The Hull family has owned the Gallows Hill Winery for generations, living and working on the beautiful grounds where they grow their famous grapes. Until the night Mr. and Mrs. Hull settle down for the evening…and are dead by morning.
When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it’s built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.
It’s been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she’s alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real―and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests…
Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates. Published by Poisoned Pen Press, September 2022. Advanced reader copy edition, Kindle, 377 pages.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a BIG fan of Darcy Coates. I have never been disappointed by one of her books. When I saw she had a brand new book coming out, I was beyond excited to check it out! 😀
Once again, Darcy did not disappoint. Gallows Hill is a fantastic modern gothic horror story. The first half of the book is a classic gothic slow burn. After the 50% point, the book kicks it into high gear, continuously ramping up both the tension and the creep factor!
This story is so beautiful. Justice, family, and finding where you fit in are all major themes in this one. There are some truly lovely scenes that left me all the feels. Not to spoil anything too much, but I totally ugly cried happy tears over a very specific part of the story that involved a very good doggo!! ❤
And OMG! That ending! 😮 Geez! Ok, so the ending had one final EPIC reveal that was just… CRAZY (and very icky)! I was completely shocked at the reveal and impressed at the creativity of the author. I did not see THAT coming at all. Very cool. Slow clap standing ovation for that ending.
Gallows Hill might start off a little slow, but finishes with a beautiful, strong ending. Very tense, creepy atmosphere. After things begin to go sideways, the pacing speeds up and does not stop until the very last page. The end is absolutely perfect.
I didn’t know what to think when I first started this book, but by the time I finished Gallows Hill, I was absolutely in love with it. 😀
Creature From The Book Lagoon 