A review by lauraslittlebooknook
The Blackhouse by Carole Johnstone

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

4.5

This was an incredibly well written and intense thriller that I absolutely devoured.

Maggie, a young woman haunted by her past, returns to a small island village to try and uncover the truth that she’s been grasping for her entire life. 

With a sprinkling of Norse Mythology, the supernatural and a little bit of romance, Johnstone carves a wicked trail of secrets and deception for Maggie to navigate in the remote Hebridean island village. 

This atmospheric gothic, horror of a thriller comes alive with Johnstone’s breathtaking descriptions of the landscape, the ever changing weather and the monstrous ocean. I could honestly feel myself shiver alongside Maggie as she was blasted by the freezing wind and rain on a stormy winter night. 

The slow burn of revelations and half truths throughout this book had me gripped from the get go. The short chapters, dual point of view and split timeline made this a very quick read. 

If you enjoy a dark and compelling thriller, then I would definitely recommend this one.
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