7 Days in Hell *** GUEST REVIEW***

One of the recent publications from the Disresponsible Nodpots press was 7 Days in Hell, by Iseult Murphy.





Valpot reviewed it earlier this year, and this is what she said:

7 Days in Hell is a horror story set in Ireland. Twin sisters Irene and Vicky spend the October mid-term break in a self-catering cottage in the heart of the country. Unlike the promise of the website, the "converted barn" is a tiny shack which the siblings cram into with Ronnie, Irene's dog. The landlord and his ferocious dogs are sinister neighbours, the inhabitants of the local village are unfriendly, strange howls and light in the sky are apparent nightly, and to crown it all, the car unexpectedly breaks down. Just when the sisters are considering their holiday a disaster, they stumble into the much bigger trouble, the evil which has been perpetrated in the area for decades...

It's a pleasure to read a horror story based in a familiar "ordinary" environment, with normal people - though you might think twice about going self-catering after reading this. The story holds your interest from page one with a mixture of humour, suspense, horror and pathos. The sisters are well-developed, likable characters from the start, and the minor characters are equally deftly drawn. The story flows smoothly from the pen of its accomplished author, and it is difficult to believe that the bulk of this book was written in twelve days. The language is polished and skillful - as you would expect from this writer. The scene is expertly set, the plot is well-paced, and the denouement an original variation on its theme. It is a book where you are conscious of disappointment at the end - not because of the conclusion, but because you are finished. Highly recommended.

Marks out of 10: 10/10 Shines like The Lucky Diamond