Death's Dark Veil

by Patricia Dixon

[zooloo1983]

Woah! Where do I start with this book? I listened to most of this book, but when it got to 40 minutes left I was too impatient and picked the book up in the evening to finish it as I had to know how everything would play out in this dark, twisty gothic novel.

With a story about two different women, I really could not figure out how they would end up at the elusive Tenley House. So many secrets and heartaches before they eventually reach the house. With a dark eerie beginning to suck you in, someone on their deathbed surrounded by dark veiled “demons” makes you wonder where the hell you are going on this adventure. I blitzed the audiobook when I was at work, once I was in the flow of Colette Redgrave reading it was a spellbinding book. A tale of heartache, love, loss, betrayal and most of power.

Death’s Dark Veil is told from multiple points of view and when they all collide it’s electric. You have Georgie, my favourite, a larger than life gal, disowned by her family for bringing shame on to them, becoming a socialite in London and meeting Kenneth. Kenneth has his own secrets, ones that only Georgie know, but when someone else finds out there are grave consequences. You have Ivy, a shy, retiring girl, who I originally warmed too as she was put through hell by her family who, also, in turn, disown her. She has the last laugh but she needs to get away and start afresh. Vanessa, Kenneth’s child, a child who has lost not only her maternal mum but also her adoptive mum and just needs that love and support. Sandy, the new “childminder” for Vanessa. Keeping everyone at arms lengths with her secrets.

This spans decades as we see Vanessa grow from a bubba to a 21-year-old woman knowing what she wants. However, how we were to get to the end was a mystery to me. But when we got to THAT ending, wow! One element is ambiguous, I wanted to know more but I am glad that I am left with an ending to make my own mind up as I know how I want it to end and I did not want it to end! The other part made me cry and I was happy.

With a story, mainly being held court in Tenley House, it began to take a life on its own. Breading the darkness within its walls, amplifying the tension, increasing the unease you feel as something is not quite right. Dixon knows how to draw you in, the chapters are snappy and with the different points of view, they keep you on your toes as you never know what is going to happen next. Plus with the reminder that there is a demon in the house, well this just makes you question everything. Is there a demon? Who is the demon? One thing for sure, it is pure evil and a menace of the chilling kind. The actions which are carried out and the way in which they are carried with no remorse just terrifies me.

As briefly mentioned, Colette does a fab job at narrating. She changes her voice slightly for the different characters and for certain characters they got under my skin. She drove them well and she had me hooked throughout.

Every scene, chapter all add up to a bigger jigsaw puzzle that needs completing. I did not find myself bored at any point in the book, I just needed to know what was going on at the crazy house (Crazy town is just for you Mandy), I mean would anyone make it out with their souls in tack? It is a page-turner, or an audio binger, sucking you in, you watch everyone grow, the house grow and the demon grow. This is not a book I wanted to put down at all.