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The House on Rectory Lane
Jake and Kate live in Camden, London and have had enough of the hassle with parking, overbooked restaurants and burglaries.
After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think.
People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Neighbours are overly friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night?
They find a tape hidden in the loft of their new house, a homemade video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts.
What they view, chills them to the bone.
They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next....................
After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think.
People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Neighbours are overly friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night?
They find a tape hidden in the loft of their new house, a homemade video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts.
What they view, chills them to the bone.
They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next....................
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 15, 2017
About the author
Stuart James
10 books588 followersAuthor of world wide number 1 best selling thriller, Turn The Other Way, and International Book Award Winner for The House On Rectory Lane.
Apartment Six was a number 1 new release for a month.
Stranded, released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What authors have said about my thrillers.
Caroline Mitchell, NY Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother, The Secret Child and Truth And Lies: A great read packed with twists and turns.
John Marrs, author of The Good Samaritan and The Wronged Son: Fans of Mark Edwards will very much enjoy.
Definitely a writer to look out for.
Lisa Hall, author of The Party and Between You And Me: Tense and thrilling, with an ending you won’t see coming.
Jennifer Jaynes, USA Today bestselling author of Disturbed and Malice. Great job. Well crafted, deliciously twisty and kept me glued to the pages.
L A Detwiler, USA Today bestselling author of The Widow Next Door: The author is gritty, raw and dark in his writing. He is also extremely talented. I would highly recommend this read if you love a dark thriller in the same vein as Stephen King. My book of the month.
Natasha Harding from The Sun newspaper wrote about my thriller: A spooky read that will grab your attention from the very first page.
Published by Bloodhound Books.
Reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads have said Stuart James has written some of the scariest thrillers they’ve read in years.
I'm a new author recently published with Bloodhound Books.
My latest thriller, Turn The Other Way, went world wide number 1 on 5 platforms and has been chosen by Barnes And Noble as one of their top Halloween reads.
My other thriller, The House On Rectory Lane, has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction.
Apartment Six will be available 29th January 2020.
Stranded is released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
I live in Hertfordshire and am happily married with 2 wonderful children.
My twitter page is @stuartjames73
My website is stuartjamesthrillers.com
Apartment Six was a number 1 new release for a month.
Stranded, released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
What authors have said about my thrillers.
Caroline Mitchell, NY Times bestselling author of The Perfect Mother, The Secret Child and Truth And Lies: A great read packed with twists and turns.
John Marrs, author of The Good Samaritan and The Wronged Son: Fans of Mark Edwards will very much enjoy.
Definitely a writer to look out for.
Lisa Hall, author of The Party and Between You And Me: Tense and thrilling, with an ending you won’t see coming.
Jennifer Jaynes, USA Today bestselling author of Disturbed and Malice. Great job. Well crafted, deliciously twisty and kept me glued to the pages.
L A Detwiler, USA Today bestselling author of The Widow Next Door: The author is gritty, raw and dark in his writing. He is also extremely talented. I would highly recommend this read if you love a dark thriller in the same vein as Stephen King. My book of the month.
Natasha Harding from The Sun newspaper wrote about my thriller: A spooky read that will grab your attention from the very first page.
Published by Bloodhound Books.
Reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads have said Stuart James has written some of the scariest thrillers they’ve read in years.
I'm a new author recently published with Bloodhound Books.
My latest thriller, Turn The Other Way, went world wide number 1 on 5 platforms and has been chosen by Barnes And Noble as one of their top Halloween reads.
My other thriller, The House On Rectory Lane, has just won The International Book Award in horror fiction.
Apartment Six will be available 29th January 2020.
Stranded is released October 19th, 2020 on Amazon.
I live in Hertfordshire and am happily married with 2 wonderful children.
My twitter page is @stuartjames73
My website is stuartjamesthrillers.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
February 22, 2022
Jake and Kate move from London to the English countryside. Ramsbury seems to be a nice little town. But soon they are threatened in their new home. Jake sees terrible scenes of violence in a home nearby. What is going on here? Why are so many people missing and killed in the area? Who is spying on the Morley family and why? This is a wild roller coaster ride of a thriller. Intriguing till the very end and twisty like a mountain road. You really don't know what's going on here and definitely will be surprised by the denouement at the end. Terrifying stuff here I really enjoyed. Is it horror? Well, the novel has many uncanny elements in it and reads like a movie. Outstanding and highly recommended!
April 11, 2020
WOW this book is HOT! Matches the weather here today
Jake and Kate move to their ideal home ‘on Rectory Lane’, its everything they have ever wanted, remote but neighbours near enough by if needed, a thriving village nearby and oodles of space for their son to play, safely
Pretty soon though they realise they have made a massive mistake as they find out the previous owners ‘disappeared’ and all is ‘off kilter’ with the house, they have an intruder, the lights keep going out, mysterious phone calls happen and the feeling of unease spreads (to them and to the reader!)
This is, however, small fry though as people in the village start to disappear and then attempts are made on their lives and things, it’s fair to say become uncontrollable
And this is the maddening bit, I am not going to tell you why, even hint at it as it will take the shock of what is happening away, and it is a shock, a nasty one!!
The ending is one of the best and most ‘NOOOOOOOOO it cant be right’ moments I have experienced for ages and left me genuinely disquieted at the.....well you will see
Superbly told, scary, worryingly realistic, deceptive in every chapter and cleverly done you will not forget this book, the characters, plot or the general feeling of disbelief at what has happened
Brilliant
10/10
5 Stars
Jake and Kate move to their ideal home ‘on Rectory Lane’, its everything they have ever wanted, remote but neighbours near enough by if needed, a thriving village nearby and oodles of space for their son to play, safely
Pretty soon though they realise they have made a massive mistake as they find out the previous owners ‘disappeared’ and all is ‘off kilter’ with the house, they have an intruder, the lights keep going out, mysterious phone calls happen and the feeling of unease spreads (to them and to the reader!)
This is, however, small fry though as people in the village start to disappear and then attempts are made on their lives and things, it’s fair to say become uncontrollable
And this is the maddening bit, I am not going to tell you why, even hint at it as it will take the shock of what is happening away, and it is a shock, a nasty one!!
The ending is one of the best and most ‘NOOOOOOOOO it cant be right’ moments I have experienced for ages and left me genuinely disquieted at the.....well you will see
Superbly told, scary, worryingly realistic, deceptive in every chapter and cleverly done you will not forget this book, the characters, plot or the general feeling of disbelief at what has happened
Brilliant
10/10
5 Stars
December 29, 2021
Wow! This was a great psychological crime thriller!
A backstory:
Jake and Kate are tired of London with all the traffic and noise so they move out to the country where they can get away from it all and have some peace and quiet. The house that they find through a real estate agent is perfect for them as it is tucked away behind some iron gates and just has a couple or so neighbors.
With any house though nothing is perfect and they find out that the previous occupants of the house - the Prescott's just vanished from the house and no one can seem to find them. That gives them an unsettling feeling as they wonder what happened to them and even thoughts of the house being haunted flitted through their minds.
With some trepidation they go ahead and settle into the house along with meeting their neighbors Pete and Linda who seem to be very friendly as they welcome them to the neighborhood. But even with nice neighbors and the secluded house, Jake feels that there is just something "off" about the house, but when Jake and Kate find a dvd in their house that is a film with the family of the Prescott's is when things become weird and the more they try to find out what happened to the previous family the more they become entrapped within a mystery so entangled they will be fighting for their lives by the time it is all over as you never truly know who your neighbors are and Jake finds out more than he wants to know before it is all over.
Thoughts:
This is my first time reading this author and was happy to finally read one of his books as I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. I was captured right away with the characters and the mystery surrounding the Prescott's as I was wanting to know why they disappeared. The mystery was so deep that I thought this book would make a great movie as there were so many twists and turns that I had a hard time putting the book down!
The author sets up a slow and building tension within the story bringing the mystery of what happened to the Prescott family finally to life near the end of the book. During the meantime though the mystery and suspense is built up along the way and I felt for the characters as they tried to figure out what they had landed themselves into.
Other things happen within the storyline to the characters Jake and Kate as they try to dig up what is going on with their house and the neighbors. This book kept me intrigued throughout the story which I ended up reading the last 50% within a few hours as things started to escalate within the story and I just kept reading to see what would happen next. There is a major twist that I didn't see coming which sent this book into overdrive! I have some more books by this author simmering on my kindle that I will need to step into this coming year. Giving this one five Tension Terror stars!
To see images and more thoughts, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
A backstory:
Jake and Kate are tired of London with all the traffic and noise so they move out to the country where they can get away from it all and have some peace and quiet. The house that they find through a real estate agent is perfect for them as it is tucked away behind some iron gates and just has a couple or so neighbors.
With any house though nothing is perfect and they find out that the previous occupants of the house - the Prescott's just vanished from the house and no one can seem to find them. That gives them an unsettling feeling as they wonder what happened to them and even thoughts of the house being haunted flitted through their minds.
With some trepidation they go ahead and settle into the house along with meeting their neighbors Pete and Linda who seem to be very friendly as they welcome them to the neighborhood. But even with nice neighbors and the secluded house, Jake feels that there is just something "off" about the house, but when Jake and Kate find a dvd in their house that is a film with the family of the Prescott's is when things become weird and the more they try to find out what happened to the previous family the more they become entrapped within a mystery so entangled they will be fighting for their lives by the time it is all over as you never truly know who your neighbors are and Jake finds out more than he wants to know before it is all over.
Thoughts:
This is my first time reading this author and was happy to finally read one of his books as I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. I was captured right away with the characters and the mystery surrounding the Prescott's as I was wanting to know why they disappeared. The mystery was so deep that I thought this book would make a great movie as there were so many twists and turns that I had a hard time putting the book down!
The author sets up a slow and building tension within the story bringing the mystery of what happened to the Prescott family finally to life near the end of the book. During the meantime though the mystery and suspense is built up along the way and I felt for the characters as they tried to figure out what they had landed themselves into.
Other things happen within the storyline to the characters Jake and Kate as they try to dig up what is going on with their house and the neighbors. This book kept me intrigued throughout the story which I ended up reading the last 50% within a few hours as things started to escalate within the story and I just kept reading to see what would happen next. There is a major twist that I didn't see coming which sent this book into overdrive! I have some more books by this author simmering on my kindle that I will need to step into this coming year. Giving this one five Tension Terror stars!
To see images and more thoughts, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
May 4, 2020
This book had so much potential but failed to deliver. I was really excited by the blurb but it felt like I was reading a cheap read that had been over-edited, with chases you would expect to find in a low-budget television film. Some readers may not see this as a problem but, for me, I was irritated and glad that this was a short book.
The premise of the story is completely intriguing but the execution was not. I felt bored by the narrative and do not think the writer successfully conveyed the panic and tension. Sentence structures were too similar and predictable; I don’t normally critique books on this level but this was a feature that certainly lessened my enjoyment.
I found the key character, Jake, a rather wet blanket. His reactions to his environment were weak and understated. Now, I’m not arguing that all male characters should be this cliched, muscle-bound, fearless hero. However, Jake seems to be at the other end of the spectrum and his weaknesses were irritating. He appears to land himself in trouble with snooping on his mysterious neighbours and, whilst this does move the plot forwards, Jake is unable to cope with what he has seen.
As mentioned, this felt like a low-budget film. The car chases were predictable and over-used. The characters felt like carbon-copies from previous stories. Indeed, moving to a remote house that backs on to a forest, was I surprised when faces started appearing at windows? Or that the power suddenly cut out several times? Alas, no. This was too formulaic for my liking.
So, time to for the positives. Why, I hear you ask, have I awarded this three stars? Why did I even persevere and finish this book, if I did not enjoy it very much? Well, first of all, it was entertaining (even if it was for the wrong reasons). Secondly, the plot’s foundations were pretty good. As I have said, it had the potential, it just wasn’t delivered very well. The twists that happened at the end of the story were unexpected and I loved the final reveal on the very last page – definitely something that made me gasp! The village setting could have been developed a bit more but I loved imagining the house that Jake and Kate move in to – it sounded idyllic.
This was an ok book. I have definitely read better ones out there that are of the same genre. I don’t think I would rush to read another of James’ books, but this would definitely depend on other reviews and recommendations. It is easy to follow and to distract you which, I guess, is something that quite a few readers are looking for at the moment.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The premise of the story is completely intriguing but the execution was not. I felt bored by the narrative and do not think the writer successfully conveyed the panic and tension. Sentence structures were too similar and predictable; I don’t normally critique books on this level but this was a feature that certainly lessened my enjoyment.
I found the key character, Jake, a rather wet blanket. His reactions to his environment were weak and understated. Now, I’m not arguing that all male characters should be this cliched, muscle-bound, fearless hero. However, Jake seems to be at the other end of the spectrum and his weaknesses were irritating. He appears to land himself in trouble with snooping on his mysterious neighbours and, whilst this does move the plot forwards, Jake is unable to cope with what he has seen.
As mentioned, this felt like a low-budget film. The car chases were predictable and over-used. The characters felt like carbon-copies from previous stories. Indeed, moving to a remote house that backs on to a forest, was I surprised when faces started appearing at windows? Or that the power suddenly cut out several times? Alas, no. This was too formulaic for my liking.
So, time to for the positives. Why, I hear you ask, have I awarded this three stars? Why did I even persevere and finish this book, if I did not enjoy it very much? Well, first of all, it was entertaining (even if it was for the wrong reasons). Secondly, the plot’s foundations were pretty good. As I have said, it had the potential, it just wasn’t delivered very well. The twists that happened at the end of the story were unexpected and I loved the final reveal on the very last page – definitely something that made me gasp! The village setting could have been developed a bit more but I loved imagining the house that Jake and Kate move in to – it sounded idyllic.
This was an ok book. I have definitely read better ones out there that are of the same genre. I don’t think I would rush to read another of James’ books, but this would definitely depend on other reviews and recommendations. It is easy to follow and to distract you which, I guess, is something that quite a few readers are looking for at the moment.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 4, 2020
THE HOUSE ON RECTORY LANE a chilling horror/psychological thriller by Stuart James.
Jake and Kate had had enough of London and move to the country with their five-year-old hyperactive son, Sean. They wanted their son to grow up in a safe, quiet village, away from the city.
In London, Kate had a part-time job with a recruitment agency, and the rest of her time was spent looking after Sean, while Jake worked six days a week in his own business. Kate was lucky to have the help of her mum, June to care for Sean while she worked.
But after an altercation with a stranger who threatens Jake with a knife, they take their son and move to a house in the woods… their dream home.
At least they consider it their dream home, until people in the village warn them that they shouldn’t have come. The family that previously lived in the home, disappeared and were never located. Why? What happened?
The new neighbors are strange but when Kate sees a face at the window, the family soon realizes they might be in danger.
Soon after moving in, they find a tape hidden in the loft of the house, a video recording of the previous family who once lived there, it chills them to the bone.
What is the mystery surrounding the house on Rectory Lane?
Jake and Kate are about to find out…
This is a well-written suspenseful novel, with twists and turns that adds to the tension mounting in the story, to a volatile ending that I didn’t see coming! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author . Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.
Jake and Kate had had enough of London and move to the country with their five-year-old hyperactive son, Sean. They wanted their son to grow up in a safe, quiet village, away from the city.
In London, Kate had a part-time job with a recruitment agency, and the rest of her time was spent looking after Sean, while Jake worked six days a week in his own business. Kate was lucky to have the help of her mum, June to care for Sean while she worked.
But after an altercation with a stranger who threatens Jake with a knife, they take their son and move to a house in the woods… their dream home.
At least they consider it their dream home, until people in the village warn them that they shouldn’t have come. The family that previously lived in the home, disappeared and were never located. Why? What happened?
The new neighbors are strange but when Kate sees a face at the window, the family soon realizes they might be in danger.
Soon after moving in, they find a tape hidden in the loft of the house, a video recording of the previous family who once lived there, it chills them to the bone.
What is the mystery surrounding the house on Rectory Lane?
Jake and Kate are about to find out…
This is a well-written suspenseful novel, with twists and turns that adds to the tension mounting in the story, to a volatile ending that I didn’t see coming! Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author . Bloodhound Books for my digital copy.
May 4, 2020
Jake and Kate and their young son have left London and moved into what they call their dream house ... far away from the crime in London.
Kate, especially, is eager to make new friends, get her son scheduled in school, roam through the village. But what she gets are people is the village telling them they should leave immediately.
The family that lived in the house before Jake and Kate disappeared and have never been found. And strange things are happening. Lights come off and on at varied times ... the closest neighbors seem awfully friendly, even to showing up when Kate and Jake are dining out. A face appears in the window. They hear screams deep in the woods.
And then Jake accidentally finds a tape hidden in the attic. It's a home film of the missing family... and now they think they will be next to disappear.
Full of twists and turns, the suspense never lets up until the explosive unexpected ending. This is a well written tale with memorable characters that are skillfully presented.
Many thanks to the author . Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this fascinating Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Kate, especially, is eager to make new friends, get her son scheduled in school, roam through the village. But what she gets are people is the village telling them they should leave immediately.
The family that lived in the house before Jake and Kate disappeared and have never been found. And strange things are happening. Lights come off and on at varied times ... the closest neighbors seem awfully friendly, even to showing up when Kate and Jake are dining out. A face appears in the window. They hear screams deep in the woods.
And then Jake accidentally finds a tape hidden in the attic. It's a home film of the missing family... and now they think they will be next to disappear.
Full of twists and turns, the suspense never lets up until the explosive unexpected ending. This is a well written tale with memorable characters that are skillfully presented.
Many thanks to the author . Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this fascinating Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
March 10, 2023
Not bad, but just a bit choppy for me, although plot was good.
May 1, 2020
This is a story that definitely shows that if things are to good to be true, they usually are.
I couldn’t blame the characters for wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of London for the tranquillity of a house in the countryside. Especially when they are getting a lot of house and land for their money. Whilst needing a bit of work, you could easily envision this being a wonderful family home when done.
After they move in, it doesn’t take long for weird and strange things to start happening, especially when they realise why they got such a good deal on the house. Some parts gave me goosebumps and probably best not to read on a night in a darkened room unless you want nightmares.
There is a mixture of police work and Jake trying to get to the bottom of what exactly is going on. Wow! All I can say is that never in my wildest dreams would I have ever have guessed just what it was.
The House On Rectory Lane is very much a horror/psychological thriller. There are plenty of hair raising moments that made my jaw drop wide open at what I was reading. It was certainly thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns were just utterly brilliant and added to the pace and tension of the story. My new favourite book by the author. What a belter!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
I couldn’t blame the characters for wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of London for the tranquillity of a house in the countryside. Especially when they are getting a lot of house and land for their money. Whilst needing a bit of work, you could easily envision this being a wonderful family home when done.
After they move in, it doesn’t take long for weird and strange things to start happening, especially when they realise why they got such a good deal on the house. Some parts gave me goosebumps and probably best not to read on a night in a darkened room unless you want nightmares.
There is a mixture of police work and Jake trying to get to the bottom of what exactly is going on. Wow! All I can say is that never in my wildest dreams would I have ever have guessed just what it was.
The House On Rectory Lane is very much a horror/psychological thriller. There are plenty of hair raising moments that made my jaw drop wide open at what I was reading. It was certainly thrilling and had me on the edge of my seat. The twists and turns were just utterly brilliant and added to the pace and tension of the story. My new favourite book by the author. What a belter!
My thanks to Bloodhound Books for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
August 26, 2022
Not a bad story, just not what I was expecting it to be.
June 28, 2020
If you are looking for a book to distract you in these difficult times, then it’s highly possible that The House On Rectory Lane might be just the book you have been searching for. If you are hoping for a ‘cosy’ crime mystery, stop right here! Cosy isn’t a word you would use to describe author Stuart James’s books. On the other hand if you are a fan of books that err towards the horror genre, that are packed with apprehension, tension and drama, that make your heart beat faster, then this book is one you won’t want to pass on.
The House On Rectory Lane follows the story of Jake and Kate who live in Camden London, when Jake finds himself in an altercation with a knife welding stranger, the couple choose to move to a village in the countryside. They think they’ve falling on their feet when they move into a stunning house in the woods. It’s peaceful and isolated, what’s not to like? Well there’s the strange neighbours, a mystery surrounding a family who disappeared without a trace, and so much more and it’s not long before the couple's perfect house becomes their worse nightmare.
Once the couple move to their new home the story really takes off, the feelings of unease the couple experience transfers to the reader, you sense there is something horrifying waiting around the corner for the couple but to the ‘what’ and ‘when’ you just have to keep flicking the pages to find out. Stuart James captures the horror of the couples predicament perfectly, mystery phone calls, the less than friendly locals, and strange occurrences all add to the paranoia. Kidnapping, murder and disappearances and a few jaw dropping moments along the way ensure The House On Rectory Road never gets dull. Highly recommended
The House On Rectory Lane follows the story of Jake and Kate who live in Camden London, when Jake finds himself in an altercation with a knife welding stranger, the couple choose to move to a village in the countryside. They think they’ve falling on their feet when they move into a stunning house in the woods. It’s peaceful and isolated, what’s not to like? Well there’s the strange neighbours, a mystery surrounding a family who disappeared without a trace, and so much more and it’s not long before the couple's perfect house becomes their worse nightmare.
Once the couple move to their new home the story really takes off, the feelings of unease the couple experience transfers to the reader, you sense there is something horrifying waiting around the corner for the couple but to the ‘what’ and ‘when’ you just have to keep flicking the pages to find out. Stuart James captures the horror of the couples predicament perfectly, mystery phone calls, the less than friendly locals, and strange occurrences all add to the paranoia. Kidnapping, murder and disappearances and a few jaw dropping moments along the way ensure The House On Rectory Road never gets dull. Highly recommended
December 19, 2021
The House on Rectory Lane epitomises that adage – The Grass isn’t always greener on the other side. The shades of darkness are painted on the walls, you just have to look that bit closer to see all the shades of horror. Upon opening the door to the house on Rectory Lane you can feel the suffocating and addictive stench of potential destruction. The story is a revelation, the author leaving a lasting impression of how great storytelling can leave you gasping for air. I plan on reading James’ back catalogue, but the expectations are now high…
Jake and Kate want to escape the rat race of London. They are sick of the constant threats of violence, muggings, break-ins, and gridlocked traffic. They have a son together, Sean, and they dream of an idyllic place to bring him up, rolling fields, mid-summer BBQs, and friends’ round for wine and food. It’s the dream! So, when Estate Agent, Anton phones up saying he’s found the perfect property in a secluded little village, they jump at the chance. They begin to imagine how they will renovate, and how their little boy will flourish at a small school. However, nothing is as it seems, what exactly did Jake see whilst out running? Why did he see a man punch a woman in nearby Rose Cottage?
Things in The House on Rectory Lane soon become crazy. A man warns him that he should have stayed away, issuing obscure warnings about what will happen to his family, making references to the previous vanishing family. There is a face that appears to be watching them through their window and what’s with the power cutting out every night? By this point I had the frighteners running right through me. It’s certainly not a book you want to be reading in the wee small hours of the night, keep your light firmly on!
Things go from bad to worse when they discover a home video of the previous family. They just up and disappeared, their family and friends never hearing from them again. It paints a very tainted and disturbing picture of the final days and months of the family. It puts them on edge and Jake resolutely promises to take care of his family by any means. I was intrigued. The events become so horrific, and I clung to the story with a fine thread allowing it to unravel at its own pace, and what an unravelling it was.
The ending to The House on Rectory Lane is phenomenal, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. It was so unexpected it blew me clean off my chair. I sat in quiet contemplation and had to question every other little thing that happened to that point. Bravo Mr. James.
An original and remarkable read that was fiendishly clever. This book has such a palpable sense of atmosphere – it fizzles with unease.
Jake and Kate want to escape the rat race of London. They are sick of the constant threats of violence, muggings, break-ins, and gridlocked traffic. They have a son together, Sean, and they dream of an idyllic place to bring him up, rolling fields, mid-summer BBQs, and friends’ round for wine and food. It’s the dream! So, when Estate Agent, Anton phones up saying he’s found the perfect property in a secluded little village, they jump at the chance. They begin to imagine how they will renovate, and how their little boy will flourish at a small school. However, nothing is as it seems, what exactly did Jake see whilst out running? Why did he see a man punch a woman in nearby Rose Cottage?
Things in The House on Rectory Lane soon become crazy. A man warns him that he should have stayed away, issuing obscure warnings about what will happen to his family, making references to the previous vanishing family. There is a face that appears to be watching them through their window and what’s with the power cutting out every night? By this point I had the frighteners running right through me. It’s certainly not a book you want to be reading in the wee small hours of the night, keep your light firmly on!
Things go from bad to worse when they discover a home video of the previous family. They just up and disappeared, their family and friends never hearing from them again. It paints a very tainted and disturbing picture of the final days and months of the family. It puts them on edge and Jake resolutely promises to take care of his family by any means. I was intrigued. The events become so horrific, and I clung to the story with a fine thread allowing it to unravel at its own pace, and what an unravelling it was.
The ending to The House on Rectory Lane is phenomenal, one of the best I’ve read in a long time. It was so unexpected it blew me clean off my chair. I sat in quiet contemplation and had to question every other little thing that happened to that point. Bravo Mr. James.
An original and remarkable read that was fiendishly clever. This book has such a palpable sense of atmosphere – it fizzles with unease.
May 3, 2019
Self-published (19th December 2017)
ISBN: 978-1973547808
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4*
Synopsis:
Jake and Kate live in Camden, London and have had enough of the hassle with parking, overbooked restaurants and burglaries. After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean, and move to a house in the woods. It’s their dream home, or so they think. People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come. Neighbours are over friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night? They find a DVD hidden in the loft of their new house, a home made video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts. What they view, chills them to the bone. They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next......
Review:
The House on Rectory Lane is far from your typical 'house in the woods' story and has a real gripping undertone of menace that pulls you in from outset. This is author Stuart James' first novel, and shows real potential. There is great attention to detail in places, and the sense of horror in some of the characters is portrayed perfectly. This book would have benefitted from a final proofread, but that didn't detract me from the story and the final twist that I did not see coming at all! Between this book and Turn the Other Way, a later book by the same author, I can see a great difference and growth in his writing. The House on Rectory Lane is a fantastic read and if you like compelling, twisty, psychological crime thrillers, I highly recommend it.
ISBN: 978-1973547808
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4*
Synopsis:
Jake and Kate live in Camden, London and have had enough of the hassle with parking, overbooked restaurants and burglaries. After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean, and move to a house in the woods. It’s their dream home, or so they think. People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come. Neighbours are over friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night? They find a DVD hidden in the loft of their new house, a home made video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts. What they view, chills them to the bone. They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next......
Review:
The House on Rectory Lane is far from your typical 'house in the woods' story and has a real gripping undertone of menace that pulls you in from outset. This is author Stuart James' first novel, and shows real potential. There is great attention to detail in places, and the sense of horror in some of the characters is portrayed perfectly. This book would have benefitted from a final proofread, but that didn't detract me from the story and the final twist that I did not see coming at all! Between this book and Turn the Other Way, a later book by the same author, I can see a great difference and growth in his writing. The House on Rectory Lane is a fantastic read and if you like compelling, twisty, psychological crime thrillers, I highly recommend it.
October 11, 2021
Don't waste your time
I kept reading as could not believe that a book could actually be this bad. I'd say it was almost some kind of morbid curiosity. Hideously unlikable characters, poor grammar and a completely ridiculous plot are just a few of this book's many problems. Jake (possibly one of the dumbest main character's I have ever had the displeasure of coming across) does not behave like a normal person. Sees the woman next door getting knocked out by a man but doesn't say a word to anybody, wife and child are missing and what does he do? That's right, has an early night with the dog that he inexplicably stole from said neighbour. Getting chased by a madman with a gun? Of course there is time to have a chat with the local lunatic and change a tyre on your car! Absolute tosh.
I would say that it reads as if it was written by a 7 year old. However, I have a child of this age and have no doubt that she could write a story that makes more sense than this.
I kept reading as could not believe that a book could actually be this bad. I'd say it was almost some kind of morbid curiosity. Hideously unlikable characters, poor grammar and a completely ridiculous plot are just a few of this book's many problems. Jake (possibly one of the dumbest main character's I have ever had the displeasure of coming across) does not behave like a normal person. Sees the woman next door getting knocked out by a man but doesn't say a word to anybody, wife and child are missing and what does he do? That's right, has an early night with the dog that he inexplicably stole from said neighbour. Getting chased by a madman with a gun? Of course there is time to have a chat with the local lunatic and change a tyre on your car! Absolute tosh.
I would say that it reads as if it was written by a 7 year old. However, I have a child of this age and have no doubt that she could write a story that makes more sense than this.
April 30, 2021
Jake and Kate decide to abandon London for a quieter life in the country and move with their young son to a house on Rectory Lane on the outskirts of a small village. The description of their road trip to view the house would've had me hunkering down in London until something better came on the market but of course then there wouldn't have been a story. Almost from the beginning unexplained events occur such as strange and confrontational neighbours, power blackouts and telephone hang-ups. This was a pretty good book which kept me engaged and gave me chills more than once. Under normal circumstances it would've been a quick read. (Unfortunately I over-extended myself again and was trying to read too many books at once.) The tension built throughout the book and really reached a high during the last 25% or so. Quite a twist at the end although I had my suspicions earlier on. There are some graphic scenes of violence so not for the squeamish. Still, I'd recommend the book and look forward to reading other books by Stuart James.
April 29, 2020
WHAT A SCHEMER!! A brilliant strategist was author Stuart James who knew how to take vulnerability and place it in a do or die situation and see it modify into strength. The author could twist me like a pretzel, scare me into screaming like a banshee, all the while smiling like the crazed clown. Talk about masochism, won't ya!! I asked for this book, I demanded for this tour. And I was granted the wish of having my heart go through a massive workout.
Jake, a plumber, shifted with his wife and kid to the house on Rectory Lane, wanting a quiet and peaceful lifestyle. Soon they found a video in the attic of the family who were living before them and who had disappeared one fine day. Vamoosh!! Things happened, soon Jake and his family were fighting for their lives.
A massive horrifying thriller, where the darkness oozed down the pages, slowly overpowering and swallowing the light. A happy family living in the open and light were soon shown to live in fear in a fishbowl. The words brought out the creepy feeling in me, I was easily startled while reading this.
The characters were real, their situationseemed surreal. I looked at everything with suspicion trying to solve the plot. The author could shift the mood with the sleight of his hand, from comfort and thrill, I went down to being downright terrified at times.
I wanted a particular ending in the book as my mind over schemed, trying to out-do the author, and when the epilogue gave me that twist, I was over the moon. I loved the author for giving me a brilliant finish to a fantastic thriller, which completely sucked me in and overpowered my senses.
This book and this author...make me speechless.
Jake, a plumber, shifted with his wife and kid to the house on Rectory Lane, wanting a quiet and peaceful lifestyle. Soon they found a video in the attic of the family who were living before them and who had disappeared one fine day. Vamoosh!! Things happened, soon Jake and his family were fighting for their lives.
A massive horrifying thriller, where the darkness oozed down the pages, slowly overpowering and swallowing the light. A happy family living in the open and light were soon shown to live in fear in a fishbowl. The words brought out the creepy feeling in me, I was easily startled while reading this.
The characters were real, their situationseemed surreal. I looked at everything with suspicion trying to solve the plot. The author could shift the mood with the sleight of his hand, from comfort and thrill, I went down to being downright terrified at times.
I wanted a particular ending in the book as my mind over schemed, trying to out-do the author, and when the epilogue gave me that twist, I was over the moon. I loved the author for giving me a brilliant finish to a fantastic thriller, which completely sucked me in and overpowered my senses.
This book and this author...make me speechless.
May 3, 2020
What a great twisty read The House on Rectory Lane was!
Stuart James has been on my radar for a while now, so I was looking forward to actually sitting down to read one of his books.
The story follows Jake, Kate and their son Sean. They're sick of London and after a series of scary events they find the perfect house for their little family. It’s quiet and secluded but as soon as they move in strange things start to happen. They need to get to the bottom of the mystery before they disappear just like the previous family.
Jake is a likeable character that you can’t help rooting for. You can really feel his terror and paranoia oozing from the pages as you read.
The book pulls you in from the very beginning with great tension, suspense and a fast pace, culminating into a surprising ending.
Truthfully the ending verged on the is this really that believable but it was still enjoyable all the same.
The House on Rectory Lane is a well crafted novel with plenty of heart in your mouth moments. A must for thriller fans!
Stuart James has been on my radar for a while now, so I was looking forward to actually sitting down to read one of his books.
The story follows Jake, Kate and their son Sean. They're sick of London and after a series of scary events they find the perfect house for their little family. It’s quiet and secluded but as soon as they move in strange things start to happen. They need to get to the bottom of the mystery before they disappear just like the previous family.
Jake is a likeable character that you can’t help rooting for. You can really feel his terror and paranoia oozing from the pages as you read.
The book pulls you in from the very beginning with great tension, suspense and a fast pace, culminating into a surprising ending.
Truthfully the ending verged on the is this really that believable but it was still enjoyable all the same.
The House on Rectory Lane is a well crafted novel with plenty of heart in your mouth moments. A must for thriller fans!
December 1, 2017
I enjoyed this book, as im a huge thriller fan.. Stuart has written each of the characters very clear and easy to follow, Jake being very likeable. The twist around 3/4 of the way through was not expected at all, but the ending was a little rushed for me, that was the only down side for myself. I would recommend this book, along with others of Stuarts (The Mortuary is quite good also :) )
December 15, 2017
This book promised a lot, and I was pulled in from the first page.
The author creates an atmosphere that is genuinely creepy. The situation is one that any parent can sympathise with - wanting to move to the countryside for a better family life, and how the growing mystery that surrounds the place makes the hairs creep.
Unfortunately, it's not all good news. This book suffers from lack of proper editing at every level - the plot ends up rather far-fetched, Jake as a character is irritating and inconsistent, and the writing is often clunky. Several sentences are run on with comma splices, while in other places they are more like sentence fragments. I often had to stop and re-read a sentence to figure out the meaning, and the proofreading and formatting also let this down.
It's a great pity, because this author can spin a good story. This is a classic example of the difference good editing can make to the quality of the telling.
I'd be reluctant to pick up another book by this author unless I knew for certain that the editing quality has improved, I'm afraid.
The author creates an atmosphere that is genuinely creepy. The situation is one that any parent can sympathise with - wanting to move to the countryside for a better family life, and how the growing mystery that surrounds the place makes the hairs creep.
Unfortunately, it's not all good news. This book suffers from lack of proper editing at every level - the plot ends up rather far-fetched, Jake as a character is irritating and inconsistent, and the writing is often clunky. Several sentences are run on with comma splices, while in other places they are more like sentence fragments. I often had to stop and re-read a sentence to figure out the meaning, and the proofreading and formatting also let this down.
It's a great pity, because this author can spin a good story. This is a classic example of the difference good editing can make to the quality of the telling.
I'd be reluctant to pick up another book by this author unless I knew for certain that the editing quality has improved, I'm afraid.
December 18, 2017
This was my first book by Stuart James. I tend to shy away from thrillers but this grabbed me from the first page. I really enjoyed the book. It was well written and the character development was spot on. Good twist in the book that I did not see coming and even better one at the end. Definitely a book worth reading. Will there be a sequel?
May 7, 2020
A couple's decision to escape the dangerous streets of London and move to the safety of the countryside (they have obviously never watched Midsummer murders) turns into a living nightmare in the latest thriller from the twisted imagination of Stuart James.
After Jake has a terrifying altercation with a stranger wielding a knife, he and his wife Kate decide to take their young son and move to a semi isolated house in the woods.
But almost from the moment that they arrive in their new home, Jake begins to have doubts about their decision. First a neighbour tells him that they shouldn't have moved there, then he witnesses another neighbour burying what looks like a body in his garden and then Kate swears that she saw a face at the window.
When they find a terrifying video of the family who previously lived in their house and learn that the family have mysteriously disappeared, Kate and Jake realise that they might have inadvertently put themselves at risk.
What secrets are hiding within the walls of the houses on Rectory Lane?
Kate and Jake are about to find out...
The chapters of this intense thriller alternated between Jake,Kate and two police detectives Marsden and Reynolds. I thought that Jake was a very likeable character as was the two detectives. I loved the banter between Marsden and Reynolds and thought that is made a refreshing change that they actually listened to what Jake was telling them and didn't just automatically label him a suspect and haul him in for questioning. I can't say that I liked Kate very much for various reasons. This heart pounding didn't have a very large cast but out of the individuals who did have a part were untrustworthy, creepy and some were seriously nasty and twisted. I loved the isolated setting for this book, the creepy neighbours and the old house with the secrets hidden within it's walls.
Ok, deep bresth, right, here we go....wow,wow and wow again, I really really loved this spine chilling, outstanding thriller. I was hooked in from the first page, totally captivated by the fast paced, thrill ride that was unfolding before my eyes. There was more twists and turns than a roller coaster and that ending, it was so shocking, I almost dropped my kindle in shock. I love this talented author's,well written thrillers and can't wait to read his next one which is titled The Stranded and sounds really really good. The House On Rectory Lane is worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
After Jake has a terrifying altercation with a stranger wielding a knife, he and his wife Kate decide to take their young son and move to a semi isolated house in the woods.
But almost from the moment that they arrive in their new home, Jake begins to have doubts about their decision. First a neighbour tells him that they shouldn't have moved there, then he witnesses another neighbour burying what looks like a body in his garden and then Kate swears that she saw a face at the window.
When they find a terrifying video of the family who previously lived in their house and learn that the family have mysteriously disappeared, Kate and Jake realise that they might have inadvertently put themselves at risk.
What secrets are hiding within the walls of the houses on Rectory Lane?
Kate and Jake are about to find out...
The chapters of this intense thriller alternated between Jake,Kate and two police detectives Marsden and Reynolds. I thought that Jake was a very likeable character as was the two detectives. I loved the banter between Marsden and Reynolds and thought that is made a refreshing change that they actually listened to what Jake was telling them and didn't just automatically label him a suspect and haul him in for questioning. I can't say that I liked Kate very much for various reasons. This heart pounding didn't have a very large cast but out of the individuals who did have a part were untrustworthy, creepy and some were seriously nasty and twisted. I loved the isolated setting for this book, the creepy neighbours and the old house with the secrets hidden within it's walls.
Ok, deep bresth, right, here we go....wow,wow and wow again, I really really loved this spine chilling, outstanding thriller. I was hooked in from the first page, totally captivated by the fast paced, thrill ride that was unfolding before my eyes. There was more twists and turns than a roller coaster and that ending, it was so shocking, I almost dropped my kindle in shock. I love this talented author's,well written thrillers and can't wait to read his next one which is titled The Stranded and sounds really really good. The House On Rectory Lane is worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
December 8, 2017
"The House on Rectory Lane" is the second book written by Stuart James. It's a fast paced thriller which I really enjoyed. The characters are all well written and believable.
There were a lot of twists and turns in the book, it kept me interested and wanting to read well into the night.
I look forward to reading more by this author, a well written and cleverly told tale.
There were a lot of twists and turns in the book, it kept me interested and wanting to read well into the night.
I look forward to reading more by this author, a well written and cleverly told tale.
December 13, 2017
The house on rectory lane by Stuart James.
Omg what a read. Kate and jake morley think they have found the perfect home with their young son sean. But have they?
An absolutely fantastic read with great characters. I was completely shocked with what was going on. Had no idea it was that. Completely blew me away. Highly recommended. 5*.
Omg what a read. Kate and jake morley think they have found the perfect home with their young son sean. But have they?
An absolutely fantastic read with great characters. I was completely shocked with what was going on. Had no idea it was that. Completely blew me away. Highly recommended. 5*.
December 16, 2022
Jake and Kate have had enough of London's hustle and bustle and yearn for somewhere rural to raise their young son. A stranger pulling a knife on Jake is the final straw and the family up sticks to their dream home in the woods.
Before long their idyllic existence turns sour. A stranger warns them they shouldn't have come and their neighbours seem unnaturally friendly. Jake and Kate begin to feel uncomfortable in their new home. More bizarre incidents occur which take a decidedly sinister turn. Then Jake finds a hidden homemade DVD recording of the previous owners, the Prescotts, which shocks and scares him. The Prescotts disappeared without trace and Jake realises his own family is now in terrible danger. . .
I thought The House on Rectory Lane was a fantastic book which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. The suspense is intense and relentless as the story manoeuvres through countless gripping twists and turns. The ending is superb and I literally gasped with shock. On so many occasions a great book is let down by a weak ending but not this one; it was simply fantastic. The author knows how to create relatable characters and drop them into terrifying situations. I was very impressed indeed.
Before long their idyllic existence turns sour. A stranger warns them they shouldn't have come and their neighbours seem unnaturally friendly. Jake and Kate begin to feel uncomfortable in their new home. More bizarre incidents occur which take a decidedly sinister turn. Then Jake finds a hidden homemade DVD recording of the previous owners, the Prescotts, which shocks and scares him. The Prescotts disappeared without trace and Jake realises his own family is now in terrible danger. . .
I thought The House on Rectory Lane was a fantastic book which had me on the edge of my seat throughout. The suspense is intense and relentless as the story manoeuvres through countless gripping twists and turns. The ending is superb and I literally gasped with shock. On so many occasions a great book is let down by a weak ending but not this one; it was simply fantastic. The author knows how to create relatable characters and drop them into terrifying situations. I was very impressed indeed.
September 20, 2018
I was pulled in to the storyline straight away and found it compelling throughout. I’m a thriller lover so generally as a writer will guess storylines or at least parts of it but with this I was clueless!
The plot throughout was consistent and the many lines of conflict was explained during the book. I’m looking forward to future novels by Stuart James.
The plot throughout was consistent and the many lines of conflict was explained during the book. I’m looking forward to future novels by Stuart James.
December 9, 2017
Jake and Kate live in Camden, London and have had enough of the hassle with parking, overbooked restaurants and burglaries.
After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean, and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think.
People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Neighbours are over friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night?
They find a tape hidden in the loft of their new house, a home made video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts.
What they view, chills them to the bone.
They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next ...
This book started like any other, but gradually I became aware that something wasn't quite right.
I tried and tried to work out what was wrong but the actual conclusion was an enormous shock!
I loved this book and want to read more from this author! 5*
After an altercation with a stranger who pulls a knife on Jake, they take their son Sean, and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think.
People in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Neighbours are over friendly and who was the face at the window Kate saw late at night?
They find a tape hidden in the loft of their new house, a home made video recording of the previous family, the Prescotts.
What they view, chills them to the bone.
They realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and now, they could be next ...
This book started like any other, but gradually I became aware that something wasn't quite right.
I tried and tried to work out what was wrong but the actual conclusion was an enormous shock!
I loved this book and want to read more from this author! 5*
March 10, 2020
In 'The House on Rectory Lane', Jake and Kate are tired of the inconveniences and perils of city life, hence they seize the opportunity to move to a secluded house with their son. Upon arriving, they are plagued by disconcerting incidents and warnings from locals. Fear sets in when they find out that the previous occupants had mysteriously disappeared..
This chilling and promising premise went down the drain at lightning speed due to lacklustre writing, along with typos and grammatical errors galore. The wrong use of / missing / misplaced apostrophes and misspelled words were distracting and grating. On top of that, most of the dialogues felt stiff and the story as a whole lacked well-thought-out descriptions.
Contrary to the title and cover, the only scary thing was the characters' stupidity, as evidenced by the following:
- Numerous locals warned them to leave and told them they were making a mistake by moving into that particular house yet they didn't bother asking any questions.
- Jake and Kate were certain that someone was targeting them for reasons unknown. So the former decided to take her out to dinner to discuss this, leaving their five-year-old son Sean with a babysitter they'd never met / vetted.
- At one point, Jake left his wife and kid in a house off the beaten track without at least informing the cops of their location as a precaution.
- The police repeatedly offered to place them in a safe house but Jake's response each time went something like this: 'No way, no one's making us move out of our house!' He might as well have said 'Over our dead bodies. Literally.'
- Not leaving despite having the option to stay with Kate's mother.
Besides that, the police procedural was unrealistic, from the police being at Jake's beck and call to not having a car parked out front or nearby considering the perpetrator's propensity for lurking around. They spent so much time running around yet achieved little to nothing and of course, couldn't have solved the cases without Jake.
The big reveal didn't ring true to me and was littered with holes:
Everything was unimpactful because all the characters were flat and underdeveloped and their relationships unconvincing. I found Sean's behaviour throughout to be weird as he wasn't remotely frightened or affected by anything and didn't pepper his parents with questions.
Overall, 'The House on Rectory Lane' was dull, unbelievable and unimaginative. For starters, a whole lot of editing and polishing would improve this greatly.
This chilling and promising premise went down the drain at lightning speed due to lacklustre writing, along with typos and grammatical errors galore. The wrong use of / missing / misplaced apostrophes and misspelled words were distracting and grating. On top of that, most of the dialogues felt stiff and the story as a whole lacked well-thought-out descriptions.
Contrary to the title and cover, the only scary thing was the characters' stupidity, as evidenced by the following:
- Numerous locals warned them to leave and told them they were making a mistake by moving into that particular house yet they didn't bother asking any questions.
- Jake and Kate were certain that someone was targeting them for reasons unknown. So the former decided to take her out to dinner to discuss this, leaving their five-year-old son Sean with a babysitter they'd never met / vetted.
- At one point, Jake left his wife and kid in a house off the beaten track without at least informing the cops of their location as a precaution.
- The police repeatedly offered to place them in a safe house but Jake's response each time went something like this: 'No way, no one's making us move out of our house!' He might as well have said 'Over our dead bodies. Literally.'
- Not leaving despite having the option to stay with Kate's mother.
Besides that, the police procedural was unrealistic, from the police being at Jake's beck and call to not having a car parked out front or nearby considering the perpetrator's propensity for lurking around. They spent so much time running around yet achieved little to nothing and of course, couldn't have solved the cases without Jake.
The big reveal didn't ring true to me and was littered with holes:
Everything was unimpactful because all the characters were flat and underdeveloped and their relationships unconvincing. I found Sean's behaviour throughout to be weird as he wasn't remotely frightened or affected by anything and didn't pepper his parents with questions.
Overall, 'The House on Rectory Lane' was dull, unbelievable and unimaginative. For starters, a whole lot of editing and polishing would improve this greatly.
May 8, 2020
Well this book is definitely high on the creepy factor as it oozes drama and tension. Fed up with the smog, noise, traffic and smell of London the Morley family are looking for a new home. Their dreams come true when they find a stunning house in a nice village and in their budget.
Moving into a village is daunting and there are some odd comments from the locals. Their neighbours however seem nice, friendly and welcoming. Not used to living in an old house, they initially dismiss the sounds, but then Jake decides notices something rather odd while he is out on his morning run.
The tension and drama are great throughout this story, it is an edge of the seat read and one that I read in one sitting as I was not able to put it down. As I mentioned the creepy feeling was a constant and it is not until a lot later in the story that things start to connect.
Now when I started this book I hadn’t read the synopsis, I rarely do, so I was completely oblivious as to what it was about. This for me was great as it meant I went into the story completely blind. The author did a great job of drawing me in, adding intrigue and mystery along the way.
Now the ending, well I didn’t see that one coming and it was a cracking one and then there were the final concluding lines… well hell! Blindsided yet again!
If you like a psychological thriller that is full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and tension and you like a book that hit a quite a reasonable punch on the creepy-o-metre, then you should definitely pick this one up. A fabulous read that had me hooked and one I would definitely recommend.
Moving into a village is daunting and there are some odd comments from the locals. Their neighbours however seem nice, friendly and welcoming. Not used to living in an old house, they initially dismiss the sounds, but then Jake decides notices something rather odd while he is out on his morning run.
The tension and drama are great throughout this story, it is an edge of the seat read and one that I read in one sitting as I was not able to put it down. As I mentioned the creepy feeling was a constant and it is not until a lot later in the story that things start to connect.
Now when I started this book I hadn’t read the synopsis, I rarely do, so I was completely oblivious as to what it was about. This for me was great as it meant I went into the story completely blind. The author did a great job of drawing me in, adding intrigue and mystery along the way.
Now the ending, well I didn’t see that one coming and it was a cracking one and then there were the final concluding lines… well hell! Blindsided yet again!
If you like a psychological thriller that is full of mystery, suspense, intrigue and tension and you like a book that hit a quite a reasonable punch on the creepy-o-metre, then you should definitely pick this one up. A fabulous read that had me hooked and one I would definitely recommend.
November 22, 2017
Jake and Kate have decided to move out of London to the country with their young Son, Sean. It doesn't take them long to realise this decision is probably the worst they have ever made, with long lasting effects which will haunt them for some time to come. This has to be one of the best thrillers that I have read this year. It is fast paced, enthralling and kept me gripped to the end. I found it very difficult to put down as there are so many unexpected twists that keep you wanting to read more. I had to read the ending more than once as it took some thinking about to understand the final twist, and I am not sure that I fully appreciate it now. I would strongly recommend this book and cannot believe that with this standard of writing such a compulsive novel it is only the second book that Stuart has written.
January 12, 2018
There's a lot of potential evident in this book, and it's clear the writer does have some talent in pulling people in to a tale, but somewhere along the pulling I began tripping over the spelling and grammatical errors, the sentences that didn't quite make sense, and the overall unbelievability of the full plot line and ending. The story has some great foundation, but there's not enough character development and some details in the book come flying so fast out of left field that you're left reeling from "where in the heck did that come from?" I'd be interested enough to give this author another go if the book is better edited, but I'm afraid this one didn't make a great lasting impression in its current state.
May 8, 2020
Stuart James has fast become one of my favourite authors. I cannot stop reading his books. Even at 2.30am I still think just one more chapter.
Kind of spoiler alert!!!!
He has an amazing talent at making you completely submerge yourself into the book. You become a fly on the wall in the lives of these characters. I find myself being so shocked by some of the characters in the books. Especially this one. The person you love most in the world turns out to be someone you never really knew at all. Which makes this even more horrifying in its entirety.
I will recommend this book and all other books that this extremely talented author has written and will write in the future.
Kind of spoiler alert!!!!
He has an amazing talent at making you completely submerge yourself into the book. You become a fly on the wall in the lives of these characters. I find myself being so shocked by some of the characters in the books. Especially this one. The person you love most in the world turns out to be someone you never really knew at all. Which makes this even more horrifying in its entirety.
I will recommend this book and all other books that this extremely talented author has written and will write in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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