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ingo_lembcke's review against another edition
5.0
Wall comes tumbling down on a dark graveyard.
Feels like a perfect counterpart to a standalone by Val McDermid: A Place of Execution [b:A Place of Execution|91487|A Place of Execution|Val McDermid|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311971779s/91487.jpg|1179513]. Dark book about dead children.
Long buildup - 50% of the book after the prologue of finding 3 female children dead in one grave, set free after the wall near the grave came tumbling down.
Full of twists and while all the people are known to the reader I did not guess the killer.
A bit of bitter romance, love not fulfilled and an unnecessary twist in the end.
While I can understand the reviews lamenting the reveal of the killer or the epilogue, I still think this is a book that is pure genius.
It could have been written by Val McDermid, and that is no small praise from me. The setting is near lancashire, and who has never been there (I have not), should look it up on Google Earth. Beautiful scenery and I can just imagine the fog and rain.
The killing scenes where bloody and cruel, but not overly graphic, as least not disturbing.
Highly recommended! Also for Fans of Val McDermid and Mo Hayder.
Feels like a perfect counterpart to a standalone by Val McDermid: A Place of Execution [b:A Place of Execution|91487|A Place of Execution|Val McDermid|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1311971779s/91487.jpg|1179513]. Dark book about dead children.
Long buildup - 50% of the book after the prologue of finding 3 female children dead in one grave, set free after the wall near the grave came tumbling down.
Full of twists and while all the people are known to the reader I did not guess the killer.
A bit of bitter romance, love not fulfilled and an unnecessary twist in the end.
While I can understand the reviews lamenting the reveal of the killer or the epilogue, I still think this is a book that is pure genius.
It could have been written by Val McDermid, and that is no small praise from me. The setting is near lancashire, and who has never been there (I have not), should look it up on Google Earth. Beautiful scenery and I can just imagine the fog and rain.
The killing scenes where bloody and cruel, but not overly graphic, as least not disturbing.
Highly recommended! Also for Fans of Val McDermid and Mo Hayder.
paulabrandon's review against another edition
1.0
I might go on a bit of a profanity-laden mini-rant here.
Firstly, British crime writers: if you want to write books about kids or pre-teens going on adventures, solving a mystery, or saving the day, or what have you, go write a fucking Famous Five book. Get it out of your system. Don't put it in an adult crime thriller.
Secondly, how on earth does a book where NOTHING EVER FUCKING HAPPENS manage to bloat itself out to over 530 pages?
For over 200 pages, it's hard to tell what the book is even supposed to be about or where it's going. A lot of it is made up young Tom Fletcher, who has moved to a small village with his family, living next to a church, constantly seeing a strange girl on the ground, who seems to be able to mimic other voices and seems to be watching Tom's family.
The first couple of times, these glimpses are creepy. But by the 14th fucking time, when we're more than fucking 200 pages into the book without any explanations about anything, it wasn't creepy or interesting anymore. It was boring and really fucking frustrating. MOVE YOUR PLOT ALONG ALREADY.
Intertwined with this is a cringe-worthy and interminable romance between the vicar, Harry Laycock, new to the village, and a local psychologist, Evie. She has damage to her sciatic nerve, has difficulty walking, and is always in a lot of pain. The author seems to confuse "bitchy and ungrateful" with "feisty and independent." You're a doctor, Evie. Physician, heal thyself. Take your fucking painkillers, Evie, shut the fuck up and be grateful for the help people are offering you.
Anyway, Evie is treating Gillian, whose daughter's body was never found after a fire. Conflict arises when Evie discovers that Gillian has developed a crush on Harry. What will happen to their budding romance now? But could there be a link between what happened to Gillian's daughter and the mysterious deaths of other young girls in the village, along with the fact that someone seems to have their eye on Millie, Tom's two-year-old sister? (She's only a year or so younger than the other girls.)
After the opening chapter tease of the police and vicar discovering young bodies, it's not until 300 pages later that we then return to it. As said, the rest of it is taken up with Tom's sightings and the who-cares romance between Harry and Evie. I was so bored I wanted to cry.
We then get lots of dry forensic chat, police procedural hum-drums as another child goes missing, and absolutely nothing to really up the tension. By then, I was just skimming pages, wanting to get this atrocity of a snorefest over and done with.
And can someone explain how The book is not only boring, it's stupid.
Then things only come to a head because the antagonist/s decide to randomly reveal their motivations in the last 30 pages, NONE of which has once been foreshadowed in the previous 500 fucking pages!
And the title? Blood Harvest refers to one of the village rituals, and has fuck-all to do with the rest of the book.
This is one of the worst books I've read in some time. It was so astonishingly boring. Nothing was happening. Whatever you do, avoid this inept pile of absolute fucking shit.
Firstly, British crime writers: if you want to write books about kids or pre-teens going on adventures, solving a mystery, or saving the day, or what have you, go write a fucking Famous Five book. Get it out of your system. Don't put it in an adult crime thriller.
Secondly, how on earth does a book where NOTHING EVER FUCKING HAPPENS manage to bloat itself out to over 530 pages?
For over 200 pages, it's hard to tell what the book is even supposed to be about or where it's going. A lot of it is made up young Tom Fletcher, who has moved to a small village with his family, living next to a church, constantly seeing a strange girl on the ground, who seems to be able to mimic other voices and seems to be watching Tom's family.
The first couple of times, these glimpses are creepy. But by the 14th fucking time, when we're more than fucking 200 pages into the book without any explanations about anything, it wasn't creepy or interesting anymore. It was boring and really fucking frustrating. MOVE YOUR PLOT ALONG ALREADY.
Intertwined with this is a cringe-worthy and interminable romance between the vicar, Harry Laycock, new to the village, and a local psychologist, Evie. She has damage to her sciatic nerve, has difficulty walking, and is always in a lot of pain. The author seems to confuse "bitchy and ungrateful" with "feisty and independent." You're a doctor, Evie. Physician, heal thyself. Take your fucking painkillers, Evie, shut the fuck up and be grateful for the help people are offering you.
Anyway, Evie is treating Gillian, whose daughter's body was never found after a fire. Conflict arises when Evie discovers that Gillian has developed a crush on Harry. What will happen to their budding romance now? But could there be a link between what happened to Gillian's daughter and the mysterious deaths of other young girls in the village, along with the fact that someone seems to have their eye on Millie, Tom's two-year-old sister? (She's only a year or so younger than the other girls.)
After the opening chapter tease of the police and vicar discovering young bodies, it's not until 300 pages later that we then return to it. As said, the rest of it is taken up with Tom's sightings and the who-cares romance between Harry and Evie. I was so bored I wanted to cry.
We then get lots of dry forensic chat, police procedural hum-drums as another child goes missing, and absolutely nothing to really up the tension. By then, I was just skimming pages, wanting to get this atrocity of a snorefest over and done with.
And can someone explain how
Spoiler
someone with congenital hypothyroidism, who is supposedly mentally handicapped, has figured out everything that is going on the village, can escape her "prison" any time she wants, yet never tries going to an adult or police about what she knows? If she's smart enough to do the rest...makes no fucking sense!Then things only come to a head because the antagonist/s decide to randomly reveal their motivations in the last 30 pages, NONE of which has once been foreshadowed in the previous 500 fucking pages!
And the title? Blood Harvest refers to one of the village rituals, and has fuck-all to do with the rest of the book.
This is one of the worst books I've read in some time. It was so astonishingly boring. Nothing was happening. Whatever you do, avoid this inept pile of absolute fucking shit.
soph_caldwell's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
stydia2456's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
hannahrourkie's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
rofrimu1's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.5
lilbittybritty1's review against another edition
2.0
This book took me a really long time to read. I like the way this author writes, but this book was a little too slow for my tastes. The ending also really threw me for a loop. I just found a lot of the story, a little hard to follow. I think the author kept the readers in the dark for too long. I will say this book was unique, but the pace was just not for me. Although this book was not a winner, I will probably still read others published by this author.
horfhorfhorf's review against another edition
3.0
S.J. Bolton know how to execute one hell of a M. Night Shyamalan-esque plot twist.
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
3.0
In Blood Harvest a new vicar arrives in the small Lancashire village of Heptonclough to reopen the closed church. He meets the American family who built an enormous house right in the middle of the village and who are not liked by the traditional villagers. There's something wrong with the town and the family is being menaced, with the focus of the malevolence being the three Fletcher children.
This is a well-written and very suspenseful book, which reminded me of Simon Beckett's or even Ruth Rendell's mysteries. The village, set on the wild moors, is full of atmosphere and foreboding. There are village traditions that appear brutal and bizarre to outsiders. The new vicar is an interesting man, as are the three children and a psychiatrist who also plays a large part in the story. The parents, especially the father, are less well realized and strangely unconcerned at the menace directed at their own children, but this is a quibble--thsi is a suspenseful and eerie tale.
This is a well-written and very suspenseful book, which reminded me of Simon Beckett's or even Ruth Rendell's mysteries. The village, set on the wild moors, is full of atmosphere and foreboding. There are village traditions that appear brutal and bizarre to outsiders. The new vicar is an interesting man, as are the three children and a psychiatrist who also plays a large part in the story. The parents, especially the father, are less well realized and strangely unconcerned at the menace directed at their own children, but this is a quibble--thsi is a suspenseful and eerie tale.
oddsocksagain's review against another edition
3.0
Loved the writing including the twists and turns and the reasoning behind everything happening. However I found the ending a bit lacklustre, rushed and not altogether thought about at all. It didn't seem to make total sense. Had a couple of issues with other things but can be looked over for a good story.