Mum's Monday: The Haunted by Niki Valentine

This book starts off quickly, no sooner have Martin and Susie have had breakfast they are off hiking to the bothy/hut. It is sad that you could say there are marital problems between the couple but it seems Susie is oblivious to how she should be treated, because it isn’t right how Martin is treating her, but she is in love and they say “Love is blind”.

This book is an easy read so far, the descriptions of Scotland and the weather are good, and it is a fast paced read. It seems as I read on Susie knows things are not quite right between her and Martin after all, but she is still with him none the less. I must question “Are things between Susie and Martin just in Susie’s head, are things really the way it looks?” Answer, “Time will tell”.

Susie and Martin have arrived at the bothy and strange things are already starting to happen straight away. Let the adventure they hoped for begin, although it may not be the experience they wanted. This book is a page turner.

This is one of those books where you would say “You can’t put it down”, this book is certainly one of them, I seriously don’t want to put this book down and wanted to read on and on further, to find out what happens next.

This book is intriguing and well written, in that with as much baggage Susie and Martin have in their lives, it plays straight into the hands of the presence at the bothy.

The written description of their predicament is so brilliantly done that it really portrays the scene of intensity of the marriage and the horror of the bothy.

As I read on, I see that you would have to have an extremely strong marriage to cope with the situation Susie and Martin find themselves in. This could be seen as a controversial/dangerous book if someone reading it has a marriage that relates to what Susie is going through with Martin, it could open eyes. 

Someone like Martin wouldn’t read this type of book anyway. I can see where in couples that one believes in the paranormal and the other half doesn’t. this is a sad book deep down.

Although this story is called “The Haunted” so would be classed as a ghost story, but this could also be classed as a psychological thriller as well. This definitely keeps me as the reader intrigued.

I feel there has been a dark twist in this book, I have a theory as to what may have happened to Julian/Jules but that just may be my imagination. This is a very dark book/story. As I read on it is good to know I was wrong about Susie and Jules, you could make your own mind up as you read.

It is sad what happened to Martin, but as is often the case the person closest to the situation doesn’t see what is happening in a marriage and is the last to know/ realise, when everyone around you can see what the circumstances are.

In the interest of balance what happened to Martin shouldn’t have occurred. Sadly, it was the sense of a fight for survival and people only have certain limitations.