The opportunity of a lifetime, or the worst mistake of your life? A Gothic Suspense novel that set on a remote Scottish Island that will keep you up all night.
This book was deliciously creepy, full of suspense, and absolutely gripped me from the very beginning right through to its terrifying end.
The tension builds slowly and brilliantly, with the isolated island providing the perfect backdrop for the story to unfold. From the outset, I found myself asking the same question as the main character: would I take the opportunity of a lifetime, or would I stay safely at home? And as the story progressed, I found myself becoming increasingly unsure of my answer!
C.D. Major’s writing is clever and atmospheric, creating that wonderful, creeping sense that something is not quite right. At times I was practically urging the main character on, desperate to find out exactly what was happening on the island. At other times, I was willing her to turn around, get back on the boat and just go home!
A remote island, cut off from communication and the outside world, is hardly a new setting for a suspense novel, but somehow C.D. Major brings something fresh to the genre. There’s a real sense of isolation and claustrophobia, and the further into the story you get, the more that feeling of unease builds.
And then there’s that element. I can’t say too much without wandering firmly into spoiler territory, but Major takes the story somewhere I really wasn’t expecting – somewhere horrific.
Creepy, atmospheric, suspenseful and wonderfully unsettling, this is exactly the sort of book that makes you say “just one more chapter” while simultaneously wondering why on earth you’re still reading it at bedtime!
About the Book
The opportunity of a lifetime, or the worst mistake of your life?
Life in London is hard for Ginny as a single mother barely scraping by. Once she was a promising artist with a glittering future ahead. On a whim, she applies for an artist’s residency – all expenses paid – and is astonished to be accepted.
Soon, Ginny is on a boat to a remote Scottish island, her daughter by her side. But was she too hasty, attracted by the promise of security and a chance to make art again? Locals she meets are tightlipped about the man who is Ginny’s benefactor, but she senses underlying fear. Her contract contains odd rules about avoiding the gallery at the vast property where she is living, and there is an undeniable eeriness to the place. If she didn’t know better, she’d swear she could hear whispers, and that the people in the paintings were changing overnight…
By the time Ginny realises what a grave mistake she has made, she is stranded. Accepting the invitation has sealed her fate and the only way to survive is through escape – or sacrifice.
About The Author
C. D. Major is the pseudonym of novelist and screenwriter Cesca Major. She’s been published in over 12 countries and has TV and film in development with major streamers. She’s been a Reese’s Book Club Pick and nominated for both the CWA and the HWA Awards. She loves teaching and has mentored for both Reese’s Book Club and the Black Girl Writers.
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