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Writer's pictureKirsty Whitlock

'The Droll Teller' by S. E. England

Book Description


A ghostly novella.


1962, and on Christmas Day at precisely 6pm, a mysterious old man by the name of Silas Finn, calls on the new owners of an ancestral home in Devon and asks which they'd prefer to hear - a story or a song. Ten-year old Enys Quiller is adamant they must have a story, just as Cousin Beatrice instructed.

'You'll be sure to tell me dreckly, won't you?' says Beatrice. 'What the droll teller says?'

But the strange and macabre tale of Victorian poisoning and madness that follows, has far-reaching repercussions for Enys and her family, and after the droll teller has finished, any notion of staying there, or even together, is shattered.



Author note: contains some dialect in the dialogue.



BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Droll Teller' by Sarah E England.


Read and reviewed for Sarah E England and DLM Book Tours.


Publication date 28th January 2023.


This is the first book I have read by this author.


I was originally drawn to this book by its fantastic eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title.


This novel consists of a prologue, 26 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!


This book is based in Devon, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually visited and holidayed in Devon several times so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise any places mentioned.


This book is written in a mix of third and first person perspective and the protagonist is Enys Quiller. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. The benefits of third person perspective are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything. To have the benefit of both first and third person perspective ensures you don't miss out on anything.


LOVE, LOVE, ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS AMAZING CHILLING, HAUNTING AND MUST READ GHOST STORY!!!


Wow!!! This book is fantastically written and had me hook, line and sinker from beginning to end. The descriptions were so in depth and vivid that I could feel the drafts on the house and hear the water dripping in the tap. The hair on my arms was standing on the ends and my heart was pounding throughout. The synopsis, title and cover were perfect for the storyline.


WELL, WELL, WELL, I absolutely LOVED this spine tingling, chilling ghost story!!! This book is, unique, addictive and explosive!!! Do not read this before bed time as you'll be hearing noises all night!! I was absolutely absorbed throughout this page turner. It is filled with tension, suspense, ghosts, mystery, horror, and absolutely everything you could ever want in an explosive ghost story!!! One of the most gripping unputdownable nerve wracking books I have EVER read!!! I absolutely loved the gothic aspects and the atmosphere of Gorse Bank House and the stunning Devon is just perfect for this amazing page turner!! You lady have one hell of a talent and I cannot wait to get hold of your previous and future books. The storyline is filled with shocks, suspense, horror, tension and so much more! There was so much going on and it was very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Sarah's writing style and depth had me so engrossed that when I looked up it took me a moment to realise I was even reading!! Clear your schedule before you start as I read this in one sitting as I could not put it down!! I was absolutely hooked!! I would absolutely love to see this turned into a movie!!!! If Sarah's other books are even a quarter as good as this then I will I cannot wait to get stuck into them!! There's nothing like a good ghost story and this has got to be one of the best!!! I was completely invested in the storyline and the characters in this book and if you love to feel the hair on your arms raise and feel a chill down your spine then get your copy today!! You won't be disappointed!!


Clear your schedules before even looking at the first page as you will not be able to put this book down!!!!


This book has got to be in my top 5 books of all time and considering I have read hundreds and hundred that is one hell of an achievement!! You are also noy my favourite ghost story telling author ever!! HUGE WELL DONE Sarah and here's to your next success 🥂


Congratulations Sarah on a true page turner! It is creepy, gripping, atmospheric, gothic, scary addictive and everything I could ever ask for in a page turning book!


Overall an absolutely heart racing, gothic, chilling , suspense and tension filled addictive and explosive ghost story that will keep you up at night!!!



Genres covered in this novel include British Horror Fiction, Ghost Suspense, Occult Horror, Suspense, Mystery, Horror, Occult, Occult Supernatural, Ghost Thriller, Historical Thriller, Occult Fiction and Thriller amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as to anyone looking for an unputdownable gothic horror that is guaranteed to have you glued to the pages!!


244 pages.


This book is just £2.99 on kindle, free on kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback (at time of review) via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!


Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.


Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews



@TheDrollTeller @SarahEngland @SEEngland @DLMBookTours @DonnasTours @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86 @Goodreads @Amazon @AmazonKindle @Bookstagram @BookBlogger @KindleUnlimited








Author Bio


Sarah England orginally trained as a nurse, before working in medical sales and specialising in psychiatry. She has been a fiction writer for around 18 years and is based in the UK.


At the fore of Sarah's body of work is the bestselling occult horror trilogy, Father of Lies, Tanners Dell and Magda; followed by The Owlmen, an off-shoot from the series. Stand-alone reads include, The Soprano, Hidden Company, Monkspike, Baba Lenka, Masquerade, Caduceus and Groom Lake. The Witching Hour is a collection of short thrillers, chillers and twists.


OUT NOW: The Droll Teller, a spellbinding tale of Victorian murder, mischief and trickery, for your delectation.


If you would like to be informed of new releases please subscribe to Sarah's infrequent newsletter on her website home page: https://www.sarahenglandauthor.co.uk


It's good to keep in touch!



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