Review - The Hungry Deep by J.L. Murray

Synopsis -

When newlywed Rachel Corrigan agrees to accompany her husband, Tom, to his family estate before starting their lives together in the city, it is an opportunity to get to know him and to explore the manor where he grew up. But when Rachel arrives she finds Corrigan House strange, the nearby town empty, and her husband’s sudden cold demeanor increasingly frightening. She soon learns that one year ago, Tom’s first wife, Lavinia, took her own life in the twisted forest behind Corrigan House. The servants claim that her spirit resides there still, calling out from the wood, her voice as clear as the day she died.

In an abandoned town where everyone harbors a secret, Rachel finds herself a prisoner in a place which is becoming increasingly treacherous. When the village priest is found savagely stabbed and on the edge of death, it becomes clear that the remaining townsfolk – witnesses to Lavinia’s demise – are being hunted down one by one. But Lavinia Corrigan is dead. Isn’t she?

Review -

In the past, when trying to read gothic horror tales, I have found that many are all style and no substance, with the atmosphere and descriptions more important than the story. When gothic horror is done well, it should be unsettling and creepy, which was, thankfully, the case with The Hungry Deep.

I enjoyed the perspectives of the small cast of characters, all of whom were expertly crafted. I also enjoyed "the monster" in this one, although you could certainly argue that many of the main characters fit that role better than the actual monster.

I love discovering new authors, and I have to say that JL Murray is one that I'll be reading more of. The Hungry Deep was just the right balance of gothic and creepy, so check it out HERE.

5 stars out of 5