The nights are starting to get darker that little bit earlier now as summer is making way for the autumn months, that makes the evenings perfect for curling up on the couch with a scary novel. If you are looking for an author that does horror extremely well, I don’t think that you can go wrong with Iain Rob Wright, who has “Fear On Every Page”. An author of over 40 books (you can get 6 eBooks free when you sign up to his mailing list on his website), I am currently reading The Cursed Manuscripts series, a collection of seven books, and have just finished Witch, and loved it.
Witch, by Iain Rob Wright, is not just a book; it’s a portal to a world where the supernatural lives and breathes, evil and very dangerous. Witch is the first instalment in The Cursed Manuscripts universe and will grip you tighter than a witch’s clasp on a cursed soul.
On December 21, 2012, according to the Mayan Calendar, the world was supposed to end. It didn’t. But on that day, 113 mysterious manuscripts were discovered around the world, each one written in blood by an unknown author. After several dozen unexplained deaths befell the finders of said manuscripts, a decision was made to lock them up for good in a secret vault beneath the Vatican. It is said that anyone who reads the stories will die, and as such they are now referred to as ‘The Cursed Manuscripts.’
In December 2020, new manuscripts started turning up around the world. ‘Witch’ was one of them.
Witch is centred around teenagers Ashley and Jude, best of friends since they were little. When chased into the woods by a gang of bullies they fall down Devil’s Ditch, a place deep in the woods that everyone says is haunted, and stumble across a dilapidated abandoned farmhouse. Exploring the farmhouse they find a chained, naked woman named Rose, but something isn’t quite right about her. What follows is a series of dread-filled events that will test the limits of their courage, sanity and friendship.
Overall, Witch by Iain Rob Wright is a fantastic read. Wright’s storytelling is masterful. He weaves a tale that is as much about the horror of the unknown as it is about the strength of friendship in the face of fear. Its fast-paced plot grabs hold, engages and terrifies readers with its gory, chilling and thrilling story.
The plot is excellent, well thought-out and a chilling, thrilling read. A perfect blend of the occult and horror.
As for the characters, Ashely and Jude are excellent. Very believable, engaging and relatable. Ashley, in particular, is well-crafted, embodying strength and vulnerability in equal measure. Her relationship with Jude adds a layer of complexity to the story, making their shared experiences in the face of horror all the more compelling.
The pace of the story doesn’t let up. It is racked with excitement and tension, keeping the reader turning page after page before the horror hits in all the right places. Its not all out and out horror but is expertly mixed with adventure and drama and lots of nerve-tingling tension.
Witch is an intriguing story that is exciting, exhilarating and highly entertaining with horror and scares that will delight horror fans, especially in the dark late night hours when the world around you is deathly quiet.
Happy reading, if you dare!
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £11.99 (Hardback) / £7.99 (Paperback) / £0.99 (Kindle)
For more information, visit iainrobwright.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.
