The Cult

by Anita Burgh

Ginnie Mulholland, blessed with both money and looks, finds out her husband is having an affair. Jessica Lawley, a once-famous actress, must come to terms with a fading career, while Selina Horne is forced to sell her business just as she discovers the man in her life is not Mr Right. Then the three women discover a group which appears to offer them hope. Receptive to its ideas they go to a retreat in a beautiful house in Cornwall. But the meditation and encounter sessions led by Xavier, the charismatic and handsome leader, become ever more sinister. And as suspicions and fears build, so does the drama for Ginnie, Selina and Jessica, each of whom must now face the truth about herself...

Genres: Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Anita Burgh was born in Kent. She began to write in her late forties and was first published at the age of 50. She has subsequently had 23 novels published, numerous articles and short stories. Her themes are those of class, rejection and wealth. She writes books set in the modern world but also historical novels set in Victorian and Edwardian times – her latest being The Cresswell Inheritance trilogy. She has been a member of the RNA for many years, was a committee member and has been short-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year award. Now in her 70s, she enjoys teaching and mentoring others who are, as yet, unpublished. She continues to write novels, proving that authors never retire.

Reviews

[Alyson Walton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't do it! too cheesy!

[Andrea Kennard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Were we that pathetic in the 90's?

I didn't like this book much. It was readable, in that it was easy to read. But it was pretty bad.

I hated the three main characters - all women, all pathetic in three different ways.

You know when you watch trashy horror movies and you find yourself yelling at the screen 'turn on the lights!' and 'why are you going down those dark and creepy stairs, you complete idiot?' and when they get slashed or eaten or whatever, you mutter 'serves you right' (maybe this is just me, actually).

Anyway, this book was pretty much like that. The women fell down all the most obvious of traps, never once listening to themselves, just blindly throwing themselves into more and more danger - and not ever doing what any self respecting woman would ordinarily do in those situations, i.e. run the heck away from there!

These women just did not act intelligently, were self-absorbed and only showed a bit of oomph every now and then.

Anyway. I was glad when I came to the end of it, the only satisfaction being that I never have to pick it up again.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book shows that when you are truly feeling lonely, unappreciated, frustrated with life, there is a very real possibility that someone comes along and gently co-erces you closer to them by appealing to your inner self and showing you how much they care. once in their clutches they manipulated the ladies through hypnotism, group deliria etc and made them part with money and much more, breaking them down until they could no longer think for themselves. a good, fast moving read.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bought this from the charity shop for a trashy read. The cover tells you all you need to know really; red lipsticked mouth pouting over a phallic candle. Dennis Wheatley meets Jackie Collins.

[Jill Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an enlightening novel, it illustrates how easily people can be sucked into a cult. This is the story of 3 women who go on a retreat at the headquarters of this group for different reasons. Ginnie is an unhappy housewife, who doubts her husband's fidelity. Her friend Selina is trying to sell her shop, and some members of the group showed interest in buying the business. Selina wants to follow up on and confirm their interest. The 3rd woman, Jessica, is a movie star, who has been forced to retire because of arthritis in her hip and knee. She is looking for healing. Although Ginnie becomes immediately involved fully with the vibes of the cult, the other 2 are skeptical, even though Jessica believes the healing sessions are working for her. But when Selina wants to leave at the scheduled end of the retreat, she finds that the cult followers invent all sorts of reasons for delaying her departure. The story becomes quite tense as the cult leaders show their true colours, and it becomes harder and harder to put the book down.

[R · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise is good but the writing is bad. There is so much telling, it seems the characters are giving speeches / lecturing you most of the time. Stilted, not natural dialogues. Odd behavior - without reason - by the characters that don't gel with their overall nature or character development.

[Helen Atkison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Cult years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am fascinated by cults anyway and found this book to be well written, fast paced and very exciting.

[Caroline Donaldson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this quite a bit.

It is about three women, each despairing in their own way, who discover an organisation which appears to offer them hope. At first they are amused and intrigued by the ways of the group; they relax and are lulled into a false sense of well-being. But the meditation and encounter groups become more sinister, and as the novel builds to a gripping climax, we see that dramatic change is inevitable for each of them.

[Saffron Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted by the title, given my taste for the bizarre and long term interest in cults and sects. I found the story somewhat slow in the beginning but gradually became more interesting and the characters more alluring. It seemed a little far fetched in parts but in general I'd say it was a good description of how even well educated, 'intelligent' people can be taken in by the charisma of a cult leader and brain washed to such a frightening degree. Worth a read :)

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this over a long bank holiday weekend. Enjoyed the plot and characters. Enjoyable light read.

[Linda Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gave up reading

[Abiba Jolie · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you want a novel you simply can't put down, go to Anita

[Amedo Majaliwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

i read every sentence . It was a GOOD read.. She managed to show what can happen if you a desperate in any situation. I was unable to put this book down. I liked it.