Review: The Meadows

The Meadows by London Clarke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THE MEADOWS is one SCARY novel! The author finely tunes the tension, drawing the reader along to follow the feckless, definitely self-destructive, heroine, an acclaimed songwriter, as she battles her addictions, not very successfully. But the real question becomes: Is she hallucinating from alcohol and controlled substances, or are these apparitions, manifestations, sounds, voices, actually REAL? Is this property, the size of an estate, actually HAUNTED? Or has falling off the wagon after five months simply created sights, sounds, touch, in her mind? Either way, our protagonist is in deep trouble. DEEP trouble. She's sunk about $5 million into buying a property in the scenic Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, where she studied for her undergraduate degree at Shenandoah University. She intends to renovate, then open the house as a bed-and-breakfast, and attract "leaf peepers," newlyweds, couples celebrating anniversaries, plus businesspersons and corporate "retreats." An admirable goal, one which will not be accomplished unless the house is cleared of its "other" inhabitants; and unless Scarlett can find a way to stop the rising death toll. The house is already notorious for mass murders occurring in 1986, including paranormal elements, and had been abandoned for over 30 years. Scarlett is trapped between a rock and a hard place, and possibly there may be no earthly solution.

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