Published by The Book Guild on 25th July 2023
Format: eARC
Source: Author
Pages: 379
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Thirteen doors, thirteen hauntings. News reporter Joe Baxter has a plan.
His idea is simple – to use his newsroom contacts across England to find thirteen haunted places to stay, and then record his experiences in a book. From an abandoned cinema to a dank pub cellar, from a World War Two airfield to a lonely, landlocked cruise liner, Joe is prepared to spend long nights in the cold and dark, but has no idea what he is about to unleash.
For, as he endures increasingly dangerous vigils, meeting a succession of gruesome, tragic and terrifying spectres, a terrible truth begins to emerge.
Something – or someone – is reaching out to Joe, awakening long-buried memories of his father’s death, a dark family secret and his teenage brush with madness. And then there is Wilko, the imaginary friend who haunted his childhood. After decades of silence, Wilko has found his voice again…
A spine-tingling supernatural mystery entwined with chilling ghost stories, 13 Doors places the reader at the dark heart of the moment, from gut-wrenching action to eerie vigils.
I love a good ghost story, they are my go-to horror books. Anything spooky, that can unsettle me and make me question the shadows in a room, is a winner for me.
Now, I will say I wasn’t scared reading this book, it takes a heck of a lot to do, however, a couple of the vigils that Joe did slightly unsettle me. The caves, the drummer boy for sure, there was something about these two that put me on edge, maybe it was the enclosed spaces and the echoes of sounds. shudder Alfred stayed with me for other reasons.
I did guess the twist with a character, all I will say the scene with the bus sealed the deal for me, but it was no less shocking to read it.
Joe was an endearing beacon in this book, he had opened himself up to the ghosts and they wanted to take advantage. Boy did some try. In between the vigils we see insight in Joe now and before, this just helped build up our hero in this story as we spend our time with him. I would love to have gone ghost hunting with him for sure!
The full circle we go at the end, that final scene after the showdown, wowzers – I have no words for that. Foresight? Hindsight? Who knows but it was one to boggle the brain!
I loved reading the acknowledgments too, learning about these stories and the background – it was great stuff.
I really hope there is a sequel to this book, I think Joe’s story is far from over. I am still mulling this book over and although I have a few questions I think it was perfectly done. It was gripping, creepy, and deliciously dark.
I really want to say more but it would spoil the book, but it’s by far one of the better ghost stories I have read this year! I need more like this!
Until the next time xxx
My thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the tour invite and the author for a copy of the book in return for my honest and unbiased review
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
annecater says
Thanks for the blog tour support xx