Lonely House
We’re off into horror land with today’s plug for ‘Lonely House.’
This book started off as an idea for a film script. In fact, if you were to analyse it, you would see that it follows a classic four-act film structure. 1) Set up leading to twist, 2) Dealing with the twist leading to a story-changing revelation, 3) Dealing with the consequences leading to a crisis and climax, and 4) Resolving it all. As I like to put it: Act one, there is no problem. Act two, what is this problem? Act three, how do we deal with it? Act four, dealing with it. Or, if you will excuse me, your basic four-act film story or novel in this case, looks like this:
- Chilling
- Wtf?
- No, seriously, mate, WTF!
- Phew (or not)
It is also written mainly in the present tense to bring the reader right into the horror – and it does get a bit bloody in places. The story takes place in an unspecified location but, if you’re brave enough to make it to the end, the last scene is set in Dymchurch on the Kent coast.
“How much horror can one friendship endure?”
Drover and Pete are two hopeful drifters looking for a better life. Desperate for food, they break into an isolated house deep in a forest. There they accidentally shoot an old man just as the rest of his family arrive for a birthday gathering.
Under intense suspicion from the family, the boys attempt to cover up the accident. But they are not the only ones keeping a murderous secret. Mistrust and deception unearth a primaeval ritual as the lies give way to a terrifying truth.
With time running out and a deadly force closing in, Drover and Pete’s survival rests on the strength of their friendship, but they must face some horrific choices in order to stay alive.
“Loved this book from start to finish. A real page-turner with twists and turns all the way. How James comes up with these stories amazes me. Horror, mystery and a degree of sadness. Who will come out on top. Keep reading.” Joan West
“James tantalises you by just releasing enough information on each character to keep you wanting to know more about each of them. He has mastered that technique of forcing you to start the next chapter as you really care what happens to these people – some you want to stay with you, others you may want to kill. This excellent story has a very satisfactory outcome – depending on your moral compass.” Derek Stephen
