Awakening Reviews
"...Bolton creates memorable characters and knows precisely how to ratchet up the tension and tell a cracking story. A fine second novel by a new British crime-writer who is sure to make her mark - but not recommended as bedtime reading on a West Country camping holiday" Guardian
"Chilling, eerie and intense, this is not one to read before bedtime" News of the World
"… a clever, intricately plotted thriller, full of
characters far from the conventional mould of the genre....S J
Bolton has elevated herself to the High Priestess of English Rural
Gothic. If she carries on like this, she'll have worshippers in
their millions."
The Times
"...Bolton racks up the tension in preparation for a
nail-biting finale ... With two solid successes in the bag, its
going to be very interesting to see what she offers us
next."
Yorkshire Evening Post
"Original and assured. Sacrifice was good, Awakening is
better."
Simon Beckett
"Bolton's debut novel, Sacrifice, was scary enough but this
is truly grim (in a good way). A well-written, original and
atmospheric chiller."
Daily Mail
"A tour de force - totally grips from beginning to
end."
Jenni Murray
"For someone who loves reading the opening page of a book
(the first paragraph of Awakening) is a pure treat. And it just
keeps getting better... S J Bolton is a very gifted writer and
although I loved Sacrifice, I am happy to say that Awakening is
even better."
My Favourite Books
"Those seeking thrills this month need look no further than
SJ Bolton who follows her debut, Sacrifice, with Awakening. Another
gripping thriller... She just writes so well."
The Bookseller
"Cozy mysteries usually involve a crime-solving amateur
sleuth, often a woman living in a small town or village. Yet as I
read S.J. Bolton's book, I felt a chill crawl along my shoulders...
a sense of foreboding that I seldom experience reading cozy
mysteries. The atmosphere thickened, adding a gothic feel to the
story. Clara is portrayed with stunning clarity. The
characterization is rich, finely detailed, and laced with subtle
irony. The title of S.J. Bolton's novel is very apt on many levels.
We see Clara awakening to the beauty within her, an attribute she
denies, while we watch the twisted evil in the village reawaken
after fifty years of silence. Awakening is a truly brilliant modern
day hybrid - a blend of cozy and horrific thriller readers won't
soon forget."
Armchair Interviews
"Plucky Clara... so troubled and so valiant, is
irresistible."
Kirkus Review, USA
"...page turning suspense and spectacular snake science...
murky, abandoned churches and dark family secrets... lend a
compelling gothic sensibility to this story of a woman who awakens
to new possibilities."
Booklist (USA)
"...a compelling read."
Margaret Yorke
"Few authors are able to deliver at this level in terms of
action and excitement."
Stavanger Aftenblad, Norway
"An intelligent and absorbing thriller."
Aftenposten, Norway
"This suspenseful thriller is certainly one of which Bolton
can be proud."
Crimezone.nl