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The Coffin Path
The Coffin Path is an eerie and compelling seventeenth-century ghost story set on the dark wilds of the Yorkshire moors. For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, this Gothic tale will weave its way into your imagination and chill you to the bone.
Maybe you've heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up here, something evil.
Mercy Booth isn't afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father's study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakable sense that someone is watching.
When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can't see it yet.
Maybe you've heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up here, something evil.
Mercy Booth isn't afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father's study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakable sense that someone is watching.
When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can't see it yet.
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First published February 8, 2018
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About the author
Katherine Clements
5 books143 followersThe official bio...
Katherine's debut novel, The Crimson Ribbon, was published in 2014 and her second, The Silvered Heart, in 2015. Her third novel, The Coffin Path, became an Amazon bestseller and was nominated for the HWA Gold Crown Award and The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize in 2018. Her writing has won and been shortlisted for many prizes, including the Winchester Writers' Conference First Three Pages Award and the Weald & Downland Museum/Jerwood Prize for Historical Fiction.
Katherine spent over two decades working in training and education and led the development and launch of the UK’s first A Level in Creative Writing. She spent three years as editor of Historia, the online magazine of the Historical Writers’ Association, and is a member of the HWA Committee. She’s a Royal Literary Fund Fellow, having held fellowships at both Sheffield and Manchester Universities, where she worked with students on academic writing. She was the first Royal Literary Fund Fellow in the History department at Manchester University.
In 2018 Katherine was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award and spent a year living and working in New Orleans, while researching her next novel. She is based in West Yorkshire where, alongside her own writing projects, she works as a writing coach and mentor, and as editor of the Royal Literary Fund magazine Collected. She’s a qualified coach, has led workshops for hundreds of writers, both in person and online, and was lead tutor at the Historical Novel Society Academy where she launched the first online historical fiction masterclass programme.
Katherine's debut novel, The Crimson Ribbon, was published in 2014 and her second, The Silvered Heart, in 2015. Her third novel, The Coffin Path, became an Amazon bestseller and was nominated for the HWA Gold Crown Award and The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize in 2018. Her writing has won and been shortlisted for many prizes, including the Winchester Writers' Conference First Three Pages Award and the Weald & Downland Museum/Jerwood Prize for Historical Fiction.
Katherine spent over two decades working in training and education and led the development and launch of the UK’s first A Level in Creative Writing. She spent three years as editor of Historia, the online magazine of the Historical Writers’ Association, and is a member of the HWA Committee. She’s a Royal Literary Fund Fellow, having held fellowships at both Sheffield and Manchester Universities, where she worked with students on academic writing. She was the first Royal Literary Fund Fellow in the History department at Manchester University.
In 2018 Katherine was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholar Award and spent a year living and working in New Orleans, while researching her next novel. She is based in West Yorkshire where, alongside her own writing projects, she works as a writing coach and mentor, and as editor of the Royal Literary Fund magazine Collected. She’s a qualified coach, has led workshops for hundreds of writers, both in person and online, and was lead tutor at the Historical Novel Society Academy where she launched the first online historical fiction masterclass programme.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
January 22, 2018
Katherine Clements serves up a scarily creepy atmospheric gothic tale of ghosts and horror set in the Yorkshire Moors of the seventeenth century. It is a location that has been hit hard and poverty runs rampant, a place that has been deeply affected by the English Civil War, Cromwell's rule and the return of the monarchy to the country. It is steeped in rampant superstitions, rumours, fears and religious divisions. The dilapidated Scarcross Hall is the family home of the Booth family, on the old coffin path that runs from the village and to the top, where there is a stone circle, known as the White Ladies, a site where horrifying macabre happenings occur. It is an area associated with an old evil, a house well acquainted with death, but Mercy Booth pays the local tales no heed, she is a strong, independent woman continuing the family tradition of sheep farming and she expects to inherit. It is a hard and demanding life, all the while under the threat of going under.
Mercy's father, Bartram is a man in the throes of dementia, no longer able to work, a man who hides much. There are weird and odd sounds that emanate from a unused bedroom and old coins Bartram collected from the site of the White Ladies have vanished. A new work hand has been taken on by Mercy despite her misgivings, Ellis Ferreby, someone she eventually turns outs to be grateful for, as the local hands leave. Ellis, who has his own secrets becomes transfixed and obsessed with Mercy. Sheep are gruesomely mutilated, and amidst hostility from the local community, it is alleged that Mercy is a witch. Mercy finds strength and faith in her connection with the landscape, as she finds she is no longer able to ignore the danger, nor deny what is happening around her and the weather becomes increasingly inclement.
The narrative is related from the perspective of Mercy and Ellis. Clements writing evokes the menace and tension beautifully, her descriptions give a strong sense of place and the nature of sheep farming. She has a real skill in the way she builds up the tension and suspense, creating real fear in me as the reader. This is a story of ghosts and secrets that will chill. I highly recommend this novel for those in search of a spooky atmospheric read. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
Mercy's father, Bartram is a man in the throes of dementia, no longer able to work, a man who hides much. There are weird and odd sounds that emanate from a unused bedroom and old coins Bartram collected from the site of the White Ladies have vanished. A new work hand has been taken on by Mercy despite her misgivings, Ellis Ferreby, someone she eventually turns outs to be grateful for, as the local hands leave. Ellis, who has his own secrets becomes transfixed and obsessed with Mercy. Sheep are gruesomely mutilated, and amidst hostility from the local community, it is alleged that Mercy is a witch. Mercy finds strength and faith in her connection with the landscape, as she finds she is no longer able to ignore the danger, nor deny what is happening around her and the weather becomes increasingly inclement.
The narrative is related from the perspective of Mercy and Ellis. Clements writing evokes the menace and tension beautifully, her descriptions give a strong sense of place and the nature of sheep farming. She has a real skill in the way she builds up the tension and suspense, creating real fear in me as the reader. This is a story of ghosts and secrets that will chill. I highly recommend this novel for those in search of a spooky atmospheric read. Many thanks to Headline for an ARC.
March 12, 2021
So the Coffin Path was a strange one for me, I was really looking forward to this but it didn't quite deliver and left me feeling a tad confused by that unexplained ending.
This book tells the story of Mercy Booth who lives at Scarcross Hall with her father and an old servant named Meg.
Scarcross Hall is at the end of the old coffin path that winds up from the village to the top of the moor, hence the stories name.
Stories Abound about the evil that resides up here but Mercy isn't afraid she loves this land and when a stranger appears seeking work Mercy reluctantly provides it.
The stranger is Ellis Ferreby and his and Mercy's tales are on a collision course and the fallout is going to be epic.
So this is what I would class as a gothic ghost tale, set in the seventeenth century on the bleak Yorkshire Moors amid sheep country.
The Coffin Path gives vivid descriptions throughout of the bleakness of the times.
The first visual upon starting this is a graphic portrayal of Mercy aiding a sheeps labour and this book continues to provide variously vivid optical delights.
The atmosphere created throughout hangs heavy with an extremely ominous feel.
Despite this, I struggled at times to fully connect and though the mood was set there never seemed to be an adequate explanation for any of the events occurring.
The Coffin Path mostly relies on its ambience, setting an aura of terror for the reader.
I also felt there were just too many bloody sheep stories being told, I know where it was set, and the author did show her great knowledge of sheep farming back in the day, which is awesome, but for me, it was just a tad too much information, I was sick to the back bloody teeth of sheep.
So the ending for this book took me completely by surprise, I saw some of it coming, but there was other stuff that I really wasn't expecting at all, and if I'm honest I actually feel rather sad and heartbroken for Ellis, the poor bloke.
I would have definitely prefered an alternative ending and actually felt that Mercy was a complete cow to the poor bloke and also, as I said earlier, I am not quite sure what has actually happened here, It was all a bit weird if I'm honest.
I was left feeling a bit deflated, this showed so much promise but for me fell totally flat in places.
Saying that though this was still very well written and had such a lyrical prose you couldn't help being enthralled by the language and also the overall setting.
So, in conclusion, this was a somewhat solid read but with some issues that I failed to overcome.
I was provided with an ARC of "The Coffin Path" By Netgalley of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm.
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
November 26, 2018
‘The fells are scattered with decaying remains of the past’
This is my second attempt at finding a spooky read this autumn and it is much better than my first!
Set in 1674 this is a well written book set in the aftermath of the English Civil War. It is based around a true event of a massacre in the town of Bolton.
It is deeply atmospheric, with wonderful descriptions of the desolate Yorkshire moorland and the hard way of life for the people who live there. On the horizon are the stark upright figures of the White Ladies, ancient stones that have seen macabre events.
The namesake of the book, the Coffin Path snakes across the moor to the crumbling run down edifice that is Scarcross Hall.
Ellis, doesn't really have a home and as he wanders across the fog bound moor, he bumps into Mercy Booth, the mistress of Scarcross Hall. Against her better judgement she gives him employment, along with seasoned shepherds, Bestwicke and Ravens, to help with the lambing season. The weather is still bleak and hash, high up on the moors in spring.
Eeriness, creeps and winds its way through the narrative. It is skilfully doled out so it does not become unbelievable.
I found it fascinating how the devil and witchcraft were believed in so wholeheartedly in this period of our history.
If you want a good, eerie, well written story then I would recommend reading The Coffin Path.
This is my second attempt at finding a spooky read this autumn and it is much better than my first!
Set in 1674 this is a well written book set in the aftermath of the English Civil War. It is based around a true event of a massacre in the town of Bolton.
It is deeply atmospheric, with wonderful descriptions of the desolate Yorkshire moorland and the hard way of life for the people who live there. On the horizon are the stark upright figures of the White Ladies, ancient stones that have seen macabre events.
The namesake of the book, the Coffin Path snakes across the moor to the crumbling run down edifice that is Scarcross Hall.
Ellis, doesn't really have a home and as he wanders across the fog bound moor, he bumps into Mercy Booth, the mistress of Scarcross Hall. Against her better judgement she gives him employment, along with seasoned shepherds, Bestwicke and Ravens, to help with the lambing season. The weather is still bleak and hash, high up on the moors in spring.
Eeriness, creeps and winds its way through the narrative. It is skilfully doled out so it does not become unbelievable.
I found it fascinating how the devil and witchcraft were believed in so wholeheartedly in this period of our history.
If you want a good, eerie, well written story then I would recommend reading The Coffin Path.
December 5, 2018
Billed as an atmospheric and chilling ghost story. This is set in the Yorkshire Moors, very much Bronte country. The descriptions of the terrain and weather are well written and capture the barren bleakness and danger of the moors. Clements employs some of the standard tropes of the genre: locked rooms with noises coming from within, family secrets, a cursed location, isolation, suspicion, treacherous landscape, ancient standing stones, a previous tragedy and lots of sheep (well it is on the moors).
The location is Scarcross Hall on the moors. It is owned by Bartram Booth and mostly managed by his daughter Mercy and the year is 1674. It is a sheep farm and extra help is always needed. Stranger, Ellis Ferreby is taken on to assist with the shepherding. He arrives as strange things have begun to happen. Lambs have been found ritually slaughtered. The old coffin path which runs past the Hall seems to have become more sinister and Mercy starts to sense a malevolent presence on it and sometimes in the Hall. The pace is steady and there are romantic elements as well. It is 1674 and to add spice, in 1574 a family at the Hall were cut off in the winter and died horribly, it is said killed by the Devil. Inevitably there is a hypocritical local preacher in the Puritan tradition and there are accusations of witchcraft.
Clements builds the tension well and the writing is convincing, as are the descriptions of the moor. The effects of the recent civil war are written into the plot and Clements uses modern knowledge of PTSD to flesh out some of her characters. All of the characters are flawed, and more believable for it. Clements is the first to admit this is an homage to Emily Bronte, although in its gothic style it is as much Du Maurier. If you like a good spine chiller, this may be for you. I had some issues with the ending, but thinking of Wuthering Heights, I do understand the force of it. Make up your own mind, as any attempts to explain would be spoilers.
The location is Scarcross Hall on the moors. It is owned by Bartram Booth and mostly managed by his daughter Mercy and the year is 1674. It is a sheep farm and extra help is always needed. Stranger, Ellis Ferreby is taken on to assist with the shepherding. He arrives as strange things have begun to happen. Lambs have been found ritually slaughtered. The old coffin path which runs past the Hall seems to have become more sinister and Mercy starts to sense a malevolent presence on it and sometimes in the Hall. The pace is steady and there are romantic elements as well. It is 1674 and to add spice, in 1574 a family at the Hall were cut off in the winter and died horribly, it is said killed by the Devil. Inevitably there is a hypocritical local preacher in the Puritan tradition and there are accusations of witchcraft.
Clements builds the tension well and the writing is convincing, as are the descriptions of the moor. The effects of the recent civil war are written into the plot and Clements uses modern knowledge of PTSD to flesh out some of her characters. All of the characters are flawed, and more believable for it. Clements is the first to admit this is an homage to Emily Bronte, although in its gothic style it is as much Du Maurier. If you like a good spine chiller, this may be for you. I had some issues with the ending, but thinking of Wuthering Heights, I do understand the force of it. Make up your own mind, as any attempts to explain would be spoilers.
November 27, 2017
Set in a 17th-century sheep-farming community against the harsh backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, The Coffin Path felt like a book I could sink into and just savour right from the beginning. This historical ghost story is a fabulous example of great storytelling, rich with detail and drama.
Mercy Booth is the only daughter of a widowed landowner. Her father's health is declining, and Mercy has not married or had children. In an age when women do not tend to inherit, Mercy nevertheless believes she will ultimately take ownership of Scarcross Hall. But this year, there are bad omens: the first lamb of spring has a difficult birth, and the ewe that bore it dies immediately afterwards. The locals are beginning to turn against the Booths – in part because they are suspicious of Mercy's status – and the arrival of a mysterious stranger named Ellis Ferreby seems to stir up even more discontent. Most disturbing of all are the unaccountable noises, footsteps and other signs of movement emanating from an abandoned bedroom at the Hall.
There's a nice feminist slant to Mercy's character, and her independence is well-realised without making her seem anachronistic. Clements does a great job of depicting her faith, too. Mercy is a woman who feels closest to God when she is communing with nature: 'I'm with Him when I'm out on the moor, when I see His hand at work in life, death and the turning of the world.' The Coffin Path contains some creepy details, but much of the narrative is devoted to establishing the character of Mercy, her past, and the relationships the Booths have with the local community, as well as the expert scene-setting required to turn the success or failure of a farm into a nail-biting plight.
The plot steps up its pace in the final chapters; I found myself turning the pages pretty feverishly, desperate to find out how it would all end... and I wasn't disappointed. The ending is a virtuoso flourish that ties a neat (albeit pitch-black) bow around the story's various strands and twists.
(Also: it's always nice when books you read close together have a kind of serendipitous symmetry. The Coffin Path has enough in common with Andrew Michael Hurley's superb Devil’s Day that it could almost be a prequel. The setting is never specifically named, allowing me to imagine it as the Endlands hundreds of years before the events of Hurley's novel. The rural northern setting, the sheep-farming family, the locals' fear of the Devil lurking on the moors... it's all there. And the coffin path of the Booths' era might have become Reapers' Walk by the time the Pentecosts arrived. The Coffin Path also reminded me of another excellent historical horror novel, Rawblood by Catriona Ward, and there's one detail in particular that makes it uncannily similar to Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions.)
I received an advance review copy of The Coffin Path from the publisher through NetGalley.
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Mercy Booth is the only daughter of a widowed landowner. Her father's health is declining, and Mercy has not married or had children. In an age when women do not tend to inherit, Mercy nevertheless believes she will ultimately take ownership of Scarcross Hall. But this year, there are bad omens: the first lamb of spring has a difficult birth, and the ewe that bore it dies immediately afterwards. The locals are beginning to turn against the Booths – in part because they are suspicious of Mercy's status – and the arrival of a mysterious stranger named Ellis Ferreby seems to stir up even more discontent. Most disturbing of all are the unaccountable noises, footsteps and other signs of movement emanating from an abandoned bedroom at the Hall.
There's a nice feminist slant to Mercy's character, and her independence is well-realised without making her seem anachronistic. Clements does a great job of depicting her faith, too. Mercy is a woman who feels closest to God when she is communing with nature: 'I'm with Him when I'm out on the moor, when I see His hand at work in life, death and the turning of the world.' The Coffin Path contains some creepy details, but much of the narrative is devoted to establishing the character of Mercy, her past, and the relationships the Booths have with the local community, as well as the expert scene-setting required to turn the success or failure of a farm into a nail-biting plight.
The plot steps up its pace in the final chapters; I found myself turning the pages pretty feverishly, desperate to find out how it would all end... and I wasn't disappointed. The ending is a virtuoso flourish that ties a neat (albeit pitch-black) bow around the story's various strands and twists.
(Also: it's always nice when books you read close together have a kind of serendipitous symmetry. The Coffin Path has enough in common with Andrew Michael Hurley's superb Devil’s Day that it could almost be a prequel. The setting is never specifically named, allowing me to imagine it as the Endlands hundreds of years before the events of Hurley's novel. The rural northern setting, the sheep-farming family, the locals' fear of the Devil lurking on the moors... it's all there. And the coffin path of the Booths' era might have become Reapers' Walk by the time the Pentecosts arrived. The Coffin Path also reminded me of another excellent historical horror novel, Rawblood by Catriona Ward, and there's one detail in particular that makes it uncannily similar to Laura Purcell's The Silent Companions.)
I received an advance review copy of The Coffin Path from the publisher through NetGalley.
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February 4, 2019
THE COFFIN PATH, by Katherine Clements is a book I honestly struggled to finish. It wasn't that the style was bad, or anything fundamental such as that. The story DID have a lot of atmosphere going for it, and it may have worked if not for a few factors.
First, the repetition on the sheep farming: scents, wool, flies, finding sheep, watching sheep, birthing sheep.... One mention would have been good to establish the scene and working environment, but hundreds (or what felt like) pages of the same things being endlessly repeated did nothing except cause me to want to get on with another book. I'll add tallows to this as well (there's only so much you can read about the scent of tallows without wanting to end the story).
Secondly, the book was simply not what I was expecting. Yes, there were some strange happenings, and a few eerie moments, but these were quickly eclipsed by more sheep farming, the romances (or lack thereof) of the characters, and the worst--the ending of the book did nothing to shed any light on this.
The end did get more exciting, but not for any of the reasons you'd expect. A great twist, but since it took up so little of what was otherwise a book that I thought was to focus on ghosts, even that just didn't make me feel like it fit in with the premise of the story.
I'm going with this book was just "not for me". I know others have liked it much more, and maybe engaged better with the characters (who I'll admit, I never really connected with). While the gothic atmosphere was there, too many questions that I WANTED answered were pretty much left dead-ended. The final scenes were more exciting, but not at all in the way I expected after reading an entire 90% of the book and then having it morph into something else.
First, the repetition on the sheep farming: scents, wool, flies, finding sheep, watching sheep, birthing sheep.... One mention would have been good to establish the scene and working environment, but hundreds (or what felt like) pages of the same things being endlessly repeated did nothing except cause me to want to get on with another book. I'll add tallows to this as well (there's only so much you can read about the scent of tallows without wanting to end the story).
Secondly, the book was simply not what I was expecting. Yes, there were some strange happenings, and a few eerie moments, but these were quickly eclipsed by more sheep farming, the romances (or lack thereof) of the characters, and the worst--the ending of the book did nothing to shed any light on this.
The end did get more exciting, but not for any of the reasons you'd expect. A great twist, but since it took up so little of what was otherwise a book that I thought was to focus on ghosts, even that just didn't make me feel like it fit in with the premise of the story.
I'm going with this book was just "not for me". I know others have liked it much more, and maybe engaged better with the characters (who I'll admit, I never really connected with). While the gothic atmosphere was there, too many questions that I WANTED answered were pretty much left dead-ended. The final scenes were more exciting, but not at all in the way I expected after reading an entire 90% of the book and then having it morph into something else.
July 22, 2021
The Yorkshire moors are a brooding and forbidding place. For the seventeenth-century farmers of Scarcross Hall the whims of the weather and the lay of the land can herald either a year of wealth or one of misery, according to how it treats their sheep. It is a threat far closer to home that begs for their attention, however. It resides within the walls, stalks the upper hallways, and is half-glimpsed at in deep fog or impenetrable darkness. It has no name and cannot be pleaded with. It wants only one thing, it seems - their demise.
We are currently going through a rare British heatwave and so sleep has been hard to come by. This, despite feeling like a very Autumnal read, in my opinion, was the one I chose to devour through another sleepless night. In hindsight, it was the worst possible choice, as it's chilling contents and my desire to understand just what lurked through these pages had sleep pushed ever further away with the passing of chapters.
I was entirely absorbed in the contents and the light sprinkling of sinister occurrences only ensured those that did appear felt all the more foreboding for how scantily they featured and for how briefly they lasted. Much of the first half of this was instead focused on the perils of farming and how inclement weather were the petty gods of this portion of England.
The feelings of unease continued to dog each and every page, however. This became ever heightened as characters were increasingly removed from the setting, through a multitude of means, and those that remained became even more isolated and paranoid. These emotions were passed along to the reader and by the book's close I was tearing through the pages in the hopes for some sort of happy resolution.
A blurb on the back likened this to the brooding Wuthering Heights, and despite the far more horrifying focus, I would say this comparison is an apt one. The novel is gothic in design, morbid in its focus, and slow to unfurl its secrets. If you desire to feel the chill creep of dread make its slow procession ever nearer, to both the characters and the reader, then this is the book for you.
We are currently going through a rare British heatwave and so sleep has been hard to come by. This, despite feeling like a very Autumnal read, in my opinion, was the one I chose to devour through another sleepless night. In hindsight, it was the worst possible choice, as it's chilling contents and my desire to understand just what lurked through these pages had sleep pushed ever further away with the passing of chapters.
I was entirely absorbed in the contents and the light sprinkling of sinister occurrences only ensured those that did appear felt all the more foreboding for how scantily they featured and for how briefly they lasted. Much of the first half of this was instead focused on the perils of farming and how inclement weather were the petty gods of this portion of England.
The feelings of unease continued to dog each and every page, however. This became ever heightened as characters were increasingly removed from the setting, through a multitude of means, and those that remained became even more isolated and paranoid. These emotions were passed along to the reader and by the book's close I was tearing through the pages in the hopes for some sort of happy resolution.
A blurb on the back likened this to the brooding Wuthering Heights, and despite the far more horrifying focus, I would say this comparison is an apt one. The novel is gothic in design, morbid in its focus, and slow to unfurl its secrets. If you desire to feel the chill creep of dread make its slow procession ever nearer, to both the characters and the reader, then this is the book for you.
January 28, 2018
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The Coffin Path’s striking opening line - “I was born with blood on my hands” - sets the scene for a story full of atmosphere and chilling moments. Ancient curses, family secrets, a remote moorland setting and a crumbling old house reached only by an ancient track called the coffin path – what more do you want?
Very much in the tradition of M. R. James, the sinister atmosphere the author creates comes more from suggestion than full-blown in your face horror. Noises from empty rooms, objects moving or disappearing without seeming human intervention, sudden chills or unusual scents are far scarier and unsettling to my mind than coming face-to-face with a monster. There is one particular scene that definitely made me want to draw the bedcovers up over my head! All the time the reader is made to wonder whether there is malicious human agency behind the goings-on, whether they are the product of a feverish or disturbed imagination – mass hysteria even - or there is an actual supernatural presence.
As word of the strange occurrences at Scarcross Hall reach the wider community it’s not long before superstitious minds see the work of the Devil behind them and seek to assign blame. Like other women down the ages, Mercy, as an independent-minded, unconventional and most importantly unmarried woman, is an easy target for their suspicions, especially when fuelled by grudges of a more personal nature.
Alongside the strange events in the house, the author presents a convincing and detailed picture of the everyday struggle to eke out a livelihood on a remote moorland farm. There is some wonderful descriptive writing that conjures up the wild beauty of the moor that surrounds Scarcross Hall. ‘Now, in this moment, the wind brings it to him: the rich savour of damp peat, must and decay, the metallic, coppery scent of snow and ancient, rainwashed stone, a hint of salt and sea storms.’ I also liked the use of alliteration in lines like, ‘He craves the comfort of it, longs for the liquidity of limbs, the gradual sink into silent contemplation.’
I have to say that although the story is set in the 17th century, I didn’t get an overwhelming sense of that period for a lot of the book. It felt that it could just have easily been set in the 18th or 19th century. However, this does change towards the end of the book as the events and upheaval of the recent Civil War become more central to the story.
The Coffin Path is a satisfyingly creepy ghost story that builds slowly to a dramatic climax as secrets are finally revealed. I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers Headline in return for an honest and unbiased review.
The Coffin Path’s striking opening line - “I was born with blood on my hands” - sets the scene for a story full of atmosphere and chilling moments. Ancient curses, family secrets, a remote moorland setting and a crumbling old house reached only by an ancient track called the coffin path – what more do you want?
Very much in the tradition of M. R. James, the sinister atmosphere the author creates comes more from suggestion than full-blown in your face horror. Noises from empty rooms, objects moving or disappearing without seeming human intervention, sudden chills or unusual scents are far scarier and unsettling to my mind than coming face-to-face with a monster. There is one particular scene that definitely made me want to draw the bedcovers up over my head! All the time the reader is made to wonder whether there is malicious human agency behind the goings-on, whether they are the product of a feverish or disturbed imagination – mass hysteria even - or there is an actual supernatural presence.
As word of the strange occurrences at Scarcross Hall reach the wider community it’s not long before superstitious minds see the work of the Devil behind them and seek to assign blame. Like other women down the ages, Mercy, as an independent-minded, unconventional and most importantly unmarried woman, is an easy target for their suspicions, especially when fuelled by grudges of a more personal nature.
Alongside the strange events in the house, the author presents a convincing and detailed picture of the everyday struggle to eke out a livelihood on a remote moorland farm. There is some wonderful descriptive writing that conjures up the wild beauty of the moor that surrounds Scarcross Hall. ‘Now, in this moment, the wind brings it to him: the rich savour of damp peat, must and decay, the metallic, coppery scent of snow and ancient, rainwashed stone, a hint of salt and sea storms.’ I also liked the use of alliteration in lines like, ‘He craves the comfort of it, longs for the liquidity of limbs, the gradual sink into silent contemplation.’
I have to say that although the story is set in the 17th century, I didn’t get an overwhelming sense of that period for a lot of the book. It felt that it could just have easily been set in the 18th or 19th century. However, this does change towards the end of the book as the events and upheaval of the recent Civil War become more central to the story.
The Coffin Path is a satisfyingly creepy ghost story that builds slowly to a dramatic climax as secrets are finally revealed. I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers Headline in return for an honest and unbiased review.
March 3, 2018
I received a free copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
A slow-burning, atmospheric novel, with plenty of mystery.
Say the words 'gothic horror' to me and you've immediately grabbed my attention. As such, I eagerly requested a copy of this book - as anything that promises historic settings, eerie moors and unsettling manor houses I felt certain would be a winner.
For the most part, I wasn't disappointed, though I have to admit, it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
Mercy Booth lives in Scarcross Manor (now there's a name!) with her father, an elderly lady called Agnes, and with a variety of farm-helps / shepherds close by. Right from the start, the mood is established; Mercy senses something evil in the rolling mist and runs home, convinced that she sees a pale figure outside.
A while later, a mysterious man called Ellis turns up, looking for work. No-one else quite trusts him, but he proves himself a good worker, and is one of the few who dares to venture out on those sinister moors at night. Meanwhile, things are getting pretty weird back at the manor. Mercy is plagued by nocturnal noises and spooky sights; hands touching her in the dead of night, a strange fire-guard, made to look like a child, seemingly moving from room to room. However, she's hell-bent on the manor being hers after her father's death, and nothing is going to make her flee.
One of the strongest aspects of The Coffin Path was the creation of atmosphere. Although nothing out-and-out terrifying happens, the author still manages to create a sense of growing dread, and there were several moments where I felt genuinely chilled. Her depictions of the moors were absolutely spot-on, and she captures the haunting quality of being out in the middle of nowhere very well.
Likewise, I found the historical setting completely convincing. I'm often a nit-picker about these types of things, but as far as I could tell, it was all thoroughly researched and as a result, felt very authentic.
The characters were earthy, occasionally repulsive, and compelling to read. For me, the stand-out was Mercy herself; mannish, ahead of her time as far as attitudes to a woman's role in the world goes. Her unrelenting determination to own the manor drove much of the action, and I loved the fact that she didn't quit, right until the bitter end. It was also a masterful twist at the end, and one I did not see coming.
My main niggle was with the central sections of the book, which did become ever so slightly boggy. After a truly creepy start, I was filled with anticipation, expecting the gothic horror to ramp up even further. However, it never really revved into action for me- it was always a simmering, anticipatory kind of horror, rather than anything actually really happening. I felt like I needed some sort of conclusion about what was going on in the house too - there was never really any resolution, but then, given that this wasn't actually the main thrust of the novel, I can understand the author's reasoning for writing it like this.
Overall though, very enjoyable - and deserves to be read for the superb atmospheric descriptions if nothing else.
A slow-burning, atmospheric novel, with plenty of mystery.
Say the words 'gothic horror' to me and you've immediately grabbed my attention. As such, I eagerly requested a copy of this book - as anything that promises historic settings, eerie moors and unsettling manor houses I felt certain would be a winner.
For the most part, I wasn't disappointed, though I have to admit, it wasn't quite what I was expecting.
Mercy Booth lives in Scarcross Manor (now there's a name!) with her father, an elderly lady called Agnes, and with a variety of farm-helps / shepherds close by. Right from the start, the mood is established; Mercy senses something evil in the rolling mist and runs home, convinced that she sees a pale figure outside.
A while later, a mysterious man called Ellis turns up, looking for work. No-one else quite trusts him, but he proves himself a good worker, and is one of the few who dares to venture out on those sinister moors at night. Meanwhile, things are getting pretty weird back at the manor. Mercy is plagued by nocturnal noises and spooky sights; hands touching her in the dead of night, a strange fire-guard, made to look like a child, seemingly moving from room to room. However, she's hell-bent on the manor being hers after her father's death, and nothing is going to make her flee.
One of the strongest aspects of The Coffin Path was the creation of atmosphere. Although nothing out-and-out terrifying happens, the author still manages to create a sense of growing dread, and there were several moments where I felt genuinely chilled. Her depictions of the moors were absolutely spot-on, and she captures the haunting quality of being out in the middle of nowhere very well.
Likewise, I found the historical setting completely convincing. I'm often a nit-picker about these types of things, but as far as I could tell, it was all thoroughly researched and as a result, felt very authentic.
The characters were earthy, occasionally repulsive, and compelling to read. For me, the stand-out was Mercy herself; mannish, ahead of her time as far as attitudes to a woman's role in the world goes. Her unrelenting determination to own the manor drove much of the action, and I loved the fact that she didn't quit, right until the bitter end. It was also a masterful twist at the end, and one I did not see coming.
My main niggle was with the central sections of the book, which did become ever so slightly boggy. After a truly creepy start, I was filled with anticipation, expecting the gothic horror to ramp up even further. However, it never really revved into action for me- it was always a simmering, anticipatory kind of horror, rather than anything actually really happening. I felt like I needed some sort of conclusion about what was going on in the house too - there was never really any resolution, but then, given that this wasn't actually the main thrust of the novel, I can understand the author's reasoning for writing it like this.
Overall though, very enjoyable - and deserves to be read for the superb atmospheric descriptions if nothing else.
June 17, 2019
I will stay where I belong. I will never leave. Scarcross Hall is mine.
This is an evocative , atmospheric and gothic story where the Yorkshire Moors are the central character. Superstitions abound in the local community, ghosts of previous tenants, dead lambs, stolen objects, arson and accusations of witchery. A little slow in places but a good read. I liked the fact that the moors were so isolated that you start to feel the claustrophobia and pending doom mirrored through the elements and the secrets kept. The story was set in the 17th century, but really it could have been any time, as the bleak moors kept the real world out of the tight knit community.
This is an evocative , atmospheric and gothic story where the Yorkshire Moors are the central character. Superstitions abound in the local community, ghosts of previous tenants, dead lambs, stolen objects, arson and accusations of witchery. A little slow in places but a good read. I liked the fact that the moors were so isolated that you start to feel the claustrophobia and pending doom mirrored through the elements and the secrets kept. The story was set in the 17th century, but really it could have been any time, as the bleak moors kept the real world out of the tight knit community.
July 29, 2018
“When we first came here, I told him this house had secrets. I warned him. And he flew into one of his rages and forbade me ever to speak if such things again. Promised to cast me out if I did. Seems no sense in changing that now.”
This is a creepy gothic tale of a 17th century Hall and sheep farm on the moors of Yorkshire. The plot is worthy of a Victorian sensationalist novel with its dark secrets and melodramatic endings. All the characters are keeping dark secrets that could ruin them all...
The story is told from the alternating first-person perspective of the Mistress of Scarcross Hall and the third person perspective a shepherd that joins them one spring. As the year progresses we have ghostly presences, ancient coins, animal slaughtering, secrets aplenty and more than one accusation of witchcraft. But what will Winter bring?
Some very atmospheric prose in this one.
“I’ve had blood on my hands ever since. I’m elbow deep in a thigh, viscous caul of it. Though I’ve never sweated and screamed in my own childbed, I know life and death better than most women. And now, as ever, I’m mindful of my mother. It happens every time I birth a lamb - the weighted pause before the newborn’s first breath, like a clock’s final turning before the hour’s strike, and I always think the same thing: how the moment of birth, of new life, so often means the death of something else.”
However, the plot wavered a little for me and I was not a fan of the secret that was revealed. Neverthe less a good gothic read and there is nothing wrong with that.
More Gothic than merely ghostly this is recommended for fans of Daphne du Maurier.
This is a creepy gothic tale of a 17th century Hall and sheep farm on the moors of Yorkshire. The plot is worthy of a Victorian sensationalist novel with its dark secrets and melodramatic endings. All the characters are keeping dark secrets that could ruin them all...
The story is told from the alternating first-person perspective of the Mistress of Scarcross Hall and the third person perspective a shepherd that joins them one spring. As the year progresses we have ghostly presences, ancient coins, animal slaughtering, secrets aplenty and more than one accusation of witchcraft. But what will Winter bring?
Some very atmospheric prose in this one.
“I’ve had blood on my hands ever since. I’m elbow deep in a thigh, viscous caul of it. Though I’ve never sweated and screamed in my own childbed, I know life and death better than most women. And now, as ever, I’m mindful of my mother. It happens every time I birth a lamb - the weighted pause before the newborn’s first breath, like a clock’s final turning before the hour’s strike, and I always think the same thing: how the moment of birth, of new life, so often means the death of something else.”
However, the plot wavered a little for me and I was not a fan of the secret that was revealed. Neverthe less a good gothic read and there is nothing wrong with that.
More Gothic than merely ghostly this is recommended for fans of Daphne du Maurier.
April 15, 2018
Meh. Maybe I'm somewhat disappointed because it wasn't really what I was expecting. Whilst the writing flows and is often quite beautiful, I found this too hard going. There was plenty of atmosphere but no real sense of dread for me. And there are only so many descriptions of fleece-odours and tallow candles one can read. The ending is pretty gripping with it's twisty-turns but for me, it wasn't worth the effort of reading all that to get there.
I think this is something that would appear to a particular type of reader, it just isn't me.
I think this is something that would appear to a particular type of reader, it just isn't me.
January 3, 2018
Atmospheric and very spooky historical ghost story. A compelling read.
October 10, 2019
‘The Coffin Path’ is a genuinely eerie ghost story that cleverly combines gothic symbolism with history, the supernatural and and the mysterious. The landscape descriptions are so vividly portrayed the reader is immediately transported to another place and time. The characters are multifaceted and intriguing. The story is told from the viewpoint of the two unreliable narrators, Mercy and Ellis, whose narratives weave in perfectly with the culture of secrecy, suspicion, and superstition often found in remote rural locations at that time. ‘The Coffin Path’ is a thoroughly beautifully atmospheric, spine-tingling, gothic novel.
December 22, 2017
The Coffin Path, by Katherine Clements, is a ghost story set on the edge of a lonesome moor in 1674. Its protagonist is thirty-two year old Mercy Booth who lives in the gradually decaying splendour of Scarcross Hall with her ageing father, Bartram, and his faithful servant, Agnes. Mercy works alongside the shepherds and farmhands hired to till their land and care for the flock of sheep that provide the family’s main income. She has been told that one day it will all be hers.
The story opens with the arrival of the first of the season’s lambs. It is not an easy birth and proves a portent of happenings to come. The first of these is the arrival of a stranger, Ellis Ferreby, who is looking for employment. Although the locals are wary of outsiders he is taken on, proving himself a capable shepherd and hard worker.
Mercy has spent her life out on the moor but notices a new, chilling presence, a feeling of being watched as she goes about familiar tasks. Within the hall she hears unexplained noises above the expected creaks and movement of the old house. There have long been rumours of a curse, and her father is suffering a decline of mind.
In her troubles Mercy finds herself drawn to Ellis although both keep their thoughts and fears close. Their interactions are noticed by a local man, Henry Ravens, who grows jealous and threatens to denounce Mercy. Within the hall, Bartram becomes agitated when items he values go missing. These include three old coins, one of which is found under the pillow of a young lad named Sam, the son of the head shepherd and a favourite of the master.
Sam is often around the hall, spending time with Bartram in his study. As the year progresses and strange events continue to unfold the boy becomes agitated and withdrawn. Mercy suspects he knows more than he is saying but cannot coax him to confide in her. Likewise she is unwilling to share her fears with even those she would previously have trusted.
Mutilated lambs are discovered and bad weather threatens the harvest. Along with the ghostly noises from an unused chamber within Scarcross there is much to concern the Booths and those who rely on their employ. Mercy fears that her sinfulness has brought down punishment from God. Ellis watches and waits, keeping his true reason for being there from all.
The plot has many elements of a good ghost story: a run down hall housing secretive sinister artefacts; rumours of an ancient curse linked to the devil; fear of the dead returning; accusations of witchcraft. The church plays a role as does the stranger with a past that is revealed gradually. It is unfortunate that I guessed the main twist early on, and that I struggled to maintain engagement as the Booth’s troubles mounted. I would have preferred a tighter plot construction and a clearer drawing together of the mysterious and the supernatural.
Having said that the last fifty pages held the strongest part of the story. There was horror aplenty and a spine chilling final line.
A tale that started and ended well enough but felt somewhat bloated in between. I am left feeling underwhelmed.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Headline Review.
The story opens with the arrival of the first of the season’s lambs. It is not an easy birth and proves a portent of happenings to come. The first of these is the arrival of a stranger, Ellis Ferreby, who is looking for employment. Although the locals are wary of outsiders he is taken on, proving himself a capable shepherd and hard worker.
Mercy has spent her life out on the moor but notices a new, chilling presence, a feeling of being watched as she goes about familiar tasks. Within the hall she hears unexplained noises above the expected creaks and movement of the old house. There have long been rumours of a curse, and her father is suffering a decline of mind.
In her troubles Mercy finds herself drawn to Ellis although both keep their thoughts and fears close. Their interactions are noticed by a local man, Henry Ravens, who grows jealous and threatens to denounce Mercy. Within the hall, Bartram becomes agitated when items he values go missing. These include three old coins, one of which is found under the pillow of a young lad named Sam, the son of the head shepherd and a favourite of the master.
Sam is often around the hall, spending time with Bartram in his study. As the year progresses and strange events continue to unfold the boy becomes agitated and withdrawn. Mercy suspects he knows more than he is saying but cannot coax him to confide in her. Likewise she is unwilling to share her fears with even those she would previously have trusted.
Mutilated lambs are discovered and bad weather threatens the harvest. Along with the ghostly noises from an unused chamber within Scarcross there is much to concern the Booths and those who rely on their employ. Mercy fears that her sinfulness has brought down punishment from God. Ellis watches and waits, keeping his true reason for being there from all.
The plot has many elements of a good ghost story: a run down hall housing secretive sinister artefacts; rumours of an ancient curse linked to the devil; fear of the dead returning; accusations of witchcraft. The church plays a role as does the stranger with a past that is revealed gradually. It is unfortunate that I guessed the main twist early on, and that I struggled to maintain engagement as the Booth’s troubles mounted. I would have preferred a tighter plot construction and a clearer drawing together of the mysterious and the supernatural.
Having said that the last fifty pages held the strongest part of the story. There was horror aplenty and a spine chilling final line.
A tale that started and ended well enough but felt somewhat bloated in between. I am left feeling underwhelmed.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Headline Review.
March 14, 2020
Wow this is ten hours or so that I’ll never get back. It started brilliantly with atmosphere and brilliant description, then it went downhill from there. Long and tedious and often frustrating, I hung in there to find out the secrets at the end. To find out who the ghostly figures watching in the fog are, who haunts Scarcross Hall and why? And what is there ever present noise that Mercy hears? Thump ssshhhhhhhhhtt!! Night after night. Well I can tell you don’t bother hanging in there because the author won’t bother to enlighten you - I think it’s all just for atmosphere. The thing for which Bartram thinks he is being punished and haunted isn’t even remotely his fault, so it makes no sense. The heroine is a total bitch and everyone ends up horribly dead. Nice going! I don’t think I’ll be looking for any more by the same author. Oh and did I mention sheep??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2018
Visit the locations in the novel
This made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, my eyes pop right open, my mouth drop in shock....you get the idea. If I owned a room divider/screen it would now be so far away from my house as I could get it. Next time I hear a sheep, I'm probably going to have a heart attack, and what is that amongst the trees at night?
The Yorkshire moors are as bleak here as they've ever been but mix in a ghostly tale, the ghosts of men returning from war and secrets hidden under lock and key and you're in for a real treat. Katherine writes with flair and a flicker of fear in the pen. The scratches of each and every word will pierce your heart and make it go faster...
Chillingly brilliant. Read with the lights on - better still read in the daylight as if the lights go out....
This made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, my eyes pop right open, my mouth drop in shock....you get the idea. If I owned a room divider/screen it would now be so far away from my house as I could get it. Next time I hear a sheep, I'm probably going to have a heart attack, and what is that amongst the trees at night?
The Yorkshire moors are as bleak here as they've ever been but mix in a ghostly tale, the ghosts of men returning from war and secrets hidden under lock and key and you're in for a real treat. Katherine writes with flair and a flicker of fear in the pen. The scratches of each and every word will pierce your heart and make it go faster...
Chillingly brilliant. Read with the lights on - better still read in the daylight as if the lights go out....
October 17, 2024
Sheep, sheep, sheep, thump, thump, thump, moor, coffin path, repeat, repeat, repeat. Throw in a wild turn that gives a brief flare of interest then end without resolving what was going on with all the thumping in the house. Was it a ghost story? Was it the devil? Couldn’t tell you and I’m not a fan of that kind of ending. Waste of my time and money.
March 28, 2021
I am not in general a reader of horror fiction so I’m not the best person to evaluate this novel. But I think I do recognize good writing when I see it, and this book gripped me from the first page, with economical but evocative prose that dragged me right into the middle of its world.
It is the seventeenth century, some twenty years after England was riven by civil war, and although that conflict is off the page its traumas seem to echo in various of the older characters, in ways that don’t become fully apparent till the end. The scene here is a more peaceful one on the surface, a farm and sheep-rearing enterprise on the wild Yorkshire moors, but if you’re imagining scenes of bucolic peace you’ve come to the wrong place. The heroine, Mercy, is a tough and fierce woman of about thirty, taking over the work of the farm from a father who is faltering both mentally and physically. She works right alongside the hired hands, and this hard life is portrayed with a harsh realism that might leave some readers squeamish.
A new worker comes on the scene and upsets the delicate balance of personalities and roles in the small circle of the farm. Ellis is quiet, capable, and mature in his conduct, but his mere presence shifts relationships and sets changes afoot. The interpersonal dynamics would have sufficed to hold my interest, but they are overlaid with a dusting of supernatural mystery. These eerie elements—which include a lurking sense of evil, a connection to the area’s deep pagan history, and various unexplained noises and appearances—were not my favorite parts of the book: they seemed a bit cliched, though they did add an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty. I also didn’t love the willful uncommunicativeness of most of the characters: all the secret keeping kept the mystery going at the expense of plausibility from time to time. And the shifts between present and past tense were a bit irritating to me, forcing me to step back from absorption in the tale.
Despite these concerns, I was impressed by the concreteness of the scene setting and found the characters and their dialogue believable nearly all the time. I liked the muscular, unsentimental writing and was very impressed with the author’s good taste in balancing action and description. Although the action of the climax was a bit much for me, I was carried along on the tide to the story and cared about what happened even after I guessed the crucial secret. I admired the author’s skills and don’t hold it against her that she used a title I had in mind for a very different story!
Advisory for scenes of brutality toward people and animals, though those scenes felt true to the era.
It is the seventeenth century, some twenty years after England was riven by civil war, and although that conflict is off the page its traumas seem to echo in various of the older characters, in ways that don’t become fully apparent till the end. The scene here is a more peaceful one on the surface, a farm and sheep-rearing enterprise on the wild Yorkshire moors, but if you’re imagining scenes of bucolic peace you’ve come to the wrong place. The heroine, Mercy, is a tough and fierce woman of about thirty, taking over the work of the farm from a father who is faltering both mentally and physically. She works right alongside the hired hands, and this hard life is portrayed with a harsh realism that might leave some readers squeamish.
A new worker comes on the scene and upsets the delicate balance of personalities and roles in the small circle of the farm. Ellis is quiet, capable, and mature in his conduct, but his mere presence shifts relationships and sets changes afoot. The interpersonal dynamics would have sufficed to hold my interest, but they are overlaid with a dusting of supernatural mystery. These eerie elements—which include a lurking sense of evil, a connection to the area’s deep pagan history, and various unexplained noises and appearances—were not my favorite parts of the book: they seemed a bit cliched, though they did add an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty. I also didn’t love the willful uncommunicativeness of most of the characters: all the secret keeping kept the mystery going at the expense of plausibility from time to time. And the shifts between present and past tense were a bit irritating to me, forcing me to step back from absorption in the tale.
Despite these concerns, I was impressed by the concreteness of the scene setting and found the characters and their dialogue believable nearly all the time. I liked the muscular, unsentimental writing and was very impressed with the author’s good taste in balancing action and description. Although the action of the climax was a bit much for me, I was carried along on the tide to the story and cared about what happened even after I guessed the crucial secret. I admired the author’s skills and don’t hold it against her that she used a title I had in mind for a very different story!
Advisory for scenes of brutality toward people and animals, though those scenes felt true to the era.
January 2, 2021
To paraphrase Michael Scott: I hate so much about the things this book chooses to be.
The Coffin Path should have fit right in nicely with my ongoing gothic novel obsession, but it really fell short of my expectations. For one, it was very slow going for about the first 85% of the novel. There were so many descriptions of the moors, and sheep farming, and the moors, and more sheep farming. Then something spooky would happen, and then back to sheep farming. Then something gross would happen with the sheep, and then people would worry about the sheep. I can handle long stretches of farming as long as they serve a purpose (see: Anna Karenina) but I feel that in the end, the sheep farming and problems with the flock came to nothing. Also, all of the spooky bits ultimately came to nothing. There was no explanation for any of the ghostly happenings. The pale figure watching? No explanation. The firescreen painted as a little boy (more on that later)? Not explained. The ghost that the little boy, Sam, encounters? No explanation for that either.
The firescreen bit really interested me, because it's so similar to the Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. Both these books have these scary, old-timey firescreens that are painted to resemble people, and they move around on their own with a thud and a hissing sound. I thought this was such a huge coincidence, and it seems as though The Coffin Path and The Silent Companions were published within a month of each other (according to Goodreads). Anyway, in The Silent Companions, these firescreens are TERRIFYING and I was ready to be scared of them again here, but again there was just no explanation for why the firescreen was important! So frustrating!
The twist at the end just made me feel gross and sad and depressed and disappointed all at once.
ETA: It's been a few months since I read this, and I get angry all over again whenever I think about it.
The Coffin Path should have fit right in nicely with my ongoing gothic novel obsession, but it really fell short of my expectations. For one, it was very slow going for about the first 85% of the novel. There were so many descriptions of the moors, and sheep farming, and the moors, and more sheep farming. Then something spooky would happen, and then back to sheep farming. Then something gross would happen with the sheep, and then people would worry about the sheep. I can handle long stretches of farming as long as they serve a purpose (see: Anna Karenina) but I feel that in the end, the sheep farming and problems with the flock came to nothing. Also, all of the spooky bits ultimately came to nothing. There was no explanation for any of the ghostly happenings. The pale figure watching? No explanation. The firescreen painted as a little boy (more on that later)? Not explained. The ghost that the little boy, Sam, encounters? No explanation for that either.
The firescreen bit really interested me, because it's so similar to the Silent Companions by Laura Purcell. Both these books have these scary, old-timey firescreens that are painted to resemble people, and they move around on their own with a thud and a hissing sound. I thought this was such a huge coincidence, and it seems as though The Coffin Path and The Silent Companions were published within a month of each other (according to Goodreads). Anyway, in The Silent Companions, these firescreens are TERRIFYING and I was ready to be scared of them again here, but again there was just no explanation for why the firescreen was important! So frustrating!
The twist at the end just made me feel gross and sad and depressed and disappointed all at once.
ETA: It's been a few months since I read this, and I get angry all over again whenever I think about it.
November 12, 2018
DNF:ed at 40%. It wasn't bad (and it wasn't great); the reason I chose to shelf it permanently is that it contains animal cruelty.
October 15, 2019
I just finished reading this, and I loved it! Spooky, historical, haunting-amazing! The characters seem to leap right off the covers.
Mercy Booth, the heroine, is clever and I admired her, but felt sorry for her, living in a world controlled by men, where your life could be destroyed.
Ellis Ferreby is mysterious, but his secrets are slowly revealed over the course of the story. The minor characters were great, and poor little Sam. Such a sad child.
The romance between Mercy and Ellis can be described in one word. Heartbreakingly, achingly tragic. When the plot twist of the last few chapters was revealed, I felt sorry for both of them. At least they could be together in death.
Also, considering this was written last year, I felt that Mercy and Ellis's relationship reminded me of Dany and Jon. Especially the way it ended.
Mercy Booth, the heroine, is clever and I admired her, but felt sorry for her, living in a world controlled by men, where your life could be destroyed.
Ellis Ferreby is mysterious, but his secrets are slowly revealed over the course of the story. The minor characters were great, and poor little Sam. Such a sad child.
The romance between Mercy and Ellis can be described in one word. Heartbreakingly, achingly tragic. When the plot twist of the last few chapters was revealed, I felt sorry for both of them. At least they could be together in death.
Also, considering this was written last year, I felt that Mercy and Ellis's relationship reminded me of Dany and Jon. Especially the way it ended.
October 24, 2018
"The Coffin Path" is a seventeenth century ghost story and is written by critically acclaimed novelist Katherine Clements.
'Maybe you've heard tales of Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up there, something evil.....'
Although hauntingly atmospheric and with dialogue very true to the era it's set in, I found it particularly slow going and though the writing is superb and very descriptive I just didn't find it as gripping as I'd hoped.
It may well be that I could read this at another time and think differently but for the moment I'm unable to continue and will hopefully enjoy it at another time.
2.5-3 stars
'Maybe you've heard tales of Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up there, something evil.....'
Although hauntingly atmospheric and with dialogue very true to the era it's set in, I found it particularly slow going and though the writing is superb and very descriptive I just didn't find it as gripping as I'd hoped.
It may well be that I could read this at another time and think differently but for the moment I'm unable to continue and will hopefully enjoy it at another time.
2.5-3 stars
July 24, 2025
A solid historical ghost story that is actually a great Halloween read, should you be looking for one.
The plot of the Coffin Path is rock solid and has a few surprises up its sleeve but for me it was the writing that truly shines here. Without using overly flowery prose, Clements manages to paint a perfectly eerie and outright chilling atmosphere that will cling to my mind like a damp cloth long after the finer details of the plot will have gone from it. Sometimes it made me think of The Silent Companions from Laura Purcell, which I read at the beginning of this year. Because like Purcell, Clements manages to give you that chill, that sense of dread and just a tiny nervous to turn the pages for fear of what'll happen. So maybe this will not outright scare you, but odds are it will definitely creep you out a little bit.
I loved the fact that there was such a nice balance between plot and character focus. You get to know the main viewpoint character Mercy pretty well and although she's as independent as she is not your typical 17th century woman, Clements easily succeeds to not make her look anachronistic.
Furthermore, I found the alternating viewpoint between Mercy and Ellis interesting - you think you know which way he'll fit into the picture if not sooner, then surely later but Clements takes it up a much more interesting road (or should I say coffin path). The ending was the cherry on top for me and ensured I will read more of Clements' work in the future.
I absolutely recommend this if you are looking for an atmospheric book with a 'wintery feel' or if you're simply looking for a great ghost story.
The plot of the Coffin Path is rock solid and has a few surprises up its sleeve but for me it was the writing that truly shines here. Without using overly flowery prose, Clements manages to paint a perfectly eerie and outright chilling atmosphere that will cling to my mind like a damp cloth long after the finer details of the plot will have gone from it. Sometimes it made me think of The Silent Companions from Laura Purcell, which I read at the beginning of this year. Because like Purcell, Clements manages to give you that chill, that sense of dread and just a tiny nervous to turn the pages for fear of what'll happen. So maybe this will not outright scare you, but odds are it will definitely creep you out a little bit.
I loved the fact that there was such a nice balance between plot and character focus. You get to know the main viewpoint character Mercy pretty well and although she's as independent as she is not your typical 17th century woman, Clements easily succeeds to not make her look anachronistic.
Furthermore, I found the alternating viewpoint between Mercy and Ellis interesting - you think you know which way he'll fit into the picture if not sooner, then surely later but Clements takes it up a much more interesting road (or should I say coffin path). The ending was the cherry on top for me and ensured I will read more of Clements' work in the future.
I absolutely recommend this if you are looking for an atmospheric book with a 'wintery feel' or if you're simply looking for a great ghost story.
August 18, 2018
I was underwhelmed with this, it didn't really live up to what I was expecting. There were a few spooky bits, lots of stuff about sheep, and a rather tedious story line. Not really what I would describe as "horror", which is how my library has it categorised.
May 27, 2018
Atmospheric, unsettling and beautifully written.
April 16, 2023
I will start by saying this book was sent to by error while I was actually trying to order something totally different. So before I donate it I thought I would give it a go...
So the story really is a mixture of genres to me (and yes I am certainly no expert on either the author or the style) and at times I struggled to follow where it was trying to go. However the tone and atmosphere was expertly portrayed and at times I really felt like I was exposed there up on the moors.
The characters though believable were a little grating at times and yes Sam needed a good clip round the ear if you ask me. However considering the setting you can certainly where they are coming from
I think one of the challenges I had was that the view point shifted from character to character and at times it felt jarring especially when it was not consistent ( you could have a single chapter and changing or several in a row focused on one).
I can see how this book would be an absolutely amazing book for some - sadly not for me
So the story really is a mixture of genres to me (and yes I am certainly no expert on either the author or the style) and at times I struggled to follow where it was trying to go. However the tone and atmosphere was expertly portrayed and at times I really felt like I was exposed there up on the moors.
The characters though believable were a little grating at times and yes Sam needed a good clip round the ear if you ask me. However considering the setting you can certainly where they are coming from
I think one of the challenges I had was that the view point shifted from character to character and at times it felt jarring especially when it was not consistent ( you could have a single chapter and changing or several in a row focused on one).
I can see how this book would be an absolutely amazing book for some - sadly not for me
May 3, 2018
As always this review can also be found on my blog The tattooed Book Geek: https://thetattooedbookgeek.wordpress...
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher and through bookbridgr in exchange for an honest review.
When it comes through your door
Unless you just want some more
I think you better call (ghostbusters)
Who ya gonna call? (ghostbusters)
Who ya gonna call? (ghostbusters)
Let’s be honest, it would have been remiss of me not to have used the Ghostbusters theme in a review for a ghost story! 👻👻👻
The Coffin Path is a ghost story set in the 17th century and takes place within the confines of Scarcross Hall an isolated, remote and rundown house and sheep farm located up on the wild, untamed and harsh Yorkshire Moors.
Scarcross Hall is owned by Bartram Booth, he is the master of the house and lives there along with his daughter Mercy and their housekeeper Agnes (though Agnes is much more than just the housekeeper, she is like part of their family and her life is intertwined with that of the Booth’s).
Bartram is getting on in years and while he is still master of the house it is in name only and it is now left to Mercy to oversee the sheep farming. Each season men come looking for work to help with the sheep farming, this season, a mysterious stranger, Ellis Ferreby appears from on the moors seeking employment as a shepherd.
One coin marks the first to go,
A second bodes the fall,
The third will seal a sinner’s fate,
The Devil take them all.
At around the same time as the arrival of Ferreby up on the moors Mercy feels a malevolent presence watching her and three golden coins that hold ominous portents are found to be missing from Scarcross Hall.
The ‘coffin path‘ of the book’s title denotes the pathway that leads from Scarcross Hall to the church in the nearby village and it is the only way to reach the Hall itself. Yes, for those of you wondering Scarcross Hall has a cursed history which ties into ‘the coffin path‘ name but if you want to know more then you will have to read the book to find out what it is.
For the most part, The Coffin Path is told from the perspective of Mercy Booth. Though, the narration does switch at times to focus on the stranger who has arrived looking for work at Scarcross Hall, Ellis Ferreby.
The chapters from Mercy’s point of view are told in the first person whilst the chapters from Ferreby’s point of view are told from the third person perspective. I have to admit that the change in switching from one style to the other was at first slightly jarring but it works well and helps to highlight the fact that The Coffin Path is very much Mercy’s story.
I found Mercy to be an engaging character who is strong, determined and fiercely passionate about her independence and Scarcross Hall. Ellis Ferreby is also an intriguing character. A wanderer and stellar shepherd you know that he is keeping secrets and struggling with his past and you are awaiting those secrets to be revealed so that we can find out what his true intentions are.
In a book like The Coffin Path for me, the setting is just as important to the story being told as the characters and the events that transpire and I felt that the balance between the three was spot on. With Scarcross Hall and the surrounding moors Clements succeeds in creating a desolate and lonely location that is evocatively described and transports you back to when the story takes place. Her setting is also filled with a dark and gothic imagery that fully incorporates and depicts the harshness, poverty, beliefs and superstitions of the time.
Clements handles the supernatural/ghost aspect of the story really well. It’s definitely not a case of Casper the friendly ghost and the supernatural occurrences, disturbances and goings-on that take place are chilling and menacing. Nothing that happens in The Coffin Path is ever surreal, silly or over the top, you don’t have to suspend your disbelief and Clements allows you, the reader and your imagination the chance to play its part too (one bit in particular springs to mind that you are left to come to your own conclusion over). And, let’s be honest, we’ve all heard strange noises and things that go bump in the night.
I feel the need to mention that there are a couple of scenes involving animals that some readers might find unsettling. But, they haven’t been added merely for the shock value, they aren’t glorified and they add to the story that Clements is telling.
The Coffin Path is a haunting slow burn of a ghost story that is filled with secrets and a creeping sense of unease and trepidation throughout its length as you know that things are only going to escalate and get worse for Mercy and Scarcross Hall.
Clements writing is very atmospheric and eerie. She gives her tale plenty of time to build, ramping up the tension and allowing it the opportunity to really get under your skin which combined with her sublime storytelling weaves (or should that be knits, you know, sheep farming, sheep, wool, knitting) a thoroughly creepy and brooding read.
I received a free copy of this book courtesy of the publisher and through bookbridgr in exchange for an honest review.
When it comes through your door
Unless you just want some more
I think you better call (ghostbusters)
Who ya gonna call? (ghostbusters)
Who ya gonna call? (ghostbusters)
Let’s be honest, it would have been remiss of me not to have used the Ghostbusters theme in a review for a ghost story! 👻👻👻
The Coffin Path is a ghost story set in the 17th century and takes place within the confines of Scarcross Hall an isolated, remote and rundown house and sheep farm located up on the wild, untamed and harsh Yorkshire Moors.
Scarcross Hall is owned by Bartram Booth, he is the master of the house and lives there along with his daughter Mercy and their housekeeper Agnes (though Agnes is much more than just the housekeeper, she is like part of their family and her life is intertwined with that of the Booth’s).
Bartram is getting on in years and while he is still master of the house it is in name only and it is now left to Mercy to oversee the sheep farming. Each season men come looking for work to help with the sheep farming, this season, a mysterious stranger, Ellis Ferreby appears from on the moors seeking employment as a shepherd.
One coin marks the first to go,
A second bodes the fall,
The third will seal a sinner’s fate,
The Devil take them all.
At around the same time as the arrival of Ferreby up on the moors Mercy feels a malevolent presence watching her and three golden coins that hold ominous portents are found to be missing from Scarcross Hall.
The ‘coffin path‘ of the book’s title denotes the pathway that leads from Scarcross Hall to the church in the nearby village and it is the only way to reach the Hall itself. Yes, for those of you wondering Scarcross Hall has a cursed history which ties into ‘the coffin path‘ name but if you want to know more then you will have to read the book to find out what it is.
For the most part, The Coffin Path is told from the perspective of Mercy Booth. Though, the narration does switch at times to focus on the stranger who has arrived looking for work at Scarcross Hall, Ellis Ferreby.
The chapters from Mercy’s point of view are told in the first person whilst the chapters from Ferreby’s point of view are told from the third person perspective. I have to admit that the change in switching from one style to the other was at first slightly jarring but it works well and helps to highlight the fact that The Coffin Path is very much Mercy’s story.
I found Mercy to be an engaging character who is strong, determined and fiercely passionate about her independence and Scarcross Hall. Ellis Ferreby is also an intriguing character. A wanderer and stellar shepherd you know that he is keeping secrets and struggling with his past and you are awaiting those secrets to be revealed so that we can find out what his true intentions are.
In a book like The Coffin Path for me, the setting is just as important to the story being told as the characters and the events that transpire and I felt that the balance between the three was spot on. With Scarcross Hall and the surrounding moors Clements succeeds in creating a desolate and lonely location that is evocatively described and transports you back to when the story takes place. Her setting is also filled with a dark and gothic imagery that fully incorporates and depicts the harshness, poverty, beliefs and superstitions of the time.
Clements handles the supernatural/ghost aspect of the story really well. It’s definitely not a case of Casper the friendly ghost and the supernatural occurrences, disturbances and goings-on that take place are chilling and menacing. Nothing that happens in The Coffin Path is ever surreal, silly or over the top, you don’t have to suspend your disbelief and Clements allows you, the reader and your imagination the chance to play its part too (one bit in particular springs to mind that you are left to come to your own conclusion over). And, let’s be honest, we’ve all heard strange noises and things that go bump in the night.
I feel the need to mention that there are a couple of scenes involving animals that some readers might find unsettling. But, they haven’t been added merely for the shock value, they aren’t glorified and they add to the story that Clements is telling.
The Coffin Path is a haunting slow burn of a ghost story that is filled with secrets and a creeping sense of unease and trepidation throughout its length as you know that things are only going to escalate and get worse for Mercy and Scarcross Hall.
Clements writing is very atmospheric and eerie. She gives her tale plenty of time to build, ramping up the tension and allowing it the opportunity to really get under your skin which combined with her sublime storytelling weaves (or should that be knits, you know, sheep farming, sheep, wool, knitting) a thoroughly creepy and brooding read.
December 2, 2022
Time taken to read - 5 days
Pages - 384
Publisher - Headline review
Source - I think I bought it
Blurb from Goodreads
The Coffin Path is an eerie and compelling seventeenth-century ghost story set on the dark wilds of the Yorkshire moors. For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, this gothic tale will weave its way into your imagination and chill you to the bone.
Maybe you've heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up here, something evil.
Mercy Booth isn't afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father's study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakeable sense that someone is watching.
When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can't see it yet.
My Review
It is the 1600s, Mercy Booth lives on the ?estate did they call big land estates back then? she is in her 30s, unmarried and very hands on with the running of the place. It is her, her dad and the locals who work on their farm and help keep the place going. A stranger comes just in time for lambing season, Ellis Ferreby & sure enough Mercy has come across a difficult birth.
So there is a lot of different themes going on in the book. The supernatural, 3 gold coins I thought was really intriguing and the whole someone watching, creepy atmosphere. Now if you are like me and struggle with animal harm/deaths then this is your warning. Poor lambs/sheep and others, obviously things happen in farm life but still, for me all the animal death was just too much.
There is an attitude too toward Mercy, unmarried and there is infidelity afoot, when things go a bit pear shaped at the farm the locals just show their nasty vile almost burn the witch shunning type attitude. I hate people being taken advantage of, sexism and abusive towards people so there was a lot of things that got my back up. Many folk will absolutely love it because things that upset or annoy others don't phase or they like x themes.
The spooky stuff and mystery I liked but the animal stuff overshadows for me, I am just one of those readers and animals get to me. 2/5 for me this time, I would read this author again but think I would check and make sure maybe no animals in it or if they are they are safe.
Pages - 384
Publisher - Headline review
Source - I think I bought it
Blurb from Goodreads
The Coffin Path is an eerie and compelling seventeenth-century ghost story set on the dark wilds of the Yorkshire moors. For fans of Michelle Paver and Sarah Waters, this gothic tale will weave its way into your imagination and chill you to the bone.
Maybe you've heard tales about Scarcross Hall, the house on the old coffin path that winds from village to moor top. They say there's something up here, something evil.
Mercy Booth isn't afraid. The moors and Scarcross are her home and lifeblood. But, beneath her certainty, small things are beginning to trouble her. Three ancient coins missing from her father's study, the shadowy figure out by the gatepost, an unshakeable sense that someone is watching.
When a stranger appears seeking work, Mercy reluctantly takes him in. As their stories entwine, this man will change everything. She just can't see it yet.
My Review
It is the 1600s, Mercy Booth lives on the ?estate did they call big land estates back then? she is in her 30s, unmarried and very hands on with the running of the place. It is her, her dad and the locals who work on their farm and help keep the place going. A stranger comes just in time for lambing season, Ellis Ferreby & sure enough Mercy has come across a difficult birth.
So there is a lot of different themes going on in the book. The supernatural, 3 gold coins I thought was really intriguing and the whole someone watching, creepy atmosphere. Now if you are like me and struggle with animal harm/deaths then this is your warning. Poor lambs/sheep and others, obviously things happen in farm life but still, for me all the animal death was just too much.
There is an attitude too toward Mercy, unmarried and there is infidelity afoot, when things go a bit pear shaped at the farm the locals just show their nasty vile almost burn the witch shunning type attitude. I hate people being taken advantage of, sexism and abusive towards people so there was a lot of things that got my back up. Many folk will absolutely love it because things that upset or annoy others don't phase or they like x themes.
The spooky stuff and mystery I liked but the animal stuff overshadows for me, I am just one of those readers and animals get to me. 2/5 for me this time, I would read this author again but think I would check and make sure maybe no animals in it or if they are they are safe.
February 16, 2018
'One coin marks the first to go
A second bodes the fall
The third will seal a sinner’s fate
The Devil take them all’
The Coffin Path is the third novel from critically acclaimed novelist Katherine Clements. Just published by Headline, The Coffin Path is described as ‘an eerie and compelling seventeenth-century ghost story set on the dark wilds of the Yorkshire Moors’
You’ll feel the shivers up your spine with this one!!
Read on for my thoughts…
The Coffin Path….even the name alone brings out the goosebumps.
Katherine Clements takes us all on a journey back to the darkness and wilds of the Yorkshire moors in the seventeenth-century. From the opening pages we are drawn into a shadowy and brooding place. It is the home of the Booth family, sheep farmers of means, living in a very isolated location alongside the old coffin path. Their home, Scarcross Hall, is a house full of menace and mystery, a house that has a past that would raise the hairs on anyone’s skin. But for Mercy Booth, the daughter/mistress of Scarcross Hall, these stories are nothing more than old wives tales, set to frighten small children and to prevent them from venturing too far into the Moors.
Do you know what a coffin path is?
It’s not a term I would have been too familiar with but it’s a route that was used to carry corpses from oft-times remote communities to the cemetery. These routes became symbolic with ghost stories and spooky tales, with it being said that the spirits remained behind in our world for many reasons. Spirits with unfinished business to attend to. Spooky stuff indeed….
Mercy Booth lives with her aged father, their housekeeper Agnes and her beloved dog Bracken. They live a lifestyle that for many would appear rough, tough and very challenging. Mercy, never really one for the feminine ways, is at one with the hardship that the moors offer up. Scarcross Hall is her home. It always has been her home and, for Mercy, there is nothing that she is not willing to do to keep her family and her life secure and safe. But as strange occurrences start unfolding, Mercy soon realises that she is about to face the fight of her life and will need all her resources to face down the foe that is threatening her very soul.
The Coffin Path tells the tale of ancient coins disappearing, coins with a very chilling and disturbing history. Shadows appear in unusual places. A presence is felt in the home and in the moors. A stranger arrives at their door offering much needed help but he also has his own story, his own murky history, that will impact the future for Mercy in ways she cannot begin to imagine.
The Coffin Path is everything it proposes to be. It is a ghost story. It is chilling. It is eerie. There is a presence throughout this novel that is unsettling and very very threatening. We cannot see it nor touch it, but we can feel it’s existence on every page.
The Coffin Path is a historically rich novel with such vivid descriptions throughout. There is a terrible sense of foreboding as the Yorkshire moors come alive to the reader, with superstition and fear rife among this very rural community.
Katherine Clements is a writer immersed in history, as both a self-confessed costume drama addict and a member of the Historical Writers Committee. Her passion shines through in her words making The Coffin Path come alive in your hands as you turn the pages.
Bursting with an atmosphere that evokes chills and peril, The Coffin Path is a must read for all who like a little scare before bedtime!!
A second bodes the fall
The third will seal a sinner’s fate
The Devil take them all’
The Coffin Path is the third novel from critically acclaimed novelist Katherine Clements. Just published by Headline, The Coffin Path is described as ‘an eerie and compelling seventeenth-century ghost story set on the dark wilds of the Yorkshire Moors’
You’ll feel the shivers up your spine with this one!!
Read on for my thoughts…
The Coffin Path….even the name alone brings out the goosebumps.
Katherine Clements takes us all on a journey back to the darkness and wilds of the Yorkshire moors in the seventeenth-century. From the opening pages we are drawn into a shadowy and brooding place. It is the home of the Booth family, sheep farmers of means, living in a very isolated location alongside the old coffin path. Their home, Scarcross Hall, is a house full of menace and mystery, a house that has a past that would raise the hairs on anyone’s skin. But for Mercy Booth, the daughter/mistress of Scarcross Hall, these stories are nothing more than old wives tales, set to frighten small children and to prevent them from venturing too far into the Moors.
Do you know what a coffin path is?
It’s not a term I would have been too familiar with but it’s a route that was used to carry corpses from oft-times remote communities to the cemetery. These routes became symbolic with ghost stories and spooky tales, with it being said that the spirits remained behind in our world for many reasons. Spirits with unfinished business to attend to. Spooky stuff indeed….
Mercy Booth lives with her aged father, their housekeeper Agnes and her beloved dog Bracken. They live a lifestyle that for many would appear rough, tough and very challenging. Mercy, never really one for the feminine ways, is at one with the hardship that the moors offer up. Scarcross Hall is her home. It always has been her home and, for Mercy, there is nothing that she is not willing to do to keep her family and her life secure and safe. But as strange occurrences start unfolding, Mercy soon realises that she is about to face the fight of her life and will need all her resources to face down the foe that is threatening her very soul.
The Coffin Path tells the tale of ancient coins disappearing, coins with a very chilling and disturbing history. Shadows appear in unusual places. A presence is felt in the home and in the moors. A stranger arrives at their door offering much needed help but he also has his own story, his own murky history, that will impact the future for Mercy in ways she cannot begin to imagine.
The Coffin Path is everything it proposes to be. It is a ghost story. It is chilling. It is eerie. There is a presence throughout this novel that is unsettling and very very threatening. We cannot see it nor touch it, but we can feel it’s existence on every page.
The Coffin Path is a historically rich novel with such vivid descriptions throughout. There is a terrible sense of foreboding as the Yorkshire moors come alive to the reader, with superstition and fear rife among this very rural community.
Katherine Clements is a writer immersed in history, as both a self-confessed costume drama addict and a member of the Historical Writers Committee. Her passion shines through in her words making The Coffin Path come alive in your hands as you turn the pages.
Bursting with an atmosphere that evokes chills and peril, The Coffin Path is a must read for all who like a little scare before bedtime!!
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