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The Vault
From award-winning novelist Huw Thomas, a story of hidden secrets, childhood drama and murder… THE VAULT Adam Strong has two main problems in how to keep the gang from the local council estate out of the woods where he has his den and how to get the new girl at school to notice that he exists. But the ancient woods next to Compton Fosse contain more dangers than just the risk of a beating from the town’s teenage psycho. Hidden in Hobthrush Wood is the key to a mystery that weaves four disparate stories into a single web. * The A gang of professional robbers mount a night raid on the secluded country home of a reclusive billionaire. * The Three decaying bodies, wrapped in plastic and chains, are found lying at the bottom of an ornamental lake. * The A sex offender is released from prison but breaks his parole and goes on the run after giving into temptation once again. * The Two boys stumble across an eerie secret… IN AID OF SHELTERBOX The Vault is being published on Kindle in aid of the disaster relief charity ShelterBox, which provides emergency shelter and vital aid for families who have lost their home as a result of earthquakes, floods, volcanoes etc. Half of all royalties from sales of the Kindle edition of this book will go to the charity to help its work around the world - see www.shelterbox.org for more information.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
Huw Thomas
5 books4 followersDaydreaming and thinking up imaginary situations and conversations have been among my favourite occupations for as long as I can remember.
Books have always played a big part in my life - reading them by the dozen and writing them.
I wrote my first 'novel' when I was still at primary school and a few decades on I'm still going.
Writing has always been my first love. I'm not sure that I could stop even if I wanted to but feedback from readers is a great motivator - knowing that others are entertained and/or inspired by my ideas is enormously satisfying.
Books have always played a big part in my life - reading them by the dozen and writing them.
I wrote my first 'novel' when I was still at primary school and a few decades on I'm still going.
Writing has always been my first love. I'm not sure that I could stop even if I wanted to but feedback from readers is a great motivator - knowing that others are entertained and/or inspired by my ideas is enormously satisfying.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 25, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Suspense
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: People who like an intricate tale
Trigger Warnings: murder, bullying, pedophile
Non-PCness: n-word, gay-bashing, children calling Vietnamese girl “Chinky”
My Thoughts: This book was chosen as my random read in mid-July. I also discovered that a portion of proceeds from this book go to Shelterbox. You can read more about this by following this link.
This is a very strange book. There are at least three stories going on. I can't decided if it's Middle Grade (since one of the stories features MG characters) or adult. To me the MG story seems to be the “main” story, but with so many branches... this one is hard to rate. I've gone with adult, since the overall feel of the story is not necessarily one for younger readers.
Here's the thing: this book throws out a lot of red herrings. It's really difficult to tell which branch of the story is taking place when, and that is part of the suspense. Part of the story is told in present tense, the rest in a more normal past tense. And while all the bits eventually line up, it takes a bit of patience, right up through the very end of the book, to line up all the plot threads. But really, it's all good, because despite a number of editing errors, this is a very well-told story, very engaging, and one I would definitely enjoy reading again, now that I know all the answers. I would like to see if I catch any subtle hints I might have missed the first time around.
As far as the characters, I quite liked most of them. Even the bullies were well-done. I particularly liked Adam's uncle, Stevie, who is a biker. He's a super cool character, and I would love to learn more about him. Adam and his friends seem a bit older than 12 to me, but then again, the UK educational system is much better than the one here in the US, so it might be partly due to that. Oh, I should also mention that this is written in British English, for those I know who are distracted by the differences in spelling and sentence structure. Be aware of that.
All in all, a very enjoyable story, very suspenseful, and very mysterious. If you like solving puzzles, be sure to check this one out. It's a corker!
Disclosure: I picked up this book free on Amazon. As far as I'm aware, I've never interacted with this author. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Adam Strong has two main problems in life: how to keep the gang from the local council estate out of the woods where he has his den and how to get the new girl at school to notice that he exists.
But the ancient woods next to Compton Fosse contain more dangers than just the risk of a beating from the town’s teenage psycho.
Hidden in Hobthrush Wood is the key to a mystery that weaves four disparate stories into a single web.
* The mansion: A gang of professional robbers mount a night raid on the secluded country home of a reclusive billionaire.
* The dead: Three decaying bodies, wrapped in plastic and chains, are found lying at the bottom of an ornamental lake.
* The convict: A sex offender is released from prison but breaks his parole and goes on the run after giving into temptation once again.
* The friends: Two boys stumble across an eerie secret…
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: People who like an intricate tale
Trigger Warnings: murder, bullying, pedophile
Non-PCness: n-word, gay-bashing, children calling Vietnamese girl “Chinky”
My Thoughts: This book was chosen as my random read in mid-July. I also discovered that a portion of proceeds from this book go to Shelterbox. You can read more about this by following this link.
This is a very strange book. There are at least three stories going on. I can't decided if it's Middle Grade (since one of the stories features MG characters) or adult. To me the MG story seems to be the “main” story, but with so many branches... this one is hard to rate. I've gone with adult, since the overall feel of the story is not necessarily one for younger readers.
Here's the thing: this book throws out a lot of red herrings. It's really difficult to tell which branch of the story is taking place when, and that is part of the suspense. Part of the story is told in present tense, the rest in a more normal past tense. And while all the bits eventually line up, it takes a bit of patience, right up through the very end of the book, to line up all the plot threads. But really, it's all good, because despite a number of editing errors, this is a very well-told story, very engaging, and one I would definitely enjoy reading again, now that I know all the answers. I would like to see if I catch any subtle hints I might have missed the first time around.
As far as the characters, I quite liked most of them. Even the bullies were well-done. I particularly liked Adam's uncle, Stevie, who is a biker. He's a super cool character, and I would love to learn more about him. Adam and his friends seem a bit older than 12 to me, but then again, the UK educational system is much better than the one here in the US, so it might be partly due to that. Oh, I should also mention that this is written in British English, for those I know who are distracted by the differences in spelling and sentence structure. Be aware of that.
All in all, a very enjoyable story, very suspenseful, and very mysterious. If you like solving puzzles, be sure to check this one out. It's a corker!
Disclosure: I picked up this book free on Amazon. As far as I'm aware, I've never interacted with this author. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Adam Strong has two main problems in life: how to keep the gang from the local council estate out of the woods where he has his den and how to get the new girl at school to notice that he exists.
But the ancient woods next to Compton Fosse contain more dangers than just the risk of a beating from the town’s teenage psycho.
Hidden in Hobthrush Wood is the key to a mystery that weaves four disparate stories into a single web.
* The mansion: A gang of professional robbers mount a night raid on the secluded country home of a reclusive billionaire.
* The dead: Three decaying bodies, wrapped in plastic and chains, are found lying at the bottom of an ornamental lake.
* The convict: A sex offender is released from prison but breaks his parole and goes on the run after giving into temptation once again.
* The friends: Two boys stumble across an eerie secret…
March 28, 2014
So I read another of Huw Thomas's books, The Tale of Findo Gask, a while back and I liked it, but I didn't love it. This one was much more my speed! It had a good pace to it, and the multiple storylines blended and overlapped in a really fun and interesting way.
The story focuses on a few different storylines: one is Adam Strong's, a young boy who likes to explore the woods near his town; another is Clay's, an American living in England who is contending with a home burglary; another is an ex-con called Lester who is trying to figure out the best way to skip his parole; and the last main one is the local police investigating a few bodies discovered in a lake.
I think my biggest complaint is that there wasn't enough of it! I really wanted to know more about Clay's history, more than just an overview of how he became the paranoid recluse billionaire that he is. Adam's story was pretty well-rounded, but I could have done with just a little bit more about his father and his parents' split. I felt like there was just a little too much contempt on Adam's part that wasn't explained as well as I would have liked. Also, I really loved the police officers who were investigating the bodies found in the pond/lake and I could have read an entire book on them. Their investigation was more hands-on at the start, and as it went on, it seemed other people were doing the heavy lifting and I wished there had been more to their side of it. Lastly, while Lester had his role to play, I didn't feel it was as interesting or necessary to the rest of the story as the other characters.
The characters themselves were a blast. The majority of the main characters were male, with the exception of the police investigator running the case of the bodies in the lake, but I didn't find any fault with that as a female reader. Sometimes, books structured that way can feel a little like a "boys' club" and can be harder for female readers to relate to, but I didn't find this to be like that. It was a fun adventure story, definitely with some themes usually geared more toward a male audience, but I liked it. Then again, Die Hard and The Bourne Identity are among my favorite films, so maybe take that perspective with a grain of salt.
The story had a nice resolution/conclusion, but like I said, there were a few things I still would have liked to have learned more about. It did feel like it wrapped up quickly, though. It seemed like just as things really started to pick up pace, it was like a race to the finish and I think for that reason, it felt much shorter than the last book of Thomas's I read. But, looking at the conversion to print pages in Amazon, this book actually was quite a bit shorter than Findo Gask's story.
As to mechanics, it still bugs me that Thomas doesn't use commas as often as I would do, but this was definitely a much easier read compared with Findo, as there isn't as much slang and colloquial language. Also, I read the ebook version and it's nicely formatted, hyperlinked to the chapters from a table of contents, but I can't change the font type and size on my Kindle, which is a minor complaint but worth mentioning, I guess.
Overall, I would say if you like heist/action/adventure/crime drama types of stories, this is a fun one!
The story focuses on a few different storylines: one is Adam Strong's, a young boy who likes to explore the woods near his town; another is Clay's, an American living in England who is contending with a home burglary; another is an ex-con called Lester who is trying to figure out the best way to skip his parole; and the last main one is the local police investigating a few bodies discovered in a lake.
I think my biggest complaint is that there wasn't enough of it! I really wanted to know more about Clay's history, more than just an overview of how he became the paranoid recluse billionaire that he is. Adam's story was pretty well-rounded, but I could have done with just a little bit more about his father and his parents' split. I felt like there was just a little too much contempt on Adam's part that wasn't explained as well as I would have liked. Also, I really loved the police officers who were investigating the bodies found in the pond/lake and I could have read an entire book on them. Their investigation was more hands-on at the start, and as it went on, it seemed other people were doing the heavy lifting and I wished there had been more to their side of it. Lastly, while Lester had his role to play, I didn't feel it was as interesting or necessary to the rest of the story as the other characters.
The characters themselves were a blast. The majority of the main characters were male, with the exception of the police investigator running the case of the bodies in the lake, but I didn't find any fault with that as a female reader. Sometimes, books structured that way can feel a little like a "boys' club" and can be harder for female readers to relate to, but I didn't find this to be like that. It was a fun adventure story, definitely with some themes usually geared more toward a male audience, but I liked it. Then again, Die Hard and The Bourne Identity are among my favorite films, so maybe take that perspective with a grain of salt.
The story had a nice resolution/conclusion, but like I said, there were a few things I still would have liked to have learned more about. It did feel like it wrapped up quickly, though. It seemed like just as things really started to pick up pace, it was like a race to the finish and I think for that reason, it felt much shorter than the last book of Thomas's I read. But, looking at the conversion to print pages in Amazon, this book actually was quite a bit shorter than Findo Gask's story.
As to mechanics, it still bugs me that Thomas doesn't use commas as often as I would do, but this was definitely a much easier read compared with Findo, as there isn't as much slang and colloquial language. Also, I read the ebook version and it's nicely formatted, hyperlinked to the chapters from a table of contents, but I can't change the font type and size on my Kindle, which is a minor complaint but worth mentioning, I guess.
Overall, I would say if you like heist/action/adventure/crime drama types of stories, this is a fun one!
May 4, 2012
"The Vault" by Huw Thomas is a rather interesting mystery novel that I wasn't too sure about initially. The synopsis itself just didn't really grab me and if it wasn't for the fact that the author was giving away half the royalties to a charity known as ShelterBox I may not have even read it. However, I am glad that I did as I found it to be an engaging and thoughtful read that I struggled to put down at the end of each day.
The story follows several different plotlines that are seemingly unrelated but are actually all part of one complex web. The main core of the novel is based around a young boy called Adam who has turned the wood near his town into a personal retreat. However, when the local council estate kids decide to invade the woods in an attempt to hunt him down Adam is forced to try and hide and finds that there are some secrets hidden in the woods that he knew nothing about. I found that the other plotlines were weaved around this core and are as follows; a professional robbery of a luxurious mansion, a police investigation into three dead bodies found in an ornamental lake and the journey of a paroled sex offender who has gone on the run.
Whilst all these plots seem unrelated, the reader of course knows that there is something linking them and the attempt to identify these links helps turn the novel into a rather compelling mystery. As with many mysteries the book was told at a rather slow pace and I still find it amusing that I got so engrossed in things like the antics of children in a wood but the mystery surrounding the whole novel just kept me hooked.
Personally, I was quite proud of myself that I worked out all the links between the plotlines bar one and I actually think that one was more of a red herring plot than one fundamental to the overall mystery that was being told. However that might just be me being grumpy because I didn't see the way it linked in coming. Either way though, I found that the plots came together and concluded in a rather enjoyable and satisfying manner. The one comment I would make on the ending is that I think there could have been a better epilogue for Adam himself as it just felt a little bit rushed and I was really curious to know what he actually did next.
I found that the town of Compton Fosse came across as very realistic and as someone that grew up in a small English town I could easily imagine the council estate, the woods and the other children that were depicted in this novel. I will admit that the four separate plotlines meant it was quite hard to see any real depth to the characters and most of them just came across as being names. Luckily, Adam himself was developed enough to make him come across in an engaging manner and I was always hoping he would triumph in his actions.
Overall, I found that this was an enjoyable mystery novel that is being sold for a good cause and therefore am happy to recommend it. I will admit that it isn't action packed although there are the odd elements here and there but if you enjoy a good, thoughtful, slow burner of a novel then this one should fit the bill quite easily.
The story follows several different plotlines that are seemingly unrelated but are actually all part of one complex web. The main core of the novel is based around a young boy called Adam who has turned the wood near his town into a personal retreat. However, when the local council estate kids decide to invade the woods in an attempt to hunt him down Adam is forced to try and hide and finds that there are some secrets hidden in the woods that he knew nothing about. I found that the other plotlines were weaved around this core and are as follows; a professional robbery of a luxurious mansion, a police investigation into three dead bodies found in an ornamental lake and the journey of a paroled sex offender who has gone on the run.
Whilst all these plots seem unrelated, the reader of course knows that there is something linking them and the attempt to identify these links helps turn the novel into a rather compelling mystery. As with many mysteries the book was told at a rather slow pace and I still find it amusing that I got so engrossed in things like the antics of children in a wood but the mystery surrounding the whole novel just kept me hooked.
Personally, I was quite proud of myself that I worked out all the links between the plotlines bar one and I actually think that one was more of a red herring plot than one fundamental to the overall mystery that was being told. However that might just be me being grumpy because I didn't see the way it linked in coming. Either way though, I found that the plots came together and concluded in a rather enjoyable and satisfying manner. The one comment I would make on the ending is that I think there could have been a better epilogue for Adam himself as it just felt a little bit rushed and I was really curious to know what he actually did next.
I found that the town of Compton Fosse came across as very realistic and as someone that grew up in a small English town I could easily imagine the council estate, the woods and the other children that were depicted in this novel. I will admit that the four separate plotlines meant it was quite hard to see any real depth to the characters and most of them just came across as being names. Luckily, Adam himself was developed enough to make him come across in an engaging manner and I was always hoping he would triumph in his actions.
Overall, I found that this was an enjoyable mystery novel that is being sold for a good cause and therefore am happy to recommend it. I will admit that it isn't action packed although there are the odd elements here and there but if you enjoy a good, thoughtful, slow burner of a novel then this one should fit the bill quite easily.
October 17, 2017
Clever mystery in which there are several apparently separate strands, including a complete red herring which added nothing to the story.
October 6, 2012
The timeline was often confusing and I wasn't sure whether the sub-plots were taking place at the same time as the others or in the past. In regards to Adam and Clay that does become more evident deeper into the book.
What was the whole point of Lester?
Was that just a way of bringing the dangers of sexual predators in our midst, to the forefront of peoples minds? It didn't seem to add anything to the story.
Adam's storyline was strong and interesting. It focused on facing your fears, whilst creating an image of the tearaway spirit young boys have. The escape and fight scenes in the forest reminded me of a more safe world, one when children could play in the forest without fear of perverts.
Hmm maybe that was the point of Lester, perhaps it was to show the difference between the way things should be and the way things are in our society, when it comes to our children and the dangers that lurk.
I think the idea of the Sanctuary could have been developed a little more, then again that is possibly because I was convinced there was some sort of magic or secret portal in those woods. Of course now I realise it is metaphorical.
I would have liked to have found out more about what Clay went through to make him so afraid and obsessive.
All in all I think the author needs to be less ambitious with all the subplots. Sometimes less is more. Clearly he is capable of creating a good story, but it could be great with more strategic plotting and less wandering off in five different directions. I received a free copy of this book for my review.
What was the whole point of Lester?
Was that just a way of bringing the dangers of sexual predators in our midst, to the forefront of peoples minds? It didn't seem to add anything to the story.
Adam's storyline was strong and interesting. It focused on facing your fears, whilst creating an image of the tearaway spirit young boys have. The escape and fight scenes in the forest reminded me of a more safe world, one when children could play in the forest without fear of perverts.
Hmm maybe that was the point of Lester, perhaps it was to show the difference between the way things should be and the way things are in our society, when it comes to our children and the dangers that lurk.
I think the idea of the Sanctuary could have been developed a little more, then again that is possibly because I was convinced there was some sort of magic or secret portal in those woods. Of course now I realise it is metaphorical.
I would have liked to have found out more about what Clay went through to make him so afraid and obsessive.
All in all I think the author needs to be less ambitious with all the subplots. Sometimes less is more. Clearly he is capable of creating a good story, but it could be great with more strategic plotting and less wandering off in five different directions. I received a free copy of this book for my review.
June 10, 2015
Another surprise read. When I decided to read The Vault, I did not remember the summary which made me "buy it" or any other information about the story. I simply chose by cover from my growing list of kindle freebies (collecting kindle freebies can really become addictive).
The Vault consists of four different story lines as mentioned in the summary, which eventually get intertwined and meet up at the end. This intriguing concept alone had me hooked and was one of the reasons I downloaded the book.
The mansion: this thriller was my personal second best part of the book, and while it started out a little confusing, it was quite exciting to unravel the mystery about the billionaire and his mansion.
The dead: a crime story which very early revealed its ties to the mansion. It was fun alternately reading both parts and connecting the loose ends, seeing how one story ultimately led to the other.
The convict: in my opinion, this is the weakest part of the book which could have been left out entirely without doing any harm. Though it was okay to read those chapters, they were only loosely connected to the other stories and I consider them dispensable weight.
The friends: the story of Adam, a boy who loves roaming the nearby woods but is constantly bullied by some gang. This definitely was my favourite, as I like those kind of coming-of-age stories. The ending, though not as surprising once the cave was found, was cleverly constructed and perfectly rounded off the book.
The Vault consists of four different story lines as mentioned in the summary, which eventually get intertwined and meet up at the end. This intriguing concept alone had me hooked and was one of the reasons I downloaded the book.
The mansion: this thriller was my personal second best part of the book, and while it started out a little confusing, it was quite exciting to unravel the mystery about the billionaire and his mansion.
The dead: a crime story which very early revealed its ties to the mansion. It was fun alternately reading both parts and connecting the loose ends, seeing how one story ultimately led to the other.
The convict: in my opinion, this is the weakest part of the book which could have been left out entirely without doing any harm. Though it was okay to read those chapters, they were only loosely connected to the other stories and I consider them dispensable weight.
The friends: the story of Adam, a boy who loves roaming the nearby woods but is constantly bullied by some gang. This definitely was my favourite, as I like those kind of coming-of-age stories. The ending, though not as surprising once the cave was found, was cleverly constructed and perfectly rounded off the book.
October 1, 2013
I had no idea what to expect from The Vault but soon found myself greatly enjoying this multi stranded tale which brings you into the life of school boy Adam Strong and very real feeling account of being at school and dealing with friends, bullies and girls!
Adam’s interactions with his mum, his friends and the girl of his dreams are all very well constructed and believable; he is a character that it is easy to empathise with.
Hobthrush Wood sounds like a wonderful place, I can see why he is so drawn to it. What a haven for a boy his age to be able to retreat to and call his own. I felt genuine anxiety when the gang from the estate started to encroach on his special part of the woods.
The different storylines aren’t confusing, they simply make you want to keep reading to get back to the character you’ve just left behind.
I’d love to read more about the reclusive billionaire and his life, that sounds like an interesting story of it’s own! I loved his house and all its secret security measures and hope there’ll be a book all about him soon.
My only critism would be that there should be some indication that one of the threads is historic as it isn’t immediately obvious although I guess the author intended it to be that way.
Hats off to Huw Thomas as proceeds from the sale of this book go to worthy charity Shelter Box, and if you look on his own blog you can enter to win a copy of the book (and other goodies) and make a donation to Shelter Box yourself.
Adam’s interactions with his mum, his friends and the girl of his dreams are all very well constructed and believable; he is a character that it is easy to empathise with.
Hobthrush Wood sounds like a wonderful place, I can see why he is so drawn to it. What a haven for a boy his age to be able to retreat to and call his own. I felt genuine anxiety when the gang from the estate started to encroach on his special part of the woods.
The different storylines aren’t confusing, they simply make you want to keep reading to get back to the character you’ve just left behind.
I’d love to read more about the reclusive billionaire and his life, that sounds like an interesting story of it’s own! I loved his house and all its secret security measures and hope there’ll be a book all about him soon.
My only critism would be that there should be some indication that one of the threads is historic as it isn’t immediately obvious although I guess the author intended it to be that way.
Hats off to Huw Thomas as proceeds from the sale of this book go to worthy charity Shelter Box, and if you look on his own blog you can enter to win a copy of the book (and other goodies) and make a donation to Shelter Box yourself.
October 24, 2013
The Vault is a rich novel that has many different layers across three story strands and all beautifully woven together into a seamless whole. We meet a variety of characters along the way including Adam, the key protagonist. Huw’s characters come to life in the story he weaves, and I found it easy to visualise all of them and the situations they found themselves in.
The story is set in an archetypal English town and the plot weaves together petty rivalries, bullying and first love against a background of murder and crime solving. Perfect to keep you hooked whilst on holiday or needing a break from the every day.
The story is set in an archetypal English town and the plot weaves together petty rivalries, bullying and first love against a background of murder and crime solving. Perfect to keep you hooked whilst on holiday or needing a break from the every day.
August 7, 2012
Good read and as hard to put down a any big name writer I've read! Well done Huw and cheers mate! I was cheering Adam on all the way, but confess I too would have liked to know what Adam did next. My kindle version still said I was on 95% when the end suddenly came... The last 5% was in fact the opening chapters of another book! Still, am proud to say I know you Huw after reading this, and may go onto Fido soon, once I finished Alice in Wonderland!!
January 16, 2015
The Vault tells several stories at the same time. Some of the story takes place in the present while another part of the story is in the past. At the end of the book everything comes together. This is a well written mystery
December 11, 2012
good boy book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews