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The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart JamesPublished by Bloodhound Books on May 4 2020
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Also by this author: Turn The Other Way, Apartment Six, Stranded
Jake and Kate live in Camden, London and have had enough of the hassle with parking, overbooked restaurants and burglaries.
After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think.
People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Neighbours are overly friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night?
They find a tape hidden in the loft of their new house, a homemade video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts.
What they view, chills them to the bone.
They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next....................
I am so excited to stay in my normal position of opening the blog tour for Stuart! I will drop what I am doing immediately to sign up for his tour! I am also happy to be kicking the tour off with 3 awesome ladies! Shell @ Baker’s Not So Secret Blog, Kerry @ Like Herding Cats and finally Shalini @ Shalini’s Books & Reviews, do check out their posts!
Also, one small thing…..
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!!!!!
✮ My Review ✮
Everyone knows I am a huge fan of Mr James so of course, I am going to read his books! I really can not recommend his highly enough…and maybe keep an eye out for him featuring on the blog this year. This one reminded me of Turn the Other Way with the dark ones, small community, a threatening presence. What more could you want!
However reading this all I kept thinking was Sugar Honey Iced Tea (read the bold letter) with lots of iced tea! Madness this journey, madness!
Jake and Kate move into a new house on Rectory Lane faster than you can blow your nose! A quick move into what seems in my head a beautiful mansion, gated parking, and a lot of privacy….or is that isolation? Definitely, isolation when things go to hell! I mean the lights dropping out, the ominous warnings all happen rather quickly in the story, the next thing you know you are getting whiplash from the speed and intensity of this story!
I know I am never moving to a quaint little village ever, don’t care how cheap and amazing the house is! The closed community might be nice on the outside but you never know what is going to happen on the inside!
I really can’t talk too much about the plot, because some of the reviews I have seen alluded to something and for me, I wasn’t shocked and had been waiting for it, so I lost my edge but that is not to say the book is not shocking because it is! The book was still awesome despite something slightly being slipped in a review. (My fault for reading it not the writing of the author!) it was a rooky mistake, yet when I got to said point I was spooked to say the least!
Stuart knows how the frick to write a book that will get under your skin, he knows how to make the panic rise in you, how to make you fear for everyone. It’s the little things he writes not the ones in your face. It’s the normal things you wouldn’t think twice about that add to the creepiness. The isolation of the property is pretty terrifying especially when the lights go out or when you see shadows at the windows. I think that is what is more terrifying is the isolation, it amplifies every little sound and creaks! That’s the worse thing, your imagination will take you places you don’t necessarily want to be visiting!!
I liked Jake from the get-go, he is not your stereotypical hero. Yes he does what he needs to protect his family, and ok a couple of crazy things he probably shouldn’t have done but the way he acts is more than likely the way we would act. You are made to care for Jake and his family, you are scared with them, you are terrified with them and most of you just want to escape with them. I think I have repeated myself enough now! James is a go to author for me in all things brutal, horrifying and terrifying.
All I will say about this story is it does not let you go even when you have turned the last page. You will be left looking over your shoulder, rechecking your doors, looking for shadows when they aren’t there…..so thanks Mr James….I freaking love it!
Until next time xxx
Thank you so much to Sarah at BOTBS Publicity for the tour invite and the author for a copy of this book in return for my honest and unbiased review.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Shalini says
Whoa this was mighty brilliant. You stole my words… It was isolated and creepy… Not ever staying on Rectory Lane
Zoé says
Nope I am avoiding it like the plague!
Sarah Hardy says
Thanks so much for kicking off the blog tour today Zoé x
Zoé says
Thanks for having me xx
Kelsey @ There's Something About KM says
That synopsis gave me goosebumps!
Zoé says
It is so good!! x
Zoé says
It’s creepy as hell and so good!
Shell Baker says
Love your review xx
Zoé says
Aw thanks lovely xx