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Huntingfield Manor: Run, hide or die.

Not yet published
Expected 16 Sep 25
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A brutal YA survival thriller for fans of The Hunger Games, Battle Royale and The Grace Year.

Eighteen strangers wake up on an island. Shackled. Disoriented. Hunted for sport for their past mistakes.

The rules are run, hide or die.

Surrounded by endless cornfields, dense forests and a rocky shoreline, their only path to freedom lies somewhere deep within a deadly maze. Watching from the cliffs above is a sprawling manor, and whatever controls it is keeping score.

As the night falls, the game begins.

Betsy Blake thought she’d left her past behind. But on this island, she’s running from it. Each participant was chosen for a reason. Each holds a truth someone wants to punish.

Can Betsy turn this game of survival into a story of redemption?

Please note that this book contains trigger warnings for violence, gore, death, trauma and emotional distress. It is a dark, fast-paced survival thriller that explores the consequences of buried secrets, the lengths people will go to survive and the cost of redemption.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 16, 2025

31 people want to read

About the author

Lachlan Russ

1 book4 followers
Lachlan Russ is an author from the east coast of Australia. His debut novel, Huntingfield Manor, is a brutal survival story about trauma, revenge and the secrets we keep to survive.

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5 stars
15 (55%)
4 stars
8 (29%)
3 stars
2 (7%)
2 stars
2 (7%)
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Profile Image for Jessica Wilkinson.
11 reviews1 follower
August 25, 2025
I have not read a good thriller in a loooooong time. Most thrillers I find myself guessing the ending or the plot twists whereas in this I didn’t know where it was going to end. But that ending SHOCKED ME. There was a certain part in this book and Lachlan will know what I’m talking about which made me tear up and I’m so mad at you for that. I have not read a book this quickly in a while and I am astounded at this being Lachlans debut novel as it was amazing. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who would want to get into reading or who loves a good thriller where each page changes what you thought. Good job Lachlan, this book was amazing 🫶🏼
22 reviews1 follower
August 25, 2025
I was lucky to receive an ARC of this novel from indie author Lachlan Russ. In this novel we meet Betsy, a young girl struggling to deal with the death of her cousin and best friend, Mallory, when she suddenly finds herself abducted on dropped on an island with 17 other people. Unsure why they are there, they soon learn that they are being hunted as a punishment for their past crimes. Unsure who to trust and if this is really happening, Betsy soon finds herself in the fight of her life. Survive until morning and you may be able to leave alive. I was hooked from the prologue and the only thing that kept me from finishing this in one sitting was work. A cross between The Most Dangerous Game and Saw, this book is a fast paced thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat. A great addition to any spooky season TBR. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to Lachlan Russ and The Berry Agency for allowing me to read this in advance.
Profile Image for Alanya J. Stuckey.
49 reviews3 followers
August 26, 2025
I have no words right now!!! I went in for the promise of murder and mayhem but this book is so much more!

Follow Betsy as she and a miscellaneous group try to survive a night while being hunted down for their perceived crimes and discover the secrets hiding in the walls of Huntingfield Manor

An absolute phenomenal and gripping read that was giving me We Have Always Lived In The Castle and We Were Liars type drama

Please check content warnings as it’s a graphic and violent read but you should definitely grab it when it releases on September 16th

I’m obsessed and I can’t wait for book 2
Thanks again to The Berry Agency for the arc! Literally book of my dreams
Profile Image for Nikki.
97 reviews5 followers
August 30, 2025
Oh boy, this was SO good to read! A little bit of Saw vibes and a whole lot of disturbing death. It’s not gory by any means, but don’t read if blood bothers you. Definitely kept me guessing the whole time, and the ending leaves itself wide open to a sequel - which I am hoping for! If you like edge of your seat, heart pounding suspense you need to pick this up!
Profile Image for Maegan.
67 reviews
September 3, 2025
2.5 ⭐

I was lucky enough to receive an arc copy of Huntingfield Manor through The Berry Agency, thank you. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recently finished Huntingfield Manor, a gore filled YA survival thriller. I was really keen to read this book! I don't tend to read thriller books, so I was looking forward to stepping out of my genre comfort zone. Unfortunately I finished it feeling a bit unsatisfied.

I really enjoyed the Pacing and the flow of the book. I was never bored or disinterested, there was always something happening. I love when books have short chapters, it helps me stay engaged.

I'm a wuss when it comes to horror/thriller, so I was intrigued to read this book. Unfortunately I just didn't find it scary or suspenseful at all. The gore was written well though!

I struggled to connect to the characters, being a shorter book there obviously isn't a lot of time to add a lot of character depth. But I feel like it is necessary when writing characters that are feeling intense emotions towards others. I just didn't understand a lot of the decisions made, especially by the FMC. And when characters died I struggled to feel sympathetic, I didn't have a reason to root for them or feel anything.

I was surprised by a couple of the plot twists, most of them were woven into the story really well. Unfortunately I did guess the plot twist that I feel was the main one. I felt it was very obvious through reading the book. So for me I didn't get that shock factor when it was revealed.

Whilst I wasn't the biggest fan of this book I am keen to see where the story goes in the second. The end of this one left me with lots of questions. I also look forward to seeing how Lachlan's writing develops in future work!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kristin.
14 reviews
September 4, 2025
This was an amazing read! I was constantly engaged and it fit the season (almost) perfectly. As I am anticipating the autumn and spooky-season, this book hit spot on! It's not so much scary as it is thrilling and gore-y. The content is almost as graphic as it can be without it being called a graphic novel (full disclosure: no actual images in the book).

I would deduct .25 stars because of some elements being a slight tad unrealistic and also some elements I thought was - not ill-fitting, but less preferred, I guess. I also thought they were being too loud? I was anxious on their behalf. a lot.

And speaking of guesses - I like to ponder on the solutions to mysteries in books, and this was no exeption. I did make some connections, but there were a lot of others I didn't. This made it more exciting to read as it let me be shocked along the way. The author also threw me off in a few spots or added more to the parts I did guess correctly - which I liked very much!

I can see how this book is fitting the YA genre, but it is not only for the younger adults! I 100% recommend this read if you like thrillers with a hint of The Hunger Games, Battle Royale (without the rivalry?), Squid Game, and more.

The ending is inviting a sequel without demanding one - which I also prefer. Looking forward to the sequel!

A big thank you to The Berry Agency (@theberryagency) for letting me get this arc! And thank you for creating this book, @writerloch (tiktok handle)
7 reviews1 follower
August 27, 2025
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Huntingfield Manor through The Berry Agency, and I’m so glad I did! This debut novel had me hooked!

The story follows Betsy, who is kidnapped and trapped on an isolated island where she is hunted by a group who claim they are “cleansing the world of evil.” Grieving the recent death of her cousin and best friend, Mallory, Betsy’s emotional struggle makes the story even more raw and compelling.

This book gave me serious Hunger Games vibes! It’s tense, atmospheric, and full of high-stakes survival. I was especially impressed with:
- The fast pacing because once I started, it was hard to put down.
- A few plot twists that genuinely shocked me, which I wasn’t expecting from a debut novel.
- The balance between action and exploring darker themes of morality, justice, and loss.
- The fact that there’s a scene that completely broke my heart and yes, I’m still mad at Lachlan for it.

As with many debuts, there are small areas where the pacing could have been smoothed out, but overall this is a strong, gripping thriller. If you want something dark, fast-paced, and emotionally charged, this is a debut to look out for. I can’t wait to see what Lachlan Russ writes next.
Profile Image for Rebekah.
246 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2025
**DISCLAIMER: I received an ARC in exchange for a fair unbiased review**

This debut novel has an interesting - and deeply disturbing - premise: a group of (mostly) strangers are kidnapped, taken to a mysterious island, then hunted for sport as recompense for their sins. Our POV character is Betsy, a 21-year-old woman who claims not to know why the shadowy figures who orchestrated this nightmare would choose her as part of the ragtag bunch of liars, killers, and criminals who try to help each other survive the night as masked sociopaths attempt to brutally murder them.

Is this a literary masterpiece? Not so much - some word choices were... odd (at one point Betsy looked around and saw people of various "nationalities" - I assume the author meant "races"?), and there was some repetitive word usage in parts. Does it matter? Not really - the pace was lightning-fast, the twist horrifying (if a little predictable), and the question of who would survive was more than enough to keep my eyes glued to the page.

Although I'm probably not the target audience (at almost 38, Betsy would probably describe me as "middle-aged"), I did enjoy this incredibly violent book, and will definitely pick up the *spoiler* second book in the series *spoiler* when it is released.
Profile Image for Indi.
16 reviews
August 28, 2025
Huntingfield Manor is a thriller that follows the story of 21-year-old Betsy as she is forced to partake in a violent hunt... as prey. The rules are simple Run, Hide, or Die.

I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC, so thank you to The Berry Agency and Lachlan Russ for sending me an advanced copy.

Unfortunately, I personally think that this book had far too many similarities to Squid Game and The Hunger Games. Obviously, many books and tv shows share similar plot ideas, especially when authors take inspiration from other works for their own. However, a chunk of the plot, including entire scenes were so close to Squid Game and this made it a difficult read at times.

I also think that there was often a lack of focus on side characters, so it was hard to become invested in them and their own stories.

Additionally, at no fault of the author, there were a lot of mistakes that should have been picked up in editing, like mislabelling characters, misusing words and story inconsistencies.

Overall, it wasn't necessarily a bad novel, it just had mistakes and read as though it wasn't fully fleshed out. I would be keen to read another of Lachlan's novels in the future to see where he goes with this genre. ⭐️⭐️/5
Profile Image for Kiah Hatton.
2 reviews
September 1, 2025
Actual rating is 3.5 stars (good reads don’t do halves 😭)

Thank you the berry agency and the author for an eARC of this book!!

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

My overall thoughts was that this was a fun read and I really enjoyed the second half! I am so excited for what this author writes next!!

That being said the first half for me was slow in the sense of my connection to the story, this for me is a complete personal preference but I struggled to care for some of the side characters. That being said when two specific characters died in the last quarter of the book I felt that gut punch upset I’d been waiting for.

Also the grand reveal I did predict but what got me was the smaller reveals scattered throughout!! Sometimes, for me, I LOVE that more than the finale as it keeps me hooked. I absolutely flew through the last 50ish% of the book because of this and I’m so excited for what comes next as this is only the beginning!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Nicole Johns.
97 reviews4 followers
August 31, 2025
What a read, this book had me guessing all the way through. This book starts off strong and only gets better.
Betsy was abducted and when she wakes up she notices other stranger’s who are all wondering what is going on. They soon realise they are all being hunted for their crimes. Could not put this book down, I was saying run, what the hell, turn around, don’t trust him. This book was definitely a thriller but also had suspense, death, family, don’t trust anyone, survival, secrets. This book had me on the edge of my seat, twists and turns throughout this book. I will always praise how good this book is.

Huntingfield Manor by Lachlan Russ is definitely worth reading and I’m so excited for the second book when it comes out.
Thank you so much The Berry Agency for allowing me to read this book.
Profile Image for Jess.
35 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2025
Huntingfield Manor by Lacklan Russ is a horror hide and seek. Betsy is abducted and wakes up on an island with a group of other people, who all seem to be hiding something from their past.

It's not until someone is killed right in front of her that she realizes this is serious. Betsy has to run and hide or die, avoiding the things hunting them in the night. Make it to sunrise, and she may just survive. But it's never that easy...Who can you trust when you don't even trust yourself?

This was a good quick read! It gave an amalgamation of The Hunger Games, The Most Dangerous Game, and Saw. There is gore and violence and revenge on top of twists and turns. This would be a great spooky season read!
1 review
September 1, 2025
I had the pleasure of being an arc reader for Lachlan Russ’ debut psychological thriller novel - Huntingfield Manor.
The story dives straight in to Betsy Blake being abducted and stranded on an island with 17 strangers, where it’s revealed they will be hunted for sport for their past sins. Will any of them survive the night?
The book is fast paced and kept me guessing the whole time - once you start reading it was hard to put down!
The violence is brutal and you fear what can happen to Betsy as you learn more about her history and really start to root for her.
If you liked The Hunger Games and The Hunt I would highly recommend Huntingfield Manor.
Can’t wait to read more of Lachlan’s work! For his debut book I was very impressed! 10/10
20 reviews1 follower
August 27, 2025
Horror/thriller/suspense is not my typical genre to read. I received an ARC for this and went all in! I would absolutely watch this if it came out as a movie 🫣

It was intense, and thrilling, and high-stakes, and even when I thought I had it figured out… I didn’t! I love that.

You feel for our FMC here. Yes, you have those moments when you want to scream at her “don’t do that!” “where are you going?!” “dammit woman, stay put!” but her story, her history, her experiences really draw you in to her. You root for her, want to fight beside her, feel angry for her, and empathize for her.

Go to Huntingfield Manor and get lost in the labyrinth with her!
Profile Image for Amy Wallman.
81 reviews3 followers
August 29, 2025
Absolutely flabbergasted!! Debut say what?!
This was absolutely fantastic. For someone who struggles with horror aspects I loved this so much. I went through so many emotions reading this book. I am going through my love of thrillers and this is easily one of my favourites of all time. If I could rate this higher I would!! ♾️⭐️

The plot was plotting, twists were twisting majorly and I was GAGGED. Absolutely phenomenal. It was giving a more dark and twisted version of squid games with more sinister motives behind the plot which I ATE up! Super grateful that I got to ARC read this beauty.

Can’t wait for you to read on September 16th. Add to it your TBR immediately everyone!!
Profile Image for Tiahne Taylor.
248 reviews9 followers
August 27, 2025
3.5⭐️ Thank you to The Berry Agency for the opportunity to read this ARC.
This felt like the trials of Hunger Games meets Saw. This thriller is pretty graphic and twisty.
I really enjoyed how bleak everything felt and the tension genuinely made me feel nervous while reading. I was hoping for a little bit more of a bombshell towards the end and I felt that the side characters could’ve had a bit more depth.
I’m keen to see where this storyline goes when book 2 is released next year.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
8 reviews3 followers
August 27, 2025
6/5 Stars
WHAT did I just read... and can I please read it again but for the first time?!?! When I tell you the jaw was on the floor and gasps were everywhere! The twists were turning, the plot was amazing, the characters were incredible and the ending had me SHOOK! I ate this book down within 12hours and needed more. If you love mystery, murder, survival, being thrown through a loop and questioning everything, do yourself a favour and get this book!
Profile Image for Mariska Myburgh.
55 reviews
August 30, 2025
Thank you to Pen to Platform for providing me with a free copy of this book for an honest review ❤️

I have to say. I am actually very impressed with this book. At times I felt that the FMC was a bit childish especially over that ONE guy. But other than that this book flowed quickly and was easy to read. It kept me on my toes and the ending? I did not expect that.

I look forward to the next book.
Profile Image for Norma.
61 reviews
August 27, 2025
Lucky to be picked to arc read this book wow amazing story great character that work well together pulling you in to what is happening. Real page turner!
Profile Image for Negi A.
111 reviews
August 27, 2025
A mix of squid games, hunger games, and family betrayal. A fast paced story. It was missing some context for me, but if you’re into adventure reads, this one’s for you!
Profile Image for Brianne Hersey.
9 reviews
September 4, 2025
had me hooked right from the beginning. I loved all the twists and turns. for a debut novel, I would 10/10 recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller
Profile Image for Eliza Wilson.
16 reviews1 follower
August 20, 2025
So looking forward to starting this read, where I’ll be able to then update my review!
5⭐️ based on the snippets I’ve seen on social media that already have me at the edge of my seat. Also the author seems like an absolute gem - immaculate vibes.

Can’t wait to read this !!! Counting down the days!!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews

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