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Wednesday, 5 September 2018

THE TOY THIEF by D.W. Gillespie

Jack didn’t know what to call the nameless, skeletal creature that slunk into her house in the dead of night, stealing the very things she loved the most. So she named him The Toy Thief… 

There’s something in Jack’s past that she doesn’t want to face, an evil presence that forever changed the trajectory of her family. It all began when The Toy Thief appeared, a being drawn by goodness and innocence, eager to feed on everything Jack holds dear. 


Well, it's time to review another Flame Tree Press ARC. When I saw the creepy doll on the cover, I knew I wanted to read this book. Yeah, I have a weakness for creepy dolls.

Jack doesn't have the best life. How can she when her mother died giving birth to her? But she's got an easy-going father, whose parenting style means they pretty much do what they want. And she has an older brother called Andy, who gets angry easily and may/may not hate her. 

The night she discovers a hideous monster sneaking into their house to steal toys, the morbid discovery sends both her and Andy's life into a downward spiral that echoes for decades to come... 

This book is SO good! 

As soon as I got started, I knew I was going to like it. Jack's voice is strong, commands the reader's attention and draws them into a freaky childhood story guaranteed to please horror enthusiasts. 

Told by Jack, but shifting from her being an adult to the events of the childhood summer that destroyed any semblance of normality in her life, the story continually circles back and forth connecting everything. 

The writing style intrigued me so much and the breadcrumbs--or jelly beans--kept me turning the page. I wanted to know what was going to happen next, needed to get to the wicked and weird heart of everything. 

Even though Jack, Andy and their father appear to be quite dysfunctional, the strong sense of family was one of my favourite things about this story.

The Toy Thief is a nostalgic dark tale about a family struggling to keep it together against all odds, and the unexpected tragic events that ripple into their futures. It's also full of horrifying imagery, and is downright creepy. Not to mention that I got a huge kick out of the toy angle.

This publisher is blowing me away with their horror titles. 



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