The Clockmaker

Wow. Words cannot begin to describe just how good this book is. I was grabbed within the first couple of pages and was not let go until I finished the whole book. Thankfully, I don't need to get up early in the morning!
I found the book to be extremely well written and the beginning of a fantastic trilogy. I certainly can't wait until the next installment.
That to Netgalley and the publishers, Troubador Publishing Limited for the opportunity to read this amazing novel and a huge thankyou to Drew Neary and Ceri William's for writing such a captivating story.

It is a bit confusing; this book can only be found on GR by searching for 'Drew Neary' and then you find an edition without a cover picture, and this one, with author Ceri Williams, with the beautiful cover.
The fact is, Drew and Ceri are co-authors and the beautiful cover is by Ana Priscila Rodriguez Aranda, a visual artist born in Mexico City but living and working in the Netherlands.

Anyway, I am happy to have read this book because it is quite unusual. It is very well written in a beautiful flowing style, where a lot is said between the lines. It is horror but it is more than that. It is also a moving story about love and understanding. The way Annette and her young son try to build up a new life after their great loss and the terrible things that happened in the war cuts right into your heart.

Very Good

Received "The Clockmaker" as part of an eARC a few days ago and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. This book is a fabulous mix of many genres as the story has so many things going on. There's a bit of magic/supernatural, there's some sci-fi elements, history; we could even call it a thriller/ horror fiction. The story is about a little child, Duncan and his mother, Annette, who are moving to his father's ancestral place in Scotland, where they plan to start a lodging service. Duncan's father died in WW2 and the story is interspersed with soft, loving memories of the man. On their way to Scotland they meet a man whom they later find in their own village as a guest in their lodge. Who is this mystery man and does he have any role in the many strange things happening in this little Scottish village? The answer to these questions is what this book is about.
The book is a complete page turner and you won't be able to keep it down, once you have picked it up. The story flows beautifully from one view poit into another. While there defnitely are some loops left opened at the end of the story, I believe the closure to these would be attained in the sequel (really looking forward to it!). Overall, a great read!
#TheClockmaker #NetGalley #CeriWilliams #DrewNeary #TroubadorPublishing

May 2018

I chose this book because of the cover which looked darkly mysterious.

The novel is part supernatural, part horror but doesn’t sit comfortably in either I did enjoy reading this book but was left at the end feeling oddly unsatisfied in that not all the threads were fully tied up.

From reading other reviews it seems there is a next instalment which might explain it.

Recently widowed Annette and her son Duncan move to Scottish Highlands to live in the in-law’s ancestral home. The house is a typical unused haunted house with lots of creaks and dust. They meet a man on a train who eventually comes to live with them, but the man has an unhealthy interest in Duncan. In that he wants his heart to make clockwork killing machines.

This was where I felt dissatisfied with the novel in that the man and his relationship to his machines did not seem to be explored. We don’t learn why he makes them, and what he ultimately wants to do with them. Take over the world I presume but I seemed to have missed this. And take over the world from the remote Scottish Highlands seemed a bit unlikely.

Hopefully all will be revealed in the next instalment which I will certainly be buying as I need to find out what happens to Duncan,