Welcome to my slightly delayed stop on the #blogtour for The Slaughter Man by Cassandra Parkin! I always try to add creepy reads to my October TBR pile so was delighted when the opportunity to read and review this came up.
Synopsis
When her identical twin Laurel dies, seventeen-year-old Willow’s life falls apart. With her parents marriage faltering, she finds escape at her uncle Joe’s cottage. But even as they begin to know each other, Willow is plagued with memories of her sister. Then, Lucas arrives in her life troubled, angry and with a dangerous past.
Joe’s cottage is idyllic, but the forest is filled with secrets. What is Joe hiding from her? What events have brought Lucas to her door? And who is the Slaughter Man who steals through Willow’s sleep?
As the lines between dreams and reality become blurred, Willow s torment deepens. It seems as if her only escape lies with the Slaughter Man.
My Thoughts
Cassandra Parkin is a new author (to me) and I was intrigued by the premise of this book as soon as I read the blurb. There is no doubt that this book is beautifully written, yet it wasn’t quite the creepy read I was expecting; there is an underlying sadness and morose mood throughout.
The book is peppered with dream sequences which I found both fascinating and disturbing; quite a novel way to tell a story, making it both eery and heartbreaking.
I enjoyed getting to know Willow, the main protagonist. I found her situation with the death of her twin to be utterly devastating. At times, I found this to be quite a difficult read; mature themes are dealt with throughout and there is also some graphic description of self harming. That said, Parkin dealt with each of these themes sensitively and managed to tell a haunting yet hopeful tale.
The Slaughter Man, is a gripping read but definitely not one for the faint hearted!
The Slaughter Man is out now in paperback and you can buy it here
My thanks go to Lucy Chamberlain and Legend Press for my invitation to the #blogtour and also for my finished copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. If you enjoyed my post, please do check out my others, and also the other stops on the #blogtour (see below).
Until next time!
@mrscookesbooks
