Horror Book of the Week: Jack and Jill by Kealan Patrick Burke

 

You may have heard of the nursery rhyme of Jack and Jill. They went up the hill to fetch a pail of water and ended up tumbling down. 

Now imagine if this nursery rhyme was given the horror treatment?

This week’s Horror Book Pick is JACK AND JILL written by Kealan Patrick Burke. 

The book was published in December 2013 by Elderlemon Press and is in the bestsellers list of Psychological Thrillers and Fiction. 

Jack and Jill was well-received by critics and readers who praised the author’s writing style and the story that is described as horrifying, dark, twisted, and yet it will leave you asking for more. 

Some readers found the story predictable and found the ending too abrupt. They also thought that the ending left a lot of questions unanswered. 

Quick Book Review of JACK AND JILL based on sample

The book begins with Gillian’s nightmare. In her dreams, she is twelve again and her brother John is nine. She is at the cemetery, atop a hill overlooking the town below. 

Gillian describes herself and her brother as Jack and Jill, and as per the description, it is hinted that their father is a monster to them since he abuses them. 

In the dream, Gillian and her brother roll down the hill and her thoughts incline towards her not caring whether or not she wins the race; she loves her brother too much to care. 

But that is when the sky darkens with clouds and she finds blood on the grass. Something has happened to John and the stranger may or may not have something to do with it. He is an ominous presence that greatly disturbs her. The scene shifts towards an even more disturbing one. 

In the next chapter, we find out that Gillian is all grown up and married to a man called Chris who is greatly concerned for her psychological state. Gillian has been having the same nightmare for a long time now and it is affecting her health. But she is shown to be irritated by her husband and hints at the things that she used to find endearing before, no longer are to her. 

The story definitely has potential to be a good read on a rainy afternoon. It is the kind of thriller that will keep you hooked and make you read the book in one day. The book is about a little more than a hundred pages, so it may just be possible. 

The writing flows well and the sentences are almost poetic. But if you have read enough thrillers, you would guess where the story is headed from the sample chapters itself. 

 Nevertheless, it’s a story you would want to read because the very first chapter will captivate you and invoke curiosity. 

After reading the sample, should you continue reading and buy the book? Definitely. 

You can safely put it on your TBR list. 

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