Published in: 2022
Pages: 313
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
My rating: 3/5
Synopsis:
Witches only exist in stories. Everyone knows that. But what if the stories are real?
FOUR FRIENDS. FOUR TRUTHS. ONE NIGHTMARE.
If you wander into the wood …
If you hear scratching sounds from the Old Quarry …
If you go too close to the edge …
WATCH. OUT.
My review:
So, this book is set 1970’s rural England and revolves around 4 kids and the scary quarry near where they live, known locally as “Hag’s Drop” – because that’s where they drowned witches in ye olden days. The local lore about the witches drowned at Hag’s Drop is just unavoidable bait to bored young kids during the summer school holidays.
The book had feelings of Stranger Things to it (young kids in a more innocent time, the paranormal feature, the horror element) but maybe less scary. I didn’t feel much of the horror element reading it to be honest, and was more interested in the mystery around Hag’s Drop.
I think the plot twist ending was pretty easy to work out, there wasn’t a whole lot of mystery around that ending, but despite that I found it enjoyable to read.
It was a short book, I knocked it over in 2 days, mostly in one Sunday-morning reading session. It was just a bit of fun, a nice easy read, and a good spooky book for young adults. I would say the 12-14 age range would really get a kick out of this book and feel the spooky factor.
Find it here:
Author’s website: https://www.mikelucas.com.au/what-we-all-saw
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60403237-what-we-all-saw
Penguin Australia: https://www.penguin.com.au/books/what-we-all-saw-9781761045936
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/what-we-all-saw-mike-lucas/book/9781761045936.html
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/What-All-Saw-Mike-Lucas-ebook/dp/B09NPPK4T5