Black Hill Farm (Book One) [NOOK Book]

Powerful Psychological Thriller!

I'm still reeling an hour after finishing this novel-this was a superb read and I just can't get over how incredibly creepy it is. I feel a little like I've been kicked in the gut. a little queasy. but not in a bad way, if that makes sense? It's riveting and surprising and I still can't catch my breath. Black Hill Farm is a crazy psychological thriller, and I found it impossible to put down, especially as events began to pick up as Ben McCloud's world sputtered out of control.

I love the way O'Rourke put this novel together; it's the transcript of the police interview John Walker conducted with Ben McCloud as he confesses to the murders at Black Hill Farm. Walker begins the story explaining that, in order to find peace, he feels the need to share the transcript, along with his thoughts and feelings, in order to clear the air. From there, the novel takes off in rapid succession as McCloud starts his tale from the very beginning; from the first time he ever saw Black Hill Farm.

In the beginning I thought that Ben McCloud and John Walker were just two regular people, one doing his job, and one confessing to the atrocities the police are still trying to piece together. However, as McCloud began explaining his revelations about Andy, his beautiful female cousin, it becomes apparent that McCloud isn't just another run of the mill teen. As the story progresses, and Walker learns more about Ben and Andy's relationship, it become blatantly obvious that, psychologically speaking, both Andy and McCloud are somewhat deranged.

It's a slow progression, going from sane to psychologically unstable, but it became more obvious, and at one point I was physically sickened by the events McCloud spoke of concerning the first death on the farm, yet those events are necessary to show just how truly psychotic Andy is, and how easily McCloud was sucked in to it all. Yet, it's the last quarter of the novel that really got me. Nothing is as it seems, and McCloud's revelations threw me off balance as new evidence came to light. I can't get over the ending. I was shocked by it all-up until the dinner party I was just thinking that these kids were deranged and bad things kept happening, but everything changed once the party began-learning the truth made my jaw drop, and the intensity of the novel still has my gut in knots. I really liked the ending, the twists, the entire novel was riveting, especially as Walker begins to explain exactly why he retired, and why he's not necessarily a regular guy just doing his job.

You don't want to miss this book, and you won't want to miss the sequel either, which will be released shortly. I cannot wait to read Andy's Diary, a sequel that promises to shed light on the inner being of Andy. Four and a half stars.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

WOW! CREEPY! VERY DARK INSANELY CAPTIVATING! A THRILLER THA

WOW!

CREEPY!

VERY DARK

INSANELY CAPTIVATING!

A THRILLER THAT TWISTS THE READER
INSIDE & OUT

TIM IS FEARLESS WITH HIS CHARACTERS!



BOOK REVIEW:

I could so easily see this book made into a play. I visualise the stage with the left hand corner set up as the interview room where Chief Inspector John Walker, the suspect, Ben McCloud and Ms. Hughes, the Appropriate Adult sit and the interview takes place. Ben’s story is recorded regarding the events that took place at Black Hill Farm.


The lights go dark over left of centre stage.


The lights go on over centre stage. The scenes are acted out from Ben’s point of view, telling the story of Black Hill Farm.


Right of centre stage, would be John’s scenes.


This is an incredible read, very dark and twisted. If you have read any of Tim’s Kiera Hudson series, he doesn’t shy away from gore, dark moments and twists and turns in his story telling.


Hold on to your seats in this tale of Andy and Ben, cousins who live at Black Hill Farm with Andy’s father, Uncle Michael. Ben is an orphan and he has come to live with his relatives.


This story has few characters. Andy, Ben, Uncle Michael, Parker, the fortunetella, John Walker and of course last but not least, Emily-the-old-cow.


Andy and Ben are characters that I felt almost sad for. They have many secrets that are dark and dangerous. They are barely holding on.


Tim weaves a lot into this book and what happens at the end............EeeEeeppppp!!


This is a very different, twisted, dark, captivating tale which has even more to offer the reader in book 2, Andy’s Diary.

This is not a happy tale filled with unicorns and rainbows, it is a stunningly twisted tale of characters who want to be loved and have been let down too much by those that should have cared and not given enough time with those that did.


Tim in my eyes is unfolding to become a true Master of deceiving the reader.

Excellent Read!

I had seen an ad on Facebook for this book and just the title drew me in. I read the description on Goodreads and added it to my to-read list. Right off the bat I was so engrossed, sucked in to the story that I didn't want to put it down. This book was written from the perspective of the Detective and his notes of the interview with the suspect, and I actually really enjoyed it that way. It was the complete opposite from any other book that I had read. As the Suspect is telling his story there is enough detail that it left nothing to wonder and I could picture it all in my mind as I was reading. I don't like to spoil a good book for anyone but I have to admit that I had a feeling about one of the characters but once I got to almost the end of the book I was half right and half wrong about that certain person. The ending through me for a complete loop where I was screaming what just happened here (but in a really good way) I didn't see it coming at all and was actually kind of sad the book was over. Tim O'Rourke has a new fan. I look forward to new books from him. As much as I wanted to give this book 5 stars, I couldn't because of a few (and trust me it's not many) spelling errors, which I seem to notice a lot of e-books have.

Overall, well done Tim! Thank you for a great, odd story!

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No text was provided for this review.