HYDE BY CRAIG RUSSELL | BOOK REVIEW

TITLE : Hyde

AUTHOR : Craig Russell

GENRE : Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

FR RATING : ⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 Stars)

DATE OF PUBLISHING :   25th March 2021

FR REVIEW

DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Little Brown Book Group UK, for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hyde by Craig Russel is a police procedural style story that follows Captain Hyde who is investigating an unusual murder that resembles the three-fold death from the Celtic tales. The story is an intriguing take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and talks about the duality of the nature of man, the good and the evil, and with RL Stevenson appearing in both the prologue and epilogue was quite interesting to read. Hyde is a gothic horror story that is steeped in Celtic folklore and tales that creates a haunting atmospheric setting and is quite fascinating.

Hyde is the Captain of Edinburgh’s Police force and is deeply troubled by his past and his time as a soldier in India. He is also suffering from a rare form of epilepsy that causes hallucinations and episodes which take him out of the real world and puts him in the Celtic otherworld. These episodes followed by the loss of time and memory of the events that preceded them make him worry about his state of mind and the things that he is capable of. While he is struggling with strange visions, he finds himself at the place of a gruesome murder followed by the haunting banshee cry. As he investigates the murder, more and more shocking things come to the surface, and secrets are revealed that should have stayed hidden. Secret societies, Celtic rituals, the resurrection of the Deacon, hellhounds all ramp up the intensity and grips us till the end. Can Hyde stop the murderer before he strikes again or will he come face to face with the monster who hides within himself?

The story was full of elements that kept on moving till the end, and what an end it was!! I was so into this story from the very beginning. It had a dark atmosphere and a feel of gothic horror. I was fascinated by the Celtic myths and Scottish tales and brought in the supernatural element that was flawlessly weaved into the story. It was creepy, unsettling, and spine-tingling in the best of ways. The writing is a bit heavier at first and once I got pulled into the story, it didn’t feel as difficult as I thought it was.

The pacing is slower and takes its time to establish the different plot points and setting up for the different reveals. I thought this made things settle into the readers’ minds exactly the way they should. The mental health struggle and personality disorder were quite well done and I appreciate seeing the struggle and doubts that creep up in both Hyde’s mind and our minds throughout the story.

The characters were all very fascinating and I found each nugget of the Celtic folklore they offered to be the best way of spinning the story and it wonderfully complimented the ending. I did not expect the ending or the way things progressed in this story. The only issue I had was the insta-relationship that happened, and while I am not happy with it, I was not that annoyed either, because I was way too focused on what was going on in the story.

Overall, this was a really good horror story that will fascinate you and pull you in with the interesting world, paranormal elements, and enchanting folklore. The atmospheric setting and the ominous dark cloud that hovers around the main character provide the perfect backdrop for the gothic style of the story. I gave the book 4 stars and highly recommend checking it out. I have seen amazing reviews for the author’s other works. This makes me excited to add Craig Russell to my approved list of Authors. If you love folklore, gothic horror, and police procedural-style stories, then definitely check this one out.

Do you like to read gothic horror? Do let me know your favorites and books you think I should check out immediately in the comment section down below.

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SYNOPSIS

From international bestselling author Craig Russell comes a modern Gothic masterpiece.

Edward Hyde has a strange gift-or a curse-he keeps secret from all but his physician. He experiences two realities, one real, the other a dreamworld state brought on by a neurological condition.

When murders in Victorian Edinburgh echo the ancient Celtic threefold death ritual, Captain Edward Hyde hunts for those responsible. In the process he becomes entangled in a web of Celticist occultism and dark scheming by powerful figures. The answers are there to be found, not just in the real world but in the sinister symbolism of Edward Hyde’s otherworld.

He must find the killer, or lose his mind.

A dark tale. One that inspires Hyde’s friend . . . Robert Louis Stevenson.