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Entombed at Summer Hill
Ana Portmann, desperate to escape the pain of a failed marriage, buys a new home to start over. But she is unaware of the sinister history tied to the property. Rumors swirl about the land’s dark past—tragedies have followed previous owners, and local folklore speaks of Binda, a young girl brutally murdered there nearly two centuries ago. Some believe her vengeful spirit lingers, bound to the land and bent on revenge.
For Ana, who has a history of schizophrenia, the move is meant to be a fresh start. But as strange occurrences begin to plague her life, her mental health deteriorates rapidly. Nightmares, unexplained voices, and chilling visions soon become reality. People around her start dying in mysterious and horrifying ways and Ana finds herself at the centre of a homicide investigation.
Detectives Jackson and Sampson are brought in to investigate the gruesome deaths. Their search for the killer reveals unsettling connections between Ana and the victims. As they dig deeper, the lines between myth and reality blur, leaving them to Is Ana a victim of possession, manipulated by Binda’s malevolent spirit? Or is her fragile mind unraveling, turning her into a dangerous psychopath?
Entombed at Summer Hill is a taut psychological thriller that explores the fragility of the mind, the weight of unresolved history and the terrifying question of whether evil is born or summoned.
For Ana, who has a history of schizophrenia, the move is meant to be a fresh start. But as strange occurrences begin to plague her life, her mental health deteriorates rapidly. Nightmares, unexplained voices, and chilling visions soon become reality. People around her start dying in mysterious and horrifying ways and Ana finds herself at the centre of a homicide investigation.
Detectives Jackson and Sampson are brought in to investigate the gruesome deaths. Their search for the killer reveals unsettling connections between Ana and the victims. As they dig deeper, the lines between myth and reality blur, leaving them to Is Ana a victim of possession, manipulated by Binda’s malevolent spirit? Or is her fragile mind unraveling, turning her into a dangerous psychopath?
Entombed at Summer Hill is a taut psychological thriller that explores the fragility of the mind, the weight of unresolved history and the terrifying question of whether evil is born or summoned.
- GenresHorror
176 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2025
4 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
About the author
Paul McDonald
4 books115 followersI retired from the workforce in 2019.
My wife and I bought a bushland property on the Burnett River near Bundaberg a vibrant town of 100,000 people in regional Queensland, Australia.
I had write a book on my bucket list and after 2 years of retirement, I decided if I was ever going to write a book I better start.
It was one of the most challenging activities I have ever undertaken, it is fair to say, writing did not come naturally to me.
Eventually I finished my first book “Innocent Assassin”.
I have enjoyed the creative process of writing as well as the personal growth from forcing myself out of my comfort zone.
I have since finished the Sakura Bianchi trilogy and commenced writing a horror trope.
I hope you enjoy my stories.
My wife and I bought a bushland property on the Burnett River near Bundaberg a vibrant town of 100,000 people in regional Queensland, Australia.
I had write a book on my bucket list and after 2 years of retirement, I decided if I was ever going to write a book I better start.
It was one of the most challenging activities I have ever undertaken, it is fair to say, writing did not come naturally to me.
Eventually I finished my first book “Innocent Assassin”.
I have enjoyed the creative process of writing as well as the personal growth from forcing myself out of my comfort zone.
I have since finished the Sakura Bianchi trilogy and commenced writing a horror trope.
I hope you enjoy my stories.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 29, 2025
ENTOMBED AT SUMMER HILL [2025] By Paul McDonald
My Review 4.0 Stars
My first brush with Mr. Paul McDonald was at least a couple of years ago, and it could be longer because it seems like Paul has always been a friend. I fully understand that Goodreads “friends” are only as meaningful and deep as the energy you employ to reach out and make a connection with them. I am so fortunate in that regard because I have several Goodreads friends in the true definition of the word.
We had been Goodreads friends for a while and one day Paul sent me a DM and asked me whether I enjoyed reading vigilante thrillers. Well, does a bear….? Seriously, though, it is perhaps a niche I happen to really enjoy. Ask any “grownup” who has been mercilessly bullied in school or made the butt of jokes because he or she is in some way different, whether they like Jack Reacher novels or (you guessed it) vigilante novels. There is of course a much more serious, deeper seated, and darkly disturbing reason that transforms a “normal” kid into an emotionally damaged adult who never recovers, or if they do, it would be an act of the Almighty if they were able to be content with revenge novels.
In Paul’s case, he created a child who suffered the most heinous violations and losses imaginable and gave her the strength and the support to one day carry out her own plan for exquisite and emotionally cleansing revenge. Paul McDonald wrote a trilogy which revolved around this pivotal character of the little girl who had lost herself and her mother when she was but a child. It is the “Sakura Bianchi” 3-Book Trilogy. Paul says his favorite is Book 3 but I loved Book 1 the best of this solid gold set of three novels that track her legacy. 5-Stars are not remotely sufficient to describe both the individual and collective exquisite elegance of this work.
Now Paul has a new book, a radical departure from the world of international intrigue, Samurai swords, and the ancient martial arts. But it has everything to do with vengeance. “Entombed At Summer Hill” [2025] is a story that when you arrive at the last chapter and last sentence, you think to yourself, that title? It is so “dead on” fitting that it gave me a chill. He is astute and crafty enough to have planned it that way. I will need to ask him.
The first thing you need to know about “Entombed at Summer Hill” is that the genre designations from Amazon provide no meaningful information at all. It is most assuredly not a “Serial Killer Thriller” albeit there IS a high body count. “Psychological Fiction” Psychological What? We all know it is fiction for crying out loud. This is only my opinion, but “Psychological Horror” would be more fitting. I forgot about the tagline, which promotes the novel as being about “a spirit’s unrelenting revenge”. No one wants to know how I feel about “taglines”.
I do not mind sketching it out a bit without revealing spoilers by the dozen. The author uses First Person Narrator, limited. The narrator, Ana Portman, is a 23-year-old woman who has graduated from college with a teaching degree. She has recently received a decent enough settlement from a cheating spouse and purchased an imposing house that she is just seeing for the first time when we meet her. It had been built in 1850 to specifications for Toowoomba’s first judge. It was reportedly the town’s crown jewel and had remained unmatched in grandeur for over a century. I spotted one and a half problems right off the bat that are likely only applicable to me. I really do not like it when horror novels contain a pet, and in this case a cat and a goldfish. I have cats and a nerite snail (“Caesar”). Am I kidding? Maybe. I can hear echoes of “what foolishness” so I will move on.
The reader knows that this girl has sustained a schizophrenic break prior to moving to a new place and moving into a large intimidating new-to-her home. The reader is privy to Ana’s every thought and she begins to feel varying degrees of foreboding that appears to her to be emanating from the house itself. It is no surprise that the young woman begins to suffer increased anxiety followed by a panic attack she had not experienced in years and starts burning through her new Valium prescription. Ana’s psyche is very fragile and her interactions with the few people she encounters re-enforces her timidity and weakness. I am not letting Ana’s cat (or anyone’s cat) out of the bag due to the bold tagline announcing there was a “spirit’s unrelenting revenge” in the plot line. So---Ana discovers very early on that there are “protection” symbols in her bedroom. Yes, she can determine that this is true because she isn’t stupid, but rather, emotionally compromised due to her mental illness. But the character of Ana as written by the author is timid, and despite her recognition of tangible signs of the “protection practices”, she is still unable to recognize her own vulnerability while simultaneously pondering why she allowed a clerk to shortchange her two dollars and was too intimidated to say anything about it, all while quietly eating a tomato sandwich.
The aforementioned events were in the very beginning of her home ownership, and it is still early in the storyline when Ana begins to conduct online research on her new house in addition to questioning the realtor and other individuals who may have pertinent information. Ana turns up a ton of ominous evidence in the home itself that would provoke the UFC Heavyweight Champion to book it out of town. In my opinion it was obvious what was happening by this point, and naturally the tagline suggests that the Ana who arrived and looked at her new home is not the same Ana who is ignoring danger signs and her own chilling assessments about tangible items she is discovering in previously unexplored rooms of the house. By Page 30 I was making a note “First the goldfish, then the cat?”
This is not a bad novel by any means, and I am being as critical now as when I read the book. It may have been a mistake to use First Person, but conversely it was the best way for the author to drive it home to the reader that this passive young emotionally unstable young woman was evolving into a character radically different and with ominous undertones, ah…like John Carpenter’s refrain to Halloween that repeats for a long period until the composition abruptly starts the tense rapid musical score. I was annoyed by the “real” Ana Portman. The “new and rage-filled impetuous” Ana is ominous and threatening to read. Anything beyond this point would in fact, constitute a “spoiler”.
I had both positive and negative feelings about the “middle” of the book. The personality changes leading to the OMG aspects of the book were quite positive. The reader could almost feel the homicidal rage and the blood of the multiple victims leak off the pages. The identity of the “Spirit” seeking revenge was a pleasant revelation because I was getting annoyed because there was nothing concrete that happened to “curse” the house. So-and-so was murdered and mutilated in the house on April 1, 2000, that sort of thing. Knowledge of the identity and reasoning of the “spirit” was a really imaginative and creative move by the author. In fact, it was the nuclear option.
My criticisms are my own and may not be manifest in any other reader. I do not read reviews of any kind before writing my own unfiltered opinion of the book. My only real criticism for the author, and this sort of dovetails with my intense dislike for the real Ana at the beginning of the novel, is the danger of horribly killing off likeable characters in the book. Strangers make excellent victims and peripheral characters with not much “fleshing out” or character enrichment done. Slaughtering sympathetic characters does not bode well for readers that have a problem with empathy. This does sort of tie in with unsympathetic first-person narrators. It is great if it is a mesmerizing sociopath that is narrating, and in fact it is quite often a winning formula.
Now for the praise that was earned by what I think of as a “big reveal” toward the end which literally ties up any worrisome loose ends. Very smooth and satisfactory. I cannot elaborate due to spoiler territory, but it has to do with the method to the spirit’s madness. It also sort of applies a balm to my criticism stated above, practically an exoneration if I am honest, but I will stand by the no kill zone for sympathetic characters even if you earned a "Get Out of Jail Card" on this one.
Finally, the ending was simply perfect. It was quite imaginative, and it matches the title like a key in a lock. I did like this book overall. I did not post a rating and review immediately because I was attempting to sort out in my mind what I really knew was true and accurate in my mind anyway. It is hell to review a friend’s work, and you had me hopelessly spoiled beforehand.
A HORROR NOVEL THAT WILL STIMULATE YOUR SENSES AND DELIVERS A SINISTER SYMETRY AT THE END
My Review 4.0 Stars
My first brush with Mr. Paul McDonald was at least a couple of years ago, and it could be longer because it seems like Paul has always been a friend. I fully understand that Goodreads “friends” are only as meaningful and deep as the energy you employ to reach out and make a connection with them. I am so fortunate in that regard because I have several Goodreads friends in the true definition of the word.
We had been Goodreads friends for a while and one day Paul sent me a DM and asked me whether I enjoyed reading vigilante thrillers. Well, does a bear….? Seriously, though, it is perhaps a niche I happen to really enjoy. Ask any “grownup” who has been mercilessly bullied in school or made the butt of jokes because he or she is in some way different, whether they like Jack Reacher novels or (you guessed it) vigilante novels. There is of course a much more serious, deeper seated, and darkly disturbing reason that transforms a “normal” kid into an emotionally damaged adult who never recovers, or if they do, it would be an act of the Almighty if they were able to be content with revenge novels.
In Paul’s case, he created a child who suffered the most heinous violations and losses imaginable and gave her the strength and the support to one day carry out her own plan for exquisite and emotionally cleansing revenge. Paul McDonald wrote a trilogy which revolved around this pivotal character of the little girl who had lost herself and her mother when she was but a child. It is the “Sakura Bianchi” 3-Book Trilogy. Paul says his favorite is Book 3 but I loved Book 1 the best of this solid gold set of three novels that track her legacy. 5-Stars are not remotely sufficient to describe both the individual and collective exquisite elegance of this work.
Now Paul has a new book, a radical departure from the world of international intrigue, Samurai swords, and the ancient martial arts. But it has everything to do with vengeance. “Entombed At Summer Hill” [2025] is a story that when you arrive at the last chapter and last sentence, you think to yourself, that title? It is so “dead on” fitting that it gave me a chill. He is astute and crafty enough to have planned it that way. I will need to ask him.
The first thing you need to know about “Entombed at Summer Hill” is that the genre designations from Amazon provide no meaningful information at all. It is most assuredly not a “Serial Killer Thriller” albeit there IS a high body count. “Psychological Fiction” Psychological What? We all know it is fiction for crying out loud. This is only my opinion, but “Psychological Horror” would be more fitting. I forgot about the tagline, which promotes the novel as being about “a spirit’s unrelenting revenge”. No one wants to know how I feel about “taglines”.
I do not mind sketching it out a bit without revealing spoilers by the dozen. The author uses First Person Narrator, limited. The narrator, Ana Portman, is a 23-year-old woman who has graduated from college with a teaching degree. She has recently received a decent enough settlement from a cheating spouse and purchased an imposing house that she is just seeing for the first time when we meet her. It had been built in 1850 to specifications for Toowoomba’s first judge. It was reportedly the town’s crown jewel and had remained unmatched in grandeur for over a century. I spotted one and a half problems right off the bat that are likely only applicable to me. I really do not like it when horror novels contain a pet, and in this case a cat and a goldfish. I have cats and a nerite snail (“Caesar”). Am I kidding? Maybe. I can hear echoes of “what foolishness” so I will move on.
The reader knows that this girl has sustained a schizophrenic break prior to moving to a new place and moving into a large intimidating new-to-her home. The reader is privy to Ana’s every thought and she begins to feel varying degrees of foreboding that appears to her to be emanating from the house itself. It is no surprise that the young woman begins to suffer increased anxiety followed by a panic attack she had not experienced in years and starts burning through her new Valium prescription. Ana’s psyche is very fragile and her interactions with the few people she encounters re-enforces her timidity and weakness. I am not letting Ana’s cat (or anyone’s cat) out of the bag due to the bold tagline announcing there was a “spirit’s unrelenting revenge” in the plot line. So---Ana discovers very early on that there are “protection” symbols in her bedroom. Yes, she can determine that this is true because she isn’t stupid, but rather, emotionally compromised due to her mental illness. But the character of Ana as written by the author is timid, and despite her recognition of tangible signs of the “protection practices”, she is still unable to recognize her own vulnerability while simultaneously pondering why she allowed a clerk to shortchange her two dollars and was too intimidated to say anything about it, all while quietly eating a tomato sandwich.
The aforementioned events were in the very beginning of her home ownership, and it is still early in the storyline when Ana begins to conduct online research on her new house in addition to questioning the realtor and other individuals who may have pertinent information. Ana turns up a ton of ominous evidence in the home itself that would provoke the UFC Heavyweight Champion to book it out of town. In my opinion it was obvious what was happening by this point, and naturally the tagline suggests that the Ana who arrived and looked at her new home is not the same Ana who is ignoring danger signs and her own chilling assessments about tangible items she is discovering in previously unexplored rooms of the house. By Page 30 I was making a note “First the goldfish, then the cat?”
This is not a bad novel by any means, and I am being as critical now as when I read the book. It may have been a mistake to use First Person, but conversely it was the best way for the author to drive it home to the reader that this passive young emotionally unstable young woman was evolving into a character radically different and with ominous undertones, ah…like John Carpenter’s refrain to Halloween that repeats for a long period until the composition abruptly starts the tense rapid musical score. I was annoyed by the “real” Ana Portman. The “new and rage-filled impetuous” Ana is ominous and threatening to read. Anything beyond this point would in fact, constitute a “spoiler”.
I had both positive and negative feelings about the “middle” of the book. The personality changes leading to the OMG aspects of the book were quite positive. The reader could almost feel the homicidal rage and the blood of the multiple victims leak off the pages. The identity of the “Spirit” seeking revenge was a pleasant revelation because I was getting annoyed because there was nothing concrete that happened to “curse” the house. So-and-so was murdered and mutilated in the house on April 1, 2000, that sort of thing. Knowledge of the identity and reasoning of the “spirit” was a really imaginative and creative move by the author. In fact, it was the nuclear option.
My criticisms are my own and may not be manifest in any other reader. I do not read reviews of any kind before writing my own unfiltered opinion of the book. My only real criticism for the author, and this sort of dovetails with my intense dislike for the real Ana at the beginning of the novel, is the danger of horribly killing off likeable characters in the book. Strangers make excellent victims and peripheral characters with not much “fleshing out” or character enrichment done. Slaughtering sympathetic characters does not bode well for readers that have a problem with empathy. This does sort of tie in with unsympathetic first-person narrators. It is great if it is a mesmerizing sociopath that is narrating, and in fact it is quite often a winning formula.
Now for the praise that was earned by what I think of as a “big reveal” toward the end which literally ties up any worrisome loose ends. Very smooth and satisfactory. I cannot elaborate due to spoiler territory, but it has to do with the method to the spirit’s madness. It also sort of applies a balm to my criticism stated above, practically an exoneration if I am honest, but I will stand by the no kill zone for sympathetic characters even if you earned a "Get Out of Jail Card" on this one.
Finally, the ending was simply perfect. It was quite imaginative, and it matches the title like a key in a lock. I did like this book overall. I did not post a rating and review immediately because I was attempting to sort out in my mind what I really knew was true and accurate in my mind anyway. It is hell to review a friend’s work, and you had me hopelessly spoiled beforehand.
A HORROR NOVEL THAT WILL STIMULATE YOUR SENSES AND DELIVERS A SINISTER SYMETRY AT THE END
April 29, 2025
what a creepy story! I loved how the story had me second-guessing myself sometimes, like things that were happening, real or a part of the MC schizophrenia? very well written with a unique ending not seen often!
March 8, 2025
This book is very well written. The author poetically explains the details in a way that you can see/feel exactly what he means but not to the point of oversharing. It is a great storyline with great characters. I felt that the end was a bit rushed and I would have liked to have heard more about the family history and a bit more about how they all connect with Ana prior to Binda’s “connection” to Ana. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2025
Spooky multi-generational story of a haunting by a vengeful spirit. The story was plotted out very well. I enjoyed the journey, although some parts felt either repetitive, or not thoroughly developed. The cast of characters was diverse, but I wanted more about them. Maybe some more background on the detectives would round out the story nicely. Do these gory scenes remind them of past cases? Even when a case is cut and dry with evidence, how do they mentally deal with the doubt that may linger? Do they have loved ones with mental illness who affect how they treat or perceive Ana? The detectives could return for another book. The history of the house also has potential for more flashbacks.
Potential triggers include graphic and gory descriptions, mental illness, medication.
Potential triggers include graphic and gory descriptions, mental illness, medication.
March 18, 2025
This book grabbed my attention right from the start and kept it throughout. Author used great imagery and really painted a picture of what was going on. Some of the stuff was pretty disturbing, but that made it all the better. This was a fast read and quite action packed throughout. The only thing that would have made it 5 stars for me was if it was a bit longer so that we could have eased into it a bit rather than going full force. If it was just a bit longer, I think the author could have really added to some of the story that felt a little rushed. Overall a great read though and I would definitely recommend it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
April 1, 2025Fast paced and action packed, this is a well-done horror story. I found the ending to be unexpected but enjoyable.
January 7, 2026
Wow! This was enthralling from start to finish. I love McDonald’s attention to detail in his descriptions of the home in the beginning. Seeing this beautiful home through the eyes of Ana was a great way to set this story. The mystery of the home and the relentless evil that resides there unravels as Ana’s descent into madness increases. There are some intensely brutal scenes within these pages. It takes us into the minds of the police investigating a series of brutal murders and their link to the home. This has an incredible twist I did not see coming and a darkly sinister ending that had me begging for more.
March 19, 2025
This was a decent read. A lesson learned not to go digging up ancient bones when you’ve been warned to leave. I did find a few things rushed overall though it’s worth reading. It does get a little graphic describing certain scenes.
April 4, 2025
This was a solid 3.5 Stars for me!!!!!!
A received this as an ARC read and I want to give a big thank you to the author and Book Sirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I truly enjoyed this book. It started at a slow pace but it quickly gathered my attention.
Some parts of the story were super spooky and some parts of the novel were a little bit disturbing - They way the author described the story, made you feel completed immersed in it, he almost poetically described what was happening.
What I wish is that the author would have given up a little bit more backstory on Binda other than being a vengeful spirit in the story.
I dont want to give away some much since this is a Novella but I would definitely recommend this book.
Definitely check your trigger warnings for this- There is age gap, mental health issues, drug addiction and suicidal thoughts.
Other than that this was a great read for me.
A received this as an ARC read and I want to give a big thank you to the author and Book Sirens. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I truly enjoyed this book. It started at a slow pace but it quickly gathered my attention.
Some parts of the story were super spooky and some parts of the novel were a little bit disturbing - They way the author described the story, made you feel completed immersed in it, he almost poetically described what was happening.
What I wish is that the author would have given up a little bit more backstory on Binda other than being a vengeful spirit in the story.
I dont want to give away some much since this is a Novella but I would definitely recommend this book.
Definitely check your trigger warnings for this- There is age gap, mental health issues, drug addiction and suicidal thoughts.
Other than that this was a great read for me.
June 19, 2025
This story was very unique and unlike anything I have read before. I really enjoyed reading it
March 26, 2025
Entombed at summer hill
Genre: horror
Publication date : February 23,2025
Stars : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Entombed at summerhill was a quick read for me as I did not want to put it down. I had chills all the way through, sometimes when reading the gory scenes or the parts that made you want to jump I had to glance up to recognize that I in fact was not along for the journey.
I did however want to know more background on the characters and a background on the house itself and what started this horror. What made the detectives so invested in this case. Although, I wanted to know more I did find that the author did a great job with the characters.
Ana is still a mystery to me even after reading the book, I am still trying to understand if she had some psycho tendencies which made it easier for her to be overcome or, if she was so vulnerable from her divorce that her mind was easy to get into.
I felt some scenes were repetitive but, I think they were for good reason as sometimes I found myself going back to remever what happened and why that part was so significant so I did like that the author repeated some of the scenes more than once.
Overall, this was a quick read and very well written, sent chills up my spine from time to time which is a must for me when I’m reading a horror.
Genre: horror
Publication date : February 23,2025
Stars : ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Entombed at summerhill was a quick read for me as I did not want to put it down. I had chills all the way through, sometimes when reading the gory scenes or the parts that made you want to jump I had to glance up to recognize that I in fact was not along for the journey.
I did however want to know more background on the characters and a background on the house itself and what started this horror. What made the detectives so invested in this case. Although, I wanted to know more I did find that the author did a great job with the characters.
Ana is still a mystery to me even after reading the book, I am still trying to understand if she had some psycho tendencies which made it easier for her to be overcome or, if she was so vulnerable from her divorce that her mind was easy to get into.
I felt some scenes were repetitive but, I think they were for good reason as sometimes I found myself going back to remever what happened and why that part was so significant so I did like that the author repeated some of the scenes more than once.
Overall, this was a quick read and very well written, sent chills up my spine from time to time which is a must for me when I’m reading a horror.
April 7, 2025
The storyline was amazing. I loved the characters and the details given to them. It was fast paced. I didn't want to put the kindle down and I found myself wish this was a movie.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 26, 2025
3.5
A big thank you to the author and BookSirens for letting me read this early as an ARC. My review was left voluntarily, as I have enjoyed the book!
I'm unsure how I feel about this novel. Some parts of it were very disturbing and scary, while others weren't as well paced.
We follow the story of Ana, who decides to move into a very old house in a small town in Australia. The horror was quite well done, it developed quickly and was in some parts gruesome. However, would I have loved a bit more buildup? Yes, absolutely. I would have wanted more character development outside of the haunting. Without it, Ana feels a bit overlooked, especially in her mental struggles. Instead of having a clear distinction between mental illness and ancient haunting we get a tangled up story of both.
Somewhere near the end there are more POVs introduced into the novel, about which I am unsure, but understand the author's decision to resolve the mystery that way.
*I am disappointed in the use of indigenous characters. The book does state everything as fictional, and that is okay. Would I have preferred a well researched story that does feature actual indigenous characters and stories? YES!*
Overall, I would recommend this story to all horror and especially haunted-house story lovers. It's a nice addition to what I have read so far.
A big thank you to the author and BookSirens for letting me read this early as an ARC. My review was left voluntarily, as I have enjoyed the book!
I'm unsure how I feel about this novel. Some parts of it were very disturbing and scary, while others weren't as well paced.
We follow the story of Ana, who decides to move into a very old house in a small town in Australia. The horror was quite well done, it developed quickly and was in some parts gruesome. However, would I have loved a bit more buildup? Yes, absolutely. I would have wanted more character development outside of the haunting. Without it, Ana feels a bit overlooked, especially in her mental struggles. Instead of having a clear distinction between mental illness and ancient haunting we get a tangled up story of both.
Somewhere near the end there are more POVs introduced into the novel, about which I am unsure, but understand the author's decision to resolve the mystery that way.
*I am disappointed in the use of indigenous characters. The book does state everything as fictional, and that is okay. Would I have preferred a well researched story that does feature actual indigenous characters and stories? YES!*
Overall, I would recommend this story to all horror and especially haunted-house story lovers. It's a nice addition to what I have read so far.
May 28, 2025
I received an advance review copy through BookSirens and I leave this review voluntarily.
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It's been a long, long time since I last read a true horror story. This definitely was one.
It wasn't as scary to read as some horror movies are to watch, but when the story really took off, it had me in a grip and managed to make me shiver. Just imagining something like this would really happen. Don't want to think about that for a second.
I liked the story, that is part horror and part whodunnit. A clever detective, a very interesting web of happenings dating back to about 200 years ago.
How family secrets come back, no matter how well people try to hide them.
After reading this book, I am curious about this author's other works. Will see if I can find one.
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It's been a long, long time since I last read a true horror story. This definitely was one.
It wasn't as scary to read as some horror movies are to watch, but when the story really took off, it had me in a grip and managed to make me shiver. Just imagining something like this would really happen. Don't want to think about that for a second.
I liked the story, that is part horror and part whodunnit. A clever detective, a very interesting web of happenings dating back to about 200 years ago.
How family secrets come back, no matter how well people try to hide them.
After reading this book, I am curious about this author's other works. Will see if I can find one.
March 26, 2025
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This book started off really good. Towards the middle, it became very predictable and repetitive. New characters were introduced that we really didn't know anything about. The main character hopped around a lot to me. I wanted to know more details. It was like one thing happened, then, 6 things happened and it was confusing. The story itself was really good. The plot was a good one. I just wanted to know more and needed the details thst were there to be a little more clear.
This book started off really good. Towards the middle, it became very predictable and repetitive. New characters were introduced that we really didn't know anything about. The main character hopped around a lot to me. I wanted to know more details. It was like one thing happened, then, 6 things happened and it was confusing. The story itself was really good. The plot was a good one. I just wanted to know more and needed the details thst were there to be a little more clear.
July 30, 2025
Another excellent book from Paul.
March 6, 2025
5 stars!!! I know it's obvious in my rating but I had to say it again.
Warning: if you can't handle very graphic descriptions of blood and gore, do not read this book.
From the start of this book to the end, I was hooked and I'm trying my very best to not give any spoilers. This was such a hauntingly, wonderful tale that I finished it in one sitting. I want to read more from this author and right now.
Fans of paranormal fiction will enjoy this. The writing is good and the lore is captivating. Seeing how debilitating mental illness can be on one suffering from it was a real eye opener.
I love that the book didn't end like most do, good winning over evil, it was more complicated.
I'm gonna stop here before I spoil the whole book. Read it!
Warning: if you can't handle very graphic descriptions of blood and gore, do not read this book.
From the start of this book to the end, I was hooked and I'm trying my very best to not give any spoilers. This was such a hauntingly, wonderful tale that I finished it in one sitting. I want to read more from this author and right now.
Fans of paranormal fiction will enjoy this. The writing is good and the lore is captivating. Seeing how debilitating mental illness can be on one suffering from it was a real eye opener.
I love that the book didn't end like most do, good winning over evil, it was more complicated.
I'm gonna stop here before I spoil the whole book. Read it!
May 22, 2025
Full story packed into a relatively short number of pages.
Writing style very easy to read.
Gripping and addictive - couldn’t put down in second half of book.
Unlike other crime books I have read, focus was on development of main character not detectives.
Very vivid imagery.
One crime scenario macabre. Although there were no swear words in all of book, except one, which made the macabre scenario even more shocking. This scenario is difficult to forget.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Writing style very easy to read.
Gripping and addictive - couldn’t put down in second half of book.
Unlike other crime books I have read, focus was on development of main character not detectives.
Very vivid imagery.
One crime scenario macabre. Although there were no swear words in all of book, except one, which made the macabre scenario even more shocking. This scenario is difficult to forget.
Note: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 1, 2025
I think that the ending of this novel is what got me, where Ana's mother was walking through the house and the entire place seemed abandoned except for the kitchen and Ana's bedroom. That she had been living in between those two spaces but nowhere else, so it was interesting to see how quickly her mind had let go of the surrounding reality.
The rest of the story was good. Sometimes a little brutal but good.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The rest of the story was good. Sometimes a little brutal but good.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 20, 2025
Ana moves to an old home after her divorce in hopes of starting over. The house and the spirits that reside there have different ideas.
Overall, this was a fun read. There were some creepy moments and definitely some ick within murders. I would have liked a bit more backstory for Ana, as her character felt a bit flat and I couldn't seem to get invested. Also, there were definitely moments that I yelled WHAT ARE YOU DOING at a few of the characters, which was a bit frustrating.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens. This review is voluntary and solely my own thoughts.
Overall, this was a fun read. There were some creepy moments and definitely some ick within murders. I would have liked a bit more backstory for Ana, as her character felt a bit flat and I couldn't seem to get invested. Also, there were definitely moments that I yelled WHAT ARE YOU DOING at a few of the characters, which was a bit frustrating.
I received an ARC from Book Sirens. This review is voluntary and solely my own thoughts.
June 3, 2025
A horror tale that sends chills down your spine, I am all in for these stories. This book was just that. I enjoyed it throughout and would definitely recommend it.
June 2, 2025
I love a good creepy story- this one was different than most which made it an even better read for me. Good story building with the perfect balance of comfort and originality.
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