The Murmurs by Michael J. Malone #BookReview #BlogTour

 

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…

A compulsive gothic thriller and a spellbinding supernatural mystery about secrets and small communities, about faith, courage and self-preservation, The Murmurs is a startling and compulsive read from one of Scotland’s finest authors…

It's such a pleasure to be hosting the blog tour for The Murmurs today. My grateful thanks to Michael J. Malone, Orenda Book and Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me and for sending me an advance copy of the novel.

Michael J. Malone is one of my favourite authors and I know I'm guaranteed an absorbingly perceptive and emotional thriller whenever I read one of his books. I loved his previous supernatural novel, House of Spines so I was delighted to learn he had written another spine-tingling gothic tale. The Murmurs is everything I'd hoped for and more; it is as beautifully poetic as it is unsettling and of course utterly compulsive and astutely empathetic.

The atmospheric prologue set in 1818 sets a chilling tone with its talk of curses, a betrayal and terrifying revenge. Although most of the chapters take place in more modern times, the tragic story behind the family curse which has blighted the lives of several generations of women in Annie Jackson's family is gradually revealed. Michael J. Malone cleverly switches the narrative between characters and from past to present as he explores how these lives are irrevocably linked to one another. Annie is the central character and it's her we primarily follow as she becomes increasingly haunted by her grisly gift which means she has graphically upsetting premonitions showing her when people are going to imminently die. After an upsetting encounter in a care home, she slowly begins to recall encounters from her mysterious past but how accurate are her memories? 

The storyline also follows the perspective of other characters who are linked in some way to Annie and the richly imaginative narrative is intriguingly unnerving throughout. Terrible tragedies and horrific deaths are disclosed and while the superstitious and religious beliefs of the past result in a particularly dreadful crime, there are malevolent attitudes and actions in supposedly more enlightened times too.

The intertwined histories of the characters are strikingly linked to two separate yet equally shocking atrocities; there's folkloric feel to the story of Mary and Jean, while the more modern tragedy is brutally grim. However, for all the fear, violence and ignorance, there is kindness and hope found here too. The relationship between Annie and her twin, Lewis isn't without its problems but for the most part supportive and loving. Likewise, the wise counsel, care and solace provided by their adoptive parents is a moving contrast to the darker elements in the book.

Of course, the malignant murmurs that Annie experiences are creepily dire and although Michael J. Malone eventually reveals the origin of this awful curse, he never undermines the spookiness of the story by providing a prosaic explanation; there is a wonderfully timeless quality to this spellbinding tale. However, despite the supernatural dread engendered, the human frailties, fears and wickedness on display are arguably even more frightening. Ultimately though, this is a poignant, perceptive examination of the abiding interconnectedness of all our lives. The Murmurs is a hauntingly lyrical, captivatingly immersive book and another exceptional read by Michael J. Malone; I very highly recommend it.

The Murmurs is published by Orenda Books; it can be published directly from the publisher's website. More purchasing links can be found here.

Follow the blog tour, details are below.

About the Author

Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers. His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died, In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation soon followed suit. A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller. Michael lives in Ayr.

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