What do you think?
Rate this book
The Hive
The Hive: a brand-new thriller for 2019 from Kindle #1 bestseller Jane Holland
Scarred by fire from infancy, with a persistent stammer, Charlotte has always been in the shadow of her glamorous theatrical parents. So it's a shock when her mother commits suicide.
Left to care for her sick father in the dark maze of her childhood home, Charlotte begins to unravel. First, there's the mysterious arrival of a box of dead bees. Then buzzing noises in the attic. People are watching her. Listening to her.
Everyone thinks she's losing her mind. But an old photo suggests another, more sinister possibility ...
Jane Holland's bestselling thrillers have sold more than 220,000 paid downloads across several continents, and she loves finding brave new readers!
Praise for Jane Holland's previous psychological thrillers:
'I really cannot get enough of this fabulous author ... highly recommend any of her thrillers.'
'A fab read!!!'
'Gripping story, keeps you on the edge of your seat.'
'I couldn't put out the light until I'd finished reading this.'
'Didn't guess the ending ... well-written, cleverly interwoven.'
'Brilliant ending!'
'A very creepy storyline.'
'A fast paced and twisty novel with a satisfying ending ...'
‘A read which wraps you in a blanket of mistrust and unease, taking you to a thrilling end.’ —Sue Fortin, author of USA Today bestselling thriller The Girl Who Lied, and Sister Sister
‘Utterly believable, scary as hell. Simply compelling.’ —Andy Martin, Cambridge academic and expert on crime writing
'An amazing 5-star read!'
Scarred by fire from infancy, with a persistent stammer, Charlotte has always been in the shadow of her glamorous theatrical parents. So it's a shock when her mother commits suicide.
Left to care for her sick father in the dark maze of her childhood home, Charlotte begins to unravel. First, there's the mysterious arrival of a box of dead bees. Then buzzing noises in the attic. People are watching her. Listening to her.
Everyone thinks she's losing her mind. But an old photo suggests another, more sinister possibility ...
Jane Holland's bestselling thrillers have sold more than 220,000 paid downloads across several continents, and she loves finding brave new readers!
Praise for Jane Holland's previous psychological thrillers:
'I really cannot get enough of this fabulous author ... highly recommend any of her thrillers.'
'A fab read!!!'
'Gripping story, keeps you on the edge of your seat.'
'I couldn't put out the light until I'd finished reading this.'
'Didn't guess the ending ... well-written, cleverly interwoven.'
'Brilliant ending!'
'A very creepy storyline.'
'A fast paced and twisty novel with a satisfying ending ...'
‘A read which wraps you in a blanket of mistrust and unease, taking you to a thrilling end.’ —Sue Fortin, author of USA Today bestselling thriller The Girl Who Lied, and Sister Sister
‘Utterly believable, scary as hell. Simply compelling.’ —Andy Martin, Cambridge academic and expert on crime writing
'An amazing 5-star read!'
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2019
99 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Jane Holland
76 books556 followersJane Holland is an award-winning British poet and novelist, and proud mum of five amazing kids. The middle child of romance legend Charlotte Lamb, she grew up in Essex and the Isle of Man, but now lives in Cornwall. As Jane Holland, she writes poetry, thrillers, historical suspense and some romance. She also writes commercial women's fiction as Betty Walker, best known for her Cornish Girls wartime sagas. ALSO, try her popular contemporary romance and romcoms as Beth Good! (She also writes as Victoria Lamb, Elizabeth Moss, and Hannah Coates, among other names.)
Photograph credit: Anand Chhabra
Photograph credit: Anand Chhabra
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 3, 2019
Favorite Quotes:
I avoid my own reflection because I self-identify with Medusa, the Gorgon with coiled snakes hissing about her head, a woman constantly terrified of accidentally turning herself to stone.
John looks my way, as though waiting for something, and I suddenly realise I am the one who has to give permission for an examination. It’s a curious realisation. I’ve always been the child in this family. Told what to do, how to behave, and rarely given choices. Now, with my mother gone, and my father lost in his dementia, I’m the adult. I’m not sure I like the responsibility.
My Review:
Several hours after reading this unusual and unpredictable tale I am still at odds and a bit conflicted on what to think. The Hive has an excellent premise and was cleverly laced together with unexpected twists and turns, but it was also a somewhat frustrating read as the story spun slowly in peculiar and intriguing tangents while I struggled with the main character who was rather pathetic, easily addled, and extremely gullible, despite being highly paranoid. Charlotte moved and processed thought at remedial sloth speed and tended to leave messes everywhere as she was inattentive and prone to unproductive preoccupation, circular thinking, and dithering her time away. Her high gear was that of a small tortoise and she was often stunned into immobility. She was exasperating.
So, I have established that Charlotte annoyed me, and in no small measure, but something sinister was happening and someone was messing with poor pitiable Charlotte, and as I am a scrappy advocate who is always team underdog, I was resolute in figuring out the who and the why. I conjured and purged numerous theories as to who was playing her – was it the father, the boyfriend, the nurse, the Dr; was she being gaslighted or did she have a dissociative identity disorder and doing it to herself; or was she unraveling and losing what little sense she had?
Jane Holland had her crafted hooks deeply embedded in my curiosity. My brain was on fire and I was helplessly intrigued while the tale just kept getting deeper, wider, and creepier. I decided it was brilliant after all and the diabolical Jane Holland should have her own holiday named for her, despite deviling me so with the truly maddening pace of her story.
In addition to giving me ragged cuticles, Ms. Holland also provided me with two new additions to my Brit List with: his Nibs – a title mockingly bestowed to any male who was over-served with self-importance; and bog-standard – which means basic, ordinary, and uninspired - and keep in mind they call their toilet paper bog roll. I cannot wait to utilize my newly acquired and highly sophisticated Brit lexicon during a trip across the pond, I have every expectation that someday I’ll even be able to cut glass…
I avoid my own reflection because I self-identify with Medusa, the Gorgon with coiled snakes hissing about her head, a woman constantly terrified of accidentally turning herself to stone.
John looks my way, as though waiting for something, and I suddenly realise I am the one who has to give permission for an examination. It’s a curious realisation. I’ve always been the child in this family. Told what to do, how to behave, and rarely given choices. Now, with my mother gone, and my father lost in his dementia, I’m the adult. I’m not sure I like the responsibility.
My Review:
Several hours after reading this unusual and unpredictable tale I am still at odds and a bit conflicted on what to think. The Hive has an excellent premise and was cleverly laced together with unexpected twists and turns, but it was also a somewhat frustrating read as the story spun slowly in peculiar and intriguing tangents while I struggled with the main character who was rather pathetic, easily addled, and extremely gullible, despite being highly paranoid. Charlotte moved and processed thought at remedial sloth speed and tended to leave messes everywhere as she was inattentive and prone to unproductive preoccupation, circular thinking, and dithering her time away. Her high gear was that of a small tortoise and she was often stunned into immobility. She was exasperating.
So, I have established that Charlotte annoyed me, and in no small measure, but something sinister was happening and someone was messing with poor pitiable Charlotte, and as I am a scrappy advocate who is always team underdog, I was resolute in figuring out the who and the why. I conjured and purged numerous theories as to who was playing her – was it the father, the boyfriend, the nurse, the Dr; was she being gaslighted or did she have a dissociative identity disorder and doing it to herself; or was she unraveling and losing what little sense she had?
Jane Holland had her crafted hooks deeply embedded in my curiosity. My brain was on fire and I was helplessly intrigued while the tale just kept getting deeper, wider, and creepier. I decided it was brilliant after all and the diabolical Jane Holland should have her own holiday named for her, despite deviling me so with the truly maddening pace of her story.
In addition to giving me ragged cuticles, Ms. Holland also provided me with two new additions to my Brit List with: his Nibs – a title mockingly bestowed to any male who was over-served with self-importance; and bog-standard – which means basic, ordinary, and uninspired - and keep in mind they call their toilet paper bog roll. I cannot wait to utilize my newly acquired and highly sophisticated Brit lexicon during a trip across the pond, I have every expectation that someday I’ll even be able to cut glass…
September 24, 2019
This was quite a story which got progressively thrilling as the suspense tightened in the latter half. The first half had Charlotte being scared and made to feel crazy.
It all started with her mother’s suicide, father’s loss of reality, boyfriend Alex convincing her about Russian mafia, and dead bees sent as gifts. A photograph found in the attic increased the mystery in the tale.
My first book by Jane Holland, the story was bee-themed. The author’s writing built up the suspense wherein Charlotte was slowly and surely boxed in from all sides. Each chapter had both comforting and threatening sides shown. I could find myself empathizing with her.
Charlotte was quite interesting. Being scarred in childhood and a stammer coming through in moments of stress, I liked her vulnerability. Her relationship with Alex seemed to be her focal point. She was a good daughter, trying to do right by her dementia suffering father. I would have loved her more if she had been more proactive.
I am fond of bees so found the book to be too bee-centric. But the second half was certainly buzzing with adrenaline.
It all started with her mother’s suicide, father’s loss of reality, boyfriend Alex convincing her about Russian mafia, and dead bees sent as gifts. A photograph found in the attic increased the mystery in the tale.
My first book by Jane Holland, the story was bee-themed. The author’s writing built up the suspense wherein Charlotte was slowly and surely boxed in from all sides. Each chapter had both comforting and threatening sides shown. I could find myself empathizing with her.
Charlotte was quite interesting. Being scarred in childhood and a stammer coming through in moments of stress, I liked her vulnerability. Her relationship with Alex seemed to be her focal point. She was a good daughter, trying to do right by her dementia suffering father. I would have loved her more if she had been more proactive.
I am fond of bees so found the book to be too bee-centric. But the second half was certainly buzzing with adrenaline.
July 12, 2019
Utterly twisted, completely horrifying but oh so addictive.
From around 50% onwards it would have been tough to prise this book out of my hands, I was completely hooked and could barely believe what I was reading. I almost dread to think what lurks in the dark mind of Jane Holland while she writes these books!
The first half was a fabulous set up, just enough creepy, but also plenty about the characters, especially Charlie to make you really feel for her. There is a brilliant set of circumstances and it just all comes together in a completely unexpected way.
I literally didn't see anything coming, I had one suspicion about one element of what was happening to Charlie, but the rest took me by surprise.
What I spent large amounts of mental energy on, was trying to work out just how the chapters in between the chapters fitted into the story and what their real meaning would bee. As it is obvious the author must have done a lot of research into bee-keeping, and hives as these intersecting chapters were we to with apiary.
Between the creepy, but incredibly apt cover, the buzzing sounds, the large mentions of bees and the overall conclusions and twist - this is one compelling book that I'm sure will give me nightmares this evening. It was fabulous, another brilliant book by Jane Holland. I just can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
From around 50% onwards it would have been tough to prise this book out of my hands, I was completely hooked and could barely believe what I was reading. I almost dread to think what lurks in the dark mind of Jane Holland while she writes these books!
The first half was a fabulous set up, just enough creepy, but also plenty about the characters, especially Charlie to make you really feel for her. There is a brilliant set of circumstances and it just all comes together in a completely unexpected way.
I literally didn't see anything coming, I had one suspicion about one element of what was happening to Charlie, but the rest took me by surprise.
What I spent large amounts of mental energy on, was trying to work out just how the chapters in between the chapters fitted into the story and what their real meaning would bee. As it is obvious the author must have done a lot of research into bee-keeping, and hives as these intersecting chapters were we to with apiary.
Between the creepy, but incredibly apt cover, the buzzing sounds, the large mentions of bees and the overall conclusions and twist - this is one compelling book that I'm sure will give me nightmares this evening. It was fabulous, another brilliant book by Jane Holland. I just can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
September 16, 2019
Charlotte has a disfigured face from when she fell into a fire as a child twenty years ago. She lives at home with her parents and live in boyfriend Alex. Her mother is very low and her father is suffering from dementia which is affecting them all, despite having help. When her mother is no longer around Charlotte finds out just how bad things are with her father trying to deal with him herself but there are other things going on. Alex is an investigative journalist, his latest project is something close to his heart- the Russian mafia. Charlotte is convinced that she is hearing a buzz somewhere in the loft or attic space and when a box of dead bees arrive the plot thickens. I took to Charlotte and her reticence from the world around her. Her wanting to do the best for her father whilst struggling in her own world. This is a different read - its almost a domestic tale with added buzz (every pun intended). That underlying knowledge that something just something is happening but you know not what. There are occasional short chapters giving letters, talking of someone being very keen on bees but we don’t know who the correspondence is between. Oooh! The last few chapters are where it really gets rather gritty (trigger warning- child abuse- only mentioned in passing though). A very different read, brilliantly done.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
December 1, 2024
Another fantastic thriller from Jane. Kept me guessing right to the end when you learn that you can't trust anyone. Loved it!!
October 2, 2019
This book was just creepy enough and suspenseful enough to keep me awake at night. I do not like bees, and the buzzing and possibility that there were bees in the walls was a bit scary. My heart went out to Charlotte. Not only had she been burned and disfigured at a young age, but she had lived with teasing and bullying for years. She finally finds a man who accepts her as she is, goes away with him on vacation and then finds her mother's body hanging in the house when she returns, an apparent suicide. The guilt she has for leaving her alone with her father who had dementia is heartbreaking. It seems she can't catch a break. This book is a slow burn. It starts with their return home and builds from there. Is Charlotte going crazy. Has everything been to much for her. Is she doing things she doesn't remember. The last third of this book had me racing through the pages. I was totally taken by surprise when the final twist happened, yet it made sense and there were a few clues dropped along the way.
Overall, I found this a good read for the month of October. The setting was atmospheric and creepy enough. The bees added that Alfred Hitchcock feel and the sinister "Russian Mafia" as well as the espionage at work had my mind working overtime. Charlotte was a very sympathetic character, I thought Alex was a creep and Harold, her father's caregiver actually grew on me. One I recommend for Creeptober reading. I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Overall, I found this a good read for the month of October. The setting was atmospheric and creepy enough. The bees added that Alfred Hitchcock feel and the sinister "Russian Mafia" as well as the espionage at work had my mind working overtime. Charlotte was a very sympathetic character, I thought Alex was a creep and Harold, her father's caregiver actually grew on me. One I recommend for Creeptober reading. I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
January 5, 2020
Remarkably creepy with a real stinger of an ending. If you enjoyed the building, tense hierarchy of Laline Paull's The Bees or the paranoid panic of S.J.Watson's Before I Go To Sleep, then I think you will not be able to put down The Hive. The Hive has slightly more gripping power than the two comparison books, and the writing is quality.
Charlotte and Alex return to their home in Highgate after a holiday in Moscow. They actually live with Charlotte's parents and come home to a parcel being delivered... and a tragedy. The characters draw interest. Charlotte could be viewed as vulnerable at first, she isn't. Some characters will fool you. And parents Martha and Peter are multi-layered although we only meet Martha in retrospect. There is an unfolding of a story here with an allegorical quality, comparisons to bee behaviour and human behaviour and I really enjoyed the subliminal buzz of bee references in colour, sounds and settings. This is one of those thrillers where there is a scene with a character and as you're reading it - you (well I did) think oh, I'm on to you Mr! But the ending came as a real stinger - it was awesome., it was all there but I just didn't see it. I bet you this will be made into a film.
Charlotte and Alex return to their home in Highgate after a holiday in Moscow. They actually live with Charlotte's parents and come home to a parcel being delivered... and a tragedy. The characters draw interest. Charlotte could be viewed as vulnerable at first, she isn't. Some characters will fool you. And parents Martha and Peter are multi-layered although we only meet Martha in retrospect. There is an unfolding of a story here with an allegorical quality, comparisons to bee behaviour and human behaviour and I really enjoyed the subliminal buzz of bee references in colour, sounds and settings. This is one of those thrillers where there is a scene with a character and as you're reading it - you (well I did) think oh, I'm on to you Mr! But the ending came as a real stinger - it was awesome., it was all there but I just didn't see it. I bet you this will be made into a film.
October 6, 2020
A brain testing book taking you in one direction then spinning off on another nail biting ending
will read again
will read again
July 18, 2020
Sometimes I have to be in the mood to read a particular book and sometimes I start one and it won't let me go. The Hive is one that would not let me go. I read my paperback until I was word-blind and had to put the book down, each time thinking "but you can't leave it there..."
The story begins with our protagonist Charlotte Forrester returning from a short break in Moscow with her adoring Russian boyfriend Alex. They return to Charlotte's family home to find her mother, Martha Forrester, a once-famous actress, has committed suicide in the dining room, and her father, Peter, who has dementia, appearing dishevelled and disorientated.
Charlotte has her own issues, but must now take on the responsibility of looking after her father. Fortunately she has the wonderfully supportive Alex, and her father's carer, Harold, to share the burden.
From hereon in, Charlotte's life unravels. She is hearing strange noises in the house; somebody appears to have been in her workshop; she is suspended from work; her father manages to let himself out of the house and goes missing; Alex goes missing and she fears the worst when his jacket is found by the Thames; and there are numerous other strange occurrences. Is Charlotte losing her mind or is there something more menacing going on?
The Hive is told in the first person from Charlotte's perspective, and in the present tense. She is trying to make sense of everything that is going on as it happens, and questioning her own sanity at the same time.
The story is interspersed with chapters relating to bee-keeping. Some provide information about bees while others appear to be a conversation between two people. It took me to almost the end of the book to understand the relevance of these curious chapters, and when I did, it took the story to whole other level of sinister.
I was hooked from the first page. The writing draws the reader in and deftly builds tension. I knew something was going on, but could not explain the what or the why of it. I evaluated each piece of evidence Charlotte presents to the reader but reached completely the wrong conclusion. The Hive is a fast-paced story which had me baffled right up to the end. A brilliant story, and one I would wholehearted recommend.
The story begins with our protagonist Charlotte Forrester returning from a short break in Moscow with her adoring Russian boyfriend Alex. They return to Charlotte's family home to find her mother, Martha Forrester, a once-famous actress, has committed suicide in the dining room, and her father, Peter, who has dementia, appearing dishevelled and disorientated.
Charlotte has her own issues, but must now take on the responsibility of looking after her father. Fortunately she has the wonderfully supportive Alex, and her father's carer, Harold, to share the burden.
From hereon in, Charlotte's life unravels. She is hearing strange noises in the house; somebody appears to have been in her workshop; she is suspended from work; her father manages to let himself out of the house and goes missing; Alex goes missing and she fears the worst when his jacket is found by the Thames; and there are numerous other strange occurrences. Is Charlotte losing her mind or is there something more menacing going on?
The Hive is told in the first person from Charlotte's perspective, and in the present tense. She is trying to make sense of everything that is going on as it happens, and questioning her own sanity at the same time.
The story is interspersed with chapters relating to bee-keeping. Some provide information about bees while others appear to be a conversation between two people. It took me to almost the end of the book to understand the relevance of these curious chapters, and when I did, it took the story to whole other level of sinister.
I was hooked from the first page. The writing draws the reader in and deftly builds tension. I knew something was going on, but could not explain the what or the why of it. I evaluated each piece of evidence Charlotte presents to the reader but reached completely the wrong conclusion. The Hive is a fast-paced story which had me baffled right up to the end. A brilliant story, and one I would wholehearted recommend.
April 3, 2020
An intriguing book
A great read, would recommend. A mystery that unfolds slowly, but keeps the intrigue all the way through. Good main characters
A great read, would recommend. A mystery that unfolds slowly, but keeps the intrigue all the way through. Good main characters
October 4, 2019
Anyone who enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will know what I mean when I say that the magic of a book is so often in the quirkiness and originality of the character; a character who is not the most popular in real life but one who finds a special place in the heart of every single reader who picks up the book. This is how I felt about Charlotte in The Hive, the likes of which I have only ever experienced before in Eleanor Oliphant. Don't mistake The Hive as being similar to Eleanor Oliphant as quirkiness aside, Charlotte's life is about to get very bad indeed.
Charlotte is a character who I understood immediately as we share many of the same anti-social traits. Charlotte is definitely not a people person, although this is more due to her circumstances than an inbuilt character trait; she avoids people in an attempt to avoid attention being drawn to her facial scars caused by getting burnt in the fireplace as a young child. She works as a data analyst and has an affinity for number patterns but she doesn't think she can progress in her job as she says: 'Numbers, I can handle. People, I can't.' I'm right there with you, Charlotte! Numbers and I...we go way back!
Charlotte returns from holiday with her boyfriend to discover that her mother has committed suicide. Charlotte's father is suffering from Alzheimer's and thinks his wife is still alive, so he can't help Charlotte put together the missing pieces to find out what led up to her mother's death. The key to the puzzle seems to lie in a mysterious parcel that was delivered on the day of Charlotte's return: a display case of dead bees. As disturbing as this is, it becomes even more scary when Charlotte starts to hear the buzz buzz buzz.
Creepy right? I'm not a huge fan of stripy flying insects so it had my skin crawling at not only the thought of the dead bees in the house but the buzzing noises. I could imagine the house tumbling down around Charlotte and a million bees swarming out from the rubble. She's a braver gal than I when she ventures into the loft with her boyfriend; of course I have a ladder phobia so I couldn't have gone up there anyway. The mystery of the bees deepens when she finds an old photo of her father in a beekeeper's outfit with the name 'Bee Hive Cottage' on the back. To find out what happened to her mother, she must go back to her father's past but what she finds there is more horrifying than a gigantic swarm of bees.
What an outstanding book! It really kept me on my toes and kept me constantly guessing as it went in a completely surprising direction, making it a lot darker than I expected. Jane Holland is a new author to me and one I definitely plan to read more from. I don't know how I haven't come across her before now; I must have literally had my head in a book!
The Hive is as creepy, terrifying and dark as it is compelling, gripping and impossible to put down. As scared as I was at times, I couldn't take my eyes off the page and found my eyes trying to sneakily jump ahead as my brain wasn't reading fast enough. A bee-rilliant thriller (I had to get a pun in somewhere) that had me on the edge of my seat and scratching my crawling skin.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Charlotte is a character who I understood immediately as we share many of the same anti-social traits. Charlotte is definitely not a people person, although this is more due to her circumstances than an inbuilt character trait; she avoids people in an attempt to avoid attention being drawn to her facial scars caused by getting burnt in the fireplace as a young child. She works as a data analyst and has an affinity for number patterns but she doesn't think she can progress in her job as she says: 'Numbers, I can handle. People, I can't.' I'm right there with you, Charlotte! Numbers and I...we go way back!
Charlotte returns from holiday with her boyfriend to discover that her mother has committed suicide. Charlotte's father is suffering from Alzheimer's and thinks his wife is still alive, so he can't help Charlotte put together the missing pieces to find out what led up to her mother's death. The key to the puzzle seems to lie in a mysterious parcel that was delivered on the day of Charlotte's return: a display case of dead bees. As disturbing as this is, it becomes even more scary when Charlotte starts to hear the buzz buzz buzz.
Creepy right? I'm not a huge fan of stripy flying insects so it had my skin crawling at not only the thought of the dead bees in the house but the buzzing noises. I could imagine the house tumbling down around Charlotte and a million bees swarming out from the rubble. She's a braver gal than I when she ventures into the loft with her boyfriend; of course I have a ladder phobia so I couldn't have gone up there anyway. The mystery of the bees deepens when she finds an old photo of her father in a beekeeper's outfit with the name 'Bee Hive Cottage' on the back. To find out what happened to her mother, she must go back to her father's past but what she finds there is more horrifying than a gigantic swarm of bees.
What an outstanding book! It really kept me on my toes and kept me constantly guessing as it went in a completely surprising direction, making it a lot darker than I expected. Jane Holland is a new author to me and one I definitely plan to read more from. I don't know how I haven't come across her before now; I must have literally had my head in a book!
The Hive is as creepy, terrifying and dark as it is compelling, gripping and impossible to put down. As scared as I was at times, I couldn't take my eyes off the page and found my eyes trying to sneakily jump ahead as my brain wasn't reading fast enough. A bee-rilliant thriller (I had to get a pun in somewhere) that had me on the edge of my seat and scratching my crawling skin.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
October 1, 2019
This is the first thriller I have read by Jane Holland but it definitely won’t be the last because this one was a gripping, chilling menace of a book that I simply could not put down.
Right from the opening pages, this book has a dark, oppressive feel that creeps insidiously off the page to wind itself around the mind of the reader and pull them in to the dark world that Charlotte inhabits. She arrives home from a trip to Moscow to find a scene of devastation at the home she shares with her aloof mother and a father who is increasingly lost in a world of his own, unable to help her. Scarred by an accident when young, living in isolation with her parents in an old rambling house, taking walks in the fascinating but morbid confines of Highgate Cemetery, her only light and support comes from her Russian boyfriend, Alex. But Charlotte can’t quite bring herself to believe than even the handsome Alexei is truly there for her, as he seems to have a dark past of his own.
The author does a fantastic job of making Charlotte a sympathetic character to carry us through this story. I really felt her isolation and desperation throughout the book, her insecurity and self-doubt, and her growing fear as events throughout the story get more and more strange and terrifying. The plot is very devious and twisted and I felt myself with an unexpected sense of desperation to find out what was going and and how it was going to end. I read the book almost in one sitting and felt unfeasibly annoyed when I had to put it down to carry out the mundane but necessary tasks of the day.
This is a book which walks an interesting tightrope between thriller and horror, and not something I would particularly pick up myself as a normal read. However, I was totally gripped from beginning to end, and found this a very rewarding reading experience which I would be very happy to repeat in the near future.
Right from the opening pages, this book has a dark, oppressive feel that creeps insidiously off the page to wind itself around the mind of the reader and pull them in to the dark world that Charlotte inhabits. She arrives home from a trip to Moscow to find a scene of devastation at the home she shares with her aloof mother and a father who is increasingly lost in a world of his own, unable to help her. Scarred by an accident when young, living in isolation with her parents in an old rambling house, taking walks in the fascinating but morbid confines of Highgate Cemetery, her only light and support comes from her Russian boyfriend, Alex. But Charlotte can’t quite bring herself to believe than even the handsome Alexei is truly there for her, as he seems to have a dark past of his own.
The author does a fantastic job of making Charlotte a sympathetic character to carry us through this story. I really felt her isolation and desperation throughout the book, her insecurity and self-doubt, and her growing fear as events throughout the story get more and more strange and terrifying. The plot is very devious and twisted and I felt myself with an unexpected sense of desperation to find out what was going and and how it was going to end. I read the book almost in one sitting and felt unfeasibly annoyed when I had to put it down to carry out the mundane but necessary tasks of the day.
This is a book which walks an interesting tightrope between thriller and horror, and not something I would particularly pick up myself as a normal read. However, I was totally gripped from beginning to end, and found this a very rewarding reading experience which I would be very happy to repeat in the near future.
November 12, 2019
I didn’t know what to expect from this book as the author has self-published it, and she also said it was very different from anything else she has written. I should always know that Jane Holland or whichever pseudonym she is writing under will deliver a fantastic book.
Even though it is quite slow going, to begin with, once you are invested this book really grips you. I wondered, to start with where it was going. Something terrible had happened but not necessarily enough for you to be pondering over the circumstances. However, things begin to spiral gradually and subtly building up to the grand finale that will have you on the edge of your seat.
I thought I had it nailed quite early on, but then as the book developed, I really hoped I was wrong. I’d started to like this character and didn’t want them to be sinister. Then at about 60%, I began to have some more solid suspicions about what was going on. I was right on both accounts. Sometimes books totally take you by surprise and others you can start to see the patterns developing. I like both books; I do like to be right sometimes! However, the reasons for what was happening and who was behind it all could have been anyone. At one point, I was suspicious of every character.
The book could do with a little more copy editing as there were a few inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but this didn’t detract from the story.
This was a very creepy thriller. It was an easy and enjoyable read, but in an “ah I’ve got to know what’s going on kind of way”!
Thanks for reading! If you want to see more of my reviews visit www.pinkanddizzy.com
Even though it is quite slow going, to begin with, once you are invested this book really grips you. I wondered, to start with where it was going. Something terrible had happened but not necessarily enough for you to be pondering over the circumstances. However, things begin to spiral gradually and subtly building up to the grand finale that will have you on the edge of your seat.
I thought I had it nailed quite early on, but then as the book developed, I really hoped I was wrong. I’d started to like this character and didn’t want them to be sinister. Then at about 60%, I began to have some more solid suspicions about what was going on. I was right on both accounts. Sometimes books totally take you by surprise and others you can start to see the patterns developing. I like both books; I do like to be right sometimes! However, the reasons for what was happening and who was behind it all could have been anyone. At one point, I was suspicious of every character.
The book could do with a little more copy editing as there were a few inconsistencies and grammatical errors, but this didn’t detract from the story.
This was a very creepy thriller. It was an easy and enjoyable read, but in an “ah I’ve got to know what’s going on kind of way”!
Thanks for reading! If you want to see more of my reviews visit www.pinkanddizzy.com
October 3, 2019
The man in the grey hoody is standing at the top of the path that leads to the main route through the cemetery. He’s wearing black gloves and black trainers. I can’t see his face, but he’s looking straight at me. Then he begins walking down the uneven slope towards our family plot. Straight towards me. Jesus.
Wow!!! This is a bone-chilling psychological thriller that I couldn't put down.
Charlotte's slow mental anguish is well-written and so very troubling. Her mother is found hanged in their home, her father has secrets in his past that could destroy her, her boyfriend is in trouble with the Russians and her job is in jeopardy. Everything she has known is coming unraveled. And what is it with the buzzing sound in the attic?
This book evoked several emotions in me: Anger and sadness for how Charlotte was treated by family and strangers; terror and surprise at who was behind all of the madness; and hopeful and supportive of Charlotte's future at the end.
If you like mysteries that unfold at the beginning of a book and build to a startling ending, give this one a try. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms.Holland for giving me this opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Wow!!! This is a bone-chilling psychological thriller that I couldn't put down.
Charlotte's slow mental anguish is well-written and so very troubling. Her mother is found hanged in their home, her father has secrets in his past that could destroy her, her boyfriend is in trouble with the Russians and her job is in jeopardy. Everything she has known is coming unraveled. And what is it with the buzzing sound in the attic?
This book evoked several emotions in me: Anger and sadness for how Charlotte was treated by family and strangers; terror and surprise at who was behind all of the madness; and hopeful and supportive of Charlotte's future at the end.
If you like mysteries that unfold at the beginning of a book and build to a startling ending, give this one a try. Recommend highly!
Thank you to Ms.Holland for giving me this opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review.
November 23, 2019
This is one of those novels where you dive right in unsure of what to expect or what I was letting myself in for. What I found inside was a story of intrigue and terror which is difficult to go into without giving the game away.
The first half of the plot is used to set up various events and happenings that at the time seem a little disjointed and unconnected. There are several story lines entwined together including the loss of Charlotte’s mother and decline of her father’s health, her boyfriend Alex and his connection to Russia and to top it all off there’s strange buzzing sounds and mysterious parcels. Despite not knowing what is really going on, there’s a strong feeling of malevolence and the suspense is excruciating at times leaving the reader no other choice but to keep reading.
Moving into the second half of the book begins to reveal a little more about the house and the family and the plot descends into a more intense and chilling tone. It was a t this point the book became glued to my hands and I’m not sure that I breathed until I reached the end.
A twisted and chilling thriller.
The first half of the plot is used to set up various events and happenings that at the time seem a little disjointed and unconnected. There are several story lines entwined together including the loss of Charlotte’s mother and decline of her father’s health, her boyfriend Alex and his connection to Russia and to top it all off there’s strange buzzing sounds and mysterious parcels. Despite not knowing what is really going on, there’s a strong feeling of malevolence and the suspense is excruciating at times leaving the reader no other choice but to keep reading.
Moving into the second half of the book begins to reveal a little more about the house and the family and the plot descends into a more intense and chilling tone. It was a t this point the book became glued to my hands and I’m not sure that I breathed until I reached the end.
A twisted and chilling thriller.
August 4, 2019
The Hive is an exciting Thriller with a lot of secrets.
Charlotte comes home from a romantic holiday to a dreadful surprise. Her Father’s dementia means he is unable to help her understand what happened while she was away, or to throw any light on the strange noises and occurrences that haunt her. As the questions build, so does Charlotte’s need to understand what happened, what is plaguing her now, each day, and who the target is.
This is an extremely creepy thriller that kept me guessing right until the end. My theories turned out to be either wrong or far too tame. The second half of the book was particularly exciting, and also a lot darker than I expected. If you’re in the mood for a nerve-wracking page turner, this is the book for you. But don’t read it alone in the dark unless you want to be looking over your shoulder.
Charlotte comes home from a romantic holiday to a dreadful surprise. Her Father’s dementia means he is unable to help her understand what happened while she was away, or to throw any light on the strange noises and occurrences that haunt her. As the questions build, so does Charlotte’s need to understand what happened, what is plaguing her now, each day, and who the target is.
This is an extremely creepy thriller that kept me guessing right until the end. My theories turned out to be either wrong or far too tame. The second half of the book was particularly exciting, and also a lot darker than I expected. If you’re in the mood for a nerve-wracking page turner, this is the book for you. But don’t read it alone in the dark unless you want to be looking over your shoulder.
July 19, 2019
Buzzing Russians
What a load of buzzing nonsense! How did this achieve good reviews?? Crazy unbelievable ‘plot ‘ unbelievable one dimensional characters , unsympathetic protagonist I couldn’t care what happened to. Lost the will to live half way through, just skim read the end chapter to confirm my suspicions. Utter tripe.
What a load of buzzing nonsense! How did this achieve good reviews?? Crazy unbelievable ‘plot ‘ unbelievable one dimensional characters , unsympathetic protagonist I couldn’t care what happened to. Lost the will to live half way through, just skim read the end chapter to confirm my suspicions. Utter tripe.
August 3, 2019
Ooh what a page turner this was!! Cleverly written so you were never quite sure who the villain was..the ending was a brilliant twist. Loved the theme of the bees running throughout, I would have liked more character detail though to really get into the mind of Charlotte etc. A great read though!
August 22, 2019
Scary and dark....
Read this in a day. I love Jane's writing and this book did not disappoint. I can normally suss out the baddies, but not this time. Enjoy..
Read this in a day. I love Jane's writing and this book did not disappoint. I can normally suss out the baddies, but not this time. Enjoy..
January 14, 2021
Oh wow! This had me hooked. This is a book you'll want to devour in one sitting.
It's so good and pacy and the characters are brilliantly rendered.
LOVE
It's so good and pacy and the characters are brilliantly rendered.
LOVE
June 14, 2020
Good read
Really enjoyed this book, good story line and a real page turner, would definitely recommend if you like a good thriller stories you won’t regret picking this book up
Really enjoyed this book, good story line and a real page turner, would definitely recommend if you like a good thriller stories you won’t regret picking this book up
November 30, 2021
TheHive
The Hive is a very unusual story, I couldn’t get into it at first but when I eventually did I was intrigued
The Hive is a very unusual story, I couldn’t get into it at first but when I eventually did I was intrigued
July 27, 2022
Slow burn… not a fan of nothing really happening until the end when they throw everything at you. Entertaining and good twists but waaaay to long to get there.
did-not-finish
March 4, 2024Horrible story.. couldn’t even finish it after I skipped towards the end
January 27, 2020
Bee's. Endless waffle about bee's.
The protagonist was a one dimensional bore who I had absolute zero empathy for. Somehow I just found her really irritating. We were given this enormous Bee-Themed build up which ended in this bizarre conclusion and I'm just really glad to have finished with this one. I get that the Bee thing was purely metaphoric but it was just so dull for me.
The protagonist was a one dimensional bore who I had absolute zero empathy for. Somehow I just found her really irritating. We were given this enormous Bee-Themed build up which ended in this bizarre conclusion and I'm just really glad to have finished with this one. I get that the Bee thing was purely metaphoric but it was just so dull for me.
December 19, 2020
This was ridiculous. I didn't hate it, but it was pretty silly. Bees, Russians, corporate espionage..? It was a lot. So I feel the need to spoil it for anyone on the fence about reading it.
Spoilers: The Russians are a red herring (obviously) but the boyfriend is a villain working with... dun dun dun... the protagonist's secret half sister, who their father sexually abused (and impregnated! but the baby died) and then abandoned. The half sister was jealous and out for revenge, attempting to destroy her life, going so far as to get a job at her firm and frame her for the aforementioned corporate espionage, and getting her Russian lover to seduce her and act as her loving boyfriend. Eew. She also killed the protagonist's mother, or at least pushed her to it. The big confrontation at the end has a big info dump, and then the half sister killing the father, the father maiming the half sister (one with a hammer, one with a screw driver), and then the boyfriend being bludgeoned by the protagonist by a baseball bat. So yeah, that's it. Epilogue, the villains are found guilty in court and the protagonist moves on with her life.
It was all incredibly melodramatic and silly and just too much. The characters were thin and staggeringly unlikable, and they behaved in unrealistic ways. The poor protagonist was straight-up useless and kind of pathetic and oh-poor-me, and all of the other characters who had more than a few lines were comically evil, or at least highly unpleasant.
If you like your mysteries goofy and incestuous, give it a go, but otherwise... Yeah, maybe pass. Majorly unsatisfying.
Spoilers: The Russians are a red herring (obviously) but the boyfriend is a villain working with... dun dun dun... the protagonist's secret half sister, who their father sexually abused (and impregnated! but the baby died) and then abandoned. The half sister was jealous and out for revenge, attempting to destroy her life, going so far as to get a job at her firm and frame her for the aforementioned corporate espionage, and getting her Russian lover to seduce her and act as her loving boyfriend. Eew. She also killed the protagonist's mother, or at least pushed her to it. The big confrontation at the end has a big info dump, and then the half sister killing the father, the father maiming the half sister (one with a hammer, one with a screw driver), and then the boyfriend being bludgeoned by the protagonist by a baseball bat. So yeah, that's it. Epilogue, the villains are found guilty in court and the protagonist moves on with her life.
It was all incredibly melodramatic and silly and just too much. The characters were thin and staggeringly unlikable, and they behaved in unrealistic ways. The poor protagonist was straight-up useless and kind of pathetic and oh-poor-me, and all of the other characters who had more than a few lines were comically evil, or at least highly unpleasant.
If you like your mysteries goofy and incestuous, give it a go, but otherwise... Yeah, maybe pass. Majorly unsatisfying.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2019
Charlotte fell into a fire when she was a child has a disfigured face. She has essential shut herself away from the world with her parents and her boyfriend Alex. But when her mother commits suicide she learns things are a lot more difficult than she first thought.
Alex is a journalist and is working on a project about the Russian mafia so this is present in the front of Charlottes’ mind. Charlotte then starts hearing the buzzing of bees in the attic. When she received a box of dead bees she starts wondering if something really is happening or if she is just losing her mind.
I have to say that part of me felt for Charlotte when I first started reading the book. But then she was so frustrating that I would have liked to hit her. But when things started to get creepy I was engrossed in the story. As Charlotte would take a timid step forward I was eager to find out what was going on and on the edge of my seat at what was going to happen next.
This was an amazingly creepy read with great bee trivia sprinkled throughout. This is my second book from Jane Holland, the first being Forget Her Name. This book was just as creepy as the first. Jane Holland has definitely cemented her place on my keep shelves.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Alex is a journalist and is working on a project about the Russian mafia so this is present in the front of Charlottes’ mind. Charlotte then starts hearing the buzzing of bees in the attic. When she received a box of dead bees she starts wondering if something really is happening or if she is just losing her mind.
I have to say that part of me felt for Charlotte when I first started reading the book. But then she was so frustrating that I would have liked to hit her. But when things started to get creepy I was engrossed in the story. As Charlotte would take a timid step forward I was eager to find out what was going on and on the edge of my seat at what was going to happen next.
This was an amazingly creepy read with great bee trivia sprinkled throughout. This is my second book from Jane Holland, the first being Forget Her Name. This book was just as creepy as the first. Jane Holland has definitely cemented her place on my keep shelves.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
October 16, 2019
The Hive is full of unexpected twists and turns. It’s a unique and unpredictable thriller that intriguingly gained suspense as the novel progressed. This is my favorite type of suspense, the kind the builds and builds until it explodes in the end. I had no clue about what was happening, and all the reveals took me by surprise.
The first half of The Hive was a set-up, introducing our characters, in particular Charlie, whom I really came to feel for. There was this creepy air that loomed over the pages as I read. I didn’t find the beginning slow, just intriguingly and increasingly creepy. From the half-way point, I could not put this book down. Hooked is an understatement, I am really impressed with Jane Holland’s writing.
I love the research Jane Holland clearly did on bee-keeping and it made The Hive that much more enthralling and darn-right terrifying sometimes. Twist after twist and a conclusion I didn’t see coming, Jane Holland has a new fan in me!
Overall, I’m impressed and I recommend checking this one out. The beginning might be a bit slow, but stick it out because the book is one giant shock after another. Perfect for reading in October!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own. *
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
The first half of The Hive was a set-up, introducing our characters, in particular Charlie, whom I really came to feel for. There was this creepy air that loomed over the pages as I read. I didn’t find the beginning slow, just intriguingly and increasingly creepy. From the half-way point, I could not put this book down. Hooked is an understatement, I am really impressed with Jane Holland’s writing.
I love the research Jane Holland clearly did on bee-keeping and it made The Hive that much more enthralling and darn-right terrifying sometimes. Twist after twist and a conclusion I didn’t see coming, Jane Holland has a new fan in me!
Overall, I’m impressed and I recommend checking this one out. The beginning might be a bit slow, but stick it out because the book is one giant shock after another. Perfect for reading in October!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own. *
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
October 15, 2019
The book begins with Charlotte and her Russian boyfriend, Alex, returning home from a romantic holiday to discover her mother's body hanging in the lounge. Her Father’s dementia means he can't give any explanation of anything that happened while they were away. Adding to this difficult homecoming was a strange delivery of a box of dead bees, suspicious policemen, an over-friendly family doctor and a tetchy carer.
I didn't like any of the characters very much, they all seemed creepy or were hiding something, even Charlotte annoyed me with her dithering!
I did, however, like the book. After the devasting home-coming things for Charlotte took a turn for the worse, as she was made to feel crazy, scared and paranoid. Who was watching her? What was making the buzzing sound that only occurred when she was alone? Who is setting her up to lose her job for industrial espionage? And why does an old photo showing her dad standing outside Bee Hive Cottage scare him so much?
There are more questions than answers in the first half of this book, but the second half more than made up for it with many twists and turns, culminating in an unexpected finale.
All in all, a puzzling and creepy thriller that kept me turning the pages.
3½ ★'s
I didn't like any of the characters very much, they all seemed creepy or were hiding something, even Charlotte annoyed me with her dithering!
I did, however, like the book. After the devasting home-coming things for Charlotte took a turn for the worse, as she was made to feel crazy, scared and paranoid. Who was watching her? What was making the buzzing sound that only occurred when she was alone? Who is setting her up to lose her job for industrial espionage? And why does an old photo showing her dad standing outside Bee Hive Cottage scare him so much?
There are more questions than answers in the first half of this book, but the second half more than made up for it with many twists and turns, culminating in an unexpected finale.
All in all, a puzzling and creepy thriller that kept me turning the pages.
3½ ★'s
March 29, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this. The characters are very well drawn, and Holland plays them well. I think this book was just and so leaning towards plot driven, and that’s rare for me to enjoy because I’m all about the people. That said, the characters in this book are great, and she lands just the right note of understatement where she needs to. The central character has a stammer, and I thought the c-couldn’t would get annoying. It didn’t—she got it bang on and just right. The story drives this book along, and she keeps the pace and tension up. It’s one of those fantastic books that has your mind working all the way through to a brilliant ending.
The last book I read was by The Man Himself, Mister King. It was a good book, but I think the best compliment I can give this author is that I thought this was better. I preferred both the characterisation and the plot, and this kept me guessing right to the end. The Hive is a very visual book. Holland paints description so that you can see it. I’ve never been, but I loved the parts describing Highgate Cemetery.
If asked in a year what this book was about, I think I would be able to tell you—I read and forget. Best book I’ve read in a while, and I would recommend it.
The last book I read was by The Man Himself, Mister King. It was a good book, but I think the best compliment I can give this author is that I thought this was better. I preferred both the characterisation and the plot, and this kept me guessing right to the end. The Hive is a very visual book. Holland paints description so that you can see it. I’ve never been, but I loved the parts describing Highgate Cemetery.
If asked in a year what this book was about, I think I would be able to tell you—I read and forget. Best book I’ve read in a while, and I would recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews