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Game | Shirley Day
1 post | 1 read
A domestic noir with a creepy contemporary-gothic feel.
Scratch, Becca, and Finn grew up roaming the moors, scaring themselves silly with ghost stories. One place they loved to ‘haunt’ was Old Man Byrde’s—a creepy farmhouse high on the escarpment. All went well till one day, Byrde threw himself to his death.
Years later, it's Finn's stag do. The three friends hire Byrde’s old house, and the past is all too eager to come knocking.
LibraryThing
review
OutsmartYourShelf
Game | Shirley Day
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Mehso-so

Scratch, Becca, and Finn were childhood friends who grew up loving to scare themselves by visiting an old creepy farmhouse on the escarpment. The farmhouse was owned by 'Old Man Byrde', a man who sat in the window writing in an old book which Scratch said had belonged to the devil. The friends wanted to know what he wrote, but contented themselves with playing 'Knock Down Ginger' until the night Byrde ended up dead. (Continued)

OutsmartYourShelf Years later, Becca & Scratch have been married for over 20 years & have 5 kids, whilst Finn has never married...up until now. Finn invites his two oldest friends on a stag weekend & Becca is disturbed to find out that it will take place at Byrde's old farmhouse.

The narrative is from Becca's point of view & the reader gradually learns about the true dynamics of the friendship. I really enjoyed 'Reap What You Sow' written by the author,
10mo
OutsmartYourShelf but this book was unfortunately rather repetitive & meandering in places, where Scratch & Finn would disappear off out & Becca would be left on her own, feeling vulnerable in the old house. I also felt that the paranormal horror aspect of it was underutilised & it could have been a much scarier read. Becca was also rather passive & I just wanted her to actually DO something instead of just existing. 10mo
OutsmartYourShelf It did start to pick up towards the end though & although I guessed where it was going to go, my rating has been bumped up based on the last few chapters. Verdict: a bit of a missed opportunity but the ending just about saved it. 3⭐

My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5439125923

Read: 26th-29th May 2023

#20in4 @andrew65
10mo
Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 10mo
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