Morgan's father is finally released from prison, but they can no longer live in their old house. They move to a mysterious tower on the Cornish coastline called 'The Folly' where strange things start happening, including the appearance of a stranger who resembles Morgan's deceased mother. The story explores themes of love, loyalty, guilt, and possession as Morgan uncovers the truth about her mother's death.

This dark and mysterious tale captivated me from the start. As a fan of Dracula, I found the author's writing style to be fitting for the eerie atmosphere of the story. I now understand how this author was nominated for a British Fantasy Award. Each character was flawed and harbored a secret, adding depth to the plot. The flow of the book was seamless, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying the read.

While I understand that this book may not appeal to everyone, I believe it would be well-suited as an audiobook. The struggles of innocent individuals in jail are difficult to read about, prompting readers to consider what they would do in similar circumstances. The challenges of rebuilding one's life after release, especially in the face of judgment based on little evidence, are portrayed in a relatable manner through the characters.

The described environment in the book is haunting and unsettling, setting the perfect backdrop for the strange events that unfold. The eerie atmosphere draws readers in, compelling them to continue reading to uncover the bizarre occurrences within the story.

If you appreciate dark, gothic mysteries with a touch of paranormal elements, this book is must-read. The blend of mystery and the supernatural will keep you engaged until the very end.

Thank you, Datura Books for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

For a shorter story this book hits perfectly. The kindle version I read was about 240 pages which is technically a novella. I always find these a little harder to rate overall because I am used to reading books about a hundred pages longer. I think because of this books length the main character and her father weren’t as fully developed as I would normally hope for, however, it wasn’t a huge hinderance on the story and I still enjoyed. This book is more a gothic horror with a very vivid scene at one point, and I liked how it was done. The supernatural elements were also fantastic and really added to the story. The setting was my favorite part because it just felt so bleak and it was perfect for this horror story to play out. Having this book set during mid-pandemic also added to the creepy, gothic setting. Because of how vividly the writing was, I felt like I was right there in the small secluded town, and I felt myself pulling my blanket up a little more because I had chills. I read this one rather quickly because despite being a gothic horror it did have quicker pacing.

After years of campaigning for his release, Morgan's father Owen is finally released from prison. Accused of murder....of his wife/Morgan's mother, Owen has endured years away from Morgan. He and Morgan must leave their home, which was once covered in the blood of the victim. They move to the Cornish Coast into The Folly.

The Folly has a dark history. It's a tall, dark, notorious home that was the site of a romance novelist's suicide. Because of the success of her books, many tourists (death tourists) make the journey and try to see where it all happened.

Once there, Morgan and her father have to adjust to living together again. Then a stranger appears, and the stranger has the voice of her mother, smells like her mother, wearing the same apron as her mother. The stranger continues to appear, pushing Morgan's sanity to the limit.
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This was an interesting one. Set during the late pandemic period, when things were starting to open back up, this essentially a story only involving two people. It's a fractured relationship. It's a daughter trying to fix the 7 years her father was away. It's a father looking at the truth.

There were some genuinely terrifying parts of this book, however I do feel like there were many small details that were left out. I needed more about Morgan's life while her father was away. More about why she was leaving the family home. I just....needed more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A creepy and unsettling short read with an interesting plot, good writing and a dark atmosphere. I really enjoyed this and read it in one day

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

I really enjoyed the Gothic Horror element to this book, it had that overall feel that works in the genre. The plot was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed the tense atmosphere overall. I thought the characters were realistic and worked in this setting. I enjoyed how Gemma Amor wrote this and can’t wait for more from the author.

Was really hyped to read this book, but tbh I was already let down by the first couple pages.

First off, the very beginning had no grip whatsoever. Especially for a story marked as a thriller/horror, there was nothing enticing to set the correct tone/mood and I pushed through with the rest thinking it was just a minor blip.

Unfortunately the book didn't improve much as I read on. The main character was a bit irritating and lacked depth, and the story itself held so much promise but fell flat in terms of delivery.

Thank you Netgalley and Datura for the digital ARC!

Morgan and her ex-con father are stalked by a mysterious stranger after taking up residence in an old tower. Morgan always knew her father, Owen, never murdered her mother. She has spent the last six years campaigning for his release from prison. Finally, mid pandemic, Owen is set free, but the debt riddled pair can no longer afford to live in the family home, a house last decorated by a dead woman’s blood! Good book! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, family secrets, a great who done it and a few crazy twists and turns. The story was interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I found the Folly to be a engrossing and exciting thriller with a touch of the paranormal. After a dangerous fall that killed her mother is deemed a murder, a young woman spends the next 6 years to get her father's conviction overturned. She engineers a move to a deserted folly, but soon begins to suspect her father may not be telling her the whole truth about her mother's death. Isolated and alone with her father, a sinister stranger appears who mimics her dead mother's mannerisms and right down to her voice. Who is this man and what part did he play in the mystery that destroyed her family.

Thanks to Datura Books and NetGalley for this ARC of Gemma Amor's 'The Folly.'

The blurb likens this to 'My Cousin Rachel' and that comparison to Daphne du Maurier's work is valid. A tragic daughter and father relocate from suburban Bristol to a granite tower in wild coastal Cornwall after his release from prison after she campaigned to have his conviction for the murder of his wife, her mother, overturned.

All of the elements of the Cornwall gothic are there - lonely tower, mists, raging seas, cliffs, death, mysterious strangers, unwelcoming locals in claustrophobic villages and centuries old pubs. The strangeness of the locale and the atmosphere are amplified, in this instance, by the lockdowns occasioned by the worldwide Covid pandemic and it really works to underline their isolation.

As the story progresses we learn more about Morgan, her father, her mother, the mysterious stranger and how everything and everyone arrived at where they find themselves in life and in the world. There's a nice ambiguity about whether we're in the real or the supernatural world which is never resolved, a good thing.

Gemma has a really good way with words and in dealing with the psychological damage that trauma and guilt brings. Her 'Full Immersion' is one of the finest books I've read in recent years and you feel like she's exposing her deepest knowledge of trauma when she writes.

This is an enjoyable quick read, more of a novella than a novel and recommended.