by Holly Seddon
SYNOPSIS
Three troubled sisters find themselves lost in a storm at night, and seek safety at Moirthwaite Manor, where their mother once worked. They are shocked to find the isolated mansion that loomed so large through their childhoods has long been abandoned. Drawing straws to decide who should get help, one sister heads back into the darkness. With the siblings separated, the deadly secrets hidden in the house finally make themselves known and we learn the unspeakable truth that will tear the family apart.
REVIEW
Three sisters - Lizzie, Nina and Aisa have just left their father after his birthday celebrations and are driving through a storm when they lose control of the car and end up stranded. They decide that the sensible thing to do would be to wait for help in Moirthwaite Manor where their mother used to work. It's a place they are familiar with and is much safer than staying on the road at night in soaking wet clothes. The problem is that when they arrive, they find the old manor house completely abandoned so one of them has to head into the nearby village to get enough signal to call for help. Arguing as sisters do, they decide to draw straws to decide who should go for help. Aisa gets the short straw and heads out into the dark, but with the strange atmosphere and memories resurfacing in Moirthwaite Manor, it's hard to decide which is the safer option!
Before I started reading The Short Straw I didn't know much about it other than the basic synopsis and the fact that I had read a few of Holly Seddon's previous novels. At first glance I thought it looked like a typical 'popcorn thriller' but as I was reading I began to realise that this was actually a real hidden gem. There are a lot of the thriller elements you would expect but there were also some really creepy moments that were so unexpected, and these took the story to a completely different level.
I know that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but personally, I love horror elements mixed in with thriller or mystery stories. However, even though the story and tropes were exactly the kind of thing I love to read, it was actually the relationship between the three sisters that really caught my attention. Being the eldest of three sisters myself, I really appreciated the dynamic between them and thought it was spot on - that element of competition and jealousy which was underlying, and the reality that these relationships aren't always perfect.
The Short Straw is a really satisfying, creepy and intense thriller, perfect for reading on dark autumn nights. If you are a fan of Alex North or Riley Sager - this book has a similar successful blend of thriller and horror. Definitely one to add to your spooky season TBR!
Thanks to Compulsive Readers, Orion Books and Holly Seddon for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: Orion Books Genre: Psychological Thriller / Horror Thriller
ISBN: 978-1398715462
Pages: 368pp
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