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stranger_sights's review against another edition
4.0
Read my full review of this book, and others at: https://mediadrome.wordpress.com/2020/04/24/dark-choir-by-paul-melhuish/
Dark Choir is all about payback. It’s all about righting these monumental wrongs in a tit-for-tat manner. Violence is met with violence, torment with torment. Someone is looking out for the victims here – I can’t tell you anything more than that because I REALLY don’t want to spoil what turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read recently.
It’s not always super fun to read, but it’s definitely good!
I received this as an advance review copy from the publisher.
Dark Choir is all about payback. It’s all about righting these monumental wrongs in a tit-for-tat manner. Violence is met with violence, torment with torment. Someone is looking out for the victims here – I can’t tell you anything more than that because I REALLY don’t want to spoil what turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read recently.
It’s not always super fun to read, but it’s definitely good!
I received this as an advance review copy from the publisher.
wellwortharead's review against another edition
5.0
Once upon a time, one woman stood up for those who could not defend themselves. One nurse dared to speak out against the horrific abuse at the asylum, but she was shot down, shut up and driven out.
Dan Hepworth knows what it is to be abused. He grew up under the thumb of an abusive religious fanatic, but he has moved on from his traumatic childhood, escaped his mother's clutches and built a life for himself, never to see or speak to her again. Now she is dead and Dan is forced to return to his hometown to tie up loose ends and arrange for the care of his older sister Lindsey who is disabled. He plans to stay only a few days but soon becomes entangled in the mystery of the choir.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and The Dark Choir certainly provides generous and heaping portions. Perfectly chilled and aged to perfection. Just when those most deserving least expect it, the singing starts and vengeance is served. I am not a vindictive person but as it pulled me toward a most satisfying conclusion I almost sang along.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Dan Hepworth knows what it is to be abused. He grew up under the thumb of an abusive religious fanatic, but he has moved on from his traumatic childhood, escaped his mother's clutches and built a life for himself, never to see or speak to her again. Now she is dead and Dan is forced to return to his hometown to tie up loose ends and arrange for the care of his older sister Lindsey who is disabled. He plans to stay only a few days but soon becomes entangled in the mystery of the choir.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold, and The Dark Choir certainly provides generous and heaping portions. Perfectly chilled and aged to perfection. Just when those most deserving least expect it, the singing starts and vengeance is served. I am not a vindictive person but as it pulled me toward a most satisfying conclusion I almost sang along.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
brennanlafaro's review against another edition
Who doesn’t love a novel that spans 300 pages but only feels like half that? Dark Choir by Paul Melhuish, a new-to-me author, begins with Dan Hepworth returning to his hometown of Scarsdale following the death of his mother. Melhuish establishes upfront that Dan left for London out of necessity to escape the town that is essentially run by a pastor who more closely resembles a gangster. Dan also left behind a traumatic relationship with his mother as well as his sister, Lindsey, who has cerebral palsy and is a very central aspect of the story.
2019 had quite a few memorable villains, my personal favorite being Levi from John Boden’s Walk the Darkness Down. Pastor Widdowson is my first nominee for the best villain of 2020. Melhuish does a fantastic job of creating that archetype of a pastor who clearly doesn’t give a shit for what they preach and simply uses their position to influence and corrupt the people who need them. Widdowson has about half the town brainwashed and the other half blackmailed. He therefore says what goes and what does not in Scarsdale.
The crux of the story revolves around the abuse of disabled patients at the hands of their caregivers, and the cover-up involved. Treating this subject with respect is something that’s very important to me. I have no trouble knocking points off when an author doesn’t properly research and writes in a disrespectful manner. Thankfully, Melhuish writes these characters with appropriate empathy, and when I read the author’s bio I wasn’t surprised to find that he worked as an occupational therapist.
On the surface there are a lot of tropes pertaining to small town secrets and asylum horror, however I found this novel to be refreshingly original. Dan was not a perfect character but his arc and development are extremely satisfying. The pages pretty much turn themselves in Dark Choir and the horrifying surprises are plentiful around every corner. While not strictly a ghost story, fans of that will find a lot to like here. Same with fans of asylum and small town terror.
I was given an e-copy by the publisher for review consideration.
2019 had quite a few memorable villains, my personal favorite being Levi from John Boden’s Walk the Darkness Down. Pastor Widdowson is my first nominee for the best villain of 2020. Melhuish does a fantastic job of creating that archetype of a pastor who clearly doesn’t give a shit for what they preach and simply uses their position to influence and corrupt the people who need them. Widdowson has about half the town brainwashed and the other half blackmailed. He therefore says what goes and what does not in Scarsdale.
The crux of the story revolves around the abuse of disabled patients at the hands of their caregivers, and the cover-up involved. Treating this subject with respect is something that’s very important to me. I have no trouble knocking points off when an author doesn’t properly research and writes in a disrespectful manner. Thankfully, Melhuish writes these characters with appropriate empathy, and when I read the author’s bio I wasn’t surprised to find that he worked as an occupational therapist.
On the surface there are a lot of tropes pertaining to small town secrets and asylum horror, however I found this novel to be refreshingly original. Dan was not a perfect character but his arc and development are extremely satisfying. The pages pretty much turn themselves in Dark Choir and the horrifying surprises are plentiful around every corner. While not strictly a ghost story, fans of that will find a lot to like here. Same with fans of asylum and small town terror.
I was given an e-copy by the publisher for review consideration.
stranger_sights's review
4.0
Read my full review of this book, and others at: https://mediadrome.wordpress.com
Dark Choir is all about payback. It’s all about righting these monumental wrongs in a tit-for-tat manner. Violence is met with violence, torment with torment. Someone is looking out for the victims here – I can’t tell you anything more than that because I REALLY don’t want to spoil what turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read recently.
It’s not always super fun to read, but it’s definitely good!
Dark Choir is all about payback. It’s all about righting these monumental wrongs in a tit-for-tat manner. Violence is met with violence, torment with torment. Someone is looking out for the victims here – I can’t tell you anything more than that because I REALLY don’t want to spoil what turned out to be one of the best books I’ve read recently.
It’s not always super fun to read, but it’s definitely good!
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