Shrike

Title: Shrike

Author: Joe Donnelly

Published in: 1994

Date read: 25th March 2008

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Shrike" by Joe Donnelly, published in 2024, is a chilling and atmospheric folk horror novel set in the desolate and eerie Fenlands of England.

The protagonist is Jack Fallon, a man haunted by personal demons and a troubled past. He arrives in the remote, mist-shrouded Fenlands seeking refuge, hoping to escape his past and find some measure of peace in its isolation. However, the ancient, waterlogged landscape offers no solace; instead, it quickly becomes a source of growing terror.

Jack soon discovers that the locals are insular, deeply superstitious, and wary of outsiders. He uncovers disturbing local folklore and whispered tales about a malevolent entity, an ancient force known as the Shrike. This isn't just a myth; it's a terrifying, predatory presence intrinsically linked to the land itself. The Shrike preys on the vulnerable, particularly those who trespass on its domain or violate its unspoken rules, often leaving its victims in a grotesque, impaled state, mirroring the bird after which it's named.

As Jack delves deeper, he becomes entangled in a series of horrifying events and inexplicable disappearances that have plagued the Fenlands for generations. He realizes that the Shrike is very real, and its influence is growing. The oppressive atmosphere of the fens, with its constant mist and foreboding silence, enhances the sense of dread and claustrophobia.

Jack finds himself fighting not only against the tangible manifestations of the Shrike but also against the insidious psychological torment it inflicts, playing on his existing vulnerabilities. He uncovers dark secrets about the land's history and the sacrifices made to appease this ancient evil.

The novel is a masterclass in building tension and dread, using the bleak, beautiful, yet inherently menacing landscape as a central character. Jack must confront the horrifying truth about the Shrike and find a way to escape its clutches, or risk becoming its next victim, joining the long line of those who have succumbed to the Fenlands' ancient, hungry evil. "Shrike" is a compelling and unsettling modern folk horror tale.

Comments:
First book by this author and I had the rather tatty copy passed to me from my mother (as books were often passed between us all) and I really enjoyed it. Not much more to say.

Books that we've read by Joe Donnelly (2):
Bane (1989), Shrike (1994)