or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
More Buying Choices
23 used & new from $10.00

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
The Magic Cottage
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

The Magic Cottage (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)

List Price: $32.50
Price: $24.70 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $7.80 (24%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want it delivered Friday, November 27? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
Ordering for Christmas? To ensure delivery by December 24, choose Standard Shipping at checkout. Read more about holiday shipping.

15 new from $18.29 7 used from $10.00 1 collectible from $32.50

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Hardcover, March 31, 1999 $24.70 $18.29 $10.00
  Paperback, May 3, 2007 $11.45 $7.54 $2.32
  Audio, CD, Audiobook, CD $21.24 $14.51 --
  Audio, Download Offsite Link $12.40 or less with new Audible membership

Frequently Bought Together

The Magic Cottage + Haunted + The Secret of Crickley Hall
Price For All Three: $54.10

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: The Magic Cottage by James Herbert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Haunted by James Herbert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Secret of Crickley Hall by James Herbert

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Haunted

Haunted

by James Herbert
4.0 out of 5 stars (28)  $11.45
The Secret of Crickley Hall

The Secret of Crickley Hall

by James Herbert
3.2 out of 5 stars (12)  $17.95
The Dark

The Dark

by James Herbert
4.0 out of 5 stars (8)  $11.96
Moon (Onyx)

Moon (Onyx)

by James Herbert
Nobody True

Nobody True

by James Herbert
3.7 out of 5 stars (10)  $7.99
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Herbert's 12th novel is a minor effort about a young couple, Midge and Mike (she's an artist and children's book writer; he's a rock musician) who buy an idyllic country home, christened Gramarye ("magic" in old English) by a former owner. Gradually they find that Gramarye is the focus of supernatural energies, and that they themselves are sometimes the media through which these energies work. The house at first seems lovely and warm but takes on a sinister mood as cracks develop in the stone, moisture and mildew crawl up the walls, and bats multiply in the attic. Complicating the picture is the presence of a local cult, led by an Aleister Crowley type, which desperately wishes to gain control of Gramarye and its forces. A few creepy moments spike the generally lethargic pace of the novel. A veteran horror writer and bestseller in England, Herbert here writes like a noviceeverything spelled out, one-dimensional characterizations, no brevity, no wit; very occasionally diverting. Troll Book Club alternate.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


From Library Journal

Mike and Midge, an artistic young couple, decide to leave London and embark on a search for a country house. Midge is drawn to a cottage formerly owned by an eccentric old woman, and peculiar things start happening: falling to pieces at first viewing, the cottage is perfect when carpenters come; wild animals scamper through without fear; members of a religious cult need verbal invitation to cross the threshold. The book intriguingly implies that there is no good or bad magic, it's all in how it is used. However, a fairly interesting story is marred by unlikeable, unbelievable characters and an over-explanatory style. And Mike's "little did I know" narrative removes most of the suspense and mystery. A slow-moving, not very frightening horror story by the author of The Rats , The Fog , and Moon . A.M.B. Amantia, Population Crisis Committee Lib., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 394 pages
  • Publisher: Macmillan UK (April 1, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0333761294
  • ISBN-13: 978-0333761298
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,192,933 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

More About the Author

James Herbert
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's James Herbert Page

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

The Magic Cottage
47% buy the item featured on this page:
The Magic Cottage 4.5 out of 5 stars (19)
$24.70
The Secret of Crickley Hall
19% buy
The Secret of Crickley Hall 3.2 out of 5 stars (12)
$17.95
Haunted
16% buy
Haunted 4.0 out of 5 stars (28)
$11.45
The Fog
9% buy
The Fog 4.2 out of 5 stars (12)
$11.96

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

 (What's this?)
Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
 
(14)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

 

Customer Reviews

19 Reviews
5 star:
 (14)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Enchanting, magical, edge of your seat reading, March 22, 2004
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This was one of the most enchanting, gripping stories I have ever read. Unlike some of the horror Mr. Herbert has written, this was more suspense/thriller than horror, though it does indeed have it's horrifying moments.

The story centers around a couple from London, Mike and Midge, who begin to search for a house of their own. Midge starts scanning the newspaper and is drawn to a little add for a cottage called Gramarye. When they go see the house they find out from the realtor that is being sold as part of the estate of a very old woman who lived there most of her life and died suddenly. When they go to the house Midge is completely enchanted by the little cottage, feeling like it is home. Mike sees the flaws that need fixing. Still, passion wins over and they buy the little house and work to restore it's beauty. They seem like the perfect couple who has just found the perfect home.

Yet there is something strange and disturbing about Gramarye, Mike can feel it, Midge seems oblivious to it. Animals come into the house and eat out of their hands, they befriend a little red squirrel who comes in daily and chatters away at them. Wounds heal spontaneously. It all sounds pretty silly, but it is all part of the magic that is Gramarye.

Soon the enchanting life starts to take a turn when they meet young people who live in a house on the other side of the forest behind their house. Midge becomes entangled with their group, which ends up being a cult. The cult wants the house and will stop at nothing to possess it. Thus begins the battle of wills while Mike tries to save Midge from the cult and his new home from their possession. Don't worry, I haven't given anything away.

This book was a mystery loaded with magic and danger. It has ghosts and spirits, both good and evil. It begins by sparking the imagination, and the tension grows stronger and stronger in this well wrought story, until it reaches a crescendo that will leave you breathless. This was such a good book that I'm now buying the hardcover - yes, it's good enough to read again. Buy this book, you'll love it as much as I did!

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars GHOSTIES AND BEASTIES AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT.., July 4, 2003
By Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)      
This review is from: The Magic Cottage (Paperback)
An attractive young couple is looking for an attractive little house. An attractive little house is looking for the perfect couple. When Midge and Mike find Gramarye, a darling, quaint little cottage in the English countryside, it is as if a spell had been cast upon them. They purchase this little cottage in the middle of nowhere, after a rather unusual negotiation.

Warm and cozy, with an inviting air, Granmarye is everything of which they ever dreamed, and they thrive in its salubrious atmosphere. The days never seemed brighter, nor the nights more romantic. The local flower and fauna around the cottage seem to blossom right before their very eyes. The small animals in the woods seem especially friendly, as do its birds, and they all seem to want to pay a call at the cottage. It is as if the house had a positive psychic energy of its own. It is as if it were a fairytale come true.

Midge and Mike discover that Granmarye's former owner, an elderly woman, had a reputation as a healer. They also discover that a local cult lives not far from them and that its members are reviled by the nearby townspeople. They meet a few of these so called cult members, and they do seem a tad peculiar. They also appear to be quite nervous when visiting Midge and Mike. The cult's leader, however, seems to want to visit very badly. Midge does not mind, but Mike has certain reservations, as there is something about that cult that just does not sit right with him.

Slowly, a shift in the atmosphere in the cottage takes place. As the tension in the book increases, strange and creepy things begin to occur in the cottage. A change in its psychic energy is beginning to take place, replete with a mysterious figure in the woods. Slowly but surely, Midge's and Mike's paradise on earth starts to become a living hell. Spooky, mysterious, and, alternately, charming and chilling, this is one of author's best books.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Will sent icy centipedes up ur back!!!!!!, September 22, 2004
This review is from: The Magic Cottage (Paperback)
This book is ideal for someone who doesnt like horror as strong as Stepehn King's or William Peter Blatty's. I wasnt expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did, i was merely in search for a good author. I'm experimental with books, so I'll read an author once!
Anyway, I found this to be quite good. Good writing, and will literally make you shiver at times, and stop you from walking into your kitchen when your by yourself. You never know what you might find sitting at the table....
Enjoy...................... ;-)
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars GHOSTIES AND BEASTIES AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT...
An attractive young couple is looking for an attractive little house. An attractive little house is looking for the perfect couple. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Lawyeraau

3.0 out of 5 stars Casts a magic spell, but wears off too soon!
"The Magic Cottage" is something of a departure from James Herbert's other stories, with more suspense than horror, very little gore, and only tantalizing hints of the 'magical... Read more
Published on August 5, 2007 by Brian J. Oneill

3.0 out of 5 stars "Are we there yet?"
Even though I like James Herbert, I am glad this was not my first book by him, or I probably would not have gone on to read his other works. This book is very, very slow going. Read more
Published on July 30, 2007 by DanOPFL

5.0 out of 5 stars GHOSTIES AND BEASTIES AND THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT...
An attractive young couple is looking for a perfect little house. An attractive little house is looking for the perfect couple. Read more
Published on July 22, 2007 by Lawyeraau

5.0 out of 5 stars Prepare to enter an idyllic world...or is it?
Your normal, everyday couple; in love...ambitious...wanting to escape the city. They find a fairytale thatched cottage, 'Gramarye', in the English countryside... Read more
Published on August 31, 2006 by Helen Simpson

5.0 out of 5 stars A Peaceful Life In The English Countryside? Not Quite!!!
Like all good Horror novels this book begins on an everyday level and gives no hint as to what will follow. Read more
Published on April 15, 2005 by John Baranyai

5.0 out of 5 stars Prepare to enter an idyllic world...or is it?
Your normal, everyday couple; in love...ambitious...wanting to escape the city. They find a fairytale thatched cottage, 'Gramarye', in the English countryside... Read more
Published on April 12, 2004 by Helen Simpson

4.0 out of 5 stars Deeply Satisfying
Like all of Herbert's books, Magic Cottage not only takes the reader through amazing twists and turns of events, but also allows us to see deeply into the characters and create an... Read more
Published on April 18, 2003 by Storm

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book...
This James Herbert book is in my top 5 all time favorite books. It is a truely enchanting story. I found the images it conjured up in my head to be such fun. Read more
Published on March 12, 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars growing suspense & magic.........
This was one of the most enchanting, gripping stories I have ever read. Great book! The story centers around a couple from London, Mike and Midge, who hunger for a house of... Read more
Published on August 23, 2002 by Mary Chrapliwy

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.