Long Lankin by Lindsey Barraclough

Beware of Long Lankin, that lives in the moss. . . .When Cora and her younger sister, Mimi, are sent to stay with their elderly aunt in the isolated village of Byers Guerdon, they receive a less than warm welcome. Auntie Ida is eccentric and rigid, and the girls are desperate to go back to London. But what they don't know is that their aunt's life was devastated the last time two young sisters were at Guerdon Hall, and she is determined to protect her nieces from an evil that has lain hidden for years. Along with Roger and Peter, two village boys, Cora must uncover the horrifying truth that has held Bryers Guerdon in its dark grip for centuries ? before it's too late for little Mimi. Riveting and intensely atmospheric, this stunning debut will hold readers in its spell long after the last page is turned.


What an interesting read! This was definitely a different story, full of gothic atmosphere and frightening scenes to keep you reading long into the night…and then lying awake because your too scared to turn off the lights.

The story begins ominously, with two sisters who are left by a friend of their dad’s to live with their aunt, Ida. From the very beginning, we think there is something strange about the whole place where they’re sent to live, with a dilapidated, abandoned church nearby that they are forbidden from visiting, and with the orders the two girls live under to never open the windows in the house. This is what the book does so well, create an oppressive atmosphere that starts to make the reader as uncomfortable as the two girls. Add to that a colorful cast of characters, and a truly frightening creature who slithers along the grounds, and you have a great gothic story.

The one thing that bothered me was the constant shift in character viewpoints. I do understand the need to have the story be seen through many different eyes, but some times it felt excessive, especially towards the end, when most of the characters were in the same scene. It juts felt a bit too jumbled.

All in all, this is a great, spooky story that will delight all of you who love to be scared by a book. I can easily recommend it.