YES. YESSSS. This is the kind of book that deserves to be called "gothic". Too many books are described as gothic and are nothing more than a domestic thriller. The Thin Place is....well, let's get into it.

Ava Brent is a journalist. She's headed to Overtoun Estate to investigate a bridge where hundreds of dogs have leaped to their death. She expects to talk to locals, film the bridge and move on with her life. Instead, she's drawn in and almost obsessively needs to figure out why these dogs are jumping....and why she hears a baby crying when watching back her film.

Split into three voices - Ava, Constance - a child living in the house, who is told she can't walk and is sick, and Marion - a new bride who is left alone in a large estate. Slowly - the pieces all start coming together. Ava's life starts to unravel - all while she is pregnant with her first child - as she delves deeper and deeper into Overtoun Estate.

I really enjoyed this book - and THEN the epilogue took this into HOLY SHIT YES territory.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Thin Place
by CD Major

Atmospheric gothic mystery. The author keeps bumping up the tension with chilling and thought provoking descriptions, keeping the reader engaged yet the mystery hidden. Overtoun Estate is a supposedly haunted property with a bridge that seems to cause dogs to committ suicide. That is a good enough start to begin a story. The tale is told in multiple view points. Well written and a creepy unique story. 4 Stars !

I felt kinda meh about this one. Not really connected with the story, even though I did read the whole thing. I would read further books by the author. This one to me is bland.

2/5 Stars

The Thin Place is the haunting telling of a mysterious bridge and house that are surrounded by secret and tragedy. It is eerie, sinister and the story really gets under your skin, which I loved!
The writing is really atmospheric and very quickly Major transports you to the dark shadows of the Overtoun Estate. The uncertainty and constant feeling of being watched that Ava experiences gets transported to the reader and you experience those moments of panic with her. There were many moments where I could also feel the hairs stand on my arms and the whole thing really got under your skin and into your head. That is a testament to how strong the narrative and writing is and it's rare to find a book that so wholly blankets you in this eerie and uncomfortable atmosphere.
I loved the idea around Thin Places and how Major so strongly illustrated the feeling one gets when they experience one of these mysterious locations. It really added an extra layer of mystery and discomfort that gave the story an extra edge.
I thought the back and forth of timelines were excellent and really easy to distinguish. Sometimes it can get very confusing to know where you are and what is happening but these were very easy to follow and shaped the story really well.
The main reason that I knocked off 1 star is because I guessed a lot of the twists, so they weren't very surprising for me when they were revealed. I didn't guess the very end one though so that was a nice surprise. I also thought the characters could have had a bit more depth to them.
So yeah, big fan of this and I will definitely be reading more from Major. If you like a book that really gets inside your head then this is well worth a read! ⁣
A big thank you to NetGalley for letting me read it before it's release.

This was an interesting book. It is part supernatural, part hisorical novel. The story follows Ava a journalist who is pregnant and becomes obsessed with Overtoun house and the mysterious happenings there. The house has a reputation. The bridge leading to the house is known as “dog suicide bridge” for all the dogs who have for an inexplicable reason jumped to their deaths. The story covers three time lines, the present, 1949 and 1929, and three women, Marion (1929). Constance (1949) and Ava. The chapters alternate between the women. Marion is married to an indifferent husband and has trouble conceiving which adds to her loneliness. Constance is a sickly girl who has spent her life locked away for her own “good”. Ava is the protagonist who connects then all.

This was an interesting story, made all the more interesting as it is set in a real house, and a real bridge with a real reputation of supernatural goings on. I liked the different time periods and different perspectives, though I will say I felt Marion’s story was the most compelling. Ava was difficult to like at times, her obsession with the house was so overwhelming. All in all though this was a fascinating read and.I learned about a house, and bridge, and a local legend that I was unaware of. I look forward to more from this author.

Thanks to Netgalley, C D Major, and the publisher Amazon publishing UK for the chance to read and review this book.

A well written and creepy book!

Ava's obsession is palpable and it gets you invested. She drags you there with her, even if sometimes against your will.

Well crafted twists and turns and an interesting story development from the 3 women's point of view to discover "The Thin Place".

I don't always like to get scared but this one was definitely enjoyable.

I absolutely love the real-deal research that clearly went into the creation of this mysterious read. I have always been fascinated by the Overtoun Bridge and the stories surrounding it. I remember seeing documentaries as a child about the dogs that would just leap up over the edge to their deaths. How tragic and unexplainable!

The Thin Place depicts a remarkably well rounded mystery, told by three different narrators, all in different times.
Marion begins her story in 1929 when she is courted by the handsome Hamish West and moved into his Overtoun estate in Scotland. Then we have the young Constance in 1949, who is a sickly child living in the Overtoun House. And finally, Ava in present day, who is a newly pregnant journalist who is covering a story at the old Overtoun property.

There is something off about the house and the property, causing Ava to become obsessed with it, learning everything she can. This place is taking over her life, filtering through her thoughts and her dreams. And she is sacrificing precious things in her life because of it.

Through the course of this book, we get to piece together the different inhabitants of the estate and uncover how their stories weave together. Ultimately, this was a great book! I thoroughly enjoyed the past look at the estate and the lore around it. It truly is such a remarkable story. But I had a very hard time connecting with Ava. I was unfortunately, very irritated with how she handled things through major areas of this book and simply wanted to shake the woman. Even still, I could understand that she was under a spell of sorts by the force of the house and the surrounding property. And that, in itself, was an incredibly interesting part of this story.

All in all, this was a well-crafted book with some fun twists and a lot of great history.

As a fan of the author’s previous works, I eagerly anticipated this new novel and it did not disappoint. The Thin Place is deliciously creepy and manages to be both emotionally involving as well as sinister. Ava, the main character, is the perfect conduit for unearthing the disturbing history of the grand estate around which the mystery centres. Her work as a journalist brings Overtoun to her attention and she is increasingly drawn to the place. Meanwhile, her own troubled family history and pregnancy serve to heighten her anxieties as well as giving her a much-needed outlet for the displacement for those concerns. In the historical narratives, two distinct and compelling voices emerge. Ultimately, the threads tie together in a skilled climax, giving a satisfying end to a tale that will send shivers up a reader’s spine in the most enjoyable way. Highly recommend, as are the other C D Major novels.

I received a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing.

Wow, what a book! I found it so easy to read this without stopping, it’s incredibly gripping. The way pieces of information is revealed but then it cuts short as it changes perspectives, it makes you want to continue reading to find out more!

This book follows 3 characters at different time periods who’s stories eventually entwine. You don’t really get much insight into how their stories line up until about half way through, that’s when little snippets of information is revealed to link the 3 characters. I did figure out what was happening early on, but I still loved the reveal!

It’s such a fascinating book. It’s based on a combination of real stories and theories. I did find it quite creepy and unsettling. It’s got a paranormal feel to it.

The Thin Place is a psychological mystery by an author who is new to me. I downloaded it from NetGalley on a whim because I liked the cover, it was Read Now, and it had a bunch of high-star ratings. Unfortunately I’ve struggled to finish it, finding myself so easily distracted that I was browsing online every few pages, pushing on only because I felt I must review it, even setting it aside to read something else to try and increase my enthusiasm. I do however think it’s a case of “it’s not you it’s me” and I’m just bored with this genre.

This is the story of three lonely females. In the present, Ava is a TV reporter from Glasgow who is newly pregnant and struggling to connect with her mother, Frances. Following a story about a mysterious old house with a tragic reputation, she becomes unnaturally obsessed, returning over and over to Overtoun House, putting her job, her relationship and even her life at risk to learn its secrets. In 1929, young Londoner Marion is swept off her feet by handsome Scottish nobleman Hamish, but soon finds her new life isn’t the romantic fairytale she expected, and in 1949, six year old Constance, confined to her room by chronic ill-health, longs for a friend.

First the good - this was well written and if you like spooky gothic suspense with supernatural undertones and multi-POV storylines this could be just the book for you.
As for the negatives, I didn’t like Ava at all, she’s selfish, wilful, unreasonable and inconsiderate of everyone else’s feelings even those she claims to love. Marion and Constance do deserve sympathy, although I worked out what was going on far too early and was expecting a more significant twist. Their chapters are spoiled by first person present narration. I recommend that anyone who loves dogs approach this with caution, especially the horrible and completely unnecessary epilogue. The afterword explains which parts of the story are based in reality.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley which allowed me to give an honest review. A Thin Place is published on 15th April.

I really enjoyed this one!

I will say that I wasn't super excited by the cover. I had requested it because of the description but whenever I look through my shelf and the publication dates it just didn't jump out at me. Having read it, I still don't really understand the cover choice, BUT I did really enjoy it once I opened it and started reading.

The way this book is written is so readable. Even though nothing especially exciting happens in the front 1/4 of the book, all of the perspectives the story is told from are written in voices that just make it extremely easy to plow through. I hesitate to say it was compelling because again, it wasn't a particularly exciting story until the last 1/4 but it was very readable which I think takes a serious talent.

I loved learning a little bit about "thin places" and really wish I knew about the concept when I was in Ireland. I'm so intrigued by the idea that next time I'm in the UK I will actually seek out this bridge and/or other "thin places". Really interesting!

Ava, an expecting mother and journalist, is seemingly unnaturally drawn to Overtoun Bridge - a mysterious bridge where it’s rumored that dogs will leap to their death for no apparent reason. Alongside Overtoun Bridge is Overtoun House, and this property is repeatedly referred to as a “thin place.” In Celtic history, a thin place is described as being a location where the distance between earth and heaven is incredibly thin.

Ava becomes incredibly involved in her work on investigating this home, while her interpersonal relationships struggle and tension boils over. Her mother is secretive about her family history, even though Ava worries that there’s something she isn’t telling her — something that might make a difference for the health & safety of her unborn baby.

Ava tries to let go of the Overtoun House and live present in the moment with her boyfriend, but the house just will not let go of Ava.

Alongside Ava, we also read the stories of two others: Marion, a woman who experiences unfortunate luck and terrible losses; and Constance, a child who is made to believe she is terribly ill, locked within a room of the home. Through reading from all points of view, the mystery begins to unravel.

I personally really enjoyed this book, though I had to trudge through the first few chapters. I was a bit disappointed that it wasn’t as eerie and suspenseful as I hoped it would be, but it was a good read I finished within a day. I would recommend it if you like mysterious places, supernatural elements, and a good thriller.

I’m inclined to give this book 3.5 stars, but I am going to give it 4 stars because Major was able to describe the Overtoun House in a way that I could see it come to life, without even knowing it was a real place until after I finished reading. When I googled it, the pictures were exactly what I had pictured in my mind. C.D. Major’s use of descriptive imagery really captured me in this story. She excels at blending present day with history and I will definitely read another book of hers soon.

I would like to thank NetGalley & Amazon Publishing UK, who provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warning for: suicide, animal deaths, munchausen by proxy, child and animal abuse, difficult pregnancies and/or miscarriages

Not really keen on supernatural books so maybe should have looked into this more before deciding to read,saying that it was an intriguing read and did keep my attention although at times felt there was a lot of genres ‘fighting it out’

The Thin Place is a beautifully written gothic story that is heavy with the atmosphere of the sinister-feeling Overtoun Estate and the secrets that reside there.

I read Major’s previous book, The Other Girl, last year and was drawn in by the real-life mystery that surrounded her story, so I couldn’t wait to experience her latest.

And just like The Other Girl, there’s some truth to this story, too. Merging a historical tale with a modern mystery, Major cleverly weaves fiction and truth to paint her own story around the unsolved mystery surrounding “Scotland’s Dog Suicide Hotspot”.

I find it so compelling how Major takes these intriguing snippets of history and creates a fictional story around them. It adds a whole other level to the reading experience as the use of a real-life location means that you don’t need to picture Overtoun Estate in your head. Instead, you can search for an image of the real building and focus on the shadows through the windows to see if any ghostly presence reveals itself to you.

Just as Ava feels magnetised to Overtoun House, I constantly felt this pull into the story and didn’t want to stop reading. Although it’s not necessarily a ghost story, it’s still a strange and spooky read as you feel the weight of the dark history that slowly begins to peel away.

Alternating between three narratives – Ava in the present, Marion in 1929 and Constance in 1949 – the connection between the stories is quite obvious but Major doesn’t try to turn them into shocking twists. Instead, she slowly reveals the story layer by layer to show how the lives of these three women collide, and the burden of their dark secrets.

Not only is Major influenced by the true story of Overtoun, but there is another true story that she uses to influence a relationship between two of her characters. I won’t say what that is to avoid giving any spoilers, but I knew straight away where this influence was coming from as it’s a story/illness that I have always been interested in reading about.

Major uses the influence brilliantly. I would have maybe wanted a little more said about this if I didn’t know about the true story, but it’s definitely worth reading the Author’s Notes to be given some more context.

I’m not always a fan of historical fiction, but it seems I am quickly becoming a fan of CD Major. Her stories are fascinating and always beautifully told, and the disturbing truths of The Thin Place are sure to stick with you.

Where do I begin? The Thin Place is a truly intoxicating read that had me transfixed from start to finish. I honestly don’t know how to do this justice as there is so much I cannot say without ruining the reveal. If I had been able to just read I could have devoured this in one sitting. Although in saying that I’m glad I got to spend a bit more time with Ava.

Ava Brent is a journalist after my own heart, she has an eye for a story and doesn’t give up. Even when she should, Ava keeps on. The mystery of Overtoun, had Ava hooked and had me just as intrigued. The creepy goings on had me turning the pages and just like Ava I was left wondering what had happened there.

As Ava is expecting her first child she should be slowing down but the mystery and intrigue won’t leave her, it’s as if she’s all encompassed by the house and the history of the Overtoun bridge. Even when the locals and the grounds man tell her to leave the past in the past she cannot shake it off. There were a number of moments where I had my heart in my mouth and I also found myself doubting certain characters although I was way off the mark.

Cesca has written a thrilling and intoxicating read that will leave you informed, horrified and deeply saddened by the tale of Overtoun. The novel is separated into chapters of Marion, Ava and Constance and I honestly wasn’t expecting the twists and turns along the way, it made so much sense when it wrapped up but also made me feel deeply saddened.

Whenever I got to a chapter about Constance I truly had my heart in my mouth the unmistakable cruelty and neglect was quite simply heartbreaking. I wasn’t sure where this came from although as the novel wraps up a lot is explained although there is never a justifiable reason for this kind of abuse.

Marion is an interesting character who is swept off her feet by the devilishly handsome Hamish – she wholeheartedly believes getting married and moving to a big estate will solve all her problems. Ultimately this isn’t the case, a truly chilling story full of sadness, loneliness and a multitude of grief.

The Thin Place is an atmospheric, thrilling, thought provoking and intoxicating read. It is definitely a story that will stay with me with elements of truth in the location with the eerie goings on. I could well read more connected to this although I’m in no rush to visit such a place.

Almost a did not finish for me. Usually, a mystery/thriller is my cup of tea. This one didn't feel like a mystery until 3/4 of the way through and was very difficult to follow and normally I love alternating POV books.
I was intrigued by the "thin place" which is a place between worlds. However, it never really gelled for me in this book so I was left disappointed. I couldn't embrace the main character, Ava, no matter how hard I tried. All of it was just tough for me to get into.
Thankful, however, for the ARC.

"Heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even shorter." - Celtic Proverb

Three females, one location shrouded in darkness, danger, gossip, and atmosphere.

Ava Bent is a journalist who is investigating the "dark" mystery of Overtoun Estate in the present day. Overtoun estate is a “thin space" steeped in myth. The bridge, Overtoun bridge, is also knowns at the dog suicide bridge. Sounds like the perfect place for the perfect story. But the townspeople are tight lipped, they are wary of the estate and its secrets. But that does not stop Ava, for some reason she feels drawn to Overtoun.

Constance is a young girl who lived at Overtoun Estate in 1949. Her whole life she is told that she is ill by her mother. She undergoes treatments and operations. Her mother keeps her away from others, having only her window to observe the outside world. She has a sad and lonely existence.

Marion moves into Overtoun estate with her new husband in 1929. She suffers many miscarriages and is not deaf to the whispers/gossip about how her husband spends his time when he is not with her. Her many miscarriages and sadness affect her health as husband spends less and less time at home.

During this book, the three storylines are told. Ava, Constance, and Marion have their own distinct voices and story to tell. Initially I was curious as to how and why the storylines are connected but as the plot unfolded, I figured out the connections. This did not affect my enjoyment of the book at all. The book is full of atmosphere and mystery. I especially enjoyed that the author used a real location and facts about the location (i.e., Overtoun estate and Overtoun bridge) as the location for her story. The author did a brilliant job at blending fact with fiction. Very well done!

I found this book to be enjoyable, but it lacked that extra something which would have garnered a higher rating from me. Do not get me wrong, I did enjoy this but perhaps would have enjoyed it more if there was more tension, dread and eeriness in the book. I wanted this to be creepier and more sinister. But the author does deliver a book seeped in drama, secrets, and mystery.

This book introduced me to C D Major and I do look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.35* I really enjoyed this book.
A new author to me. I chose this book as a part of the Netgalley reading challenge, the topic was a book with a plain cover. I don’t think the cover wouldn’t make me curious about the book.
Tv reporter/Journalist Ava Brent is pregnant and wanting information about her mother’s family especially their medical history. Her mother refuses to discuss her childhood or family so Ava begins to delve. She remembers a place called Dumbarton from her childhood so decided to investigate the dark mystery surrounding Overtoun Estate as a way of getting closer to the area of her past on the pretext of work.
A thin place is a Celtic term to describe a place where the gap is least between Heaven and Earth. I can see the relevance of the title now, although had no prior knowledge of the term.
What is the link between Ava and Marion in 1929, and Constance in 1949?
I instantly liked the difference in writing style between the modern and the historical sections.
Constance is a character that I felt for, she really tugged on my heartstrings.
Marion appears very naive, she hardly knows Hamish. Her only ambition being to escape the drudgery of her home. I can’t help wondering in the early part of her story that she has undoubtedly jumped out of the proverbial frying pan and into the fire.
Ava is obsessed by the house and bridge even though it scares her with its chillingly dark atmosphere. Her relationships are being affected by her obsession. I must admit I got irritated with Ava about her behaviour towards her family and husband, and with her distraction and obsession bordering on possession.
The atmosphere of the book is very creepy, and unsettling. The slow pace gives time for you to absorb the atmosphere.
This book bought out different emotions in me, anxiety, fear, anger, sadness.
I worked out early on what was happening with Constance, as the clues are not hidden, although there were plenty of revelations to surprise me.

What a novel! Three timeliness centered Round a house and a bridge that is known as the thin place...a place between two worlds. I devoured this novel and mesiatelh went online to find others by this author. A five star read!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer and CD Major for my arc of The Thin Place in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 15th April 2021

Journalist Ava Brent can't help but become obsessed with creepy Overtoun House when she covers the story of dogs 'committing suicide' on the bridge. Ava is well known for getting engrossed in her stories, like a dog with a bone, but never before has one gripped her as much as this. Neither has it ever been so dangerous. As the locals clam up and refuse to talk about the house and the bridge, and Ava finds a message engraved in the windowsill of one of the rooms, learns of a sick girl who lived there and begins to uncover more secrets hidden by the house, she begins to wonder at the real story of Overtoun and she will stop at nothing to find out.

This was thoroughly engrossing and I was excited to discover that Overtoun House and bridge are real, and saddened to discover that the story of the 'dog suicides' is also real. I can definitely see why this would have piqued the author's interest, while desperately sad, especially to a dog lover, the mystery is fascinating and CD Major wove it into her fictional story perfectly.
The subject matter of this book is not for the faint hearted no doubt about that, exploring child abuse/sickness, animal death and cruelty among other things. But if you can get past that it's a fantastically dark thriller that keeps you turning the pages desperate for the answers. Told from the perspective of three women with links to Overtoun throughout the generations, it will keep you gripped to the bitter end.