Book Review · 22nd January 2025

Withered Hill

David Barnett, Canelo, (368p) ISBN: 9781804367513. Horror, read 22/01/25, Electronic Format ★★★★★

Withered Hill

Withered Hill

I’d seen this floating around the shop for a while and really liked the cover (got a thing for hares).

I got approved to read Scuttler’s Cove on Netgalley and though maybe I should read Withered Hill first.

So glad I made that decision and this is a great example of folk horror with all that comes with it, set in a sort of dual time flashback exploration of Sophie’s life both in and outside of Withered Hill.

Sophie is selfish, greedy, profligate, wasteful, and cheats, so 21st Century through and through but there is a deeper darkness hidden inside.

Withered Hill is in Lancashire, and as someone who lived in Yorkshire for 20 years, need I say more 😉

Steeped in the old festivals and beliefs the villagers are blessed though there are sacrifices to make, and one of the major ones is a bride for ‘Owd Hob’ though what this actually entails is a mystery to Sophie.

A masterly tale with twist and creepy suspense all heightened by the switching timeline, always from Sophie’s perspective and the end reveal, well you have to read the book to get that!

Loved this from start to finish and doubly looking forward to Scuttler’s Cove now.


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