FROM THE WINNER OF THE STEPHEN KING AND GUARDIAN SHORT STORY COMPETITION.
A chilling debut for fans of Mo Hayder and Sharon Bolton, THE BINDING SONG takes you on a trip to Halvergate Prison. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to leave…
‘Splendidly unsettling’ John Connolly
Dr Janet Palmer is the new lead psychologist at HMP Halvergate in a remote, bleak area of Norfolk. At first, she was excited by the promotion. Then she starts to see how many secrets are hiding behind the high walls.
A string of inmates have committed suicide, leaving no reasons why, and her predecessor has disappeared – along with his notes. The staff are hostile, the threat of violence is ever-present, and there are rumours of an eyeless woman stalking the corridors, punishing the inmates for their sins.
Janet is determined to find out what is really going on. But the longer she stays and the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she feels.
Halvergate is haunted by something. But it may be a terror worse than ghosts…
What reviewers are saying about THE BINDING SONG:
‘This book is creepy and moody in tone throughout and is certainly the kind of book you want to read with the lights on!‘ Goodreads reviewer
‘One of the most atmospheric, eerie books I’ve ever read’ Goodreads reviewer
‘One of my highlights of 2017…an exciting, dramatic, scary and compelling read.’ Goodreads reviewer
A chilling debut for fans of Mo Hayder and Sharon Bolton, THE BINDING SONG takes you on a trip to Halvergate Prison. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to leave…
‘Splendidly unsettling’ John Connolly
Dr Janet Palmer is the new lead psychologist at HMP Halvergate in a remote, bleak area of Norfolk. At first, she was excited by the promotion. Then she starts to see how many secrets are hiding behind the high walls.
A string of inmates have committed suicide, leaving no reasons why, and her predecessor has disappeared – along with his notes. The staff are hostile, the threat of violence is ever-present, and there are rumours of an eyeless woman stalking the corridors, punishing the inmates for their sins.
Janet is determined to find out what is really going on. But the longer she stays and the deeper she digs, the more uncertain she feels.
Halvergate is haunted by something. But it may be a terror worse than ghosts…
What reviewers are saying about THE BINDING SONG:
‘This book is creepy and moody in tone throughout and is certainly the kind of book you want to read with the lights on!‘ Goodreads reviewer
‘One of the most atmospheric, eerie books I’ve ever read’ Goodreads reviewer
‘One of my highlights of 2017…an exciting, dramatic, scary and compelling read.’ Goodreads reviewer
Newsletter Signup
By clicking ‘Sign Up,’ I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Hachette Book Group’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
Reviews
A wonderful new arrival in the 'Norfolk Noir' genre, this deliciously gripping novel casts the familiar setting of Norwich and its surroundings in a grim and haunting new light.
A glut of troubled souls, an eerie, atmospheric setting. Elodie Harper knows how to write a damn good horror story.
Elodie Harper's first novel, set in HMP Halvergate, has become all the more possible, given what else has been going on beyond our prison walls. Plotting, pace and writing render The Binding Song a must read.
Eerie, atmospheric, dark, gripping. Hints of Susan Hill and Stephen King. Superb.
Brilliant. I had shivers.
Creepy from the word go, utterly compelling and hauntingly tragic - but I'll warn you now - you might have to sleep with the lights on.
Breathtakingly atmospheric and chilling
One of the most chilling, atmospheric debuts I've read. It was so compelling and creepy my heart beat with fear at times.
Satisfying and thought-provoking in equal measure, and it stays in the mind long after the final page is turned. Harper, as Mr King so astutely realised, is definitely one to watch.
Deliciously creepy. The Binding Song is a nerve-jangling treat for fans of Mo Hayder or Stephen King.
A splendidly unsettling debut - a chilling mystery to be read with the lights on and your back to the wall.
The evocation of place is first class...wonderfully paced, the tension ratchets up to a very satisfying ending. A thoroughly enjoyable read.
I was completely engrossed. A sinister, creepy read that leaves the reader questioning everyone and trusting no-one.