The Golden Tup

The Red Grouse Tales

by Leslie Garland

The Golden Tup - a dreadful tale of paradise being cruelly taken by latent evil.

An adult, speculative, spiritual and philosophical tale of paradise being cruelly taken by latent evil. A tale for those who like a little more from what they are reading.

What made a nice young couple kill their new born baby? Through a series of flashbacks Verity tells how the pair bought an old derelict farmhouse and commenced renovating it - creating their own paradise - but the felling of an old tree changed everything. Gradually their paradise was lost, their relationship fell apart and as we already know, they killed their own child. What dark secret was lurking there?

102 pages, ebook

Published July 14, 2015

About the author

I didn't start out in a career in writing; I qualified as a Chartered Civil Engineer. In this capacity I worked for several years on projects in the UK, the Far East and Africa. During this period I won the Institution of Civil Engineers 'Miller Prize' for a paper on tunnelling. Perhaps my first foray in to writing? It was a pretty dry technical piece. However my experience in tunnelling has given me an exciting idea for a story which I hope will be a lot more fun than my engineering paper and I have just recently made a start on this. Changing times resulted in a change in direction and after qualifying as an Associate Member of both the British Institute of Professional Photography and the Royal Photographic Society, started my own stock photograph library (the first in N.E.England) and wrote for the trade press. The Internet was new in those days and not very reliable. So an unexpected break in my Internet connection fortuitously presented the time to make a start on a long cherished project of a series of novella length stories, and the first story of The Red Grouse Tales, was drafted. Three more 'tales' followed and I published The Red Grouse Tales in 2016. Since then I have completed a further three novellas and a novel and started winning awards for my writing. Right now I am trying to complete a second batch of 'tales' and am part way through writing a trilogy.

Find more information on my website http://www.lesliegarland.com

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Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes the best stories/books are the ones told in 100 pages or less, and that's most certainly the case with this story. Not fully understanding what direction the story was going to lead in when I started the novel, that changed quickly after several pages in when the story naturally envelopes your attention and interest. When you learn the main tragedy at hand, there's no change in pace throughout the rest of the story until the quick ending. And to mention that as well, the ending was on par with answering the main question but also leaving the reader with a bit of suspense and a creepy feeling going up your back. The suspense element of the story actually reminded me a little bit of the movie "The Witch" - a story that shares a few similarities with "The Golden Tup." The writing style and tone of the novel are indicative of the author's intellect and creativity. I do look forward to reading more of his work, even if it's not a suspense-genre-type book, I'm interested in reading more material that comes from this guy's incisive mind.

[Susan Hampson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an entertaining short story with a bit of a supernatural twist. It very much reminded me of the stories that used to be told on a TV programme some years ago called Tales of the Unexpected, which  were billed as sinister and amusing stories, each with a twist in the tale. That description works well  for this.
This story begins at the end, well, over 10 years after the end, when Verity is retelling the events running up to the arrest and prosecution of Constance and Matthew for killing their baby the only question anyone wants to know the answer to is why?
Verity, a farmers wife had befriended a young couple that had moved to the small village and bought a farm, very cheaply, that had been empty for years. As any new owners normally do with an old property, the young couple wanted to modernise it and make it their own. The couple decided that the old tree in the yard had to go but before it was chopped down, an old man called Gabriel simply came to the farm and told them to leave it be. The couple had made their minds up and the tree was chopped down but from then on the couple's luck seemed to change and not for the better.
This really is a strange story that I found myself intently hanging on to Verity's every word but there again 10 years was a long time and I thought how much is the real story and how much, if any has been changed just so that she can get an audience. Everything is her word. Will you believe the strange goings on.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Golden Tup: A dreadful tale of paradise being cruelly taken by latent evil. by Leslie W.P. Garland is an enjoyable but strange and unusual novella, with a touch of supernatural elements, religious undertones and great plot twists.

This novella started off a little slow for me, and I honestly could not figure out where the story was headed until about chapter three or four - that's where it really grabbed my attention and sucked me in.

Verity, a farmer's wife, tells the disturbing tale about a young couple who murdered their child. She recounts her visits with Constance and Matthew, from when they first moved into the old Burnhope (cleverly named) farm up until the murder incident. Through Verity's eyes we watch as the young and happy couple go through so many strange and drastic changes, not only in their relationship but also on their farm that they decided to rebuild from the ground up.

Between meeting an old man named Gabriel who no one really seems to know anything about, a shocking pregnancy, random and unexplainable marital issues between the couple, and the 150 year old diary that Constance found written by a woman who seems to have gone through what she is now going through, things just keep getting darker and even more weird. But even so, what evil could have brought the couple to ruin their very own paradise? What madness brought them to murder their very own child? With the love they have for each other, the ability to rebuild their newly bought farm, and having a baby on they way, they should have been happy, so what went wrong?

Living in a small farming and god fearing town, people like to gossip. Verity, however, tells this unsettling tale not to spread rumors but the truth. I really enjoyed the narration of this story, the style made it feel as if it were a tale someone would tell you over a cup of coffee.

If you think you might enjoy a fast paced, creepy and dark short story about an evil that brought a loving couple to murder their child - then I recommend this.



**** I received an eBook copy of this title in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Booktasters for introducing me to this author and thank you to Leslie W. P. Garland for giving me the chance to read and review his work. ****

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Tup is another of this author's excellent unsettling 'round the fire' tales. It tells the story of a young couple, buying and renovating a run down farm: all seems well at first, but clearly there are reasons why the farm has been untouched for so long: cold sensations in the yard and strange carvings in the barn. The couple also gain a friend in a mysterious old man, rather aptly nicknamed Gabriel, who no-one else ever sees and no-one else in the village has ever heard of. The story is told from the perspective of Verity - a friend of the couple who visits and sees the changes that happen to them over a period of time. She herself is a great character with her own little digressions whilst telling the tale - this adds to the atmosphere as you feel you really are listening to someone's spooky tale in the pub. I loved the literary allusions as well and the sense that the couple were victims of something larger than themselves. I read this all in one day: a really well written and thought-provoking story.

[Whitney Reinhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garland's Red Grouse Tales are so very thought provoking. The stories in and of themselves, presented as records of stories told among friends, are compelling and kept me turning pages well into the wee hours when I should have been sleeping instead of reading. Garland masterfully weaves social commentary into tales of the uncanny without being heavy-handed or overbearing.

The Golden Tup tells the story of a cursed farm and the happy couple who unwittingly unleash the evil lurking beneath the surface. Constance and Matthew, the new owners of a long-neglected farmstead, are the epitome of idealism and a strong work ethic in effort to make their dreams come true. All seems to be going well for them, hardships of rectifying derelict structures aside, until a stranger shows up and starts providing assistance in their endeavors. Readers are left until the very last line to wonder whether the stranger, Gabriel, is benevolent or malignant.

[Roisin Hobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Tup is a novella, originally published in a collection called The Red Grouse Tales – named for the pub in which the stories were told by the author’s friends. The idea of a collection of stories originally verbally told, while an ancient tradition, has become quintessentially British to me. This may be to do with the sheer amount of Victorian fiction I’ve read with this theme, but I am partial to these kinds of stories.

With this in mind, the story is more a story-in-a-story. It opens with the storyteller and her friends. One of the friends enquires about the main characters of the actual story, leading to this being told. The Golden Tup reminds me of The Turn of the Screw in many ways, the obvious similarities in format being one of them.

The darkness and ambiguity in the story also reminds me of James’ work. The Golden Tup is incredibly dark in many ways. The main story focuses on a young couple who move into a long-abandoned farm house. They live a relatively happy, peaceful existence; until things ominously take a turn for the worst. Their tale mirrors that of the previous tenants in many ways, shedding light on why the property had been unoccupied for so long. Garland uses supernatural and religious themes that work well with such a rural, traditional setting. I like the use of Milton’s Paradise Lost, although I did find that this was forced at times.

There were several parts where the writing fell slightly short for me, but that is almost forgiven by the format of the tale. This is a ‘campfire’ sort of story, made to be told in a raw and natural way. It isn’t intended as perfectly polished literary narrative, and that works in this instance. It is the kind of story I can imagine people telling based on shocking headlines or local dramas – if there’s one thing I know about villages it’s that both imaginations and gossip run wild.

This adds a sort-of quaintness to an otherwise depressing and quite shocking tale. It is grounded in the more realistic setting of the pub in which it is told. The rural, quaint overtones are again comparable to many Victorian works of this kind, such as Frankenstein. There’s an element of fun that works to engage the reader further in the tale.

Overall I really enjoyed this story. It was short enough to read on a train journey but engaging enough that I would want more, and may get hold of the full collection. It is a nice little horror story to sink your teeth into, with some interesting motifs and themes.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another tale recounted by one of the group of friends who regularly meet at The Red Grouse Inn. It's centered around village gossips, hypocrisy and the probability of the presence of an evil being.

Verity is a farmer's wife and on this particular occasion she reflects on the sequence of events leading to the demise of a young couple.

Constance and Matthew have just moved to this dilapidated farm and they are excited about the renovations. Their dream is to be self sufficient, living off the land. They receive help from the mysterious Gabriel who appears to notice things that they don't. They ignore his advice on a couple of a occasions, but then their good life starts to crumble. In hindsight, they should have listened to him.

Verity goes on to relay the fate of another couple who moved to this farm for the same reasons, one hundred and fifty years ago. The similarities in their circumstances are scary! This is further reinforced by the information unearthed by Constance. The root of their troubles appears to be the Golden Tup.

This is a rather sad and dark story about what transpired all those years ago and in the present time. It raises a lot of questions about the coincidences and the evil surrounding the these two couples. The narration is vividly described, to the point where I felt uncomfortable and heartbroken about some of the events. An intriguing story which gives food for thoughts.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of The Golden Tup is told from the perspective of Verity, a farmer's wife who regards the couple in question as her own daughter and son-in-law. Verity's narration of the story reminded me of sitting down with my grand-mother, asking her a question about something and getting the whole back story to the answer. I read this story in a couple of hours and thoroughly enjoyed it, it's well written and may have you wondering if the the past and present really are connected sometimes and maybe, just maybe that vacant property's that you see every day, has been abandoned for so long for a reason, a very good reason.

[Bundledupbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garland has created an intense story that grips the reader from the beginning. I wanted to know everything that happened to the characters by the time it was over. The characters (Constance and Matthew) seemed to be wrapped up in events that took place over one hundred years ago and there is so much the reader is left in the dark about as much as the characters. I was at the edge of my plush seat in the lobby of the Red Grouse Inn and the questions those sitting around me had were completely justified (no wonder they stick around for four stories. I would too!).

[JG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been told a tale at the kitchen table that keeps you so in awe, you don't move until the story is over? That is how I felt as I read the Golden Tup. I didn't want to move. The story had me hooked from the first paragraph. We learn right from the beginning that a young couple was arrested ten years before for killing their own baby.
The story is told in the third person by Verity, a native of the town who befriended the couple and tells her friends about the times she visited with Constance before they were arrested. Constance and Matthew were the young couple that bought Burnhope, an old desolate farm that had been on the market for years. As they took on the heavy task of renovating the house and barn, there were odd occurrences that reveal something evil happened there in the past. The chickens avoided specific areas of the farm, an evil looking ram was carved in one of the beams inside the barn, and a man named Gabriel that no one in town has ever heard of shows up out of nowhere. As soon as Gabriel is in the picture, things take a turn for the worse, yet the couple see no connections. As the story unfolds the dark secrets of the past emerge that explain why there is an evil presence on the farm.
I really enjoyed The Golden Tup. It was suspenseful and well written. I felt like I was there in the story sitting next to Verity as she rencountered her visits to Burnhope. I definitely recommend the book and look forward to reading more work from Leslie W P Garland.

[M. Inks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Golden Tup tells the story of Verity, telling the story of her friend, Constance. Her story dives deeply into the strangeness of the fixer-upper farm they move into, the Burnhope. The strangeness begins warmly with meeting Verity before telling us the dark tragedy that Constance and her husband murdered their newborn. Throughout Verity’s story, her tale tells and eludes to the dark truth and evil lurking about the farm. I picked up The Golden Tup out of curiosity of the description and for a change of genre. It starts off slow, sitting beside Verity as if I were really there listening to her tell me about her good, seemingly wholesome friends Constance and Matthew before they were arrested for murder. What I loved most about reading this book was the depth within the story. Knowing the tragedy that fell upon Constance and Matthew, I held on wondering their reasoning for the atrocity they committed. The two seemed like great DIY people trying to make an honest living. They fit in well with their community, seemed successful, and quite friendly. Yet, at the same time, how could a couple seemingly so sweet murder their own infant child? And as I kept reading, getting closer to their reasoning the story took an even darker twist into the farm’s history. I was mind blown and couldn’t put the book down until I had reached the last page, even more mind blown at evil lurking about the farm and a mysterious neighbor. I really loved reading The Golden Tup. The story was deep and felt like I was gossiping with an old chatty good friend of mine. I have my own idea for what evil foe Constance and Matthew might have possibly encountered. Just thinking what-ifs, if the story continued, I’d hope people like Verity would warn the next buyers of the farm to avoid the same fate of Constance, Matthew, and Primrose. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a unique, deep, well-written story with a little bit of mystery from the beginning to the end. Once you get into the deep mystery of the Burnhope farm, you’ll be hooked until the last page.

[Stephan Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Golden Tup is god-fearing rural town story told from a bystander’s point of view; that is to say—someone who is not directly tied to the situation but is still a good friend of the couple in question. This is the most important point because the entire narrative is presented as hindsight by the ‘town expert on this matter.’

There’s a large mix of religion connotations, small town gossip, and yarn spinning. The plot is just real enough to make a stomach sink and wonder ‘what if?’

Mild spoilers ahead, a city couple moves out then buys a rundown farm, they fix it up and notice a few odd things—namely a spooky tree, ram’s head carved into an old barn, and area of the property that even chickens won’t go to. As they buy their first sheep and consider chopping down the large creepy tree—a man they instinctually call Gabriel arrives to offer advice. Of course, our story teller—a friend of the family—gets all this explained to him by the spouse.

Now as many small-town stories go, this one leaves a lot of questions unanswered but instead relies heavily on ‘implied truth.’ This reminded of my own life in a smaller town; people often commented about gossip but left the ‘obvious implications’ unsaid. It’s worth noting—repeatedly because the narration style can be disconnecting—that all these events are covered in hindsight by a story teller. Readers are told how it ends in the first few lines.

Still, I kept reading to uncover the ‘why’ mystery and see how the plot points connected. Those uncomfortable with any hint of religion, demons, or implied rebirths of whichever fallen angel they believe in should shy away. In my case, for making my stomach drop and face pale briefly, this story gets a four.

www.frustratedego.com

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most unusual read indeed! A young married couple buys an abandoned farm and set about refurbishing it. They intend to create an eco-friendly farm that will sustain them and allow them to sell their excess meat and produce. As they begin building renovations they also start their farm. First the start with chickens. Oddly, the chickens refuse to feed in a certain part of the yard. Blaming it on the shade and resulting chill of the 100+-year-old ash tree, they chop the tree down. And there begins the trouble. While each chapter begins with a quote from Milton's "Paradise Lost" the author also manages to incorporate the feeling of Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart". There is a secret on the farm and it influences the owners and the events that follow. The tale is unique and I just can't bring myself to give any of it away. The beginning of the story creates the atmosphere of friends telling tales in a pub. The storyteller is a British woman named Verity. One of the author's wonderful details is that as Verity begins the tale she gets sidetracked several times. This seems so normal and works so well drawing the reader into the story. Once in, you are swept up in the story. It is fast moving and one you can't put down.

[Shayela96 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the book “The Golden Tup” is really short, this doesn’t make it bad. Summarised roughly, it is a crime novel, in which a young couple (Matthew and Constance) had murdered their newborn son and were arrested for this. A very good friend (Verity) tells their story in flashbacks, which makes it possible, that the reader can imagine the situation very detailed and that the couple was nice, which makes it impossible to understand this crime.
As a reader, we are brought to think about it and solve the crime. I had the wildest theories; why have they murdered their baby?! In the beginning, it was very open and I have asked myself several times, why Verity talks with such detail?! But in the end, I noticed that the details are very important to find out the truth.
I’m from Germany, so English isn’t my mother tongue, but the language is so, that I can understand everything from the context.
The only thing I find a little bit a sad was that there was an open ending. There is a solution, but whether it is true or not, we don’t get to know.
In conclusion, I'd recommend anyone who likes to solve crimes to read this book. That is the reason why I give a 5* rating.

[Phil Leader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another of the Red Grouse Tales, this is a story about a young couple who were infamous for having killed their baby. Told by someone who new them, it perhaps offers an explanation for their actions.

Matthew and Constance buy an old abandoned farmhouse and set about renovating it. All goes well despite the hard work. But something doesn't feel right about one of the courtyards and there is a strange carving in the barn. Only their friend Gabriel is able to offer them any advice but their situation just goes from bad to worse.

As with the other Red Grouse Tales there is a strong paranormal thread running through this story. Much darker in tone than the others, this provokes the reader to ask themselves who they believe in regards the killing of their baby, the word of Constance that dark forces are at work or the facts as common sense would dictate them.

As with the other stories in the collection the writing is clear and fluent, the characterisation sharp enough for the reader to sympathise with the couple despite knowing their eventual fate. The story is engrossing and gets more chilling as it reaches its conclusion.

[Mary Nieberg-Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short stories are great when told around the campfire, or when folks are gathered together after supper...
This short story is very interesting, as told by a friend and neighbor of the protagonists, Matthew and Constance, who had purchased this particular farm which had been in total disrepair, taking the time to build it up from ruins. Constance and Matthew had had no idea the history of their farm and the mysterious fellow they called Gabriel who showed up just when the couple were about to raze a huge Ash tree that was at least 150 years old, which was shading the courtyard of their home. Gabriel was there too when the couple had decided on sheep as the best possible livestock for the terrains was perfect for raising sheep. Slowly things started to go wrong, little things at first....Unknown by Constance and Matthew, was the fact that the family who had the farm 150 years ago had embarked on fixing up the farm in the exact same way...and fortune had not been kind to that family....Gabriel knew though....

[Wulfwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a cold winter's tale to be read, or told, by the fire. By that I mean this is storytelling perfection. The kind of story you want to read on a night with the wind howling and rain or snow falling outside. For me, there are stories that chill me and leave me seeking light and warmth in the hours following the telling of them. Constance and Mark's story is this kind. It isn't a gory tale with blood and graphic scenes. No. This is old school horror. The kind of story that you quickly get wrapped up in and don't even realize the evil that lurks until it is too late. So when there is a chill wind blowing and gloomy is how you would describe the day, grab this book. Make a pot of tea, coffee or cocoa and get settled. If you can, I would even suggest reading by candle or fire. You are now ready to properly enjoy this book delicacy.
Thank you to BookTasters and the author for an ecopy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are mine.

[Courtney Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Leslie W.P. Garland's novella "The Golden Tup" to be a thoroughly engaging and wonderful read. Garland skillfully creates a frame narrative of the main narrator Verity telling the tragic story of her neighbors Constance and Matthew, which includes Constance's account of the tragic story of the previous owners of her home. I loved the authenticity and immediately engaging personality and voice of the narrator Verity, particularly her often unintentional interjections of humor. One of my other favorite aspects of the novella is how Garland draws upon John Milton's "Paradise Lost," which happens to be one of my most beloved works of literature. The foreboding presence of the mysterious character Gabriel within the novella is a brilliant connection to the role of the archangel Gabriel in "Paradise Lost." In summary, I believe "The Golden Tup" to be a wonderful choice for readers who appreciate an extremely well-done frame narrative as well as for readers who love "Paradise Lost."

[Becky Zales · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story begins with a woman named Verity telling the story of a young couple that was known to have killed their baby. Verity was familiar with Constance and Mark and would visit the farm from time to time. Around the same time the couple also became acquainted with a man named Gabriel, someone Verity never met or heard of. It was Gabriel that advised the couple that they should not keep sheep on the farm. Of course the couple may have been too proud after seeing all the work they had done and in the end the decision to keep the animal was up to them. Soon after the marriage begins to suffer and an unexpected pregnancy puts a strain on the relationship. After finding the previous owners journal Constance who has just had her baby begins to connect their problems with the previous owners problems. Could the baby have something to do with it? Definitely a dark tale by Leslie W.P.Garland about a Golden Tup that may just be evil or was it the land, or just paranoia?

[Littlewolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

I was given a copy of the story in exchange for my honest review. As always the author did not disappoint. The story is being told by Verity, a woman in her 60s, 10 years after the events occurred. She tells her tail of a couple who moved into a small town and buys an old farm. Things seem to be going well for the couple, until they do not heed the warning given to them by a man named Gabriel. In the end, we see how truly evil place to be. Something that I truly enjoy about Leslie W. P. Garland is his ability to be able make the reader a bystander listening to this woman telling her tale. With his detailed descriptions, you feel like your there. I also love how his story's can start off seeming so simple and innocent, and give you chills at the end. In the end, I truly enjoyed the story and would recommend it it to anyone who enjoys a sinister twist.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a mother of a small infant, I cannot fathom any type of "why" that could lead to his death by my hands. The story of Matthew and Constance was gripping in the way gossip is: you can't step away despite knowing you shouldn't be engaging in the spread of such rumors, no matter how true. The story, literally told by a gossip within the pages, was foreboding and uncomfortable, but I believe this is intentional and necessary for the type of short horror it is.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, and I will absolutely be reading more of Leslie W. P. Garland's work in the future when I get a chance!

[JenniferReadsHorror · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decided to give short stories a go. For a burst of reading and inspiration. This one didn’t disappoint me.
The nods to the supernatural and the pace of the story keep it’s a quick read as I found myself wanting to know more and get to the finish.
The main idea of the story, being of a young couple buying an old property – barn with intention to renovate is somethings I would love to do. This had my interest and the evil – paranormal – well all of it had me.
Definitely a story you could read in a couple of hours and read again.
Well done Author.

[D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely done little story, and as usual from Leslie W P Garland the back and forth possibilities of Good and Evil lie within the pages, the how and why and maybe of the things that happen, and the questions that tragedy ultimately leads to. I did enjoy this one a tad more than The Little Dog and put this down to the 'spooky' elements. A good little read.
Thank you to Leslie for sending along his mobi file for review.

[BloomJieun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the story and the characters. Very atmospheric and you can see everything as the writing is beautiful. Very much enjoyed this book.

[Heather Mellars · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Golden Tup - by Leslie W. P. Garland

This is a story about the essence of what is evil itself. The narrator's voice, Verity, is strong and steady, even with chills running up and down my spine! The strange happenings are fully believable to someone like me, raised in a small rural village, with all its latent superstitions, rumours and long memory. The story is revealed in flashbacks from 10 years before. The atmosphere in the tale is menacing and intriguing. Another addictive book from an author who has opened up this genre to me. When the book finishes the ‘what if... ‘ will take over. You have been warned!
I received this book in return for an honest review.

[Charnae LaLuzerne · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The Golden Tup” is a story worth pursuing from your couch on a cold Saturday afternoon. There are layers of stories told from the same perspective, a gossipy townswoman named Verity. She fills in the blanks of a demonized couple who were, prior to the story unfolding, were arrested for the murder of their infant. Garland alludes to Paradise Lost multiple times, although the story doesn't quite transcend the urgency and fear of supernatural tales shown by the media today. What lacks in flash is made up in subtleties. The horror can be found by slowing down and allowing yourself to visualize what is not written on the page.

[Ariel C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very creepy novella with supernatural elements.

A farmer's wife tells the unsettling story of a local young couple who murdered their newborn baby.
With very dark connotations, reincarnation, demonic possession and subtle overtones of Paradise Lost.
Told through a series of flashbacks to the past, the reader experiences how the young pair's idyllic life and happy marriage gradually fall apart following an unplanned pregnancy and the entrance of an enigmatic stranger that nobody else seemingly knows or ever sees.

Author Leslie W.P Garland is a master of spine tingling shivers, icy chills and hair standing on end.
A very spooky tale with a horrifying atmosphere.

[Leslie Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having looked at evil in an individual in “The Little Dog” story, I wanted to look at the possibility of evil in a place. Once I got into it somehow this story just seemed to write itself and I managed great chunks of it which subsequently required little or no editing! As it is a story about a couple loosing their paradise, referencing John Milton's “Paradise Lost” was one element that I couldn't resist and given that the Fall of Man is such a wonderful allegory of life, was not inappropriate either. The Biblical Tree of Life is rather eclipsed by the more famous Tree of Knowledge and it is Yggdrasil, or the World Tree in Norse mythology, that is probably better known as a tree of life linking metaphorical worlds and in so doing keeping all in balance, though the Tree of Life is mentioned in both Genesis and Revelation. For my lead characters to end up in this tragic adventure - the story starts out with them killing their new baby - required both that their planning was not as thorough as it should have been, coupled with a certain naivety and bad luck. No, life isn't fair and bad luck - evil? - can so easily be visited on those who least deserve it. A tragic story.

[Carmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this novella, even though there were times where I found it creepy. I would have preferred a little bit more detail, even though that would have made the book slightly longer. I got a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kerstin Vollbrecht · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Golden Tup outs a very misterious story about a young couple, Constance and Matthew, who are living in an old ranch, where a life changing event happens.
The story is told by their friend Verity, who can only share what she has witnessed, telling the happenings from when they arranged the farm to when they had tho make a terrible decision and what brought them to do so.
It's an interesting story, although it has some slow parts, the plot is developed add a thread that goes from the beginning to the end. There's not much tension in this book, but a plain development of the facts. To me, it has been a long read.