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The Footage: A chilling psychological thriller
For fans of The Blair Witch Project and The Ring. Five years ago, a group of friends stayed in a lodge in Sheers Woods, Amersham, and never returned.
Their footage went viral overnight, becoming one of the most viewed clips on social media.
The video documents their vacation, but their faces are blurred and their voices dubbed, leading many to doubt its authenticity.
Enter Jess Turner, an investigative journalist who has just landed her dream job and is eager to impress her new boss.
Obsessed with the footage, she persuades him to email the new owner and secure her a stay at the lodge before it reopens to the public.
Against the pleas of her family and friends, Jess travels to the lodge alone.
As she delves deeper, she uncovers a terrifying series of events straight out of her very worst nightmares.
Now, they're coming for her.
Their footage went viral overnight, becoming one of the most viewed clips on social media.
The video documents their vacation, but their faces are blurred and their voices dubbed, leading many to doubt its authenticity.
Enter Jess Turner, an investigative journalist who has just landed her dream job and is eager to impress her new boss.
Obsessed with the footage, she persuades him to email the new owner and secure her a stay at the lodge before it reopens to the public.
Against the pleas of her family and friends, Jess travels to the lodge alone.
As she delves deeper, she uncovers a terrifying series of events straight out of her very worst nightmares.
Now, they're coming for her.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 7, 2024
323 people are currently reading
556 people want to read
About the author
Stuart James
12 books619 followersAuthor of world wide number 1 best selling thriller, Turn The Other Way, and International Book Award Winner for The House On Rectory Lane.
Apartment Six was a number 1 new release for a month.
Stranded, released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What authors have said about my thrillers.
Caroline Mitchell, NY Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother, The Secret Child and Truth And Lies: A great read packed with twists and turns.
John Marrs, author of The Good Samaritan and The Wronged Son: Fans of Mark Edwards will very much enjoy.
Definitely a writer to look out for.
Lisa Hall, author of The Party and Between You And Me: Tense and thrilling, with an ending you won’t see coming.
Jennifer Jaynes, USA Today bestselling author of Disturbed and Malice. Great job. Well crafted, deliciously twisty and kept me glued to the pages.
L A Detwiler, USA Today bestselling author of The Widow Next Door: The author is gritty, raw and dark in his writing. He is also extremely talented. I would highly recommend this read if you love a dark thriller in the same vein as Stephen King. My book of the month.
Natasha Harding from The Sun newspaper wrote about my thriller: A spooky read that will grab your attention from the very first page.
Published by Bloodhound Books.
Reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads have said Stuart James has written some of the scariest thrillers they’ve read in years.
I'm a new author recently published with Bloodhound Books.
My latest thriller, Turn The Other Way, went world wide number 1 on 5 platforms and has been chosen by Barnes And Noble as one of their top Halloween reads.
My other thriller, The House On Rectory Lane, has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction.
Apartment Six will be available 29th January 2020.
Stranded is released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
I live in Hertfordshire and am happily married with 2 wonderful children.
My twitter page is @stuartjames73
My website is stuartjamesthrillers.com
Apartment Six was a number 1 new release for a month.
Stranded, released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What authors have said about my thrillers.
Caroline Mitchell, NY Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother, The Secret Child and Truth And Lies: A great read packed with twists and turns.
John Marrs, author of The Good Samaritan and The Wronged Son: Fans of Mark Edwards will very much enjoy.
Definitely a writer to look out for.
Lisa Hall, author of The Party and Between You And Me: Tense and thrilling, with an ending you won’t see coming.
Jennifer Jaynes, USA Today bestselling author of Disturbed and Malice. Great job. Well crafted, deliciously twisty and kept me glued to the pages.
L A Detwiler, USA Today bestselling author of The Widow Next Door: The author is gritty, raw and dark in his writing. He is also extremely talented. I would highly recommend this read if you love a dark thriller in the same vein as Stephen King. My book of the month.
Natasha Harding from The Sun newspaper wrote about my thriller: A spooky read that will grab your attention from the very first page.
Published by Bloodhound Books.
Reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads have said Stuart James has written some of the scariest thrillers they’ve read in years.
I'm a new author recently published with Bloodhound Books.
My latest thriller, Turn The Other Way, went world wide number 1 on 5 platforms and has been chosen by Barnes And Noble as one of their top Halloween reads.
My other thriller, The House On Rectory Lane, has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction.
Apartment Six will be available 29th January 2020.
Stranded is released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
I live in Hertfordshire and am happily married with 2 wonderful children.
My twitter page is @stuartjames73
My website is stuartjamesthrillers.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 5, 2025
You cannot be serious!
I can't make up my mind as to whether this story was meant to be a serious psychological thriller or an attempt at some very dark humour. It appeared to be a cobbling together of selected aspects of Blair Witch, the Ring, Deliverance and Wes Craven's Scream movies. The story started out quite well, a young journalist investigating the story of four friends who mysteriously disappeared while on a road trip to an isolated and spooky mansion. A slasher video, purporting to have been made by the missing friends, is posted on YouTube some five years after their disappearance. Is it genuine or a sick fraud? Our intrepid reporter aims to find out, but at what cost? I couldn't engage with the story and thought it was completely over the top but, not everyone will agree with me.
I can't make up my mind as to whether this story was meant to be a serious psychological thriller or an attempt at some very dark humour. It appeared to be a cobbling together of selected aspects of Blair Witch, the Ring, Deliverance and Wes Craven's Scream movies. The story started out quite well, a young journalist investigating the story of four friends who mysteriously disappeared while on a road trip to an isolated and spooky mansion. A slasher video, purporting to have been made by the missing friends, is posted on YouTube some five years after their disappearance. Is it genuine or a sick fraud? Our intrepid reporter aims to find out, but at what cost? I couldn't engage with the story and thought it was completely over the top but, not everyone will agree with me.
July 30, 2024
I’m dumbfounded by the glowing reviews on this steaming pile of garbage. It’s not creepy or horrifying..it’s just Jess being the dumbest character ever put on paper.
September 17, 2024
Stuart James, please, if you look at these reviews, don’t read this one. I’m going to be so mean and I genuinely don’t want to hurt your feelings. I’ve liked other books you’ve written, but this one. . .I’m not even going to give the “A for Effort” award.
Here be spoilers, so read at your own risk.
Moving on. This book holds two distinctions for me: (1) it’s the only book I’ve ever finished reading out of sheer spite; and (2) it’s the only book I’ve ever felt absolutely compelled to write a review for. It’s so damn bad I have to let other people know. One reviewer here hit the nail on the head when they said they were utterly baffled by all of the positive reviews. Well, so am I because I’ve read fan fiction that had better dialogue, plotting, character development, and editing than this godforsaken novel.
I’m gonna jump straight in with The Thing That Ruined It Right Off. I am assuming that Stuart is a native English speaker (but I could be wrong) but the dialogue these characters use comes across as not only stilted in the best of times, but absolutely fucking alien in the worst. Straight up, I cannot tell you how many times I audibly groaned when I read “the friends from the video” on every other damn page. It might be accurate (strong doubt) but it’s not how English speakers refer to a group of unknowns in a random YouTube video. We’d say “the guys in that video” or “those kids” or even “those people.” Honestly, the repeated use of this single phrase kept me wondering if this was somehow AI generated.
It only got worse from there. I felt like every single time we’d get a “new” plot point, the main character just had to explain it to us from the outset. We were never given the opportunity to wonder about anything as readers of what basically became one long ass soliloquy by a wannabe journalist who “had to prove herself” when she works for a goddamn small town newspaper.
The part that made me actually, truly give up hope came when she encountered the Bird Man for the first time. A normal human, on seeing that in the woods—particularly after finding a barn with alleged occult symbols scrawled on the walls—would not go “HEY! Why are you dressed like that? Can I interview you?!” They would not engage with the crazy fucking bird person. And, certainly, when the bird person chases you back to your cabin and you find A SCALP ON A CLOTHESLINE, wouldn’t you just briefly consider going the fuck home? Not our main character. Oh no. This is all part of her journey. A journey that quite frankly I think absolutely should’ve led to her death. You only get to be so dumb before that shit has consequences, and she surpassed that mark aeons ago.
I cannot fathom how anyone found this suspenseful or satisfying to read. It was a slog. The plot was contrived. The “twists” weren’t twists. They were baffling. It’s like Stuart James had a bingo cage full of mystery plot points and he just drew random shit to see what was next. None of it slotted together, none of it made fucking sense, and none of it made for a satisfying read. It was borderline infuriating and, frankly, I was rooting for all of the characters to die just so the book would end.
Final point before I let this consume my life (maybe too late), other reviews have pointed out that this book needs an editor and a proofreader. Well, color me surprised that Stuart admitted to having BOTH in his acknowledgments section at the end. I don’t know if he’s not paying them, or if they’re just not great at their jobs, but bloody fucking hell there is no way they should’ve let this get through without some serious work. He also mentioned having ARC readers for this, and I say again, HOW DID ANYONE GREENLIGHT THIS WITHOUT SERIOUS EDITS?! I’m sorry, it just doesn’t make sense. It boggles the goddamn mind.
Anyway, Stuart, if you read this far, you were warned. I’m sorry I shit on your book, but fucking hell, man. No. Just no.
Here be spoilers, so read at your own risk.
Moving on. This book holds two distinctions for me: (1) it’s the only book I’ve ever finished reading out of sheer spite; and (2) it’s the only book I’ve ever felt absolutely compelled to write a review for. It’s so damn bad I have to let other people know. One reviewer here hit the nail on the head when they said they were utterly baffled by all of the positive reviews. Well, so am I because I’ve read fan fiction that had better dialogue, plotting, character development, and editing than this godforsaken novel.
I’m gonna jump straight in with The Thing That Ruined It Right Off. I am assuming that Stuart is a native English speaker (but I could be wrong) but the dialogue these characters use comes across as not only stilted in the best of times, but absolutely fucking alien in the worst. Straight up, I cannot tell you how many times I audibly groaned when I read “the friends from the video” on every other damn page. It might be accurate (strong doubt) but it’s not how English speakers refer to a group of unknowns in a random YouTube video. We’d say “the guys in that video” or “those kids” or even “those people.” Honestly, the repeated use of this single phrase kept me wondering if this was somehow AI generated.
It only got worse from there. I felt like every single time we’d get a “new” plot point, the main character just had to explain it to us from the outset. We were never given the opportunity to wonder about anything as readers of what basically became one long ass soliloquy by a wannabe journalist who “had to prove herself” when she works for a goddamn small town newspaper.
The part that made me actually, truly give up hope came when she encountered the Bird Man for the first time. A normal human, on seeing that in the woods—particularly after finding a barn with alleged occult symbols scrawled on the walls—would not go “HEY! Why are you dressed like that? Can I interview you?!” They would not engage with the crazy fucking bird person. And, certainly, when the bird person chases you back to your cabin and you find A SCALP ON A CLOTHESLINE, wouldn’t you just briefly consider going the fuck home? Not our main character. Oh no. This is all part of her journey. A journey that quite frankly I think absolutely should’ve led to her death. You only get to be so dumb before that shit has consequences, and she surpassed that mark aeons ago.
I cannot fathom how anyone found this suspenseful or satisfying to read. It was a slog. The plot was contrived. The “twists” weren’t twists. They were baffling. It’s like Stuart James had a bingo cage full of mystery plot points and he just drew random shit to see what was next. None of it slotted together, none of it made fucking sense, and none of it made for a satisfying read. It was borderline infuriating and, frankly, I was rooting for all of the characters to die just so the book would end.
Final point before I let this consume my life (maybe too late), other reviews have pointed out that this book needs an editor and a proofreader. Well, color me surprised that Stuart admitted to having BOTH in his acknowledgments section at the end. I don’t know if he’s not paying them, or if they’re just not great at their jobs, but bloody fucking hell there is no way they should’ve let this get through without some serious work. He also mentioned having ARC readers for this, and I say again, HOW DID ANYONE GREENLIGHT THIS WITHOUT SERIOUS EDITS?! I’m sorry, it just doesn’t make sense. It boggles the goddamn mind.
Anyway, Stuart, if you read this far, you were warned. I’m sorry I shit on your book, but fucking hell, man. No. Just no.
June 13, 2024
WOW
Genuinely scary, tense and frantic
This was a one sitting read for me as found pretty much as soon as it started it didn’t have a ‘dull phase/page’ for me to stop at but demanded to be carried on with
This is not an easy book to write am guessing, it takes a lot of good writing to manage to get over to the reader the scariness of a video clip and what the characters are watching and then bring those emotions across to a book….it was done superbly, you could sense the trepidation as the film rolled and the fear in the characters as they watched/experienced it
And in Amersham if you please, who knew such a place held such secrets….
One of my fav lines from the book is ‘The extreme silence was almost raucous’…what a fab line and conjures up exactly what it is meant to
This is miles better than Blair Witch, it felt real to me and had me hooked lined and sinkered from the beginning to the very poignant last line
Congrats to the author for such a convincing read
Genuinely scary, tense and frantic
This was a one sitting read for me as found pretty much as soon as it started it didn’t have a ‘dull phase/page’ for me to stop at but demanded to be carried on with
This is not an easy book to write am guessing, it takes a lot of good writing to manage to get over to the reader the scariness of a video clip and what the characters are watching and then bring those emotions across to a book….it was done superbly, you could sense the trepidation as the film rolled and the fear in the characters as they watched/experienced it
And in Amersham if you please, who knew such a place held such secrets….
One of my fav lines from the book is ‘The extreme silence was almost raucous’…what a fab line and conjures up exactly what it is meant to
This is miles better than Blair Witch, it felt real to me and had me hooked lined and sinkered from the beginning to the very poignant last line
Congrats to the author for such a convincing read
July 30, 2024
Yet another KU book that desperately needs an editor. So much passive voice, so many nonsensical decisions, and the bit at the end with her parents is so absurdly out of left field and clearly stuck in there for shock value.
The author has potential, but he badly needs a talented editor. This book was so, so all over the place.
The author has potential, but he badly needs a talented editor. This book was so, so all over the place.
August 12, 2024
What an absolute waste of time.
May 31, 2024
Four friends disappeared five years ago when visiting Sheers Wood in Amersham. With footage showing on the internet of their time there and strange going’s on, journalist Jess wants her boss to let her go and investigate.
Ben is the boyfriend of Jess and he’s against her going but Jess feels she will lose her job if she doesn’t come back with a good story.
As we follow Jess to Amersham, the tension slowly builds up as the story takes a terrifying turn for Jess.
Who is coming for Jess and what do they want with her?
This story takes you on one heck of a white knuckle ride!
An intense and creepy tale that had me gasping often, I needed to remember that it was just a story and not real.
The characters were well thought out and they added a lot to the story.
The ending left me gobsmacked, not what I was expecting at all.
The author has a way of making you believe the plot is going one way, when in fact, you’re so off the mark, you know you won’t get it right!
Ben is the boyfriend of Jess and he’s against her going but Jess feels she will lose her job if she doesn’t come back with a good story.
As we follow Jess to Amersham, the tension slowly builds up as the story takes a terrifying turn for Jess.
Who is coming for Jess and what do they want with her?
This story takes you on one heck of a white knuckle ride!
An intense and creepy tale that had me gasping often, I needed to remember that it was just a story and not real.
The characters were well thought out and they added a lot to the story.
The ending left me gobsmacked, not what I was expecting at all.
The author has a way of making you believe the plot is going one way, when in fact, you’re so off the mark, you know you won’t get it right!
June 1, 2024
I am a big fan of this authors books, and when he has a new release I grab it with both hands.
This one was compared to Blair Witch Project, which to be honest made me not sure whether I would like this book as I am not a fan of found footage horror films, but I decided to give it a go.
It had so much going on throughout, with a lot of twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming.
All the way through my mind kept changing from 'Is it Supernatural' or 'is there just some messed up people' and kept switching throughout!
I won't be giving you the answer to that so you will have to read and find out for yourself!
Great read - glad I took the gamble.
This one was compared to Blair Witch Project, which to be honest made me not sure whether I would like this book as I am not a fan of found footage horror films, but I decided to give it a go.
It had so much going on throughout, with a lot of twists and turns, most of which I did not see coming.
All the way through my mind kept changing from 'Is it Supernatural' or 'is there just some messed up people' and kept switching throughout!
I won't be giving you the answer to that so you will have to read and find out for yourself!
Great read - glad I took the gamble.
May 30, 2024
Stuart James did a thing. Again. And it’s very good. Once again his style shines through.
Fancy some tension? Pick up a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
Fancy some tension? Pick up a copy. You won’t be disappointed.
July 26, 2024
Thank you to the author and the publisher or publishers for all your hard work! I'm leaving this review voluntarily and happily! Take a look!
What drew me in was the fact that this was possibly a found footage horror story. Was it? I'd say somewhat yes and no. I'm not going to spoil it. I was really intrigued by the writing style, and once I started to get into the story, it was hard to stop reading. The atmosphere and just how eerie it is throughout the entire book had me on edge and wanting more every chapter. I truly enjoyed the main character and all she went through in this book. The only real problem I think I had with this book is that you're not really sure what kind of presence is after the character. Is it human, or is it supernatural. Then again, I suppose that was the main point of this book. I enjoyed that some chapters we get to see what really happens on the footage.
Four friends go missing, and a mysterious video goes viral once it's posted. It's strange and unusual, which brings us to our main character. A journalist desperately trying to bring her career out of the mud and get reviews going again, she ends up scoring a chance to work on a project about this viral video and the disappearances. Going to this place, will she find the answers she seeks, will she uncover far more sinister things in play, or will she too end up disappearing like the four friends? If you want to know, read and find out.
As much as I picked up my pace in reading this book, it's still not fully the book for me. It's lacking something I can't put my finger on just yet. Even so, that doesn't mean I won't try to read more from this author in the future.
What drew me in was the fact that this was possibly a found footage horror story. Was it? I'd say somewhat yes and no. I'm not going to spoil it. I was really intrigued by the writing style, and once I started to get into the story, it was hard to stop reading. The atmosphere and just how eerie it is throughout the entire book had me on edge and wanting more every chapter. I truly enjoyed the main character and all she went through in this book. The only real problem I think I had with this book is that you're not really sure what kind of presence is after the character. Is it human, or is it supernatural. Then again, I suppose that was the main point of this book. I enjoyed that some chapters we get to see what really happens on the footage.
Four friends go missing, and a mysterious video goes viral once it's posted. It's strange and unusual, which brings us to our main character. A journalist desperately trying to bring her career out of the mud and get reviews going again, she ends up scoring a chance to work on a project about this viral video and the disappearances. Going to this place, will she find the answers she seeks, will she uncover far more sinister things in play, or will she too end up disappearing like the four friends? If you want to know, read and find out.
As much as I picked up my pace in reading this book, it's still not fully the book for me. It's lacking something I can't put my finger on just yet. Even so, that doesn't mean I won't try to read more from this author in the future.
July 11, 2024
Review to come.
June 3, 2024
In the heart of Sheers Woods, Amersham, lies a lodge shrouded in mystery and darkness. A haunting reminder of the horrors that unfolded within its walls five years ago.
It all began with a group of friends who ventured into the depths of Sheers Woods, seeking adventure and thrills. Little did they know that their escapade would turn into a nightmare from which they would never return.
Their disappearance sparked a frenzy on social media, as their footage, blurred faces, and dubbed voices captivated audiences.
One woman is determined to uncover the truth, Jess Turner, a fearless investigative journalist. Jess becomes fixated on the lodge in Sheers Woods and the chilling events that transpired there. Determined to make her mark and impress her new boss, she convinces him to secure her a stay at the lodge.
As Jess delves deeper into the secrets of the lodge, she unravels a twisted tale of fear and despair. Haunting visions and eerie occurrences plague her every step, The chilling truth behind the disappearance of the friends in Sheers Woods begins to reveal itself. Now, as the shadows grow longer and the whispers in the woods grow louder, Jess must confront the terrors that lurk within the lodge. The spirits of the past are stirring, and they are coming for her.
From the moment you start reading this book, you can feel a sense of unease creeping up your spine. The story unfolds in a way that makes your skin prickle with a chilling sensation that refuses to dissipate. With each turn of the page, the tale becomes increasingly creepy, drawing you further into its dark and eerie world.
For those who seek to be thrilled, captivated, and chilled to the bone, Stuart James's books are a must-read and this one was another masterpiece of his work!
It all began with a group of friends who ventured into the depths of Sheers Woods, seeking adventure and thrills. Little did they know that their escapade would turn into a nightmare from which they would never return.
Their disappearance sparked a frenzy on social media, as their footage, blurred faces, and dubbed voices captivated audiences.
One woman is determined to uncover the truth, Jess Turner, a fearless investigative journalist. Jess becomes fixated on the lodge in Sheers Woods and the chilling events that transpired there. Determined to make her mark and impress her new boss, she convinces him to secure her a stay at the lodge.
As Jess delves deeper into the secrets of the lodge, she unravels a twisted tale of fear and despair. Haunting visions and eerie occurrences plague her every step, The chilling truth behind the disappearance of the friends in Sheers Woods begins to reveal itself. Now, as the shadows grow longer and the whispers in the woods grow louder, Jess must confront the terrors that lurk within the lodge. The spirits of the past are stirring, and they are coming for her.
From the moment you start reading this book, you can feel a sense of unease creeping up your spine. The story unfolds in a way that makes your skin prickle with a chilling sensation that refuses to dissipate. With each turn of the page, the tale becomes increasingly creepy, drawing you further into its dark and eerie world.
For those who seek to be thrilled, captivated, and chilled to the bone, Stuart James's books are a must-read and this one was another masterpiece of his work!
May 29, 2024
Stuart James is the UK's very own Stephen King when it comes to horror. Although I'm yet to read his entire back catalogue, the ones I have read have all been five star worthy.
The Footage is his latest release and if you loved The Blair Witch Project, you'll absolutely love this one.
Right from the opening pages James draws you in with his descriptive writing, allowing you the reader to experience every single step of Jess's nightmare journey into Sheers Woods with her. By the time I'd finished reading I had to take a moment to allow my heart rate to stop pounding and for the adrenaline to cease.
A cabin in the woods has always been one of my cosy getaway ideas, but honestly, after reading this I think I'm going to give it a miss!
Jess was so much braver than I'd ever be, determined to overcome her fears and finally get to the bottom of what really happened that night in the woods to dispel the rumours once and for all...was it true or quite simply an urban myth?
Told from Jess's POV interspersed with the chilling footage from The Chilling Floor YouTube channel and snippets of conversations with locals.
The Footage is his latest release and if you loved The Blair Witch Project, you'll absolutely love this one.
Right from the opening pages James draws you in with his descriptive writing, allowing you the reader to experience every single step of Jess's nightmare journey into Sheers Woods with her. By the time I'd finished reading I had to take a moment to allow my heart rate to stop pounding and for the adrenaline to cease.
A cabin in the woods has always been one of my cosy getaway ideas, but honestly, after reading this I think I'm going to give it a miss!
Jess was so much braver than I'd ever be, determined to overcome her fears and finally get to the bottom of what really happened that night in the woods to dispel the rumours once and for all...was it true or quite simply an urban myth?
Told from Jess's POV interspersed with the chilling footage from The Chilling Floor YouTube channel and snippets of conversations with locals.
June 2, 2024
Another fabulously tense thriller from Stuart James!
What I love about this authors books is how tense and nervous they make me feel! If his books were to go to the big screen I honestly don’t think I could watch them because normally, although I can read books that are dark and make me on edge, I just can’t watch them! Well this book I couldn’t even read that late whilst in bed because it sent my mind spinning that much that I was worried I wouldn’t sleep if I continued reading at night.
What I also love about this book is how the chapters switch from Jess’s journey, to the actual Footage story that she’s trying to solve as a journalist.
This is a great storyline that I’ve really enjoyed!
What I love about this authors books is how tense and nervous they make me feel! If his books were to go to the big screen I honestly don’t think I could watch them because normally, although I can read books that are dark and make me on edge, I just can’t watch them! Well this book I couldn’t even read that late whilst in bed because it sent my mind spinning that much that I was worried I wouldn’t sleep if I continued reading at night.
What I also love about this book is how the chapters switch from Jess’s journey, to the actual Footage story that she’s trying to solve as a journalist.
This is a great storyline that I’ve really enjoyed!
August 24, 2024
Love books by Stuart James. Brilliant book
July 20, 2024
Stuart James is definitely one of my favourite authors and The Footage is one of his best books yet. Such a fantastic take on the old found footage genre. Stuart is the absolute king of the gut punch twist you don't see coming and he's done it again here. Brilliant, creepy read.
November 8, 2024
I really wanted to love this! The plot sounded amazing - eerie footage catching the presumably last moments of a group of four friends staying at a lodge near the woods is posted on the internet but with the faces blurred and voices dubbed over. The four friends are undoubtedly missing and the internet is awash with theories and reactions. Jess is a budding journalist determined to visit the lodge in Amersham, Bucks, and hang onto her job by impressing her odious boss. From the start I didn't enjoy the dialogue in this book. It felt very stilted and awkward and didn't flow at all. But once Jess arrived at the lodge (why on earth would you go alone???) the plot got more interesting. Strange things start happening and the fear is gradually ramped up for Jess trapped in the lodge with no WiFi. There were times I wanted to scream at her to at least grab a weapon, but she's not an easy character to care about. That was my main problem. I love horror, I love a good scary twisty plot, but I also love characters! Why do some authors forget to create them?? The characters were all the same. Anyone could have been anyone. Some were male, some female, that differentiated some of them at least. But none of them had a personality of any kind so it was impossible to root for any of them. Towards the end the plot annoyed me too as there were too many info-dumps where the author, instead of leaking the truth bit by bit, decided to tell us everything in one go. I felt cheated by this. I started to skim read towards the end and didn't really care if Jess lived or died. The plot had such potential too. I won't spoil what was really going on, but it was a bit of a mix of Deliverance style weirdos, occult stuff and the supernatural but it just felt hurried and messy towards the end and I had stopped caring. Shame as the idea of found footage is always an interesting one and this could have been so much better.
July 16, 2025
not a bad story idea… but it fell apart
This book tried to do a few too many things all at once. The premise is interesting—a reporter goes to investigate a viral video that was filmed at an isolated lodge in the English countryside. The first half moves really slowly, but we learn a tiny bit about our protagonist. Then, for the second half, shit gets wild.
**Spoilers for next 2 paragraphs**
The entire plot about the viral video is basically dropped… that was the most interesting thing, and the author should have focused WAY more on developing that story and then concluding it. Also, now that I think about it, there’s a part of the video that was filmed but that never actually happened. So, weird.
But instead of figuring that out, we discover a cult that is a cover for a criminal operation, maybe? Or maybe it’s actually a cult, because there is a DEMON that gets summoned. Yep, things get supernatural in the last, like 30 pages. We have a funeral fake-out, and things end up happily… or do they?! (They don’t, actually.)
**End of spoilers*
The biggest issue is just that there is a lot of telling us what characters see and how they feel and how much they love each other. There are descriptions, but they focus more on how they make the characters feel. It leaves the people feeling flat, and I had a hard time keeping the layout of the lodge clear.
I do think there are some solid ideas, but there was just too much thrown in there. Still, if you enjoy books that keep you guessing, this could be a good one for you!
This book tried to do a few too many things all at once. The premise is interesting—a reporter goes to investigate a viral video that was filmed at an isolated lodge in the English countryside. The first half moves really slowly, but we learn a tiny bit about our protagonist. Then, for the second half, shit gets wild.
**Spoilers for next 2 paragraphs**
The entire plot about the viral video is basically dropped… that was the most interesting thing, and the author should have focused WAY more on developing that story and then concluding it. Also, now that I think about it, there’s a part of the video that was filmed but that never actually happened. So, weird.
But instead of figuring that out, we discover a cult that is a cover for a criminal operation, maybe? Or maybe it’s actually a cult, because there is a DEMON that gets summoned. Yep, things get supernatural in the last, like 30 pages. We have a funeral fake-out, and things end up happily… or do they?! (They don’t, actually.)
**End of spoilers*
The biggest issue is just that there is a lot of telling us what characters see and how they feel and how much they love each other. There are descriptions, but they focus more on how they make the characters feel. It leaves the people feeling flat, and I had a hard time keeping the layout of the lodge clear.
I do think there are some solid ideas, but there was just too much thrown in there. Still, if you enjoy books that keep you guessing, this could be a good one for you!
June 27, 2024
Stuart, you bloody butthead! I haven't had a book terrify me like this since I read your last one! Seriously, could not read this at night. The way he builds suspense and thrills is brilliant.
It does have overtones of The Ring and Blair Witch Project. It's like the two had a wonderfully terrifying baby and it's this story. How he comes up with these warped ideas and then translates them into this world that just sucks you in... I just...I don't know what else to say other than read all of his books. And start with this one.
Jess is off to try and film a documentary about a group of friends who went missing and the footage that turns up is odd and no one has seen this group since. Jess uses this story to try and launch herself off with the follow up. Of course, she gets a bit... off track. In some parts, the way the antagonists are described also reminds me of the Hills Have Eyes (something else that kept me awake for days on end).
I will not give away the ending. But holy s**t - I did not see it coming. All I will say is this - go out immediately, buy this book, and proceed to start reading at sunrise and by sunset you will be done. You will be terrified of the dark for a few days, but it's totally worth it.
It does have overtones of The Ring and Blair Witch Project. It's like the two had a wonderfully terrifying baby and it's this story. How he comes up with these warped ideas and then translates them into this world that just sucks you in... I just...I don't know what else to say other than read all of his books. And start with this one.
Jess is off to try and film a documentary about a group of friends who went missing and the footage that turns up is odd and no one has seen this group since. Jess uses this story to try and launch herself off with the follow up. Of course, she gets a bit... off track. In some parts, the way the antagonists are described also reminds me of the Hills Have Eyes (something else that kept me awake for days on end).
I will not give away the ending. But holy s**t - I did not see it coming. All I will say is this - go out immediately, buy this book, and proceed to start reading at sunrise and by sunset you will be done. You will be terrified of the dark for a few days, but it's totally worth it.
July 4, 2024
Great basic premise, uneven execution
This was pretty good (with some great scenes!) until it went completely off the rails in the last act (and not in a good way).
Also there are some weird anachronisms (hair perms in the age of cell phones?!) and typos (“trafficking limbs” instead of ostensibly organs) that could have been tidied up with a solid editorial pass.
The characters kept referring to the individuals in the found footage as the “four friends” which I thought was odd when it was two couples. I guess it didn’t matter because the two girls were indistinguishable from one another and the boys nearly so (at least one carries a video camera all the time, so I suppose that’s his “personality”).
Our protagonist, Jess, is often hard to like. She makes dumb decisions, says rash things, and is a bit obnoxious when trying to get a scoop. Also, if someone is freezing in a good lodge, why would you take off your leggings and blouse to get in bed? That didn’t make any sense to me.
Stilted dialogue all over the place, especially in the epilogue.
For what it’s worth, I did purchase a few of his other books and will definitely try another. This didn’t end up being for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for you.
This was pretty good (with some great scenes!) until it went completely off the rails in the last act (and not in a good way).
Also there are some weird anachronisms (hair perms in the age of cell phones?!) and typos (“trafficking limbs” instead of ostensibly organs) that could have been tidied up with a solid editorial pass.
The characters kept referring to the individuals in the found footage as the “four friends” which I thought was odd when it was two couples. I guess it didn’t matter because the two girls were indistinguishable from one another and the boys nearly so (at least one carries a video camera all the time, so I suppose that’s his “personality”).
Our protagonist, Jess, is often hard to like. She makes dumb decisions, says rash things, and is a bit obnoxious when trying to get a scoop. Also, if someone is freezing in a good lodge, why would you take off your leggings and blouse to get in bed? That didn’t make any sense to me.
Stilted dialogue all over the place, especially in the epilogue.
For what it’s worth, I did purchase a few of his other books and will definitely try another. This didn’t end up being for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s not for you.
September 15, 2024
A generous three stars here. Potential spoilers, so continue with caution.
The more I think about the way this book ended, the more confused I get. What happened to Matt? Why was there so little closure with the original group from the video when the entire premise of the book and Jess’s research was due to their story? We received confirmation on Danny, but again…Matt????
This book seemed to want to be a lot of different things. Witchcraft? Cult? Serial killers? Ritualistic killings? Supernatural? I understand that a lot of the presumably supernatural activity was Tom and Andrew in disguise, but then the author throws in Alice and the demon as the main component to the book’s ending when we barely had any exposure to this aspect of the story. I did enjoy that the end was definitely creepy, but it just seemed so random. Would have expected maybe Matt turning up to silence Jess for her finding out the truth, but that’s definitely not the ending we received.
The book was a spooky read, but the characters pissed me off, and I don’t feel like all aspects of the book fit together. Plus, loose ends often drive me nuts. I wouldn’t warn you not to read this book, but I can’t promise it’s worth your time.
The more I think about the way this book ended, the more confused I get. What happened to Matt? Why was there so little closure with the original group from the video when the entire premise of the book and Jess’s research was due to their story? We received confirmation on Danny, but again…Matt????
This book seemed to want to be a lot of different things. Witchcraft? Cult? Serial killers? Ritualistic killings? Supernatural? I understand that a lot of the presumably supernatural activity was Tom and Andrew in disguise, but then the author throws in Alice and the demon as the main component to the book’s ending when we barely had any exposure to this aspect of the story. I did enjoy that the end was definitely creepy, but it just seemed so random. Would have expected maybe Matt turning up to silence Jess for her finding out the truth, but that’s definitely not the ending we received.
The book was a spooky read, but the characters pissed me off, and I don’t feel like all aspects of the book fit together. Plus, loose ends often drive me nuts. I wouldn’t warn you not to read this book, but I can’t promise it’s worth your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2024
I’ve always thought that this man is one of the best authors of this genre, and with his new book, it proves he really is at the top with this terrifying tale.
Told partially in flashbacks, this is Jess Turner’s story as she seeks to uncover the truth behind the footage found of four friends who disappeared five years ago at Sheers Woods. Jess, an investigative journalist is desperate to prove herself to her boss and thinks she’s found the perfect story. Right from the off, the terror crawled out of the pages with a desolate and chilling landscape and villagers who are just plain creepy. I could feel her sense of terror encompassed by complete solitude as she is immediately thrown into the terrifying scenario that she may end up like the four. There are plenty of scary turns in this book and at times I could almost hear myself screaming for her to leave the story alone and just run. The sense of isolation is claustrophobic and with a strong sense reminiscent of The Wicker Man, I was constantly on edge with a deep seated feeling of dread.
The Footage is a fantastic book and one which I can honestly say caused me a couple of sleepless nights.
Told partially in flashbacks, this is Jess Turner’s story as she seeks to uncover the truth behind the footage found of four friends who disappeared five years ago at Sheers Woods. Jess, an investigative journalist is desperate to prove herself to her boss and thinks she’s found the perfect story. Right from the off, the terror crawled out of the pages with a desolate and chilling landscape and villagers who are just plain creepy. I could feel her sense of terror encompassed by complete solitude as she is immediately thrown into the terrifying scenario that she may end up like the four. There are plenty of scary turns in this book and at times I could almost hear myself screaming for her to leave the story alone and just run. The sense of isolation is claustrophobic and with a strong sense reminiscent of The Wicker Man, I was constantly on edge with a deep seated feeling of dread.
The Footage is a fantastic book and one which I can honestly say caused me a couple of sleepless nights.
December 28, 2025
I enjoyed this book more than I thought judging from all the poor reviews here. This was a Blair Witch type story involving footage found documenting a bunch of teenagers hanging out in a secluded house in the woods. They all disappeared and their bodies were never found.
So we get this journalist who wanted to try to find out what happened to these kids. So she spends time in this house (crazy as it may seem), to see if she can use her detective skills?, to figure out what happened. Yes I do agree with some of the bad reviews that she did make stupid decisions yada yada yada. But this is a horror book and have you known of any horror books where people didn't make bad decisions? Some of the dialog was corny but this book creeped me out, and that says a lot because I don't usually get creeped out from a book.
The ending went in a direction I didn't favor but the final ending was very satisfying and creepy.
So I give this 4 stars because of those issues. But they were minor as I really enjoyed this book.
So we get this journalist who wanted to try to find out what happened to these kids. So she spends time in this house (crazy as it may seem), to see if she can use her detective skills?, to figure out what happened. Yes I do agree with some of the bad reviews that she did make stupid decisions yada yada yada. But this is a horror book and have you known of any horror books where people didn't make bad decisions? Some of the dialog was corny but this book creeped me out, and that says a lot because I don't usually get creeped out from a book.
The ending went in a direction I didn't favor but the final ending was very satisfying and creepy.
So I give this 4 stars because of those issues. But they were minor as I really enjoyed this book.
June 7, 2024
Mr Stuart James has only gone and done it again with this bone chilling and nail biting thriller.
I'm always in awe of how he can immediately draw you into the characters and storyline.
As journalists Jess Turner starts to investigate the disappearance of four friends that went missing without a trace in a quiet hamlet of Sheers Wood in Amersham England.
The plot and story takes on a sinister turn. The Footage of the last known moments before the friends disappeared has gone viral with over a million hits, but who are the missing four and what happened to them five years ago?
No one knows and when Jess has the opportunity to stay in the lodger on her own where they went missing she takes on the story with gusto.
But what sinister secrets does the lodge and woods contain ?
Can Jess ever recover or even survive the chilling darkness that she has walked into?
Another brilliant read from the master of suspense and thrillers.
I'm always in awe of how he can immediately draw you into the characters and storyline.
As journalists Jess Turner starts to investigate the disappearance of four friends that went missing without a trace in a quiet hamlet of Sheers Wood in Amersham England.
The plot and story takes on a sinister turn. The Footage of the last known moments before the friends disappeared has gone viral with over a million hits, but who are the missing four and what happened to them five years ago?
No one knows and when Jess has the opportunity to stay in the lodger on her own where they went missing she takes on the story with gusto.
But what sinister secrets does the lodge and woods contain ?
Can Jess ever recover or even survive the chilling darkness that she has walked into?
Another brilliant read from the master of suspense and thrillers.
June 3, 2025
Chat be so fr with me - was this shit written by AI? Because I’ve read literal creepypastas that were more concise than this.
I’m so disappointed because this seemed right up my alley, I love that found footage shit. The initial storyline & first part of the book started really well, and I was enjoying it - but the second half fell sooooooooooo flat. There was way too much going on, it was confusing, and at times it rambled on. It seemed as if the author didn’t know if they wanted to follow a similar style to The Blair Witch Project, The Hills have Eyes, Wrong Turn … or fuckin demons? Not to mention the organ thing? You can’t just force a bunch of different major plots into one book, especially at such a rapid pace? I honestly barely even understand what I’ve just read.
PS: is it just me or did every single main character have the same physical description as another key character???? Like huh????
I’m so disappointed because this seemed right up my alley, I love that found footage shit. The initial storyline & first part of the book started really well, and I was enjoying it - but the second half fell sooooooooooo flat. There was way too much going on, it was confusing, and at times it rambled on. It seemed as if the author didn’t know if they wanted to follow a similar style to The Blair Witch Project, The Hills have Eyes, Wrong Turn … or fuckin demons? Not to mention the organ thing? You can’t just force a bunch of different major plots into one book, especially at such a rapid pace? I honestly barely even understand what I’ve just read.
PS: is it just me or did every single main character have the same physical description as another key character???? Like huh????
June 12, 2024
I'm a fan of Stuart and his books. I really couldn't wait to dig into his new offering.
In the typical style of Stuarts books, they start with a brilliant introduction, a glimpse into a bigger, deeper story.
Jess is a brilliant character. Defiant, determined and she let's her career aspirations take centre stage across her life.
She naive but desperate to prove her worth and is lured into something with furious curiosity.
The pacing was fantastic, it built slowly at first, laying the groundwork and then delivered rapid action scenes which left me gripped.
There are parts of this book I really did not expect, the ending was one of them. There is a hint of something more than pure dark psych thriller at play with the writing but I don't want to say more and spoil it for others.
This is one of the best books Stuart has written.
5***** all the way from me.
In the typical style of Stuarts books, they start with a brilliant introduction, a glimpse into a bigger, deeper story.
Jess is a brilliant character. Defiant, determined and she let's her career aspirations take centre stage across her life.
She naive but desperate to prove her worth and is lured into something with furious curiosity.
The pacing was fantastic, it built slowly at first, laying the groundwork and then delivered rapid action scenes which left me gripped.
There are parts of this book I really did not expect, the ending was one of them. There is a hint of something more than pure dark psych thriller at play with the writing but I don't want to say more and spoil it for others.
This is one of the best books Stuart has written.
5***** all the way from me.
July 25, 2024
Jess is a local journalist looking for that one story to ignite her career, so when she gets hooked on footage posted online about four young friends who experience weird happenings at a remote cabin, she convinces her boss that it needs investigation. From the moment she arrives, it's apparent that the original footage is definitely not fake.
I think horror is incredibly difficult to write and make scary and The Footage is certainly tense and gripping enough to keep your interest throughout. The remote location, the weird locals and the inability to be able to communicate with the outside world are all unsettling especially in the modern day! There are definite "Blair Witch" vibes but only loosely as this veers in another direction completely and the twists are well done and largely unexpected as you really feel for a very likable main character.
Definitely worth a read.
I think horror is incredibly difficult to write and make scary and The Footage is certainly tense and gripping enough to keep your interest throughout. The remote location, the weird locals and the inability to be able to communicate with the outside world are all unsettling especially in the modern day! There are definite "Blair Witch" vibes but only loosely as this veers in another direction completely and the twists are well done and largely unexpected as you really feel for a very likable main character.
Definitely worth a read.
June 8, 2024
Wow! Stewart James never disappoints. This thriller with a supernatural flavor, took my breath away. Literally, I was holding my breath reading this story. absolutely gripping and mind-boggling the twist and turns kept coming, and I didn’t see them coming, which I just love. I have followed this author for a while now and I think this is probably my favorite of his books so far. I can’t stress how much I recommend anyone that enjoys, a psychological thriller and loves to be scared read this book though I do not recommend starting it at bedtime or even reading it after dark if you’re alone specially if you live in the woods or an isolated spot and have weird neighbors. The author has graciously gifted me this copy, and I am writing this honest review.
June 11, 2024
Wow, what can I say!!! Stuart James you have well and truly done it again!
I was kindly given a copy of this book as an ARC from the author. I was a little at first wary of this book, as in all honesty I wasn't a fan of the Blair Witch Project. I needn't have had any worries though as this book is unputdownable! Read in a day, I flew through this unbelievably creepy, scary ride of a horror thriller. Absolutely smashed this one Stuart.
I have to admit, this is now my favourite book of yours and I've loved all of them. Your books just keep getting better and better. Brilliant from start to finish and oh the ending.. I wasn't expecting that at all!!!!
Thank you so much for the ARC. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I wish you every success with The Footage..
I was kindly given a copy of this book as an ARC from the author. I was a little at first wary of this book, as in all honesty I wasn't a fan of the Blair Witch Project. I needn't have had any worries though as this book is unputdownable! Read in a day, I flew through this unbelievably creepy, scary ride of a horror thriller. Absolutely smashed this one Stuart.
I have to admit, this is now my favourite book of yours and I've loved all of them. Your books just keep getting better and better. Brilliant from start to finish and oh the ending.. I wasn't expecting that at all!!!!
Thank you so much for the ARC. Thoroughly enjoyed it and I wish you every success with The Footage..
June 14, 2024
#1 Frightening Masterpiece
Every single time my landline phone rang, I shook while reading and The Footage almost went airborne. This is the fastest paced, most unsettling book Stuart has ever written. No slow moments when you can sigh or take a long breath. One part reminded me of the 16th century Plague Doctor masks. It was so well-written that I had to take a break because I was so creeped out. The descriptive writing is so eerie and the atmosphere is so claustrophobic, you can actually feel the character's seclusion. Shocking Ending.
This book made into a movie, would make other horror films look like cartoons.
Don't read alone at night, but definitely buy this book if you like thriller, horror novels.
Highly Recommend! 5-stars!
Every single time my landline phone rang, I shook while reading and The Footage almost went airborne. This is the fastest paced, most unsettling book Stuart has ever written. No slow moments when you can sigh or take a long breath. One part reminded me of the 16th century Plague Doctor masks. It was so well-written that I had to take a break because I was so creeped out. The descriptive writing is so eerie and the atmosphere is so claustrophobic, you can actually feel the character's seclusion. Shocking Ending.
This book made into a movie, would make other horror films look like cartoons.
Don't read alone at night, but definitely buy this book if you like thriller, horror novels.
Highly Recommend! 5-stars!
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