ZOOLOO'S BOOK TOURS | AMONGST THE MISTS by M. L. RAYNOR
Hi Y'all
I am sorry for totally butchering the American language. Today, I join Zooloo's Book Tours for the first in a double bill over the next two days. Firstly it is paranormal thriller Amongst The Mists by M. L. Raynor.
‘As
engaging as anything I’ve read this decade. Rayner is required
reading for horror fans.’
Jonathan
Edward Durham, author of Winterset Hollow
It
was the most anticipated summer break of their young lives.
For
Bran Lampshire, that summer of 1986 would be far different. The lure
of a wilderness adventure sends him and his friends on a troublesome
journey that would see them far from home and into the isolated
shadows of the Sleathton Estate. In a forgotten land where nature
thrives, an unexplained mist settles upon the shaded grounds. And
stories were told of events so chilling, they were forcibly buried
over time.
Lose yourself beneath the endless trees. And
discover that legends are sometimes so much more than ghost stories.
BOOKLINKS
With a distinct lack of parental responsibility, Marcus, Bran and Jack are off down to the woods. Not for a there and back home day out, but a mammoth nine day trip to the mysterious Sleathton Estate.
After a series of misadventures that leads to traumatic head injury, they are helped by local hotelier, Gregory who keeps a lodge in the deserted village of Thyme.
The boys soon learn of the dark secrets that lead to the village being abandoned in the first place. However, they also misplace Jack. The boys set off out in search of their friend which leads them to confront the evil that is haunting the woods.
Set in the mid eighties, this slice of folk horror carefully plays out through the bickering of the two main characters, Marcus and Bran, but also the mysterious girl that haunts the pages, Olivia, who for some reason is being hunted and tormented by an unknown force.
The story evokes the nostalgia of the eighties and the carefree (totally irresponsible) attitudes of past. There are all the things that I remember from being a kid, such as Marathons (now known as Snickers) and other such things. Now, I must say that I grew up in this era, and whilst there is an air of utter lack of parental supervision, I can recall going to camp on the local field for a few nights in a row, so this doesn't really stretch the reality of the times.
The story gently builds up the tension of the story, reminding me a little of those television programmes that I used to watch as a child in the late seventies/early eighties, things like Children of the Stones. M.L. Raynor manages to mix an air of eeriness into the story, particularly with Olivia's point of view. Not only that there is the mystery of the village of Thyme which M.L. Raynor carefully reveals the full horror of the events.
The two leads manage to pull the story along and interact well together, even though they are like chalk and cheese. Marcus is quiet, thoughtful and caring, whilst Bran is brash and loudmouthed, generally causing trouble throughout the story. However, it is not until Gregory the wine swilling hotelier enters the story does the tale take off.
With Amongst the Shadows, M.L. Raynor manages to present a good mix of mystery, paranormal and folklore in this enjoyable mystery.
Author Bio
Born and bred in the county of Staffordshire. Matt is a keen reader of classical, horror and fantasy literature and enjoys writing in the style of traditional ghost stories. During his working life, Matt joined the ambulance service in 2009, transporting critically ill patients all over the UK. After writing his first novel, Matt now dedicates his time on future releases. His hobbies include genealogy and hiking, and he enjoys spending time with his wife, Emma, his children, and his family.
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