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The Burning: Every house has a heart
To the Mountford family, it was their very own chocolate-box cottage, set deep in the folds of the English countryside. Their sumptuous second home, a nest egg for retirement, a secluded bolthole for times of trouble. In March 2020, as London fell silent under the threat of Covid19, Tony Mountford made the snap decision to see out lockdown in the close confines of their charming country retreat, unconcerned that one mischievous ghost would be waiting for them. But something had changed as fear gripped the nation, and the very bones of their much-loved timber-framed holiday home now creaked to the footfall of more sinister steps. A new tenant has taken up residence within its thick stone walls, drawn from a time when the innocent had paid the price for ignorance as a Royal edict fanned the flames of fear across the shires of England.
Take care as you travel with them, for a chill wind is turning northward, and the embers are still burning.
Take care as you travel with them, for a chill wind is turning northward, and the embers are still burning.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 8, 2023
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 31, 2024
4.5 stars. When Covid hits, the Mountford family escape to their charming countryside cottage. It’s usually rented out all summer but not this year, due to the restrictions. They’ve always advertised the cottage as having a friendly resident ghost, but after they discover an ouija board, left behind after a prior guest, it appears that this is no longer the case. As Tony delves into the history of the cottage - and the village - he realises just how malevolent and evil his house guest really is.
Then there’s Gavin and Simon. As they renovate they invariably begin to unearth the real history of the cottage - and it’s not for the faint hearted.
The Burning had me gripped from the start. I loved the author’s style of writing, it’s a very informal read, but with detail and depth. The tension and suspense builds pretty much from the start, with the introduction of the ouija board (those things scare the crap out of me) and it increases wonderfully. I loved hearing the history of the house and its inhabitants, spanning back to the 17th Century, where women were mostly not treated well.
Well written with a sinister and intriguing plot, likeable characters and a fantastic denouement made for a solid, page turner of a read. This is Robert Derry’s second novel which is good news for me as now I really want to read his first!
Then there’s Gavin and Simon. As they renovate they invariably begin to unearth the real history of the cottage - and it’s not for the faint hearted.
The Burning had me gripped from the start. I loved the author’s style of writing, it’s a very informal read, but with detail and depth. The tension and suspense builds pretty much from the start, with the introduction of the ouija board (those things scare the crap out of me) and it increases wonderfully. I loved hearing the history of the house and its inhabitants, spanning back to the 17th Century, where women were mostly not treated well.
Well written with a sinister and intriguing plot, likeable characters and a fantastic denouement made for a solid, page turner of a read. This is Robert Derry’s second novel which is good news for me as now I really want to read his first!
June 7, 2024
I’m not normally one to read horror stories but we all like something different, and this one had me gripped from start to finish. The plot is well thought out, the characters are believable. The author has clearly researched about witch trials and this is at times one creepy read. In fact for all the horror buffs perfect for Halloween. Although I will say after I finished this I went to the bathroom, walked back into my lounge and thought someone was standing next to my chair but it was the floor lamp that has been in the same spot since I moved in here last year.It just shows how the mind can play tricks on you especially after reading this.
The story begins as we all went into lockdown in March 2019, Anthony (Tony) and Charlotte Mountford lived in London, but they had purchased a cottage in the country which they rented out during the summer months, this was to be their retirement home, they had known the house was hunted with a friendly ghost but it had never bothered them. As lockdown began they had decided to drive down to the cottage with their two children to sit things out, despite knowing they shouldn’t really have left London once lockdown had started. But it’s not long before they realise something has changed in the cottage. Something darker lurks, their son finds a box in the toy box, when he asks what it is his parents are shocked to see it’s an Ouija board. They soon take it away and divert the children’s attentions by getting the pool ready.
But later in the day as Tony and Charlotte talk about the Ouija board they begin to wonder if one of the guests that have stayed at the house has stirred something up? When the children are disturbed and more sinister things start happening Tony tries to do some research online. But when they see a photo of their son in his swimwear with a black shadow behind him, Tony decides it’s time for his wife and children to go back to London.
As Tony makes enquiries with his neighbour and housekeeper who lives next door, she puts him in touch with a local historian, who can tell him a little more about the area and where the house stands. As Tony is sat in the house with his dog one evening the noises and bangs start getting worse, he grabs his phone and begins to video and stream it live on Facebook his friends tell him to get out, Charlotte calls him and tells him to come home, which he promises to do. But what if Charlotte has taken some of the presence back home with her? Will Tony be able to leave, with lockdown restrictions and a haunted house how will things go?
In the second half of the book we are introduced to Gavin and Simon who buy the cottage, wanting to get out of the rat race in London. They are excited to move and have a garden. They know nothing of the history of the house. At first everything is quiet except for the occasional creaking noises which you expect in an old house, and some light tapping noises. They get some quotes in for works they want done on the house, local builder Bill who did the last works for Tony gets the contract. The builders find a cell underneath the lounge of their new home, it has only been found as they have asked for more extensive work to mix old and new parts of the house. It’s only later when Simon and Gavin move in and things start doing more than going bump in the night, that Bill explains things that have been seen and heard in the house. Gavin is determined to get to the bottom of things and starts research into Owen Hunt and witches. The tension builds even more from there.
I loved both halves of this book, Tony had started some research but Gavin got further. What had he found out and could they rid the house of any evil entities from the past. But as lockdown comes to an end they decide to have a party, and invite some friends down. What could go wrong?
I literally whizzed through this completely engrossed, I couldn’t put it down. There were parts that shocked me, and gripped me not knowing what was going to happen next, who was going to be safe. This is a terrific read, and if it’s a genre you love then you will enjoy it even more. I loved Gavin and Simon and their reactions to whatever was causing doors to slam, things to fly across the room. I don’t think I would have stayed there one night. A guaranteed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.
The story begins as we all went into lockdown in March 2019, Anthony (Tony) and Charlotte Mountford lived in London, but they had purchased a cottage in the country which they rented out during the summer months, this was to be their retirement home, they had known the house was hunted with a friendly ghost but it had never bothered them. As lockdown began they had decided to drive down to the cottage with their two children to sit things out, despite knowing they shouldn’t really have left London once lockdown had started. But it’s not long before they realise something has changed in the cottage. Something darker lurks, their son finds a box in the toy box, when he asks what it is his parents are shocked to see it’s an Ouija board. They soon take it away and divert the children’s attentions by getting the pool ready.
But later in the day as Tony and Charlotte talk about the Ouija board they begin to wonder if one of the guests that have stayed at the house has stirred something up? When the children are disturbed and more sinister things start happening Tony tries to do some research online. But when they see a photo of their son in his swimwear with a black shadow behind him, Tony decides it’s time for his wife and children to go back to London.
As Tony makes enquiries with his neighbour and housekeeper who lives next door, she puts him in touch with a local historian, who can tell him a little more about the area and where the house stands. As Tony is sat in the house with his dog one evening the noises and bangs start getting worse, he grabs his phone and begins to video and stream it live on Facebook his friends tell him to get out, Charlotte calls him and tells him to come home, which he promises to do. But what if Charlotte has taken some of the presence back home with her? Will Tony be able to leave, with lockdown restrictions and a haunted house how will things go?
In the second half of the book we are introduced to Gavin and Simon who buy the cottage, wanting to get out of the rat race in London. They are excited to move and have a garden. They know nothing of the history of the house. At first everything is quiet except for the occasional creaking noises which you expect in an old house, and some light tapping noises. They get some quotes in for works they want done on the house, local builder Bill who did the last works for Tony gets the contract. The builders find a cell underneath the lounge of their new home, it has only been found as they have asked for more extensive work to mix old and new parts of the house. It’s only later when Simon and Gavin move in and things start doing more than going bump in the night, that Bill explains things that have been seen and heard in the house. Gavin is determined to get to the bottom of things and starts research into Owen Hunt and witches. The tension builds even more from there.
I loved both halves of this book, Tony had started some research but Gavin got further. What had he found out and could they rid the house of any evil entities from the past. But as lockdown comes to an end they decide to have a party, and invite some friends down. What could go wrong?
I literally whizzed through this completely engrossed, I couldn’t put it down. There were parts that shocked me, and gripped me not knowing what was going to happen next, who was going to be safe. This is a terrific read, and if it’s a genre you love then you will enjoy it even more. I loved Gavin and Simon and their reactions to whatever was causing doors to slam, things to fly across the room. I don’t think I would have stayed there one night. A guaranteed ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.
June 13, 2024
I loved this book! Set at the beginning of the pandemic, The Mountford family escape London to their holiday home in the country. A cottage that they know to have a friendly ghost. But something has changed and 'Casper' isn't so friendly anymore! I was hooked from the very beginning and struggled to put it down. The perfect mix of creepy, eerie, haunted, occult, paranormal...I could go on but oh what a book. I really enjoyed the writers style and found it fascinating with all the history and research that's obviously gone into it. There are also pages throught that remind us the covid pandemic and allow us to see exactly when each part of the story is taking place. I can tell you now, I wouldn't have lasted a night in that house!
June 23, 2024
The plot of The Burning by Robert Derry instantly caught my attention and I couldn’t wait to get stuck into a book about a haunted countryside cottage amidst the very real threat of Covid and lockdown.
Tony and Charlie thought it would be a good idea to stay in their holiday home during the months of lockdown with their two children but they end up getting a lot more than they bargained for when the once peaceful and friendly ghost turns into a dangerous and terrifying entity in their summer home. Tony decides to do some research on the local history and discovers the area was known for its witches and witch trials which ends up taking his research about the resident ghost in a much darker direction.
This book has moments of brilliance with truly scary scenes and such detailed imagery that I can see perfectly in my imagination which required me to take many a moment and try to control my heart rate and relax. The setting of the cottage offers a stunning and remote countryside village which contrasts completely with the terrifying threat within its walls.
The book is effectively split into two parts with 2 different couples living in the house as the threat gets gradually more dangerous and scary for the inhabitants. There has been a lot of research into the history of witchcraft and the witch trials for this book which makes it even scarier knowing that some of the elements are based on true history. There are also lots of reveals and discoveries as the book goes on which all come together to create a thrilling story that I did not want to put down.
The book also provides data on the number of COVID deaths in the UK throughout which added a touch of realism to the story and further build on the sense of isolation and panic that were felt by everyone, especially in 2020. It also draws a parallel with the fear that was felt in small villages back in the 1700s when the threat of witchcraft arose which put the blame on many vulnerable people including natural healers, old women and outcasts.
While I loved the majority of this book and the real depth of research and history that has gone into it, there were just a couple of moments where there was quite a lot of info dumping that provides the reader with necessary information but is quite stodgy to get through all at once.
Overall I really enjoyed The Burning and thought the terror within was incredible. I loved how all aspects of the book eventually came together at the end to create a thrilling climax that had me on the edge of my seat.
Check out my full review on my blog at https://gemmasbookshelf.wordpress.com...
Tony and Charlie thought it would be a good idea to stay in their holiday home during the months of lockdown with their two children but they end up getting a lot more than they bargained for when the once peaceful and friendly ghost turns into a dangerous and terrifying entity in their summer home. Tony decides to do some research on the local history and discovers the area was known for its witches and witch trials which ends up taking his research about the resident ghost in a much darker direction.
This book has moments of brilliance with truly scary scenes and such detailed imagery that I can see perfectly in my imagination which required me to take many a moment and try to control my heart rate and relax. The setting of the cottage offers a stunning and remote countryside village which contrasts completely with the terrifying threat within its walls.
The book is effectively split into two parts with 2 different couples living in the house as the threat gets gradually more dangerous and scary for the inhabitants. There has been a lot of research into the history of witchcraft and the witch trials for this book which makes it even scarier knowing that some of the elements are based on true history. There are also lots of reveals and discoveries as the book goes on which all come together to create a thrilling story that I did not want to put down.
The book also provides data on the number of COVID deaths in the UK throughout which added a touch of realism to the story and further build on the sense of isolation and panic that were felt by everyone, especially in 2020. It also draws a parallel with the fear that was felt in small villages back in the 1700s when the threat of witchcraft arose which put the blame on many vulnerable people including natural healers, old women and outcasts.
While I loved the majority of this book and the real depth of research and history that has gone into it, there were just a couple of moments where there was quite a lot of info dumping that provides the reader with necessary information but is quite stodgy to get through all at once.
Overall I really enjoyed The Burning and thought the terror within was incredible. I loved how all aspects of the book eventually came together at the end to create a thrilling climax that had me on the edge of my seat.
Check out my full review on my blog at https://gemmasbookshelf.wordpress.com...
June 11, 2024
What starts as a simple haunting soon turns more sinister for the Mountford family, wow! What a massive twist in the middle of this that you just don’t see coming. I really enjoyed this and read most of it in one sitting whilst ill, a brilliant page turner that you can’t put down.
It all starts during the Covid lockdown of 2020, a time that was bad enough for most of us but for this family, it was the worst imaginable time. They had always known that their holiday home was haunted but during this time, things seemed to get worse - items moving, strange shadows caught out the corner of your eye, doors slamming. What happened next was not expected at all, and well done to Robert for that!
If you like a bit of a supernatural feel to your books, and loads of mystery then go get this one!
It all starts during the Covid lockdown of 2020, a time that was bad enough for most of us but for this family, it was the worst imaginable time. They had always known that their holiday home was haunted but during this time, things seemed to get worse - items moving, strange shadows caught out the corner of your eye, doors slamming. What happened next was not expected at all, and well done to Robert for that!
If you like a bit of a supernatural feel to your books, and loads of mystery then go get this one!
November 6, 2023
A global pandemic, a demonic entity and a haunted house, what more could you ask for?
A picturesque cottage in a beautiful village where the Mountford family had plans to live out their retirement. This all turned horribly wrong when they decided to leave London to escape the rising intensity of the global pandemic Covid-19 to hide away in their lovely cottage until the whole world returned to normal, except for the Mountford's nothing would ever be normal again.
Toby and Charlotte Mountford had never shied away from the fact that their cottage was haunted, but if anything this had always added to the charm of the cottage, the friendly ghost had never caused them or their tenants harm when they had rented their cottage out during the holiday months, however, Tony and Charlotte noticed almost immediately that something had changed. It all began with mysterious cold spots in the house, physical attacks and their children seeing a creepy man in their room. When they find an Ouija board in the children's toybox it all gets too much, Tony demands that his wife and children leave the cottage in fear for their safety, however, it is Tony who is now at the very heart of danger.
Tony starts digging into the local history of the cottage and finds evidence of witches, witch trials and witch hunters, Tony knows that something very dark has taken place in this cottage which they were hoping to call their retirement home, but was it too late for Tony to resolve whatever evil is lurking in the corners.
The second half of the book is based on Gavin and Simon, both of whom bring their dark humour to the forefront of the story and I thoroughly enjoyed their sarcastic comments on the events transpiring in the cottage. Gavin and Simon are determined to make this cottage their own, they decided to renovate the whole cottage, mixing the old with new, however, in the process of their renovations, they discovered a cell at the very heart of their new home. Gavin and Simon become targets for paranormal activity with frequent banging and humming, seeing figures out of the corners of their eyes and coming face to face with entities, some of whom are trying to help, whilst the other is trying to cause grave harm.
Gavin and Simon spend their time researching the property and it's history where they find some damning evidence of a man who hunted and persecuted those who were deemed witches. Simon and Gavin felt responsible for setting these poor women free from their torturous cell and in doing so, they placed themselves at the centre of harm. Gavin and Simon call on a friend who has always been sensitive to paranormal activity and together, they face death in the hope of bringing the man who caused many women harm in that cottage to justice, but they cannot do it alone. They turn to the very women who were hunted and murdered for just being vulnerable women to help them to rid their home of this evil entity.
I loved the factual history of Witchcraft and the persecution of "witches" that Robert Derry relied on, the knowledge that he shares throughout the story is incredible, Robert does a fantastic job of magically weaving historical fiction with non-fiction.
Robert's writing is very poetic and sets the scene brilliantly, you could picture the cottage and its land perfectly, and the characters whilst flawed all proved to be realistic and only added to the very real feel of the story.
Robert is a master of creating a historical piece of work that strikes to the very core, I found myself so deeply entrenched in the story that I couldn't foresee the future twists that were littered throughout the book. It was an easy story to follow, considering the depths of historical facts that were included throughout, the main downfall for me was that some of the research was very repetitive, and at parts, I did find myself skimming through some passages..
At a solid four stars, this is an essential horror story for those who love a good haunted house story that will give you the chills and have you leaving one eye open while trying to sleep.
As always, thank you to the author for providing me with a copy in return for an honest and independent review.
A picturesque cottage in a beautiful village where the Mountford family had plans to live out their retirement. This all turned horribly wrong when they decided to leave London to escape the rising intensity of the global pandemic Covid-19 to hide away in their lovely cottage until the whole world returned to normal, except for the Mountford's nothing would ever be normal again.
Toby and Charlotte Mountford had never shied away from the fact that their cottage was haunted, but if anything this had always added to the charm of the cottage, the friendly ghost had never caused them or their tenants harm when they had rented their cottage out during the holiday months, however, Tony and Charlotte noticed almost immediately that something had changed. It all began with mysterious cold spots in the house, physical attacks and their children seeing a creepy man in their room. When they find an Ouija board in the children's toybox it all gets too much, Tony demands that his wife and children leave the cottage in fear for their safety, however, it is Tony who is now at the very heart of danger.
Tony starts digging into the local history of the cottage and finds evidence of witches, witch trials and witch hunters, Tony knows that something very dark has taken place in this cottage which they were hoping to call their retirement home, but was it too late for Tony to resolve whatever evil is lurking in the corners.
The second half of the book is based on Gavin and Simon, both of whom bring their dark humour to the forefront of the story and I thoroughly enjoyed their sarcastic comments on the events transpiring in the cottage. Gavin and Simon are determined to make this cottage their own, they decided to renovate the whole cottage, mixing the old with new, however, in the process of their renovations, they discovered a cell at the very heart of their new home. Gavin and Simon become targets for paranormal activity with frequent banging and humming, seeing figures out of the corners of their eyes and coming face to face with entities, some of whom are trying to help, whilst the other is trying to cause grave harm.
Gavin and Simon spend their time researching the property and it's history where they find some damning evidence of a man who hunted and persecuted those who were deemed witches. Simon and Gavin felt responsible for setting these poor women free from their torturous cell and in doing so, they placed themselves at the centre of harm. Gavin and Simon call on a friend who has always been sensitive to paranormal activity and together, they face death in the hope of bringing the man who caused many women harm in that cottage to justice, but they cannot do it alone. They turn to the very women who were hunted and murdered for just being vulnerable women to help them to rid their home of this evil entity.
I loved the factual history of Witchcraft and the persecution of "witches" that Robert Derry relied on, the knowledge that he shares throughout the story is incredible, Robert does a fantastic job of magically weaving historical fiction with non-fiction.
Robert's writing is very poetic and sets the scene brilliantly, you could picture the cottage and its land perfectly, and the characters whilst flawed all proved to be realistic and only added to the very real feel of the story.
Robert is a master of creating a historical piece of work that strikes to the very core, I found myself so deeply entrenched in the story that I couldn't foresee the future twists that were littered throughout the book. It was an easy story to follow, considering the depths of historical facts that were included throughout, the main downfall for me was that some of the research was very repetitive, and at parts, I did find myself skimming through some passages..
At a solid four stars, this is an essential horror story for those who love a good haunted house story that will give you the chills and have you leaving one eye open while trying to sleep.
As always, thank you to the author for providing me with a copy in return for an honest and independent review.
June 10, 2024
Who doesn't love a haunting story? And this one had all the right ingredients for an entertaining but also informative read!
This is my second book by this author, and although this was a different genre from the other one I read, I was happy to find some familiar aspects that comforted like visiting a friend.
This is a light horror (personal opinion as I read a lot of horror), with a great and very credible plot, some very creepy scenes, and a lot of interesting historical facts.
The author manages to hold the reader's attention by setting the perfect background, but also by using the characters and the events in the house very expertly so that even if the set is the same place, it doesn't feel like it. In fact, there is always something new that happens or that appears so that the reader is continually left to wonder what will happen next page after page.
I found the historical information very interesting and woven into the fiction very reliably. There were also a couple of twists that really got me! I must say, I was very happy that my dog Dora was with me when I went to bed late that night after finishing the book.
I'd suggest this read for both fans of horror (who want to read something informative at the same time) and for those who want to start reading horror or just try it out.
Thanks to the author and Random Things Tours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
This is my second book by this author, and although this was a different genre from the other one I read, I was happy to find some familiar aspects that comforted like visiting a friend.
This is a light horror (personal opinion as I read a lot of horror), with a great and very credible plot, some very creepy scenes, and a lot of interesting historical facts.
The author manages to hold the reader's attention by setting the perfect background, but also by using the characters and the events in the house very expertly so that even if the set is the same place, it doesn't feel like it. In fact, there is always something new that happens or that appears so that the reader is continually left to wonder what will happen next page after page.
I found the historical information very interesting and woven into the fiction very reliably. There were also a couple of twists that really got me! I must say, I was very happy that my dog Dora was with me when I went to bed late that night after finishing the book.
I'd suggest this read for both fans of horror (who want to read something informative at the same time) and for those who want to start reading horror or just try it out.
Thanks to the author and Random Things Tours for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
June 10, 2024
(3.5 rounded up to 4).
For me, this book started off really strong, fast paced and I was HOOKED! I had really high hopes for the book but I feel as I approached the middle of the book it slowed right down… then the end picked back up and it ended on a high.
I liked that every chapter began with an update on the Covid statistics as this all played out during the pandemic, this allowed it to feel more authentic and current.
The book had a lot of historical facts in it and it is clear that a huge amount of research has went into the book which I always appreciate. However, I felt it was all a bit hard to digest at times and became a bit complicated for me.
Overall though, a good and enjoyable read especially if you like demons and witches!
For me, this book started off really strong, fast paced and I was HOOKED! I had really high hopes for the book but I feel as I approached the middle of the book it slowed right down… then the end picked back up and it ended on a high.
I liked that every chapter began with an update on the Covid statistics as this all played out during the pandemic, this allowed it to feel more authentic and current.
The book had a lot of historical facts in it and it is clear that a huge amount of research has went into the book which I always appreciate. However, I felt it was all a bit hard to digest at times and became a bit complicated for me.
Overall though, a good and enjoyable read especially if you like demons and witches!
July 9, 2025
History in a novel
Curiosity got me reading this, and I'm glad I saw it through.
Definitely a good read, where the author has again successfully combined historical context with contemporary characters.
If, like me, you know that houses have a history - and perhaps experienced some of it - then you should give this novel a go too.
Curiosity got me reading this, and I'm glad I saw it through.
Definitely a good read, where the author has again successfully combined historical context with contemporary characters.
If, like me, you know that houses have a history - and perhaps experienced some of it - then you should give this novel a go too.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews