Leigh Harker’s quiet suburban home was her sanctuary for more than a decade, until things abruptly changed. Curtains open by themselves. Radios turn off and on. And a dark figure looms in the shadows of her bedroom door at night, watching her, waiting for her to finally let down her guard enough to fall asleep.
Pushed to her limits but unwilling to abandon her home, Leigh struggles to find answers. But each step forces her towards something more terrifying than she ever imagined.
A poisonous shadow seeps from the locked door beneath the stairs. The handle rattles through the night and fingernails scratch at the wood. Her home harbours dangerous secrets, and now that Leigh is trapped within its walls, she fears she may never escape.
Do you think you’re safe?
You’re wrong.
The Haunting of Leigh Harker by Darcy Coates. Published by Poisoned Pen, September 2021. Kindle edition is 272 pages.
*I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.*
Wow! This… is not your typical Darcy Coates ghost story. This is a very different view of a haunted house. Some fans might not like it because it is so different, but I really enjoyed it. Darcy is a master at making each haunted house/ ghost story so unique from one another. I honestly don’t know how she does it. Very cool.
I don’t want to say too much about the plot because, you know, spoilers and stuff…. BUT… this story is very creepy good. Lots of great icky descriptions and turn-on-the-lights moments to get sucked into. It was very interesting to see how things looked from Leigh’s point of view and how her over active imagination made things worse is something we can all relate to. This is a very unique ghost story. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it before.
The two main characters, Leigh and Sarah, have a great chemistry. Such an enjoyable duo. I really connected to Leigh. Her fear and anxiety and habits all felt so real. And Sarah, man…. I felt so bad for her but she was so chipper it just made you smile. I enjoyed watching their friendship grow.
The Haunting of Leigh Harker is a book that has all the feels. Laugh, cry, scream… It was one of the more emotionally charged books from this author. Extremely creepy and entertaining. A lot of anxiety and fear that made your heart race. A few sad moments and a bittersweet ending. This book was just a perfect late night roller-coaster ride.
Creature From The Book Lagoon 