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zooloo1983's review
4.0
I have no idea how to feel about this book, it's a complete side step to what I am used to with Catherine. It wasn't spooky, in my opinion, but a bit of the mystical and cult. it was intriguing and I couldn't get my head around what the heck was going on. It was also worrying how far the deception and the cult went, but isn't that what we are led to believe in reality with cults?
It is most definitely a mind-bending book! I still don't think I have fully appreciated the intricate details of this book. The threat is palpable at all times, and at the end, well I still feel that threat! It's not over!
I loved the twists and turns in this book, and even though I had an inkling about one, which still shocked me, especially the parent's reaction!!!! The other twists made my jaw drop because I didn't see it happening, but I guess now on reflection, I was completely played like a fiddle!!
I do love the way Catherine tells her stories, and it's no different here. She had me enraptured, all the while trying to figure out what the heck would happen!
It is most definitely a mind-bending book! I still don't think I have fully appreciated the intricate details of this book. The threat is palpable at all times, and at the end, well I still feel that threat! It's not over!
I loved the twists and turns in this book, and even though I had an inkling about one, which still shocked me, especially the parent's reaction!!!! The other twists made my jaw drop because I didn't see it happening, but I guess now on reflection, I was completely played like a fiddle!!
I do love the way Catherine tells her stories, and it's no different here. She had me enraptured, all the while trying to figure out what the heck would happen!
piperkitty's review
4.0
Thank you NetGalley and Flame Tress Press and Random Things Book Tours for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own
The main heroine Allie joins her old childhood friend Nancy for a 60s theme weekend at Nancy's recently acquired mansion in The After-Death of Caroline Rand. But when she arrives, she realises the weekend is not about that. The estate, which was given to Nancy by her deceased and unidentified grandmother, Caroline Rand, is full with all kinds of crazy. Dream sequences, time travel, spooky monks, and an attic area to give you nightmares are all included.Alli realises that this situation is rather mysterious. Uncertainty surrounds what exactly occurred at the house in the year 2022, in the 1960s, and in Rand's life afterward (prior to her suicide). Answers can be found in both these odd time lapses and in the actions of Alli's almost forgotten friend and her increasingly ominous visitors. Alli has a connection to the late folksinger despite never having met her, and it seems to be stronger than Rand's connection to Nancy, her unrelated granddaughter. Mike, an artist, musician, and lover of the 1960s, is the third guest, and by the time he shows up, Alli realises she's in some kind of a time-pressure situation. Will Nancy's visitors manage to leave the house?
A fantastic written novel.
#BookReview #NetGalley #MysteryandThriller #booktour
The main heroine Allie joins her old childhood friend Nancy for a 60s theme weekend at Nancy's recently acquired mansion in The After-Death of Caroline Rand. But when she arrives, she realises the weekend is not about that. The estate, which was given to Nancy by her deceased and unidentified grandmother, Caroline Rand, is full with all kinds of crazy. Dream sequences, time travel, spooky monks, and an attic area to give you nightmares are all included.Alli realises that this situation is rather mysterious. Uncertainty surrounds what exactly occurred at the house in the year 2022, in the 1960s, and in Rand's life afterward (prior to her suicide). Answers can be found in both these odd time lapses and in the actions of Alli's almost forgotten friend and her increasingly ominous visitors. Alli has a connection to the late folksinger despite never having met her, and it seems to be stronger than Rand's connection to Nancy, her unrelated granddaughter. Mike, an artist, musician, and lover of the 1960s, is the third guest, and by the time he shows up, Alli realises she's in some kind of a time-pressure situation. Will Nancy's visitors manage to leave the house?
A fantastic written novel.
#BookReview #NetGalley #MysteryandThriller #booktour
hauntedorchid's review
4.0
Feeling aimless after losing her job, Allie accepts an unexpected request from an old friend to visit her country house for a Sixties-themed housewarming party. But soon after she arrives it becomes clear that there's something unsettling about the converted monastery, which used to be the home of a famous 1960s singer, Caroline Rand.
This is the first Catherine Cavendish book I've read, and I was drawn in by the promise of a supernatural, time-slip novel themed around the Swinging Sixties. The action switches between the modern day and LA in 1968, where well-known figures such as Mama Cass and John Denver mingle with the book's characters. I admit, it did take me a while to fully settle into the novel, because there's a complex backstory that feels like a lot to take in in the early chapters, but the story is fun and action packed, and I zipped through it in a few hours. Cavendish has a real knack for horrifying descriptions and I liked how all the various plot threads came together at the end.
A very entertaining read, perfect for fans of Last Night in Soho, or anyone who wished Once Upon a Time in Hollywood came with a dose of supernatural horror.
This is the first Catherine Cavendish book I've read, and I was drawn in by the promise of a supernatural, time-slip novel themed around the Swinging Sixties. The action switches between the modern day and LA in 1968, where well-known figures such as Mama Cass and John Denver mingle with the book's characters. I admit, it did take me a while to fully settle into the novel, because there's a complex backstory that feels like a lot to take in in the early chapters, but the story is fun and action packed, and I zipped through it in a few hours. Cavendish has a real knack for horrifying descriptions and I liked how all the various plot threads came together at the end.
A very entertaining read, perfect for fans of Last Night in Soho, or anyone who wished Once Upon a Time in Hollywood came with a dose of supernatural horror.
ericarobyn's review
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
The After-Death of Caroline Rand by Catherine Cavendish is a chilling tale filled with secrets and time jumps that slowly reveal the darkness that’s lurking deep within Canonbury Manor.
Get your 60’s music playlist ready and let’s dive in!
Suddenly getting laid off and unsure what to do, Alli receives a message from an old school friend, inviting Allie to her friends’ estate for a weekend. The weekend promises to be an exciting one as it will be 60’s themed, an era that Alli has a soft spot for.
Without any reason not to go, Alli heads to the Canonbury Manor, curious to learn what her childhood friend had been up to in the last decade. But once arriving at the manor, strange things begin to happen, getting more and more intense as the weekend goes on.
My gosh. I became invested in our main character, Alli, immediately! Throughout the story, I equally wanted her to leave the house but also stay in order to get answers.
This is such an atmospheric and tense story that will keep you totally captivated. The twisted maze of mystery here was so much fun to discover. With each sharp turn and each dip back into the past, I got more and more nervous to see what this was all building up to.
And let me just say, that ending did not disappoint!
My Favorite Passages on The After-Death of Caroline Rand
Darkness surrounded her, cloaking her in a shroud that was at once comforting and, within seconds, menacing. She fought it off. Struggled to breathe. Pushed hard, resisting its temptation to sink deeper into a cocoon of softness.
He didn’t seem to be moving of his own volition. He proceeded with awkward, jerky steps as if someone was placing one of his feet in front of the other.
Alli went on a tour of the house, searching every room, but found no one. There was no on else there. No one living at any rate. The house was empty. Or as empty as this house could ever be.
My Final Thoughts on The After-Death of Caroline Rand
If you enjoy gothic horror tales that will keep you on the edge of your seat, you’re going to love this! I promise you that as a reader, you will be just as invested as Alli was to get answers.
Go snag your preorder today!
sleepysadpoet's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
I received a gifted copy of this book via netgalley and in exchange I'm leaving an honest review.
Cults. Haunted house. 60s music and clothing. Time travel.
There's a lot going on in this book. There were a couple times I got confused and had to reread a chapter, just because there's so much going on in the book. But that doesn't necessarily take anything away from it. The cover is what made me request this book over anything else. When I hit 60% or so I couldn't put this book down. The cult thing preying on vulnerable parents that wanted children very much reminds me of rosemary's baby, which is a 1960s staple--so it works. I don't know if that's what Catherine had in mind when she wrote this book, but if it is she succeeded. Just makes it all the more creepy tbh--that book fr stressed me out and what happens to Alli with the hooded man was another thing that made me think of rosemary's baby.
Cults. Haunted house. 60s music and clothing. Time travel.
There's a lot going on in this book. There were a couple times I got confused and had to reread a chapter, just because there's so much going on in the book. But that doesn't necessarily take anything away from it. The cover is what made me request this book over anything else. When I hit 60% or so I couldn't put this book down. The cult thing preying on vulnerable parents that wanted children very much reminds me of rosemary's baby, which is a 1960s staple--so it works. I don't know if that's what Catherine had in mind when she wrote this book, but if it is she succeeded. Just makes it all the more creepy tbh--that book fr stressed me out and what happens to Alli with the hooded man was another thing that made me think of rosemary's baby.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault
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