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The Tower
Sometimes the dead come back. Sometimes all they want is to hurt you.
When residents on an east London housing estate start dying in gruesome ways, housing manager Ada begins to worry that her past is coming back to haunt her.
Once a powerful medium, able to talk to the dead with amazing ease, she became more comfortable with the afterlife than real life, and with that openness she attracted something dark from the other side. Terrified by the experience she swore she would never communicate with the dead again.
Ten years later at the scene of an apparent suicide, her long closed-down connection to the dead is reopened, and she begins to receive information she shouldn’t know about the victims’ final moments.
Stalked in her dreams and in waking life by an angry male presence, Ada begins to relive the dark days when something from the other side wanted her to end her life.
But as the bodies stack up and the visions intensify, Ada realises that in order to stop more people from dying she has to let the dead back in to find out the truth of what is driving her residents to violent acts – and face up to her own ghosts.
When residents on an east London housing estate start dying in gruesome ways, housing manager Ada begins to worry that her past is coming back to haunt her.
Once a powerful medium, able to talk to the dead with amazing ease, she became more comfortable with the afterlife than real life, and with that openness she attracted something dark from the other side. Terrified by the experience she swore she would never communicate with the dead again.
Ten years later at the scene of an apparent suicide, her long closed-down connection to the dead is reopened, and she begins to receive information she shouldn’t know about the victims’ final moments.
Stalked in her dreams and in waking life by an angry male presence, Ada begins to relive the dark days when something from the other side wanted her to end her life.
But as the bodies stack up and the visions intensify, Ada realises that in order to stop more people from dying she has to let the dead back in to find out the truth of what is driving her residents to violent acts – and face up to her own ghosts.
- GenresFiction
165 pages, Paperback
Published November 23, 2019
5 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 8, 2020
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
I really enjoyed this story!
The book was creepy, a little bit dark and sad in places but it all worked so well together, I loved the mix of genres, the book has elements of paranormal and the occult as well as a bit of mystery and suspense and the author did a fantastic job bringing it all together!
The plot was really well developed and it was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed, the plot was quite addictive and I wanted to know how it would all end, it is quite a short read but the author packs in a lot.
The characters were well developed and fitted the book perfectly too – it was all very well crafted and a great book to read – the author had an excellent writing style and she got the hairs to stand up on my arms more than once!
It is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - I thought that the story was very well developed and I will definitely be looking out to read more books from this author in future too!! Very highly recommended!!
I really enjoyed this story!
The book was creepy, a little bit dark and sad in places but it all worked so well together, I loved the mix of genres, the book has elements of paranormal and the occult as well as a bit of mystery and suspense and the author did a fantastic job bringing it all together!
The plot was really well developed and it was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed, the plot was quite addictive and I wanted to know how it would all end, it is quite a short read but the author packs in a lot.
The characters were well developed and fitted the book perfectly too – it was all very well crafted and a great book to read – the author had an excellent writing style and she got the hairs to stand up on my arms more than once!
It is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars for Goodreads and Amazon - I thought that the story was very well developed and I will definitely be looking out to read more books from this author in future too!! Very highly recommended!!
April 10, 2020
Ada was once a medium. She closed her connection to the dead but after the suicide of one of the residents in a tower block she manages, communications from the dead come back more powerful than ever. One in particular wants nothing more than to harm her and those around her. Can she stop him before he hurts anyone else?
The Tower is a gritty and dark ghostly thriller which I found quite moving at times.
Ada was a flawed and realistic character. She’s had such an unhappy life that I couldn’t help but feel bad for her, and I just wanted her to be happy with DI Harman. Of course it’s never that simple, especially when you’ve got a ghostly stalker like Michael.
Michael was so cruel and diabolical, genuinely one of those characters you’ll love to hate!
I will say this is not the most cheery read, there’s suicide, self harm and mentions of abuse, so if you’re looking for something light hearted you may have to find another book!
The Tower is a haunting and at times poignant read that will stay with you after you’ve finished the last page.
The Tower is a gritty and dark ghostly thriller which I found quite moving at times.
Ada was a flawed and realistic character. She’s had such an unhappy life that I couldn’t help but feel bad for her, and I just wanted her to be happy with DI Harman. Of course it’s never that simple, especially when you’ve got a ghostly stalker like Michael.
Michael was so cruel and diabolical, genuinely one of those characters you’ll love to hate!
I will say this is not the most cheery read, there’s suicide, self harm and mentions of abuse, so if you’re looking for something light hearted you may have to find another book!
The Tower is a haunting and at times poignant read that will stay with you after you’ve finished the last page.
May 26, 2020
The Tower is a paranormal ghost story, set in the heart of London. We meet Ada, who is called to a flat she manages as the resident hasn’t been seen recently, and the downstairs neighbor has a leak in their ceiling. She goes in and discovers something brutal… which reignites something in Ada she’d been burying deep for a decade. She can talk to ghosts.
This, at its heart, is a fascinating, modern day ghost story, with a young, professional at its lead, trying to keep real life going, while also investigating what’s happening around her. We discover her life is chaotic at its core, and she’s been scorned by the past so refuses at first to entertain ideas that could result in pain once more. We see this most prominently in her relationship – for six years she’s exclusively seen one guy, but refuses to allow things to blossom, as he could end up hurting her. She has a lot to learn and experience… all while trying to not be overcome by the mystery afoot. The mix between reality and paranormal intermingles well, and creates an enticing, luring dynamic – and one I greatly enjoyed. I feel like we don’t see enough modern ghost stories. In the 00s they were huge, but I guess people felt we’d seen too many and started to back off? A resurgence is long awaited. Of course, I could be full of it, but like with vampire stories, trends do come and go. Speaking of the 00s though, this reminded me a lot of Ghost Whisperer, so maybe that’s why I was so drawn to it. I also was reminded, loosely, of sci-fi channel shows… in the weirdest of ways? If you read this, let me know if you have any idea how I’m making that connection, because I haven’t a clue.
Something I found particularly great about The Tower, was the use of setting. London is vast, and the apartment blocks are iconic… for all the wrong reasons. By placing this story within one, atmosphere is created without the author needing to do much at all. It worked, and I had instant visions of what everything looked like. A great call, and also a far cry from a lot of work we see set in London. This wasn’t glitzy, or glamourous… this was the ugly side, and I loved that rawness. Likewise, the characters matched the scenes. We didn’t see a load of beautiful people, living expensive lifestyles, we saw folk just getting by. Again, another relatable setting point. Choices were made here that work very well for what the author wanted, and it created a powerful atmosphere – if, like me, you’re into scene setting, atmosphere, and enjoy reading interesting takes on things, this is absolutely something to check out. I loved the setting, and honestly adore a ghost story, so this delivered on both points. I’d also say this delivers on the ghosts/talking/paranormal activity itself. It was unique and familiar all at once, which intrigued me. I love paranormal fiction, and this felt fresh, but not too out there. I loved it.
Did anything not work for me? Sadly, yes. There was too much exposition here for me, and it made the start feel heavy. We were told repeatedly about things from the past, as if we already knew them, and characters were introduced with a lot of backstory that wasn’t immediately necessary. It’s all preference, and opinion, but I felt a little bogged down by it. There was a moment where that shifted, and everything picked up, which was fab, but I’m just not a fan of being told anything right now, I want to see it when I need to. I felt this mostly with Ada’s previous relationship and her friend Ellen. I was told a lot, and it didn’t really give me much, and dare I say, it ventured into over telling. I will say however, the author’s movement, and ability to describe a setting, are wonderful. That first initial shock scene was moving, and powerful. I pictured it clearly, and that was something which continued – so yes, exposition heavy, but with that fully realized background came amazing descriptions.
I think I took about a day to read this. It’s not very long, and while I wouldn’t say it’s briskly paced, it doesn’t leave a lot of room for meandering. Overall though, this is a great story. It’s not super long, it’s set in a prominent location, and features an exciting, shocking plot full of exploration, twists, and turns. If you’re looking for something that might spook you, I’d check this out.
This, at its heart, is a fascinating, modern day ghost story, with a young, professional at its lead, trying to keep real life going, while also investigating what’s happening around her. We discover her life is chaotic at its core, and she’s been scorned by the past so refuses at first to entertain ideas that could result in pain once more. We see this most prominently in her relationship – for six years she’s exclusively seen one guy, but refuses to allow things to blossom, as he could end up hurting her. She has a lot to learn and experience… all while trying to not be overcome by the mystery afoot. The mix between reality and paranormal intermingles well, and creates an enticing, luring dynamic – and one I greatly enjoyed. I feel like we don’t see enough modern ghost stories. In the 00s they were huge, but I guess people felt we’d seen too many and started to back off? A resurgence is long awaited. Of course, I could be full of it, but like with vampire stories, trends do come and go. Speaking of the 00s though, this reminded me a lot of Ghost Whisperer, so maybe that’s why I was so drawn to it. I also was reminded, loosely, of sci-fi channel shows… in the weirdest of ways? If you read this, let me know if you have any idea how I’m making that connection, because I haven’t a clue.
Something I found particularly great about The Tower, was the use of setting. London is vast, and the apartment blocks are iconic… for all the wrong reasons. By placing this story within one, atmosphere is created without the author needing to do much at all. It worked, and I had instant visions of what everything looked like. A great call, and also a far cry from a lot of work we see set in London. This wasn’t glitzy, or glamourous… this was the ugly side, and I loved that rawness. Likewise, the characters matched the scenes. We didn’t see a load of beautiful people, living expensive lifestyles, we saw folk just getting by. Again, another relatable setting point. Choices were made here that work very well for what the author wanted, and it created a powerful atmosphere – if, like me, you’re into scene setting, atmosphere, and enjoy reading interesting takes on things, this is absolutely something to check out. I loved the setting, and honestly adore a ghost story, so this delivered on both points. I’d also say this delivers on the ghosts/talking/paranormal activity itself. It was unique and familiar all at once, which intrigued me. I love paranormal fiction, and this felt fresh, but not too out there. I loved it.
Did anything not work for me? Sadly, yes. There was too much exposition here for me, and it made the start feel heavy. We were told repeatedly about things from the past, as if we already knew them, and characters were introduced with a lot of backstory that wasn’t immediately necessary. It’s all preference, and opinion, but I felt a little bogged down by it. There was a moment where that shifted, and everything picked up, which was fab, but I’m just not a fan of being told anything right now, I want to see it when I need to. I felt this mostly with Ada’s previous relationship and her friend Ellen. I was told a lot, and it didn’t really give me much, and dare I say, it ventured into over telling. I will say however, the author’s movement, and ability to describe a setting, are wonderful. That first initial shock scene was moving, and powerful. I pictured it clearly, and that was something which continued – so yes, exposition heavy, but with that fully realized background came amazing descriptions.
I think I took about a day to read this. It’s not very long, and while I wouldn’t say it’s briskly paced, it doesn’t leave a lot of room for meandering. Overall though, this is a great story. It’s not super long, it’s set in a prominent location, and features an exciting, shocking plot full of exploration, twists, and turns. If you’re looking for something that might spook you, I’d check this out.
April 13, 2020
*I received a free ARC of this book with thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey at Rachel’s Random Resources blog tours. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
At the start of The Tower I thought I knew what kind of book I was getting. I assumed that it was going to be psychic teams up with love interest to solve serial killings. I was both wrong and right, as this book is much darker and more surprising than the initial setup leads you to believe!
Ada is a housing manager with a secret past. She used to be able to see visions and communicate with the dead, but deliberately shut the ability down long ago and now just tries to lead a normal, regular life. When tenants in the apartment block she manages start dying, Ada realises that she will have to reopen the door to her powers, but who knows what else might sneak through?
The premise here reminded me of one of my all-time favourite films, Fallen, but with the religious aspects substituted for more of a crime suspense investigation. There is also a romantic element here, between Ada and Daniel Harman (her police contact and friend-with-benefits) which I loved and would like to have seen developed much further.
The tone of the book is very dark, and gets progressively darker as Ada is dragged into a case that pivots around self-harm, suicide and domestic violence at every turn. Ada herself struggles with self-harming and leans heavily on alcohol to drown out the horrors that she faces, so there may be potential triggers in all of these areas for some readers. However, the author’s treatment of these subjects is sympathetic and the details are all relevant to the central plot, not peppered in salaciously.
In fact, Ada’s own experiences and thought processes are intrinsic to the story, as the narrative is in her own first-person account, so we get an intimate understanding of the issues she faces and her attempts to handle them successfully.
I was completely blindsided by the ending, and enjoyed how the author deliberately took my assumptions and expectations and subverted them in a new and unexpected direction. When I thought back over the whole book, I realised that I should have actually seen it coming, but had been as successfully hoodwinked as any of the other victims in the book!
I would definitely read more from Anne-Marie Ormsby, and plan to check out Purgatory Hotel when I get the chance, as it is unrelated to this plot, but appears to be set in the same fictional universe.
The day I found the first body it was my ten-year work anniversary. I’d gone in that day with boxes of doughnuts to celebrate and I was just about to tuck into one when my phone rang. I remember it was a Krispy Kreme ring doughnut with pink glittery glaze. I never got to eat it, and now I can’t see a ring doughnut without remembering the body. That room and the look on his face.
– Anne-Marie Ormsby, The Tower
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
At the start of The Tower I thought I knew what kind of book I was getting. I assumed that it was going to be psychic teams up with love interest to solve serial killings. I was both wrong and right, as this book is much darker and more surprising than the initial setup leads you to believe!
Ada is a housing manager with a secret past. She used to be able to see visions and communicate with the dead, but deliberately shut the ability down long ago and now just tries to lead a normal, regular life. When tenants in the apartment block she manages start dying, Ada realises that she will have to reopen the door to her powers, but who knows what else might sneak through?
The premise here reminded me of one of my all-time favourite films, Fallen, but with the religious aspects substituted for more of a crime suspense investigation. There is also a romantic element here, between Ada and Daniel Harman (her police contact and friend-with-benefits) which I loved and would like to have seen developed much further.
The tone of the book is very dark, and gets progressively darker as Ada is dragged into a case that pivots around self-harm, suicide and domestic violence at every turn. Ada herself struggles with self-harming and leans heavily on alcohol to drown out the horrors that she faces, so there may be potential triggers in all of these areas for some readers. However, the author’s treatment of these subjects is sympathetic and the details are all relevant to the central plot, not peppered in salaciously.
In fact, Ada’s own experiences and thought processes are intrinsic to the story, as the narrative is in her own first-person account, so we get an intimate understanding of the issues she faces and her attempts to handle them successfully.
I was completely blindsided by the ending, and enjoyed how the author deliberately took my assumptions and expectations and subverted them in a new and unexpected direction. When I thought back over the whole book, I realised that I should have actually seen it coming, but had been as successfully hoodwinked as any of the other victims in the book!
I would definitely read more from Anne-Marie Ormsby, and plan to check out Purgatory Hotel when I get the chance, as it is unrelated to this plot, but appears to be set in the same fictional universe.
The day I found the first body it was my ten-year work anniversary. I’d gone in that day with boxes of doughnuts to celebrate and I was just about to tuck into one when my phone rang. I remember it was a Krispy Kreme ring doughnut with pink glittery glaze. I never got to eat it, and now I can’t see a ring doughnut without remembering the body. That room and the look on his face.
– Anne-Marie Ormsby, The Tower
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
January 18, 2021
Right before the acknowledgements in 'The Tower', the author states : 'This book is dedicated to London and all its ghosts'.
I lived in London for quite some time and trust me the city hosts many ghosts (including in the realm of the living)
Anne-Marie Ormsby was awesome enough to send me a copy of her lovely, paranormal ghost story, 'The Tower', for review.
Some people are born with special gifts, abilities. Some accept these gifts and bear the weight and responsibility, while others try their best to shut them down as these gifts take a toll on them.
The story follows Ada, a woman who once embraced and used her gifts only to put her existence in danger. Choosing to shut her gift down, she now works as a housing manager at 'The Tower' apartments complex.
A fairly simple and easy job until one day the death of a tenant brings her face to face with her past. A past that she tried so hard to leave behind.
This incident brings back dreadful memories as the dead stir and speak to and through her, trying to pass their message across.
As the body count increases, the visions amplify and Ada is involved in a chase to reveal the truth; one that will bring her face to face with evil entities and her long forgotten past.
There is something beautifully familiar in the way Anne-Marie Ormsby approaches horror in this story. You know that you are in good hands and you know that you will reach a satisfying end to a fantastic, well written and atmospheric story.
The plot twists and turns, with the dynamics between the beautifully crafted characters changing in such a powerful way that adds up to a chilling story.
Even though the ghosts trope is nowadays lacking new elements of creativity, Anne-Marie manages to offer a fresh and unique experience in the form of a modern ghost story that could fit proudly, right between the classics.
Hauntingly good and laced with the right amount of dark atmosphere, 'The Tower' will creep in and stay there for quite some time. If you ever lived or currently live in London, the creepy factor goes up to the max as the author describes the surroundings perfectly.
A great read. Highly recommended for them beautiful quarantine nights.
Get it at: http://mybook.to/tower
I lived in London for quite some time and trust me the city hosts many ghosts (including in the realm of the living)
Anne-Marie Ormsby was awesome enough to send me a copy of her lovely, paranormal ghost story, 'The Tower', for review.
Some people are born with special gifts, abilities. Some accept these gifts and bear the weight and responsibility, while others try their best to shut them down as these gifts take a toll on them.
The story follows Ada, a woman who once embraced and used her gifts only to put her existence in danger. Choosing to shut her gift down, she now works as a housing manager at 'The Tower' apartments complex.
A fairly simple and easy job until one day the death of a tenant brings her face to face with her past. A past that she tried so hard to leave behind.
This incident brings back dreadful memories as the dead stir and speak to and through her, trying to pass their message across.
As the body count increases, the visions amplify and Ada is involved in a chase to reveal the truth; one that will bring her face to face with evil entities and her long forgotten past.
There is something beautifully familiar in the way Anne-Marie Ormsby approaches horror in this story. You know that you are in good hands and you know that you will reach a satisfying end to a fantastic, well written and atmospheric story.
The plot twists and turns, with the dynamics between the beautifully crafted characters changing in such a powerful way that adds up to a chilling story.
Even though the ghosts trope is nowadays lacking new elements of creativity, Anne-Marie manages to offer a fresh and unique experience in the form of a modern ghost story that could fit proudly, right between the classics.
Hauntingly good and laced with the right amount of dark atmosphere, 'The Tower' will creep in and stay there for quite some time. If you ever lived or currently live in London, the creepy factor goes up to the max as the author describes the surroundings perfectly.
A great read. Highly recommended for them beautiful quarantine nights.
Get it at: http://mybook.to/tower
October 22, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from The Fussy Librarian, a daily email offering free and bargain eBooks. Having only 167 pages, The Tower was published in 2020 and is the author's second novel.
When the book opens, we meet Ada, a housing manager in London, who has brought doughnuts into the office to celebrate her ten-year anniversary. The celebration is short lived when a resident calls and is worried about a fellow resident who hasn't been seen recently. Robert Ikusawe, an autistic young man who was afraid of sharp objects was found with his wrists cut and a tarot card near his body.
This incident causes Ada's psychic abilities, which she has purposely kept dormant for the past ten years, to become active again. As the story progresses we find out why she escaped her home town and moved to London, leaving her past behind. She also keeps most people at arm's length, even Detective Inspector Daniel Harman with whom she has had a casual relationship with for over six years. As more people are found dead with tarot cards nearby, we learn about Michael, Ada's very own ghost who has been stalking Ada from beyond the grave.
Everything is explained in the last two chapters which has a twist that I never saw coming. The characters were well developed and the story had me hooked from the beginning trying to figure out who Michael was and why he was haunting her. In order to find out, she must face and deal with her past.
All that being said, I had a hard time rating this as the story was in desperate need of an editor. There are typos, grammatical and other errors. For example, on page 106 it reads, "Poor mum used to be doing her pieces over her." And later in the story when she is explaining her past to Harman, she's telling him, then it reads that Harman phones her...?? Never saying how he reacted to her story.
If you can tolerate typos and such, it's a good story with an original ending.
When the book opens, we meet Ada, a housing manager in London, who has brought doughnuts into the office to celebrate her ten-year anniversary. The celebration is short lived when a resident calls and is worried about a fellow resident who hasn't been seen recently. Robert Ikusawe, an autistic young man who was afraid of sharp objects was found with his wrists cut and a tarot card near his body.
This incident causes Ada's psychic abilities, which she has purposely kept dormant for the past ten years, to become active again. As the story progresses we find out why she escaped her home town and moved to London, leaving her past behind. She also keeps most people at arm's length, even Detective Inspector Daniel Harman with whom she has had a casual relationship with for over six years. As more people are found dead with tarot cards nearby, we learn about Michael, Ada's very own ghost who has been stalking Ada from beyond the grave.
Everything is explained in the last two chapters which has a twist that I never saw coming. The characters were well developed and the story had me hooked from the beginning trying to figure out who Michael was and why he was haunting her. In order to find out, she must face and deal with her past.
All that being said, I had a hard time rating this as the story was in desperate need of an editor. There are typos, grammatical and other errors. For example, on page 106 it reads, "Poor mum used to be doing her pieces over her." And later in the story when she is explaining her past to Harman, she's telling him, then it reads that Harman phones her...?? Never saying how he reacted to her story.
If you can tolerate typos and such, it's a good story with an original ending.
December 31, 2020
Ada is a housing manager, who is called to one of the apartments only to find one of the tenants dead. Brutally murdered or suicide? Or is there something else going on. As the deaths pile up she struggles with visions that seem to suggest she has the power of foresight.
With the help of a local detective she tries to comprehend why she is seeing images of the deaths. Brutal, bloody images that haunt her days and nights. Sometimes she blacks out completely, which isn't as bad as being at the mercy of someone from the other side of the veil. A man who wants to harm her.
The dead are speaking to her, whispering, reaching and yet there is one that brings evil. He stalks Ada at night and during the day - determined to get his message through to her, whether she wants to hear it or not.
It's crime fiction with a horror and paranormal vibe. A ghostly nightmare that turns into something quite unexpected.
Ormsby uses a paranormal element to create a story that appears to be a crime read, but in reality it is a dark read that wanders into layers of guilt, conscience and horror. What could be more insidious than the manifestation of something that comes to not only haunt, but also to kill for you or because of you?
I have to hand it to the author for the ending, which brings the plot together nicely, and opens up a whole different interpretation of the plot.
* I received a courtesy copy*
With the help of a local detective she tries to comprehend why she is seeing images of the deaths. Brutal, bloody images that haunt her days and nights. Sometimes she blacks out completely, which isn't as bad as being at the mercy of someone from the other side of the veil. A man who wants to harm her.
The dead are speaking to her, whispering, reaching and yet there is one that brings evil. He stalks Ada at night and during the day - determined to get his message through to her, whether she wants to hear it or not.
It's crime fiction with a horror and paranormal vibe. A ghostly nightmare that turns into something quite unexpected.
Ormsby uses a paranormal element to create a story that appears to be a crime read, but in reality it is a dark read that wanders into layers of guilt, conscience and horror. What could be more insidious than the manifestation of something that comes to not only haunt, but also to kill for you or because of you?
I have to hand it to the author for the ending, which brings the plot together nicely, and opens up a whole different interpretation of the plot.
* I received a courtesy copy*
April 7, 2020
The Tower is a strange story that's so much more than just a haunting, if you will. It's creepy. It's sad. It's dark. And I honestly don't know how I feel about any of it.
Ada is a housing manager for a housing estate known as The Tower. Everything seems relatively normal, until one day a resident winds up dead. Supposedly a suicide, it's the event that triggers the rest of the story. Suddenly, Ada's life is flipped on its head. Her past has come back to haunt her, literally. How far will Michael, her ghost, go to get to Ada?
I thought Ada was a decent character. She had a past that she was trying to forget and move on from, but that was easier said than done. And her reactions to everything going on around her were realistic and believable.
I also quite liked Daniel. In fact, he was my favorite character in the book. I felt bad for him, though, and I just wanted him and Ada to have more of a relationship than what they did have.
Michael, of course, is just awful. And when the truth about why he's come back to haunt Ada ten years after the first time (after she was able to block him), it's a bit of a twist that readers might not see coming. Didn't change anything, though. He's still an awful character.
If you're into supernatural horror with a twist, give The Tower a shot. I'm glad I did.
4 stars from me!
Ada is a housing manager for a housing estate known as The Tower. Everything seems relatively normal, until one day a resident winds up dead. Supposedly a suicide, it's the event that triggers the rest of the story. Suddenly, Ada's life is flipped on its head. Her past has come back to haunt her, literally. How far will Michael, her ghost, go to get to Ada?
I thought Ada was a decent character. She had a past that she was trying to forget and move on from, but that was easier said than done. And her reactions to everything going on around her were realistic and believable.
I also quite liked Daniel. In fact, he was my favorite character in the book. I felt bad for him, though, and I just wanted him and Ada to have more of a relationship than what they did have.
Michael, of course, is just awful. And when the truth about why he's come back to haunt Ada ten years after the first time (after she was able to block him), it's a bit of a twist that readers might not see coming. Didn't change anything, though. He's still an awful character.
If you're into supernatural horror with a twist, give The Tower a shot. I'm glad I did.
4 stars from me!
April 10, 2020
At one time Ada was a huge medium with an exceptional connection to the other side until some from the dark came for her. It has been ten years since she last used her abilities. Now she manages an apartment tower and one of her residents has died from suicide, at least it looks that way. But Ada is haunted by the ghost and tries to block out what she is being told.
Then more people start dying. Ada knows that she is going to have to open herself up to the other side and is afraid to. Soon she has phantom stalker, Michael that is pure evil and determined to kill Ada and anyone else he can get.
This is a dark story that I absolutely loved. Ada has her flaws which made me like her so much more. I understand why she turned her back on her gift and how hard it was to go back to using it. I just wanted things to work out for her, she really needed the break.
There are some very dark topics of suicide and abuse that really added to the story and stuck with my after I finished the book. This story is well written, sucked me in from the beginning, and left me wanting more from this world. If you like dark thrillers with a twist of paranormal added in you will love this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
Then more people start dying. Ada knows that she is going to have to open herself up to the other side and is afraid to. Soon she has phantom stalker, Michael that is pure evil and determined to kill Ada and anyone else he can get.
This is a dark story that I absolutely loved. Ada has her flaws which made me like her so much more. I understand why she turned her back on her gift and how hard it was to go back to using it. I just wanted things to work out for her, she really needed the break.
There are some very dark topics of suicide and abuse that really added to the story and stuck with my after I finished the book. This story is well written, sucked me in from the beginning, and left me wanting more from this world. If you like dark thrillers with a twist of paranormal added in you will love this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.
June 18, 2020
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE The Tower!! Horror is one of my favorite genres when done well, and Anne-Marie Ormsby writes in this genre SO well! I was hooked from the first chapter, and I couldn’t put this down.
The Tower is creepy and gets under your skin. There’s also a bit of humor thrown in that cuts the tension when necessary, which I really enjoyed.
Ada is a perfect main character who responds in realistic ways to the things happening to her. She felt like a person immediately and I was attached to her from the beginning.
Anne-Marie Orsmby has written a gem of a novel that deserves all five stars. Highly recommended and I can’t wait to read more from her.
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
The Tower is creepy and gets under your skin. There’s also a bit of humor thrown in that cuts the tension when necessary, which I really enjoyed.
Ada is a perfect main character who responds in realistic ways to the things happening to her. She felt like a person immediately and I was attached to her from the beginning.
Anne-Marie Orsmby has written a gem of a novel that deserves all five stars. Highly recommended and I can’t wait to read more from her.
5/5☆
*I received a free copy of this book from Rachel’s Random Resources in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*
May 19, 2020
All my reviews can be found at: http://jessicasreadingroom.com
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This review will post on my site on May 26, 2020.
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This is sadly another novel that did not work for me. Yes, I enjoy the crime thrillers and this one had paranormal twists to it. I was fine with that but the direction the novel went did not work for me. The final act/twist which explains everything did not work for me. Unfortunately, I can’t go into it or I would give away spoilers. This is the author’s second novel and I will give her another try and read her debut at some point.
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This review will post on my site on May 26, 2020.
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This is sadly another novel that did not work for me. Yes, I enjoy the crime thrillers and this one had paranormal twists to it. I was fine with that but the direction the novel went did not work for me. The final act/twist which explains everything did not work for me. Unfortunately, I can’t go into it or I would give away spoilers. This is the author’s second novel and I will give her another try and read her debut at some point.
July 10, 2020
This is a really dark and creepy tale. The detailed description of East London made me feel like I was there; watching the horrors unfold. The relationships between the characters is well done; I especially liked the complicated dynamics between Ada and DI Harman. The use of tarot cards as markers throughout the story adds to the sense that something uncontrollable is playing out. I was desperate to know who Michael was and what he was doing, but was kept guessing until the very end. A chilling read.
April 14, 2020
After this, you'll need to sleep with the lights on!
You often wonder if an author's follow up will be as good as their first, but I certainly wasn't disappointed! This book has more twists and turns than spaghetti junction! Was hooked from beginning to end! The authors ability to place you in the middle of the action is brilliant and I will definitely follow her as an author. Looking forward to what comes next. Excellent book for the dark nights and a glass of red!
You often wonder if an author's follow up will be as good as their first, but I certainly wasn't disappointed! This book has more twists and turns than spaghetti junction! Was hooked from beginning to end! The authors ability to place you in the middle of the action is brilliant and I will definitely follow her as an author. Looking forward to what comes next. Excellent book for the dark nights and a glass of red!
January 31, 2020
Think of your favourite Netflix crime drama, your favourite Nordic Noir detective series and throw in a bit of occult and paranormal activity and what you get is this London based page-turner - I couldn't put it down. A spooky thriller with some great twists and turns that I didn't see coming. A very enjoyable, if disturbing, read.
November 21, 2020
This is a haunting story of both possession and loss and I really enjoyed many of its aspects. The author evokes a strong sense of place, setting the story in central London; concentrating on its busy-ness and seamier side. Ada, her main character, is a housing manager who, as part of her work, routinely deals with people on the edges of life.
And this is what Ada is too. Edgy. Coming to terms with a difficult past - and her 'gifts' - she just about holds everything together, but not, sadly, the relationship she both needs and desires. This is when the writing is really good, when Ormsby gets inside her character; takes time to build and develop Ada's complex POV, using some great figurative language. Finally: a modern author who isn't frightened of using a bloomin' adjective!
My issue with "The Tower", though, is the degree to which the writing occasionally falls back on exposition, when it 'catches us up' on past events which we didn't really need to know and which slowed down the narrative. I loved the character of Harman and would've liked to have seen more of him, maybe even from his POV too, adding further depth to both his relationship with Ada and the events which surrounded them.
Anne-Marie Ormsby is definitely an author to watch, however, and I'll be interested to see how she develops her craft and see what she comes up with next.
And this is what Ada is too. Edgy. Coming to terms with a difficult past - and her 'gifts' - she just about holds everything together, but not, sadly, the relationship she both needs and desires. This is when the writing is really good, when Ormsby gets inside her character; takes time to build and develop Ada's complex POV, using some great figurative language. Finally: a modern author who isn't frightened of using a bloomin' adjective!
My issue with "The Tower", though, is the degree to which the writing occasionally falls back on exposition, when it 'catches us up' on past events which we didn't really need to know and which slowed down the narrative. I loved the character of Harman and would've liked to have seen more of him, maybe even from his POV too, adding further depth to both his relationship with Ada and the events which surrounded them.
Anne-Marie Ormsby is definitely an author to watch, however, and I'll be interested to see how she develops her craft and see what she comes up with next.
April 7, 2020
Loved this book! It’s creepy and grabs your attention from beginning to end. I’m excited to read more books from this author!
September 23, 2022
Entertaining story.
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