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Killing Sound
Jodie is cursed with a terrible gift. She just doesn't know it yet. When she stumbles across one of her dead father's old papers on sound waves in the attic, it sets her on a terrifying journey to find out more, leading her across the streets of London to the dark, untrodden tunnels of the Underground, where she is forced to face the truth. Her worst nightmare is about to become real. Worse, she can hear it coming.
- GenresHorrorYoung AdultMystery
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2014
4 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Paul Southern
11 books11 followersFollowing an induced labour some time in the 1960s (due date: Halloween night), I had my subscription to a normal life revoked by itinerant parents, who moved from city to city. Lived in Liverpool, Belfast, London and Leeds, then escaped to university, where I nearly died of a brain haemorrhage. After an unexpected recovery, formed an underground indie group (Sexus). Met the lead singer through standing on a bee. Made immediate plans to become rich and famous, but ended up in Manchester. Shared a house with mice, cockroaches, and slugs; shared the street with criminals. Five years later, hit the big time with a Warners record deal. Concerts at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, Melody Maker front cover, Smash Hits Single of the Week, Radio 1 and EastEnders. Mixed with the really rich and famous. Then mixed with lawyers. Ended up back in Manchester, broke. Got a PhD in English (I am the world's leading authority on Tennyson's stage plays), then wrote my first novel, The Craze, based on my experiences of the Muslim community. Immediately nominated to the Arena X Club (the name Arena magazine gave to a select group of creative, UK-based men responsible for shaping the way their readers lived and enjoyed their lives). Wrote a second novel, Brown Boys in Chocolate, which predicted the London bombings. Fell foul of the censors and subsequently gagged by the press. Got ITV interested in a story on honour killings and inter-racial marriages and was commissioned to write a screenplay (Pariah) based on my life story. ITV balked at the content. Subsequently, trod the Wasteland before finding the grail again: a book deal with children's publisher, Chicken House. Killing Sound, a YA horror set on the London Underground, was published by them in 2014. The book, originally written for older teens (16+) and adults, was edited by the publishers to fit a much younger demographic, and inevitably failed to reach either market; the grail proved elusive and I returned to writing something it was impossible to dilute. Daddy Dearest, a dark, psychological thriller, was released in 2016. A new novel, Pendle Fire, will be published by Bloodhound Books in Spring, 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 19, 2014
When I was contacted about reviewing Killing Sound I didn't know anything about it apart from the fact that I vaguely recognised the author's name. Turns out I did but not because I'd read something he'd written! Paul Southern used to be in a band back in the 1990's so I've obviously come across his name somewhere before.
Killing Sound might just be my favorite book of the year, it's a YA paranormal horror thriller which combined together have led to some fantastic books over the years and this is definitely up there with them. Jodie' s parents died a grisly, gruesome death in the family home - Jodie was there and is quite possibly the only person who knows what happened that night. Fast forward 12 years later and Jodie is living with her Aunt Gene, has a sort-of boyfriend and friends, living a well adjusted life considering the traumas of her early life. All this changes though when she discovers her father's old papers and nothing is going to be the same again. Jodie's father was working on a link between sound and the paranormal. Jodie knows she can't leave this alone as it's a link to the parents she never really knew. She enlists the help of Luca and Kamran and together they try to decipher what happened all those years ago. Jodie's Aunt Gene is none too happy about this discovery and goes to William Habborlain whose work her father was trying to disprove. She finds herself coerced into a seance and contact with Habborlain's peculiar son, John.
Throw in a gang of Goth bullies including a girl, Laura, who appears to want her best friend Luca and Trent, her dark & Gothly boyfriend, strange dreams that might not actually be dreams, demons and strange happenings involving the tube and Killing Sound becomes a rollercoaster of a book. Although written as a YA novel Southern doesn't hold back, there is plenty of scares & gore and he is not afraid to kill quite prominent characters. Between the gripping storyline and the wonderful writing I devoured Killing Sound in just one night - I wouldn't recommend doing this if you scare easily or are alone in the house and definitely don't read it on the Tube! Having read Killing Sound I don't think I will ever use the Tube without wondering 'what if' again.
To quote Barry Cunningham from Chicken House, Killing Sound is 'one of the most brilliantly scary stories I have ever read'.
Killing Sound might just be my favorite book of the year, it's a YA paranormal horror thriller which combined together have led to some fantastic books over the years and this is definitely up there with them. Jodie' s parents died a grisly, gruesome death in the family home - Jodie was there and is quite possibly the only person who knows what happened that night. Fast forward 12 years later and Jodie is living with her Aunt Gene, has a sort-of boyfriend and friends, living a well adjusted life considering the traumas of her early life. All this changes though when she discovers her father's old papers and nothing is going to be the same again. Jodie's father was working on a link between sound and the paranormal. Jodie knows she can't leave this alone as it's a link to the parents she never really knew. She enlists the help of Luca and Kamran and together they try to decipher what happened all those years ago. Jodie's Aunt Gene is none too happy about this discovery and goes to William Habborlain whose work her father was trying to disprove. She finds herself coerced into a seance and contact with Habborlain's peculiar son, John.
Throw in a gang of Goth bullies including a girl, Laura, who appears to want her best friend Luca and Trent, her dark & Gothly boyfriend, strange dreams that might not actually be dreams, demons and strange happenings involving the tube and Killing Sound becomes a rollercoaster of a book. Although written as a YA novel Southern doesn't hold back, there is plenty of scares & gore and he is not afraid to kill quite prominent characters. Between the gripping storyline and the wonderful writing I devoured Killing Sound in just one night - I wouldn't recommend doing this if you scare easily or are alone in the house and definitely don't read it on the Tube! Having read Killing Sound I don't think I will ever use the Tube without wondering 'what if' again.
To quote Barry Cunningham from Chicken House, Killing Sound is 'one of the most brilliantly scary stories I have ever read'.
April 19, 2015
The cover looked great, the blurb looked promising, the idea of paranormal and sound waves being connected sounded interesting.....
But, it all just seemed to be meh. Blah. Just OK.
I never felt really connected to the characters. They promised things that never came. The goths Laura and Trent were interesting but their relationship and hatred of Jodie seemed a little disjointed. The dream scenes were well written but a little overdone.
Bit disappointed. :(
But, it all just seemed to be meh. Blah. Just OK.
I never felt really connected to the characters. They promised things that never came. The goths Laura and Trent were interesting but their relationship and hatred of Jodie seemed a little disjointed. The dream scenes were well written but a little overdone.
Bit disappointed. :(
November 30, 2014
I read a review of this which described it as a "sophisticated YA horror with an amazing twist" and all I can think is that the definition of sophisticated must have changed when I wasn't looking. Given that this is aimed at older teens, the writing is absurdly childlike:
Awful writing isn't an automatic dealbreaker, if the story is gripping and I care about the characters, but in this case all the characters were one-dimensional stereotypes. The protagonist, Jodie, is about as interesting as damp cardboard, and the antagonists are simply "a gang of goths". (I was disappointed a more interesting collective noun wasn't used.) And here's a description of Jodie going round to her friend Kamran's house:
Gee, do you think Kamran and his family are Asian?
As for the story, I thought the idea of infrasound was interesting -- and I liked the initial ambiguity of whether there was a scientific explanation (hallucinations caused by infrasound) or if there was actually something lurking in the tunnels. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to save this book from being a one-star read -- especially after the "twist" ending that didn't fit in with pre-established facts. Add to this annoying little details, like an overuse of the word "nascent" and a phone described as having "8 million megapixels" (lol no), and I really wish I hadn't bothered reading this one to the end.
"She got up and walked straight into a damp patch on the floor. Her feet recoiled. She noticed the water on the dressing table. It had watermarked her revision notes. She groaned. She looked in her mirror and wiped the brown fringe from her eyes. They had shadows under them like black bananas."
Awful writing isn't an automatic dealbreaker, if the story is gripping and I care about the characters, but in this case all the characters were one-dimensional stereotypes. The protagonist, Jodie, is about as interesting as damp cardboard, and the antagonists are simply "a gang of goths". (I was disappointed a more interesting collective noun wasn't used.) And here's a description of Jodie going round to her friend Kamran's house:
"[Kamran's] mum opened the door. She wore a bright pink Asian suit that made her look like a giant flower. She gave Jodie a big smile and showed her up the stairs. [...] Before he could say anything more, there was a knock at the door. Kamran's mum came in with a tray of mango juice and Asian bread. She smiled at them."
Gee, do you think Kamran and his family are Asian?
As for the story, I thought the idea of infrasound was interesting -- and I liked the initial ambiguity of whether there was a scientific explanation (hallucinations caused by infrasound) or if there was actually something lurking in the tunnels. Unfortunately, this wasn't enough to save this book from being a one-star read -- especially after the "twist" ending that didn't fit in with pre-established facts. Add to this annoying little details, like an overuse of the word "nascent" and a phone described as having "8 million megapixels" (lol no), and I really wish I hadn't bothered reading this one to the end.
September 22, 2014
When I first heard about Killing Sound I knew I had to read it. The synopsis really caught my attention, it sounded like the perfect mix of mystery, paranormal, and just plain crazy. The first we get to see of what is going in is very vague, but also gruesome, and I had to keep reading.
Jodie lives with Aunt Gene after her parents died in mysterious circumstances when she was younger. Now older, strange things are happening to Jodie, and she thinks it's related to her dad's old papers she found in the attic. She ends up enlisting the help of her best friend Luca to find out more about her fathers experiments and try to find out what is going on, what is she seeing and hearing. When it is actually described what she sees and a name given to it, I had to look it up, I had to know exactly what was haunting/stalking/creeping her out
Source
This is what she sees, would you not completely and utterly freak out if you saw this demon in your dreams?
Killing Sound plays with your mind, let's you think one thing then something else is thrown in, you are left not knowing what's really happening, just glimpses and possibilities, and even leading up to the end you are still trying to decide what is really real.
Killing Sound is creepy in a suspenseful way. You are always on edge, never knowing what will happen, even the ending fits exactly into the story itself and I definitely would be interested if another book is released. Killing Sound would definitely make you think twice about getting on the underground, or even getting on a train that involves going through tunnels, or even walking through subways alone in the dark.
Jodie lives with Aunt Gene after her parents died in mysterious circumstances when she was younger. Now older, strange things are happening to Jodie, and she thinks it's related to her dad's old papers she found in the attic. She ends up enlisting the help of her best friend Luca to find out more about her fathers experiments and try to find out what is going on, what is she seeing and hearing. When it is actually described what she sees and a name given to it, I had to look it up, I had to know exactly what was haunting/stalking/creeping her out
Source
This is what she sees, would you not completely and utterly freak out if you saw this demon in your dreams?
Killing Sound plays with your mind, let's you think one thing then something else is thrown in, you are left not knowing what's really happening, just glimpses and possibilities, and even leading up to the end you are still trying to decide what is really real.
Killing Sound is creepy in a suspenseful way. You are always on edge, never knowing what will happen, even the ending fits exactly into the story itself and I definitely would be interested if another book is released. Killing Sound would definitely make you think twice about getting on the underground, or even getting on a train that involves going through tunnels, or even walking through subways alone in the dark.
July 8, 2015
REVIEW BY OLIVER 8:5
Killing Sound is about a girl named Jodie, who is almost eighteen years old. When she was little, she saw something horrible – something that she managed to block out of her mind. However, the memories came back haunting her; she had to stop them, while also trying to uncover the truth about her parents’ death twelve years before.
For me, the best part of the story was when Jodie found out what actually happened to her parents (nobody knew how they were killed and Jodie had to find out) because it showed how she reacts in a certain situations and it altered her point of view.
However, I didn’t particularly enjoy the romantic aspect of the plot; for me that isn’t really what I like to see in thrillers because they are supposed to be action and not romance. Apart from that Killing Sound was quite enjoyable.
My favourite character was Jodie’s best friend Luca, he was very understanding and listened to his best friend. He was very loyal and would do pretty much anything that Jodie told him to do. He was also quiet and very helpful to the other people who were in the story.
If I were to have anything changed I would like to change the ending because it is really unpredictable; I would like to see what it would be like if the ending altered. Although the way in which the plot played out was really interesting and altered your perception of the events witnessed within the plot.
I would love to read another book by the author, Paul Southern. I found Killing Sound to have an engaging storyline that kept my attention throughout. I did not get bored (that is saying something as I easily get bored with most books) because it had an interesting plot. It was also easy to read and understand the story.
I would recommend this book to others and I would probably recommend it to thirteen to fourteen year olds because it has some bad language in it. Apart from that it is a really good book without the use of bad language it would be suitable for a lower age group as well.
I would rate this book four out of five stars; I would recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging thriller.
Killing Sound is about a girl named Jodie, who is almost eighteen years old. When she was little, she saw something horrible – something that she managed to block out of her mind. However, the memories came back haunting her; she had to stop them, while also trying to uncover the truth about her parents’ death twelve years before.
For me, the best part of the story was when Jodie found out what actually happened to her parents (nobody knew how they were killed and Jodie had to find out) because it showed how she reacts in a certain situations and it altered her point of view.
However, I didn’t particularly enjoy the romantic aspect of the plot; for me that isn’t really what I like to see in thrillers because they are supposed to be action and not romance. Apart from that Killing Sound was quite enjoyable.
My favourite character was Jodie’s best friend Luca, he was very understanding and listened to his best friend. He was very loyal and would do pretty much anything that Jodie told him to do. He was also quiet and very helpful to the other people who were in the story.
If I were to have anything changed I would like to change the ending because it is really unpredictable; I would like to see what it would be like if the ending altered. Although the way in which the plot played out was really interesting and altered your perception of the events witnessed within the plot.
I would love to read another book by the author, Paul Southern. I found Killing Sound to have an engaging storyline that kept my attention throughout. I did not get bored (that is saying something as I easily get bored with most books) because it had an interesting plot. It was also easy to read and understand the story.
I would recommend this book to others and I would probably recommend it to thirteen to fourteen year olds because it has some bad language in it. Apart from that it is a really good book without the use of bad language it would be suitable for a lower age group as well.
I would rate this book four out of five stars; I would recommend it to anyone looking for an engaging thriller.
October 28, 2014
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
Killing Sound is Paul Southern’s third novel, his first for YA horror readers after writing two gritty books for adults. It mixes fringe science with the supernatural, delivering a creepy, disturbing story about a teenage girl called Jodie, whose parents died in a mysterious, gruesome science experiment when she was only five-years-old.
Twelve years later, Jodie remembers little about what happened to her parents, believing they died in a car accident, but when she finds some of her father’s scientific notes hidden in the attic of her family home, Jodie learns about her father’s experiments with infrasound, the sound hidden below the frequency of normal human hearing. Infrasound can’t be heard – but its ominous presence can be felt by sensitive people, like Jodie.
Soon Jodie starts having frightening dreams and disturbing hallucinations, forcing her to investigate her family history, slowly uncovering the truth about how her parents died.
Jodie’s helped by her boyfriend Luca and her friend Kamran – but her task is complicated by a nasty girl called Laura and her sinister gang of goths. They want to harm Jodie and Luca – putting their lives in danger.
Killing Sound begins with vivid horror and delivers a good, chilling atmosphere throughout, making the grim streets of London and the cold dark tunnels of the Underground come alive in the imagination. The details about infrasound and the London Underground are interesting and well-researched.
I would have liked to know more about the characters for greater empathy, but Paul Southern writes well and knows how to build suspense. The story reminded me of the classic 1957 horror film The Night of the Demon (US title: Curse of the Demon/The Haunted), as it built up the suspense. You know some bad things will happen – but when they do it is still a shock.
Killing Sound is a supernatural horror story worth reading if you like YA horror with a dark theme and a bleak urban setting.
Killing Sound is Paul Southern’s third novel, his first for YA horror readers after writing two gritty books for adults. It mixes fringe science with the supernatural, delivering a creepy, disturbing story about a teenage girl called Jodie, whose parents died in a mysterious, gruesome science experiment when she was only five-years-old.
Twelve years later, Jodie remembers little about what happened to her parents, believing they died in a car accident, but when she finds some of her father’s scientific notes hidden in the attic of her family home, Jodie learns about her father’s experiments with infrasound, the sound hidden below the frequency of normal human hearing. Infrasound can’t be heard – but its ominous presence can be felt by sensitive people, like Jodie.
Soon Jodie starts having frightening dreams and disturbing hallucinations, forcing her to investigate her family history, slowly uncovering the truth about how her parents died.
Jodie’s helped by her boyfriend Luca and her friend Kamran – but her task is complicated by a nasty girl called Laura and her sinister gang of goths. They want to harm Jodie and Luca – putting their lives in danger.
Killing Sound begins with vivid horror and delivers a good, chilling atmosphere throughout, making the grim streets of London and the cold dark tunnels of the Underground come alive in the imagination. The details about infrasound and the London Underground are interesting and well-researched.
I would have liked to know more about the characters for greater empathy, but Paul Southern writes well and knows how to build suspense. The story reminded me of the classic 1957 horror film The Night of the Demon (US title: Curse of the Demon/The Haunted), as it built up the suspense. You know some bad things will happen – but when they do it is still a shock.
Killing Sound is a supernatural horror story worth reading if you like YA horror with a dark theme and a bleak urban setting.
September 14, 2017
This was a plot twisting thriller of a horror. I could not have asked for more.
The opening sets up Jodie being witness to an horrendous supernatural event that slays her parents and leaves her in a blood soaked room with nothing left of them but their heads... If that doesn't grip you nothing will!
The thread of discovering that infra-sound (low frequency) sound waves are related to sightings of ghosts is a unique one in horror that I've read. I've actually seen something about this on some ghost expose things before and so the science element really rings true. I enjoyed the descriptions of her father's investigations in sound and the supernatural and found the plot line compelling.
Paul Southern writes his scenes beautifully with just enough description to bring them to life without over describing everything. This really helps to keep the pace flowing as well as pack a punch when the heart stopping moments come round. The sense of anticipation and build up through the novel is punctuated with some beautiful and gory moments that I don't want put on here as they will spoil the chemistry of the book.
Just read it, you won't regret it!
The opening sets up Jodie being witness to an horrendous supernatural event that slays her parents and leaves her in a blood soaked room with nothing left of them but their heads... If that doesn't grip you nothing will!
The thread of discovering that infra-sound (low frequency) sound waves are related to sightings of ghosts is a unique one in horror that I've read. I've actually seen something about this on some ghost expose things before and so the science element really rings true. I enjoyed the descriptions of her father's investigations in sound and the supernatural and found the plot line compelling.
Paul Southern writes his scenes beautifully with just enough description to bring them to life without over describing everything. This really helps to keep the pace flowing as well as pack a punch when the heart stopping moments come round. The sense of anticipation and build up through the novel is punctuated with some beautiful and gory moments that I don't want put on here as they will spoil the chemistry of the book.
Just read it, you won't regret it!
February 20, 2015
I am really torn on what to rate this book.
There were times when I just couldn't get into it and thought I would rate it two stars. There were then times when I couldn't put it down and thought perhaps four stars if it keeps getting better.
Unfortunately, for me anyways, the story kind of just stopped. Perhaps I missed something that was supposed to make the ending epic but I was just left with questions about the plot that didn't make sense.
Overall it was a good read hence the three stars but I was left with an underwhelming feeling at the end. I don't think I would necessarily recommend it to others.
There were times when I just couldn't get into it and thought I would rate it two stars. There were then times when I couldn't put it down and thought perhaps four stars if it keeps getting better.
Unfortunately, for me anyways, the story kind of just stopped. Perhaps I missed something that was supposed to make the ending epic but I was just left with questions about the plot that didn't make sense.
Overall it was a good read hence the three stars but I was left with an underwhelming feeling at the end. I don't think I would necessarily recommend it to others.
October 31, 2015
I found this book very nice. I enjoyed the cover, I thought it was very creative and something that I would very much love to read. I was not disappointed. I enjoyed the difference between Jodie and Luca, Trent and Laura was something of a mystery and Kamran was a nice character. I found the life-style between Aunt Gene and Jodie intriguing. I would definitely read another peace of writing by Paul Southern, especially if it was something to do with Killing Sound. The pages was so well-written I often felt as if I was living, breathing the book.
March 19, 2017
Killing sound by Paul Southern is a spine thrilling book based on supernatural events that take place throughout Jodie's life.
When events happen later on in her life and she finds out information on her parents that she's never known before she takes it upon herself to find what her Father was searching for all those years ago, but the question is, at what cost?
Rated 4/5, really suspenseful, didn't want to stop reading!
When events happen later on in her life and she finds out information on her parents that she's never known before she takes it upon herself to find what her Father was searching for all those years ago, but the question is, at what cost?
Rated 4/5, really suspenseful, didn't want to stop reading!
May 15, 2015
I haven't read a book as gripping as this in a LONG time. The ending was rather underwhelming and has left me with so many questions still unanswered though so PLEASE can there be a sequel???
January 3, 2024
The plot of his story is okay but kinda rushing, and I can't accept the ending of this story. I'm speechless about what happened to Luca. We don't know what happened to him after being attacked by some kind of demon. Also, John's father suddenly **** I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't read yet. I feel so sorry for John even though his father is not a very good person to him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2015
Book Review - Killing Sound by Paul Southern - 4 original, educational and absorbing stars
Killing Sound took me a little out of my comfort zone. Whilst in the past, i’ve read quite a lot of paranormal books, horror and thrillers, this book is like those rolled together and bound by giving you an education along the way.
Jodie isn’t your typical teen. Although at first glance she might appear to be, there is a secret in Jodie’s past that she discovers along the way that changes her idea of who she is and sets her off on a journey to follow her fathers investigations. You see Jodie has no recollection but when she was 5, her parents were found horrifically murdered and five year old Jodie was found on the floor of the room. Having been taken in by her aunt, she’s sheltered from the past until one night, when she discovers some of her fathers old work.
This book looks strongly at Infrasound, and those bits of the book fascinated me. Jodie starts to look into whether this can cause hallucinations or whether the sounds do indeed bring forth monsters.
Helped by her boyfriend, their best friend and the strange but friendly son of a local preacher, their journey takes them to many places but finishes with them deep into the underground systems.
My main problem with this book, was I often felt it didn’t quite know where it fit in. The group of bullies in the book are described in such a way, that I wasn’t sure if there was something paranormal about them (there wasn’t) and I felt at times, it was just a little too confused.
The writing is good enough to keep you entertained and like I said, I did feel like I was being educated along the way, so that’s got to be good, right?
Whilst others might have found parts of the book horrific, i’m afraid I was desensitised to horror a long time ago, so I could quite happily sit and read those parts without shuddering. I also guessed the ending of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, although it did take me longer to finish than most books normally do. I think in part that was me trying to ensure I absorbed the information contained within the book and soaked up the atmosphere.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, i’d recommend it to those looking for a break from the norm, people who enjoy science mixed into their fiction and horror/thriller fans. If you’re looking for a happy ending, i’d steer clear.
Killing Sound took me a little out of my comfort zone. Whilst in the past, i’ve read quite a lot of paranormal books, horror and thrillers, this book is like those rolled together and bound by giving you an education along the way.
Jodie isn’t your typical teen. Although at first glance she might appear to be, there is a secret in Jodie’s past that she discovers along the way that changes her idea of who she is and sets her off on a journey to follow her fathers investigations. You see Jodie has no recollection but when she was 5, her parents were found horrifically murdered and five year old Jodie was found on the floor of the room. Having been taken in by her aunt, she’s sheltered from the past until one night, when she discovers some of her fathers old work.
This book looks strongly at Infrasound, and those bits of the book fascinated me. Jodie starts to look into whether this can cause hallucinations or whether the sounds do indeed bring forth monsters.
Helped by her boyfriend, their best friend and the strange but friendly son of a local preacher, their journey takes them to many places but finishes with them deep into the underground systems.
My main problem with this book, was I often felt it didn’t quite know where it fit in. The group of bullies in the book are described in such a way, that I wasn’t sure if there was something paranormal about them (there wasn’t) and I felt at times, it was just a little too confused.
The writing is good enough to keep you entertained and like I said, I did feel like I was being educated along the way, so that’s got to be good, right?
Whilst others might have found parts of the book horrific, i’m afraid I was desensitised to horror a long time ago, so I could quite happily sit and read those parts without shuddering. I also guessed the ending of the book.
Overall, I enjoyed this story, although it did take me longer to finish than most books normally do. I think in part that was me trying to ensure I absorbed the information contained within the book and soaked up the atmosphere.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, i’d recommend it to those looking for a break from the norm, people who enjoy science mixed into their fiction and horror/thriller fans. If you’re looking for a happy ending, i’d steer clear.
September 30, 2014
3.5* Review from www.readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk
Killing Sound by Paul Southern was out of my book comfort zone. It is not my usual type of read, far from it, with it's eerie premise and strange happenings. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of Killing Sound.
The book started of really interesting and I was hooked. The premise of the story is unique and it has a creepy atmosphere that gradually intensified as the story continued. I really liked Paul Southern's style of writing it was so full of detail and I could imagine myself feeling and seeing everything Jodi experiencing . It was his writing that kept me turning the pages and not giving up on the book as it got stranger and stranger.
The ending of the book was quite intense, I don't think I was expecting it to end the way it did and the reasons behind why things where happening in the book took me by surprise and I have to admit I was a little confused. I have mixed feeling overall about Killing Sound. One the one hand I couldn't put it down thus the 3.5* rating but then on the other hand it played with mind and creeped me out and I don't know if I liked that or not also I was a little confused about what happened. I was still questioning what really happened when I had finished it. I think this quote from Killing Sound sums up my thoughts on the book perfectly:
"The human brain was so complicated and yet so beautiful. Each piece has a function, everything fitted somewhere, yet the little pieces couldn't explain the whole." The Killing Sound by Paul Southern
Killing Sound by Paul Southern was out of my book comfort zone. It is not my usual type of read, far from it, with it's eerie premise and strange happenings. I wasn't sure what I was going to think of Killing Sound.
The book started of really interesting and I was hooked. The premise of the story is unique and it has a creepy atmosphere that gradually intensified as the story continued. I really liked Paul Southern's style of writing it was so full of detail and I could imagine myself feeling and seeing everything Jodi experiencing . It was his writing that kept me turning the pages and not giving up on the book as it got stranger and stranger.
The ending of the book was quite intense, I don't think I was expecting it to end the way it did and the reasons behind why things where happening in the book took me by surprise and I have to admit I was a little confused. I have mixed feeling overall about Killing Sound. One the one hand I couldn't put it down thus the 3.5* rating but then on the other hand it played with mind and creeped me out and I don't know if I liked that or not also I was a little confused about what happened. I was still questioning what really happened when I had finished it. I think this quote from Killing Sound sums up my thoughts on the book perfectly:
"The human brain was so complicated and yet so beautiful. Each piece has a function, everything fitted somewhere, yet the little pieces couldn't explain the whole." The Killing Sound by Paul Southern
October 4, 2014
3.5 Stars
The beginning of Killing Sound is brilliant. Those first few chapters are haunting and so vivid. The moment the police find her parents, all that was missing was the feeling of something crawling along my skin.
The horror of Killing Sound I enjoyed a lot. You have the creepy spine-tingly moments of scratching noises and moving shadows. Then there are high adrenaline run for your life parts. Both are descriptive, particularly the slow-building scenes work at setting up the atmosphere.
Jodie is the central character and, in my case, I wasn’t that attached to her. There was a bit of a disconnect to all the characters. So while I enjoyed the story I didn’t care as much as I wanted to about what was happening to them. I think if I had the book would have been all the more terrifying.
Killing Sound ticks a lot of boxes of what I like about this genre. It definitely has haunting moments and I still love the opening (also the ending – but spoilers ^_-).
If you’re easily scared I’d recommend reading during daylight hours.
The beginning of Killing Sound is brilliant. Those first few chapters are haunting and so vivid. The moment the police find her parents, all that was missing was the feeling of something crawling along my skin.
The horror of Killing Sound I enjoyed a lot. You have the creepy spine-tingly moments of scratching noises and moving shadows. Then there are high adrenaline run for your life parts. Both are descriptive, particularly the slow-building scenes work at setting up the atmosphere.
Jodie is the central character and, in my case, I wasn’t that attached to her. There was a bit of a disconnect to all the characters. So while I enjoyed the story I didn’t care as much as I wanted to about what was happening to them. I think if I had the book would have been all the more terrifying.
Killing Sound ticks a lot of boxes of what I like about this genre. It definitely has haunting moments and I still love the opening (also the ending – but spoilers ^_-).
If you’re easily scared I’d recommend reading during daylight hours.
March 15, 2017
Reading it was a waste of time
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews