Review: Within These Walls by Ania Ahlborn

Title: Within These Walls

Author: Ania Ahlborn

Published by: Gallery Books

Released: 2015

Source: Library

Summary: From indie horror author and bestselling sensation Ania Ahlborn, this brand-new supernatural thriller questions: how far would you go for success, and what would you be capable of if the promise of forever was real?

With his marriage on the rocks and his life in shambles, washed up crime writer Lucas Graham is desperate for a comeback. So when he’s promised exclusive access to notorious cult leader and death row inmate Jeffrey Halcomb, the opportunity is too good to pass up. Lucas leaves New York for the scene of the crime—a split-level farmhouse on the gray-sanded beach of Washington State—a house whose foundation is steeped in the blood of Halcomb’s diviners; runaways who, thirty years prior, were drawn to his message of family, unity, and unconditional love. Lucas wants to tell the real story of Halcomb’s faithful departed, but when Halcomb goes back on his promise of granting Lucas exclusive information on the case, he’s left to put the story together on his own. Except he is not alone. For Jeffrey Halcomb promised his devout eternal life…and within these walls, they’re far from dead. ( Synopsis from Goodreads )

My Thoughts: I liked this! I'm definitely going to read more from Ania Ahlborn. Within These Walls was a slow burn scare. It had a lot of build up to an ending that shocked me. It was definitely an experience of a book. It had a Charles Mason vibe to it, which made it really weird and really creepy.

I was really looking forward to Lucas getting that interview with Jeff Halcomb, and it made me a little crazy that it never happened. It would have been such an intense and creepy scene.

I liked getting all the flashbacks to the time of the original crime. They were really interesting to read and experience. I felt so badly for Audra Snow. She seemed like such a lost and lonely soul, and these people just took advantage of her. What have I learned? Never invite a bunch of weird, beach living strangers into your house. I wish she would have kicked them out, especially as they got more and more sinister. I wish she could have recognized that there was no love there, no belonging, they were just using her.

I won't say that I ultimately understood everything that happened. I didn't understand all the whys. I still have questions about the baby. Questions about just what really was going on. It was very weird. I also had questions when it came to Lucas's ex-wife. Why didn't she try to get in contact with her daughter more?

I will say I did guess who one of the villains might be, so I wasn't that surprised when they were revealed.

Within These Walls was one crazy ride. It was a slow-burn scare that I really ended up enjoying. It's not a book that will scare the pants off you, but it does have a creep factor that will stay after turning the last page. I'm going to be reading more by Ania Ahlborn.

BOOKCITEMENT LEVEL 4/5

Spooooooky!