The Thin Place

That’s amazing thriller kept me on the edge of my seat until the last page. The characters were realistic in the plot was thrilling. I highly recommend this book.

So, I have read The Other Girl from this author and I really liked it, so when I saw this ARC, I was super excited to get my hands on it.
This book didn't live up to my high expectations, although it wasn't a bad book at all. I love this author's writing and she can create a vivid book - almost movie-like - with her descriptions and realistic dialogue and I really like this.
However, I was way more invested in Marion and Constance's chapters than Ava's. I almost skim-read hers to get to the others and this didn't add anything to the story. I was honestly so captivated by the other two's voices that I forgot Ava was even investigating this at all. I think the book might have benefited from more of their chapters or maybe even told from Ava's mother's point of view.
However, the pacing for this story was great and I would honestly recommend this author.

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this one- just the right side of creepy and I couldn't put it down! Some of the twists were a bit predictable but added to the story well.
I liked the flashbacks that told more of the story and really added to the tension, and tied the story together.
I empathised much more with Constance than with the main character of Ava, and found the details of her life heart-breaking.
I found myself wanting to visit Overtoun to see if I could feel "it" too.

I love stories where houses take on an almost human-like quality. Given the description of The Thin Place and its atmospheric estate, I was prepared to be sucked into the book. Unfortunately, it just didn't click for me. The multiple perspectives felt more distracting than intriguing. By the time I was about 20% of the way through, I hoped to be into the plot, but there just wasn't enough buy-in to keep reading.

This is a fast paced mysterious book written from 3 different view points, 2 in the past and one in the present.
In the present Ava is drawn to investigate overtoun house and the nearby bridge where many legends are told about numerous dogs leaping to their deaths.
In the past Marion and Constance lived in Overtoun house. Each character had an interesting all though depressing life in the past. As Ava investigates the history she seems to become more obsessed with the how and whys of the house with no regards to her own health (She is pregnant and has some high blood pressure)
Things come to a head as she receives threatening messages to discontinue her investigations and the ending was interesting and satisfying.

A great slow-burner, The Thin Place is centred around the chilling mystery of the Overtoun estate as journalist Ava digs into its past, trying to uncover the secrets behind this 'thin place'.

Not only a thriller, this story gives a really interesting depiction of pregnancy and motherhood, periods that are 'supposed' to bring women great joy but in reality are often very challenging both physically and mentally. The interesting mix of diary-like and dialogue-driven writing made this a really enjoyable and exciting read for me, and I felt it worked really well with the story spanning from the past of 1929 to the present day.

Marion and Constance's stories are what made the book for me, and the author has done a fantastic job of showing Constance's journey from naivety to realisation. I wish we had more of Marion's life! I found her story the most compelling of the three, and I felt that more of her life could have been explored, but maybe C D Major wanted the reader to focus more on the present.

All in all a very enjoyable read, can't wait to get into more of C D Major's works!

Television reporter Ava Brent is pregnant with her first child, and while this should be a time filled with joy and happiness, she’s become obsessed with Overtoun House. The creepy old house has quite a history, complete with a ghostly white lady and a bridge that modern days dogs jump from to their deaths. Ava can’t stay away from the old estate, even though she feels in her bones that something very ugly happened there. Locals believe it to be one of the “thin places” a spot where the veil between the living and the dead is especially thin. This book was so good I didn’t want it to end, one of the best gothic novels I’ve ever read

Past And Present Collide...
The Overtoun Estate, a feared and perhaps fearful place? What deep mystery does the Overtoun Estate hold, if any? Journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate just that with little regard for her own safety. She soon becomes drawn into the house, the place, the mystery as well as the people when past and present collide. Compelling suspense with a well drawn and atmospheric plot.

This story is about a foreboding Scottish home, Overtoun Estate, that holds an eerie power over its grounds and many of the people who cross its path. It starts with Ava, a journalist who becomes obsessed after doing a small news piece on the property after hearing about a particularly spooky bridge on the grounds. It's known as a 'thin place' in Celtic lore, where the line between this world and the next fades away. After feeling unexplainable energy and not trusting what she sees and hears, Ava begins to believe in the otherworldliness and almost immediately becomes obsessed with the estate. And I mean obsessed - her job suffers, her home life suffers, she doesn't even seem interested in her new pregnancy. She spends more time researching the estate than she does anything else and the point is driven home in page after page of her internal ramblings about her obsession. To me, the story would flow better with less.

We're also introduced to two other time periods and occupants of the house - Marion in the 1920s and Constance in the 1940s. Marion is a newlywed who is finding marriage to be lonelier than she expected when her husband is constantly away working. She's left with not much else to do but roam the grounds and long for a child to fill her life. Constance is a sickly young girl who is practically imprisoned in her small room by her mother, worried about her poor health. It soon becomes clear that Constance isn't the only sick one in the home.

Through her constant research, Ava begins to see connections between the generations of people who lived in this house. The question becomes whether her family and career will still be there for her once her obsession is brought to an end. I enjoyed this story, especially the eerie mystery surrounding the bridge - it's a real place, and quite fascinating. I would recommend further reading into that as well, just don't let it become an obsession!

I dived right into this strange and spooky tale of three women whose tales will somehow intersect. I loved the use of a real haunted location and the twists and turns of the obsession. This tale of secrets and strange suicides will be highly recommended to my friends.

CW: miscarriage, child abuse, animal abuse, animal death

"The Thin Place" is three interrelated stories occurring at different points in time, all entering around a house named Overtoun in Scotland. The main story is that of Ava in the present day, a television journalist in her late thirties. Ava’s pregnancy makes her worry about possible unknown genetic issues, as her mother was adopted and has always refused to speak about her past, her biological parents or her adoptive ones. Looking for a story to fill a gap on a slow news day, Ava suggests looking into the bridge at Overtoun, from where since the 1950s dogs have been known to leap to their deaths. On the bridge, Ava feels something that may be supernatural, and she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about what happened at the house and the bridge, an obsession that strains her relationships with her mother and sister, the father of her child, and her capacity to do her job. The two other stories are that of Marion, a naive young woman who, in 1929, marries a handsome young man who takes her to live at his family’s crumbling estate, and that of Constance, a sick child who lives isolated in a small room of a big house, occasionally visited by her mother.

The title "The Thin Place" refers to a place where the veil that separates the world of the living from that of the dead is particularly thin.

Major weaves a tense, creepy atmosphere, with the large house looming over everything, creeping into Ava’s brain, its darkness infecting her apartment and her relationships. I was at once repulsed by some of the events in the book (see content warnings above), but I also couldn’t put it down. I could see the shape of the thing that would be revealed, but it was hazy enough that I had to keep reading to learn if the characters would get through it. The writing cleverly sticks very close to the characters’ point of view (Ava, Marion, and Constance) so that it is very difficult to decipher what is real from what could be their false interpretation of events and phenomenon. The chapters are short, which makes it even easier to just burn through the whole book by telling yourself “just one more chapter”.

Ava is not entirely likeable as a character for the greater part of the book. I think the greatest accomplishment of the writing is that the reader can see all the bad decisions she is making, but is so engrossed in the mystery that it is difficult to blame her for wanting to know the truth as much as we do (or as much as I did). For all the mystery, and ghostly atmosphere, and strange events, this is at heart a story about mothers and daughters, which makes it very relatable.

Fantastic read! The Thin Place was such a creepy, twisted, heartfelt read. I couldn't put it down. 5 stars.

Compelling thriller with the backdrop of a creepy country estate? Whats not to like? Told from multiple perspectives I found myself more involved with the 'past' sections than the present day. They were genuinely uncomfortable to read at times, and I found the voices of Marion and Constance more convincing than that of modern day Ava - she's obsessed with the story of this whole house but her reasons for it don't really come across as such, and I found it hard to summon up any sympathy for her. But overall this was a great, atmospheric read. read

This was a slow book. I kept waiting for it to pick up pace during the first quarter. I felt that the multiple perspectives were a bit annoying and distracted from the flow of the story. However, it started to get gripping and I enjoyed the ending overall.

This book tells the story from three characters' viewpoints and three different points in time. It focuses on the Overtoun Estate and the history of life there, as well as the mysterious dog suicide pattern at the nearby bridge. Ava is a journalist and decides to investigate further. She can tell that the house has a mystery that it is hiding and starts to receive threats herself. Her obsession with the house begins to put a strain on the relationships in her life.

To me, this book was trying to touch on a lot of things at once, mystery, relationships, family history, the supernatural - and it never really came together well for me.

The Thin Place tells its story through 3 characters from 3 different points in time. Set around Overtoun House and bridge near Dumbarton in Scotland, modern day journalist Ava sets out to investigate a story surrounding the property whereby hundreds of dogs have leapt to their death from the bridge, with no reasoning ever being discovered. She finds herself increasingly attracted to the house and begins to investigate its past, to the detriment of her own relationship. Intertwined with Ava’a story are Marion and Constance’s. Marion moved from London to Overtoun after marrying the lord of the manor in 1929. Her expectations of a lavish new lifestyle were never met, her life plagued with tragedy, sadness and loneliness. Constance is introduced to us from 1949, a young sickly girl who also lives at Overtoun.

I found it hard to put this book down! I haven’t read anything by CD Major before and didn’t really know what it was going to be about. It was fast paced and had a gothic vibe that I loved. It was chilling and spooky; even more so once I found that the house and bridge really exist and that the bridge does have a reputation for dogs jumping from it into a gorge below. I found both Marion and Constance’s stories to be heartbreaking in completely different ways. I think Ava was just a good way for the author to be able to tell the reader Constance’s life before and after Overtoun. I would say that as the story is set in Scotland that I would have liked to have seen a little bit more in the way of Scottish dialect.

This book was perfect for winter’s nights, with its gothic atmosphere mixed in with the contemporary world. I couldn’t put it down, even though its content meant that it was hard to read in places. If you’re a sentimental dog-lover like me, be warned that it’s a difficult read, but well worth it for the gripping plot.

'Heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in think places that distance is even shorter.'

The Thin Place follows 3 women's stories across the span of decades and generations, yet somehow all connected to Overtoun House. Overtoun House is a real place in Scotland that has been described as a 'thin place'. A bridge exists there where numerous dogs willingly jump to their deaths; some survive only to go back up to the same spot and jump again. This piece of historical fiction is very eerie and left me feeling really unsettled throughout. I guessed one or two twists and yet the execution of them was still brilliant to read. I enjoyed that the chapters were snippets of each woman, quite fragmented rather than allowing the reader to see the full picture which definitely added to the mystery.

The Thin Place is released in April 2021 and it is now available for preorder!
Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for my advanced copy.

A stunning novel that perfectly handles dark twists and turns. Despite it touching on difficult themes, they are all handled very sensitively. I was desperate to find out what secrets the house (and the bridge) held so I raced towards the satisfying end! Very excited to see what else this author has coming up next.

A well-written psychological thriller that I gulped down in a couple of sittings. CD Major captured an undercurrent of dread that gradually built and built with a satisfying and not at all saccharine ending. It was interesting to read in the notes at the end that the setting for the book at Overtoun House was a real one, which further provided intrigue for the book.

A <b>BIG THANK YOU</b> to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the ARC of The Thin Place
by C.D. Major. For fans of The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, C.D. Major delivers an eerie and evocative page-turner. The Thin Place is a mystery with the lasting power to stay with you long after the book is closed. ★★★★★

From the publisher: She has to know the truth about Overtoun Estate, but there is a reason it has stayed buried for so long. When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate—a ‘thin place’, steeped in myth—she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her. Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house’s grasp too.

After she discovers the history of a sick young girl who lived there, she starts to understand the sadness that shrouds it. But when she finds an ominous old message etched into a windowsill, she is forced to wonder—what horrors is the house protecting? And what will it cost her to find out? With her own first child on the way, Ava knows she should stay away. But even as her life starts to unravel, and she receives chilling threats, the house and the bridge keep pulling her back…

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 15 Apr 2021
#TheThinPlace #NetGalley

The Thin Place is an incredibly captivating story of family secrets. CD Major uses multiple narrators to tell a harrowing tale of a manor home and the bridge nearby that has claimed the lives of upwards of 500 since 1950.

This novel was spellbinding and I could not put it down once I started reading. A clever balance of horror and mystery, this book will surely hold you captive as you learn the secrets of Overtoun.

The Thin Place has three stories woven together that take place at various times throughout history. As you read on, you eventually discover the connection between the three. This book also takes advantage of the ever-popular somewhat unreliable narrator combined with some subtle thriller vibes.
The story takes place in Scotland and explores a bridge there where many dogs have jumped to their death (this is a real place in Scotland) and a house near the Bridge called Overtoun. The author tells the tale of the thin place where - the place where the world of the living and the world of the dead has a thin barrier.
The book is filled with intrigue and turns - even toward the end when you think you’ve solved it, there’s still another twist. Not only does the author delve into the mystery, but also familial relationships, which makes it more interesting than a standard thriller. I will say in the beginning, it was a bit slow to start and hard to keep track of who the three characters were, but once it takes off, I finished reading it within a few hours because I couldn’t put it down. Overall, it’s worth a read!
Thanks to Net Galley for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

What are Thin Places? Thin places are places of energy. A place where the veil between this world and the eternal world is thin. A thin place is where one can walk in two worlds – the worlds are fused together, knitted loosely where the differences can be discerned or tightly where the two worlds become one. (Definition provided by thinplacestour.com)

Ava Brent is a journalist that takes on the story of Overtoun House and bridge. A spot that locals refer to as a Thin Place. It is believed that in the 1950's upwards of 500 dogs have leaped to their deaths from the bridge. Not only that but dead bodies have been found around the estate with spent guns next to them. Does the bridge have some strange pull that brings both man and beast to their death?

That is what Ava wants to find out.

Once Ava arrives on site she gets a strange feeling. It's as if the house knows she is there and is demanding her to leave. Yet as strange as she felt while there she becomes obsessed and finds herself going back there time and time again. Even breaking into the home to curb her curiosity. Meanwhile, Ava has also discovers that she's pregnant and while she is delighted to be having Frasier's baby she can't seem to focus on her own health and their future together. Overtoun House is the only thing on her mind.

Then we flashback to Marion and Constance both of whom resided in Overtoun house.

Marion, 1929

A poor young woman that is swept off her feet by Hamish. They marry and he brings her back to his families estate. They try and try again for a baby but it isn't meant to be. Miscarriage after miscarriage have left Marion frail and Hamish resentful that she can't carry a baby.

Constance, 1949

A young girl that is locked away in a room at Overtoun House. Her mother tells her that she is very ill and should not be exposed to anyone. Loneliness is the only life she knows. All she has is the view of the bridge from her window and how excited she becomes to see anyone crossing over wishing she could run out there to laugh and play with them.

All three storylines will interconnect and I'll admit that I was surprised by one revelation though in hindsight I'm wondering how I missed the connection. It seems so obvious...now. A slow burn of a novel with rich atmosphere and an intriguing location that kept me turning the pages. The author ends the novel with an historical note and much to my surprise Overtoun House and bridge is, in fact, a real place steeped in mystery. I have much to Google. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me with a digital ARC.

The Thin Place - CD Major. A story in three timelines about a "thin place," a place where the space between worlds is smaller. Ava is a newly pregnant journalist in the present day, investigating a story where dogs are compelled to jump from a bridge; Constance is a sickly little girl in the 1940s, locked in her room; and Marion is a young bride in the 1920s who has come to live at her new husband's foreboding estate, while he is never home. This was good. I wasn't too surprised by anything that happened, but it was a pretty good read. Four stars.

*I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

The Thin Place centered around the dark history of the foreboding Scottish estate, Overtoun. It follows the story of three women from different times whose lives will somehow intersect.

The story starts with Ava, a television journalist, who decided to investigate a bridge near the Overtoun estate where many dogs have jumped to their death.  She soon obsessed to uncover Overtoun's dark history, putting a strain on her relationship with her family, partner, and her job.
We're also introduced to two other women — Marion and Constance. Marion, in 1929, she married the lord of the manor. It tells her story of courtship and marriage plagued by loneliness, misery, and tragedy. Constance, a sickly young girl who lived in the manor in 1949 with a devoted mother.

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A compelling and gripping thriller with its gothic and creepy atmosphere. The Thin Place is slow paced with realistic and well-written characters. Told by multiple narrators, Ava is not a likeable character. She makes a lot of bad decisions. I found myself drawn to Marion and Constance. Both of their stories are heartbreaking and sometimes uncomfortable to read. A book filled with intrigue and secrets, some were predictable. The slow build up of tension was so satisfying!
Overall, The Thin Place is a captivating read with a perfect mixed of mystery and suspense.

‘The Thin Place’ -C.D. Major
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ *easily 5 stars*
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Thriller

⚠️ TW: Miscarriage, still-birth, munchausen by proxy, animal abuse and animal death ⚠️

The Thin Place: where the veil between heaven and earth is so thin, one could effortlessly fall over the precipice.

This slow-burn novel perfectly encompasses fact, fiction and mystery, utilising them in an emotive, shocking and disturbing storyline. Throughout reading this I; nervously paced, held my breath (countless times) and felt that dread of your heart dropping suddenly out of your body without a trace.

Based upon the real location of Overtoun in Scotland, that is steeped in myth, Ava- a tenacious journalist, seeks to uncover the truth behind its tragic past. But will this jeopardise everything she once loved?

Told through three female characters; Ava, Marion and Constance, spanning different time frames, the history of this tragic place begins to reveal itself as we learn these women share a harrowing connection.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this riveting ARC.
Release date: 15th April 2021

Very well developed characters and an extremely engaging story. Well thought out and very suspenseful story line that keeps the reader guessing until the final twist! This is the book to read this year! Highly recommended!

Great mystery story—chilling—but I didn’t want to put it down. I had an idea of how the different story lines might be connected, but there were several possibilities and the author kept me guessing to the end.

At a little over the halfway point, a lot of Ava’s story became redundant. It seemed to drag out more than it should. I grew tired of reading about how messed up she was, physically and mentally.

>Note—skip the epilogue—it’s terrible. I hope the author changes it by the release date.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Ava Brent, a small time news reporter, a woman in a loving relationship, with a nice if somewhat mysterious on her mother’s side family, has finally all she has so desperately wanted to be…pregnant. Now her life can be complete…yet a case gets in a way. Something that should have been a peculiar but trivial story about a strange suicide inducing landmark turns out to have a strange and irresistible attraction for Ava. The creepy Overtoun Estate standing all but forgotten in the shadows and gloom calls to Ava, promises to whisper its secrets to the right ears, seemingly desperate to have its story told… Or maybe Ava’s projecting, powered on by her obsessive personality. Either way, she can’t let go of the story, to the great detriment of her professional and personal life. And so the novel mainly follows Ava on her quest for the truth.
And meanwhile, you get two other storylines, set in different times.
One of a sheltered young woman who gets wooed, married and whisked away to a remote hostile manor by her superficially dashing broom, Crimson Peak style minus the incest. Whereupon her isolation and loneliness and inability to have a baby turn her mind to a darker place. The other of a young girl, systemically and horribly mistreated by her mother.
Of course, all the stories are connected and it’s up to Ava to jostle her growing belly around trying to figure out the connection.
The overall success of Thin Place depends on how you read it. If you approach it as a character driven drama with Gothic undertones…it’s pretty good. If you read it as a thriller with light supernatural ghostly echoes…it’ll leave something to be desired. Which is to say I figured out every single plot turn and twist way, way too early on. Every single freaking one of them. There might have been surprises for Ava, but there were none for this reader. And that’s in a genre that (pun intended) lives and dies by its twists. I mean, granted I’m a person of an above average intelligence, with an analytical mind adapted for deduction, who reads tons of thrillers, so my brain is somewhat primed to solve these things, but still…this has been the most predictable of adventures. Which is somewhat disappointing, because otherwise the book read pretty well. It managed to sustain a nice atmosphere throughout, Overtoun Estate rendered appropriately creepy (it’s the eponymous thin place where the boundaries between the words are…well, thin), and the characters were well developed and had that careening trajectory that made their stories as compelling as train wrecks…you know where it’s going but you can’t look away.
The pacing was good, the novel read very quickly. And it was inspired by real life events, locations and cases. The latter, specifically, the case of Dee Dee Blanchard and her daughter, which, having never jumped on the true crime train that is such a modern obsession) I’ve never heard of until now and having looked it up since I’m stunned any jury would convict the daughter. I mean, if there was ever a mother you can justify killing…oh justice, how strangely your wheels turn. Anyway…
So yeah, a darkly entertaining and fairly compelling, but tragically predictable thriller or a darkly entertaining character driven generational dramatic tragedy. Choose your own adventure. The author’s debut looks interesting too, especially the NZ asylum thing, maybe one day. Thanks Netgalley.

I chose this book as the book cover and the blurb drew me in and I love the idea of a mystery novel.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed the level of detail and some of the suspense provided in the book, however it did take me a while to get into the story and I wasn't captivated at the beginning enough to read on with speed.

To captivate me and keep me going from the offset, I feel that the story should have been played the other way around so it starts with the Ava finding out her mum's background and going through the story that way rather than waiting until the last few chapters to find out what's happening. I found the investigating piece long and drawn out.

So I need someone to make this into a show or movie yesterday. Following the three timelines and how the connect at the end is amazing. It’s truly a book that you cannot put down. I felt the obsession that Ava had to know the whole story and fill in all the missing pieces. If you liked haunting of hill house and bly manor read this book.

I found this in the Read Now section of Netgalley. I liked the sound of it, so I decided to check it out.
I hadn't realized that I'd read something by this author before, and it wasn't for me. But I figured, each work should be judged on its own merits, right?
So here goes. The story is told in three parts with three different narrators. We know that Ava is here in the present, but the position of the other two narrators in the timeline is unclear. This is obviously on purpose, though, as knowing would spoil one of the big reveals. I like the multiple timeline format, and feel like it worked well, here, although I did find myself more interested in the two "past" plots than the present one.
Ava, the protagonist, is not a particularly likable character, but then, neither is anyone else in her life. The lack of communication between her and her family members, as well as her partner, is pretty extreme. Everyone comes off as weirdly selfish and sulky and persecuted, and I found it difficult to care about any of them.
Ava's story was her solving the mystery of the other two people's stories. She's an investigative reporter, but she does very little actual investigating. Answers just sort of fall into her lap, first stumbling upon a giant clue that literally explains half of the mystery, and then two conversations clear up the rest. Ok, then, so maybe this is meant to be less of a mystery and more of a character study? Maybe, but as I said, the cast of the present part of the story weren't particularly interesting, well-developed or likable. The two characters in the other parts of the story fare better, but they are also very one-note.
The ending, or, at least the pre-ending/big reveal came as no surprise- from the introduction, it was clear that Marion was going to end up being [can't spoil it!]. What did surprise me a bit, though it shouldn't have, was the mean-spirited little twist at the end, which mirrored the ending of that other book I'd read by the author.
Clearly I am not the right reader for CD Major.
It was a well-structured and interesting enough story, though, and I can understand people enjoying it.

I found this book to be just okay. It was an interesting premise, but I found the story as a whole to be a bit lacking. I also figured out the twist well before the end, it seemed so obvious. Overall, it was a decent read, but not something that knocked my socks off.

While this is a memorable story centering around complicated mother/daughter relationships, I found the ending to be too predictable for this to really be classified as a mystery/thriller for me. And as much as I appreciated and wanted to love the unique storyline, I didn’t really buy into the “danger” Ava was in; perhaps her decisions to ignore the warnings translated to a lack of intensity as I read the story. The ending was predictable and it was almost too obvious what the connections between Marion, Constance and Ava were from the beginning for me.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like I had any character to root for. I had trouble sympathizing with Ava, as she ignored her boyfriend, was rude to her family and was selfish throughout the novel. Her feeling of being “drawn” to the bridge just didn’t make that much sense, perhaps more buildup to that would make it easier to sympathize with her. At the start of the novel, I thought Marion or Constance could end up being the true protagonist, but unfortunately as their stories continued throughout the book their flaws were revealed and led me to wonder what the purpose of this novel really was.
I would think more content warnings would be helpful as this book could be difficult to read for many (CW: suicide, child abuse, animal death).

I quite enjoyed this book, but the dual narrators didn’t quite work for me and I think the atmosphere could have been stronger.

This was an incredibly easy read,and I dont mean that in any negative way.
It was straightforward,and didnt throw in red herrings or too many plot twists.
I made assumptions about the characters quite early on,and was pleased to have them be right.
A very interesting idea that has a place be haunted by its past,and the people who lived there.
It packs a punch or two,but never veers off into unbelievable territory for me.
A very enjoyable read.

Ava is a news reader who discovers a story relating to Overtoun House and Bridge where stories say hundreds of dogs leapt to their deaths due to the thin place (a celtic belief that heaven and earth are only separated by a thread). Ava visits the house on many an occasion and becomes obsessed with the house, much to the consternation of her partner and family.
There are also chapters written by Marion and Constance who in different decades lived in Overtoun house.
At the end of the book the author references tragedies than have happened at Overtown.
A really interesting book which grabbed my attention from the start.
Received this book from Netgalley and publishers in exchange for an honest review

What a ride this book is! The epitome of the ideal thriller with just enough dark chill, legend and mystery without graphic gore. Scotland positively drips with atmosphere and I could picture myself there at Overtoun Estate. The story is told by three perspectives and the focus is mainly on the goings on at a bridge, the estate and a flat in Glasgow. Jumping dogs and obsessions add to the atmosphere as do minor characters.

Ava, a journalist and pregnant with her first child, is drawn to Overtoun Estate to investigate a local legend and her own disturbing fascination. But the more she learns the more obsessed she becomes. She cannot let go and her priorities become skewed, very noticeable to those around her. She's not particularly likeable but one needn't like or relate to characters to enjoy a good read.

The stories of Marion and Constance are so riveting I was very eager to read more and more. Talk about secrets galore and loads of twists and turns! The strategic melding of the three perspectives is brilliantly done. And the ending! I absolutely loved it. The writing itself is great and the mysteries well planned out with a few helpings of genius.

Readers of General Fiction, Women's Fiction and Mysteries should read this absorbing book. Though chilling, it's not scary.

My sincere thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley! Much appreciated.

I really enjoyed this. The story of the bridge felt very "internet rabbit hole". Told from multiple viewpoints I felt myself more drawn in by Marion and Constance's story, and wishing there was more to them. Ava I didn't get pulled into until towards the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

My second CD Major book (first was The Other Girl) and not disappointed. Started at 5pm, finished by 9pm. Certainly an easy read, but at 3am I was still awake thinking about the characters of this harrowing, haunting and heartbreaking story. The story follows the lives of Ava, Constance and Marion. Spoiler Alert: You can’t help but feel quite a bit of empathy for the latter two (at least for a substantial portion of the novel). I was angered by what Constance was being subjected to, and then when we learn Marion is the perpetrator, it is soul destroying to ponder how she could confuse love with abuse. How a character I felt strongly about could do something so heinous left me feeling quite dejected. I don’t turn to CD Major for rich literature but you do feel very much part of the story. And for a quick read that will stick with you, she has not failed.

The Thin Place is a story told by three perspectives. Ava is a journalist with an obsessive personality. Although pregnant with her first child she becomes wrapped up in investigating the haunting tales of a local bridge and nearby estate in Glasgow. Ava digs deeper and deeper into the hauntings of the grounds and just what horrible events happened there previously. At the height of her obsession I found myself no longer able to like or even relate to her character.
The chapters with Marion and Constance were the most intriguing. I was hooked on their perspectives and eager to learn just what had happened in their lives. Although an interesting read, I had guessed a main part of the plot/ending by the midpoint. This is disappointing in a mystery/thriller novel.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Thin Place surprised me in a good way. What I really appreciate is that the setting was in the real place, so it’s based on the real story which makes it more believable.
What I really enjoyed was the telling of three characters, who were slowly unfolding the storyline. We do not really know how these three women are connected, although quite easy to guess. Unfortunately I was more interested in the story of Marion and Costance, which was really interesting. I found Ava who was telling most of the story in present quite an unlikable character, not concerned about her own baby and partner. Also her family and relationships there were not so nice, often people not talking to each other, mother whose history (past) no one knows from the family.

And I really pitied Fraser, Ava’s partner, he was so considerate and Ava so obsessed. I get it that she was a journalist and that the house was somehow triggering her, but still it was too much from my point of view.

The story is getting much better more in the second half of the book, all pieces coming together. Falling into lap of Ava, so it’s not much discovering the mystery by her. Overall I really liked how all the stories fall together so for me it is 3.5* more to 4*.

I really enjoyed this book! I had never heard the term ‘thin place’ before so was intrigued to learn what that meant. The story was riveting, the characters were well formed and overall, I’m excited to have discovered a new author! The topic covered in this book can be hard to deal with at times but it wasn’t so involved that I couldn’t read it. All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to friends...

I'm an absolute sucker for a foggy, suspenseful house horror, and C. D, Major's "The Thin Place" delivered exactly that.

The story is told from the viewpoint of three different women in three fairly sequential time periods, but the main protagonist is Ava, an expectant mother and local news reporter who gets hopelessly hooked on what she assumed would be a quick story about mysterious dog suicides by the hand of Overtoun Bridge, located in a neighboring town. Despite her growing unease of Overtoun Bridge and the accompanying house on the adjacent property, Ava finds herself so drawn to the locale and its muddled history that she barely notices the jagged rifts forming between her and her partner, family, and colleagues. Major's secondary and tertiary narrators provide bits and pieces of the property's history, though they are just as much of a puzzle as the whole mess is to Ava.

While "The Thing Place" is not an entirely new concept for a spooky tale, it's quite enjoyable. There were a few bits I found on the predictable side, but I think it's rather unusual for that to not happen if you're a fan of the genre. Also, for what it's worth, I definitely did not predict every twist and turn. The ones I was expecting were still just as unsettling once confirmed. There is a also a layer of moral dilemma of whether or not your demons are, in fact, your own that adds a complexity to the characters and relationships in the novel. Does keeping them to yourself harm your loved ones more than you? Can you share them without knowing? Is there any way to keep them out? To get out yourself?

Major's exploration of Overtoun as a "thin place," described as a place where the barrier between this world and the next is noticeably weaker, kept me hooked and kept me awake. I believe it will always lead me to hold onto the leash just a little tighter.

3.75/5 stars

First of all: Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Second of all TW: suicide, child abuse, miscarriage, animal abuse and death.

Overtoun Bridge: Set in Dumbarton, Scotland. This bridge is also known as the "dog suicide bridge". Dog suicides have happened since the 1950s. It is not yet exactly known why this happens, but there is a wide array of theories surrounding it.

Thin places: Places where the corporeal world and the eternal world’s veils are thin.

These two themes are well talked throughout the whole book (as well as others!) and this in turn, made me want to read it. I had read somewhere about Overtoun Bridge but never actually delved deeper. I had never though, read or heard about "thin places" but alas, knowing me? You know I would be fascinated by that. This book managed to get my attention in the best way possible, it was also my first e-ARC, and I'm definitely not disappointed (finally a good start to the month!)

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Now: Ava is a journalist and a mom to be. However, she develops a concern because of her ongoing pregnancy and a lack of medical history since her mother is adopted and refuses to speak about it. Consequently, Ava tries to dig into it, leading her to Overtoun. She develops an unhealthy obsession for the place and starts in turn, to receive threats in order for her to leave the place the hell alone.

But, did she listen? Nuh-uh. She finds ways to make it her job: she tries to cover it for the news, she goes there as a tourist, she creates a bond with the current owner of the house. And well, she definitely doesn't expect what she finds...

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This is a thriller of sorts, but as I found myself reading it I would definitely say this has also tiny bits of supernatural/terror thrown here and there (and i'm living for it!).

This book started off a bit slow but wow. Wow, wow. I'm dumbfounded really. I can't even put my ideas into proper words. This book is absorbing, interesting, and a bit gruesome. (if you do plan to read this check the trigger warnings at the start of my review)

However!: The protagonists read off almost the same (I think that is the main reason it didn't go up to 4.5/5 stars like I envisioned it at first). I had to constantly check who was narrating. As a funny note: I found the form of narrative interesting and curious. We have 2 first person narrations and a third person narration. It's... a compelling decision to say the least. I liked it. Props to that.

The ending? Well. It's one of the best ending lines I've ever read. I'm not kidding. I wish I was, but I screamed, and then I stared... with my mouth open... I´m astounded.

The pace? I have a few complaints here and there but honestly, now that I think about it... nothing to serious. I stopped my chores of the day to finish this. Seriously. I couldn't put it down, that’s why I have no complaints on that department. *chimes*

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In conclusion what I liked: supernatural themes and historical themes surrounding the book, the pace was *almost*perfect, it started off strong, the ending (not getting tired of saying that), the setting, the plot.

What I didn't like: Protagonists reading off almost the same (up to almost the ending), the multiple people getting pregnant at the same time (sorry not a fan of it) and would say that’s about it. (because it's a thriller and I can't say much without spoiling)

SO!, Do I recommend it? Yes, yes I do.

Went into this book expecting a thriller that would keep me on the edge of my seat, but it did not live up to my expectations. From the get-go I could not really connect with the characters or what they were experiencing. I also decided not to finish this one. The Thin Place was just not the book for me.

This book began promisingly but ended with me wanting more. Major does a great job creating the tense, foreboding atmosphere that underlies a majority of this novel, but lacks in creating a fully-fledged three-dimensional character in Ava. I loved traveling through this story through multiple POVs, and I was very interested in each character. Although I could guess the "plot twists" very early on, I was still interested in how exactly the whole plot would play out. The "creepy" scenes were a bit over-the-top, and i found myself cringing more at the character's exaggerated reactions to these scenes instead. I feel like one of the struggles in the creation of this book was finding a good reason why Ava was so drawn this house in the first place. In the end it didn't seem believable and was a bit of a reach, but I kind of let it go because I found the whole plot in its entirety to be interesting. A lot of see-sawing between stars because of all these pros and cons, but in the end it's a solid 3 stars for me.

A well written book with interesting characters. I enjoyed the twists, although I did guess them all. Will read more by this author in the future.

With vividly drawn characters and an unusual and interesting plot, The Thin Place is a page turning read

This spooky thriller was interesting. I like how everything tied together. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

A gripping read which when I thought I'd worked out what was what had me staying up far too late to read to the end. I was right, but only partly as a new twist awaited.

The story revolves around three very well drawn female characters, (Ava, Marion and Constance) and their interaction provides the basis of the plot. The descriptions are atmospheric and as a whole the book has a delicious unsettling feel to it.

A great read and I shall definitely look out for this author in the future.

Very good read. I love this author. She writes about real historical places.
What is it about Overtoun house and bridge that Ava is so drawn to it? How is Ava's mother connected to the place? Will Ava's unborn baby be safe? Who is sending the creepy letters?
Hard to put down novel with so many unanswered questions. Highly recommend.

The Thin Place sucked me in and left me wondering from the very beginning. The Thin Place is a classic mystery story with a family twist. Major did a fantastic job of grounding the story through the lens of her main character, Ava. She then built upon this story with the perspectives of two secondary women. The thing I liked most about this book was the way in which Major made you feel like you were just as curious as Ava in discovering the truth. It is not often that I find an author who knows how to play to the psychological aspects of a book so well.

The Thin Place is a gripping thriller from CD Major which weaves together the stories of three people. In the 1930s we have Marion West who comes to live in Overtoun, a large stately home in Scotland. In the present day, Ava is the protagonist. She is a journalist who is intrigued by the stories surrounding a bridge where numerous dogs are said to have jumped to their deaths. In between the two women, we have the words of a young, very ill child.

I was hooked by this story right from the first page. I loved the sense of mystery and foreboding which permeated the book. I was particularly intrigued that the story of the dogs jumping off the bridge does actually seem to be true. There is one extremely tragic event associated with it in recent times. If you look up the bridge online, you will see the beautiful building which is Overtoun House just beside it. I can quite see why people might think that the odd ghost or two might roam its rooms. The house itself plays such an important role in the book and is a dark and brooding presence throughout.

The three main characters were all fascinating in their own ways. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Marion initially when her idealistic dreams of marriage did not work out the way she thought and she felt so trapped and lonely in the big house, so far from her own family. Equally, I felt for young Constance who seemed to have so many illnesses and such a difficult life. I wasn't surprised that Ava was so drawn to the story of Overtoun although she took it really to the point of obsession. The mystery in her own family was also very intriguing with her own mother reluctant to talk about her early years with an adoptive family, even when Ava became pregnant and longed to know about her family history. Then there are some mysterious and threatening messages too which all added to the tension.

This was a real page-turner with plenty to keep me glued to its pages. It's a compelling book, rather creepy and so atmospheric. Right to the end, I found myself on the edge of my seat with the twists and turns the author cleverly drops into the storyline.

⚘ Book Review ⚘

⚘ The Thin Place by C.D Major.

⚘ Thank you @netgalley for the ARC!

⚘ TW: Miscarriage, Suicide, Child and Dog Abuse.

⚘ The Thin Place tells the story of 3 girls, Ava, Marion and Constance at different points of history in the Overton House and Bridge.

Ava is the main character, she becomes obsessed with the house and Bridge to the detriment of her personal and professional life. Ava makes a lot of bad decisions in her quest to know the houses history but as the reader I'm sure I would have made these same decisions, I became so engrossed in this book I wanted the answers as badly as she did!

Marion is a young woman who is swept off her feet by a young man who promises her the world, only to be left alone. Isolation and her inability to carry a child to full term leaves her mind to wander to dark places.

Constance is a young girl who is believed to be sickly and tells of her childhood struggles as a sick child.

All 3 women are connected and it took me longer than I like to admit to realise how!

CD Major ends the story with a historical note about the house and the bridge. She based the story on a real home and some of the real happenings of the bridge. I'll be goggling for more information!

Highly recommend this thriller, I could not put the book down, it was a real page turner. I cannot wait to get more of her books.

I whizzed through this enjoyable, spooky, dark and atmospheric tale of mothers and daughters, and long-hidden family secrets. I worked out fairly early what some of the secrets were, but there were a few surprising twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I was surprised to know that the old house, estate and bridge are real, so I’ll definitely go to see them for myself some day. I look forward to reading more of Cesca’s books.

Ava Brent begins to investigate the historical mystery surrounding the Overtoun Estate. There is something about the house and bridge that keeps pulling her back. When Ava notices “help me” scratched on one off the windowsills, she can’t let go despite the warnings.
There is also Marion’s and Constance’s story from their time at Overtoun Estste. There is an every connection and just hope history doesn’t repeat itself.
I really enjoyed the 3 person perspective and the twist. Certainly a page turner.

Elsewhere, I have seen The Thin Place referred to as a ‘creepy thriller’ but really it is the story of a Scottish house called Overtoun and the fates of the people it has housed at various times. The present-day character connected to Overtoun is Ava, a television journalist preparing for the birth of her first child who is anxious to find out more about her genetic background, a knowledge that her mother, an adoptee, has always denied her. Overtoun slowly links Ava’s story to those of Marion, a vulnerable young woman in the late 1920s, and Constance, a sick child shut away at home. Although I persevered with this novel, I often felt that by combining multiple plot lines with a strong gothic feel and hard-hitting subjects such as child abuse, animal mistreatment, suicide and miscarriage, this book was trying to pack far too much in. Any of these threads on their own would have made for a compelling novel but knitting them all together, I felt I was not getting to know Ava, Marion or Constance as well as would have been possible. I am, however, grateful to the publishers and to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for this honest and unbiased review.

A chilling, spooky tale that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last page. Resulting in my bedside lamp staying on long into the night.

I really did like this book. The writing was good but I seemed to like Marion and Constance more than Ava. I would recommend this book though

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

TW: Miscarriage & suicide.

Newly pregnant Ava Brent is a journalist on a mission. She has a great job, a loving husband, and an itch to uncover the mystery of Overtoun House and the connected bridge where over 500 dogs have been known to leap to their deaths.

When herself and her crew arrive in the small town, they’re met with silent stares and sealed lips. Ava soon realises that the area, dubbed the Dog Suicide Bridge, is a so-called ‘thin place’—a place where the veil between this world and the world of the dead is at its thinnest.

From the moment she sets foot on the bridge, Ava knows something is wrong. She feels sick and the hairs on her neck stand to attention though the others in her team don’t seem to notice. Lost in the shadow of Overtoun Estate, Ava wants nothing more than to go home and be free of the darkness.

Though, when she leaves, the obsession begins.

Who lived in that house? Why do the dogs jump? What is a thin place and why does she feel so connected to it? These questions keep her up at night, putting a strain on her heath and the health of her relationships.

The more Ava begins to uncover about Overtoun, the more she wonders about her own heritage and three storylines, separated by history, all intertwine, leading her right back to the house that plagues her dreams.

Major’s The Thin Place follows three interconnecting storylines. We have our present day protagonist, Ava, and her mission to find out more about the house and bridge. Then we have Marion. Newly married, she moves to Overtoun Estate in 1929 and suffers many miscarriages throughout her life and comes to realise that her husband is not the man she thought he was. Many years later in 1949, little Constance spends her days stuck in the same room of the house, plagued by health issues with no discernible cause. Day after day, alone and unwell, she begins to wonder if her mother is really the loving woman the town believes her to be.

The plot, for the most part, was interesting. Major tries to keep the reader on their toes, this much is obvious. I believe we’re meant to be uncovering the mystery alongside Ava but I found that the twists were too predictable and I figured them out way before our protagonist did which left something to be desired. Though, it was still enjoyable to read.

The bridge is, in fact, a real place in Dumbarton, Scotland, where many dogs have jumped to their deaths. Incorporating this real place with Ava’s fictional journey was an intriguing way to get the reader immersed in the world.

The characters were multifaceted though Ava putting her health at risk because of her innate need to uncover more about the bridge did annoy me. She neglected her husband, her job, and her family, all for this foreboding bridge that has ‘DANGER’ written all over it. I understand that this was to show just how much the bridge called to her, but I feel like it went a bit too far. If I started acting the way she did, my family would have a bit more to say than just a few stern words.

Having three interconnecting storylines was a lovely way to show us the history of the bridge without having one big infodump. Although, at times, they got a little repetitive, especially Constance’s story as many days were spent alone in her room.

The writing itself was good. It didn’t fill me with fire but it was still written well and Major makes sure to explain the plot twists, ensuring that nothing comes out of nowhere for shock value which is a big pet peeve of mine.

Although it wasn’t my favourite, it was still a really enjoyable read and I’ll be sure to pick up other releases by the same author.

At the end of the day, C.D. Major’s The Thin Place is a dark yet predictable journey into the supernatural where history is never quite as it seems.

CW: miscarriage, child abuse, animal abuse, animal death

I picked up this book from the "read now" section of Netgalley because I thought it would push me out of my reading comfort zone. While the book wasn't for me, it definitely did push me out of my comfort zone!

As it's a mystery/thriller, I'm hesitant to share too much of the plot here. However, know that our main protagonist, Ava, is an investigative journalist looking into the bridge at Overtoun, from where since the 1950s dogs have been known to leap to their deaths. On the bridge, Ava feels something that may be supernatural, and she becomes obsessed with finding out the truth about what happened at the house and the bridge, an obsession that strains her relationships with her mother and sister, the father of her child, and her capacity to do her job. The two other stories are that of Marion, a naive young woman who marries a handsome young man who takes her to live at his family’s crumbling estate, and that of Constance, a sick child who lives isolated in a small room of a big house, occasionally visited by her mother.

Normally, I love multiple-POV novels, but this one felt unclear and a bit like I had whiplash. It was difficult to follow for me - probably because the timeline of ⅔ of the narrators wasn't very clear until the near end of the book. While this choice makes sense, it would have been nice to have even a sliver of WHEN the 2 interesting characters were.

The main protagonist, Ava, was not endearing to me. I do appreciate the realistic look at family dynamics for her, as not every family is "perfect," but ultimately found none of the characters in her timeline to be endearing. This made it really challenging for me to continue reading this book.

Ultimately, I can't say that I'd recommend this book. I just found the book lacking in too many areas that made it unenjoyable for me. I really had to push through to even finish this book. I wish it was better, but the "big reveal" of this mystery/thriller wasn't even that shocking to me.

Overall rating: 2/5

A perfectly-crafted gothic tale, with enough mysterious twists to keep me reading long after I should have switched off the light.

The cast of characters, which I feel included the house and bridge, was fully rounded and came completely to life for me. I just wanted to keep reading more and more - so much so that I was almost disappointed when the final page came, however satisfying the outcome.

Discovering in the notes after the story that the "thin place" is real sent me rushing off to the internet to read all about it and look at photos. I've even added it to my "must see" list for my next trip to Scotland.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced E-book edition of The Thin Place in exchange for my honest review

Take three women in different time periods, a lot of mysterious dog suicides and you have a real creepy read. I was intrigued that this place really exists with quite the history. I did not know there would be multiple suicides as well as animal and child abuse in this book. Both of those made it a more difficult read and something that I would not have selected to read. I would like for the descriptions to have trigger labels, this could allow for better selections to me made.

The story is based around an estate and bridge in the Scottish town of Dumbarton, north of Glasgow. Overtoun House and bridge is a sprawling estate, rumoured to be a “thin place”, where heaven and earth are only separated by a thread.

The house has an both eerie and tragic history and so was definitely the perfect backdrop for this book. The area is also home to an bridge known as the Dog Suicide Bridge. Built at the end of the late nineteenth century it was supposedly a site where over five hundred dogs have leapt to their deaths.

Set amongst 3 different periods in time, told by 3 different women, Marion, Constance and Ava this was a thrilling read across three very different generations.

Marion, who in 1929 is the new bride who moves to her husband’s estate north of Glasgow becomes the mistress of the home and its sprawling grounds. Yet after a heartbreaking number of miscarriages and her husband called away to war, Marion soon learns that life on the estate is not as she was expecting.

Constance, who in 1949 is the sickly bedridden child who can do nothing but stare wistfully out her bedroom window at the strange stone bridge and the world going on outside that she is no part of, only ever leaving her room for doctors and hospital visits.

Then Ava, who in the present day is the driven TV reporter, trying to be the perfect partner, sister, daughter and soon to mother as she discovers she is pregnant.

Anchoring these three together, albeit across different times in history is the mysterious Overtoun House.

As a TV reporter Ana is drawn to the story of this mysterious Estate, an almost ghostly presence pulling her in with an obsessive cloak. It is clear to her that there is a story here to be told, but is it a history that is best kept buried? Yet Ava can’t ignore the pull, even if it means putting herself at risk as she tries to unearth its mysteries. Who lived there before, what happened to them, why are dogs leaping to their death?

I’m a huge fan of thrillers as well as historical fiction and this all wove together nicely for me. The pace was definitely fast enough that I was kept enthralled the whole way through, and I while I knew there had to be some connection to the three women, each time I thought that I had possibly worked it out, a curve ball was thrown taking me off course.

I wish there could have been a little more of the story devoted to the historical characters of Marion and Constance, but overall this was an enjoyable read. I’d definitely recommend reading the author’s notes at the end of the book too.

This definitely was a page turner. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a quick read with a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end.

I would like to thank Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of this ebook.

This book was so creepy that I could feel the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. It was subtle and not something that will make you jump but a book that will leave you feeling uneasy. I love how the author mixed suspense, paranormal and family relationships together and then threw in a couple of twists to create a book that I couldn’t put down.

The characters did not have much of a background so it was difficult to care what happened to them. The relationships between the various characters were a bit hard to understand, they weren’t described or built up as I would have liked.

Overall this book was entertaining and creepy. I liked the storyline and the setting of the book.

My thanks to C D Major, Amazon Publishing and Net Galley for the ARC of THE THIN PLACE.
I love timeslip stories and this one lived up to the promise it made. Ava, a journalist, discovering she is pregnant decides it a good time to ask her mother about her childhood, something she has never spoken of, but when Ava questions her she is as evasive as ever. Some memories begin to come back to Ava; her mother standing on a cliff in front of a house, with tears running down her face. When Ava discovers Overtoun House in her investigations and realises it is the house in her memories, she decides to investigate some of the myths and rumour that surrounds it. She is told that Overtoun stands on the cusp of a Thin Place, and Ava is determined to find out what it means.

Constance spends all of her time in her room. She is only allowed to leave when her mother wheels her out in a wheelchair, and only when the doctor visits so that Constance can explain how ill she feels, that she is often sick, and her legs hurt so much she cannot walk. Sometimes Constance skips across her room to look out of the window. Sometimes, when her mother allows her a puppy, she runs around the room playing with her new friend, but only when her mother is elsewhere.

Marion marries a man she thought would never want her. He takes her to large house in Scotland that he says is his family home. Marion's husband is cold and unaffectionate. He visits Marion at night in her room, determined to create an heir, but Marion isn't able to carry a baby to full term. She loses many babies until she gives birth to a little girl when her husband is fighting in the war. Marion's husband is killed in the war, so there is only Marion. And her child.
Gripping, immersive and kept me hooked until the end.

Journalist Ava Brent, in search of an interesting news story investigates the mysterious and suicide-inducing Overtoun House & Bridge.
Arriving in the guise of a tourist, she develops a relationship with the home owner and an obsession with the house. Overtoun is steep in myth, secrets and holds fast to Ava. Legend has it that hundreds of dogs have leapt to their deaths from the bridge and dead bodies have been unearthed on the house property. With great drive and determination Ava uncovers information about this dark, foreboding house and is thirsty to learn more. Who were the occupants, what are their stories? why have the once welcoming towns people turned on her?
This novel moves from present day to flashbacks in 1949 and 1929. Three stories that interconnect with mysterious circumstances and supernatural happenings which provide compelling twists to an intriguing read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for a book review.

I am a total sucker for spooky mysteries involving old haunted mansions, and C.D. Major’s latest book had an edge over all the others: hers was based on a real life location, and an unsolved mystery that has haunted a small Scottish town for decades. Set in Scotland, THE THIN PLACE features Overtoun House, a 19th century country house near the small village of Milton in Scotland. The house has gained notoriety through its attached bridge, a place where up to 600 dogs have jumped to their deaths over the last few decades, giving it its nickname of “the dog suicide bridge”. Add an alleged ghost to the mix and here you have the perfect setting for a compelling mystery with an eerie undertone and a hint of the supernatural.

According to Celtic legends, thin places are areas where the boundaries between the real world and the spirit world are “thin” and one can slip quite easily from one to another. In Major’s novel, journalist Ava Brent gets obsessed with the mystery of Overtoun House after a visit there for one of her news stories. But apart from Ava’s POV, Major also weaves two alternative timelines and voices into her story, creating a truly spine chilling background for current events. As the mystery unravels, Ava will discover her special connection to Overtoun House, which will put her in terrible danger...

I just loved the atmospheric setting in this story and of course had to look up hundreds of pictures of the place online, which immediately made me want to travel to Scotland! Major has captured the forbidding and yet somehow captivating aura of Overtoun House perfectly, and I could not have wished for a more perfect location for a spooky mystery. As Ava becomes more and more obsessed with the place, the boundaries between sanity and madness also blurred, and I was truly afraid for her safety.

As is often the case with multiple timelines, I initially struggled a bit to be equally invested in all three separate threads. Whilst I found Ava’s by far the most compelling, I was happy to see that all the threads tied together well in the end. Initially I really struggled with Constance’s voice as I am not fond of child narrators, especially if they sound much older than their years, but despite this I ended up enjoying the extra element of suspense and air of menace that Constance’s chapters added to the story.

THE THIN PLACE was a fast and compelling read for me, and even though I guessed some of the “twists” early on, as I was loathe to put the book down until I had all the answers. After reading up on the true events connected with Overtoun Bridge, I am still fascinated by its ongoing mystery and intrigue – what a fantastic setting for a book! I look forward to reading more from this new-to-me author.

Ava is a journalist investigating a local news story regarding a bridge that is said to cause dog suicides. Locals say that it is one of the "thin places" where the gap between the real world and the spirit world is narrow, causing strange things to happen there. The story of her growing obsession with the place is interwoven with the story of a woman and a sickly child from the past, as the mystery of Overtoun is unravelled.

After a slightly slow start, I thought that this novel picked up pace brilliantly. The mystery and supernatural elements were balanced perfectly to create a sense of growing unease and horror as we find out what happened through Marion and Constance's own words. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be looking out for more from this author in the future.

The Thin Place was hard to put down. An old school creepy feel. Loved the story telling from three different points of view. I found it very interesting it’s based on a real place which makes it even more hauntingly beautiful

Why is television reporter Ava Brent so drawn to Overtoun House and Bridge near Dumbarton, a few miles from Glasgow? How does Ava in the present day connect to Marion from 1929 and Constance in 1949? The story alternates between them in the well written,clever tale with strong Gothic overtones.

A thin place is a Celtic term for places where the gap or veil between Heaven and Earth is closer, Ava finds herself drawn to such a place and feels it’s magnetism. The atmosphere the author creates is excellent. There’s a real aura of mystery in this compelling and immersive page turner but it’s Overtoun House which pervades the storytelling the strongest. It’s like it’s horribly alive as it mesmerises Ava, it’s menacing and threatening which creates a spooky, supernatural sensation. The storyline especially that of Constance is positively chilling and makes your blood run cold and freezing your veins. There’s fear, madness and cruelty on an unimaginable scale with the plot taking on a dark black intensity. Ava becomes obsessed, she cannot let herself drop the investigation into the house despite the grim discoveries she makes, feels and senses. Her obsession has a negative impact on her personal life but she is unable to stop. The characterisation is good though they aren’t necessarily likeable by any means and Ava drives you mad with her continual digging up the past despite the adverse effects. Although you can predict some of the outcome as the clues are there, you do not see the ending coming and it’s very fitting.

Overall, this is a very compelling Githic mystery that cleverly weaves fiction with the fact of Overtoun House and Bridge.
I really like the cover too!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Amazon Publishing for the arc for an honest review.

I couldn’t go to sleep until I finished The Thin Place. Talk about edge of my seat mail bitting thriller! Don’t skip this one.

Literally a page turner! I haven't been this hooked in a story in a while and really needed something deep to get stuck in. So easy to relate to that pulling force that happens when you know what to do but know you could do something else and are torn. Thrilling until the very end!

I really enjoy reading stories where the location almost because a character in its own right and that is the case with The Thin Place. I loved the spooky, atmospheric descriptions and the intertwining stories between the characters. It's a little predictable at times but it kept me interested until the end.

I couldn’t put this book down for the most part! Great read! Very atmospheric and spooky. Definitely not a book to read when you’re alone in a house at night. I loved that the house itself felt like a character of the book. It was a little hard at times to keep up with the 3 different timelines but aside from that this book did not disappoint! Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for giving me a chance to give an honest review of this book!

"She has to know the truth about Overtoun Estate, but there is a reason it has stayed buried for so long.

When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate - a 'thin place', steeped in myth - she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her.

Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house's grasp too.

After she discovers the history of a sick young girl who lived there, she starts to understand the sadness that shrouds it. But when she finds an ominous old message etched into a windowsill, she is forced to wonder - what horrors is the house protecting? And what will it cost her to find out?

With her own first child on the way, Ava knows she should stay away. But even as her life starts to unravel, and she receives chilling threats, the house and the bridge keep pulling her back..."

I've always been obsessed with the concept of 'thin places' and this ups it by adding an estate!

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I devoured this in one go!

Cleverly written and reels you in to the mysterious suspense of the story. Written in alternate timelines and narratives which adds depth to the plot and characters.

A tale of family ,love,loss and secrets. A thoroughly enjoyable and fascinating plot and i will definitely be checking out more from this author under this name. (She has a few for different genres)

Unpredictable and thought provoking and highly recommend for great escapism.

Published 15th April

Ava Brent, a small town reporter, is drawn to the Overtoun House and Bridge near Dumbarton, but is unsure why. It's said that dogs commit suicide on that bridge, and no one can find any explanation why. As she begins to investigate the mystery surrounding them, we also begin to follow the stories of Marion and Constance, who lived in the house many years ago. It's clear that these three lives will intersect in some way, but at what cost to Ava and her unborn baby?

This book was just ok for me. It started off strong, but lost me a bit towards the middle and end. I did not really like any of the characters, especially Ava, as I found her to be annoying in the way she handled every situation she was in. I really enjoyed the historical aspect of it though, and found myself researching the bridge after finishing this book. While not my favorite, I would still recommend.

The Thin Place by C D Major ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Thank you for kindly gifting me this book Netgalley and Amazon publishing. I gobbled this up in two days, it was that good!

'The Thin Place' refers to an old Celtic belief where "Heaven and Earth are only three feet apart, but in thin places that distance is even shorter".

This novel takes us along following the story of three different women: Marion who is newly married in 1929 to Hamish, who whisks her away to his Scottish estate away from her family in London; Constance a girl living in 1949 and present day Ava, who is a reporter, finding out about this mysterious place where dogs have jumped to their deaths, seemingly crazed over noises coming from under the bridge.

This novel has a perfect amount of history, with suspense and atmosphere galore. Reading the author note, I am now intrigued to find out more about this unexplained place, full of mystery, which is based on a real historical bridge.

I highly recommend this novel and I will be reading The Other Girl by Major, very soon too.

#NetGalley #TheThinPlace #CDMajor

🌟B O O K R E V I E W🌟

The Thin Place - C.D. Major

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒋𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒏 𝑬𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆—𝒂 ‘𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆’, 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚𝒕𝒉—𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒓.
𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒐𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔. 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓.
𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒆𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓—𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈? 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕?
𝑾𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚, 𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌…

This is a fantastically creepy, chilling story. It moves across different timelines following 3 women’s stories, Marion in the 20’s, Constance a child in the 40’s and Ava in the present day.
Ava is expecting a baby and wants to know more about her family history but her mother is buttoned up - she was adopted but clearly something happened which she will not discuss. Ava is a journalist and goes to investigate a sinister story of dogs throwing themselves from a bridge on the Overtoun estate. Gradually we learn that is the house where Constance and Marion are telling their stories too.

‘𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔…. 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒂𝒑 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒓.’

This is written, perfectly balanced, to keep you on tenterhooks, the tension begins to ratchet early on, the mystery creeping forward and making you look over your shoulder as you read. I really felt a bit weird reading this, it is known as a thin place. What has this to do with the dogs and why does Ava feel so creeped out by it? I loved this aspect of the book, it has a very supernatural vibe and is definitely not to be read at night!

‘𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒂 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒄𝒓𝒚... 𝑨 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒐..’ - 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒖𝒍𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒚 - ‘ ..𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕....’

The story of these women and the links between them begins to reveal itself, motherhood, marriage and the changes across the years stand out. It made me question my own thoughts about what was happening almost in parallel with Ava as if I was going slightly mad.

‘𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒅.’

It becomes much darker as Ava becomes much more obsessive, my heart was hammering as I read, with her repeatedly drawn back to Overtoun and the bridge I was wanting to shout No, No, No at her like a horror film!

‘𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏.’ 𝑨𝒗𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒏. ‘𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅. 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅, 𝑷𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒂. 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑶𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒔. 𝑰’𝒎 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒂𝒃𝒚 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅.’

As it reaches its chilling and sinister conclusion there is twist upon twist, I was led down multiple dark alleys and the final reveal in the last lines was just spot on.

If you like to give yourself a scare and read by torchlight under the covers, you need to read this book!

✩✩✩✩

[AD-GIFTED]

@CescaMajor #amazonpublishingUK #netgalley

The author did a good job of invoking a creepy, haunting atmosphere and I raced to finish the book, but it was very predictable and the main character was somewhat annoying with her fixation on Overtoun and how she was barely able to keep it together. Finding out after it was based on a real place and true stories about the dogs was spooky, but I also think some of the supernatural could have been left out of it and the story just as good.

I had to DNF this book om sorry I just did not find it interesting at all I tried multiple different times to read it and couldn't ever get past a few pages at a time. I apologize I'm sure others will enjoy it but unfortunately it wasn't for me

Thank you #Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me to read this arc of The Thin Place by C D Major. The description of the book made it sound great and creepy. I didn’t like Ava. She was self-centered and the lack of concern she showed for her pregnancy was sad. I much preferred the Marion and Constance story lines, as they were more compelling. I thought the writing was good, but the story was just ok. I knew what was going on with Marion and Constance pretty early on. Three stars.

What really drew me to this book at first was the cover. I do not know why, but the simplicity of the book cover but somehow eery and a bit creepy. Who ever designed this cover really did an amazing job. When I then read the synopsis, I became super intrigued because I really like the haunted house trope. The story was well written and creep. The creepiness also increased when you realize that the book actually is built upon some real creepy things. This really made the book even better. I highly recommend googling the house to get an even better picture of the environment in the book.

The ominous house was done extremely well, I got all the creepy mysterious feeling from it. The story kept me reading and I had a really hard time putting the book down. I really got everything I likes from these kind of mystery stories. I do think that the eBook I read was badly done and that did decrease the enjoyment of the story. I think that a better eBook copy would have made it easier to read the book and enjoy it more. I thought the ending of the story was done extremely well, I got exactly what I wanted out of it. I am looking forward to read more from this author.

I recommend this book to anyone that likes mystery books around creepy house stories.

I loved this book - the triple narrative works brilliantly and weaves together so well. You feel like you've got it at the end and then there's an extra sucker punch! Really atmospheric and creepy!

Thanks NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and C D Major for an early version to review.
Wow! A Gothic gripping thriller that spans from the 1920s to current time.
When Ava visited Overtoun for a story she didn't expect the direction her neat life took.
The book told by three different females through time, it will sure hook your attention and transfer you in a parallel faraway world.
My heart ached for both Marion and Constance.
One of the most outstanding books I've read lately, I couldn't put it down till I finished it.
I'm so excited to check other books by the author.

I reviewed this book for Historical Novels Review, the magazine of the Historical Novel Society. Per their policy, I cannot post the review until after it is published on their website in May 2021. After that, I will update the review.

4 stars! The first third took me a bit to get into, but the last 2/3 I couldn’t put down! I loved the multiple timelines and points of view. The atmosphere is very creepy and gothic feeling which is even creepier being Overtoun is actually a real place with similar occurrences. I actually had to google after I finished and the author did extremely well describing the bridge and estate, How I envisioned it based on the description was how it looked in the pictures. Great read!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for my copy

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I was not familiar with this title nor this author before coming across it on netgalley. I decided to take a chance on something different and appreciated the opportunity to read it. However, this one was a bit of a disappointment to me. I found it to be tiresome and frustrating to read. The book seemed to drag on and the farther in, the less I cared about the story or the characters. I got so frustrated with Ava and her obsession of this bridge. I get that she felt something unusual there that piqued her interest, but I don't get how she could completely blow off her husband, her marriage, and their growing baby to pursue a feeling. I can see this book appealing to other readers, it just didn't speak to me.

This book is brilliant. It so well written and the story has so much heart and soul. I love the history, and the myths and the overbearing house. All the characters, both past and present, are very compelling and believable. This book is perfectly paced with an intense atmosphere that keeps going right to the end so make sure you set aside enough time as you won’t be able to stop reading once you start...

I initially thought this book was a thriller but after reading it, it’s definitely more of a drama/suspense with supernatural elements.

The Thin Place will be slotted into the ‘okay’ category for me - while I mostly enjoyed the story and liked the focus on Overtoun Bridge in Scotland (which I didn’t realise was a real place until after), the pace was just too slow for me. I didn’t particularly connect with Ava, the main protagonist, and found her obsession with Overtoun Bridge repetitive and annoying.

I thought the interspersing chapters from Marion and Constance were really interesting and allowed me to connect the creepy dots before the big twist was revealed (and it was a good twist, if not a tad far-fetched).

The plot is unique, I liked the historical themes and enjoyed the occasional touches of the supernatural which weren’t overdone but I didn’t vibe with the main character and the pace was lagging a bit for my tastes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story was well written and creepy.
The ominous house was done extremely well, I got all the creepy mysterious feeling from it. The story kept me reading and I had a really hard time putting the book down. I really got everything I likes from these kind of mystery stories. I do think that the eBook I read was badly done and that did decrease the enjoyment of the story. I think that a better eBook copy would have made it easier to read the book and enjoy it more. I thought the ending of the story was done extremely well, I got exactly what I wanted out of it. I am looking forward to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Ava Brent is a reporter who becomes obsessed with learning the secrets of Overtoun Estate. as she digs deeper, discovering long lost stories, will she like what she finds?

I enjoyed this book. I felt at times the pacing was a little slow, but overall, it was an immersive, entertaining read.

3.5 this book was slow for me and it was hard to get super interested in the main character, well the one in the present as she explored the secrets of the house and the past. multiple timelines and perspectives, somewhat creepy and somewhat predictable and the voices were not all that distinct to me. wanted to like this more but..... it was more of an effect than it was worth for me

If gripping historical mysteries with subtle nods towards the darker side of fiction are what you enjoy, then there really is no need to look any further than The Thin Place by C D Major. Twisted and devious, with a delicious thread of evil woven throughout, The Thin Place, with its collection of narratives sweeping through time, sat me down on my sofa and refused to let me get back up. From the first page to the last, every chapter took me deeper into a history which unnerved yet fascinated me. Tearing open the topics of motherhood, loss, deceit and betrayal, this novel truly packed a powerful punch and left me reeling at numerous points throughout. I swiftly became a slave to C D Major’s storytelling and found myself thinking about this story, and its leading ladies, late into the night. With such a striking authenticity, and an illicit truth to be unearthed, this novel was fantastic and I could not tear myself away.

In The Thin Place by C D Major, readers are introduced to three women. Ava, who is our leading lady in the present day, Marion, who we step back in time with and whose story begins in 1929, and finally, Constance, who we meet in 1949. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, this format of storytelling, the leaping back and forth through time, never fails to excite and enchant me. I find it utterly compelling to read dual timelines, even more so when the author pulls it off so seamlessly. Gliding from past to present, I fell in love with the structure of this novel just as much as I did with the characters. There is something delicious, something I never tire of, in watching the past unfold and experiencing the effect it has on the present day. C D Major achieves this exact thing beautifully in The Thin Place, and in turn, heightening my enjoyment of the story even more so.

Although we are taken to a few different settings within The Thin Place, the majority of this novel revolves around one place, and one place only, and that place is Overtoun Estate. Menacing and evil, the moment I became aware of this place while reading, it’s almost as if goosebumps arose on my own skin.

“I stepped forward and the house, like an enormous black monster, swallowed me whole.”

The Thin Place, C D Major
Major’s sense of place and ability to bring her setting to life in The Thin Place is incredible. I can’t deny that my skin prickled when I first arrived at Overtoun estate alongside Ava. It certainly had a hold over the entire novel itself, and in my mind, it appeared in the most frightening of ways, making my heart race. Everything from the ivy tangling and clinging to the building, to the bridge where many lives had been snatched, the whole estate could not have been described more perfectly. Major absolutely hits the nail on the head here, encouraging all manner of terrifying things to dance wildly and vividly in the readers’ imagination. She captures the very essence of what a demonic, overpowering presence feels like, and how such a thing can feel so incredibly suffocating once it takes hold of you.

Ava, Marion and Constance were a trio of cleverly-crafted women whose lives were intricately laid bare upon the pages. Although lightyears apart in terms of time, there were many things that I found similar between them, and although the tone of the novel mostly remained dark, I found myself finding these similarities endearing at times.

Ava, a determined and bright journalist, is fascinated by Overtoun Estate when she is sent there for work. Mystified by its frightening history, and the myths that surround it, she knows before it even happens that this place is going to become an obsession for her. What is the truth behind the story of the leaping dogs? Who lived in the walls of the dilapidated building? And why does she feel such a intense pull to the place, a pull so fierce that it’s impossible to let go? Ava was a great character, one I felt I’d like to know in real life. She is tenacious and clever, and has a compulsive nature, which I think makes her the perfect person to explore the mysteries of Overtoun. She is brave, much braver than I, for I do not think I’d have the nerves to step foot anywhere near the place myself. I loved the exploration of Ava’s relationship with her mother, and how this bled into Constance’s story, too. There were so many questions that Ava had, and yet her own mother was so reluctant to answer them. This of course ensured my own ears pricked up and I, too, wanted to know the reasoning behind this reluctance. Major ensures that the family secrecy runs deep within this novel. It left me wanting more, and wanting to step into the pages and do some of my own exploring.

I thoroughly enjoyed stepping back in time to discover Marion’s story, too. I adored the young woman’s excitement as she set out to begin her new life with her husband, leaving her family home behind and become a married woman with a husband and responsibilities. My heart ached for Marion when she realised that living with her husband wasn’t exactly the fairy tale that she’d been dreaming of, and now apart from her family, it was almost as though Marion had no one to confide in or share her worries with. The focus of bearing a child and giving her husband an heir was intense, to say the least. It came as no surprise when Marion realised that she missed home, and would have preferred to have stayed there after all. I found Marion’s chapters to be very emotional and they certainly had an effect on me. There seemed to be a sense of foreboding whenever I spent time in Marion’s company, and it only ever seemed to grow stronger as each chapter went by.

I think Constance was the character who fascinated me most, though. She was a mystery and not a pleasant one. There were something that didn’t sit quite right with me whenever I found myself back in Constance’s small world. Major ensures the tone changes with each narrative swap, and it definitely worked in the author’s favour. I felt the atmosphere to be overwhelming at times, suffocating almost. That was how powerful the presence of Overtoun Estate was in this novel. It absolutely took my breath away.

But of course, it could only be so long until all three worlds would collide, even if in different eras. As Ava fought her way to the truth, I began to put the pieces together of this heart-breaking story, and it quickly became clear to me, just who was who, and what role they had played in the past.

I genuinely cannot put into words just how beguiling I found this novel to be. Slithering right out of the pages and invading the very room I sat and read this book in, at times it felt claustrophobic, tainted almost. C D Major has written a deeply chilling and unnerving tale in The Thin Place, one which has captured my imagination and driven it wild ever since. Rich with history, emotion and authenticity in a way that pulled me ever deeper into its pages, I fell so far into this story, it felt near impossible to claw my way back out. I really cannot recommend this enough to any readers out there who enjoy a slow-burning mystery which wraps you up and holds you tighter and tighter until the final page. I enjoyed this so much, and I do hope there is more to come in a similar fashion from C D Major very soon.

This was a spooky story which was told in the points of view of three women from different timeframes. I found it easy to read, it had some good characters and the tension built up for me as I was reading.
It was a good storyline, although I found it to be predictable as I’d worked out who was who long before it was revealed properly, but this didn’t stop me from enjoying the book at all.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy from Netgalley to review, below is the blurb:

"When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate—a ‘thin place’, steeped in myth—she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her.

Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house’s grasp too.

After she discovers the history of a sick young girl who lived there, she starts to understand the sadness that shrouds it. But when she finds an ominous old message etched into a windowsill, she is forced to wonder—what horrors is the house protecting? And what will it cost her to find out?

With her own first child on the way, Ava knows she should stay away. But even as her life starts to unravel, and she receives chilling threats, the house and the bridge keep pulling her back…"

Can't tell you why but I wasn't expecting much from this book before I started but I was surprised to find I enjoyed reading it. The story switches between 3 female characters in different historical contexts with the main focus being on Ava a reporter in the current day. You can see that the tie for all of these characters is the house but we are unsure as to what brings their stories together. I won't spoil it! I found the book kept me gripped and i sort of guessed the connections but this didn't alter my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story for me is was a little predictable in parts but nonetheless I still enjoyed it. The story follows Ava, a journalist as she takes on a story about an usual Scottish home, Overtoun Estate. This house has a bridge that people say causes Dogs to jump to their death. It's known as a 'thin place' where the line between worlds is at its thinnest. Ava is drawn into the world, and it consumes her life, she misses out on her life and pregnancy. The story follows Ava in the present and 2 timelines in the past, Marion in the 1920s, and Constance in the 1940s. I loved the way the story moved between the different eras and I felt this worked well, I did predict how the timelines all overlapped but this didn't ruin it, I still enjoyed finding out more about the why it all happened. Overall I would recommend the book it was a fascinating read!

This book was a nice break from my typical romance thriller / mystery.

The story is told from three perspectives; Ava in present day and Marion and Constance from the past. When Ava gets pregnant and can’t answer all of the questions on her family history- it brings up questions of her mother’s past. Her job as a news reporter takes her to a site that is eerily familiar from when her mom attended a funeral there. She gets caught up in this work and it causes strife between her baby’s father and her family. Marion’s story is one of a maiden taken to live in a magnificent castle with a wealthy man. It doesn’t take long for the fairytale to fade away as her husband becomes cold after the loss of her first baby, Constance’s story is told as a child living in this castle but being made to lie about her health to the doctor, Her story is one of sadness, lies, and loneliness. But how do these stories connect and relate?

The author did a nice job of tying it together. I didn’t mind the predictability of the connection between the characters, I wish I would’ve heard more or understood more of Marion’s actions. I also would’ve liked closure with Garry and the main character, what had his experience been the night he was left alone? I know that they talked- but I would’ve liked to hear the exact conversation between Keven and Frances, that would have been interesting! Overall- great read, I wasn’t expecting to be so tied in, but it was very intriguing. Then to find it was written about a real place- spent another few hours googling that!

Engrossing. Disturbing. Spooky. Gothic.
Basically, everything I love in a story!
(There were some difficult subjects addressed in this story, so check out the triggers listed by others if you are a more sensitive reader.)
Three narratives begin to play out surrounding a real bridge on a Scotland estate where dogs were jumping to their deaths. (Horrifying, I know) The three different generations of women each have a strong pull and emotion toward the estate and bridge. We, page by page, discover why and how the women, one a child, intertwine.
I really liked this story. One of my favorite things is to be made to feel spooked, while trying to make rational sense of a situation, while reading of course. This story does this well for me. There were a few things I picked up fairly early, and I believe it is meant to be so. The end was a bit jarring, which I also like, even if the end isn't my preference. I appreciate when an author chooses a path less taken, even if it isn't tidy.
It is hard to share what I loved without giving more away, so forgive the vagueness.
Exploring how people can do horrible things and how others respond to all of this is a difficult job that Ms. Major did very well in the context of a fictional Gothic tale. My emotions were all over the place as I read!
I definitely recommend this book. I am reminded after reading it that everyone has a story, and while that may not excuse behavior, it can often help explain it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free ebook. I am delighted to give my honest review without compulsion

Part gothic tale, part ghost story and part suspense, this is a book that is slow to entrance. But once you do, the story becomes a page turner, as you want to rush ahead and determine what really happened at Overtoun Estate. This is a book to savor, so don't miss it!

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for a copy of The thin Place by C. D Major. When I requested this, I thought this was going to a thriller but it’s actually more a mystery.
It is told in three points of view. The leading one is telling us about Ava Brent who is a reporter for the local newspaper when she become across a story about the Ovetoun estate in Glasgow where there is a bridge that dogs have leaped from to their deaths. She gets obsessed and wants to delve into further into the story to find out what happened to them. By doing this she is annihilating her friends and family and the father of her soon to be child.
We also discover the story of Marion who comes and lives on the estate by marrying Hamish in the 1940’s. But her marriage is different to what she thinks it will be and there is Constance a sickly child in the 1920’s. Her mother has locked her in a room away from other people her own age.
This is a chilling atmospheric mystery in three points of view, and I found that I enjoyed the story more of Constance then the actual leading one of Ava. I did not like her very much; she was annoying and for me felt that this book was a bit confusing. At first, I did not see the relevance on the three women’s stories until the very end of the book. Which then it only came clear and also by the acknowledgement by the author at the end.

Definitely a story for fans of haunted house stories, this book fulfilled its goal of being a mystery brought to life. I thought the concept was really interesting and the flow of the story was good and there was nothing wrong with the writing.

I didn't love some of the characterizations - there seemed to be a disproportionate response by family members to the main protagonist doing her journalism job. They mentioned how "obsessive" Ava was, but I feel like we needed some more backstory to justify how frequently they brushed aside her journalistic curiosity. Additionally, Ava seemed like a pretty lackluster journalist and I wondered how much information could have been discovered by her going beyond a simple Google search. I would have loved if the other two perspectives were told through found objects instead of as independent storylines. There wasn't enough to differentiate the tones of the three voices and the inclusion of these two secondary voices gave away some of the twists way before our main protagonist got there.

Not the best mystery I've ever read, but not bad at all.

When I think of The Thin Place the words captivating, spellbinding and page-turning come to mind! I loved the use of multiple narrators to tell the story of a manor home that holds mystery and tales. I could not put it down!

This compelling novel examines the lives of women across recent history through the lens of a haunted estate. Atmospheric and haunting, as the plot burns on, you'll find yourself examining the complications of motherhood and how secrets infect their bearers.

I've never been much of a fan of gothic stories but the last few months I've read some really good ones and my opinion is starting to change. The thin place is a great example of a modern mystery with gothic vibes.

A thin place is the celtic term for places where the gap between heaven and earth is closer. Overtoun House and Bridge are supposed to be in one of these places. It is said that more than 500 dogs have leaped to their deaths from the bridge. After doing a story there, reporter Ava Brent feels weirdly drawn to the place and becomes pretty obsessed trying to find the truth behind the house's tragic past.

The story spans three different time frames, 1929, 1949 and the present, so there's three different POVs. Although it was not stated till the end it was not difficult to see how all the three lines would tie together, so I was not surprised by the twists.

My favorite timeline was Constance's. Although her voice sounded a little older than her years, her situation gave me chills and I'll remember that image of her looking from the window for a long time to come.

I found Ava pretty annoying and her sudden obsession with Overtoun, to the point of neglecting her own health and her family, was a bit hard to understand at first.

The atmosphere was fantastic. It was so eerie, and the menacing presence of the house was really well done. Every time Ava visited the house I got an unsettling feeling in my stomach.

I was surprised to find out on the author's note that Overtoun House and Bridge are real places, so once I finished it I immediately had to go and googled them.

Compelling gothic mystery that it's at the same time a story of mothers and daughters.

Thanks to CD Major, NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love stories that alternate between different time periods. I love that you can immerse yourself into the stories happening in the then and now. The Thin Place is told through three perspectives - Ava in the present day, Marion in the 1920s and Constance in the 1940s. Each point of view character has their own personality and their individuality shone through, making it easy to distinguish between the three. 

I clicked with Ava almost immediately. After she finds out she’s pregnant, she’s so excited to become a parent for the first time. As her own mother is adopted, she seeks information about her relatives in order to help her understand her family history. This leads her to take an interest in a local story about dogs allegedly jumping from a bridge to their deaths. It is there Ava becomes obsessed with Overtoun house and its history. 

We also follow Marion in 1929 as she marries the love of her life, Hamish. After, they decide to have a baby but alas it isn’t meant to be and they suffer loss after loss. Thirdly, Constance in 1949 - a young girl locked in her room by her mother, told she’s suffering from an illness she needs to be isolated for. I loved how the different POV’s all weave into one and everything just clicked into place for me. 

Overall, a fast-paced, brilliantly unique plot. The concept of thin places was so interesting, and I loved reading about them. The book had an eerie feel to it, not quite supernatural but along those lines. I was creeped out more than once and gripped from start to finish.

I have mixed feeling about this book. I usually like psychological thrillers, but I wasn't really keen on the supernatural kind of vibe that this book emanates.
The story is narrated from 3 different points of view, two of which in the past and one in the present. I loved Marion and Costance's stories, I couldn't get enough of them. On the other hand I couldn't warm up to Ava's character (why can't she speak throughout the book? she barely mumbles, a lot of "I..", "Mum...", "Hmmm", "Mum... I... The baby.." aaaargh, very annoying!!), nor to her chapters which I skim-read to get to the other's characters ones, which were very captivating instead.
One thing about Munchausen by proxy: even before reading the historical note at the end of the book I was reading Costance's lines in my mind with Gipsy Rose Blanchard's little voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: Good

Genre: Mystery Thriller

This is one of those mystery thrillers that follows three stories in different time frames. One which is in present and two of them in the past and as usual they all intertwined at the end to give the reader a clear picture. The present is about a reporter Ava who becomes obsessed with one of those thin places (A thin line where one can walk between two different worlds) The Overtoun House and the bridge on which many dogs have leaped to their death.

The two stories from the past take place in 1929 and 1949 and they follow the lives of Marion, a young woman who marries the rich Hamish but is unlucky with her pregnancies. And then a young girl called Constance who is very ill and her mother makes her live in isolation of the outer world.

Overall, this was an entertaining mystery thriller. A bit slow at times and sometimes predictable but still it was a fun read. The characters from the past stories were more interesting to me than the present one and my mind always prefers imagining the past especially when it comes to a spooky atmosphere. Keep in mind that the story has some supernatural elements so if you don’t like your mystery thrillers to have a touch of fantasy then this might not be for you. I’d say a good story for a debut novel.

Expected release date: April 15th, 2021

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily after being sent the book.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Amazon Publishing/Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital copy of this gothic mystery by CD Major - 4 stars for a chilling mystery.

The thin place is a Celtic expression for places where the gap between heaven and earth is closer. In the present day, journalist Ava is investigating a rumored thin place - an old castle with a nearby bridge where dogs apparently leap to their deaths for no reason. Ava soon becomes obsessed with the story and the house. In alternating chapters, we hear from Marian in 1929 and Constance in 1949, who both lived in the house. There are plenty of twists and turns to see how all three timelines are related.

This is a fast-paced read and each story line is chilling in its own way, but especially Constance's. I enjoyed the creepy, gothic feel of this story. Be sure to read the author's note because the house and bridge are real places!

I loved this book about Overtoun House, following Ava, a journalist who finds herself increasingly drawn to the house. Mixing the stories of Ava and previous inhabitants this is a brilliantly told story, full of twists and turns as despite the time and the gaps the stories intermingle.

Loved it! This book was atmospheric and kept me gripped throughout. I couldn't put it down.I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This historical fiction story is largely a family drama about a woman who finds herself inexplicably drawn to an old Gothic house in Scotland and the neighbouring bridge that has a very sinister history.  The story is told over three timelines that all come together in the present day.

I found this book to be a little lightweight and predictable but it is very well written and quite unsettling at times with Gothic undertones.  It is a decent read, though not the full blown thriller I was expecting, and it will probably be very much enjoyed by fans of stories about complicated families and relationships.

This was a very intriguing story. At first I thought that three different storylines would be too much, or that it could get confusing, but it wasn’t the case. The story was kind of predictable, at least for me, from very early on, but I enjoyed how the author placed the clues and foreshadowing. Also, there were some unexpected events that kept the suspense going. As for the writing, I think that it was pretty good, the story was fluid, and the pace was fast. I also like the concept of thin places, I didn’t know they were a thing outside of this book, but it gave an original spin on a story that otherwise wouldn’t have stood out much.

As for the main characters, I will separate this in the three storylines:

1930s: Hamish was a nightmare of a person and husband and for about half of the novel I felt bad about Marion and the babies, but then I found out she was a horrible person, and her behaviour is not justified.

1950s: The storyline of Constance and the dog was devastating to read, how can a person (the mother) hold so much hatred inside.

Present: Ava made me really angry for most of the book, because of how she neglected the people she loved the most, including her husband and unborn baby. With her family I was a bit on the fence, because I did not trust her mother, and there was something about the sister that irked me a little.

Overall, it was a good book, I recommend reading it if you enjoy mystery thrillers. Also, I didn’t see the ending coming, it was a nice shocking way to finish the book.

This a brilliantly haunting story that I couldn't put down. It's a creepy read that just keeps you riveted. I loved the pace of this book and how well the story ties together. A book that will stay with me long after having finished it.

"Heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even shorter." - Celtic Proverb

Three females, one location shrouded in darkness, danger, gossip, and atmosphere.

Ava Bent is a journalist who is investigating the "dark" mystery of Overtoun Estate in the present day. Overtoun estate is a “thin space" steeped in myth. The bridge, Overtoun bridge, is also knowns at the dog suicide bridge. Sounds like the perfect place for the perfect story. But the townspeople are tight lipped, they are wary of the estate and its secrets. But that does not stop Ava, for some reason she feels drawn to Overtoun.

Constance is a young girl who lived at Overtoun Estate in 1949. Her whole life she is told that she is ill by her mother. She undergoes treatments and operations. Her mother keeps her away from others, having only her window to observe the outside world. She has a sad and lonely existence.

Marion moves into Overtoun estate with her new husband in 1929. She suffers many miscarriages and is not deaf to the whispers/gossip about how her husband spends his time when he is not with her. Her many miscarriages and sadness affect her health as husband spends less and less time at home.

During this book, the three storylines are told. Ava, Constance, and Marion have their own distinct voices and story to tell. Initially I was curious as to how and why the storylines are connected but as the plot unfolded, I figured out the connections. This did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all. The book is full of atmosphere and mystery. I especially enjoyed that the author used a real location and facts about the location (i.e., Overtoun estate and Overtoun bridge) as the location for her story. The author did a brilliant job at blending fact with fiction. Very well done!

I found this book to be enjoyable, but it lacked that extra something which would have garnered a higher rating from me. Do not get me wrong, I did enjoy this but perhaps would have enjoyed it more if there was more tension, dread and eeriness in the book. I wanted this to be creepier and more sinister. But the author does deliver a book seeped in drama, secrets, and mystery.

This book introduced me to C D Major and I do look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.35* I really enjoyed this book.
A new author to me. I chose this book as a part of the Netgalley reading challenge, the topic was a book with a plain cover. I don’t think the cover wouldn’t make me curious about the book.
Tv reporter/Journalist Ava Brent is pregnant and wanting information about her mother’s family especially their medical history. Her mother refuses to discuss her childhood or family so Ava begins to delve. She remembers a place called Dumbarton from her childhood so decided to investigate the dark mystery surrounding Overtoun Estate as a way of getting closer to the area of her past on the pretext of work.
A thin place is a Celtic term to describe a place where the gap is least between Heaven and Earth. I can see the relevance of the title now, although had no prior knowledge of the term.
What is the link between Ava and Marion in 1929, and Constance in 1949?
I instantly liked the difference in writing style between the modern and the historical sections.
Constance is a character that I felt for, she really tugged on my heartstrings.
Marion appears very naive, she hardly knows Hamish. Her only ambition being to escape the drudgery of her home. I can’t help wondering in the early part of her story that she has undoubtedly jumped out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire.
Ava is obsessed by the house and bridge even though it scares her with its chillingly dark atmosphere. Her relationships are being affected by her obsession. I must admit I got irritated with Ava about her behaviour towards her family and husband, and with her distraction and obsession bordering on possession.
The atmosphere of the book is very creepy, and unsettling. The slow pace gives time for you to absorb the atmosphere.
This book bought out different emotions in me, anxiety, fear, anger, sadness.
I worked out early on what was happening with Constance, as the clues are not hidden, although there were plenty of revelations to surprise me.

What a novel! Three timeliness centered Round a house and a bridge that is known as the thin place...a place between two worlds. I devoured this novel and mesiatelh went online to find others by this author. A five star read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and CD Major for my arc of The Thin Place in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 15th April 2021

Journalist Ava Brent can't help but become obsessed with creepy Overtoun House when she covers the story of dogs 'committing suicide' on the bridge. Ava is well known for getting engrossed in her stories, like a dog with a bone, but never before has one gripped her as much as this. Neither has it ever been so dangerous. As the locals clam up and refuse to talk about the house and the bridge, and Ava finds a message engraved in the windowsill of one of the rooms, learns of a sick girl who lived there and begins to uncover more secrets hidden by the house, she begins to wonder at the real story of Overtoun and she will stop at nothing to find out.

This was thoroughly engrossing and I was excited to discover that Overtoun House and bridge are real, and saddened to discover that the story of the 'dog suicides' is also real. I can definitely see why this would have piqued the author's interest, while desperately sad, especially to a dog lover, the mystery is fascinating and CD Major wove it into her fictional story perfectly.
The subject matter of this book is not for the faint hearted no doubt about that, exploring child abuse/sickness, animal death and cruelty among other things. But if you can get past that it's a fantastically dark thriller that keeps you turning the pages desperate for the answers. Told from the perspective of three women with links to Overtoun throughout the generations, it will keep you gripped to the bitter end.

Where do I begin? The Thin Place is a truly intoxicating read that had me transfixed from start to finish. I honestly don’t know how to do this justice as there is so much I cannot say without ruining the reveal. If I had been able to just read I could have devoured this in one sitting. Although in saying that I’m glad I got to spend a bit more time with Ava.

Ava Brent is a journalist after my own heart, she has an eye for a story and doesn’t give up. Even when she should, Ava keeps on. The mystery of Overtoun, had Ava hooked and had me just as intrigued. The creepy goings on had me turning the pages and just like Ava I was left wondering what had happened there.

As Ava is expecting her first child she should be slowing down but the mystery and intrigue won’t leave her, it’s as if she’s all encompassed by the house and the history of the Overtoun bridge. Even when the locals and the grounds man tell her to leave the past in the past she cannot shake it off. There were a number of moments where I had my heart in my mouth and I also found myself doubting certain characters although I was way off the mark.

Cesca has written a thrilling and intoxicating read that will leave you informed, horrified and deeply saddened by the tale of Overtoun. The novel is separated into chapters of Marion, Ava and Constance and I honestly wasn’t expecting the twists and turns along the way, it made so much sense when it wrapped up but also made me feel deeply saddened.

Whenever I got to a chapter about Constance I truly had my heart in my mouth the unmistakable cruelty and neglect was quite simply heartbreaking. I wasn’t sure where this came from although as the novel wraps up a lot is explained although there is never a justifiable reason for this kind of abuse.

Marion is an interesting character who is swept off her feet by the devilishly handsome Hamish – she wholeheartedly believes getting married and moving to a big estate will solve all her problems. Ultimately this isn’t the case, a truly chilling story full of sadness, loneliness and a multitude of grief.

The Thin Place is an atmospheric, thrilling, thought provoking and intoxicating read. It is definitely a story that will stay with me with elements of truth in the location with the eerie goings on. I could well read more connected to this although I’m in no rush to visit such a place.

Almost a did not finish for me. Usually, a mystery/thriller is my cup of tea. This one didn't feel like a mystery until 3/4 of the way through and was very difficult to follow and normally I love alternating POV books.
I was intrigued by the "thin place" which is a place between worlds. However, it never really gelled for me in this book so I was left disappointed. I couldn't embrace the main character, Ava, no matter how hard I tried. All of it was just tough for me to get into.
Thankful, however, for the ARC.

The Thin Place is a beautifully written gothic story that is heavy with the atmosphere of the sinister-feeling Overtoun Estate and the secrets that reside there.

I read Major’s previous book, The Other Girl, last year and was drawn in by the real-life mystery that surrounded her story, so I couldn’t wait to experience her latest.

And just like The Other Girl, there’s some truth to this story, too. Merging a historical tale with a modern mystery, Major cleverly weaves fiction and truth to paint her own story around the unsolved mystery surrounding “Scotland’s Dog Suicide Hotspot”.

I find it so compelling how Major takes these intriguing snippets of history and creates a fictional story around them. It adds a whole other level to the reading experience as the use of a real-life location means that you don’t need to picture Overtoun Estate in your head. Instead, you can search for an image of the real building and focus on the shadows through the windows to see if any ghostly presence reveals itself to you.

Just as Ava feels magnetised to Overtoun House, I constantly felt this pull into the story and didn’t want to stop reading. Although it’s not necessarily a ghost story, it’s still a strange and spooky read as you feel the weight of the dark history that slowly begins to peel away.

Alternating between three narratives – Ava in the present, Marion in 1929 and Constance in 1949 – the connection between the stories is quite obvious but Major doesn’t try to turn them into shocking twists. Instead, she slowly reveals the story layer by layer to show how the lives of these three women collide, and the burden of their dark secrets.

Not only is Major influenced by the true story of Overtoun, but there is another true story that she uses to influence a relationship between two of her characters. I won’t say what that is to avoid giving any spoilers, but I knew straight away where this influence was coming from as it’s a story/illness that I have always been interested in reading about.

Major uses the influence brilliantly. I would have maybe wanted a little more said about this if I didn’t know about the true story, but it’s definitely worth reading the Author’s Notes to be given some more context.

I’m not always a fan of historical fiction, but it seems I am quickly becoming a fan of CD Major. Her stories are fascinating and always beautifully told, and the disturbing truths of The Thin Place are sure to stick with you.

Not really keen on supernatural books so maybe should have looked into this more before deciding to read,saying that it was an intriguing read and did keep my attention although at times felt there was a lot of genres ‘fighting it out’

I really enjoyed this one!

I will say that I wasn't super excited by the cover. I had requested it because of the description but whenever I look through my shelf and the publication dates it just didn't jump out at me. Having read it, I still don't really understand the cover choice, BUT I did really enjoy it once I opened it and started reading.

The way this book is written is so readable. Even though nothing especially exciting happens in the front 1/4 of the book, all of the perspectives the story is told from are written in voices that just make it extremely easy to plow through. I hesitate to say it was compelling because again, it wasn't a particularly exciting story until the last 1/4 but it was very readable which I think takes a serious talent.

I loved learning a little bit about "thin places" and really wish I knew about the concept when I was in Ireland. I'm so intrigued by the idea that next time I'm in the UK I will actually seek out this bridge and/or other "thin places". Really interesting!

The Thin Place is a psychological mystery by an author who is new to me. I downloaded it from NetGalley on a whim because I liked the cover, it was Read Now, and it had a bunch of high-star ratings. Unfortunately I’ve struggled to finish it, finding myself so easily distracted that I was browsing online every few pages, pushing on only because I felt I must review it, even setting it aside to read something else to try and increase my enthusiasm. I do however think it’s a case of “it’s not you it’s me” and I’m just bored with this genre.

This is the story of three lonely females. In the present, Ava is a TV reporter from Glasgow who is newly pregnant and struggling to connect with her mother, Frances. Following a story about a mysterious old house with a tragic reputation, she becomes unnaturally obsessed, returning over and over to Overtoun House, putting her job, her relationship and even her life at risk to learn its secrets. In 1929, young Londoner Marion is swept off her feet by handsome Scottish nobleman Hamish, but soon finds her new life isn’t the romantic fairytale she expected, and in 1949, six year old Constance, confined to her room by chronic ill-health, longs for a friend.

First the good - this was well written and if you like spooky gothic suspense with supernatural undertones and multi-POV storylines this could be just the book for you.
As for the negatives, I didn’t like Ava at all, she’s selfish, wilful, unreasonable and inconsiderate of everyone else’s feelings even those she claims to love. Marion and Constance do deserve sympathy, although I worked out what was going on far too early and was expecting a more significant twist. Their chapters are spoiled by first person present narration. I recommend that anyone who loves dogs approach this with caution, especially the horrible and completely unnecessary epilogue. The afterword explains which parts of the story are based in reality.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley which allowed me to give an honest review. A Thin Place is published on 15th April.

I absolutely love the real-deal research that clearly went into the creation of this mysterious read. I have always been fascinated by the Overtoun Bridge and the stories surrounding it. I remember seeing documentaries as a child about the dogs that would just leap up over the edge to their deaths. How tragic and unexplainable!

The Thin Place depicts a remarkably well rounded mystery, told by three different narrators, all in different times.
Marion begins her story in 1929 when she is courted by the handsome Hamish West and moved into his Overtoun estate in Scotland. Then we have the young Constance in 1949, who is a sickly child living in the Overtoun House. And finally, Ava in present day, who is a newly pregnant journalist who is covering a story at the old Overtoun property.

There is something off about the house and the property, causing Ava to become obsessed with it, learning everything she can. This place is taking over her life, filtering through her thoughts and her dreams. And she is sacrificing precious things in her life because of it.

Through the course of this book, we get to piece together the different inhabitants of the estate and uncover how their stories weave together. Ultimately, this was a great book! I thoroughly enjoyed the past look at the estate and the lore around it. It truly is such a remarkable story. But I had a very hard time connecting with Ava. I was unfortunately, very irritated with how she handled things through major areas of this book and simply wanted to shake the woman. Even still, I could understand that she was under a spell of sorts by the force of the house and the surrounding property. And that, in itself, was an incredibly interesting part of this story.

All in all, this was a well-crafted book with some fun twists and a lot of great history.

As a fan of the author’s previous works, I eagerly anticipated this new novel and it did not disappoint. The Thin Place is deliciously creepy and manages to be both emotionally involving as well as sinister. Ava, the main character, is the perfect conduit for unearthing the disturbing history of the grand estate around which the mystery centres. Her work as a journalist brings Overtoun to her attention and she is increasingly drawn to the place. Meanwhile, her own troubled family history and pregnancy serve to heighten her anxieties as well as giving her a much-needed outlet for the displacement for those concerns. In the historical narratives, two distinct and compelling voices emerge. Ultimately, the threads tie together in a skilled climax, giving a satisfying end to a tale that will send shivers up a reader’s spine in the most enjoyable way. Highly recommend, as are the other C D Major novels.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing.

Wow, what a book! I found it so easy to read this without stopping, it’s incredibly gripping. The way pieces of information is revealed but then it cuts short as it changes perspectives, it makes you want to continue reading to find out more!

This book follows 3 characters at different time periods who’s stories eventually entwine. You don’t really get much insight into how their stories line up until about half way through, that’s when little snippets of information is revealed to link the 3 characters. I did figure out what was happening early on, but I still loved the reveal!

It’s such a fascinating book. It’s based on a combination of real stories and theories. I did find it quite creepy and unsettling. It’s got a paranormal feel to it.

I felt kinda meh about this one. Not really connected with the story, even though I did read the whole thing. I would read further books by the author. This one to me is bland.

2/5 Stars

The Thin Place is the haunting telling of a mysterious bridge and house that are surrounded by secret and tragedy. It is eerie, sinister and the story really gets under your skin, which I loved!
The writing is really atmospheric and very quickly Major transports you to the dark shadows of the Overtoun Estate. The uncertainty and constant feeling of being watched that Ava experiences gets transported to the reader and you experience those moments of panic with her. There were many moments where I could also feel the hairs stand on my arms and the whole thing really got under your skin and into your head. That is a testament to how strong the narrative and writing is and it's rare to find a book that so wholly blankets you in this eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere.
I loved the idea around Thin Places and how Major so strongly illustrated the feeling one gets when they experience one of these mysterious locations. It really added an extra layer of mystery and discomfort that gave the story an extra edge.
I thought the back and forth of timelines were excellent and really easy to distinguish. Sometimes it can get very confusing to know where you are and what is happening but these were very easy to follow and shaped the story really well.
The main reason that I knocked off 1 star is because I guessed a lot of the twists, so they weren't very surprising for me when they were revealed. I didn't guess the very end one though so that was a nice surprise. I also thought the characters could have had a bit more depth to them.
So yeah, big fan of this and I will definitely be reading more from Major. If you like a book that really gets inside your head then this is well worth a read! ⁣
A big thank you to NetGalley for letting me read it before it's release.

This was an interesting book. It is part supernatural, part hisorical novel. The story follows Ava a journalist who is pregnant and becomes obsessed with Overtoun house and the mysterious happenings there. The house has a reputation. The bridge leading to the house is known as “dog suicide bridge” for all the dogs who have for an inexplicable reason jumped to their deaths. The story covers three time lines, the present, 1949 and 1929, and three women, Marion (1929). Constance (1949) and Ava. The chapters alternate between the women. Marion is married to an indifferent husband and has trouble conceiving which adds to her loneliness. Constance is a sickly girl who has spent her life locked away for her own “good”. Ava is the protagonist who connects then all.

This was an interesting story, made all the more interesting as it is set in a real house, and a real bridge with a real reputation of supernatural goings on. I liked the different time periods and different perspectives, though I will say I felt Marion’s story was the most compelling. Ava was difficult to like at times, her obsession with the house was so overwhelming. All in all though this was a fascinating read and.I learned about a house, and bridge, and a local legend that I was unaware of. I look forward to more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, C D Major, and the publisher Amazon publishing UK for the chance to read and review this book.

A well written and creepy book!

Ava's obsession is palpable and it gets you invested. She drags you there with her, even if sometimes against your will.

Well crafted twists and turns and an interesting story development from the 3 women's point of view to discover "The Thin Place".

I don't always like to get scared but this one was definitely enjoyable.

I'm sure there will be an audience for this, but unfortunately, I'm not it. I could never relate to or understand Ava's obsession with Overtoun, for one thing, and for another, there was too much dog death in it for me. One is too much, really, so I didn't appreciate tacking on an extra.

~ Thanks to NetGalley and Independent Amazon Publishing UK / Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review ~

4.5 / 5

TW: pregnancy trauma; miscarriage

This was a book that I needed to sit and contemplate for a few days upon finishing it. I had A LOT of thoughts and wanted to make sure that I had processed them properly before writing a review.

"The Thin Place" by C.D. Major is a supernatural thriller that explores the lives of three women whose stories twist together across decades. In 1929, Marion is sweet and naive, enjoying as much of the revelries of the Roaring Twenties as her mother will allow. Then she meets Hamish, who charms his way into her life, never knowing that the joy he brings her now will become warped with time. 1949 introduces us to Constance, a child whose feeble health leaves her confined to her room for most of her days. She only has her mother for company, and as time goes by, Constance begins to wonder whether her mother really wants her to get better at all. And in the present day, Tv journalist Ava struggles to balance her personal life (including her developing pregnancy) with her newfound obsession with Overtoun House and its bridge from which, since the 1950s, anywhere from 50 to 500 dogs have jumped to their deaths. The place consumes her every waking moment, but the locals resent Ava asking questions, and unraveling Overtoun's secrets will have far more consequences than she ever could have predicted.

Before analysing anything in detail, I just want to state outright that I really enjoyed this novel. It might have been a little predictable in some places, but I've found that some predictability can actually reinforce a story's strength. Besides, there were enough mysteries and curveballs to stop this from being a bore. I would have torn through this book quickly if it weren't for the fact that the ebook NetGalley provided me with could not be switched to night mode; I do most of my reading in the dark while my partner sleeps, so I often had to choose between letting my eyeballs burn or skipping my nightly reading. The text also couldn't be modified, which could present issues for those with reading disabilities. Neither of these factors alters my opinion of the book, I just thought I'd mention it in case the same applies to the Kindle edition.

The characters were well written, and I loved that we got to watch the relationships unfold and grow as they learned to communicate with one another. The tension was palpable the more the book went on, and at times I found myself positively dizzy from it, especially as Ava's blood pressure fluctuated. I also found that Major handled the discussion and contrasting of Marion and Ava's pregnancy complications as a story device efficiently, although I was surprised by the intensity of these scenes and think that other readers should be prepared going in. The writing itself was vivid and gripping, and I didn't even mind repetition in parts because that added to the disorienting effect that the plot was having on me. Lastly, I loved how subtly Major used the supernatural, like it was almost as an invisible player in the background moving things along.

The main thing that stopped this from being a 5 for me, even just based on enjoyment, was Ava's stupidity at the climax of the story. Ava was not silly - she might have made some questionable choices throughout the book, but I never found myself challenging the credibility of her actions or thought-process. But she overlooked such obvious things at this one point in the story, specifically regarding Garry, that I found it really frustrating. I really dislike when authors make characters act in ways that goes against how they've behaved previously in order to move the story along, hence why I rounded down to 4 stars on Goodreads instead of giving it the full 5 as I otherwise would have.

This one complaint aside, I honestly loved this book. I've already found myself recommending it to my friends, and will probably purchase a copy down the road to read it again. My experience with "The Thin Place" has been encouraging enough that I will be checking out her debut novel, and I look forward to seeing what she releases in the future.

I really should start reading synopses more often because a lot of the books I've been picking up lately are nothing like I thought they would be - and this was no exception!

Drawn in by the beautiful cover, I thought this was going to be a twisty domestic thriller. However, The Thin Place is actually part mystery and part historical fiction.

We read from three perspectives, Ava in modern day, Marion in the 1930s and Constance in the 1940s. We get the sense that the three stories are connected, although it isn't immediately clear how, other than the link to the mysterious Overtoun House each of the stories have.

As the novel progresses, the mystery unravels and our questions are answered. Why is Ava so drawn to Overtoun? Why have dogs supposedly been committing suicide from the bridge outside the house for half a century? And why is Ava's mum so secretive about her past?

As a concept, this sounded incredible, but my overall view of C D Major's book is that it is just fine. The book is well researched (it's based on real Celtic myths) but it ends up being highly repetitive. Ava goes to Overtoun. Ava prioritises her work. Ava argues with her mum. Ava forgets she's pregnant. Ava neglects her relationship with her partner. Ava goes back to Overtoun.

I didn't have a bad time with The Thin Place, but I'm not itching to recommend it either.

3.5 stars

The Thin Place
by CD Major

Atmospheric gothic mystery. The author keeps bumping up the tension with chilling and thought provoking descriptions, keeping the reader engaged yet the mystery hidden. Overtoun Estate is a supposedly haunted property with a bridge that seems to cause dogs to committ suicide. That is a good enough start to begin a story. The tale is told in multiple view points. Well written and a creepy unique story. 4 Stars !

YES. YESSSS. This is the kind of book that deserves to be called "gothic". Too many books are described as gothic and are nothing more than a domestic thriller. The Thin Place is....well, let's get into it.

Ava Brent is a journalist. She's headed to Overtoun Estate to investigate a bridge where hundreds of dogs have leaped to their death. She expects to talk to locals, film the bridge and move on with her life. Instead, she's drawn in and almost obsessively needs to figure out why these dogs are jumping....and why she hears a baby crying when watching back her film.

Split into three voices - Ava, Constance - a child living in the house, who is told she can't walk and is sick, and Marion - a new bride who is left alone in a large estate. Slowly - the pieces all start coming together. Ava's life starts to unravel - all while she is pregnant with her first child - as she delves deeper and deeper into Overtoun Estate.

I really enjoyed this book - and THEN the epilogue took this into HOLY SHIT YES territory.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

When I read the synopsis for The Thin Place by CD Major I was intrigued and after receiving #Netgalley approval this novel certainly didn't disappoint me. If you like creepy Gothic novels The Thin Place fits the bill perfectly.

Ava is a journalist, pregnant with her first child and can't understand why her mother won't help her by giving her information on her family and their health background. Ava vaguely remembers a place called Dumbarton and uses her job as cover to visit Overtoun Estate which looms over the town. There is a bridge on the estate that dogs jump from for no reason and Ava and her crew go there to try and get the story.
A thin place is a Celtic term for a place where the curtain between the present and the afterlife is weak and sometimes the other side can be reached.
Ava becomes more and more obsessed with the story which is entwined with her own life. At times the sense of menace is so strong and I wanted to shake Ava for the risks she was taking with her life and her babies future. However, in a way I understood the compulsion to find the truth and have no doubt that pregnancy hormones were intended to have a role in this novel.
I also really liked how the author CD Major wrote the different stories of the women involved. Each story cleverly told and the truth slowly revealed. Ava, Marion and Constance all related eventhough they were decades apart.
This story had everything including dogs, suspense, Gothic castles and the ability to invoke frustration and fear in the reader..I couldn't put this book down and would recommend it wholeheartedly

The thin place is a Celtic term for places where the gap between heaven and earth is closer. Overton House and the Bridge are rumoured to be one of those places. Ava, a TV reporter, finds herself irresistibly drawn to the location and its history. Her story connects with those of Constance in 1949 and Marion in 1929.

This is a compelling read, suffused with mystery, fear, madness and cruelty. There is an atmosphere of the supernatural and the chilling. The characterisation is excellent and the writing is taut and enthralling. The gradual reveal of the connections between the characters is clever and skillful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My initial draw to this book was simple: My maiden name is C. Major and my brother is D Major. Not exactly my usual method for book selection, but it was a rewarding choice, without a doubt, one of my favorite random choices this year. Even more unbelievably it turned out that the setting of the story was in Scotland. My mother was born in Scotland....32 minutes east of the the infamous historical bridge in the book! I was then shaken yet again as one of the characters carried out a pregnancy experience startlingly similar to my own, which Major pens with beautiful, cathartic care. Every reading session felt like holding one's breath and diving head first into this multi-generational novel rich with the classic eerie horror ambiance of the greats like Shirley Jackson and thriller's Ruth Ware. A stomach clenching, nerve wracking, nail biting push to discover every last mystery involved. Major employs just the right amount of historical insight to build such a believable, traumatizing, empowering narrative from the stark angles of multiple complex women during their own eras.

I am so grateful for the privilege for the opportunity to read and review The Thin Place. I was provided with this e-book by NetGalley in return for an unbiased review.

I saw this in the ‘Read Now’ section on Netgalley and it sounded right up my street. The Thin Place is told from 3 different perspectives and 3 different places in time. The blurb had me so intrigued but it was such a slow burner to the point of dragging and it felt like there was nothing really happening until the last few chapters. I was invested in 2 of the main characters but the 3rd I could take or leave. I would have loved some more background information to be able to better understand some of the characters. Found the plot predictable and lacked major elements - tension, suspense, shock factor. I had hoped for more eeriness and the creep factor but it didn’t quite get there. Its not that I didn’t enjoy it just more I didn’t love it.

3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟/🌟

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to read and review this ARC that was published on the 15th of March.

This is a creepy atmospheric book that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. What’s better than a creepy house, a creepy story and an unsettling feeling in your gut. This is a story that moves slow enough for you to quietly picture every step Ava makes. It draws you in and holds you tight until the very end. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This book was so good! Ava Brent as the main character truly kept me page turning this book well past my bedtime! C.D Major is a great author.

The Thin Place is an atmospheric, slightly spooky book set in Scotland. In Celtic history, a thin place is described as being a location where the distance between earth and heaven is incredibly thin.

When reporter, Ava Brent discovers a local bridge where dogs jump to their deaths she is eager to run a story on the place. but soon becomes obsessed with it.

Told over three different view points and timelines it is based on an actual location. I enjoyed the stories of Constance and Marion but I found myself skipping through the chapters of Ava because it was just a bit over the top.

Overall I liked the book but didn't love it. If you are expecting lots of supernatural happenings that chill you to the bone then this book isn't for you.

This was an interesting story. I liked Ava's storyline - newly pregnant reporter, she is drawn to this bridge Overtoun, where hundreds of dogs have thrown themselves off of it and no one knows why. But there are two other storylines and I didn't enjoy them as much. I felt like it took forever to really find the purpose to these other POV. I liked juggling Ava's family and life drama as she struggled to really balance her work life and her new and upcoming family life. I liked the twists but would have loved this had it only been a POV or 2.

<i>A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.</i>

This was my first book by Major, and it was definitely an intriguing read.
The dual timeline was interesting, and kept me engaged to see how the stories would eventually connect together.
I wouldn't categorise this novel as a thriller, more of a family drama.
It flowed pretty well, and I liked the characters, but I'm not sure I will go out of my way to read her works, unless the blurb reallly grabs me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- Delightfully atmospheric and creepy!

<b>PROS</b>
-- Well written and very readable.
-- Well paced and kept me turning the pages.
-- Intriguing plot with good twists, turns, and red herrings.
-- Triple time lines meshed well.
-- Creepy, atmospheric setting that I loved.
-- Loved the supernatural elements.
-- Well developed cast of characters.
-- Satisfying (if maybe a tiny bit rushed) ending.

<b>CONS</b>
-- None, really. I enjoyed this one thoroughly!

*Arc Via NetGalley**

2.5 rounded up to 3 stars.
Before I start, there's a few serious trigger warnings for this one... suicide, miscarriage, child abuse, animal abuse/death (some was really just gratuitous and unnecessary).

I love a good mystery, and all the better if it has a supernatural theme. The author captured the creepy foreboding atmosphere of Overtoun House perfectly , and smoothly wove together three storylines into one but I just didn't really feel like I connected with any of the characters, and ultimately the plot felt a little predictable. I figured out all of the twists, most of them pretty early on. The idea of "Thin Places", or places where the boundaries between this world and the next are just a little more fuzzy, was new to me and absolutely fascinating. I'll definitely be reading more about them, but unfortunately this book just didn't quite do it for me.

I'm grateful to Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Thin Place in return for my honest opinions.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC!

A thin place is a spot where the eternal life meshes with the present life. Here strange things and feelings will occur, and the Overtoun Bridge is no exception. This bridge is known for the odd dog suicides that occur here. Dogs just go nuts and run to the top of the bridge and jump. There is also rumors about a woman who committed suicide on the bridge that lives in the adjoining estate. Ava, a news journalist, hears about this story for work and they shoot a segment on it. Instantly Ava is attached to this house. She feels things there and she gets obsessed with trying to figure out what happened there. As she digs deeper and deeper she finds out about the mistress of the house and all the horribly sad things that happened in those walls. Ava is also pregnant with her own child and the further she digs the more she puts herself and her baby's life in peril, repeating history yet again.

This was a very quick read for me, I felt that it flowed effortlessly and I could easily read it quickly. All of the plot points moved fluidly and none of the characters became confusing even while following three story lines. I really liked the concept of the bridge and the sick child, it isn't something that is written about often. I didn't really appreciate the part with the dogs seeing as I'm an avid dog lover, but I was able to overcome it. I think people will enjoy this novel if they are looking for a quick mystery/thriller with a surprise ending. I will say I was a little confused at the timeline of the mother, but saying anything more will give it away-I just didn't think the years added up correctly, but it's a minor detail.



Rate: 4/5

Fiction

Author: C.D. Major

Pages: 319

I do enjoy books with a strong sense of setting. The Thin Place definitely has this when Ava, a TV reporter, is drawn to Overtoun House and, in particular, a bridge there, where dogs have been known to jump to their deaths. Ava starts to develop an obsession with the place and keeps returning there, causing difficulties in her relationships with her husband and family, who want her to focus on the fact she’s pregnant and should be looking after herself and the baby.

The book is split into multiple perspectives, and as well as Ava’s story, we also get to find out about two other characters, Marion and Constance, and as you might expect, there is a link between all three characters.

This is a well-paced, intriguing book, and there are some spooky elements. It played out to a satisfying conclusion and was an enjoyable read.

I really, really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and follow the plot line. I loved the characters and their personalities. It was gripping from the start. Would definitely recommend.

This is an unputdownable dark thriller of a book! That it's based on a real place makes it even crazier. Told through three timelines, This is a very atmospheric and eerie novel in which Overtoun House is as much as a character as some of the people. I don't know if I'd describe it as a gothic thriller, a ghost story or what but The Thin Place is super twisty and kept me guessing until the very end.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for a copy to review.

A slow start. which picked up pace steadily and ended up being a highly satisfying, atmospheric read. Loved the tri fold time line that wove each strand of the story together so cleverly. Highly recommend.

A very interesting and thrilling book based on the real life creepy nature of Overtoun House and Bridge. I found this book really interesting because it was from the perspective of three women and their connection to the house and bridge. The concept of this book was very unique because it combined the concept of Celtic thin places with Munchhausen by proxy syndrome. Overall, this book was riveting and exciting to read. I'm giving it 4 stars because the descriptions of pregnancy and main character's relationships were kind of confusing and could have been explained better.

I DNFed this at 63%
The timelines were confusing me, I felt no connection to the main character, I didn't care for the mystery of the main timeline. There was nothing there that kept me interested in reading.
I did find the two 'past' timelines to be more interesting than the main one - and as we saw less of the other timelines, that wasn't enough to keep me interested.
This was not the book for me, sadly.

Outside of Glasgow, there’s a old manor with its own old stone bridge, which the locals call a “thin place,” a place where the barrier between the spiritual and physical worlds are closer. As a grim marker of this legend, the bridge has seen as many as 500 dogs leap to their deaths from the bridge. This legend draws journalist Ava Brent to the bridge and the house, where she feels a strange energy - and soon an obsession begins. She can’t seem to get the strange house out of her mind. As we follow her pursuit of the story behind the manor, we hear the story of two residents of the house in the past, Marion, a naive newlywed, and Constance, a sickly young girl. How do these three stories all tie together? How do they reveal the secrets behind the house?

In a cool twist, this story is based on an actual place - Overtoun House and Bridge - in Scotland which is rumored to indeed be a thin place where between 50 and 500 dogs are said to have leapt from the bridge. (The dogs part is obviously heartbreaking, but the idea that this could be a “true story,” is creepy and adds a new layer to the story.)

The story is told from the prospective of each of the three women, in alternating chapters.

I really loved this book in that it was creepy, Gothic, and it slowly unraveled this great story that just really drew me in. It was really a great ghost story that just made me want to book a plane ticket to Glasgow. Each story had a growing sense of dread the more you read it and understood what was coming, the suspense building with each new chapter. It was really the perfect psychological thriller!

The only negative factor was that at some points, I found Ava annoying. I wanted to shake some sense into her and tell her to pay attention to her boyfriend, the baby growing inside her, anything else at all! But she kept obsessing and just pushing everything away.

But overall, this was an excellent psychological thriller that is a perfect mini-getaway for the summer to the beautiful Scottish countryside. Purchase your “ticket” today!

This book is a great option if you're looking for an easy-to-read thriller.

Based on real-life (and well researched) Celtic folklore, the story spans 3 timelines that ultimately intersect.
The author captured the creepy atmosphere of Overtoun which certainly kept me on edge reading Ava's sections, however, I guessed the 'twist' from the first few chapters which sadly took away from the level of suspense I was hoping for.

In a nutshell, it was an enjoyable read but not one I'm rushing to tell everyone about.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for a copy of the ARC in return for my honest review.

This is one of those books that will stay with me for quite some time. It was definitely a blend between horror, mystery, and a smidge of the paranormal. The main character is a newscaster and is drawn to a story of a place where dogs are being drawn to their death. As she explores the story, it begins to take hold of her and take over her life. Her relationships with others become strained and her pregnancy is put to the side. This book is told between multiple narrators each in a different time period where it connects back into the present day. I felt that this method was extremely effective and really helped build the suspense when the truth is discovered. I definitely will read more from this author and respected the originality of the story and how big of a part scenery played into the overall feel of the book. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

This book, like the reviews state, does stay with you long after it ends. Spooky storyline with a lot of depth. I liked the main character which helps as sometimes in these types of books, I don’t find the characters overly likeable. Enjoyable read, recommend.

From the first few pages I thought I was going to really like this book. It was a little bit creepy and seemed like it would be a gothic suspense/horror book. However, as I delved deeper into the story I found that I wasn't really interested in the characters. I figured out what the story would be pretty quickly and felt I was just turning the pages to finish the book, not really interested in it.

My first C D Major book (although I have read the author writing under various psuedonyms!) and I really loved it. Very creepy and uncanny and brilliant writing.

I am a voracious reader of thrillers, and this one was not as impressive as I thought it would be. It started as kind of mysterious, and spooky, but soon turned out to be template fiction plot with little character development. The premise was good, and the overall feel was of a easy-to-read, breezy thriller for beginners maybe. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Despite the mystical-sounding title and description, The Thin Place isn't really about thin places at all, but about the thin lines between mothers and daughters, women and their places in the world.

I enjoyed reading this book well enough - although I don't typically read thrillers or mysteries, I'm far more interested in horror and ghost stories - yet was hoping for more spooks, less family drama. While there are touches of the paranormal throughout the story, they aren't really explained, as the mystery is more or less an earthly one. I did like how Major wove the three strands of three women's stories - Marion, Constance, and Ava - together into one twisty conclusion.

While the tale does have a good Gothic atmosphere, I wished it had a stronger sense of place. Although set in Glasgow, any scenes not in Overtoun could have taken place in any metropolis, and there wasn't much of a sense of Scotland about the story at all. As someone who adores Scotland, I really wished to feel a stronger presence of it throughout the novel. However, the scenes at Overtoun were well-written and really impressed the oppressive sense of the manor upon me.

The biggest detractor in the book, unfortunately, was Ava. I couldn't stand her. It seemed like she was supposed to be ambitious and clever, but she came off as selfish and oblivious. She pushed away everyone around her with her obsessions, and despite feeling bad couldn't get her shit together enough to steer her life back on track. Major did a great job of showing rather than telling with Marion and Constance, so it's odd that she failed with Ava. We're told that she used to be popular in school ("too cool" for her sister's husband, when they were teenagers) and was super close with her mother, but when reading her chapters her relationship with Frances is awkward and fraught, and she stumbles uncomfortably through her life in a way that makes it hard to believe she was ever cool at all (or composed enough to be an on-air reporter, for that matter!). I couldn't connect with or relate to her and while I was compelled by the mystery, her chapters were a bit of a drag.

Still, this is an entertaining, quick-reading mystery-thriller with a soft air of the supernatural. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in Gothic tales and female-driven mysteries.

I really enjoyed this book once I actually got into it. At the beginning it was quite slow paced and confusing to know what was going on, but I couldn’t put it down when I got to about halfway through. It was well written and full of twists and turns. I also loved the amount of research C D Major put in.

When journalist Ava Brent decides to investigate the dark mystery of Overtoun Estate—a ‘thin place’, steeped in myth—she has no idea how dangerous this story will be for her. Overtoun looms over the town, watching, waiting: the locals fearful of the strange building and the secrets it keeps. When Ava starts to ask questions, the warm welcome she first receives turns to a cold shoulder. And before she knows it, Ava is caught in the house’s grasp too. After she discovers the history of a sick young girl who lived there, she starts to understand the sadness that shrouds it. But when she finds an ominous old message etched into a windowsill, she is forced to wonder—what horrors is the house protecting? And what will it cost her to find out? With her own first child on the way, Ava knows she should stay away. But even as her life starts to unravel, and she receives chilling threats, the house and the bridge keep pulling her back…

Historical + horror + mystery + thriller in one book is basically this book. I enjoy the plot until the ending and it makes me want to keep up with everything. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

📚Book 34 of 2021: The Thin Place by C.D. Major

🙏🏻Big thank you to @netgalley for the ARC

❗️❗️Trigger Warning: infant loss, suicide, discussions of Münchausen syndrome.

💬Reader’s Digest Version: When Eva, a journalist pregnant with her first child, finds herself drawn to a spooky old manor known as Overtoun Estate, she has no idea just how much the secrets behind its walls will completely turn her life upside down. Overtoun Estate is steeped in local folklore and is known for being a “thin place,” a place where the separation between this world and the afterlife is paper thin. Eva seeks to better understand its mysteries, and uncovers truths she was not expecting to find along the way.

🏃🏻‍♀️My Take: The premise of this book is fascinating, and it is based partially on real life events and folklore. Hand me a thriller that mixes the paranormal with a gripping mystery and I’m sold. I really really wanted to like this, but I just could not get into it. The reason: a complete cast of utterly unlikeable, under developed characters. Why is it that the female lead in many thrillers is whiny, entitled, one note, and utterly boring? I can deal with unlikeable characters if they are interesting. The ones in this story were all one-note and blah. Overall, love the concept. Hated the characters. Despite annoying characters, it was still a fast, entertaining read.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️.5/5

I love creepy thriller's, and this one started promising.. but unfortunately it losted very quickly. In the end i honestly enjoyed this book once I actually got into it.

Wow, just amazing. Spooky and chilling and very suspenseful. This hooked me right at the beginning and was impossible to put down as I just needed to finish it, the author done a really great job at making the hairs all over my body stand on end and pull me in to the house which harbours all the secrets

The Thin Place is told in three points of views with their stories told in different time periods and they become interwoven with its supernatural elements
Marion, a woman newly married, moved to her husband’s estate to only be neglected by him, used and dealt with repeated miscarriages.
Constance, a young sad, sickly girl who was basically kept locked away by her mother. Her need to please her mother became wrought in aguish and bitter. There was an interesting, yet disturbing theme about the mother daughter relationship that helps drive the plot.
Ava, a female journalist, pregnant, lives in a small town, encounters Overtoun Estate and decides to investigates its tragic history. In doing so, she becomes obsessed with the place and its mystery, puts her life in jeopardy.
The Thin Place is described as a place where two worlds meet or joined. To some, it can be a place of an abyss of sorts or heaven- if you will. Confusing, yes? It is widely known that many people feel these places when they come close to them. Especially, in England and Ireland. Though I can imagine these experiences happen everywhere and people just don’t understand them. Apparently, the more you experience these places, the more your sense of them are intensified. This theme is interwoven in the story and I’m still undecided if it worked or not. I have to admit, I felt as if I was told about this place rather than shown. I felt disconnected to Ava, Marion and Constance’s experience with the area, and their plight with Overtoun House.
Ava is the leading character and I have to admit I disliked her. Which is a problem for me because I’m usually cheering for the protagonist. I found her to be self-absorbed and often absent of feelings, neglectful and unkind to family and friends. Was it because she had become obsessed with the Overtoun House? So much so, that it consumed her to the point that she wasn’t even thinking about others and the baby’s well-being growing inside her? I’m not convinced despite the final conclusion of the story.
The only person I felt sympathy for was Constance and even then, I felt her story needed to be fleshed out a bit more and for The Thin Place to be more convincing. Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling the supernatural and creep vibe as I thought I would be entering into the story.
That said, the premise is a good one and I enjoyed parts of the author’s descriptions of things, the premise, setting and the history of Overtoun House. Overall, I’m happy I chose to read this story.

The thin place follows the stories of three women Constance, Ava and Marion. Although on the surface these three women have absolutely nothing in common what they do have in common is Overton House. Ava finds herself on a story about dogs leaping to their deaths on a bridge next to the house. Was there on the story she finds herself drawn to the house and doesn’t know why. We also get to follow Marion a young lady from London who finds herself married to a wealthy man an moves to Scotland her main goal is to try and become pregnant and finally there’s l Constance who is a very sickly child, confined to her room in the house. The question is how are all these stories related? is it just the house or do you all these women have more in common.

I really enjoyed this book I find myself drawn to it from the first page. The way the author has written this story is done so well we go from different decades with the three main characters of this story out of all three I must say I really enjoyed Constance story the most. From the start I found myself really drawn to the character maybe because she is younger it was really intriguing to her how her illness was affecting her life.
What the author does so cleverly is throughout the book what the connexions could be which makes it even more fun to read because you're just trying to get to the end of the book to get the answers but know that you have to stick with the story to find the answers.

Ava is a lead protagonist and she is pregnant with her first child. Ava is also a journalist and this is how she becomes intertwined in the story. For some reason the pull that she feels towards this house is unbearable and she can’t help but keep going back even at the cost of her personal relationships.

Marion is a very sheltered woman from London at 24 when she finds herself a husband he promises her the world and she takes him on his word moving to Scotland and that house Her story is based in the early 1930sa different era and different standards.her struggles with pregnancies are not for the light hearted but this is the central the focus of her story. When I first started reading her chapters I felt they sounded like diary entries and I really enjoy diary entry style prose. Marion story is a tragic tale that so many women at the time would have been accustomed to. Find a husband, have a baby and run a household. Her story is one that so many people well find sympathetic and I was no different.

As I stated previously Constance story is align to illnesses. However it does appear that there is more to her sickness than meets the eye. It was just a beautiful part of the story and again it highlights and illustrates other mental health medical conditions that maybe aren’t talked about so much. I think as well really brings all three of these characters together is the expectations are set on them by others and how they view their selves in the wider world.

The prose is written fantastic from start to finish I just wanted to know more. I am a sucker for multiple narrators. The author managed to msg it clear and obvious differences their dialogue tone and storytelling. I find it very easy to tell which chapter belong to which narrator, I often find in books where we have a different ages that the author manages to know one age correctly on ignore the other however this was not the case in the thin place we could clearly towel that Constance was a child from reading her chapters but without dumbing down the dialogue to an extent where it felt patronising. This is a really difficult thing I have noticed whilst reading other books which jumped from a young person to an older person or from a generation to a different generation therefore the offer should be applauded for this.

When I got to the end of the bird I was absolutely amazed to find out that this story of the dogs jumping is actually based on a historical facts regarding this bridge that apparently to this day still stresses that dog owners should keep their dogs on the lead, that doesn’t seem to be an explanation or rather a clear explanation for why this is the case. the author also pause on other true which for now I won’t say because it shall spoil the book. But when she get to reading it you will understand where the influences come from and the author then clearly states this at the end of the book. What talent it is to be able to pull on very true historical events and make a amazing fictional mystery.

I would totally recommend this book to absolutely anyone who enjoys a good mystery or thriller. Although I did manage to connect all the dots quite early on in the birth and come up with A twist I still absolutely enjoyed reading this story. I loved the use of three different women, who want just a little bit dinner front but completely and that in itself is an absolute talent. What I will say is if you are like me and you pretty much think that you’ve got it right you probably have but I must say it’s still worth reading even once you have stuff out the mystery and I am so happy that I did. There were a few moments where to be honest with you I had no idea what was going on but I just rolled with it. Therefore rate this book full stars.

Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publishers for this free digital advance review copy of the thin plafe in exchange for my fair and honest opinions.

I love when a book is based on a true story. I enjoyed that it was told from three points of views all interwoven in each other. I wasn't the biggest fan of supernatural kind of stories but I found this one to be just alright.

Such an unusual novel, a wonderful read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

The Thin Place was a spooky and absorbing read that I found utterly captivating. I was sold straight away by the simplistic yet evocative cover and the intriguing blurb but I didn’t quite expect just how much the story would consume me. At times quite intense and emotional, I was transfixed by the premise of Overtoun and eager to follow Ava on her investigation of something so fascinating. I was gripped and wanted to spend every moment I had reading the book. Even after I finished, I had more questions about the eerie and enthralling mystery within.

The book is told from the perspective of three characters over different timeframes. In present day, we meet Ava, a journalist who is investigating the Overtoun estate and the haunting bridge which has seen many dogs jump to their deaths. In 1929, we hear Marion’s story. A young woman who is neglected by her new husband and struggling through the heartbreak of miscarriage after miscarriage. In 1949, we meet Constance, a young girl who is locked away by her mother, forced to see several doctors after being told she is very sick, always afraid that one day she might not appear as ill as her mother tells her she is.

Each thread to this story was mesmerising and often quite disturbing. I was so absorbed in learning about all three characters and seeing how their storylines intertwined.

Constance’s story was particularly unsettling, and I could feel her dread and overwhelming loneliness seeping off the pages. Her relationship with her mother seemed deeply unnerving and I was intrigued to see how the story would play out.

Marion’s perspective was quite sad to read – seeing how she progressed from the hope of a new relationship to the despair and then reluctant acceptance of losing so many babies, and also how numbly she accepted the abandonment of her husband.

Ava’s part in the book helped bring each strand together and the things she discovered about Overtoun sent chills down my spine. Ava and her partner Fraser are expecting their first baby and whilst Ava’s family struggle with how much her job seems to be taking over for her and how distracted she is from her own life whilst she focuses on uncovering more about Overtoun, for me as the reader it was easy to see how she did this as I felt the exact same fascination with the place.

I found The Thin Place to be a really atmospheric read, quite claustrophobic in its storytelling in a way that grabbed my attention just as strongly as Overtoun pulled Ava into its mystery. The sense of a story that needed telling, Ava is obsessed with the estate and the bridge, and in turn as the reader this left me dying to learn more about a place that was shrouded in darkness, hidden away to the extent that anybody who knew about it would rather not speak of it.

A sign of a good historical read for me is one that has me researching long after I’ve turned the final page and since finishing the book and reading the interesting author’s note that followed, I have spent many hours searching for real-life stories about the supposed dog suicide bridge as C D Major’s phenomenally well-researched novel has had me compelled to learn even more.

The Thin Place was a truly creepy and beguiling gothic thriller with a satisfyingly chilling ending.

I wanted to love this, but I couldn't get into it. Any thriller that mixed old mysterious pasts and the paranormal is right up my alley, but this just took too long to build. I expected a thriller to have at least some suspenseful elements in the beginning to carry into the end where all the good stuff happens. This just doesn't do it.

i received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

It was ok. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t atrocious. It was just meh. Found myself more interested in getting to the end than the characters or the narrative

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for this eARC copy!

I loved The Other Girl by Major and The Thin Place did not disappoint either.
Such wonderful characters, This was a fast paced, creepy tale, with a creepy feel.
The setting gave quite a claustrophobic feel and draws you in.
The terrific characterisation meant that I was heavily invested in this story and hung onto every word!
This book is brilliant. It so well written and I enjoyed this way too much!

Thank you again for the opportunity to read The Thin Place its an amazing read!
I will post to my platforms closer to pub date!