I saw Bridget Riley post her novel Down in the Holler is now available as an ebook and paperback, and I realized I read both Down in the Holler and Beasts of the Field before I started typing up reviews for Substack books. So I bought the ebook and reread it. It is such a solid story with a main character to match, and it establishes a premise for sequels without leaving you hanging. This story is based on an actual cold case, as is Beasts of the Field, but where reality fails to cough up answers, Bridget takes over with fiction. The story feels tense and all of the characters in it are strong and distinct, each one adding to the tension and plot in their own way. The main character, Judith Temple, is a character I could read a dozen books about. She is consistent but not stagnant, she grows and develops, and I am very excited to see where she goes and what she does. I love the combination of an analytical and logical mind with the ability to peer into the paranormal, it works so well here. It reminds me ever so slightly of Stephen King’s Holly character, specifically in the Bill Hodges books. The prose and descriptions are lovely and make the whole story pop with earthy color.Â
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