Official Review: The Lodge by Chris Coppel
Posted: 01 Dec 2020, 10:25
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Lodge" by Chris Coppel.]
Andrew Whiting, a young constable, is called in to investigate what appears to be an accidental death at a remote hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands. With a rapidly growing blizzard at his heels, Andrew arrives at the lodge but is forced to wait out the worsening weather with the other guests. A preliminary investigation reveals that the victim had choked on his meal in full view of witnesses, and all efforts at resuscitation had been unsuccessful. It appears to be a simple accidental death.
The first indication that something more sinister might be going on is when the corpse goes missing. The dead man is later spotted outside a window, held up by birds, by one of the guests before vanishing again. Soon after, more inexplicable things begin to happen, including seemingly inanimate objects appearing to attack the lodge occupants at random. Then two more guests disappear, and another is found dead. A sinister force is at play, something to do with the hunted animals, and no one is safe. Will Andrew get to the bottom of this sinistrous situation in time, or are the hunters about to get a taste of their own medicine?
Chris Coppel delivered one heck of a page-turner with this enthralling thriller. The Lodge has you hooked within minutes, and the exhilarating suspense does not relent till the very last page. Driving through the near-blinding blizzard, Andrew nearly hits a stag standing in the middle of the road. A seemingly ordinary experience, yet there was an undercurrent of something preternatural about the encounter, and it signified a prelude of what was to come. The cast was diverse, with more than adequate backstories that led to surprising revelations as the story progressed. The author’s almost sardonic writing style served to further elevate the horror-tinged narrative, while the colorful dialogue flowed organically.
True to the cover page tagline, the hunters do indeed become the hunted in this captivating tale, and the nightmare begins when the snowed-in lodge occupants start to realize that they are not alone. I appreciated the build-up to the big reveal of the truth about Andrew, the lodge guests, and the reason behind the attacks. Each new revelation led to another escalating plot twist. Also, while the plot was a bit gory, given the nature of the story, it was not overdone but played well into the narrative. The author’s descriptive prose served to fully immerse the reader into the story. There was a “The Cabin in the Woods” undertone, with the characters trapped and having nowhere to run or hide. The predators were just as improbable as the ones in the movie. Finally, to top it all, the epilogue held one more shocking twist.
Additionally, the exceptional editing was yet another much-appreciated plus, and as such, I unreservedly award this book 4 out of 4 stars. The Lodge was a unique and well-crafted tale that managed to blend a compelling mix of heart-thumping suspense, intrigue, thrilling horror, budding romance, and an undertone of dark humor into a trim novella. The is not your run-of-the-mill horror story but a cleverly written, brilliantly executed, and thought-provoking work of fiction. It was quite unique for its genre and so riveting that I finished it in one sitting, and I plan to explore more of Coppel’s work. The gory action and sprinkling of curse words make this book unsuitable for kids. The Lodge is an utterly captivating and highly recommended read for fans of the horror genre.
******
The Lodge
View: on Bookshelves
Andrew Whiting, a young constable, is called in to investigate what appears to be an accidental death at a remote hunting lodge in the Scottish Highlands. With a rapidly growing blizzard at his heels, Andrew arrives at the lodge but is forced to wait out the worsening weather with the other guests. A preliminary investigation reveals that the victim had choked on his meal in full view of witnesses, and all efforts at resuscitation had been unsuccessful. It appears to be a simple accidental death.
The first indication that something more sinister might be going on is when the corpse goes missing. The dead man is later spotted outside a window, held up by birds, by one of the guests before vanishing again. Soon after, more inexplicable things begin to happen, including seemingly inanimate objects appearing to attack the lodge occupants at random. Then two more guests disappear, and another is found dead. A sinister force is at play, something to do with the hunted animals, and no one is safe. Will Andrew get to the bottom of this sinistrous situation in time, or are the hunters about to get a taste of their own medicine?
Chris Coppel delivered one heck of a page-turner with this enthralling thriller. The Lodge has you hooked within minutes, and the exhilarating suspense does not relent till the very last page. Driving through the near-blinding blizzard, Andrew nearly hits a stag standing in the middle of the road. A seemingly ordinary experience, yet there was an undercurrent of something preternatural about the encounter, and it signified a prelude of what was to come. The cast was diverse, with more than adequate backstories that led to surprising revelations as the story progressed. The author’s almost sardonic writing style served to further elevate the horror-tinged narrative, while the colorful dialogue flowed organically.
True to the cover page tagline, the hunters do indeed become the hunted in this captivating tale, and the nightmare begins when the snowed-in lodge occupants start to realize that they are not alone. I appreciated the build-up to the big reveal of the truth about Andrew, the lodge guests, and the reason behind the attacks. Each new revelation led to another escalating plot twist. Also, while the plot was a bit gory, given the nature of the story, it was not overdone but played well into the narrative. The author’s descriptive prose served to fully immerse the reader into the story. There was a “The Cabin in the Woods” undertone, with the characters trapped and having nowhere to run or hide. The predators were just as improbable as the ones in the movie. Finally, to top it all, the epilogue held one more shocking twist.
Additionally, the exceptional editing was yet another much-appreciated plus, and as such, I unreservedly award this book 4 out of 4 stars. The Lodge was a unique and well-crafted tale that managed to blend a compelling mix of heart-thumping suspense, intrigue, thrilling horror, budding romance, and an undertone of dark humor into a trim novella. The is not your run-of-the-mill horror story but a cleverly written, brilliantly executed, and thought-provoking work of fiction. It was quite unique for its genre and so riveting that I finished it in one sitting, and I plan to explore more of Coppel’s work. The gory action and sprinkling of curse words make this book unsuitable for kids. The Lodge is an utterly captivating and highly recommended read for fans of the horror genre.
******
The Lodge
View: on Bookshelves