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He walked carelessly to the edge and looked over. In response to his startled cry the others drew near, and all three stood staring at the dead man below.
The Toll House (Audio Download): Carly Reagon, Antonia
You've got an unwholesome mind," said White, as they walked on. "This place is quite creepy enough without you remembering that. Now let's find a comfortable room and have a little nip of whisky apiece and a pipe. How will this do?" We'll try and keep your nerves in their present healthy condition," he remarked. "For my part I have a sort of half-and-half belief in the supernatural." He crossed over and closed it gently. Then at a scuffling noise behind him he turned and saw Meagle in a heap on the hearthstone.
The passages wound like a maze, and he threaded them blindly in a vain search for the stairs. If he could get down and open the hall door---- A classic style ghost story with all the usual twists and turns. The story is set in an old toll house and the events shift between two time periods - modern day and C19th. Interestingly, the details from the past are almost all narrated in the first person present tense from the perspective of the toll keeper, with the modern day events being narrated in the third person. This shift in perspective helps build the suspense and mystery well and is skilfully maintained. Ghostly servants are all asleep," said Meagle gravely, "but I'll wake them up before I've done with them. It's scandalous keeping us out here in the dark." Sinister from the get-go, THE TOLL HOUSE is a belter of a ghost story. A novel where two families, 150 years apart, navigate living in a house where grief and murder have bled into the walls. I loved it. -- LIV MATTHEWS author of THE TWINS
The Toll House by Carly Reagon | Goodreads
Carly Reagon does her best in this regard; The Toll House is well written, with some genuinely creepy moments and unsettling situations set into a good old fashioned ghost story. There were quite a few moments involving the young son of the protagonist where I felt a genuine chill, however, many of these moments (not involving six year olds) are portrayed in such a way as to sanitise or remove the fear that we crave from this type of story. Indeed, the premise of the book and the story itself is ‘classic’ horror but (to my mind) too much of the story is devoted to relationships, both family and romantic, with too little time given to the outworkings of these relationships and the perceived effect of the supernatural on the characters. It is in essence, a ghost story for people who don’t really want to be scared. The Toll House on the edge of the town, now home to Kelda and her son Dylan with a chance to make a fresh start after many difficult years and maybe they can both truly be happy in this new house and move on from their old selves.Well, there is the house," said Meagle, "a large house at an absurdly low rent, and nobody will take it. It has taken toll of at least one life of every family that has lived there--however short the time--and since it has stood empty caretaker after caretaker has died there. The last caretaker died fifteen years ago." He is coming round," said Meagle, with a smirk. "By the time I have done with him he will be a confirmed believer. Well, who will go and get some water? Will, you, Barnes?" He laughed again and walked on; and the heap in the fireplace put out its head tortoise fashion and listened in horror to the retreating footsteps. Not until they had become inaudible in the distance did the listener's features relax. A book that feels like it’s watching you . . . unsettling and gripping’ Cari Thomas author of THREADNEEDLE If you like a good ghost story put this chilling thriller to the very top of your reading list' Sarah Pearse author of THE SANATORIUM
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