tormented spirits unwilling or unable to move from this world to the next.

The lighthouse and inn hold tragic history within their walls; once a thriving establishment of hope and the prospect of good fortune, the inn now receives few visitors, and Leviticus and Wyatt are soon to discover why.  The Hawthorne family has many skeletons in the cupboard, and every one of them is increasingly disturbed by the presence that wanders alone on the 'Widow's Walk', up at the top of the lighthouse.

I liked Leviticus, and found that his own story was just as interesting as the one he investigated.  This is such a well-written novella, fitting perfectly into the shorter format, and I enjoyed it very much.  Good unpredictable plot.  Now I must decide which one I would like to read next!

LOVE, LOSS AND LIFE BETWEEN by Suzanne Rogerson @rogersonsm #TuesdayBookBlog #RBRT

3.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In a Nutshell: Short Story collection, as per the title.

Ten short stories from fantasy author Suzanne Rogerson, snapshots of lives, some with happy endings, others bittersweet.

My favourite was the first one, Spirit Song, about an old lady called Cecilia and her lute.  Short, so atmospheric; I loved it.  I also liked Goodbye Forever, in which an abused wife makes her escape.  This was most exciting and fast-paced, and I whipped through it.  Another favourite was Garden Therapy, with its unexpected plot that unfolded so gradually, and I liked Catalyst, too.

As with many short story collections there were some that appealed more than other; I preferred those with a little glimpse of 'outside this world', rather than the straightforward love stories.  I would say Ms Rogerson's talent is in writing the benign paranormal, for sure!

NEAR DEATH by Richard Wall @writinblues

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: Twitter; I'd seen a few tweets about it from the author, then one day I took a look.

In a Nutshell: Murders most brutal, with a paranormal theme.

The story is set in the early 1960s in New York and rural South Carolina.  John Henry Beauregard, a Korean War veteran, is working as the chaplain in Sing Sing prison, when he is called to give last rites to Joseph Hickey, a vicious murderer whose crimes were so horrific that details are withheld from most.  Hickey taunts John, and promises that he'll see him again, even though he is about to be frazzled on Old Sparky.

As other similar murders begin to take place, John and his friend, NYPD cop Eugene, begin to explore possible theories that sound insane even to themselves.  They are both psychologically damaged and at times just trying to hang onto the threads of their lives.

I enjoyed this book all the way through.  Throughout the main story, mostly told by John in the first person, are short chapters that hint about why events are taking place, with the reader being left to piece it all together, gradually.  The pace and drip-feeding of information worked so well, and made the story a real page-turner.  Lots of unpredictable events; I do love a novel in which I can't guess what's going to happen.

The characters of John and Eugene were very likeable, as was Vinnie, the hard-nosed lawyer who flips the bird at convention and authority, and I loved the writing style, which was clear, simple and effective.  I only had one problem with it: 'black', as in the colour of a person's skin, was spelled with a capital B in most but not all cases.  I know this is favoured by the politically correct in this day and age, but it was not so at the time John was telling this story, and it looked out of place.  Similarly, John uses the phrase 'people of color', which was not introduced and popularised until at least a decade later.  I wouldn't usually nit-pick about stuff like this that wouldn't bother most people, but they really stood out to me.

Paranormal is not my usual genre of choice, but it totally worked in this story, seeming possible and believable, and I liked the author's take on what happens after death.  The book is clever, humorous in parts, touching, terribly sad and fairly brutal, with gory and shocking detail, so it's not a book for the faint of heart.  I'm very glad I stopped on that tweet, clicked the link to Amazon and downloaded it on Kindle Unlimited.  At some point I shall take a look at the rest of Mr Wall's work.  Nice one.

IMMORTELLE by Catherine McCarthy @serialsemantic

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I've read short stories by this author and liked them very much; thus, I bought!

In a Nutshell: Novella, dark mystery/ghost/mild thriller, set in rural Wales about a hundred years ago (I think).

The story is about Elinor, a ceramic artist interested in pagan and supernatural folklore/magic, whose daughter Rowena dies under mysterious circumstances.  In her grief, Elinor starts work on an immortelle (a ceramic, glass-domed wreath, particularly popular in the Victorian and Edwardian eras) as a memento as a memento for Rowena's grave.

Soon, many local people are asking her to make immortelles for their own dead loved ones, and, around a year later, one of the departed recipients appears to her.  Elinor has always had suspicions about Rowena's death, and believes that at some point her fears will be confirmed.

As with the other stories I've read by Catherine McCarthy, this one reeks of Welsh mysticism and secrets hidden in the hills, floating by on the wind or trickling in with the tide.  It is beautifully written, with not a drop in quality all the way through; it is this, and the atmosphere Ms McCarthy creates, that made this a page turner throughout, even in the middle section which is more concerned with emotion than events.  Such was the subtle build up of suspense that I felt, all the way through, as if there might be a truly shocking occurrence just round the corner.

I'd class it as a low-key supernatural mystery rather than horror, though it does have that dark, sinister quality to it that this author pulls off so well; it probably comes naturally, as she was clearly born to write this stuff!  The story totally works; it fits nicely into the novella length with an ending that is pleasing on several levels.

THE EMPEROR OF DOGS by John Privilege @JackPloppy

5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: I got talking to the author on Twitter some years back, and took an idle look at his debut novel, The Turning of the World.  It was in my favourite genre, so I bought it, and was hugely impressed; I've actually read it twice.  I also enjoyed his second novel, The American Policeman.  Years passed... and then my sister, @ProofreadJulia on Twitter, told me she'd just worked on this new one, and loved it.  

In a Nutshell: low-key paranormal drama/thriller, set in Belfast.

The Blurb:

Josie Clenaghan doesn't have much going for him. Socially awkward, sometimes physically frail, he scurries about his life in Edinburgh. It's not so much the long shadow cast by the cruelty of his abusive father that bothers him. Or his barely controlled stammer. It's more the actual dead people, proper ghosts, that glare at him constantly with their burning eyes or silently scream into his face. But now his mother is dying and he needs to come home. Back to Belfast. Back to the past. He's packing a suitcase when the police call to his door. An act of unspeakable violence has ripped through a sunny summer Belfast afternoon. Josie finds himself at the centre of a hurricane of murder and destruction as Northern Ireland teeters on the brink of disintegration. He also discovers that, after the longest time, he might not be alone. This provides welcome comfort when everyone, it seems, wants to kill him.

Then things get really bad.

Haunted, hunted and clueless, Josie faces the past and the present with nothing like bravery. As the violence spirals out of control around him, he must confront the inescapable truth: there are worse things than ghosts.

**

Ah, the seemingly effortless writing, the wonderful inner narrative of the protagonist, the characters drawn straight from real life, the lack of pretentiousness or waffle, the plot originality that makes you do that 'just one more chapter' thing, over and over ... all this I expected from The Emperor of Dogs, if the author's other two books were anything to go by, and I was not disappointed.

The ghosts/paranormal genre is not a favourite of mine, but it depends on the writer, doesn't it?  John Privilege manages to make the haunted world of Josie Clenaghan completely believable.  Soon, Josie discovers that the unseen world is made of up depths far murkier than he knows about, delving into the evil within man, and the reasons why sadists and psychos do the things they do (in such a way that did not seem wholly unlikely). 

This book is tragic and touching, frightening and funny, violent, shocking, steeped in loss and memories and regrets... it's great.  The paragraphing is a tad all over the place (for the uninitiated: formatting books for Kindle is a total mare), but you know when a book is top stuff because you don't care if the first line indents are on the erratic side; I mention this only in the interests of objective reviewing.  Highly recommended!

HIGHLAND COVE by Dylan J Morgan @dylanjmorgan #RBRT

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.

In A Nutshell:  Five twenty-somethings investigate a supposedly haunted abandoned asylum on a Scottish island.

A highly atmospheric story that gathers momentum like skeletal fingers walking slowly up your back, Highland Cove is a book that will delight lovers of dark, horrifying ghost stories that do not necessarily end well... 

The party of five who set out on this foolish mission—to make a documentary in a haunted asylum on a lonely Scottish island—each have their own story, and the characters are well-defined, particularly Liam, for whom this project is something of a passion, and Alex, the sceptical rich boy who has been invited purely because he is willing to fund it.  Dylan Morgan's descriptive powers are first class, and I particularly liked the meeting in the pub, early on, with the old sailor who was to take them across from the mainland.

I was pleased to find that the horror certainly ramps up during the second half, with many surprises, and I thought the last twenty per cent was actually the best part, with a twist in the tale or two that I didn't expect, at all.  I felt that some of the detail in the first half could have been chopped down a little, but on the whole I'd say that this is a fine, well-written book with good plot, and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes to become immersed in a novel on the gory horror end of the supernatural genre.

THE CHRISTMAS GHOSTS by Gemma Lawrence @TudorTweep

4 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book and why I chose it: I have read every single other book by Gemma Lawrence, and have recently rediscovered the appeal of short stories for when you don't have the headspace/time for starting a whole novel!

Genre: Christmas short stories.

This is a collection of five long short stories, all very different. My favourites are Hot Toddy, a beautiful story about a woman of nearly eighty who is visited by someone she loves very much, and the last one, The Christmas Ghosts itself, which is about a young woman who earns money by house-sitting for the wealthy, whilst trying to put together her first novel.  I liked this one because her life appealed to me; the solitude in the lovely house, the beautiful surroundings, the hours and hours of uninterrupted time to write.  I was amused by her rather childlike debut novelist fancies and fantasies, and nodded my head a few times about the difficulty she has in getting her friends and family to take what she is doing seriously.  Oh yes, and the Christmas ghosts themselves.  I can't tell you about them, because that would give away the story, but it's a lovely idea, and something I would adore; a view into the past.

I've only read historical fiction by this author, so it was interesting to see how she fared with contemporary stories, but I am happy to report that, yes, she can do this, too!  Another thing I liked about this collection was that it is not twee or 'heartwarming', as some Christmas stories can be; one of the ghosts is a mangled animal, and another wears a Nirvana hoodie. 😄

AFTERLIFE by Marcus Sakey @MarcusSakey

4.5 out of 5 stars

On Amazon UK
On Amazon.com
On Goodreads

How I discovered this book:  I read a review of it on Between The Lines book blog 

What if death is just the beginning?

The basics:  A serial killer on the loose.  Investigation led by detective Claire McCoy, involved in a love affair with subordinate Will Brody.  A main character dies at the hand of the killer, after which we see them in the afterlife 'echo', a strange parallel earth with different players and rules. 

The book starts in the 16th century, when a boy is shipwrecked, dies, but then wakes up to his own 'echo'.  I loved this, and looked forward to reading on, and seeing how this fitted into the 21st century plot.  

I was a bit 'hmm, not sure' about the main story at first; I liked the author's writing style, but was less keen on the slightly hackneyed detective characterisation (the overworked, world-weary female boss with no food in the fridge, the maverick young FBI agent who doesn't play by the rules but gets results).  Within a few chapters this didn't matter a jot, but it was an early reaction, so I've recorded it.  I soon became much more interested in Claire and Brody, and found their relationship believable; the emotional connection between them was perfectly described, and I cared what happened to them, which is, of course, what it's all about.

On the cover, a comparison is made with The Matrix.  If, like me, you found that particular film confusing for the sake of confusing and a bit 'emperor's new clothes', generally, you might feel similarly about this book.  At first.  I wasn't always sure what was going on, and started to wonder if I cared.  I decided to give it to 40% ~ but it clicked into place well before then.  The 'echo' of afterlife became intermingled with real life ~ and I began to understand Sakey's take on what-happens-when-you-die. 

I jogged along, quite enjoying it, but then I got to chapter 26, at 42% ~ for me, the turning point, when I realised how brilliant this book is.  16th century Edmund's role became clear, and I understood that this isn't a novel about the catching of a serial killer, or a kooky idea of people in the afterlife charging around having battles with each other.  It's about the energy of the universe, the reason for the atrocities man commits against man, the manipulation of the living by powers far stronger.  The layers of life, of which the waking world that we surface dwellers experience, in blissful ignorance, is just one.  Awesome concept, I loved it.

Now and again I found it a little long-winded and was tempted to skip-read, but I'm so glad I stuck with it, as it's one of those books that explodes into something else half way through.  Yes, I'd definitely recommend it 😈

ABANDON by Blake Crouch @blakecrouch1

5 GOLD stars

Rocky mountains adventure/thriller/history

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE

How I discovered this book:  Read about it on Between The Lines book blog.

What a story!  I love death-defying adventure set in Arctic conditions, and anything to do with the way in which history circles around to meet the present, and this novel is made up of these two elements.  New York journo Abigail goes on an excursion to the lost town of Abandon, high in the Colorado rockies, with her father (who she hasn't seen since she was four), two guides and two paranormal photographers.  Back in the late 19th century the entire population of the town vanished, along with a stash of gold; the mystery of how and why has obsessed Abigail's father, Lawrence, for many years.

The story alternates between past and present, as events become increasingly perilous for Abigail and her group; all is not what it seems.  Back in the late 19th century, a picture is built up of the townsfolk of Abandon, until finally we discover what really happened.....

I read this over Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and couldn't have made a finer choice.  At first I just quite liked it, then, when everything starts to get scary (at about 30%) I feared that it might become a story of paranormal ghostly carry-on featuring demonic beings, which would have probably made me abandon (!) it, but such was not the case.  It's very much a story of the evil within man, of madness, retribution, greed, loneliness, loss ~ I loved it.  The pace and structure is perfect, with the slow unfolding of the past to mirror the present.  By the middle I liked it much more, and the last 30% is staggeringly good.

I also liked that it didn't follow oft-used resolutions.  It's unpredictable all the way through; I didn't guess any of the developments.  It's great.  Would be wonderful as an HBO series.  Buy it! 

Snowbound reviewed HERE, Run reviewed HERE

 

SANDLANDS by Rosy Thornton

5 GOLD stars

Short stories: Suffolk, folklore, history, literary

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE
On Goodreads HERE 

Reviewed by me for Whispering Stories 

This book of short stories based on the history and folklore in and around the village of Blaxhall on the Suffolk Coast was an absolute treat to read.  I lived in coastal Norfolk for some years and adore that part of the country, and had vague recollections of reading other glowing reviews of this book, hence my choice. 

Ms Thornton's writing is beautiful.  Evocative, intelligent, mournful, intricately researched and humorous at times, the sort of prose that doesn't need events or dialogue - and that's coming from someone who prefers books with lots of both.  Never mind complaints about too much descriptive detail in books; Mad Maudlin, for instance, in which the narrator has a strange experience with some old film of a pub in which he is staying, is made up of little but descriptive detail, and I loved every word.  

There's a very sad tale called The Watcher of Souls, about a long forgotten and tragic love affair (I want to know more about Annie!), but I think my favourites are High House, narrated by a local cleaner, about a wise man who lives above the floodlines....  and I loved Dr Whybrow in Whispers, the solitary academic who finds the inspiration he has been searching for in an old tower, built for defence during the Napoleonic Wars.  And lastly, the beautiful Mackerel, about an old lady who has hardly moved from Blaxhall from all of her eighty-nine years.  This one actually made me weep.  I mean, properly cry, not just get a bit damp around the eyes.

I'm sending this book to my eighty-seven year old father who grew up in Suffolk in the 1930s; I am sure he will love it.   

There's something wonderfully timeless about Norfolk and Suffolk, and this book made me want to go back and wander down those lonely country lanes I remember from my own childhood that, somehow, the 21st Century has not yet touched.

It's only £1.  Possibly the best one you'll spend for a long time.  Thank you, Rosy Thornton, for writing it, and Stacey from Whispering Stories for asking me if I'd like to do a guest review; without this offer, I might not have discovered this lovely book.

ANOTHER REBECCA by Tracey Scott-Townsend

4.5 out of 5 stars

Complex family drama

On Amazon UK HERE
On Amazon.com HERE 
On Goodreads HERE 

This was a surprise hidden gem!  It's been on my to-read list for a long time and I decided it was time to open it up ~ and I'm glad I did.

Another Rebecca is a very unusual story, told from the points of view of Rebecca, a young woman with understandable psychological problems, her alcoholic mother, Bex, and her care-worn father, Jack.  The first chapter is an insight into the mind of Rebecca when she is at her most confused, and I wondered if it was going to be the sort of book I liked (I am not one for weird dream sequences and is-it-fantasy-or-isn't-it stuff, generally), but it was sufficiently well written for me to carry on. The second chapter was a different kettle of fish altogether, from the point of view of drink ravaged Bex, raw, gritty, and much more my cup of tea, and I realised I was going to enjoy the book alot when I got to chapter 3, and Jack.  Then, it all started to make sense, I got stuck in and read most of it in one day ~ I couldn't leave it alone.

The novel goes back and forth from the present to various times in the past, and it's well structured, never confusing, with the years clearly shown, so it was easy to build up the complex history of the family.  The author has a real talent for the written word, with the characters coming to life.  Although the story is all about emotion, this aspect isn't laboured and there is plenty going on.  I liked the way the nooks and crannies of the family's history unfolded, with just enough mystery to keep me doing that 'just one more chapter' thing.  I would have liked to have seen more about what happened when the actual split between Rebecca's parents took place, and a bit more about the relationship between Jack and his new wife, but that's the only area I felt was slightly lacking.

Looking at this book on Amazon I can see that it's hidden away in a dark side shelf, and with its unassuming cover it might be easy to overlook, but I can assure you it's worth picking up.  A couple of the reviews say that it's hard to understand what's going on, but I think that says more about the reviewer - it's not confusing, it's complex and clever.  Oh, and there's a lovely little episode of Tudor ghostliness, too!  Nice work, Ms S-T :).

THE JACK LOCKWOOD DIARIES by Geoff West

3.5 out of 5 stars

Short stories: crime, mystery, ghosts, light drama

On Amazon UK HERE

On Amazon.com HERE 

Reviewed by me as part of Rosie Amber's Book Review Team

Twenty-two stories from Geoff West's jolly nice, slightly bumbling and Jonathan Creek-esque hero, Jack Lockwood, all set in a village near Canterbury in Kent.

When you start reading something by Geoff West you know it will be intelligently written and well edited with some clever turns of phrase, with no sentences that make you think 'ouch!' - and that's always a good starting point.

The first few in this collection are ghost stories, followed by crime/mystery and finishing up with a few of a lighter type.  I thought the crime/mystery ones were the most well put together, and by far the best is Leaving It All Behind, which I thought could have been very nicely developed into at least novelette length.  The author is very good at creating atmosphere, so much that I actually wanted to be holed up in that little country pub during the snow storm....  his characters are very clearly defined, sometimes in an almost pantomime-like way, but this is all in keeping with the whole Jack Lockwood scenario of not too serious crime solving in an idyllic part of England that comes straight from a BBC Sunday evening drama. 

Some stories I felt could have been developed more; they were more situations than actual stories, and I'd turn the page thinking there was more to come only to find the beginning of the next, but the writing was still entertaining and on the whole I'd say that if you're a short story fan of these genres, reading The Jack Lockwood Diaries is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours.

The book ends with the first chapter of Geoff West's latest novel, Sheer Fear - a better opening for a crime drama you couldn't find!

SHEER FEAR by Geoff West reviewed HERE

A FRACTURED UNDERSTANDING by Hache Jones

5 out of 5 stars

Short story, Dark contemporary drama

Originally posted on Amazon HERE on 19 February 2014

I started reading this last night when I had 10 minutes to spare.... I ended up telling my husband he'd have to wait, re the film we were going to watch, because I HAD to finish this first!

It's really, really good - beautifully written, darkly comic in parts, and delivers just the right amount of mystery versus information. It's a bit scary, too - at 26% I actually felt that shudder, like you do when you watch a horror film, although the horror in this comes in a different form - the way in which the patients in a psychiatric hospital are treated.

Worth just under two quid of anyone's money - it's outstanding.