Publisher's Blurb

As a child, Ashley Whitelam could often see odd things nobody else could: quiet, watchful figures she called the Heedful Ones kept a strange vigil wherever she went. As an adult, she keeps these visions to herself, but she’s turned her taste of the beyond into a career as a “psychic”­ – parting people from their money with a combination of psychology and internet research. When the Lake District is gripped by a series of grisly child murders, Ashley offers her services to the police for free publicity. But as Ashley leads the police on a fruitless search around the small town of Green Beck, she catches a glimpse of those old ghosts of her childhood and, following them into the woods, she finds something she never expected: the corpse of the latest missing child.

The press flies into a frenzy and the police grow suspicious: either Ashley’s psychic abilities are real, or she is guilty of murder. Hounded by interviews and interrogations, Ashley teams up with Freddie Miller, a podcaster covering the crimes. As they investigate, Ashley realizes that there’s no way to distance herself from these murders: whoever or whatever it is that’s haunting the Lakes is haunting her, too.

Master of unsettling suspense Jen Williams is back with another chilling, dark read that will draw readers into a gruesome and atmospheric nightmare.

My Review

The book starts with a bang. We have a kid or a person trapped in a cave, in the dark, and he/she is hungry. They find a pomegranate, but when they are about to eat it, they are attacked.

 
Then we have Ashley, who is a psychic, and helps people who have lost someone communicate with them. But she believes she is living a lie. Because she is conjuring stories with the help of her brother. But murders are happening in her community, and her father and brother think it would be good for their business if Ashley decides to help the police with her "powers". They want to fool the police for some cheap publicity. Only Ashley's "fake powers" lead her straight to the dead body.

 
The story takes place in two timelines. One is current, and the other is from 2004 when an incident in childhood led Ashely to believe she had special powers. The characters keep referring to this incident from the past, and it creates a sense of mystery for the readers.

 
I loved the creepy haunted vibe the whole story had. The dementor-like Heedful Ones added a paranormal element to the story. But it was a slow-paced narrative for a horror/thriller novella. I took an obvious guess as to who might be behind the killings, but of course, the author always had someone else in mind.

Final Verdict

Overall I'd say I enjoyed the book, but a shorter book with some omissions could have served the purpose equally well.

Who Should Read This

I recommend this to readers who love thrillers with a spooky vibe and are okay with some gore.