Joseph Freeman has great skill in writing a dark, suspenseful
story. ‘The Cold Heart of Summer’ is the latest offering and is no exception to
the rule.
After the sudden death of his father, Jerry begrudgingly
revisits the town of his childhood. A town that has a dark past, a dark past
that seems to be coming back to the fore. As an outsider, Jerry senses that
something is on the verge of happening. A late returned library book seems to
hold the key to events that are snowballing out of the control of reality.
Throughout the book episodes unfold that are both
frightening and sometimes incredibly gruesome. Situations include; a family
with strange infectious growths in their back garden and a middle aged estate
agent whose infidelities throw him into the path of a terrifying and dangerous spectre.
Most disconcerting was the ongoing tale of Briony. She is an
ex-drug addict desperate to turn her life around and make things better for her
baby daughter. Hazel, her social worker, is hopeful that she will achieve her
aim, but is frightened by the child in ways she cannot explain, fears that the
child’s mother unbeknownst to Hazel shares.
Witchcraft, ghosts, strange beasts and even black shuck draw
the reader into a dark story and drag the reader deeper into an intricate web. The range of characters was diverse, from the sceptical outsider to
the lord of the manner and everyone in between.
If I were to liken this offering of Joseph’s to any other writer,
I would have to pick two. Peter James for the plot that keeps surprises coming
from around every corner, and distinct smatterings of James Herbert in the
gruesome tales that unfold throughout the story.
I really enjoyed the variety in this book, the picture of a
town collapsing under a supernatural catastrophe was caught perfectly encompassing
every aspect of a large village.
If you would like to learn more please visit http://www.josephfreeman.co.uk/
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