The Loney

The Loney, a bleak coastal place in Lancashire, England, is steeped in history, religious belief, and dark undercurrents. A group of church-goers, including the narrator and his mentally challenged brother, make an Easter pilgrimage to this mournful place where they deal with hostile villagers, a house with a strange history, and a desecrated shrine. The narrator and his brother unwittingly become involved in an ancient ritual in a way that will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

"The Loney" is well written, most certainly more literary than genre in quality. The character development is masterfully rendered and the atmospheric detailing is superb. Stylistically, it reminded me of "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson. The author excelled at setting an eerie gothic tone, with understated creepiness and a slow nothing-is-happening pace. The story builds to a shocking denouement that is delivered with unnerving calm.

I rated "The Loney" with three stars -- it is a solidly good book and I liked it. But nothing about it particularly shocked me or made a lasting impression on me.