Amazon.co.uk:Customer reviews: The House On Rectory Lane: An absolutely chilling psychological thriller.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 August 2021

One reviewer said it was creepy and chilling so I gave it a go but creepy and chilling it is definitely not. The writing is poor and childish. The plot is totally implausible and the main character Jake, must have had the observation skills of a mole.
It was all too contrived and too rushed, especially the ending. And what was the dog, Hugo all about? Why on earth would a ruthless killer keep a dog and it's tennis ball at an empty cottage? I can't say too much without giving the story away but I'll not be reading anything from this author again. A very disappointing read.

16 people found this helpful

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Linda

Enjoyed but more holes than a crocheted blanket

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 August 2021

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Don’t get me wrong-I couldn’t put this book down. But at the end a lot of questions were in my head-spoiler alert….
Why did Jake do nothing when he saw Punchy man attacking a woman until much later? Who would say “ nothing to do with me”?
What was the purpose of Hugo the dog?
Why no mention of the cleaner going missing ?
What was the deal with the rather cliched old hag sitting in the house?
Why did the town’s residents make pointed remarks but not mention that two families had gone missing?
Why did they return to the house and live there despite all the murders?
Who actually posted the video through the letterbox at the end? Police surely wouldn’t return it?
All very far-fetched -don’t know why the old couple were killed- surely not just to frame Jake as they intended to kill him
Why was Jake willing to take Kate back anyway? I don’t think so!
Why were they wanting to kill Kate’s family anyway? She had kept her bargain.
What was the deal with the underground tunnels when actually they had a key to the house?

7 people found this helpful

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Michaela B

A chilling thriller!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 August 2019

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I cannot believe how long it has taken me to get around to reading this!! Honestly, I am kicking myself!! I thoroughly enjoyed his other work and knew I would love this one too!

Stuart is a brilliant author!! He really knows how to draw his readers in and make them feel what the characters feel. Fur example, fear and anxiety!! Honestly, I was glued to the edge of my seat with nerves constantly asking that nagging question of 'who done it?' There were a couple of people I suspected but when the truth came out I was absolutely shocked! So clever and well thought out. I never saw it coming. Stuart is very good at surprising his readers. So many twists I never could have guessed.

Reading it whilst home alone with the lights off was definitely a bad idea! At times you could tell something bad was about to happen and Stuart built up the tension so well. I felt like I was there with them! It was very well written!

The book instantly drew me in with it's suspenseful prologue. It had me hooked! The rest of the book was just as tense, exciting and thrilling. I could not put it down!

If you are looking for your next creepy and chilling read, look no further! I highly recommend The House On Rectory Lane!

11 people found this helpful

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Becca's Books

Thrilling and exciting, and had me constantly on the edge of my seat.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2020

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The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James was a dark, chilling and deeply intriguing novel with a whole host of dastardly, devious characters, and plenty of twists and turns hiding behind every corner. I had this book on pre-order and couldn’t wait to read it once it had been delivered to my Kindle. I don’t know what it is about creepy, run-down old houses but they always pull me towards a story. Throw some strange new neighbours and dark secrets into the mix, and I’m usually sold. This is the first book by Stuart James that I’ve read, but I have got my eye on Apartment Six over on Amazon, so I’m sure I’ll be picking that one up at some point, too. Again, it has that chill to it that I find impossible to ignore and which I thoroughly enjoy reading.

In The House on Rectory Lane by Stuart James, readers are introduced to Jake and Kate, and their son, Sean. The story follows the married couple as they finally find their dream home and proceed to make the move from London to Ramsbury. Although in need of a little bit of TLC, the house on Rectory Lane is perfect for the family, and they’re overjoyed to be starting afresh in the countryside with nothing but endless possibilities ahead of them. As they settle into their new life, it isn’t long before strange events begin to occur, odd warnings to leave while they still have chance. And once aware of mystery surrounding the previous occupants of the property on Rectory Lane, the Prescott family, things begin to get even stranger for Jake and Kate.

From the get-go, Stuart James ensured there was more than enough interest and intrigue to keep me turning those pages. Although the sale for the house on Rectory Lane seemed to go through smoothly enough, and coincidentally the house popped up at just the right moment, I had numerous questions surrounding the property and how moving their was a complete uproot for the family. When Jake and Kate go to view the property for the first time, it’s quickly apparent that it’s an impressive home. With electronic gates and a magnificent fireplace, it’s a house that stands out and is easily set apart from the rest, and though it’s in need of a little restorative work, Jake is not put off and is certain it’s the perfect home for himself, his wife and their son. They make the move swiftly and, soon enough, they’re unpacking and making the house their own. Despite this obviously being a happy moment for the trio, the author ensures that there’s still a pinch of hesitation towards the move from the couple. Although it’s grand and impressive, the couple are aware of how different it is to their London home. It’s deathly quiet, very rarely does traffic pass through, and they know nobody. Stuart James captures the loneliness that a person would feel in a place like that perfectly. If you were to scream, no one would hear you, and this certainly adds a sinister tone to the unravelling of the plot as the days slip by and the house on Rectory Lane is settled into.

When the strange goings-on began to occur, the tension of this story certainly heightened for me. My nerves were on high-alert and I felt as though I was catching my own breath each time something untoward took place. I began to feel as though each time something happened, the evilness was becoming deeper, and more personal, and I found myself beginning to wonder just what sort of place Jake and Kate had come to. Their neighbours seemed friendly enough, but even the happiness of making new friends is unable to dull the subtle threat aimed at the family of three and I felt my grip on my Kindle growing tighter with every change of a chapter. The author certainly knows how to grab the reader and scare them enough to ensure they sit tight for the duration of the story. This is exactly the effect that Stuart James had on me.

The characterisation in this story was great. The author manages to switch the narration frequently throughout, while still maintaining Jake and Kate as the main voices. This was done smoothly and introduced me to many, many lively and enjoyable characters, from the detectives who work with Jake when things begin to take a much a darker turn for the family, to the ‘watcher’, who we find out more about as the plot progresses. I loved this switching and really enjoyed the wider circle of observation it gave me as the reader. We’re not only in the house with Jake and Kate, but we’re in other places too, watching this story unfold from many different places and alongside many different people.

It’s fair to say that Stuart James takes his readers on a rollercoaster ride of a thriller within The House on Rectory Lane. I could never be certain of where this story would end up, which direction I would be taken in, or what the characters would discover or do next. It was thrilling and exciting and had me constantly on the edge of my seat from one page to the next, always keeping me on my toes and my suspicions on constant high-alert. This was a sinister and teasing game of cat and mouse with a constant threat slithering throughout that chilled me to the bone. I’m looking forward to reading more from Stuart James in the near future.

3 people found this helpful

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livia sbarbaro.

Bloodcurdling ..Terryfying and Creepy

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 May 2020

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Jake and Kate leave London to move to their dream house in the woods with their little boy Sean ..At first it's just the little things..strange noises in the night , Kate believing she has seen a face at the window ...When they tell people in town they live at The house in Rectory Lane they get strange glances .It's when they discover a tape in the loft ..that fear, deep and feral takes a hold on them ..They begin to wander what happened to the family that stayed in the house before them ? Why did they just disappear....Kate and Jake have no idea of what is yet to come ...You know those crimewatch programmes...where they say dont have nightmares ? .....The House on Rectory Lane is one of the darkest most terrifying stories I have read this year.....Bloodcurdling ...Terryfying ..Creepy and Dark...

6 people found this helpful

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Emma bunting

Wow! So much suspense! Excellent book!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2019

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What a tense book this is!
I love a good thriller and this is certainly one! This feels quite different to a lot of others I’ve read in the fact that this seems to have a lot more suspense throughout it, and it almost felt like a horror story going on. I can imagine this as a film that I just couldn’t watch as it would just freak me out way too much on screen.... that’s how good it is!
Several times I found myself gasping in shock at certain events, or sat nervously budging around in my seat wondering whether something bad is going to happen 🙈
Throughly enjoyed this book even though it made me really nervous and would highly recommend 👍

7 people found this helpful

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pickygirl

Tension on every page

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 17 June 2020

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I found this to be incredibly absorbing and was gripped from page one. Although I could not wait to find out what was going to happen to Kate, Jack, and their little boy, I did not want the storyline to end. The surprise ending was something of a shocker and not at all what I was expecting, so well played by the author. Tension was present all the way through and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep me on my toes. I love books that centre on buildings, especially creepy old houses so I found myself at home in The House on Rectory Lane. The vivid description penned by James meant I could picture myself there and feel the menace emanating from its walls. This was a fast-paced read that, once you pick it up, like the keys of a new home, you will not want to put down again.

3 people found this helpful

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emily milo

very poor

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 September 2021

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I'm amazed after reading the glowing reviews and can't believe people are praising the same book! I doubt i will bother reading a second book by this author as his writing style is very amateurish. Plot was reasonable in places but characters were annoying, unlikable and totally unbelievable. Scary? Nope. Edge of your seat? Nope. I spent the majority of the book hoping that Jake would get killed off to put us all out of our misery. I guess younger adults might appreciate this style of writing but If you are well read and enjoy tightly written thrillers by clever and imaginative authors that you can't put down, i recommend you pass this one by.

2 people found this helpful

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garydow

Decent thriller

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 February 2022

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Kate and Jake Morley have had enough of city life so when the chance to move to the country becomes available, along with son Sean, they look to start a new life. However after a uneventful start, things start to go horrible wrong. I enjoyed this and you could identify with the main characters who gradually get more and more scared and desperate to try and discover what was going so drastically against them. There are a couple of decent twists with some gruesome moments mixed in and it's a decent read without the need for multiple plot lines.

One person found this helpful

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Valerie D

Delightfully creepy!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 May 2020

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This was just what I needed, a good heart-stopping creepy novel to take me away from reality for a few hours. I'd always liked the idea of buying a house in the countryside - won't be doing that having read this story. Great twists and turns, you're never quite sure what is going on, the author keeps you wanting to read one more page, one more chapter. The twist at the end was brilliant. This is my first book by this author, I'll be looking for the others now.

4 people found this helpful

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5 star		55%
4 star		24%
3 star		12%
2 star		4%
1 star		4%

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