He sprang forward too late; Lester, with his face buried in his arms, had rolled over on the floor fast asleep, and his utmost efforts failed to awake him. Oh and most of the author’s name spells out YE AR GONE C? Coincidence? BookTrail the locations in The Toll House History Makers: Female Writers Dominate the 2023 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award Shortlist The Toll House is by far, the creepiest, most chilling book I've ever read. I had to pause in the wee hours of the morning even if I wanted to finish it because I was more than a little freaked out with what was going on. Carly Reagon's writing built such a fantastic, spooky atmosphere.

The Toll House by Carly Reagon | Hachette UK The Toll House by Carly Reagon | Hachette UK

But the story begins to build around her. Things beyond her son not wanting to sleep alone begin to happen in the house, the (also boring) doctor she's seeing begins to act strangely and her past catches up with her. Suddenly I understood why she was so flat before, she wanted a new start and left her past behind her, but when it catches up we learn who our protagonist really is and I started to like her much more.

LoveReading Says

From a reader's perspective, this book has pace and provides all the chills. It follows a fairly well-trodden path, but it doesn't matter because it's well done and a debut to be proud of. A book that feels like it's watching you . . . unsettling and gripping' Cari Thomas author of THREADNEEDLE As a result of this pedestrian style of writing, this novel was impossible to invest in. 'The Toll House' basically comprised: 'she did this'; 'she thought that'; 'then this happened'; 'he said that' and 'she replied'. Everything was told to me; there was no necessity for any work to be done on my part as the reader. Come on!" he cried, with a low laugh. "All of you! All of you! Show your faces--your infernal ugly faces! Don't skulk!"

The Toll review – toll booth man with no name fights back in The Toll review – toll booth man with no name fights back in

I really felt for Kelda, not just because of what was happening in the house but because of her own past. I won’t go into too many details but lets just say her history is much more complicated and you understand why she is so protective of Dylan and is estranged with her family. With a tragic historic tale at its heart, and a modern-day single mum struggling to deal with its spectral resonance, Carly Reagon’s The Toll House debut tingles with historic and psychological intrigue. It’s a gripping ghost story that unfolds with chilling pace through narratives told in two timelines. This novel was, in fact, carried off so much more convincingly and compellingly three years ago by the fantastic Alison Littlewood in 'Mistletoe'. The lodge was almost hidden by over-grown shrubs and the drive was choked with rank growths. Meagle leading, they pushed through it until the dark pile of the house loomed above them.

On top of that, the shift between present tense for the narrative of 1863 and past tense for 'now'/'six months ago' was unpleasantly jarring. What made this book for me were the two timelines – leading up to Kelda and her son being in the house and what the house was like before that. There’s something strange and spooky anyway about tollhouses isn’t there. Someone in a remote house waitng for passing travellers and then taking money from them. A house in the middle of nowhere on a lone country road or close to a bridge. People pass by and never stay…. The passages wound like a maze, and he threaded them blindly in a vain search for the stairs. If he could get down and open the hall door---- Escape the cold and join us in our charming inn for a festive feast to remember. Our talented chefs have crafted a seasonal treat for your taste buds, partnering the classics we know and love with some local flair. Meagle shook his head, and they stood for some time in uneasy silence. "May as well shut the door," said Barnes at last.

The Toll House: A thoroughly chilling ghost story to keep you

Meagle laughed. "I only wanted to convince you," he said kindly. "There ought to be, at any rate, one ghost in the servants' hall." I’d like to thank NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for approving me for an ARC of this book. I’ve recently been getting into my ghost stories and loving a spooky read for this time of year. When I saw The Toll House on NetGalley I knew this was one I would love to read and it didn’t disappoint. Buy from our bookstore and 25% of the cover price will be given to a school of your choice to buy more books. *15% of eBooks. Home > I was definitely pulling for Kelda as it was clear she was a mother struggling on her own who only wanted the best for her son but she was saddled with a haunted house, a terrible boss and a dodgy admirer! When it came to The Toll House, she was certainly braver than I would have been in her situation. I would have been out of that house like a shot! He stopped once or twice and stood with bent head listening. The unrest outside seemed to increase; a loud creaking sounded from the stairs.A house with history. That’s how the estate agent described the old toll house on the edge of the town. For Kelda it’s the perfect rural home for her young son Dylan after a difficult few years. Meagle fingered his chin. "Who shut it?" he inquired, looking from one to the other. "Who came in last?" If you like a good ghost story put this chilling thriller to the very top of your reading list -- SARAH PEARSE author of THE SANATORIUM Bejeepers. This is one of those novels where I question why I read creepy novels at night. There are no real locations in this book but it’s the setting of the old toll house that is the real draw. I read a bit about toll houses when I spotted this book as it seemed as if it was going to lead me down a dark path…and it did. Just look at that cover for a start! Let's see what the landlord has to say about it first," said Lester. "There is no fun in passing a night in an ordinary empty house. Let us make sure that it is haunted."