LoveReading Says
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.
In the present, single mum Kelda has moved into a new home with her young son, Dylan. In estate agent speak, the toll house is a house with history, which we discover through episodes that take us back to 1863, when a woman dies while giving birth to a stillborn baby.
In the present, Kelda finds a death mask embedded into her cottage, while Dylan becomes deeply disturbed. He reports seeing a woman in his bedroom, he finds bones in the garden, he denies having drawn spidery streaks of red lipstick on his bedroom walls, and denies being responsible for the little white pebbles Kendra finds around the house. Then there’s the mystery around the man Kendra’s started seeing, and fractured family relations to deal with, too.
Melding modern-life with mysteries from the past, this is a readable romp of suspenseful supernatural fiction.
Reviewed by Joanne OwenJoanne Owen’s lifelong love of reading and writing began when she was growing up in Pembrokeshire, and very much wished that witches (and Mrs Pepperpot) were real.
More reviews by Joanne Owen Find This Book In
The Toll House Synopsis
The past isn't always dead and buried.
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.
But when Kelda finds a death mask concealed behind one of the walls, everything changes. Inexplicable things happen in the house, Kelda cannot shake the feeling of being watched and Dylan is plagued by nightmares, convinced he can see figures in his room. As Dylan's behaviour becomes increasingly challenging, Kelda seeks answers in the house's mysterious past. But she's running out of time.
Because something has awoken.
And now it won't rest . . .
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781408726457 |
| Publication date: |
5th October 2023 |
| Author: |
Carly Reagon |
| Publisher: |
Sphere an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
341 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Horror and Supernatural Fiction
|
| Other Genres: |
|
| Recommendations: |
|
Carly Reagon Press Reviews
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
I hoovered this up in one go. It's perfect for the spooky season. Be prepared for some seriously good twists. -- NATASHA PULLEY author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street
An edge-of-the-seat, nail-biting read. I loved it. -- KATE HAMER author of THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT
Pacy and page-turning this, dual timeline, ghost story will keep you up long after the witching hour - if you dare -- REBECCA NETLEY author of THE WHISTLING
Carly Reagon's genre-blending debut is perfect for fans of psychological thrillers looking for some supernatural chills. Past crimes, present fears, secrets & lingering threat had me turning those final pages late into the night. -- ANITA FRANK, author of THE LOST ONES
A book that feels like it's watching you as you read it... an unsettling and gripping ghost story that'll have you looking over your shoulder until the end! -- CARI THOMAS author of THREADNEEDLE
A beautifully written tale of hauntings, grief, and the stories folded in old houses. Carly Reagon is one to watch. -- C.J. COOKE, author of THE LIGHTHOUSE WITCHES
A satisfyingly good old-fashioned ghost story that brilliantly echoes the likes of Susan Hill with an originality all of its own. Perfect for a spooky autumnal read. -- SUSAN STOKES-CHAPMAN, Sunday Times bestselling author of PANDORA
Sinister from the get-go, THE TOLL HOUSE is a belter of a ghost story. A novel where two families, 150 years apart, navigate living in a house where grief and murder have bled into the walls. I loved it. -- LIV MATTHEWS author of THE TWINS
A real pageturner with pressure mounting to the very end. Carly Reagon makes writing scares look easy. -- REBECCA F. JOHN, author of THE HAUNTING OF HENRY TWIST
