siidd 's review for:

Secret Lives of the Dead by Tim Lebbon

3.0

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Matt, Jodie and BB decide to break into an abandoned house on the outskirts of town on a dare to look for antiques and jewellery. Unbeknownst to the others, Jodie has some ulterior motives to wanting to break into the house. Lem, a violent man who is trying to free himself from a family curse, tracks down the last relic he needs to complete the task. When they all unexpectedly end up at the house on the same day violence ensues.

I thought it was an ok story on revenge more than anything. I expected a lot more folk & supernatural horror but I felt this really barely scratched the surface. I desperately wanted more of the witch/family curse story line. yes, it's mentioned but I went into this expecting it to be more of the main plot. The writing was fine but the pacing was a bit off with it dragging at times towards the end.

Lem brought the action, the blood and the entertainment. He was really the only character that I felt like I could connect with or found interesting. I couldn't stand Jodi & Matt was just like...there.

At little bit of a disappointment as a horror read but this might be for someone looking for a thriller with a bit of action..

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review