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The Reckoning
They were children then, in that magical summer so long ago when Robert, Carrie-Anne, and Jason first met Gina. It was a summer of fun, of friendship, and of discoveries—including the discovery of Gina's strange abilities. But it all ended in a moment of madness and blood.
Now, twenty years later, Robert is still haunted by nightmares of that time. He has returned to his small hometown to confront his past and reclaim his life, but his homecoming is far from happy. Gina moved away long ago. Jason is bitter and resentful. And Carrie-Anne is about to commit an act that will horrify them all. Something unexplainable has infected the town, inhabiting its dreams, bringing with it insanity and terror. Could the secret lie in the past, in Gina's old house, abandoned long ago but never quite empty?
Now, twenty years later, Robert is still haunted by nightmares of that time. He has returned to his small hometown to confront his past and reclaim his life, but his homecoming is far from happy. Gina moved away long ago. Jason is bitter and resentful. And Carrie-Anne is about to commit an act that will horrify them all. Something unexplainable has infected the town, inhabiting its dreams, bringing with it insanity and terror. Could the secret lie in the past, in Gina's old house, abandoned long ago but never quite empty?
338 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2005
8 people are currently reading
677 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pinborough
89 books7,930 followersSarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling and Sunday Times Number one and Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her recent books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures. Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted. Her next novel, Insomnia, is out in 2022. You can follow Sarah on Twitter at @sarahpinborough.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
September 26, 2013
This is the first novel I had ever read by Sarah Pinborough. Even though I enjoyed her other books as well, this one still remains my favorite of hers, even after re-reads. :) A very unique take on "hauntings" in my opinion.
Recommended!!
Recommended!!
June 19, 2010
Lately I am plowing through Pinborough's books and am slowly beginning to see that they are good, each one of her stories is interesting and as a reader I am curious to what she will come up with next. The horror in this story is creepy, like a cold chill on your back, it swirls up the spine and unsettles the reader, each chapter starts to reveal that something from the past is coming back to haunt four childhood friends. They have moved on or so they think they did, but events in their childhood town are calling their attention with weird deaths and acts of violence at Syracousse, now abandoned house that they once loved so much. The beautiful and grand home of mysterious and alluring Gina was a magical mansion to Rob, Jason and Carole-Anne, who weren't as well off as Gina. But under the shiny façade something dark is lurking around the girl, an invisible field of protection seems to keep her safe and accident free, while others suffer the aftermath. After growing jealousy between the friends an accident breaks them apart and after that nothing is ever the same. Later a horrible murder shatters the peace and their childhood is a dark stain, a bad memory that suddenly is calling them back. Not all of them get a chance to meet as something is messing up everything they touch, and it's up to a coward to save them and for once do something helpful for others. The house is calling them back and they have no choice but to answer it's alluring song and try to get to the bottom of the strange accidents from their past.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to the past that gave me glimpses of the now aged characters and what propelled their choices that altered their fate. Rob was a flawed hero of the tale, with issues and weaknesses that steered his actions and the people who he encountered made for an interesting read. Gina was the glowing siren that enchanted the boys and was acting more snobbish and mean spirited with the growing discord that enveloped the whole house. Jason and Carole-Anne changed too; some were weaker than others and suffered for their inability to fight back the darkness that tapped into their veins and mind. This was a nice little story that touched on different things, an old mystery, possible haunting and ghosts and unexplained phenomenon's that permeated everything and everyone and the ending was just right, no on can say that anyone got off easy. There was plenty of chills and thrills and some nice twists that kept things interesting.
I enjoyed the flashbacks to the past that gave me glimpses of the now aged characters and what propelled their choices that altered their fate. Rob was a flawed hero of the tale, with issues and weaknesses that steered his actions and the people who he encountered made for an interesting read. Gina was the glowing siren that enchanted the boys and was acting more snobbish and mean spirited with the growing discord that enveloped the whole house. Jason and Carole-Anne changed too; some were weaker than others and suffered for their inability to fight back the darkness that tapped into their veins and mind. This was a nice little story that touched on different things, an old mystery, possible haunting and ghosts and unexplained phenomenon's that permeated everything and everyone and the ending was just right, no on can say that anyone got off easy. There was plenty of chills and thrills and some nice twists that kept things interesting.
June 23, 2008
This may well be the first female horror writer that I have ever read – I don’t consider Anne Rice to be horror, more gothic romance, but none-the-less, I was curious to see how a fellow female would approach the genera.
First of all, she is a British writer, but seems to be very Americanized… if random words like “quid” didn’t suddenly pop up I would have easily imagined this being an American tale. The lead character is a writer who has lived his life in excess and suddenly begins having terrible nightmares about his childhood. Realizing that he needs to come to terms with something terrible that has happened he leaves his exciting drug frenzied life in London to return to his small hometown in hopes of conquering his mental demons. Much of the story is told in flashback, to when Rob (the writer), Jason and Carrie-Anne were children. They met Gina, a well to do young lady that seemed to have “special” powers. Though her powers seemed benign at first, suddenly they take a much darker turn. When Rob returns to the small town he discovers that terrible things have been happening up at “Syracousse” – Gina’s old house. The three friends had not spoken since their childhood, and suddenly they discover that they may have been wrong about Gina’s powers and what they thought had happened in their childhood.
The plot in this book is familiar, most haunted house tales all share similar traits. What was so intriguing about this book was the understated writing style. Though I never found myself “scared” or “covered in goose-bumps” I was truly intrigued with what was going on. I had a hard time putting the book down because it was interesting… the characters were fairly 3D and you find yourself waiting on the flashbacks to come so that you can find out more about what happened to them when they were children. I also loved that her horror was so low key, more brooding and dark than “in your face” which seems to be a rare occurrence. I will be picking up more titles by this author in the near future. She makes a refreshing read after plowing through several of the more gory authors.
First of all, she is a British writer, but seems to be very Americanized… if random words like “quid” didn’t suddenly pop up I would have easily imagined this being an American tale. The lead character is a writer who has lived his life in excess and suddenly begins having terrible nightmares about his childhood. Realizing that he needs to come to terms with something terrible that has happened he leaves his exciting drug frenzied life in London to return to his small hometown in hopes of conquering his mental demons. Much of the story is told in flashback, to when Rob (the writer), Jason and Carrie-Anne were children. They met Gina, a well to do young lady that seemed to have “special” powers. Though her powers seemed benign at first, suddenly they take a much darker turn. When Rob returns to the small town he discovers that terrible things have been happening up at “Syracousse” – Gina’s old house. The three friends had not spoken since their childhood, and suddenly they discover that they may have been wrong about Gina’s powers and what they thought had happened in their childhood.
The plot in this book is familiar, most haunted house tales all share similar traits. What was so intriguing about this book was the understated writing style. Though I never found myself “scared” or “covered in goose-bumps” I was truly intrigued with what was going on. I had a hard time putting the book down because it was interesting… the characters were fairly 3D and you find yourself waiting on the flashbacks to come so that you can find out more about what happened to them when they were children. I also loved that her horror was so low key, more brooding and dark than “in your face” which seems to be a rare occurrence. I will be picking up more titles by this author in the near future. She makes a refreshing read after plowing through several of the more gory authors.
June 28, 2017
The ending was a little disappointing but good story and character building overall.
January 27, 2016
They say parting is such sweet sorrow, but Sarah Pinborough makes saying goodbye easier by returning back with more so quickly. What’s rarer than rare? How about a female horror author that shovels out two good books in less than a year! I’ve always thought we needed more women writers on the dark side, their morbid nature is just as strong as mens. If you doubt this, try screwing one over. They don’t say Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned for nothing.
While the plots familiar ground for the reader, as it’s been done many times before in every form, it’s still fun to tread upon. Haunted houses, a protagonist with an undeniable urge to return home, a small child sucked into the evil, and the classic battle between good people and unseen dark forces that are never really explained. Yep, familiar alright, but done in a manner that works.
The beginning opens cleverly, hinting at intriguing flashbacks to come, while the middle delivers on this and more, not annoyingly dangling those meaty morsels out too long, yet still promising later discoveries to come. When it ends, it does so in a satisfying way, leaving me feeling like the story has been told on good terms, not being rushed just to make it over the finish line. Scenes are well written and planned, not weighed down by unneeded space anchors, propelling the story along further.
Characters are rich and fleshy, although I never became overly attached to any of them. The obligatory romance was a bit too sappy and cutish, the instant attraction and development taking me back to my Harlequin days. The child was adorable, of course, but perhaps a bit too adorable, as if the writer really wanted to hammer it into the readers minds that this kid is CUTE! At least here Pinborough delves into the darkside, offing the likable characters in sadistic enough ways that prove to be painful.
While not a bloody, violent affair, one death (or multiple death) scene in particular is strikingly bleak. This isn’t a book I’d describe as terrifying, but it does have it’s disturbing moments. Pinborough’s writing style is avid and determined, weaving words that match the tone ideally. Pace is strong but not rapid fast, a great speed limit that works well with the material.
It’s not unflawed and it’s not perfect, but it’s still a book that demands to be read. Since they keep getting published, it’s apparent that readers never tire of the evil house tale; here’s another one to haunt the shelves and please the spiritually inclined.
While the plots familiar ground for the reader, as it’s been done many times before in every form, it’s still fun to tread upon. Haunted houses, a protagonist with an undeniable urge to return home, a small child sucked into the evil, and the classic battle between good people and unseen dark forces that are never really explained. Yep, familiar alright, but done in a manner that works.
The beginning opens cleverly, hinting at intriguing flashbacks to come, while the middle delivers on this and more, not annoyingly dangling those meaty morsels out too long, yet still promising later discoveries to come. When it ends, it does so in a satisfying way, leaving me feeling like the story has been told on good terms, not being rushed just to make it over the finish line. Scenes are well written and planned, not weighed down by unneeded space anchors, propelling the story along further.
Characters are rich and fleshy, although I never became overly attached to any of them. The obligatory romance was a bit too sappy and cutish, the instant attraction and development taking me back to my Harlequin days. The child was adorable, of course, but perhaps a bit too adorable, as if the writer really wanted to hammer it into the readers minds that this kid is CUTE! At least here Pinborough delves into the darkside, offing the likable characters in sadistic enough ways that prove to be painful.
While not a bloody, violent affair, one death (or multiple death) scene in particular is strikingly bleak. This isn’t a book I’d describe as terrifying, but it does have it’s disturbing moments. Pinborough’s writing style is avid and determined, weaving words that match the tone ideally. Pace is strong but not rapid fast, a great speed limit that works well with the material.
It’s not unflawed and it’s not perfect, but it’s still a book that demands to be read. Since they keep getting published, it’s apparent that readers never tire of the evil house tale; here’s another one to haunt the shelves and please the spiritually inclined.
November 9, 2008
This book was amazing. Not as good as Breeding Ground, but just as good as The Taken. If you liked Carrie by Stephen King than you'll love this book! I recommend this book top any fan of horror and the supernatural! :D
November 12, 2010
One of the few super talented female horror writers out there. Excellent story with an actual character development. Yey.
April 24, 2015
Pinborough is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. I haven't read anything of hers yet I didn't love. This is no exception. A great haunted house story with loads of twists.
July 8, 2009
Great read! One of the better adults-facing-childhood-horror books I've read. Ever. Believable characters. Good pace. Convincing dialogue. Wonderful & complex 'bad guy'. Only complaint- Could have done without the epilogue. The ending was satisfying without it for me. Just bought Tower Hill at local Half Price Books. Added to my ever-growing & quite high to-read pile. Great (& wiry - see her Twitter account) author!
December 19, 2012
Strange things start happening in a small English town, at about the same time a popular writer returns to where he grew up. Was it fate? Or, was it meant to be? I would call this tale of what happened one summer to four young friends, then fast forward twenty some years later.....creepy tension. This was my first by Ms. Pinborough, it will not be my last.
November 13, 2019
A pretty solid haunted house novel. The epilogue had me chuckling in the way a lot of good and bad horror films do.
January 26, 2021
Entertaining but not my favorite in the horror genre. The characters were ok, and it was a bit of a struggle to finish.
December 20, 2009
There's a type of story that most horror writers will eventually get to, or at least, have a brush with. For humour writers, it's penises. For romance writers it's randy pirates.
I imagine.
With the horror writer, it's the haunted house subgenre. I'm having a bit of a haunted house run, what with this, House That Jack Built (Masterton) and Mischief (Clegg). This week, I've had the honour of having Sarah Pinborough join me in the bath each morning with her novel, The Reckoning. It was hot and steamy (the bath) but did the novel give me the chills?
Rob Black is a successful novelist (YAWN! Followers of my reviews will know that I'm sick to the back teeth of protagonists being successful writers) who ditches the drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle to return to his family home to get the creativity bubbling again. The old town holds many secrets, and strange events in his childhood are pivotal to it all. Still living in the town are his childhood friends: frumpy housewife Carrie, and the in-and-out-of-jail greengrocer, Jason. The fourth member of the group, elusive and magical Gina, has been absent since her mother committed to a mental home following her murdering Gina's father.
Strange events plague the town and the people involved in the murder case all those years ago, following the rape of a teenager in Gina's old family home. Something is trying to punish those involved and no one is safe.
So there's our plot. I won't give too much away as like I said above, each character in this book has their dirty little secrets, which the reader is fed with controlled pace, like a constant dripping from a cavern roof. There's quite a few twists and turns and I don't want to provide the reading public with any spoilers. Pinborough is a mistress of pace and revealing the deeper story as and when required to benefit the book.
The characters are likeable and sympathetic enough...on the whole. They do suffer from bouts of stupid behaviour though. For example, the young daughter of one of the characters goes missing, and after a few hours of searching, they all spend the following days seemingly sat on a sofa endlessly drinking wine. A bit farfetched. Plus, we're quite clued up on the flaws of Rob's character, and an event towards the end of the book supports this trait...but it wasn't too realistic. To have a character develop and change and grow throughout the book, just to fall back for a chapter, jarred for me.
A strong point of Pinborough's writing skills are when things enter the house. She relaxes a little and allows the book to flirt with the bizarre, to great effect. We get a great ghost train feel, where anything can jump out of the shadows. A child's nightmare, successfully done.
I feel I need to touch upon the ending. This is my second attempt at this review (stupid Goodreads deleted the first one before it was saved. Stupid Goodreads)and maybe I originally gave too much away about the ending. I like a good finale, and in The Reckoning, the stage was set for a corker. I'm sorry to say it kind of fizzled out and felt a bit rushed. Characters were swept aside quietly, like the author didn't really know how to resolve their storylines. A tad disappointing.
I've been looking for a while for a female writer who can really push the boundaries in the shock department. I had my hopes set on Pinborough, following her great story in the Hellbound Hearts anthology (and that book did what any good anthology should: sparked my interest in a writer and made me seek them out). I want a female writer to have their book positively drip with visceral grue. I believe her book Breeding Ground is on the money, but The Reckoning was a little far off. An entertaining read, but with little gore and violence. There are haunted house books I would recommend before this, but don't let that take away from the quality of the writing here. Pinborough has the talent and is one hell of a storyteller, but this book failed to shift out of third gear, in my opinion.
A light horror read, but a very worthy horror read. Maybe I'm sounding a little harsh. It was good, maybe a little off-centre on my personal radar.
And I'm sharing my bath with Graham Masterton now. Hope it's big enough.
I imagine.
With the horror writer, it's the haunted house subgenre. I'm having a bit of a haunted house run, what with this, House That Jack Built (Masterton) and Mischief (Clegg). This week, I've had the honour of having Sarah Pinborough join me in the bath each morning with her novel, The Reckoning. It was hot and steamy (the bath) but did the novel give me the chills?
Rob Black is a successful novelist (YAWN! Followers of my reviews will know that I'm sick to the back teeth of protagonists being successful writers) who ditches the drugs and rock 'n' roll lifestyle to return to his family home to get the creativity bubbling again. The old town holds many secrets, and strange events in his childhood are pivotal to it all. Still living in the town are his childhood friends: frumpy housewife Carrie, and the in-and-out-of-jail greengrocer, Jason. The fourth member of the group, elusive and magical Gina, has been absent since her mother committed to a mental home following her murdering Gina's father.
Strange events plague the town and the people involved in the murder case all those years ago, following the rape of a teenager in Gina's old family home. Something is trying to punish those involved and no one is safe.
So there's our plot. I won't give too much away as like I said above, each character in this book has their dirty little secrets, which the reader is fed with controlled pace, like a constant dripping from a cavern roof. There's quite a few twists and turns and I don't want to provide the reading public with any spoilers. Pinborough is a mistress of pace and revealing the deeper story as and when required to benefit the book.
The characters are likeable and sympathetic enough...on the whole. They do suffer from bouts of stupid behaviour though. For example, the young daughter of one of the characters goes missing, and after a few hours of searching, they all spend the following days seemingly sat on a sofa endlessly drinking wine. A bit farfetched. Plus, we're quite clued up on the flaws of Rob's character, and an event towards the end of the book supports this trait...but it wasn't too realistic. To have a character develop and change and grow throughout the book, just to fall back for a chapter, jarred for me.
A strong point of Pinborough's writing skills are when things enter the house. She relaxes a little and allows the book to flirt with the bizarre, to great effect. We get a great ghost train feel, where anything can jump out of the shadows. A child's nightmare, successfully done.
I feel I need to touch upon the ending. This is my second attempt at this review (stupid Goodreads deleted the first one before it was saved. Stupid Goodreads)and maybe I originally gave too much away about the ending. I like a good finale, and in The Reckoning, the stage was set for a corker. I'm sorry to say it kind of fizzled out and felt a bit rushed. Characters were swept aside quietly, like the author didn't really know how to resolve their storylines. A tad disappointing.
I've been looking for a while for a female writer who can really push the boundaries in the shock department. I had my hopes set on Pinborough, following her great story in the Hellbound Hearts anthology (and that book did what any good anthology should: sparked my interest in a writer and made me seek them out). I want a female writer to have their book positively drip with visceral grue. I believe her book Breeding Ground is on the money, but The Reckoning was a little far off. An entertaining read, but with little gore and violence. There are haunted house books I would recommend before this, but don't let that take away from the quality of the writing here. Pinborough has the talent and is one hell of a storyteller, but this book failed to shift out of third gear, in my opinion.
A light horror read, but a very worthy horror read. Maybe I'm sounding a little harsh. It was good, maybe a little off-centre on my personal radar.
And I'm sharing my bath with Graham Masterton now. Hope it's big enough.
October 13, 2015
Sarah Pinborough has a way of taking worn-out tropes and making them interesting, largely because she's so good at developing characters in a genre that so rarely bothers. Breeding Ground, Feeding Ground, The Taken, The Hidden, The Reckoning -- they're all stories that in other hands, would have felt like boring cliches, but Pinborough has a way of making them shine. (Also of note: I generally *hate* books that are full of flashbacks, like the Reckoning. With any other author, I probably would have tossed the book aside the first time we went back in time. But in this case, I kept going, because I knew this author would make it worth my while. I still hate flashbacks, but I'm glad I finished the book.)
January 26, 2016
I'm a newcomer to Sarah Pinborough's work. I loved the hell out of THE HIDDEN, which quickly became one of my favorite horror novels ever. This one isn't as awesome, but it's still great! Pinborough is cruel to her characters. They are great, and they probably don't deserve it. It's heartbreaking whenever something horrible happens to a favored character. Pinborough also dosen't give us easy answers. She always seems to take the hard road. If you're easily wounded by books, you might want to skip this one. But if you like your art heavy and hard and relentless, you should jump into this one. I identified most with Rob, but I think my favorite character was Jason. Regardless, you will never forget these characters. I'm glad I have more of her books in my future!
December 22, 2007
This book was really long, although there were interesting events spread throughout. I like the way it was written, and the characters are well-developed and not shallow; I liked them and cared if they died (alot of books lack that empathy). And I didn't think it was very predictable, either, especially the end.
March 10, 2019
This is a proper page-turner of a horror story. I’ve read Pinborough’s later work and you can definitely see progression from this but so many excellent facets of story-telling are here.
I loved the use of flashbacks as you slowly learn about the events of a fateful summer and how each revelation keeps you guessing. The story is properly creepy and the characters are well-drawn. The ending is a little unsatisfying but overall this was a great story.
I loved the use of flashbacks as you slowly learn about the events of a fateful summer and how each revelation keeps you guessing. The story is properly creepy and the characters are well-drawn. The ending is a little unsatisfying but overall this was a great story.
December 12, 2018
I'm not much into horror stories but this one caught my attention right from the first pages.I wasn't scared since I've seen my fair share of horror movies but the narration in this book was really good. Can't believe that this was among Sarah's first books. And that ending was something I really didn't expect.
December 27, 2018
An amazing story set perfectly in the right society. Only wonder is why its not so famous?
August 17, 2019
A great book. In the end we all return home.
October 21, 2021
Nothing special here.....🤷♀️
May 22, 2024
I love every book this author has written so far… the book was creepy in a good way. Didn’t really care for the ending 😞
September 20, 2025
Fabulously intriguing from the first page. Brilliant story with a great ending!
August 29, 2010
This is the first book I’ve read by horror writer Sarah Piborough and also the first supernatural house book I’ve ever read. While I have a few of these subgenre books sitting on my shelves, I’ve not gotten around to reading them as of yet. Being a compulsive book buyer I own more books then I’ve probably read in my life. Terrible I know.
Onto the novel.
The Reckoning was published in two thousand and five and is Miss Pinborough’s second published novel, as far as I know there is only the one edition.
The story takes place in small village in modern England and follows the adult lives of: Robert, Jason, Carrie and Gina. The four characters were childhood friends until a summer of disastrous events tore their friendship apart. After Gina’s mother murders her father the group go their different ways and Gina’s home lays empty.
Many years later strange and violent events befall the small village. A teenage girl is violently assaulted at the house and soon after Carrie commits Suicide.
The mounting violence soon draws Robert Black’s attention and he seeks the help of his friends to get to the bottom of what’s happening. The three are drawn back to Gina’s house.
On a whole I enjoyed the novel. The plot constantly moved and Miss Pinborough has a way of tantalising the reader with tid-bits of information before heading towards an explosive ending. I walked around for days with this book in my hands determined to find out what would come next. The laundry was ignored the television a bore and going out for anything forbidden.
There is a death scene in the reckoning that I thought was original and wonderful in its simplicity. I’ll be vague on the details because I don’t want to spoil it for the reader. But in mentioning it I’d like to point out that while gore is present in the novel it is done tastefully. There is nothing extreme or overly explicit present.
The Main character Robert Black is multifaceted which I enjoyed. He has weaknesses and they are present in the book. One weakness however wasn’t mentioned after several chapters though which bothered me. At the start of the novel it is brought to the reader’s attention that Rob has been doing party drugs. After this chapter Rob makes the decision to move to the village he was raised in to clean up, and that’s it. There are no further mentions of his drug habits no cravings, nothing. This isn’t very true to life when most of us are aware how hard it is to overcome addiction, through various media and even through people we might know. Also furthering on this when a small girl goes missing at the house the mother of the child indulges in wine and sitting by the fire. This is used to build on background but it’s not very realistic. Being a mother myself I certainly wouldn’t be sitting by the fire nursing wine. I’d be out there trying to get my daughter back.
In all, a good read with an ever moving plot and characters that fascinate. Considering the size of the novel, I’d call this a worth-while weekend read.
Onto the novel.
The Reckoning was published in two thousand and five and is Miss Pinborough’s second published novel, as far as I know there is only the one edition.
The story takes place in small village in modern England and follows the adult lives of: Robert, Jason, Carrie and Gina. The four characters were childhood friends until a summer of disastrous events tore their friendship apart. After Gina’s mother murders her father the group go their different ways and Gina’s home lays empty.
Many years later strange and violent events befall the small village. A teenage girl is violently assaulted at the house and soon after Carrie commits Suicide.
The mounting violence soon draws Robert Black’s attention and he seeks the help of his friends to get to the bottom of what’s happening. The three are drawn back to Gina’s house.
On a whole I enjoyed the novel. The plot constantly moved and Miss Pinborough has a way of tantalising the reader with tid-bits of information before heading towards an explosive ending. I walked around for days with this book in my hands determined to find out what would come next. The laundry was ignored the television a bore and going out for anything forbidden.
There is a death scene in the reckoning that I thought was original and wonderful in its simplicity. I’ll be vague on the details because I don’t want to spoil it for the reader. But in mentioning it I’d like to point out that while gore is present in the novel it is done tastefully. There is nothing extreme or overly explicit present.
The Main character Robert Black is multifaceted which I enjoyed. He has weaknesses and they are present in the book. One weakness however wasn’t mentioned after several chapters though which bothered me. At the start of the novel it is brought to the reader’s attention that Rob has been doing party drugs. After this chapter Rob makes the decision to move to the village he was raised in to clean up, and that’s it. There are no further mentions of his drug habits no cravings, nothing. This isn’t very true to life when most of us are aware how hard it is to overcome addiction, through various media and even through people we might know. Also furthering on this when a small girl goes missing at the house the mother of the child indulges in wine and sitting by the fire. This is used to build on background but it’s not very realistic. Being a mother myself I certainly wouldn’t be sitting by the fire nursing wine. I’d be out there trying to get my daughter back.
In all, a good read with an ever moving plot and characters that fascinate. Considering the size of the novel, I’d call this a worth-while weekend read.
February 18, 2016
In ‘The Reckoning’, four children forged a close bond during one unforgettable summer which ended with an unexpected death. Now, twenty years later they are merely strangers to each other but something mysterious and dangerous has affected the town. Soon they find themselves reunited, brought back to the very place which holds memories they have been trying to escape from.
The author weaved such a brilliant, suspenseful mystery to the point where I found it hard to stop reading even for a second. I particularly liked how several hints and glimpses into the past were given throughout the story. Waiting for the answer wasn’t a disappointing journey as the pieces of the puzzle were gradually revealed and explained everything that had happened during that eventful summer. In the meantime, it was fun trying to figure out who or what had caused someone to die so tragically and how it was possible for such magic to exist.
Another wonderful thing about this book was how fleshed out and distinguishable the characters were. In most horror books, it’s usually hard to care about whether the characters will survive but that’s not the case here and refreshingly so. Gina was completely believable as the girl who enchanted the other three. She had an air of mystery and seemed older and more mature than them even when they were only kids. Carrie was sweet and down-to-earth – it was sad reading about her as an adult. She was the definition of miserable.
Robert’s the typical good-looking, successful guy but he carried a lot of pain inside and despite his wealth and achievements, he was clearly still haunted by the past. My favourite of the four was Jason who’s silent, hurt and resentful for very good reasons tied to that summer. He was moody pretty much all the time but the flashbacks showed that he was genuinely kind and sensitive so much so that he couldn’t forgive the rest for one disturbing incident. Other minor characters such as Kelly, Jack (her father) and Camilla (Gina’s mother) weren’t as interesting as the aforementioned characters but they were relevant to the story.
The ending was completely unexpected and left me feeling stunned. I really liked it though – it was the perfect way to conclude this dark, melancholic and eerie tale. Overall, ‘The Reckoning’ was a mesmerizing blend of subtle horror, great mystery and suspense as well as diverse characters.
The author weaved such a brilliant, suspenseful mystery to the point where I found it hard to stop reading even for a second. I particularly liked how several hints and glimpses into the past were given throughout the story. Waiting for the answer wasn’t a disappointing journey as the pieces of the puzzle were gradually revealed and explained everything that had happened during that eventful summer. In the meantime, it was fun trying to figure out who or what had caused someone to die so tragically and how it was possible for such magic to exist.
Another wonderful thing about this book was how fleshed out and distinguishable the characters were. In most horror books, it’s usually hard to care about whether the characters will survive but that’s not the case here and refreshingly so. Gina was completely believable as the girl who enchanted the other three. She had an air of mystery and seemed older and more mature than them even when they were only kids. Carrie was sweet and down-to-earth – it was sad reading about her as an adult. She was the definition of miserable.
Robert’s the typical good-looking, successful guy but he carried a lot of pain inside and despite his wealth and achievements, he was clearly still haunted by the past. My favourite of the four was Jason who’s silent, hurt and resentful for very good reasons tied to that summer. He was moody pretty much all the time but the flashbacks showed that he was genuinely kind and sensitive so much so that he couldn’t forgive the rest for one disturbing incident. Other minor characters such as Kelly, Jack (her father) and Camilla (Gina’s mother) weren’t as interesting as the aforementioned characters but they were relevant to the story.
The ending was completely unexpected and left me feeling stunned. I really liked it though – it was the perfect way to conclude this dark, melancholic and eerie tale. Overall, ‘The Reckoning’ was a mesmerizing blend of subtle horror, great mystery and suspense as well as diverse characters.
June 12, 2024
There was a lot about this book that I liked. It’s very easy to get hooked in and it unfolds as a fun readable story. But the books name should really be changed to Men are trash plus a haunted house! For real, somebody hurt this author. I’d put money on it. Somebody hurt that woman and it feels like I just paid the price for whatever that jerkhole did.
That aside, right from the start this book got me and I was unable to put the thing down without knowing what had happened to them way back when and what was happening to them now. And just to be clear, it does not disappoint. But as I approached the final chapters it was becoming suspicious that anyone without a vagina was definitely not coming out of this thing in one piece.
My only real problem was with what happened in the sit down with the family. It made no sense.. Maybe it was just a little something extra to add to the ending but it felt like the author was really trying to push the big red emotion button and it kind of ruined a good thing for me. Seriously was Kelly actually pissed at Rob for having messed up stuff happen to him as a kid? Or blaming him for what her dad did? Or blaming him that her kid ran away?... And then what followed after? What the hell was the reason for all that? I don’t get it. Sure, if you say that kind of thing to a guy you just started seeing two days ago, it is probably a deal breaker but come on, the stuff with Gina had no bearing on the story and was a complete polar opposite to the previous chapters about Robs feelings about Kelly.
Whatever the reasoning, it was just a chapter or two and I can live with it but the ending for me was really a downer. I’ll be vague but why would the house do that once it got what it wanted? Think about it. I’m all for the tense, creepy ending but if the house is its own character, why in blue hell would it do that once it had its prize.
All that being said, I really liked how this book plays out and really enjoyed reading it. Didn't like the end or the overall tone that men are garbage but it's a fun story.
That aside, right from the start this book got me and I was unable to put the thing down without knowing what had happened to them way back when and what was happening to them now. And just to be clear, it does not disappoint. But as I approached the final chapters it was becoming suspicious that anyone without a vagina was definitely not coming out of this thing in one piece.
My only real problem was with what happened in the sit down with the family. It made no sense.. Maybe it was just a little something extra to add to the ending but it felt like the author was really trying to push the big red emotion button and it kind of ruined a good thing for me. Seriously was Kelly actually pissed at Rob for having messed up stuff happen to him as a kid? Or blaming him for what her dad did? Or blaming him that her kid ran away?... And then what followed after? What the hell was the reason for all that? I don’t get it. Sure, if you say that kind of thing to a guy you just started seeing two days ago, it is probably a deal breaker but come on, the stuff with Gina had no bearing on the story and was a complete polar opposite to the previous chapters about Robs feelings about Kelly.
Whatever the reasoning, it was just a chapter or two and I can live with it but the ending for me was really a downer. I’ll be vague but why would the house do that once it got what it wanted? Think about it. I’m all for the tense, creepy ending but if the house is its own character, why in blue hell would it do that once it had its prize.
All that being said, I really liked how this book plays out and really enjoyed reading it. Didn't like the end or the overall tone that men are garbage but it's a fun story.
December 17, 2024
That summer had tainted them all, and now she had a feeling in her blood that it was happening all over again.
Set in Streatford, England.
Four adolescent friends: Rob, Jason, Carol Anne, and Gina. And one fateful summer…
Syracousse, the mysterious and evil house.
Present day. Robert Black, 37, is a famous and successful novelist. Carol Anne Locke is an overweight, battered housewife. Jason Milburn, 37, working at the local grocery store; ashamed of his criminal past. And Gina? Nowhere to be found.
Kelly Hollingsworth, 35, is a schoolteacher. Younger than the original four, but still in their periphery—then and now.
Something in Rob’s nightmares encourages him to leave London and return to Streatford.
A larger cast of characters for SP. Sarah does so well at giving both male and female characters strong, distinct, and authentic voices.
The note at the (first) scene: TEACHER. WE GOT IT WRONG.
Rob settles back into country life at his old family home.
Flashbacks to the foursome’s childhood are deftly sprinkled in.
Gina: so beautiful, and so troubled. She has some incredible gifts…
“You did that?”
“I’m not sure how. Just happens sometimes. It’s like I can get myself out of trouble.”
Rob’s father’s mental illness. The kiss that changed everything that summer…
Keeping Teacher’s identity hidden, but also in plain sight, for much of the novel is a brilliant narrative choice.
Kelly and Rob are awesome together.
The judge. The computer. The coffeemaker.
The visceral horror—especially that scene with Teacher.
The house: Tabby, Jason.
Jason and Teacher’s (final) mission.
Jack’s involvement—and his bombshell secret.
Camilla.
One of the only times I really have not cared for a Sarah Pinborough ending. Super strong overall, though. But the wink in the end-end / pseudo-epilogue? Brilliantly evil.
“Where are we going, Jase?”
“I don’t know, Robster. But Teach’ll lead the way. He’ll look after us.”
Set in Streatford, England.
Four adolescent friends: Rob, Jason, Carol Anne, and Gina. And one fateful summer…
Syracousse, the mysterious and evil house.
Present day. Robert Black, 37, is a famous and successful novelist. Carol Anne Locke is an overweight, battered housewife. Jason Milburn, 37, working at the local grocery store; ashamed of his criminal past. And Gina? Nowhere to be found.
Kelly Hollingsworth, 35, is a schoolteacher. Younger than the original four, but still in their periphery—then and now.
Something in Rob’s nightmares encourages him to leave London and return to Streatford.
A larger cast of characters for SP. Sarah does so well at giving both male and female characters strong, distinct, and authentic voices.
The note at the (first) scene: TEACHER. WE GOT IT WRONG.
Rob settles back into country life at his old family home.
Flashbacks to the foursome’s childhood are deftly sprinkled in.
Gina: so beautiful, and so troubled. She has some incredible gifts…
“You did that?”
“I’m not sure how. Just happens sometimes. It’s like I can get myself out of trouble.”
Rob’s father’s mental illness. The kiss that changed everything that summer…
Keeping Teacher’s identity hidden, but also in plain sight, for much of the novel is a brilliant narrative choice.
Kelly and Rob are awesome together.
The judge. The computer. The coffeemaker.
The visceral horror—especially that scene with Teacher.
The house: Tabby, Jason.
Jason and Teacher’s (final) mission.
Jack’s involvement—and his bombshell secret.
Camilla.
One of the only times I really have not cared for a Sarah Pinborough ending. Super strong overall, though. But the wink in the end-end / pseudo-epilogue? Brilliantly evil.
“Where are we going, Jase?”
“I don’t know, Robster. But Teach’ll lead the way. He’ll look after us.”
February 21, 2017
Sarah has a superb imagination, but what annoyed me with her earlier books was the need for her US publishers to either insist that she use "American English" or worse still edited her correct usage of the language. The book however, is a great read with a sad ending.
May 30, 2009
Alright, I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. I make up my own endings to it since I didn't like the one that was written. Something about it makes me feel like she was out for the main male characters. The book started really slow, then picked up, I'll admit. For a while, it was a huge page-turner. Somewhere around page 250, I stopped reading for a while. I'm one of those people who can put down and pick up books while still retaining plot and stuff. I finished it, and nearly threw it across the room. It built up and built up to a completely predictable conclusion, and one that I found highly anticlimactic. Not that it was bad, just very predictable. The writing was good, however, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys bittersweet endings. I didn't completely hate it...though I must say, it's not really something that I would consider re-reading.
January 4, 2022
I haven't found a SP book yet that I didn't love. This one is amazing. Read it in one go last night. And that ending - amazing!!
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