The Hive: a brand-new thriller for 2019 from Kindle #1 bestseller Jane Holland“Addictive, horrifying and brilliant!” – 5 stars, Rachel Gilbey from Rachel’s Random ReadsScarred by fire from infancy, with a persistent stammer, Charlotte has always been in the shadow of her glamorous theatrical parents. So it’s a shock when her mother commits suicide.Left to care for her sick father in the dark maze … suicide.
Left to care for her sick father in the dark maze of her childhood home, Charlotte begins to unravel. First, there’s the mysterious arrival of a box of dead bees. Then buzzing noises in the attic. People are watching her. Listening to her.
Everyone thinks she’s losing her mind. But an old photo suggests another, more sinister possibility …
Jane Holland’s bestselling thrillers have sold more than 220,000 paid downloads across several continents, and she loves finding brave new readers!
Praise for Jane Holland’s previous psychological thrillers:
‘I really cannot get enough of this fabulous author … highly recommend any of her thrillers.’
‘A fab read!!!’
’Gripping story, keeps you on the edge of your seat.’
‘I couldn’t put out the light until I’d finished reading this.’
’Didn’t guess the ending … well-written, cleverly interwoven.’
’Brilliant ending!’
‘A very creepy storyline.’
‘A fast paced and twisty novel with a satisfying ending …’
‘A read which wraps you in a blanket of mistrust and unease, taking you to a thrilling end.’ —Sue Fortin, author of USA Today bestselling thriller The Girl Who Lied, and Sister Sister
‘Utterly believable, scary as hell. Simply compelling.’ —Andy Martin, Cambridge academic and expert on crime writing
‘An amazing 5-star read!’
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The Hive is full of unexpected twists and turns. It’s a unique and unpredictable thriller that intriguingly gained suspense as the novel progressed. This is my favorite type of suspense, the kind the builds and builds until it explodes in the end. I had no clue about what was happening, and all the reveals took me by surprise.
The first half of The Hive was a set-up, introducing our characters, in particular Charlie, whom I really came to feel for. There was this creepy air that loomed over the pages as I read. I didn’t find the beginning slow, just intriguingly and increasingly creepy. From the half-way point, I could not put this book down. Hooked is an understatement, I am really impressed with Jane Holland’s writing.
I love the research Jane Holland clearly did on bee-keeping and it made The Hive that much more enthralling and darn-right terrifying sometimes. Twist after twist and a conclusion I didn’t see coming, Jane Holland has a new fan in me!
Overall, I’m impressed and I recommend checking this one out. The beginning might be a bit slow, but stick it out because the book is one giant shock after another. Perfect for reading in October!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel’s Random Resources. All opinions are my own. *
Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com
Favorite Quotes:
I avoid my own reflection because I self-identify with Medusa, the Gorgon with coiled snakes hissing about her head, a woman constantly terrified of accidentally turning herself to stone.
John looks my way, as though waiting for something, and I suddenly realise I am the one who has to give permission for an examination. It’s a curious realisation. I’ve always been the child in this family. Told what to do, how to behave, and rarely given choices. Now, with my mother gone, and my father lost in his dementia, I’m the adult. I’m not sure I like the responsibility.
My Review:
Several hours after reading this unusual and unpredictable tale I am still at odds and a bit conflicted on what to think. The Hive has an excellent premise and was cleverly laced together with unexpected twists and turns, but it was also a somewhat frustrating read as the story spun slowly in peculiar and intriguing tangents while I struggled with the main character who was rather pathetic, easily addled, and extremely gullible, despite being highly paranoid. Charlotte moved and processed thought at remedial sloth speed and tended to leave messes everywhere as she was inattentive and prone to unproductive preoccupation, circular thinking, and dithering her time away. Her high gear was that of a small tortoise and she was often stunned into immobility. She was exasperating.
So, I have established that Charlotte annoyed me, and in no small measure, but something sinister was happening and someone was messing with poor pitiable Charlotte, and as I am a scrappy advocate who is always team underdog, I was resolute in figuring out the who and the why. I conjured and purged numerous theories as to who was playing her – was it the father, the boyfriend, the nurse, the Dr; was she being gaslighted or did she have a dissociative identity disorder and doing it to herself; or was she unraveling and losing what little sense she had?
Jane Holland had her crafted hooks deeply embedded in my curiosity. My brain was on fire and I was helplessly intrigued while the tale just kept getting deeper, wider, and creepier. I decided it was brilliant after all and the diabolical Jane Holland should have her own holiday named for her, despite deviling me so with the truly maddening pace of her story.
In addition to giving me ragged cuticles, Ms. Holland also provided me with two new additions to my Brit List with: his Nibs – a title mockingly bestowed to any male who was over-served with self-importance; and bog-standard – which means basic, ordinary, and uninspired – and keep in mind they call their toilet paper bog roll. I cannot wait to utilize my newly acquired and highly sophisticated Brit lexicon during a trip across the pond, I have every expectation that someday I’ll even be able to cut glass…
The book begins with Charlotte and her Russian boyfriend, Alex, returning home from a romantic holiday to discover her mother’s body hanging in the lounge. Her Father’s dementia means he can’t give any explanation of anything that happened while they were away. Adding to this difficult homecoming was a strange delivery of a box of dead bees, suspicious policemen, an over-friendly family doctor and a tetchy carer.
I didn’t like any of the characters very much, they all seemed creepy or were hiding something, even Charlotte annoyed me with her dithering!
I did, however, like the book. After the devasting home-coming things for Charlotte took a turn for the worse, as she was made to feel crazy, scared and paranoid. Who was watching her? What was making the buzzing sound that only occurred when she was alone? Who is setting her up to lose her job for industrial espionage? And why does an old photo showing her dad standing outside Bee Hive Cottage scare him so much?
There are more questions than answers in the first half of this book, but the second half more than made up for it with many twists and turns, culminating in an unexpected finale.
All in all, a puzzling and creepy thriller that kept me turning the pages.
3½ ‘s