James Sillwood

The writer doesn’t hesitate dishing out blood and suspense. During the first few pages—I crap you not—my spine tingled, and my stomach became slightly nauseated. This was at 8:30 AM, in the daylight, and I was extremely thankful that I hadn’t started reading the night before. If American Psycho and The Hand that Rocks the Cradle were dropped into a cocktail shaker, mixed, and the resulting contents were splattered forensic-style across 200+ pages, this book would be the result. With unwanted explicit emails, a stalker, a possibly adulterous spouse, the mention of a Fellini movie, and gardening, who could ask for anything more? Also, my sick sense of humor erupted in laughter at “Anouk the Hook,” and “What’s the difference between a chopped up hooker and an onion? I only cry when I chop up the onion.” Just like an 80’s horror film, Rebecca really didn’t see this coming, but you will, which makes reading this worthwhile.

At the end, I found myself silently yelling at my Kindle the following phrases:
Stop!
No! No! No!
Don’t go in there!
RUN!!!!

If you want to have a similar experience, or want to not sleep, West Quarry Farm is the book for you.… (más)

A vast array of characters meet together for dinner at a restaurant. The links between the guests appear tentative, loosely formed around a theatre production company and their various roles with this company.
Then, as the story progresses we see there are some who have met in the past, some who have been involved in the pastor had affairs in the past, and others who are destined to be involved in the future and leave the restaurant together, forsaking their previous partners.
The majority of the book is a retelling of each person's tale and each of these tales contain erotic memories - more or less steamy, more or less compelling, and exhibiting a vast variety of settings and sexual tendencies.
The erotic elements were well written and convincing.
The rest of the book, where the reader pieces together the links between the characters, reminded me a little of the style of an Agatha Christie - where the clarity is only revealed at the end.
I think this book is a difficult act to pull off because the author is blending elements of romance, erotica and a more literary style. I like all of those elements - so it worked for me. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest, non-reciprocal review.… (más)