Book Synopsis:
Stutley Tillinghast lives a solitary life, ostensibly as the minister of a remote rural parish in Rhode Island. For many decades now, what little human contact he allows himself has been brief, frenzied and bloody, and always ends in a shallow grave in his cellar.
You and I would have a name for what he is, but he prefers not to use it – he has needs, and when they become unbearable, he fulfils them.
Then the girl arrives – 19 years old, she has travelled from the UK to find him. She seems to have his surname, and her resemblance to him is uncanny. She is sick – very sick – and Tillinghast recognises her symptoms all too well. Which means he also knows what she needs…
My Review:
Tillinghust is a dark, unsettling and quietly gripping read.
In Tillinghust we meet the mysterious Stutley Tillinghust. While it is not explicitly mentioned what he is, it’s easy to guess. He’s disgusted with himself and what has done so he has detailed plans on how to make amends. These are derailed by the arrival of Sarah, a lady who had his surname and a mysterious illness that seems familiar to him…
Despite everything he’s done I actually really liked Tillinghast and felt a lot of sympathy for him. He’s obviously not all bad as his care towards Sarah when she’s ill was actually very sweet to witness. Throughout the story we get glimpses into his past which tells the reader how he got to be in the situation he’s in now . This is a book that slowly creeps up on you and before you know it you’re hooked into the story. There are times when not a lot happens but there was enough intrigue to ensure I kept reading. I found myself cheering for Tillinghust and I grew very fond of him throughout the book. I had to keep reading to find out what will happen to him and to discover the truth about Sarah.
The story is mixed with actual historical events that I hadn’t heard of before so I always enjoy learning more about, and some local folk lore which I found really fascinating. Tillinghast is definitely an intriguing, eerie story and one that I won’t forget anytime soon.
Huge thanks to @boroughpress for sending me a copy of this book it’s really appreciated.
About The Author:
Clare Cavenagh spent her childhood in Erica, Australia, and her adolescence in Fribourg, Switzerland. She read English and then renaissance literature at the University of Cambridge, and now lives in London where she works as a copywriter. Her short fiction and criticism have been published in Editions L’Hèbe, Cambridge Quarterly and Eucalyptus Lit. Her first novel, TILLINGHAST, will be published in June 2026. She is currently working on her second novel.
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