Book Review: THE THIN PLACE by CD Major

 

Title: THE THIN PLACE

Author:  C.D. Major

Publisher:  Amazon Publishing UK

Read: February 2021

Expected publication: 15 April 2021

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟1/2

 

Book Description:

 

When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate—a ‘thin place’, steeped in myth—she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her.

Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house’s grasp too.

 

 

My musings:

 

I am a total sucker for spooky mysteries involving old haunted mansions, and C.D. Major’s latest book had an edge over all the others: hers was based on a real life location, and an unsolved mystery that has haunted a small Scottish town for decades. Set in Scotland, THE THIN PLACE features Overtoun House, a 19^th century country house near the small village of Milton in Scotland. The house has gained notoriety through its attached bridge, a place where up to 600 dogs have jumped to their deaths over the last few decades, giving it its nickname of “the dog suicide bridge”. Add an alleged ghost to the mix and here you have the perfect setting for a compelling mystery with an eerie undertone and a hint of the supernatural.

 

According to Celtic legends, thin places are areas where the boundaries between the real world and the  spirit world are “thin” and one can slip quite easily from one to another. In Major’s novel, journalist Ava Brent gets obsessed with the mystery of Overtoun House after a visit there for one of her news stories. But apart from Ava’s POV, Major also weaves two alternative timelines and voices into her story, creating a truly spine chilling background for current events. As the mystery unravels, Ava will discover her special connection to Overtoun House, which will put her in terrible danger...

 

I just loved the atmospheric setting in this story and of course had to look up hundreds of pictures of the place online, which immediately made me want to travel to Scotland! Major has captured the forbidding and yet somehow captivating aura of Overtoun House perfectly, and I could not have wished for a more perfect location for a spooky mystery. As Ava becomes more and more obsessed with the place, the boundaries between sanity and madness also blurred, and I was truly afraid for her safety.

 

As is often the case with multiple timelines, I initially struggled a bit to be equally invested in all three separate threads. Whilst I found Ava’s by far the most compelling, I was happy to see that all the threads tied together well in the end. Initially I really struggled with Constance’s voice as I am not fond of child narrators, especially if they sound much older than their years, but despite this I ended up enjoying the extra element of suspense and air of menace that Constance’s chapters added to the story.

 

 

Summary:

 

THE THIN PLACE was a fast and compelling read for me, and even though I guessed some of the “twists” early on, as I was loathe to put the book down until I had all the answers. After reading up on the true events connected with Overtoun Bridge, I am still fascinated by its ongoing mystery and intrigue – what a fantastic setting for a book! I look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author.

 

 

 

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.