Sweet Heart [Paperback]

Peter James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 17, 2005

Charley has a strange feeling when she sees the idyllic mill house with its cluster of outbuildings, the lake and the swirling mill stream; a powerful sense of recognition, as if she has been there before. Except she knows she hasn't. After Charley and her husband Tom move into Elmwood Mill, sinister memories of a previous existence start to haunt her. Despite both their attempts to dismiss everything with rational explanations, the feeling turns to certainty as the memories become increasingly vivid and terrifying. Charley is persuaded to undergo hypnosis - but in searching deep into her past, she unwitting opens a Pandora's box of evil ...and now the terror is free.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

When Tom and Charley Witney, young Londoners desperate to conceive a child, decide a move to the country will relax them (per doctor's orders), they purchase Elmwood Mill, a secluded 15th-century building, and begin a rural existence that proves to be anything but relaxing. It seems the place is inhabited by the spirit of a nasty woman who once lived there, and Charley soon falls victim to horrific visions that leave Tom untouched. Charley experiences an odd familiarity with the house and begins "regressive therapy" to find out whether she had a past life that involved Elmwood Mill. James ( Possession ) uses these therapeutic sessions to chilling narrative effect as the regression continues and Charley's discoveries mount up. Readers will want to lock all the doors and light the lamps.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

For no medical reason, Charley and her moody husband Tom are unable to conceive a baby. Hoping a change of scene will help, they move to the country. The old house seems familiar and threatening to Charley, though she has never been there before. Charley has been trying various psychological treatments to cure her infertility; she visits a hypnotist and begins to believe that, because of the past, she does have a connection with the house. An orphan, she traces her natural parents; sure enough, the house played a deadly role in their lives, and now Charley's presence has awakened some vengeful ghosts. This is a quietly frightening horror thriller, only slightly marred by one of those "but is it really the end?" epilogs. Bewildered Charley is a likable heroine (though one wonders what she sees in spoiled Tom), and the clues that mount up do make the reader anxious to find out what really happened to Charley's parents.
- A.M.B. Amantia, Population Crisis Committee Lib., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Orion Paperbacks; New Ed edition (November 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752876775
• ISBN-13: 978-0752876771
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 0.9 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Midsomer Murders...for the supernaturally minded!, July 3, 2010

By 

Helen Simpson (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweet Heart (Hardcover)

A little slow to begin with...but I think that was more to do with scene setting as there is lots of description, but once Charley and Tom move to the country the story picks up and pulls the reader in. I love supernatural and horror style novels but I'm also a sceptic. This story delves into the supernatural as well as touching on horror and is very much in the vein of the traditional 'old house with history'...BUT it's also very compelling.

As the reader we can pre-empt some of the plot but that didn't spoil it, it was imaginative and intriguing....even to sceptics!!

5.0 out of 5 stars CHILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, August 9, 2006

By 

Barbara Cappucci (shrewsbury,MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sweet Heart (Paperback)

Peter James is wonderful!!! I usually don't read anything supernatural....I never did get over the Excorsist.....but i was already into the book before i realized thats what is was about....too late, i was hooked....and sitting up at night...actually getting chills!!! ahhhh.....This author hasnt disappointed me yet!! so now im going back to look for books i may have missed.