Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for approving me to read 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 by C D Major.
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𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫? 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟?
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The premise The Thin Place really hooked me in. The story follows a journalist (Ava) who decides to investigate the Overtoun estate, which is shrouded in mystery and folktales from the local people.
Visitors hear a baby crying, dogs have jumped off the bridge at the estate and died, but what real secrets are hidden there?
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𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲-𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬. 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬.
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Overtoun itself seems to have a personality of it's own, and the perspectives switch between Ava in the present day, Constance in the past (a young woman who married a previous owner of Overtoun), and Marion in the past (a child who lived at Overtoun, and who herself was shrouded in secrecy).
Gradually, as Ava becomes obsessed with the story of the mysterious estate, the unhappinesses that existed in the house are revealed to the reader.
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𝐌𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐭. 𝐀 𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐬𝐩 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫.
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I don't want to give away the plot here, but I do want to call out that there is reference to serious mental illness, child abuse, and Munchausen syndrome/Munchausen by Proxy.
I feel it's important that readers are aware of this going into the book, especially as the story wasn't really what I was expecting; I thought this would be more of a supernatural thriller with a focus on Overtoun being a 'thin place' rather than a story that covered such heavy-hitting topics.
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𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 ‘𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬’– 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝.
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If you like thrillers, and have read other books by C D/Cesca Major and enjoyed them, I'm sure this would be a story you'd also enjoy.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story which I read just after The Marsh House by Zoe Somerville. I found that The Thin Place also delves into themes of motherhood and family relationships, particularly the mental, emotional, and physical burden which stems from becoming a mother. Another dual timeline book, The Thin Place switches between Ava's present and the past, narrated by Constance and Marion. I did feel sometimes that the past narratives were not out of place exactly, but a bit jarring as they were written in first person, while Ava's chapters were written in third. I would have liked a device to show how Marion's and Constance's narratives were being delivered to us in the first person. The book reveals how Ava obtained these accounts towards the end of her chapters, but it wasn't as convincing to have them scattered throughout the rest of the novel as written. I have to say, though, that Constance's chapters were heartbreaking and I fell in love with her character. I also figured out one of the mysteries of the novels about 3/4 of the way through but it was still exciting to make this discovery!

Living near Overtoun in Glasgow, I am now really curious to visit the estate and surrounding area.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Gothic stories, ghost/haunted house stories, and light horror, or works that explore familial and motherhood themes.

The book seemed to lack the extra spark I look for while reading. It was written well, but just didn't hit me like I hoped it would.

I personally did not enjoy this book whatsoever. I thought the story was way too pushy and rushed a bit. The ending wasn’t a big twist and I would’ve loved more.

Great book. Highly recommend and will most defiantly read more by this author and suggest to others!

This was the perfect book to read over Halloween weekend. Lightly Gothic, with just a hint of the supernatural, it was convincingly spooky without being too scary. Plus, it had the added bonus for me of being set just a couple of miles away from where I grew up.

The setting is Overtoun House, a place steeped in mystery and local legend; a “thin place,” where the veil between the living and the dead is gossamer fine. There are stories of a haunting and of an unexplained phenomenon: dogs hurling themselves to their death from a bridge in the grounds.

When television reporter Ava starts investigating the mysteries of Overtoun, she soon finds herself obsessed with the house and its past. And the deeper she digs, the more convinced she becomes that something terrible happened there. She senses an atmosphere, something otherworldly and inexplicable. She knows that for her own safety and for the sake of her marriage and unborn child she should let it go. But Overtoun has her in its grip.

I loved the multiple POVs in this story, which segues from the present to the past and back again. The two historical voices are particularly vivid. There’s newly married Marion, in thrall to her aristocratic but frequently absent Scottish husband. Lonely and desperate for a child, her diaries reveal a mind teetering on the verge of insanity. And there’s Constance, the little girl kept locked in her Overtoun room, the object of her mother’s paranoia; her plaintive voice conflicted and increasingly desperate.

CD Major has absolutely nailed the pacing on this story. I love a slow burn, which this most definitely is, starting of gently but with enough atmosphere to keep you hooked, then building in intensity to an explosive ending.

The fact that I guessed most of the twists is neither here nor there. It’s still a beautifully constructed story (based on fact, as I recall from my childhood), and I loved it!

A gothic mystery that was a very slow read. Told from three different viewpoints and using a dual timeline I could not engage with the characters or the story.

I couldn’t have picked a more perfect October read. Filled to the brim with atmosphere and gothic overtones, this novel was creepy without being unbelievable.

Though it is a novel, filled with fictitious people, it is set in a very real setting. Overtoun House and bridge near Dumbarton, Scotland. A place that genuinely has a macabre reputation and spooky history – albeit a different one from what this book has to offer.

Overtoun Bridge

The character of Constance was pitiable. You feel so sorry for her loneliness and ill health. Marion’s character was also one to feel sorry for . Her situation was utterly wretched. Ava’s present day character was a character that I had mixed feelings about. I wanted to yell at her to stop ignoring Fraser and leave the past – and Overtoun House – alone. But silly me, she couldn’t do that as then there would be no story.

In addition to the unsettling location, this novel spoke to the complicated nature of family, and the very real condition of Munchausen by proxy.

As Overtoun gradually revealed its secrets to Ava, the story came together in a way that made sense and tied up all the disparate threads of the plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and recommend it highly to those who enjoy an atmospheric story jam-packed with family secrets.

Well written, although at times a bit slow for my liking, it is definitely different than the other books I have read this year.
I would definitely look to pick up another book from this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for granting my wish and allowing me to read this ARC!

Eerie and gripping.

I loved the three stories and how they were entwined with each other. The Thin Pace was a creepy read that kept me up wanting just one more chapter, it's made me go and search out CD Major's other books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

If you are looking for a spooky read with some history and plenty of suspense . . . this is it!

Celtic lore states that there are places, areas where the space between the earth and heaven becomes merely a veil.

This is a haunting tale, it follows a ripple from a little girl's past, a deep hurt that can still be felt a generation later. I really enjoyed this slow-burn mystery and the multiple timeline presentation.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of The Thin Place for my unbiased evaluation. 4 stars

Creepy house.
Family secrets.
Sibling rivalry.
A struggling marriage.
An obsessive journalist.
Ava is twelve weeks pregnant - the scan showing a healthy fetus. Excited to share her news, Ava visits her mum - sure their close relationship will cause not only joy for her mum but also inspire her mum to share her own childhood, any family illnesses, etc.
Instead they have an argument - their relationship torn. Her sister, Pippa, has no information to share.
Then Ava learns of a bridge - renown for an alarming large number of dogs jumping off and dying. What is it about this bridge that draws dogs? And Ava? Something about the house, the grounds pulls Ava. Her cameraman refers to it as a Thin Place - the divide between reality and the afterlife can be felt, so tiny as though you can fall through.
A slow build mystery - held my attention and spooky.

I almost missed getting this book and I am so glad I didn't. It is one of the best gothic mysteries I've ever read. It is written with three different pov's and I have always enjoyed that writing style. Ava is a journalist and becomes involved in a story about a bridge that since 1950 hundreds of dogs have jumped from to their death. She feels a strange pull toward the bridge and the old manor house. She is pregnant and becomes so obsessed with this story that she becomes neglectful to everything else. The author does a fabulous job of tying the past of the other two woman and this woman in present day together. If you like this genre you will love this book. This all happened in Scotland and the house and bridge really do exist and can be toured. The part about the dogs is true.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’m sorry but why did I read a whole book about dogs who commit suicide?!? WTF?!?! The human characters were good. But every time it seemed like a dog was gonna get hurt I had to skip over it. I wish I had never read this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this novel. This was the first book I've ready by this author.  The book kept a good pace, albeit the story felt somewhat predictable.  Set over three time periods and from 3 different perspectives. Character development was good - some likeable (Constance) some less so (Ava - primary protagonist).  I found it difficult at times to stay interested in the details and some repetition but overall a solid 3 stars.    The tale was based on a real life locations and events, which certainly added to it and I found myself googling the background story afterwards!

Wow! I think Ava is not the only one who got obsessed! While Ava was obsessed with the supposedly haunted estate and bridge, I got obsessed with this book. And oh, the ending! My mouth was left gaping open when I got to the last chapter. I mean I did not expect that, at all! Though I would admit, Ava's indifference, during her quest for answers, towards her fiancé, family, and her unborn child bothered me a bit. Still, overall, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book that much. So, I am rating this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

A beautiful story with an equal mixture of suspense, atmosphere and emotions told in three timelines through the voices of three women. The description of the places are vivid adding to the flavour of the book. The final explanation helps to understand the story better. A must read.

I was disappointed in my response to this one... I was looking forward to reading it, as it was a wish book that was granted after a long wait. Unfortunately, I didn't find it to deliver on the promise of the blurb...

The three points of view felt oddly similar in tone and voice, which made it difficult to keep track of what was going on, when, and to whom once I was in the middle of each section. The writing was fine but the story never grabbed me and pulled me in enough to fall into the world being established. The pacing was slower than I wanted it to be, particularly for something billed with thriller in the description. It just sort of plodded on for a very long time before things started to happen. And even when they did, I felt like I had worked so hard to get there but it just wasn't enough to hold my attention or interest.

I'm in the minority here, I realize, but this one just wasn't for me...

Ava Brent is a journalist in search of a new story when she decides to investigate a house called Overtoun Estate. The place is shrouded in mystery and the rumors about its past are very dark. The town residents seem to be terrified of the estate and are put off by Ava’s questions. As Ava learns more about Overtoun Estate, she feels mysteriously drawn to the place and its history. She has to learn more, but at what cost?

I enjoyed THE THIN PLACE, it was a very good mystery with some well placed drama mixed in. The story had just the right pacing and the creepy setting was perfectly described in detail by C.D. Major. I am a big fan of multiple story lines and this book has 3. Overall it was a fun, easy read that I can recommend!

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love to read books that are fictional but have some basis of fact. I read this book in one day as I found it hard to put down. Told via three points of view and across three different timelines, it is still easy to follow. I deducted one star as I did solve the mystery. Still a very good read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.