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The Helland Reckoning
After a bitter two-year divorce, Katie Tremain heads for a new life with her twin daughters, Sarah and Tegan. The desolation of Bodmin Moor, and a small village called Helland, seems an idyllic place for Katie to begin her new career as a writer. But it’s a village with long-buried secrets.
Battling the inclement weather, an accident with a deer delays her arrival. Something is watching her, in the darkness from afar. During the first night in their new home, Katie is rendered unconscious. She awakens to find Sarah missing. Scared and worried, she calls the police, but before they arrive, a stranger appears in the early morning gloom claiming he wants to help.
Katie has never seen this man before, but Tegan appears to have a connection with him. Reluctantly, Katie accepts his help. But there is only one condition. No police.
Who is this stranger; why the secrecy; and what are his true motives?
But more importantly, who has Sarah?
The Helland Reckoning delves into a world between the living and the dead.
Battling the inclement weather, an accident with a deer delays her arrival. Something is watching her, in the darkness from afar. During the first night in their new home, Katie is rendered unconscious. She awakens to find Sarah missing. Scared and worried, she calls the police, but before they arrive, a stranger appears in the early morning gloom claiming he wants to help.
Katie has never seen this man before, but Tegan appears to have a connection with him. Reluctantly, Katie accepts his help. But there is only one condition. No police.
Who is this stranger; why the secrecy; and what are his true motives?
But more importantly, who has Sarah?
The Helland Reckoning delves into a world between the living and the dead.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2016
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
d-n-f
October 1, 2016I really could not connect with this book and as a result gave up at the 30% mark.
The plot sounded great, but I found the writing forced. There was no subtlety, very little introduction - it was straight into the supposed "creepiness", which just didn't work for me, and I love creepiness. I love horror. I am one of Mr King's 'constant readers'. But this was like being bombarded, bludgeoned.
This book will have it's market. But the market won't include me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Cat Publishing for a digital ARC of The Helland Reckoning by Adrian Martin.
The plot sounded great, but I found the writing forced. There was no subtlety, very little introduction - it was straight into the supposed "creepiness", which just didn't work for me, and I love creepiness. I love horror. I am one of Mr King's 'constant readers'. But this was like being bombarded, bludgeoned.
This book will have it's market. But the market won't include me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Cat Publishing for a digital ARC of The Helland Reckoning by Adrian Martin.
June 4, 2016
Katie Tremain and her twin daughters, Sarah and Tegan, move to a small village,
following a very ugly divorce. This is her chance for a new beginning, a new
life, just her and the girls.
This journey hasn’t been a happy one. It’s winter, roads are slick with snow,
and then there was a deer that came out of nowhere and bounced off her car.
When they finally reach their destination, she’s exhausted, the girls just want
to go home, and it’s cold.. so very cold. When she wakes, she finds her
daughter, Sarah, is missing.
A man appears on her doorstep and offers to help, but he states she cannot call
the police.
Not quite the beginning Katie had envisioned. Helland is in that place between
life and death, dark and light, the living and the dead. Sarah has become a pawn
in this game where there are no rules.
I am not a big horror fan. I had started reading this one a while back, and just
could not get into it. So this time when I picked it up, I promised myself to
give it a real chance. I am so glad I did.
It is a horror story .. but it’s also about love and forgiveness and revenge.
There were so many surprises, twists and turns, and yet it’s easy to follow.
It’s a very well written book. Katie is the ultimate mom who will sacrifice
whatever she needs to in order to protect her children. Sarah and Tegan have a
bond that may be bent, but never broken. James and Michael …. Two sides of the
same coin. But who’s good and who’s evil?
Many thanks to the author / Crooked Cat Publishing / NetGalley who provided a
digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 30, 2018
The Helland reckoning by Adrian Martin.
Omg an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. Couldn't put it down. What a thriller of a read. Katie has just moved to Helland with her 2 daughter's Sarah and tegan. After hitting a dear while on the way there they finally get to their new home. All is not what it seems as Sarah goes missing. A man comes to Katie's aid to help her get her daughter back. But at first she doesn't trust him. It is only tegans insistence to trust him that she does. Katie doesn't realize who Michael really is. He will tell her but only when the time is right. Who has Sarah? And why? Will Katie get her daughter back? I loved this book. I fell into it immediately and I felt as though I was a part of the story watching as wired things started to happen. Like with the doll. I loved Michael and ben. There were some scenes I didn't like. It was very well written especially the burning corpes. I would highly recommend this book. 5*. Even though it deserves more.
Omg an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. Couldn't put it down. What a thriller of a read. Katie has just moved to Helland with her 2 daughter's Sarah and tegan. After hitting a dear while on the way there they finally get to their new home. All is not what it seems as Sarah goes missing. A man comes to Katie's aid to help her get her daughter back. But at first she doesn't trust him. It is only tegans insistence to trust him that she does. Katie doesn't realize who Michael really is. He will tell her but only when the time is right. Who has Sarah? And why? Will Katie get her daughter back? I loved this book. I fell into it immediately and I felt as though I was a part of the story watching as wired things started to happen. Like with the doll. I loved Michael and ben. There were some scenes I didn't like. It was very well written especially the burning corpes. I would highly recommend this book. 5*. Even though it deserves more.
August 30, 2018
The Helland reckoning by Adrian Martin.
Omg an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. Couldn't put it down. What a thriller of a read. Katie has just moved to Helland with her 2 daughter's Sarah and tegan. After hitting a dear while on the way there they finally get to their new home. All is not what it seems as Sarah goes missing. A man comes to Katie's aid to help her get her daughter back. But at first she doesn't trust him. It is only tegans insistence to trust him that she does. Katie doesn't realize who Michael really is. He will tell her but only when the time is right. Who has Sarah? And why? Will Katie get her daughter back? I loved this book. I fell into it immediately and I felt as though I was a part of the story watching as wired things started to happen. Like with the doll. I loved Michael and ben. There were some scenes I didn't like. It was very well written especially the burning corpes. I would highly recommend this book. 5*. Even though it deserves more.
Omg an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. Couldn't put it down. What a thriller of a read. Katie has just moved to Helland with her 2 daughter's Sarah and tegan. After hitting a dear while on the way there they finally get to their new home. All is not what it seems as Sarah goes missing. A man comes to Katie's aid to help her get her daughter back. But at first she doesn't trust him. It is only tegans insistence to trust him that she does. Katie doesn't realize who Michael really is. He will tell her but only when the time is right. Who has Sarah? And why? Will Katie get her daughter back? I loved this book. I fell into it immediately and I felt as though I was a part of the story watching as wired things started to happen. Like with the doll. I loved Michael and ben. There were some scenes I didn't like. It was very well written especially the burning corpes. I would highly recommend this book. 5*. Even though it deserves more.
June 18, 2016
***This book was reviewed for Crooked Cat Publishing via Netgalley***
The Helland Reckoning, by Adrian Martin, begins on a frigid winter's night with a car making its slow lonely way to Bowannack, in Helland. In the car is a fretful mother and her twin daughters. A collision with a deer is the start of a horrific dance with darkness for this small family.
Towed to their new home of Bowannack, Katie and her two girls- Sarah and Tegan- settle in for a night of indoor 'camping’ in their furnitureless home. Before the sun should rise on their very first night in the new place Katie has been plunged into a mother’s worse nightmare. Sarah has gone missing.
Katie finds aid in the most unlikely of places, from a mysterious man named Michael, to the humble parish priest Father Tilsley. The Helland Reckoning is a story spanning generations; a story of evil incarnate, and the saving grace of family ties. It is a story that invites you to believe in the impossible.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Helland. It was a clever story, and I didn't suss out Michael's truth at all. It came rather as a surprise. I must also admit that I got quite wrapped up in it and someone walked up on me and scared the flying pixie stix out of me. My reaction (jumping a foot out of my chair and hiding behind the Kindle, like it could save me…) startled the poor woman almost as badly as I had been.
That being said, the story has room for lots of improvement. It is in need of a good copy-editor to partner with the author. A thorough grammar and spell-checking is in order. These things weren't prevalent enough that it turned me off the story, but it is a good idea. There is also much material that could be trimmed, omitted, or rephrased. It would be greatly benefited by rather more showing than the telling that made the bulk of the story. Also, one technical point from a mudbug’s point of view- they seem to have been able to dig up not one, but two bodies out of frozen earth way too easily. Indeed, the fact they were even able to break ground at all is an astonishing feat, given the weather. I do look forward to seeing the author grow, and would most certainly read their next book.
The Helland Reckoning, by Adrian Martin, begins on a frigid winter's night with a car making its slow lonely way to Bowannack, in Helland. In the car is a fretful mother and her twin daughters. A collision with a deer is the start of a horrific dance with darkness for this small family.
Towed to their new home of Bowannack, Katie and her two girls- Sarah and Tegan- settle in for a night of indoor 'camping’ in their furnitureless home. Before the sun should rise on their very first night in the new place Katie has been plunged into a mother’s worse nightmare. Sarah has gone missing.
Katie finds aid in the most unlikely of places, from a mysterious man named Michael, to the humble parish priest Father Tilsley. The Helland Reckoning is a story spanning generations; a story of evil incarnate, and the saving grace of family ties. It is a story that invites you to believe in the impossible.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Helland. It was a clever story, and I didn't suss out Michael's truth at all. It came rather as a surprise. I must also admit that I got quite wrapped up in it and someone walked up on me and scared the flying pixie stix out of me. My reaction (jumping a foot out of my chair and hiding behind the Kindle, like it could save me…) startled the poor woman almost as badly as I had been.
That being said, the story has room for lots of improvement. It is in need of a good copy-editor to partner with the author. A thorough grammar and spell-checking is in order. These things weren't prevalent enough that it turned me off the story, but it is a good idea. There is also much material that could be trimmed, omitted, or rephrased. It would be greatly benefited by rather more showing than the telling that made the bulk of the story. Also, one technical point from a mudbug’s point of view- they seem to have been able to dig up not one, but two bodies out of frozen earth way too easily. Indeed, the fact they were even able to break ground at all is an astonishing feat, given the weather. I do look forward to seeing the author grow, and would most certainly read their next book.
July 26, 2017
I have to confess to beginning this novel and then doing something most unusual for me. Once started I normally read through a novel right to the end, even if not all in one sitting. With The Helland Reckoning I got to around 10% and put down my kindle. Reading this kind of novel in bed and around midnight was way too scary for me. I decided to only read the novel during daylight hours.
I’m glad I eventually plucked up the courage to read on (definitely during the day and not alone) because it was totally engrossing though I’m not really sure why some of the bloodiest bits happened! Closer to the end I was piecing together the interweaving character threads but definitely not the entire plot - there were still some surprises that the author kept under wraps till the end.
Paranormal horror isn't my most favourite genre but if you gravitate to that kind of story then I'm sure you'll love The Helland Reckoning.
I’m glad I eventually plucked up the courage to read on (definitely during the day and not alone) because it was totally engrossing though I’m not really sure why some of the bloodiest bits happened! Closer to the end I was piecing together the interweaving character threads but definitely not the entire plot - there were still some surprises that the author kept under wraps till the end.
Paranormal horror isn't my most favourite genre but if you gravitate to that kind of story then I'm sure you'll love The Helland Reckoning.
October 11, 2016
This is a para-normal/horror story and as such is completely out of my usual reading genre. But the blurb and the spooky cover got me interested.
The Helland of the title is apparently a real place in Cornwall on the edge of Bodmin Moor – so, instantly I was interested as I recalled reading Jamaica Inn as a kid and being scared half to death.
The heroine, Katie, is a recently divorced mum of twelve-year old twins, Sarah and Tegan and the book opens with their journey to their isolated new house. You know from the outset things are just not going to go right. And they don’t as Katie has a car accident in heavy snow.
The majority of the rest of the action takes place over the next 48 hours or so with one of the children being taken, Watchers and Collectors arriving on the scene, and a monumental fight between good and evil.
This is an absolutely cracking story, the pace never flags and the plot kept me guessing to the very last minute.
A perfect choice for Halloween, but lock the doors and windows before you start to read!
The Helland of the title is apparently a real place in Cornwall on the edge of Bodmin Moor – so, instantly I was interested as I recalled reading Jamaica Inn as a kid and being scared half to death.
The heroine, Katie, is a recently divorced mum of twelve-year old twins, Sarah and Tegan and the book opens with their journey to their isolated new house. You know from the outset things are just not going to go right. And they don’t as Katie has a car accident in heavy snow.
The majority of the rest of the action takes place over the next 48 hours or so with one of the children being taken, Watchers and Collectors arriving on the scene, and a monumental fight between good and evil.
This is an absolutely cracking story, the pace never flags and the plot kept me guessing to the very last minute.
A perfect choice for Halloween, but lock the doors and windows before you start to read!
June 11, 2016
If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be"disturbing ." I do like psychological thrillers, but this one pushed my limits a little bit. I generally don't like books that have this type of demon thing going on, and I was too far into the book when I found out. I did finish because I wanted to see how this story could possibly end.
I had several issues with this book. First, I didn't realize this book was set in England until about a third into the book. The characters didn't speak like they were English. Not that there wasn't accents, but they didn't use the English phrases. They were like Americans living in England. Second, I just couldn't connect with most of the characters other than Katie.
This was not a horrible book. If you like the creepy, supernatural, and extremely gory, then go for it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I had several issues with this book. First, I didn't realize this book was set in England until about a third into the book. The characters didn't speak like they were English. Not that there wasn't accents, but they didn't use the English phrases. They were like Americans living in England. Second, I just couldn't connect with most of the characters other than Katie.
This was not a horrible book. If you like the creepy, supernatural, and extremely gory, then go for it. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2016
Just not my kind of book but glad I persevered to the end. Some nice twists and unexpected turns. If you like horrors and demons, you will enjoy this. Thank you Net Galley for my copy.
September 6, 2016
A dark atmospheric thriller set on Bodmin Moor.
Great read!
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Crooked Cat Publishing via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
Great read!
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Crooked Cat Publishing via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews