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The Threshold

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Spanning over a few centuries, this urban legend revolves around a mysterious house and its alleged secret treasure. The original owner is obsessed with the house, but once he enters it, he never leaves, till his death. Over a century, a creepy urban legend develops about it. But nobody tampers with it till a real estate mogul wants the property to build a business tower on the site. To gain legal control over it, he strikes a deal with the city officials, and starts a reality show in which contestants are asked to enter the house and retrieve the treasure from it. The show does not go as planned, and the newly built tower will hold deadly secrets of its own. Who will end up having the upper hand - the tycoon or the threshold?

ebook

First published August 20, 2014

9 people want to read

About the author

Anita Kovacevic

27 books31 followers
Storytelling and poetry have always been my passion. Teaching English for over twenty-five years has taught me the value of stories for all age groups.

This profile is mostly written in English and most of the books are in English, because as a teacher-storyteller, I write in English most of the time. However, I am very proud of working with Društvo ,,Naša djeca" and the city library of my little town Dugo Selo, Croatia, and releasing a wonderful project and book Ono čarobno oko nas (The Magic around us).

Stories with a twist of magic, floating on the edge between reality and fantasy, are a special joy for me to read and write. Here's to good stories - may we read them, write them and live them!

I tako nastavljam smišljati, pisati i crtati čarobne priče o običnim ljudima, s ljubavlju i svjesna moći svake riječi koju s nekime podijelimo.

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5 stars
16 (57%)
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11 (39%)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Deb McEwan.
Author 42 books59 followers
August 11, 2015
A short book with a big punch.
Anita Kovacevic very cleverly draws the reader into the story about a deserted, mysterious house and the people who may decide to enter. Will greed, curiosity or the chance of fame tempt anyone inside? And if so, will they come out alive and win the prize?
For me, the real entertainment in this book was the moral dilemma faced by the characters and how they decided to deal with it. Thought-provoking and surprising until the end ‘The Threshold’ is an excellent read with an obvious moral lesson, for adults.
Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Mark Fine.
Author 14 books131 followers
June 24, 2015
"The Threshold" is a moral play so effectively told that it represents the substance of a fable or parable worthy of the Ages. In the characters that inhabit this thoughtful little book, we can, alas, see much of ourselves (or at very least people and celebrities we are acquainted with). Power, greed, and ego have the means to trap the arrogant in a web of their own demise; and this "The Threshold" establishes beautifully. I must also acknowledge author Anita Kovacevic's reverence for the English language. She delights the reader with wonderful descriptive prose--and I could sense her joy in the writing process, even if the subject matter may be alarming to some, which is a very good thing on tales about the unknown.
Profile Image for B.J. Tiernan.
Author 3 books31 followers
March 10, 2015
SELF-IMPORTANCE – A CRIPPLING VICE
The Threshold takes us on a journey that shows just what can happen when we choose ‘self-importance’ over ‘existence.’ Clinging to the material riches he has acquired with his wealth, Josephus Clarence Tibedeaux decides to build himself a spectacular mansion that surpasses all others, isolating himself from the rest of the world. Ah, but life has a way of mirroring back to us our imperfect selves and our base ambitions. As Tibedeaux begins to discover the error of his ways, he tries to warn others, but he has already crossed the Threshold. For him, it’s too late. For many years after Tibedeaux’s death, an urban legend takes hold and a mysterious diary surfaces to warn others of Tibedeaux’s plight. Will Ken Scott, the real estate mogul who is about to destroy the old mansion and build something even more extravagant, listen to the warnings in the diary or will he cross the Threshold like Tibedeaux did and leave his existence behind?
Self-importance or existence? We can choose one, but we can never have both together.
Profile Image for Rose English.
Author 22 books183 followers
January 7, 2017
Creepy Mansions, Urban Legends and Reality TV Shows

The story begins many years ago with an elderly lady Mrs Poole taking her dog for a walk, wearing a brand new hat especially to show it off to the obnoxious Gertrude Bennet who had deemed to call her old hat "a dirty straw mess on a silly old head".

First however, she must pass the creepy house at the end of her street. She is stopped in her tracks as a piece of paper floats down from one of the windows. 'It seemed to have been enchanted the way it was dancing and floating, it resembled a giant feather.' Curiosity gets the better of her and after reading it she faints in the middle of the street.

We move on to learn about the original owner of the mansion, starting with the story of an ungrateful little boy who despises his poor working class parents, taking every penny they can scrape together. Eventually working his way up in the world, no matter who he has to tread on to get ahead and then having a beautiful mansion built. This sadly at the expense of cutting down a majestic oak tree.

Time moves swiftly on bringing us to modern day times, the era of Urban Legends and Reality TV. It is in this time that we meet the down to earth Mike Simmons, a young man who loves his parents and unlike the boy of many moons ago has a great many friends. He is my favourite character of the story, a student of architecture and a big book lover. Now when a TV station decides to make a reality program about the creepy mansion Mike is intrigued and applies to take part, not for the money but to discover the rich architecture and the story behind the Urban Legend.

This story had me turning the pages and being only 108 pages long it was soon devoured. This was Book 02 of my 2017 reading challenge and the January Challenge from The Bookshop Cafe group to read a book by an author other than UK or USA. Anita Kovacevic is from Croatia.

Very highly recommended.
Profile Image for A. Moran-Soley.
Author 3 books13 followers
January 23, 2015
Truly original and gripping from the first page. I wish I'd waited till the next day to start this, I couldn't really afford the late night! I defy anyone to stop reading, 'The Threshold' once they start.
The mysteriously tantalising opening chapter introduces the legend of 'The House' and captivates the reader from that point on.
The main character in the first part, Josephus Clarence Thibedeaux III, is elegantly created in a style reminiscent of Charles Dickens, 'and proceeded to hide his falsehood and ego under smooth eloquence, well-mannered posture and gentlemanly elegance.' He is responsible for both the legend of the house and the building of the house. Years later, and a host of fascinating individuals take on the legend.
The story is filled with twists and turns, which culminates in an ultimately satisfying ending.
Anita Kovacevic is a skilled writer with a well paced plot and beautifully crafted phrases: 'Mrs Poole's pride was her most precious possession, and she wasn't going to roll it out like a rug for ruthless people to walk all over.'
Recommended to anyone who likes mysteries, thrillers, suspense and wonderfully written prose.
Author 26 books130 followers
February 17, 2015
The Threshold by Anita Kovacevic
Anita Kovacevic has packed a lot of punch in a little story. Some people are writers; a select few are “wordsmiths”. Kovacevic falls into the latter group. “The Threshold” is not a long book with thousands of overwhelming pages. It’s a compact and frightening tale of greed taken to its pinnacle. From the subtle pride of old Mrs. Poole to the massive ego of Ken Scott, Kovacevic shows how people never seem to see their own flaws however glaring. When five people win the opportunity to enter a mysterious mansion, retrieve an unspecified “treasure”, then exit and turn said item over to Ken Scott the tension picks up dramatically. Without giving anything anyway, I will say when people get a good look at themselves they are often horrified by what they see. This is a tightly woven cautionary tale. Be careful what you wish for. You may not like what you get.
Author 7 books96 followers
September 1, 2015
4 stars Mystery, Greed, Stubbornness and Fear

This book reminded me of an old horror movie that started out in black and white as it moved through the backstory and then morphed into exploding colors as it came to more recent times. The author has done a marvelous job creating believable, fully fleshed characters with human frailties. I liked very much the way the story kept me involved and how I almost felt I was participating in the story by the time I reached the contest. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes to read, whether it be thrillers, light horror or just stories about people and their downfalls.
Profile Image for Joyce Brown.
Author 4 books30 followers
July 12, 2015
Written in an old-time style with little or no dialogue, this story, nevertheless, grabs the imagination and keeps one in suspense until the end. Good vs. Evil and magic are the subject of fairy tales and of cautionary tales, and, reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe's "Telltale Heart," the story will leave you thinking about how the universe punishes and rewards.
The story could be the beginning of a detective mystery series delving into an investigation of what happened. The minutely-described side characters could then return as witnesses.
Profile Image for Molly Gambiza.
11 reviews2 followers
December 26, 2015
This riveting story started with Mrs Poole and her new beautiful flowery bonnet and the story surrounding her old hat. I have never read anything like this before but I have come across people like Josephus Clarence Thibedeaux, such an irritating individual but there is a lesson to learn from his behaviour. I was fascinated by the whole story especially the chosen five, brave enough to enter the Threshold. Anita Kovacevic delivered her message clearly, a lot of us can benefit from her message and make this world a better place….
A great story and very educational
Profile Image for Michellle.
5 reviews
August 27, 2015
WoW! I read your book in one sitting because I didn't want to stop! I wanted to know more about what was happening in that house of intrigue. I really like how you wove the past, the present and the future around your main theme.
Profile Image for Ica Iova.
Author 17 books112 followers
March 29, 2015
What lucks in pages more than makes up in the storyline. When I first started reading I thought it would be a simple ghost story. I was wrong. This is a thought-provoking little story about greed and consequences. It makes you take a hard look at your own life and ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”
Profile Image for Marcia Martins.
Author 1 book18 followers
March 8, 2015
A very interesting and well written story. Anita Kovocevic is an excellent storyteller.
Profile Image for Sandra.
868 reviews21 followers
August 25, 2015
This is a refreshing tale, a modern-day parable, more novella than novel as it comes in at approx 65 pages [approx. because it is only available as an e-book]. In the Foreword, Kovacevic explains her inspiration for the story: one word read in one of her favourite stories, one word which was seemingly unimportant, but which inspired this story. Threshold.
From page one, the tone is unusual. It’s almost as if you are being told a bedtime story. An elderly lady takes her dog for a walk, past the grand decaying house on the block. In a gust of wind, a piece of paper drifts to her feet. It is a letter from the man who once owned the house, but who has not been seen for years: Josephus Clarence Thibedeaux III. The letter is his will, bequeathing the house to the first person who enters the house and comes out again. Alive.
It is at this intriguing point that the story diverts, to the life story of Joseph Thibbit. Stick with it though, and you come to the climax, the television programme ‘Urban Legend’, run by media mogul Ken Scott. Into the media whirl steps nice guy Mike Simmons. Will he go into the house, and will he come out alive? Is there secret treasure inside, a monster, something magical? We see the action through the eyes of TV producer Sally Jenkins.
This is an entertaining tale about the downfall of greed, and a reality show which gets its comeuppance.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-revie...
Profile Image for Aditi Kaushiva.
Author 1 book8 followers
January 29, 2015
Beautiful concept by Anita, where she has effortlessly woven a tale filled with intrigue yet manages to send across a great message.

'Threshold' as the author describes in her foreword is about change; a change that is always consistent with our decision on how we choose to react to that change.

Fast paced, well narrated and tightly woven prose, this tale will engulf the reader right from the go.

Whether its the main protagonist, Thibedeaux III or the character Mr. Scott whose pride, ego and overconfidence takes him down in the end, each character has been etched and described perfectly. Personally for me the one character that fascinated me and leaves an unanswered question in the end is of the protagonist's wife, Ms. Jennifer Stillson. Though, forever shadowed in her husband's grandeur, it is she who gives the story its 'secret treasure for life'

I like narratives that make the reader ponder and question even as the last page is turned, and the threshold makes you do just that - makes you look hard into the mirror and look into your soul.

Will definitely read more book from Anita Kovacevic! She is to watch out for!
Profile Image for T.M. Raskin.
Author 2 books54 followers
January 27, 2016
"The Threshold" is centered around a magnificent mansion and how it's opulence and extravagance led to its capricious allure. For decades the mansion remained, but it became more and more shrouded by evil. From inception to demolition the mansion burdened the people closest to it with their inner demons. After years of delapidation and neglect the mansion still drew a morbid couriosity. Eventually it caught the eye of a millionaire who had big plans for it.
The creator of "Urban Ledgen" millionaire Ken Scott decided to use the mansion as the location for his reality tv show. Preparations are made contestants chosen and nobody could have guessed what happens next!
This story keeps you guessing until the last page. Although I was left with unanswered questions like, what really happened to Sarah and Jack? Where did Mike end up and why he was spared. Why were there no investigations? I guess I need things a bit more spelled out for me.
Profile Image for Glen Barrera.
Author 5 books8 followers
September 5, 2015
A tantalizing dip into the supernatural.

The writing is well-done crisp, the characters intriguing, and the storyline enticing. I couldn’t help but get lost in this story. It begins with an older woman on her way to a park, and a luxurious, mysterious mansion along the way, seemingly empty – until a note flutters to the ground. It details the last will and testament of the man who once owned it, the hint of the great treasure within, and a challenge to anyone who dare cross the threshold. The house soon becomes a showcase for Ken Scott and his TV show, Urban Legend. The story builds from there with five contestants ready to enter the house and possibly win one million dollars. Enough said. The point is, I really enjoyed this novella, and its message regarding change – “The threshold is always open, but what we choose to do with the door is our choice, and ours alone.”
Profile Image for Ulla.
35 reviews2 followers
December 5, 2015
A book with a soul!

When I was a young girl, I had to pass a large old mansion (haunted, I was told) on my way to school every day. I always ran past it, scared to death the ghosts inside would see me through the trees and come after me.

As I read “The Threshold,” by Anita Kovacevic, that feeling of fear of the unknown came back, tantalizing me with what could be lurking in the dark mysterious mansion. The author used her amazing imagination to create a thought-provoking horror story about greed and opportunity, leading to escalating tension and mystery that had me glued to the book until the surprising and satisfying ending.

The characters are all completely believable in this well written story. This is a book with soul. It’s an excellent read and I highly recommend it. I’d love to read more from this author.
Profile Image for Rebecca McCray.
Author 3 books37 followers
January 10, 2016
This is an interesting story with a strong message.

When I first started reading it, it felt something like a fable in the manner in which it's told. I'll admit, I wasn't sure it was my 'cup of tea', but I found I really struggled to put it down. I can't say I'm particularly enthralled with any of the characters and yet, I'm tempted to read the story again. Trust me, there aren't many I read twice.

I believe it's the combination of the writing style, the content, and the tension that really makes this story interesting. I love that it starts in the past and then comes into the present, even incorporating reality TV. It's funny how some evils never change.

The author has a distinct and intriguing style the compels me to read more of her work. Well done.
Profile Image for Georgina Makalani.
Author 49 books75 followers
March 24, 2016
The Threshold starts with the last will and testament floating into the street from a house thought to be long abandoned. It is the owner’s last day and he has no one to leave his house to. His note states that the first person to spend a night in the house and leave it again will inherit. And it mentions treasure.
This is a well told tale about knowing who you really are and what people will do to get what they think they deserve. I couldn’t put it down, desperate to know what happened next or to learn more of what had come before. The story moved effortlessly back and forth in time and I felt I knew each character intimately.
I’m not usually a paranormal reader but I’m pleased I stepped outside my usual reading patterns for this one. A great read.
Profile Image for Wolf Schimanski.
Author 4 books7 followers
June 9, 2015
Ah you think, another spooky house and a challenge to stay in it for a period of time for money story, right? Well… yes and no. Author Anita Kovacevic has certainly done that and so much more weaving a tapestry of mystery, suspense and human shortcomings into this well-crafted and extremely well written novel. It said to me there are always consequences for stepping over any Threshold and that is certainly something I will pay a lot more attention to especially after reading this gripping story. This is one not to be missed and I highly recommend it !
Profile Image for Robert Lalonde.
Author 10 books36 followers
April 2, 2015
If you like surprise endings, you’ll like The Threshold.

A quaint elderly lady named Mrs. Poole and an infamous creepy house at the end of the street set the scene. A note appears to float down from that house and.. well, I can’t tell you the entire story.

The Threshold is an interesting read that delivers a message along with the story.
Profile Image for Glennis Browne.
37 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2016
A quickly read, engaging story.

Questions, questions, questions! Where is this story heading? Finally the plot is exposed and I was engaged. Didn't put the book down until I had the answer...which strangely, was predictable - although not disappointing. Recommended it for readers like myself- who don't like sci-fi or horror but enjoy a good well written, yarn.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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