The Grieving Stones

By: Gary McMahon

Narrated by: Chris Barnes

Length: 2 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

A small therapy group arrives at Grief House hoping that a combination of isolation and hard work will help them begin the healing process each of them so desperately needs.

But their presence has awakened something in the old dwelling. Something linked to the ancient stone megaliths at the rear of the property and a terrible crime, committed centuries before.

Before the weekend is over, the group will learn the secrets of the Grieving Stones, and come to understand the true meaning of transformation.

©2016 Gary McMahon (P)2016 Horrific Tales Publishing

Excellent! Dark and brooding!

I listened to this one on audio and it was excellent. The writing was dark and brooding and the narration by Chris Barnes really added some extra atmosphere. There were some good characterizations, as well for such a quick work, which clocked in at just under 3 hours.

A field trip group therapy session to a place called Grief House may not have been the best idea. Just sayin’.

Deeply Disturbing, Heightened by the Narration

A house in the woods to serve as a grief house?? What could possible go wrong, especially next to something called the "Grieving Stones" which feed off the grief the patients in the weekend counseling session emit.

Atmospheric horror at its best, you'll be hard pressed to find a better novella in the "haunted house" genre.

Chris Barnes heightens this with his stoic delivery, drawing you into the darkness and never letting go.

This is a book to be listened to at night, with the lights off, and no other distractions.

very good with excellent narration!

+1 star for quoting [book:The Yellow Wallpaper|8217236] at the start
+1 star for Chris Barnes' narration- He was fantastic!!

The Grieving Stones is a very good story about grief with some local folklore mixed in. The writing was good, the story was really good and original. I would read more by this author.

I requested this audio book in exchange for a honest review.

Dark Story

The GrievStones is a dark story with twists that you won't see coming. If you love dark horror, I highly recommend this book it may be short, but it will get your adrenaline pumping. I received this book for free upon my request. I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased review here of my own free will.

Good, short listen

This was an interesting story about a group of people in a therapy group going to an old house for some relaxation and to work on their "issues". It's the typical "not everyone is who they seem" story lines where everything is explained in narrative at the end.
Fun, short story.
The best part (IMO) is the narrator.

A Subtle and Atmospheric Piece

Gary McMahon knows how to tell a tense and moody tale without cheap cat leaps out of nowhere jump scares. This is a pressure building story that draws you in slowly, sort of like sitting in quicksand and not realizing it until you're already up to your neck and its way to late to get out.

Barnes uses his voice like a weapon, like a razor sharp blade that you don't feel as it enters your body, and only begins to hurt once you realize you've been wounded. Again, but that point it's too late. He's got you.

I could have listened to a larger more fleshed out novel and been even more satisfied.

a menacing sense of doom

A therapy group for people dealing with loss and grief heads off to a dilapidated house in the country for a slightly unconventional weekend session to tidy up the house. Grief House has its own creepy history set within local folklore. The story is told from the point of view of Alice, who recently lost her husband, and who begins to feel a deep affinity with the house. Right from the start, this was a very atmospheric story with a menacing sense of doom. Gary McMahon's writing was excellent. This was my first time listening to any of his work, but it definitely won't be my last. I was really impressed with the way he managed to flesh out the characters and make them into believable people with real emotions. He also created this dark and brooding atmosphere and described the scenery so vividly, all within 150 pages. At just under three hours, this was a great one to listen to in one sitting.

The Grieving Stones wasn't a blood and gore horror story, it was very subtle and looming instead focusing on the classic sinister house/ghost elements. The author skilfully combined this with mental health issues. The punch dummy and the Backwards Girl were clever ideas and truly frightening. There were some scenes involving animals that I found rather unsettling, but that's just one of my personal don't-cope-well-with triggers.

Listening to Chris Barnes narrate this story was a total delight. His voice was clear and really pleasant to listen to. I loved his Scottish accent. He varied tone and delivery sufficiently to give each of the characters a distinct voice. He really knew how to accentuate the chilling, creepy atmosphere and how to evoke the necessary emotions, but he did so in a fairly understated, measured manner. Very professional! I will definitely look out for more audios by Chris Barnes. There were no issues with the production of the audio.

Quite unusual for me, but I have no complaints whatsoever... except maybe, it could have been a longer story.

Highly recommended as a short, classic horror story!

Audiobook was provided for review by the narrator.

Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

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The Grieving Stones

An absorbing tale of horror. I liked meeting the characters and being in the main character’s head. The horror is subtle as it leads to a satisfyingly creepy climax.
This is my second audiobook narrated by Chris Barnes and I thoroughly enjoyed his narration.

Wow!

I loved this! I wasn’t ready for it to end. This story is creepy and original, highly recommend.