The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James was a dark, chilling and deeply intriguing novel with a whole host of dastardly, devious characters, and plenty of twists and turns hiding behind every corner. I had this book on pre-order and couldn’t wait to read it once it had been delivered to my Kindle. I don’t know what it is about creepy, run-down old houses but they always pull me towards a story. Throw some strange new neighbours and dark secrets into the mix, and I’m usually sold. This is the first book by Stuart James that I’ve read, but I have got my eye on Apartment Six over on Amazon, so I’m sure I’ll be picking that one up at some point, too. Again, it has that chill to it that I find impossible to ignore and which I thoroughly enjoy reading.
In The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James, readers are introduced to Jake and Kate, and their son, Sean. The story follows the married couple as they finally find their dream home and proceed to make the move from London to Ramsbury. Although in need of a little bit of TLC, the house on Rectory Lane is perfect for the family, and they’re overjoyed to be starting afresh in the countryside with nothing but endless possibilities ahead of them. As they settle into their new life, it isn’t long before strange events begin to occur, odd warnings to leave while they still have chance. And once aware of mystery surrounding the previous occupants of the property on Rectory Lane, the Prescott family, things begin to get even stranger for Jake and Kate.
From the get-go, Stuart James ensured there was more than enough interest and intrigue to keep me turning those pages. Although the sale for the house on Rectory Lane seemed to go through smoothly enough, and coincidentally the house popped up at just the right moment, I had numerous questions surrounding the property and how moving their was a complete uproot for the family. When Jake and Kate go to view the property for the first time, it’s quickly apparent that it’s an impressive home. With electronic gates and a magnificent fireplace, it’s a house that stands out and is easily set apart from the rest, and though it’s in need of a little restorative work, Jake is not put off and is certain it’s the perfect home for himself, his wife and their son. They make the move swiftly and, soon enough, they’re unpacking and making the house their own. Despite this obviously being a happy moment for the trio, the author ensures that there’s still a pinch of hesitation towards the move from the couple. Although it’s grand and impressive, the couple are aware of how different it is to their London home. It’s deathly quiet, very rarely does traffic pass through, and they know nobody. Stuart James captures the loneliness that a person would feel in a place like that perfectly. If you were to scream, no one would hear you, and this certainly adds a sinister tone to the unravelling of the plot as the days slip by and the house on Rectory Lane is settled into.
When the strange goings-on began to occur, the tension of this story certainly heightened for me. My nerves were on high-alert and I felt as though I was catching my own breath each time something untoward took place. I began to feel as though each time something happened, the evilness was becoming deeper, and more personal, and I found myself beginning to wonder just what sort of place Jake and Kate had come to. Their neighbours seemed friendly enough, but even the happiness of making new friends is unable to dull the subtle threat aimed at the family of three and I felt my grip on my Kindle growing tighter with every change of a chapter. The author certainly knows how to grab the reader and scare them enough to ensure they sit tight for the duration of the story. This is exactly the effect that Stuart James had on me.
The characterisation in this story was great. The author manages to switch the narration frequently throughout, while still maintaining Jake and Kate as the main voices. This was done smoothly and introduced me to many, many lively and enjoyable characters, from the detectives who work with Jake when things begin to take a much a darker turn for the family, to the ‘watcher’, who we find out more about as the plot progresses. I loved this switching and really enjoyed the wider circle of observation it gave me as the reader. We’re not only in the house with Jake and Kate, but we’re in other places too, watching this story unfold from many different places and alongside many different people.
It’s fair to say that Stuart James takes his readers on a rollercoaster ride of a thriller within The House on Rectory Lane. I could never be certain of where this story would end up, which direction I would be taken in, or what the characters would discover or do next. It was thrilling and exciting and had me constantly on the edge of my seat from one page to the next, always keeping me on my toes and my suspicions on constant high-alert. This was a sinister and teasing game of cat and mouse with a constant threat slithering throughout that chilled me to the bone. I’m looking forward to reading more from Stuart James in the near future.
Read on to find out more about The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James.
How could a dream move turn into such a nightmare?
Jake and Kate live in London but after an altercation with a stranger who threatens Jake with a knife, they take their son and move to a house in the woods.
It’s their dream home, or so they think until people in the village warn them they shouldn’t have come. Their neighbours are strange and when Kate sees a face at the window, the family realise they might be in danger.
When they find a tape hidden in the loft of the house, a video recording of the previous family who once lived there, it chills them to the bone. They soon realise that the family living there before them have disappeared and they too could now be next.
What is the mystery surrounding the house on Rectory Lane? Jake and Kate are about to find out…
Purchase your copy of The House on Rectory Lane here.
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