The House of Little Bones by Beverley Lee

A photo in the press forces a secret into the light of the public, and for David Lansdown, the repercussions could affect his career. Trying to avoid damage, he takes himself to a remote hideaway where he can pen his next bestseller, but the land around him stirs, the dead restless at his trespass.

(WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers.)

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I thank Shane Douglas Keene for giving me the opportunity.

The House of Little Bones commenced my journey into the work of Beverley Lee, it’s yet another “about time” from me. I’ll start off by admitting that ghost stories generally aren’t my favourite, but I still like to give them their fair due. Illustrating the consequences of a spicy secret, it switched between the dual POVs of acclaimed author David Lansdown and Luca Fox-Waite, lovers separated by scandal. I immediately adored the atmosphere, especially of the moorland and house that David found himself occupying in an attempt to write his new novel. Obviously it wasn’t the refuge he thought it would be, Lee honing in on isolation and quiet horror, building suspense with the little things that David tried to apply logic to; despite his profession involving all sorts of scary things, he was a sceptic at heart. It all came together in a shocking culmination, and while I didn’t particularly connect with the ending straight off, specifically regarding how abruptly it left David and Luca, I began to warm to it after a bit. It didn’t beat around the bush, but was swift and brutal, with a payoff that didn’t instantly feel like one.

That said, even though the writing was beautiful in almost every way, I couldn’t quite get emotionally invested in the relationship at the centre. There’s a couple of reasons for this, namely the lack of interaction between the two and how it seemed fairly one-sided. I won’t go into further detail for fear of spoiling too much, but there was little time to understand the ins and outs, especially when it appeared to be such a complicated affair. This also relates to Luca and Charles, as well, where I would’ve preferred more time taking a peek into their family dynamic.

In conclusion: Hiding away in shame due to his complex love life, David attempts to settle in the secluded house of Bone Hollow, incurring the wrath of an old curse. I enjoyed The House of Little Bones as Lee dished out subtle chills and an eerie atmosphere, but I couldn’t quite get into the characters and their attachment. Still, I can’t wait to read more of Lee’s work.

Notable Quote:

And David Lansdown felt the shrill scream of something inevitable against his bones.
Something outside was determined to come in.

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