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samdalby13's review
5.0
This kept me on the edge of my seat and scared my socks off ! I’m glad I bought the next one at the same time will be reading straight after
shanice93's review against another edition
3.0
I love a good ghost story and I love a good haunted house story. :-)
perfectsham's review
2.0
If this book wasn't sponsored by Nespresso, then Peter James is really missing out on some of that Clooney cash. This book would have gotten more stars if the action didn't grind to a halt every couple of chapters so we could have 2 pages of excruciating detail about the main characters Nespresso machine, his choice of pods, and step by step tutorials for how to make Nespresso coffee. If you're going to mention a bloody coffee machine this much, it better be a Chekhov's gun and start spewing holy water at the end, saving the family and exorcising the ghosts.
Spoiler: it does not.
Spoiler: it does not.
zaisgraph's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
I don't know how to put my feelings in words accurately, but this book was rather soulless and amateurish to me. It did not create any atmosphere at all, and the flow of words that a gifted author would have was totally absent. It was like reading high school homework.
The House on Cold Hill has plenty of ghosts and paranormal activity, but it wasn't scary. It's like Peter just expected the Haunted House to carry everything, but sadly, you have to build a story up, not drop stuff and situations every chapter, and expect the desired effect.
The characters here saw ghosts several times but kept flipping their beliefs from there must be a logical approach towards this, to I'm just going crazy. They also want to keep very convenient secrets that defy all logic to spare each other the truth, LOL.
Anyways this book is horrid. I generally rate horror books low, but can a horror stan tell me if I'm wrong? 1.75 stars.
The House on Cold Hill has plenty of ghosts and paranormal activity, but it wasn't scary. It's like Peter just expected the Haunted House to carry everything, but sadly, you have to build a story up, not drop stuff and situations every chapter, and expect the desired effect.
The characters here saw ghosts several times but kept flipping their beliefs from there must be a logical approach towards this, to I'm just going crazy. They also want to keep very convenient secrets that defy all logic to spare each other the truth, LOL.
Anyways this book is horrid. I generally rate horror books low, but can a horror stan tell me if I'm wrong? 1.75 stars.
hollystrev's review against another edition
5.0
Wow
Superb read!! Brilliant twist and story line. Love love loved it!! Thank you Peter for a fantastic read! :) x
Superb read!! Brilliant twist and story line. Love love loved it!! Thank you Peter for a fantastic read! :) x
james3005's review against another edition
3.0
I think James is a victim of his success as a crime writer and brings over too many elements from that genre. The ghost kills off most of the cast and it constantly appears, ruining any chance of tension. With so many brands name dropped, hyperactive characters and a ghost who can hack computers better than the IT guy it seems like James hoped to modernise the ghost story. Maybe it’s just because I grew up in a house on a cold, north-facing hill, but I think James could have benefited from sitting out in the woods for a night or two and reflecting on the experience.
nzlisam's review
3.0
Had all the makings of an excellent ghost story, right up until the ending ruined it!
Well-paced and creepy for most of the book, but the ending felt tacked on and rushed, and left me wondering just what the point of the entire story actually was? It seemed as if the author was going for comical which didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that point. Nothing was actually resolved, with little explanation for the events that occurred. It was disappointing as the haunting element had some original scares, and jaw-dropping moments. I thought it was realistic how the characters refused to believe what was happening in their house – that they kept seeking rational explanations before accepting that there was something supernatural going on. This really upped the fright factor for me, only to have it come crashing down in the last few chapters – a fatal flaw for any novel in my book I’m afraid.
Well-paced and creepy for most of the book, but the ending felt tacked on and rushed, and left me wondering just what the point of the entire story actually was? It seemed as if the author was going for comical which didn’t fit with the tone of the story up until that point. Nothing was actually resolved, with little explanation for the events that occurred. It was disappointing as the haunting element had some original scares, and jaw-dropping moments. I thought it was realistic how the characters refused to believe what was happening in their house – that they kept seeking rational explanations before accepting that there was something supernatural going on. This really upped the fright factor for me, only to have it come crashing down in the last few chapters – a fatal flaw for any novel in my book I’m afraid.
mxbookmoth's review
4.0
I bought this as part of a 2 for £7 deal-As something extra/Different to my usual choice of genre. I hadn't read a Thriller/Horror in ages & thought that this Book sounded intriguing.
I enjoyed reading about something set in the present, with adult language & themes for a change {I read a lot of YA/NA usually}! Also something that was full of uncertainties & quite spooky-It had me glancing nervously around a few times whilst I was reading it!
There were a few things that weren't fully explained by the end, which I found a bit frustrating-& the ending, although good, felt a bit sudden to me, after all of that building up...
But overall, it was quite good-& I'm definitely going to give some more of Peter James's Books a go now.
I enjoyed reading about something set in the present, with adult language & themes for a change {I read a lot of YA/NA usually}! Also something that was full of uncertainties & quite spooky-It had me glancing nervously around a few times whilst I was reading it!
There were a few things that weren't fully explained by the end, which I found a bit frustrating-& the ending, although good, felt a bit sudden to me, after all of that building up...
But overall, it was quite good-& I'm definitely going to give some more of Peter James's Books a go now.