What a cracking book. I’d give this a strong 8 out of 10 all day long. There were several errors that the author might want to fix, and I felt the style could be harder, but nothing that a quick edit wouldn’t sort out. However, a few missing words didn’t detract from this book in the slightest. Why mention it? Because I only give honest reviews. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The characters are very well drawn, and Holland plays them well. I think this book was just and so leaning towards plot driven, and that’s rare for me to enjoy because I’m all about the people. That said, the characters in this book are great and she lands just the right note of understatement where she needs to. The central character has a stammer and I thought the c-couldn’t would get annoying. It didn’t—she got it bang on and just right. The story drives this book along and she keeps the pace and tension up.
It’s one of those fantastic books that has your mind working all the way through to a brilliant ending. The last book I read was by The Man Himself, Mister King. It was a good book, but I think the best compliment I can give this author is that I thought this was better. I preferred both the characterisation and the plot, and this kept me guessing right to the end. The Hive is a very visual book. Holland paints description so that you can see it. I’ve never been, but I loved the parts describing HighgateCemetery. If asked in a year what this book was about, I think I would be able to tell you—I read and forget. Best book I’ve read in a while and I would recommend it.
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Katherine Black / Susan (Sooz) Simpson
Founder of Best Book Editors
Katherine has held almost every single job imaginable, from painting gnomes to zookeeper. She spent most of her life in the caring profession and has managed both a nursing home and a care agency. But her passion for the written language always brings her home to novel writing.
Born in Tyne-and-Wear, North-East England, she has settled in the beautiful Lake District, Cumbria, with her partner, two dogs, a cat, an iguana and a python (just don’t ask her which of those six things is her favourite!).
She specialises in content creation and social media outreach, and has been a developmental editor for hundreds of clients. She owns and operates bestbookeditors.com where she helps foundling authors polish their skills. However, after being diagnosed with a dramatic brain condition in 2022, she has had to let 23 staff go, and scale back the business. BBE is still very much open, we are just fewer and can’t take as much work on.
Katherine Black is the author of psychological thriller/detective/fantasy adventure novels.
