Book Review: The Hidden People by Alison Littlewood

In murky and misty Halfoak, Lizzie Higgs in found dead on the hearth, burned to death by her husband who is adamant his wife is a changeling.

This gruesome murder doesn’t come as much of a surprise to the residents of the village, which is mired in sinister fairy folklore.

Cousin Albie, horrified to hear of Lizzie’s demise, decides to investigate. The atmosphere Alison Littlewood conjures up in The Hidden People is absorbing and there’s a real sense of foreboding, you feel the fairies might show themselves at any moment.

However, the Yorkshire dialect is, at times, distracting, and the pace very steady. I suppose that’s in homage to it’s Victorian horror roots, but I did find myself wanting to skip ahead to the next plot twist or turn.

Published by Quercus