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A Distant Drum
by
Christmas is coming… but Alex is running away.
Panicked by the prospect of spending Christmas with his boyfriend’s disapproving parents, Alex flees to the old houseboat in the Norfolk Broads his uncle left him. But when a freak snowstorm traps him there, Alex soon realises he’s not the only heartbroken lover haunting the shores of Halsham Broad.
Two hundred years ago, dr ...more
Panicked by the prospect of spending Christmas with his boyfriend’s disapproving parents, Alex flees to the old houseboat in the Norfolk Broads his uncle left him. But when a freak snowstorm traps him there, Alex soon realises he’s not the only heartbroken lover haunting the shores of Halsham Broad.
Two hundred years ago, dr ...more
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Kindle Edition, 89 pages
Published
December 20th 2019
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I'd never before understood the phrase "my blood ran cold." But three times reading this, I was frozen with fear, all the hairs on my body rigid, and I sat petrified in spite of the warm fire, warm lights, warm tea.
This is a really effective little ghost story, told with Durreson's signature ability to conjure a strong sense of place from a few significant details. Winter, a boat frozen in inland waters, an MC frozen in wintry memories, a ghost frozen in mindless malice. And, because it's Durres ...more
This is a really effective little ghost story, told with Durreson's signature ability to conjure a strong sense of place from a few significant details. Winter, a boat frozen in inland waters, an MC frozen in wintry memories, a ghost frozen in mindless malice. And, because it's Durres ...more

Wonderfully atmospheric; I loved this it's perfect for snuggling up with on a dark winter's night. It's not the typical over sugared Christmas fare but a creepy little ghost story with some real chills to it and a lot of feeling.
For a short story it balances things well; the ghost story, character development, relationship. We don't get an indepth of the character's background but enough to feel we understand them. The hauntings and ice weather bring suitable chills. An established relationship ...more
For a short story it balances things well; the ghost story, character development, relationship. We don't get an indepth of the character's background but enough to feel we understand them. The hauntings and ice weather bring suitable chills. An established relationship ...more

4.25 stars
Well, if you take out the creepy ghost from the equation, Amy Rae Durreson's A Distant Drum in its core, is actually a very tender romantic story, that perfectly suits my mood in this rainy season (I live in Jakarta, Indonesia, okay, December equals rainy not snowy).
Alex, unable to deal with the idea of family Christmas with his boyfriend, Nik, just yet, convinced that Nik's family will hate him, decides to run away from London to his deceased uncle's houseboat at Norfolk. In the ...more
Well, if you take out the creepy ghost from the equation, Amy Rae Durreson's A Distant Drum in its core, is actually a very tender romantic story, that perfectly suits my mood in this rainy season (I live in Jakarta, Indonesia, okay, December equals rainy not snowy).
Alex, unable to deal with the idea of family Christmas with his boyfriend, Nik, just yet, convinced that Nik's family will hate him, decides to run away from London to his deceased uncle's houseboat at Norfolk. In the ...more

This is an interesting blend of sweet contemporary romance and creepy ghost story. Alex spooks at the idea of a family Christmas with his boyfriend and ditches Nik to run off and hole up in an old houseboat in the Norfolk Broads, where his deceased uncle once gave him refuge and affection missing in his life. Hiding in his safe place, he figures he's pretty much burned his bridges with Nik, and there's something eerie and nerve-wracking going on outside that safe space. It's anything but comfort
...more

Ideal closure of the Holiday reading season. Comfortably old-fashioned ghost story with the right amount of creepiness and a perfect setting somewhere in the english country side on a secluded house boat. I adored Nik who stands by his man no matter what, without drawing the curtain over the hurt Alex's flight has caused and I became to like Alex who not only faced the ghost but some of his inner demons as well. I also enjoyed that Durreson granted the guys only a HFN because although that chris
...more

Fans of this author will enjoy this short story. For such a short story, the author did an excellent job fleshing the characters and the story out. I also liked the surprise twist involving the ghost and once again, appreciated Durreson's uncanny ability to mix paranormal/suspense/romance so well. Well worth a read. :)
...more

Mar 08, 2020
Trix
rated it
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Shelves:
action,
adventure,
angst,
bi-sexual,
contemporary,
ghost,
mm-novels,
mystery,
paranormal,
suspense
Review to come.

OMG!!!! Nothing says Christmas like a good old fashioned ghost story and Amy Rae Durreson definitely has a doozy of a one with A Distant Drum. I stumbled onto it by accident and I am so glad I did!
I won't say too much because I don't want to give anything away, this is definitely one story you have to experience yourself to fully appreciate the creepified factor. Snow and ice storms can be spooky enough(believe me I know I'm a lifelong resident of Wisconsin) but throw in a little history, doomed ...more
I won't say too much because I don't want to give anything away, this is definitely one story you have to experience yourself to fully appreciate the creepified factor. Snow and ice storms can be spooky enough(believe me I know I'm a lifelong resident of Wisconsin) but throw in a little history, doomed ...more
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Amy Rae Durreson is a quiet Brit with a degree in early English literature, which she blames for her somewhat medieval approach to spelling, and at various times has been fluent in Latin, Old English, Ancient Greek, and Old Icelandic, though these days she mostly uses this knowledge to bore her students. Amy started her first novel a quarter of a century ago and has been scribbling away ever since
...more
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