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The Unrecovered
What the years have buried is about to be exposed...
The gloomy fortress of Gallondean lies on the Scottish coast. Local legend has it that if the heirs to the house hear the howling of a spectral hound nearby, their death will quickly follow.
The current owner of the house is Jacob Beresford who, up until the unexpected death of his father, had never set foot within its crumbling walls. Jacob, already haunted by his own demons, has no need of more ghosts, but as the First World War staggers through its last terrible months and he uncovers unsettling details of his new home's past, the shadows seem to be growing around him.
Then he meets Esther, a young volunteer nurse serving at nearby Roddinglaw, an elegant country house requisitioned for use as a temporary hospital ward. Esther, widowed in the early months of the war, dreams of being a poet as she assists the men around her, some of whom are struggling to come to terms with permanent, life-changing injuries. But is it one of the soldiers who appears to have only a minor injury, whose life comes to intersect with both Esther and Jacob in horrifying and unexpected ways.
Danger stalks the woods and coast around them, but it soon becomes clear that the gravest threats are within..
Both unsettling and evocative, deeply atmospheric and brilliantly engaging The Unrecovered is an unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend and marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent.
The gloomy fortress of Gallondean lies on the Scottish coast. Local legend has it that if the heirs to the house hear the howling of a spectral hound nearby, their death will quickly follow.
The current owner of the house is Jacob Beresford who, up until the unexpected death of his father, had never set foot within its crumbling walls. Jacob, already haunted by his own demons, has no need of more ghosts, but as the First World War staggers through its last terrible months and he uncovers unsettling details of his new home's past, the shadows seem to be growing around him.
Then he meets Esther, a young volunteer nurse serving at nearby Roddinglaw, an elegant country house requisitioned for use as a temporary hospital ward. Esther, widowed in the early months of the war, dreams of being a poet as she assists the men around her, some of whom are struggling to come to terms with permanent, life-changing injuries. But is it one of the soldiers who appears to have only a minor injury, whose life comes to intersect with both Esther and Jacob in horrifying and unexpected ways.
Danger stalks the woods and coast around them, but it soon becomes clear that the gravest threats are within..
Both unsettling and evocative, deeply atmospheric and brilliantly engaging The Unrecovered is an unforgettable historical debut inspired by a real life legend and marks the arrival of an outstanding new talent.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published February 13, 2025
22 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Richard Strachan
42 books25 followersRichard Strachan lives in Edinburgh, UK. He has had stories published in magazines like Interzone, The Lonely Crowd, Gutter and New Writing Scotland, and writes for Games Workshop's Black Library imprint.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
February 1, 2025
I must admit that I struggled with this book in some places. My main problem with it is that it just was too long. My Kindle edition is just 291 pages but it sometimes felt as if there were at least a 100 more pages to work through.
Atmospheric? Absolutely! Unsettling? Yes! But also very long winded and I just felt that the stories told in this book – for it is not just one story, but a couple of stories that come together at one point – would have been more interesting were they told in a slightly different order.
The book starts with part of Esther’s story; working in a war hospital in 1918 was even more gruelling than it is now, because of the lack of modern medicine. In this first part, we hardly learn anything about her except that she’s a widow but not a grieving one. Then there is Jacob, reluctant owner of Gallondean, just a half mile away from the hospital. His is a different story because he’s still pining about the loss of his great love. Then there is the story of one of the wounded soldiers, but we only read his story almost at the end of the book. There is something in the lives of Esther, Jacob and the soldier that connects them but what it is and why it is so important stays hidden for too long.
Still, I gave it three stars because I wanted to read on to see what would happen.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
Atmospheric? Absolutely! Unsettling? Yes! But also very long winded and I just felt that the stories told in this book – for it is not just one story, but a couple of stories that come together at one point – would have been more interesting were they told in a slightly different order.
The book starts with part of Esther’s story; working in a war hospital in 1918 was even more gruelling than it is now, because of the lack of modern medicine. In this first part, we hardly learn anything about her except that she’s a widow but not a grieving one. Then there is Jacob, reluctant owner of Gallondean, just a half mile away from the hospital. His is a different story because he’s still pining about the loss of his great love. Then there is the story of one of the wounded soldiers, but we only read his story almost at the end of the book. There is something in the lives of Esther, Jacob and the soldier that connects them but what it is and why it is so important stays hidden for too long.
Still, I gave it three stars because I wanted to read on to see what would happen.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for this review copy.
February 11, 2025
Reading this one gave me lovely feelings of impending doom, creeping dread and a fantastic sense of the setting in place and time, that being West Lothian and other parts of the British Empire at the culmination of the First World War. Atmospheric and Gothic indeed as described with just enough casual anti-Semitism and boys own war jargon to hammer home the historicity of the setting.
July 28, 2025
The synopsis of this book made it sound really appealing. However, for a book set partly in Scotland, it did not feel very Scottish, which was extremely disappointing.
I also felt the time jumps did not work. It almost made the book feel fractured, and at times, it
felt like you were reading 2 different stories instead of 1. The attempt to blend it at the end, left more questions than answers.
Even the choice of characters was strange, I did not find any relatable. Instead, most were irritating. I think the story would have benefitted from more descriptive aspects around people and places to help immerse the reader and not feel like a bystander in a badly written plot.
I must admit I was keen to get to the end & fortunately it was less than 300 pages so not a huge investment of time.
I also felt the time jumps did not work. It almost made the book feel fractured, and at times, it
felt like you were reading 2 different stories instead of 1. The attempt to blend it at the end, left more questions than answers.
Even the choice of characters was strange, I did not find any relatable. Instead, most were irritating. I think the story would have benefitted from more descriptive aspects around people and places to help immerse the reader and not feel like a bystander in a badly written plot.
I must admit I was keen to get to the end & fortunately it was less than 300 pages so not a huge investment of time.
Read
January 10, 2025DNF - I really struggled to get into this one. I found the writing clunky and off-putting. Not for me sadly!
November 16, 2024
This book lured me in with the promise of a gothic manor house, a hospital full of war patients and something supernatural.
Whilst all of those things were present in the book... I just couldn't get into it properly. It started off well, and the promise was good, however as the book went on it just didnt deliver for me. There were a number of ways this book could have gone that i kept thinking were going to unfold, and sadly it didn't really go any of those routes, and towards the end it became a bit of a mish mash of ideas without ever really going anywhere, and i struggled through the last bit.
A great premise overall but sadly a little disappointing, apologies.
Thanks though to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read.
Whilst all of those things were present in the book... I just couldn't get into it properly. It started off well, and the promise was good, however as the book went on it just didnt deliver for me. There were a number of ways this book could have gone that i kept thinking were going to unfold, and sadly it didn't really go any of those routes, and towards the end it became a bit of a mish mash of ideas without ever really going anywhere, and i struggled through the last bit.
A great premise overall but sadly a little disappointing, apologies.
Thanks though to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read.
July 23, 2024
I just could not get into the characters in this story. I am familiar with Craiglockhart in Edinburgh which was a military hospital around the time of WW1. Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon were both there. The story I think is loosely based on it. There are many similarities : seriously wounded soldiers, large house commandeered, extensive grounds, volunteer nurses, poetry. The narrative just did not grab me. Maybe I was making too many comparisons. This book will appeal to those interested in the timeframe and early efforts with PTSD
February 21, 2025
3.5 rounded up.
This is a book that started off really well. I was extremely interested until the flashback chapters.
The book is set in Scotland during WW1. It follows the stories of: Esther, a volunteer nurse, Jacob, who has inherited the creepy house down the road, and Daniel, who is one of the wounded soldiers.
I really did enjoy this book at the start, especially digging into the nasty history of the spooky castle. Legend claims that if the owner hears the howl of a hound, then their end is near...oooooh.
There's a lot of great elements in this book but also an awful lot of waffling, which did make me lose interest at times. The flashbacks just went on for too long.They were very long-winded, and although necessary to the plot, they took too long to get to the point.
I was a bit confused by the ending. After all the waffling of the flashbacks, the ending felt rushed, and I was left feeling confused with what had actually happened.
For the most part, the writing was great, and at times, I was really able to connect with the characters. One particular part actually had me wrinkling up my face and feeling sick. Another part had me breaking my heart.
I have a stone cold heart and always appreciate an author who can make me feel something other than irritation towards the characters. It was a bit eerie at times and often disturbing.
This is a debut and shows a lot of promise from the author. I will definitely pick up another book from him in the future.
This is a book that started off really well. I was extremely interested until the flashback chapters.
The book is set in Scotland during WW1. It follows the stories of: Esther, a volunteer nurse, Jacob, who has inherited the creepy house down the road, and Daniel, who is one of the wounded soldiers.
I really did enjoy this book at the start, especially digging into the nasty history of the spooky castle. Legend claims that if the owner hears the howl of a hound, then their end is near...oooooh.
There's a lot of great elements in this book but also an awful lot of waffling, which did make me lose interest at times. The flashbacks just went on for too long.They were very long-winded, and although necessary to the plot, they took too long to get to the point.
I was a bit confused by the ending. After all the waffling of the flashbacks, the ending felt rushed, and I was left feeling confused with what had actually happened.
For the most part, the writing was great, and at times, I was really able to connect with the characters. One particular part actually had me wrinkling up my face and feeling sick. Another part had me breaking my heart.
I have a stone cold heart and always appreciate an author who can make me feel something other than irritation towards the characters. It was a bit eerie at times and often disturbing.
This is a debut and shows a lot of promise from the author. I will definitely pick up another book from him in the future.
August 9, 2024
was unsure about this book at first. Its allusive rather than direct style early on led to lack of clarity but it improved and I was glad to have read it.
Set during the first world war and in North Edinburgh (where I live so that places referred to were familiar) it deals with the horrors of war and the damage done both physically and psychologically. The actors are mainly in the present but the ancient castle harks back to the time of the crusaders and there are strong hints of crossovers.
This is an adventure story and a love story with an element of mystery and imagination. Overall it works well. It is well written and the characters are credible.
Set during the first world war and in North Edinburgh (where I live so that places referred to were familiar) it deals with the horrors of war and the damage done both physically and psychologically. The actors are mainly in the present but the ancient castle harks back to the time of the crusaders and there are strong hints of crossovers.
This is an adventure story and a love story with an element of mystery and imagination. Overall it works well. It is well written and the characters are credible.
February 3, 2025
I’ve no doubt Richard Strachan can write but this was a mishmash of themes, people, places and times. I never knew what the book was about from start to finish. Even with 40 pages to go I considered stopping. I gave it 2 stars rather than one because there were glimpses of very good writing, unfortunately as a story it did nothing for me.
March 30, 2025
Impressionistic but unresolved Gothic horror
—
Set near the end of the Great War, Esther Worrell is a young widow, her husband lost in the early days of the war, and now volunteering at the dour Scottish manor of Rollingdean looking after wounded servicemen. Nearby is the brooding fortress of Gallondean and its even more brooding master, Jacob Beresford, late of India and his own late father. As their narratives collide, dread secrets are dredged up from Gallondean’s past that threaten to destroy any sense of peace, even in the midst of war.
Opening with the horrors of war and slowly morphing into the horror of the eldritch and unknown, this is ultimately a light Gothic horror that peters out long before its end. Beginning with a standard master of the house/a lady cast down on her luck, this introduces more narratives, flashbacks, histories, modes of writing, characters’ literary ambitions, until there are so many balls being juggled that it would take another equally long book of footnotes and diagrams to understand how the parts fit together into a whole. If this were done with enough to entertain, I wouldn’t complain, but the ambition exceeds the delivery, and the book’s denouement ends up happening in the turn of the penultimate chapter’s last page and the final chapter itself, squandering all of the tension which had, admittedly, been leaking out from about halfway.
Full of promise but failing to stick the landing: three stars.
—
Set near the end of the Great War, Esther Worrell is a young widow, her husband lost in the early days of the war, and now volunteering at the dour Scottish manor of Rollingdean looking after wounded servicemen. Nearby is the brooding fortress of Gallondean and its even more brooding master, Jacob Beresford, late of India and his own late father. As their narratives collide, dread secrets are dredged up from Gallondean’s past that threaten to destroy any sense of peace, even in the midst of war.
Opening with the horrors of war and slowly morphing into the horror of the eldritch and unknown, this is ultimately a light Gothic horror that peters out long before its end. Beginning with a standard master of the house/a lady cast down on her luck, this introduces more narratives, flashbacks, histories, modes of writing, characters’ literary ambitions, until there are so many balls being juggled that it would take another equally long book of footnotes and diagrams to understand how the parts fit together into a whole. If this were done with enough to entertain, I wouldn’t complain, but the ambition exceeds the delivery, and the book’s denouement ends up happening in the turn of the penultimate chapter’s last page and the final chapter itself, squandering all of the tension which had, admittedly, been leaking out from about halfway.
Full of promise but failing to stick the landing: three stars.
February 20, 2025
I had high hopes for The Unrecovered. A gothic tale set in a brooding Scottish fortress? A mysterious spectral hound? A historical backdrop of World War I and early medicine? On paper, this sounded like everything I love in a book.
And yet… I struggled.
It’s clear that Richard Strachlan has done his research, and the historical details are impressively woven into the story. The atmosphere is suitably eerie, and there are moments where the tension builds effectively. However, the pacing is painfully slow, and the story never quite grips in the way I wanted it to. The characters, while well-drawn, lacked the spark needed to keep me truly invested.
I almost didn’t finish it, which is rare for me. I kept hoping the plot would pick up, that the gothic suspense would take hold, but instead, it remained sluggish and, dare I say, a little lifeless. For those who love deeply atmospheric historical fiction and don’t mind a slow burn, this might still work. But for me, it was just too dull to fully enjoy.
And yet… I struggled.
It’s clear that Richard Strachlan has done his research, and the historical details are impressively woven into the story. The atmosphere is suitably eerie, and there are moments where the tension builds effectively. However, the pacing is painfully slow, and the story never quite grips in the way I wanted it to. The characters, while well-drawn, lacked the spark needed to keep me truly invested.
I almost didn’t finish it, which is rare for me. I kept hoping the plot would pick up, that the gothic suspense would take hold, but instead, it remained sluggish and, dare I say, a little lifeless. For those who love deeply atmospheric historical fiction and don’t mind a slow burn, this might still work. But for me, it was just too dull to fully enjoy.
September 15, 2025
‘The Unrecovered’ is a historical fiction based in Scotland, just at the end of the First World War. This was a debut novel and was shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. You could maybe tell at times that this was the author’s first book, but I will look out for more of his work, as the writing was great!
The sections which dealt with the horrors of the war and how it leaves a permanent effect on people were extremely well done. We know a lot more about PTSD and shell shock, but the sections on this were of its time and done authentically.
Could you call this a gothic novel? In parts, yes. It has the creepy big house, the unsettling atmosphere, and unreliable characters, but it just lacked something that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it was the flashbacks, but I am not quite sure. The historical aspects of the book were well done and document the attitudes of the time. The different strands of the story do come together at the end.
Let me know if you pick this one up!
September 10, 2025
Well, you know me and my covers!
I just couldn't resist grabbing this book!
I love anything with a moon on and especially if there's any kind of atmospheric scene to go along with it!
This image looked creepy and I couldn't wait to dive in!
I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader, so I do have to admit that it took me a while to really get into this.
I'd been hoping for something much more unsettling and maybe some true horror.
But I did love that this was based on a real story, which definitely added some extra chill!
The writing style was good, with a good mix of the historical elements with the mystery and I did find that I settled into the story more as I read.
The setting was definitely a winner for me. I love anything set in Scotland - but a dark and brooding beast of a manor with a backdrop of good old Scottish wilderness will have me invested every time!
This was my first read from this author and I'd definitely check out future books.
I just couldn't resist grabbing this book!
I love anything with a moon on and especially if there's any kind of atmospheric scene to go along with it!
This image looked creepy and I couldn't wait to dive in!
I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader, so I do have to admit that it took me a while to really get into this.
I'd been hoping for something much more unsettling and maybe some true horror.
But I did love that this was based on a real story, which definitely added some extra chill!
The writing style was good, with a good mix of the historical elements with the mystery and I did find that I settled into the story more as I read.
The setting was definitely a winner for me. I love anything set in Scotland - but a dark and brooding beast of a manor with a backdrop of good old Scottish wilderness will have me invested every time!
This was my first read from this author and I'd definitely check out future books.
October 18, 2025
An atmospheric, unnerving, unsettling, gothic read with a promise of a perfect premise.
I devoured The Unrecovered to begin with; the mystery and suspense oozing from the sprayed edge pages. At times I felt myself holding my breath, such was the pull.
However, towards the half way point, I started to lag a little. The gothic darkness seemed to fizzle away and although I’m aware that a lot of the story is based around Roddinglaw and the soldiers that arrive there to recover from the war inflicted injuries, I felt the story was losing its edge.
For me, the standout character in the book is the formidable fortress, Gallondean. And I do wish more was made of the howls from the legendary, local hound.
All being said, a decent read that kept me, for the most part, entertained and enthralled.
I devoured The Unrecovered to begin with; the mystery and suspense oozing from the sprayed edge pages. At times I felt myself holding my breath, such was the pull.
However, towards the half way point, I started to lag a little. The gothic darkness seemed to fizzle away and although I’m aware that a lot of the story is based around Roddinglaw and the soldiers that arrive there to recover from the war inflicted injuries, I felt the story was losing its edge.
For me, the standout character in the book is the formidable fortress, Gallondean. And I do wish more was made of the howls from the legendary, local hound.
All being said, a decent read that kept me, for the most part, entertained and enthralled.
February 7, 2025
Set in WW1. There are different strands to this book that come together at the end. Caught up in both strands is Esther, a young g war widow working as a volunteer at a convalescence hospital just outside Edinburgh. The hospital is on the windswept coast of the Firth of Forth, close by is the ancient house of Gallondean, a dank dismal building haunted by its past, its current owner is also haunted by the building and its history. Tied to this is one of the soldiers convalescing from injuries received in Palastine, he is another man haunted by what happened to him there.
A meandering take at times, that is not as haunting as I expected but still an interesting tale.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
A meandering take at times, that is not as haunting as I expected but still an interesting tale.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
September 13, 2025
In 1918, Esther Worrell, a war widow, is a VAD in a war hospital, based in a requisitioned country house in the West Lothian countryside. Esther has dreams of becoming a poet but presently, she is helping patients recover from their injuries after seeing action in the First World War. Nearby, there is Gallondean, a home that Jacob Beresford has inherited. This house comes with a mysterious and haunted past that Jacob in fascinated by. Meanwhile, Esther meets a new patient with a minor war injury from the East. The story is told using flashbacks in multiple character voices, this leads to understanding how they are connected. It was atmospheric, creepy, gothic with a few nail biting moments. All the strands wove together to an ending that I never saw coming.
January 9, 2025
I liked this book, but I did not love it.
The settings were great. A mansion and castle near Edinburgh, and Palestine and elsewhere in World War One.
The characters were good, mainly nursing staff and soldiers.
What did not work for me however were the fantasies worked around the castle and Palestine.
There were also some events that were not properly reacted to in my opinion, such as the soldier who committed suicide.
The story flows well , even with the frequent interjections of the journals.
I also like the interworking of the works of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barret Browning.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The settings were great. A mansion and castle near Edinburgh, and Palestine and elsewhere in World War One.
The characters were good, mainly nursing staff and soldiers.
What did not work for me however were the fantasies worked around the castle and Palestine.
There were also some events that were not properly reacted to in my opinion, such as the soldier who committed suicide.
The story flows well , even with the frequent interjections of the journals.
I also like the interworking of the works of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barret Browning.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 26, 2025
More 3.5
I liked the concept, it was also very atmospheric and gothic. It reminded me a bit of how a felt reading Dracula.
I just struggled with the narrator, she was very breathy and not very expressive. Also, as the other viewpoint was male a single, female narrator didn't quite work for me personally. If budget had allowed a male narrator in addition would have worked better. It meant I couldn't quite follow the story properly and missed a bit of the plot.
I will review properly when I read the physical text at some point in the future.
I liked the concept, it was also very atmospheric and gothic. It reminded me a bit of how a felt reading Dracula.
I just struggled with the narrator, she was very breathy and not very expressive. Also, as the other viewpoint was male a single, female narrator didn't quite work for me personally. If budget had allowed a male narrator in addition would have worked better. It meant I couldn't quite follow the story properly and missed a bit of the plot.
I will review properly when I read the physical text at some point in the future.
September 21, 2025
The Uncovered is beautifully written, atmospheric and chilling at times.
The story tells of a local legend that if they hear the howling of a spectral hound, death will soon follow.
With the end of the First World War in the near future the story has the horrors of the war and the trauma of those who return from the front.
There is a lot covered in this book not just the mystery surrounding the house and family but also there is emotional journeys too along with the suspense.
I enjoyed this book very much
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The story tells of a local legend that if they hear the howling of a spectral hound, death will soon follow.
With the end of the First World War in the near future the story has the horrors of the war and the trauma of those who return from the front.
There is a lot covered in this book not just the mystery surrounding the house and family but also there is emotional journeys too along with the suspense.
I enjoyed this book very much
#Ad #LBTCrew #Bookstagram #FreeBookReview
November 6, 2025
I agree with other reviewers that this story is too long. The length of it made the read a chore rather than a pleasure as did the horror. I w9onder if Mr. Strachan was trying to tell us about the mutilated returning soldiers from Europe, that being the true horror of this story and I agree with that but the other horrors we finally got to didn't really stack up very well as horrors go. A little banal on the horror front then but I have to give credit where it is due as regards the research that went into the story. Very authentic.
April 6, 2025
There is a lot to like in this book, and I'll definitely keep my eye out for his next book.
This was a slow burn with some really interesting themes, characters, and settings. I thought the gothic tone was great, and his prose showed signs of a talented but inexperienced writer.
My main criticism is that it is a little uneven and inconsistent, and I didn't feel the threads came together at the end.
Overall, the good bits are great, and the not-so-good bits were fine.
This was a slow burn with some really interesting themes, characters, and settings. I thought the gothic tone was great, and his prose showed signs of a talented but inexperienced writer.
My main criticism is that it is a little uneven and inconsistent, and I didn't feel the threads came together at the end.
Overall, the good bits are great, and the not-so-good bits were fine.
September 2, 2025
It has been a while since I've read a Gothic novel and as such I think that this story loosely fits that genre. It certainly is atmospheric and the description of the house ,castle and east coast weather definitely make it gloomy however it is focusing also on the war wounded and their recoveries from WW1 which is never going to be an uplifting read. I enjoyed how it rolled along and the historical background of it too. I did enjoy it although it may not suit everybody.
September 10, 2025
The Unrecovered by Richard Strachan.
This was a good read. I did struggle with this book. The timeline felt wrong. I did like the story. I loved the cover. Eerie and creepy. The cover of the castle was very creepy with the moon. I wasn't sure how I felt about Esther or Jacob or the soldier. I didn't know why but I instantly didn't like them. I did like the historical elements of the story. I did like the Scottish setting as well. Overall a good read.
This was a good read. I did struggle with this book. The timeline felt wrong. I did like the story. I loved the cover. Eerie and creepy. The cover of the castle was very creepy with the moon. I wasn't sure how I felt about Esther or Jacob or the soldier. I didn't know why but I instantly didn't like them. I did like the historical elements of the story. I did like the Scottish setting as well. Overall a good read.
October 29, 2025
I read this book in late October, the perfect time for a spooky and beautifully written novel.
Set during the late stages of the First World War, Richard Strachan perfectly captures the gloomy and desperate mood in a hospital full of wounded soldiers on the windswept coast of East Lothian.
I liked the pacing and the slowly building tension and foreboding. It’s a great modern take on the gothic novel.
Set during the late stages of the First World War, Richard Strachan perfectly captures the gloomy and desperate mood in a hospital full of wounded soldiers on the windswept coast of East Lothian.
I liked the pacing and the slowly building tension and foreboding. It’s a great modern take on the gothic novel.
November 24, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for an advance reader copy. If you want a synopsis, click on the book.
I requested this based on advanced praise – 'Beautifully written, Stunning, Eerie, Compulsive'. I gave up at 20% failing to find anything stunning, eerie or compulsive. The writing was okay but I found it too descriptive and lacking plot.
Not for me, I'm afraid.
I requested this based on advanced praise – 'Beautifully written, Stunning, Eerie, Compulsive'. I gave up at 20% failing to find anything stunning, eerie or compulsive. The writing was okay but I found it too descriptive and lacking plot.
Not for me, I'm afraid.
March 29, 2025
Despite one review on the back cover saying this was a tale of abject horror, I found it a little eerie but not frightening. It didn't capture my imagination particularly, and I didn't care about the characters. Throughout the reading of this, I didn't feel compelled to pick it up, but whilst actively reading it, it was reasonably enjoyable.
March 31, 2025
While I loved the writing style of this book and could appreciate the descriptions the author used, I have to say, this book really dragged for me. There were chapters I enjoyed and parts where I gasped aloud in shock, but nothing in this book was eerie to me. This book was just filled with information dumping that made it difficult for me to grasp the story.
August 15, 2024
A beautifully written and multi-layered novel dealing with the effects of war, guilt and redemption. Inspired by a real legend, it is dripping with atmosphere, and encompasses a real sense of mystery and suspense. Published Feb 2025. Thanks to Raven Books for sending me an early reading copy.
March 27, 2025
I find it difficult to describe this book's genre. There are elements of history, including the pain, injury and death of war, and elements of gothic mystery. At times, I found the book a little disjointed and had difficulty in connecting the various disparate parts.
Read
October 11, 2025DNF at 50%. This book had a Hound of the Baskervilles vibe, but I just couldn't get invested in it. I kept putting it down and not wanting to pick it back up. I thought the Scotland setting and gothic feel of the book would make it a winner, but it wasn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews