Sunday 21 September 2014

Book Impressions - Whisper by Michael Bray

This book is a decent take on the haunted/possessed house story. A young couple move into an old house with a dark atmosphere and an even darker atmosphere. The overall idea might be a familiar one but there enough twists to make it its own. I especially enjoyed the association with other members of the community, although I would have liked to see this aspect developed more.

The book is very well written and does a good job of the mounting darkness and insanity. However there are a couple of points that detracted from this for me. The first, as already mentioned, is that the tale is for the most part a familiar one. It was easy to anticipate most of the plot before it evolved. Although there are some well placed moments in there which counter this.

My other big issue was the two main characters - the husband and wife. They are a mercurial pair and some of the sudden changes in their behaviour seemed odd. They also make some of the common mistakes that characters in horror situations seem to make. I would also have liked to see a few of the secondary characters brought to life a bit more.

Those two issues aside this is a solid horror read. It builds on atmosphere rather than gore - which is always appreciated. It's well paced and has some genuinely spooky moments. A worthy read if you're a fan of supernatural horror.

Click on image to buy from Amazon

It was supposed to be a fresh start. A place for Steve & Melody Samson to begin their new life together away from the noise and crime of the city. However, their new home – an idyllic cottage nestled deep within the dense solitude of Oakwell forest-has a disturbing history, hidden for generations by the locals. There is evil in Hope House, and the cursed forest that surrounds it. Evil that has awakened after lying dormant for decades, and has terrifying plans for the young couple.

Once you hear the whispers, it may already be too late.

Click here to buy Whispers from Amazon US / Amazon UK (and it's a decent horror read)

No comments:

Post a Comment