Reviews

Stiff Lips by Anne Billson

angus_mckeogh's review

4.0

So in 1993 Billson was rated as one of Britain's Best Young Novelist and that's why I added this title to my reading list. And all in all it was great. Almost borderline campy horror with a serious side. Well written and a great story that held my interest. My only confusion has nothing to do with the author but rather the format of the book. Unfortunately it appears to be out of print in the actual book form, but can be gotten on Kindle easily enough. However, I picked it up anticipating a quick read. The stats have it listed at 281 pages; and granted I sideloaded the title on my Kindle through Calibre which sometimes changes the type size and subsequently the book length, etc. However, my Kindle copy was almost 450 pages long in the same size font. Seems to me there's an error there. That's almost 200 pages more of story. But like I said, all the "extra" was just as good.

whatmeworry's review against another edition

4.0

'Stiff Lips' is an extremely entertaining ghost story with a nice line in humour, believable characters and enough creepy goings on to keep horror fans happy. The unravelling of the central mystery is well handled with a couple of decent twists and some subtle misdirection that never feels cheap. The climax wraps things up in a satisfying way and invokes a genuine sense of helpless terror. What stood out for me most was the realistic way in which the central character Clare is portrayed, the reader is drawn into the humdrum details of her life as well as the supernatural events surrounding her. The fact we get to know and like Clare so much makes the unfolding of the narrative even more gripping.
I can't help feeling it's a shame that the waning of the horror genre means that Anne Billson hasn't published more fiction; she has a deft hand, a great way with characters and a nasty imagination.
Recommended.