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The Reaping
When Tom Rigby is commissioned to paint a young woman’s portrait at Woolvercombe House, the offer is too lucrative to refuse. But from the moment of his arrival at the secluded country mansion strange and inexplicable events begin to transpire. Soon he is drawn into an impenetrable maze of horror, and by the time he discovers the role he is intended to play in a diabolical design, it will already be too late. For the seeds of evil have been sown, and the time to reap their wicked harvest is nigh!
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
About the author
Bernard Taylor
89 books89 followersBernard Taylor was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, and now lives in London. Following active service in Egypt in the Royal Air Force, he studied Fine Arts in Swindon, then at Chelsea School of Art and Birmingham University. On graduation he worked as a teacher, painter and book illustrator before going as a teacher to the United States. While there, he took up acting and writing and continued with both after his return to England. He has published ten novels under his own name, including The Godsend (1976), which was adapted for a major film, and Sweetheart, Sweetheart (1977), which Charles L. Grant has hailed as one of the finest ghost stories ever written. He has also written novels under the pseudonym Jess Foley, as well as several works of nonfiction. He has won awards for his true crime writing and also for his work as a playwright. It was during his year as resident playwright at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch that he wrote The Godsend. There Must Be Evil, his latest true crime study, is to be published in England in September.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
December 28, 2023
After being offered a generous amount of money, an artist leaves his family and stays in a country mansion, while painting the portrait of one of the residents. Things get weird. Slow burn horror with a great ending.
June 25, 2019
4.5/5 STARS!
Bernard Taylor-I LOVE the guy! SWEETHEART, SWEETHEART is still my favorite from him, (and one of my favorite quiet horror tales of all time), but THE REAPING is another fine example of horror at its best!
An artist and father is invited out to a country manor to paint a portrait. Thomas is offered quite a bit of money to leave his family and business to come do this and his every need will be met while he is there. Upon his arrival, though, his surroundings, the family and the servants all begin to unnerve him. Young Catherine, his model for the portrait seems a bit...off as well. Will he finish the portrait and collect his generous fee? Will he happily return home afterward and resume life as he previously knew it? You'll have to read this to find out!
Books like these are the reason I got into the horror genre in the first place. Somehow I missed Bernard Taylors' works back in the day, but thanks to Valancourt Books and the phenomenon of a book written by Grady Hendrix and Will Erickson, PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, many of these older books are coming back into print. Just in time to delight a whole new generation of horror readers!
Bernard Taylor's work is surprisingly well written. He takes his time setting up the story and he writes so deftly that you cannot see where the story is taking you. What you DO see, (and feel) is an atmosphere that nearly suffocates. The tension thrums as the mystery finally unravels and there is no way to put this book down after a certain point. No. Freaking. Way. !!
Once again, a Bernard Taylor story gets my highest recommendation! Don't let this one get away!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2J9boWQ or at www.ValancourtBooks.com.
*I was provided an e-ARC of this EXCELLENT book by Valancourt, in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*
Bernard Taylor-I LOVE the guy! SWEETHEART, SWEETHEART is still my favorite from him, (and one of my favorite quiet horror tales of all time), but THE REAPING is another fine example of horror at its best!
An artist and father is invited out to a country manor to paint a portrait. Thomas is offered quite a bit of money to leave his family and business to come do this and his every need will be met while he is there. Upon his arrival, though, his surroundings, the family and the servants all begin to unnerve him. Young Catherine, his model for the portrait seems a bit...off as well. Will he finish the portrait and collect his generous fee? Will he happily return home afterward and resume life as he previously knew it? You'll have to read this to find out!
Books like these are the reason I got into the horror genre in the first place. Somehow I missed Bernard Taylors' works back in the day, but thanks to Valancourt Books and the phenomenon of a book written by Grady Hendrix and Will Erickson, PAPERBACKS FROM HELL, many of these older books are coming back into print. Just in time to delight a whole new generation of horror readers!
Bernard Taylor's work is surprisingly well written. He takes his time setting up the story and he writes so deftly that you cannot see where the story is taking you. What you DO see, (and feel) is an atmosphere that nearly suffocates. The tension thrums as the mystery finally unravels and there is no way to put this book down after a certain point. No. Freaking. Way. !!
Once again, a Bernard Taylor story gets my highest recommendation! Don't let this one get away!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2J9boWQ or at www.ValancourtBooks.com.
*I was provided an e-ARC of this EXCELLENT book by Valancourt, in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*
May 6, 2020
I love the work of Bernard Taylor, and always look forward to diving into his engaging stories. This was not one of my favorites. It begins as an artist accepts a job to paint a portrait while living in the manor Woolvercombe House with his subject and an assortment of other people. Situations go from odd to outright strange, and once the job is complete, the artist is confused and somewhat stunned by circumstances. He returns home, but finds himself further involved in events that become exceedingly mysterious. All enigmatic proceedings point back to Woolvercombe House, to which he is compelled to return.
While I found this book to be entertaining and suspenseful, I thought that there were too many plot twists, some of which were unbelievable. However, Mr. Taylor's style and writing is as pleasing as ever, and I look forward to my next foray into his territory.
While I found this book to be entertaining and suspenseful, I thought that there were too many plot twists, some of which were unbelievable. However, Mr. Taylor's style and writing is as pleasing as ever, and I look forward to my next foray into his territory.
December 13, 2019
I received this book as part of Valancourt’s “Paperbacks From Hell” subscription plan and I also received it in for review consideration as an audio and I have NO regrets!
I am so thrilled Valancourt Books exists and that they are bringing these dusty old tomes back from the dead! Many of these books were first released in the 70’s and early 80’s and I have such gaps in my horror history because I missed so much. When I was kid I read Koontz and King and McCammon but didn’t branch out much further than Barker and Brite until many years later.
The Reaping is a classic late 70’s/early 80’s story. I believe it was first published in 1980 but it has the feel of a late 70’s horror flick. The plot reveal is SO ridiculous and I LOVED it.
Tom is a 40 something artist with 4 kids and a deceased wife. He hasn’t been able to pursue his art due to family obligations but don’t feel too bad for him. He has a successful business, a hot young 20-something girlfriend and a sister who takes care of all of those kids and seems quite happy to do it without complaint. She is very unlike me, haha. Anyhow, after a lackluster art showing, Tom receives an offer to paint a portrait of some eccentric old lady’s young relative. He balks at first because he’s supposed to go on a trip with his girlfriend. When the girlfriend ditches him for a job, he decides to accept the commission and heads out to a secluded old mansion where he is to stay for a week or two. This is when things start to get weird.
He hears strange sounds in the night, there are young ladies wandering the property in nun’s habits and the old lady is a prickly creature who is rude and very creepy. But Tom doesn’t let it bother him. He does his job and does some other stuff which I shall not reveal and then heads back to his life. But his time at the mansion will follow him home!
This starts off a little slow but it’s most definitely worth sticking it out through all of Tom’s pre-mansion day to day events and girlfriend woes. I liked the slow build and the mundane day in the life bits. These things are sorely missing from a lot modern day books. It helps you understand Tom before the madness begins. I also liked the fact that the kids weren’t involved in most of the scenes. When I learned that he had four little kids I probably groaned a little out loud because I feared hearing all of those kid voices for hours on end. But no worries because this was a tight little story about Tom and the mess he finds himself in.
I figured out one major thing before it was revealed and I bet everyone else who has seen a few early horror movies will too but the why, the what’s and the wtf’s that followed made it such a joy to read. None of it makes a heck of a lot of sense but somehow it all works out in the end due to the fantastic storytelling. You’ll have to go with the flow with this one and don’t ask pesky questions like “how the heck would that work?!”
Easy recommend if you’re looking for some crazy horror fun. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Hannibal Hills (and isn’t that the best name?!) and it truly enhanced my enjoyment of the story. He has a gently accented voice that I could probably listen to all day long. His women and children voices aren’t totally cringy which is something I appreciated and his male voices are perfection. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for his name again.
I am so thrilled Valancourt Books exists and that they are bringing these dusty old tomes back from the dead! Many of these books were first released in the 70’s and early 80’s and I have such gaps in my horror history because I missed so much. When I was kid I read Koontz and King and McCammon but didn’t branch out much further than Barker and Brite until many years later.
The Reaping is a classic late 70’s/early 80’s story. I believe it was first published in 1980 but it has the feel of a late 70’s horror flick. The plot reveal is SO ridiculous and I LOVED it.
Tom is a 40 something artist with 4 kids and a deceased wife. He hasn’t been able to pursue his art due to family obligations but don’t feel too bad for him. He has a successful business, a hot young 20-something girlfriend and a sister who takes care of all of those kids and seems quite happy to do it without complaint. She is very unlike me, haha. Anyhow, after a lackluster art showing, Tom receives an offer to paint a portrait of some eccentric old lady’s young relative. He balks at first because he’s supposed to go on a trip with his girlfriend. When the girlfriend ditches him for a job, he decides to accept the commission and heads out to a secluded old mansion where he is to stay for a week or two. This is when things start to get weird.
He hears strange sounds in the night, there are young ladies wandering the property in nun’s habits and the old lady is a prickly creature who is rude and very creepy. But Tom doesn’t let it bother him. He does his job and does some other stuff which I shall not reveal and then heads back to his life. But his time at the mansion will follow him home!
This starts off a little slow but it’s most definitely worth sticking it out through all of Tom’s pre-mansion day to day events and girlfriend woes. I liked the slow build and the mundane day in the life bits. These things are sorely missing from a lot modern day books. It helps you understand Tom before the madness begins. I also liked the fact that the kids weren’t involved in most of the scenes. When I learned that he had four little kids I probably groaned a little out loud because I feared hearing all of those kid voices for hours on end. But no worries because this was a tight little story about Tom and the mess he finds himself in.
I figured out one major thing before it was revealed and I bet everyone else who has seen a few early horror movies will too but the why, the what’s and the wtf’s that followed made it such a joy to read. None of it makes a heck of a lot of sense but somehow it all works out in the end due to the fantastic storytelling. You’ll have to go with the flow with this one and don’t ask pesky questions like “how the heck would that work?!”
Easy recommend if you’re looking for some crazy horror fun. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Hannibal Hills (and isn’t that the best name?!) and it truly enhanced my enjoyment of the story. He has a gently accented voice that I could probably listen to all day long. His women and children voices aren’t totally cringy which is something I appreciated and his male voices are perfection. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for his name again.
June 14, 2019
4.5 stars
The Reaping is about artist turned shop-owner Thomas who is commissioned to paint a portrait. He travels from London to Woolvercombe House where he stays until the portrait has been completed. But he was brought to the house for more than just his painting skills...
This is another fantastic novel by Bernard Taylor. I'm three books into his back catalogue and I've loved each one so far. Once I finished reading The Reaping I gave my husband a quick rundown of the plot and I realised that isolating all of the crazy elements of the story made it sound cheesy and schlocky, when in fact it's anything but. Taylor's writing, the slow build of the story and the strong characters make this a wonderful read. The story goes in directions I wasn't expecting it to and there were a few moments that made me gasp aloud! The build up to the ending was gripping and there were still more clever surprises before that final page. I couldn't put this one down, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I highly recommend it.
The Reaping is about artist turned shop-owner Thomas who is commissioned to paint a portrait. He travels from London to Woolvercombe House where he stays until the portrait has been completed. But he was brought to the house for more than just his painting skills...
This is another fantastic novel by Bernard Taylor. I'm three books into his back catalogue and I've loved each one so far. Once I finished reading The Reaping I gave my husband a quick rundown of the plot and I realised that isolating all of the crazy elements of the story made it sound cheesy and schlocky, when in fact it's anything but. Taylor's writing, the slow build of the story and the strong characters make this a wonderful read. The story goes in directions I wasn't expecting it to and there were a few moments that made me gasp aloud! The build up to the ending was gripping and there were still more clever surprises before that final page. I couldn't put this one down, it was thoroughly enjoyable and I highly recommend it.
July 28, 2021
Solid horror book. Made me think of Rosemary’s Baby - the slow pace, the well-drawn characters, the details unfolding… thoroughly enjoyed!
February 11, 2024
Taylor's novels are always so well crafted and he never fell into a formulaic rut. The Reaping may be a slow burn, but he hardly wastes a single word either. Tom Rigby always wanted to be a professional painter, but a few decades out of art school his life goals are more prosaic; he now owns an art supply house and is doing quite well, although he still paints on the side.
After introducing Tom and his family (four young kids, wife died of cancer), one day he gets an offer that is hard to turn down-- a commissioned portrait for 1000 pounds! At first he turns it down as it conflicts with a planned vacation with his lover, but after she jilts him, he decides to take it. Lets just say it will change his life...
What I liked best about this one involves how Taylor takes the normal and turns it macabre. Tom is your basic everyday Joe/family man, and if not completely content, at least satisfied with life. His love life is in the dumps as his girlfriend travels Europe working for some movie production, but he can deal with that. The house, mansion rather, where he eventually goes to paint his subject is grand, but a little funky as well; the matron especially. Nonetheless, he goes about his job and does it well.
You would not even know you are reading a horror novel until about midway through, but I will skip any details to avoid spoilers. Lets just say things start to get really weird and just continue. The story flows nicely with Taylor's superb prose and I am a sucker for novels set in England. Finally, while Taylor wrote most of his novels during the horror boom of the 70s/80s, he seemed to be determined to always write something new, outside of the major tropes of the day, and The Reaping is no exception. I have the lovely edition by Valancourt. 3.5 stars, rounding up for the denouement!
After introducing Tom and his family (four young kids, wife died of cancer), one day he gets an offer that is hard to turn down-- a commissioned portrait for 1000 pounds! At first he turns it down as it conflicts with a planned vacation with his lover, but after she jilts him, he decides to take it. Lets just say it will change his life...
What I liked best about this one involves how Taylor takes the normal and turns it macabre. Tom is your basic everyday Joe/family man, and if not completely content, at least satisfied with life. His love life is in the dumps as his girlfriend travels Europe working for some movie production, but he can deal with that. The house, mansion rather, where he eventually goes to paint his subject is grand, but a little funky as well; the matron especially. Nonetheless, he goes about his job and does it well.
You would not even know you are reading a horror novel until about midway through, but I will skip any details to avoid spoilers. Lets just say things start to get really weird and just continue. The story flows nicely with Taylor's superb prose and I am a sucker for novels set in England. Finally, while Taylor wrote most of his novels during the horror boom of the 70s/80s, he seemed to be determined to always write something new, outside of the major tropes of the day, and The Reaping is no exception. I have the lovely edition by Valancourt. 3.5 stars, rounding up for the denouement!
May 30, 2020
4.5 Stars
This is a very slow burning, almost meandering, piece of (mostly) quiet horror. For the majority of the story, I had no idea where this one was going. I even considered putting the book down at one point, but something told me that I had to keep going and see where the story went. Well I'm so glad I kept reading, because the ending had a great payoff.
At the beginning, there was a lot of time spent on character details that initially seemed completely unimportant, but it was all very intentional and eventually it all came together. I got so pulled into the mystery of this one because I knew something was off, but I didn't know what that was. This is the kind of book that rewards a reader for going slow and paying attention. In some ways this book felt reminiscent of classics like The Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby, because it was a very subtle, suspenseful kind of horror story.
It's best going into this one not knowing too much, so let me just say that I highly recommend this one. The audiobook narration was deceptively cozy and definitely added to my reading experience
This is a very slow burning, almost meandering, piece of (mostly) quiet horror. For the majority of the story, I had no idea where this one was going. I even considered putting the book down at one point, but something told me that I had to keep going and see where the story went. Well I'm so glad I kept reading, because the ending had a great payoff.
At the beginning, there was a lot of time spent on character details that initially seemed completely unimportant, but it was all very intentional and eventually it all came together. I got so pulled into the mystery of this one because I knew something was off, but I didn't know what that was. This is the kind of book that rewards a reader for going slow and paying attention. In some ways this book felt reminiscent of classics like The Stepford Wives and Rosemary's Baby, because it was a very subtle, suspenseful kind of horror story.
It's best going into this one not knowing too much, so let me just say that I highly recommend this one. The audiobook narration was deceptively cozy and definitely added to my reading experience
December 2, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
I typically enjoy Taylor’s small town/weird people stories. This was no exception. It was quite gentle and predictable though. The excitement built and I was thinking I might be in for a super surprise, but then the tides flowed back out to sea.
I typically enjoy Taylor’s small town/weird people stories. This was no exception. It was quite gentle and predictable though. The excitement built and I was thinking I might be in for a super surprise, but then the tides flowed back out to sea.
April 23, 2015
So I thought I'd read this little book as a break from all the bigger novels im tackling and boy was I glad I picked it. This story just had me going from the beginning. The pacing was great. Never a dull moment. It was an intricate puzzle that was strategically played. Even when I thought it was predictable and thought I knew what would happen, I would find my jaw dropping. No way! I love those moments. I'm in awe that I didn't see the connections or the subtle hints at how characters would play out or why they were even mentioned. Fantastic ending too! My only wish would have been for more information on the occult. I love the occult and just find it fascinating. Highly recommend and am extremely happy that Sweetheart, Sweetheart arrived the other day. Bernard Taylor is not one to miss!
June 10, 2019
Bernard Taylor is a tough one to beat. Review to come.
May 17, 2023
Tom Rigby, widowed father, and struggling artist, dreams of selling his work and settling down with his mostly missing girlfriend, who is always galivanting off to exotic locals for her work.
When he is offered a large sum of money to stay at a mansion and paint a portrait it seems that his talent is finally getting the recognition he has hoped for. The people at the mansion are strange and so is the group of nuns who are staying at the property.
I loved Sweetheart, Sweetheart by Bernard Taylor and after giving it 5 stars I rushed to buy several more of his books including The Reaping. I've been wanting to read it for years but am always behind in ARCs. So it was with great anticipation that I finally sat down to read this over Mother's Day weekend when I felt that my time belonged to me, to do as I please. If I were to describe it in one word it would be boring. It is 220 pages and gets interesting around page 200 in time for the ending, which was not all that original. I'm disappointed and wish I had my weekend back. This book has loads of good reviews, so you may enjoy it more than I did, but personally, it is not a book I would recommend. Someday I will read his other books since I have already purchased them and I will hope that this is the only clunker in the bunch.
When he is offered a large sum of money to stay at a mansion and paint a portrait it seems that his talent is finally getting the recognition he has hoped for. The people at the mansion are strange and so is the group of nuns who are staying at the property.
I loved Sweetheart, Sweetheart by Bernard Taylor and after giving it 5 stars I rushed to buy several more of his books including The Reaping. I've been wanting to read it for years but am always behind in ARCs. So it was with great anticipation that I finally sat down to read this over Mother's Day weekend when I felt that my time belonged to me, to do as I please. If I were to describe it in one word it would be boring. It is 220 pages and gets interesting around page 200 in time for the ending, which was not all that original. I'm disappointed and wish I had my weekend back. This book has loads of good reviews, so you may enjoy it more than I did, but personally, it is not a book I would recommend. Someday I will read his other books since I have already purchased them and I will hope that this is the only clunker in the bunch.
August 22, 2019
The Reaping is a strange little book that requires the reader to reach its last twenty pages before they can consider it part of the horror genre. It is only then looking back that the reader is able to access all the little tells and hints that this story is pointed toward. Perhaps, I am too used to clique, as I felt that this story could have gone down several different avenues in its telling that have been done before based on its premise. The story being about a failed painter being given the opportunity to paint a portrait of a young woman at her families vast ancestral home, complete with a wide range of eccentric characters. I feel the reason that the story doesn’t delve down the usual avenues is that it aims to provide something original and it does. However, it tells it in language that is very dry, leading me to feel bored in certain places and wondering what other writers would have done with this idea. Also because it doesn’t make sense until the very end I found there were many times were I wondering where exactly is the story going. Surprising twists are great, but to keep a reader submerged in complete darkness is very disorienting as their mind can’t invest fully in the story being told. So far it is my least favourite from the Paperbacks From Hell reissues, which wouldn’t keep from getting the rest.
June 11, 2019
I didn’t love this, but I liked it.
The Reaping was originally written in 1980 and definitely hits those 80’s horror vintage notes. No spoilers here. I’ll just say that if you love 80’s horror or those awesome 1970’s movies that starred people like Ernest Borgnine – you know chill with a touch of cheese – you should enjoy this one. It gets surprisingly erotic, but that all makes sense in the end.
The buildup is slow. The author gives the readers so many clues that things are very wrong here. And as for the reader? The reader wants to take the main character and physically remove him from the eerie house before things…happen.
The reveal in the end completely surprised me. Not a cheat at all – the author played completely fair – but still, I was shocked.
While I did enjoy reading this one, I’ll have to admit that I personally like things where the action starts a bit sooner. You eventually get those breathless, adrenaline-pumped scenes, but they take a long time to come.
Cheers to Valancourt Books, Will Errickson, and Grady Hendrix for this vintage walk down a spooky memory lane. Am enjoying these reissues.
The Reaping was originally written in 1980 and definitely hits those 80’s horror vintage notes. No spoilers here. I’ll just say that if you love 80’s horror or those awesome 1970’s movies that starred people like Ernest Borgnine – you know chill with a touch of cheese – you should enjoy this one. It gets surprisingly erotic, but that all makes sense in the end.
The buildup is slow. The author gives the readers so many clues that things are very wrong here. And as for the reader? The reader wants to take the main character and physically remove him from the eerie house before things…happen.
The reveal in the end completely surprised me. Not a cheat at all – the author played completely fair – but still, I was shocked.
While I did enjoy reading this one, I’ll have to admit that I personally like things where the action starts a bit sooner. You eventually get those breathless, adrenaline-pumped scenes, but they take a long time to come.
Cheers to Valancourt Books, Will Errickson, and Grady Hendrix for this vintage walk down a spooky memory lane. Am enjoying these reissues.
September 9, 2023
The Reaping had an incredible, almost palpable atmosphere, paired with a surprisingly intelligent yet accessible writing style that made it a genuine pleasure to keep turning the pages. And while the story did unfortunately have some rather ridiculous moments, by and large it was quite gripping, and I thought the ending—while admittedly somewhat predictable—was handled nearly perfectly!
October 31, 2019
what a book! Yeah Tom goes to Woolvercombe House to paint a portrait but oh he ends up doing so much more! some of this was just crazy then the ending was good. i enjoyed trying to figure out what was going on.
I listened to the audio book which was narrated by Hannibal Hills. I think this is the best one he's read so far (of the ones I've listened to).
i requested this audio book from Valancourt and left this review voluntarily.
I listened to the audio book which was narrated by Hannibal Hills. I think this is the best one he's read so far (of the ones I've listened to).
i requested this audio book from Valancourt and left this review voluntarily.
July 23, 2020
4.25 Really enjoyed it!
January 1, 2016
Thomas Rigsby has been commissioned by Mrs. Weldon, to come to Woolvercombe House to paint a portrait of Catherine, the great niece of Miss Stewart. Weldon offers Thomas more than double his fee to paint the picture. Thomas said no at first, because he made plans with his lady friend, Ilona. At the last minute Ilona has to cancel their plans and now Thomas is available. Thomas could not turn down this huge amount of money, for about only ten days work. The first night that Thomas spent at Woolvercombe, he hears screams outside in the hall. When he inquires about the screaming, none of the others admit to hearing it. While gazing out of his window the next day, he spots a group of of nuns in the courtyard. When asked what they were doing on the grounds, he was given a lamebrain answer by Mrs. Weldon. Catherine came for the sittings but Thomas knew something was not right in this house. The ending caught me off guard and I never saw it coming. I recommend this book!
December 31, 2015
Review pending.
August 30, 2021
Review to Follow
July 2, 2019
3 5/5 stars
February 20, 2023
I need an adaptation of this one!!
January 25, 2023
3.30 stars.
Not much to say that hasn’t already been said in the reviews. I actually enjoyed the first half of the book a lot. The creepiness was there. The imagery was perfect.
By the middle, the ending was predictable so that really slowed the book down for me even more. But I do enjoy Bernard Taylor’s writing. I’ll be sure to check out more of his work. The good news, is it’s not that long of a book. Therefore, you don’t have to invest that much time into it.
Slooowww buuurrnnn….
Not much to say that hasn’t already been said in the reviews. I actually enjoyed the first half of the book a lot. The creepiness was there. The imagery was perfect.
By the middle, the ending was predictable so that really slowed the book down for me even more. But I do enjoy Bernard Taylor’s writing. I’ll be sure to check out more of his work. The good news, is it’s not that long of a book. Therefore, you don’t have to invest that much time into it.
Slooowww buuurrnnn….
July 2, 2019
Another deftly told slow burn from Taylor, The Reaping does not disappoint. This clocks in as a fairly quick read at around 175 pages, and I was swept along from the beginning. Doesn’t quite reach the heights of Sweetheart, Sweetheart, but still a master class and a must read for Bernard Taylor fans.
October 13, 2021
A spooky slow burn mystery with a very likable and grounded protagonist. In some novels a slow burn can be a drag but with this being a shorter book it works just fine. I also liked how the mystery unfolded to us incongruently with the protagonist .
January 7, 2021
A readable but ultimately stupid book. Like many horror novels, the build-up is more scary than the reveal. The book is genuinely eerie in its middle section, but it becomes progressively more ridiculous as it goes on. The ending is predicated on a sheer coincidence () and reads like something straight out of a B movie.
In addition, the suspense is let out of the balloon the instant the main character leaves the house. This happens about halfway through the book. So, in addition to a loopy plot, the book is structured so that the second half of the book has basically no suspense, no motivation for the reader to keep reading. Parts of the book are good, but as a whole it is a failure.
Finally, there are a lot of unanswered questions. .
In addition, the suspense is let out of the balloon the instant the main character leaves the house. This happens about halfway through the book. So, in addition to a loopy plot, the book is structured so that the second half of the book has basically no suspense, no motivation for the reader to keep reading. Parts of the book are good, but as a whole it is a failure.
Finally, there are a lot of unanswered questions. .
December 3, 2019
I did not see that ending coming! I love the way all of the little clues led to an unforgettable conclusion! 4 solid stars! I can’t wait to read more from this author.
July 24, 2019
I think I said this for the other Paperbacks From Hell book I read, but writing a review for this book is going to be hard. There's usually a reason for them going out of print and then being featured in PfH. Maybe it's the publisher going out of business or the book just being buried in the horror paperback bubble bursting. Or it could be they just aren't that good. I'd say that's the case with this one.
In the introduction we are told how Bernard Taylor is a great writer because he can create such a slow burn that you don't realize you are in a horror story until you are deep in the terror. Well, it feels like he just forgot to add the horror in The Reaping. It's all build up with maybe a page or two of payoff. I kept waiting for things to start turning south for our main character, but eventually realized we were just going to get a story about a man that had a couple of one night stands. Some of it was entertaining, but for the most part it's pretty bland.
Weird things do happen, but only add to the fact that it's not happening elsewhere in the book. There is a pretty infamous massage scene that surprised the hell out of me for how random it felt. Then we get scenes of something curious taking place. And, yes the end does have some horror. But, so much of nothing happens that we do nothing but grab onto these weird moments for something different.
I don't know if I'd say go and read it. If you subscribed to Valancourt's run of books, then go for it, you already have it. But if you are looking for one of the PfH books to read, I'd skip this one.
In the introduction we are told how Bernard Taylor is a great writer because he can create such a slow burn that you don't realize you are in a horror story until you are deep in the terror. Well, it feels like he just forgot to add the horror in The Reaping. It's all build up with maybe a page or two of payoff. I kept waiting for things to start turning south for our main character, but eventually realized we were just going to get a story about a man that had a couple of one night stands. Some of it was entertaining, but for the most part it's pretty bland.
Weird things do happen, but only add to the fact that it's not happening elsewhere in the book. There is a pretty infamous massage scene that surprised the hell out of me for how random it felt. Then we get scenes of something curious taking place. And, yes the end does have some horror. But, so much of nothing happens that we do nothing but grab onto these weird moments for something different.
I don't know if I'd say go and read it. If you subscribed to Valancourt's run of books, then go for it, you already have it. But if you are looking for one of the PfH books to read, I'd skip this one.
June 4, 2019
Taylor has such an easy, deliberate style to his writing. It's hard not to get caught up in the story, because he draws you in so smoothly and easily. He's been described as a writer of quiet horror, and The Reaping is a good example of why (though Sweetheart, Sweetheart is probably the place to start).
The story is about Tom Rigby, a part-time painter who is commissioned to paint a portrait of a young woman. Once he arrives at Woolvercombe House, he discovers an odd staff and even odder residents, while growing closer to his subject. To say he discovers strange secrets while there goes without saying, since this is one of the Paperbacks from Hell.
The story is a little hokey, and the ending comes quickly, but the book is less about plot and more about the atmosphere and style, which Taylor excelled at. Once you're caught up in Taylor's style, it's hard to let go, and the sense that something terrible is going to happen becomes more and more palpable. The twist of the reveal was a bit obvious, and the way Taylor defeats the evil feels a little easy, but the rest of it is so good that I still give it four stars.
Interestingly, this book has helped firm up a theory I've had about horror, in that it should be about loss and dread, and that horror stories shouldn't have a happy ending if they want to drive home that point. This isn't necessarily how Taylor ends the story (I won't spoil it), but it did help me realize how important that is to a horror novel.
The story is about Tom Rigby, a part-time painter who is commissioned to paint a portrait of a young woman. Once he arrives at Woolvercombe House, he discovers an odd staff and even odder residents, while growing closer to his subject. To say he discovers strange secrets while there goes without saying, since this is one of the Paperbacks from Hell.
The story is a little hokey, and the ending comes quickly, but the book is less about plot and more about the atmosphere and style, which Taylor excelled at. Once you're caught up in Taylor's style, it's hard to let go, and the sense that something terrible is going to happen becomes more and more palpable. The twist of the reveal was a bit obvious, and the way Taylor defeats the evil feels a little easy, but the rest of it is so good that I still give it four stars.
Interestingly, this book has helped firm up a theory I've had about horror, in that it should be about loss and dread, and that horror stories shouldn't have a happy ending if they want to drive home that point. This isn't necessarily how Taylor ends the story (I won't spoil it), but it did help me realize how important that is to a horror novel.
March 8, 2021
In 'The Reaping', Tom is an aspiring artist who lands his big break when a potential client approaches him to paint a young woman's portrait. After a hiccup or two owing to his flighty girlfriend Illona, he heads over to the vast Woolvercombe House where secrets and lies abound.
The story was largely suspenseful and mysterious as it was obvious that something wasn't quite right. It kept me guessing. Several characters managed to be interesting despite being underdeveloped. The presence of nuns, the alarming sounds and the strange behaviours were well incorporated.
Such a slow burn though with barely anything happening and lack of action and initiative on Tom's part - definitely not ideal for a horror lead. The horror came too little, too late (close to the end) and was rushed and inelegantly executed. There was no sense of challenge whatsoever.
As much as I liked the twist , the insufficient character development rendered it unimpactful. I found it unbelievable that .
Overall, 'The Reaping' was enjoyable in parts but was ultimately a somewhat disappointing read that could have done with a speed up in terms of pacing and a gradual drip of information as opposed to a landslide all at one go.
The story was largely suspenseful and mysterious as it was obvious that something wasn't quite right. It kept me guessing. Several characters managed to be interesting despite being underdeveloped. The presence of nuns, the alarming sounds and the strange behaviours were well incorporated.
Such a slow burn though with barely anything happening and lack of action and initiative on Tom's part - definitely not ideal for a horror lead. The horror came too little, too late (close to the end) and was rushed and inelegantly executed. There was no sense of challenge whatsoever.
As much as I liked the twist , the insufficient character development rendered it unimpactful. I found it unbelievable that .
Overall, 'The Reaping' was enjoyable in parts but was ultimately a somewhat disappointing read that could have done with a speed up in terms of pacing and a gradual drip of information as opposed to a landslide all at one go.
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