The Shape Of Night By Tess Gerritsen Review (Random Things Tours)

What was that? Did you hear it? It sounded like a knocking…no…more like a thumping…or perhaps even a banging? There it goes again, I can’t just be imagining this. It’s probably the cat, yeah it’s the cat. Up to her usual mischief again hunting god only knows what. Gosh, why is it so cold, I could have sworn I put the heating on today. Another glass will clear my head, can always rely on the local off-licence special buy one get one free. It’s all in my hea…there’s that noise again, only this time louder…closer…

Today dear reader I am on the blog tour for The Shape Of Night (Published 3 October 2019) By Tess Gerritsen. A big thank you to the publishers Bantam Press/Transworld for sending me a copy to review, always appreciated. And also a massive shout out to Anne for the invite, you are a joy to work with. Don’t ever change. 

About The Author

Bestselling author Tess Gerritsen is also a physician, and she brings to her novels her first-hand knowledge of emergency and autopsy rooms. Her thrillers starring homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles inspired the hit TV series Rizzoli & Isles. But Tess’s interests span far more than medicine and crime. As an anthropology student at Stanford University, she catalogued centuries-old human remains, and she continues to travel the world, driven by her fascination with ancient cultures and bizarre natural phenomena. Tess has sold over 40 million copies of her books worldwide.

The Shape Of Night

When Ava arrives at Brodie’s Watch, she thinks she has found the perfect place to hide from her past. Something terrible happened, something she is deeply ashamed of, and all she wants is to forget. But the old house on the hill both welcomes and repels her and Ava quickly begins to suspect she is not alone.

Either that or she is losing her mind.

The house is full of secrets, but is the creeping sense of danger coming from within its walls, or from somewhere else entirely?

 

My Review

This book was not what I expected. I was completely oblivious to what was happening until I realised that…oh so this is actually happening? How? Oh my! It caught me off guard and in a good way. Oh I really, really want to tell you what happened but alas dear reader it would spoil the story. Trust me, you are going to want to read this book. Be prepared to have your mouth left gapping open and questioning everything!

There’s a special skill that a writer obtains when they are able to instantly pull the reader into their world within the first few sentences. Gerritsen hauntingly sets the scene in the prologue, piquing the reader’s sense of intrigue and enticing them to continue on. From the moment you cast your eyes upon Brodie’s Watch, you feel consumed. The house is absorbing, overtaking the landscape around it as if it is foreshadowing the danger and threat that awaits Ava. You feel a chill trickle down your spine as Gerritsen’s writing captivates you from the moment you begin reading. I LOVE it! 

“Suddenly there is the house, looming in front of me.
I shut off the motor and just sit for a moment, staring up at Brodie’s Watch. No wonder it had been invisible from the bottom of the hill. Its gray clapboards blend in perfectly with the fog and only faintly can I make out a turret, which soars into low-hanging clouds.”

I found Ava as the main character mysterious. She is running from something, an event that taunts and haunts her throughout the book. It is only revealed towards the end exactly what and casts her in a completely new and harsh light. At times you begin to question her narrative as she drinks bottle after bottle before staggering to bed in a tipsy state. You wonder is she imagining the strange things that occur at night? Is it the drink talking? Yet somehow, you feel compelled to follow her, like a greedy child gorging on some poor witches gingerbread house. You HAVE to find out what exactly is going on in this house. At first you sympathise with Ava being ‘alone‘ but quickly feel uncomfortable and unsure when you learn of her dark secret. It’s exquisite character development and I enjoyed every second of it. 

“A familiar scent wafts into the room. The smell of the ocean.
He is here.”

I liked reading the contrast of the busy town bustling with tourists, noises and movement to the deadly quiet isolation of Brodie’s Watch. It was fascinating to read. Gerritsen writes Tucker Cove as somewhere you would take a holiday with the kids with a bucket and spade in tow. Nowhere on the brochure does it advertise death, murder, ghosts, pain and pleasure. They forgot to put that little detail in the fine print. Gerritsen is brilliant at building suspense. Instead of ripping the plaster off, she slowly tugs at it, making it last for as long as possible. It’s addictive reading and builds on the eerie atmosphere.

“I see the village of Tucker Cove with new eyes.
On the surface it is still a pretty New England town with white clapboard buildings and cobblestoned streets, but now I see shadows everywhere. And secrets.”

My favourite character by far has go to be the feisty Hannibal, Ava’s cat. Not just because he’s a cat and has a pretty awesome name but he is extremely aware of the goings-on in the house. He can sense something isn’t right and that there is a presence lingering in the shadows. There’s a reason the Egyptians worshiped cats in ancient times, they are clever and wise. Not forgetting of course cute and FLUFFY!

I give The Shape Of Night By Tess Gerritsen a Four out of Five paw rating. 

This book will have you hooked, you will forget to eat and sleep, basically all your human needs will take a back seat until you discover just what’s going on at Brodie’s Watch. Gerritsen writes an intoxicating story that will take you places you never knew existed. It’s chilling and compelling writing. A story that will definitely linger and play on your mind for a long time.

Did you hear that? You must of? Can you…can you smell the ocean or is it just me?

Don’t Forget to follow the rest of the blog tour, dates below, enjoy! 

Links

Buy A Copy

 

@tessgerritsen

 

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