Part ghost story, part Nordic thriller - this is a twisty, tense and spooky YA debut, perfect for fans of Coraline and Michelle Paver.
Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed into the material. It started the day she fell from the tree at her grandma's cabin and became blind in one eye.
Determined to understand her strange ability, Martha sets off to visit her grandmother, Mormor - only to discover Mormor is dead, a peculiar boy is in her cabin and a terrifying creature is on the loose.
Then the spinning wheel starts creaking, books move around and terror creeps in . . .
Set in the remote snows of contemporary Norway, The Twisted Tree is a ghost story that twists and turns - and never takes you quite where you'd expect.
About the Author
Rachel Burge works as a freelance feature writer and has written for a variety of websites, including BBC Worldwide, Cosmo, and MTV. She lives in East Sussex with her partner, son, and black Labrador Biff. She is fascinated by Norse myth and swears she once saw a ghost.
Industry Reviews
A creepy and evocative fantasy, likely to make readers wary of the shadows in the corner of an eye * Sunday Times *
Creepy and amazing * MTV UK *
The Twisted Tree is a romantic, creepy, hugely atmospheric story. I loved it. * L.A. Weatherly *
I really enjoyed this book - well written, an original idea, with an unusual setting and some fantastic moments. Martha is a great character and I like the fact that she isn't an automatic hero, that her bravery isn't a given. * NM Browne, author of WOLF BLOOD *
The Twisted Tree is billed as a YA novel, but don't let that fool you - this is a ghost story that will get under the skin of the most hardened reader. It's a slow burner that makes fantastically creepy use of its isolated Norwegian setting, and expertly combines Nordic mythology with the supernatural. In many ways, it feels a bit like Neil Gaiman's Coraline collided with Catherine Storr's Marianne Dreams, with a smidgen of Beowulf thrown in for good measure * Starburst Magazine *
Rachel Burge presents us with a stunning intermingling of Norse mythology, horror, and an unusual coming of age. Hauntingly beautiful descriptions, juxtaposed against a ramping relentless sense of peril. Wonderfully eerie, deliciously frightening, a perfect story for a dank and windy night in front of the fire * Bookbag *
Its dark and ominous and the perfect quick read for those who want some eerie goodness on a weeknight. The fact that I opened it, sat down and read for 3 hours straight (minor breaks because my heart can't take creepy) on a night when I have 5000+ other things I should be occupying myself with solidifies my belief that this should get a perfect score * Close Encounters of the Paper Kind *
So compelling and creepy, and would make a perfect Halloween or wintery read * Library of Books and Tea *
Brilliantly effective at creating a slow, creeping atmosphere that made me feel chilled even when sitting in a room filled with lots of people. Fantastic writing! * Chrikaru Reads *
This is the perfect story for the dark nights which will come before spring and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers which are atmospheric rather than gory. A beautiful and haunting tale * Book Murmuration *
The spooky descriptions of the cabin and its surrounds are like an Arthur Rackham illustration melted into words; the mixture of Norse mythology and horror creates an atmosphere of Stephen King intensity, while at the same time we witness a slowburning and credible relationship between two very damaged but likeable protagonists * Irish Examiner *
The dark, cold month of January is the perfect backdrop to this wonderfully chilling new novel * Viva Lewes *
Dark, eerie and wonderfully creepy, The Twisted Tree has everything a Nordic horror story should have: a bitterly cold and unforgiving setting, ghostly undercurrents, monstrous creatures and characters struggling with very human demons * Culturefly *
Author challenging that Alan Garner-esque sense of ancient, almost incomprehensible power rumbing from the soil. Burge creates a wonderfully chilly atmosphere with some sharp shocks, emotional honesty and clear potential for further adventures for Martha * SciFi Now *
Entertaining... you will root for the happiness of two young people struggling to find their way in the world * SFX Magazine *
Imbued with Norse mythology this creepy coming-of-age tale is perfect for the cold January nights * South Wales Evening Post *
A gripping and spooky debut novel that got me out of a reading slump * Shaz Reads *
It's a very creepy and atmospheric book perfect for winter. I felt myself there when I was reading it. The pace was good, and it was very mysterious * Umut Reviews *
Wonderfully chilling Scandi-noir 'lite' that is brimming with mustery and mythology * Night Resplendent *
Evocative and scary, Burge's debut is perfect for spooky nights * Mail on Sunday *
The spooky descriptions of the cabin and its surrounds are like an Arthur Rackham illustration melted into words; the mixture of Norse mythology and horror creates an atmosphere of Stephen King intensity, while at the same time we witness a slow-burning and credible relationship between two very damaged but likeable protagonists * Irish Examiner *