House of Spines

By: Michael J. Malone

Narrated by: David Elliot

Ran McGhie's world has been turned upside down. A young, lonely and frustrated writer, and suffering from mental health problems, he discovers that his long-dead mother was related to one of Glasgow's oldest merchant families.

Not only that, but Ran has inherited Newton Hall, a vast mansion that belonged to his great-uncle, who appears to have been watching from afar as his estranged great-nephew has grown up. Entering his newfound home, he finds that Great-Uncle Fitzpatrick has turned it into a temple to the written word - the perfect place for poet Ran. But everything is not as it seems. As he explores the Hall's endless corridors, Ran's grasp on reality appears to be loosening. And then he comes across an ancient lift; and in that lift a mirror. And in the mirror...the reflection of a woman....

A terrifying psychological thriller with more than a hint of the Gothic, House of Spines is a love letter to the power of books and an exploration of how lust and betrayal can be deadly.

©2017 Michael J. Malone (P)2017 Audible, Ltd

That...was weird

I'm not big into the incest stuff and was not expecting it. The whole book is weird, long and drawn out a little too long.

If you're looking for a story with twist and keeps you guessing this is not it. It's easy to see where it's going because he's written like a an idiot.

Cinematic Scots chiller

I think I like it more in retrospect than I did as I was listening, which is probably because the main character became rather irritating. There’s a strong cast of characters and the premise is good but I think it would be more successful if it were filmed. The house, the books, the pool, the lift etc make a great cinematic backdrop to the ghostly and mental health strands. A good film maker could trim down the repetition, move the plot along a little faster and create an atmospheric contemporary chiller.