“Writers are monsters. We eat everything we see…

In a windswept cottage overlooking the sea, Wilder Harlow begins the last book he will ever write. It is the story of his childhood companions and the shadowy figure of the Daggerman, who stalked the New England town where they spent their summers. Of a horror that has followed Wilder through the decades. And of Sky, Wilder’s one-time friend, who stole his unfinished memoir and turned it into a lurid bestselling novel, The Sound and the Dagger.

This book will be Wilder’s revenge on Sky, who betrayed his trust and died without ever telling him why. But as he writes, Wilder begins to find notes written in Sky’s signature green ink, and events in his manuscript start to chime eerily with the present. Is Sky haunting him? And who is the dark-haired woman drowning in the cove, whom no one else can see?

No longer able to trust his own eyes, Wilder feels his grip on reality slipping. And he begins to fear that this will not only be his last book, but the last thing he ever does.

Discover the new dark thriller from the bestselling author of The Last House on Needless Street”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to be joining the Looking Glass Sound blog tour. Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward is published today (that’s Thursday 20th April 2023) and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow next year. I chose to read a free ARC of Looking Glass Sound but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Angie at Viper Books for sending me a finished copy.

Catriona Ward has rapidly become a ‘must read’ author for me.  The Last House on Needless Street, Ward’s first book with publisher Viper Books, became one of 2021s most talked about novels. It was a bestseller, it won awards and it deserved every drop of praise heaped upon it. Ward’s follow up, Sundial, was equally as good (if not a smidge better in my opinion!). Beautifully written and exquisitely dark, this unforgettable novel rode high in my top books of 2022. So I was champing at the bit to get hold of a copy of Looking Glass Sound. I would have moved heaven and earth, but there was no need as the kind folk at Viper Books answered my prayers and sent me a beautiful finished copy (and it’s stunning with gold flecks highlighting the waves in that tumultuous sea!).

Normally at this point in one of my reviews I would give my take on the blurb. However, in this instance, I’m not going to do that. Instead I’m going to direct you to the publisher’s blurb rather than put my size threes in it and say something I shouldn’t. Because, no huge surprise really with a book by this author, there are shocks and surprises along the way which I don’t want to spoil for you. Trust me, it’s safer this way!

Looking Glass Sound is another triumph from Catriona Ward! It ticks all the boxes with regard to character, setting, plot and storyline. I found myself drawn into the world Ward’s characters inhabit and it was a truly glorious thing. There’s something very human about Wilder Harlow. I completely believed in this awkward, big-eyed, pale skinned teen who aspired to be a writer and was bullied mercilessly by his peers at school. I instantly liked him. His desire to love and be loved in return. When Wilder meets Nathaniel and Harper, who are around the same age as him but so much cooler, I was immediately on edge. I’d grown so fond of the character, I wasn’t sure if these new companions posed a threat or whether they would be good for him and bring him out of his shell. My fondness for Wilder did not wane at any point throughout the book and I relished spending time in his company.

The setting is vivid and atmospheric. Whenever the Maine coastline features in a novel (and it seems to be a favourite amongst thriller writers) it’s always dramatic and unpredictable.  Ward effortlessly paints an intimidating setting but makes it so much more creepy than I’ve experienced in the past, meaning I was as taken with the setting as I was by the characters. Brilliantly done and the perfect backdrop to a dark and unsettling story.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. Looking Glass Sound is an outstanding novel which I devoured with glee. I speed read my copy (because it was impossible to put down) but this a book I will certainly revisit in the future and savour every moment of. The story moves at a steady pace allowing the reader to really get to know the characters, to become fully invested in Wilder, before his world is turned upside down. I have been waiting to read Looking Glass Sound for nearly a year now and it was worth absolutely every single second of that wait. Multi-layered, believable characters in an intricate and incredibly well-written tale with a backdrop to die for. I loved the literary aspect of the book (a book about books, writing or writers is always a good thing in my opinion). I loved how the author seamlessly leads the reader down one path only to pull the rug out from beneath their feet. This is something this particular author does with aplomb. A highly readable novel with an unexpected, perfect twist in the tale and exceptional characterisation. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of Looking Glass Sound. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward was published in the UK by Viper Books on 20th April 2023 and is available in hardcover, audio and digital formats with the paperback to follow (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | Book Depository | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop | damppebbles amazon.co.uk shop | damppebbles amazon.com shop |

Catriona Ward was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the US, Kenya, Madagascar, Yemen, and Morocco. Her debut Rawblood won Best Horror Novel at the 2016 British Fantasy Awards, and was a WHSmith Fresh Talent title. Little Eve won the Shirley Jackson Award, was a Guardian best book of 2018 and won the Best Horror Novel at the 2019 British Fantasy Awards. She lives in London and Devon.