Bec Zugor

All Souls College is about to celebrate its annual midwinter feast, but this is no ordinary feast. Those adhering to the long-held traditions are hiding a terrible secret, and they’d do anything to stop it becoming public knowledge.

Andy Hughes, a violent ex-con, is offered a job, one which will lead to him confronting an evil beyond his wildest imaginings. The strange goings-on – missing people and a boar that won’t stay dead – could be connected. And asylum inmate Jason Franklin, who tried to destroy the college almost a year ago, is hearing voices again...

I’ve enjoyed reading Adrian Chamberlin’s short stories, and I wondered how he’d make the transition to a novel length tale. Wow. This guy knows how to hook readers from the beginning and keep them turning the pages until the end. At one point I stood in the kitchen, stirring the dinner whilst holding the book in my other hand, so that I could carry on reading. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next!

The Caretakers (Dark Continents Publishing) combines ancient mythology, suspense, and gory horror, with interesting, flawed characters you can care about. It’s complex and thought-provoking; I like the way the book shows how evildoers can have the best of intentions, and how even Society’s “no-hopers” can have a vital role to play – and all “for the love of humanity.” Good stuff.

Settings are well-described, so it was easy to imagine myself at the scene, witnessing the events unfold. Chamberlin tells the tale from the viewpoint of several characters, and cleverly weaves the different strands so that they come together nicely at the end. There was a bit of repetition in places – I was distracted by the repeated use of the word clunch – but not enough to spoil the story. And it has a satisfying ending.

I’d love to see this gripping horror mystery made into a film, although I’d have to look away during the eyeball scenes!

Find out more about The Caretakers here