Greyfriars Reformatory by Frazer Lee

Release: October 20th, 2020
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Flame Tree Press
Source: Random Things Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon, Kindle, TBD, B&N

Welcome to Greyfriars Reformatory for Girls, an imposing experimental facility in the middle of nowhere. The perfect place to dump anti-social teenagers for treatment.

Nineteen-year-old Emily is at Greyfriars Reformatory For Girls due to acute mental disorder. A small group of girls charged for crimes remains in chains by the formidable Principal of the institution Quick. He runs the facility with an iron fist, so the place already seems like a nightmare to the inmates. Emily is caught in the crossfire between brutal Principal and cruel bully Saffron Chassay. Hence she befriends fellow outcast Victoria.

But things get much worse by the terrifying appearance of a Gray Girl’s ghost image in the shadowy corridors by Emily. As time goes by, all the girls will each see her. But who is she? First, one inmate is found dead, then another. Principal Quick suspects the deaths to be a gruesome suicide and a bizarre accident. Could the Gray Girl be responsible?

Undoubtedly, the terrifying ghost image of the mysterious ‘Grey Girl’ begins scaring the inmates to death. Emily also has trouble working out whether memories she experiences are real or merely induced by her medications. However, her disorder may be the one thing that can save her.

About the Author:

Frazer Lee’s debut novel, The Lamplighters was a Bram Stoker Award® Finalist for ‘Superior Achievement in a First Novel’.

Besides, one of Frazer’s early short stories received a Geoffrey Ashe Prize from the Library of Avalon, Glastonbury. His short fiction has since appeared in numerous anthologies.

Also, a screenwriter and filmmaker, Frazer’s movie credits include the award-winning short horror films ‘On Edge’, ‘Red Lines’, ‘Simone’, and the critically acclaimed horror/thriller feature ‘Panic Button’.

Frazer lectures in Creative Writing and Screenwriting at Brunel University London and Birkbeck, University of London. He resides with his family in leafy Buckinghamshire, England where he is working on new fiction and film projects.

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Greyfriars Reformatory Review:

I loved this story and wanted to know what was going to happen.

Firstly, the theme is creepy and atmospheric. The author sets the tone of the book beautifully from the first page. You feel the same way that Emily feels as she joins the Greyfriars Reformatory. You know there is something odd about the institution and its inhabitants as soon as you renter. Not to mention, even the crew Emily arrives with feel shady. Plus, there is a strange girl who keeps looking at them from the clock tower. The author sets the pace so creatively that it immediately gives the story an eerie look.

From the supporting characters, I loved Saffy and Victoria. Saffy is the witchy queen bee of the group and made the story so entertaining. I also liked Jessica, Annie, and Lena but did not feel they were as strong as the others. Principal Quick is also a memorable character, and I found her backstory intriguing.

There are many twists and turns the author adds to keep the story suspenseful. Some of the scenes had me at the edge of my seat were when the grey girl attacks Saffy when she is swimming, or when Emily and Victoria go to Quick’s room and find something they don’t expect. The author intensifies the horror and suspense towards the climax, where you don’t know how it will all end. Moreover, the ending turned out to be a complete shock that I did not expect.

Overall, I loved this story. On a side note, I love Flame Tree Press and think they are one of the best publishers of books in this genre. Check this book out if you love horror and suspense!