Synopsis
T. Kingfisher meets Cassandra Khaw in a chilling horror novel that illustrates the fine line between humanity and monstrosity.
Blackwood mansion looms, surrounded by nightmare pines, atop the hill over the small town of Crooked Tree. Ben Bookman, bestselling novelist and heir to the Blackwood estate, spent a weekend at the ancestral home to finish writing his latest horror novel, The Scarecrow. Now, on the eve of the book’s release, the terrible story within begins to unfold in real life.
Detective Mills arrives at the scene of a gruesome murder: a family butchered and bundled inside cocoons stitched from corn husks, and hung from the rafters of a barn, eerily mirroring the opening of Bookman’s latest novel. When another family is killed in a similar manner, Mills, along with his daughter, rookie detective Samantha Blue, is determined to find the link to the book—and the killer—before the story reaches its chilling climax.
As the series of “Scarecrow crimes” continues to mirror the book, Ben quickly becomes the prime suspect. He can’t remember much from the night he finished writing the novel, but he knows he wrote it in The Atrium, his grandfather’s forbidden room full of numbered books. Thousands of books. Books without words.
As Ben digs deep into Blackwood’s history he learns he may have triggered a release of something trapped long ago—and it won’t stop with the horrors buried within the pages of his book.
Review
Again, showcasing some of my reviews for my top reads of the year as I am the FanFiAddict newbie! Just want to highlight these great reads, these great authors, and maybe find them some new readers…
I received this audiobook via NetGalley and I’m so glad I did. This was really solid, and the narration is spot on. I have my own issues with Kingfisher, so not sure I’d liken this to any of theirs, but apparently you may enjoy both!
This is a multi-POV as well as a multi-time period crime/horror novel. Similarly to my latest read, however unlike The Angel Maker, I think this one was spot on in terms of how it was handled. The short chapters are enough that you know who’s who, they are exciting with cliffhanger endings that actually intrigue, and they make you want to stay up all night to finish.
The novel features an author, Ben Bookman, with a dark past. When a mad criminal starts acting out the murders from his latest novel, the police are, of course, immediately pointed towards him as a suspect. Each chapter unravels in a more and more desperate and insane turn of events until the story is a mix of supernatural and paranormal horrors. The cover, as well as the description gave me serious Jeepers Creepers vibes, and the rest was even better.
Well handled, well written, and I’m especially impressed as I believe this is a debut.
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