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Hold Your Breath
If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise…
Kitty Marchland has always known that her family aren’t like others. But when her father uproots them to a remote cottage in the woods, she realises that her parents are keeping secrets from her – secrets that could unravel everything.
Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories – and this time, there’s nowhere to hide…
Kitty Marchland has always known that her family aren’t like others. But when her father uproots them to a remote cottage in the woods, she realises that her parents are keeping secrets from her – secrets that could unravel everything.
Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories – and this time, there’s nowhere to hide…
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2020
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1356 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
March 16, 2020
HOLD YOUR BREATH by B P Walter is the first book that I have read by this author. Katherine Marshland has had a novel published. She says it is a fictionalized version of her life. But what is truth and what is fiction? As a child, she knows her mother has changed and is not well. In fact, she suffers from some type of mental illness. When her father temporarily moves them from their home to a cottage in the middle of the woods, he attempts to cure his wife without having to institutionalize her.
The book jumps back and forth in time from 2020 to 2018 to 1987. I found this broke up the flow of the book for me. However, the characters were quite compelling and definitely had flaws and virtues. The plot twists were interesting, but what is reality? The pace is more of a slow burn. I’m still not 100 percent sure of everything that occurred in 1987.
The ending felt very odd to me and is somewhat inconclusive. However, the book is very different and this will appeal to many readers. It does have several strong themes running through it including violent assault, mental illness, suicide and other themes that would be spoilers.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel. It is dark and disturbing and has some unusual twists. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then I recommend that you check it out.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and B P Walter for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
The book jumps back and forth in time from 2020 to 2018 to 1987. I found this broke up the flow of the book for me. However, the characters were quite compelling and definitely had flaws and virtues. The plot twists were interesting, but what is reality? The pace is more of a slow burn. I’m still not 100 percent sure of everything that occurred in 1987.
The ending felt very odd to me and is somewhat inconclusive. However, the book is very different and this will appeal to many readers. It does have several strong themes running through it including violent assault, mental illness, suicide and other themes that would be spoilers.
Overall, I am glad I read this novel. It is dark and disturbing and has some unusual twists. If this sounds like something you would enjoy, then I recommend that you check it out.
Thanks to Avon Books UK and B P Walter for a complimentary ARC of this novel via NetGalley and the opportunity to provide an honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
July 28, 2024
Definitely not my favorite by the author. I didn’t engage with the characters at all and the exorcism part was not what I was looking for.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2020
BP Walter returns with another pitch-perfect and difficult to categorise thriller with one of the most creepy and spine-tinglingly sinister atmospheres I have encountered of late. The author isn't afraid to pack the plot with twists, turns and surprising reveals that give it pep and pizazz whilst gripping you thoroughly in the process. He does a really excellent job of crafting a story that keeps its direction of travel under wraps for much of the book; something many bestselling thriller writers often struggle with. All in all, this is an impressive, tense and nail-biting sophomore offering and one crime readers will devour just as the tagline promises. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
December 22, 2021
I recently read ‘The Dinner Guest’ by this author and was so impressed I purchased his other books to read. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this one anywhere as much. I thought it started fairly strongly and was very quickly into the story but for me it didn’t get any better.
Kitty Marchland is ten years old when her family move home to a remote cottage in the woods. She knows that her parents are not like other families and are keeping secrets from her, secrets that could unravel everything. Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories and this time, there’s nowhere to hide.
Very disappointing after such a promising start and the more I read the more frustrated I got.
Kitty Marchland is ten years old when her family move home to a remote cottage in the woods. She knows that her parents are not like other families and are keeping secrets from her, secrets that could unravel everything. Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories and this time, there’s nowhere to hide.
Very disappointing after such a promising start and the more I read the more frustrated I got.
Want to read
May 7, 2021Only .99 today on Amazon!
I recently read and loved The Dinner Guest so I'm eager to read some of his earlier work and this one promises to be dark, dark, dark! Yes, please! 😈
I recently read and loved The Dinner Guest so I'm eager to read some of his earlier work and this one promises to be dark, dark, dark! Yes, please! 😈
April 22, 2020
Ooooh, this was a spooky and eerie read. It sent shivers down my spine. Being so different to recent books meant that I was even more curious as to what direction the plot would take. A mixture of supernatural, suspense and suspected witchcraft, this book felt like a breath of fresh air to my reading.
The story is told from Kitty’s perspective as a ten year-old back in 1987, and then Kitty in present day (I’ll let you do the maths!). Readers quickly learn that Kitty has been hauled in by police, questioned over a serious event that took place during her childhood. And there you have it: this establishes the plot as reader and police alike learn the story of what really happened to Kitty as a child.
Walter really uses the setting to intensify the atmosphere of the book. Set in a remote forest, there are plenty of spooky symbols surrounding Kitty, including the creaky, abandoned cottage that she now inhabits, and the strange things happening to her mum. Because of course, recounted events are done so from Kitty’s young perspective – so we never know how accurate her interpretation is, or whether it is her innocent brain making connections with what she thinks she saw happening.
I wasn’t expecting a book on exorcisms and, to be honest, I was concerned that the writer would make this become a wacky, witchy story! However, as explanations come to light, I appreciated the normalcy that is suggested. Whilst the events appear sinister, there is more to it than what Kitty initially interprets. The book itself reminded me of twisted fairy tales that are always a lot darker when you revisit them as an adult: ‘Hansel and Gretal’ for example.
Kitty’s isolation is a driving force in her story and I felt so sorry for her. Her relationship with her father is strained and poor Kitty sees things that no child should. It has a profound affect on her and emphasises the importance of mental health and the need to speak out. Indeed, her mother’s fate left me wondering if Kitty would echo this, particularly as the climax of events intensifies.
This was a really enjoyable and different story. I think it will haunt me for a while. It certainly is a ‘haunting’ narrative on many levels: not just because of the exorcisms, but how the protagonist is portrayed. A book that surprised me from start to finish, I appreciated the pacy narrative and unexpected developments.
With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from Kitty’s perspective as a ten year-old back in 1987, and then Kitty in present day (I’ll let you do the maths!). Readers quickly learn that Kitty has been hauled in by police, questioned over a serious event that took place during her childhood. And there you have it: this establishes the plot as reader and police alike learn the story of what really happened to Kitty as a child.
Walter really uses the setting to intensify the atmosphere of the book. Set in a remote forest, there are plenty of spooky symbols surrounding Kitty, including the creaky, abandoned cottage that she now inhabits, and the strange things happening to her mum. Because of course, recounted events are done so from Kitty’s young perspective – so we never know how accurate her interpretation is, or whether it is her innocent brain making connections with what she thinks she saw happening.
I wasn’t expecting a book on exorcisms and, to be honest, I was concerned that the writer would make this become a wacky, witchy story! However, as explanations come to light, I appreciated the normalcy that is suggested. Whilst the events appear sinister, there is more to it than what Kitty initially interprets. The book itself reminded me of twisted fairy tales that are always a lot darker when you revisit them as an adult: ‘Hansel and Gretal’ for example.
Kitty’s isolation is a driving force in her story and I felt so sorry for her. Her relationship with her father is strained and poor Kitty sees things that no child should. It has a profound affect on her and emphasises the importance of mental health and the need to speak out. Indeed, her mother’s fate left me wondering if Kitty would echo this, particularly as the climax of events intensifies.
This was a really enjoyable and different story. I think it will haunt me for a while. It certainly is a ‘haunting’ narrative on many levels: not just because of the exorcisms, but how the protagonist is portrayed. A book that surprised me from start to finish, I appreciated the pacy narrative and unexpected developments.
With thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2020
A disturbing and chilling thriller, I don't even know where to start with HOLD YOUR BREATH by B.P. Walter. From the beginning, the reader is immediately immersed within this dark and eerie read.
London, 2020: It all started with a telephone call that Katherine Marchland has been waiting for...and dreading.
"Katherine Marchland? Formerly known as Katherine Carlson? I need you to present yourself at Wickton Close Police Station, Newcastle tomorrow afternoon at 3pm to be interviewed under police caution."
Katherine then finds herself on a train bound for Newcastle, preparing herself to relive one of the most traumatic times of her childhood. She knows why they have called. They've read her book. They've seen the video. They know what she's said. What else is there left to say?
Northumbria, 1987: Kitty Carlson was just 10 years old when her father uproots her, along with her mother, from their home Grays in Essex to travel hundreds of miles to stay in a remote and very secluded cottage in the woods in Northumbria. Kitty's mother isn't well, suffering from paranoid delusions, and would have been best placed in a mental health facility rather than their secondment to the woods. Her father wants to avoid a mental institution but I fear is naively lead by a strange old man man called Father Tobias and his daughter Amanda. The purpose of this little "getaway" is to heal Kitty's mother of her mental affliction. But what happened in this cottage in the woods is, above all, shocking beyond words.
From the moment they arrive, Kitty is encouraged to roam freely about the woods on her own, leaving the adults to their business of healing her mother. Not entirely a people person, Kitty's friends usually consisted on little creatures and insects which she often colonises. But whilst exploring the woods she meets a girl of around her own age named Adah, who appears to have some strange theories about the woods, the stream and the cottage in which Kitty and her family are staying. She calls it "the witch's cottage" on account of the woman who lived there years before apparently a witch. And the stream is cursed - if you break the water's surface you will open yourself up to all kinds of evil. Whether Kitty found her ideas strange or not, I'm not sure, considering she was used to such words coming from her own mother's lips. Nevertheless, Adah appears to be Kitty's first real friend.
As a precocious 10 year old, Kitty does not always does as she is told. So when she is encouraged to remain out in the woods for the day, the adults do not expert her to return to the cottage. But she gets bored or cold or she's hungry. Whatever the case, she generally returns to closed living room doors and the sounds of muted voices coming from beyond them. But on one such time, she heard the screams of her mother that was not her mother and the words she spewed both fascinated and terrified her. Whatever they were doing to "fix" her mother, Kitty wasn't at all sure it was working.
Then one day, Amanda suggests Kitty bring her new friend Adah to tea and sends her off into the woods with the invite. It was to be the day that changed everything. What she saw and heard that day has tormented Kitty ever since...and none of it can ever be undone.
London 2019: Katherine (formerly Kitty) has received a message from her father insisting that she visit. In light of her book she has recently published inspired by the events that took place back then, she isn't at all surprised. After all, they don't come out of it too cleanly. But then, as she has clearly stated, it IS a work of fiction inspired by those events. The book was meant to be cathartic...but what Kitty has discovered is that is has simply opened up a whole new can of worms. And she has no idea how to put the lid back on them.
Kitty's tale is a disturbing one, to say the least. It's no wonder she became a traumatised adult. But at the same time, Kitty's voice as a 10 year old throughout appears to be one that is older than her years a she is incredibly perceptive for her age. And yet, she is a very lonely child. She has no friends and no siblings. No one but a distant father, a delusional mother and her colony of insects.
HOLD YOUR BREATH is told solely through the eyes of Kitty - as a 10 year old in 1987 and then as an adult in 2020. I've said at times she appears older than her years which is often reflected in her sometimes witty narrative...particularly when she has an offbeat thought that she chooses not to voice out loud, yet we are privy to it, makes it all the more amusing. She very definitely has a unique personality which makes her something of a quirky child.
The storyline is unique and atmospheric matching the creepy setting entirely. The whole thing is dark, disturbing and sinister throughout. It is a psychological thriller with several twists that builds with a tension that is palpable. There is a particular scene in the book that is especially cringeworthy involving a pair of rusty secateurs that would bring any man to tears at the mere thought. Even I cringed whilst reading it. However, I felt that the ending didn't really go with the bang I expected...and I found it sorted of meandered somewhere and stopped. Not what I expected considering the pace of the rest of the book.
It is, however, an addictive read. But I will say there are some trigger themes involving mental health, suicide, ritualistic elements, exorcism, rape and extreme language. I wouldn't recommend it to readers who are triggered by these or who are easily offended.
HOLD YOUR BREATH is definitely a haunting tale on many levels. It is atmospheric, it is chilling, it is dark and it is disturbing. It was very fast paced throughout until it neared the end, where it sort of tapered off.
Different and somewhat unforgettable, HOLD YOUR BREATH is not for the faint hearted.
I would like to thank #BPWalter, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #HoldYourBreath in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
London, 2020: It all started with a telephone call that Katherine Marchland has been waiting for...and dreading.
"Katherine Marchland? Formerly known as Katherine Carlson? I need you to present yourself at Wickton Close Police Station, Newcastle tomorrow afternoon at 3pm to be interviewed under police caution."
Katherine then finds herself on a train bound for Newcastle, preparing herself to relive one of the most traumatic times of her childhood. She knows why they have called. They've read her book. They've seen the video. They know what she's said. What else is there left to say?
Northumbria, 1987: Kitty Carlson was just 10 years old when her father uproots her, along with her mother, from their home Grays in Essex to travel hundreds of miles to stay in a remote and very secluded cottage in the woods in Northumbria. Kitty's mother isn't well, suffering from paranoid delusions, and would have been best placed in a mental health facility rather than their secondment to the woods. Her father wants to avoid a mental institution but I fear is naively lead by a strange old man man called Father Tobias and his daughter Amanda. The purpose of this little "getaway" is to heal Kitty's mother of her mental affliction. But what happened in this cottage in the woods is, above all, shocking beyond words.
From the moment they arrive, Kitty is encouraged to roam freely about the woods on her own, leaving the adults to their business of healing her mother. Not entirely a people person, Kitty's friends usually consisted on little creatures and insects which she often colonises. But whilst exploring the woods she meets a girl of around her own age named Adah, who appears to have some strange theories about the woods, the stream and the cottage in which Kitty and her family are staying. She calls it "the witch's cottage" on account of the woman who lived there years before apparently a witch. And the stream is cursed - if you break the water's surface you will open yourself up to all kinds of evil. Whether Kitty found her ideas strange or not, I'm not sure, considering she was used to such words coming from her own mother's lips. Nevertheless, Adah appears to be Kitty's first real friend.
As a precocious 10 year old, Kitty does not always does as she is told. So when she is encouraged to remain out in the woods for the day, the adults do not expert her to return to the cottage. But she gets bored or cold or she's hungry. Whatever the case, she generally returns to closed living room doors and the sounds of muted voices coming from beyond them. But on one such time, she heard the screams of her mother that was not her mother and the words she spewed both fascinated and terrified her. Whatever they were doing to "fix" her mother, Kitty wasn't at all sure it was working.
Then one day, Amanda suggests Kitty bring her new friend Adah to tea and sends her off into the woods with the invite. It was to be the day that changed everything. What she saw and heard that day has tormented Kitty ever since...and none of it can ever be undone.
London 2019: Katherine (formerly Kitty) has received a message from her father insisting that she visit. In light of her book she has recently published inspired by the events that took place back then, she isn't at all surprised. After all, they don't come out of it too cleanly. But then, as she has clearly stated, it IS a work of fiction inspired by those events. The book was meant to be cathartic...but what Kitty has discovered is that is has simply opened up a whole new can of worms. And she has no idea how to put the lid back on them.
Kitty's tale is a disturbing one, to say the least. It's no wonder she became a traumatised adult. But at the same time, Kitty's voice as a 10 year old throughout appears to be one that is older than her years a she is incredibly perceptive for her age. And yet, she is a very lonely child. She has no friends and no siblings. No one but a distant father, a delusional mother and her colony of insects.
HOLD YOUR BREATH is told solely through the eyes of Kitty - as a 10 year old in 1987 and then as an adult in 2020. I've said at times she appears older than her years which is often reflected in her sometimes witty narrative...particularly when she has an offbeat thought that she chooses not to voice out loud, yet we are privy to it, makes it all the more amusing. She very definitely has a unique personality which makes her something of a quirky child.
The storyline is unique and atmospheric matching the creepy setting entirely. The whole thing is dark, disturbing and sinister throughout. It is a psychological thriller with several twists that builds with a tension that is palpable. There is a particular scene in the book that is especially cringeworthy involving a pair of rusty secateurs that would bring any man to tears at the mere thought. Even I cringed whilst reading it. However, I felt that the ending didn't really go with the bang I expected...and I found it sorted of meandered somewhere and stopped. Not what I expected considering the pace of the rest of the book.
It is, however, an addictive read. But I will say there are some trigger themes involving mental health, suicide, ritualistic elements, exorcism, rape and extreme language. I wouldn't recommend it to readers who are triggered by these or who are easily offended.
HOLD YOUR BREATH is definitely a haunting tale on many levels. It is atmospheric, it is chilling, it is dark and it is disturbing. It was very fast paced throughout until it neared the end, where it sort of tapered off.
Different and somewhat unforgettable, HOLD YOUR BREATH is not for the faint hearted.
I would like to thank #BPWalter, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #HoldYourBreath in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 29, 2020
A fantastic thriller which had me holding my breath as the pages turned.
Told in dual timelines from the POV of Kitty, I was pulled into the book from the beginning as she tried making sense of why her parents shifted to an isolated cottage in 1987.
My first book by this author, I was overtaken by the creepy atmosphere when sinister things started happening. The author's writing made my fear come to the forefront. The plot was intriguing, the clues were hidden well in the prose. And the ending was quite unexpected.
Quite a twisted mind the author had ...
Told in dual timelines from the POV of Kitty, I was pulled into the book from the beginning as she tried making sense of why her parents shifted to an isolated cottage in 1987.
My first book by this author, I was overtaken by the creepy atmosphere when sinister things started happening. The author's writing made my fear come to the forefront. The plot was intriguing, the clues were hidden well in the prose. And the ending was quite unexpected.
Quite a twisted mind the author had ...
August 8, 2020
I didn't expect the story to take the turn it did as I read the book. The parts in the cabin were the best parts of the book - the detail, the mystery, the tension. I would have preferred a lot more of that.
The ending probably satisfied a lot of people but personally I would have just preferred the story to end with Kitty leaving the cabin wondering where her friend was, rather than all the police and investigation parts.
The ending probably satisfied a lot of people but personally I would have just preferred the story to end with Kitty leaving the cabin wondering where her friend was, rather than all the police and investigation parts.
March 30, 2020
https://anaslair.wordpress.com/2020/0...
The book begins with Kitty, now an adult, on her way to a police station where she will need to relive the moments that have tormented her all her life. The action alternates between 1987 and 2020, as we learn what happened to Kitty all those years ago.
Katherine/Kitty's tale is a disturbing one, and no wonder she became a traumatized adult. As we learn more and more about her past we cannot help but feel for this child, who had no one to rely on.
At the same time you cannot help to relate to her highstrung father, especially if you are a parent. Nathan had such a huge responsibility on his shoulders and was merely human, after all. The readers who have children of their own can surely relate to how being hammered with questions, when you are dead tired, feels like. And Nathan does have a couple of moments when he realizes he is not being the best father, nor dealing with things the best possible way by far.
As I was reading, even though I flinched through the eyes of Kitty, I believed he had her best interests in mind. However, the fact remains that, when trying to shield her from all the nastiness, he pushed her away in such a way that you cannot help but wish you could help her.
For the most part, there is little I would have changed in this book, except for the title, I found it much too generic.
It is quite well written. You really feel like you are seeing things through the eyes of a 10-year-old, and not just any 10-year-old, but Kitty, who has a very unique personality. And you cannot help but feel for the adult Katherine as well.
However, during the last fifth or so of the book, things radically change, the focus dramatically shifts and you have to start requestioning all characters in your mind. This break of pace was intimidating at first, but I could have gone with it, had it been differently approached. However, as the book comes to an end, the last 10% or so, I couldn't help but feel I was just wandering around with the character which, granted, was much to the point, but that last scene killed me. It just made no sense for me whatsoever.
Still, for most part of the book, I was extremely engaged in reading this, and would have finished the book in one sitting had I had the chance. It was something different, all right.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The book begins with Kitty, now an adult, on her way to a police station where she will need to relive the moments that have tormented her all her life. The action alternates between 1987 and 2020, as we learn what happened to Kitty all those years ago.
Katherine/Kitty's tale is a disturbing one, and no wonder she became a traumatized adult. As we learn more and more about her past we cannot help but feel for this child, who had no one to rely on.
At the same time you cannot help to relate to her highstrung father, especially if you are a parent. Nathan had such a huge responsibility on his shoulders and was merely human, after all. The readers who have children of their own can surely relate to how being hammered with questions, when you are dead tired, feels like. And Nathan does have a couple of moments when he realizes he is not being the best father, nor dealing with things the best possible way by far.
As I was reading, even though I flinched through the eyes of Kitty, I believed he had her best interests in mind. However, the fact remains that, when trying to shield her from all the nastiness, he pushed her away in such a way that you cannot help but wish you could help her.
For the most part, there is little I would have changed in this book, except for the title, I found it much too generic.
It is quite well written. You really feel like you are seeing things through the eyes of a 10-year-old, and not just any 10-year-old, but Kitty, who has a very unique personality. And you cannot help but feel for the adult Katherine as well.
However, during the last fifth or so of the book, things radically change, the focus dramatically shifts and you have to start requestioning all characters in your mind. This break of pace was intimidating at first, but I could have gone with it, had it been differently approached. However, as the book comes to an end, the last 10% or so, I couldn't help but feel I was just wandering around with the character which, granted, was much to the point, but that last scene killed me. It just made no sense for me whatsoever.
Still, for most part of the book, I was extremely engaged in reading this, and would have finished the book in one sitting had I had the chance. It was something different, all right.
Disclaimer: I would like to thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 16, 2020
Review for 'Hold your breath' by B.P.Walter
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Avon books publishers
This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be my last.
This book is written from Kitty's (Katherine) perspective mainly from when she was a child via an interview.
The book is written using the past and present in 3 different timelines which are 2020, 1987 and 2019. All timelines run smoothly into each other so it doesn't leave readers confused.
THE plot is quite dark, disturbing and sinister and includes trigger themes such as suicide, strong language, child abuse, mental health and rape. I would not recommend it to readers who are easily offended.
The storyline is unique and the descriptions very good. I was dragged straight in and found it an excellent page turner. I would class this book as a psychological thriller and I quite enjoyed the twists. The book does calm down during the last 10% but I did quite enjoy the ending although it didn't really go out with the bang I would have hoped for considering the rest of the book hence 4/5 instead of 5/5.
THE characters were all compelling, strong, well defined and believable although Kitty herself annoyed me with her attitude a few times but then she is a typical 10 year old child. The father wasn't much of one and didn't give her much form of love and seemed to push her away quite alot so I couldn't really blame Kitty for being the way she was.
I would recommend this to fans of mystery, murder, gore, psychological thrillers, suspense, horror and dark books. I would NOT recommend to readers who are sensitive to bad language.
368 pages
£2.99 to buy on kindle. I think this is a very good price for this book.
Rated 4/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Co.uk and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#HoldYourBreath #BPWalter #AvonBooks #NetGalley #BookReview
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Avon books publishers
This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be my last.
This book is written from Kitty's (Katherine) perspective mainly from when she was a child via an interview.
The book is written using the past and present in 3 different timelines which are 2020, 1987 and 2019. All timelines run smoothly into each other so it doesn't leave readers confused.
THE plot is quite dark, disturbing and sinister and includes trigger themes such as suicide, strong language, child abuse, mental health and rape. I would not recommend it to readers who are easily offended.
The storyline is unique and the descriptions very good. I was dragged straight in and found it an excellent page turner. I would class this book as a psychological thriller and I quite enjoyed the twists. The book does calm down during the last 10% but I did quite enjoy the ending although it didn't really go out with the bang I would have hoped for considering the rest of the book hence 4/5 instead of 5/5.
THE characters were all compelling, strong, well defined and believable although Kitty herself annoyed me with her attitude a few times but then she is a typical 10 year old child. The father wasn't much of one and didn't give her much form of love and seemed to push her away quite alot so I couldn't really blame Kitty for being the way she was.
I would recommend this to fans of mystery, murder, gore, psychological thrillers, suspense, horror and dark books. I would NOT recommend to readers who are sensitive to bad language.
368 pages
£2.99 to buy on kindle. I think this is a very good price for this book.
Rated 4/5 (I enjoyed it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Co.uk and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads for more reviews
#HoldYourBreath #BPWalter #AvonBooks #NetGalley #BookReview
March 25, 2020
Hold Your Breath by B.P. Walter is told from the unique first person perspective of a ten year old girl and, as such, is compulsively readable. I was immediately drawn into Kitty's world, and found her voice to ring true and unfiltered. The truth behind the voice is eventually challenged, however, but whatever you believe of her story, the character of Kitty Marchland is one you will not soon forget.
When Kitty Marchland is ten years old, in 1987, her father uproots the family to take up residence in an isolated cottage in the woods. Kitty struggles to make sense of this new reality, and is further unsettled when an unknown man and woman arrive to help her father 'cure' her mother's mental illness. Kitty is left to her own devices, and a sinister plot begins to unfold, both within the cabin, and also in the deep, dark woods. Fast forward to 2020, and Kitty has written a book detailing her experiences in 1987 and beyond, but just how much of her story is rooted in the truth?
This is a novel that was a very pleasant surprise. The alternating timelines each held my interest throughout, and the voice of Kitty Marchland as sole narrator of events really inserted me into the story as a whole. I will definitely be adding this author to my TBR.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.
When Kitty Marchland is ten years old, in 1987, her father uproots the family to take up residence in an isolated cottage in the woods. Kitty struggles to make sense of this new reality, and is further unsettled when an unknown man and woman arrive to help her father 'cure' her mother's mental illness. Kitty is left to her own devices, and a sinister plot begins to unfold, both within the cabin, and also in the deep, dark woods. Fast forward to 2020, and Kitty has written a book detailing her experiences in 1987 and beyond, but just how much of her story is rooted in the truth?
This is a novel that was a very pleasant surprise. The alternating timelines each held my interest throughout, and the voice of Kitty Marchland as sole narrator of events really inserted me into the story as a whole. I will definitely be adding this author to my TBR.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC.
February 24, 2021
Wow, this book is so disquieting but oh so good! Ten-year-old Kitty is forced to move suddenly to an old cottage in the forest with her parents as her mother has been acting strangely. And when a woman named Amanda and Father Tobias show up, she is even further confused as she's not sure what role they will play in her life. But she is often sent to bed with no dinner or commanded to go outside and play for the entire day. Grown up Kitty later writes a book about the weird and creepy events she witnesses even as her father tries to shelter her from it. The less said about that the better as you need to get the full effect from the book. Just know that you will probably be holding your breath as you read it!
April 10, 2024
Demon-possession or psychosis? Childhood truths or lies and deceit?
Really enjoyed this one!
Really enjoyed this one!
June 24, 2024
I thought this book had a clever plot twist and the ending was great --- but somehow I still really didn't like it! It just felt too gross and shocking and I didn't enjoy reading it.
March 9, 2020
I’m torn about this one.
It starts off great, good writing, characters and creepy suspense aplenty. The flipping of chapters between past and present are handled well.
Kitty was an odd character, very mature in some ways and then quite young in others. Her retelling of her time in the woods is a combination of fairy tale and horror story.
I think the twist somewhat negated much of the insanity that preceded it. Perhaps that was the intent, to bring us back to reality? Still there was too much water under the bridge to fully get me back on board. Then the final meet up in the woods - why? Is this a happily ever after moment we’re getting?
It was quite different and well written. I was entertained up until the big reveal but I think some readers will be satisfied with it.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Avon Books UK for a copy in exchange for a review.
It starts off great, good writing, characters and creepy suspense aplenty. The flipping of chapters between past and present are handled well.
Kitty was an odd character, very mature in some ways and then quite young in others. Her retelling of her time in the woods is a combination of fairy tale and horror story.
I think the twist somewhat negated much of the insanity that preceded it. Perhaps that was the intent, to bring us back to reality? Still there was too much water under the bridge to fully get me back on board. Then the final meet up in the woods - why? Is this a happily ever after moment we’re getting?
It was quite different and well written. I was entertained up until the big reveal but I think some readers will be satisfied with it.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and Avon Books UK for a copy in exchange for a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2020
Kitty Marchland has always known that her family aren’t like others. But when her father uproots them to a remote cottage in the woods, she realises that her parents are keeping secrets from her – secrets that could unravel everything.
Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories – and this time, there’s nowhere to hide…
The story jumps between 2020, 2018 and 1987, and it is told from Kitty's point of view, Kitty witnesses a lot in the short time she spent in the cottage in the woods, things a 10 year. old should not have to witness.
I struggled with this book as there is no real mystery to this story and the ending was very blah.\
Thank you to Net galley for an advanced copy for an honest review.
Years later, Kitty starts to question what really happened out in the forest. When the police revisit a suspicious death, she must examine her most painful memories – and this time, there’s nowhere to hide…
The story jumps between 2020, 2018 and 1987, and it is told from Kitty's point of view, Kitty witnesses a lot in the short time she spent in the cottage in the woods, things a 10 year. old should not have to witness.
I struggled with this book as there is no real mystery to this story and the ending was very blah.\
Thank you to Net galley for an advanced copy for an honest review.
January 26, 2020
The words I’m about to write can do no justice to Hold Your Breath. This is a masterpiece of a story and you NEED to read it!
Set in 1987 Kittys dad decides they should go away for a while until his unwell wife recovers. Moving to a house in the middle of the woods things get steadily worse and worse. Modern day Kitty has written her childhood memories down and it has been published but now the police want to talk to her.....
The modern day sections were short and moved the story along well but the 1987 scenes absolutely shocked me! This is dark and gritty fiction at its finest!
Set in 1987 Kittys dad decides they should go away for a while until his unwell wife recovers. Moving to a house in the middle of the woods things get steadily worse and worse. Modern day Kitty has written her childhood memories down and it has been published but now the police want to talk to her.....
The modern day sections were short and moved the story along well but the 1987 scenes absolutely shocked me! This is dark and gritty fiction at its finest!
April 19, 2020
The synopsis for 'Hold Your Breath' certainly sounded intriguing and I couldn't wait to get started. The book sounded like a deliciously twisty psychological thriller. I wasn't wrong either because it was all that and more. I did enjoy reading 'Hold Your Breath' even if parts of it did make me rather uncomfortable, but more about that in a bit.
It didn't take me long at all to get into the book once I got started. The synopsis of this book really appealed to me and I was intrigued to see how the story would develop. I made the fatal mistake of starting to read this book shortly before I went to bed. Let's just say I became so immersed in the story and the writing, that I just couldn't put the book down and bedtime was delayed somewhat. I just had to know how the story was going to conclude. The pages turned increasingly quickly, the further into the story I reached. I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout. Certain things which are discussed within this book aren't for the more sensitive of people. That's not meant as a criticism but more an indication for people to be aware.
'Hold Your Breath' is extremely well written. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get along with and to get used to. The story is set using different time frames. One timeline describes events as they happen in the present day and the other timeline describes things as they happened in the past and illustrates what led to the present day set of circumstances. I hope that makes sense. I loved the fact that part of the story is set in Northumberland, which is in the North East of England. It was so refreshing to read a story, which is partially set somewhere with which I am familiar. Some of the characters were truly unpleasant to the point where a shiver or two went down my spine. I found that I was trying to become too involved in the story and tried to interact with the book as if the individual characters could hear me. I know this is a work of fiction, but I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one, then I tend to 'live' the story as it were real. The fact that I am so convinced by the story is all down to the author's very vivid and very realistic descriptions.
In short, I really enjoyed this book even if it wasn't always an easy read. I would recommend this book to other readers, but as I mention above certain unpleasant subjects are discussed. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
It didn't take me long at all to get into the book once I got started. The synopsis of this book really appealed to me and I was intrigued to see how the story would develop. I made the fatal mistake of starting to read this book shortly before I went to bed. Let's just say I became so immersed in the story and the writing, that I just couldn't put the book down and bedtime was delayed somewhat. I just had to know how the story was going to conclude. The pages turned increasingly quickly, the further into the story I reached. I was gripped by the story and on the edge of my seat throughout. Certain things which are discussed within this book aren't for the more sensitive of people. That's not meant as a criticism but more an indication for people to be aware.
'Hold Your Breath' is extremely well written. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get along with and to get used to. The story is set using different time frames. One timeline describes events as they happen in the present day and the other timeline describes things as they happened in the past and illustrates what led to the present day set of circumstances. I hope that makes sense. I loved the fact that part of the story is set in Northumberland, which is in the North East of England. It was so refreshing to read a story, which is partially set somewhere with which I am familiar. Some of the characters were truly unpleasant to the point where a shiver or two went down my spine. I found that I was trying to become too involved in the story and tried to interact with the book as if the individual characters could hear me. I know this is a work of fiction, but I find that if I enjoy a book to the extent that I enjoyed this one, then I tend to 'live' the story as it were real. The fact that I am so convinced by the story is all down to the author's very vivid and very realistic descriptions.
In short, I really enjoyed this book even if it wasn't always an easy read. I would recommend this book to other readers, but as I mention above certain unpleasant subjects are discussed. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
April 16, 2020
What a brilliant and disturbing read! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
"I need to ask you to present yourself at Wickton Close Police Station, Newcastle tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. to be interviewed under police caution."
2020........A telephone call that Katherine has been waiting for and dreading.
In 1987 Katherine and her mother and father leave their home in Grays in Essex to go and stay in a cottage in the woods in Northumbria. Katherine's mother is not well and this move is meant to help her. What happened in this cottage is shocking beyond words.
"I genuinely believe the things I witnessed in that cottage in the woods and the area surrounding it damaged me irrevocably."
Its a book about mental illness; about the impact on families, how it can destroy lives, about revenge and the subsequent impact on peoples lives.
A brilliant must read the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
"I need to ask you to present yourself at Wickton Close Police Station, Newcastle tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. to be interviewed under police caution."
2020........A telephone call that Katherine has been waiting for and dreading.
In 1987 Katherine and her mother and father leave their home in Grays in Essex to go and stay in a cottage in the woods in Northumbria. Katherine's mother is not well and this move is meant to help her. What happened in this cottage is shocking beyond words.
"I genuinely believe the things I witnessed in that cottage in the woods and the area surrounding it damaged me irrevocably."
Its a book about mental illness; about the impact on families, how it can destroy lives, about revenge and the subsequent impact on peoples lives.
A brilliant must read the book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 27, 2020
Narrated by Kitty and in varying timelines, from her as a ten year old child in 1987 and again in 2019 and present day. It begins with Kitty as an adult on the way to the police, where we learn of events that took place during her childhood. I normally abhor child narration but here it really works. After all there is no narration more unreliable than long ago memories and from a child’s innocent perspective.
The setting is creepy with a remote woodland cottage and sinister goings on. I don’t want to say too much but boy this author has tackled some dark subjects here. Definitely not for the faint hearted. Think dark and twisted fairytale marching into horror territory and you catch my drift. Not your average thriller that’s for sure. But as a big King fan since childhood I’m used to that.
A nice steady pace that doesn’t really slow until the end where it totally turned things on it’s head. But for me I personally preferred the present day narration as that’s when things are revealed. And as for that ending! Bit of a jaw dropper and it will definitely be a Marmite one.
The setting is creepy with a remote woodland cottage and sinister goings on. I don’t want to say too much but boy this author has tackled some dark subjects here. Definitely not for the faint hearted. Think dark and twisted fairytale marching into horror territory and you catch my drift. Not your average thriller that’s for sure. But as a big King fan since childhood I’m used to that.
A nice steady pace that doesn’t really slow until the end where it totally turned things on it’s head. But for me I personally preferred the present day narration as that’s when things are revealed. And as for that ending! Bit of a jaw dropper and it will definitely be a Marmite one.
March 9, 2024
3.5 stars ✨
I actually read this one via audiobook and I think consuming this in that format contributed to the rating being on the higher (ish) side.
I haven’t really read a mystery/thriller similar to this one, so it gets points for that. The build up to the climax of the story was done really well, however the climax itself was underwhelming. There was a lot of potential there and it felt somewhat flat. The ending additionally felt somewhat inconclusive.
Overall, it was a very run of the mill thriller/mystery, but enjoyable nonetheless.
I actually read this one via audiobook and I think consuming this in that format contributed to the rating being on the higher (ish) side.
I haven’t really read a mystery/thriller similar to this one, so it gets points for that. The build up to the climax of the story was done really well, however the climax itself was underwhelming. There was a lot of potential there and it felt somewhat flat. The ending additionally felt somewhat inconclusive.
Overall, it was a very run of the mill thriller/mystery, but enjoyable nonetheless.
January 10, 2021
5 out of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read by B.P. Walter and I was extremely impressed. This novel and a kind of different feel to me, it almost felt like I was listening to (I chose the audio version) a TV crime drama. The little hints sprinkled throughout the story really kept me interest and Katherine was an extremely interesting character.
Walter also really has the ability to allow you to picture everything from the cottage to the woods to each character. I now plan to read all of the novels that I have not read by Walter.
This is the first book I have read by B.P. Walter and I was extremely impressed. This novel and a kind of different feel to me, it almost felt like I was listening to (I chose the audio version) a TV crime drama. The little hints sprinkled throughout the story really kept me interest and Katherine was an extremely interesting character.
Walter also really has the ability to allow you to picture everything from the cottage to the woods to each character. I now plan to read all of the novels that I have not read by Walter.
September 9, 2021
This is the first book I have read by B P Walter and it had a different storyline from any book I’ve read. Unfortunately, it didn’t have me gripped as I thought it would and I didn’t like the ending as it was very abrupt, hence the 3 star rating. However, I did enjoy it and would read more from this author.
March 28, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
September 27, 2025
Not my cup of tea sadly!
January 17, 2021
This was quite a new plot and a strange story but it was enjoyable and the main character Kitty was likeable!
Simple, enjoyable read but nothing mind blowing.
Simple, enjoyable read but nothing mind blowing.
February 27, 2021
3.75 stars
July 28, 2021
Kitty is ten and her mother is suffering greatly with her mental health, her father takes them away to a cottage in a wood in Northumbria to help her mother. What happens in the time there is terrible and scars Kitty for life. As an adult and now known as Katherine she writes a book which is a fictional portrayal of her childhood, however it is unclear what is real and what is made up. In the novel a girl dies and in reality she did too, but now the police must take apart the story and find the truth about what happened to Adah. This is not a pleasant book to read and I would not recommend it.
May 31, 2021
So twisty & good! Gosh this really lives up to the name “twisty thriller” — with a hefty dose of psychological mystery mixed in.
Kitty’s parents bring her to to a cabin where some super shady things take place, namely would-be exorcisms. The little girl’s existence is mostly taken up in wondering what’s going on and being terrified, with spaces of forest wandering and book reading interspaced. The friends she makes outside the cabin are almost as strange as what goes on inside it.
Later, Kitty writes a book about her experiences. But what really went on inside that cabin? And outside it? How much can a child’s memory be trusted? Especially with the kinds of trauma it’s gone through?
Did NOT see that turn at the end coming 😲 very well written (& satisfying) book!
Kitty’s parents bring her to to a cabin where some super shady things take place, namely would-be exorcisms. The little girl’s existence is mostly taken up in wondering what’s going on and being terrified, with spaces of forest wandering and book reading interspaced. The friends she makes outside the cabin are almost as strange as what goes on inside it.
Later, Kitty writes a book about her experiences. But what really went on inside that cabin? And outside it? How much can a child’s memory be trusted? Especially with the kinds of trauma it’s gone through?
Did NOT see that turn at the end coming 😲 very well written (& satisfying) book!
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