Synopsis
Leaving isn't safe... But staying would be deadly.
'An addictive read. . . Patricia Highsmith meets Shirley Jackson' - GILLIAN MCALLISTER
'A deliciously creepy tale of three sisters forced to take refuge in an abandoned mansion. Seddon deftly weaves between past horrors at the manor and the present-day struggle of the sisters to survive the night. What sets this thriller apart is the stellar writing and bone-chilling atmosphere Seddon creates.' - SARAH PEKKANEN, bestselling author of Gone Tonight
Three sisters find themselves lost in a storm at night, and seek safety at Moirthwaite Manor, where their mother once worked. They are shocked to find the isolated mansion that loomed so large through their troubled childhoods has long been abandoned. Drawing straws to decide who should get help, one sister heads back into the darkness. With the siblings separated, the deadly secrets hidden in the house finally make themselves known and we learn the unspeakable secret that binds the family together.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
- ISBN: 9781398709522
- Number of pages: 368
- Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 28 mm
- Weight: 260g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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A pacy & atmospheric thriller
I have a bit of a soft spot for old fashioned horror thrillers. It’s therefore no surprise that I was excited to read The Short Straw, which tells the stor... READ MORE
A creepy/atmospheric mystery
I found this to be a book of two halves and both were great reads in their own ways. The first was a tale of sisters reuniting and finding who each other a... READ MORE
A mysterious, nerve-tingling read!
Another great read from Holly Seddon! I’m not sure which genre to put this one into as it’s quite spooky and definitely nerve wracking, whilst also being m... READ MORE
Mysterious, nerve wracking read
Another great read from Holly Seddon! I’m not sure which genre to put this one into as it’s quite spooky and definitely nerve wracking, whilst also being m... READ MORE
A slow burner mystery
3.5 rounded up
There’s a terrible, worsening storm and Nina is at the wheel of her car with her two sisters, Lizzie and Aisa as passengers. Petrol is l... READ MORE
Sibling rivalry; family relationships
Yet another well crafted story from Holly Seddon.
Ostensibly a creepy tale of a car breaking down/running out of petrol in a remote area with a large aband... READ MORE
The short straw by Holly Seddon
The Short Straw by Holly Seddon is the story of three sisters who find themselves lost in a storm at night and seek safety at Morthwaite Manor, a place wh... READ MORE
Spooky
Three sisters pull off the main route on to country roads trying to find fuel for their car. However, they then become stranded due excessive rainfall. The... READ MORE
Gripping, tense, and beautifully written
The Short Straw is just so amazingly tense! I was quickly submerged into the pages and I was left almost breathless at times. The idea of the story unfoldi... READ MORE
A good spooky read
Three sisters meet up, a car problem means that they end up in an area they used to know well and they end up sheltering from the storm in a large old mans... READ MORE
BRILLIANT! I LOVED IT!
The Short Straw by @hollyseddonauthor is a 5 star thrilling read.
Three Sisters stranded on a cold dark night with only one place to go to keep warm til... READ MORE
Amazing setting, fantastic characters, brilliant story
This book was brilliant! I loved the setting of the derelict old house, the slow-burn reveal of all the secrets between the sisters, and their wonderfully ... READ MORE
A cocktail of nerve-shredding chills and adrenaline
“Can there be anything more frightening than realising that a bad dream was actually a memory, and then finding yourself back in it?”
Sisters Nina, Lizzie... READ MORE
A mysterious, nerve-tingling read
Another great read from Holly Seddon! I’m not sure which genre to put this one into as it’s quite spooky and definitely nerve wracking, whilst also being m... READ MORE
A Creepy and Atmospheric Read
3.5 stars rounded up.
Three sisters find themselves lost in a storm at night and seek safety at Moirthwaite Manor, where their mother once worked. They ar... READ MORE
So atmospheric
3.5 rounded up
There’s a terrible, worsening storm and Nina is at the wheel of her car with her two sisters, Lizzie and Aisa as passengers. Petrol is l... READ MORE
A nerve-chilling thriller not to be missed!
“Can there be anything more frightening than realising that a bad dream was actually a memory, and then finding yourself back in it?”
Sisters Nina, Lizzie... READ MORE
Mixed feelings
Three sisters are travelling in a car on a worst storm they have seen for a while. The car breaks down in a small village and the three sisters take refuge... READ MORE
Beautifully written - the most read this autumn!
The Short Straw is just so amazingly tense and scary! I was quickly submerged into the pages and I was left almost breathless at times. The idea of the sto... READ MORE
The Short Straw by Holly Seddon
Estranged sisters Nina, Lizzie and Aisa are reluctantly reunited for one day to celebrate their father’s birthday. Following the awkward, uncomfortable lun... READ MORE
Intriguing and spooky
A good read. Interesting characters, and the intriguing tale switches between a spooky house present day, to a stately home in the 1980/90s before a sligh... READ MORE
Mixed feelings
Three sisters are travelling in a car on a worst storm they have seen for a while. The car breaks down in a small village and the three sisters take refuge... READ MORE
The night is not your friend
The nights are drawing in, there’s a little chill in the early morning air and Autumn is just around the corner, a perfect time to read The Short Straw.
... READ MORE
Not bad, bit slow
Three sisters run out of petrol and break down right near the big house where their mum used to work when they were children. They separate to go and get h... READ MORE
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