A survival story with great atmosphere… Endlessly fascinating

A minor masterpiece

Boyne should be congratulated for his spirited take on an old theme

Boyne is a skilful storyteller, expertly weaving differing stories together

Such an impressive debut. Every element is spot on - from the elegant prose, through the realistic portrayal of various aspects of family life, the three-dimensional characters and the occasional comic set-piece, to the supernatural horror underpinning it, which is absolutely chilling. Highly recommended

Well written and well paced, with more than a sprinkling of hair-raising moments

A story to get lost in

Barraclough's debut, which is based on a centuries-old British ballad, is a ghost story through and through, chock-full of mysterious apparitions, strange voices, cryptic warnings, and townsfolk who chorus beware

The story, based on a traditional poem, moves to a chilling conclusion

Barraclough's depiction of Bryers Guerdon, a village half-immersed in mist-clad marshes, is as vivid as it is frightening; its silent and close-lipped inhabitants are reminiscent of those of Crythin Gifford in Susan Hill's The Woman in Black. Much of our time is spent in Guerdon Hall, a sinking wreck of a house, exploring the dusty tombs of its abandoned rooms. As the action builds, the cellar and, perhaps most notably, the nearby churchyard become the focus of a gripping, supernatural climax

This atmospheric, pulse-pounding debut makes the most of its rural, post–World War II setting, a time and place where folklore uneasily informs reality. Barraclough controls her narrative with authority, shifting voices and tenses to provide both perspective and the occasional welcome respite from tension . . . A good, old-fashioned literary horror tale for sophisticated readers

A wonderful coming-of-age tale...she twists gritty realism with folklore themes in a truly mesmerising prose

Jilly's descriptions of the glorious Cotswold countryside are some of the most lyrical ever written and her comedies of manners rival Nancy Mitford, if not Jane Austen

As plots go you can't get more charming than this

The narrative zips along, pierced with her characteristically brilliant ear for dialogue and empathy for human relationships of all kinds... You won't be able to put it down once you get going

A rollicking fantasy

I loved it

Sit back and enjoy the ride as the queen of the bonkbuster, Jilly Cooper, delivers another fabulously entertaining saga

Sharp, funny and touching

The Spoiler - set in the halcyon days before phone hacking - was one of the funniest and sharpest fleet street novels in years.

McAfee - herself a former journalist - evokes two distinct eras and styles of journalism, that of fearless frontline reportage and that of its successor: style-oriented, celebrity-obsessed features coverage... This is a pacy read that leaves little doubt in the reader's mind that one school of journalism deserves more mourning than the other

Marvellous satire...the novel is cunningly plotted and satisfyingly nuanced

If the peek into the world of newspaper journalism afforded by the Leveson inquiry has you gasping for more, then this timely paperback release is perfect...a fiendishly funny (and frighteningly plausible) world of fiddled expenses and suspect tactics

Thoroughly enjoyable behind-the-scenes expose of an ambitious celebrity journalist's attempt to nail the scoop of her life

This is the paperback edition. The hardback appeared before the News Corporation bosses were dragged into the Commons. McAfee was either very prescient or close to the action, holding her fictional hacks to account for printing false stories gleaned from disreputable sources