The Haunting of Saward Island

by Amy Cross

Some places vanish from maps for a reason.

When Jacqui Sinclair and her family are forced to make an emergency stop on an uncharted island, they think they’ve found nothing more than a quiet place to repair their boat. But Saward Island is no safe harbour.

Hidden for generations, the island carries a gruesome legacy – a tragedy so horrific, its name was scrubbed from maps and memories. Now, something waits in the tall grass next to a weathered wooden cross... something vengeful, watching for the next soul to claim.

As Jacqui and her daughters explore the desolate terrain, they uncover chilling remnants of a lost lighthouse crew – men who once battled the same entity, and failed. The clues they left behind may be the Sinclairs’ only hope.

But time is running out.

If Jacqui can’t uncover the island’s secrets and break the cycle of violence, her family will join the long line of souls lost to Saward Island’s curse.

The Haunting of Saward Island is a haunting tale of survival, sacrifice, and two girls who must face down an evil older than memory itself.

308 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 20, 2024

About the author

Amy Cross writes novels and short stories in a number of genres, mainly horror, paranormal and fantasy. Books include The Farm, Annie's Room, The Island, Eli's Town and Asylum.

Reviews

[John Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hit and miss!

A family go sailing off the Scottish coast and come across an island that shouldn't exist. An island that had been deleted from all published nautical charts, as well as the minds of the local populace. This collective amnesia had its roots in a despicable act that had taken place some 200 years previously. A poor woman, accused of being a witch, was horribly tortured and left to die on this remote island. An island that no local had set foot on for nearly 100 years. Fast forward to the present day when a young family, out for a day's sailing, had the misfortune to rediscover it. They landed on the island and went exploring. Bad move! This was a spooky tale but, in the end, it failed failed to live up to expectations.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. Nice, creepy setting, but a pretty thin story. And these are two of the most annoying children in a book.

[MK · Rating 3 out of 5]

Einen Stern Abzug für den letzten Part der Story, der zurück geht vor den Anfang des Buches und die bis dahin fehlende Vorgeschichte nachliefert.
Dabei entsteht eine gewollte stilistische Änderung, die dem Endergebnis komplett abträglich ist. Man merkt nahezu sofort, worauf das Elend hinauslaufen wird, und es hilft nicht , dass sich dieser Teil quälend lang hinzieht und den Spannungsbogen quasi dem Erdboden gleich macht.

Bis zu dieser Stelle bei 80 Prozent des Buches eine solide Sache, ich mag das Setting der Haunted Island , und da die englische Kindle Variante für 0,99€ zu Buche schlägt ist da nichts verloren- solange man den letzten Part eventuell nur querliest.

[peter david mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timeline ghost story.

Not quite five stars because the book could have been scarier. It is however a page turner hard to put down. The central characters are interesting and the gradually evolving plot is well imagined and convincing with a very satisfying ending. The surprise last epilogue is a welcome bonus to the story.

[AGilden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing extraordinary, but still a completely engaging story in which a very relatable ghost takes revenge on an equally relatable family who happens to stumble onto her island. There's enough horror so that all the central characters don't survive. It even has some possession thrown in and an awesome epilogue that explains where the story began.

[Frank T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really was another excellent novel by Amy Cross. Interesting characters you come to care about and a well thought out premise that gets you hooked. The additional chapters at the end of the story were also a clever sub-plot to the main protagonist of the story. Very clever writing and well worth the readers time and attention.

[Andrea Stott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

Usually haunted type books are not very bloody and tend to be a boring for me, this was bloody and really well done. Very creepy and good gore.

[Vina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unusual and engrossing. Read it at one go.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do enjoy Amy Cross books.

[Rose Haskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spooky

This family went through hell, after landing on an uncharted island to repair their boat. If you like ghost stories, get ready for some. Oh, did I say some?

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Wow that was quite a story. What started off as being a typical horror story , went on to be quite extraordinary with its final epilogue.