Book Review: Within These Walls by Ania Ahlborn

I love a good cult, whether it be in fiction or in real life. Within These Walls made me think of both the Jonestown Massacre and the Manson Family - what a winning combination!! But it’s more than just a book about a cult - it has a dash of the supernatural thrown in for good measure!
“And there was nothing more precious than family.”
Lucas Graham is a washed up crime writer whose marriage on the rocks, so when an opportunity comes up for him to gain exclusive access to notorious cult leader, Jeffery Halcomb, he can’t let it slip by. There’s just one little caveat - he has to stay at the scene of the crime.

The book goes back and forth between present day, where Lucas and his daughter are living in the house, and back to when the cult first formed years before. Admittedly I enjoyed the cult storyline a little more. That might be due to the fact that I found Lucas and his daughter pretty unlikeable - although they were still very interesting to read about! I also felt it was perhaps a little longer than it needed to be.

If you’ve read any Ahlborn, you’ll know that she can really tell a story - and they’re usually incredibly well-written too. She also has a talent for always NAILING her endings and she doesn’t disappoint here! Within These Walls is not your cliché cult story, Ahlborn puts her own spin on it and the result is a unique blend of the supernatural with a cult setting.

Recommend if you enjoy reading about cults or creepy houses - or a combination of both! 4 stars.

Johann
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