This was a very disturbing story and provided plenty of chills.  I finished it in one night and kept the lights on all night.  The family seemed to be very close-knit and loving until the haunting episodes started, then they began to split apart.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes entertainment of the spooky variety.

One by One- G.W. Gillespie

This one was creepy as hell. Goosebumps, fear reading, on edge, a little jumpy, I LOVED it. I may have some messed up dreams tonight but that’s alright. 

This is a page turner. As most horror stories do, this one also begins with a family moving into a new house. The house is described enough that you feel like you are in it with Alice and going through these horrors with her. Unlocking the mysteries of what has taken place in that house is a ride with an ending I did not see coming!

This was such a good and creepy read, I completely fell in love with it! What is often the problem with horror novels is that, at some point, the story is inevitably a bit less tense – while short stories manage to keep us readers on the edge of our seats during the whole experience. One by One did not suffer from that. Quite the opposite, really, because I was clenching my teeth anxiously all the time while reading it! The author manages to leave us guessing, and panicking for the protagonists. From the cover (not displayed here since it wasn’t included with the early copy), we can guess pretty easily what is going to happen to that cute family, but the creepy atmosphere had me completely hooked and on the edge as I was reading it just before going to sleep! I’m also impressed by the ending of the book. I very often complain about book endings (sorry), but this time around, the plot twist was seriously good, and the book concluded on a touching and very realistic note. An all over great read. Now I’ll have to hunt for the author’s other books!

A story of a family moving into their new home, which is a very old property, and with intentions to do it up.  The youngest, 10 year old Alice, is a bit of a dreamer and hears various different voices in her head.  When a crudely drawn picture is discovered behind some wallpaper of a family similar to theirs, only depicting a dog instead of a cat as the family pet, the family wonder how it got there.  Eerie goings on ensue as an X appears over the dog in the picture, and subsequently Alice's cat mysteriously turns up dead.  When Alice finds the diary of a little girl called Mary, further suspicions that something is very wrong in the house are aroused.

This is a very quick and easy read and I was drawn in from the first chapter.  

I liked the description of the house and it played in my head almost like the house depicted in the TV series, The Haunting of Hill House.  The story was well paced and teased out.  However, but I never really got the sense of creepy anticipation I like when reading a horror.

I didn't feel any empathy or connection to any of the characters and to be honest Alice got on my nerves a bit.  She is the oldest 10 year old I've ever read about and having an 11 year old myself, I found myself saying "really???" a few times at things she said or did!  

Thank you for the opportunity to read One by One in exchange for my honest opinion.

D.W. Gillespie proves he is fast becoming one of the stars of the Flame Tree Press stable, backing up the excellent The Toy Thief with this equally impressive haunted house story. 
A gripping tale about madness in the vein of the Shining, it's a chilling account of a family coming apart after moving into an old house with a dark past.
Told from the POV of 10-year-old Alice, Gillespie plays with the narrative idea of history repeating itself to wind a tightening web of tension before a jaw-dropping final act.
Highly recommended.

Thank you to the author/publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC. 3.5 stars. What an interesting read! It didn't wait to start the creepiness. Right from the get go you eerie elements. A family of four and their cat move into a new house full of [dark] secrets. There's the sick figure family painted on their wall, a room with windows that peer into another room, and a mysteriously stench filled pool. The story is told from the younger daughters POV and as the story unfolds, she uncovers the house's past. This was a very intriguing story that I didn't want to put down, I needed to know what happened!

3 & 1/2🌟

My thanks to NetGalley & Flame Tree Press for a copy of this book for review.
One by One is the second book by D.W. Gillespie that I've read and much like The Toy Thief is almost a coming of age horror story. 10 year old Alice, her teen brother Dean, her Mom and Dad move into a creepy looking and feeling house her father finds as part of his plan for a new beginning after losing his job. On the very first day Alice finds a hand painted picture on one of the walls of a family almost identical to theirs only with a dog instead of their cat. The first night there's strange noises, a tapping on Alice's window, a nightmare that has her waking up screaming and ultimately them finding the first X over someone painted on the wall. 
The story is very atmospheric and creepy, everything you would want in a haunted house/horror story, though there are a few periods of slow pacing. While the story is told from Alice's perspective, some of the wording she uses threw me off as it didn't seem like something a 10 year old would say or think. Not a great deal of character development either beyond Alice and the house itself, maybe this was intentional by the author as it is coming from a young girls point of view. The house and it's former occupants are quite interesting. The story definitely went in a different direction than I was expecting, I think that helps add to it being a bit different than a run of the mill haunted house story. Overall, a pretty good story I found enjoyable.

The four members of the Easton family have varied responses to their new sprawling manor home. Fallen into disrepair and seemingly following the plans of a madman architect, it is markedly different from their previous terraced and uniform abode. It also seems to hold many secrets in its shadowed alcoves and youngest member Alice isn't sure they should be uncovering them.

This begun like many haunted house horrors of its like, but that was exactly what I was anticipating and never seem able to get my fill of them! The house became almost the fifth member of their family and the other four responded to its altering moods as though fearing of unsettling it further. It was a tense and spooky read that hinted at mysteries that were both supernatural, familial, historical in nature.

Whilst my intrigue and the suspense remained high, the spooky elements were lessened as the book progressed. This still had me eager to read through to the surprisingly twisted conclusion but the central portion was lighter on the horror than originally anticipated and thus lost some of my early admiration.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, D. W. Gillespie, and the publisher, Flame Tree Press, for this opportunity.

One by One begins like thousands of other stories about houses that are haunted by the past, but it certainly doesn’t end like most of them. 

There are things within the plot that bring to mind The Amityville Horror and numerous other well-known tales, but the author managed to keep this from being a liability. In fact, the book is quite the page-turner and definitely has a few tricks up its sleeve you won’t see coming. 

Although nothing is ever expressly spelled out, there is a very disturbing aspect of the book that deserves a trigger warning for victims of molestation. As one myself, this aspect left me feeling unsettled, but it was handled in a way that advanced the plot without any gratuitous details being shared. 

All in all, this was a solid horror novel that thankfully infused some fresh life into a basic set up that’s been used countless times. 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

liked the choice of front cover; children’s drawings always scream horror fiction.

The opening of One by One was very good, as it gave detailed descriptions of both the house and the characters and set the scene well. As the book continued, I thought it was well-written, engrossing, and a thoroughly enjoyable read.

To me, One by One felt similar in style and tone to a horror film, meaning I could imagine the setting and events easily and vividly. Albeit, this meant there were quite a few horror film “tropes” included within the plot. This could prove to be an annoyance to some but, as I happen to enjoy haunted house film and books anyway, I didn’t mind.

I enjoyed the unfolding mystery behind the house, and discovering what caused the family’s disappearance.

I don’t have many negative things to say.

My only point of (constructive) criticism is that the climax could have been much more dramatic, and much longer! I thought the tension which built up to the the climax was great, but then it ended rather quickly, which disappointed me. This ending is then followed by an epilogue that, to me, had the opposite problem – it was too long! Whilst this epilogue admittedly tied up some loose ends, I couldn’t help but feel the epilogue could have been omitted entirely (and thus leave the ending in more mystery and suspense) or incorporated with the final scenes to make a more satisfying conclusion.

Nonetheless, I was still very happy with One by One and would recommend if you’re looking for a new spooky haunted house novel to read.

I received a free copy of One by One from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This book was not what I expected exactly. This story was so much more than what I thought it would be.
I was hooked from the first page. Great story, very real and amazing characters.
I loved how deep Alice's feelings were. It definitely shows just how much thought and heart the author put into this book and these characters.
At one point I thought I knew what was happening and how the story was going to end, but I was mistaken. The twists and turns were just starting...
I happily recommend this book!

This was an unexpected read. The story gripped me from the blurb itself. It was a slow burn horror mystery where the author D. W. Gillespie had set up a great aura of horror and creepiness. Frank, Debra, Dean and Alice moved into a new house which was the beginning of their end. Soon family members started disappearing and it was left to the youngest daughter Alice to get to the truth. A diary found led her slowly and surely down a path of investigation.

Wow. I enjoyed the entire feel of the book. The twist at the end was expectedly unexpected. The author's writing had fear creeping into my veins as the pages turned. I read the book with all the lights switched on. I found myself so immersed in the horrific vibe of the book that it shocked me. 

Family dynamics were explored in such a setting. Alice was brilliant in her role. The book kept me at the edge wanting to know everything that was written in the diary. There was a desperation in me which forced me to read this book at one go. Fabulous!!

ONE BY ONE was a fun read with a slow build but a satisfying ending, with or without the Epilogue. Gillespie does a great job keeping you guessing throughout, with a conclusion I didn’t predict.  

Thank you to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy for review.

Thank you so much Netgalley, Flame Tree Press and D.W. Gillespie for allowing me to read this in exchange of an honest review.

WOW!!  This has to be the most atmospheric book I've ever read. The descriptions of the house were so real and spooky I felt my heart race every time someone walked down the darkened halls or walked up the rickety staircase. When the snow storm came in, I found myself reaching for my favorite throw blanket and cuddling up...not sure for warmth or security! 

Frank, Debra, Dean and Alice moved into fixer upper that was just another one of Frank's "great" ideas. Debra (mom), was never to happy with his decision but went along with it. Dean (typical teenage son), was more interested in video games than helping out with the new move. Alice (young daughter), who was very curious about everything and thankfully never gave up until she had answers. 

As the days go by, members of the family as well as the pet cat start disappearing. Everyone becomes suspicious of each other and the family starts changing. Alice finds a mysterious diary on her bed stand table and seeks the truth as to whats really going on with her family and this house. 

Loved this book and can't wait to read more D.W. Gillespie!

I received a free advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

10-year-old Alice Easton and her family are moving to a new house. While she and her father are excited about the new house, her mother is a bit worried while her big brother does not care (typical teenager). However, her excitement slowly changes to fear as certain unexplainable events occur. The main worry is the picture the family discovered in the main hall. The picture, which was clearly drawn by a child, matches their family. Horrifyingly, members of the family start disappearing with an X drawn through each new victim immediately after they go missing. Alice finds a mysterious diary and is trying to find out who’s targeting her family before they all end up vanishing.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a true horror with a surprise that I truly was not expecting at the end. I actually found myself getting little frissons of unease throughout the book. The author started creeping me out from the first night the family spent at the new house and when the first X appeared in the drawing, I found myself racing forward to see what was going to happen.

The shift of the family’s dynamic is clearly shown as the story unfolds and I found myself wondering if it was caused by the house. I was surprised particularly by the change of Alice’s father, Frank. It shows clearly how people change when scared out of their wits.

The strained relationship between Alice and her mother, Debra, is something every mother and daughter can relate to. Every mother of a daughter knows that it can sometimes be hard to relate to our little girls at that age, no matter how much we love them. And, normally Alice can depend on her father as an ally but with his unstable moods, she finds herself drifting away from him as well. As a result, she found it easy to relate to the diary’s writer, Mary, who is writing about her own tumultuous relationships with her parents. The only person she feels close to is her brother even with his teenage moodiness.

D.W. Gillespie adeptly wove her tale of horror while manipulating the characters’ relationships so that I was kept constantly fascinated by the story. I read this book in a matter of hours. I obviously cannot give away the ending but I can say it was quite unexpected. Based on this book, I would definitely try more of this author’s books.

10 year old Alice and her family are leaving behind suburbia and moving into an old farmhouse type house. Her father, recently under-employed, believes the house will be their financial saving grace.   His enthusiasm for the house passes to Alice. However, Alice quickly changes her view of the house after unearthing a drawing in the downstairs hall. Hidden under old wallpaper is a child’s drawing of 2 parents, 2 children, and a dog. Just like Alice’s family, except for a cat replacing the dog. 

A mysterious knocking at her bedroom window in the middle of the night followed by the appearance of a diary leave Alice believing there is more to the house than meets the eye.
The diary belonged to Mary, who lived in the house prior to Alice’s family. It starts as Mary is a young girl, just about Alice’s age. Mary is the kind of girl Alice would like to be more like; outgoing, confident, a badass.  As Mary grows older, the stories she writes become grim and angry. Something terrible must have happened to her, but what? Alice’s parents deny any knowledge of who lived in the house before or what may have befallen Mary. As time goes by Alice’s father becomes more and more agitated and mean. 

A once in a decade snow storm covers their Tennessee town and leave Alice and her brother home alone with their parents having difficulty making it home from work. The kids explore the woods behind the house and discover the shed Mary mentioned in her diary. Daddy’s Place, Mary had written. Alice knew something bad happened there. Something is definitely wrong at the house, but 10 year old Alice can’t figure it out and is alone in her fear and distrust.  As one by one, her family disappears; their likeness on the drawing in the hall is marked out by a black X. Little Alice must figure out what is going on and how to save her family…..and herself. 

I loved this book. It was especially scary as it was told through the eyes and mind of a 10 year old girl. I finished this book in two sittings. I would have finished it in one if I hadn’t started so late in the evening. By 2 AM, I HAD to put the book down and go to sleep. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. The detail and descriptiveness were excellent. I was able to completely visualize Alice’s surroundings. More importantly, the depth of which the relationships between Alice and her family members were detailed was amazing. You could feel the love between each member of the family as equally as the tension and fear. Well done! I would recommend this book to any of my friends or family.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the free review copy!
One by One by D.W. Gillespie is a novel I’ve been anticipating. I love haunted house stories, plus it has a fantastic cover. I devoured the novel in a little over a day, which is reflective of Gillespie’s writing style.
This one is sure to please readers who love both haunted house stories and quiet horror. It hits the nail on the head in every aspect of a good horror story, but that doesn’t mean it was without problems. Although I enjoyed the novel tremendously, said problems kept my enjoyment level down, particularly as the story progressed.
The central flaw lies with Gillespie’s insistence to tell us, over and over again, how amazing and virtuous the main character, Alice, is. Alice is only a child through the bulk of the novel, which forces one to suspend their disbelief due to how thoughtful, nice, imaginative, yada yada yada she is. At such a young age, she basically already has the mysteries of the universe figured out. This wouldn’t be too much of a problem if Gillespie didn’t hammer this aspect into the reader’s head constantly. Even at the end of the novel…which I won’t go into, so as to avoid spoilers…the character HERSELF laments about how awesome she is. 
But, on to the positives. To say there’s a lot to enjoy about the novel is an understatement. Gillespie’s writing style makes the novel compulsively readable, the pacing is great (until the end, sadly), and the atmosphere evoked is sure to warm the hearts of every haunted house lover. I mean, you’ve got winter-dead trees, an old, spooky house, and a mysterious shed lying in an even more mysterious patch of woods. What more could you want?
The story itself centers on a typical family moving into an older home, because the father of the household has seen one to many house-flipping shows. Alice, the youngest kid, is basically the best person who’s ever lived, and she instantly picks up that things aren’t right with the house. It’s hinted that she might be a tad psychic, but this aspect is never fully explored, and is even sort of written off at the end of the book in a VERY unbelievable fashion. Still, it’s really left up to the reader to decide.
Throughout the book, the pacing, mystery, etc. deepens; you can tell things are reaching a head, and it becomes impossible to stop reading. However, when the final reveal happens, I felt very let down. I had figured out what was going on beforehand, and had realized that Gillespie said one thing and then changed it at the last minute so everything would fit into place. In other words, the reader is kind of misled (perhaps intentionally) so that they won’t figure it out for themselves, but when the big reveal happens, the old story conveniently changes.
Once said reveal happens, things go downhill quick. You keep expecting something more…I don’t know, intense to happen, but it never does. Things just flutter and die, Gillespie talks more about how awesome the main character is, and then it’s over. It was a lot of build up for a very lackluster, sort of generic climax in which nothing earthshattering happens.
All in all, One by One is a decent haunted house story, and the writing was so good that I’m eagerly anticipating Gillespie’s next novel. Also, I need to go back and read his first Flame Tree Novel!
3/5 stars.
What the hell my ratings mean: 1 star = I didn’t enjoy it, and I’m fairly certain I can objectively say the book sucks ass. 2 stars = I didn’t enjoy it at all, but I can’t in good conscience say it was an objectively bad book (in other words, I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone else loved it). 3 stars = a book I enjoyed quite a bit, but it had several flaws that made me unable to honestly say it was a great book. 4 stars = a great book without any serious flaws. 5 stars = made my soul feel tingly and changed my worldview (usually reserved for classics like Siddhartha and The Magic Mountain).

I love a good horror novel. The creepy ones which make me want to sleep with the lights on. 

The Easton family just moved into a new house. It has its problems, needs fixing but its theirs. Alice and her father are excited about the house, but when she finds a strange drawing on the wall her excitement slowly turns to dread. The picture is of a family of four and their pet. Just like Alice’s family. The fear starts when the family cat goes missing and Alice discovers an X over the drwaing of the pet. And that is just the beginning. The family members start to disappear too and it is up to 10  years old Alice to get to the bottom of all this.

After reading the book’s description I had high hopes for this book. I expected a supernatural explanation but what happened was so mundane, so realistic. But I enjoyed the book, kept me interested all along.

It is not every day that the narrator is a 10 years old so it was interesting to see how a little girl experiences events like that. I actually liked her, brave little girl she is. The other characters aren’t that interesting, they aren’t well developed but I don’t think the were ment to be so it was okay. 

Thank you to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for my copy. One by One is highly recommended to horror story lovers.

This is the first book that I have read by D.W. Gillespie and all I have to say is Wow!! Reading this was like watching a horror movie and being in the edge of your seat the entire time just waiting for that jump scare. It had it all, creepy girl, bumps in the night, mystery, and a disturbing dinner scene.. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Many thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this.

This book had me hook from the start, If you are wanting a good creepy book this is one for you. I felt the book was just the right length, it stuck to the story and didn't drag on.

Would recommend to read.