Starve Acre

Richard and Juliette Willoughby live in an isolated house called Starve Acre in rural Yorkshire during the 1970s. Their young son Ewan has died, leaving the couple to grapple with their grief in markedly different ways while living in this remote location. Richard throws himself into archaeological work on their property, becoming obsessed with uncovering the remains of an ancient oak tree that once stood there. Juliette seeks comfort through a local group of spiritualists who claim they can help her connect with Ewan, leading to tension between the couple. The land itself holds secrets, with local folklore speaking of dark histories tied to Starve Acre and its surroundings. As winter approaches, the boundary between reality and myth begins to blur, and both Richard and Juliette must confront what truly haunts their home. This gothic folk horror novel explores grief, rationality versus belief, and humanity's complex relationship with the natural world. The stark Yorkshire landscape serves as more than a backdrop, becoming integral to the story's examination of how people cope with loss and seek meaning in tragedy.

Readers describe Starve Acre as a slow-building folk horror novel that creates a sense of dread through its remote Yorkshire setting and grief-centered narrative. Readers appreciate: - The atmospheric descriptions of the barren landscape - The exploration of loss and mourning - The subtle, creeping tension rather than overt scares - The brevity and tight pacing at 256 pages Common criticisms: - Too ambiguous an ending for some readers - Character development feels shallow - Slow first half that loses some readers - Plot threads that remain unresolved Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon UK: 4/5 (850+ ratings) Amazon US: 3.8/5 (200+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "The writing is beautiful but the story left me cold" - Goodreads reviewer "Perfect winter reading that gets under your skin" - Amazon UK reviewer "Wanted more explanation of the supernatural elements" - Amazon US reviewer

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🌟 "Starve Acre" was published in 2019 by John Murray Press, following Hurley's previous folk horror successes "The Loney" and "Devil's Day" 🌿 The book draws heavily on British folk horror traditions, particularly the 1970s movement known as "folk horror revival" that included films like "The Wicker Man" 🌳 Author Andrew Michael Hurley originally worked as a librarian and teacher before becoming a full-time writer after the success of his first novel 🏆 The novel's exploration of grief and folklore earned it a place on several "Best Horror of 2019" lists, including those by The Guardian and The Telegraph 🌙 The story's central image of a massive dead oak tree was inspired by the author's visits to Yorkshire's ancient woodland areas, where centuries-old dead trees still stand as local landmarks