When I joined Twitter nearly a year ago, I learned about #IndieApril. During the month of April, many readers vow to read more books by Indie authors (writers who might be self-published, or work with smaller, independent publishers).
I remember how supported I felt then as a newly published author when other people gave my books a chance 🥰 I am also grateful for all the authors in the writing community who took interest in my books or shared my tweets.
This year (and hopefully from now onwards), I want to dedicate my April blog posts to reviewing Indie books. My first book is going to be The Long View by Mark Hurst.
I chose The Long View because I was captivated by the book description and I loved the mysterious cover. So what is the book about?
They say the Dead don’t tell tales, but it depends on who’s doing the listening. Ever since Sophie Lydon was a little girl she’s been able to speak with the dead, a gift she inherited from her late mother and grandmother. Now it’s just Sophie and her dad, looking after her uncle and the family funeral business.
She tries to carry on her mother’s work, the tradition of guiding lost souls into the afterlife, but it’s hard and sometimes scary without her mother’s guidance. And the latest crop of arrivals in the mortuary have something new to say, bringing her disturbing messages from the place between living and dying, the vast hinterland across which all souls must walk. A killer has been awoken in the town of High Towers, where Sophie lives. A killer with links to Sophie’s past, a killer known to the voice of The Long View… and it’s coming for Sophie..
I have a confession to make… I spook easily and I had no idea how grim this book will get. I hope I don’t get nightmares 😱
I had no preconceived ideas on where the story will head but The Long View surprised me at every turn… and the killer? You could guess who it was but still be surprised.
I liked that the characters in the books are all flawed, struggling, and ordinary, in the best sense, as they are relatable. There are no caped heroes… just ordinary folks with courageous hearts or lost souls trying to make sense of what is wrong or right.
The Long View (where the souls go after death) is a barren, dark place that will have you mesmerized. It is surreal and imaginative; a nightmare too real caught by the writer and stuffed into the pages of this book.
As always, I won’t give away the ending. I hope I have intrigued you enough to give this book a chance. Please consider supporting an Indie author especially during the month of April. There are many gems you will discover. 📚
Thank you for reading! 😊 I hope you have a great day!
My Twitter handle is @Aisha__Urooj (if you want to follow me there too).
This blog can be found as a podcast at anchor.fm/aisha-urooj
Aisha's Writing Corner 