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Witchopper
If you see her, then you're dead...
All Rob wanted to do was fit in at his new school after being torn from London so his parents could fix their marriage. But when Rob's journalist father dragged him along to investigate the legend of the Witchopper for the local paper, her curse became their reality.
She was priestess to the pagan god of the wild wood, hanged by a rabid mob for her unspeakable crimes. Now, something far worse than the hell of high school is after Rob and his dad...
In the vein of The Wicker Man and Midsommar, Witchopper is an epic ordeal of a father and son relationship, where past sins echo in the present. Dan Soule delivers another of his terrifying Fright Nights, with a tale of love, lies and truth that will leave you sleeping with the light on.
All Rob wanted to do was fit in at his new school after being torn from London so his parents could fix their marriage. But when Rob's journalist father dragged him along to investigate the legend of the Witchopper for the local paper, her curse became their reality.
She was priestess to the pagan god of the wild wood, hanged by a rabid mob for her unspeakable crimes. Now, something far worse than the hell of high school is after Rob and his dad...
In the vein of The Wicker Man and Midsommar, Witchopper is an epic ordeal of a father and son relationship, where past sins echo in the present. Dan Soule delivers another of his terrifying Fright Nights, with a tale of love, lies and truth that will leave you sleeping with the light on.
476 pages, Paperback
Published July 8, 2020
86 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Dan Soule
23 books56 followersDan is a horror author, who was born and raised in Nottinghamshire, England, growing up in a small cathedral town called Southwell. He moved to Glasgow, Scotland aged 19 and met his now wife, a Northern Irish girl. Hence, Dan now lives in Northern Ireland on the beautiful Antrim Coast, with his wife and two children, Cassie the cat and Jessie the dog. His author website with a bonus book is www.dansoule.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 20, 2021
Epic!!
This is the 1st book from Dan Soule which I have read, but it definitely won’t be my last. I love to read about folklore, and this was right up my street. The story behind The Witchopper is brilliant but very sad, and just proves what life was like for single women back then who lived a private life with their plants and flowers, helping the community, but who didn’t really fit in to how society should be, according to the church, etc, and because of this, the women were branded witches. From beginning to end this book was a real page turner and had me hooked. The author is so very good weaving you into each of the characters lives, that you feel as though you know the characters personally. The ending was completely unexpected but perfect. I’m glad I have found Dan Soule, as he will soon become one of my favourite authors. I highly recommend!!
This is the 1st book from Dan Soule which I have read, but it definitely won’t be my last. I love to read about folklore, and this was right up my street. The story behind The Witchopper is brilliant but very sad, and just proves what life was like for single women back then who lived a private life with their plants and flowers, helping the community, but who didn’t really fit in to how society should be, according to the church, etc, and because of this, the women were branded witches. From beginning to end this book was a real page turner and had me hooked. The author is so very good weaving you into each of the characters lives, that you feel as though you know the characters personally. The ending was completely unexpected but perfect. I’m glad I have found Dan Soule, as he will soon become one of my favourite authors. I highly recommend!!
December 30, 2021
This was everything I didn’t realize I needed all rolled into one book. It’s got witches, a ghost, curses, folklore, characters to love, and characters to hate. I got this as a bookbub deal and I’m blown away and feel so lucky that I stumbled upon it. I feel like this book is one that will blow up in the best way. Looking forward to checking out some others from this author.
August 4, 2020
Witchopper is a unique book: part Pagan horror, part ghost-story, and also a literary meditation on the sins of fatherhood. It tells the story of Rob and his father Richard, who have moved to Southwell to start a new life after Richard's indiscretions in their previous home, in London. However, one of Richard's plans to spend more father-son time with Rob quickly backfires when both experience a supernatural event. Witchopper is full of expertly drawn characters that leap off the page: including Rob's newfound friend, the fantasy-loving maverick, Jason, the digital agent of chaos, Ally, and the old lady, Millicent, who is tragically losing her memory, but hasn't forgotten the old lore. The story alternates between two timelines toward an unexpected climax that shows there is more than one way to read this story, and only by seeing the issue from both sides, can we finally heal the old wounds. Dan Soule is an author to watch!
December 14, 2020
The evil that people do
A compelling story about lust, obsession and how people betray, hurt and manipulate each other with sex.
There is also nature magic and the Greenman, which is pretty cool.
The characters are well drawn. The bullying in the school is shockingly realistic and hard to read at times, as is some of the sexual violence. It’s not graphic, but it’s still unpleasant.
A compelling story about lust, obsession and how people betray, hurt and manipulate each other with sex.
There is also nature magic and the Greenman, which is pretty cool.
The characters are well drawn. The bullying in the school is shockingly realistic and hard to read at times, as is some of the sexual violence. It’s not graphic, but it’s still unpleasant.
January 17, 2023
This is my fourth outing with Dan, having read Savage, The Ash and Plight of the Valkyrie previously. Totally out of order -chronologically, Witchopper having been “released” (possibly not “written” – it’s impossible to say) before any of the others (though The Ash and Witchopper were released within two months of each other), this is a different type of horror than I’m used to from the pen of Soule.
It’s a beast of a folk horror book, weighing in at 478 pages, and that’s partially due to Soule's writing a slow burner here. The book takes time to pull all of its threads into a convergent whole, and the characters and their emotions are explored under Dan’s emotional magnifying glass. I have no idea which book this represents for Dan – I don’t think it was his first – but there were a couple of Onmi Pov slips, author info slipping in to describe events and things which the characters could not have known, the information given directly to the reader as pertinent information, relevant for a better rounder picture of the event taking place, and I get it – there’s a lot going on here amongst the layers. Most of the layers are explained eventually, the author was emphasizing points that would later be clarified. Still, the nerd in me stood up when they happened. Against that, the editing was spot on. Not so much as a comma out of place here, to my knowledge, Dan. Really smooth.
The violence, when it comes at the end, is brutal and unflinching, Soule here finally pulling aside the curtain and letting brutality have its moment in the spotlight. I did feel that this time around, it was too late – for me, I wanted Dan’s trademark unflinching prose earlier – the threat of the Witchopper is mainly psychological, the descriptions of the various hallucinations are well detailed, the sounds and sights the characters that are cursed see and experience, it’s all well-presented, but that actual violent threat was distant. Soule balances the psychological drama with an unfolding physical threat in the form of a bully, and also a cyberbully, but their interactions, though violent, were pulled up short through circumstance when they occurred.
The story here, is the main character, Rob, and his budding love. Rob quickly becomes the victim of the story, and that then becomes his theme in the book, with event after event and incident after incident scarring him and his psyche. Other people have focused on the relationship Rob has with his father, which, it can be said, is a main thread of the book, but for me a side thread – I think the main story here is the victimization of Rob. The way that an incident in your life that happens to you, can define you in other people’s eyes, and that initial incorrect impression governs all further interactions until it becomes the defining characteristic of a person regardless of its inaccuracy. Rob’s victimization here becomes the central theme of his existence and triggers his own personal stand against oppression. That he was innocent of the charges made against him is irrelevant – and Dan layers the oppression almost gleefully.
Dan’s world-building is solid, the local ghost story is brought wonderfully to life regardless of its actuality in real life – was this a made-up ghost story, or is this Soule’s take on a local legend? No idea – I come from the area but have never heard of it – despite recognizing various slang terms Dan injected into the narrative (Duck – very Loughbrarian (a person from Loughborough)). So what did I think of it?
The writing is pretty solid – you can see the progression in Dan’s style when comparing it to books like Savage, but that in itself isn’t fair, the book should be viewed on its own merits, not in comparison, although that’s almost impossible given my love of Soule’s Savage. I think the build and emotional content were almost too much for me (too long), but again I like my violence and sudden shock trauma. This is a slow psychological build with trauma at its defining end. Dan has written a book with nasty characters – the father is a sleazeball. The bullies have all the luck. The main bad guy is a dick and doesn’t know how to treat women – I guess I’m saying that the bad guys are easy to hate, Dan’s painted the novel with easy-to-emote characters. You’ll bleed with Rob, feel for him. It’s easy to invest in the book. The Witchopper herself is mainly an impotent threat until she isn’t – she’s scaring the characters and doing her thing like the woman from that Ring film, but as far as actually killing goes, she took her time.
I liked this, I liked the setup. I liked the characters, I liked the exploration of emotion – and how badly a budding love story can be killed in the bud by malicious enemies. It’s worthy of a 4 ⭐ ‘s – I think it pales somewhat against Dan’s later work, which is pretty much clear – given the strength of them – but it holds its own.
Looking forward to The Jam – up next on my Soule radar.
It’s a beast of a folk horror book, weighing in at 478 pages, and that’s partially due to Soule's writing a slow burner here. The book takes time to pull all of its threads into a convergent whole, and the characters and their emotions are explored under Dan’s emotional magnifying glass. I have no idea which book this represents for Dan – I don’t think it was his first – but there were a couple of Onmi Pov slips, author info slipping in to describe events and things which the characters could not have known, the information given directly to the reader as pertinent information, relevant for a better rounder picture of the event taking place, and I get it – there’s a lot going on here amongst the layers. Most of the layers are explained eventually, the author was emphasizing points that would later be clarified. Still, the nerd in me stood up when they happened. Against that, the editing was spot on. Not so much as a comma out of place here, to my knowledge, Dan. Really smooth.
The violence, when it comes at the end, is brutal and unflinching, Soule here finally pulling aside the curtain and letting brutality have its moment in the spotlight. I did feel that this time around, it was too late – for me, I wanted Dan’s trademark unflinching prose earlier – the threat of the Witchopper is mainly psychological, the descriptions of the various hallucinations are well detailed, the sounds and sights the characters that are cursed see and experience, it’s all well-presented, but that actual violent threat was distant. Soule balances the psychological drama with an unfolding physical threat in the form of a bully, and also a cyberbully, but their interactions, though violent, were pulled up short through circumstance when they occurred.
The story here, is the main character, Rob, and his budding love. Rob quickly becomes the victim of the story, and that then becomes his theme in the book, with event after event and incident after incident scarring him and his psyche. Other people have focused on the relationship Rob has with his father, which, it can be said, is a main thread of the book, but for me a side thread – I think the main story here is the victimization of Rob. The way that an incident in your life that happens to you, can define you in other people’s eyes, and that initial incorrect impression governs all further interactions until it becomes the defining characteristic of a person regardless of its inaccuracy. Rob’s victimization here becomes the central theme of his existence and triggers his own personal stand against oppression. That he was innocent of the charges made against him is irrelevant – and Dan layers the oppression almost gleefully.
Dan’s world-building is solid, the local ghost story is brought wonderfully to life regardless of its actuality in real life – was this a made-up ghost story, or is this Soule’s take on a local legend? No idea – I come from the area but have never heard of it – despite recognizing various slang terms Dan injected into the narrative (Duck – very Loughbrarian (a person from Loughborough)). So what did I think of it?
The writing is pretty solid – you can see the progression in Dan’s style when comparing it to books like Savage, but that in itself isn’t fair, the book should be viewed on its own merits, not in comparison, although that’s almost impossible given my love of Soule’s Savage. I think the build and emotional content were almost too much for me (too long), but again I like my violence and sudden shock trauma. This is a slow psychological build with trauma at its defining end. Dan has written a book with nasty characters – the father is a sleazeball. The bullies have all the luck. The main bad guy is a dick and doesn’t know how to treat women – I guess I’m saying that the bad guys are easy to hate, Dan’s painted the novel with easy-to-emote characters. You’ll bleed with Rob, feel for him. It’s easy to invest in the book. The Witchopper herself is mainly an impotent threat until she isn’t – she’s scaring the characters and doing her thing like the woman from that Ring film, but as far as actually killing goes, she took her time.
I liked this, I liked the setup. I liked the characters, I liked the exploration of emotion – and how badly a budding love story can be killed in the bud by malicious enemies. It’s worthy of a 4 ⭐ ‘s – I think it pales somewhat against Dan’s later work, which is pretty much clear – given the strength of them – but it holds its own.
Looking forward to The Jam – up next on my Soule radar.
July 20, 2020
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
Dan Soule is an author I connected with a while back on Twitter. His novel ‘Neolithica‘ was highly recommended to me by both Ross Jeffery and Joseph Sale, but, unfortunately, with how swamped I was at the time with review requests, I didn’t get to reading it. When ‘Witchopper‘ was announced, I was immediately intrigued. Look at that cover! That is a thing of beauty. Add in the premise of a horror-folklore story and I’m hooked. I’ll be diving into ‘Neolithica‘ here now shortly, as well.
What I liked: While the premise is simple in it’s set up, trust me when I say, this book has layers. Meet Rob. Rob is a teen, struggling to fit in at school, moved away from his friend’s when his dad takes a new job. His dad is a journalist. Always up for following the story, going where it takes you. But Rob and his dad are struggling to keep some semblance of a relationship.
This relationship dynamic adds a significant amount of tension and one thing I enjoyed was it grounded the story in the here and now, especially when the curse of the Witchopper begins to wrap its talons around the story itself.
Soule crafted a fantastic take on this folklore story – truthfully, I don’t know if the Witchopper is a real being in history, I haven’t wanted to Google it all, simply because I don’t want to spoil any of the charm Soule conjured within this book.
What I didn’t like: At first, I wasn’t too keen on the Father-Son dynamic, it felt a bit rushed at the beginning, but that worked itself out shortly thereafter. The book goes full slow burn at the start, which may be tougher for some folks who don’t do well with slower beginnings, but the payoff is worth it.
Why you should buy it: Soule is a fantastic writer and ‘Witchopper‘ is a worthy addition to the growing list of folklore horror. While I haven’t seen the movie ‘Midsommer‘ which is listed on the synopsis as a comparison, I definitely see the influence of the seminal ‘The Wicker Man,’ which should be all you need to know to decide if you want to dive into this fantastic book!
Dan Soule is an author I connected with a while back on Twitter. His novel ‘Neolithica‘ was highly recommended to me by both Ross Jeffery and Joseph Sale, but, unfortunately, with how swamped I was at the time with review requests, I didn’t get to reading it. When ‘Witchopper‘ was announced, I was immediately intrigued. Look at that cover! That is a thing of beauty. Add in the premise of a horror-folklore story and I’m hooked. I’ll be diving into ‘Neolithica‘ here now shortly, as well.
What I liked: While the premise is simple in it’s set up, trust me when I say, this book has layers. Meet Rob. Rob is a teen, struggling to fit in at school, moved away from his friend’s when his dad takes a new job. His dad is a journalist. Always up for following the story, going where it takes you. But Rob and his dad are struggling to keep some semblance of a relationship.
This relationship dynamic adds a significant amount of tension and one thing I enjoyed was it grounded the story in the here and now, especially when the curse of the Witchopper begins to wrap its talons around the story itself.
Soule crafted a fantastic take on this folklore story – truthfully, I don’t know if the Witchopper is a real being in history, I haven’t wanted to Google it all, simply because I don’t want to spoil any of the charm Soule conjured within this book.
What I didn’t like: At first, I wasn’t too keen on the Father-Son dynamic, it felt a bit rushed at the beginning, but that worked itself out shortly thereafter. The book goes full slow burn at the start, which may be tougher for some folks who don’t do well with slower beginnings, but the payoff is worth it.
Why you should buy it: Soule is a fantastic writer and ‘Witchopper‘ is a worthy addition to the growing list of folklore horror. While I haven’t seen the movie ‘Midsommer‘ which is listed on the synopsis as a comparison, I definitely see the influence of the seminal ‘The Wicker Man,’ which should be all you need to know to decide if you want to dive into this fantastic book!
April 22, 2023
I read Witchopper recently and loved it - very creepy, with compelling characters and a plot that pulls you in and won't let you go until you reach the end. Might make you see those playground games from your childhood in a much more eerie light! If you haven’t read it yet, then put this wonderfully spine-chilling story straight to the top of your reading list.
March 13, 2022
As a couple of other reviewers have mentioned, I got this off Bookbub, intrigued by the cover and by the premise—folklore/historical horror with battles of technology and religion? Sign me up! And, let me let you, this did not disappoint.
How a book manages to be both lyrical and gritty, I couldn’t really tell you, but this one pulls it off. We get to see virtually the entire range of human emotions, told with beautiful and sometimes heart-rending compassion….or with the brutality of hate and jealously and rage. There are victims, monsters, monsters who are victims, and victims who are monsters. And through it, our main protagonists—two of them teenagers—are human, flawed and mortal. Richard is a cheating husband, an absent father, a brilliant worker, and a lost soul looking for personal redemption, if it’s available, but ultimately to secure his family’s safety. Rob is a teenage boy, with all of the rage, hormones, and bad decisions that accompany that state of being, but he also fights hard for his life and his family, taking on adult responsibilities when the adults around him fail. Julie is a teenage girl, looking for love in (literally) all the wrong places, victimized by the desires of others, but finally taking control of her own power and destiny.
And of course, our villain/victim Mary Hopper, the center around which all the spokes on the wheel turn.
This is a bone-chilling read, excruciating in detail, and written with the love of a place and people so deep that I wanted to pack my bags and go there, and leave my own offerings at the willow. I will be looking for the rest of Dan Soule’s books….and I will be leaving the lights on while I read them.
Trigger warning for: sexual assault, domestic violence, body horror, and BUGS, SO MANY BUGS.
How a book manages to be both lyrical and gritty, I couldn’t really tell you, but this one pulls it off. We get to see virtually the entire range of human emotions, told with beautiful and sometimes heart-rending compassion….or with the brutality of hate and jealously and rage. There are victims, monsters, monsters who are victims, and victims who are monsters. And through it, our main protagonists—two of them teenagers—are human, flawed and mortal. Richard is a cheating husband, an absent father, a brilliant worker, and a lost soul looking for personal redemption, if it’s available, but ultimately to secure his family’s safety. Rob is a teenage boy, with all of the rage, hormones, and bad decisions that accompany that state of being, but he also fights hard for his life and his family, taking on adult responsibilities when the adults around him fail. Julie is a teenage girl, looking for love in (literally) all the wrong places, victimized by the desires of others, but finally taking control of her own power and destiny.
And of course, our villain/victim Mary Hopper, the center around which all the spokes on the wheel turn.
This is a bone-chilling read, excruciating in detail, and written with the love of a place and people so deep that I wanted to pack my bags and go there, and leave my own offerings at the willow. I will be looking for the rest of Dan Soule’s books….and I will be leaving the lights on while I read them.
Trigger warning for: sexual assault, domestic violence, body horror, and BUGS, SO MANY BUGS.
August 5, 2022
S
Absolutely brilliant! I've never read a horror story so good and no duplication of any other story I've heard of or read. Definitely a must read
Absolutely brilliant! I've never read a horror story so good and no duplication of any other story I've heard of or read. Definitely a must read
March 10, 2022
I LOVED IT! Now to be honest, if I could have given WITCHOPPER 4.5 stars. . . I would have. The reason? It was kind of hard to get into the story at the beginning. BUT, don't let that put you off on reading this one. Stick with it, because I think you will REALLY enjoy it.
July 13, 2020
The Witchopper starts off with a group of children singing the creepy Witchopper nursery rhyme opening. I could see and hear the creepy scene in my head, which was a foreshadowing of what might lie ahead for the story.
Richard and Jane have moved to a small town in Nottingham to have a new start and rescue their marriage. Their teenage son Rob is dragged along and forced to endure the torture of fitting in at a new school. Journalist Richard hears the local legend of the Witchopper and investigates with Rob in tow. A mysterious sighting of a grey-haired hag starts a spiral into terror for the father and son.
Witchopper is a scary folk horror that I would love to see made into a movie. The story was cinematic and the imagery was powerful and colourful.
The story is told in two timelines. The historical tale of Mary Hooper, the so-called Witchopper is woven throughout the book. Her story is sad and brutal. There are elements of urban legends and witchcraft, which I enjoyed.
The relationships and characters in this book are realistic. The alienation of Rob’s move, while also trying to make friends adds to his isolation. Both the current and former inhabitants of the town seem somewhat disturbed. The sins of the past taint the future of the town and those unlucky enough to relocate there.
To summarise, Witchopper is well-written, scary and action packed. There is gore, blood and pus by the bucket load. The pace of the book keeps the reader gripped and ramps up to a devestating and climactic ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Richard and Jane have moved to a small town in Nottingham to have a new start and rescue their marriage. Their teenage son Rob is dragged along and forced to endure the torture of fitting in at a new school. Journalist Richard hears the local legend of the Witchopper and investigates with Rob in tow. A mysterious sighting of a grey-haired hag starts a spiral into terror for the father and son.
Witchopper is a scary folk horror that I would love to see made into a movie. The story was cinematic and the imagery was powerful and colourful.
The story is told in two timelines. The historical tale of Mary Hooper, the so-called Witchopper is woven throughout the book. Her story is sad and brutal. There are elements of urban legends and witchcraft, which I enjoyed.
The relationships and characters in this book are realistic. The alienation of Rob’s move, while also trying to make friends adds to his isolation. Both the current and former inhabitants of the town seem somewhat disturbed. The sins of the past taint the future of the town and those unlucky enough to relocate there.
To summarise, Witchopper is well-written, scary and action packed. There is gore, blood and pus by the bucket load. The pace of the book keeps the reader gripped and ramps up to a devestating and climactic ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 13, 2020
This book is absolutely impossible to put down. Dan Soule sure knows how to capture us and keep us prisonner in his narrative so that a short night of sleep is ahead as well as constant anxiety if we dare to leave the book to go, say eat or wash the dishes.
I had a ball reading this book in which it is the story of a journalist, trying to put his family back together and getting closer to his son, ends up following a story of the Witchopper, but ends up getting much more than he previously thought he would have to deal with, putting the very life of his son in danger in the process.
If you have read previous books by Dan Soule, you will find common themes and an obsession for you reader to finish his book in one sitting. Trust me, there is no other way of doing it.
I had a ball reading this book in which it is the story of a journalist, trying to put his family back together and getting closer to his son, ends up following a story of the Witchopper, but ends up getting much more than he previously thought he would have to deal with, putting the very life of his son in danger in the process.
If you have read previous books by Dan Soule, you will find common themes and an obsession for you reader to finish his book in one sitting. Trust me, there is no other way of doing it.
February 20, 2022
Far too much teen angst and nowhere near enough horror. The last 15% was pretty great but up until that point it read like a generic (decent) thriller. The dialogue was excellent though -very realistic - and there was a brilliant scene with Jason and Ally and the PE teacher that genuinely had me laughing out loud.
However i wanted a horror book, one that explored the relationship between father and son, as the blurb advertised. The dad's not really in it and their relationship is non existent. Again, it eould fit a thriller really well.
The twists were pretty predictable but okay. Not terrible, not great. I did love all the time spent in the past though - that had a lot more horror than the present.
However i wanted a horror book, one that explored the relationship between father and son, as the blurb advertised. The dad's not really in it and their relationship is non existent. Again, it eould fit a thriller really well.
The twists were pretty predictable but okay. Not terrible, not great. I did love all the time spent in the past though - that had a lot more horror than the present.
January 19, 2022
Folk horror is a sub genre I enjoy and this is one of the best I've read. A troubled family move from London to the countryside. The story concentrates on the deeply flawed father, and his son trying to adjust to life in a new environment. The story is told from multiple viewpoints with some flashbacks to the past as the origin of the Witchopper herself is explored. A child's nursery rhyme says of the Witchopper that if she sees you, you will soon die, and both both father and son have been seen.
Quite long for a horror novel, I flew through this. Soule skillfully juggles various subplots and builds up a wonderful sense of first the characters' unease and then terror as the curse unfolds. Highly recommended.
Quite long for a horror novel, I flew through this. Soule skillfully juggles various subplots and builds up a wonderful sense of first the characters' unease and then terror as the curse unfolds. Highly recommended.
February 3, 2022
Unbelievable Fantasy
I would recommend this book for anyone with an open mind and searching for an exciting read that will take you way into the realm of witchery and the struggle between good and evil. This story has some very grim scenes that are very explicit and not for the faint of heart. The writing is well plotted and holds your interest. It is memorable which may be understated. The characters are well developed and I was pulled in by them, whether I loved them or hated them. I have ordered more of Dan Doyle's books.
I would recommend this book for anyone with an open mind and searching for an exciting read that will take you way into the realm of witchery and the struggle between good and evil. This story has some very grim scenes that are very explicit and not for the faint of heart. The writing is well plotted and holds your interest. It is memorable which may be understated. The characters are well developed and I was pulled in by them, whether I loved them or hated them. I have ordered more of Dan Doyle's books.
April 24, 2022
Earth magic and folklore!
This was a well constructed but, hard to read, story of ancient magic, woodland gods and a 200 year old curse. Teenage angst, sexual awakening and unbridled passion, leads to an explosion of death and mayhem in a quiet English market town. In the end love conquers all and our modern day Cinderella finds true love and happiness as her magical powers evolve. How would I classify this story? Part horror and part family tragedy, with a touch of Wiccan mythology. Hard to read it may have been but it was well worth persevering with.
This was a well constructed but, hard to read, story of ancient magic, woodland gods and a 200 year old curse. Teenage angst, sexual awakening and unbridled passion, leads to an explosion of death and mayhem in a quiet English market town. In the end love conquers all and our modern day Cinderella finds true love and happiness as her magical powers evolve. How would I classify this story? Part horror and part family tragedy, with a touch of Wiccan mythology. Hard to read it may have been but it was well worth persevering with.
July 14, 2020
It is an amazing book! I will be honest with you, I only slept an hour last night because at first I didn't want to stop reading, and then I was harassed by nightmares haha fancy that. I never usually get nightmares from horror stories. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
March 10, 2022
I had such high hopes for this book but it dragged along with tennage problems and was a slow long drama, with no horror. Then it had a predictable teenybopper ending.
February 19, 2022
When are standard tropes not standard?
When the characters show interesting development. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot from this--the title alone kept annoying me--thinking it would be kind of book equivalent of a candy bar instead of a meal, but despite familiar tropes--teen angst, bullying, and more--the writer gives them more texture, the story has some not quite expected turns and the ending was satisfying.
When the characters show interesting development. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting a lot from this--the title alone kept annoying me--thinking it would be kind of book equivalent of a candy bar instead of a meal, but despite familiar tropes--teen angst, bullying, and more--the writer gives them more texture, the story has some not quite expected turns and the ending was satisfying.
February 1, 2023
Well shit, that was a ride. Dan Soule has the goods. This felt like John Saul with extra bite. Most importantly though, it’s legit scary. Score this off as another win for the indie writing community.
You have a new fan Mr Soule.
You have a new fan Mr Soule.
October 6, 2022
RE: the scene where the 16 year old girl is getting ready for a date. Deodorant does not sting when applied to freshly shaved armpits. And what 16 year old girl would struggle putting on a bra? Does Soule not have a single friend with breasts or shaved armpits who would beta read for him?
I gave this to page 67 and I can't handle any more of this drivel. The only thing I hate more than guy-who-won't-stop-cheating-on-his-wife is teen-boy-who-can't-speak-around-hot-girl and this book managed both.
I gave this to page 67 and I can't handle any more of this drivel. The only thing I hate more than guy-who-won't-stop-cheating-on-his-wife is teen-boy-who-can't-speak-around-hot-girl and this book managed both.
August 12, 2022
Good spooky thriller
I didn’t want to put this down. Could have been a Stephen King book. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Will pick up the next book in this 5 part series.
I didn’t want to put this down. Could have been a Stephen King book. Thoroughly enjoyed reading. Will pick up the next book in this 5 part series.
February 8, 2022
It's creepy in a good way!
Loved the story, it had plenty scary stuff to keep interested, good old fashioned horror with a modern twist.. I will be reading more by the author.
Loved the story, it had plenty scary stuff to keep interested, good old fashioned horror with a modern twist.. I will be reading more by the author.
February 7, 2022
Folk Horror at its Best
A riveting tale with unforgettable characters in a horror story that was decades in the making. Love and horror often seem to go hand in hand, as does hate and horror. The story will make you rethink children's rhyming games. A great read.
A riveting tale with unforgettable characters in a horror story that was decades in the making. Love and horror often seem to go hand in hand, as does hate and horror. The story will make you rethink children's rhyming games. A great read.
February 7, 2022
The story was very fun, mixing 1820's witches and folklore with present day lives intersecting the storyline.
It was a wonderful read, looking forward to reading more of this author.
It was a wonderful read, looking forward to reading more of this author.
December 20, 2021
I've been to Southwell, pronounced Suthell round here and it is a bit of a stretch to think anything like this could happen there. It is a good story though, a bit heavy on the graphic description of injuries and some of the characters take a bit of believing but Rob and Julie have their happy ending along with their friends and all the baddies get their come uppance so all is right with the world.
January 14, 2022
This one definitely stands out from the pack of folk horror/ horror, thrillers.
Its a beautiful crafted blend of modern themes and ideas.
Merry Hoppers flashback are soul touching and heard breaking at the same time.
The kids are portrayed very well, yes there are some stereotypes here and there, but overall it keeps the plot running smoothly.
Fantastic pacing and story development.
I really enjoyed that read! Well done.
Its a beautiful crafted blend of modern themes and ideas.
Merry Hoppers flashback are soul touching and heard breaking at the same time.
The kids are portrayed very well, yes there are some stereotypes here and there, but overall it keeps the plot running smoothly.
Fantastic pacing and story development.
I really enjoyed that read! Well done.
August 15, 2020
Enjoyed it
Something different to my normal reading but enjoyed it, interesting idea for a story, well developed characters and an easy read
Something different to my normal reading but enjoyed it, interesting idea for a story, well developed characters and an easy read
May 27, 2021
Excellent book. The only comment I have is the disappointing ending. I was hoping for something different. Nonetheless, it was an excellent book that I recommend to any horror book enthusiasts.
September 25, 2023
Holds your interest throughout!
I was glued to this book from beginning to end! My interest never wavered. Can't wait to read more from this talented author.
I was glued to this book from beginning to end! My interest never wavered. Can't wait to read more from this talented author.
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