Bolton, S J - 'Blood Harvest'
Bolton, S J - 'Blood Harvest'
Bolton, S J - 'Blood Harvest'
get a bit scary along the way. There is an undercurrent to the story that reminded me of the
film The Wicker Man but in this case, the story is set in a Yorkshire village, with children
under threat, particularly 2-3 year old girls, rather than a visiting policeman. For example
there are a few pagan rites that appear to need the blessing or at least the use of the
church, which add to the menace, and people living in the village have quite a few secrets
to be uncovered. A strength of the book is that the characters of Harry and Evi are
particularly well drawn. The interactions between these two, their desire to find out what
happened, and their determination to discover if what is frightening Tom is real, are very
effective in helping to drive the story forward. Is there really someone watching Tom's
family in the churchyard, is his family really in danger of something, or is he just making it
up? Tom's fear, and his frustration with not being believed are very believable. Overall, this
is a novel with wide general appeal. The story is well told, and is definitely one to keep you
entertained on a long boring train journey, or when stranded in an airport.
Michelle Peckham, England
July 2010