Samantha Payne has been estranged from her grandfather for fourteen years when she's summoned to the reading of his Will. He hadn't spoken to Sam since her father, his son, committed suicide after being accused of the murder of a child at their lakefront cottage. Sam's grandfather went to his grave declaring his son's innocence in spite of what Sam witnessed in the woods all those years ago. Knowing he blamed her for her father’s death, no one was more surprised than Sam when she learns her grandfather left her the lakefront property, now worth millions, in hopes Sam will finally face the truth and admit she was mistaken. There's a stipulation, of course. Sam must reside in the family cottage on the lakefront for one month. Complete that simple task, and the property is hers. If she sells it, she'll have the funds to continue paying for her mother's care for dementia. What choice does she have? Sam moves to the cottage accompanied by her aunt and is surprised to find nothing has changed, including Ben, the property caretaker. Everything is exactly as she remembers from the days she spent there as a child right down to the bedding.
Right away, Sam is perplexed over unsettling things occurring around her, including the sound of hoofs pounding, bizarre noises coming from the woods, unexplained lights flickering beneath the lake water, and most disturbing . . . the remains of mutilated animals left on her porch overnight. Tormented by nightmares and a rising sense of paranoia, Sam struggles to determine what's real and what's a mirage. When someone disappears, she’s forced to face the possibility that the rumors surrounding the cottage are true.
Dark family secrets that refuse to remain buried, a haunted cottage, and a murky lake with something lurking beneath the surface combine to set a tone of urgency in The Haunting of Paynes Hollow. As Sam's recessed memories begin surfacing, she has no choice but to take a hard look at some harsh childhood realities and reexamine her beliefs. As a protagonist, Sam makes some questionable decisions; however, her actions do not diminish the overall flow and entertainment value of this book. Armstrong sets a maddening pace that's fed by panic and a dark, tension ladened atmosphere of imminent danger. One that's strengthened by the eerie haunted cottage, dark woods, and lakeside setting that take on the role of another character in this sinister story. Readers should note trigger warnings that include mutilated animals, although they're not described in great detail.
Author Kelley Armstrong delivers another spooky, immersive, tautly written thriller for fans of light horror and paranormal mysteries. The Haunting of Paynes Hollow is the perfect, entertaining October story for those who enjoy books that raise the hair on the back of their neck with things that go bump in the night. Highly recommended.
But when she does attend the reading of the will at the behest of her aunt, she discovers that her grandfather left her the very valuable lakefront property where the family cottage sits. There’s one catch: Sam needs to stay in the cottage for a month. To finally face the fact she was wrong and her father was innocent, in her grandfather's words.
Traveling to Paynes Hollow, Sam is faced with the realities of her childhood and the secrets kept hidden in the shadows of her memories. When her aunt goes missing a couple days into their stay, Sam begins to question everything again. Plagued by nightmares and paranoia, she begins hearing sounds in the forest and seeing shapes crawling from the water as the rippling waves of the lake promise something unspeakably dark lurking just below their surface.
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