Cunning Folk

A compelling folk horror story of deadly rivalry and the oldest magic from the four times winner of The August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel.No home is heaven with hell next door.Money's tight and their new home is a fixer-upper. Deep in rural South West England, with an ancient wood at the foot of the garden, Tom and his family are miles from anywhere and anyone familiar. His wife, Fiona, was never convinced that buying the money-pit at auction was a good idea. Not least because the previous owner committed suicide. Though no one can explain why.Within days of crossing the threshold, when hostilities break out with the elderly couple next door, Tom's dreams of future contentment are threatened by an escalating tit-for-tat campaign of petty damage and disruption.Increasingly isolated and tormented, Tom risks losing his home, everyone dear to him and his mind. Because, surely, only the mad would suspect that the oddballs across the hedgerow command unearthly powers. A malicious magic even older than the eerie wood and the strange barrow therein. A hallowed realm from where, he suspects, his neighbours draw a hideous power.“Nevill has crafted some of the tensest scariest horror this reviewer has read in years” SFX“Adam Nevill excels at making nightmares real” The GuardianCunning Folk reviews:"'Cunning Folk' gets under the skin from the first page, the story infused with mordant humour and grotesquely apt images of confinement, frustration and otherworldly power." The Toronto Star"In all, this is a great fast-paced horror read that is perfect for longtime fans of Adam Nevill but also a great introduction to the type of book he usually writes. This gets a solid five out of five from me." Horror Bound"This latest entry will have you looking over the garden fence with fresh (and suspicious) eyes just in case your neighbours might be ‘Cunning Folk’." Gingernuts of Horror"Once it hits the first hurdle for the family I couldn’t put it down. I liked the fascinating details in scenes involving black magic and otherworldly forces of evil. The morbid sense of humour in the writing gives an off-kilter feeling that ratchets up the tension. The claustrophobic fears, tension and despair of the characters feel real. No one is safe and no one is protected. It’s a study of a man’s descend into madness but also a testament of a father’s love." Read by Dusk"Grotesqueries are stock in trade for Adam and the manifestations within 'Cunning Folk' are a fine addition to his monstrous menagerie." Dark Musings"I think it is fair to say the majority of the horror in 'Cunning Folk' is psychological in nature. Nevill expertly dissects Tom’s increasingly fragile mental state. That said there are also some suitably visceral moments for those who enjoy their action a bit bloodier." The Eloquent Page"Pure dread and 100% folklore horror that takes the simple act of a family buying a house and quickly flips every bit of happiness and sunshine on its head." Kendall Reviews"One scene in particular, and it's immediate aftermath felt like a hammer-blow to the psyche. It's not an unearned shock, or done solely for effect. It's a shock that's been carefully planned and built up to. From that point on it's almost impossible to put the book down." Marc's Books"Working class anxieties and the fear of family falling apart, of harm coming to them, that drives the protagonist through 'Cunning Folk'. I won’t say any more than that but I’m fairly sure that by the end you will, like me, be left gripping the book in a cold sweat. You can’t ask for much more than that." Simon Avery