Haverscroft

S. A. Harris won The Retreat West Crime Writer Competition in 2017, and was shortlisted for The Fresher Prize in 2018. Haverscroft is her debut novel, she is now writing her second, a supernatural tale set on the Suffolk coast. She is a family law solicitor and lives in Norwich with her husband and three children.

Title: Haverscroft

Author: Harris, S. A.

ISBN: 9781784632007

Binding:

Publisher: Salt Publishing

Publication Date: 2019-05-15

Number of Pages: 320

Weight: 0.2401 kg

The writing is taut and fluid. Both the atmosphere of the old house and the wider family dynamics are evoked with skill. Whatever one thinks of a place harbouring the spirit of past deeds this story could throw shade over certainties. Recommended, but exercise caution if reading after dark.

-- Jackie Law * neverimitate *

There are some genuine spine chilling moments in this book which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, which is of course testimony to some great writing skills! There is a particular scene involving a mirror which had me steadfastly refusing to look into my vintage dressing table mirror for a good few hours I can tell you! If you're in the market for a traditional haunted house mystery to have you listening just that little bit more closely to the creaking of your house at night ... do yourself a favour and buy yourself a copy of Haverscroft. You won't regret it.

-- Amanda Chatterton * Bookish Chat *

Haverscroft is a very modern ghost/psychological story. It's written in an apparently effortless and easy style, which I'm sure this was a lot of hard work to achieve. The uncomplicated prose allows the mood and atmosphere of the novel to seep into your pores - this a genuinely gripping tale.

-- Paul Burke * NB Magazine *

If you love disturbingly undercurrent to your reads with a creativity that will send your imagination into overdrive, this is the read for you! Although do not read in bed, I REPEAT, do not read in bed because the twistingly creepy plot that will have you checking under the bed!

* The Reading Closet *

This story gripped me from the start, and had me reading late into the night, despite warnings not too. It's a tense and thrilling tale culminating in a nail-biting, edge of your seat denouement where all the different strands of mystery are woven together, and all of the family skeletons come out of the cupboard!

* Emma's Book Blog *

Harris has creative a breathtaking portrayal of the damage caused by secrets and what happens when secrets and grievances refuse to die. Using the classic ghost story motifs surrounding lost children and troubled marriages Harris has written a bang up to date masterpiece. It's domestic setting and attention to detail makes it entirely relatable and it is all the more bone chilling for it.

* Book Bound *

This is a wonderfully atmospheric, creepy, ghost story, which kept me gripped throughout. The writing includes wonderful suspense and this kept the pages turning. I really wanted to discover the ending but enjoyed the build up to it. A great read!

* Jera's Jamboree *

A brilliant modern gothic tale which plays on the expectations of the role of women, the manipulation of their mental health and the risks they will take for their children, 'Haverscroft' is a perfect late night read from a major new talent in the field of ghost stories.

* Rachel Read It *

I think that to write a contemporary ghost story is quite difficult. As an audience, we are jaded and aren't necessarily as skittish anymore. Harris does all the elements of the thriller very well although for me the ending needed to be stronger; that being said, when everyone in my house went to bed I had to put down the book because Haverscroft did leave me seriously freaked out.

* Lisa Talks About *

As a seasoned reader of ghost stories and horror, I expect something a bit more innovative from the genre, and Haverscroft definitely isn't that sort of book: it delivers familiar beats rather than genuine surprises. What it does do really well is to show how the inexplicable is so often entwined with the domestic. Kate's role as a wife and mother is key to the events of the novel - one imagines this story could not have been built around a male protagonist. As well as Rebecca, I was put in mind of Kate Murray-Browne's The Upstairs Room, Brandi Reeds' Oak Avenue and some of Alison Moore's short stories.

-- Blair Rose * NB Magazine *

I was so glad to discover this book wasn't only a ghost story. There are many dimensions in it, and while you want to know what the heck is going on in the house (!!), you're kind of distracted with Kate and her husband's troubles or other characters entering the story. I'm not easily scared with ghost stories, I rather enjoy them. So, the chill Harris created was really sharp with masterful details, like kids saying quite creepy things here and there. I wasn't scared, but I really enjoyed the excitement they added to the story. All in all, it was a satisfying read with smooth, approachable and atmospheric writing. I'd definitely recommend it.

* Umut Reviews *

This book is an absolute page turner, it didn't take me long to read, in fact, I devoured it. I found it unsettling, unnerving and at times downright creepy. The tension is palpable, not just within the behaviour of the house itself but within the character's relationships. The suspense is built throughout the book right until the very last page. I have been recommending this book to anyone who will listen.

* Beverley's Reads *

Sally Harris has a gift for the chilling and spooky, there were few examples of this but the one which stood out was at the end of Chapter nine, it made the hairs on my arms and neck stand on end. It came out of nowhere, perfectly ramping up the scare factor to the next level. It is, as if she senses when the reader has begun to feel comfortable with the story, she then delivers a killer line. This happened several times in Haverscroft, never predictable and never losing impact, it was a joy (whilst giving me palpitations) to read.

* The Literary Addict *