Lee Allen's Blog

Alexandra Benedict's The Christmas Cracker Killer - Review

The Christmas Cracker Killer by Alexandra Benedict

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A fiendish Yuletide game of murder.

A group of guests journeys to a remote Scottish island to spend Christmas at the exclusive pre-opening of a grand new hotel.

But amongst those gathered, a killer stalks, awaiting their moment to strike. Guests and staff are ensnared in a sinister scheme, calling upon the ghosts of their Christmases past.

Following the Christmas Eve reading of a ghost story, a guest is found dead in their chair. But they will be only the first, unless all present play the killer’s deadly game.

‘The Christmas Cracker Killer’ is a festive mystery thriller by Alexandra Benedict, the second novel featuring puzzle crafter Edie O’Sullivan, following ‘The Christmas Jigsaw Murders’ plus her appearance in short story “The Midnight Mass Murderer”, which featured in the ‘Death Comes at Christmas’ collection. An intricately plotted, tightly woven mystery in the tradition of cosy crime, with the dark, serated edge of a slasher; a psychological thriller glossed up in merriment for the Christmas season, set on an isolated island of the Scottish Hebrides, it’s both whodunit and whydunit with emotional character arcs and a killer with their own unique take on crossing people off the naughty-and-nice list.

Edie is a brilliant character, and I was very excited to learn she was making a return for a second novel. Since the events of the first, she has developed an affection for Christmas, if perhaps still holding a sliver of mistrust for the season. Edie may be softer, happier and more healed than in her first appearance, but she remains a bristling character, at times caustic and sarcastic, but her steely exterior hides an intelligent mind and abundant heart. It’s somewhat a rarity for an octogenarian to be a lead character, even in the realms of crime fiction where there have been notable stars. For her to be in a romantic relationship is rarer still, for that relationship to be with another woman even more so. Her relationship with Riga is a joy, often touching and poignant, leading to some of the novel’s most emotional moments.

Edie’s adopted son, police detective Sean, is also on the island with them, his husband Liam and their adopted children due to join them on Christmas morning. Lead guest character is hotel manager Mara, her doomed venture triggering a lot of unhealed wounds of her own, while we also gain insights into the killer’s scheme through intermittent monologues that allow us to be only slightly ahead of everyone else. Stranded by the worsening weather and the killer preventing them access to the mainland and summoning help, the guests and staff are isolated and afraid, a murderer in their midst. Edie and Sean are determined to identify them before more fall victim.

Benedict has crafted another cleverly-plotted mystery, fast-paced with sleight-of-hand twists, deft smatterings of clues, many laugh-out-loud moments juxtaposed with deeply moving ones, riddles and rhymes galore hinging on folkloric Christmas visitors, superbly stitched together and finished off with a tartan bow, as the killer implores each of them to confess their sins. As with many of the best and classic cosy mysteries, darkness lurks beneath the surface, with evil and tragedy at play, themes of past trauma and its enduring legacy playing a significant part, particularly in relation to the care of children, or the adverse neglect and abuse, against the tapestry of the season’s festive, haunted heart. This killer may be on a mission for retribution in a twisted morality game – but is this justice or vengeance?

Thrilling and captivating, ‘The Christmas Cracker Killer’ is a deliciously dark mystery for Christmastime. I very much hope this won’t be the last we see of Edie and the gang.



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A Case of the Claws - Review

A Case of the Claws: Classic Tales of Feline Crime by Catherine Aird

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A charming collection of festive morsels of suspense featuring our feline friends.

‘A Case of the Claws’ is a short story collection of Christmas mysteries in the tradition of cosy crime fiction, collecting four stories by four leading crime writers, each an entertaining, well-written tale with a shared theme – the narrative is led by our clawed feline familiars, demonstrating their unique brand of crime-fighting.

In “The Trinity Cat”, Ellis Peters recounts how a vagabond, somewhat adopted by Holy Trinity Church and neighbours, leads police straight to a murderer’s door when one of his benefactors is brutally murdered; Patricia Highsmith follows with “Ming’s Biggest Prey” – a battle of wills between Ming and his mistress’ cruel boyfriend who is intent on his demise; “Touch Not the Cat” by Catherine Aird tells how a cat’s futile attempts to save his human parent’s life nevertheless provides crucial forensic value; and, finally, Edmund Crispin’s “The Hunchback Cat” presents a fireside locked room mystery with a flourish of feline psychology.

A delightful selection of short, razor-sharp tales, ‘A Case of the Claws’ is an entertaining treat for the festive season, celebrating our favourite furry companions, and perfect for enjoying during a wintry afternoon or evening.



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D.M. Austin's A Christmas Murder of Crows - Review

A Christmas Murder of Crows: A Dunderdale Mystery by D.M. Austin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A midwinter murder mystery.

Sir Henry de Trouville of Crowthwaite Castle hosts the annual Christmas reunion of his nearest family.

Beneath the bright lights and merriment, turmoil brews within this clan, rife with secrets, betrayals and personal agendas.

Then murder tears a tragic wound through the festivities, a curse centuries past ready to be fulfilled anew.

'A Christmas Murder of Crows' is the debut novel by D.M. Austin, an historical crime mystery, set in 1923. Featuring Detective Inspector Gilbert Dunderdale, summoned from Manchester City Police to investigate two deaths at Crowthwaite Castle, nestled in rural Cumbria, this is a classic detective story in the style and time period of Golden Age crime, infused with Gothic undertones, the setting brought vividly to life – the secluded castle manor house in the midst of the snow-drenched wilderness.

Austin weaves an intricate mystery, commencing with the gathering of the de Trouville family and introduction to each character, these the last in line of this dynasty of English aristocracy, with servants and locals from the village in tow, and the retelling of a tale of family history and local folklore, infused with dark symbolism, pagan ritual and blood sacrifice. Tensions already froth beneath the surface, boiling over as we come into the early hours of Christmas morning. The first death is that of an unexpected victim, but then a second brutal murder rocks an already stricken household shortly before the police arrive.

DI Dunderdale is called up from Manchester to investigate by the Chief Constable, the local team inexperienced with conducting murder investigations. With the assistance of local Sergeant Collins, Dunderdale interviews each witness, piecing together the clues and the evidence in the hunt for a killer. Each adult member of the family and their guests is a suspect, motivated by greed, passions, and family politics; Dunderdale’s investigation uncovering deceit and malice, satisfyingly concluding with the classic mystery’s motif of the detective’s summing up of the crime and exposing the murderer; all the while, the crows hovering like an omen.

Swirling with atmosphere and suspense, ‘A Christmas Murder of Crows’ is a thrilling festive mystery, promising to be the first in a series of Dunderdale mysteries.



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Violent Advents - Review

Violent Advents: A Christmas Horror Anthology by L. Stephenson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A blood-splattered Christmas cornucopia.

'Violent Advents' is an anthology of festive horror short stories, edited by L. Stephenson and featuring twenty-six tales, each by a different indie horror author, designed as a creepy Advent calendar for each day of December through to Boxing Day. We indulge in a selection of possessed toys and ornaments, haunted trees, ghosts, slashers, demons, spectres from beyond the grave, witches, zombies, creepy crawlies and folkloric creatures, as we count down to Christmas. From deep insightful tales to completely off the wall lunacy, this collection boasts a range that will appeal to all tastes across the horror spectrum.

Highlighting favourites amongst the twenty-six proved a difficult task, as there was much to enjoy in this anthology! Nevertheless, my personal special mentions are:
“And I Would've Gotten Away With it Too” by A.D. Jones – an old-school, brutal stalk and slash at a Christmas tree farm;
“Biodiversity” by Mallory Cywinski – the spectre of abuse looms over a family reunion in this haunting story;
“Emuki” by Scott McGregor – a creepy, atmospheric chiller making Christmas Eve visitations nightmarish;
“What You Had” by Kev Harrison – a gripping tale of guilt and vengeance reaching from beyond the grave;
“Right Where You Need to Be” by Loki DeWitt – a mystery of folklore and belonging harking back to yesteryear;
“Nan” by Hayden Robinson – an emotional story of grief and the power of memory;
“Kw'arma I'th a Bw'itch” by Ross Jeffrey – a sublime revenge thriller that captivates in every syllable.

Overall, this is a fabulous Yuletide treat for anyone who enjoys their festive fun with dashes of terror and more than generous splashes of blood. Brimming with gore, thrills, and violence, the anthology covers multiple sub-genres, amongst them splatter, slasher, supernatural horror, natural horror, and dark fantasy, from the darkly comical to the richly atmospheric.

Plus, as an angelic finish atop this fiendish Christmas evergreen, all profits from sales of the anthology go towards the British Heart Foundation and the American Heart Foundation, perfect charitable causes for the season of giving, commemorating those who are sadly no longer with us, and looking towards a brighter future.

Thrilling and entertaining, ‘Violent Advents’ is an indulgent treat for horror and Christmas fans alike, a festive feast of work from the pens of indie authors, showcasing their talent and diversity all for a worthy cause.



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Stephen King's You Like It Darker - Review

You Like it Darker by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A thrilling collection of tales from the master of horror.

'You Like It Darker' is a horror thriller collection by Stephen King, featuring a novella, three novelettes, and eight short stories, plus a bonus short story, bringing the total to thirteen, for the paperback edition. Collected from shorts written for miscellaneous publications and new stories for the collection, including King delving into his own archive and returning to a story that remained unfinished for decades, we are treated to tales of serial killers, psychic phenomena, extraterrestrials and mad scientists, ghosts and creatures natural and unnatural. Featuring a variety of characters and visiting different locations and time periods, including revisiting the locale of Castle Rock more than once and including a sequel to one of his most-loved works, King explores horrors both extraordinary and everyday, those that may be supernatural in origin and others disturbingly human.

The four longer stories were amongst my personal favourites:

“Two Talented Bastids”
⭐⭐⭐⭐
The opening memoir ponders the question of how an artist finds inspiration, whether it is innate talent or if this gift is gifted by an external force, as the narrator looks back on the lives and careers of his father and his father’s friend, who both excelled in their artistic fields as a writer and painter respectively. A thought-provoking, retrospective tale.

“Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The novella of the collection revisits another of King’s signature tropes of psychic powers, as the eponymous Danny Coughlin dreams of the location of a murder victim’s body and then finds himself the lead suspect for her murder. Hounded by the detectives investigating the case, Danny’s life crumbles in a chilling story of obsession and injustice.

“Rattlesnakes”
⭐⭐⭐⭐
In a sequel to ‘Cujo’, many years after those horrific and tragic events, Vic Trenton is staying at Rattlesnake Key, having needed an escape from his everyday life. A sprawling narrative of death and grief, hauntings and persecution, this is tragic, moving and deliciously creepy. Duma Key, now largely underwater, also features, within view of Rattlesnake Key, adding to the nostalgia of this long-awaited emotional sequel to one of King’s early works of terror.

“The Answer Man”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
In the poignant, thought-provoking final novelette of the collection, Phil Parker looks back on his past and the three times he encountered the mysterious Answer Man at crucial junctures in the tapestry of his life, pondering decisions and memories. A tale of immense pain and incredible joy, and everything in between, this is a beautifully written tale and one that will stay with you afterwards.

Additional favourites amongst the short stories were:
“The Fifth Step” – a chance meeting, a confession and a perfect twist;
“The Turbulence Expert” – a secretive profession of sacrifice and mortal peril;
“The Dreamers” – an experiment in parapsychological research that turns deadly.

Overall, ‘You Like It Darker’ is a superb selection of stories, a mix of bite-sized chillers and introspective, character-driven tales, some dark and philosophical, others rife with black humour. Often looking back on a life lived, exploring themes of aging and family, the long reaches of loss and grief, the burdens of regret and guilt, the scars of trauma and tragedy, characters are haunted by events of the past as much as they may be by present circumstances or entities that lurk in the shadows. A compendium of twisted morsels of mystery, suspense and drama, some fast-paced, others slow burns, we delve into concepts of morality, fate and life itself in an immersive and captivating collection.



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Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray - Review

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A provocative Gothic classic of horror, dark fantasy and philosophical fiction.

Dorian’s Gray’s portrait, painted and gifted by a friend, hangs in pride of place in his home. But a chance wish he made as it was painted is about to come true.

For his portrait hides a remarkable secret – it will age on his behalf and carry the weight of his life of sin, while he will retain his youthful beauty.

But as the years pass, Dorian will learn the harshest of truths – moral justice is inescapable, and the day will come when the marks of sin upon his soul will entrap him, just as his vices have his entire life.

'The Picture of Dorian Gray' is a gothic horror novel by Oscar Wilde, first published in 1890 as a novella featured in 'Lippincott's Monthly Magazine', and later as a novel with additional chapters. Exquisitely written and its plot finely crafted, the narrative carries us into the hearts and minds of man, darkened by sin, exploring the concept of beauty and how deeply art and the human soul are intertwined.

We first meet Dorian through the gaze of Lord Henry Wotton, who visits his friend, the artist Basil Hallward, to find him working on the portrait of his new muse, the aristocratic Dorian Gray. Dorian becomes seduced by Lord Henry’s philosophy of life, his belief that life should be lived in the worship of physical beauty and that the pursuit of pleasure and attainment of all one may desire is the purpose of existence, not to be sullied by moral principles.

We witness Dorian’s descent into debauchery and sin, his selfish lifestyle of hedonism and materialism warping him into a narcissistic and superficial man. Upon his abandonment of a young woman whom he claims to love and who loves him dearly, he first witnesses the change upon his countenance in his portrait, and learns to fear it. But as his cruelty leads to his lover’s suicide, the corruption of his soul may be impossible to repent, and, as time goes by, he comes to revel in the strange power his portrait beholds, as much as he cannot lay eyes upon it. As his life of moral decay continues, Gray's continued degradation ultimately escalates to murder.

The gothic horror elements are gorgeous, Wilde's prose conjuring vivid images and a dark and brooding madness, delving into a life of selfish self-indulgence, of vanity and the victory of ego, indulging in pleasures of the flesh and vices of the body and mind. Laced with homoeroticism, decadence and desire, the novel explores the duality of human nature through the eponymous picture, the impact of art on life and life on art; the portrait of Dorian Gray a metaphor for human life, art and culture. Building to the intense climatic chapters, Dorian's sins return to haunt him as an avenger from his past pursues him, while his own conscience and the burden on his soul may prove to be his final tragic undoing.

A Faustian pact is the coal at the centre of the novel’s premise; though the Devil may not appear, it nonetheless would seem he responded to a wish uttered by Gray upon posing for his beauty to be captured in oils and made immortal on canvas, his desire for eternal youth at the price of his soul. We delve into the nature of beauty and its objectification, perfectly illustrated through the portrait - imagine if one's sins were worn upon one's face, if true character could be seen with the eyes. While, as the novel describes, certain choices will ultimately present themselves physically, much of what makes someone who they are and, crucially, their moral fortitude and their empathy for their fellow human beings, is hidden beneath the skin, residing within the heart and mind: the substance of one's soul is not writ upon their body.

Wilde paints a portrait of contemporary British society, of the class system and its prejudices, of the sexism entwined within it, a rich social commentary without necessarily drawing any judgements. There are suggestions that a man's relationships with women are purely functional or for the sake of 'lower' pleasures, and that intellectual and artistic pleasures are to be found only with fellow men. There is much philosophising on the novel's themes and ideas, particularly through the character of Lord Henry, whose views are coloured by his position in society and his opinion of women, and his core belief that one's happiness and pursuit of their own desires is equated to goodness, as this is when mind, body and soul are truly in harmony – the notion of morality is simply to deny oneself the pleasures of the body and the intellect.

The novel's most sympathetic character, Basil, the artist of the infernal masterpiece, is a deeply moral man, his fate tragic and brutal. It shouldn't perhaps go un-noted that he is probably the only authentically homosexual character in the novel, as well as being the most empathetic and truly artistic amongst the cast. Though subtle, if any judgement is made within the text, it is perhaps that avarice and pride will ultimately come to haunt those who indulge in them, the novel’s dark finale surely serving as parable that sin’s shadows are inescapable and the suffering you inflict outwards upon the world will surely turn on its perpetrator and cannibalise itself.

This was Wilde's only novel amongst his published works. Scandalous and controversial, it was deemed a deeply immoral work on publication, its exploration of morality and its cautionary messages apparently too subtle to be recognised. It was later used as evidence in his trials for homosexuality and gross indecency, which resulted in his conviction (sexual activity between men wouldn't be decriminalised in England and Wales until 1967). The irony of an artist's work believed to be so reflective of an artist's life as to be considered legal evidence cannot have escaped Wilde, whose novel’s centrepiece of the portrait depicted art as both reflection and imitation of life, possessing otherworldly power – the two turning in eternal dance; how much does art imitate and reflect life, and how much does life imitate and reflect art?

Wilde notes in his preface, perhaps in response to his critics:

“All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors.”

Which, of course, is something of which we all are guilty. Art is often beautiful. And there is danger in that beauty. Which in itself is beautiful. It holds up a mirror to our lives – it can reflect either what is true, or what we wish to be true. It can both comfort and disturb, and that’s exactly as it should be.

The novel has been adapted for stage and screen multiple times, with its first silent film adaptation in 1910 in the Danish 'Dorian Gray's Portræt’. More silent films followed throughout the decade. A highly acclaimed US film adaptation was released in 1945; bearing the novel's title, it focused on the supernatural horror elements. An Italian, German and British co-production '(The Sins of/The Secret of) Dorian Gray' was released in 1970, its focus on the novel's eroticism. Multiple television movie and mini-series adaptations were also produced in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. The character and novel saw a resurgence of adaptations in the early 2000s, culminating in the British film 'Dorian Gray' in 2009.

A timeless masterpiece of English literature, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is a thought-provoking, entrancing tale of philosophical horror.



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Bethany Russo's The Lediar Monster - Review

The Lediar Monster by Bethany Russo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A bloodthirsty werewolf horror chiller.

Down on his luck and seeking an anchor, Stephen takes a job at the Lediar Hotel in his local town.

Legends abound that a werewolf stalks the park surrounding the hotel, coupled with the proprietor's warning to never leave the hotel after dark.

As a full moon approaches, Stephen comes face to face with the truth of the Lediar Monster, threatening to tear his life limb from limb.

'The Lediar Monster' is a horror novella by Bethany Russo, a gory, fast-paced tale, brimming with stalk-and-slash scenes, splashes of violence, and lashes of dark humour, all driven by character arcs and engaging, visceral plotting, at its centre a mythic, supernatural creature from the folklore of old, sewn into a thrilling and entertaining narrative.

At the centre of Russo’s story is Stephen, returning to his hometown and childhood home after struggling to pursue a career in acting. An immediately endearing character, one most of us can easily empathise with as he finds himself feeling he's hit a brick wall with his plans and aspirations, he is trying his hardest to get by and make the best of things, while also being trodden down by his childhood friend, Josh, who only seeks to mock and belittle him and refuses to take life seriously. Taking a new job as a stop gap, Stephen hopes to turn his life around and continue to pursue his dreams.

The owner of the Lediar Hotel, Albert, becomes somewhat of a mentor to Stephen. The hotel has been in Albert's family for generations, and he may hold the secrets to unravelling the mystery of the werewolf. At first, Stephen dismisses the stories, but soon begins to wonder if there may be more truth to them than he dare imagine. Meanwhile, the ramblings of Stephen's grandfather, Clive, may not be the conspiracy theory and senility they are believed to be, as danger awaits deep in the shadows for anyone who dares to wander the park at night.

From its bloodbath opening chapter in 1984, setting the scene for the history of deaths and legends surrounding Lediar Park, into the 2020s and Stephen’s story and the ensuing chaos, through to its familial-pivoting conclusion, this is an old-school classic were-creature thriller, centred on the old, traditional hotel and the ancient woodland park surrounding it, brewed with a sense of nostalgia and a core of emotion, peppered with an underlying theme of folklore and urban legends, cast in the hues of a classic monster movie and a feel-good spooky atmosphere running through the blood-spattered tale.

Brutal and relentless, ‘The Lediar Monster’ is a fun and bloody horror story; a short, sharp tale with a deep bite and voracious appetite.



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Simone St. James' Lost Among the Living - Review

Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A captivating Gothic mystery set in 1920s England.

Following the disappearance of her husband Alex during the war, Jo has taken on the role of paid companion to Alex's aunt, Dottie.

Following a tour of Europe, Jo travels with Dottie to the family home, Wych Elm House, deep in the English countryside, to continue her employment.

Wych Elm House is a house haunted, by loss and grief and secrets, the shadow of death hanging over it like a shroud.

'Lost Among the Living' is an historical Gothic mystery by Simone St. James, laced with suspense, romance, intrigue and the paranormal. Set between the world wars, it follows a war widow, Jo Manders, grief-stricken and under the employ of her husband’s aunt, Dottie, in part in effort to cling to her husband’s memory, as she travels to the Sussex countryside to continue her employ in Dottie’s home and explores the tangle of mysteries she uncovers there. Beautifully written and vividly realised, character-driven with multi-layered plotting and rich in gothic atmosphere, the novel takes us on an engrossing, emotional journey.

We meet Jo only three years after suffering the devastating loss of her husband, Alex, an RAF pilot whose plane went down during a lone reconnaissance mission towards the end of the First World War. Flashbacks reveal how Jo and Alex's relationship began and their ensuing whirlwind romance, before Alex joined the air divisions of the Armed Forces when war broke out, and the final few occasions she saw him before his ill-fated mission. His remains were never recovered and he has never been declared officially deceased. Alongside the burden of her grief, Jo has been unable to find closure or be able to lay him to rest. She mourns Alex’s loss, and yet she is soon confronted by suggestions of deceit and betrayal, leaving her questioning how much of an illusion is our belief that we know the people we love as intimately as we know ourselves.

Wych Elm House, a combination of the derelict mansion of classic Gothics and the country manor of classic mysteries, is a house in mourning, a mausoleum barely inhabited since the death of Alex’s cousin, Frances. Locals are terrified to enter the forest surrounding the property for fear that the spirits of Frances and her demonic dog stalk amongst the trees. Several ghostly encounters inspire Jo’s determination to unearth the truth surrounding Frances’ death, providing her a new focus as balm to her grief. The Forsyth family may harbour secrets they wish to remain buried – everyone is a suspect, and remaining objective becomes increasingly challenging for Jo, as she forms a friendship with Alex’s cousin, Martin, and develops a contentious fondness for Dottie, who proves to be far more complex than one may imagine from her steely, prickly exterior.

St. James has crafted a thrilling, riveting tale, weaving supernatural mystery, international intrigue and gothic romance into a sublime historical story, told with shades of masters of the classics in Gothic, mystery and suspense – including Du Maurier, Conan Doyle, Christie, and even Hitchcock. Laced with historical detail of the interwar years – the war itself, the Spanish Flu pandemic, the unease in the aftermath of war that peace in Europe may be only temporary, the class system and position of women in English society; and woven with multiple twists and revelations, turning the plot inside out, the narrative transports us back in time, plunging us into a turbulent chapter in Jo’s life, events escalating to a suspenseful finale as vengeance is meted out from beyond the grave.

An intense and riveting Gothic mystery, ‘Lost Among the Living’ is thought-provoking, poignant and gripping historical fiction.



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Spring Leighman's Peripheral - Review

Peripheral: A Psychological Horror Novella by Spring Leighman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A chilling account of a haunting, claustrophobic nightmare.

Following the death of her mother, Lena finds herself returning to her childhood home.

Memories she believed long since forgotten await her in the shadows, reflected in the mirrors and surfaces she can see out of the corner of her eye.

Something has waited a long time for her to return. Now, its patience is about to be rewarded, Lena ensnared in its grasp of madness.

'Peripheral' is the debut novella by Spring Leighman, a tale of psychological horror that hooks its claws under your skin and burrows into your mind, refusing to loosen its grip from the opening line to the very last. Vividly written and deliciously atmospheric, its visual, percussive, and visceral language perfectly evokes an untethering, the intense sensation of being observed and persecuted, a descent into insanity and oblivion.

We follow Magdalene “Lena” Black back to her old home following her mother’s death, a place which brings many disturbing memories back to the surface – the abuse she endured, the trauma she suffered, the haunting she has tried hard to repress in the intervening years. But back home, it takes little time to unmoor her life once again and leave her questioning her reality. Epistolary elements, through fragments of childhood journal entries and drawings, embellish the narrative, taking us back with Lena into her childhood experiences. Isolated and paranoid, she is slowly losing herself, memory and time becoming untethered and untrustworthy.

Leighman has crafted a sublime narrative, woven in an ambiguous beauty – never are we quite sure if the horror is due to supernatural influence or the character’s own state of mind. There are shades of a variety of mental health conditions, amongst them schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety disorders, parasomnia – yet beneath potential delusion and hallucination is something seeping with malign intent, a potent, and yet amoral, evil. Within Lena’s story is a warning for all who encounter it – beware the shadows that lurk in your peripheral vision, or just out of reach in your reflection, for they may be more than they seem.

Creepy and immersive, ‘Peripheral’ is a sharp slice of terror to haunt your vision, waking and dreaming alike.



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Dan Brown's The Secret of Secrets - Review

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Robert Langdon returns to explore the secrets of the heart and the soul in this spellbinding thriller.

Attending a lecture in Prague with his partner Dr. Katherine Solomon, Professor Robert Langdon finds himself thrown into another dangerous adventure.

Following a chilling premonition and finding Katherine missing, Langdon fears for her life and goes in search of her in a trail across Prague.

But adversaries lurk around every corner. Someone does not want Katherine’s research to be shared with the world, and they’ll prevent it by any means necessary.

'The Secret of Secrets' is the sixth novel in Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series, another fast-paced, labyrinthine thriller, taking Langdon to the heart of the city of Prague and into the depths of human consciousness. It's been eight years since we last met the symbologist in the fifth novel, 'Origin', and this story was worth the wait – gripping and relentlessly paced, this is an intellectual and emotional journey; intricate plotting and meticulous research woven into a speculative conspiracy thriller bursting with suspense, twists and revelations.

Returning from the third novel, 'The Lost Symbol', is Katherine Solomon, a noetic scientist and an old friend of Langdon's, with whom he has recently developed a romantic relationship. For years, the suggestion of something bubbled beneath their friendship forged in intellectual frisson and deep affection, though neither explored the depths of their connection until now. Katherine has been writing a book based on her research and experiments concerning human consciousness, and she believes her breakthroughs will prove a major leap forward in scientific understanding.

The morning following a lecture Katherine delivers at Prague Castle, Langdon is confronted by a chilling premonition of doom, racing back to their hotel to raise the alarm of what he is certain is an impending disaster. Amidst the ensuing confusion, Langdon realises Katherine is missing and is desperate to find her, pursued in his quest by law enforcement, government agents, and nefarious foes. The mysterious character The Golem, a figure resurrected from ancient folklore, stalks the streets and alleyways, always watching, carefully putting his scheme of destruction in place.

Meanwhile, Katherine having delivered her manuscript to her editor the night before, her publishing house in New York comes under attack – their server hacked and her manuscript deleted, and her editor kidnapped en route to making a copy of the single copy he printed. It is clear that someone does not want Katherine’s book to be published and will seemingly go to any lengths to achieve that aim. Under the gaze of powerful agencies and Machiavellian figures with hidden agendas circling in the shadows, a frantic Langdon follows every avenue in search of the woman he loves.

I absolutely loved this book; Brown has once again delivered an engrossing narrative built upon the foundation of his signature themes of history, symbology, spirituality and science. As in all the previous books, we are gifted an immersive sense of place, immediately transporting us this time to Prague in the Czech Republic, taking us on a tour of the city’s past and present through artefacts, art and architecture, exploring religion, folklore, mythology, and mysticism, perfectly evoking an eerie, almost ethereal, atmosphere, and described in such rich, fascinating detail that one cannot help but want to travel there and follow in Langdon's footsteps. In addition to the themes, the plotting and the setting, I adored the relationship between Langdon and Katherine, heightening the emotional stakes of the series, while The Golem proves to be one of the more complex of the murderous and mysterious figures that haunt the pages of Brown’s novels.

Through Katherine’s research, Brown builds on concepts explored in ‘The Lost Symbol’ regarding the nature of the soul, while also building on the themes of advances in science and technology and its future relationship with humankind explored in the previous novel, 'Origin'. Each element researched in forensic detail, grounding the speculative elements in both a sense of realism and mystery, and with flourishes of psychology and sociology, this is far deeper than the high-octane adventure that keeps us rivetted through the pages; delving into the philosophy of life and of death, seeking hidden truths and suggesting that, perhaps, when science leads us full circle back towards spirituality and faith, there is hope for the future salvation of humanity.

Captivating and electrifying, ‘The Secret of Secrets’ is an incredible sixth volume in a superlative thriller series. I cannot wait to discover where Langdon’s adventures may take him next.



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