Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

This is an intriguing thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story follows the Harcourt family as they move into their new dream home in Cold Hill, a quiet and idyllic village in Sussex. However, their dream home quickly turns into a nightmare when strange and terrifying occurrences start to happen.

One of the strengths of the novel is the author's ability to create a sense of tension and suspense throughout the story. The pacing is well done, and the tension builds steadily as the Harcourts start to uncover the dark secrets of Cold Hill. The atmosphere of the novel is also well-crafted, and the eerie and unsettling feeling that permeates the village adds to the sense of unease.

The characters are well-developed, with each member of the Harcourt family having their own distinct personality and motivations. The relationship between the family members is also realistic and adds an emotional depth to the story.

However, the novel does have a few weaknesses. The resolution of the mystery at the heart of the story feels somewhat rushed and predictable, and some of the plot twists feel contrived and forced. Additionally, some readers may find the supernatural elements of the story to be too fantastical.

Overall, "The Secret of Cold Hill" is an enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of the thriller genre. The novel has a well-crafted atmosphere, strong character development, and a sense of tension and suspense that will keep readers engaged. However, the ending may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied, and the supernatural elements of the story may not be to everyone's taste.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for this ARC of The Secret of Cold Hill, the sequel to The House on Cold Hill.

This was a real edge of your seat thriller, with so many twists and turns, you wont know which way is up! Fantastic and gripping read!

The House on Cold Hill, which I read years ago, was a fun, entertaining read so I was looking forward to reading the sequel, The Secret of Cold Hill, and kept it until Halloween time. I don’t read a huge amount of haunted house stories like this but when I do, I often think I should read more.

Firstly, like the first in the series, this is not a book that will terrify you. It does have some eerie bits and there’s a spooky undercurrent running throughout which I loved, but more than anything it’s an enjoyable read with some great characters – those neighbours! There are plenty of witty lines and humorous moments amongst the creeping worry for everyone living on the new housing estate that they may now be trapped somewhere they don’t want to be…

As is to be expected, it does at times feel like ‘more of the same’ as the first since we’re returning to the site of the same house as in the first, and we know what to expect from the basic narrative. However, The Secret of Cold Hill does have extra elements added to the story which makes it a more in-depth, surprising read than the first novel.

I enjoyed this novel from start to finish – it wasn’t anything particularly new but that’s not a bad thing, because I knew what I wanted from this book and it lived up to it! It’s an entertaining, fun read.

A slow burner, it took me until about page 100 to really get into this book and once I was drawn in, I was hooked! (I hadn’t realised that this was book two in a series)

An intense storyline that became fast paced as I read on, I was desperate to know what happens by the end of the book!

I felt this was a re-hash of The House on Cold Hill, and the ‘secrets’ the title promised never eventuated. I enjoyed the slow build where the characters tried to rationalise the haunting, but there was nothing new in this sequel that wasn’t in the original.

I decided to dive straight in to the sequel to the House of Cold Hill which I read at Halloween and managed to completely creep myself out by reading it by lamplight. Not my wisest decision!
The Secret of Cold Hill begins with a couple of prospective buyers conducting a viewing of Lake House the biggest, most impressive property in a new development built on the site of Cold Hill House, the large mansion house which was destroyed by fire. Mike and Julie Diamond make possibly the best decision of their lives as they make a hasty exit from the site when the viewing takes an unexpected turn. The new properties are crammed with all the latest technology - but that's not the only added extra the houses come with as new owners of Lakeview Drive soon find out as they move in. Both the Penze-Weedells and the Danes families probably would come to wish they had made the same decision as the Diamonds - if only they had the opportunity.
Some of this second book felt a bit repetitive but that could have been because I moved immediately on from the first novel but in some ways it was rather good to have some characters making reappearances (literally), especially the tractor driver and the vicar who had featured strongly before.
I'm actually not sure which of the two books unsettled me the most as you kind of expect an ages old building to have its share of hauntings due to its history however a development of new builds should be a pretty safe environment to start the next chapter of your life, right? Unfortunately it would seem that some things are stronger than even bricks and mortar and they don't like change!

Great ghostly goings on once again from the pen of Peter James.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book.
I did struggle a bit as I couldn't remember properly the first book, but I did enjoy this. I was a nice ghost story.

I love the way Peter James writes and you can lose yourself in his books.

This isn’t a book I would usually choose to read and was originally intrigued by the cover however once I started it was difficult to put down.
It is about Jason and Emily who move into their dream house on a new estate being built on the land of the old Cold Hill House. Not long after they move in strange things start to happen that don’t make sense, turning to older members of the community who don’t want new people here and telling them that nobody in the new estate lives past 40 anyway! They start to do some research while living through some strange occurrences.
It’s a great book and a fast read.

This was a nice little 'ghost story' that you don't realise is a ghost story. I'd not read the first book - in fact I didn't know there was a first book until after I'd finished this, so previous knowledge wasn't needed. I liked the way the story unfolded, giving little bits of confusion to make you wonder what was real.

Really enjoyed this. I thought I might struggle because I couldn’t remember what happened in the first book but it didn’t really matter. There were plenty of explanations throughout the book so you the got the just of everything anyway. The chapters were short and sharp (which is always a bonus) and very typical of Peter James. It was spooky without being scary and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A third book could definitely find its way out of the ending.

I found this thrilling story very scary to be honest. It made my blood run cold with fear at times. I was hooked from the first page. Highly recommended. Five stars

Many thanks to netgalley and Peter James for the advanced copy of this book. I agreed to give my unbiased opinion voluntarily.

Brilliant gripping ghost story , I love Peter James writing , he takes you there . This story takes you into the lives of the characters and you can feel all the emotions in this brilliantly written sequel.

I love Peter James books and I've always wanted to try and read a ghost story but have always been too scared!

Peter James didn't let me down at all with his writing style and plot, I just let myself down that I'm such a wuss. Fans of ghost stories will enjoy the scary tale of Cold Hill...for me, I'm going to stick with Roy Grace!

4 stars for the writing alone.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my hones opinion

A beautiful new home, excited new owners but even after the original house on Cold Hill burned to the ground its secrets are still coming to the surface. A good read for lovers of ghost stories.

Enjoyable book by Peter James featuring a new development of luxury houses built on the grounds of previous Cold Hill House that was burnt down and the new ownerrs experience ghostly happenings and no one lives beyond forty years.

Jason and Emily Danes are in the market for a new home. The area must be quiet and the home modern. When they find the newly built house on Cold Hill they are thrilled. They buy it and settle in to enjoy the space, the scenery, the luxurious and ultra modern kitchen, and Jason's art studio on the upper floor. But things seem to be a bit off. There are mysterious footsteps upstairs, cold drafts which suddenly appear out of nowhere and their only neighbors are having similar experiences.

I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be well written and very entertaining. The characters were believable and while the story line wasn't the most original, it was presented in a delightfully creepy way. I have not read the first book in this series, but definitely plan to.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author Peter James, and the publisher Pan Macmillan, for the free ARC I received in return for an honest review.

An exclusive, new build estate near Brighton. Emily and Jason move into the nicest house, but live to regret their decision. There was the odd, creepy moment but mainly I thought it was comical with absolutely nothing chilling or scary in the book at all, so it was disappointing. I would have enjoyed a book about the snobbish neighbours rather than Emily and Jason! Despite the fact it wasn’t frightening it was still enjoyable and very easy to get into.

A successful and likable couple move to a stunning new house, which is part of a new-build estate on the edge of a village. Typically the locals are not keen on these people moving to their rural idyll. The big house is built on the site of an old stately home that burnt down, killing those who lived there. There are stories of peculiar deaths and funny goings-on.

In the house itself, things start to go wrong, such as the technology malfunctioning, the television coming on by itself, the microwave exploding and so on. Not to mention the shadows and strange apparitions that appear then disappear again. All spooky stuff.

The story starts quietly with the signs of ghosts and builds up with time slips and more bizarre happening. None of this is original and the book reminds me of several other stories that I won't mention because it will give the ending away. Because of this, I did predict the ending. However, this does not detract from the story at all, as the journey to that point is confusing, terrifying and exciting.

The point of view is from the husband who lives in the big house and one of the neighbours. The husband is a successful artist who lacks confidence and suffers from OCD, thus adding depth to the story and an interesting personal psychological aspect.

The Secret of Cold HIll is a sequel to The House on Cold Hill, which I have not read, but this story stands alone well. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who likes ghost stories.