Friday, 25 February 2022

BOOK REVIEW: Church by Sal Starling


TITLE: Church
AUTHOR: Sal Starling
PUBLISHED BY: Pentad Books

This creepy tale is set in two time periods, which works very well. It is an edge-of-the-seat, easy read which gripped me right from the start and absolutely did not disappoint.

Starting a new life in a small village, a couple set up home in what they think is the perfect location; a cottage with two acres of land for Dan to start his Garden Centre business and the offer of a redundant church for Jess to convert into an art studio. 

Slowly the local church starts to reveal its dark secrets and Dan and Jess’s lives are thrown into disarray; a centuries-old curse threatens to put an end to their happiness. Discovering the ancient building isn't completely empty, Jess soon discovers that whatever she shares it with is far from friendly.

Jess soon discovers Saint Roch's dreadful secret which leaves her uncertain of which way to turn, undecided between wanting to flee to save those she loves or to stay to confront the monster that will continue to kill as long as the curse of Coldstone exists.

Equal measures of suspense and horror are drip-fed to readers as the book builds to its climax; readers are taken on a journey which pits good against evil and hope against terror. The storyline is imaginative and chilling and left me wanting more; it is an entertaining story told concisely and imaginatively.

Readers who enjoy a supernatural chiller with some pretty horrific images will be left wanting more.  'The curse' could have wreaked a bit more havoc to make the story longer but overall Starling knows how to tell an entertaining story and leave readers in anticipation of what will happen next. It is a page-turner which had me gripped until the final page; an outstanding, spine-chilling read.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard


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