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Memories are like ghosts. They linger in doorways, whisper with the howling wind when lightning strikes. They are the dark phantoms of my youth. My mind buried my memories for good reason, and I spent forty years believing I could escape them.
Until with one phone call, I found myself in my childhood home: Hardacre Priory.
I knew from the first step through the door that it was all over. The forgotten events of 1979 leapt to the surface and screamed their truths. Everything I thought to be true was a lie.
Entering those halls was an open invitation…
Not for me, but for every ill wish, vengeful thought, and dark deed that ever existed.
Until with one phone call, I found myself in my childhood home: Hardacre Priory.
I knew from the first step through the door that it was all over. The forgotten events of 1979 leapt to the surface and screamed their truths. Everything I thought to be true was a lie.
Entering those halls was an open invitation…
Not for me, but for every ill wish, vengeful thought, and dark deed that ever existed.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 14, 2021
16 people are currently reading
283 people want to read
About the author
Becky Wright
8 books152 followersBecky Wright is an author with a passion for Gothic literature, history, the supernatural and things that go bump in the night. She lives in the heart of the Suffolk countryside, surrounded by rolling fields, picturesque timber-framed villages, rural churches, and many haunted houses. With her inherent fascination for the macabre, her writing leans towards the dark side.
www.beckywrightauthor.com
www.beckywrightauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 21, 2021
I was lucky enough to read an early version of Priory, book one in Becky Wright's Oliver Hardacre series.
Written in two timelines, 1979 and the present day, the story is centred around Oliver Hardacre, a well-known writer living in Whitby, a small town clinging to the North Yorkshire coastline. A perfect place for a writer who shuns the limelight. But Oliver is doing more than hiding away from adoring fans, he is hiding away from a childhood wracked with grief and terror.
Oliver is the last Hardacre and he has a childhood home he would rather forget existed. But Hardacre Priory is waiting, as it always has, and now it is calling him home....
You'll know from my reviews that I love Becky's work. It's that perfect blend of gothic and history that feeds my soul, and Priory is no exception.
Wonderful multi-layered characters, a setting that makes my dark heart sing, and a twisting storyline filled with secrets and the dark claws of inevitability.
Pre-order this one now for its September release. It's an excellent addition to your autumn reading list!
Written in two timelines, 1979 and the present day, the story is centred around Oliver Hardacre, a well-known writer living in Whitby, a small town clinging to the North Yorkshire coastline. A perfect place for a writer who shuns the limelight. But Oliver is doing more than hiding away from adoring fans, he is hiding away from a childhood wracked with grief and terror.
Oliver is the last Hardacre and he has a childhood home he would rather forget existed. But Hardacre Priory is waiting, as it always has, and now it is calling him home....
You'll know from my reviews that I love Becky's work. It's that perfect blend of gothic and history that feeds my soul, and Priory is no exception.
Wonderful multi-layered characters, a setting that makes my dark heart sing, and a twisting storyline filled with secrets and the dark claws of inevitability.
Pre-order this one now for its September release. It's an excellent addition to your autumn reading list!
October 30, 2021
Oliver Hardacre is the last in the Hardacre family line. He’s made a successful career as an author, writing under a different name and staying well out of sight. He has forgotten/suppressed much of his childhood but when he’s driven to revisit the family estate that is now his, he discovers just what he’s inherited.
It’s no surprise that I loved this gothic tale. Quiet horror is my favorite and the author has really outdone herself here. The Priory itself is a masterpiece of a haunted house, stuck in perpetual winter and not as empty as it should be. I made the mistake of picking this up in the middle of a busy work week and had to settle for reading it a little at a time when I just wanted to binge read instead.
Highly recommended!
It’s no surprise that I loved this gothic tale. Quiet horror is my favorite and the author has really outdone herself here. The Priory itself is a masterpiece of a haunted house, stuck in perpetual winter and not as empty as it should be. I made the mistake of picking this up in the middle of a busy work week and had to settle for reading it a little at a time when I just wanted to binge read instead.
Highly recommended!
September 14, 2021
PRIORY is OUT NOW!
December 15, 2022
This book is so full of atmosphere you will feel that you are there. In fact, you will shudder with the characters especially when you realise what is going on.
I looked for a book that would give me something more than just reading the words. I needed to experience the story and to feel the author's passion. I wanted a book that would come alive in my hands.
I chose Becky Wright because she is also an editor. She understands how words need to be shown and not just told.
**Have you ever touched the wood of an old door, stepped into the shadows, stepped into the cool shadows of a timeworn hallway, and sensed them - those who were here before you?**
As soon as I read that, I knew I was off to a great start. This is what I wanted. The author has a wonderful way of painting a description that you can identify with.
I looked for a book that would give me something more than just reading the words. I needed to experience the story and to feel the author's passion. I wanted a book that would come alive in my hands.
I chose Becky Wright because she is also an editor. She understands how words need to be shown and not just told.
**Have you ever touched the wood of an old door, stepped into the shadows, stepped into the cool shadows of a timeworn hallway, and sensed them - those who were here before you?**
As soon as I read that, I knew I was off to a great start. This is what I wanted. The author has a wonderful way of painting a description that you can identify with.
March 12, 2022
I was relieved this wasn't a mega scary, jump scare type story.
Instead, we get drip fed the evil which seeps out of The Priory. A lurking dread which doesn't leave for the duration of the book.
There are a few characters who leave you wondering whose side they're really on.
What is certain is that there is a danger the mother and her two twin boys will need to battle.
Beautifully written, almost poetic in its descriptions.
A captivating, creepy read!
Instead, we get drip fed the evil which seeps out of The Priory. A lurking dread which doesn't leave for the duration of the book.
There are a few characters who leave you wondering whose side they're really on.
What is certain is that there is a danger the mother and her two twin boys will need to battle.
Beautifully written, almost poetic in its descriptions.
A captivating, creepy read!
November 8, 2021
A creepy gothic tale whose haunting imagery will lurk in the shadows of the reader’s imagination long after the last word.
October 14, 2021
‘That sweep of the clock hands when the winter afternoon yawns into twilight. Afore the thickness and concealment of evening and the inevitable nightfall, when the Priory’s rooms are dressed in vague light blurred at the edges. Silhouettes hover, and apparitions dance with the dust. Those that hide by the light step out of the shadows. Hardacre Priory inhales, filling its chamber lungs and hall veins with the consciousness of the past. The dead rise and the living fall prey . . . or become hunters.’
Priory is an exquisitely spooky read from the first page to the last. It will shower you with goosebumps, conjure movements from the corners of your room, and make you flinch at every innocuous shadow. Foreboding hits you from the beginning, and as a fan of Wright’s work, I knew those portents would take deadly form.
Wright slowly reveals the history behind the Hardacres reign in Priory, teasing with whiffs of the horror played out within its possessed walls. Oliver Hardacre’s torment has solid foundations, and while I really wanted to know exactly why he dreaded his return home, I also really didn’t. But Wright lures the reader in, dangling hope and promise, even though the chance of either seems impossible.
Don’t expect to pick up this book and read just a few chapters at a time; it’s impossible. With Wright’s evocative writing, the descent into horror, and the plight of her characters, you’ll be hooked right in. As the first in this series, I didn’t suffer the usual sadness when I reached the end of Priory. I’m as reluctant as I am hungry to see where Wright takes the Hardacre family in the next instalment.
Beautifully written, perfectly creepy and deliciously more-ish, Priory gets a spectre-tacular five stars.
Priory is an exquisitely spooky read from the first page to the last. It will shower you with goosebumps, conjure movements from the corners of your room, and make you flinch at every innocuous shadow. Foreboding hits you from the beginning, and as a fan of Wright’s work, I knew those portents would take deadly form.
Wright slowly reveals the history behind the Hardacres reign in Priory, teasing with whiffs of the horror played out within its possessed walls. Oliver Hardacre’s torment has solid foundations, and while I really wanted to know exactly why he dreaded his return home, I also really didn’t. But Wright lures the reader in, dangling hope and promise, even though the chance of either seems impossible.
Don’t expect to pick up this book and read just a few chapters at a time; it’s impossible. With Wright’s evocative writing, the descent into horror, and the plight of her characters, you’ll be hooked right in. As the first in this series, I didn’t suffer the usual sadness when I reached the end of Priory. I’m as reluctant as I am hungry to see where Wright takes the Hardacre family in the next instalment.
Beautifully written, perfectly creepy and deliciously more-ish, Priory gets a spectre-tacular five stars.
October 20, 2021
4.5 stars overall, and I'll explain my one little niggle below.
First off, that cover! I absolutely loved it and the title drew me in immediately. I adore historical fiction with a dark leaning and Priory certainly fits the bill.
The story opened really well, with a phone call that establishes the mystery concerning the MC's past. I was also drawn to the fact that the MC was an author himself, always a bonus.
The book then revisits the past for a large chunk of the story. This section oozed with atmosphere and supernatural events. The setting was portrayed vividly, immersing the reader in the story. The one small issue I had though, was that I wasn't able to empathize with Nancy (the boys' mother) who is really the main character of this section. I found her lack of control and indecision annoying. Having said that, it might just be me. I'm sure others will immerse themselves in her predicament and feel otherwise.
I loved the twist that came towards the end and the way in which the author managed to make this story feel rounded while at the same time setting it up for a sequel.
A recommended read, especially suitable for autumn/winter.
First off, that cover! I absolutely loved it and the title drew me in immediately. I adore historical fiction with a dark leaning and Priory certainly fits the bill.
The story opened really well, with a phone call that establishes the mystery concerning the MC's past. I was also drawn to the fact that the MC was an author himself, always a bonus.
The book then revisits the past for a large chunk of the story. This section oozed with atmosphere and supernatural events. The setting was portrayed vividly, immersing the reader in the story. The one small issue I had though, was that I wasn't able to empathize with Nancy (the boys' mother) who is really the main character of this section. I found her lack of control and indecision annoying. Having said that, it might just be me. I'm sure others will immerse themselves in her predicament and feel otherwise.
I loved the twist that came towards the end and the way in which the author managed to make this story feel rounded while at the same time setting it up for a sequel.
A recommended read, especially suitable for autumn/winter.
December 5, 2021
Priory captivated me from the very first pages. Steeped in quiet, gothic horror, this is a beautifully written ghost story centering the scion of a well-to-do British family and the crumbling estate bequeathed to him.
When Oliver Hardacre returns to his childhood home, he confronts many things: his grief, his guilt, and the memories of a youth spent haunted by the shadow of an ancestral country house where, historically, the children in his family have not fared well.
Conveyed in dual POV—Oliver’s eyes in the present and his mother’s in the past—Wright’s immersive and haunting tale takes root in your psyche as deeply as the gnarled roots of the ancient oak tree outside Hardacre Priory. The perfect read as the cold, dark nights draw in. Harrowing and lyrical.
When Oliver Hardacre returns to his childhood home, he confronts many things: his grief, his guilt, and the memories of a youth spent haunted by the shadow of an ancestral country house where, historically, the children in his family have not fared well.
Conveyed in dual POV—Oliver’s eyes in the present and his mother’s in the past—Wright’s immersive and haunting tale takes root in your psyche as deeply as the gnarled roots of the ancient oak tree outside Hardacre Priory. The perfect read as the cold, dark nights draw in. Harrowing and lyrical.
October 18, 2021
Priory is a slow-burn gothic-style scary story that builds to something that will chill you to the bone. Although it begins in a genre familiar way--adult protagonist called back to ancestral home years after leaving due to unspeakable childhood tragedy--what happens next is fresh and truly terrifying. Through the author's skill for creating a genuinely creepy ambiance, Hardacre Priory will pull you right into all of its secrets and horrors, raising the hairs on the back of your neck with its things that go bump in the night. The perfect book for a gloomy October day! (Or night, if you're brave!)
October 18, 2021
Priory - first in the Oliver Hardacre series.
Built on the site of a desecrated Priory the Hardacre family home is haunted by a well of angry malevolence and seems suspended in eternal winter.
Oliver the last heir of the Hardacres is summoned by a curious firm of solicitors, agents to the family, to take up his inheritance. Against his better judgment Oliver returns to the family home to face his own truth and the bitter secrets that lie therein.
This is a hugely enjoyable novel in the gothic horror style - anyone who likes the tense interplay of conflicting energies, a feud that spans centuries, and lost souls in torment, will love this eerie but enthralling read by Becky Wright.
Built on the site of a desecrated Priory the Hardacre family home is haunted by a well of angry malevolence and seems suspended in eternal winter.
Oliver the last heir of the Hardacres is summoned by a curious firm of solicitors, agents to the family, to take up his inheritance. Against his better judgment Oliver returns to the family home to face his own truth and the bitter secrets that lie therein.
This is a hugely enjoyable novel in the gothic horror style - anyone who likes the tense interplay of conflicting energies, a feud that spans centuries, and lost souls in torment, will love this eerie but enthralling read by Becky Wright.
February 8, 2022
Brillant!
Believe it or not I'm 41 and this is my first introduction to the modern horror genre and I couldn't have wished for a better one. Becky Wright writes beautifully, totally capturing both the mood and atmosphere of every scene. Each character has a distinct purpose and a unique individuality all contributing to an intriguing and at times heartbreaking story.
Cannot wait to see what the second instalment brings.
I really enjoyed this book and now I get to record it!
Believe it or not I'm 41 and this is my first introduction to the modern horror genre and I couldn't have wished for a better one. Becky Wright writes beautifully, totally capturing both the mood and atmosphere of every scene. Each character has a distinct purpose and a unique individuality all contributing to an intriguing and at times heartbreaking story.
Cannot wait to see what the second instalment brings.
I really enjoyed this book and now I get to record it!
September 14, 2021
I was lucky to read this prior to release, and it’s a book I keep thinking about. Marvelously gothic. The tension builds at once and does not let go. If you enjoy gothic suspense and quiet horror, PRIORY is a must-read.
January 7, 2023
Wow!!! Beautifully written, love everything about this story , I couldn’t put it down , interesting mystery and ghost elements as well , honestly full of surprises, one of my favourite book in 2022 , ❤️😊
October 28, 2021
Renowned author Oliver Hardacre hid from a terrible memory most of his life. When he receives an enigmatic message recalling him to the infamous Priory, he returns to face an ancient evil and the terrifying truths behind the loss of his twin and centuries of family tragedy.
The Priory is an extraordinary juxtaposition of lyrical writing, in a manner reminiscent of Stoker or Shelley, and modern psychological thriller. Whilst still a ghost story, the narrative is less terrifying than it is a gathering sense of dark fate allied to grief and loss. Which is not to say it doesn't have its nasty moments.
If you're looking for a shocking horror, however, this isn't it. The Priory is more about the spiral of evil and painful destiny winding its way around the characters until it drags them into its clutches. Much like the ghastly oak tree standing guard over the destruction of hope.
The Priory is an extraordinary juxtaposition of lyrical writing, in a manner reminiscent of Stoker or Shelley, and modern psychological thriller. Whilst still a ghost story, the narrative is less terrifying than it is a gathering sense of dark fate allied to grief and loss. Which is not to say it doesn't have its nasty moments.
If you're looking for a shocking horror, however, this isn't it. The Priory is more about the spiral of evil and painful destiny winding its way around the characters until it drags them into its clutches. Much like the ghastly oak tree standing guard over the destruction of hope.
October 27, 2021
Review to follow
March 4, 2022
I read Priory as a part of an Indie Author Book Club. When reading this review please not this is not a genre I would normally pick up. But I'm always looking to try something new.
What I loved
- the characters and the family dynamics
- the use of language throughout is hauntingly beautiful
- I saw something things before they happened but the ending was still very much a surprise
What I had difficulties with
- the point of view of the epilogue took me two read throughs to figure out which character it was coming from
- when things got chaotic I had trouble following the action and knowing what was happening - I wonder if this is a genre thing
- I was left with questions and some sense I have missed some details
Overall a very enjoyable read. Glad I took a chance on this book.
What I loved
- the characters and the family dynamics
- the use of language throughout is hauntingly beautiful
- I saw something things before they happened but the ending was still very much a surprise
What I had difficulties with
- the point of view of the epilogue took me two read throughs to figure out which character it was coming from
- when things got chaotic I had trouble following the action and knowing what was happening - I wonder if this is a genre thing
- I was left with questions and some sense I have missed some details
Overall a very enjoyable read. Glad I took a chance on this book.
August 13, 2021
This is a book that is officially classified as horror – but that’s not a good fit - as it’s not what I would think of as being a typical horror read. What it is though is tense, suspenseful, engrossing, and utterly absorbing in a spine chilling, “goosebumps tingling down the arms”, kind of way.
Written in the Victorian Gothic literary style that this author honed to perfection in her books “Mr Stoker & I” and “The Final Act of Mercy Dove”, this is a deliciously slow and mesmerising read that gradually enfolds you in a sticky web of vague suspicions and sinister intentions that build until you are totally in its grip and gobbling up the words like a starving man falling upon his first meal in weeks.
Beginning in contemporary Whitby with reclusive writer Oliver Hardacre, we are immediately aware that all is not as it should be within this enigmatic man’s life. That secrets from his past are ever waiting to coil out from the skirting boards, wrap skeletal fingers around his ankles, and drag him back to where it all began…
Hardacre Priory…
Brooding, mysterious, unwelcoming, it squats in solitude in the depths of rural Suffolk … waiting … for what? For Oliver maybe? His family’s ancestral home, why does Oliver avoid it? Why does it take a letter from a stranger pertaining to events in his past that Oliver believed only he was privy to, to force his unwilling feet to tread the long driveway home once again?
Flitting effortlessly between the events of Oliver’s last visit there with his mother in the 1970s to his reluctant homecoming now, the sense of threat and peril intensifies with every meaning-laden word and imagined sighting from the corner of one’s eye.
And that is the main strength of this book and this author, that power of suggestion. Ms Wright has a unique way of planting a seed of an idea in the reader’s mind and then sitting back with a smirk of power as the reader’s imagination tends and waters this idea until its tendrils creep through the brain like bindweed.
Brilliantly evocative, beautifully written, the author has outdone herself with this deliciously dark and subtly creepy read of a man daring to open the memory casket of his past and letting out the things that dwell within.
If you are a brave soul then read alone at night by flickering candlelight, but for those of a nervous disposition, I recommend strong sunlight and the comforting presence of others nearby.
Written in the Victorian Gothic literary style that this author honed to perfection in her books “Mr Stoker & I” and “The Final Act of Mercy Dove”, this is a deliciously slow and mesmerising read that gradually enfolds you in a sticky web of vague suspicions and sinister intentions that build until you are totally in its grip and gobbling up the words like a starving man falling upon his first meal in weeks.
Beginning in contemporary Whitby with reclusive writer Oliver Hardacre, we are immediately aware that all is not as it should be within this enigmatic man’s life. That secrets from his past are ever waiting to coil out from the skirting boards, wrap skeletal fingers around his ankles, and drag him back to where it all began…
Hardacre Priory…
Brooding, mysterious, unwelcoming, it squats in solitude in the depths of rural Suffolk … waiting … for what? For Oliver maybe? His family’s ancestral home, why does Oliver avoid it? Why does it take a letter from a stranger pertaining to events in his past that Oliver believed only he was privy to, to force his unwilling feet to tread the long driveway home once again?
Flitting effortlessly between the events of Oliver’s last visit there with his mother in the 1970s to his reluctant homecoming now, the sense of threat and peril intensifies with every meaning-laden word and imagined sighting from the corner of one’s eye.
And that is the main strength of this book and this author, that power of suggestion. Ms Wright has a unique way of planting a seed of an idea in the reader’s mind and then sitting back with a smirk of power as the reader’s imagination tends and waters this idea until its tendrils creep through the brain like bindweed.
Brilliantly evocative, beautifully written, the author has outdone herself with this deliciously dark and subtly creepy read of a man daring to open the memory casket of his past and letting out the things that dwell within.
If you are a brave soul then read alone at night by flickering candlelight, but for those of a nervous disposition, I recommend strong sunlight and the comforting presence of others nearby.
July 19, 2023
Note: I recently had the opportunity to listen to the Priory and I must say I was captivated from the start. I had read Priory a year ago and loved it. That being said, the audible had taken the story to a whole new level for me. Henry Douthwaite is a perfect fit as narrator for this story. His speech gives this world of the Priory credence by adding an atmospheric nuance to the story. Book or audio? The choice is yours.
Every once in awhile I crave to walk on the dark side for which I’m glad Becky Wright is there to provide me with excellent choices as her books exude with a wide range of vibes.
All of the chills and goosebumps are there causing me to occasionally glance around…what was that? Priory is a slow chiller with a simmering pace which will immerse you most unexpectedly. I found myself gripping the book in a death grip…tethering me in place.
The story is well constructed with complex characters both real and otherwise. Wright has a knack for slowly building characters giving them substance and layers upon layers. The story is twisty, going back and fourth from past to present and back again till it all comes together and sinking in…OMG!
Gothic horror is not my go to read so why do I find myself settling in for an evening of reading with one of Becky Wright’s books? Because they are imaginative and tantalizing reads. I obviously love Wright’s style of Gothic creepy horror because I keep coming back for more.
A SHOCKING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Every once in awhile I crave to walk on the dark side for which I’m glad Becky Wright is there to provide me with excellent choices as her books exude with a wide range of vibes.
All of the chills and goosebumps are there causing me to occasionally glance around…what was that? Priory is a slow chiller with a simmering pace which will immerse you most unexpectedly. I found myself gripping the book in a death grip…tethering me in place.
The story is well constructed with complex characters both real and otherwise. Wright has a knack for slowly building characters giving them substance and layers upon layers. The story is twisty, going back and fourth from past to present and back again till it all comes together and sinking in…OMG!
Gothic horror is not my go to read so why do I find myself settling in for an evening of reading with one of Becky Wright’s books? Because they are imaginative and tantalizing reads. I obviously love Wright’s style of Gothic creepy horror because I keep coming back for more.
A SHOCKING ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 29, 2021
Written in the Gothic literary style that Becky Wright does so well, Priory, is the first book in the Oliver Hardacre series.
This is my favourite book of Becky Wright’s so far. It hooked me from the beginning with its wonderful prose and kept me on a spine-chilling ride the entire time. Not horror as one would expect but a dark, creepy, and frightening read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a typical horror fan, so that’s saying something.
I read some of the book before bed, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that.
However, I unreservedly recommend Priory if you want a dark and eerie read.
I’d like to congratulate Becky Wright on her wonderful book.
A definite 5 Stars.
This is my favourite book of Becky Wright’s so far. It hooked me from the beginning with its wonderful prose and kept me on a spine-chilling ride the entire time. Not horror as one would expect but a dark, creepy, and frightening read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not a typical horror fan, so that’s saying something.
I read some of the book before bed, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that.
However, I unreservedly recommend Priory if you want a dark and eerie read.
I’d like to congratulate Becky Wright on her wonderful book.
A definite 5 Stars.
July 20, 2021
Priory is excitingly book 1 of a series. This book hooked me Oliver Hardacre has successfully avoided the Priory since he was a child. It’s his past and he wants it to remain so, but Hardacre Priory is not simply a home that allows you to ignore it. This story is deeply gothic, spooky and elusive as you try to guess what is about to happen. The story underneath hails from history, something I love and it resonated with me so much. It’s not often I read a story quickly but this one didn’t let me put it down. Beautifully written. It gets under your skin and I can’t wait for book 2
October 30, 2021
This beautifully-written book may have converted me to the gothic novel, something I’ve avoided until now. But this was a real joy to read; incredibly atmospheric, with a skillful use of imagery to convey the essence of an ancient building with its roots, quite literally, in the past. The Priory, a crumbling mansion of mediaeval origin, is a powerful character in this book, a monochrome edifice of cold stone and wintry light that could, in other circumstances, be a place of serene and gentle decay. But there’s a great deal more to the Priory than meets the eye, and the same can be said of its inhabitants, none of whom are quite who or what they appear to be. There's a strong sense of threat running right through the book, and some dramatic images that will remain with me. In particular, I may never see moths in quite the same light again! But the horror is subtle and perhaps all the more powerful for it.
The book is divided into three sections: the present life of a reclusive writer, Oliver Hardacre, then the past that shaped the boy he was into the man he’s become, Much of this latter section is written from the point of view of Oliver’s mother, a really well-drawn character, a woman fiercely determined to protect her twin sons at all costs from the malign influences of The Priory. Finally, after a startling and moving denouement, the reader is taken back to the present where Oliver struggles to face up to the life-changing events of his childhood. The ending is surprising but totally convincing and yet, as all good books do, has a few unanswered questions that leave the reader wondering. Fortunately, a sequel is already in the offing, and having been converted to the gothic novel, I’ll definitely be looking out for it.
The book is divided into three sections: the present life of a reclusive writer, Oliver Hardacre, then the past that shaped the boy he was into the man he’s become, Much of this latter section is written from the point of view of Oliver’s mother, a really well-drawn character, a woman fiercely determined to protect her twin sons at all costs from the malign influences of The Priory. Finally, after a startling and moving denouement, the reader is taken back to the present where Oliver struggles to face up to the life-changing events of his childhood. The ending is surprising but totally convincing and yet, as all good books do, has a few unanswered questions that leave the reader wondering. Fortunately, a sequel is already in the offing, and having been converted to the gothic novel, I’ll definitely be looking out for it.
October 3, 2021
I read Becky Wright's gothic horror novel, PRIORY, and found it an entertaining read. She does a good job pacing the story, keeping things interesting and moving ahead, building momentum as she reveals one secret only to introduce one or two new mysteries. As a bonus, once I finished reading the book I found myself thinking back to certain scenes and thinking how nicely she foreshadowed them, where I only realized their full significance in hindsight, even though the clues were there in front of me the whole time. I love it when authors pull that off!
I also enjoyed how the characters seemed fully realized and human--they were people who were both flawed but at the same time worth rooting for too, both for their strengths and weaknesses. By the end, I had a lump in my throat when certain things worked out the way they did as Wright wrapped up her tragic tale of a haunted estate and an equally haunted family line.
Becky Wright sets up the ending of PRIORY nicely to both give us a satisfactory conclusion while setting the scene for another book in 2022.
If you like gothic, character-driven horror, I would certainly give PRIORY a shot.
I also enjoyed how the characters seemed fully realized and human--they were people who were both flawed but at the same time worth rooting for too, both for their strengths and weaknesses. By the end, I had a lump in my throat when certain things worked out the way they did as Wright wrapped up her tragic tale of a haunted estate and an equally haunted family line.
Becky Wright sets up the ending of PRIORY nicely to both give us a satisfactory conclusion while setting the scene for another book in 2022.
If you like gothic, character-driven horror, I would certainly give PRIORY a shot.
January 21, 2022
Wonderful tale
I was hooked from the beginning. As I read from Oliver pov I knew something g explosive was waiting for him. I was not disappointed. The characters were all solid and everyone played an integral part in the story. There is a twist which had me wide eyed then smiling. A really good read.
I was hooked from the beginning. As I read from Oliver pov I knew something g explosive was waiting for him. I was not disappointed. The characters were all solid and everyone played an integral part in the story. There is a twist which had me wide eyed then smiling. A really good read.
October 13, 2021
What a fantastic read! Deeply atmospheric and captivating. I really can’t wait to find out what book two brings in 2022! Highly recommended!
May 19, 2022
I dove straight into Priory having just experienced Becky's gothic masterpiece, Mr Stoker & I, and it did nothing but solidify my belief in and admiration of her writing.
I found an interesting consistency of tone between the two novels; I felt like there was a signature to her style that would have allowed me to connect the two stories to the same author, and yet I felt like I was being led into an entirely different world from the first book - and I was.
Whereas Mr Stoker and I is essentially a period piece, Priory takes place in two time periods: 1979 and present day. This is a device I thoroughly enjoy, particularly in character-driven stories such as this. We are given such a full, vivid portrait of Oliver Hardacre, made all the more complete with these dual timeframes, and yet Becky still manages to leave us with enough questions so as to set up the novel's sequel, which I believe is coming this year.
Overall I was captivated right up to the last sentence, and as with the previous novel of Becky's I read, was hanging onto every word, straining from the page every last drop of information I could about the fascinating characters within.
A superb job once again from an author whose work you very much deserve in your life.
I found an interesting consistency of tone between the two novels; I felt like there was a signature to her style that would have allowed me to connect the two stories to the same author, and yet I felt like I was being led into an entirely different world from the first book - and I was.
Whereas Mr Stoker and I is essentially a period piece, Priory takes place in two time periods: 1979 and present day. This is a device I thoroughly enjoy, particularly in character-driven stories such as this. We are given such a full, vivid portrait of Oliver Hardacre, made all the more complete with these dual timeframes, and yet Becky still manages to leave us with enough questions so as to set up the novel's sequel, which I believe is coming this year.
Overall I was captivated right up to the last sentence, and as with the previous novel of Becky's I read, was hanging onto every word, straining from the page every last drop of information I could about the fascinating characters within.
A superb job once again from an author whose work you very much deserve in your life.
November 25, 2021
A cursed home. A doomed family. An ancient evil. This novel introduces you to the doomed Hardacre family, and their attempt to escape the priory. A slow burn quiet horror that leads to an explosive finale!
September 30, 2021
Having read other work by Becky Wright I was excited by the release of The Priory. I was not disappointed. Like all good ghost stories, this is also a taut psychological thriller, with the constant sense of dark, uncomfortable truths lurking just out of sight. Oliver Hardacre is a successful writer living in Whitby when out of the blue he is called back to his old family estate in Suffolk. We soon find out why he is so reluctant to return.
The Priory is superbly written. The author has an excellent style that perfectly captures and mirrors the ambiguity and evanescence of the ghosts themselves. Nothing is as it seems in this multi-layered tale. When you assume you know what is happening you soon realise that what you thought is not… what you thought. Thoroughly recommended for all who like a good ghost story for Halloween or Christmas!
The Priory is superbly written. The author has an excellent style that perfectly captures and mirrors the ambiguity and evanescence of the ghosts themselves. Nothing is as it seems in this multi-layered tale. When you assume you know what is happening you soon realise that what you thought is not… what you thought. Thoroughly recommended for all who like a good ghost story for Halloween or Christmas!
August 11, 2021
Priory is the story of Oliver Hardarce's relationship with his childhood home. Don't let this novel's slow burn fool you! The novel is very atmospheric in the beginning but evolves into being psychologically intense with supernatural terrors and a family's endangerment! Lovers of gothic ghost stories (like myself) will enjoy this story's elements of unexplained possessions, a house with its own personality and dark family secrets. Fans of Darcy Coates will definitely appreciate this upcoming novel.
Thanks to the author Becky Wright for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am also posting this review on my blog: http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
Thanks to the author Becky Wright for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am also posting this review on my blog: http://glamorousbookgal.blogspot.com/...
November 22, 2023
Brilliantly evocative, dark and deliciously creepy tale of Gothic horror. The writing is not only beautiful but tense and conveys the evil essence of an ancient building through a dual timeframe. The whole cast of characters is wonderful, in particular Nancy and Lady Hardacre. As for the finale … just wow! I’m glad Book 2 is already out so I can delve further into this chilling series!
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