The Secret of Crickley Hall

By: James Herbert

Narrated by: David Rintoul

Length: 18 hrs

Publisher's summary

There is an old, empty house in Devil's Cleave, a deep gorge that leads from the high moors down to the harbour village of Hollow Bay. The house is Crickley Hall and it's large and grim, somehow foreboding. It's rumoured to be haunted. It's thought to hold a secret. Despite some reservations, the Caleighs move in, searching for respite in this beautiful part of North Devon, seeking peace and perhaps to come to terms with what's happened to them as a family.

But all is not well with the house. They hear unaccountable noises. A cellar door they shut every night is always open again in the morning. They see things that cannot be real. The house is the last place the Caleighs should have come to, for the terror that unfolds is beyond belief. Soon they will discover the secret horror of Crickley Hall....

©2006 James Herbert (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Ghost Story

This story was the best written and narrated that I read this year... Brilliant 2 thumbs up...

Not your normal haunted house

David Rintoul, who did a masterful job narrating The Devil's Detective, narrates The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert. He does a wonderful job with all the accents, genders, and living/dead characters. I find him to be a dependable narrator. If he narrates a book, it will be enjoyable to listen to. In this case, I would not listen to this one at night if I am fighting insomnia. It sucked me in quickly and I am sure it will do the same on the second listen.

Crickley Hall is not your normal haunted house. It was built in the 1800's. It is an ugly house, large and block-like. It does not have the long history of haunting that most classic haunting stories have. It does have a history of flooding. All of Crickley Hall's characteristics come together when a family, grieving for the loss of their son less than a year ago, move in for a few months. Their lost son is literally lost, he disappeared and no clue or body has turned up. This is a long story, 18 hours. The story builds until things start to happen with very moments of rest in-between.

I recommend The Secret of Crickley Hall. There is something that feels like an older and classic story.

the BEST paranormal book EVER! a must read!

this is the first book review i’ve given and it’s because this is the BEST haunting novel i have ever read/listened to. if you are like me and enjoy hauntings, ghosts, and anything paranormal then this is the book for you. the story AND the narrator are awesome, and they both deserve the 5 star review. kudos.

Great

Found it a good horror
Leaving me wanting "MORE"
Would recommend this book and read more by this author really enjoyed

Moody Days in Hollow Bay

This book was recommended by a trusted friend and I have to say, for me, I was in very good hands with this title.

From the first few moments of well written imagery and brilliantly narrated lines, I was instantly transported to the often rainy harbor town of Hollow Bay and every inch of Crickley Hall was easily built in my mind. It was very easy to get fully immersed in what I was hearing.

Story wise, I found this one had all of my favorite aspects included with it’s emotional depth, detailed descriptions and overall complexity. I was taken into every shadowed corner and also, thankfully, the brightest of lights!

The narration was exceptional and I will be hoping to find more titles done by him in the very near future.

This selection is definitely best for those who are well versed in everything a haunted house story can entail as this one does cover some very intense (and potentially triggering) ground.

Perfect ghost story - great narration

If you want just a classic ghost story with all the feels then this is a great one.

Finally, A great classic Ghost Story!

Where does The Secret of Crickley Hall rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I listen to ALOT of books. Most are to just get through the day and have background noise, but this is really one of the better books I have ever listened to, as far as thrillers / mysteries go. Reader was perfect, and the book was long,18 hours or so, but the plot moved along as it should have. Overall, I am now a big fan of James Herbert.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Caretaker of Crickley Hall. Because he's an animal lover. Very cool twist at the end of the book regarding the family dog, Chester.

What does David Rintoul bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great English Accent.

Any additional comments?

If you like classic ghost stories this is a great one. Old spooky house, strange happenings, unexpected twists and turns, very talented Reader, how can you go wrong?

Good book but slow...

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The book is a little slow. It really needs to pick up the pace and intrigue the readers interest. However, the voice makes it even more quiet and boring. It needs a little more oomph! Good ghost story but could be much better.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

More character voice changes and more intonation changes in reading. It just needs more emotion with a voice that captures the reader.

A Very Traditional Ghost Story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

While I do enjoy traditional ghost stories as much as the next fan of horror, this story played it very safe with all of the conventions. It added nothing to the genre. The characters felt flat for the most part and I felt I had to finish the book. The ending was something you could see or feel coming from fairly far off.

Loved this listen.

I really enjoyed this book, loved the narrator, I could imagine the whole book and scenery.. great expression to his characters.. I was disappointed when it finished and hoped the writer had more similar long listen books.. If you buy this book im sure you will enjoy