I really didn't enjoy this book. It really wasn't my cup of tea and I found it very dark and muddled. I disliked the characters which didn't help me like this book anymore. A real struggle to finish it. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

"The Folly had cast its spell, and reaped another soul."

Gemma Amour's story is about Morgan and her father Owen. She always believed he didn't kill her mother, years of campaigning for him sees him being released from prison. Drowning in debt, they take a job as caretakers for a tower known as The Folly. It is prone to have intruders, so as caretakers, Morgan and Owen can live here with all amenities paid for. Soon things begin to spiral as strange events occur that hint towards not just the past of this tower but the truth about Morgan and her family.

This book was easy to read in one go. The story is fast paced and riddled with unease and mystery. Strangely the isolated tower and atmosphere mirror the battles Morgan is facing with reconnecting with her father while trying to figure out what the strange events mean.

As the story progresses there are a couple twists which I didn't see coming. For a short read it packed in a lot of gothic atmosphere and emotional intrigue.

I binged this! I loved how the suspense built up early on. I always thought I'd like to live in a secluded place, away from the hoards but after reading this, maybe not!

The creepy guy turning up and you living out of the way of everyone means you are harder to get to and takes longer to get to you also. I also thought I'd like being by the sea, the waves nearby, the seagulls etc but finding out about a nearby cave, accessible from footholds in the cliff, possibly someone living there and having access to your home would scare me!

Morgan's mother passing away and her dad being in prison for supposedly murdering his wife has taken a huge toll on Morgan. Kind of living as an orphan while her dad was serving time. She keeps picturing her mum at the bottom of the stairs - her final resting place - having to believe it was an accident but never really being sure. Can her dad tell her the truth?

This was a real page turner, I really feel for Morgan and her backstory. I really like how fast paced this is and look forward to reading some of Gemma's other books!

This was a decent thriller mystery, set predominately in a spooky coastal area in Cornwall, in an even creepier & infamous tower named The Folly. I loved the concept of this book & if you're a fan of more supernatural, eerie vibes then I recommend trying this one.
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Personally, I probably could have had it as a longer book. Some parts, more so toward the end did feel slightly rushed which also made me lose track a little bit of what was actually going on. However, at the same time, I appreciated how nothing felt too slow paced or drawn out. The main thing I wasn't a personal fan of and I know it'll be a marmite thing with this book was the covid subplot with our main characters— I understand how it may have been an integral part in setting the scene & leading on to the outcome of the main plot but I just didn't really feel it was all that necessary, this was the major thing that knocked the star rating down for me.
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The main plot itself I thought was executed well; I surprisingly didn't completely predict the twisty ending & after sitting on it for a couple days, I've decided I did quite enjoy that last page & how it all ended for our FMC, Morgan. The tension during some of those scenes in the folly were genuinely spooky & the scene setting was so well done it constantly felt like I was in that building alongside them. I'm still unsure how I feel about Morgan; it may have been intentional with what she's been through but it didn't feel like she was meant to be in her 40s; she seemed immature & almost frustrated me at points, but again I know this will be a subjective thing and others may come to love the character.
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Overall, I think a 3 star rating is appropriate for how I feel with this one. If you enjoy short, snappy thrillers with plenty intrigue & mystery, give this one a go! I'd also definitely be up for reading other work by this writer.

Four years on from The Year that Wasn’t and it seems both that so much time has passed, and yet no time at all. In this beautiful novella, Gemma Amor catapulted me back to those days of empty streets, fear of human contact and the potential awfulness of an unknown and baffling threat with no chance of escape.

The plot itself is deeply human, but it’s this setting - remote both in terms of the Folly itself and the world it’s set in - that makes the atmosphere so shivery. Broke, alone and avoiding society, Morgan and her father have only themselves, but unlike the rest of us (shut up with those we lived with during lockdown), they have a very unique history.

I love Gemma’s writing, and it’s been a pleasure to see it evolve over the years. I admit that I was a little nervous of reading this book, because I knew it would be an intense ride... and it absolutely is, while also managing to flow steadily and with such compelling turns of phrase that I couldn’t step away. Trapped in the Folly, as willingly as its owners.

I appreciated the contrast between prison life and the ‘outside’, having myself worked in various locations At Her Majesty’s Pleasure. It changes a person, easily as much as the isolation of 2020, and the difficulty of being able to communicate such a feeling is stark in Morgan’s narrative, as is her coming to terms with the ghosts of her grief. We the reader can understand and sympathise up to a point, but when the weirdness in the tale begins, that sense of being trapped on the edge of the world is similarly inescapable.

This book has had a tumultuous ‘birth’ - from its previous publisher folding, to finding a new home with Datura, to difficulties crossing the ocean due to strikes, but it’s here at last (in the UK at least!) and I’m so glad it’ll find its audience at last.

Atmospheric and haunting in the best gothic tradition.

Hello again dear reader or listener, today, I have one of those reviews where the book didn’t work for me unfortunately but it might for others! It wasn’t you, dear book, it was me.

With thanks to the team at Datura for approving my Netgalley request, let’s break down this novella.
This is my first time reading any of Amor’s work and, while this story didn’t quite work for me, I did enjoy elements of the author’s writing style so I will definitely be checking out more of her work in the future.

The Folly is an interesting psychological study of what can happen to one’s psyche after traumatic events, regardless of how hard one might try their best to break out of vicious thought loops or even PTSD caused by said events or by mental conditioning. Morgan, the protagonist, is a fascinating point of view to tell the story in because it shows us how easy or, depending on how bleak you’re feeling, unavoidable it is to fall into some kind of psychosis despite your best efforts to fix things, when everything is working against you.

There is a lot that Amor brings to the story to create both atmosphere and to truly render the sense of isolation and loneliness that grief can shroud you in. Paired with the time setting of the Covid pandemic lockdowns, and the location of an isolated tower in Cornwall, the author really drives her metaphors in strongly. If nothing else, the social commentary throughout, was truly on point, be it regarding the effects of the lockdowns, the struggles of the medical professionals, the faults of prison systems, or even the harm and damages of sensationalist news stories.
As for what didn’t work for me, well that’s gonna be a difficult one to explain. I could see what the author was attempting with the unsettling presence of the stranger that somehow acted like Morgan’s dead mother, or spoke with her voice. I was not overly bothered with the fact that there were too many unexplained details, or with the lack of easy answers as to what was happening because I knew the author was going for Gothic ambiguity and to likely display the protagonist’s progressively more and more unreliable mental state. Even though some answers would’ve been nice. The two mysteries of what or who the stranger truly was, as well as the niggling doubt that slowly creeps into Morgan’s mind about her father’s innocence in her mother’s death, were what drove me to complete the story even though some of those reveals became pretty obvious way before the end of the story. It would be charitable to call the plot twist a trope but it bordered too close to cliché for comfort if I’m being frank. There were some potential jump scares and I’m sure that had I been more engrossed in this story I may have been affected by them, but as it was, the body horror elements accompanying them found me completely jaded. I saw the climax for what it was meant to be but I didn’t feel particularly taken by it, and the denouement after gave me the sense of a skipping stone, or a series of time skipping postcards wrapping up this short story in a way that ultimately felt pretty bleak, even if kinda clever in the sense that you’re given one final confirmation about how broken Morgan truly was.

Finally, I was pretty disappointed in the significance of the tower itself. From the blurb, you’re given to understand that it holds bigger significance to the plot, so I expected the tower and its promised ghosts to be relevant in some way to the story, but it ended up just being set dressing that is pretty glossed over aside for pointing out that it’s out of the way of people.

I am a big fan of ghost stories and even a bigger one of slow fall into insanity plots, however in this case, I just did not connect with this one in any way that might affect me or stay with me afterward. At the cost of sounding too harsh, this was a thriller with no thrills for me. But I ended up looking at it more as a spec fic psychological study, than a horror or thriller and that might be enough.

Until next time,
Eleni A.E.

Morgan has spent years fighting to prove her father’s innocence in her mother’s alleged murder. Now, with Owen finally released, they retreat to "The Folly," a desolate tower perched on the windswept Cornish coast, hoping for a fresh start. But their supposed sanctuary takes a dark turn when a strange man, claiming to be Morgan's mother, speaking with her voice and wearing her clothing, finds them.

The author crafts a gothic atmosphere that evokes classic horror tales, using the isolated setting of the Cornish coast and the foreboding presence of "The Folly" to build an intense sense of suspense. The landscape and eerie details immerse readers in a world that’s both captivating and chilling. The isolation is further heightened by the events of the novella occurring during the pandemic lockdown.

At novella length, the pacing feels just right for the story being told. There’s a steady buildup of suspense, leading to a striking conclusion. While I enjoyed the journey, I found the ending left a bit to be desired. The twist of the story relies on a hefty coincidence which I found hard to swallow.

Although rich in atmosphere and tension, the novella falters somewhat in character depth, particularly with Morgan’s backstory. With more insight into her as a person, the story’s emotional pull could have been even stronger.

Overall, The Folly is a solid choice for fans of atmospheric, suspenseful reads. For anyone looking for a chilling story with echoes of classic gothic horror, this is one to explore — but prepare for a journey as beautiful and unsettling as its setting.

Content warning for a scene of animal cruelty (bird) and an attempted suicide.

This was a super creepy thriller with a cool, spooky vibe. Morgan’s dad has finally been let out of prison, and instead of trying to stick it out in their blood-stained family home, they move to a random coastal tower. The place is huge, isolated, and a little too good to be true. It’s honestly a character all on its own. The ending wrapped everything up perfectly and as we’re driving in the fog right now I’m looking over my shoulders.

If you’re into stories with a haunted vibe, family drama, and creepy strangers who don’t know when to leave, this was a lot of fun. It was a super short read so also perfect for meeting your reading goals. Might want to read this one with the lights on!

Thank you so much Datura Books and the author for the ARC. All the above are my honest thoughts.

I love Gemma Amor’s descriptive writing and I especially liked the way Morgan was written. She’s a complicated character who has been through something extremely traumatic and has all sorts of conflicting feelings about it. The way she treated her father was realistic and everything she felt was laid bare, even when she had horrible thoughts. I appreciated that, as I feel that a lot of times, the main character of a story doesn’t have enough realistic flaws or negative thoughts in order to keep them as likable as possible, but I prefer a character that feels more true to life.

I enjoyed the setup of the mystery and the arrival of the stranger was truly unnerving. I have to admit that I didn’t like the ending at first as I felt it was too confusing. even gave the book a lower rating because of it, but I kept thinking about it because it didn’t feel right. Since the since the book isn’t very long, I read through bits of it a second time and found that while I was still more confused by the end than I wanted to be, I liked it more than I did originally. Sometimes, even if I don’t get all the answers I want, the writing and the premise are just too good, and that’s the case for me with The Folly.

1⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Datura Books for an advanced copy of The Folly.

Morgan has been fighting for years to get her father Owen out of prison. He was convicted of killing her mother and Morgan never believed he did it and that it was just a horrible accident. He is finally being released and they are going to start a new life in a new town. But when they arrive weird things start happening and a man appears and tells Morgan to ask her father about 1976. Morgan starts to wonder if her father is truly innocent after all?

This book was just flat out weird and made no sense. The story and plot were all over the place-it felt like the author could not decide what kind of story to write so she wrote multiple stories in one book.

The inciting incident is reminiscent of the Michael Peterson case popularized on the Netflix series The Staircase. A woman falls to her death in the family home when the only other person present was her husband. Was she pushed or was it an accident? A jury convicted Owen of murder. His lone supporter is his daughter, Morgan, who has campaigned relentlessly for his release. Finally, the day comes when she picks him up from prison after he served six years of a fifteen year sentence, exonerated of the crime after an appeal and a second trial.

Morgan, now forty-three, knows that popular opinion remains against her father, and she's broke, so she sells the family home and finds a position for Owen as caretaker of a multistory tower standing at the edge of a cliff overlooking the Atlantic in Cornwall. The house where her mother died has too much history for them to stay there any longer but their new home has its own baggage: The Folly (a characteristically British term for a building that has little or no practical purpose) has a reputation for people—including a famous writer—either falling or jumping to their deaths.

In the Folly, they will be mostly away from prying, suspicious eyes. Morgan doesn't mind the isolated location—the entire country has been in lockdown for the past couple of years due to the pandemic, following distancing regulations that are even more drastic than those in America. Many businesses have shuttered and the familiar pub culture has vanished. The man who hires her father to tend to the Folly—the job consists mostly of general upkeep and chasing off death tourists (as the trespassers are called)—arranges for regular food deliveries, so the duo doesn't need to leave the premises.

It doesn't help, though, that the Folly's central feature is a spiral staircase, a constant reminder of the way Morgan's mother died. Morgan has steadfastly believed in her father's innocence; however, now that they are forced to live together in close confines, cracks form in their relationship. Complicating matters is the appearance of a mysterious stranger who seems to be channeling her mother's spirit, provoking her to ask her father difficult questions. Owen is so uncomfortable in this post-pandemic world that he floats the idea of committing another crime so he will be incarcerated again.

This is a brooding, atmospheric and claustrophobic novella, essentially a two-hander with an interloper who threatens to throw their precarious relationship off balance. Morgan's struggle with the past and the new present is the book's focus, which Amor handles deftly. As so many other Gothic stories have demonstrated, isolation is not without peril. Long-held secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface when people are trapped in moody, dark places.

I have complicated feelings about this novella. The first three-quarters were honestly some of the creepiest stuff I've ever read. I read a lot of horror but I don't get genuinely freaked out by books very often. This whole situation with the maybe mom zombie gave me a hectic case of the heebie jeebies. I thought it was brilliantly done. I was IMMERSED in that isolated, windswept gothic setting and I could feel all of Morgan's spiraling, escalating fears creeping down my spine. Gemma Amor gave Daphne Du Maurier a run for her money in the early parts of this story.

And then the the final three chapters happened. I didn't need them. I don't think the story needed them. The Folly had a natural, satisfying but ambiguous end point. Why keep going? It was like ten stars for the majority of this book and minus ten for the ending. I don't think my dissatisfaction with the conclusion outweighed how deeply the earlier sections affected me, but it did stop this from being the five star read I was anticipating.

As a fan of Gothic literature, I was delighted to receive an ARC copy of The Folly. The high quality of the writing style and the engaging mystery truly captivated me. The atmosphere and twists kept me invested. However, I found the protagonist: a depressed, middle-aged screwup, to be a bit of a cliché and one that's overused in literary fiction. The story's setting during Covid also felt a bit dated. I hoped for a love interest to enter at some point to create a more layered story, but alas, it wasn't to be. Despite these minor disappointments, I found the book to be an entertaining read overall and would recommend it to others.

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!