by Neil Spring

Quercus Books, out now

What is the truth of Shingle Street’s past?

Neil Spring’s latest ghostly chiller is exactly what you want as the nights are drawing in, and, if you’re so inclined, to sit in front of a roaring fire with a glass of something appropriate. As he’s shown in his previous books, Spring can deftly conjure up a scenario that on the surface appears absolutely normal, but with undercurrents that unnerve you increasingly as you go on in the book.

This story is set around Orford Ness – a real Suffolk location with connections to the Rendlesham Forest UFO incident, and home to relics of the Cold War as well as of a period much further past – and Spring brings the area to life well. The haunting of the title takes many different forms in the book, and there’s enough supernatural elements here to satisfy genre fans, while not alienating those who prefer their psychological thrillers to remain totally plausible (if that’s not a contradiction in terms).

The characters aren’t necessarily likeable, which is no bad thing in a story of this type, and you’ll find yourself wondering at the actions even of those we’re perhaps meant to empathize with. That doesn’t prevent you from getting caught up in their situation, and Spring ensures that information is relayed as necessary to keep the reader’s interest.

Verdict: You get the feeling that Neil Spring would be the person sitting round the fire telling ghost stories – let yourself be caught up in this. 8/10

Paul Simpson