Review: Haverscroft by S.A. Harris

The Keeling family – Kate, Mark, and their 9 year old twins, Tom and Sophie have just moved in to Haverscroft House. The move from London was made in an attempt to salvage Kate and Mark’s marriage, and to create the opportunity to spend more time together as a family. Little do they know, Haverscroft harbours some dark secrets that could not only destroy their marriage, but also put all of their lives at risk.

From the very beginning, the story gripped me. Although the ghostly activity doesn’t start immediately, the tension between the characters is so thick, that you couldn’t even cut it with knife. From there, the book continues to get better and better. It’s a thrilling and extremely creepy ghost story, that will have your heart beating out of your chest, and all of the pieces of the puzzle finally come together in one the most intense endings that I have had the pleasure of reading.

The characters are all so well built, with some brilliant back stories, and the background characters were just as interesting as the main characters. I am particularly fond of the way the character of Kate was written. Sometimes in ghost stories, I find that the female protagonist can be a little predictable, and also a little on the weak side. However, I can not say this about Kate. She was strong, and not once did she cower in fear. I also loved the fact that S.A. Harris didn’t forget about the dog in those final intense moments, unlike a lot of stories where the loyal pet gets completely written out of the story once things get serious.

The story was well plotted, and extremely enjoyable to read. The rural setting was perfect (and rather close to my home of Ipswich, Suffolk). It was truly unsettling and eerie. The fear builds with every chapter, and it is easy to lose yourself in the thought of the horrors that await the family as the story continues.

I thoroughly enjoyed this reading experience, and would give Haverscroft a 5/5 rating! I can not wait to see what else the author has to give. She’s definitely one to watch! Also, I would like to say a huge thank you to Sally for going in to Jarrolds Norwich a little earlier than intended, and signing some more copies, so that I could get my hands on a signed one!