The Loney

By: Andrew Michael Hurley

Narrated by: Richard Burnip

The eerie, suspenseful debut novel that is hailed by Stephen King as "an amazing piece of fiction" and taking the world by storm.

When the remains of a young child are discovered during a winter storm on a stretch of the bleak Lancashire coastline known as the Loney, a man named Smith is forced to confront the terrifying and mysterious events that occurred 40 years earlier, when he visited the place as a boy. At that time his devoutly Catholic mother was determined to find healing for Hanny, his disabled older brother. And so the family, along with members of their parish, embarked on an Easter pilgrimage to an ancient shrine.

But not all of the locals were pleased to see visitors in the area. And when the two brothers found their lives entangling with a glamorous couple staying at a nearby house, they became involved in more troubling rites. Smith feels he is the only one who knows the truth, and he must bear the burden of his knowledge - no matter the cost.

Proclaimed by London's Sunday Telegraph as a "modern classic", The Loney marks the arrival of an important new voice in fiction.

©2014 Andrew Michael Hurley. First published in Great Britain in 2014 by Tartarus Press. Published in 2015 in Great Britain by John Murray, a Hachette UK Company (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A First-Rate novel for so many reasons!

Not the least of which is the stunning portrayal of how childhood is a nightmare all its own.

Mr. Hurley is a master of drawing his reader into the atmosphere he has created, so that although circumstances may differ, emotions and terrors are quite personal, and unforgettable. I'm off to find his short fiction, and patiently await his next novel.

Just read chapter 28 & 29

While the book is beautifully written and the setting/atmosphere is incredibly well built, nothing happens until chapter 28. It is a lot of build up for a huge lack of action.

Cerebral Horror

No cheap jump scares, but an atmosphere of existential dread. Beautifully written with narration to match. Highly recommended.

Confused

I'd heard so much about this book (which won numerous awards), but I found it rather boring. It was publicized as Thriller and Horror, but despite a Gothic setting, I came away feeling it was the story about religious mysticism. PS The narration on Audible was excellent!

Complex characters, twisting plot, unusual details of folklore

I Loved the gradual revelations and folklore details scattered throughout. I wanted to read it again as soon as i’d finished.