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The Hungry Deep
Some places are abandoned for a reason.
When newlywed Rachel Corrigan agrees to accompany her husband, Tom, to his family estate before starting their lives together in the city, it is an opportunity to get to know him and to explore the manor where he grew up. But when Rachel arrives she finds Corrigan House strange, the nearby town empty, and her husband’s sudden and cold demeanor increasingly frightening. She soon learns that one year ago, Tom’s first wife, Lavinia, took her own life in the twisted forest behind Corrigan House. The servants claim that her spirit resides there still, calling out from the wood, her voice as clear as the day she died.
In an abandoned town where everyone harbors a secret, Rachel finds herself a prisoner in a place which is becoming increasingly treacherous. When the village priest is found savagely stabbed and on the edge of death, it becomes clear that the remaining townsfolk – witnesses to Lavinia’s demise – are being hunted down one by one. But Lavinia Corrigan is dead. Isn’t she?
When newlywed Rachel Corrigan agrees to accompany her husband, Tom, to his family estate before starting their lives together in the city, it is an opportunity to get to know him and to explore the manor where he grew up. But when Rachel arrives she finds Corrigan House strange, the nearby town empty, and her husband’s sudden and cold demeanor increasingly frightening. She soon learns that one year ago, Tom’s first wife, Lavinia, took her own life in the twisted forest behind Corrigan House. The servants claim that her spirit resides there still, calling out from the wood, her voice as clear as the day she died.
In an abandoned town where everyone harbors a secret, Rachel finds herself a prisoner in a place which is becoming increasingly treacherous. When the village priest is found savagely stabbed and on the edge of death, it becomes clear that the remaining townsfolk – witnesses to Lavinia’s demise – are being hunted down one by one. But Lavinia Corrigan is dead. Isn’t she?
181 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 19, 2022
About the author
J.L. Murray
20 books149 followersJ.L. Murray is the author of the Niki Slobodian series (Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, The Devil Is a Gentleman, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, The Devil Was an Angel, and The Devil's Backbone), The Thirteen series (Jenny Undead and Eat the Ones You Love), After the Fire, Blood Day, the Blood of Cain series (Monstrous, Hoarfrost, Sanguine), the Gothic Folk series (The Hungry Deep), and The Collins Widow.
Murray is a firm believer that horror can be beautiful, and that good and evil are very far from black and white. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon and can be reached through her website at www.jlmurraywriter.com.
Murray is a firm believer that horror can be beautiful, and that good and evil are very far from black and white. She lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon and can be reached through her website at www.jlmurraywriter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 23, 2024
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THE HUNGRY DEEP was such a pleasant surprise. It has the same vibes as a retro work of gothic horror, like something by Ira Levin, but the themes are more similar to the classic canon of gothic novel: rigid societal structures that breed harmful traditions, toxic masculinity, a bleak and accepting terror of the unknown, and female rage.
Told in multiple POVS, THE HUNGRY DEEP starts out like any other Rebecca or Jane Eyre retelling: a woman comes to a worn-down estate deep in the country with her new husband, only to find out that all of the people in town are wary of him and-- surprise-- he's been married before.The folksy twist is that the husband seems to think some kind of eldritch horrors lurk in the wood... and the townsfolk are either enabling him out of fear, in on it out of necessity, or something else far more horrifying. What really lurks in those chattering woods?
Obviously I liked this book a lot. I like atmospheric horror more than I like blood and guts, and it's really hard for me to read books that linger on suffering. THE HUNGRY DEEP has its share of gore, but I felt like it was tastefully done, and the other definitely spent more time building up her lore and the personalities of the narrators than she did trying to shock the reader.
On that note, I am very impressed about how each POV was so distinct. Tom, Eleanor, Rachel, Gus, etc. all felt very different. They had different motives and thought about what was going on in different ways. Rachel and Eleanor were particularly good characters because both of them are flawed but likable and neither of them are what they initially appear. I LOVE that-- especially in horror, which has a tendency to fridge women who are too unlikable or too sexual. This is a very feminist work, and could be taught in a comparative lit class alongside authors like Angela Carter and Shirley Jackson.
Thanks to Corvina for BR-ing this with me!
4.5 stars
January 20, 2024
Deeply feminist, unsettlingly creepy, and 10/10 on the gasp-o-meter!
This book is super good. It’s about newlyweds Tom & Rachel. Tom takes Rachel back to his creepy, abandoned small town where she’s Not Supposed To Go Into The Forest. Tom’s hiding a secret and Rachel isn’t as meek and mild as advertised.
Oh I loved Rachel so much!
This book has so many amazing, evocative turns of phrase, and the last few paragraphs floored me.
✨BR with Nenia ✨
This book is super good. It’s about newlyweds Tom & Rachel. Tom takes Rachel back to his creepy, abandoned small town where she’s Not Supposed To Go Into The Forest. Tom’s hiding a secret and Rachel isn’t as meek and mild as advertised.
Oh I loved Rachel so much!
This book has so many amazing, evocative turns of phrase, and the last few paragraphs floored me.
✨BR with Nenia ✨
June 25, 2024
The vibes were vibing.
February 15, 2023
In the past, when trying to read gothic horror tales, I have found that many are all style and no substance, with the atmosphere and descriptions more important than the story. When gothic horror is done well, it should be unsettling and creepy, which was, thankfully, the case with The Hungry Deep.
I enjoyed the perspectives of the small cast of characters, all of whom were expertly crafted. I also enjoyed "the monster" in this one, although you could certainly argue that many of the main characters fit that role better than the actual monster.
I love discovering new authors, and I have to say that JL Murray is one that I'll be reading more of. The Hungry Deep was just the right balance of gothic and creepy
I enjoyed the perspectives of the small cast of characters, all of whom were expertly crafted. I also enjoyed "the monster" in this one, although you could certainly argue that many of the main characters fit that role better than the actual monster.
I love discovering new authors, and I have to say that JL Murray is one that I'll be reading more of. The Hungry Deep was just the right balance of gothic and creepy
May 13, 2024
Title: The Hungry Deep
Author: J.L Murray
Genre: Gothic Horror
Format: ebook
Series: Gothic Folk Book 1
Star Rating: 4 stars
tw: misogyny, death, suicide, alcohol, illness, parental death, infidelity, gun violence, blood, child loss, abusive relationships, PTSD, car accident
I saw this book floating around on Threads and one of my goals is to read more horror books since I’m such a huge horror girly. I figured that this was a perfect horror book to dip my toes into and I was correct. It had just the right amount of spook and unsettling vibes and I was immediately hooked right from the beginning.
As I was writing this review, I realized I hardly wrote any notes, which is a good thing. It means I was so sucked into the book that I didn’t stop to take many notes minus who the characters were. I found that I simply couldn’t read fast enough. The pacing was perfect. It wasn’t too fast or too slow. I was truly enjoying every single moment I had with this book.
All the characters were done so well. The main character Rachel, was done to absolute perfection. She came off as an innocent naive woman but she was one smart cookie. There were times that I bought into her naivety and I truly thought there was no way that she could be this obtuse about what was going on but she proved me wrong over and over. She was so much smarter than anyone realized. I could just sing her praises all day but alas, I have other reviews to get to. But needless to say, I was so in love with her.
Overall, this was such a great book and the perfect gothic horror book. The atmosphere was done well. I felt so much dread all the time and I was living for every moment of it. There was an element of the supernatural and there was a feeling of dread. The main character and all the characters were so well done, even the villains. I found that I couldn’t dislike the villains because they were done so well. The writing and pacing was great. This is the perfect book for someone interested in starting the horror book journey.
Author: J.L Murray
Genre: Gothic Horror
Format: ebook
Series: Gothic Folk Book 1
Star Rating: 4 stars
tw: misogyny, death, suicide, alcohol, illness, parental death, infidelity, gun violence, blood, child loss, abusive relationships, PTSD, car accident
I saw this book floating around on Threads and one of my goals is to read more horror books since I’m such a huge horror girly. I figured that this was a perfect horror book to dip my toes into and I was correct. It had just the right amount of spook and unsettling vibes and I was immediately hooked right from the beginning.
As I was writing this review, I realized I hardly wrote any notes, which is a good thing. It means I was so sucked into the book that I didn’t stop to take many notes minus who the characters were. I found that I simply couldn’t read fast enough. The pacing was perfect. It wasn’t too fast or too slow. I was truly enjoying every single moment I had with this book.
All the characters were done so well. The main character Rachel, was done to absolute perfection. She came off as an innocent naive woman but she was one smart cookie. There were times that I bought into her naivety and I truly thought there was no way that she could be this obtuse about what was going on but she proved me wrong over and over. She was so much smarter than anyone realized. I could just sing her praises all day but alas, I have other reviews to get to. But needless to say, I was so in love with her.
Overall, this was such a great book and the perfect gothic horror book. The atmosphere was done well. I felt so much dread all the time and I was living for every moment of it. There was an element of the supernatural and there was a feeling of dread. The main character and all the characters were so well done, even the villains. I found that I couldn’t dislike the villains because they were done so well. The writing and pacing was great. This is the perfect book for someone interested in starting the horror book journey.
October 1, 2023
The Second Mrs Corrigan
•••NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!
This series does not need to be read in order. Each book is a standalone and can be read without reading any of the others. I can't wait to find our what sort of story comes next!
Rachel is the new Mrs. Corrigan. Sometimes she wonders about the first Mrs. Corrigan ... But her husband will not speak of her. Yet everywhere she turns it seems that the woman could be lurking just out of sight. Will she be able to escape her predecessor's shadow? Has she made a critical error in judgement? How long before they move on to the city as her husband promised? What really happened to the first Mrs Corrigan? Will she share the same fate?
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy strong heroines in their gothic horror novels steeped in mystery and supernatural elements :)
•••NOT for the homophobic, transphobic, closedminded or faint of heart!
This series does not need to be read in order. Each book is a standalone and can be read without reading any of the others. I can't wait to find our what sort of story comes next!
Rachel is the new Mrs. Corrigan. Sometimes she wonders about the first Mrs. Corrigan ... But her husband will not speak of her. Yet everywhere she turns it seems that the woman could be lurking just out of sight. Will she be able to escape her predecessor's shadow? Has she made a critical error in judgement? How long before they move on to the city as her husband promised? What really happened to the first Mrs Corrigan? Will she share the same fate?
***This book is suitable for mature young adult through adult readers who enjoy strong heroines in their gothic horror novels steeped in mystery and supernatural elements :)
September 3, 2023
This is my first time reading anything by J.L Murray and it definitely will not be at the last. This short story/novelette was so beautifully written & in such an atmospheric way. The story is well crafted and it’s not rushed or lacking which can sometimes occur with shorter stories. The characters are flawed, some more than others, and it’s definitely a statement on what constitutes a monster, as sometimes those in charge of saving you from the monsters are themselves much, much worse. Definitely recommend.
May 9, 2024
I don't usually seek out gothic horror, but I may start after reading J.L. Murray. I started it last night before bed and couldn't put it down! This is a rare case where I genuinely enjoyed having multiple POVs, and that is due to how well Murray executes it. Each character felt unique, and I couldn't stop thinking about how all the events happened in one night, yet it never felt rushed. It gave me "Haunting of Bly Manor" vibes! Murray's descriptions are memorable, and she's an author I'll be adding to my favorite list.
January 24, 2024
3/5 stars
This could be read in a single sitting if you’re looking for a quick read. That being said, I wish there was a little more depth to the story so maybe it could have benefited from being a bit longer. Also- I was confused what time period this took place in? 🤷🏼♀️ Other than that, a good read!
This could be read in a single sitting if you’re looking for a quick read. That being said, I wish there was a little more depth to the story so maybe it could have benefited from being a bit longer. Also- I was confused what time period this took place in? 🤷🏼♀️ Other than that, a good read!
February 5, 2024
it was meh!
Lots of potential but unfortunately it felt like it wasn’t fleshed out. Kind of felt all over the place. And each chapter jumping from one character to another just wasn’t it. Could have been much better
Lots of potential but unfortunately it felt like it wasn’t fleshed out. Kind of felt all over the place. And each chapter jumping from one character to another just wasn’t it. Could have been much better
January 27, 2024
I started, so I finished.
The storyline was irritating at times, as it did seem to drag out, but it had its moments, and it had a slight, OH so slight twist in the end.
The storyline was irritating at times, as it did seem to drag out, but it had its moments, and it had a slight, OH so slight twist in the end.
February 6, 2024
Very well written!
Loved the plotline
Wasn't drawn out or slow
Finished it in 3 days
Kept you guessing between whether it was paranormal or circumstance of trauma
Loved the plotline
Wasn't drawn out or slow
Finished it in 3 days
Kept you guessing between whether it was paranormal or circumstance of trauma
May 4, 2024
181 pages of horror
This one was a quick slice of terror one could read on a stormy night. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Scary good
This one was a quick slice of terror one could read on a stormy night. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Scary good
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews