Catriona Ward has written a handful of award-winning novels that straddle the border between horror and thriller, and Nowhere Burning sees the British-based author refining this formula further.
The Nowhere of the title is an actual place, a mysterious house in the remote Rocky Mountains where, local myth has it, a bunch of wild and feral children live completely off-grid, free from the restrictions of society.
The novel has three interweaving strands, the main one following 14-year-old Riley and her little brother Oliver. After the death of their mother, they are abused by an older cousin, eventually escaping and making for the rumoured kids’ utopia of Nowhere House. Also interested in finding the secret hideaway are documentary filmmakers Marc and Kimble, whose outsider view on this legend adds useful perspective to the overall narrative.
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With more information being drip-fed to the reader on original owner Leaf Winham and the possibly horrific history of the place, the scene is set for a slow-burn thriller that gradually coalesces into a nerve-shredding finale.
Ward’s understated prose is perfectly suited to the horror genre, allowing the steady realisation of the truth to dawn on the reader as they turn the pages. She’s adept at character too, and Riley is a great emotional focus for the novel as it drags the reader towards the darkly compelling final pages. This is a writer in complete control of her story. A terrific read.
