The Grove

by Jon D. Wilson

The ad was exactly what they needed. An unspoiled island off the Canaries; a villa nestled in an old citrus grove.The perfect chance for six old friends to reconnect.Day one was a dream; but on day two the nightmare begins. Forced to look beyond the idyllic holiday façade, glimpses of a darker reality are revealed.The truth about their enigmatic host; the reason they were selected; why the wall surrounding The Grove locks from outside…

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2023

Reviews

[Steve Runciman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely breezed through this!

A wonderful read from start to finish that held my attention from the beginning. The tension starts to mount early, but when the horror introduces itself I was blown away by how vicious and unexpected it was.

What this book achieves best however is capturing the complexities and challenges of maintaining old friendships into adulthood. The author has a strong grasp on all of his main characters and weaves them together in a manner that leaves you with a real sense of their history, making their ultimately doomed holiday all the more emotional.

Can’t recommend highly enough!

[Damon Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summer read - just hope your holiday doesn’t end up like this one…!

[Tayen Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read which follows the journey of a friendship group who were reconnecting at an annual holiday. The story progresses quickly and showcases a few twists and turns as the horror elements are unveiled. I'm not usually into horror books or movies, but I thoroughly enjoyed this read and the character development of them handling the horrific and heart breaking moments between the group of friends. This book was a unique horror story which gave me cult x stranger things vibes and covered an array of human emotions in a relatable way. Definitely a reminder to book holidays through verified avenues and that if things seem to good to be true then they probably are!

Well worth the read if you enjoy horror stories. 😊

[Jayne Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grove is the perfect read whilst holidaying on a beautiful paradise island - just make sure that you choose a hotel as your accommodation, and not an Airbnb or apartment! Otherwise, you may not sleep easy during your stay…
I don’t know if the author purposely intended to make his readers hungry, but I was ravenous whilst enjoying Duncan & Dean’s cooking over the first couple of evenings at the villa.
I absolutely loved the way this story unfolded. Right from the start, I loved the characters & their dynamic, and my spidey-senses were tingling from the moment the group entered the arrivals hall.
5 stars

[Jim Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Grove is a wonderful book about a vacation gone very wrong. The beginning is a bit of a slow burn, but the story quickly explodes and once it does, you're hooked. Mr. Wilson does a terrific job of making you care for these characters, and providing the non-stop action that has you literally rooting for a happy ending for all (well, you don't always get what you want. ). I give it a 5 Star rating, even though I was slightly distracted by the editing (additional words, wrong words, etc), but I chalk that up, not to the author, but to the editors. All in all, a terrific ride!!

[Justine Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a self confessed Stephen King fan, this was right up my street! I really enjoyed this book and devoured it over 2 evenings. The story moves quickly, the characters are really well developed, and I was impressed with how early the author embraced the horror aspect of the story. While the supernatural element brings much of the danger, the author exposes the worst of humanity as the true horror! I look forward to reading more by this author, and I can highly recommended this as a summer read!

[Rachel Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the easiest 5 star review I’ve ever given. So well written with twists and turns all over the place.

Think Stranger Things and a little bit of The last of us thrown in for good measure - if that’s your bag you will absolutely love this book!

While its very much a horror/sci-fi novel there is still quite soft moments that comes with deep friendships which just makes it an all round perfect read.

Cannot recommend it enough!

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Good writing style, descriptions and character development. It was a gripping read that kept me hooked to the end.

I’m looking forward to Jon D. Wilson’s next book!

For info: there is some adult content.

[Jon Lewis]

Enjoyed it.

Not my normal sort of book but never the less I did stick with it. Would make a great horror flick. Thanks Jon