If you enjoy books such as The Whistling, The Silent Companions and Weyward then you should definitely check The Toll House out.
Dual timeline, creepy house and spooks, perfect October reading.
A fantastic gothic inspired ghost story.
I highly recommend!

Sometimes I just want a haunted house story with all the tropes! In the present, a single mother is concerned when her child's behaviour is changed by what he sees and hears in their new house. In the past, a man follows down a disturbing path after losing his wife. The dual timelines are effective at conveying the suspense and secrets that lie in the historic house. I did find myself more absorbed by the past story, because of the desperation and darkness of the main character as he mourns his late wife. Nothing is as it seems as more and more is revealed. What I liked about the book is how it drops surprising information that in hindsight makes sense, instead of a twist just for the sake of it.

I found the present storyline a little repetitive, where the main character is portrayed as being so busy and distracted that she keeps making mistakes. There is a side plot about a potential romance (with two different men) that I didn't find interesting, and I wish her story had more connection to the actual haunting in the house. Her situation didn't come across as dire as it could have been, because she had a convenient backup person to help her whenever she needed to so I never felt like she and her son were in real danger. It's telling that the book ends with a passage from the past, where to me the story is stronger and more emotionally resonant.

This story is told in dual timeline. There are twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. The writing is wonderful. It is atmospheric in places. A perfect spooky read

"The Toll House" by Carly Reagon is a spine-tingling ghost story that has garnered praise from readers and authors alike. The novel is described as a chilling thriller that will keep you up through autumn nights, making it a perfect read for fans of ghost stories and mysteries.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
Billed as a ghost story this novel includes the historical timeline of a tollkeeper and his wife who lived in the house in the 1800s intertwined with the current-day tale of Kelda and her son Dylan who have moved into the isolated home. The malevolent presence in the house is chilling, the suspense building gradually to the climax revealing the final details. The modern storyline details the feelings of anxiety and threat combined with evidence of physical manifestations which seemed unrealistic. There were a couple of side-stories which didn't really add anything for me and I thought the final few pages were unnecessary, in particular the doctor's feelings. This is not a book I'd read again and I don't think it has a universal appeal.

This novel was sent to me by the publisher some time ago for review, but I've been so busy writing my own books that I haven't really had a chance to get to it until now. All I knew going into it, was that it's a spooky book, so as the weather has taken a turn for the worse and the rain is pattering against the windows, I though it would be the ideal book to curl up with by the fire. As a result, I have spent a happy couple of days immersed in the ghost story of The Toll House.

The book has a duel timeline narrative, the chapters alternating between past and present, telling the tale of Kelda and her son, Dylan, who go to live in the old toll house and soon find themselves haunted by shadowy figures on the stairs, after uncovering a rather gruesome death mask hidden within the plaster work. The writing has an ominous tone throughout, though I have to say that it isn't the spookiest ghost story I've ever read. I would have liked more descriptive passages about the toll house itself, as this is usual in most gothic novels of haunted houses. This one though, was more character driven.

I liked the characters for the most part, although Dylan did get on my nerves, largely because he is meant to be seven years old, but he reads as being much younger, I would say no more than five. I felt that he was portrayed as being overly young for his age. Then again, I don't have kids, so what do I know? He might be spot on! He just struck me as being a tad too infantile, which I found quite irritating.

Apart from that, this is a cracking read. It has a chilling build up to the denouement and a few surprises in the plot that I greatly appreciated, especially in reference to the death mask itself. I didn't see that twist coming at all! The Toll House is one of those gothic novels where you think you know exactly what is going on, only to discover that everything you've been lead to believe is untrue. It's as if you don't realize you're reading a mystery, until the mystery unravels and the truth is revealed, so it has an excellent use of red herrings. Hats off to the author for that.

The story is nicely told, but I wasn't exactly scared by it. It had some eerie moments and the ending is satisfying. If you enjoy books such as The Haunting Season, The Whistling, or The Ghost Woods, then you might like The Toll House. It has certainly engaged my attention for the past two days and was the perfect read for such a dreich rainy day, so if you are looking for a new ghost story to dive into, I recommend this one. Enjoy!

I love this book!!!!

The characters the house, the mystery, the story. The plots kept me reading, i needed to know what would happen next. The best part of the book is how the author was able to build up the suspense during the spooky parts. I and the plots and twists! I'm so happy i found this book!

Please read this if you love a good spooky tale!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Kelda and her son, Dylan, move in to an old toll house. It comes with a death mask and unexplained events in Dylan’s room… This sounded like a great premise.

The book has 2 POVs and 2 timelines, swapping between the past and the present. I liked how the character from the past narration was gradually built up and his nature slowly revealed. I also enjoyed the mystery of the pebbles and the way it was presented and explored.

However, there were several issues with this story that in the end left me quite disappointed.
Firstly, the MC’s feelings about the house were only vaguely described and the house was not really shown as creepy in itself. The character would be said to have an odd feeling – but why?! What made her feel like that? There was a lot of potential here that was not realised. The book had hardly any atmosphere where it could and should have had plenty.

Secondly, there were too many side characters with their own problems only touched on, but not explored deeper and not leading anywhere. They should have been skipped in my opinion, so the full focus would be on the main story – but there wasn’t much of it! This probably would have worked better as a novella.
I did love the cover art, though!

I just didn’t gel with this one. Seems to be a perfectly okay gothic/ ghost type story but the historical sections bogged down the plot and pace and the present day sections were largely unexciting to me. Didn’t feel like there was much to make the characters sparkle either. The MC was very off the peg in terms of ‘young mother in isolated situation with spooky happenings’ went. Nothing set her apart or made me connect with her personally. Not the best example of the genre IMO.

Finally, a gothic novel that does what it promises!

Told in two timelines, 1863 and the present day, it tells the story of Kelda and her son Dylan who move to an old Toll house where all is not as it should be.

Oozing with tension and incredibly atmospheric, this novel is classic horror with uncomplicated prose and twists that arrive sparingly, making them all the more creepy. With themes of obsession, love and jealousy, which are explored remarkably well and truly related to the characters overall desires.

The author has the ability to build the tension drove this novel forward and I could happily read more by this author. The tale is incredibly convincing and creepy. It’ll have you reaching for the light switch, and looking behind yourself as you walk upstairs… wondering what that creak was. Certain parts of the ending, especially finding out more about Bella’s death, were absolutely chilling. I thought the author did a really good job of bringing everything together.

One of the best ghost/haunted house books I’ve read in a while.

A chilling read that made the hairs stand up at the back of my neck. Good winter spooky read but somewhat predictable at times

What a fabulous and deliciously dark read. This is a the perfect mix of historical fiction and modern fiction. This story is told altenating between past and present narratives with both stories coming together to create the perfect ending. Thisreally is a dark ghost story perfect for reading on dark winter nights.

A good creepy book and that is definitely my thing! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for access to this book

I love a haunted house that spans generations so this was right up my street. Switches between a past which gave me Wuthering Heights vibes and the present, the ending is the greatest reward for costing up with this book. Spooky and gothic with some nice modern touches.

This is a competently written haunted house story, perfect for Halloween.

Kelda and her son Dylan move into a house that used to be a toll house in Victorian times. Dylan is uneasy there, and talks about a woman in a brown dress in his bedroom. A crack in the plaster widens a bit every night until a plaster mask is revealed - a death mask. And at odd times of the day and night a strong smell of lavender wafts through the house, and piles of white pebbles line themselves up on windowsills…

The atmosphere builds up quite satisfyingly, if a little predictably. Juxtaposed with Kelda’s story’s contemporary timeline is the story of the Victorian toll keeper and the tragic death of his wife and child during childbirth. I liked the way the author builds both stories to the climax in tandem.

Over all though, there was something about the writing style that failed to pull me in and absorb me completely in the way that other writers of this sort of book have done, like Andrew Michael Hurley or Susan Hill. It’s a decent read, interesting enough without being hard work, but I’m not likely to go back for a reread.

I have been a big fan of weird fiction and ‘supernatural thrillers’ since I have been probably not quite old enough to read them. James Herbert was always my go to and although his writing may not in certain circles be described as ‘literary’ fiction, there is no doubt in my mind that he could tell a good story and indeed, no other author has terrified me as James Herbert could.
Since his death, I have been searching for a replacement or at least someone that could come close to evoking the same fear and genuine thrill. But this review is not about Herbert!

Carly Reagon does her best in this regard; "The Toll House" is well written, with some genuinely creepy moments and unsettling situations set into a good old fashioned ghost story. There were quite a few moments involving the young son of the protagonist where I felt a genuine chill, however, many of these moments (not involving six year olds) are portrayed in such a way as to sanitise or remove the fear that we crave from this type of story. Indeed, the premise of the book and the story itself is ‘classic’ horror but (to my mind) too much of the story is devoted to relationships, both family and romantic, with too little time given to the outworkings of these relationships and the perceived effect of the supernatural on the characters. It is in essence, a ghost story for people who don’t really want to be scared.
And without turning this into a complete complainfest, there are more than one or two plot holes and storylines not so much unresolved as simply abando -

At the end of the day, "The Toll House" is a solid, well written family drama/romance with added ghosts, and if that is your thing, you will be well rewarded and left wondering what I’m complaining about, but I just wanted to be a little more scared.

Rating: 3.5 stars.

The story focuses on two families in different time periods living at the Toll House, switching between the tollkeeper and his wife in the 1800s to current day with Kelda and her son Dylan. I enjoyed the story overall, but felt it lacked depth. You learn early on of the historic events of the house, and so it's easy to see how they link with the mysterious and unsettling happenings of the current day. I enjoyed the various relationships between the characters, and that's what saved the story for me. Some twists are better than others. It was a good spooky read, and I thought the two timelines were told really well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

The Toll House was a good gothic tale for the Halloween season of chillier nights and darkness drawing in early. It bounces back and forth from the mid 1800s to current day with Kelda and her son Dylan having recently moved into mysterious The Toll House. I enjoyed the tension in the moments but felt it lacked depth. It might have felt spookier if we, as readers, knew more about the characters and goings on beyond a superficial level. It came across a bit safe for me and could have punched harder with the unforeseen twists. The twists save the story. Adding more emotional weight to the difficulties faced by characters of both timelines. All in all a good read especially at this time of year.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for approving me for an ARC of this book. I’ve recently been getting into my ghost stories and loving a spooky read for this time of year. When I saw The Toll House on NetGalley I knew this was one I would love to read and it didn’t disappoint.

From the moment Kelda and her son Dylan moved into the toll house things did not seem right. I immediately got that sense of dread and doom that bad things were going to happen and the author did a fantastic job of setting the scene. Throughout the whole story, I felt I was on tenterhooks waiting for things to happen and made the mistake of reading this one at night, which is not something I would advise if you scare easily like me!

During the story we flick back to the 1800’s were the original toll house keeper’s story is revealed. This part of the book was deeply disturbing and very dark but in a gripping way. Getting to know the history of the house and its occupants in the 1800’s was fascinating and the more I learnt the more scared I was for Kelda and her son. The back and forth between the different stories kept the momentum going and had me transfixed the whole way through.

I really felt for Kelda, not just because of what was happening in the house but because of her own past. I won’t go into too many details but lets just say her history is much more complicated and you understand why she is so protective of Dylan and is estranged with her family.

This book builds to a dramatic conclusion that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was dark, menacing, creepy and frightful. All the thins you come to expect from a gothic read.

If you're looking for a ghostly, spooky 👻 read to squeeze in before Halloween then look no further!
This recently released book took me out of my usual comfort zone... I braved the ghouls and ghosts especially for you lot so I could review this in time for the witching hour! 🧙

🎃Kelda and her son Dylan have recently moved into "The Tollhouse", an creamy old house with a history! ...and Kelda soon learns it also comes with a death mask and chilling spirits! The story sporadically hops from present day Tollhouse back to 1863 Tollhouse where we learn about the bleak lives of Joe and wife Bella..a story which goes from grim to grimmer and how past and future stories entwine together

👻...a touch of gothic horror, gruesomeness, spooks, twists and turns and ghostly goings on..... I dare you to dive in

And if that doesn't tempt you then surely this gorgeous cover will!

Thank you to Netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for the ARC of this book