Cursed Souls Guest House

by Geoffrey Sleight

A young couple's hiking holiday turns to terror, imprisoned in a house where the only guests are ghosts, waiting for the newcomers to join them in a horrifying death.

Genres: Horror

117 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 9, 2018

About the author

I worked 30 years in journalism and later pursued a career in acting. I've always loved writing, and have scripted audio dramas as well as short film screenplays. My favourite genres in reading are a mix of supernatural, historical fiction/nonfiction, thrillers and mysteries. My main book writing genre is supernatural.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was teeter-tottering between a 3.5 and 4, but Sleight’s writing quality put me over the top. Hauntings and ghost stories are his preference, and he’s awfully good at writing them. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned reading so many of these types of stories now, they need to have a slightly slower pace and be a bit drawn out for full effect. Whether it’s explaining the paranormal presence’s past, why they can’t move on, how the living characters are linked, etc, there is always a rich character study to be found. And that ties everything together. When that single factor isn’t developed fully, being the glue to the story, things are shaky, and that’s what I found here. Millie is super creepy and a great antagonist, and Helen and Nick were solid in their roles. But Millie just felt incomplete to me here. I wanted to know more about her entire operation, and it surely had plenty more to tell. Also, the subplot with Julia searching for our missing vacationing duo felt very rushed, too. So, while there was a ton to like here, the story clocked in at just over a hundred pages and needed many more chapters to cover everything with a much more methodical approach.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done and excellently structured story on a couple of hikers staying at a bed and breakfast place with a dark secret. The characters are well done, the action evolves like a movie. I especially like the reference to waxworks and taxidermy. I couldn't put this sinister story down until I finished it. It is fast paced, full of tension and has a great denouement at the end. Absolutely recommended!

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

You really gotta put more care into planning your vacation, fictional people. These two just kind of go for it, resulting in the crappiest of B’n’B stays. Motivated to get out at all costs, they meet a charming old lady with a giant place nearby who just wants company and is willing to put them up. And they go for it…because why not? Not like she’s not the innocent old fuddy-duddy that she seems. Not like she’d have ulterior motives. Not like they’d be ghosts around. Right?
If you’ve read Sleight before (and I have, plenty), you’ll know what to expect – a sort of mild-mannered very British soft thrills and scares. Very straight forward, very streamlined. This one is certainly one of his better ones. There are some genuinely fun spooky moments with the old lady of the manor. Plus, at just over 100 pages it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Fun quick read.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a nightmare!

From the beginning the holiday looked doomed. When they showed up at the inn The owner and her husband were rude, the rooms were dirty the mattress was lumpy and the free dinner was almost on edible. Then one day while on a walk then Matt and Milly a kind older woman who was so nice and sweet and offered to rent him a room. She used to run a bed-and-breakfast herself but as she got older she couldn’t do it all anymore, but they look like nice people and so she invited them to stay for the rest of their vacation. They decided to take her up on it, but little did they know they had it good to start with. Not all is as it seems and somethings are just too good to be true. I don’t want to give any spoilers away, because if I had known certain things before I read this book it wouldn’t of been as good and it was really good. This book is a nightmare, A vacation from hell. I really enjoyed this book and I love the ending. I absolutely love all it was no cat and mouse game but everything was Blayton and this is what’s happening… Oh I wish I could say what I will say is you should read this book it’s great if you love horror books read this, You will not be disappointed. This book was freaking awesome!

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quick read.