Divorced dad takes teen daughter on annual holiday, and his choice of resort leaves something to be desired.
Though Hollow Falls is a beautiful area, it has a dark history. Nearly twenty years ago a couple were slaughtered in the woods and the Maine woodland seems to be harbouring secrets. Secrets that someone knows more about than they ought to.
Upon learning the unpleasant truth about their chosen holiday destination, Frankie and her father Tom are resolved to make the best of their choice. Unfortunately the number of strange and unusual events rises…and it seems that the town remains a place to fear.
When we’re first introduced to the resort it felt rather generic in tone. There were unsettling descriptions of the environment and I fully expected one of our modern guests to get injured in some way. This likelihood is heightened when Frankie and Ryan (the boy from the cabin next to them) manage to offend two neighbourhood kids who have something of a reputation for causing trouble.
As the strange occurrences escalate in tone, there’s a shift in focus to the events in the area at the time of the original crime. These details created a much more unsettling feel, with it becoming increasingly obvious that more than one person in the present has details they want to keep hidden.
Before too long we’re caught up in a very unusual turn of events. The sense of danger grows, and it was increasingly obvious they were dealing with some seriously unhinged behaviour. By the time we got to the end we had answers, some of them rather different to those we expected, but the most terrifying element was the clear sense of threat being posed by our lone perpetrator as our story fades. I don’t know if there’ll be a continuation of the story, but just the hint of how it could develop has made me p,eased I finished reading this during the day!
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this before publication.

I enjoyed this book, characters were interesting mix of people and you were kept guessing most the way through. Well written. Would recommend

English Tom, divorced from his American wife holidays in Maine with teenage daughter Frankie. He has chosen to stay at a fairly fancy campsite in a large, old woodland. So far so good, in fact loved the start but then the characters started making stupid decisions, each one more idiotic than the last and I found all that beyond irritating. Anyone sensible would have packed up and left immediately, but not these two! I had to force myself to continue. Nor was I keen on the way it ended. There were the makings of a great story, deep dark woods, strange inhabitants of the small town but then it all fell apart and it was all downhill from there. I usually love books by Mark, but this one, no.

“Welcome to Hollow Falls” begins this newest thriller by Mark Edwards. Written in his usual talented fashion, the tale incorporates a bit of the ordinary and magical, horror and death, and is touched with irony and wry humor.
Told from first person POV of Tom, the divorced British father of daughter Frankie, the story follows their misadventures and subsequent danger during their vacation at a creepy former summer camp in rural Maine. The revitalized resort has a history of murders on the grounds and mischief from nearby townspeople who want the forested land to remain “natural”.
There is much action and scheming by an eccentric cast of characters, and Tom rolls through it driven by his fatherly dedication to protect and save his daughter, come what may.
The tone of the story is menacing, with unseen threats around every corner. Given the mysterious disappearance of a character at the end, one wonders if we may be treated to a sequel by this master of the chiller thriller!

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, NetGalley, and the author for this ARC. This is my unbiased review.

Okay, so I was looking at my older books and apparently I had already read a lot of this- to 35%! Hardly a good sign is it?
I have loved some of Edwards' previous books- Here To Stay was fantastic! This book, read like a totally different author!
The characters were way off the mark for me- the teenagers were SO unrealistic at times, and the decisions they made were also rarely believable. I do struggle to read books that have unlikeable characters, and it does turn into an unlikeable book.
Rather disappointing, but I hope Edwards is back to form in his next novel.

I usually absolutely LOVE Mark Edwards, so I jumped at the chance to preview his new book from NetGalley. While I found it entertaining, and I didn't hate it, it's not even close to the same caliber as his other offerings. Maybe it was just the whole podcast angle that seemed a little too "of the moment," or maybe it was the fact that I couldn't connect to the characters. However, the mystery was pretty good, and it's a super fast read. Problem is, it feels like he wrote it super fast, too. If you've never read Mark Edwards, please do, but don't start with this one.

A great old fashion scary “campfire” story to keep you guessing until the end. However the story doesn’t end at the end! Will there be a sequel?

Thank you to the publishers Amazon Publishing UK, Thomas & Mercer and of course Mark Edwards for giving me the chance to read this book.

I have read a couple of Mark's books before so I was really looking forward to this one.

I was not disappointed. I was hooked from the front cover. Thank you Mark for keeping me so entertained. I did think that parts were slow but over all a very good read.

can not wait for the next book.

Ooooh what an excellent read! Journalist dad Tom and his daughter Frankie are spending time together in Hollow Falls, a cabin resort deep in the woods of Maine. Frankie's parents are divorced - Tom lives in the UK and Frankie lives with her mum in the US. From the get go we're introduced to the notion of 'Dark Tourism' because the resort was the scene of a ritual murder exactly two decades earlier. Tom and Frankie find they're staying in a cabin next to husband and wife crime podcast duo and their teenage son. From the off there is something wrong: there are the hostile locals, the mysterious voices and sounds in the woods, naturally there's zero phone reception or wifi (the later in line with the back to nature vibe) and when someone dies Tom recognises he really, really shouldn't have brought his daughter here. Tightly worked thriller, fast paced, with strong characters - thoroughly enjoyed it (especially the ending!).

Another superb offering from Mark Edwards, he never disappoints. Even if this is the first book by this author you read, it is worth it and you will definitely want to read more.

This was my first book by Mark Edwards and it did not disappoint. Engrossed from page one, I read it in one sitting. With twists and turns that keep you guessing, The Hollows is an intense, creepy and atmospheric read that grabs you from page one.

Tom takes his daughter Frankie into the woods at a fancy smancy new camp called the Hollows. Once there he meets some people that have a true crime podcast.


Tom then discovers that the Maine woods has some secrets including the murder of a couple of teachers years ago. That's why the pod casters are there. It's the anniversary of the murders. *insert some spooky music* IS the murderer still in those woods twenty years later? Was it some kind of weird sacrifice?

Guess what? I didn't hate this book. I actually enjoyed the heck out of it. It kept me reading and just had the touch of spooky going the whole book through. Yes please.


Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.

Great thriller. Loved the story, the characters and the grip it had on me. Had to finish it in one sitting!
Will really make you think the next time you plan a vacation in the woods!! I will definitely be looking for more by this author.

Another cracker from Mark Edwards! Tom is divorced from the mother of his 14 year old daughter Frankie so decides to take a trip with Frankie to spend some time with her. They go on camping trip to the Hollows which is a campsite with a history. Strange things start happening, are they related to the past?
An excellent read this book is quite creepy. There is a tension running through it as you are never sure what is going to happen next. I could not put this book down!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Mark Edwards for granting me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

This book had me scared to turn the page after dark! Mark Edwards did an excellent job of creating suspense, realism and creepiness. I am going to read more books from this author.

Tom's life is falling apart. His marriage is over, his career is on its way down and he's lost his relationship with his daughter. In an effort to reconnect with the fourteen-year-old Frankie, Tom books a vacation in a remote part of Maine, hoping that a tech-free vacation will help repair their relationship. Instead they are thrust in the middle of a former murder scene. Years ago on the same weekend a double murder closed the resort and the criminal was never found. Now the woods teem with true-crime fanatics and creepy things happen with increasing frequency. Tom begins to fear for their safety and he and Frankie must decide to whether to escape to safety or solve the crime once and for all. A very exciting read! Thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read the ARC.

Wow was that a pretty creepy book! While I did enjoy my time with this book, I wasn't completely shocked at the twists. I'm so glad I read this when I did and not while camping! The mood of the book was a big strength. I think maybe I just read too many of these books to have not guessed what was going to happen. So while this book was good, I'd put it in the middle of the road. I will continue to read Edwards' books but prefer some of his others to this one.

Mark has done it again! I am working my way through his books and so far I have not been disappointed at all!

Once again he has created an exciting and gripping story that keeps you guessing. Just when you think you have it figured out, he makes you question everything. The way he writes puts you right in there with the characters because he makes it so easy to visualise with his fantastic descriptions of each location. I always looks forward to Marks books and am excited for the next!

Another great read by this amazing author. The Hollows has an intriguing well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Can't wait to read what the author brings out next, highly recommend this book, it's a great story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mark Edwards and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to Penance, Maine, home of Hollow Falls, a low key resort with tons of outdoor activities including canoeing, archery, swimming and also, murder. If you include some eerie woods where a famous murder happened, some scary faces and teens running around with animal masks on, you have yourself a horror story.

Tom, a washed up music journalist, lives in the UK, far away from his 14yo daughter, Frankie and ex-wife. He sees her twice a year and wants to make that time matter. He decides to take Frankie to Hollow Falls for two weeks for some bonding time, where there is no wifi. Unfortunately, he does not do his research and knows nothing about the horrific murder that took place 20 years ago and that the murderer has never been caught.

When Tom and Frankie meet the family that is renting the cabin two doors down, they become intrigued by the mystery of the unsolved murder. David and Connie, are podcasters, who tell them about the murder and the fact that the 20th anniversary is coming. Frankie is immediately intrigued by Ryan, their 15yo son, who shortly gets them into trouble with the locals by his quick temper.

Mark Edwards never disappoints. His writing catches you from the very first page and leaves you holding your breath until the very last. This book is creepy and the fact that the antagonists are children will really frighten the reader. I highly recommend as a good horror story that will keep you awake long after you put it down.