– A missing child. A desperate mother. And a house full of secrets. –
Author: Mark Edwards
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer (May 10, 2018)
- Genre: Psychological/Thriller
- Paperback: 364 Pages
- Review Written
- Audio Review
My Thoughts
I believe the book cover first caught my interest. Then as I started reading I became more and more involved and curious about the story.
The old home in Wales sounds perfect for writers to gather since there are no distractions to keep them from their work. The home/retreat is located in an isolated area, near the woods, and with a creek running nearby. Beautiful? Yes. But remember, this is a mystery, so nothing can remain calm and restful for very long.
We soon learn that two years earlier Julia the host and owner of the house/retreat lost her husband to drowning. At the same time, her young daughter disappeared also. Since her daughter’s stuffed cat was found in the creek it is assumed by the locals that she too drowned, though her body was never discovered.
What mystery writer can pass up a mystery when he learns this information? Lucas, who used to live in the area, has returned to relax at the retreat, along with several other writers. But his writer’s block causes him to gravitate more toward the local mystery rather than his story, which has a deadline.
Folklore
Folklore and superstitions abound in the small community. But the main one that might be responsible for Julia’s daughter’s disappearance is about the sacrifice of a child every 35 years. Since a child disappeared 35 year’s ago and then Julia’s daughter, it must be about the superstition regarding the Widow’s demand for a child.
As his thoughts turn more and more toward the disappearance of Julia’s daughter, Lucas hires a private investigator to slip down to the retreat and do some quiet investigating. He wants the investigation to remain on the sly since he feels that Julia is too proud for him to hire a PI, plus she could think that he, as a mystery/horror writer, might stand to profit somehow.
When Lucas starts hearing voices, mainly a girl singing, he begins researching in earnest.
Concerns
The book held my attention and I loved it up until the end. But the ending felt a bit contrived and over-the-top. Not bad, but didn’t really work for me.
Final Thoughts
I liked the area of the retreat and the personalities of the characters more than anything.
Now take a deep breath and enter this peculiar little village in Wales that author Mark Edwards has created.
About The Author
Mark Edwards writes psychological thrillers in which scary things happen to ordinary people.
He loves love hearing from readers and always responds. Mark can be contacted in the following ways:
Email: mark@markedwardsauthor.com
Twitter @mredwards
Facebook: www.facebook.com/markedwardsbooks
Mark lives in the West Midlands, England, with his wife, their three children, two cats and a golden retriever.
