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Seahurst
Evie Mathews and her son Alfie flee from her abusive partner Seth to spend New Year with her half-brother Luke at their late father's summer home on the Suffolk Coast, only to find Seahurst abandoned and Luke missing. Evie searches for her brother, filled with a deepening dread that something is very wrong at Seahurst and their father's death may not have been suicide after all. As Seahurst's ancient and sinister secrets unfurl around her, Evie fears the souls of the dead will soon claim another terrible revenge.
- GenresGothic
320 pages, Paperback
Published May 15, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 31, 2023
What a spooky, atmospheric read this is!
The first chapter had me hooked. January 1286 on the Suffolk coast. An accused witch and her siblings are found hiding in a room and brought before a roaring crowd and executed, but not before she places a curse on the crowd and on the town.
In the present day Evie takes her teenage son Alfie from their home in Canada back to the Suffolk coast where her father lived before his suicide, to escape her abusive partner. She is hoping to spend some time in the safety of Seahurst and the company of her half brother, Luke. She has no idea what is waiting for her.
When they arrive at the remote house all the lights are on, the doors are open but there is no sign of Luke.
They sleep at the house, hoping he will return but strange things happen. An awful smell in the bathroom. A scratching sound. Shadows which look like someone watching but surely just a trick of the light? A strange object turns up which looks like a very old child’s rattle.
Evie’s father did a lot of research before his death, on the history of the site the house is built on and the abbey which will soon be taken by the erosion of the sea.
Luke believed there was something strange about his death which may not have been suicide.
As the hunt for Luke carries on, Evie and Alfie are in danger as events at the house intensify.
This is not one to read late at night! Extremely addictive I love a ghost story and even better that it involves a witch!
Very highly recommended.
The first chapter had me hooked. January 1286 on the Suffolk coast. An accused witch and her siblings are found hiding in a room and brought before a roaring crowd and executed, but not before she places a curse on the crowd and on the town.
In the present day Evie takes her teenage son Alfie from their home in Canada back to the Suffolk coast where her father lived before his suicide, to escape her abusive partner. She is hoping to spend some time in the safety of Seahurst and the company of her half brother, Luke. She has no idea what is waiting for her.
When they arrive at the remote house all the lights are on, the doors are open but there is no sign of Luke.
They sleep at the house, hoping he will return but strange things happen. An awful smell in the bathroom. A scratching sound. Shadows which look like someone watching but surely just a trick of the light? A strange object turns up which looks like a very old child’s rattle.
Evie’s father did a lot of research before his death, on the history of the site the house is built on and the abbey which will soon be taken by the erosion of the sea.
Luke believed there was something strange about his death which may not have been suicide.
As the hunt for Luke carries on, Evie and Alfie are in danger as events at the house intensify.
This is not one to read late at night! Extremely addictive I love a ghost story and even better that it involves a witch!
Very highly recommended.
May 15, 2023
Seahurst is a gripping, dark, spooky novel that had me turning the pages and devouring in a matter of days.
The opening chapter sees us witness the horrendous demise of a woman purported to be a witch, and her children, centuries before. I actually found this so moving and spooky, that I knew Seahurst would deliver.
We follow Evie and her teenage son Alfie, as they arrive to meet her step-brother at Seahurst, a huge looming house set on the coast of Suffolk, near the ruins of an old Monastery which are falling into the sea at an alarming rate. The descriptions of the setting are amazing and made me really feel like I was viewing a movie in my head.
The story builds and builds and the feeling of foreboding is anxiety-inducing! It really had me with my heart in my mouth at times, without giving away any of the plots, it is a fantastic read. A wonderful rich cast of characters and a superb ending.
I will happily read another book by Sally Harris if Seahurst is anything to go by.
A gripping, spooky 5 star read.
The opening chapter sees us witness the horrendous demise of a woman purported to be a witch, and her children, centuries before. I actually found this so moving and spooky, that I knew Seahurst would deliver.
We follow Evie and her teenage son Alfie, as they arrive to meet her step-brother at Seahurst, a huge looming house set on the coast of Suffolk, near the ruins of an old Monastery which are falling into the sea at an alarming rate. The descriptions of the setting are amazing and made me really feel like I was viewing a movie in my head.
The story builds and builds and the feeling of foreboding is anxiety-inducing! It really had me with my heart in my mouth at times, without giving away any of the plots, it is a fantastic read. A wonderful rich cast of characters and a superb ending.
I will happily read another book by Sally Harris if Seahurst is anything to go by.
A gripping, spooky 5 star read.
May 28, 2023
Thank you to Helen Richardson for my invitation to the blog tour for this atmospheric ghost story. I really enjoyed this authors first book Haverscroft so I was delighted to be invited to read her latest book.
We are introduced to Evie and her son Alfie who are leaving Canada to visit Evie's brother Luke in Suffolk, it is apparent quite early on that her relationship with Seth, her partner is abusive. Her family has had more than its fair share of tragedy and when Evie and Alfie arrive there is no sign of Luke at the family home Seahurst. We know from the outset that this area has experienced some dark occurrences in its past.
Strange noises at Seahurst unsettle Alfie and when Luke fails to return, Evie has to call in the police. The writing is creepy and the tension builds throughout and it is definitely the case of the unknown being more terrifying, as the author really knows how to get the reader's imagination working overboard. The setting adds to the atmosphere and suspense, the crumbling Abbey, the woods and the bleak weather.
I really liked the support of Evie's friends in the book Adam and Lou, Will and Jack. As the story progresses Evie starts to uncover the truth about the house which really enthralled me. I could not put this book down if you like a ghost story in a great setting which will keep you on tenterhooks this is the book for you. A fantastic 5 stars *****
We are introduced to Evie and her son Alfie who are leaving Canada to visit Evie's brother Luke in Suffolk, it is apparent quite early on that her relationship with Seth, her partner is abusive. Her family has had more than its fair share of tragedy and when Evie and Alfie arrive there is no sign of Luke at the family home Seahurst. We know from the outset that this area has experienced some dark occurrences in its past.
Strange noises at Seahurst unsettle Alfie and when Luke fails to return, Evie has to call in the police. The writing is creepy and the tension builds throughout and it is definitely the case of the unknown being more terrifying, as the author really knows how to get the reader's imagination working overboard. The setting adds to the atmosphere and suspense, the crumbling Abbey, the woods and the bleak weather.
I really liked the support of Evie's friends in the book Adam and Lou, Will and Jack. As the story progresses Evie starts to uncover the truth about the house which really enthralled me. I could not put this book down if you like a ghost story in a great setting which will keep you on tenterhooks this is the book for you. A fantastic 5 stars *****
December 26, 2023
I couldn't put this book down :)
Harris' previous book, Haverscroft, was on my University reading list, and so I was very excited to read her Suffolk inspired novel, Seahurst.
Harris has a real talent for writing realistic characters and relationships- something that I often find lacking in other supernatural/horror writing. The characters she created were all beautifully fleshed out, and all had purpose to the plot.
As someone who grew up close to Dunwich, I found that Harris' description of the Suffolk coast was incredibly done- and I related wholeheartedly to Evie's nostalgia when she returned to the simultaneously idyllic yet chilling setting.
Really enjoyable read that I thoroughly recommend! I look forward to what comes next from S.A. Harris !
Harris' previous book, Haverscroft, was on my University reading list, and so I was very excited to read her Suffolk inspired novel, Seahurst.
Harris has a real talent for writing realistic characters and relationships- something that I often find lacking in other supernatural/horror writing. The characters she created were all beautifully fleshed out, and all had purpose to the plot.
As someone who grew up close to Dunwich, I found that Harris' description of the Suffolk coast was incredibly done- and I related wholeheartedly to Evie's nostalgia when she returned to the simultaneously idyllic yet chilling setting.
Really enjoyable read that I thoroughly recommend! I look forward to what comes next from S.A. Harris !
May 27, 2023
3.5 stars. Seahurst, S A Harris’s follow-up to the deliciously dark Haverscroft is another sinister slice of contemporary gothic set against the backdrop of the wide-open winter skies of the Suffolk coast.
Having left her abusive partner Seth back in Totonto, Evie Meyer is hoping that a New Year’s break at the clifftop summer home built by her late father might provide a sanctuary for her and her son, Alfie. When she arrives at Seahurst, however, she finds the door open, the property semi-abandoned, and her half-brother Luke missing.
As Evie reacquaints herself with old friends, she is continually reminded of Seahurst’s dark history. Nestled in the shadows of a crumbling monastery, the house is beset by strange smell, odd noises, and fleeting glimpses of something dark and foreboding. And as the search for Luke gathers pace, Evie can’t help but be reminded of their father’s apparent suicide, and her mother’s reluctance to have anything to do wit the place. Although several thousand miles from Seth, Seahurst is far from the sanctuary that Evie imagined and might even prove deadly.
As with Haverscroft, the star of Seahurst is the setting. Lashed by winter storms and situated in an isolated clifftop position, Seahurst has all the menace and gloom needed in a haunted house. S A Harris is fantastic at conveying a sense of place and, as the story progresses, you’ll find yourself jumping at even the faintest of bumps in the night.
I was slightly less convinced by the characters. Although Evie grew on me as the book progressed, I found her somewhat insipid at the start of the novel, especially in comparison to some of the (many) side-characters. This is possibly because there are quite a few characters introduced within the first couple of chapters and, although their personal stories and struggles are interesting, I found myself struggling at times to work out the connections between them all, or how they factored into Evie’s life and her backstory. This did become easier as the book progressed and S A Harris does an excellent job of wrapping up all the various strands by the end of the story but even I can’t help feeling that there were a couple of subplots that, although interesting, were not entirely necessary.
I also found some of the decisions taken by Evie – and several of the other characters – slightly nonsensical at times. If I was expecting my brother to meet me at the airport then, when he failed to show, turned up at his house to find the door open and my brother nowhere to be found, I’d probably at least consider phoning the police!
That all said, I do think S A Harris does a good job of portraying Evie’s vulnerability. Seth’s abuse has isolated Evie from her family and her friends, so it makes sense that she doesn’t always feel that she can rely upon them to help her, and that she would believe them when they tell her that Luke has been prone to wandering off unannounced recently.
Evie’s relationship with Alfie is also really well portrayed. Alfie comes across as a typical teenager, fiercely protective of his mum but also testing boundaries in their relationship. Evie, meanwhile, is understandably hyper-focused upon protecting her son from the dangers – both physical and supernatural – that surround them, and is also pre-occupied with hiding the truth about her past from Alfie, whilst also hiding the truth about her present from her old friends.
As in Haverscroft, S A Harris does a fantastic job of weaving the supernatural into a contemporary setting, offering plenty of strange occurrences and sinister warning signs without ever tipping the balance into melodrama. For those who like their spooks a little more subtle, the tension ratchets up as the book progresses so that, by the final pages, you’re on the edge-of-your-seat waiting to find out how Evie and Alfie will navigate the various dangers and challenges they face.
Although there were times when I felt that Seahurst could have been a little more streamlined in its storytelling, I found it just as enjoyable and page-turning a read as its predecessor. Whilst there is a lot going on in the book, the chills are still nicely integrated, the suspense expertly managed, and the atmosphere adeptly conveyed. The additional exploration of relationship dynamics and emotional turmoil, although complex, does add a parallel level of tension to proceedings, whilst the links between past evils and present threats are well drawn. Overall Seahurst is a worthy successor to Harris’s debut and marks her out as a go-to writer for anyone who enjoys contemporary ghost stories and thrilling chill-fests.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Having left her abusive partner Seth back in Totonto, Evie Meyer is hoping that a New Year’s break at the clifftop summer home built by her late father might provide a sanctuary for her and her son, Alfie. When she arrives at Seahurst, however, she finds the door open, the property semi-abandoned, and her half-brother Luke missing.
As Evie reacquaints herself with old friends, she is continually reminded of Seahurst’s dark history. Nestled in the shadows of a crumbling monastery, the house is beset by strange smell, odd noises, and fleeting glimpses of something dark and foreboding. And as the search for Luke gathers pace, Evie can’t help but be reminded of their father’s apparent suicide, and her mother’s reluctance to have anything to do wit the place. Although several thousand miles from Seth, Seahurst is far from the sanctuary that Evie imagined and might even prove deadly.
As with Haverscroft, the star of Seahurst is the setting. Lashed by winter storms and situated in an isolated clifftop position, Seahurst has all the menace and gloom needed in a haunted house. S A Harris is fantastic at conveying a sense of place and, as the story progresses, you’ll find yourself jumping at even the faintest of bumps in the night.
I was slightly less convinced by the characters. Although Evie grew on me as the book progressed, I found her somewhat insipid at the start of the novel, especially in comparison to some of the (many) side-characters. This is possibly because there are quite a few characters introduced within the first couple of chapters and, although their personal stories and struggles are interesting, I found myself struggling at times to work out the connections between them all, or how they factored into Evie’s life and her backstory. This did become easier as the book progressed and S A Harris does an excellent job of wrapping up all the various strands by the end of the story but even I can’t help feeling that there were a couple of subplots that, although interesting, were not entirely necessary.
I also found some of the decisions taken by Evie – and several of the other characters – slightly nonsensical at times. If I was expecting my brother to meet me at the airport then, when he failed to show, turned up at his house to find the door open and my brother nowhere to be found, I’d probably at least consider phoning the police!
That all said, I do think S A Harris does a good job of portraying Evie’s vulnerability. Seth’s abuse has isolated Evie from her family and her friends, so it makes sense that she doesn’t always feel that she can rely upon them to help her, and that she would believe them when they tell her that Luke has been prone to wandering off unannounced recently.
Evie’s relationship with Alfie is also really well portrayed. Alfie comes across as a typical teenager, fiercely protective of his mum but also testing boundaries in their relationship. Evie, meanwhile, is understandably hyper-focused upon protecting her son from the dangers – both physical and supernatural – that surround them, and is also pre-occupied with hiding the truth about her past from Alfie, whilst also hiding the truth about her present from her old friends.
As in Haverscroft, S A Harris does a fantastic job of weaving the supernatural into a contemporary setting, offering plenty of strange occurrences and sinister warning signs without ever tipping the balance into melodrama. For those who like their spooks a little more subtle, the tension ratchets up as the book progresses so that, by the final pages, you’re on the edge-of-your-seat waiting to find out how Evie and Alfie will navigate the various dangers and challenges they face.
Although there were times when I felt that Seahurst could have been a little more streamlined in its storytelling, I found it just as enjoyable and page-turning a read as its predecessor. Whilst there is a lot going on in the book, the chills are still nicely integrated, the suspense expertly managed, and the atmosphere adeptly conveyed. The additional exploration of relationship dynamics and emotional turmoil, although complex, does add a parallel level of tension to proceedings, whilst the links between past evils and present threats are well drawn. Overall Seahurst is a worthy successor to Harris’s debut and marks her out as a go-to writer for anyone who enjoys contemporary ghost stories and thrilling chill-fests.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
May 25, 2023
Set on the Suffolk coast, against a back drop of wide, winter skies, crumbling cliffs and the remains of a medieval monastery about to succumb to the sea, a pervading sense of foreboding permeates this novel. In the opening pages, a nameless woman, convicted of witchcraft, confronts her executioners to beg for the lives of the two children she has charge of. Her cries go unheard and in desperation she utters a devastating curse to the crowd gathered before her as she faces certain death. Centuries later, Evie Matthews returns to England, after an absence of fifteen years. Accompanied by her teenage son Alfie, she is keen to introduce him to his uncle Luke, who has inherited Seahurst, the house their father built close to the abbey ruins for Evie's mother. Seth, left behind in Toronto to spend the new year alone, clearly poses a threat to Evie and her son. The extent of this becomes clear as the story unfolds. Luke's mysterious absence from Seahurst upon their arrival, introduces another sinister strand. Evie finds comfort in reacquainting herself with former friends Lou, Adam and Will, who she hasn't seen since she last left Suffolk as a teenager following her father's apparent suicide. Jack, his closest friend, provides further solace and a paternal influence. But within hours of Evie and Luke's arrival at Seahurst, it becomes clear that the house may not be the sanctuary they were seeking. Sinister events starts to unfold and Evie begins to fear for herself and her son's safety. For those who enjoy bed time reading that keeps them awake, questioning every sound and shadow of a long winter night, this is the perfect tale. Harris has a distinctive style, previously realised in her spooky, page-turner and first novel Haverscroft. The distinct setting provides a strong sense of place which really grounds the novel. Evie, fights to protect her son and uncover the secrets contained with Seahurst's foundations. This is a thoroughly satisfying read, with a conclusion which manages to steer away from triteness, by answering some, but not all of the readers questions.
August 4, 2025
It's true what they say 'never judge a book by its cover!' I would never have picked this book but a friend lent me a bag of books, thus being one of them I thoroughly enjoyed it and was enjoying all the characters and their lives opening up as I read. I obviously loved the spooky element to it too.
May 19, 2023
After a desperate flight from her abusive partner in Toronto, Evie Mathews arrives in Suffolk with her young son Alfie, to spend the New Year with her half-brother Luke and get some perspective on their future. But when they arrive at Seahurst, the modern cliff-top house Evie and Luke's father built as his summer home, the place seems hastily abandoned - and Luke is nowhere to be found.
As Evie tries to reconnect with former friends, and cope with the odd atmosphere at Seahurst, she is plagued with worries about the disappearance of Luke - especially given his obsession with the research their father had been undertaking into Seahurst's past, and his new found conviction that his death might not have been a suicide after all.
As she searches for clues, she becomes convinced that something is very wrong about Seahurst. Might there be some truth in the folklore tales about a curse connected with this place? Will she and Alfie become the next victims of the ghosts that demand revenge from beyond the grave?
Having really enjoyed Sally Harris' deliciously chilling, debut ghost story Haverscroft, I could not wait to dive into her follow-up novel Seahurst - and it was every bit as unsettling as I hoped. This time around Harris flips the ghost story trope in terrifying style, from a creepy old house to a modern construction of glass and steel that forms a conduit to sins of the past...
This is all about ancient history and the burden of secrets, both in terms of the ghost story elements and the threads of the personal lives of the characters that weave around them. Harris makes the most of folklore tales of witches and curses that ooze from the fabric of places like the wild and windswept Suffolk coast, using them to flood this story with a jarring sense that something is really not right about Seahurst. Strange sounds, foul smells, mysterious happenings, and stormy weather, all come together to enhance the menacing feeling of dread as you wait for the inevitable shoe to drop. The past is waiting to pull the characters down to their doom, and this works so well with the backdrop of a coastline battered by the unpredictable power of the sea, where the cliff-edge creeps closer with sinister intent.
I am very impressed with the way Harris' writing has grown since Haverscroft in terms of her character development. As in Haverscroft, you have a mother as the leading character, but Seahurst has a much more complex ensemble cast, and their personal stories and interactions reflect the pull of history, and turmoil under the surface. The intricacies of dysfunctional relationships, guilt, regret, and the weight of things not said complement the overall themes nicely.
This is an accomplished ghost story that holds you fast, and scares you witless. There is an unmistakable echo of Michelle Paver's excellent chill-fests Dark Matter and Thin Air in the feel of this book, albeit in a modern setting, which I thoroughly enjoyed too. I cannot recommend this book enough if you love a ghost story done well, and apolgise in advance for the nightmares you will sure be left with about bone rattles...
As Evie tries to reconnect with former friends, and cope with the odd atmosphere at Seahurst, she is plagued with worries about the disappearance of Luke - especially given his obsession with the research their father had been undertaking into Seahurst's past, and his new found conviction that his death might not have been a suicide after all.
As she searches for clues, she becomes convinced that something is very wrong about Seahurst. Might there be some truth in the folklore tales about a curse connected with this place? Will she and Alfie become the next victims of the ghosts that demand revenge from beyond the grave?
Having really enjoyed Sally Harris' deliciously chilling, debut ghost story Haverscroft, I could not wait to dive into her follow-up novel Seahurst - and it was every bit as unsettling as I hoped. This time around Harris flips the ghost story trope in terrifying style, from a creepy old house to a modern construction of glass and steel that forms a conduit to sins of the past...
This is all about ancient history and the burden of secrets, both in terms of the ghost story elements and the threads of the personal lives of the characters that weave around them. Harris makes the most of folklore tales of witches and curses that ooze from the fabric of places like the wild and windswept Suffolk coast, using them to flood this story with a jarring sense that something is really not right about Seahurst. Strange sounds, foul smells, mysterious happenings, and stormy weather, all come together to enhance the menacing feeling of dread as you wait for the inevitable shoe to drop. The past is waiting to pull the characters down to their doom, and this works so well with the backdrop of a coastline battered by the unpredictable power of the sea, where the cliff-edge creeps closer with sinister intent.
I am very impressed with the way Harris' writing has grown since Haverscroft in terms of her character development. As in Haverscroft, you have a mother as the leading character, but Seahurst has a much more complex ensemble cast, and their personal stories and interactions reflect the pull of history, and turmoil under the surface. The intricacies of dysfunctional relationships, guilt, regret, and the weight of things not said complement the overall themes nicely.
This is an accomplished ghost story that holds you fast, and scares you witless. There is an unmistakable echo of Michelle Paver's excellent chill-fests Dark Matter and Thin Air in the feel of this book, albeit in a modern setting, which I thoroughly enjoyed too. I cannot recommend this book enough if you love a ghost story done well, and apolgise in advance for the nightmares you will sure be left with about bone rattles...
May 15, 2023
The disturbing prologue set in 1286 draws the reader into this story. The novel continues in present times with Evie and her young son Alfie leaving Canada for England. There's a sense of urgency as she speaks to Luke, who we discover is her half-brother, on the phone. The reason for the intense atmosphere manifests at the airport security desk in the form of Evie's partner Seth. Further mystery and increasingly shocking events occur as the past chillingly collides with the present. The atmosphere created using the historic location and impactful sensory imagery unsettles the reader. Evil manifests itself in many forms, not all supernatural, and makes the reader invested in Evie and fear for the outcome.
I like the connection with the past and the location, the use of natural elements to intensify the suspense and the layered plot that makes this addictive reading.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
I like the connection with the past and the location, the use of natural elements to intensify the suspense and the layered plot that makes this addictive reading.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
November 1, 2024
A disconcerting and spooky tale, told in a very engaging way. It centres on a house and missing person, the ruins of an abbey close by and the nearby cliffs gradually falling into the sea. I confess that I had trouble sleeping a couple of times, as there were genuinely creepy events in the story!
I very much enjoyed it, but there were a few bits where continuity was let down, which could be due to poor editing (for example, a character leaving a voicemail that was then a text message, a cup of tea someone was drinking that suddenly became coffee in the next sentence etc). Anyway, this didn’t get me down too much and I still recommend the story.
I very much enjoyed it, but there were a few bits where continuity was let down, which could be due to poor editing (for example, a character leaving a voicemail that was then a text message, a cup of tea someone was drinking that suddenly became coffee in the next sentence etc). Anyway, this didn’t get me down too much and I still recommend the story.
May 24, 2023
My thoughts on the book.
A spooky and suspenseful read, waiting on tenderhooks as to what the outcome may be.
Evie fleeing with her son Alfie from Canada to the UK from an abusive relationship. The tension and atmosphere is palatable. Arriving at Seahurst to meet up with Evie's half brother he is nowhere to be seen and the tension and atmosphere is set for ghostly read.
This is far from my usual type of read but I was surprised how quickly I became gripped in the storyline and the feeling of anticipation and dread.
I recommend a read if you enjoy a contemporary ghostly tale.
.
A spooky and suspenseful read, waiting on tenderhooks as to what the outcome may be.
Evie fleeing with her son Alfie from Canada to the UK from an abusive relationship. The tension and atmosphere is palatable. Arriving at Seahurst to meet up with Evie's half brother he is nowhere to be seen and the tension and atmosphere is set for ghostly read.
This is far from my usual type of read but I was surprised how quickly I became gripped in the storyline and the feeling of anticipation and dread.
I recommend a read if you enjoy a contemporary ghostly tale.
.
February 15, 2023
I was lucky enough to have been able to read an early version of Seahurst. This is an absorbing and gripping tale set in the sultry, sea haunted Suffolk coast. The evocative descriptions of the cliffs and heathlands around the mysetrious lost town of Dunwich, draw you in to a world brooding with intrigue and expectation. The subtle building of an air of other wordliness is expertly crafted to keep you turning the pages. Another great read from SA Harris.
June 29, 2023
Seahurst is a spooky ghost story, an example of gothic atmosphere. Sa Harris does an excellent characterization job. The story suffers from a series of little imperfection that overall leave us feeling like a few things were overlooked. The ending is a bit easy too…
March 4, 2024
Compelling reading
I love all stories with a Gothic thread, and Seahurst grabbed my imagination from the start, especially as I live in East Anglia, not far from the North Sea coast. One thing that spoiled it a little was errors that were overlooked in the editing process.
I love all stories with a Gothic thread, and Seahurst grabbed my imagination from the start, especially as I live in East Anglia, not far from the North Sea coast. One thing that spoiled it a little was errors that were overlooked in the editing process.
May 20, 2023
3.75
A solid ghost story. Spooky house, actual supernatural element, back story, things that go bump in the night and a savagely natural setting. All the elements.
A solid ghost story. Spooky house, actual supernatural element, back story, things that go bump in the night and a savagely natural setting. All the elements.
June 11, 2023
Brilliant !
5⭐️’s
5⭐️’s
September 10, 2023
Sorry, not for me.
October 18, 2023
Full of atmosphere. Recovered well from what was a slightly slow start (in my opinion). A good October read.
December 8, 2023
Seahurst opens with a sinister prologue set in 1286 which gives an insight into what is in store for the reader. Then the modern day storyline begins in which Evie and her son leave Canada and Evie's controlling partner behind and head to the Suffolk coast to spend New Year with her half-brother Luke at Seahurst, the house their father built around ancient ruins. Bizarrely, there's no sign of Luke when they arrive and his absence soon sets the scene for more sinister happenings. Something ancient is out to get them!
Seahurst is an eerie and chilling story. There were quite a few times that I shuddered and I'm surprised I didn't have weird dreams whilst I was reading it. Evie and Alfie stay at the house and the fact that Luke is missing is not the only strange thing to happen to them there. The whole place gave me the creeps and the stormy weather outside added another layer of anticipation and tension.
I found this to be an extremely atmospheric and creepy read with an unfolding sense of mystery and apprehension throughout. SA Harris does an excellent job with her books (I can recommend Haverscroft also), conveying so well the sense of a place you really wouldn't want to visit. The plotting is tight and the writing is taut. I found this to be a book that required concentration as Harris sometimes feeds information into the story and then explains it later, but I was rewarded with an unsettling story that gripped me and a setting that felt as much a character as any of the others. Seahurst is an excellent gothic read.
Seahurst is an eerie and chilling story. There were quite a few times that I shuddered and I'm surprised I didn't have weird dreams whilst I was reading it. Evie and Alfie stay at the house and the fact that Luke is missing is not the only strange thing to happen to them there. The whole place gave me the creeps and the stormy weather outside added another layer of anticipation and tension.
I found this to be an extremely atmospheric and creepy read with an unfolding sense of mystery and apprehension throughout. SA Harris does an excellent job with her books (I can recommend Haverscroft also), conveying so well the sense of a place you really wouldn't want to visit. The plotting is tight and the writing is taut. I found this to be a book that required concentration as Harris sometimes feeds information into the story and then explains it later, but I was rewarded with an unsettling story that gripped me and a setting that felt as much a character as any of the others. Seahurst is an excellent gothic read.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews