- ISBN: 9781907340246
- Published 25 May 2020
- Format: Paperback
- Number of pages: 630
Beckett’s Wood is sinister and secret, the kind of place where the curse of past events spread quietly like the brambles in the undergrowth.
In the first part of this gripping, three-part, bestselling novel the unsettling tale of a cyclist’s arrival in a village bordering an eerie wood sets in motion consequences that have far reaching effects on one particular person’s life and, like an anaesthetic, the village devours his will so that the curse can become all consuming.
Seemingly disconnected, part two depicts the life of David Harper as he dares to confront the abuse he receives as a boy at the hand of his mother, the kind of abuse that develops as he reaches puberty. Terrifying dreams misshape his mental health yet more, dreams that have a strange echo of a village far away.
SPadmin –
Jennifer
5.0 out of 5 stars A ‘must read’ book, unable to put down.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2020
A very clever plot full of dark and often cruel twists and turns that keeps you guessing and turning those pages to find out what happens next in the past, present and future of ‘The Cyclist’.
SPadmin –
Book Review By Dennis George Hannant MBE
Having had no personal experience of mental issues or any kind of abuse myself, the hard hitting narrative of bullying, incest, mental illness, sexual and physical abuse, rocked me to the core and caused much racing of the heart and clamminess of the hands. However the author took each of these difficult subjects and wove them into a compelling and gripping story.
Initially, I found the idea of a person (the main character, David Harper) arriving in a village, to find out that he had gone back some 40 odd years in time, without making a massive drama about it, a little improbable and the very detailed description of the village and its people in the first few chapters, a bit over the top. But as the story unfolded, I realised that David’s reaction was perfectly natural for him and the detail essential for the plot. There were many incidents and moments throughout the book, where I was shocked by David’s reaction, especially after people had been kind and helped him, but I was judging him against my own very lucky life experiences; in hindsight during the read, I realised that considering his life of abuse and mental illness, his actions were totally reasonable and understandable.
This book is in three parts, which are fundamental for the twists and turns in this incredible story and the transition from each one to another, is achieved with word craft and skill of the highest order, which made me think, blimey that’s clever. I thought the sex scenes, both loving and otherwise were especially well written and expertly fitted into the story line. This is without doubt one of the best novels I have read in a very long time. A definite page turner, which was exciting to read, with the unexpected around every corner of the story, ‘The Curse of Beckett’s Wood’ is in my view, a worthy Booker Prize contender and would make an exceptionally good TV series or a Netflix or Amazon short film.
SPadmin –
Lizzie – Brilliant book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 December 2020
Excellent story, a must read for those who enjoy historically accurate mystery stories.
SPadmin –
A ‘must read’ book, unable to put down.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 October 2020
A very clever plot full of dark and often cruel twists and turns that keeps you guessing and turning those pages to find out what happens next in the past, present and future of ‘The Cyclist’.
SPadmin –
J W Taylor – Complex and absorbing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 21 February 2021
A complex and absorbing thriller in three parts. Not for the feint hearted or those who prefer their life and sex with meat and two veg.
Nicky Griffiths –
This book held my attention from start to finish. It is very dark and disturbing in places with insight into workings of the human mind. A very enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
Laura Price –
Wow a very enjoyable book, some shocking parts, but didn’t want it to end, please read this book