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The Folly
The Lighthouse meets My Cousin Rachel in this gothic horror in which Morgan and her ex-con father are stalked by a mysterious stranger after taking up residence in an old tower.
Morgan always knew her father, Owen, never murdered her mother. She has spent the last six years campaigning for his release from prison. Finally, mid-pandemic, Owen is set free, but the debt-riddled pair can no longer afford (or bear) to live in the family home – a house last decorated by a dead woman’s blood.
Salvation and the chance for a new start in life comes in the form of a tall, dark and notorious decorative granite tower on the Cornish coastline known only as ‘The Folly’. The structure is empty, prone to break-ins, and the owner needs a caretaker- food and bills included. It’s an offer too good to refuse. Morgan and Owen relocate, leaving everything of their former lives behind and hoping that a change of scene and the remote location will be good for them both.
At first, the Folly is indeed idyllic, but soon enough that peace is shattered when a bald-headed stranger arrives. A stranger who acts like Morgan’s mother, talks like her mother, and wears her dead mother’s clothes. What does he want? Why won’t he leave them alone? Why does he keep mentioning the year 1976?And what secrets does the Folly tower hold?
Morgan always knew her father, Owen, never murdered her mother. She has spent the last six years campaigning for his release from prison. Finally, mid-pandemic, Owen is set free, but the debt-riddled pair can no longer afford (or bear) to live in the family home – a house last decorated by a dead woman’s blood.
Salvation and the chance for a new start in life comes in the form of a tall, dark and notorious decorative granite tower on the Cornish coastline known only as ‘The Folly’. The structure is empty, prone to break-ins, and the owner needs a caretaker- food and bills included. It’s an offer too good to refuse. Morgan and Owen relocate, leaving everything of their former lives behind and hoping that a change of scene and the remote location will be good for them both.
At first, the Folly is indeed idyllic, but soon enough that peace is shattered when a bald-headed stranger arrives. A stranger who acts like Morgan’s mother, talks like her mother, and wears her dead mother’s clothes. What does he want? Why won’t he leave them alone? Why does he keep mentioning the year 1976?And what secrets does the Folly tower hold?
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 5, 2023
22 people are currently reading
1047 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Amor
42 books767 followersI'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.
Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.
Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.
Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.
Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
August 10, 2024
Check out my Interview with Gemma Amor at Grimdark Magazine.
My complete review of The Folly is published at Before We Go Blog.
“When Dad had been sentenced, I had been orphaned, practically and emotionally, at a much younger age than I had anticipated being parentless. I had been thrust into a new phase of life, a lonely phase, an unguided phase, which was both terrifying and oddly liberating.”
The Folly is Gemma Amor’s brooding Gothic mystery that evokes the best of both Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho.
The Folly opens with forty-three-year-old Morgan as she retrieves her father from prison. Morgan’s father was sentenced in a high-profile trial for the murder of his wife but is now being released following an appeal and eventual retrial. The isolation of prison is replaced by the disquieting loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic:
“What a life, I thought, in which every basic human need had become a protracted operation. Grocery shopping, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, haircuts, all the everyday shit we’d taken for granted suddenly layered with anxious complexity. What a world for Dad to come out into, after everything he suffered already.”
Financial strain and the unbearable memories of her mother’s death lead Morgan to sell their family home in Bristol and build a new life along the Cornwall coast. Morgan and her father become caretakers of the Folly, a gloomy lighthouse-style tower famous for its death tourists, whose visits to the Folly are destined to be their last.
“A decorative, brooding, and yet wholly frivolous endeavour, the Folly was a tall black granite tower with distinct crenellations capping the roof. It sat stoically on the very tip of a craggy, hooked peninsula, rising confidently above the sea as if it belonged to another era, as if ancient kings had resided there once.”
Gemma Amor channels Daphne du Maurier’s dark, poetic writing style, perfectly capturing the atmosphere and tone of Rebecca. Like du Maurier, Amor explores themes of personal identity and isolation, while slowly revealing hidden secrets and motivations.
This wouldn’t be a Gemma Amor novel without a healthy dose of horror. Amor strikes just the right level of supernatural dread to make The Folly feel deeply unsettling but without ever becoming excessive.
Following up on her back-to-back masterpieces, Full Immersion and The Once Yellow House, the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award nominated author Gemma Amor apparently can do no wrong. Although less ambitious in scope than her previous two novels, The Folly is an understated Gothic gem from one of today’s most exhilarating voices in speculative fiction.
My complete review of The Folly is published at Before We Go Blog.
“When Dad had been sentenced, I had been orphaned, practically and emotionally, at a much younger age than I had anticipated being parentless. I had been thrust into a new phase of life, a lonely phase, an unguided phase, which was both terrifying and oddly liberating.”
The Folly is Gemma Amor’s brooding Gothic mystery that evokes the best of both Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho.
The Folly opens with forty-three-year-old Morgan as she retrieves her father from prison. Morgan’s father was sentenced in a high-profile trial for the murder of his wife but is now being released following an appeal and eventual retrial. The isolation of prison is replaced by the disquieting loneliness of the COVID-19 pandemic:
“What a life, I thought, in which every basic human need had become a protracted operation. Grocery shopping, doctor appointments, dentist appointments, haircuts, all the everyday shit we’d taken for granted suddenly layered with anxious complexity. What a world for Dad to come out into, after everything he suffered already.”
Financial strain and the unbearable memories of her mother’s death lead Morgan to sell their family home in Bristol and build a new life along the Cornwall coast. Morgan and her father become caretakers of the Folly, a gloomy lighthouse-style tower famous for its death tourists, whose visits to the Folly are destined to be their last.
“A decorative, brooding, and yet wholly frivolous endeavour, the Folly was a tall black granite tower with distinct crenellations capping the roof. It sat stoically on the very tip of a craggy, hooked peninsula, rising confidently above the sea as if it belonged to another era, as if ancient kings had resided there once.”
Gemma Amor channels Daphne du Maurier’s dark, poetic writing style, perfectly capturing the atmosphere and tone of Rebecca. Like du Maurier, Amor explores themes of personal identity and isolation, while slowly revealing hidden secrets and motivations.
This wouldn’t be a Gemma Amor novel without a healthy dose of horror. Amor strikes just the right level of supernatural dread to make The Folly feel deeply unsettling but without ever becoming excessive.
Following up on her back-to-back masterpieces, Full Immersion and The Once Yellow House, the Bram Stoker and British Fantasy Award nominated author Gemma Amor apparently can do no wrong. Although less ambitious in scope than her previous two novels, The Folly is an understated Gothic gem from one of today’s most exhilarating voices in speculative fiction.
October 27, 2024
2.5 Stars
This book started out strong with a compelling premise and an emotional beginning. However as the story progressed it became more disjointed and ultimately did not live up to the usual quantity of the author's work. The idea behind this one felt regrettably amatuer.
I was quite disappointed.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher
This book started out strong with a compelling premise and an emotional beginning. However as the story progressed it became more disjointed and ultimately did not live up to the usual quantity of the author's work. The idea behind this one felt regrettably amatuer.
I was quite disappointed.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher
January 23, 2024
2.5 stars
After campaigning for seven years to have his conviction for murdering her mother overturned, Morgan's father is released from prison during the height of pandemic lockdown. Hoping to mend what remains of their fractured family, as well as help her dad heal from the emotional and physical toll of prison, and also because of the financial stability she has exhausted due to legal fees, Morgan has sold the family home and the pair relocate to a small village on the Cornish coast. There, they take up the position of caretakers of a folly with a tragic history. More importantly, they will act as guards against the "death tourists" who seek out the folly due to its infamous reputation. But the arrival of a stranger on their very first night soon has them reckoning with their own dark family history instead.
Doesn't that all sound great? I thought so, and I had particularly high hopes as the author of the tale is Gemma Amor, whose work I discovered last year. I've loved everything I've read by her up to this point, but The Folly was a big disappointment. I'm not even sure I can put into words why this book didn't work. It's very strange and disjointed, and not in a good way. It almost read like Amor wrote a framing story for a book with some filler thrown in, but never got around to making it coherent and complete.
There were some glimpses of the writing I've come to know and love from the author. For example, after a glass shatters on the floor: I thought again how strange it was that gravity had such a heavy pull here. Everything seemed to want to return to the earth, at speed, to destroy itself. Crockery. People. And a couple of the scenes with the stranger were effectively chilling. But the whole book failed to pull itself together and the end was so unsatisfying, I knocked off another half star. Morgan also reads, in relation to her parents and with some of the reveals at the end that work to resolve the plot, like she should be much, much younger than 43. She's an unreliable narrator, and that's a trope I sometimes really enjoy, but in The Folly it just made a mess of a story seem more uneven.
I won't take The Folly as representative of Amor's work, and it would be a shame if this is anyone's first exposure, so I really can't recommend this one. Read Dear Laura or the short story collection Cruel Works of Nature instead.
After campaigning for seven years to have his conviction for murdering her mother overturned, Morgan's father is released from prison during the height of pandemic lockdown. Hoping to mend what remains of their fractured family, as well as help her dad heal from the emotional and physical toll of prison, and also because of the financial stability she has exhausted due to legal fees, Morgan has sold the family home and the pair relocate to a small village on the Cornish coast. There, they take up the position of caretakers of a folly with a tragic history. More importantly, they will act as guards against the "death tourists" who seek out the folly due to its infamous reputation. But the arrival of a stranger on their very first night soon has them reckoning with their own dark family history instead.
Doesn't that all sound great? I thought so, and I had particularly high hopes as the author of the tale is Gemma Amor, whose work I discovered last year. I've loved everything I've read by her up to this point, but The Folly was a big disappointment. I'm not even sure I can put into words why this book didn't work. It's very strange and disjointed, and not in a good way. It almost read like Amor wrote a framing story for a book with some filler thrown in, but never got around to making it coherent and complete.
There were some glimpses of the writing I've come to know and love from the author. For example, after a glass shatters on the floor: I thought again how strange it was that gravity had such a heavy pull here. Everything seemed to want to return to the earth, at speed, to destroy itself. Crockery. People. And a couple of the scenes with the stranger were effectively chilling. But the whole book failed to pull itself together and the end was so unsatisfying, I knocked off another half star. Morgan also reads, in relation to her parents and with some of the reveals at the end that work to resolve the plot, like she should be much, much younger than 43. She's an unreliable narrator, and that's a trope I sometimes really enjoy, but in The Folly it just made a mess of a story seem more uneven.
I won't take The Folly as representative of Amor's work, and it would be a shame if this is anyone's first exposure, so I really can't recommend this one. Read Dear Laura or the short story collection Cruel Works of Nature instead.
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December 9, 2023Some genuinely creepy scenes, murder mystery (like The Staircase) coastal vibes, and family secrets. Review soon!!
November 18, 2024
Review originally at JamReads
The Folly is an excellent coastal horror novella, which explores themes such as grief, identity and isolation, written by Gemma Amor. Morgan's father was accused of killing her mother, but she was always sure of his innocency; after passing the last seven years campaigning for his release, he's released, and after selling the old family house, they come to live as the caretakers of a coastal light-house style tower in Cornwall.
Soon, the isolation that Morgan lived during the years of the imprisonment is substituted by the isolation that is tied to their new position; at least now she has her father as partner. However, the apparition of a mysterious man spouting what seems to be non-sense, but which deeply affects Morgan, shaking the foundations of the relationship with his father, that confidence in the lack of culpability on her mother's death; being him the only possible company in this remote setting, cracks will start to appear while the past of Morgan's parents is uncovered.
With a voice that touches the poetic many times, Amor maximizes the use of the isolation to weave a story that drinks from many Gothic elements, slowly drawing the horror to the setting, never being excessive or too oppressive. It gives some chills, a sort of enjoyable tension that works marvels for the situation.
Themes as the effect of isolation in the minds and how identity is shaken when the foundations of said identity disappear are explored through the characters masterfully.
The Folly is an excellent modern Gothic horror novella, another proof of Amor's writing skills; perfect to read on a chilly night, and that I recommend to anybody that loves the genre.
The Folly is an excellent coastal horror novella, which explores themes such as grief, identity and isolation, written by Gemma Amor. Morgan's father was accused of killing her mother, but she was always sure of his innocency; after passing the last seven years campaigning for his release, he's released, and after selling the old family house, they come to live as the caretakers of a coastal light-house style tower in Cornwall.
Soon, the isolation that Morgan lived during the years of the imprisonment is substituted by the isolation that is tied to their new position; at least now she has her father as partner. However, the apparition of a mysterious man spouting what seems to be non-sense, but which deeply affects Morgan, shaking the foundations of the relationship with his father, that confidence in the lack of culpability on her mother's death; being him the only possible company in this remote setting, cracks will start to appear while the past of Morgan's parents is uncovered.
With a voice that touches the poetic many times, Amor maximizes the use of the isolation to weave a story that drinks from many Gothic elements, slowly drawing the horror to the setting, never being excessive or too oppressive. It gives some chills, a sort of enjoyable tension that works marvels for the situation.
Themes as the effect of isolation in the minds and how identity is shaken when the foundations of said identity disappear are explored through the characters masterfully.
The Folly is an excellent modern Gothic horror novella, another proof of Amor's writing skills; perfect to read on a chilly night, and that I recommend to anybody that loves the genre.
November 20, 2024
Six years after serving a sentence, Owen is released from prison. His daughter, Morgan, believes in his innocence and will always support her father. Anyway, he couldn’t have killed her mother, right?
With both of them broke and needed a place to stay, an opportunity arises. To be caretakers of The Folly.
Things turn grim when a stranger arrives. He acts peculiar and on top of that….. has the voice of Morgan’s dead mother.
This was a fun novella that I blew through in a day. Creepy and perfect for horror lovers!!
Fun fact — Gemma is the co-creator of horror-comedy podcast Calling Darkness, starring Kate Siegel! She narrated the audiobook, The Possession Of Natalie Glasgow by Hailey Piper!
‼️‼️ If you’re trying to reach your end of the year reading goal…. THIS WOULD BE PERFECT!
*156 pages only
@daturabooks @manylittlewords #thefolly
December 11, 2023
Gemma why did you write this? *because it's iconic, and I love to do iconic shit* this read like an ITV drama on steroids, I loved this mysterious coastal gothic horror, the writing was almost poetic at times and the entire book had an air of gloom, the horror is subtle but you can feel the creeping dread bubbling under the surface and the tension Amor weaves throughout is palpable, themes of isolation, grief and identity are explored, if you enjoy mystery/horror surrounding family secrets/drama and gloriously rich dark gothic prose and atmosphere then this is the book for you!
September 21, 2023
I was lucky enough to get an eARC copy of this novella and couldn't wait to get stuck into it.
After being convicted for the murder of his wife, Morgan's father spent six years in jail. Now that he's been released, she's determined to help him get back into the swing of life outside of prison. It starts with selling their tainted house and heading to the coast to stay in The Folly. A place in a lovely but harsh setting that hopefully helps heal past wounds. But strange things happen almost instantly, and Morgan has to face a reality she's been trying very hard to avoid...
Wow. What an intriguing novella!
I was hooked on this story straight away. Morgan's tragic situation dragged me in as quickly as the strength of her voice. It doesn't take long to realise that although she shares so much, she's obviously holding back certain details. And I couldn't stop reading.
When the weird and super creepy stuff hit, I was riveted. Totally hooked on the events that turned everything upside down. Suddenly, nothing seemed normal anymore, or remotely okay, and I shared Morgan's confusion and suspicion.
This is the kind of tale that grips the reader so tightly, it refuses to let go. I wanted to speed through, to get to the nitty-gritty of the mystery at the heart of everything. At the same time, I wanted to take my time because I didn't want it to end.
I think the pacing is as perfect as the ominous shadow that seems to follow Morgan and Owen. No matter what's happening, the dread is always there, dripping from every page.
Another beautiful thing about this novella is the location. This coastal structure Morgan and her father are staying in seems to have a life of its own, is as cruel as the ocean always ready to steal away careless souls. Not to mention how well the pandemic fits in with everything that's going on.
The Folly is an amazing story that delves deep into the effects of close familial ties after a horrifying tragedy. It's about how the past is never really gone, and shows that secrets have a way of festering. Until one day, everyone has to face their greatest fears.
I really loved everything about this tale, and the ending was unexpected. In the best way possible.
After being convicted for the murder of his wife, Morgan's father spent six years in jail. Now that he's been released, she's determined to help him get back into the swing of life outside of prison. It starts with selling their tainted house and heading to the coast to stay in The Folly. A place in a lovely but harsh setting that hopefully helps heal past wounds. But strange things happen almost instantly, and Morgan has to face a reality she's been trying very hard to avoid...
Wow. What an intriguing novella!
I was hooked on this story straight away. Morgan's tragic situation dragged me in as quickly as the strength of her voice. It doesn't take long to realise that although she shares so much, she's obviously holding back certain details. And I couldn't stop reading.
When the weird and super creepy stuff hit, I was riveted. Totally hooked on the events that turned everything upside down. Suddenly, nothing seemed normal anymore, or remotely okay, and I shared Morgan's confusion and suspicion.
This is the kind of tale that grips the reader so tightly, it refuses to let go. I wanted to speed through, to get to the nitty-gritty of the mystery at the heart of everything. At the same time, I wanted to take my time because I didn't want it to end.
I think the pacing is as perfect as the ominous shadow that seems to follow Morgan and Owen. No matter what's happening, the dread is always there, dripping from every page.
Another beautiful thing about this novella is the location. This coastal structure Morgan and her father are staying in seems to have a life of its own, is as cruel as the ocean always ready to steal away careless souls. Not to mention how well the pandemic fits in with everything that's going on.
The Folly is an amazing story that delves deep into the effects of close familial ties after a horrifying tragedy. It's about how the past is never really gone, and shows that secrets have a way of festering. Until one day, everyone has to face their greatest fears.
I really loved everything about this tale, and the ending was unexpected. In the best way possible.
December 22, 2023
I’ve read 2 stories from Gemma Amor, the 1st being about the horror of suburban living featuring 13 ft. skeletons (that story is so much fun, it’s called The Hooper Street Halloween Decoration Committee and can be found in the October Screams Halloween anthology). The 2nd is The Folly, a Gothic story about a woman, Morgan, who moves with her father, Owen, to a remote seaside abode following his release from prison. Based on these two stories alone, I’ll be purchasing all of Gemma’s other works.
The Folly is equally terrifying and brilliant. Since high school (when I wrote a paper on how fear in isolation leads to madness a la The Shining) I have been obsessed with secluded horror. The idea that the lines of reality are hastily blurred when removed from conventional forms of connection is something so fascinating and something that Amor writes so well. The physical setting of the Folly and the time period, the time of the pandemic, serve to establish strong lines of isolation from the start. Morgan and Owen’s relationship is obviously strained given Owen was once convicted for the death of Morgan’s mother, his wife. While Morgan has always supported his innocence, his release and their time shared begins to show some fissures in this trust. It’s only when they begin to live in the Folly that things are amplified, especially upon the arrival of a peculiar stranger. This interloper is terrifying, not for any obvious reason based on appearance but rather his actions and words. There’s something so frightening about personal horror, horror that can only be fully grasped by understanding the small details that are innate to a person.
More than anything this book is so clever. The plot is based on ideas of isolation and separation, yet, as soon as I finished reading, I immediately wanted to get in touch with someone to discuss what the hell just happened. The Folly is a dark, twisty Gothic tale that toys with ideas of perception, connection, and hauntings. I didn’t even get to discuss the use of gravity in this caption, but my full review goes into much more detail (links in my story and bio). If you like twisty, you have to read this.
The Folly is equally terrifying and brilliant. Since high school (when I wrote a paper on how fear in isolation leads to madness a la The Shining) I have been obsessed with secluded horror. The idea that the lines of reality are hastily blurred when removed from conventional forms of connection is something so fascinating and something that Amor writes so well. The physical setting of the Folly and the time period, the time of the pandemic, serve to establish strong lines of isolation from the start. Morgan and Owen’s relationship is obviously strained given Owen was once convicted for the death of Morgan’s mother, his wife. While Morgan has always supported his innocence, his release and their time shared begins to show some fissures in this trust. It’s only when they begin to live in the Folly that things are amplified, especially upon the arrival of a peculiar stranger. This interloper is terrifying, not for any obvious reason based on appearance but rather his actions and words. There’s something so frightening about personal horror, horror that can only be fully grasped by understanding the small details that are innate to a person.
More than anything this book is so clever. The plot is based on ideas of isolation and separation, yet, as soon as I finished reading, I immediately wanted to get in touch with someone to discuss what the hell just happened. The Folly is a dark, twisty Gothic tale that toys with ideas of perception, connection, and hauntings. I didn’t even get to discuss the use of gravity in this caption, but my full review goes into much more detail (links in my story and bio). If you like twisty, you have to read this.
January 8, 2024
I had to DNF this halfway through. This entire story is basically just one woman’s interior monologue and I honestly didn’t need a constant remind about how someone killed a bird in the first part of the book. Not worth it.
October 29, 2025
Another brilliantly written and emotionally driven masterpiece from Gemma. The main characters voice is always the strongest from her work and this novel really sets the bar on the level of detail you need to really flesh out a person in your stories.
A haunting and shadowy setting, a classic but fresh feeling plot, some genuinely creep out/high tension scenes.
Another strong check in the box that Gemma Amor is THEE powerhouse in horror wirting today.
A haunting and shadowy setting, a classic but fresh feeling plot, some genuinely creep out/high tension scenes.
Another strong check in the box that Gemma Amor is THEE powerhouse in horror wirting today.
January 7, 2024
A father / daughter relationship with a twist. A creepy old house on the coast where they move to in order to begin again after an incarceration.
"A decorative, brooding, and yet wholly frivolous endeavor, the Folly was a tall black granite tower with distinct crenellations capping the roof."
"A home did not always need to be bathed in sun to be a good place to live."
Grief, pandemic, and a family mystery.
My reading experience was that I really wished this story had more depth. To me, it touched only the surface on some parts and other parts went too deep.
I enjoyed it, and it definitely kept my interest. A mystery that is light with a couple creepy parts.
"A decorative, brooding, and yet wholly frivolous endeavor, the Folly was a tall black granite tower with distinct crenellations capping the roof."
"A home did not always need to be bathed in sun to be a good place to live."
Grief, pandemic, and a family mystery.
My reading experience was that I really wished this story had more depth. To me, it touched only the surface on some parts and other parts went too deep.
I enjoyed it, and it definitely kept my interest. A mystery that is light with a couple creepy parts.
February 14, 2024
I did like this but I wish it could have been more. There are bits I wished were longer, yet bits I wished were shortened.
What I liked:
-gothic elements/setting
-Amor's writing is stunning
-slow burn and weirdly, the claustrophobic and uneasy feeling I got while reading it
-general mystery and intrigue (although it didn't quite deliver its full potential)
What I didn't like:
-character's lack of depth, lack of connection, no reason to really care about the characters
-more explanation as to why and how this weird shit is happening. Like...am I supposed to attribute it to the house itself? If so, it's not explained.
-The Folly itself didn't feel like it was part of the story enough and I feel like it should have played a more prominent role. Idk, maybe it's just me
The framework of the story is brilliant and I enjoyed the reading experience but it felt incomplete.
What I liked:
-gothic elements/setting
-Amor's writing is stunning
-slow burn and weirdly, the claustrophobic and uneasy feeling I got while reading it
-general mystery and intrigue (although it didn't quite deliver its full potential)
What I didn't like:
-character's lack of depth, lack of connection, no reason to really care about the characters
-more explanation as to why and how this weird shit is happening. Like...am I supposed to attribute it to the house itself? If so, it's not explained.
-The Folly itself didn't feel like it was part of the story enough and I feel like it should have played a more prominent role. Idk, maybe it's just me
The framework of the story is brilliant and I enjoyed the reading experience but it felt incomplete.
January 26, 2024
1.5 rounded down
So glad it’s over. It felt like a disjointed mess. Started off okay, intriguing enough to want to know what happens. Then it takes a detour with its overwritten prose, seemingly endless inner monologue, rushed ending, never-getting-to-the-point having ass under the guise of horror and ghosts or some shit. Then in the end, I still don’t know what happened. Is Morgan just a mentally ill woman? What the hell was the point of anything.
I think two stars is way too generous. I’m just glad this mess is over.
So glad it’s over. It felt like a disjointed mess. Started off okay, intriguing enough to want to know what happens. Then it takes a detour with its overwritten prose, seemingly endless inner monologue, rushed ending, never-getting-to-the-point having ass under the guise of horror and ghosts or some shit. Then in the end, I still don’t know what happened. Is Morgan just a mentally ill woman? What the hell was the point of anything.
I think two stars is way too generous. I’m just glad this mess is over.
December 8, 2023
I feel like the author could have gone so much further with the ending, but overall a great read
March 7, 2024
The Folly by Gemma Amor is less than 200 pages with a tight scope. Only 2-3 characters tell the story. This could easily have been a stage play.
43yo Morgan retrieves her father Owen from 6-1/2 years in prison for her mother’s death. The case had extremely high media attention and everyone has an opinion about Owen. It’s 2020, so the coastal areas where they live are in lockdown. Themes of isolation, trust, and paranoia play heavily in this short novel.
If you like scary, jump outta your skin thrills this is a great book. At the Folly, an old castle in Cornwall, things come to light and things go wrong. Morgan is losing her grip and her situation is making it worse. Things really start to come together when shit starts falling apart. The author does a lot in a small space with only a few people, and as a reader with a mile-high TBR, I appreciate that.
I suspect that horror fans will find plenty in this short book to like. The Folly will keep you reading for about 4 hours.
43yo Morgan retrieves her father Owen from 6-1/2 years in prison for her mother’s death. The case had extremely high media attention and everyone has an opinion about Owen. It’s 2020, so the coastal areas where they live are in lockdown. Themes of isolation, trust, and paranoia play heavily in this short novel.
If you like scary, jump outta your skin thrills this is a great book. At the Folly, an old castle in Cornwall, things come to light and things go wrong. Morgan is losing her grip and her situation is making it worse. Things really start to come together when shit starts falling apart. The author does a lot in a small space with only a few people, and as a reader with a mile-high TBR, I appreciate that.
I suspect that horror fans will find plenty in this short book to like. The Folly will keep you reading for about 4 hours.
October 25, 2024
I have complicated feelings about this novella. The first three-quarters were honestly some of the creepiest stuff I've ever read. I read a lot of horror but I don't get genuinely freaked out by books very often. This whole situation with the maybe mom zombie gave me a hectic case of the heebie jeebies. I thought it was brilliantly done. I was IMMERSED in that isolated, windswept gothic setting and I could feel all of Morgan's spiraling, escalating fears creeping down my spine. Gemma Amor gave Daphne Du Maurier a run for her money in the early parts of this story.
And then the the final three chapters happened. I didn't need them. I don't think the story needed them. The Folly had a natural, satisfying but ambiguous end point. Why keep going? It was like ten stars for the majority of this book and minus ten for the ending.
FYI this is set during covid lockdown if that's a setting you're already bored of.
And then the the final three chapters happened. I didn't need them. I don't think the story needed them. The Folly had a natural, satisfying but ambiguous end point. Why keep going? It was like ten stars for the majority of this book and minus ten for the ending.
FYI this is set during covid lockdown if that's a setting you're already bored of.
September 22, 2023
I received a free E copy of this from the author after having such a reaction to their last book ‘Full Immersion’ (which if you haven’t read, you really should).
The Folly follows a Father and Daughter after the father is released from prison after being accused of killing his wife. The pair move to start a brand new live but the past will not leave them alone.
I read this book in two sittings as I could not put it down. The sense of tension and horror that the author manages to wield in her writing is amazing to me. The depiction of the stormy Cornish cliffs was the perfect back drop to this tense story and only goes on to cement the author as one of my automatic bits.
The Folly follows a Father and Daughter after the father is released from prison after being accused of killing his wife. The pair move to start a brand new live but the past will not leave them alone.
I read this book in two sittings as I could not put it down. The sense of tension and horror that the author manages to wield in her writing is amazing to me. The depiction of the stormy Cornish cliffs was the perfect back drop to this tense story and only goes on to cement the author as one of my automatic bits.
June 26, 2025
Families are difficult and Amor clearly understands that deeply. As an adult trying to navigate a relationship with them, a person has to wrestle with having empathy for your parents as human beings while also being honest about behaviors, decisions, and actions. Memories are difficult, slippery, and as a child we are not privy to a lot of truths that nevertheless have a huge impact on our lives.
These are some of the thoughts that I had while reading The Folly. In a book that is less than 200 pages, Amor is able to plumb the depths of a very fraught, emotional father/daughter to a remarkable degree.
The story follows Morgan as she tries to start over with her father after he has just been realized from prison after many years. He had been convicted of the murder of Morgan’s mother, but after a retrial Morgan fought for, the death has been deemed an accident.
Morgan moves her father and herself to the Folly, an imposing, tower-like structure on the Cornwall coast. There they will be faced with many hard truths, what happened the night of her mother’s death, what her father is truly capable of, and whether or not she has spent all of this time, energy, and resources on someone that perhaps does not deserve it.
This book is very emotional, I found myself in tears repeatedly during the last twenty or thirty pages and Amor’s writing is just beautiful. For instance, “Foundations of pain, of waste, of secrecy, of failure. Such was the platform upon which The Folly stood proud, its black granite blocks rejecting the sun’s light and warmth, as if it were ashamed of itself.” Absolutely stunning and so evocative.
Do yourself a favor and read this one.
These are some of the thoughts that I had while reading The Folly. In a book that is less than 200 pages, Amor is able to plumb the depths of a very fraught, emotional father/daughter to a remarkable degree.
The story follows Morgan as she tries to start over with her father after he has just been realized from prison after many years. He had been convicted of the murder of Morgan’s mother, but after a retrial Morgan fought for, the death has been deemed an accident.
Morgan moves her father and herself to the Folly, an imposing, tower-like structure on the Cornwall coast. There they will be faced with many hard truths, what happened the night of her mother’s death, what her father is truly capable of, and whether or not she has spent all of this time, energy, and resources on someone that perhaps does not deserve it.
This book is very emotional, I found myself in tears repeatedly during the last twenty or thirty pages and Amor’s writing is just beautiful. For instance, “Foundations of pain, of waste, of secrecy, of failure. Such was the platform upon which The Folly stood proud, its black granite blocks rejecting the sun’s light and warmth, as if it were ashamed of itself.” Absolutely stunning and so evocative.
Do yourself a favor and read this one.
November 24, 2024
A very modern gothic novel that is part supernatural, part thriller, but very suspenseful and atmospheric!
My first from this author and I’m already a fan of the writing, to the point but very soothing and smooth. There is a lot in this story with a slower first part, setting the context and background, letting the reader familiarise with the characters, and a faster second part where everything escalates almost as if the pace of the story reflected that of the protagonist Morgan.
I loved the setting in an isolated tower with a shady past, a relic of past times, even more so as the lockdown from the pandemic adds to the feeling of confinement. Inhabiting this secluded folly, Morgan and her father, just released from prison after being wrongly accused of killing his mother, try to start anew. But there are things that cannot be forgotten and although left to rotten, they eventually catch up with them! Who’s this stranger suddenly entering their lives talking with Morgan’s mum's voice? What happened that fateful night?
This is a beautiful dark and misty mystery, a story of a family that whilst trying to forget their past and fix their relationship, realise that the sea won’t hide secrets forever and whilst they try to ignore them, the characters find themselves crumbling bit by bit, until they decide to face them!
Thanks to the author and Datura Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
My first from this author and I’m already a fan of the writing, to the point but very soothing and smooth. There is a lot in this story with a slower first part, setting the context and background, letting the reader familiarise with the characters, and a faster second part where everything escalates almost as if the pace of the story reflected that of the protagonist Morgan.
I loved the setting in an isolated tower with a shady past, a relic of past times, even more so as the lockdown from the pandemic adds to the feeling of confinement. Inhabiting this secluded folly, Morgan and her father, just released from prison after being wrongly accused of killing his mother, try to start anew. But there are things that cannot be forgotten and although left to rotten, they eventually catch up with them! Who’s this stranger suddenly entering their lives talking with Morgan’s mum's voice? What happened that fateful night?
This is a beautiful dark and misty mystery, a story of a family that whilst trying to forget their past and fix their relationship, realise that the sea won’t hide secrets forever and whilst they try to ignore them, the characters find themselves crumbling bit by bit, until they decide to face them!
Thanks to the author and Datura Books for a copy and this is my honest opinion.
November 6, 2024
Yeah, so this was just not great.
Morgan has always known that her father did not kill her mother and after ears of campaigning to have his case retried he is released from prison. They move to a dark and mysterious tower near the ocean where they can start over. But the ghost of her mother is soon haunting them both in the form of a man possessed.
This should've been a lot better. The story starts strong but then deteriorates. The main character is a 43 year old women but acts like a young girl. The main premise of the "possession" is almost just abandoned near the end. Nothing made sense.
The best thing I can say is that it was short.
Morgan has always known that her father did not kill her mother and after ears of campaigning to have his case retried he is released from prison. They move to a dark and mysterious tower near the ocean where they can start over. But the ghost of her mother is soon haunting them both in the form of a man possessed.
This should've been a lot better. The story starts strong but then deteriorates. The main character is a 43 year old women but acts like a young girl. The main premise of the "possession" is almost just abandoned near the end. Nothing made sense.
The best thing I can say is that it was short.
December 12, 2025
The Folly has a great atmosphere and Gemma Amor really knows how to set a mood. The eerie setting drew me in and I enjoyed the sense of mystery woven through the story. There is a lot to appreciate in the way the tension slowly builds and the world becomes more unsettling as you read.
The pacing was slower than I expected though. There were moments when the story felt like it lingered a little too long without giving me enough to push forward, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.
Even so, the atmosphere and mysterious elements are strong enough to make the book worth picking up, especially if you enjoy slower, moodier thrillers. It did not fully land for me, but I still found things to appreciate in the experience.
The pacing was slower than I expected though. There were moments when the story felt like it lingered a little too long without giving me enough to push forward, which made it harder to stay fully engaged.
Even so, the atmosphere and mysterious elements are strong enough to make the book worth picking up, especially if you enjoy slower, moodier thrillers. It did not fully land for me, but I still found things to appreciate in the experience.
November 10, 2024
This was a super creepy thriller with a cool, spooky vibe. Morgan’s dad has finally been let out of prison, and instead of trying to stick it out in their blood-stained family home, they move to a random coastal tower. The place is huge, isolated, and a little too good to be true. It’s honestly a character all on its own. The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and as we’re driving in the fog right now I’m looking over my shoulders.
If you’re into stories with a haunted vibe, family drama, and creepy strangers who don’t know when to leave, this was a lot of fun. It was a super short read so also perfect for meeting your reading goals. Might want to read this one with the lights on!
Thank you so much datura books and the author for the ARC. All the above are my honest thoughts.
If you’re into stories with a haunted vibe, family drama, and creepy strangers who don’t know when to leave, this was a lot of fun. It was a super short read so also perfect for meeting your reading goals. Might want to read this one with the lights on!
Thank you so much datura books and the author for the ARC. All the above are my honest thoughts.
November 10, 2023
The Folly review
I loved this book; it’s like a murder mystery and supernatural ghost story, but not relying heavily on either because it is truly about family and how we care for each other. I received an e-ARC from the author.
Gemma’s characters are all flawed and sympathetic, that even with unreliable narratives, I believed that the protagonist may actually see/hear/feel the ghosts of her family, though in the end I wondered if perhaps she may experience psychosis. She has plenty reason to… however, the ending was such that I am ok with not knowing, it’s an imperfectly tied bow, a lovely rare treat when most books leave too much open where I am disappointed in the outcome. Not with this one!
I loved this book; it’s like a murder mystery and supernatural ghost story, but not relying heavily on either because it is truly about family and how we care for each other. I received an e-ARC from the author.
Gemma’s characters are all flawed and sympathetic, that even with unreliable narratives, I believed that the protagonist may actually see/hear/feel the ghosts of her family, though in the end I wondered if perhaps she may experience psychosis. She has plenty reason to… however, the ending was such that I am ok with not knowing, it’s an imperfectly tied bow, a lovely rare treat when most books leave too much open where I am disappointed in the outcome. Not with this one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2024
ATTENTION: all the Spoilers!!
This book was very readable and I had no issue zooming through it without any desire to stop. The things I didn’t like about it;
1) you never get an answer to the most glaring question “did the dad do it?”
2) the dad dies of covid, really!? How unoriginal and tired
3) just because the bald man ends up being Morgan’s bio dad doesnt explain how he was basically a supernatural being impervious to death
4) I’m guessing the ending is supposed to mean that she died and is now in heaven with her mom? I ask because this was by no means obvious or sensical.
5) The book describes a circular tower with no other nearby buildings yet the cover photo is of some weird castle
This book was very readable and I had no issue zooming through it without any desire to stop. The things I didn’t like about it;
1) you never get an answer to the most glaring question “did the dad do it?”
2) the dad dies of covid, really!? How unoriginal and tired
3) just because the bald man ends up being Morgan’s bio dad doesnt explain how he was basically a supernatural being impervious to death
4) I’m guessing the ending is supposed to mean that she died and is now in heaven with her mom? I ask because this was by no means obvious or sensical.
5) The book describes a circular tower with no other nearby buildings yet the cover photo is of some weird castle
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 6, 2024
At the start of the story we are introduced to Morgan, a middle aged woman, and her father who has just been released from prison. We learn that Morgan’s father was just released from prison after spending many years there wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. Morgan decides its best for the pair to start a new chapter of their life in a small coastal town, it is decided that they will move into a “folly” in exchange for the upkeep of the building. That’s all I want to share as far as a summary because I did not read the summary before reading this book, I saw it at my library, saw Gemma Amor’s name, and decided to pick it up. I would recommend not reading the synopsis, I read the synopsis after finishing the book and honestly it gives some things away that probably is best for readers to discover on their own.
The book is well paced with Amor’s crisp prose which made it easy to get into the story pretty quickly. The atmosphere and isolated setting will appeal to readers who are fans of gothic style stories. There were a couple of themes explored in the story; grief, father/daughter relationships, residual effects of the pandemic, and adjusting to life after being released from an institution. I think each one was explored realistically and with heart. There were also some genuinely creepy moments that reminded me a lot of some of the scenes from the movie “Men”, which was very well done and really started to creep me out and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Unfortunately I think in the end the story took a really weird turn, which I typically don’t mind, but I just am not really sure I understand what happened. I also was very fascinated by Morgan’s character and really wanted to know more about her aside from some of the mommy and daddy issues. She had a quirky kind of thing going on (very “Eileenesque”) and I really wanted to know more about her, but I felt as if she was kept at an arms length to some degree.
Overall, I have no regrets reading this book, it had a lot of positives going for it but in the end it just felt like the book was not fully realized. Although it wasn’t a personal favorite, I think it could be a good book to discuss for a buddy or group read. Again the book had some genuinely creepy/unsettling moments and imagery. I enjoyed a lot about the book, but somewhere midway I kind of got lost and I never quite recovered.
The book is well paced with Amor’s crisp prose which made it easy to get into the story pretty quickly. The atmosphere and isolated setting will appeal to readers who are fans of gothic style stories. There were a couple of themes explored in the story; grief, father/daughter relationships, residual effects of the pandemic, and adjusting to life after being released from an institution. I think each one was explored realistically and with heart. There were also some genuinely creepy moments that reminded me a lot of some of the scenes from the movie “Men”, which was very well done and really started to creep me out and kept me on the edge of my seat.
Unfortunately I think in the end the story took a really weird turn, which I typically don’t mind, but I just am not really sure I understand what happened. I also was very fascinated by Morgan’s character and really wanted to know more about her aside from some of the mommy and daddy issues. She had a quirky kind of thing going on (very “Eileenesque”) and I really wanted to know more about her, but I felt as if she was kept at an arms length to some degree.
Overall, I have no regrets reading this book, it had a lot of positives going for it but in the end it just felt like the book was not fully realized. Although it wasn’t a personal favorite, I think it could be a good book to discuss for a buddy or group read. Again the book had some genuinely creepy/unsettling moments and imagery. I enjoyed a lot about the book, but somewhere midway I kind of got lost and I never quite recovered.
Read
November 12, 2024Hello again dear reader or listener, today, I have one of those reviews where the book didn’t work for me unfortunately but it might for others! It wasn’t you, dear book, it was me.
With thanks to the team at Datura for approving my Netgalley request, let’s break down this novella.
This is my first time reading any of Amor’s work and, while this story didn’t quite work for me, I did enjoy elements of the author’s writing style so I will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.
The Folly is an interesting psychological study of what can happen to one’s psyche after traumatic events, regardless of how hard one might try their best to break out of vicious thought loops or even PTSD caused by said events or by mental conditioning. Morgan, the protagonist, is a fascinating point of view to tell the story in because it shows us how easy or, depending on how bleak you’re feeling, unavoidable it is to fall into some kind of psychosis despite your best efforts to fix things, when everything is working against you.
There is a lot that Amor brings to the story to create both atmosphere and to truly render the sense of isolation and loneliness that grief can shroud you in. Paired with the time setting of the Covid pandemic lockdowns, and the location of an isolated tower in Cornwall, the author really drives her metaphors in strongly. If nothing else, the social commentary throughout, was truly on point, be it regarding the effects of the lockdowns, the struggles of the medical professionals, the faults of prison systems, or even the harm and damages of sensationalist news stories.
As for what didn’t work for me, well that’s gonna be a difficult one to explain. I could see what the author was attempting with the unsettling presence of the stranger that somehow acted like Morgan’s dead mother, or spoke with her voice. I was not overly bothered with the fact that there were too many unexplained details, or with the lack of easy answers as to what was happening because I knew the author was going for Gothic ambiguity and to likely display the protagonist’s progressively more and more unreliable mental state. Even though some answers would’ve been nice. The two mysteries of what or who the stranger truly was, as well as the niggling doubt that slowly creeps into Morgan’s mind about her father’s innocence in her mother’s death, were what drove me to complete the story even though some of those reveals became pretty obvious way before the end of the story. It would be charitable to call the plot twist a trope but it bordered too close to cliché for comfort if I’m being frank. There were some potential jump scares and I’m sure that had I been more engrossed in this story I may have been affected by them, but as it was, the body horror elements accompanying them found me completely jaded. I saw the climax for what it was meant to be but I didn’t feel particularly taken by it, and the denouement after gave me the sense of a skipping stone, or a series of time skipping postcards wrapping up this short story in a way that ultimately felt pretty bleak, even if kinda clever in the sense that you’re given one final confirmation about how broken Morgan truly was.
Finally, I was pretty disappointed in the significance of the tower itself. From the blurb, you’re given to understand that it holds bigger significance to the plot, so I expected the tower and its promised ghosts to be relevant in some way to the story, but it ended up just being set dressing that is pretty glossed over aside for pointing out that it’s out of the way of people.
I am a big fan of ghost stories and even a bigger one of slow fall into insanity plots, however in this case, I just did not connect with this one in any way that might affect me or stay with me afterward. At the cost of sounding too harsh, this was a thriller with no thrills for me. But I ended up looking at it more as a spec fic psychological study, than a horror or thriller and that might be enough.
Until next time,
Eleni A.E.
With thanks to the team at Datura for approving my Netgalley request, let’s break down this novella.
This is my first time reading any of Amor’s work and, while this story didn’t quite work for me, I did enjoy elements of the author’s writing style so I will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.
The Folly is an interesting psychological study of what can happen to one’s psyche after traumatic events, regardless of how hard one might try their best to break out of vicious thought loops or even PTSD caused by said events or by mental conditioning. Morgan, the protagonist, is a fascinating point of view to tell the story in because it shows us how easy or, depending on how bleak you’re feeling, unavoidable it is to fall into some kind of psychosis despite your best efforts to fix things, when everything is working against you.
There is a lot that Amor brings to the story to create both atmosphere and to truly render the sense of isolation and loneliness that grief can shroud you in. Paired with the time setting of the Covid pandemic lockdowns, and the location of an isolated tower in Cornwall, the author really drives her metaphors in strongly. If nothing else, the social commentary throughout, was truly on point, be it regarding the effects of the lockdowns, the struggles of the medical professionals, the faults of prison systems, or even the harm and damages of sensationalist news stories.
As for what didn’t work for me, well that’s gonna be a difficult one to explain. I could see what the author was attempting with the unsettling presence of the stranger that somehow acted like Morgan’s dead mother, or spoke with her voice. I was not overly bothered with the fact that there were too many unexplained details, or with the lack of easy answers as to what was happening because I knew the author was going for Gothic ambiguity and to likely display the protagonist’s progressively more and more unreliable mental state. Even though some answers would’ve been nice. The two mysteries of what or who the stranger truly was, as well as the niggling doubt that slowly creeps into Morgan’s mind about her father’s innocence in her mother’s death, were what drove me to complete the story even though some of those reveals became pretty obvious way before the end of the story. It would be charitable to call the plot twist a trope but it bordered too close to cliché for comfort if I’m being frank. There were some potential jump scares and I’m sure that had I been more engrossed in this story I may have been affected by them, but as it was, the body horror elements accompanying them found me completely jaded. I saw the climax for what it was meant to be but I didn’t feel particularly taken by it, and the denouement after gave me the sense of a skipping stone, or a series of time skipping postcards wrapping up this short story in a way that ultimately felt pretty bleak, even if kinda clever in the sense that you’re given one final confirmation about how broken Morgan truly was.
Finally, I was pretty disappointed in the significance of the tower itself. From the blurb, you’re given to understand that it holds bigger significance to the plot, so I expected the tower and its promised ghosts to be relevant in some way to the story, but it ended up just being set dressing that is pretty glossed over aside for pointing out that it’s out of the way of people.
I am a big fan of ghost stories and even a bigger one of slow fall into insanity plots, however in this case, I just did not connect with this one in any way that might affect me or stay with me afterward. At the cost of sounding too harsh, this was a thriller with no thrills for me. But I ended up looking at it more as a spec fic psychological study, than a horror or thriller and that might be enough.
Until next time,
Eleni A.E.
December 26, 2023
4.5 stars rounded to 5. Gemma Amor's 'The Folly' has strong epistolary vibes, though it's not at all that kind of book. It does feel like you're reading the main character's diary, or watching a documentary of her life she's the principal commentator on. And what a life it is. The plot takes many turns, perhaps too many for a novella, but the setting, the dialogue, and the writing make up for it. Otherwise it might not be as compelling or as convincing as it actually is. 'The Folly' is set towards the end of the UK lockdown due to the pandemic. It's about a 43-year-old woman, whose father has been exonerated for the murder of her mother; upon his early release from prison, however, he's forced to move, along with his daughter, whose idea the moving is, from Bristol to a tower in Cornwall. The remote seaside building is described very thoroughly, in step with the descriptions of the daughter's love for her father. In fact, both the building and the love have a major role to play, when there crops up out of nowhere an unknown man who's acting very strangely, invading their personal space both figurately and literally. There's a nice Gothic atmosphere throughout the story that goes very well with the enforced isolation of the pandemic. However, once the second part is reached, it all unravels very fast, both because people do not really respect the lockdown and the stranger is coming and going in the tower as he likes. So this is not a story about isolation per se; it mostly has to do with ambiguity: of love, of origins, of self-understanding, of family. The ending is quite dense, perhaps the novella was originally meant as a novel, but it satisfies and provides much needed closure. Still, some ambiguity remains even then. The portrayal of Corfu was very well done. Overall, an engrossing read, if you can handle the ambiguity.
January 6, 2025
“Watching him batter the bird to a flattened, pink mess as lightning flashed once more in the sky above made me see him for the first time as all those other people must have seen him after mum died, for he looked vile, and dangerous, and once I saw him like that, it was difficult to unsee”
“Foundations of pain, of waste, of secrecy, of failure. Such was the platform upon which the Folly stood proud, it’s black granite blocks rejecting the sun’s light and warmth, as if it were ashamed of itself”
——————————-
A daughter and her recently released from prison- father hope for a new start at a towering Folly by the Cornish coast but find themselves haunted by the memory of the mother he was wrongfully (?) convicted of having murdered. Soon visited by a looming man who speaks with her mother’s voice and wears some of her clothing, Morgan starts struggling separating what must be waking nightmares from reality. What happened in 1976?
Merging aspects of grief horror, murder mystery & modern gothics we’re on for another banger from Amor with this one. There’s something impressive about writing which enables a structure to be so atmospherically described that it is effectively elevated to a character of its own in the midst of themes of grief, secrecy and paranoia. It’s a modern gothic so well written that it could very well rival those of Shirley Jackson & Anne Rivers Siddons. I’m still slightly chilled days later after this read.
“Foundations of pain, of waste, of secrecy, of failure. Such was the platform upon which the Folly stood proud, it’s black granite blocks rejecting the sun’s light and warmth, as if it were ashamed of itself”
——————————-
A daughter and her recently released from prison- father hope for a new start at a towering Folly by the Cornish coast but find themselves haunted by the memory of the mother he was wrongfully (?) convicted of having murdered. Soon visited by a looming man who speaks with her mother’s voice and wears some of her clothing, Morgan starts struggling separating what must be waking nightmares from reality. What happened in 1976?
Merging aspects of grief horror, murder mystery & modern gothics we’re on for another banger from Amor with this one. There’s something impressive about writing which enables a structure to be so atmospherically described that it is effectively elevated to a character of its own in the midst of themes of grief, secrecy and paranoia. It’s a modern gothic so well written that it could very well rival those of Shirley Jackson & Anne Rivers Siddons. I’m still slightly chilled days later after this read.
August 22, 2024
4 1/2 ⭐️ - I really enjoyed the spooky settings in Cornwall, it added to creepy atmosphere overall. I didn’t see the twist coming. I was lucky enough to receive an e-ARC of this book from Gemma. Thank you
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