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The Loney

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The Loney

By: Andrew Michael Hurley
Narrated by: Richard Burnip
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About this listen


'The Loney is not just good, it's great. It's an amazing piece of fiction' Stephen King

Easter 1976. Two teenage brothers, one mute, the other his lifelong protector, set off on a retreat with their parents and others from their church to a Catholic shrine on a wild, ever-changing stretch of Lancashire coastline known as the Loney. Led by new incumbent Father Bernard, the pilgrims dutifully observe the traditions leading up to the Resurrection, but the boys learn that there is a much older, darker power to be found in the landscape itself, one which is being tapped by strange rituals on the tidal island of Coldbarrow.

Many years later, a child's body is discovered, and the two brothers are forced to confront the horrors of the past. The Loney always gives up its secrets, in the end.

WINNER OF THE 2015 COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD
THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016

'This is a novel of the unsaid, the implied, the barely grasped or understood, crammed with dark holes and blurry spaces that your imagination feels compelled to fill' Observer

'A masterful excursion into terror' The Sunday Times

©2015 Andrew Michael Hurley (P)2015 John Murray Press Genre Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Scary Fiction Mind-bending

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Critic reviews

'Modern classics in this genre are rare, and instant ones even rarer; The Loney, however, looks as though it may be both' Sunday Telegraph
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I'm not one for writing reviews, but must for "The Loney". This is the best piece of fiction I have read in ages. So humane, intelligent, so thought-provoking, so insightful, so gripping, so well paces and plotted, so well written. Absolutely unputdownable/unswitchoffable. And in the audible version, so excellently narrated (which, unfortunately, is rarely the case with audio downloads). I am about to order the print version and start reading. This more than deserves the Costa prize, and should have been on the 2015 Mann Booker shortlist. Please read/listen!!!

I don't have enough superlatives. This is what fiction should be....

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The last 20 mins was the best part of this entire novel. Incredibly slow to start and for a very long time the religious subplot seemed pointless. There's also a lot of holes in the story like what happened to the baby's mother? Feel like it's been overhyped.

Odd gothic thriller

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The combination of a beautifully written, understated style of writing; haunting images and a superb narrator kept me listening when I should have been doing other things! Now that I am finished the book, I find that aspects of the story keep on flitting into my mind, and while I consider them, I realize that the book is much more multi-faceted than I expected. There is the gothic aspect, and some supernatural incidents that are hinted at by the genre of the book. Then there is the human drama of a community caught up in issues of faith and family. Finally, there is a hint of humour in the parochial characters. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy crime and thrillers, to those who appreciate the bizarre, and to those who enjoy books that question our basic values and religion.

Haunting and thought provoking

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great story.builds the horror without you really noticing what is happening. characterisations are rich and layered. the setting is wonderfully constructed and atmospheric . when the reveal happens it's way more horrible than could be imagined and I missed the clues all the way through. absolutely loved it.

accumulating weirdness and creepiness

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This was a good story and well narrated. It kept me gripped from beginning to end.

Good story

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There was a very long lead in to action, if you could call it action. 80% scene setting and 20% resolution. I wanted the blind faith ripped to shreds so left with the feeling of who has done the most damage.

Blind faith

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Beautiful prose haunting story performed impeccably. At times disturbing and horrific but never cheap or tawdry.. Just amazing

Cracking lidten

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The Loney is an unusual story. It has a good ending, however, I found it slow to progress. The narrator is excellent.

A Bit Slow...,

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This book is written beautifully. The phrases, observations and descriptions of the people and beach and the sea around Morcombe bay are wonderful and evocative. The dissection of the relationships within the group is acute and peceptive. The use of flashbacks occasionally gets confusing but the story continues to its conclusion in a non linear slightly dark way. Not a gory blood spattered horror by any means more a "tales of the unexpected". Absolutely loved it. Iain

Abigails'Party meets The Whicker Man

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The reader conveys subtly different accents faultlessly. A fantastic and original story. Beautifully read. Loved it

Brilliant

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