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The Haunting of Rookward House
When Guy finds the deed to a house in his mother's attic, it seems like an incredible stroke of luck. Sure, it hasn't been inhabited in years, and vines strangle the age-stained walls, but Guy's convinced he can clean the building up and sell it. He'd be crazy to turn down free money. Right?
Rookward House may be hours away from its nearest neighbor, but he can't escape the feeling that he's being watched. Still, he doesn't believe in ghost stories and decides to camp in the crumbling old mansion while he does repairs. Surely nothing too bad can happen in the space of a week. But there's a reason no one lives in the haunting house, with its twisting shadows and whispering walls. The dilapidated rooms aren't as empty as they seem. Forty years ago, a deranged woman tormented the family that made Rookward its home. Now her ghost clings to the building like rot. She's bitter, obsessive, and fiercely jealous, and once Guy has moved into her house, she has no intention of letting him go.
Rookward House may be hours away from its nearest neighbor, but he can't escape the feeling that he's being watched. Still, he doesn't believe in ghost stories and decides to camp in the crumbling old mansion while he does repairs. Surely nothing too bad can happen in the space of a week. But there's a reason no one lives in the haunting house, with its twisting shadows and whispering walls. The dilapidated rooms aren't as empty as they seem. Forty years ago, a deranged woman tormented the family that made Rookward its home. Now her ghost clings to the building like rot. She's bitter, obsessive, and fiercely jealous, and once Guy has moved into her house, she has no intention of letting him go.
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First published September 22, 2017
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About the author
Darcy Coates
69 books14.3k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 785 reviews
September 15, 2021
I love Darcy, she’s Queen of haunted houses - at least as much as I’ve read, but I couldn’t get into this one or it could be my mood. I’ll try it again someday.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
April 22, 2021
At the top of the stairs, Guy stopped and listened. The upper floor felt eerily quiet. He held his breath, ears straining, then flinched as the door to his left moved.
Disclaimer: There are a lot of wishes in this review.
Guy, a down on his luck rageaholic, finds a deed to an old, abandoned house in his mother's attic, and decides to restore and sell it. Once he arrives he finds fifty-year-old photographs on the walls, bloodstained furniture, and a ghost bent on keeping him all to herself.
The bulk of the story takes place in 2015 with Guy, however, we see snippets of the tragedy that befell the previous owners in 1965 through Guys dreams.
This is where the wishing begins.
I wish there was more 1965 story. It was infinitely creepier and more entertaining than the 2015 timeline. I wish it was told in full length chapters where we learn the complete backstory, and not just snap shots through Guy's weird dream/visions. Most of all, I wish we learned more about Amy.
A hand slammed into the window. Amy's long, bloodless face appeared beside it, ghosting out of the window. Wild eyes fixed on him. Colorless lips stretched into a demented smile.
Her obsessive insanity, in life as well as death, is clearly the star of this book. Why not give us more?
I didn't really connect with Guy. No matter how much evidence he was given that the house was haunted, he'd come up with ways to rationalize long past the point of annoyance. His fits of anger read like a child's temper tantrum where he 'saw red' nearly every chapter. It was difficult to root for him.
There were lots of spooky moments and cleverly placed creepy items inside the house. But overall the book fell flat, especially toward the end. I get what the author was going for; I just didn't feel it.
I wish I did.
Disclaimer: There are a lot of wishes in this review.
Guy, a down on his luck rageaholic, finds a deed to an old, abandoned house in his mother's attic, and decides to restore and sell it. Once he arrives he finds fifty-year-old photographs on the walls, bloodstained furniture, and a ghost bent on keeping him all to herself.
The bulk of the story takes place in 2015 with Guy, however, we see snippets of the tragedy that befell the previous owners in 1965 through Guys dreams.
This is where the wishing begins.
I wish there was more 1965 story. It was infinitely creepier and more entertaining than the 2015 timeline. I wish it was told in full length chapters where we learn the complete backstory, and not just snap shots through Guy's weird dream/visions. Most of all, I wish we learned more about Amy.
A hand slammed into the window. Amy's long, bloodless face appeared beside it, ghosting out of the window. Wild eyes fixed on him. Colorless lips stretched into a demented smile.
Her obsessive insanity, in life as well as death, is clearly the star of this book. Why not give us more?
I didn't really connect with Guy. No matter how much evidence he was given that the house was haunted, he'd come up with ways to rationalize long past the point of annoyance. His fits of anger read like a child's temper tantrum where he 'saw red' nearly every chapter. It was difficult to root for him.
There were lots of spooky moments and cleverly placed creepy items inside the house. But overall the book fell flat, especially toward the end. I get what the author was going for; I just didn't feel it.
I wish I did.
June 16, 2018
This was a very strange book and I really struggled trying to get into it which is very un-normal for a Darcy Coates book.
The story revolves around Guy who finds a deed in his mom's attic to a house that he has never heard of before. He decides to go check it out and he thinks he might be able to fix it up when he sees that the house is in bad condition. From this point on in the story, things start moving slowly and the book starts becoming confusing. Guy has dreams/visions that I was never really sure when I was reading the book if he was dreaming or if he was in the reality of the house.
The house is haunted with a ghost that has the capability to alternate reality within the house and on the property which when reading the book you never know which reality you are in as Guy experiences everything around him.
I never really connected to the character, Guy, as for one thing he was a whiner the whole time and he became spooked easily with things that happened in the house. He acted more like a five year old most of the time throughout the whole book.
The book was not scary at all and to me it seemed to lean more science fiction. Normally Darcy Coates books give me chills and thrills, but this one just dropped off the face of the earth and kept me confused most of the time. I am giving it two stars.
The story revolves around Guy who finds a deed in his mom's attic to a house that he has never heard of before. He decides to go check it out and he thinks he might be able to fix it up when he sees that the house is in bad condition. From this point on in the story, things start moving slowly and the book starts becoming confusing. Guy has dreams/visions that I was never really sure when I was reading the book if he was dreaming or if he was in the reality of the house.
The house is haunted with a ghost that has the capability to alternate reality within the house and on the property which when reading the book you never know which reality you are in as Guy experiences everything around him.
I never really connected to the character, Guy, as for one thing he was a whiner the whole time and he became spooked easily with things that happened in the house. He acted more like a five year old most of the time throughout the whole book.
The book was not scary at all and to me it seemed to lean more science fiction. Normally Darcy Coates books give me chills and thrills, but this one just dropped off the face of the earth and kept me confused most of the time. I am giving it two stars.
March 4, 2018
THE HAUNTING OF ROOKWARD HOUSE, by Darcy Coates, is my third read by this author. While she seems to specialize in "Haunted House" stories, the type of haunting involved in this one is particularly vicious.
We begin with Guy, a young man who had to move back with his mother after his "anger issues" resulted in a traumatic court drama, and his being ostracized from society, in general. Sadly, by being the only sympathetic person to him, it doesn't take long before his mom is also deemed "undesirable company" by the rest of the town. While Guy helps her out in the house, his inability to get a job now puts a definite strain on their livelihood.
". . . after two hours of sifting through the leaning towers of filing papers, long forgotten mementoes, and badly broken furniture . . . he was starting to suspect that his mom was secretly a hoarder."
Then things change as he finds the deed to a house in his mother's attic--a house that she somehow doesn't remember owning. Naturally, Guy heads down to 189 Rookward--which is in the middle of the woods--to check it out. He's hoping to sell it and be able to get a fresh start in life for he and his mother, in a new town.
". . . I'm committed to Rookward."
At first, Guy's impressions offer nothing more concrete than a few vivid nightmares and noises.
"What the hell is wrong with this house?"
Eventually, he learns about a woman named Amy, who's obsessions led to her death and staying behind there.
". . . she was an infestation, a rot that had set in and would never leave . . . "
Unfortunately, I honestly couldn't bring myself to care one way or another about any of the characters. The constant repetition about Guy having "anger issues" grew tiring after the first half a dozen mentions. His mother appears as nothing more than a cardboard cut-out of what a mother would say and do for her only child.
The entity known as "Amy" is the one original feature about this novel. Amy is a ghost, but one with more ability to physically interact and cause damage to any humans in her path. Obsessed in life, her desire doesn't wane with her death--rather it intensifies.
". . . It was a special kind of cruelty to offer him everything he wanted then snatch it away again . . ."
Overall, a story with potential, but easily forgettable characters and too many repetitious scenes. However, there were a few "creepy" moments.
We begin with Guy, a young man who had to move back with his mother after his "anger issues" resulted in a traumatic court drama, and his being ostracized from society, in general. Sadly, by being the only sympathetic person to him, it doesn't take long before his mom is also deemed "undesirable company" by the rest of the town. While Guy helps her out in the house, his inability to get a job now puts a definite strain on their livelihood.
". . . after two hours of sifting through the leaning towers of filing papers, long forgotten mementoes, and badly broken furniture . . . he was starting to suspect that his mom was secretly a hoarder."
Then things change as he finds the deed to a house in his mother's attic--a house that she somehow doesn't remember owning. Naturally, Guy heads down to 189 Rookward--which is in the middle of the woods--to check it out. He's hoping to sell it and be able to get a fresh start in life for he and his mother, in a new town.
". . . I'm committed to Rookward."
At first, Guy's impressions offer nothing more concrete than a few vivid nightmares and noises.
"What the hell is wrong with this house?"
Eventually, he learns about a woman named Amy, who's obsessions led to her death and staying behind there.
". . . she was an infestation, a rot that had set in and would never leave . . . "
Unfortunately, I honestly couldn't bring myself to care one way or another about any of the characters. The constant repetition about Guy having "anger issues" grew tiring after the first half a dozen mentions. His mother appears as nothing more than a cardboard cut-out of what a mother would say and do for her only child.
The entity known as "Amy" is the one original feature about this novel. Amy is a ghost, but one with more ability to physically interact and cause damage to any humans in her path. Obsessed in life, her desire doesn't wane with her death--rather it intensifies.
". . . It was a special kind of cruelty to offer him everything he wanted then snatch it away again . . ."
Overall, a story with potential, but easily forgettable characters and too many repetitious scenes. However, there were a few "creepy" moments.
January 16, 2018
This book spooked me, as do most of Darcy Coates books. This one spooked me a little more, though. It was just freaky. As usual, she has a way of getting to the isolation of a place and making it tell a very freaky story. I love her ghost stories so much. They manage to stay spooky and even a little terrifying without getting smutty or stupid. You get attached to the characters. This one in particular just kept me on edge. Whew! Nice job, Darcy! Keep them coming.
October 25, 2025
I think the audiobook definitely hindered my experience with this book because I found when I switched to the ebook, I enjoyed it a little bit more. However, I couldn't feel connected to the story nor the characters until the end when all the intense action scenes were happening. Otherwise it just felt like a basic haunted house story with nothing unique to offer.
October 5, 2021
Rookwood House is a creepy horror, it brought me back to watching a 90 min horror movie at a sleepover as a teen. It would star a popular actor that we all loved in my day that would be a Josh Harnett or Heath Ledger and we would scream and sleep with the lights on. I was feeling very nostalgic while reading this, I craved pizza, Doritos and M&M's.
Darcy Coates has crafted a great horror story a protagonist who has flaws but a good soul, a scary remote location and a horrifying villain who commits heinous crimes with bananas reasoning.
If you like horror that is out to scare you with no bells or whistles then The Haunting of Rookwood House is for you!
June 16, 2018
So far this has been my least favorite book of Darcy Coates. First off, the main character, Guy, is a whiny baby and it was hard to have any sympathy for him and his situation, because of the way he acted. On top of being whiny and completely unlikeable, he threw temper tantrums over the least little thing, like a petulant two year old.
Also, the book started off pretty slow and didn't the least bit interesting until about half way in.
Plus I didn't care for how the paranormal haunting played out in this, especially at the end which went way off in to left field somewhere. All of the things Amy was able to do came across as pretty unbelievable to me too and we weren't given any kind of rational explanation so that didn't help any.
If you've never read Darcy Coates before, don't start with this book.
Also, the book started off pretty slow and didn't the least bit interesting until about half way in.
Plus I didn't care for how the paranormal haunting played out in this, especially at the end which went way off in to left field somewhere. All of the things Amy was able to do came across as pretty unbelievable to me too and we weren't given any kind of rational explanation so that didn't help any.
If you've never read Darcy Coates before, don't start with this book.
November 25, 2018
I really liked it!
This book was slow going at first. I thought the character Guy was kinda a winey person. But as the book went along, it got really good. I really liked the ghost. She did some really freaky stuff.
This book was slow going at first. I thought the character Guy was kinda a winey person. But as the book went along, it got really good. I really liked the ghost. She did some really freaky stuff.
October 8, 2019
Thomas and his mom needs money. When his mom told him that she owns another house that she doesn't use anymore, Thomas decides to go see if he can fix it and get it ready to sell. Will he succeed or will something sinister prevent him from doing so? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good and spooky haunted house story perfect for anyone's all hallow's read reading list. If you love horror stories, be sure to check this book out on Amazon and wherever books are sold online and in bookstores.
This was a pretty good and spooky haunted house story perfect for anyone's all hallow's read reading list. If you love horror stories, be sure to check this book out on Amazon and wherever books are sold online and in bookstores.
October 10, 2025
“The Haunting of Rookward House” is classic Darcy Coates — eerie atmosphere, a decaying house with a dark history, and a protagonist who feels both vulnerable and determined. The setup is simple but effective: Guy inherits a house that’s been abandoned for years, only to realize it might not be as empty as it seems. From there, the tension builds beautifully.
The writing is immersive; you can almost smell the dust and feel the chill in the air. Darcy Coates has a real talent for creating that creeping dread without relying on gore. The backstory of the house and the gradual uncovering of what really happened there kept me hooked.
If I’m being honest, the middle dragged a little, and some scares felt familiar if you’ve read other haunted house stories. But the emotional payoff and the mystery’s resolution made it worth it.
Overall, “The Haunting of Rookward House” is a chilling, atmospheric ghost story — not the scariest, but definitely one of her most haunting and emotionally satisfying reads.
The writing is immersive; you can almost smell the dust and feel the chill in the air. Darcy Coates has a real talent for creating that creeping dread without relying on gore. The backstory of the house and the gradual uncovering of what really happened there kept me hooked.
If I’m being honest, the middle dragged a little, and some scares felt familiar if you’ve read other haunted house stories. But the emotional payoff and the mystery’s resolution made it worth it.
Overall, “The Haunting of Rookward House” is a chilling, atmospheric ghost story — not the scariest, but definitely one of her most haunting and emotionally satisfying reads.
March 9, 2020
I read this book 2 months ago and only gave it 3 stars. If this had been my first Darcey Coates book I would have let it go at that and moved on. However…the story haunted me... (no pun intended)…and I wondered if the rating was a bit unfair…so I have reread the book. While the main character, Guy is still pretty much a winy baby…I have to give him credit for staying to try and get the house ready to sell. Any normal person would have run for their lives the first time they saw this disaster of a house and diffidently the first time the baby monitor with no batteries or electricity “talked”. Not Guy…he stuck it out. The trip to the attic would have been the last straw for most people…and now we see that Guy isn’t thinking of the money at all anymore. I believe the thing that persuaded me to only give it 3 stars the first time was the possibility that there was not an actual haunting like in all the other books by this author. You just can’t take our haunting away from us like that. Ghost story junkies need that extra shiver. In spite of this I enjoyed the book more the second time around. It’s still not 5 star material… but it’s at least a 4 star story. Please don’t do this again Darcey.
December 15, 2021
Probably my least favorite Darcy Coates book so far. This one didn’t even feel like her writing at all. I hated Guy, he was just the worst and I didn’t care about him or what was going on with him. I really enjoyed the POV from the previous owners and what occurred in the house, I thought the story was really cool, it just didn’t mesh with Guy’s timeline for me.
April 5, 2020
This only being the second full length book i've read from Darcy Coates, i will have to say i think this is my favorite so far! This was a whole new level of creepiness and intensity, and i long for that!
At first, i was a little skeptical about what Amy could do as a ghost (or spectre, as she liked to refer to her as), but then i got to realizing that this is a rendition of how Darcy perceives her creations, and she can do whatever she wants in her stories. I really like what Darcy did with her take on a ghost in this story. In my opinion, it is a fresh new take on an worn-out cliche. If authors can re-write the concepts of zombies from being the old-time slow moving, disoriented clumsy walking corpses into incredibly fast and quick-witted killing machines, then why couldn't Darcy re-create the ghost concept? I love it. This is definitely one i would love to see on the big screen!
As usual, keep up the great work Darcy!
At first, i was a little skeptical about what Amy could do as a ghost (or spectre, as she liked to refer to her as), but then i got to realizing that this is a rendition of how Darcy perceives her creations, and she can do whatever she wants in her stories. I really like what Darcy did with her take on a ghost in this story. In my opinion, it is a fresh new take on an worn-out cliche. If authors can re-write the concepts of zombies from being the old-time slow moving, disoriented clumsy walking corpses into incredibly fast and quick-witted killing machines, then why couldn't Darcy re-create the ghost concept? I love it. This is definitely one i would love to see on the big screen!
As usual, keep up the great work Darcy!
January 15, 2024
Did this book scare me? Yes. Did it give me heart palpitations? Yes. Will I still recommend everyone read this? Also, yes.
I can always count on a @darcybooks to get me out of a slump. This was fast paced, chilling and a fantastic haunted house story. Be advised, read this only in the daytime or with all the lights on, cause yikes! 👻
Im giving this 4⭐️ instead of 5, because there was never an explanation of the name Rookward or how the MCs mom ended up with the deed? So just needed some questions answered otherwise perfection!
I can always count on a @darcybooks to get me out of a slump. This was fast paced, chilling and a fantastic haunted house story. Be advised, read this only in the daytime or with all the lights on, cause yikes! 👻
Im giving this 4⭐️ instead of 5, because there was never an explanation of the name Rookward or how the MCs mom ended up with the deed? So just needed some questions answered otherwise perfection!
May 5, 2024
Darcy Coates books are my comfort reads. If I can't decide what I want to read, I always turn to her boosk. She never lets me down. This one wasn't one of my favorites but was still a really good read, very creepy. Her books always make you question what's lurking in the dark and what secrets old houses hold.
February 4, 2025
3⭐️
The middle of this book went CRAZY. I thought I was going mad for a bit there. It was very slow though but the middle part towards the end ate. I'm not very familiar with horror books but I've read a couple and I've yet to read a good one. The characters are so stupid most of the time it's astounding. You have 4% of your battery left and you decide to write goodbye letters instead of calling the police. But then when your battery's right about to die you finally make the right call. And who could've guessed?? The line goes dead. Seriously bro like😭
I just want one good plausible horror with smart characters. That's why I don't watch horror movies either. Everyone's so stupid.
The middle of this book went CRAZY. I thought I was going mad for a bit there. It was very slow though but the middle part towards the end ate. I'm not very familiar with horror books but I've read a couple and I've yet to read a good one. The characters are so stupid most of the time it's astounding. You have 4% of your battery left and you decide to write goodbye letters instead of calling the police. But then when your battery's right about to die you finally make the right call. And who could've guessed?? The line goes dead. Seriously bro like😭
I just want one good plausible horror with smart characters. That's why I don't watch horror movies either. Everyone's so stupid.
March 23, 2018
When Guy finds a deed in his mother's attic, he think his luck might have changed. The house at Rockward has been uninhabited for forty years. When Guy drives out to the house, he notices these strange vines that cover the outside of the property. On the inside, the walls are stained. Guy is convinced, with a little work, this house can be clean up, and can be sold. This house is located miles away from the nearest neighbor. Guy can't get any phone reception, out at the house. He decides to stay and make the repairs, instead of traveling back, and forth. The locals, say that there is a reason why no one has lived there in the last forty years. They say, that an insane woman name Amy, tortured the family that lived there. She was so deranged, that she murdered the entire family. Now Amy haunts the house at Rockward. Once Guy enters the house, Amy has no plans on letting him escape. The story had potential but the characters were uninteresting, and not believable.
December 31, 2022
scared the hell out of me
September 13, 2023
A man named Guy finds out his family has a house that was inherited and forgotten about long ago while helping his mother sort through her belongings. Guy needs a fresh start on life after something in his recent past involving his ex-girlfriend so he decides to go fix up the house and sell it. While there he realizes something isn't right, there's strange noises and odd occurrences happening every night. He soon learns the history of the house and starts to unravel the mystery of why this house was forgotten about for all these years.
This was a decent haunted house story. Darcy Coates is great at keeping you interested and throws enough scares into the book so that you don't get bored waiting for something to happen.
This was a decent haunted house story. Darcy Coates is great at keeping you interested and throws enough scares into the book so that you don't get bored waiting for something to happen.
April 17, 2020
The last couple of Darcy Coates books I've read I kept yelling at the protagonist in my head for being so stupid and ignoring their intuition until it was too late for them. Barring a scary moment a la The Grudge, I wasn't really spooked, which is the whole point of reading a Darcy Coates book.
July 19, 2024
2.5 stars. Honestly my biggest problem with this was the names 😂 I hate the name Guy and it was awful to hear that every few seconds, and Amy is not an even slightly scary name lol. Otherwise this was fine, not creepy enough for me in general but had some cool moments.
November 4, 2021
I normally like Darcy Coates books, but this book is too repetitive to all his previous books that I have read. Person gets to rent a house it's haunted they find someone there the end. Same as all his other stories
October 14, 2023
I usually really enjoy Coates’s work, but boy howdy this one is not her best. A huge pass.
December 22, 2023
DNF ... bei Seite 130.
Es ist leider einfach nur sterbenslangweilig.
Es ist leider einfach nur sterbenslangweilig.
January 6, 2024
Darcy Coates has a way of writing atmospheric horror that simply sucks you in. I loved the twists nearing the end of this story and had a great time trying to uncover the mystery of Rookward House with our main character, Guy.
I'd recommend this fun and classic haunted house horror story to all fans of the genre!
I'd recommend this fun and classic haunted house horror story to all fans of the genre!
October 6, 2017
OH wow, OH wow! This was such a creepy, exciting, can't-stop-reading, want more, book!
So yesterday I had a busy day and only managed to read 19%, until the evening that is, when I had about an hour before I wanted to sleep. In the end I read about 1 hour and 30 minutes because I didn't want to stop at 78%. I just needed to know how it all ended. I needed to know if Guy would be OK. Plus it was just so scary, so exciting, I just couldn't stop even if I wanted to.
The book begins in 1965, but then switches to modern day. Most of the book is set in the modern day, but there are also 1965 parts interspersed throughout the book (well up to a certain point at least, tee hee, but I am not telling when as that would be a spoiler). I did like how the author did those parts. They are flashbacks, but at the same time they are also dreams by Guy during the time he is in the house. He becomes Thomas. You can see him grow increasingly afraid, confused, and worried as the dreams/flashback take a turn for the worst.
Guy is living with his mom, for reasons. Though we don't find out why until much further in the story. I did like that this was done, sure I was very very eager to find out what had happened, why he was in so much pain, but the pacing was perfect. We learn more about Guy first, we see his personality, we see his problems, and then we slowly find out bit by bit what was going on. Yes, it was a bit strange that he told total strangers his story, however I can imagine. You may never see those people again, and you can finally tell someone, unbiased, about what happened. You know they won't judge you like all those people in town.
When we do find out what happened to his girlfriend I was heartbroken for Guy. That poor guy, he made a mistake. And it destroyed so much.
During a clean-up of his mom's attic they find the deed to a house + a few acres of land. Of course Guy is instantly intrigued, he sees a chance to start a new life. Maybe not at that house, but he can sell it and then buy a house somewhere far away and take his mom there as well.
The house, well given that I already had a suspicion about it due to the first chapter, was creepy as hell. Sorry, I just knew right from the bat that this house just should be burned to a crisp. So what if the land becomes worth less, it is still some money! But no, our dude has to go inside and try to fix it. He doesn't even care that he gets creepy feelings, or sees a woman around the place. :P
I do have to say that was admirable, if not a bit dumb.
As the story continues it becomes increasingly creepy, disturbing, scary, and I noticed that at times I was breathing faster. Plus I got startled by every sound. The appearances of the ghost... it certainly didn't help out. She seemed to be a bit beyond what a lot of ghosts can do (just appearing, maybe moving a few things), she could do a hell lot of more and that upped the NOPE-factor very fast. She was creepy as hell. And she was that when she was alive as well. I felt sorry for Thomas, but I was kind of pissed off when we learn how he met Amy. *sighs* Dude, really?
Guy just keeps on working even though the house gets increasingly creepy. Ripping off vines (with some very gross descriptions), throwing away furniture and other stuff, and much more. He did get pretty far. Just a shame of the ghost and the terrible history that comes with the place.
Of course after a while Guy wants to leave, but I guess you can imagine how that goes. Amy has a new prey and she is not letting him go away that easily.
I did think Tiff's thing was a bit too much. I won't say more then that, but yeah, I didn't think it was needed.
The ending was fabulous. I am really happy as I didn't think it would happen, or that they would do x. So imagine my delight. Yay! Haha, I know, I am keeping it vague on purpose, if you want to know the ending, you will have to read this creeptastic book.
One thing that was a bit annoying, and my boyfriend had fun watching me shout at my book, were the horror cliches that were all over the book. Oh hey, I have no bars, let me just go into the house again and up the roof. Yeahhh, that sounds like a plan. Or hey, I am having nightmares and I feel uncomfortable in the house, maybe I should leave, oh wait, nahhhh. And something I also see often (and not only in books) people who pump all their money into a house without even checking it, making sure it is good house. It was slightly annoying, but on the other hand it made me more involved with the book as I was shouting at and shaking my Kindle. :P
All in all, I can't wait for the next book by this author, hopefully it will be as creepy as this one! Highly recommend to everyone, this book fits perfect with the Halloween season!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
So yesterday I had a busy day and only managed to read 19%, until the evening that is, when I had about an hour before I wanted to sleep. In the end I read about 1 hour and 30 minutes because I didn't want to stop at 78%. I just needed to know how it all ended. I needed to know if Guy would be OK. Plus it was just so scary, so exciting, I just couldn't stop even if I wanted to.
The book begins in 1965, but then switches to modern day. Most of the book is set in the modern day, but there are also 1965 parts interspersed throughout the book (well up to a certain point at least, tee hee, but I am not telling when as that would be a spoiler). I did like how the author did those parts. They are flashbacks, but at the same time they are also dreams by Guy during the time he is in the house. He becomes Thomas. You can see him grow increasingly afraid, confused, and worried as the dreams/flashback take a turn for the worst.
Guy is living with his mom, for reasons. Though we don't find out why until much further in the story. I did like that this was done, sure I was very very eager to find out what had happened, why he was in so much pain, but the pacing was perfect. We learn more about Guy first, we see his personality, we see his problems, and then we slowly find out bit by bit what was going on. Yes, it was a bit strange that he told total strangers his story, however I can imagine. You may never see those people again, and you can finally tell someone, unbiased, about what happened. You know they won't judge you like all those people in town.
When we do find out what happened to his girlfriend I was heartbroken for Guy. That poor guy, he made a mistake. And it destroyed so much.
During a clean-up of his mom's attic they find the deed to a house + a few acres of land. Of course Guy is instantly intrigued, he sees a chance to start a new life. Maybe not at that house, but he can sell it and then buy a house somewhere far away and take his mom there as well.
The house, well given that I already had a suspicion about it due to the first chapter, was creepy as hell. Sorry, I just knew right from the bat that this house just should be burned to a crisp. So what if the land becomes worth less, it is still some money! But no, our dude has to go inside and try to fix it. He doesn't even care that he gets creepy feelings, or sees a woman around the place. :P
I do have to say that was admirable, if not a bit dumb.
As the story continues it becomes increasingly creepy, disturbing, scary, and I noticed that at times I was breathing faster. Plus I got startled by every sound. The appearances of the ghost... it certainly didn't help out. She seemed to be a bit beyond what a lot of ghosts can do (just appearing, maybe moving a few things), she could do a hell lot of more and that upped the NOPE-factor very fast. She was creepy as hell. And she was that when she was alive as well. I felt sorry for Thomas, but I was kind of pissed off when we learn how he met Amy. *sighs* Dude, really?
Guy just keeps on working even though the house gets increasingly creepy. Ripping off vines (with some very gross descriptions), throwing away furniture and other stuff, and much more. He did get pretty far. Just a shame of the ghost and the terrible history that comes with the place.
Of course after a while Guy wants to leave, but I guess you can imagine how that goes. Amy has a new prey and she is not letting him go away that easily.
I did think Tiff's thing was a bit too much. I won't say more then that, but yeah, I didn't think it was needed.
The ending was fabulous. I am really happy as I didn't think it would happen, or that they would do x. So imagine my delight. Yay! Haha, I know, I am keeping it vague on purpose, if you want to know the ending, you will have to read this creeptastic book.
One thing that was a bit annoying, and my boyfriend had fun watching me shout at my book, were the horror cliches that were all over the book. Oh hey, I have no bars, let me just go into the house again and up the roof. Yeahhh, that sounds like a plan. Or hey, I am having nightmares and I feel uncomfortable in the house, maybe I should leave, oh wait, nahhhh. And something I also see often (and not only in books) people who pump all their money into a house without even checking it, making sure it is good house. It was slightly annoying, but on the other hand it made me more involved with the book as I was shouting at and shaking my Kindle. :P
All in all, I can't wait for the next book by this author, hopefully it will be as creepy as this one! Highly recommend to everyone, this book fits perfect with the Halloween season!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
June 28, 2020
Usually I at least find Coates’ works entertaining, but this one really didn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2018
The first book I've ever read by Darcy Coates. I have to say it was just "okay". The beginning of the book was slow. It took a while for it to start to get interesting. I felt like the author didn't write strong characters into this book. I was reading through some of the reviews and people were mentioning to not read this book first if you've never read Darcy Coates before. Oops! :D Apparently, this wasn't one of her best books compared to her others. Throughout the book, there were frequent repetitious scenes. Mind you, the book is only 200+ pages long. So it made the book drag a bit. A few times I questioned myself whether I should continue reading. Some creepy parts did play out through the book, which kept me pushing through. In conclusion, I finished the book and I would read another one of Darcy's books. But for sure, this wouldn't be a favorite one of mine and not one of hers I would recommend reading.
January 13, 2022
Decently creepy, was hoping for more to happen but I still found this entertaining.
Was hoping for a better ending than just stabbing a ghost… he killed her so easily I thought for sure the book would end with it being another illusion, and he never actually escaped.
I also enjoyed the 1965 timeline more than the present day one. I wish there had been less Guy, and more Thomas. There was definitely more to unravel there.
4/5 ⭐️
Was hoping for a better ending than just stabbing a ghost… he killed her so easily I thought for sure the book would end with it being another illusion, and he never actually escaped.
I also enjoyed the 1965 timeline more than the present day one. I wish there had been less Guy, and more Thomas. There was definitely more to unravel there.
4/5 ⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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