In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows

by Tim Lebbon

An apocalyptic vision from one woman's damaged mind, this story is for anyone who has ever felt alone. A dark nightmare of solitude and rejection, pride and guilt, love found and lost.

Mary exists alone in a valley, happy, surviving, but all too aware that the terrible dangers beyond her home must one day come home to roost. And that day is now.

Includes exclusive bonus story 'The God of Rain'

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction Fantasy

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 8, 2014

About the author

I love writing, reading, triathlon, real ale, chocolate, good movies, occasional bad movies, and cake.

I was born in London in 1969, lived in Devon until I was eight, and the next twenty years were spent in Newport. My wife Tracey and I then did a Good Thing and moved back to the country, and we now live in the little village of Goytre in Monmouthshire with our kids Ellie and Daniel. And our dog, Blu, who is the size of a donkey.

I love the countryside ... I do a lot of running and cycling, and live in the best part of the world for that.

I've had loads of books published in the UK, USA, and around the world, including novels, novellas, and collections. I write horror, fantasy, and now thrillers, and I've been writing as a living for over 8 years. I've won quite a few awards for my original fiction, and I've also written tie-in projects for Star Wars, Alien, Hellboy, The Cabin in the Woods, and 30 Days of Night.

A movie's just been made of my short story Pay the Ghost, starring Nicolas Cage and Sarah Wayne Callies. There are other projects in development, too.

I'd love to hear from you!

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not sure how to review this one, other than to say it's very good, that it would make an outstanding book for discussion in a book club or high school English class, and that Tim Lebbon has quickly become one of my favorite writers.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lebbon is one of my old time favorites, though he lost my attention and readership with his detour into fantasy. This looked promising or at the very least not fantasy, so it merited a read. Plus I can't seem to get away from killer plants lately. First impression was wow, I forgot just how lovely and expressive Lebbon's writing is, the sheer elegance and beauty of it. But here the writing itself overwhelmed the plot, by far. It isn't to say this was boring, it just lacked a certain something. Would probably be great for someone in a mood for quiet well written fiction with dark undertones.

[Kaisersoze · Rating 2 out of 5]

In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows is about as perfunctory and pedestrian a story as you will ever read from a usually very talented writer. Here Tim Lebbon substitutes his usual horror-laden musings for something more philosophical that has a fantasy air about it, but which largely falls flat in pacing and execution, before culminating in a resolution which goes beyond cliched.

The bonus tale, THE GOD OF RAIN, fares little better, even if both stories are technically well-written from a sentence to sentence construction standpoint.

In a word: disappointing.

2 Too Many Reminders that Belladonna is Poisonous for In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows.

[Ginger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it is a good thing that I didn't read the synopsis very closely before starting this one. The first sentence kind of gives everything away.
The writing was lovely, descriptive and metaphorical all at the same time.
The dreamlike flow to the story was also enjoyable once I gave myself to it.
I fought too hard with my what/why/how's in the beginning and I missed out on a good portion of the story. I don't want to say much about the over all theme, I think it would give too much away.

I will be looking for more by Lebbon.

The formatting on the edition I was given through Netgalley took a way from the experience as well. Hopefully the finished version is a bit cleaner.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Althea Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've only read a few of Tim Lebbon's writings, but this is my favorite by him so far.

For years, a woman has dwelt alone in a valley, a self-sufficient homesteader. Originally, her situation was exile. She was cast off, banished by her lover, who, we gather, was a man of power in a post-apocalyptic city. But eventually, she has come to realize that on her own, she has more freedom than she ever did with him and his abuses.

However, now, visitors have begun to arrive to disturb her solitude. And now, everything may change.

I loved everything about this story up until the "twist" ending, which brought my overall opinion down a bit.. for me, it just didn't quite fit.

Many thanks to Endeavour Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this short. As always, my opinions are solely my own.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great read right up to the relevation that she was in a coma, a bit like when you find the narrator is a dog. Such a shame, as the character was strong, had me going, the plot was good' until the end. The structure and scene development was fantastic, I could see and feel the cottage, garden, and fields, and all that came with it.

[Bracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly fantastic.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the valley where the beladonna grows lives an aging woman. She lives by herself, her only companions the domestic animals she raises and the birds and small mammals who share her valley. Her vibrant, verdant garden is fenced in, primarily to keep the belladonna plants from encroaching. The woman is named Mary, and for sixteen years she has lived a life of exile from other people and of incredible peace and satisfaction.

The morning she sees a man walking down a deserted path toward her garden, everything begins to change. This novella seems almost like a fable: Mary receives five visitors over the following weeks, each increasingly alarming. She begins to lose her feeling of security and wants/ fears the news of the changes that have been occurring in her absence. Must she set out on a quest to learn the answers to questions her visitors have put into her mind? What will she find at the end of her journey?

The story, for the most part, is engaging, as a fable must be. There are monstrous canids that become harder and harder for Mary to fight off. There is a terrible storm, which may or may not be what brought them into Mary's valley. Her visitors seem more and more desperate. I was expecting a big, enlightening climax. Unfortunately, the end was sudden and strained, as if tacked on as an afterthought. I wish the author had continued the story as lyrically as the first 2/3s. I felt cheated by the combination Twilight Zone and Hallmark card ending. A writer as talented as this one should be able to carry it off.

Thanks to NetGalley and Venture Press for providing an ARC in exchange for my review.

[Elke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so different from what I expected - I was completely and cleverly misguided by the words apocalyptic and dystopian used in the book's description. Naively expecting another end-of-the-world scenario, I was absolutely not prepared for what I got.

Throughout the whole book I was repeatedly thinking "what is going on here?" and still had not clue whatsoever. Only at the end the unexpected truth is revealed and I was blown away. Never would I have guessed the outcome, and I was stunned at the elegance and simplicity of it. Suddenly, everything fell into place and made perfect sense, however sad and devastating it may be.

Expertly written in a quiet but haunting prose, this story still reverberates in my mind, obviously taking up permanent residence in some dark corner. Lurking in the shadows, it makes some silent appearance now and then, bringing with it a sad and spooky vision of a hopefully unlikely, but still possible fate.

(I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Jessie (Zombie_likes_cake) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After discovering Lebbon's talent last year I was really looking forward to reading this novella which was supposedly something of a hidden gem. Having read it now though, I don't have much to say about it: Nice story with some interesting elements and the usual grand writing but "In the Valley..." left me rather cold and untouched in the end. For me, it was still a bit underdeveloped, for once I am thinking a piece of writing could have been longer (and I love me some good novellas).
I was more impressed with the second piece, "The Rain God", a great short story about dealing with loss including some subtle, creepy ideas.
I yet have to read one of his full length novels and even with the mixed impressions this bind-up gave me I am highly anticipating that day.

[Cat Voleur · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so weird how one line can really shift the enjoyment of a book.

I fell into this title from page one, I thought it was beautifully written and engaging and I really loved the protagonist. I actually copied out a couple quotes from it into my reading journal so I'd have them handy. I was all prepared to give this 5/5 across the board and was just so delighted to have gotten a copy of this for my quarantine read-a-thon.

And then there was one line that just really threw me off. Aside from not feeling like it needed to be there, I felt like the messaging was either really negative or not worded very carefully. (It was a line about abuse being what made a character strong - and while the character was very, VERY strong, I think a healthier take would have been that she was always strong, and that's why she was able to survive the abuse. That's clearly how she's written, and the line really bothered me because I don't think it did her justice.)

That being said, I cared a lot about the protagonist. I probably wouldn't have gotten so worked up about that hitch if I hadn't been so invested in the story, and in her life. I would have slipped right back into my enjoyment of the book, although the end took a weird turn that I still am unsure how I feel about. The concept was very interesting but the execution really had me longing for the mysticism I'd fallen in love with during earlier chapters.

Even though I was disappointed with the end, I still think the story is well worth reading. The writing alone would make it worth it, and I'm looking forward to the other Tim Lebbon books I have currently in my Kindle.

[Mkittysamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I love the writing! The fantasy, the big twist at the end! I love the female perspective! I also read “The God of Rain” which was a great short story! It actually was kind of like the story of a couple, who married and then something happened except the reader doesn’t get to really know. I was thrown off at the end of “The God of Rain” I’m not sure if the narrator was just unreliable or if it was really a projection of fantasy/imagination? I hate endings that leave the reader going.. WTF, except this one I didn’t hate even though I was confused.. I think it went over my head. But yes Tim Lebbon is just the best storyteller and writer! I always enjoy his work!

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read!

I'm a very big fan of Tim Lebbon and I'm slowly working my way through all his books. This one was slightly different than the rest as he attacks everything from a different angle, however I all thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story revolves around a 70 year old woman stuck in a valley where she must fend for herself and protect herself from the , however the influx of visits and messed up dogs changes everything. A nice read with a twist at the end, although it's quite easy to see the twist it's still good. Another good book from Tim Lebbon.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella/short story (my copy was 65 pages) about an old woman who lives alone, entirely self-sufficient, in an isolated valley. She hasn't even seen another human being in 16 years – at least until the opening pages, when a man appears on the road from the distant city, bringing news and unwelcome changes.

The writing is lovely and subtly creepy, with an increasing sense of wrongness conveyed through small natural details: a too-strong storm, a dead bird, a feral dog gone mad. The backstory is told through scattered flashbacks, filling in how the woman originally came to live in the valley, while her knowledge of all that has gone wrong in the world outside slowly increases through the hints dropped by her visitors. There's a slight sense of unreality in how thoroughly the woman is tied to her home, and how she can sense disorder within her valley just by closing her eyes.

All of this is pretty great, and I was enjoying it and looking forward to seeing how the various plot threads would be resolved – and then came the twist ending. Granted, it's not the worst execution of this particular twist I've ever seen (it's a common ending), but it's so much less interesting than everything that came before it that I couldn't help but be disappointed. Overall, this was 62 pages of a wonderful story and 3 of a mediocre one.

I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.

[Johann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy Tale

Mary has been on her own for 16 years, ever since Sherlock, had banished her.
Things aren't as they seem when Mary comes to the realization that the Valley she has lived in for 16 years may not be the freedom she thinks it is.
Very good tale that has an end u won't see coming...

[Angela Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this absolutely absorbing and intriguing. Even after finishing it, I can't place it in a particular genre, except that it has dark leanings. Threads of horror, fantasy and mystery create something unique here. Well worth reading.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wtf

What did I just read? This was trippy and strange with a disappointing and unsatisfactory ending. The writing was lovely though.

[Isabella Fulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this!

Loved this book, the main character kept my interest, I was fascinated with her lifestyle, the ending wasn't what I was expecting, I really didn't see it coming.

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written

Well written, but I didn't care a lot for the story itself. The ending was anticlimatic, in my opinion. Not a bad story though.

[Grampy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite.

“In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows” by Tim Lebbon is a wonderful story of a woman exiled from the city in which she had lived with her husband, now dwelling in a virtual paradise of untainted nature.

Mary had been sent away by Sherlock, her husband, because she dared to strike him back while he was beating her. She was forbidden from ever leaving the valley to which she had been banished.

Before too long, Mary realized she never wanted to leave her valley. She felt more freedom living alone, depending on her own garden and the wild edibles growing all around her, than she ever had while living in the city.

One day, after more than 16 years of solitude, she saw a man walking down the old road leading to her house. Who was he? What did he want?

Mary did not know, but she had a sense of foreboding in the pit of her stomach. Things would soon change in ways she – and you, the reader – could never have imagined.

“In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows” is an exceptional novella, and Tim Lebbon is a very accomplished author. This story is woven with a rich tapestry of descriptive words to carry you into a dream-world peopled only by Mary.

The landscape in Mary’s valley is awe-inspiring. Even the Belladonna is reluctant to cross the fence into Mary’s garden, as it spreads its way through the valley. Her garden is so eloquently pictured you can almost smell the compost.

“In the Valley, Where Belladonna Grows” is another exceptional story from Tim Lebbon’s fertile imagination. I feel a sense of loss, now that I’ve finished reading this story. I want to go back to Mary’s valley. In a way, I envy you; you still have this experience ahead of you.

I emphatically recommend this fascinating tale to all fans of rich, enchanting fiction, favorite genre notwithstanding.

[Amie's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mary has lived alone in her valley for over 16 years. She has been there ever since her husband banished her from the city. It was supposed to be a punishment and at first it was, but over time she came to love her valley, her garden and even the wildlife that often visited. Now in her late seventies, Mary cannot imagine wanting any other kind of life. She is happy - content.

That is why she is so surprised when she gets a visitor from the city with a message from her husband saying that she is now free to leave the valley. But she already felt free, so why should she leave if she did not want to.

When her first visitor in sixteen years appeared, he somehow brought change with him. That small change in routine leads to more visitors and other changes and Mary wonders why things had to change. And those changes are not for the better.

Reality has come crashing into Mary's world and she is not sure what to do about it. So, she chooses to ignore it and does nothing. "Routine calmed Mary's recent upsets and made placid the upheaval that had struck the valley."

But will Mary be able to survive the changes through sheer force of will? What will happen to her? And why are these changes happening now?

You will have to read IN THE VALLEY WHERE BELLADONNA GROWS to find out.

Although this book is technically a novella since it is only 78 pages long, it contains a full novel's worth of story.

This book is perfect for anyone who has ever felt alone or abandoned and for anyone wanting a unique read with an interesting twist.

I enjoyed reading this book and loved the twist at the end. I rate this book as 4 out of 5 stars.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second novella by Tim Lebbon and I'm not disappointed... it's beautifully written, unsettling, and hard to put down. Sadly, I read some reviews before starting where I happened to come across a major spoiler. (Thanks! :() I'm not sure if this may have altered my perception on the story, going into it knowing the ending. Either way, Tim Lebbon certainly has a way with words. It's so easy to become immersed.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary... how does your garden grow? Mary is an old woman who's been banished to live out her life alone, living off the land. She has been in her isolated home for sixteen years... and she hasn't seen another human being in all that time. Cast out of the city by an abusive husband, she comes to actually relish her solitude. She is happy there. Alone, safe, and content to spend her days gardening, cooking, and keeping up her home. Now everything changes. She has a visitor who demands she return to the city, as her husband commands. She refuses, and he leaves. But he won't be the last, and her oasis is about to change...
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Endeavour Press in exchange for my honest review. Thank you!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this, I didn't realize that it was a bonus story for the book "The God of Rain". I think that, because I've never read that one, my enjoyment of this way have been lessened (but I can't say for sure, obviously). This is an interesting story, but that's about it. I didn't find it very impactful or memorable, which I think is so important for short stories. If you are a fan of "The God of Rain" or Tim Lebbon in general, check this out. If not, don't. I wish I could be more articulate, but this was one of those stories that is like..."Ok. I read it. Now what?" I won't go so far as to say that it's "meh", as I think some elements were interesting, but all in all, I doubt I'll remember this one in a few weeks.

**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title intrigued me enough to break the promise I'd made to myself--to NEVER read anything that has less than a dozen favorable reviews--and, boy, I'm glad I did! This tale drew me in from the first sentence and I could not stop until it was done. The swells and releases, the dissonance and the consonance formed a very intense and satisfying tale. As lagniappe, we also have "The God of Rain", a way of dealing with grief that, I am afraid, I can easily understand. Thank you, Mr. Lebbon, for the intensity of both tales.

[Zakk Madness · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Philosophy is a luxury of a balanced populace"

An aging woman, living alone, exiled by her husband, making a life and finding peace in a gorgeous valley when a stranger appears on the horizon. Her first visitor and human contact in 16 years shatters her sense of peace.

I loved this novella. Very immersive and beautifully written. A curtain of dread begins to smother you, the reader, as visitors begin to descend into Mary's valley, into her life.

A Wonderful read. Check it out.

The Mouths of Madness Podcast
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[Polly Krize · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elegant and haunting are the two words that stick in my mind about this book. Not having any idea what was going on at first, Mary living in her valley seemed almost idyllic to me. But as the story progresses, I got the feeling that all was not as it seemed. The symbolism used and the skillful writing make this an amazing read, and is recommended.

[Richard Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Lebbon writes beautiful prose that draws you into the story and holds you within. 'In the valley...' is a perfect example of this. I wasn't a massive fan of the ending, which felt a touch rushed and cliche, but I was won over by the beautiful, haunting addition of the short story 'The God of rain' included with this novella.

[Barry Simiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. Tim Lebbon rarely disappoints. Good character building, descriptions that at times could be paiNtings if you close your eyes, bit of creepiness in there. I thought more suspense than horror but very readable.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a remarkable, memorable story this was. Felt like watching a Twilight Zone episode.

[Shawn Manning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice, literate horror.