The Bone Weaver’s Orchard by Sarah Read #BookReview

“There’s a secret in this book. It’s stunning. It’s dark. And it’s as satisfying as any unknown a horror fan could ever hope to unearth. So well written, so well paced, Sarah Read’s The Bone Weaver’s Orchard is a thriller with class.” —Josh Malerman, author of Bird Box

He’s run away home. That’s what they say every time one of Charley Winslow’s friends vanishes from The Old Cross School for Boys. It’s just a tall tale. That’s what they tell Charley when he sees the ragged grey figure stalking the abbey halls at night.

When Charley follows his pet insects to a pool of blood behind a false wall, he could run and let those stones bury their secrets. He could assimilate, focus on his studies, and wait for his father to send for him. Or he could walk the dark tunnels of the school’s heart, scour its abandoned passages, and pick at the scab of a family’s legacy of madness and murder.

With the help of Sam Forster, the school’s gardener, and Matron Grace, the staff nurse, Charley unravels Old Cross’ history and exposes a scandal stretching back to when the school was a home with a noble family and a dark secret—a secret that still haunts its halls with scraping steps, twisting its bones into a new generation of nightmares.

Title: The Bone Weaver’s Orchard | Author: Sarah Read | Publisher: Trepidatio Publishing | Pub. Date: 2018-1-02  Pages: 192  ISBN:  Unavailable  | Genre: Horror  Language: English  Triggers:  None | Rating: 5 out 5 | Source: Received a copy from the author for review consideration

The Bone Weaver’s Orchard Review

“The gravel became flagstones, and the stones became stairs as the face of the old abbey towered over him.”

The Bone Weaver’s Orchard

We meet young Charley as he journeys to his new “home” in a rickety vehicle, over a poorly maintained country road.  Set in England, these introductory scenes took me back to the first time I read The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, or even the atmosphere provided by the works of Bronte and DuMaurier (think Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and Rebecca); however, The Bone Weaver’s Orchard is most certainly NOT a children’s book or a direct “throwback” to those other books by any stretch of the imagination. This is horror. Read provides a dark atmosphere of uncertainty and trepidation with an effortless grace.

An ominous, dark old school building with a closed-off wing. An awkward, loveable protagonist.  A grumpy headmaster. A caring school nurse. A mystery. Sound familiar? DO NOT BE DECEIVED. Sarah Read’s debut novel drew me in with familiarity and then “flipped the script” entirely to leave me bewildered and thoroughly engrossed in a tale that challenged my expectations. I should’ve known better – I read her short story, “Still Life with Natalie”, earlier this year and she caught me unawares in that one, too.

I found the novel to be incredibly well-paced; the pages just flew by, and before I knew it, it was over and I wanted more.  I wanted more because I’m greedy and I needed more of Charley’s story. The ending is spectacular; I was so involved I could have read 100 more pages, at least. The characterization and Read’s power of description are stunning. There are scenes in this novel that had me cringing with disgust at times, and peeking through my fingers at others.

This novel will be released by Trepedatio Publishing on February 1, 2019. It is available for pre-order from the publisher.  Be sure to grab this one.

The author states pre orders of Bone Weaver are shipping early and when they pre-order, than can download the ebook for free.

“The paperback version of this book include a free electronic copy of the same book. You will be provided with the download link once you have completed the purchase process.” – Journalstone