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Within These Walls
From indie horror author and bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn, this brand-new supernatural thriller questions: how far would you go for success, and what would you be capable of if the promise of forever was real?
With his marriage on the rocks and his life in shambles, washed up crime writer Lucas Graham is desperate for a comeback. So when he’s promised exclusive access to notorious cult leader and death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Lucas leaves New York for the scene of the crime—a split-level farmhouse on the gray-sanded beach of Washington State—a house whose foundation is steeped in the blood of Halcomb’s diviners; runaways who, thirty years prior, were drawn to his message of family, unity, and unconditional love. Lucas wants to tell the real story of Halcomb’s faithful departed, but when Halcomb goes back on his promise of granting Lucas exclusive information on the case, he’s left to put the story together on his own. Except he is not alone. For Jeffrey Halcomb promised his devout eternal life…and within these walls, they’re far from dead.
With his marriage on the rocks and his life in shambles, washed up crime writer Lucas Graham is desperate for a comeback. So when he’s promised exclusive access to notorious cult leader and death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Lucas leaves New York for the scene of the crime—a split-level farmhouse on the gray-sanded beach of Washington State—a house whose foundation is steeped in the blood of Halcomb’s diviners; runaways who, thirty years prior, were drawn to his message of family, unity, and unconditional love. Lucas wants to tell the real story of Halcomb’s faithful departed, but when Halcomb goes back on his promise of granting Lucas exclusive information on the case, he’s left to put the story together on his own. Except he is not alone. For Jeffrey Halcomb promised his devout eternal life…and within these walls, they’re far from dead.
447 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2015
984 people are currently reading
21313 people want to read
About the author
Ania Ahlborn
19 books7,349 followersBorn in Ciechanow Poland, Ania has always been drawn to the darker, mysterious, and sometimes morbid sides of life. Her earliest childhood memory is of crawling through a hole in the chain link fence that separated her family home from the large wooded cemetery next door. She’d spend hours among the headstones, breaking up bouquets of silk flowers so that everyone had their equal share.
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
Author of nine novels, Ania's books have been lauded by the likes of Publisher's Weekly, The New York Daily News, and The New York Times. Some titles have been optioned for film.
Hailing from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ania currently lives in Greenville, South Carolina.
For more from Ania, visit her site, or connect via social media on Facebook and Twitter.
Web: http://www.aniaahlborn.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aniaahlborn
Twitter: @aniaahlborn
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,265 reviews
November 9, 2015
Eh. This one just couldn't carry its weight to the end for me. It just went on for too long so much so by the end my eyes were glazing over and I didn't really care anymore. Maybe if pared back by about 100 pages a tighter, leaner narrative would have been the result and that might have helped things.
The book has a great premise and there are a few creepy scenes, but overall things just take too long to unspool. By the time all the pieces start to come together, none of it feels like a surprise or that compelling. And since there is a "Manson Family" vibe to the whole affair it all starts to feel a little too recycled in its familiarity, despite the supernatural elements that by the climax also feel rather clumsy and heavy-handed.
It's a bummer to have to 2-star this one. I really thought it was going to grab me by the short hairs, especially after this resounding endorsement from Nick Cutter:
"A monstrous Russian nesting doll of a book, holding secrets within secrets; the plot barrels headlong towards one of the most shocking climaxes you're ever likely to read. This one is going to wreck you."Either Mr. Cutter is extending a tremendous generosity to a fellow author, or I'm just the bitchy meanie who missed the point. Maybe a little from Column A, and a little from Column B.
Wreck me? Hardly. I saw the ending coming a mile away.
October 8, 2015
Ania Ahlborn does haunted houses up right. Although I cannot say that this tale scared me, it had an overall creepiness to it that was quite tasty. It shifts in energy from present day back to 1983 when a nasty double murder/multiple suicide sacrament took place on the premises.
The house hums. Could be it hums with energy; mayhap it hums with evil. Whichever it is, the house does not stand alone. Its carpet and decor are ever-changing (imagine the horror at having your own carpeting revert to shag!) and out of the corner of your eye are glimpses of apparitions in dark corners, in mirrors. Faith versus surrender. 'Together we are eternal.' Keep reminding yourself not to let them pull you under.
The house hums. Could be it hums with energy; mayhap it hums with evil. Whichever it is, the house does not stand alone. Its carpet and decor are ever-changing (imagine the horror at having your own carpeting revert to shag!) and out of the corner of your eye are glimpses of apparitions in dark corners, in mirrors. Faith versus surrender. 'Together we are eternal.' Keep reminding yourself not to let them pull you under.
January 29, 2020
“And there was nothing more precious than family.”
I love a good cult, whether it be in fiction or in real life. Within These Walls made me think of both the Jonestown Massacre and the Manson Family - what a winning combination!! But it’s more than just a book about a cult - it has a dash of the supernatural thrown in for good measure!
Lucas Graham is a washed up crime writer whose marriage on the rocks, so when an opportunity comes up for him to gain exclusive access to notorious cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, he can’t let it slip by. There’s just one little caveat - he has to stay at the scene of the crime.
The book goes back and forth between present day, where Lucas and his daughter are living in the house, and back to when the cult first formed years before. Admittedly I enjoyed the cult storyline a little more. That might be due to the fact that I found Lucas and his daughter pretty unlikeable - although they were still very interesting to read about! I also felt it was perhaps a little longer than it needed to be.
If you’ve read any Ahlborn, you’ll know that she can really tell a story - and they’re usually incredibly well-written too. She also has a talent for always NAILING her endings and she doesn’t disappoint here! Within These Walls is not your cliché cult story, Ahlborn puts her own spin on it and the result is a unique blend of the supernatural with a cult setting.
Recommend if you enjoy reading about cults or creepy houses - or a combination of both! 4 stars.
I love a good cult, whether it be in fiction or in real life. Within These Walls made me think of both the Jonestown Massacre and the Manson Family - what a winning combination!! But it’s more than just a book about a cult - it has a dash of the supernatural thrown in for good measure!
Lucas Graham is a washed up crime writer whose marriage on the rocks, so when an opportunity comes up for him to gain exclusive access to notorious cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, he can’t let it slip by. There’s just one little caveat - he has to stay at the scene of the crime.
The book goes back and forth between present day, where Lucas and his daughter are living in the house, and back to when the cult first formed years before. Admittedly I enjoyed the cult storyline a little more. That might be due to the fact that I found Lucas and his daughter pretty unlikeable - although they were still very interesting to read about! I also felt it was perhaps a little longer than it needed to be.
If you’ve read any Ahlborn, you’ll know that she can really tell a story - and they’re usually incredibly well-written too. She also has a talent for always NAILING her endings and she doesn’t disappoint here! Within These Walls is not your cliché cult story, Ahlborn puts her own spin on it and the result is a unique blend of the supernatural with a cult setting.
Recommend if you enjoy reading about cults or creepy houses - or a combination of both! 4 stars.
November 20, 2015
Well-crafted, nicely-done horror/thriller which merges cult murders with an element of the supernatural.
I'd heard good things about Ania Ahlborn, so picked this up when I had the opportunity, and it did not disappoint.
A true crime writer, Lucas Graham, gets an offer that he can't refuse: Jeffrey Halcomb, a notorious, Charles-Manson-esque killer who's never once spoken to the press since he was jailed, years ago, says he'll give Graham an exclusive. The resulting book will be the best-selling hit that puts his faltering career back on track and brings his family back together, Graham is sure.
Of course, there's one catch: Halcomb has made it a condition of the interview that Graham move into the murder house; the scene of his crimes. In order to comply, the writer finds himself being less than honest with both his wife and his young daughter, desperately clinging to the hope that he can make it all come right.
The book alternates between Lucas' story, and that of Audra Snow, the young woman who was at the center of the group murder that took place back in the 80s. Gradually, as Lucas tries to uncover the grisly details of what happened and why, we see how the vulnerable Audra was drawn into the spell of a charismatic and eerily charming leader who was ready to promise Audra everything she'd always wanted most.
I loved that Lucas & his wife were ex- (or semi-ex-) goths dealing with having an emo kid.
The supernatural elements were woven in really well with the 'real-life' horror of the 'true-crime'-type story. And I very much liked that the author didn't shy away from the ending that the book needed. Very satisfying.
I'd heard good things about Ania Ahlborn, so picked this up when I had the opportunity, and it did not disappoint.
A true crime writer, Lucas Graham, gets an offer that he can't refuse: Jeffrey Halcomb, a notorious, Charles-Manson-esque killer who's never once spoken to the press since he was jailed, years ago, says he'll give Graham an exclusive. The resulting book will be the best-selling hit that puts his faltering career back on track and brings his family back together, Graham is sure.
Of course, there's one catch: Halcomb has made it a condition of the interview that Graham move into the murder house; the scene of his crimes. In order to comply, the writer finds himself being less than honest with both his wife and his young daughter, desperately clinging to the hope that he can make it all come right.
The book alternates between Lucas' story, and that of Audra Snow, the young woman who was at the center of the group murder that took place back in the 80s. Gradually, as Lucas tries to uncover the grisly details of what happened and why, we see how the vulnerable Audra was drawn into the spell of a charismatic and eerily charming leader who was ready to promise Audra everything she'd always wanted most.
I loved that Lucas & his wife were ex- (or semi-ex-) goths dealing with having an emo kid.
The supernatural elements were woven in really well with the 'real-life' horror of the 'true-crime'-type story. And I very much liked that the author didn't shy away from the ending that the book needed. Very satisfying.
October 13, 2019
What makes this book special for me is the author's way with words. The plot is far-fetched and at times convoluted: A washed-up true crime writer receives an offer he can't refuse from an incarcerated cult leader. He takes his teenage daughter and, following the directions in the letter, moves cross-country to a house in a small town in coastal Washington where Manson-like deaths occurred.
The writer, Lucas Graham, is an interesting character with depth and the reader comes to care about him, which is essential in a house-based horror. His daughter, Jeannie, is a teen with grievances, attitude and an interest in the paranormal. She's tempted by a supernatural scenario that tempts her in the way a girl like Jeannie would credibly be tempted. Will it own her?
The cult was too similar to the Manson Family for me. In the tradition of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" I would call this "Helter Skelter and Ghosts." There were a bunch of plot holes, one of which -- and this is not a spoiler -- sinks everything. It's a call someone makes to the police about a Congressman's daughter possibly being in trouble, and it's deemed "Low Priority." No 911 call about a Congressman's daughter would ever be marked low priority, let alone in a small town. It doesn't unravel things but it's a head-scratching detail that adds nothing to the plot.
It's easier to get past these plotholes because Ahlborn's prose is outstanding. The action past that halfway point is relentless -- the first half of the book is like that slow, nerve-wracking climb to the top of the roller coaster and the second half is the thrilling downward rush. Ahlborn's imagery is terrific and adds a great deal to the book. She's got a way with words better than most authors writing in any genre. And that's what makes the book a winner, the beautiful use of language in service of a plot that takes its time turning into terror, but once it gets there it's lights-on scary.
The writer, Lucas Graham, is an interesting character with depth and the reader comes to care about him, which is essential in a house-based horror. His daughter, Jeannie, is a teen with grievances, attitude and an interest in the paranormal. She's tempted by a supernatural scenario that tempts her in the way a girl like Jeannie would credibly be tempted. Will it own her?
The cult was too similar to the Manson Family for me. In the tradition of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" I would call this "Helter Skelter and Ghosts." There were a bunch of plot holes, one of which -- and this is not a spoiler -- sinks everything. It's a call someone makes to the police about a Congressman's daughter possibly being in trouble, and it's deemed "Low Priority." No 911 call about a Congressman's daughter would ever be marked low priority, let alone in a small town. It doesn't unravel things but it's a head-scratching detail that adds nothing to the plot.
It's easier to get past these plotholes because Ahlborn's prose is outstanding. The action past that halfway point is relentless -- the first half of the book is like that slow, nerve-wracking climb to the top of the roller coaster and the second half is the thrilling downward rush. Ahlborn's imagery is terrific and adds a great deal to the book. She's got a way with words better than most authors writing in any genre. And that's what makes the book a winner, the beautiful use of language in service of a plot that takes its time turning into terror, but once it gets there it's lights-on scary.
July 28, 2015
Did everyone read the same book I did?
I'm guessing no by the other high ratings.
So after more than 100 pages I was still waiting for the horror to start. I tried reading without the lights on at night and my porch door open.
Still not scared.
I put the book down and watched some creepy YouTube videos.
Still not scared.
Then I started thinking about the main character's wife and I was scared.
I was scared because that woman is so awful even a spineless washed up author (who I imagine is also forgetful and wears mis matched clothes) doesn't deserve to be treated that badly. Lady you married a small time author. They are not known for their social skills or memory. I don't know what kind of romantic relationship you were expecting but maybe you should have thought about that before you slept around and started yelling about everything.
This well-written but terrible relationship earned more of my attention than the letter from the cult leader. I had to remind myself there was a cult leader because the family situation seemed to eat up all of the effort from the author.
The flashbacks to the start of the cult weren't well done. Honestly I was bored with them. They could be summed up as "lonely girl finds incredibly attractive homeless people and invites them to live with her". So much focus was on looks that I found my mind wandering. I get that these homeless people were pretty and charismatic, but where is the plot? The horror?
NOWHERE.
These homeless people weren't scary. They were young kids. The little aspects of the story that were supposed to insight fear were so spread out that I felt that I was reading a regular novel about a man moving across the country and not a horror story.
There have been books that have scared the life out of me (a book is capable of doing this) but this book didn't do the genre justice.
Cults are an interesting topic, but they don't incite 'fear' automatically like demonic possessions or stalking does. There has to be some escalation or description that slowly creates the reason for this fear. There are plenty of cults that are harmless. It seems that 'commune' and 'cult' and 'religious communities' have become popular to obsess about (especially on the news, and crime TV shows like criminal minds, the following, etc), but a group of people isn't dangerous, it's what they can be convinced to do. And there was absolutely no escalation of violence or manipulation in this so called cult. I was waiting for so sort of violence to start showing itself before the brutal murder, but none did.
And as I was waiting for this mental manipulation to start, I found that the author threw aside a regular cult idea and latched onto demons and went for a ghost story and not a "into the mind of a cult leader" story. It seemed cheap and was not what the book advertised.
It looks like I will have to go elsewhere to be properly scared.
I'm guessing no by the other high ratings.
So after more than 100 pages I was still waiting for the horror to start. I tried reading without the lights on at night and my porch door open.
Still not scared.
I put the book down and watched some creepy YouTube videos.
Still not scared.
Then I started thinking about the main character's wife and I was scared.
I was scared because that woman is so awful even a spineless washed up author (who I imagine is also forgetful and wears mis matched clothes) doesn't deserve to be treated that badly. Lady you married a small time author. They are not known for their social skills or memory. I don't know what kind of romantic relationship you were expecting but maybe you should have thought about that before you slept around and started yelling about everything.
This well-written but terrible relationship earned more of my attention than the letter from the cult leader. I had to remind myself there was a cult leader because the family situation seemed to eat up all of the effort from the author.
The flashbacks to the start of the cult weren't well done. Honestly I was bored with them. They could be summed up as "lonely girl finds incredibly attractive homeless people and invites them to live with her". So much focus was on looks that I found my mind wandering. I get that these homeless people were pretty and charismatic, but where is the plot? The horror?
NOWHERE.
These homeless people weren't scary. They were young kids. The little aspects of the story that were supposed to insight fear were so spread out that I felt that I was reading a regular novel about a man moving across the country and not a horror story.
There have been books that have scared the life out of me (a book is capable of doing this) but this book didn't do the genre justice.
Cults are an interesting topic, but they don't incite 'fear' automatically like demonic possessions or stalking does. There has to be some escalation or description that slowly creates the reason for this fear. There are plenty of cults that are harmless. It seems that 'commune' and 'cult' and 'religious communities' have become popular to obsess about (especially on the news, and crime TV shows like criminal minds, the following, etc), but a group of people isn't dangerous, it's what they can be convinced to do. And there was absolutely no escalation of violence or manipulation in this so called cult. I was waiting for so sort of violence to start showing itself before the brutal murder, but none did.
And as I was waiting for this mental manipulation to start, I found that the author threw aside a regular cult idea and latched onto demons and went for a ghost story and not a "into the mind of a cult leader" story. It seemed cheap and was not what the book advertised.
It looks like I will have to go elsewhere to be properly scared.
February 28, 2015
Lucas Graham is a washed up crime writer, on the verge of losing everything. With a cheating wife and divorce imminent, he suddenly receives a letter that he hopes will lead to the solution of all of his troubles. Jeffrey Halcomb, now an inmate at a maximum security prision, offers Lucas the one thing he's never granted to anyone in the 30 years of his incarceration--a chance to hear the real story behind the murder/suicides of ten members of his cult "family".
Of course, there is a condition attached.
Ignoring everything else at what Lucas considers his "chance of a lifetime", he leaves behind his wife, and drags his daughter with him to Washington State. His destination, the same house where Jeffrey Halcomb was arrested amid a blood-soaked room full of his deceased followers--a dead, infant girl cut from her mother's body in his hands.
Jeffrey had promised his "family" eternal life. And the smooth-talking, charismatic cult leader had a way of getting exactly what he wanted.
The story alternates between the events leading up to the infamous murder/suicides, and the present time with Lucas and his daughter, Vee, living in Halcomb's old house. While we never get to know the Halcomb of the present, through the past scenes we see his undeniable ability to convince people to do anything for him. I love the fact that we are privy to the actions and personalities of his followers. Honestly, I feel that this was the most effective way to truly "understand" Halcomb, and to get the reader to believe that with this man--anything--was possible.
While I found some of the scenes and the ending to be entirely predictable, the story was still written beautifully. My favorites were the steps into the past, as those seemed to be more significant overall, and the "true" story being told. By the time I had largely deduced Lucas's role in Halcom's scheme, I was still intensely immersed in Halcomb's past, and in what his promises to his followers really signified.
Another great story from author Ania Ahlborn, blending elements of a haunted house, ghosts, mystery, and the supernatural.
Recommended!
*I received an advance copy of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Of course, there is a condition attached.
Ignoring everything else at what Lucas considers his "chance of a lifetime", he leaves behind his wife, and drags his daughter with him to Washington State. His destination, the same house where Jeffrey Halcomb was arrested amid a blood-soaked room full of his deceased followers--a dead, infant girl cut from her mother's body in his hands.
Jeffrey had promised his "family" eternal life. And the smooth-talking, charismatic cult leader had a way of getting exactly what he wanted.
The story alternates between the events leading up to the infamous murder/suicides, and the present time with Lucas and his daughter, Vee, living in Halcomb's old house. While we never get to know the Halcomb of the present, through the past scenes we see his undeniable ability to convince people to do anything for him. I love the fact that we are privy to the actions and personalities of his followers. Honestly, I feel that this was the most effective way to truly "understand" Halcomb, and to get the reader to believe that with this man--anything--was possible.
While I found some of the scenes and the ending to be entirely predictable, the story was still written beautifully. My favorites were the steps into the past, as those seemed to be more significant overall, and the "true" story being told. By the time I had largely deduced Lucas's role in Halcom's scheme, I was still intensely immersed in Halcomb's past, and in what his promises to his followers really signified.
Another great story from author Ania Ahlborn, blending elements of a haunted house, ghosts, mystery, and the supernatural.
Recommended!
*I received an advance copy of this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
November 13, 2017
2 stars--meh.
I love the idea of this book (a creepy cult combined with ghosts is pretty much my ideal horror story), but the execution was really bad. The worst flaws:
* Repetitive: If I had to hear one more time how writing this book was Lucas's last chance....
* Showing, not telling: We're told Jeffrey was charming and seductive, but never see that in action.
* Lack of details: What were Jeffrey's ideals and beliefs? Most importantly, where did he get the power he summoned? I'd love to know these things, but we're never told.
I also really hated Lucas: a whiner, a terrible father, and a hypocrite. One positive thing about the book: I did like this book's ending.
I think the horror genre needs more women writers, but sadly I've not really liked either Ahlborn novel I've read.
I love the idea of this book (a creepy cult combined with ghosts is pretty much my ideal horror story), but the execution was really bad. The worst flaws:
* Repetitive: If I had to hear one more time how writing this book was Lucas's last chance....
* Showing, not telling: We're told Jeffrey was charming and seductive, but never see that in action.
* Lack of details: What were Jeffrey's ideals and beliefs? Most importantly, where did he get the power he summoned? I'd love to know these things, but we're never told.
I also really hated Lucas: a whiner, a terrible father, and a hypocrite. One positive thing about the book: I did like this book's ending.
I think the horror genre needs more women writers, but sadly I've not really liked either Ahlborn novel I've read.
February 17, 2017
This book was so much fun. One of those reads you look forward to every night. It was a slow build. A washed up author gets the deal of a lifetime to interview a man who is in jail for murdering a woman and her unborn baby in a ritualistic way. The man in jail also says that the author must live in the same house in which the murder took place. It was also the home where the man was a leader of a cult--several young men and women all living in the house together.
The author, desperate, accepts the author and moves in with his twelve year old daughter.
Our narrative switches from past to future events seamlessly. I think I enjoyed reading about the past a lot more than current events though. The forming of the cult through the eyes of the future victim, Audra/Avis was really interesting. I didn't really like the two subjects in the current narrative: Lucas and his daughter Jeanie. Jeanie was supposed to be 12 but she felt much older--like 15. This part of the story dragged a bit for me, some of the scenes felt repetitive.
There were a few pretty creepy parts but overall, this wasn't a horror novel--more like a paranormal thriller.
I loved when the story started to snowball it's way to the climax. There were a lot of plot twists that I enjoyed.
It lost a star just because the build took a little longer than I had hoped--it could have been paced a lot faster-which I felt like the story really wanted but it was being restrained unnecessarily.
The author, desperate, accepts the author and moves in with his twelve year old daughter.
Our narrative switches from past to future events seamlessly. I think I enjoyed reading about the past a lot more than current events though. The forming of the cult through the eyes of the future victim, Audra/Avis was really interesting. I didn't really like the two subjects in the current narrative: Lucas and his daughter Jeanie. Jeanie was supposed to be 12 but she felt much older--like 15. This part of the story dragged a bit for me, some of the scenes felt repetitive.
There were a few pretty creepy parts but overall, this wasn't a horror novel--more like a paranormal thriller.
I loved when the story started to snowball it's way to the climax. There were a lot of plot twists that I enjoyed.
It lost a star just because the build took a little longer than I had hoped--it could have been paced a lot faster-which I felt like the story really wanted but it was being restrained unnecessarily.
February 7, 2015
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ania Ahlborn has been on my radar for some time. A number of her books were given great reviews by some of my friends, so I kept meaning to pick up one of her books, but I never did. So when I saw this book on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read this and was thrilled when I was approved.
I was in the mood for a good horror and this book did not disappoint.
Lucas Graham is a writer, whose live is falling apart. His career is is going nowhere and his marriage is ending, so when he receives a promising letter from convicted murderer Jeffrey Halcomb to get an exclusive story. In exchange for the story, all he needs to do is live in the house where 10 people were found dead. So he packs up his life and moves across the country, bringing his daughter with him. But as strange things start to happen, it seems the line between the past and the present is being blurred.
I had a hard time putting this book down. The story was interesting, and while it did progress rather slowly at the beginning, it quickly found its footing creating a creepy ghost story.
While this isn't the scariest horror I've ever read, there were moments that did give me chills, and I really did enjoy it.
A great read for a rainy day.
Ania Ahlborn has been on my radar for some time. A number of her books were given great reviews by some of my friends, so I kept meaning to pick up one of her books, but I never did. So when I saw this book on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read this and was thrilled when I was approved.
I was in the mood for a good horror and this book did not disappoint.
Lucas Graham is a writer, whose live is falling apart. His career is is going nowhere and his marriage is ending, so when he receives a promising letter from convicted murderer Jeffrey Halcomb to get an exclusive story. In exchange for the story, all he needs to do is live in the house where 10 people were found dead. So he packs up his life and moves across the country, bringing his daughter with him. But as strange things start to happen, it seems the line between the past and the present is being blurred.
I had a hard time putting this book down. The story was interesting, and while it did progress rather slowly at the beginning, it quickly found its footing creating a creepy ghost story.
While this isn't the scariest horror I've ever read, there were moments that did give me chills, and I really did enjoy it.
A great read for a rainy day.
May 25, 2022
On and on and on.....
My thoughts while reading most of this book:
Someone just die already.
Meh.
My thoughts while reading most of this book:
Someone just die already.
Meh.
September 10, 2015
Within these walls by Ania Ahlborn was the best written paranormal/horror book i've read so far Lucas Graham is a washed up writer who hasn't had a hit in years until he gets a letter from Jeffery halcomb wanting him to visit him in maximum security prison so lucas moves to the exact house with his daughter to find out what he has got to say this turns out to be the spookiest ride Ahlborn takes you on was hooked from start to finish
September 15, 2015
“It is the secret of the world that all things subsist and do not die, but retire a little from sight and afterwards return again. Nothing is dead. People feign themselves dead, and endure mock funerals and mournful obituaries, and there they stand, looking out the window, sound and well in some new disguise." —Ralph Waldo Emerson
It's like a screwy mix of The Following (the TV show) with the Skeleton Key, cherry-topped with some heavy-ass existential dread and drenched in human's most basic fears and darkest nightmares. I absolutely loved it!
True-crime writer Lucas Graham is on the edge of failure. He knows he has to do something and he has to do it fast, or his life will crumble to pieces and he'll loose his daughter forever. When death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb contacts him with the exclusive opportunity to write down his story, Lucas grasps at the chance, packs up and moves from New York to Washington state. Jeffrey Halcomb is the infamous cult leader and mass-murderer who lured his faithful followers to death. Now, this deranged and horrifying human being wants Lucas to tell his story, but he will only talk if Lucas agrees to stay at Halcomb's farmhouse - the murder-scene. Lucas is determined to turn his fate around and desperate enough to accept Halcomb's eccentric conditions. He'll do anything to capture the true story of Halcomb's slaughtered lambs who were promised the eternal life in peace and love. Little does he know, that promise did not go entirely unfulfilled...
Ania Ahlborn's writing style is truly something different. A curios mixture of intensely morbid and dazzlingly poetic. Her prose is magnificent and creative, and so incredibly substantial, it fills you up with feelings and thoughts. It's not a wordy style at all, Ania gets straight to the point. She chooses her words carefully - it is obvious, for each of her words carries weight and makes you pause and consider its meaning. Short sentences deliver strong punches. This is a very powerful writing style, thoroughly atmospheric and evocative. So many writers get caught up in long descriptions and meaningless dialogues - and that can be particularly damaging for horror books, because you really need to focus on the feelings and creepy events to be able to scare the reader. Ania's descriptions make your skin crawl. They're not gruesome, though they're definitely vivid and mesmerizing. She makes it all too easy for you to picture the creepy ghost reflected in the washroom mirror, the creaky rooms of the old house, or the abandoned orchard. And the isolated, foreboding setting only adds to the disquieting atmosphere of the book.
This is a modern classic in the making. It's scary, but in that sticky and crawly kind of way that really gets under your skin. Ahlborn flavor of horror is not the cheap, B-style, in-your-face type of horror, it's more of a subtle, nagging, deeply unsettling fear-fest filled with sadness, existential dread and failure. The story becomes more chilling and more eerie with every page turned, and the ultimate twist at the end, elevates it to a whole new level of terrifying.
In a genre filled with contrived, unoriginal dramas posing as thrillers, Within These Walls truly stands out. It's genuinely creepy and emotionally affecting. Ahlborn pulls you in with her sticky, flavorful writing and keeps you in shackles all the way to the end. And once you reach the end, you wish you could go back... This book stays with you long after you turn the last page. Whether it's a good or bad thing, is up to you to decide.
It's like a screwy mix of The Following (the TV show) with the Skeleton Key, cherry-topped with some heavy-ass existential dread and drenched in human's most basic fears and darkest nightmares. I absolutely loved it!
True-crime writer Lucas Graham is on the edge of failure. He knows he has to do something and he has to do it fast, or his life will crumble to pieces and he'll loose his daughter forever. When death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb contacts him with the exclusive opportunity to write down his story, Lucas grasps at the chance, packs up and moves from New York to Washington state. Jeffrey Halcomb is the infamous cult leader and mass-murderer who lured his faithful followers to death. Now, this deranged and horrifying human being wants Lucas to tell his story, but he will only talk if Lucas agrees to stay at Halcomb's farmhouse - the murder-scene. Lucas is determined to turn his fate around and desperate enough to accept Halcomb's eccentric conditions. He'll do anything to capture the true story of Halcomb's slaughtered lambs who were promised the eternal life in peace and love. Little does he know, that promise did not go entirely unfulfilled...
Ania Ahlborn's writing style is truly something different. A curios mixture of intensely morbid and dazzlingly poetic. Her prose is magnificent and creative, and so incredibly substantial, it fills you up with feelings and thoughts. It's not a wordy style at all, Ania gets straight to the point. She chooses her words carefully - it is obvious, for each of her words carries weight and makes you pause and consider its meaning. Short sentences deliver strong punches. This is a very powerful writing style, thoroughly atmospheric and evocative. So many writers get caught up in long descriptions and meaningless dialogues - and that can be particularly damaging for horror books, because you really need to focus on the feelings and creepy events to be able to scare the reader. Ania's descriptions make your skin crawl. They're not gruesome, though they're definitely vivid and mesmerizing. She makes it all too easy for you to picture the creepy ghost reflected in the washroom mirror, the creaky rooms of the old house, or the abandoned orchard. And the isolated, foreboding setting only adds to the disquieting atmosphere of the book.
This is a modern classic in the making. It's scary, but in that sticky and crawly kind of way that really gets under your skin. Ahlborn flavor of horror is not the cheap, B-style, in-your-face type of horror, it's more of a subtle, nagging, deeply unsettling fear-fest filled with sadness, existential dread and failure. The story becomes more chilling and more eerie with every page turned, and the ultimate twist at the end, elevates it to a whole new level of terrifying.
In a genre filled with contrived, unoriginal dramas posing as thrillers, Within These Walls truly stands out. It's genuinely creepy and emotionally affecting. Ahlborn pulls you in with her sticky, flavorful writing and keeps you in shackles all the way to the end. And once you reach the end, you wish you could go back... This book stays with you long after you turn the last page. Whether it's a good or bad thing, is up to you to decide.
June 6, 2015
I know people who loved it, but I had some serious problems with this book. In an effort not to get into spoilers territory, I'll only say that things started out b-movie levels of implausible, and descended from there. The plot makes almost no sense, there's no real explanation for anything that happens, and the characters (especially Lucas, the protagonist) behave in a way that no actual human beings ever would. Seriously, take the stupidest, most pathetic horror movie victim and stretch their 10-second kill scene into an entire frigging novel of bad decision-making and poor choices, and you kind of have the idea of what you're getting with this one. If you can't suffer fools, then don't even bother with this idiot parade.
The pacing was horrible: the book could have easily been half as long without suffering, as the author has a tendency to repeat things ad nauseam. We get it: Lucas feels like a failure of a father/husband/writer/friend/person. Virginia is a willful pre-teen. Jeffrey Halcomb is persuasive. None of the characters deviate from their pre-set character molds. There's no growth, no resolution or redemption, and no real reason to root for anyone.
The only thing I was rooting for was the acknowledgement page.
The pacing was horrible: the book could have easily been half as long without suffering, as the author has a tendency to repeat things ad nauseam. We get it: Lucas feels like a failure of a father/husband/writer/friend/person. Virginia is a willful pre-teen. Jeffrey Halcomb is persuasive. None of the characters deviate from their pre-set character molds. There's no growth, no resolution or redemption, and no real reason to root for anyone.
The only thing I was rooting for was the acknowledgement page.
February 27, 2015
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another strong release from horror author Ania Ahlborn. She's very adept at capturing human emotions caught up in whirlwind events, and most of the time, it's not pretty.
This was a cross between an Amityville Horror, a cult/kidnapping, and a story about a final attempt to get the golden ticket. There's some clichés, especially with the haunted house part, but overall, it was a good read with a high level of tense creepiness.
Looking forward to her next one!
Another strong release from horror author Ania Ahlborn. She's very adept at capturing human emotions caught up in whirlwind events, and most of the time, it's not pretty.
This was a cross between an Amityville Horror, a cult/kidnapping, and a story about a final attempt to get the golden ticket. There's some clichés, especially with the haunted house part, but overall, it was a good read with a high level of tense creepiness.
Looking forward to her next one!
March 13, 2015
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Lucas is a crime writer who career is now in a slump, his personal life has also taken a drastic downwards swing so when a mysterious offer comes in for him to interview notorious cult leader, Jeffrey Halcomb, he decides this could be his last chance at a best seller and moves across the country with his daughter Jeanie, to where Halcomb is confined.
Along with the offer of an interview, there are some strange conditions that go along with it. The main one is that Lucas must stay in the house where the cult's final atrocities, mass suicide and the murder of Audra Snow, were committed. Lucas and Jeanie both experience disturbing incidents in the house but each have their own reasons for wanting to stay.
When Halcomb reneges on his offer of an interview, it is left up to Lucas to piece together what happened with the 'family' members and why there are so many strange and fatal coincidences that surround Halcomb and his religious followers.
I'm a bit torn with this one, for the most part I did really enjoy it but it's not without it's issues however they weren't big enough for me to drop more than a star in rating.
There are two storylines going in this one, the present day one with Lucas and Jeanie and the 1983 storyline that follows a young congressman's daughter, Audra Snow, as she meets the family, invites them into her life and slowly starts to question her role in the group. The 1983 story was the one that hooked me the most, although Audra is by no means perfect she was particularly engaging with her many weaknesses and flaws. This made her very real and although I knew her outcome I still felt very invested in her character. Lucas and Jeanie on the other hand, came off as very inconsistent, although I felt a bit of sympathy for Lucas in the beginning I didn't really like his character that much, especially as the book progressed. This was the same for Jeanie, I thought she was great in the beginning but I lost the connection to her character as the book progressed, she came off as an independent kid and the storyline development with her didn't feel very authentic.
The story is really well written for the most part however this didn't give me the creep factor I was expecting and as the story came to it's conclusion I felt it lost it's coherency a bit, it was hard to keep track of what was going on and where they were in the house.
This is still a great story but probably not the one I was expecting, the writing flows nicely but it's the 1983 story that really stood out.
Lucas is a crime writer who career is now in a slump, his personal life has also taken a drastic downwards swing so when a mysterious offer comes in for him to interview notorious cult leader, Jeffrey Halcomb, he decides this could be his last chance at a best seller and moves across the country with his daughter Jeanie, to where Halcomb is confined.
Along with the offer of an interview, there are some strange conditions that go along with it. The main one is that Lucas must stay in the house where the cult's final atrocities, mass suicide and the murder of Audra Snow, were committed. Lucas and Jeanie both experience disturbing incidents in the house but each have their own reasons for wanting to stay.
When Halcomb reneges on his offer of an interview, it is left up to Lucas to piece together what happened with the 'family' members and why there are so many strange and fatal coincidences that surround Halcomb and his religious followers.
I'm a bit torn with this one, for the most part I did really enjoy it but it's not without it's issues however they weren't big enough for me to drop more than a star in rating.
There are two storylines going in this one, the present day one with Lucas and Jeanie and the 1983 storyline that follows a young congressman's daughter, Audra Snow, as she meets the family, invites them into her life and slowly starts to question her role in the group. The 1983 story was the one that hooked me the most, although Audra is by no means perfect she was particularly engaging with her many weaknesses and flaws. This made her very real and although I knew her outcome I still felt very invested in her character. Lucas and Jeanie on the other hand, came off as very inconsistent, although I felt a bit of sympathy for Lucas in the beginning I didn't really like his character that much, especially as the book progressed. This was the same for Jeanie, I thought she was great in the beginning but I lost the connection to her character as the book progressed, she came off as an independent kid and the storyline development with her didn't feel very authentic.
The story is really well written for the most part however this didn't give me the creep factor I was expecting and as the story came to it's conclusion I felt it lost it's coherency a bit, it was hard to keep track of what was going on and where they were in the house.
This is still a great story but probably not the one I was expecting, the writing flows nicely but it's the 1983 story that really stood out.
April 6, 2015
Review copy
It all starts with a letter to True Crime writer Lucas Graham. What's important is who the letter is from and what it offers, a chance to interview convicted mass murderer, Jeffrey Halcomb, who has never told his story of the heinous crime for which he was convicted more than 30 years ago.
It's an opportunity that would jump-start Lou's flagging career, but there's a catch. Jeffrey want's Lou to live in the house in Pier Pointe, Washington, the scene of the crime. It's a deal breaker, no interview unless Lou complies.
If Lou were a single man, this wouldn't be a big deal, but as a family man, trying to keep his marriage from falling apart, this becomes a very difficult decision.
Ahlborn does a nice job in bringing out the stress involved in making his decision, but ultimately, the offer of the interview is too good to pass up. Lou and his twelve-year-old daughter, Victoria, make the move from New York to Washington, while his wife, Caroline stays behind with her career and boyfriend.
I started out thinking the story was about the interview with Halcomb, but as time went by, I realized it was all about the house. Like any good ghost story, there is a slow build. Little things, which taken by themselves, don't mean a lot, but as they add up, lead to a frightening environment.
The book is written with parallel stories. There's Lou and his daughter moving into the house and Lou's attempts to get his interview and then there's the year leading up to the mass murder that took place in the house some thirty years before.
The two story-lines converge with the climatic scenes where all hell breaks loose.
I found Within These Walls to be an exceptionally well-crafted supernatural horror story. Seeing other reviews, not everyone agrees with me, but I can only relate my personal experience.
Within These Walls will be published on April 21st, 2015, by Gallery Books, a division of Simon and Schuster and will be available in a variety of formats.
Recommended.
It all starts with a letter to True Crime writer Lucas Graham. What's important is who the letter is from and what it offers, a chance to interview convicted mass murderer, Jeffrey Halcomb, who has never told his story of the heinous crime for which he was convicted more than 30 years ago.
It's an opportunity that would jump-start Lou's flagging career, but there's a catch. Jeffrey want's Lou to live in the house in Pier Pointe, Washington, the scene of the crime. It's a deal breaker, no interview unless Lou complies.
If Lou were a single man, this wouldn't be a big deal, but as a family man, trying to keep his marriage from falling apart, this becomes a very difficult decision.
Ahlborn does a nice job in bringing out the stress involved in making his decision, but ultimately, the offer of the interview is too good to pass up. Lou and his twelve-year-old daughter, Victoria, make the move from New York to Washington, while his wife, Caroline stays behind with her career and boyfriend.
I started out thinking the story was about the interview with Halcomb, but as time went by, I realized it was all about the house. Like any good ghost story, there is a slow build. Little things, which taken by themselves, don't mean a lot, but as they add up, lead to a frightening environment.
The book is written with parallel stories. There's Lou and his daughter moving into the house and Lou's attempts to get his interview and then there's the year leading up to the mass murder that took place in the house some thirty years before.
The two story-lines converge with the climatic scenes where all hell breaks loose.
I found Within These Walls to be an exceptionally well-crafted supernatural horror story. Seeing other reviews, not everyone agrees with me, but I can only relate my personal experience.
Within These Walls will be published on April 21st, 2015, by Gallery Books, a division of Simon and Schuster and will be available in a variety of formats.
Recommended.
July 30, 2021
Actual rating 4.5/5 stars.
This read like a combination Sinister meets The Silence of the Lambs meets The Amityville Horror meets The Girls. It was ghostly, creepy, eerie, and definitely my favourite release by Ania Ahlborn!
So many elements went into crafting this compelling read. There was a house filled with ghostly apparitions, a family struggling with their various personal problems, a prisoner with a string of murders to his name, and a past perspective revealing the formation of a sinister cult. I loved every single chapter and remained unsure throughout for which direction the novel would take next.
This read like a combination Sinister meets The Silence of the Lambs meets The Amityville Horror meets The Girls. It was ghostly, creepy, eerie, and definitely my favourite release by Ania Ahlborn!
So many elements went into crafting this compelling read. There was a house filled with ghostly apparitions, a family struggling with their various personal problems, a prisoner with a string of murders to his name, and a past perspective revealing the formation of a sinister cult. I loved every single chapter and remained unsure throughout for which direction the novel would take next.
October 19, 2015
[Note: I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.]
Ania Ahlborn’s latest, Within These Walls, might be the best horror book of 2015 thus far. Well written, and filled with depth of character and authorial confidence, it’s certainly among the best of the trio of Ahlborn’s releases that I’ve read (although her next novel, Brother, due out in September sounds like it could pose some stiff competition).
Taking center stage here is Lucas Graham, a washed-up true crime novelist whose marriage is on its last legs, and his angst-fueled twelve year old daughter, Virginia. Graham receives an offer from inmate Jeff Halcomb to pen the definitive account of a cult murder-suicide that occurred in Washington in 1983. The catch – because isn’t there always a catch? – is that Lucas has to move into the home where the grisly murders occurred. Graham convinces himself this is a fair trade, and one that might not only salvage his career but win back the love of his wife.
What follows is a complex but consistently engaging story of familial detachment, a charismatic cult leader and his sad followers, and a haunted house that hides the secrets of its past. The main narrative is fueled by a series of flashbacks to 1983, which thankfully never feel misplaced nor pose as a distraction that threaten to derail the steady pacing of the novel, along with excerpts from news broadcasts, police reports, and write-ups from paranormal investigators. Each of these elements provide necessary background and serve to enrich the core of this story, while Ahlborn entwines various threads of her narrative into a stunningly dark and brave finale that left me jarred.
If you’ve not yet read any of Ahlborn’s work, now is the time! Or, if you’re a fan of Stephen King, grab a copy and sit a while with this one; I think you’ll feel at home with it. Within These Walls is a gritty, haunting, and atmospheric read, and one that I expect to be a contender on a lot of Best Of lists by year’s end.
Ania Ahlborn’s latest, Within These Walls, might be the best horror book of 2015 thus far. Well written, and filled with depth of character and authorial confidence, it’s certainly among the best of the trio of Ahlborn’s releases that I’ve read (although her next novel, Brother, due out in September sounds like it could pose some stiff competition).
Taking center stage here is Lucas Graham, a washed-up true crime novelist whose marriage is on its last legs, and his angst-fueled twelve year old daughter, Virginia. Graham receives an offer from inmate Jeff Halcomb to pen the definitive account of a cult murder-suicide that occurred in Washington in 1983. The catch – because isn’t there always a catch? – is that Lucas has to move into the home where the grisly murders occurred. Graham convinces himself this is a fair trade, and one that might not only salvage his career but win back the love of his wife.
What follows is a complex but consistently engaging story of familial detachment, a charismatic cult leader and his sad followers, and a haunted house that hides the secrets of its past. The main narrative is fueled by a series of flashbacks to 1983, which thankfully never feel misplaced nor pose as a distraction that threaten to derail the steady pacing of the novel, along with excerpts from news broadcasts, police reports, and write-ups from paranormal investigators. Each of these elements provide necessary background and serve to enrich the core of this story, while Ahlborn entwines various threads of her narrative into a stunningly dark and brave finale that left me jarred.
If you’ve not yet read any of Ahlborn’s work, now is the time! Or, if you’re a fan of Stephen King, grab a copy and sit a while with this one; I think you’ll feel at home with it. Within These Walls is a gritty, haunting, and atmospheric read, and one that I expect to be a contender on a lot of Best Of lists by year’s end.
October 30, 2017
*4.5 stars*
I was very impressed with this horror novel about a charismatic leader responsible for the suicides of his followers, and the murder of a woman and her child. Lucas is a struggling crime writer on the brink of a divorce, when Jeffrey Halcomb (safely housed in a supermax prison) solicits him, promising exclusive interviews in exchange for Lucas moving into the site of the murders.
Doesn't seem like a good idea, right? Yet Lucas doesn't think twice about relocating himself and his twelve year old daughter, Jeanie, into the house. He's so concentrated on writing a successful crime novel that he doesn't notice anything else, much less how obsessed Jeanie is about the events that took place more than 20 years ago in their new home.
There are a lot of similarities between Halcomb and Charles Manson, although it's made clear that Manson and his grisly crew also exist in this book's world as well. There are enough parallels, however, to make this a fascinating, fantastical what-if read.
I highly recommend this as a Halloween read!
I was very impressed with this horror novel about a charismatic leader responsible for the suicides of his followers, and the murder of a woman and her child. Lucas is a struggling crime writer on the brink of a divorce, when Jeffrey Halcomb (safely housed in a supermax prison) solicits him, promising exclusive interviews in exchange for Lucas moving into the site of the murders.
Doesn't seem like a good idea, right? Yet Lucas doesn't think twice about relocating himself and his twelve year old daughter, Jeanie, into the house. He's so concentrated on writing a successful crime novel that he doesn't notice anything else, much less how obsessed Jeanie is about the events that took place more than 20 years ago in their new home.
There are a lot of similarities between Halcomb and Charles Manson, although it's made clear that Manson and his grisly crew also exist in this book's world as well. There are enough parallels, however, to make this a fascinating, fantastical what-if read.
I highly recommend this as a Halloween read!
April 9, 2018
The Good
- The premise! A has-been true crime author hasn't written a book in years, and with his marriage falling apart he sees moving to Washington into the house where a ritualistic murder happened as his last chance
- I loved everything that had to do with the cult. The Jeffrey Holcomb character was very Manson-like and "the family" was so eerie
- The things that happened with this "haunted" house were fun
The Not-My-Favorite
- Parts of it were a little predictable. There was a mystery character but only one possible suspect. So it was frustrating when the main characters were unable to see that.
- For being a crime writer, Lucas wasn't great at seeing patterns and connecting dots that were right in front of him
- His daughter V, didn't read as a 12 year-old. She seemed like a much older teenager.
- The premise! A has-been true crime author hasn't written a book in years, and with his marriage falling apart he sees moving to Washington into the house where a ritualistic murder happened as his last chance
- I loved everything that had to do with the cult. The Jeffrey Holcomb character was very Manson-like and "the family" was so eerie
- The things that happened with this "haunted" house were fun
The Not-My-Favorite
- Parts of it were a little predictable. There was a mystery character but only one possible suspect. So it was frustrating when the main characters were unable to see that.
- For being a crime writer, Lucas wasn't great at seeing patterns and connecting dots that were right in front of him
- His daughter V, didn't read as a 12 year-old. She seemed like a much older teenager.
March 12, 2019
Another fantastic read by Ania Ahlborn! I really liked this one (there’s a cult!!) but at the same time it frustrated me. All this could’ve been avoided if V and Lucas would’ve just opened their mouth and communicated! Ugh! But then we wouldn’t have a book, right? I was delighted with the ending. the characters were very believable. There was some good creepy stuff here but it wasn’t extremely scary. I like Ania Ahlborn and will continue to read her stuff.
October 14, 2025
How far would you go for success? What would you be capable of if the promise of forever was real?
Lucas Graham is a washed-up crime writer whose marriage is on the rocks, but then when an opportunity comes up for him to gain exclusive access to the notorious cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, he can’t let it pass by. There’s just one little problem... he has to stay at the scene of the crime.
The book goes back and forth between present day, where Lucas and his daughter are living in the house, and back to when the cult had first formed years before. Admittedly I enjoyed the house storyline a little more. That might have been due to the fact that I found Lucas and his daughter were both pretty unlikeable and I was waiting for something to get them. Bad me! In spite of their personalities, they were still interesting. I also felt it was perhaps that the story was a little longer than it really needed to be.
If you’ve read any books by Ania Ahlborn, you know that she is really good at telling a story, and usually they're very well-written. She also has a talent for always producing strong endings and she doesn’t disappoint here. Within These Walls is not your cliche cult story, she has put her own spin on it and the result is a unique blend of the supernatural with the cult setting intertwined.
I would only recommend this book if you like reading about cults, and/ or, creepy houses. This one is a combination of both topics.
Lucas Graham is a washed-up crime writer whose marriage is on the rocks, but then when an opportunity comes up for him to gain exclusive access to the notorious cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, he can’t let it pass by. There’s just one little problem... he has to stay at the scene of the crime.
The book goes back and forth between present day, where Lucas and his daughter are living in the house, and back to when the cult had first formed years before. Admittedly I enjoyed the house storyline a little more. That might have been due to the fact that I found Lucas and his daughter were both pretty unlikeable and I was waiting for something to get them. Bad me! In spite of their personalities, they were still interesting. I also felt it was perhaps that the story was a little longer than it really needed to be.
If you’ve read any books by Ania Ahlborn, you know that she is really good at telling a story, and usually they're very well-written. She also has a talent for always producing strong endings and she doesn’t disappoint here. Within These Walls is not your cliche cult story, she has put her own spin on it and the result is a unique blend of the supernatural with the cult setting intertwined.
I would only recommend this book if you like reading about cults, and/ or, creepy houses. This one is a combination of both topics.
April 17, 2015
I wanted to like this book, but the creepy tale of cult-murder was nowhere near enough for me to get around the ugly, ugly misogyny of the main character-- how many times in the first few pages is it necessary to comment on his wife being a nasty evil slut who cheated on him, changed her hair color, and just plain isn't nice enough to him about his ineffectual whining? Add in the cliched angsty preteen daughter and more than 2/3 of the chapters were automatically insufferable. I enjoyed the flashback chapters to before the murder-- I didn't care much for the mentally ill, tragically dead Audra either, but at least there was the promise of something interesting happening to her. I wanted to see how it played out, but not badly enough to finish the book. I skipped ahead to the end after the serial killer interviews I was promised failed to materialize in the first third of the novel, but I didn't get much out of the ending either, so I'll have to call this a DNF at 30%.
April 23, 2015
I wanted to like this. I really did. The plot seemed so interesting. The plot probably would've interesting.
The problem is that it doesn't make sense and the author didn't maintain the scares to cover up the nonsense that is generally in horror books. This makes it pretty much impossible to forget all the bad stuff.
Most of the plot threads and questions go unanswered too. Why did Jeff need a baby? If he could substitute a completely different and unrelated teen then they wouldn't've done that long before? What happened to the followers and why were they killed? What is Jeff? Why did they treat Avis that way? It makes absolutely no sense. I'm pretty sure it makes negative sense.
I mean, it's pretty easy to see what the goal was but everything surrounding it is only vaguely explained.
Add to that the fact that the author was way, way, WAY off with the dates and little things like that. It truly makes it harder and I can't believe that this issue was just something that slipped through the cracks for the simple fact that the date of the flashbacks (as an example) are the first thing written in those chapters.
Here are some examples:
-The author states Lucas is 35 and yet Lucas says that he was a sophomore in college twenty years ago.
-The flashback dates that supposedly happened on the same day (give or take a day from the first one): November 20 1982 3 months 24 days before Sacr, March 14 1983 3 months before Sac, March 14 1983 20 mins before Sacr.
The problem is that it doesn't make sense and the author didn't maintain the scares to cover up the nonsense that is generally in horror books. This makes it pretty much impossible to forget all the bad stuff.
Most of the plot threads and questions go unanswered too. Why did Jeff need a baby? If he could substitute a completely different and unrelated teen then they wouldn't've done that long before? What happened to the followers and why were they killed? What is Jeff? Why did they treat Avis that way? It makes absolutely no sense. I'm pretty sure it makes negative sense.
I mean, it's pretty easy to see what the goal was but everything surrounding it is only vaguely explained.
Add to that the fact that the author was way, way, WAY off with the dates and little things like that. It truly makes it harder and I can't believe that this issue was just something that slipped through the cracks for the simple fact that the date of the flashbacks (as an example) are the first thing written in those chapters.
Here are some examples:
-The author states Lucas is 35 and yet Lucas says that he was a sophomore in college twenty years ago.
-The flashback dates that supposedly happened on the same day (give or take a day from the first one): November 20 1982 3 months 24 days before Sacr, March 14 1983 3 months before Sac, March 14 1983 20 mins before Sacr.
November 10, 2018
3.0 Stars
I am slowly coming to reluctantly accept that Ahlborn might not be an author for me. Like her other novels, this was slower paced with a focus on characters. While it had a good premise, I simply did not connect with the story. I listened to this on audio, which was a good experience. R.C. Bray can do little wrong by me.
I am slowly coming to reluctantly accept that Ahlborn might not be an author for me. Like her other novels, this was slower paced with a focus on characters. While it had a good premise, I simply did not connect with the story. I listened to this on audio, which was a good experience. R.C. Bray can do little wrong by me.
October 13, 2019
Seanan McGuire, an author I love, said about this book: "Cruel, bone chilling, and destined to become a classic, Within These Walls is worth the sleep it will cost you. Some of the most promising horror I’ve encountered in years." I absolutely agree, because I loved it too. 4,5 stars
This is my second book by Ania Ahlborn and she's definitely a great author. While Brother was a "typical" horror book (what I meant is that if you're looking for a great modern horror novel, this is one of the best), Within These Walls is more... complicated. There's a true crime writer, a cult, paranormal, a narrative that goes from past to future events, multiple POVs, and somehow it's a success because the author manages to make it so damn great, because her writing is really good and she just grabs you and pulls you in that chilling atmosphere. Even when you've just read a difficult chapter because of what happened there, even if you don't want to read any more scenes like this one (there was one that I specifically had a hard time reading, we all have our personal triggers), you don't want to put this book down either because it's just great. Now for some readers, it's gonna be more of a paranormal read than a horror one, even though it is horror.
This is my second book by Ania Ahlborn and she's definitely a great author. While Brother was a "typical" horror book (what I meant is that if you're looking for a great modern horror novel, this is one of the best), Within These Walls is more... complicated. There's a true crime writer, a cult, paranormal, a narrative that goes from past to future events, multiple POVs, and somehow it's a success because the author manages to make it so damn great, because her writing is really good and she just grabs you and pulls you in that chilling atmosphere. Even when you've just read a difficult chapter because of what happened there, even if you don't want to read any more scenes like this one (there was one that I specifically had a hard time reading, we all have our personal triggers), you don't want to put this book down either because it's just great. Now for some readers, it's gonna be more of a paranormal read than a horror one, even though it is horror.
April 6, 2015
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover.
WITHIN THESE WALLS by Ania Ahlborn, a haunting mix of horror, mystery, evil, supernatural, psycho, and a crime thriller; reminiscent of Stephen King – so lock all the doors, turn out the lights with your e-reader, grab a cup of tea or coffee . . . . and settle in for a chilling read.
Lucas is a crime writer and he needs a bestseller. His marriage is not in a much better position than his career. At the end of his rope, he receives a letter which may be his opportunity for a second chance. The letter of course is so seductive and charming, making the recipient appear as a lover of literature, and complimenting Lucas, as special and “chosen” to tell this story.
Jeffrey Halcomb is an inmate at a maximum security prison, Lambert Correctional Facility, Rainier Unit, in Lambert, Washington, a death row cult leader. With an opportunity to tell his story, Lucas jumps at the chance. Lucas wants to be the one with the exclusive story –he knows this will make his career.
The terms he will grant him --interviews but all communication must be in person and the next term is he has to take up residence at 101 Montlake Road in Pier Pointe, Washington –the scene of the crime. “You want my story—you live in my house”. All has to be done within four weeks of the postmark of the letter. The clock is ticking. Can he be trusted?
From the eighties, Audra Snow, the daughter of Washington State congressman was found dead in her Pier Pointe Washington home (something out of a horror movie). Cult activity was strongly suspected. Ten dead, one caught. Her body was not the only victim at the scene. The bodies of eight others were found arranged in a circle with Ms. Snow at the center. Her unborn child was not spared. Police suspected suicide on the part of the eight currently unidentified victims. Thinking the acts were of satanic activity; however, this was not the first time the small community of Pier Pointe had been rocked by tragedy.
The novel switches back and forth from the events leading up to the murder and suicides and the present day with Lucas and his daughter in the Halcomb home—and as cult leaders go, they are charismatic and have followers inside and outside the prison continuing their work – true to form with the main antagonist. The protagonist is a true-crime writer, and the author does a good job of incorporating the police procedures, and elements of a crime thriller tying together the past with the present.
My first book by Ahlborn, - typically not a big fan of supernatural; however, enjoy suspense, crime and psycho thrillers . . . . As the storylines connect, an engaging, yet lengthy read with twists and turns. Fans of this genre, will delight.
“It is the secret of the world that all things subsist and do not die, but retire a little from sight and afterwards return again. Nothing is dead. People feign themselves dead, and endure mock funerals and mournful obituaries, and there they stand, looking out the window, sound and well in some new disguise. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
WITHIN THESE WALLS by Ania Ahlborn, a haunting mix of horror, mystery, evil, supernatural, psycho, and a crime thriller; reminiscent of Stephen King – so lock all the doors, turn out the lights with your e-reader, grab a cup of tea or coffee . . . . and settle in for a chilling read.
Lucas is a crime writer and he needs a bestseller. His marriage is not in a much better position than his career. At the end of his rope, he receives a letter which may be his opportunity for a second chance. The letter of course is so seductive and charming, making the recipient appear as a lover of literature, and complimenting Lucas, as special and “chosen” to tell this story.
Jeffrey Halcomb is an inmate at a maximum security prison, Lambert Correctional Facility, Rainier Unit, in Lambert, Washington, a death row cult leader. With an opportunity to tell his story, Lucas jumps at the chance. Lucas wants to be the one with the exclusive story –he knows this will make his career.
The terms he will grant him --interviews but all communication must be in person and the next term is he has to take up residence at 101 Montlake Road in Pier Pointe, Washington –the scene of the crime. “You want my story—you live in my house”. All has to be done within four weeks of the postmark of the letter. The clock is ticking. Can he be trusted?
From the eighties, Audra Snow, the daughter of Washington State congressman was found dead in her Pier Pointe Washington home (something out of a horror movie). Cult activity was strongly suspected. Ten dead, one caught. Her body was not the only victim at the scene. The bodies of eight others were found arranged in a circle with Ms. Snow at the center. Her unborn child was not spared. Police suspected suicide on the part of the eight currently unidentified victims. Thinking the acts were of satanic activity; however, this was not the first time the small community of Pier Pointe had been rocked by tragedy.
The novel switches back and forth from the events leading up to the murder and suicides and the present day with Lucas and his daughter in the Halcomb home—and as cult leaders go, they are charismatic and have followers inside and outside the prison continuing their work – true to form with the main antagonist. The protagonist is a true-crime writer, and the author does a good job of incorporating the police procedures, and elements of a crime thriller tying together the past with the present.
My first book by Ahlborn, - typically not a big fan of supernatural; however, enjoy suspense, crime and psycho thrillers . . . . As the storylines connect, an engaging, yet lengthy read with twists and turns. Fans of this genre, will delight.
“It is the secret of the world that all things subsist and do not die, but retire a little from sight and afterwards return again. Nothing is dead. People feign themselves dead, and endure mock funerals and mournful obituaries, and there they stand, looking out the window, sound and well in some new disguise. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
November 7, 2024
Within These Walls is such a cruel horror story, with certain parts of this sending chills down my body. The times this made me gasped for air, it just felt almost too real at times. Ironically this nearly ticked the boxes, if I had to point to an horror story that had everything it would almost certainly be this.
Ania Ahlborn has a brilliant horror mind, in this she takes you on a haunting ride, she transitions back and forth to the past and present almost seamlessly. Her writing is easy to follow, she deserves a lot of credit for being a great writer. Overall, if you wanna read a haunting tale that will scary you and get you thinking this is it. The dialogues can be long as well in certain passages but it still ties well into the story.
Can’t say enough good things about this, just glad I read it and hopefully I’ll keep this story in mind for as long as possible.
Ania Ahlborn has a brilliant horror mind, in this she takes you on a haunting ride, she transitions back and forth to the past and present almost seamlessly. Her writing is easy to follow, she deserves a lot of credit for being a great writer. Overall, if you wanna read a haunting tale that will scary you and get you thinking this is it. The dialogues can be long as well in certain passages but it still ties well into the story.
Can’t say enough good things about this, just glad I read it and hopefully I’ll keep this story in mind for as long as possible.
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