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Gallows Hill
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2022)The Hull family has owned the Gallows Hill Winery for generations, living and working on the beautiful grounds where they grow their famous grapes. Until the night Mr. and Mrs. Hull settle down for the evening...and are dead by morning.
When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it's built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.
It's been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she's alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real―and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests...
When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it's built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.
It's been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she's alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real―and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests...
377 pages, Paperback
First published September 6, 2022
About the author
Darcy Coates
66 books10k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,594 reviews
August 31, 2022
For generations the Hull family has owned Gallows Hill Winery. They live on the property with their staff, and everything seems fine until Mr. and Mrs. Hull are found dead in their beds. Margot, their daughter has inherited the home and winery.
Gallows Hill has an infamous past. It is the site where hundreds of convicts were hanged. Locals say the ground is cursed. Margot hasn't been to the home in a decade but as she settles in, she begins to believe the curse is real and that may be next!
The beginning of this book was a slow burn and I struggle with slow burns. I kept waiting for something - anything scary to happen. The later part of the book brings on the frights. It occurs in stages but once you hear the bells, you know things are about to get real- real fast! Finally!
I would have loved more action in the beginning of the book, more tension, but as I mentioned things do pick up the second half of the book. This was not my favorite book by Coats (my favorite being From Below) but I did enjoy the book once things picked up.
Coates is great at weaving tension and chills in her books. There are things here that go bump in the night, there is a curse, family secrets, and a dark history tied to Gallows Hill. Plus, there is a golden retriever in the book!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
Gallows Hill has an infamous past. It is the site where hundreds of convicts were hanged. Locals say the ground is cursed. Margot hasn't been to the home in a decade but as she settles in, she begins to believe the curse is real and that may be next!
The beginning of this book was a slow burn and I struggle with slow burns. I kept waiting for something - anything scary to happen. The later part of the book brings on the frights. It occurs in stages but once you hear the bells, you know things are about to get real- real fast! Finally!
I would have loved more action in the beginning of the book, more tension, but as I mentioned things do pick up the second half of the book. This was not my favorite book by Coats (my favorite being From Below) but I did enjoy the book once things picked up.
Coates is great at weaving tension and chills in her books. There are things here that go bump in the night, there is a curse, family secrets, and a dark history tied to Gallows Hill. Plus, there is a golden retriever in the book!
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
August 12, 2022
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I have read three other books by this author; The Whispering Dead, The Ravenous Dead, and The Haunting of Ashburn House. All three were wonderful books but I have to say that Gallows Hill is by far my favourite of the bunch.
What an atmospheric read this was, the house depicted in this book is one of the creepiest I've ever read about. Margot has returned to the family wine estate after the death of both her parents. Long ago she was given away to her grandmother never to see her parents again. When she is left Gallows Hill Winery after her parents passing Margo investigates to see if the winery is truly cursed as everyone believes. As Margo explores Gallows Hill she also searches out the truth of what really happened all those years ago.
The book crept (see what I did there?) up on me at a slow burn and that really helped with the scary atmosphere. Margo's feeling of terror and anxiety leaped off the page Coates has a wonderful way of writing the very spooky and is an amazing word builder. I don't know how she manages to write horror/paranormal books so beautifully.
This book is haunting, ominous, and eerie in the best ways possible, it would make the perfect Halloween read, which makes it so great that it is coming out in September.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for the giving of the ARC.
#NetGalley
I have read three other books by this author; The Whispering Dead, The Ravenous Dead, and The Haunting of Ashburn House. All three were wonderful books but I have to say that Gallows Hill is by far my favourite of the bunch.
What an atmospheric read this was, the house depicted in this book is one of the creepiest I've ever read about. Margot has returned to the family wine estate after the death of both her parents. Long ago she was given away to her grandmother never to see her parents again. When she is left Gallows Hill Winery after her parents passing Margo investigates to see if the winery is truly cursed as everyone believes. As Margo explores Gallows Hill she also searches out the truth of what really happened all those years ago.
The book crept (see what I did there?) up on me at a slow burn and that really helped with the scary atmosphere. Margo's feeling of terror and anxiety leaped off the page Coates has a wonderful way of writing the very spooky and is an amazing word builder. I don't know how she manages to write horror/paranormal books so beautifully.
This book is haunting, ominous, and eerie in the best ways possible, it would make the perfect Halloween read, which makes it so great that it is coming out in September.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Darcy Coates for the giving of the ARC.
#NetGalley
September 7, 2022
Well hello spooky 👻 season!! Happy pub day to this creeptastic book!! 🥳🥳🥳 I have not read something this creepy in a long time!! 😳 Thank you so much to @poisonedpenpress and @bookmarked for this gorgeous gifted copy!! 🖤🖤🖤
OMGGG 😱 From the very first page.. I was freaked out!! Let’s just say… @darcybooks in my humble opinion is the queen 👑 when it comes to horror. 🖤She writes such an amazing atmospheric story… that unfortunately I felt like I was there with Margot..😂…and let me tell you… it was terrifying.😬😳
Margot is inheriting the family winery 🍷..some of the finest wines have come from there… but this isn’t your typical winery…and the Hull family is not …your average family..😬…
Rumor has it… there are tons of bodies buried on that land Margot is about to inherit… 🪦 …and not everyone is happy that Margot is moving in..🤫
Haunted house 🏚… Curses…Ghosts👻…Ghosts…👻…did I mention ghosts??!! 👻😂 Sign me up!! 🙋♀️ Who else is in??? Let me tell you… this was way more creepy than I expected but… I loved it…the ending was..😳🤢🤯🤯🤯🤐🤐🤐 Perfection!!
🖤🖤🖤 Who is ready for spooky season?? 👻 What is your favorite @darcybooks ??? I LOVED The Haunting of Leigh Harker and now this one!! I need more! 🖤 Hit me with your best spooky read so I can add it!! 👻🖤
OMGGG 😱 From the very first page.. I was freaked out!! Let’s just say… @darcybooks in my humble opinion is the queen 👑 when it comes to horror. 🖤She writes such an amazing atmospheric story… that unfortunately I felt like I was there with Margot..😂…and let me tell you… it was terrifying.😬😳
Margot is inheriting the family winery 🍷..some of the finest wines have come from there… but this isn’t your typical winery…and the Hull family is not …your average family..😬…
Rumor has it… there are tons of bodies buried on that land Margot is about to inherit… 🪦 …and not everyone is happy that Margot is moving in..🤫
Haunted house 🏚… Curses…Ghosts👻…Ghosts…👻…did I mention ghosts??!! 👻😂 Sign me up!! 🙋♀️ Who else is in??? Let me tell you… this was way more creepy than I expected but… I loved it…the ending was..😳🤢🤯🤯🤯🤐🤐🤐 Perfection!!
🖤🖤🖤 Who is ready for spooky season?? 👻 What is your favorite @darcybooks ??? I LOVED The Haunting of Leigh Harker and now this one!! I need more! 🖤 Hit me with your best spooky read so I can add it!! 👻🖤
August 27, 2022
This book had me legit terrified to the point I had nightmares. It will also make me shiver if I hear bells at any point in the future. Darcy Coates is the queen of horror. I love her writing and am genuinely scared reading her books. You know the kinda scared you’re afraid to go outside at night? Maybe sleep with a light on? Yea, that kinda scared.
Will that stop me from picking up anything and everything she writes? Absolutely not.
Gallows Hill is available September 6,2022.
Will that stop me from picking up anything and everything she writes? Absolutely not.
Gallows Hill is available September 6,2022.
January 29, 2023
It is important to note that the majority of the themes explored in this book deal with sensitive subject matters. My review, therefore, touches on these topics as well. Many people might find the subject matters of the book as well as those detailed in my review overwhelming. I would suggest you steer clear of both if this is the case. Please note that from this point forward I will be writing about matters which contain reflections on violence, cannibalism, murder of a child, violent crime, parental abandonment, & others.
When Margot is summoned to Gallows Hill—her childhood home—after the sudden death of her parents, she is faced with a blank slate & no seasoned abilities to deal with any of the responsibilities or changes she is forced to confront. An absurd series of events follow her arrival on the hill accompanied by the furrowed glances of townspeople as they intentionally induce a cone of silence around the inauspicious presence of the girl who got away—at least, for a time.
This is the third book from the author that I have read & I have come to realize that I am perhaps not the ideal reader for her work. Please read the rest of my review with that in mind. I acknowledge that the general formula & approach that Coates takes in her books have attracted a sturdy fanbase & I am glad that the books she has worked to publish have received the praise they deserve. However, the formula in question does not consistently deliver an excellent book, which brings me to my experience with this story.
Margot’s introduction to the reader leads one to believe that she might be an outlier in the adult community; someone who is at once ignorant, naive & pointedly stupid, she remains a problematic character to root for. We are around the same age & this leads me to feel conflicted when reading the accounts of her chosen action—why would you approach so much of the unknown with so little gumption? There is something to be said for crafting a flawed character. There is also something to be said for character growth, leading the reader to watch as the slug-like individual grows into the fully formed human being they are meant to see guiding them throughout the story.
However, there is little praise to be given when following a character who makes decisions that are ridiculous & who overdramatize every single instance in their waking life—what does this add to the story? Readers will be approaching this book hoping to be drawn into the looming haunted house; reading pages that dictate a gloomy abode where Margot’s parents met their demise. Yet the atmosphere that Coates so flawlessly employs is nowhere to be found in this book. One might argue that due to Margot’s continuous exuberance of dramatics, the suspense that Coates is famous for employing within her stories, is dead in the water.
There are several instances wherein Margot decides to do something imbecilic. Such as wet toast, she drifts into the recesses of the river of her mind & pays no heed to any warning signs that might be flashing around her. I acknowledge that people will not always approach instances in a unified fashion nor will they always make the best choice—our judgement has been prone to flaws. Yet, the force with which Margot is written as stumbling over every crack in the road leads me to feel like a third party of another town entirely; left with no reasons for which to care about any of what is happening, whatsoever.
When Margot wakes at 1 o’clock in the morning she drowns about it feeling like a ‘dangerous’ time to be awake. I will gamble that many a human being has found themselves awake at such an hour of the night therefore, what makes this particular instance dreadful? Nothing. Save for the fact that Margot is in a home that she has actively refused to explore for both her own safety—should there be windows open, lamps left on, etc—& for the betterment of everyone else on the property—lest the house catch fire because Margot hasn’t even found a bathroom for over two (2) days while living in the house—her feelings towards the hour remain an enigma.
That same night she decides, being someone who fears the darkened corridors of this new house, 1 am is the perfect time to wander the halls in search of the kitchen to make herself food so that she can induce a digestive coma upon herself so that she need not face the night. Finding herself, once again, at the crossroads of a situation, she cannot explain & which she has refused to explore we see her press ‘play’ on a VHS tape that was conveniently placed in the player, waiting for her to stumble into the living room in the middle of the night.
I would have loved to see Coates’ writing style employed here yet, up until this point the story is obscenely dry. Nothing is happening to intrigue the reader. Why would Margot’s first reaction upon watching what is very obviously a home movie be that it was a recording of a children’s TV program? This makes no sense. There is also no need for her actions to be written out with such detail while she is attempting to rewind & pause the VHS at the appropriate moment. I cannot begin to think of why any editor would have allowed this scene to proceed to distribution as is. The repetition of the obvious absolutely annihilates the suspense that could be building. Why are we reading things we already know? Why does it take Margot an entire chapter to figure out that it was her parents that made the VHS tape for her when her name was on the cassette?
Why does Margot do any of the things she does? Why is she constantly wandering around a property whose landscape she is unfamiliar with while her phone is below 50%? This is unsafe & yet she continues to choose to do things that lead her to be in harm's way. Falling into a giant pit is one example but there are plenty. Would it be so horrible to read about a character who had their head screwed on right? I think not.
This brings me back to the formula that Coates uses in her books. There is a great deal of atmosphere build-up & world-building—at least this is what I have noticed in the three (3) books I have read, therefore should their other work be completely different, please take this with a grain of salt. I certainly appreciate a slow burn & I adore it when a world is built to perfection, leaving me no reason not to trust in the leadership of the main character. However, this book felt rushed & superfluous. The initial setup lasts for well over 50% of the book & when the reveals are presented they do nothing to lessen the blow of reading so many pages without gratification.
I do not find it very rewarding to read about a character who jumps at the sight of their own shadow in an attempt to flounder the reader into doing the same. When Margot thinks she sees movement in the woods I could not help but sigh…have you no knowledge of wildlife? At this point, I found the story excruciating to follow. Why is Margot constantly thinking about the worst possible scenario? Her character was not presented as anxious or quick to misjudge, she is simply rooted in the dramatics of not understanding that her footsteps will produce an echo when she is running down a tunnel.
Arriving at what many reviews have claimed to be the worthwhile twist I was abominably bored. What is abysmally disappointing is that this reveal could have been superb has Coates shortened the first half of the story & rendered her main character to be a bit more stiff-lipped. Ephraim killed his brother’s entire family with an axe & put their bodies into the wine vats that Ezra had made from the old tree, previously used for town hangings. Wonderful. What is scary about that save for the obvious? Nothing. We see Margot read a couple of entries of a child in the attic who was hiding during the killing spree & then she decides that what will stop this bizarre curse is to expose what everyone knew already happened.
For centuries, the town refused to go to the hill because of the judicial approach of murder to all those who found themselves hung & because they were almost 100 percent certain that Ephraim murdered his brother’s family. Yet, here we find ourselves trifling through pages on end as Margot fights off the zombies of the deceased in an attempt to bring them ‘justice’. The reader is meant to believe that no single descendent in all those centuries ever saw the decomposing corpses in the wine vats & thought it repulsive enough to call the authorities. No single person ever thought that decomposing flesh & organs were something that shouldn’t be put into liquid given that there were probably larger than ignorable follicles of said flesh, in the wine.
Not until Margot comes along, the same girl who never charges her phone when she goes wandering around at night, does this crime ever come to light. Would no one have thought to check the vats at some point if the bones & larger organs began clogging the spout? Did no one think it appropriate to possibly clean the inside of the vats? Did no one realize that the colour of the wine was changing drastically from one batch to another—due to the decomposing bodies inside? There are ample questions to be asked yet, all remain unanswered.
This is a work of fiction so one is often requested to suspend some of their disbelief & I genuinely don’t have a problem doing that when it makes sense circumstantially. What drives this point home is that an entire group of people allowed Margot to return to the home that they knew was haunted by literal zombies because they didn’t want to talk about it for fear of making it worse. I suppose it was truly beyond lucky for them that Margot was too caught up with wandering at night to think to ask relevant questions when she met with any of the people that lived &/or worked on the property.
When all is said & done this book would profit by being edited by a stricter set of eyes. Coates is a good author but this book did not feel fully fleshed out nor did it feel ready for publishing. The evidence that constantly pointed in the opposite direction to the one which Margot was facing grew tiresome & evaporated the morbid tendrils that the plot had to offer. Imagine my surprise that Margot should forget that children are curious creatures when she stands stark still, stunned at the inquisitive nature of the young boy in the grocery store. Having all but forgotten that she frolicked in the garden with a family of zombies that attempted to kill her, twice.
Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press & Darcy Coates for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
When Margot is summoned to Gallows Hill—her childhood home—after the sudden death of her parents, she is faced with a blank slate & no seasoned abilities to deal with any of the responsibilities or changes she is forced to confront. An absurd series of events follow her arrival on the hill accompanied by the furrowed glances of townspeople as they intentionally induce a cone of silence around the inauspicious presence of the girl who got away—at least, for a time.
This is the third book from the author that I have read & I have come to realize that I am perhaps not the ideal reader for her work. Please read the rest of my review with that in mind. I acknowledge that the general formula & approach that Coates takes in her books have attracted a sturdy fanbase & I am glad that the books she has worked to publish have received the praise they deserve. However, the formula in question does not consistently deliver an excellent book, which brings me to my experience with this story.
Margot’s introduction to the reader leads one to believe that she might be an outlier in the adult community; someone who is at once ignorant, naive & pointedly stupid, she remains a problematic character to root for. We are around the same age & this leads me to feel conflicted when reading the accounts of her chosen action—why would you approach so much of the unknown with so little gumption? There is something to be said for crafting a flawed character. There is also something to be said for character growth, leading the reader to watch as the slug-like individual grows into the fully formed human being they are meant to see guiding them throughout the story.
However, there is little praise to be given when following a character who makes decisions that are ridiculous & who overdramatize every single instance in their waking life—what does this add to the story? Readers will be approaching this book hoping to be drawn into the looming haunted house; reading pages that dictate a gloomy abode where Margot’s parents met their demise. Yet the atmosphere that Coates so flawlessly employs is nowhere to be found in this book. One might argue that due to Margot’s continuous exuberance of dramatics, the suspense that Coates is famous for employing within her stories, is dead in the water.
There are several instances wherein Margot decides to do something imbecilic. Such as wet toast, she drifts into the recesses of the river of her mind & pays no heed to any warning signs that might be flashing around her. I acknowledge that people will not always approach instances in a unified fashion nor will they always make the best choice—our judgement has been prone to flaws. Yet, the force with which Margot is written as stumbling over every crack in the road leads me to feel like a third party of another town entirely; left with no reasons for which to care about any of what is happening, whatsoever.
When Margot wakes at 1 o’clock in the morning she drowns about it feeling like a ‘dangerous’ time to be awake. I will gamble that many a human being has found themselves awake at such an hour of the night therefore, what makes this particular instance dreadful? Nothing. Save for the fact that Margot is in a home that she has actively refused to explore for both her own safety—should there be windows open, lamps left on, etc—& for the betterment of everyone else on the property—lest the house catch fire because Margot hasn’t even found a bathroom for over two (2) days while living in the house—her feelings towards the hour remain an enigma.
That same night she decides, being someone who fears the darkened corridors of this new house, 1 am is the perfect time to wander the halls in search of the kitchen to make herself food so that she can induce a digestive coma upon herself so that she need not face the night. Finding herself, once again, at the crossroads of a situation, she cannot explain & which she has refused to explore we see her press ‘play’ on a VHS tape that was conveniently placed in the player, waiting for her to stumble into the living room in the middle of the night.
I would have loved to see Coates’ writing style employed here yet, up until this point the story is obscenely dry. Nothing is happening to intrigue the reader. Why would Margot’s first reaction upon watching what is very obviously a home movie be that it was a recording of a children’s TV program? This makes no sense. There is also no need for her actions to be written out with such detail while she is attempting to rewind & pause the VHS at the appropriate moment. I cannot begin to think of why any editor would have allowed this scene to proceed to distribution as is. The repetition of the obvious absolutely annihilates the suspense that could be building. Why are we reading things we already know? Why does it take Margot an entire chapter to figure out that it was her parents that made the VHS tape for her when her name was on the cassette?
Why does Margot do any of the things she does? Why is she constantly wandering around a property whose landscape she is unfamiliar with while her phone is below 50%? This is unsafe & yet she continues to choose to do things that lead her to be in harm's way. Falling into a giant pit is one example but there are plenty. Would it be so horrible to read about a character who had their head screwed on right? I think not.
This brings me back to the formula that Coates uses in her books. There is a great deal of atmosphere build-up & world-building—at least this is what I have noticed in the three (3) books I have read, therefore should their other work be completely different, please take this with a grain of salt. I certainly appreciate a slow burn & I adore it when a world is built to perfection, leaving me no reason not to trust in the leadership of the main character. However, this book felt rushed & superfluous. The initial setup lasts for well over 50% of the book & when the reveals are presented they do nothing to lessen the blow of reading so many pages without gratification.
I do not find it very rewarding to read about a character who jumps at the sight of their own shadow in an attempt to flounder the reader into doing the same. When Margot thinks she sees movement in the woods I could not help but sigh…have you no knowledge of wildlife? At this point, I found the story excruciating to follow. Why is Margot constantly thinking about the worst possible scenario? Her character was not presented as anxious or quick to misjudge, she is simply rooted in the dramatics of not understanding that her footsteps will produce an echo when she is running down a tunnel.
Arriving at what many reviews have claimed to be the worthwhile twist I was abominably bored. What is abysmally disappointing is that this reveal could have been superb has Coates shortened the first half of the story & rendered her main character to be a bit more stiff-lipped. Ephraim killed his brother’s entire family with an axe & put their bodies into the wine vats that Ezra had made from the old tree, previously used for town hangings. Wonderful. What is scary about that save for the obvious? Nothing. We see Margot read a couple of entries of a child in the attic who was hiding during the killing spree & then she decides that what will stop this bizarre curse is to expose what everyone knew already happened.
For centuries, the town refused to go to the hill because of the judicial approach of murder to all those who found themselves hung & because they were almost 100 percent certain that Ephraim murdered his brother’s family. Yet, here we find ourselves trifling through pages on end as Margot fights off the zombies of the deceased in an attempt to bring them ‘justice’. The reader is meant to believe that no single descendent in all those centuries ever saw the decomposing corpses in the wine vats & thought it repulsive enough to call the authorities. No single person ever thought that decomposing flesh & organs were something that shouldn’t be put into liquid given that there were probably larger than ignorable follicles of said flesh, in the wine.
Not until Margot comes along, the same girl who never charges her phone when she goes wandering around at night, does this crime ever come to light. Would no one have thought to check the vats at some point if the bones & larger organs began clogging the spout? Did no one think it appropriate to possibly clean the inside of the vats? Did no one realize that the colour of the wine was changing drastically from one batch to another—due to the decomposing bodies inside? There are ample questions to be asked yet, all remain unanswered.
This is a work of fiction so one is often requested to suspend some of their disbelief & I genuinely don’t have a problem doing that when it makes sense circumstantially. What drives this point home is that an entire group of people allowed Margot to return to the home that they knew was haunted by literal zombies because they didn’t want to talk about it for fear of making it worse. I suppose it was truly beyond lucky for them that Margot was too caught up with wandering at night to think to ask relevant questions when she met with any of the people that lived &/or worked on the property.
When all is said & done this book would profit by being edited by a stricter set of eyes. Coates is a good author but this book did not feel fully fleshed out nor did it feel ready for publishing. The evidence that constantly pointed in the opposite direction to the one which Margot was facing grew tiresome & evaporated the morbid tendrils that the plot had to offer. Imagine my surprise that Margot should forget that children are curious creatures when she stands stark still, stunned at the inquisitive nature of the young boy in the grocery store. Having all but forgotten that she frolicked in the garden with a family of zombies that attempted to kill her, twice.
Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press & Darcy Coates for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 19, 2022
I don’t like to leave a bad review, but this book was not for me at all! Darcy Coates had been on my radar for quite a long time, and I was looking for something spooky and creepy to read. Well, let’s just say that I could read this book in a pitch black, locked basement with Freddy Krueger sitting next to me, and still not be scared… I almost put this book in the DNF pile several times, but I just kept waiting for something good to happen.
Gallows Hill is supposed to be about urban legends, supernatural and paranormal activities. I suppose we have that, but everything is so repetitious and this book just drags on.
A brief summary of Gallows Hill- Margot goes back home for her parents funeral. She hasn’t seen her parents since she was a little girl. She learns the land is cursed, and the house seems to be haunted. After three days of being at Gallows Hill, Margot decides she needs to look for a bathroom. 👀 Yep, I should have stopped reading right then and there. Unless, of course we should be frightened by the fact that she has the strongest bladder on the planet?!
I really don’t have much else to say about this book. I don’t recommend it, and I’m not sure if this author is right for me going forward.
Gallows Hill is supposed to be about urban legends, supernatural and paranormal activities. I suppose we have that, but everything is so repetitious and this book just drags on.
A brief summary of Gallows Hill- Margot goes back home for her parents funeral. She hasn’t seen her parents since she was a little girl. She learns the land is cursed, and the house seems to be haunted. After three days of being at Gallows Hill, Margot decides she needs to look for a bathroom. 👀 Yep, I should have stopped reading right then and there. Unless, of course we should be frightened by the fact that she has the strongest bladder on the planet?!
I really don’t have much else to say about this book. I don’t recommend it, and I’m not sure if this author is right for me going forward.
October 17, 2022
A young woman named Margot is shocked to not only find out that her estranged parents died under suspicious circumstances, but that she is also now the owner of their estate and wine business. She quickly finds out the entire estate is haunted, and searches for answers before she and the others living on the property end up six feet under.
The majority of this book is long-winded. It’s definitely a slow burn, and probably could’ve been chopped a bit. However, I will say that the story is just OOZING with atmosphere, and I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen. The final revelations are highly interesting and entertaining, and there are some genuine scares. So I would still recommend it overall. I also think this would make a creepy movie.
Now available.
The majority of this book is long-winded. It’s definitely a slow burn, and probably could’ve been chopped a bit. However, I will say that the story is just OOZING with atmosphere, and I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen. The final revelations are highly interesting and entertaining, and there are some genuine scares. So I would still recommend it overall. I also think this would make a creepy movie.
Now available.
May 21, 2023
This is a gripping and chilling haunted house horror that will keep your nerves on edge.
'At her old apartment, she’d been able to tell in a heartbeat what was normal for the building and what was out of place. She didn’t have any of that familiarity with the new home, and every sound felt like a warning. Its walls sighed. Its hidden window frames rattled.'
This novel follows Margot, who inherits her childhood home after her parents die in a mysterious accident. Margot has no memory of her childhood or her parents and especially not of the house on Gallows Hill. What secrets lie within its walls?
'It felt like a bad kind of invitation, like a fortune-teller asking if you wanted to know when you were going to die. An invitation like that boded only harm and fear.'
I have read a few haunted house novels lately and I'm happy to report that this is the best of those recent reads.
This is not a fast-paced read, but for me, that worked in this story's favour. The slow burn helped build up an incredibly tense and claustrophobic atmosphere which on occasion had my hairs standing on end. It is not often that a story heightens my senses or scares me as this book did. So big credit goes out the Darcy Coates for that. I have to mention that reading this had me thinking back to playing survival horror games when I was a teen and being scared out of my mind, wondering what was going to jump out on me or be waiting around the next corner.
For me, the pacing and writing were nigh on perfect from the very start. As the story unfolds the pace rises and yet still manages the retain that air of suspense and tautness which I previously mentioned. The characters were realistic and relatable, and I cared about what happened to them.
As for the story, it was quite simply a masterclass. I'll leave it at that!
'Death can put anything into perspective.'
An incredibly well-thought-out and immersive novel!!
Highly recommended.
'At her old apartment, she’d been able to tell in a heartbeat what was normal for the building and what was out of place. She didn’t have any of that familiarity with the new home, and every sound felt like a warning. Its walls sighed. Its hidden window frames rattled.'
This novel follows Margot, who inherits her childhood home after her parents die in a mysterious accident. Margot has no memory of her childhood or her parents and especially not of the house on Gallows Hill. What secrets lie within its walls?
'It felt like a bad kind of invitation, like a fortune-teller asking if you wanted to know when you were going to die. An invitation like that boded only harm and fear.'
I have read a few haunted house novels lately and I'm happy to report that this is the best of those recent reads.
This is not a fast-paced read, but for me, that worked in this story's favour. The slow burn helped build up an incredibly tense and claustrophobic atmosphere which on occasion had my hairs standing on end. It is not often that a story heightens my senses or scares me as this book did. So big credit goes out the Darcy Coates for that. I have to mention that reading this had me thinking back to playing survival horror games when I was a teen and being scared out of my mind, wondering what was going to jump out on me or be waiting around the next corner.
For me, the pacing and writing were nigh on perfect from the very start. As the story unfolds the pace rises and yet still manages the retain that air of suspense and tautness which I previously mentioned. The characters were realistic and relatable, and I cared about what happened to them.
As for the story, it was quite simply a masterclass. I'll leave it at that!
'Death can put anything into perspective.'
An incredibly well-thought-out and immersive novel!!
Highly recommended.
September 22, 2022
I saw this book described as "Catnip for fans of things that go bump in the night, and eventually the day" and thought, "how appropriate a description in just a few words." It was always thought that Hugh and Maria Hull died of heart attacks on the same night. Their daughter Margot can’t say yes or no to that theory. She had been sent away as a small child and raised by her grandmother. The news that she’s the sole heir to her parents' winery is not exactly looked on by her as a good thing. She’s always wondered why they sent her away all those years ago. She knows absolutely nothing about running a business, especially this one that’s suddenly been dropped in her lap. She can’t even drink wine. It makes her ill, which is also something she's wondered about. She can drink other spirits with no problems. Off she goes to her parents' winery in spite of her doubts. She has hardly arrived at her parents’ house when eerie, frightening things begin to happen. There are cries and moans in the night. Six nooses outside the house suddenly appear out of the blue. Kant, the winery manager, tells her that nooses have also regularly appeared for the 30 years he’s been there. Viewing a videotape her parents made for her is creepier and more disturbing. Margot has also always been afraid of underground spaces which is also severely tested. She finally comes to the conclusion that the place is haunted. I thought, well about time. What was your first clue? Strangely it seems that anyone that settles on Gallows Hill, can never leave. We learn that Ezra Hull, the winery’s original owner, along with his wife and their four children also strangely disappeared, and as the winery's 250th anniversary approaches, we can just give up thinking there is any pretense of anything resembling normal happening. The ghostly manifestations increase along with the tension and the strange unexplained happenings. Darcy Coates has NEVER disappointed in the ghost/unexplained happenings department...and she certainly didn't with this little gem.
September 27, 2022
Gallows Hill Winery, were creepy things happen. Margot goes back home after her parents mysteriously dies and encounter more than she bargained for.
This one started out on a great note and although it was a bit slow at some places it still kept me invested. Some really creepy factors and loved the tense building throughout the book. A good one for those that do Halloween reads. The story kept flowing with quick to know characters and that ending was epic.
Keep your lights on for this one as it might play on the mind a bit, loved it! Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.
This one started out on a great note and although it was a bit slow at some places it still kept me invested. Some really creepy factors and loved the tense building throughout the book. A good one for those that do Halloween reads. The story kept flowing with quick to know characters and that ending was epic.
Keep your lights on for this one as it might play on the mind a bit, loved it! Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.
May 13, 2022
For a truly uneasy experience, read this one at night. Bonus points if you have an ereader and can turn off all the lights.
A slow burn horror with a foreboding and tense atmosphere. I felt very unsettled while reading this. Especially the scenes after dark. The characters are fantastic and the storyline had my immediate attention. My only wish was that it had an epilogue.
And that reveal!!! My mind was absolutely blown. So Well Done!
I'm a huge Darcy Coates fan and couldn't resist hitting that request button on Netgalley as soon as I saw this! This is the fourth book I've read of hers. I need to get my hands on her backlist!! It's a big one!
Highly recommend!
Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy!
A slow burn horror with a foreboding and tense atmosphere. I felt very unsettled while reading this. Especially the scenes after dark. The characters are fantastic and the storyline had my immediate attention. My only wish was that it had an epilogue.
And that reveal!!! My mind was absolutely blown. So Well Done!
I'm a huge Darcy Coates fan and couldn't resist hitting that request button on Netgalley as soon as I saw this! This is the fourth book I've read of hers. I need to get my hands on her backlist!! It's a big one!
Highly recommend!
Thanks so much to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for my gifted copy!
August 22, 2022
Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: September 6, 2022
Margot knows very little about her parents, except that they sent her away to live with her grandmother when she was a young child. Now, she is the sole heir to their estate, Gallows Hill, and the winery that sits on the property. Both of her parents appeared to die in their sleep, on the same night, of “heart attacks”, or so the paperwork says. But Margot, and the staff at the winery, are suspicious. As soon as Margot arrives at the property, she immediately senses something “off” about the grounds, and when the caretaker tells her about all of the deaths on the grounds, Margot begins to question even more if the death of her parents was truly an “accident”.
Darcy Coates is an Australian horror writer, focused on haunted houses if her previous novels (“The Haunting of Ashburn House” and “Craven Manor”, to name a few) are anything to go by. She’s a completely new read for me, and I always love a spooky haunted house story.
Margot knows little about her birth parents and her own family history, and she travels to Gallows Hill in hopes of finding out more about them, and why they gave her up. But the creepy things that go bump in the night provide Margot with more answers than she ever bargained for. Coates can write a creepy tale, and the extremely descriptive ghouls and ghosts that haunt the manor were enough to give me goosebumps.
“Gallows Hill” is a slow burn, and it took me a while to get invested in both the characters and the storyline. Although Margot’s family has quite the sordid history, the entire story takes place at Gallows Hill, when Margot arrives at the manor. Although Coates provides answers to the burning questions, I was still left wanting to know more of the backstory. I wanted to know about Margot’s parents, and their experiences, as well as the rest of the Hull family. This is one of the novels that I would love to see turned into a series (prequels, at least), exploring more of the Hull family history and the haunting of Gallows Hill.
This novel had an exceptional ending, and I was glad Coates chose this route, with so many other options at her fingertips. “Gallows Hill” is a character driven, slow burn ghost story that will haunt you to your very core if you can invest in its plot and see it through to the end.
Expected publication date: September 6, 2022
Margot knows very little about her parents, except that they sent her away to live with her grandmother when she was a young child. Now, she is the sole heir to their estate, Gallows Hill, and the winery that sits on the property. Both of her parents appeared to die in their sleep, on the same night, of “heart attacks”, or so the paperwork says. But Margot, and the staff at the winery, are suspicious. As soon as Margot arrives at the property, she immediately senses something “off” about the grounds, and when the caretaker tells her about all of the deaths on the grounds, Margot begins to question even more if the death of her parents was truly an “accident”.
Darcy Coates is an Australian horror writer, focused on haunted houses if her previous novels (“The Haunting of Ashburn House” and “Craven Manor”, to name a few) are anything to go by. She’s a completely new read for me, and I always love a spooky haunted house story.
Margot knows little about her birth parents and her own family history, and she travels to Gallows Hill in hopes of finding out more about them, and why they gave her up. But the creepy things that go bump in the night provide Margot with more answers than she ever bargained for. Coates can write a creepy tale, and the extremely descriptive ghouls and ghosts that haunt the manor were enough to give me goosebumps.
“Gallows Hill” is a slow burn, and it took me a while to get invested in both the characters and the storyline. Although Margot’s family has quite the sordid history, the entire story takes place at Gallows Hill, when Margot arrives at the manor. Although Coates provides answers to the burning questions, I was still left wanting to know more of the backstory. I wanted to know about Margot’s parents, and their experiences, as well as the rest of the Hull family. This is one of the novels that I would love to see turned into a series (prequels, at least), exploring more of the Hull family history and the haunting of Gallows Hill.
This novel had an exceptional ending, and I was glad Coates chose this route, with so many other options at her fingertips. “Gallows Hill” is a character driven, slow burn ghost story that will haunt you to your very core if you can invest in its plot and see it through to the end.
August 18, 2022
It’s been more than a decade since Margot Hull last saw her childhood home. She was young enough when she was sent away that she barely remembers its dark passageways and secret corners. But now she's returned to bury her parents and reconnect with the winery that is her family's legacy—and the bloody truth of exactly what lies buried beneath the crumbling estate. Alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, Margot is forced to come face to face with the horrors of the past—and realize that she may be the next victim of a house that never rests...
Yet again Coates doesn’t fail to deliver. I will say it again… I am yet to read a novel by Darcy Coates that I haven’t LOVED!
Filled with tension, suspense, horror, thrills, spills and everything else she can manage to squeeze between the pages, ‘Gallows Hill’ definitely kept me hooked right to the very last full stop.
My favourite thing about Coates is her ability to create these fantastic protagonists that you feel like you’ve known forever. You’re right there with them in that moment and you can’t help but root for them and laugh and cry with every obstacle they face; you really care how their story turns out. This is exactly how I felt for Margot… and I wanted, no, I needed for her story to end well. You’ll just have to read the story to see if I get my wish or not.
Coates will remain a firm favourite and I can’t wait to check out some more of her work.
Yet again Coates doesn’t fail to deliver. I will say it again… I am yet to read a novel by Darcy Coates that I haven’t LOVED!
Filled with tension, suspense, horror, thrills, spills and everything else she can manage to squeeze between the pages, ‘Gallows Hill’ definitely kept me hooked right to the very last full stop.
My favourite thing about Coates is her ability to create these fantastic protagonists that you feel like you’ve known forever. You’re right there with them in that moment and you can’t help but root for them and laugh and cry with every obstacle they face; you really care how their story turns out. This is exactly how I felt for Margot… and I wanted, no, I needed for her story to end well. You’ll just have to read the story to see if I get my wish or not.
Coates will remain a firm favourite and I can’t wait to check out some more of her work.
November 15, 2022
Darcy does it again! What a great read and action packed read!
Definitely a bit darker and a bit more intense that her usual atmospheric haunted house stories, but still the same writing I know and love.
The ending was absolutely wild and I didn’t see it coming.
Definitely a bit darker and a bit more intense that her usual atmospheric haunted house stories, but still the same writing I know and love.
The ending was absolutely wild and I didn’t see it coming.
August 8, 2022
Margo's ancestors have owned Gallows Hill Winery since long before she was born. She has never been part of the business and seems to have very little memory of ever having been part of the family. She was sent away at a young age and doesn't know why. She has had no contact with her parents since then, which seemed a bit odd to me since she knew where they were and could have easily reached out at any time to ask why she had been sent away.
Now both of her parents have died, under unusual circumstances and she has inherited the winery.
She returns to attend the funeral, and settle the estate and learns that her family was cursed. It seems that Gallows Hill once held a real gallows and the angry spirits of those who were put to death there are not at rest. Now the winery has become famous for a very special vintage of wine that is carefully aged in barrels carved from the very hanging tree that saw so much death.
Gallows Hill aims to be a slow-burn supernatural gothic that may have been better as a novella.
Lots of confusing details and several repetitions slow the pace. The reason for the curse may have shocked Margot but it was too easy to figure out what was going on with those wine barrels. There were some creepy moments with the restless and angry spirits but the repetition took away some of the enjoyment. Some things just didn't add up. If Margot's parents were so intent on keeping her away from the winery why leave it to her in their will? Why does Margot not know how to charge her phone once in a while? I could go on but it would lead to spoilers.
I'm going to give this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 out of 5 where half stars are not allowed.
You may enjoy it more than I did but this one was just not for me.
I received an advance copy for review.
Now both of her parents have died, under unusual circumstances and she has inherited the winery.
She returns to attend the funeral, and settle the estate and learns that her family was cursed. It seems that Gallows Hill once held a real gallows and the angry spirits of those who were put to death there are not at rest. Now the winery has become famous for a very special vintage of wine that is carefully aged in barrels carved from the very hanging tree that saw so much death.
Gallows Hill aims to be a slow-burn supernatural gothic that may have been better as a novella.
Lots of confusing details and several repetitions slow the pace. The reason for the curse may have shocked Margot but it was too easy to figure out what was going on with those wine barrels. There were some creepy moments with the restless and angry spirits but the repetition took away some of the enjoyment. Some things just didn't add up. If Margot's parents were so intent on keeping her away from the winery why leave it to her in their will? Why does Margot not know how to charge her phone once in a while? I could go on but it would lead to spoilers.
I'm going to give this 2.5 stars rounded up to 3 out of 5 where half stars are not allowed.
You may enjoy it more than I did but this one was just not for me.
I received an advance copy for review.
September 24, 2022
It's been more than a decade since Margot Hull last saw het childhood home. She was young when she was sent away that she barely remembers. But now she's returned to bury her parents and reconnect with the winery that is her family legacy and what is buried beneath the crumbling estate. It was a really good read, just not scary enough for me. First time reading anything from this author Darcy Coates I would like to read more of her books.
October 24, 2022
one-line summary
Woman inherits house and prosperous wine business from her recently deceased and extremely estranged parents, only to find out that the undead stalk the house and its grounds at night.
deets (sort of, because I mostly speed-read through this bs)
Our protag, Margot, returns to Gallows Hill after her parents’ untimely and yet perfectly synchronized deaths, to find out that she’s now in charge of a centuries-old, prosperous wine business. While she’s still trying to come to terms with her parents’ passing, even just thinking about stepping into the role of owner drives her to panic, but she has to deal with those and also the weird happenings at night. Oh, she also finds out that basically everyone in town majorly side-eyes her (because of her family connections). What gives?
here’s the deal, spoilers ahead
boy do I have thoughts for you
Miss.
● The writing is repetitive and the plot is long with minimal payoff.
The Haunting of Leigh Harker had good payoff, despite its length and its ghostly protagonist’s verbosity. This book didn’t make me feel rewarded for sticking to it.
● The characters are so fucking meh.
Am I supposed to feel affection for gruff, silent Kant? He was so silent I barely got a whiff of his personality. On the other hand, Margot, who is on the page all the time, is written as an idiotic character who says one thing now and four pages later is like, “I’ll do exactly the opposite.”
● Coates has Margot constantly make very bad no-good decisions to get her in trouble and have some action happening, because Kant et al instead of providing documentation (WRITE THAT SHIT DOWN) and explanations are like, “Let’s keep silent in the hope she’ll survive the night and lead us to new prosperity!”
It’s very hard to feel sympathy for Margot when she decides to investigate an unfamiliar house at one in the morning. Why? Call 911. You live in a first world country, you get first world privileges.
● Actually, this whole book is built on bad decisions that people make because of procrastination, poor planning, and lack of analysis.
Which really makes me wonder: how good is that corpse wine? They were able to prosper despite being greatly lacking in the judgment department because of that sweet, sweet mummy juice.
● Lastly, I hate that fucking phone. I don’t know what kind of 2004 phone Margot has got, but that phone should’ve been replaced the moment she set foot on the property.
and other stuff i didn’t know where to put
Woman inherits house and prosperous wine business from her recently deceased and extremely estranged parents, only to find out that the undead stalk the house and its grounds at night.
deets (sort of, because I mostly speed-read through this bs)
Our protag, Margot, returns to Gallows Hill after her parents’ untimely and yet perfectly synchronized deaths, to find out that she’s now in charge of a centuries-old, prosperous wine business. While she’s still trying to come to terms with her parents’ passing, even just thinking about stepping into the role of owner drives her to panic, but she has to deal with those and also the weird happenings at night. Oh, she also finds out that basically everyone in town majorly side-eyes her (because of her family connections). What gives?
here’s the deal, spoilers ahead
boy do I have thoughts for you
Miss.
● The writing is repetitive and the plot is long with minimal payoff.
The Haunting of Leigh Harker had good payoff, despite its length and its ghostly protagonist’s verbosity. This book didn’t make me feel rewarded for sticking to it.
● The characters are so fucking meh.
Am I supposed to feel affection for gruff, silent Kant? He was so silent I barely got a whiff of his personality. On the other hand, Margot, who is on the page all the time, is written as an idiotic character who says one thing now and four pages later is like, “I’ll do exactly the opposite.”
● Coates has Margot constantly make very bad no-good decisions to get her in trouble and have some action happening, because Kant et al instead of providing documentation (WRITE THAT SHIT DOWN) and explanations are like, “Let’s keep silent in the hope she’ll survive the night and lead us to new prosperity!”
It’s very hard to feel sympathy for Margot when she decides to investigate an unfamiliar house at one in the morning. Why? Call 911. You live in a first world country, you get first world privileges.
● Actually, this whole book is built on bad decisions that people make because of procrastination, poor planning, and lack of analysis.
Which really makes me wonder: how good is that corpse wine? They were able to prosper despite being greatly lacking in the judgment department because of that sweet, sweet mummy juice.
● Lastly, I hate that fucking phone. I don’t know what kind of 2004 phone Margot has got, but that phone should’ve been replaced the moment she set foot on the property.
and other stuff i didn’t know where to put
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2022
This book had me legit terrified to the point I had nightmares. It will also make me shiver if I hear bells at any point in the future. Darcy Coates is the queen of horror. I love her writing and am genuinely scared reading her books. You know the kinda scared you’re afraid to go outside at night? Maybe sleep with a light on? Yea, that kinda scared.
Will that stop me from picking up anything and everything she writes? Absolutely not.
What are your favorite horror books? Does Darcy Coates make the cut?
Gallows Hill is available September 6,2022.
Will that stop me from picking up anything and everything she writes? Absolutely not.
What are your favorite horror books? Does Darcy Coates make the cut?
Gallows Hill is available September 6,2022.
February 20, 2023
3.4
*Slow* *Burn*
The first half of the book was so slow, it was almost painful. The next quarter was better, but slow. Final quarter was great - it just took a lot of work to get there.
I always love the covers of Darcy Coats books - this is the first I���ve read.
*Slow* *Burn*
The first half of the book was so slow, it was almost painful. The next quarter was better, but slow. Final quarter was great - it just took a lot of work to get there.
I always love the covers of Darcy Coats books - this is the first I���ve read.
February 20, 2023
I love Darcy Coates, she is a reliable author that consistently delivers according to expectations. Here, as much as in any of the other novels she's written. In this novel, Margot returns to her childhood home for the funeral of her parents, that she hasn't seen in 30 years. She was forced to move to a grandparent for unknown reasons. Now she's back and she has to decide whether she wants to accept the inheritance of a several hundred year old house, and wine yard, or not. Very quickly she realizes that there is something decidedly spooky about the place. After a first horrifying night, she tries to get the staff to talk about what's going on, but they pretend like everything is alright. And then it truly spirals out of control.
The house and the wineyard is located on gallows hill, and the label of the wine bottles is of the tree where they used hang criminals. The first family to live there disappeared in suspicious circumstances and the brother took over. The local says the place is cursed and refuse to go near. Margot is about to find out exactly how bad the curse is. The pace of the horror is unrelenting and exhausting. I was listening to this alone, late in the evening, and I nearly had a heart attack when the wind outside blew a door open. So this is not for the faint of heart! Otherwise definitely recommended!
The house and the wineyard is located on gallows hill, and the label of the wine bottles is of the tree where they used hang criminals. The first family to live there disappeared in suspicious circumstances and the brother took over. The local says the place is cursed and refuse to go near. Margot is about to find out exactly how bad the curse is. The pace of the horror is unrelenting and exhausting. I was listening to this alone, late in the evening, and I nearly had a heart attack when the wind outside blew a door open. So this is not for the faint of heart! Otherwise definitely recommended!
November 8, 2022
A five star horror read!! Darcy Coates is quickly becoming a favourite author for me. This is the third book I've read and every time I know to expect high quality content and I get it.
Darcy write atmosphere insanely well. The settings of all her books are creepy and are almost like an added POV to the story. And gallows hill was no different. From the first 30 pages of this book I was like "what creepy stuff is really going on here" and that feeling didn't leave me until the last page of the book.
The last half of this story was "un put down able" I had to keep reading because I had to get the answers we had all been searching for.
The characters in this one were her best I've read so far. Because of the backstory they were given. We were given these real characters we could feel for. I loved it. I was rooting for them the entire time.
There was a slight logic issue for me around the 50% mark BUT it was actually confronted later on in the story. So Wooop wooop. Logic made sense in the end!
Soooooooo..
I'm here to say that if you want a creepy setting (uhm a winery is so creepy) , strong characters, and a very interesting plot/mystery. READ THIS
Darcy write atmosphere insanely well. The settings of all her books are creepy and are almost like an added POV to the story. And gallows hill was no different. From the first 30 pages of this book I was like "what creepy stuff is really going on here" and that feeling didn't leave me until the last page of the book.
The last half of this story was "un put down able" I had to keep reading because I had to get the answers we had all been searching for.
The characters in this one were her best I've read so far. Because of the backstory they were given. We were given these real characters we could feel for. I loved it. I was rooting for them the entire time.
There was a slight logic issue for me around the 50% mark BUT it was actually confronted later on in the story. So Wooop wooop. Logic made sense in the end!
Soooooooo..
I'm here to say that if you want a creepy setting (uhm a winery is so creepy) , strong characters, and a very interesting plot/mystery. READ THIS
May 22, 2022
Gallows Hill by Darcey Coates is a story about Margot, who comes back to her family home when her parents pass away. We soon learn that she doesn't know them, and our first mystery is presented. As she stays on and figures out what she is going to do next, keep the family business or sell it, it soon becomes apparent that there a rules about this house and more going on.
Darcey Coates manages to accurately represent being terrified in a house, from how she writes her characters thoughts, intense dread and the stress of having to make a decision about using light. In these moments, I couldn't stop reading. These moments get creepier and creepier.
I really enjoyed the reason why Margot couldn't leave the Hill. It was unique in a ghost story. It really makes you think about what the land has seen before you step on it, the hidden history. I liked Margot, she seemed down to earth. I enjoyed the other characters too, they're so nice. I love how the characters are written in every book of hers.
The background of the winery was very interesting and I loved the setting. The underground tunnels were creepy as!
Thank you to the publisher poision pen press and Darcey Coates for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Darcey Coates manages to accurately represent being terrified in a house, from how she writes her characters thoughts, intense dread and the stress of having to make a decision about using light. In these moments, I couldn't stop reading. These moments get creepier and creepier.
I really enjoyed the reason why Margot couldn't leave the Hill. It was unique in a ghost story. It really makes you think about what the land has seen before you step on it, the hidden history. I liked Margot, she seemed down to earth. I enjoyed the other characters too, they're so nice. I love how the characters are written in every book of hers.
The background of the winery was very interesting and I loved the setting. The underground tunnels were creepy as!
Thank you to the publisher poision pen press and Darcey Coates for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 11, 2022
Gallows Hill by Darcy Coates is the first horror book I’ve ever read. Well, not exactly. I have tried reading Stephen King before thrice but I DNF’ed his books every time and could not complete it. Gallows Hill is the first horror book that I completed reading and it blew my mind!
Right from the start, I could sense something eerie going on. The vibes were off in this small town. This book starts with Margot’s parents’ funeral. But she doesn’t know her parents because they have left her when she was 8 years old. Why, she doesn���t know. But all the people are looking at her suspiciously. She is having an unwelcoming foreboding feeling in her gut.
She has bequeathed her parents’ house, Gallows Hill, and their winery business. She has to stay in the town for at least few weeks to figure out what she will do next with the house and the winery. Only Kant, her parents’ employee, seems to talk to her nicely. After the funeral, Kant takes her to her parents’ home. She has to spend the night at an unfamiliar house all alone.
The house itself is like a major character in this book. The house is ancient, belonging to their ancestors in the 1700s. There are some sinister vibes coming from the house but Margot couldn’t figure it out what it is. But as she stays in the house that night, she hear bells ringing in the house…and from there she starts experiencing unnatural instances. Soon Margot wants to Gallows Hill and never turn back. She thinks this place is cursed. But she cannot leave.
My favorite part of this book was the atmosphere. It was so dark, grim, and creepy. I felt so creepy reading the descriptions. Some scenes were quite spooky and anxiety- inducing, and felt very claustrophobic. This book made me sleep with the lights on that night. This book also reminded me a lot of the movie “Don’t Breathe” (2016) but with ghosts.
The first half of the book was quite slow but it was all worth it because as soon as I hit 50%, I COULD NOT STOP READING. Literally. I was sucked in into the story, totally and completely hooked in the plot. Every chapter in a mini cliff-hanger and I just had to keep reading the next chapter to know what happened next.
The history behind the Gallows Hill and what happened in the past and why she couldn’t leave town even if she wanted to was so interesting and it all made sense. I loved to see how Margot’s ancestors’ past were all related to the present time. It was a really great backstory and I loved how everything was sorted in the end.
In conclusion, I can only say that this book blew my mind. I never knew I could love a horror book this much. This book was truly creepy but in the best way. I am officially a Darcy Coates fan and I am looking forward to read more of her backlists!
Check out my book blog for more book reviews!
Right from the start, I could sense something eerie going on. The vibes were off in this small town. This book starts with Margot’s parents’ funeral. But she doesn’t know her parents because they have left her when she was 8 years old. Why, she doesn���t know. But all the people are looking at her suspiciously. She is having an unwelcoming foreboding feeling in her gut.
She has bequeathed her parents’ house, Gallows Hill, and their winery business. She has to stay in the town for at least few weeks to figure out what she will do next with the house and the winery. Only Kant, her parents’ employee, seems to talk to her nicely. After the funeral, Kant takes her to her parents’ home. She has to spend the night at an unfamiliar house all alone.
The house itself is like a major character in this book. The house is ancient, belonging to their ancestors in the 1700s. There are some sinister vibes coming from the house but Margot couldn’t figure it out what it is. But as she stays in the house that night, she hear bells ringing in the house…and from there she starts experiencing unnatural instances. Soon Margot wants to Gallows Hill and never turn back. She thinks this place is cursed. But she cannot leave.
My favorite part of this book was the atmosphere. It was so dark, grim, and creepy. I felt so creepy reading the descriptions. Some scenes were quite spooky and anxiety- inducing, and felt very claustrophobic. This book made me sleep with the lights on that night. This book also reminded me a lot of the movie “Don’t Breathe” (2016) but with ghosts.
The first half of the book was quite slow but it was all worth it because as soon as I hit 50%, I COULD NOT STOP READING. Literally. I was sucked in into the story, totally and completely hooked in the plot. Every chapter in a mini cliff-hanger and I just had to keep reading the next chapter to know what happened next.
The history behind the Gallows Hill and what happened in the past and why she couldn’t leave town even if she wanted to was so interesting and it all made sense. I loved to see how Margot’s ancestors’ past were all related to the present time. It was a really great backstory and I loved how everything was sorted in the end.
In conclusion, I can only say that this book blew my mind. I never knew I could love a horror book this much. This book was truly creepy but in the best way. I am officially a Darcy Coates fan and I am looking forward to read more of her backlists!
Check out my book blog for more book reviews!
July 11, 2022
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Darcy Coates for my copy of Gallows Hill! This book was about the Hull family, who owns a winery. One day Mr. and Mrs. Hull are found dead, so their daughter inherits the family business. There are rumors that the winery is cursed, and Margot begins to find out how true that is. She is trapped on the grounds until the winery wants to release her. Margot has to work to break the curse and put her family back into the good graces of the universe after their checkered past.
Thoughts: This book is a claustrophobic horror that isn't what I expected at all. It was totally creepy and so interesting to read. The dread and stress Margot feels was so well depicted and she was a relatable and interesting character. This book is a SUPER slow burn, and very wordy. I think there is such thing as over-descripitve, and this book could have said the same thing in less words. I think this book will give you chills and will be perfect to pick up during spooky season! 4-stars!
Thoughts: This book is a claustrophobic horror that isn't what I expected at all. It was totally creepy and so interesting to read. The dread and stress Margot feels was so well depicted and she was a relatable and interesting character. This book is a SUPER slow burn, and very wordy. I think there is such thing as over-descripitve, and this book could have said the same thing in less words. I think this book will give you chills and will be perfect to pick up during spooky season! 4-stars!
October 21, 2022
This was okay but it just took too long to get anywhere and by the time it did, i just wanted to see how it ended. Good spooky vibes though
July 22, 2022
Another insanely spooky atmospheric read from Coates! Lot's of creepy imagery that kept me up at night reading in the dark! I enjoyed the mystery and the reveal. Also, Gallows Hill as a location is one of the scariest in my Coates experience. I did think this one was a bit long, but that might be just me because I was in a time crunch to read this one! Overall, I enjoyed it and got a thrill out of it! 3.5
The Hull family has owned the Gallows Hill Winery for generations, living and working on the beautiful grounds where they grow their famous grapes. Until the night Mr. and Mrs. Hull settle down for the evening...and are dead by morning.
When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it's built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.
It's been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she's alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real―and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests...
Thanks NetGalley!
The Hull family has owned the Gallows Hill Winery for generations, living and working on the beautiful grounds where they grow their famous grapes. Until the night Mr. and Mrs. Hull settle down for the evening...and are dead by morning.
When their daughter, Margot, inherits the family business, she wants nothing to do with it. The winery is valued for its unparalleled produce, but it's built on a field where hundreds of convicts were once hanged, and the locals whisper morbid rumors. They say the ground is cursed.
It's been more than a decade since Margot last saw her childhood home. But now that she's alone in the sprawling, dilapidated building, she begins to believe the curse is more than real―and that she may be the next victim of the house that never rests...
Thanks NetGalley!
February 17, 2024
3.5 stars
Heavy on the atmosphere but sometimes painfully slow in moving the plot forward. Darcy Coates can write some really creepy scenes, and I'm all for a strong gothic buildup in tension, but MC Margot spent scene after protracted scene creeping through dark hallways, dark tunnels, or dark attics and it got a little tiresome. The plot didn't move forward at all until about the 62% mark. Still, a decent, cozy horror read most of the time. Extra credit for goodest boy Marsh.
Heavy on the atmosphere but sometimes painfully slow in moving the plot forward. Darcy Coates can write some really creepy scenes, and I'm all for a strong gothic buildup in tension, but MC Margot spent scene after protracted scene creeping through dark hallways, dark tunnels, or dark attics and it got a little tiresome. The plot didn't move forward at all until about the 62% mark. Still, a decent, cozy horror read most of the time. Extra credit for goodest boy Marsh.
October 24, 2022
this was (somehow) my first ever darcy coates novel and i’m calling it a wild success. this was slow-burn horror that genuinely creeped me out reading it at night (especially in the woods while tent camping. would not recommend that.) and had such a death grip on me in the last 80%. five stars for this bone-chilling, atmospheric, bump in the night kind of horror. i’ll definitely be coming back for more by darcy coates.
May 28, 2022
One thing I always knew was that even though her books were hit or miss for me, I’d keep seeking out Darcy Coates’ new novels simply because the way she wrote previously told me that with time, something great would happen. And here we are. The added length gives us a more in depth story with characters that feel real. The story roots itself deep and feels sturdy. Nearly all my little complaints about her other novels are nonexistent with this one. Was it perfect? No. But it was really freaking good and one of the best haunted house stories I’ve read.
*thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
*thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
September 6, 2022
Gallow's Hill is a slow-burn horror story that will leave you with chills and sleeping with the lights on. I've read other books by this author and found her usual level of scares and frights. The first half has a lot of build up and introduction but the scary environment and supernatural elements will keep you entertained as the books climbs towards the action packed horror thriller conclusion. I really enjoyed this spooky read and will be continuing to check out more by this author.
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