by Michael J. Malone
SYNOPSIS
In the beginning there was fear.
White-hot, nerve-shredding fear.
Terrifying premonitions of deaths.
And then they started…
The Murmurs…
On the first morning of her new job at Heartfield House, a care home for the elderly, Annie Jackson wakens from a terrifying dream. And when she arrives at the home, she knows that the first old man she meets is going to die.
How she knows this is a terrifying mystery, but it is the start of horrifying premonitions … a rekindling of the curse that has trickled through generations of women in her family – a wicked gift known only as 'the murmurs'…
With its reappearance comes an old, forgotten fear that is about to grip Annie Jackson.
And this time, it will never let go…
REVIEW
Sometimes when you start reading a book you just know within the first few sentences that you’re going to love it, and that’s exactly what happened for me with The Murmurs. When Annie had her first premonition (or murmur) it gave me major Scottish Doctor Sleep vibes and I was completely hooked throughout the rest of the story.
Told through dual timelines and featuring multiple characters, the history of Annie's family and their 'curse' is documented as Annie herself tries to come to terms with her ability to see when people are dying. As well as this part of the story which has a more 'paranormal' element to it, there is also a murder mystery which becomes linked to Annie's investigation into her family history. The combination of these two strands of the story is everything I could have asked for in a novel. Bits of horror, mystery elements, the uncertainty as to whether this family really do have psychic abilities and some genuinely creepy moments - it's just brilliant!
The Murmurs has a fantastic story filled with all of the elements I love to read but above all else, the thing which stands out to me the most about this book is the quality of the writing. It's just beautifully written with such ease. The Scottish setting added an extra layer to the story - the dialect of the characters, the church and religious elements and the rural community feel, all gave a little Celtic charm which in my opinion is perfect for this type of story.
Gothic, creepy, atmospheric, witches, the supernatural, curses, family secrets and a murder mystery… I mean, if that doesn’t shout spooky season to you then nothing will! Perfect for fans of Doctor Sleep by Stephen King and The Burning Girls by C.J.Tudor.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael J. Malone was born and brought up in the heart of Burns' country, just a stone's throw from the great man's cottage in Ayr. Well, a stone thrown by a catapult, maybe.
He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings.
BLOOD TEARS, his debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize (judge:Alex Gray) from the Scottish Association of Writers and when it was published he added a "J" to his name to differentiate it from the work of his talented U.S. namesake.
He can be found on twitter - @michaelJmalone1
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Michael J Malone - @michaelJmalone1, and Orenda Books - @OrendaBooks for the opportunity to read and review
Fiction: Contemporary Horror / Mystery / Gothic Suspense
Publisher: Orenda Books
ISBN: 978-1914585821
Pages: 300pp
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