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The Screaming Tree
Nineteen-year-old William Dickson is having certain psychological issues bothering him. Mostly involving the death of four people in the woods near his boyhood home. There's this sinking feeling that he was responsible for those deaths.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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114 people want to read
About the author
Phil Lovesey
22 books19 followersAward Winning short-story writer, author of four crime novels for HarperCollins - chronicler of the saztaculous and sometimes peffa-twizzly adventures of Matlock the Hare...
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 13, 2020
Excellent psychologically thriller. Is William a killer? Is his brain trying to murder him? What happened before he ended up screaming in that tree? This novel yarns a compelling tale, never fully explaining William, his motives, and the realities of what happens, until much later. The first part of the book gives a terrific jolt and is a tempting hook in keeping one enticed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2012
Very easy to read story from an unreliable narrator.
Told in the first person - William Dickson - is the victim of a childhood trauma where he thinks he has killed his school friend - fat norris - who has fallen from a tree. William spends three hours in the tree screaming before he is recovered.
He thinks he has got away with things and then describes how he goes on to kill Fat Norris's Mother, A School Bully and an assailiant when he is around 19.
About midway through the book, he enters more therapy where all is not as it seems. It appears as though he has twice tried to kill himself and the other murders are all the responsibility of someone else - or tragic accidents.
Williams mind is playing tricks on himself and his sunconscious threatens him when he is on the verge of discovery.
Nothing is as it seems from the first half of the book - his absent father is in jail, there is no lottery win and his private school is really a special needs school. However, police are investigating one murder that he might have been involved in - the death of an old lady he worked for and the subsequent theft of her cash.
Through the therapy - everything we thought was true turns out to be a lie.
There were three children in the woods that day - they were involved with two paedophiles who murder one when things get out of control and indeed william did knock fat norris off the tree when they were escapes their clutches.
This final section is the weakest part and the interaction between the paedophiles and the children is unrealistic and a bit comic book.
However - the book has its interest and surprises and was a fairly decent way of spending a few days.
Told in the first person - William Dickson - is the victim of a childhood trauma where he thinks he has killed his school friend - fat norris - who has fallen from a tree. William spends three hours in the tree screaming before he is recovered.
He thinks he has got away with things and then describes how he goes on to kill Fat Norris's Mother, A School Bully and an assailiant when he is around 19.
About midway through the book, he enters more therapy where all is not as it seems. It appears as though he has twice tried to kill himself and the other murders are all the responsibility of someone else - or tragic accidents.
Williams mind is playing tricks on himself and his sunconscious threatens him when he is on the verge of discovery.
Nothing is as it seems from the first half of the book - his absent father is in jail, there is no lottery win and his private school is really a special needs school. However, police are investigating one murder that he might have been involved in - the death of an old lady he worked for and the subsequent theft of her cash.
Through the therapy - everything we thought was true turns out to be a lie.
There were three children in the woods that day - they were involved with two paedophiles who murder one when things get out of control and indeed william did knock fat norris off the tree when they were escapes their clutches.
This final section is the weakest part and the interaction between the paedophiles and the children is unrealistic and a bit comic book.
However - the book has its interest and surprises and was a fairly decent way of spending a few days.
January 16, 2016
When I first started reading this book I knew there was something not quite right with William, but not knowing what or why kept me glued all the way through to the end.
March 18, 2025
An unreliable narrator. Even better, one who doesn't realise themself that they are unreliable. And, the open and honest nature of the narrator adds better to the plot-twist. We explore the crisis with him. We question reality with him, and try to fill in the gaps with him.
I feel myself get more and more passionate when recommending this book to friends. And, I would credit this book for allowing me to re-ignite my passion for reading. Thank you!
I feel myself get more and more passionate when recommending this book to friends. And, I would credit this book for allowing me to re-ignite my passion for reading. Thank you!
October 6, 2019
I never finished the book because I felt it got stuck in the middle and felt repetitive, which is a shame because I devoured the first part of the book. Perhaps I will pick it up after having a break because it is a genuinely very interesting character telling a very unique story, but, not enough to guide me through to the end.
September 18, 2019
Terrifying
February 7, 2022
This was a bit of a mess, sorry not for me.
March 19, 2023
I have a nervous feeling about William; I knew there was something. Childhood trauma is devastatingly real in this book. I was invested til the end.
January 22, 2009
After finishing it, I was left a bit disappointed: the end left a crucial item not addressed, I'm hoping it will be in another book! ;-)
August 10, 2011
I thought this book was great.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews