The Hive by Jane Holland


The Hive review


Background

A brand-new thriller for 2019 from Kindle #1 bestseller Jane Holland

Scarred by fire from infancy, with a persistent stammer, Charlotte has always been in the shadow of her glamorous theatrical parents. So it's a shock when her mother commits suicide. Left to care for her sick father in the dark maze of her childhood home, Charlotte begins to unravel. First, there's the mysterious arrival of a box of dead bees. Then buzzing noises in the attic. People are watching her. Listening to her. Everyone thinks she's losing her mind. But an old photo suggests another, more sinister possibility…



Thoughts

A five star read that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end, The Hive is a wonderfully crafted and twisted tale with a fantastic atmosphere that is perfect for Halloween.  Charlotte is a wonderfully well written character, and is a fitting protagonist for this book.  Although she may focus too much on how she looks with her scarring, it is character development (I hesitate to call it a flaw) that slowly fades into the background as you get more invested in the story. 

It was very interesting to read a sympathetic portray of a character with dementia, certainly when we were first introduced to her father.  It can make the book hard to read at times but is definitely worth persevering.  Also, the sections that are a diary entry may well break up the story and interrupt the narrative for some but I felt that this really helped to develop and maintain the spooky atmosphere that Ms Holland has been able to create in this novel.



The writing is well done and has a plot that is both surprising and subtly crafted.  It reminded me a lot of Lianne Moriarty.  Would recommend as a spooky read with a twist in its tail.

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