Spellbinder Paperback – 14 Mar. 2013

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel - as much for the insights into the mind of the West Sussex native as for the undeniably riveting story.Their petty snobberies and dedication to their dogs interested me. And behind these characters a terrible drama unfolds in gory detail.I have enjoyed everything I have read of this author and I wasn't disappointed.

A man trying to forget the horrendous murder of his mother in America, settles in the tranquil countryside of West Sussex, England.All is not as it seems in this beautifully described part of the world. The peace is invaded by unpleasant happenings in surrounding woods.I enjoyed the unexpected psychological ending. The author deals with the mind-set and problems of her main characters sympathetically. Very cleverly written.

I was certainly Spellbound by this book. Very cleverly written and kept me hooked - a gem. A very good read which I thoroughly recommend

I read Spellbinder expecting to be charmed. The book cover weaves its own magic with the ethereal wood and untrodden paths as perfect as a summer dream. The narrative opens with a nightmare and after the shock which hooks you in, it continues to build and bind like a spider's web. You know there is something awful in the middle of the web but you are already caught. Stuff the teddy bears picnic - I'm never going down to the woods again! Unless - of course - Tessa Lorant Warburg invites me in with her next `spellbinder'.

Spellbinder an excellent title for yet another great by Tessa Warburg. I was spellbound all the way through the book. The beautiful cover depicting a Surrey woodland belie the horror happening within the wood. A sense of unease was prevalent throughout the book. The shocking murder of Dwight the Albino's mother at the start of the book and the horrific ending with yet another murder in the last chapter, kept me guessing all the way through as to who was responsible for these terrible atrocities. If you like a scary read this is the book for you.

The story opens with a grisly murder in the USA and then whisks the reader to what should be a rural idyll in the woodlands of East Sussex. But the horror does not stop. It builds relentlessly through a series of strange and sickening events towards an explosive and shocking final act. The author controls the tension well and keeps us guessing right to the end as to what or who is behind the horrific and sinister occurrences. There is a strong sense of place in the novel - the author obviously has an intimate knowledge of rural East Sussex and the people, plants and animals that live there. She describes it so well that I almost felt I could find my own way through the woods. I wouldn't want to though. In fact I think I may be too scared to ever walk alone in the woods again!

Spellbinder is a book I have just finished reading and enjoyed very much indeed. It is a cleverly and cunningly deceptive thriller that asks questions throughout without giving any answers. Tessa Lorant Warburg has written a book that I found hard to put down. She tells the reader it will build in suspense before exploding in the final chapter and this is just exactly what it does. The flashbacks to the main character's mind that appear all the time hold the key to this story, but even the best reader detectives will find this one one a very hard case to crack.Set in the beautiful woodlands of West Sussex that are cleverly described, the story surrounds what is going on in there. Why are atrocities being committed in these tranquil woods and who by? Why are the events the main character experiences in the present so like his memories of his past in his native USA?Spellbinder answers these questions in a way that took my breath away. It explodes inside your mind in a way that sends you spinning because the final solution is such a surprise and such a shock.I have no hesitation at alll in recommending Spellbinder to all who enjoy a very good thriller.James Marsh