Novel set in USA, VIETNAM and JAPAN
Gothic, horror suspense set on a “God-Forgotten” island off SCOTLAND
23rd January 2025
Small Fires by Ronnie Turner, gothic horror suspense set on a “God-Forgotten” island off SCOTLAND.
“..they say the land was so strange, no one dared name it…” It is mooted by those who live on the mainland, who look across towards the island, that the devil lives there….. Where are the children? Where are the walkers? Bird-watchers?…Where are the birds?
Welcome to the unnamed island where sisters Lily and Della Pedley have just arrived from Cornwall. “Anywhere Lily goes, Della goes too, as if they are stitched together with a fine thread no one can see”. They want to relocate permanently, much to the surprise of the locals.
The author creates a mesmerising and sinister backdrop as the sisters begin to acquaint themselves with the terrain and the people. The wind-chimes outside the house tinkle eerily, drowning out the moans of lost children, droplets of glass catch the light, the smell of death prevails….
Lily is trepidatious whilst Della actively chooses to immerse herself in the roiling malevolence of the dystopian landscape. The two women have (allegedly) killed their parents; their choice of new home isn’t, therefore, altogether a surprise.
Death and the devil are relentlessly woven into the fabric of this novel, and it is a good read for readers who like gothic horror and mystery. Short, sharp chapters with crisp storytelling add to the pathos. The author tips her hat to the essence of the classic fairy tale story. The backdrop is chillingly rendered.
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