Reviews

Below you will find a small sample of my book reviews on Amazon. Hopefully these will give you a feel for my style of writing.

A spooky and profoundly moving read.

This is a book that managed to affect me profoundly. Acutely thoughtful and, at times, creepy, The Path is a ghost story that is simultaneously desperately sad but also ultimately uplifting and, in its way, cosy and comforting. I read many ghost stories every year- this is one of my favourites. (The Path)

***

A great read from start to finish!

I loved this book. I’ve read a few books by this author, and I thought it would be hard to beat Deadwater, but this book has been the best. It was comical, enlightening, thoughtful, and scary. You get involved with the characters. I would highly recommend (Scotland Shall Burn)

***

You’ll almost wish some tales were true.

What an anthology. One of the best of the year for me. I haven’t seen this style of book before, as the author includes a written musing on the year’s seasons between every two to three tales. This works so well that these alone are almost worth the book’s price. There are no weak stories here, but three stand out: what a Clever Baby Will Make You Look at All Infants in a Brand-new Light, Our Lady of the Quarry is a belter of a ghost story with a stunning twist. Harmonica Seeks Partner tells the heartbreaking tale of a lonely man and a homeless woman and how we judge without knowing the whole story. All in all, five stars are not enough for this collection of tales. I would like to see more from this author. Here’s hoping. (A Season for Ghosts)

***

You will be kept guessing till the end.

The author details a thrilling story of the downfall of a successful Scottish businessman who chases his past to stop the destruction of his seemingly perfect life. It was brilliantly written, with characters I connected to. A real page-turner. (Broken Leaves)

***

I couldn’t put it down…

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The characters were interesting, and I felt a personal affiliation with the main ones. Rooting them to do well or, in a few cases…rooting for their demise.
It’s great when you get so involved in a story that you read it late. There were some surprises and sad and happy moments. The era was well captured, bringing back memories of local police stations and village life, and there was always a haunted house growing up. Loved this. I can’t wait to read the next one (Deadwater)

***

People can be haunted in various ways.

First of all, the author loves Scotland. I’m sure many places mentioned in the book exist; chances are he knows them all. Now, on to the story, I just couldn’t put it down; as a keen, now retired cyclist, I lived every bump in the road the main character hit as he went touring for a week to get some respite from his ill wife, who he left with a carer. Meeting a woman cyclist who hides a dark secret, the tale takes a darker route. Along the way, he seems to see something following them, and no matter how far they travel, the spectre always pursues. This is a fantastic tale about how a person can be haunted in a way few supernatural stories have touched on before. The ending I assure you, you will never see coming, and if I could give six stars, I would. Highly recommended. (Porcelain)

***

Poignant.

I read until the wee hours of the morning and finished it after breakfast. Although a poignant, often sad story, I found myself smiling when the author’s humour flashed from Grant to light up the pages. Both Grant and Maggie were portrayed sympathetically and with real insight. Eve’s story was heartbreaking, and the porcelain lady finally, eventually, tragically, made sense.
The ending wasn’t signposted. I didn’t see it coming. I had a whole other explanation worked out in my head, so it was a real surprise when it came.
The best ghost stories are subtle. The best way to do this is to incorporate a narrative that affects the reader at some deep level. This story delivered. (Porcelain)

***

Dare I say, charming?

Since I’m a self-described scaredy cat, I had butterflies when opening this book. I was pleasantly surprised and delighted to find the author’s stories charming. They are expertly written, with a touch of the writer’s humour woven through the tales. It’s a perfect read! (A Ghost in the Glen)

***

It’s short storytelling at its best.

They say that variety is the spice of life. Here, in one book, we have seven completely different tales, bursting with emotion and drama, the common factor being the Scottish landscape. The author’s imagination continues to surprise and delight, and I defy anyone to predict how each story concludes. All the stories are well thought out and interesting, but there was more in this book for me: it was a trip down memory lane. For example, going to confession (did I do that!), climbing Ben Nevis, travelling on the old trains that shoogled, hissed and swayed with the clickety-click on the tracks. I chuckled when I was reminded of the expected offer of a round for your mates when you entered a pub and hoped they would refuse. Once more, we get the bonus of thought-provoking poetry at the end of each story; how much talent does this guy have? What better way to spend a winter’s night than a glass of Macallan in one hand and ” A Ghost in the Glen” in the other? (A Ghost in the Glen)