Community Reviews
I had added this one to my list back in Sept2023 when I was looking for spooky stories for Halloween reads. Just now finally getting around to reading it and I got exactly what I was looking for. I was sharing the story with hubby, because we like to recommend stuff that we think each other would like, and he asked me if I wanted to watch the show now. THE SHOW!!! There’s a tv show on it? Shows how much I stay abreast of new stuff that comes on tv. I read a lot more than I watch tv. Hubby says he noticed it on Netflix a while back and that he would check to see if it was still there. Yeah, I want to watch the show. I love being able to say that the book is better.
“Prayers should not be selfish. God is not a concierge; he’s not here at your beck and call. By all means, ask for guidance, but if you need help, you must learn to help yourself.” - Jack Brooks
The book summary introduces the different storylines of vicar Jack Brooks and her 15yr old (not 14yrs old like the book summary states) daughter, Flo, moving to Chapel Croft. Jack was transferred from her previous position in Nottingham after an incident where a child was killed. Chapel Croft is definitely one creepy place with a boatload of weird residents that gives the story its really freaky vibe from the get-go. Besides the morbid history and the recent suicide of the former vicar, there is the creepy Aaron, the church warden as well as the son of a former vicar. There are also the obnoxious teenagers, Rosie and Tom, who are the town bullies, especially Rosie, who is the eldest daughter of Simon, who is also a bully. Both of them give off scary psycho vibes. There are several other weird residents giving the town that whole Castle Rock (a creepy Stephen King town) vibe.
“Beliefs should be a conscience choice not something you’re brainwashed into when you’re too young to understand it or question it. Faith isn’t something you pass down like an heirloom. It’s not tangible or absolute. It’s something you have to keep working at.” - Jack Brooks
The story flips back and forth between Jack, Flo and a psycho who was just released from prison, that is later revealed to be named Jacob. There’s a lot going on here. For starters, Jack begins researching the disappearance of the two girls and a priest 30yrs ago and also starts receiving strange notes that seem like warnings. Flo starts seeing burning girls along with dealing with Rosie and Tom. Then there is Jacob, who is trying to find Jack. Jacob has some really creepy intentions too. There’s also some mystery around Jack’s past, especially her childhood. I like Jack; I don’t think she’s a typical vicar. I don’t really know since I don’t know any vicars. I like how she’s a bit of a smart@$$ and has a little bit of a snarky attitude, at least in her head. I also like how she’s really tuned in to signs of religious fanaticism.
“Bad things happen. Things that make you question whether there is a God and if there is, why he’s such a bastard. The truth is bad things do not happen because of God. He’s not sitting in his heavenly control room thinking of ways to test our faith, like some celestial Ed Harris in the Truman Show. Bad things happen because life is a series of random, unpredictable events.” - Jack Brooks
Having read way too many of these types of stories, I know that none of this is going to end well and I was right. A bizarre revelation in the second half has all of the storylines beginning to merge that culminates into a really scary and intense and pretty shocking end. Some of it I saw coming, and some I didn’t, and it was that stuff that made the ending so much more shocking.
“Good does not always triumph over evil. Prayers do not win battles. Sometimes we need the devil on our side. The problem is once you have him riding shotgun, he’s hard to get rid of.” - Jack Brooks
The character development of Jack and Flo and the psycho was pretty well done while the character development for most of the other characters were slim to none. However, that was probably by design because many of them were harboring a lot of secrets that couldn’t have been disclosed too early or it would have ruined the whole creepy and scary build-up to that wild and intense ending. The pacing was steady (first half) to fast (second half) and the storyline was very interesting, at least to me, as a big fan of spooky and scary stories. The writing was well done too. Revealing leads and clues at all the right times and excellent work at maintaining that overall spooky and scary tone. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
“How easy it is to be someone else these days with our reluctance to engage in person, to even talk to people. We rely upon texts and emails and never question who might be on the other end. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn’t exist.” - Jack Brooks
TW: extreme religious fanaticism and child abuse
“Prayers should not be selfish. God is not a concierge; he’s not here at your beck and call. By all means, ask for guidance, but if you need help, you must learn to help yourself.” - Jack Brooks
The book summary introduces the different storylines of vicar Jack Brooks and her 15yr old (not 14yrs old like the book summary states) daughter, Flo, moving to Chapel Croft. Jack was transferred from her previous position in Nottingham after an incident where a child was killed. Chapel Croft is definitely one creepy place with a boatload of weird residents that gives the story its really freaky vibe from the get-go. Besides the morbid history and the recent suicide of the former vicar, there is the creepy Aaron, the church warden as well as the son of a former vicar. There are also the obnoxious teenagers, Rosie and Tom, who are the town bullies, especially Rosie, who is the eldest daughter of Simon, who is also a bully. Both of them give off scary psycho vibes. There are several other weird residents giving the town that whole Castle Rock (a creepy Stephen King town) vibe.
“Beliefs should be a conscience choice not something you’re brainwashed into when you’re too young to understand it or question it. Faith isn’t something you pass down like an heirloom. It’s not tangible or absolute. It’s something you have to keep working at.” - Jack Brooks
The story flips back and forth between Jack, Flo and a psycho who was just released from prison, that is later revealed to be named Jacob. There’s a lot going on here. For starters, Jack begins researching the disappearance of the two girls and a priest 30yrs ago and also starts receiving strange notes that seem like warnings. Flo starts seeing burning girls along with dealing with Rosie and Tom. Then there is Jacob, who is trying to find Jack. Jacob has some really creepy intentions too. There’s also some mystery around Jack’s past, especially her childhood. I like Jack; I don’t think she’s a typical vicar. I don’t really know since I don’t know any vicars. I like how she’s a bit of a smart@$$ and has a little bit of a snarky attitude, at least in her head. I also like how she’s really tuned in to signs of religious fanaticism.
“Bad things happen. Things that make you question whether there is a God and if there is, why he’s such a bastard. The truth is bad things do not happen because of God. He’s not sitting in his heavenly control room thinking of ways to test our faith, like some celestial Ed Harris in the Truman Show. Bad things happen because life is a series of random, unpredictable events.” - Jack Brooks
Having read way too many of these types of stories, I know that none of this is going to end well and I was right. A bizarre revelation in the second half has all of the storylines beginning to merge that culminates into a really scary and intense and pretty shocking end. Some of it I saw coming, and some I didn’t, and it was that stuff that made the ending so much more shocking.
“Good does not always triumph over evil. Prayers do not win battles. Sometimes we need the devil on our side. The problem is once you have him riding shotgun, he’s hard to get rid of.” - Jack Brooks
The character development of Jack and Flo and the psycho was pretty well done while the character development for most of the other characters were slim to none. However, that was probably by design because many of them were harboring a lot of secrets that couldn’t have been disclosed too early or it would have ruined the whole creepy and scary build-up to that wild and intense ending. The pacing was steady (first half) to fast (second half) and the storyline was very interesting, at least to me, as a big fan of spooky and scary stories. The writing was well done too. Revealing leads and clues at all the right times and excellent work at maintaining that overall spooky and scary tone. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.4 that I will be rounding down to a 4star review.
“How easy it is to be someone else these days with our reluctance to engage in person, to even talk to people. We rely upon texts and emails and never question who might be on the other end. The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was pretending he didn’t exist.” - Jack Brooks
TW: extreme religious fanaticism and child abuse
