I had seen a lot of great reviews about this novel on Goodreads.com and when I discovered it was free to read on Kindle, I couldn't resist checking it out. To be honest, I started reading this with low expectations. I'm not sure why but I did. However, within the first 30 pages, I had my expectations seriously raised. I had been sucked in instantly. The protagonist, Perry Palomino really spoke to me. She's this flawed hero kind of character - she's been through some crap but she's come out the other side and is trying to turn her life around. It was refreshing to read about a character with some humanity, some pathos. It was also a breath of fresh air to read what I'll term an Urban Fantasy novel with a protagonist who isn't otherworldy. Perry is your average 22 year old who left University with hopes of a job more meaningful and better paid than the job she's currently in as Receptionist for an advertising firm. So she has these weird dreams sometimes and has been known to see things that may or may not really be there, but she's as human as they come. She's not a vampire, a witch or a werewolf and that is so refreshing in a market saturated with supernatural beings.
On a weekend trip to stay with her Uncle, Perry decides to investigate the old abandoned Lighthouse on his property. It's late at night, she's got a bit of alcohol in her system and she's on her own. Or so she thinks. Stumbling through the creepy old lighthouse, she bumps into Dex Foray, a strange but attractive guy with a camcorder who says he's checking out the apparently haunted lighthouse for a web show he's working on.
Perry and Dex soon find themselves thrown together, determined to solve the mystery of the Lighthouse. They're an interesting pair and there's a lot of sexual tension (mostly on the part of Perry) that weirdly doesn't detract from the plot.
I'll admit that as much as I hide behind the cushions while watching a scary film, I do love the horror genre, whether that's films or books. I love to be scared. But usually I'm disappointed with books that claim to be scary. They usually don't affect me at all. 'Darkhouse' seems to be the exception. This book had goosebumps raising on my arms and it's made me think twice about using a public toilet when there's no one else around. There's one particular character, a creepy old lady, who just sends chills up and down my spine. You'll know what I mean if you read it.
This was a brilliant start to a series that holds a lot of promise. I'm definitely going to check out the next book in the series and would recommend anyone who likes a good scare read 'Darkhouse'.
5/5
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