The Burn Street Haunting

This books is so damn good I started writing this review halfway through.

It’s completely captivating, it’s intelligent, has enough dark humour to make it real yet the creepiness and scares at times should not be underestimated.

It’s set in the 70s, with a super flawed protagonist (always a favourite of mine). Through ‘Certain Events’ the character has some unusual skills that made his career as a thief one where he was never caught. He finds himself having to run to London for a fresh start – and that’s where the fun really begins.

He sets up in a boarding house, full of characters of all types (all perfectly portrayed) and his life begins to unravel. Scary open-mouthed ghosts. Strange coincidences.

There’s an incredible portion of the book that, through the talk from a tenant that is well read on the subject, delivers facts and figures and theories about ghosts, their origins and what might trigger humans to believe or even create the supernatural.

Then there’s the extra layers of stress brought in from a policeman that recognises the protagonist which leads to a crime boss getting on his case. If this wasn’t enough, partway through the book, we’re introduced to the most gargantuan creature of pure evil.

The tension builds steadily, as does the imminent danger from all aspects and as we buy more and more into our lead characters, their lives and the future of the planet crumbles before our widened eyes.

Incredible showdowns of human and biblical proportions lead us to a crescendo of an ending that leaves the reader gasping. What a ride. Absolutely loved the book – the writing, the characters, the info, the darkness and all threaded through with a broken human and human gallows humour.

Get your eyes on this, horror fans. It’s chunky five star creepy goodness.

When i read a new book from an unknown author i am very sceptical. I can honestly say that this was a brilliant read. The story twists and turns from what appears a psychological thriller to a monster horror. It is well written and the characters each have their own flaws, which makes for an interesting read. The supernatural element of this book is both creepy and disturbing and the fact that its set in a time before the internet and mobile phones makes the situations in the book even scarier. A great read and one for the horror fans A++++

This was such a great concept for a horror novel, it had a great scary feel to it and was a joy to read this. The characters had a great overall feel and I enjoyed how good they were written. Richard Gadz does a great job in writing this and left me wanting to read more from him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Deixis Press for this opportunity to read rage and review this arc which will be available October 31,2023!

Another horrific descent into madness but this time it delivers. The tension and sense of unease never lets up! Mr Gadz draws you into this man’s mind and then royally messes with you until you too feel like the suoernatural entity that has been hunting the main character since childhood is out to get you too. Loved this book!

This creepy novel explores the horrors of a supernatural being along with the urgency of a man on the run, not just from some very bad people who are hunting him down but from himself as well.

Set in the 1970s and all of the gritty elements involved in that time period, a man is being haunted and hunted. Haunted from guilt over some stolen money that accidentally left people dead and hunted by mobsters who know him and are aware that he has their money.

But he's also being stalked by a powerful supernatural entity that feasts on human suffering and delights in their grief, fear, and guilt. All of these elements make up a terrifying, action packed, and excellently written story.

This book has many characters that make up the entirety of the narrative. A love interest for our protagonist, a truly frightening mob boss that'll send shivers down your spine when he's on the page, and a past our protagonist would like to forget if only his inner demons would let him do that.

He's not necessarily a good guy. He's multifaceted and has done bad things throughout his life. But he's not a monster either. He's written with an approach that describes the whole man, not just some cardboard cutout of what we might consider a "good" or "bad" person. And that will definitely keep your interest as you read.

As things start to get progressively worse and escape from Burn Street seems impossible, the supernatural element begins to increase and leads to some very horrifying places for everyone involved.

This is a fantastic novel about escaping your past, trying to make things right, and suffering the consequences for your actions, all mixed with a frightening creature that wants to eat his soul and mind. I highly recommend it!

‘O fool, I shall go mad..’


I am gobsmacked by the sheer originality of the storytelling. Wow! Just wow!
This amazing, weird, wicked, ingenious,, fantastical, and mind-boggling story is by far one of the best novels I have read in years. What a wicked tale!

The story follows a young man called 'Steve' who obtained a substantial sum of money through dishonest means. He's currently renting a room in Burn Street and attempting to stay inconspicuous, as he's frightened that the authorities will discover that he took the bag of money during the robbery. After the incident, which resulted in a gas explosion, numerous people were declared victims.
The writing style is commendable, with a succession of unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged and engrossed; A number of my preferred books are referenced or skillfully interwoven into this astounding narrative; one of Shakespeare's once-banned, best plays serves as inspiration, conveying complex topics such as the dysfunctionality of family ties, as well as the contrast between organisation and disorder.
Whenever I witness the performance of King Lear, I am deeply moved. The anguish of the raging king during the storm scene gives me goosebumps every time. It has been my favourite play since my school years.

The author is gifted with multiple talents. He skillfully manipulates language and settings throughout the narrative to keep readers engaged. A particularly notable moment occurs halfway through the story when reality and ‘Dreamland’ appear to merge, leading the reader to question their own sanity.

Is this simply a story about a young man becoming consumed by madness? Or is it a manifestation of cosmicism, or has trauma induced psychosis set in after the MK-Ultra mind-control experiments?
I particularly enjoyed the section on Plato's collective consciousness, and was equally thrilled to see familiar characters from one of my favourite Dickens (Our Mutual Friend).
However, I was perplexed by the appearance of Alex and his gang (Clockwork Orange) and the reference to 2+2=5 in this Lovecraftian narrative.

Mind blowing and highly original cosmic horror. This novel captivated me from start to finish with its intricate and immersive world. This story will stay with me for a long time, a must read for any cosmic horror fan and a highly recommendable read for everyone else who wants to read a darn good story.

5++ stars. Thank you Deixis Press for the review copy.

OH MAN...was this good.

I was wowed by how Richard Gadz decided to write The Burn Street Haunting and how well he was able to get you to feel 'Steve's' continuous feelings throughout the entire book. Which, not going to lie, creeps up on you until you feel the same feelings of dread and suspicion. The writing style kept me engaged throughout the entire story and I especially loved the use of King Lear quotes throughout each section. It made the story really piece together without breaking the flow. It is honestly the first book in a really long time that I loved everything about.

Thank you Deixis and NetGalley for an eARC copy.

Set in 1970s London, Tom is on the run from the police, underground crime networks, and most terrifyingly himself and his past. When he finds himself being pursued by all 3 while trying to start over, a cosmic horror is unleashed in this unique, unsettling, and dreadful book.

I had a hard time with this book at first. Unreliable narrators don’t do it for me sometimes, but I’m SO glad I kept reading because a third of the way through, I was hooked. The first person unreliable narration made this book the great book that it is. The writing was very well done, so much so that there were a few times where I felt like I was feeling the same confusion, panic, and dread the narrator was feeling. This story has some Stranger Things vibes, but ultimately it was extremely unique. It was also incredibly intelligent and had me rereading a few pages to really soak in the information I was being given. The ending was so good and unexpected. I would definitely recommend this to any lover of cosmic horror and Stranger Things.

I’d just started reading an ARC of Richard Gadz’s latest work of horror fiction, The Burn Street Haunting, and oh. my. word. Did I relate to this main character within the first few pages (not in the life-of-crime aspect!) I’ve lived with psychosis since early adulthood — if not earlier — and just the way the narrator describes certain feelings and experiences in such an authentic voice…Right hand to god, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end. There’s also the whole running away thing. I relate to that more than I care to imagine, too. Yeah, I was rooting for our main character pretty hard in *checks notes* …a horror novel. And I was only 4% of the way through the thing! Another one to chalk up to Claire Getting Over-Invested In The Fates of Fictional Characters.

As the novel went on, both character and plot progression felt natural. Even a sort of genre shift was effortlessly masterful. There’s kind of a case of insta-love but it feels earned, authentic. That’s a word I keep returning to when I try to describe <i>The Burn Street Haunting</i>, ‘authentic’. The characters and their progression, the setting, and the feelings our (unreliable) narrator experiences: uncertainty, confusion, and all-out terror, all feel authentic. I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing to pull off in a piece of cosmic horror writing about a supernatural entity. But Gadz somehow does it. I can’t wait to read more from them. Fantastic stuff.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free e-book version in exchange for an honest review.

This book will have you on the edge of your seat! A brilliant thriller/horror novel. If you're a fan of paranormal tv shows, ghost hunting etc, you'll enjoy this one!

My thanks to Deixis press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book, although it did take me a little while to get into it. It is the story of a man who is attempting to start anew while running from law enforcement, criminal gangs, and a supernatural entity. The beginning didn't really draw me in a great deal, but the further I got into the book the more exciting it became. Overall I would recommend it.

I did really enjoy Gadz's style of writing, and particularly I enjoyed the descriptions of some of his characters.

I may revisit this one in the future- perhaps I wasn't in the mood to fully enjoy the beginning of the story.

Full disclosure - I was not able to finish this one. I DNF'd at around 30%, not because it was poorly written or bad but because I was not in the mood for it just then. I plan to revisit it in the future.

What I did read was very well composed, introducing us to the main character and his nebulous references to Certain Events that seem to inform his habits and lifestyle. His stream of consciousness simultaneously paints a rich picture of his surroundings and the other tenants in his building. The mystery begins to build right off the bat, as well. There are the allusions to Certain Events littered along the way, but he also seems to have done something terrible just before moving to London, and for some reason has a big suitcase full of cash.

I am excited to finish this one. I feel like it will be better suited to melancholy January days, and I can finally find out what happened at Certain Events and see if his crush on the girl in his apartment goes anywhere.