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Rookwood Asylum: Supernatural Suspense with Scary & Horrifying Monsters (Asylum Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,511 ratings

Some memories are too painful to forget…


American History lecturer Paul Mahan was looking for a little peace and quiet. A place to recover from his personal demons, and pursue his academic career. But when he moves into the newly refurbished Rookwood Apartments, he soon finds himself trapped in a living nightmare.

A series of terrifying events forces Paul to question his sanity. Strange messages scrib-ble themselves across the walls. His beautiful neighbor seems to vanish without a trace. And a deadly accident tears away the veil from Rookwood’s dark past.

As these violent incidents escalate, residents call in a paranormal expert, hoping to end the strange accidents once and for all. But only Paul understands the chilling truth. The pain and torture of Rookwood’s blood-soaked past can no longer be contained…

And a terror beyond anything they have ever experienced is about to be unleashed.

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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

An American, thought Declan Mooney, as he watched the elevator doors close. Seems ordinary enough. But you never know.

He ran the fingers of his left hand over the patch of skin where he had had the tattoo removed. That had been nearly ten years ago, but he could still see the slogan, the flag. It had not been illegal, strictly speaking. But it had guaranteed that nobody meeting him could have doubted his allegiance, his origins. In the right area, it was a safe conduct pass. But if he had simply walked into the wrong pub, asked the wrong guy for directions, the tattoo could have earned him a beating. Or worse.

As if getting a bloody picture taken off my skin could solve the problem.

Declan tried to shrug off unpleasant thoughts as he made his way back to the modern office he disliked. He would have preferred a dark little cubbyhole somewhere, or a shed in the grounds. But Kate had been insistent on his membership to 'the core team,' and wanted him close at hand.

Not a bad lass, he thought. And a fine pair of legs on her. But naïve. Not the sort of person to be running a place like this.

Declan sat down at his desk, turned on his company-issued computer, and began to log the day's repairs, complaints, and faults. The log on Rookwood's intranet was fuller than any he had kept in the past when he had worked in Liverpool and Manchester. The building clearly had more teething troubles than average, and it was not even finished.

The East Wing, he thought. Hanging over us all in its way.

He closed the online log and got up, stretched. He felt a slight twinge of pain in his neck, rubbed the area for a few moments. Then he set off on his rounds, his daily routine of checking lights and common spaces, making sure nothing else had failed for no readily apparent reason.

Gremlins, she calls them, he thought. Makes the unknown seem all cuddly, small, and trivial. But maybe it isn't.

As he passed through the foyer, he thought he glimpsed someone from the corner of his eye. When he stopped to look out at the sunlit driveway, he saw no one. He continued on his way, but could not shake the notion that he had caught someone watching him. And he felt the odd, crawling sensation up his spine as he went along an empty corridor. More than once he glanced over his shoulder, but of course, he was not being followed. He attributed the creepy sensation to the lights, which were triggered by motion sensors. They created moving pools of radiance. A few yards ahead of him and behind, the corridor was dim, with more shadows than he cared for.

Sure, and how would they track me down here anyway? Declan asked himself. You're just being bloody paranoid, man. It's not like you were ever a big boss in the organization. Nah, you were just a daft lad who took messages, kept watch on the corner. Nothing too heinous at all. Thousands did worse and got away with worse.

"You hid those rifles in your ma's attic."

The words were spoken directly into his ear, the voice an urgent whisper. Declan spun around, anger rising, fists raised. But there was no one to lash out at or defend against. He was still alone in the silent, carpeted corridor.

"I'm hearing things," he said aloud.

He had stood still for just long enough for the lights to go out. Declan waved an arm to trigger the sensors. In the split-second before the light was restored, he thought he saw a figure at the far end of the corridor. It was masked, wearing a black beret, its clothes baggy combats, heavy boots. One arm hung by its side, and in its hand, he saw the sharp outline of a gun, an automatic pistol.

"Nobody there!" he insisted as the ominous silhouette vanished. "Mind playing tricks."

The sound of a drill pierced the air, a noise that would normally be mildly irritating. But now it was a relief, a reminder of the mundane world of work, of practical matters and practical men. Declan turned and walked on, taking his moving pool of light with him, heading for the East Wing.

I'll just have a little chat with those builder lads, he told himself. See how they're getting on. It's not good to be alone too much around here.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07Q23JLQG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scare Street (March 31, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 31, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 256 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 169 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 1,511 ratings

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
1,511 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the story and found it believable. They found the book an interesting and easy read that kept them hooked until the end. The characters were well-developed with different perspectives, and they appreciated the British/European aspect of the writing. Readers found the writing quality good and easy to follow, though some felt the writing was too fast-paced. Overall, customers found the book entertaining and captivating. However, opinions differed on the scariness level - some found it creepy but not scary enough, while others felt it missed the mark on supernatural horror and gripping suspense.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

62 customers mention "Story quality"55 positive7 negative

Customers enjoyed the story's believable events and creepy setting. They found it a quick, enjoyable read with surprising twists at the end. While some readers felt the ending was predictable, others appreciated the suspenseful background on a paranormal story.

"...out, the characters are fully fleshed out with just enough details for you to relate to (like or loath) them and not too much you shut off because it..." Read more

"...people really did work well, too, and I thought the ending was appropriately climactic yet perfect to lead into the next book...." Read more

"A good thriller to read about an apartment that was built in an English town. The apartment was built where an old asylum used to be...." Read more

"...It was well written, had a good cast of characters, and a good storyline. The author had an original idea, and his whole story reflected that!..." Read more

47 customers mention "Readability"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and engaging. They appreciate the well-written story with believable characters and settings. Many consider it a good start to a new series and look forward to reading the next installment.

"I liked it. Wished it could be a bit longer. It was good really, it wasn’t crazy scary but enough to make you take a double look at what you have..." Read more

"...It was an okay read and I’m glad I finished the book to see the climax of the story, but I didn’t love it, and don’t think I’m going to be reading..." Read more

"A good read, well written, likeable characters. Would recommend it. Going to check his other stories. ! ! ! !" Read more

"I enjoyed the story and plot itself, it was very interesting, but it felt like everything was crammed together...." Read more

26 customers mention "Character development"26 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the character development. They appreciate the different points of view and the thrill of following the characters through their challenges. The book contains both evil and kind characters, with a British or European aspect to their words.

"...The storyline is well thought out, the characters are fully fleshed out with just enough details for you to relate to (like or loath) them and not..." Read more

"...There are several points of view and you get stories from a few different characters that way...." Read more

"I enjoyed Rookwood Asylum. It was well written, had a good cast of characters, and a good storyline...." Read more

"A good read, well written, likeable characters. Would recommend it. Going to check his other stories. ! ! ! !" Read more

19 customers mention "Writing quality"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's writing quality good. They say it's an easy read with a great storyline and plot. The writing is at a 6th grade level, making it quick and easy to follow. The author does a good job of immersing the reader in the story without getting too wordy. The editing is good, making it an entertaining and light read.

"...It’s a decent story, with decent writing and decent characters...." Read more

"I enjoyed Rookwood Asylum. It was well written, had a good cast of characters, and a good storyline...." Read more

"A good read, well written, likeable characters. Would recommend it. Going to check his other stories. ! ! ! !" Read more

"...was decent, the characters were okay, and the writing was probably at a 6th grade level, so it was a quick and easy read; it just wasn't scary for me..." Read more

18 customers mention "Enjoyment"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it captivating, entertaining, and a nice filler of time. The tale is suspenseful and scary, keeping readers interested right from the beginning.

"Story was decent. Doesn't break new ground but was enjoyable. Moved along at a quick pace...." Read more

"Interesting with a good storyline...." Read more

"Got your attention right from the beginning and kept you anticipating the next corner 💕 Cant wait to read next one..." Read more

"...ghosts, paranormal, hauntings and possessions all wrapped up into an intriguing and entertaining tale." Read more

15 customers mention "Scariness level"7 positive8 negative

Customers express mixed opinions about the book's scariness level. Some find it creepy but not too scary, and enjoy reading such stories. Others feel it lacks supernatural horror and suspense, finding it more creepy than scary.

"...Wished it could be a bit longer. It was good really, it wasn’t crazy scary but enough to make you take a double look at what you have read...." Read more

"...at a 6th grade level, so it was a quick and easy read; it just wasn't scary for me, and I found that rather disappointing." Read more

"...I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good scary story!" Read more

"...Many of the lead characters are unlikeable, the ghosts are bothersome, and there were several British phrases that I'd never heard before and it..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2019
    Take a remodeling project to renovate an old facility, toss in a few tenants who blindly move in without researching it's dark past, top it off with a few ghosts and supernatural events and what do you get? A story that not only pulls you in, it won't let you go until your done. The storyline is well thought out, the characters are fully fleshed out with just enough details for you to relate to (like or loath) them and not too much you shut off because it's annoying. Mild sentence structure differences due to the spoken language (U.S. verses U.K.), once you realize this everything flows at a perfect pace. Highly recommended.
    25 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2024
    I liked it. Wished it could be a bit longer. It was good really, it wasn’t crazy scary but enough to make you take a double look at what you have read. There wasn’t anything crazy and you find yourself rooting some of the characters.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2024
    This is a haunted asylum movie in book format, all the way. It’s a decent story, with decent writing and decent characters. There are several points of view and you get stories from a few different characters that way. I did have to suspend my disbelief that the main character would choose to move into this clearly deficient apartment building, no matter what the cost, but I did understand that it was a necessary story step. The portrayal of relationships between the various people really did work well, too, and I thought the ending was appropriately climactic yet perfect to lead into the next book. Everything was very cinematic in a lot of ways, and I truly could see this book easily turned into a decent B Movie. It was an okay read and I’m glad I finished the book to see the climax of the story, but I didn’t love it, and don’t think I’m going to be reading the second book in the series.
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2023
    A good thriller to read about an apartment that was built in an English town. The apartment was built where an old asylum used to be. Poltergeist and ghost good book.
  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2019
    I enjoyed Rookwood Asylum. It was well written, had a good cast of characters, and a good storyline. The author had an original idea, and his whole story reflected that! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good scary story!
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2022
    A good read, well written, likeable characters. Would recommend it. Going to check his other stories. ! ! ! !
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2023
    Didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped I would. Very predictable, and seems this concept has already been done.
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2023
    Story was decent. Doesn't break new ground but was enjoyable. Moved along at a quick pace. Easy to put down and pick up again, which would make it ideal if you are only able to carve out short reading sessions.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Amy
    2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointning
    Reviewed in Canada on January 8, 2024
    A haunted asylum has got to be my favourite horror trope but this book just didn't deliver. The characters were bland, the setting not nearly explored enough, and the parts that the author clearly wanted to be scary just weren't. Maybe books further into this series are better but I won't be reading past this one myself.
  • Paula Robinson
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2024
    An intriguing storyline. Very well written and one that keeps you wanting to read. Once I started to read I found it hard to put down.
  • ROHAN SHARMA
    4.0 out of 5 stars An intriguing tale of lingering pain
    Reviewed in India on March 30, 2021
    I am new to this kind of a book even though I have seen such shorts, movies and TV shows. The plot is not the most original but the start is promising.
    Pros
    - Promising start
    - Doesn't stretch
    - Highly engaging
    - Some memorable characters
    Cons
    - Not a big weakness but some back story and character details would have added weight to the story as the book is under 200 pages where the short duration is also its strength
    - Suspense building takes away from added characterisation
    - Plot is fairly predictable
  • Mister Madel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Der letzte Teil der Serie ist ein guter Schluss
    Reviewed in Germany on February 6, 2020
    Habe die beiden vorherigen Teile gelesen und fand sie bereits für ihre Kürze sehr gut und mit diesem Abschluss wird der Autor in die Riege meiner Lieblingsautoren zugefügt.
    Volle Sterne
  • Margaret R Blake
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in Australia on March 8, 2023
    I love a good paranormal read; moreso if it makes some sort of sense ... and this one did. The conclusion was satisfying, and it also ran on nicely into the second book, one of which will be put onto my 'to read' list. Well done.

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