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What Doesn't Break Us
I take a sip and enter the world of the dead...
As the station prepares to close down for good, DI Georgie Strachan is running out of time to find out what is really going on in Burrowhead and put a stop to it. A deadly drug appears in the small Scottish village, best consumed with the blood of a freshly slaughtered animal. But what does this have to do with the deaths and suicides? And who is responsible for supplying it?
As rituals and threats reach a frantic high, no one wants to speak. It seems the drug is ingrained in the very fabric of the village. Suspects abound as Georgie questions who she can really trust.
Praise for When the Dead Come Calling:
‘Unputdownable... Helen Sedgwick saw into the future and that future is now!' Lemn Sissay, author of My Name Is Why
‘Helen Sedgwick is one of Scotland's finest contemporary storytellers.' Claire Askew, author of All the Hidden Truths
‘Sedgwick's writing is minutely observational, clever and warm.' Scotsman
As the station prepares to close down for good, DI Georgie Strachan is running out of time to find out what is really going on in Burrowhead and put a stop to it. A deadly drug appears in the small Scottish village, best consumed with the blood of a freshly slaughtered animal. But what does this have to do with the deaths and suicides? And who is responsible for supplying it?
As rituals and threats reach a frantic high, no one wants to speak. It seems the drug is ingrained in the very fabric of the village. Suspects abound as Georgie questions who she can really trust.
Praise for When the Dead Come Calling:
‘Unputdownable... Helen Sedgwick saw into the future and that future is now!' Lemn Sissay, author of My Name Is Why
‘Helen Sedgwick is one of Scotland's finest contemporary storytellers.' Claire Askew, author of All the Hidden Truths
‘Sedgwick's writing is minutely observational, clever and warm.' Scotsman
- GenresMystery
416 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2022
6 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Helen Sedgwick
17 books76 followersHelen Sedgwick is the author of The Comet Seekers (Harvill Secker, 2016) and The Growing Season (Harvill Secker, 2017).
Helen has an MLitt in Creative Writing from Glasgow University and has won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. Her debut novel has been published in seven countries including the UK, US and Canada, and was selected as one of the best books of 2016 by The Herald and Glamour. She is represented by Cathryn Summerhayes of Curtis Brown.
As a literary editor, Helen has worked as the managing director of Cargo Publishing and managing editor of Gutter, and she founded Wildland Literary Editors in 2012. Before that, Helen was a research physicist with a PhD in Physics from Edinburgh University.
Helen has an MLitt in Creative Writing from Glasgow University and has won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. Her debut novel has been published in seven countries including the UK, US and Canada, and was selected as one of the best books of 2016 by The Herald and Glamour. She is represented by Cathryn Summerhayes of Curtis Brown.
As a literary editor, Helen has worked as the managing director of Cargo Publishing and managing editor of Gutter, and she founded Wildland Literary Editors in 2012. Before that, Helen was a research physicist with a PhD in Physics from Edinburgh University.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 30, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as partvof the book tour hosted by Lovebookstours.
What Doesn't Break Us is the third and final installment in the Burrowhead series and brought the whole trilogy together. This was another atmospheric read and really gave me a creepy, eery feeling in places. In this book we find so much out and everything links together in a satisfying conclusion. The characters are so well developed in this series and the supernatural elements and suspense make this book and series unique and intriguing. You definitely have to read these books from start to finish to appreciate and understand this series.
If you like dark, creepy, atmospheric thrillers you really need to give this series a go! It's definitely worth it!
What Doesn't Break Us is the third and final installment in the Burrowhead series and brought the whole trilogy together. This was another atmospheric read and really gave me a creepy, eery feeling in places. In this book we find so much out and everything links together in a satisfying conclusion. The characters are so well developed in this series and the supernatural elements and suspense make this book and series unique and intriguing. You definitely have to read these books from start to finish to appreciate and understand this series.
If you like dark, creepy, atmospheric thrillers you really need to give this series a go! It's definitely worth it!
June 16, 2022
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book for my blog tweetables.com and agreed to review Helen’s third book in her ‘Burrowhead Mysteries’ series but as the stories build on each other, Helen suggested I read them all. First is ‘When the Dead come calling’ and it’s followed by ‘Where the missing gather’, and ends with ‘What doesn’t break us’.
To give a quick overview of the series, the stories are seated in the crime/ supernatural genre and take place in the northern coastal village of Burrowhead.
The village has its own shady past (and by past, we’re talking millennia) and the actions of the villagers’ ancestors still resonate within the community today, leading to rituals and macabre undertakings.
The series begins with DI Georgie Strachan and her team dealing with a murder. This soon escalates with more murder and hate crimes splattering the pages - it’s riveting, claustrophobic, and I was more than ready for book 2! This continues with more horrors unfurling as Georgie and her team investigate. Other familiar characters reappear, such as her husband Fergus and old Walt, but the unsettling environment of closed-off villagers and dark secrets is still present, with an archaeological dig uncovering a terrible history. This novel includes human remains surfacing and pagan sacrifices – yikes!
In both books the characters are fleshed out which adds to the stories, and I was glad that Helen had finished book 3, as I was itching to read more!
‘What doesn’t break us’ continues from where we left off and the first chapter is a flashback to one year ago, when misfit Pauly and Rachel meet up:
‘… he reaches forwards, gently places a blackcurrant into her open mouth, and moves round to sit behind her. She leans her head back against his chest.’
Aahh, young love! Romance is in the air but there is something odd, somewhat jarring about the scene. Spoiler alert - I was shocked at the outcome.
Then we move to the present day where friends of the couple are travelling down a similar road to them. They’re suffering from a bad reaction to locally-sourced drugs and the description of Lee, who is ‘making that gurgling noise as blood bubbles out his mouth’ was so realistic that I was cringing in the caravan beside them! This is because Helen has a wonderful way of putting you in the middle of a scene, from the caravan and rundown housing estate full of racism, homophobia and hatred (it’s certainly not somewhere I’d want to live!) to the magnificent backdrop of stunning local scenery and dramatic weather.
Ambulance crews rush the kids to hospital and the police become involved. Unfortunately Georgie, who is still reeling from events in book 2, is not at her best and I really empathised with her. She’s resilient though and battles on, despite ever-increasing problems such as the crimes she needs to solve, the upcoming closure of the police station and the chaos in her personal life.
I don’t want to reveal any more as it’s too good, you need to read it for yourself! What I will say is the team follow the drugs (and don’t get me started on what’s in them!) and there were some big surprises there.
The story darts back and forth in time, filling in gaps and switching point-of-views regularly which I liked. I also enjoyed the mystical elements and the eerie atmosphere, although I suspect some crime readers will find this an unusual departure. For me, it greatly enhanced the story and I loved how crimes could be fuelled by ancient lore.
Helen’s dialogue is very realistic, so expect swearing, but the story wasn’t predictable which was great. The short chapters made me read far too late into the night… you know the drill, I’ll just read one more and then half-an-hour/ ten chapters later!
The characters are flawed but they change over the series and I was left feeling satisfied with the outcomes. The whole series felt well-planned and it wrapped up as I’d hoped, which is another plus for me.
I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys crime or supernatural thrillers. Buy the first book in the series and see whether you enjoy the eerie atmosphere Helen weaves. As for me, I’ll definitely be reading more of her work.
To give a quick overview of the series, the stories are seated in the crime/ supernatural genre and take place in the northern coastal village of Burrowhead.
The village has its own shady past (and by past, we’re talking millennia) and the actions of the villagers’ ancestors still resonate within the community today, leading to rituals and macabre undertakings.
The series begins with DI Georgie Strachan and her team dealing with a murder. This soon escalates with more murder and hate crimes splattering the pages - it’s riveting, claustrophobic, and I was more than ready for book 2! This continues with more horrors unfurling as Georgie and her team investigate. Other familiar characters reappear, such as her husband Fergus and old Walt, but the unsettling environment of closed-off villagers and dark secrets is still present, with an archaeological dig uncovering a terrible history. This novel includes human remains surfacing and pagan sacrifices – yikes!
In both books the characters are fleshed out which adds to the stories, and I was glad that Helen had finished book 3, as I was itching to read more!
‘What doesn’t break us’ continues from where we left off and the first chapter is a flashback to one year ago, when misfit Pauly and Rachel meet up:
‘… he reaches forwards, gently places a blackcurrant into her open mouth, and moves round to sit behind her. She leans her head back against his chest.’
Aahh, young love! Romance is in the air but there is something odd, somewhat jarring about the scene. Spoiler alert - I was shocked at the outcome.
Then we move to the present day where friends of the couple are travelling down a similar road to them. They’re suffering from a bad reaction to locally-sourced drugs and the description of Lee, who is ‘making that gurgling noise as blood bubbles out his mouth’ was so realistic that I was cringing in the caravan beside them! This is because Helen has a wonderful way of putting you in the middle of a scene, from the caravan and rundown housing estate full of racism, homophobia and hatred (it’s certainly not somewhere I’d want to live!) to the magnificent backdrop of stunning local scenery and dramatic weather.
Ambulance crews rush the kids to hospital and the police become involved. Unfortunately Georgie, who is still reeling from events in book 2, is not at her best and I really empathised with her. She’s resilient though and battles on, despite ever-increasing problems such as the crimes she needs to solve, the upcoming closure of the police station and the chaos in her personal life.
I don’t want to reveal any more as it’s too good, you need to read it for yourself! What I will say is the team follow the drugs (and don’t get me started on what’s in them!) and there were some big surprises there.
The story darts back and forth in time, filling in gaps and switching point-of-views regularly which I liked. I also enjoyed the mystical elements and the eerie atmosphere, although I suspect some crime readers will find this an unusual departure. For me, it greatly enhanced the story and I loved how crimes could be fuelled by ancient lore.
Helen’s dialogue is very realistic, so expect swearing, but the story wasn’t predictable which was great. The short chapters made me read far too late into the night… you know the drill, I’ll just read one more and then half-an-hour/ ten chapters later!
The characters are flawed but they change over the series and I was left feeling satisfied with the outcomes. The whole series felt well-planned and it wrapped up as I’d hoped, which is another plus for me.
I would highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys crime or supernatural thrillers. Buy the first book in the series and see whether you enjoy the eerie atmosphere Helen weaves. As for me, I’ll definitely be reading more of her work.
June 25, 2022
Crime/Supernatural, 416 pages
No Spoilers Review
This book is the third and final book in a series. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion to the series, but be warned - you'll want to read books 1 & 2 before diving into this one. That shouldn't be a problem though, because all 3 books are excellent reads!
This book is both a natural continuation and conclusion for the series. The characters continue to be excellently developed, which makes everything so much more satisfying. The author describes the scenes perfectly, often using not only visual but audible descriptions to make me feel like I'm not only reading the story, but a witness to it as well.
There are plenty of surprises, which kept the book very interesting. I would have read the whole thing in a single sitting if time allowed, but I had to settle for 2-3 binge reads.
Things I liked:
The characters are top notch
The narrative is excellent
The time swaps are perfectly executed
The sense of excitement the book generated in me
The unpredictability of it all
The historical/supernatural aspect that is weaved in with the crime aspect
Things I didn’t like:
Nothing at all!
I would instantly recommend this book, and the entire series to anyone! Definitely one of the best stories I've read.
No Spoilers Review
This book is the third and final book in a series. I thoroughly enjoyed the conclusion to the series, but be warned - you'll want to read books 1 & 2 before diving into this one. That shouldn't be a problem though, because all 3 books are excellent reads!
This book is both a natural continuation and conclusion for the series. The characters continue to be excellently developed, which makes everything so much more satisfying. The author describes the scenes perfectly, often using not only visual but audible descriptions to make me feel like I'm not only reading the story, but a witness to it as well.
There are plenty of surprises, which kept the book very interesting. I would have read the whole thing in a single sitting if time allowed, but I had to settle for 2-3 binge reads.
Things I liked:
The characters are top notch
The narrative is excellent
The time swaps are perfectly executed
The sense of excitement the book generated in me
The unpredictability of it all
The historical/supernatural aspect that is weaved in with the crime aspect
Things I didn’t like:
Nothing at all!
I would instantly recommend this book, and the entire series to anyone! Definitely one of the best stories I've read.
July 6, 2022
This is the third instalment of the Burrowhead series and my first read in the series.
I particularly enjoyed the supernatural elements of the story. In some parts it was very creepy which I loved.
It did take me a while to get to grips with all the characters again this is due to me not having read the previous books so I really do recommend reading those first.
I will certainly be reading the previous books. If you do enjoy a dark, creepy mystery then this series is definitely for you.
Thank you to Love book tours and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted copy of the book.
I particularly enjoyed the supernatural elements of the story. In some parts it was very creepy which I loved.
It did take me a while to get to grips with all the characters again this is due to me not having read the previous books so I really do recommend reading those first.
I will certainly be reading the previous books. If you do enjoy a dark, creepy mystery then this series is definitely for you.
Thank you to Love book tours and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted copy of the book.
June 25, 2022
This is the final instalment in the Burrowhead trilogy, I hadn't realised this when I read it and perhaps my quibbles with it wouldnt be there if I had.
There were some really interesting characters and I believe the author writes them very well, there was just so many of them and I really struggled to remember who they were and how they were connected, as I say if I'd read the first 2 in the series this probably wouldn't have been an issue.
This is a crime thriller but there were some supernatural elements that I didn't really understand.
The story flicks back and forth between times and again I was easily confused by this but it might just be the authors writing style.
I really liked the ending, it was wrapped up neatly with all questions answered and no open avenues left.
If you like crime thrillers with a twist then this is for you - but perhaps read the whole series!
There were some really interesting characters and I believe the author writes them very well, there was just so many of them and I really struggled to remember who they were and how they were connected, as I say if I'd read the first 2 in the series this probably wouldn't have been an issue.
This is a crime thriller but there were some supernatural elements that I didn't really understand.
The story flicks back and forth between times and again I was easily confused by this but it might just be the authors writing style.
I really liked the ending, it was wrapped up neatly with all questions answered and no open avenues left.
If you like crime thrillers with a twist then this is for you - but perhaps read the whole series!
June 29, 2022
Thank you for my gifted copy of ‘What doesn’t break us’ in return for an honest review @helenswdgwickauthor and @oneworldpublications and thank you for my place on the booktour @lovebooktours
Genre: thriller, horror, supernatural, fiction My opinion: Thank you Helen! Finally a book with short chapters and a character info pages! So useful when I forgot who was who and I’m not gonna lie I did get confused throughout the book with the different pov and timelines. However, all the storylines did come together at the end with an earth shattering finish 😉 I enjoyed the mixed genre and was forever kept on my toes. Awesome story 👍🏼
Genre: thriller, horror, supernatural, fiction My opinion: Thank you Helen! Finally a book with short chapters and a character info pages! So useful when I forgot who was who and I’m not gonna lie I did get confused throughout the book with the different pov and timelines. However, all the storylines did come together at the end with an earth shattering finish 😉 I enjoyed the mixed genre and was forever kept on my toes. Awesome story 👍🏼
June 28, 2022
This is the last book in the Burrowhead trilogy and everything that was left open comes together and is explained. I couldn't see where it was going at first but I did guess who the person in control of the drug distribution was. I still struggled a bit with the supernatural elements but they added to the brooding, dark nature of the series. Helen Sedgwick's writing is very atmospheric and I felt the bleakness of Burrowhead and this was reflected in the inhabitants. I definitely need something light hearted to read next.
July 9, 2022
It's great to return to Burrowhead for this third and final instalment of Sedgwick's folk-horror crime trilogy, set in "the villages" somewhere on the coast. "The City" is nearby, appearing in a couple of scenes, but with the exact location vague. Are we on the East or the West coast? In England or Scotland? (The audio may give some clues but I'm saying nothing...)
I say "great" but as readers of the previous books will know, Burrowhead is a place of unease and this book does go to some very dark places. This book addresses mystery, shadow, desperate history and half-remembered violence. DI Georgie Strachan, an outsider to Burrowhead - she's from the US and she's Black - sees this clearly. In What Doesn't Break Us, Georgie is at her limits.
Her marriage with Fergus has apparently failed after he has been sucked into a kind of atavistic, nativist celebration of the town's mysterious and blood soaked roots.
Her police station is about to be shut.
And the crimes she's been investigating - missing Abigail from all those years ago, the drugs on sale in the village, a pair of recent suicides - seem no closer to resolution.
Even Georgie's friend and colleague Trish has handed in her notice, drawn further into the orbit of the villagers and their Community Council, blaming Georgie for the death of her granddad and engaged in her own mysterious schemes.
And it just keeps raining!
I loved this book. It's rooted in little, intimate scenes involving the villagers - older members of the community, kids, the police, Georgie, Fergus. There are flashbacks, teasing us with history over a vast period of time. Back to the prehistory which so many here seem to dream of. Back a year or two to that suicide (if it was). Back to the 60s when Abigail disappeared. Sedgwick manages, at the same time, to convey a multiplicity of viewpoints, of motives, of plans and plots and at the same time, that dogged, bland, impervious Burrowhead stance, that gentle smile in the face of officialdom, which is frustrating Georgie's enquiries and the understanding of any outsider. We are both invited in, to observe all the doings of this community, and shut out, uncomprehending as to what is happening, dismayed as it finds new victims, new cruelties.
Or old victims, old cruelties - because this book is simultanwously taking place now, and then.
Also teasing is that hint of the supernatural, that sense of haunting. Despite what some think they witness here, we're not in full-blown Wicker Man territory, there is no glimpse of an organised cult, rather, baffled, confused, and half-lost suggestions of 21st century people trying to lay claim on a tradition that may or may not ever have existed. A knife presumed ancient, for example, turns out to have a more complex history. Events here are less about ancient survivals as contestation over the meaning of the past.
In that, of course, Burrowhead is all of a piece with a country whose wider history, culture and perception of its past is as reinvented and reworked as a continually ploughed field. Objects, events and persons here are identified in relation to a shifting background and the identity of who gets to lead that process, and why they are able to, is almost more important and interesting than any "reality" that lies behind it all. The village museum enshrines a very particular view of Burrowhead history, a view that very firmly leaves things out, as Fergus comes to realise by the end of the story.
As well as being an intricate and satisfying crime novel in itself, What Doesn't Break Us and the Burrowhead trilogy as a whole hold up a mirror to modern Britain, but a warped, blotched and distempered mirror, one that's therefore perfectly suited to showing us our own self-created identity, highlighting not only the parts of the story we choose to tell but those we'd rather leave out. In the book, it's essential to understand and take ownership of these processes - because the past can influence the future, but he who owns the present, owns the past, as Orwell saw. Sedgwick therefore poses urgent questions to British, particularly to English, society as a whole.
This whole trilogy is a glorious achievement and I'd urge anyone who hasn't to read it NOW.
I say "great" but as readers of the previous books will know, Burrowhead is a place of unease and this book does go to some very dark places. This book addresses mystery, shadow, desperate history and half-remembered violence. DI Georgie Strachan, an outsider to Burrowhead - she's from the US and she's Black - sees this clearly. In What Doesn't Break Us, Georgie is at her limits.
Her marriage with Fergus has apparently failed after he has been sucked into a kind of atavistic, nativist celebration of the town's mysterious and blood soaked roots.
Her police station is about to be shut.
And the crimes she's been investigating - missing Abigail from all those years ago, the drugs on sale in the village, a pair of recent suicides - seem no closer to resolution.
Even Georgie's friend and colleague Trish has handed in her notice, drawn further into the orbit of the villagers and their Community Council, blaming Georgie for the death of her granddad and engaged in her own mysterious schemes.
And it just keeps raining!
I loved this book. It's rooted in little, intimate scenes involving the villagers - older members of the community, kids, the police, Georgie, Fergus. There are flashbacks, teasing us with history over a vast period of time. Back to the prehistory which so many here seem to dream of. Back a year or two to that suicide (if it was). Back to the 60s when Abigail disappeared. Sedgwick manages, at the same time, to convey a multiplicity of viewpoints, of motives, of plans and plots and at the same time, that dogged, bland, impervious Burrowhead stance, that gentle smile in the face of officialdom, which is frustrating Georgie's enquiries and the understanding of any outsider. We are both invited in, to observe all the doings of this community, and shut out, uncomprehending as to what is happening, dismayed as it finds new victims, new cruelties.
Or old victims, old cruelties - because this book is simultanwously taking place now, and then.
Also teasing is that hint of the supernatural, that sense of haunting. Despite what some think they witness here, we're not in full-blown Wicker Man territory, there is no glimpse of an organised cult, rather, baffled, confused, and half-lost suggestions of 21st century people trying to lay claim on a tradition that may or may not ever have existed. A knife presumed ancient, for example, turns out to have a more complex history. Events here are less about ancient survivals as contestation over the meaning of the past.
In that, of course, Burrowhead is all of a piece with a country whose wider history, culture and perception of its past is as reinvented and reworked as a continually ploughed field. Objects, events and persons here are identified in relation to a shifting background and the identity of who gets to lead that process, and why they are able to, is almost more important and interesting than any "reality" that lies behind it all. The village museum enshrines a very particular view of Burrowhead history, a view that very firmly leaves things out, as Fergus comes to realise by the end of the story.
As well as being an intricate and satisfying crime novel in itself, What Doesn't Break Us and the Burrowhead trilogy as a whole hold up a mirror to modern Britain, but a warped, blotched and distempered mirror, one that's therefore perfectly suited to showing us our own self-created identity, highlighting not only the parts of the story we choose to tell but those we'd rather leave out. In the book, it's essential to understand and take ownership of these processes - because the past can influence the future, but he who owns the present, owns the past, as Orwell saw. Sedgwick therefore poses urgent questions to British, particularly to English, society as a whole.
This whole trilogy is a glorious achievement and I'd urge anyone who hasn't to read it NOW.
July 5, 2022
Wow, what a stunning and chilling conclusion to the Burrowhead trilogy. This series is so extremely well written that it is now placed in my best Scottish fiction of all time category. Helen’s writing is unnerving, her characters flawed but real, and the story is haunting, captivating and offputting at the same time, her supernatural components breathe through her words feeding the goosebumps that plague the reader. Essentially this is a perfect combination of elements to make an epic tale that I will remember for a very long time to come!
Burrowhead police station has been told it is finally being closed down and Georgie is running out of time to find out what is going on in the village. After some of the youth of the village partake in a night of drugs with horrible consequences, Georgie and the team are under pressure to find out who is supplying the drug. It is then linked to a previous case - the suicide of Pauley and Rachel. Plus there are the historic deaths of Abigail and others to investigate and of course the strange behaviour of the village in general.
I rarely advise people that they NEED to read the previous books but in this case you have to. This is one story split up over three books and there is so much backstory in the previous two that you can't truly appreciate the specialness of this series unless you read the three together.
I loved how the story all came together and how the resolutions for my beloved characters felt right! I'm not going to be able to talk about what happens without giving spoilers but I think loyal readers will close the last page and be happy. I knew I certainly was and would happily still read even more about them if there was that possibility. But alas! We have concluded this story and I am hungry to see what Helen does next. Hopefully we won't have too long to wait…
Burrowhead police station has been told it is finally being closed down and Georgie is running out of time to find out what is going on in the village. After some of the youth of the village partake in a night of drugs with horrible consequences, Georgie and the team are under pressure to find out who is supplying the drug. It is then linked to a previous case - the suicide of Pauley and Rachel. Plus there are the historic deaths of Abigail and others to investigate and of course the strange behaviour of the village in general.
I rarely advise people that they NEED to read the previous books but in this case you have to. This is one story split up over three books and there is so much backstory in the previous two that you can't truly appreciate the specialness of this series unless you read the three together.
I loved how the story all came together and how the resolutions for my beloved characters felt right! I'm not going to be able to talk about what happens without giving spoilers but I think loyal readers will close the last page and be happy. I knew I certainly was and would happily still read even more about them if there was that possibility. But alas! We have concluded this story and I am hungry to see what Helen does next. Hopefully we won't have too long to wait…
July 12, 2022
The third and final instalment in the Burrowhead Mysteries. It’s a mix of crime/supernatural/folk horror so if you don’t care for any of the genres read the first book and go from there. I think you need to read the trilogy, because although there’s a few pages of explanation on who the characters are, it can get a little character heavy. Which isn’t a bad thing, but I’d not recommend it as a standalone. Definitely read the series.
That said I do enjoy Helen’s writing style and I love her female lead Georgie. She’s refreshing and honest and human.
I love the atmospheric Burrowhead that Helen paints. It’s done with such detail as to make you feel you’re there when the action is happening. I felt so deeply for the little girl. I won’t mention any more about her, as I don’t want to spoil the story.
A fantastic finale to the trilogy and I really enjoyed it all.
With thanks to LoveBooksGroup, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
That said I do enjoy Helen’s writing style and I love her female lead Georgie. She’s refreshing and honest and human.
I love the atmospheric Burrowhead that Helen paints. It’s done with such detail as to make you feel you’re there when the action is happening. I felt so deeply for the little girl. I won’t mention any more about her, as I don’t want to spoil the story.
A fantastic finale to the trilogy and I really enjoyed it all.
With thanks to LoveBooksGroup, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.
July 8, 2022
This is the conclusion to The Burrowhead Mysteries, which I didn't realise prior to starting it. I haven't read the first two books, but I didn't find that to be a problem.
There were a lot of characters in this supernatural thriller, but at the front of the book there was a list of them all which I thought was a brilliant idea and found very helpful. I did have to refer back to it quite a bit to start with, but perhaps if I had read the other books I would have remembered who was who more easily.
I absolutely loved that the chapters were short! The plot was interesting and I liked the style of writing. It flicked between past and present which sometimes caused a little confusion, but all in all I think I followed what was going on pretty well.
I really liked how the book ended. There were no loose ends and no questions unanswered.
Overall a really enjoyable and chilling read.
There were a lot of characters in this supernatural thriller, but at the front of the book there was a list of them all which I thought was a brilliant idea and found very helpful. I did have to refer back to it quite a bit to start with, but perhaps if I had read the other books I would have remembered who was who more easily.
I absolutely loved that the chapters were short! The plot was interesting and I liked the style of writing. It flicked between past and present which sometimes caused a little confusion, but all in all I think I followed what was going on pretty well.
I really liked how the book ended. There were no loose ends and no questions unanswered.
Overall a really enjoyable and chilling read.
June 30, 2022
A crime book with supernatural vibes and a nice little twist towards the end. It was an enjoyable read with little surprise elements all the way through
I think I should have read the first two in the trilogy before reading What Doesn’t Break Us as I struggled with the number of characters at first and had to keep referring to the character pages at the front. But once you get into the book and get to know the characters you really get drawn in.
The characters were well written as were the descriptions of the supernatural rituals. I felt like I was drawn in to Burrowhead and could see the reflection of some modern day small towns and villages (without the ritualistic elements)!
Only question I was left with at the end was, who is the little girl that Georgie keeps seeing?!
I think I should have read the first two in the trilogy before reading What Doesn’t Break Us as I struggled with the number of characters at first and had to keep referring to the character pages at the front. But once you get into the book and get to know the characters you really get drawn in.
The characters were well written as were the descriptions of the supernatural rituals. I felt like I was drawn in to Burrowhead and could see the reflection of some modern day small towns and villages (without the ritualistic elements)!
Only question I was left with at the end was, who is the little girl that Georgie keeps seeing?!
April 21, 2023
This is the last book in the Burrowhead trilogy and it's best to read the other two books to get to know the characters ,the place and the story line.
There are a lot of supernatural elements which can be a bit confusing. What is clear is that the villagers have a dark past and superstitions they believe.
There is someone dealing drugs too throughout all the books and I guessed at the end. I think the use of drugs added to some of the strange behaviour but it didn't seem a great place to live.
There is a feeling of darkness in the minds of the villagers with past and present secrets.
I was glad to see the storyline tied up with a lot of positivity.
A good series to read.
There are a lot of supernatural elements which can be a bit confusing. What is clear is that the villagers have a dark past and superstitions they believe.
There is someone dealing drugs too throughout all the books and I guessed at the end. I think the use of drugs added to some of the strange behaviour but it didn't seem a great place to live.
There is a feeling of darkness in the minds of the villagers with past and present secrets.
I was glad to see the storyline tied up with a lot of positivity.
A good series to read.
June 30, 2022
This is the third book in the Burrowhead trilogy and my first read. Although I haven't read the other two books in this series, I really enjoyed this dark mystery.
Major plus points for this book are amazingly developed characters and supernatural elements. I really think the author had executed it so well. There were many places I found it creepy but I just couldn't put the book down.
If you enjoy dark, creepy mystery, this series is definitely for you. But I do recommend that you read books 1 and 2.
Major plus points for this book are amazingly developed characters and supernatural elements. I really think the author had executed it so well. There were many places I found it creepy but I just couldn't put the book down.
If you enjoy dark, creepy mystery, this series is definitely for you. But I do recommend that you read books 1 and 2.
July 3, 2022
A well written book with a compelling storyline and well developed characters that were all believable.
It is the third in the series and so I think you do have to have read them all to be able to fully appreciate the book and fully understand whats going on.
It was twisty, unpredictable and atmospheric with a really creepy undertone woven all the way through it, which is helped along by the supernatural elements within the book. A great read
It is the third in the series and so I think you do have to have read them all to be able to fully appreciate the book and fully understand whats going on.
It was twisty, unpredictable and atmospheric with a really creepy undertone woven all the way through it, which is helped along by the supernatural elements within the book. A great read
September 16, 2022
The culmination of Helen Sedgwick's Burrowhead Mysteries, and probably my favourite. I loved the way all the plot lines were tied up and resolved. This is so much more than just a crime series. Helen's work is full of thought-provoking ideas, complex characters and beautiful writing.
October 21, 2023
This wasn’t my favourite of the trilogy, but I did really enjoy it. It was well written and most of the loose ends tied up. It gave a satisfying conclusion to the mystery and I am pleased I finished the trilogy.
February 25, 2023
Excellent finale to the trilogy. You truly believe these are real people and a real community, an impressive feat when there are supernatural elements to the plot.
March 23, 2023
Last of the Burrowhead trilogy. Ties most unexplained things together nicely. Another excellent atmospheric read but I found the ending a bit unsatisfying.
April 6, 2023
Not sure how I feel about the ending of this trilogy but glad I read all 3.
March 10, 2024
Atmospheric , creepy and so dark.
July 4, 2022
I’ve been lucky enough to read and review all of this trilogy, and this last one didn’t disappoint. It bought all the storylines together brilliantly, everything answered and all loose ends tied up. The authors writing style does take a little bit of getting used to, so I would recommend reading them all.
There is a lot going on in the village that brings the past firmly into the present, giving Georgie lots to investigate before the police station is closed for good. She’s a strong main character with hidden layers too, we find out a lot about her in the previous books, but you get the main bits you need to know if you wanted to read this as a standalone.
I have really enjoyed this trilogy and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, plenty to keep you hooked and reading them all.
There is a lot going on in the village that brings the past firmly into the present, giving Georgie lots to investigate before the police station is closed for good. She’s a strong main character with hidden layers too, we find out a lot about her in the previous books, but you get the main bits you need to know if you wanted to read this as a standalone.
I have really enjoyed this trilogy and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, plenty to keep you hooked and reading them all.
January 1, 2023
I've just read reviews saying it's the 3rd installment so perhaps that is why I was lost with all the characters all the way through. I picked it up as an audiobook on borrowbox because it was available and thought it was a murder mystery. I am not keen on supernatural so wouldn't have borrowed it if I'd know. Basically I just listened to it when I was out walking but it was really not enjoyable to me
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