The Haunted Hills

by Berlie Doherty

When Carl visits the Peak District with his parents to try and recover from the fallout of a horrific accident, he becomes caught up in the mysterious tale of the Lost Lad. Are the hills actually haunted or is Carl being chased by his own demons? As past and present collide, Carl must learn to come to terms with the loss of his best friend, Jack and find a way to move on.

Genres: Middle Grade, Childrens

208 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2022

About the author

Berlie Doherty née Hollingsworth is an English novelist, poet, playwright and screenwriter. She is best known for children's books, for which she has twice won the Carnegie Medal.She has also written novels for adults, plays for theatre and radio, television series and libretti for children's opera.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tale about grief, guilt and loss is aimed at younger readers but relevant no matter the age of the reader. This deals with such heavy themes for younger readers in a very simple, but not simplistic way. It was very bittersweet to learn about the relationship between Carl and Jack, and how Carl's grief and mental health manifest into a possible ghostly presence as a way of dealing with the grief. The conclusion was a nice addition leaving the reader to wonder if there really was a ghostly element to it all.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest unedited feedback.
Thank you to Netgalley, UCLan Publishing and the author.

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

This could be written as a Barrington Stoke, focusing on the friendship between the main two and the conflict with Ferrari. The country stuff is written well but didn't amaze me. It didn't feel real and feels overdone in a lot of books.
This book felt similar to RavenCave which came out recently. This book is darker, which I liked, but overall not so memorable imo.

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for a spooky mystery story, this is not it. The Haunted Hills is a ghost story in the original sense with tangential supernatural elements that exist as a reflection of the MC's inner turmoil and trauma. What the book does is take a coming of age story and weave it together with one of the hardest aspects of growing: understanding that nothing is forever, not even yourself.

The story follows Carl who was once inseparable from his best friend since birth (they were born on the same day, in the same hospital, which how their mothers became best friends). Carl is lost because Jack, his best friend and adopted brother, died suddenly. (No spoilers on how). He's so lost in fact that he's detaching from reality to some extent. The family doctor recommends a short break away to help him readjust. His parents take him to stay in a remote farm cottage in the Derbyshire hills. On his first day there, Carl gets more conventionally lost when he wanders off for a walk by himself. A strange shepherd boy and an unusual dog show him the way home. Carl then discovers that there is no local farm lad but there is a local ghost story of the lost lad...

This was an immensely satisfying read. I think some readers may find it a bit low key by today's style of middle grade fiction, but it really delved in Carl and Jack's friendship and how small strains, little pushes and pulls made things difficult as that friendship evolves towards adulthood. This makes the wrenching void where Jack should have been now that Carl has to face growing up without him. It was also lovely to see parents who, though also bereaved, were doing everything they could to help their son overcome the worst of his grief, even while getting some of it wrong because it's not something you can get completely right. This was intelligent, poignant (I choked up several times) and thought provoking. Easily accessible for a mid grade audience despite it's difficult themes. Not a spooky read but a great one nevertheless.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love ghost stories. I love the way tales of the natural colliding with the supernatural send shivers of delight up and down my spine. And I loved the way this book did that. Most of the time this book hits the spot, with just a few places where the magic fades. But for a book to deal with the hard subject of grief, friendship, kindness, family ties, loss, acceptance and entering in and coming out of grief this is a good little book. Carl's friendship with April / Bryony and Al+Joanna, Jack and his family, and his own mum and dad are written well, April and Jack in particular. The 'ghost' section is (until the final few pages) is dealt with well, and we are left guessing as to whether the spirit of the Lost Lad is just inside Carl's head, or whether it exists independently. The thread of "the Lark Ascending" whether as the bird itself, or Jack's love of the music which leads to his buying of a violin, or the signifying sound of it being a symbol of release and freedom is wonderful.

For me the book ended with Carl's return. If it had been left there then there would have been a sense of completeness and closure. The tales at the end might appear to be - at the start - self-indulgent but they add a little colour and backstory to the tale. Are they necessary? Possibly. Would the story stand by itself if they weren't there? Yes.

Bottom line - good little book. Worth reading. Feel free to stop at p199.

[Denise Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written exploration of grief and mental health that’s atmospheric and creepy enough without being too scary.
Carl is a young lad who is having difficulty coming to terms with a friends death and his parents take him away to the Peak District for a holiday which really adds to the atmosphere. When Carl gets lost on the hills and is rescued by a boy and his dog who mysteriously appear and disappear he questions whether he was rescued by ghosts. I loved the setting as I too have been there for a holiday and it is beautiful but also very creepy given the right weather conditions! The characters felt real and I loved the way it flicked back and forth between past and present so we could really understand the depth of his grief and the event that lead to the death of his friend.
A gentle and reassuring look at some heavy themes, highly recommended, I loved this book.

[Catherine Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

While on holiday Carl has to discover whether its his past or the legend of The Lost Lad causing him to have strange experiences. Carl is dealing with the loss of his best friend. After a horrible accident his parents take him for a break to the Peak District. There he helps out on a neighbouring farm and is told about the tale of The Lost Lad. But strange things happen and Carl isn't sure if he's seeing things, getting real and imagination mixed up or really seeing ghosts. A great atmospheric tale for upper KS2 from the fabulous Berlie Doherty.

[Rebecca Dee Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl is visiting in the Peak District with his parents to give him time to deal with a traumatic event. As we go through day to day life with Carl, we also learn about the accident that lead him to this point. Carl also gets caught up in a local ghost story about a lost lad, but no one else seems to see and hear the strange going ons. Is it all in his head or is something supernatural going on....

Bittersweet story about grief and moving on after your world has been turned on its head.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written story about grief and loss of a friendship (both literally through death, and through growing up).

I really felt for Carl and his parents, and I'm glad that he was able to find peace/acceptance in the end, both in terms of having lost Jack and acknowledging that and his grief around it, as well in regards to the sense of guilt he felt about causing the accident when he phoned the police about the car

[Vonprice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully atmospheric exploration of grief for upper end of middle grade/YA readership.
You can read my full review here:

http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[Mary Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, very atmospheric, moves along at just the right pace. A bit spooky, but ultimately reassuring. Great characters to get fond of and be moved by. Totally convincing on those well-meaning but annoying parents.

[MISS RACHEL · Rating 4 out of 5]

A moving exploration of friendship between two young teenage boys… something that isn’t written about all that often.

Tackling issues of grief, guilt, jealousy, anxiety; touching on bullying, ghost stories, family relationships.

Short but atmospheric and well written.

[Andrew Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good, but it wasn’t the ghost story I was expecting. It was about a boy dealing with his demons. Still enjoyable though, Doherty is the master of writing a location.

[Bella Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great! Themes of loss, hope and hopelessness throughout!

[☆leye☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after reading a trilogy(truly devious), so I felt I just needed a short book to read to take a little break, the book was nice, short, what I was looking for, idk what more to say

[LudmilaM · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. Much more harrowing than I expected, but so well written. A deep psychological dive into dealing with death of a close friend and seeking closure. Great read.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars