Rating: 
Summary: A Good Modern-Day Gothic, Kept Me Up Late!
Review: A book billed as a gothic novel has a lot to live up to for me. I loved Phyllis Whitney, Victoria Holt, M.M. Kaye and the like as a young adult. ON THE EDGE OF THE WOODS does not quite live up to those old standards. It's Tyrrel's first novel, though, so comparing her to the best of the genre is hardly reasonable.ON THE EDGE OF THE WOODS was good enough that I read all the way to the end in just a couple of days. At the opening of the book, architect Stacy Addison buys a huge, eccentric, turn-of-century confection of a house, despite its being far away from her city job. It is also something that her sophisticated city boyfriend, Justin, will almost certainly not like and not be willing to fix up with and live in with her. She chooses her heart and the house. After moving in, she starts meeting a wonderful cast of neighbors. One of them, Brand Vandevere, is someone she finds powerfully attractive. However, she also worries that he has a hidden agenda -- getting her out of the house, which he had coveted. A gothic novel swirl of gossip ensues, as Stacy speculates on Brand's motives towards her and his feelings about the beautiful Callie, who seems to have already laid claim to him. It's a familar sort of plot, which Tyrell delivers with enthusiasm and love. As Stacy's time at the manor continues to pull her away from her city life, a sinister element grows. Something if off about the house. Stacy researches the history of the house and the people who lived there, going through old letters and asking neighbors who do not seem to be telling all. She starts getting phone hang-ups, and her city clients are so harassed that they ask to have her removed from their jobs. As her work in the city dwindles, she moves more into the realm of the house, even as the threats escalate. Someone does not want her here. Someone has made it impossible for her to live her old life. Someone is out to hurt her, perhaps kill her. Is it the oh-so-attractive Brand? Someone else? Tyrell very comptenetly keeps those plot twists coming. I don't think I'll ruin it if I tell you she survives, like all good Gothic heroines, though she has been... changed. If you like gothics, give ON THE EDGE OF THE WOODS a chance!
Rating: 
Summary: A modern day gothic!
Review: Brand had wanted to buy the house on the edge of the woods, but the chance was taken when Stacy buys it first. The rambling old place perfectly suited her, though it had need of more repairs than the Addam's family manor. Soon, her problems become more complex than a leak or a closet that needs to go. Someone is leaving creepy messages and sabotaging her plans. The pranks have a deadly edge, and she wonders if Brand might go to extremes to get the house after all. Yet, she finds herself attracted to the virile neighbor, reluctant to believe he might harm her. ***** Those who have missed the gothic genre, take heart. All the classic elements, a spooky house, woods, a pretty heroine and mysterious almost anti hero are to be found herein. On the Edge of the woods is a commendable debut. ***** Amanda Killgore
Rating:
Summary: Thrilling!
Review: Exciting, edge-of-your-seat novel. I couldn't put it down until it was done!
Rating:
Summary: Fast, fun read
Review: For a debut novel, I found this book to be very enjoyable. Can't wait for the next one.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring
Review: I could not finish this book. It is so boring. The main character is in love with a guy she thinks is trying to kill her. HELLO! Maybe if I were 13 years old I would have liked it.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring....
Review: I enjoy gothic novels. I have almost all the books by Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. So, I thought a modern day Gothic, I can't wait. Why did Stacy, a single person, buy this house? She was an architect and her brother a contractor yet they barely checked it out before puchase. While it would have made a good Bed and Breakfast, she wanted it for a weekend house. Yet from the way it was described it had almost as many rooms as the White House and needed as many repairs and as much work as the Haunted Mansion at Disney. In one scene she brought her cleaning supplies, a bucket, mop, etc. As dirty and as large as this house was, one person would be cleaning it until 2090! Brand & Stacy constantly ran hot and cold with each other, never at the same time! They were constantly misunderstanding each other and never bothered to discuss it. Brand seemed to enjoy throwing Alana in Stacy's face. And the relationship between Alana and Brand wasn't explained until the end of the book. Although not much else was explained until the end of the book either. This was also the only place there was any romance or chemistry between Brand & Stacy. Also Brand was not developed well. He was arrogant or he was shy, he was wonderful or he was a con artist, he couldn't be trusted but Stacy was madly in love with him. Pick one already! This book was boring! The constant angst, Stacy's repetitive thoughts, the in-depth descriptions of the houses, the scenery, etc. had me yawning. It could have easily been 100 pages shorter and would have been a lot more enjoyable if it was!
Rating:
Summary: Boring....
Review: I enjoy gothic novels. I have almost all the books by Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney. So, I thought a modern day Gothic, I can't wait. Why did Stacy, a single person, buy this house? She was an architect and her brother a contractor yet they barely checked it out before puchase. While it would have made a good Bed and Breakfast, she wanted it for a weekend house. Yet from the way it was described it had almost as many rooms as the White House and needed as many repairs and as much work as the Haunted Mansion at Disney. In one scene she brought her cleaning supplies, a bucket, mop, etc. As dirty and as large as this house was, one person would be cleaning it until 2090! Brand & Stacy constantly ran hot and cold with each other, never at the same time! They were constantly misunderstanding each other and never bothered to discuss it. Brand seemed to enjoy throwing Alana in Stacy's face. And the relationship between Alana and Brand wasn't explained until the end of the book. Although not much else was explained until the end of the book either. This was also the only place there was any romance or chemistry between Brand & Stacy. Also Brand was not developed well. He was arrogant or he was shy, he was wonderful or he was a con artist, he couldn't be trusted but Stacy was madly in love with him. Pick one already! This book was boring! The constant angst, Stacy's repetitive thoughts, the in-depth descriptions of the houses, the scenery, etc. had me yawning. It could have easily been 100 pages shorter and would have been a lot more enjoyable if it was!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent page-turner...
Review: I just finished "On the Edge of the Woods". Since the other reviewers have detailed the plot, I'll just tell you what I thought about it. I *loved* it.
It has that John Grisham, Danielle Steele stay-up-til-2 a.m.-reading-when-you-really-should-be-sleeping quality to it.
I have to admit, when I first saw it, I was mainly drawn by the picture of the old house on the cover. I love old houses, and unlike a previous reviewer, I enjoyed the in-depth details of the main house and the other dwellings on the former estate.
I'm not usually one for romance novels other than an occasional Danielle Steele, but this one had me hooked. I couldn't put it down. It had me dreaming along with the main character, Stacy. It had me laughing in a few spots, and even had me peering over my shoulder nervously while reading the creepy parts. Delicious suspenseful fun.
I'm kinda bummed out that I finished it already, but it's the kind of book that once you see how it ends, you want to read it again to see the connections completely.
Five stars for the book and for Diane Tyrrel. Diane, if you're reading this, please keep churning out the books! I'm your newest fan.
I've added her April 2005 release "On Winding Hill Road" to my wish list. I can't wait to get my hands on it.
Rating:
Summary: Fast, fun read
Review: It was the house of her dreams, or at least the possibilities that with her architectural training she could see. Stacy Addison, had been looking for some time to find just the right home and knew that this big turn of the century manor house sitting in the Sierra mountains would be the one, the moment she saw it. Of course, it would need an enormous amount of work, but Stacy knew, accepted it and walked in with her eyes wide open. What she did not count on were threatening notes, phone hang-ups and the harassment that would ultimately cause her to doubt who she could trust of the new and intriguing neighbors she inherited, including the very handsome and virile
neighbor Brand Vandevere. The stories she had heard about him told her to stay away, but her gut feelings of wanting him warred with any sensible emotions she should be feeling. As more and more incidents seemed to occur with the finger seemingly pointing at Brand, Stacy would have to trust more than her gut feelings - she'd have to trust her heart and hope she survived to tell the tale. This was told in the grand gothic traditions similar to Victoria Holt featuring a wonderful old manor house as its center. The two protagonists were well developed with Stacy as an intrepid heroine showing a lot of spunk and courage as the threats and intimidations would have sent most females running. Brand's characterization of distrust and longing were tedious at times and a bit harder to swallow, but I do admit to loving a man who can cook! The numerous secondary characters added substance to the story, but I felt that she could have developed the character of Saul more as he had more of a menacing aspect in the story and seemed to have just been overlooked in the end. The pace was acceptable but not a page-turner that would have kept me up all night. This was a good solid gothic type read but predictable. --- Marilyn, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com
Rating:
Summary: Good Modern Day Gothic
Review: It was the house of her dreams, or at least the possibilities that with her architectural training she could see. Stacy Addison, had been looking for some time to find just the right home and knew that this big turn of the century manor house sitting in the Sierra mountains would be the one, the moment she saw it. Of course, it would need an enormous amount of work, but Stacy knew, accepted it and walked in with her eyes wide open. What she did not count on were threatening notes, phone hang-ups and the harassment that would ultimately cause her to doubt who she could trust of the new and intriguing neighbors she inherited, including the very handsome and virile
neighbor Brand Vandevere. The stories she had heard about him told her to stay away, but her gut feelings of wanting him warred with any sensible emotions she should be feeling. As more and more incidents seemed to occur with the finger seemingly pointing at Brand, Stacy would have to trust more than her gut feelings - she'd have to trust her heart and hope she survived to tell the tale. This was told in the grand gothic traditions similar to Victoria Holt featuring a wonderful old manor house as its center. The two protagonists were well developed with Stacy as an intrepid heroine showing a lot of spunk and courage as the threats and intimidations would have sent most females running. Brand's characterization of distrust and longing were tedious at times and a bit harder to swallow, but I do admit to loving a man who can cook! The numerous secondary characters added substance to the story, but I felt that she could have developed the character of Saul more as he had more of a menacing aspect in the story and seemed to have just been overlooked in the end. The pace was acceptable but not a page-turner that would have kept me up all night. This was a good solid gothic type read but predictable. --- Marilyn, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com
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