This book is a bit different from my norm, but I’m glad the blurb caught my eye.
‘In Twisted Sight’ blends a cop thriller with supernatural and horror in a well-written story. Schofield builds an atmosphere that keeps the creepiness going from start to finish. There is amazing detail without being overloaded or taking away from the plot and just enough twists to keep you guessing for a while.
Thank you Book Siren and the author for the advanced reader copy.
I’m just gonna start with this general statement: read it. Read this book. Read everything by this author. Why, you ask? Well….
‘In Twisted Sight’ is a well-written, breakneck-paced, small-town horror mystery, full of creepy images, deeply damaged characters, and some genuinely horrifying scenes. The prose is elegant, and the bare-bones descriptions don’t bog down the plot or distract the reader from what’s important: the characters and the creepiness.
Schofield’s rhythm, sense of pacing, and (most importantly) grasp of human nature provide a solid and compelling framework for a macabre and fascinating look into a small town beset with cosmic horror, that nevertheless still feels believable and contemporary.
Daria Cole is a deeply human and sympathetic protagonist: one who I sincerely hope to see again in the future.
I really can’t say this enough: read this book. Schofield has blended cosmic horror, detective fiction, queer identity, and human understanding into a rare gem.
I received a free advance review copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I took way too long to finish this one but only because it’s one of the best horror novels—one of the best novels period—I’ve ever read. This story feels like it was custom written for me. Horror, mystery, a small town with secrets tale, a cool and sympathetic trans protagonist, a sapphic romance, and an authorial voice that’s sharp, clean, and honest. This book is a homerun for both horror and indie fiction. It’s riveting, visceral, haunting, and full of compelling secrets that give it a creepy atmosphere I just couldn’t get enough of. This ranks among of the best novels of the genre. Up there with Peter Straub’s Shadowland, Stephen King’s The Stand, Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived in the Castle, and John Langan’s The Fisherman. And on a personal level, I strongly related to our heroine as she faces demons both literal and personal as she comes to embrace herself and finds love along the way. I will be reading this one again. You should too.
I will never stop singing the praises of A.W. Schofield.
Everything she writes manages to blend a wide-array of subgenres in a way that meshes perfectly, and this book is no exception. In Twisted Sight is a supernatural horror, crime thriller and a story of queer identity all rolled into one fantastic novel.
While not shying away from some bloody/gory scenes sprinkled throughout, the primary source of horror here is without a doubt the atmosphere. Seriously, this book is an absolute masterclass in atmospheric horror.
Do yourself a favor and read this book. You will not regret it.
Before I became a "mommy porn" reader I was a fan of Steven King & like authors. This was so good, the author could be a ghost writer for Stephen King. I was hooked from the beginning. Daria Cole is a detective who decides to transfer from city life to live in a small town.. Thought life would be slower paced, till someone goes missing & all kinds of weird stuff just keeps happening.Nightmares, or are they? In her dreams is the person she's talking to on the beach real or imagination? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.