Phoebe Locke

I liked The Tall Man, Phoebe Locke's first book, but I really loved The July Girls. It's a fast-paced story which kept me turning those pages as fast as I could.

Addie is 10 in 2005 when the story begins. She lives with her father and her 17 year old sister, Jessie, in a flat in London. Her birthday is 7/7 and this is the year of the London tube and bus bombings on that very date. It's also the day that her dad comes home with blood on his clothes, acting shiftily. Jessie is almost like a show more mother to Addie but she's also very adept at keeping things from her, things that are important.

I thought Addie was a fantastic protagonist. The narrator of her tale, she's brave and old for her years, yet still vulnerable (she's only 10, after all). But she understands so much and when it becomes clear that every year on 7/7 a woman goes missing she finds herself starting to put two and two together.

The writing in this book is so engaging, it pulled me right into Addie's world. I watched her grow up and become a wonderful and strong young woman. I whipped through her story, finding it a little creepy and full of underlying tension, yet it's also a tale of a fractured family having to cope with what life throws at them.

The July Girls is very cleverly plotted. It kept me guessing and the denouement, when it came, was a complete surprise. I really didn't expect any of what happened. Whilst this is a thriller, it's also the story of a young girl coming of age, learning that the world can be a difficult and cruel place. I thought it was innovative to have a 10 year old as the main character and it allowed an air of innocence to accompany the murder spree that the killer goes on. I enjoyed this book, which has darkness at its heart, very much indeed. show less

A sinisterly compelling psychological thriller revolving around a menacing figure known as the ‘tall man’ who, legend has it, steals daughters. In this tale he is also thought to have connections to a murder and the disappearance of a young mother.

This is quite an eerie and dark mystery where the tension builds up gradually - it’s very much a slow burner and there are some disturbing undertones. I really enjoyed how the story was told with the main multiple timeline narratives being show more interspersed with sections about a TV documentary. You definitely have to keep on your toes whilst reading this one. It’s all very ambiguous but it certainly drew me in and had me eager to read on. There are some great twists and turns and the ominous ‘tall man’ is something of an enigma. Is he real or a figment of the imagination? Is he a supernatural being? Perhaps we should all lock up our daughters!

A gripping, unnerving and absorbing read which will keep you awake at night and is open to interpretation. Just don’t go down to the woods at night! I loved it. show less

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from The Tall Man. I wasn't sure whether this was one of those books that might give me nightmares, but thankfully it didn't do that. The legend of The Tall Man is scary in itself, but the story overall is more one of dynamics between family and friends, and the spectre of The Tall Man and the effects of having it hanging over you.

There are three strands to the story, two of which are more prominent than the third. There is Sadie and Miles in 2000, a show more baby on the way but with a shadow looming over them. Sadie leaves her husband and daughter rather than lead them into danger. Then there's 2018, when a film crew is following a teenage girl, Amber, who has been charged with murder. The other strand is earlier, from 1990, and focuses much more on The Tall Man.

The legend is one of sacrifice and it definitely has a creepy feel to it. But I felt it was almost secondary to the main story which is one of dealing with the repercussions of getting sucked into believing in the legend.

I was gripped by this book from start to finish. It jumps around between the different strands and because of this the story unfolds gradually. I thought it was obvious what had happened only for me to be proved wrong. The author does a good job at the slow reveal and I really had no clue what was going to happen until it actually did.

The author also tells us of The Tall Man without leading us into ideas of whether it's real or not. Is it an urban myth? Yet, can it be so when so many people have experienced it? Who knows, but throughout the book I thought it could quite possibly have been plausible but also quite possibly just a story that people have bought into. After all, the dark corners of our minds can make us quite susceptible and can lead us into even darker places.

I really didn't take to Amber. I'm not sure I was supposed to. She was portrayed as manipulative and sneaky. I enjoyed the sections where Sadie featured best of all, possibly, as I said before, because of the family/friend dynamics surrounding her storyline. I also liked Greta, who is one of the people working on the film. She's possibly the nicest character in the whole book.

I thought The Tall Man was an accomplished thriller, a clever and sinister read. You'll like it if you enjoy books with a hint of the supernatural and stories about legends. show less

The Tall Man is a fabulous book! As a big fan of paranormal thrillers did I love how the legend of the Tall Man made the basis for this book. How all three storylines in different ways had to deal with the Tall Man. But, the Tall Man is just a legend isn't he? Something to scare the little children with, he can't be real, can he?

Now, I don't say that this is a paranormal thriller, nor do I say that it isn't. It's all how the reader will perceive the story. And, in that lies the greatness of show more the book. It's all about how you interpret the story. I would say that perhaps there is a thing like the Tall Man, or perhaps not. Some parts really make one believe that while you still rationally try to explain it all.

What I love about the book is that the truth about what happened in the present story in the 2018s took is time to be revealed. Deliciously slowly one could say, just the way I like it and then BAM the truth is out, and its connection to the past. The last couple of chapters are so good. And, yes I'm being very vague, but honestly, this is a book that you should read with so little beforehand knowledge as possible. That's actually my attitude towards all thrillers. Much more fun to know as little as possible. So, I will say this, the writing is terrific, the story is great and I can't wait to read Phoebe Locke's next book! Also, you must definitely the book if you are a (paranormal) thriller fan!

I want to thank Headline for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less