Jake and Kate live in London 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.
It’s their dream home, or so they think until people in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come.
Their neighbours are strange and when Kate sees a face at the window, the family realise they might be in danger.
When 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.
They soon realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and they too could now be next.
What is the mystery surrounding the house on Rectory Lane?
Jake and Kate are about to find out…
It's my pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for The House on Rectory Lane today. Many thanks to Stuart James, Bloodhound Books and Sarah Hardy from BOTBS Publicity for inviting me and for my digital copy of the novel.
Many people dream of escaping the rat-race and escaping to the peace of the countryside but the grass isn't always greener away from the hustle and bustle of city life and for Jake and Kate, their dream move away from London soon becomes a nightmare in this chilling, twisty psychological thriller.
It's the aggressive pace of life which drives the couple away from London; after Jake is threatened by a knifed man and then a stranger breaks into their home, they can't resist going to view what looks to be an idyllic house in the country. They fall in love with it but even at this stage there are little hints that all is not at it seems. The book follows the perspective of both Jake and Kate but is mostly focused on the actions of the former, who is a very likeable, relatable character. There are moments in the story where it's pretty clear to the reader that he is not making the wisest decisions but it's easy to accept why he behaves as he does. There are parts of the novel which are terrifying and would be enough to drive anybody to the brink of sanity so it's not surprising that he resorts to drastic actions at times.
Already spooked after some strange occurrences, they discover the DVD of the Prescotts - their new home's previous residents - and it's at this point they start to realise they may be in terrible danger too. There is a creeping sense of dread to The House on Rectory Lane which is further exacerbated by the scenes which give readers an unsettling glimpse into the criminal activity taking place.Jake and Kate aren't the only victims here and the village of Ramsbury increasingly begins to look as if it's cursed. However, it is the Morleys who seem to be the targets for the worst of the unwanted attention and to be honest, I wouldn't have blamed them if they decided to take their little boy, Sean back to the relative safety of London.
Of course, that wouldn't be much of a story so they stay put and as the terrifying storyline progresses, it's real edge-of-the-seat stuff. Their case is being investigated by two police officers, Reynolds and Marsden and after previously capturing one of Britain's most prolific serial killers, they could be forgiven for assuming their transfer to Ramsbury would be less dramatic. I enjoyed the chapters which follow them and could easily see them featuring in future books, there is definitely enough here to make me want to discover more about them both.
The House on Rectory Lane keeps ramping up the tension and Stuart James so cleverly plays on that universal fear of somebody being inside your house, watching you and as the awful truth is slowly and shockingly revealed, the lines between horror and thriller become ever more blurred. This is definitely not a book I'd recommend anybody of a nervous disposition reading alone in an isolated house! There are some genuinely surprising developments here and I raced through the pages of this fast-paced, well-structured book. The House on Rectory Lane ticks all the boxes for anybody who enjoys exciting and disturbing thrillers. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The House on Rectory Lane is published by Bloodhound Books and can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US.
Don't miss the rest of the blog tour, details are below.
About the Author
I have always loved scary stories, especially ones that shocked me, left me terrified, looking under my bed or in the wardrobe before going to sleep.
There was just a fantastic buzz whenever I watched or read something that took my breathe away.
I remember going to my nan’s house in Ireland as a youngster with my mother and sister, on the West Coast, staying in a cottage, surrounded by miles of fields and my family sitting around the table in the kitchen at night telling ghost stories. Going out and exploring derelict farmhouses in the middle of nowhere. I remember clearly the field at the end of the road was supposed to be haunted by headless nuns.
My cousins often remind me of the great times we had, frightening each other and running for our lives whenever we’d see something that didn’t look right.
This is why I love nothing more than to tell a story.
I started writing two years ago, penning The House On Rectory Lane.
I got the idea from something that has often seemed scary to me. I know that a terrifying story has to be something that you’re frightened of doing, something that makes the hairs stand on the back of your neck, something that fills you with dread, yet also with excitement.
To me, the thought of going to a house in the middle of nowhere, upping and leaving a busy town and moving to the country is something that scares lots of people and me: the seclusion, the quiet, the darkness.
That’s what inspired me to write my first novel.
My second thriller is called Turn The Other Way.
I have multiple stories running, past and present. A family who want answers from the surgeon responsible for their daughter’s death.
A young woman looking for her parents after they go missing from a party.
A couple driving home and hearing screams for help from the back of the van in front of them.
A serial killer on the loose in North London, dragging victims off the street.
I’m so grateful when people not only read my thrillers but also take the time to get in touch and leave a review. To me, that is the greatest feeling, hearing from people that have enjoyed my work. I know then that I’m doing something right.
My third thriller, Apartment Six, was published in January of this year.
I’m 45, married and have two beautiful children. Currently, I’m a full-time plumber but would love nothing more than to make a living from my writing.
I hope I write stories and people continue to enjoy them for years to come. That would be completely amazing and a dream come true.
Thanks so much for being part of the blog tour today Karen x
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