Set against the backdrop of 1930s Warwickshire, Natalie Marlowe’s “The Red Hollow” isn’t your average cozy murder mystery. It’s a heart-pounding descent into madness where the lines between reality and delusion blur magnificently.
Marlowe paints a picture of Red Hollow Hall, a sanatorium for men, with such vivid strokes that you practically feel the damp creeping up the walls and the weight of secrets pressing down. The patients themselves are a captivating cast, their fractured psyches adding a layer of unease that perfectly complements the rumors of a vengeful mermaid haunting the flooded grounds.
This is a novel that unfolds with the slow, deliberate grace of a creeping fog. Each twist is a punch to the gut, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew. Just when you think you’ve grasped a thread of truth, Marlowe yanks it away, sending you spiraling deeper into the unsettling world she’s crafted.
Prepare to be unsettled. “The Red Hollow” flirts with the surreal, weaving elements of the occult and the psychological into a tapestry that’s as disturbing as it is enthralling. Marlowe’s prose is sharp and evocative, perfectly capturing the grim atmosphere of the era.
If you’re looking for a light, fluffy mystery, look elsewhere. But if you crave a dark, atmospheric tale that will stay with you long after the final page, then “The Red Hollow” is a must-read. I hope there are more to follow.