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Graeme Cumming
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Ravens Gathering Kindle Edition

by Graeme Cumming (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 74 ratings
As she let her gaze drift around her, she saw that there were more birds. Perhaps a dozen or so, perched among the trees that stood on the edge of the clearing. And yet more were arriving, swooping down through the gap overhead and landing on branches that overlooked them. The birds weren’t threatening, yet the sight of them all coming together in this dark and isolated spot was unnerving. Tanya reached a hand out towards Martin, and was relieved to feel him take it. She felt him move in behind her. After the uncertainty she’d experienced with him in a similar position only a few moments ago, she recognised the irony of her reaction. His closeness offered security.
“You know what they are, don’t you?”

A stranger’s arrival in a small village coincides with a tragic accident. For the Gates family in particular it’s more than a coincidence, but unease increases following a brutal attack. As tensions rise, a dark past returns to haunt them and others, while newcomers to the village are drawn into a mystery with terrifying consequences.

And only a select few know why the ravens are gathering.

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  1. Print length
    390 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Accessibility
    Learn more
  4. Publication date
    November 30, 2012
  5. File size
    5.0 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AGIDQA2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Graeme Cumming
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 30, 2012
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.0 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 390 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0957510708
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 74 ratings

About the author

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Graeme Cumming

Graeme Cumming

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Graeme Cumming lives in Robin Hood country. He has wide and varied tastes when it comes to fiction so he’s conscious that his thrillers can cross into territories including horror, fantasy and science fiction as well as more traditional arenas.

When not writing, Graeme is an enthusiastic sailor (and, by default, swimmer), and enjoys off-road cycling and walking. He is currently Education Director at Sheffield Speakers Club. Oh yes, and he reads (a lot) and loves the cinema.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
74 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Unkindness
    Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Engrossing, fascinating, terrifying!

    The characters are believable. Small towns and their secrets will never seem the same to me! This saga draws you in and keeps you spellbound to the surprising last words.

    Make sure you have lots of time as you will not want to put this book down! Well done!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Joe - pro visibility
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book; bit of a surprise genre twist
    Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    The genre twist or change came rather late in this book, and as a bit of a surprise. Even though it was not exactly what I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. I don't want to reveal the twist, and ruin the surprise for others.
    Helpful
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  • Donna Galloway
    5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic
    Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I have read this genre for a long time and to find something so new and unique was great. I found it creepy (which is hard to do) yet i couldn't put it down.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Joanne
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Raven gathering is small town with secrets. With the return of
    Martin Gates town are frightened and scared. They don't know why. I could not put this book down. Saw where it was heading but was still surprise
    Helpful
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  • Nina S-G
    4.0 out of 5 stars Ravens Gathering
    Reviewed in the United States on August 19, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Ravens Gathering by Graeme Cumming was an enjoyable read. Thanks for offering it in Kindle format, my favorite way to read and collect books.
    Helpful
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  • Sue Vincent
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very British thriller
    Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2015
    Ravens Gathering caught my eye with both title and cover; a mystery suggested, merely hinting at dark overtones but with little to place the book immediately within a predictable genre. That set the tone, as the story is neither trite nor predictable.
    I seldom read thrillers and am not attracted to modern tales of horror. This one, however, is listed largely under fantasy.
    The book opens with images that will be recognised by any adult who had a nightmare as a child… then takes you into a different kind of nightmare… an accident that could happen anywhere, to anyone. Or so it seems.
    Martin’s arrival in the village is noticed. As an outsider of a mere fifteen years standing in my own village, I can say with confidence that the attitude of the villagers is perfectly portrayed… a nice blend of suspicion, appraisal and curiosity.
    There is a history, a family history… and the reader is kept guessing at the secrets and skeletons in the family closet.
    It is not long before disturbing things begin to occur under the shadow of tree and night… yet none of this is explicit, leaving much for the imagination to play with before the plot begins to be teased apart, little by little.
    The setting of Raven’s Gathering is well drawn without too much detail, allowing the reader to fill in the gaps rather than having everything laid out mindlessly before them. The era is accurately portrayed and familiar. The book draws you in, almost in spite of yourself; most of the characters are not, for the most part, particularly likeable, but they are real and recognisable… these are people we meet every day and the writer has drawn heavily on his own experience.
    You get the feeling that you could deduce much about the author himself from the way his characters are portrayed. This may be the one area that does not appeal to some. Coming from a business background, I recognise the techniques used by Ian and his wife. While they are pertinent to the characters, there is perhaps a little too much emphasis on their detail, though not enough to spoil the flow of the story… and they do provide an interesting secondary puzzle for the interested reader to pick apart.
    The dialogue is well written and realistic, the formatting good and the story eerily enticing. The point of view from which the story is told shifts several times… and while I know that some dislike such shifts, to me it only adds depth and gives an edge to the suspense.
    For me, the most impressive thing about Raven’s Gathering is the way that tension is allowed to build, quietly but steadily, against an apparently mundane backdrop. Financial difficulties, fractured families and fragile relationships are set against the foil of the small doings of everyday life and gossip in an English village. There is a restraint in the writing that is, to my mind, far better at creating real suspense than the current fashion for blood and gore poured over a page. The very normality of the setting stands in stark contrast to the darker psychological and supernatural elements of the story. It is believable… and all the more effective for that.
    My only real criticism is the lack of a paperback version.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Robbie Cheadle
    5.0 out of 5 stars A gripping science fiction horror
    Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2017
    Martin Gates suffers from a recurring nightmare. In the dream his 8-year old self is awoken by the call of the drums. He follows the sound to a clearing in the woods in his home village where he is confronted by a horrific and traumatic sight. Unfortunately, Martin is never able to identify the source of his horror. He has experienced the dreams, on and off, throughout his life but recently they have become more and more frequent. Martin feels he is being called back to his home village.

    Martin travels home and is not given a hero’s welcome by either the people of the village or his own family. In fact, he is actively rejected by his family who do not want to see him. His unexpected arrival coincides with a terrible accident by a physically disabled member of the community and he becomes a suspect in the case.

    Martin meets Tanya, the attractive but bored and resentful wife of an older man who bought one of the local farms and is building houses to sell on the land. Tanya invites Martin to stay in their guest accommodation. Martin’s presence in their home has the unfortunate result of drawing the unhappy couple into his investigation into the source of his dreams and the reason he felt compelled to return to his home town.

    Martin is not the only recent arrival in the village. Someone far more evil has arrived and he is determined to carry out his own agenda and make the villagers suffer as much as possible.

    I loved this book of just over 500 pages. I thought this was a well-written, entertaining and unique storyline and I was impressed that I did not get bored or skip pages throughout my reading of this book.

    Martin is an interesting character and the author certainly leads the readers on a bit of a song and dance before revealing Martin’s more admirable character traits. I grew to like Martin more and more as the book progressed. Tanya was a spoiled and silly woman but, when the chips were down, she responded most sensibly and showed loyalty and love for her estranged husband.

    This book is not for people who are sensitive as there are parts of this story that are very brutal and almost depraved. All in, I thought this was an excellent read and would recommend this book to readers who enjoy a good horror story.
    Helpful
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  • lindaluane
    4.0 out of 5 stars secrets
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    A town of secrets ...and a gathering of ravens
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Lisa, Canada
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read
    Reviewed in Canada on August 20, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed Ravens Gathering, it led me on and kept me guessing, I was so intrigued I finished the last third of the book in one sitting. I love a good story and this didn't disappoint. A great read and an unexpected treat to stumble across an old friend and rediscover him as a published writer, congratulations.
    Report
  • Sue Vincent
    5.0 out of 5 stars A very British thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Ravens Gathering caught my eye with both title and cover; a mystery suggested, merely hinting at dark overtones but with little to place the book immediately within a predictable genre. That set the tone, as the story is neither trite nor predictable.
    I seldom read thrillers and am not attracted to modern tales of horror. This one, however, is listed largely under fantasy.
    The book opens with images that will be recognised by any adult who had a nightmare as a child… then takes you into a different kind of nightmare… an accident that could happen anywhere, to anyone. Or so it seems.
    Martin’s arrival in the village is noticed. As an outsider of a mere fifteen years standing in my own village, I can say with confidence that the attitude of the villagers is perfectly portrayed… a nice blend of suspicion, appraisal and curiosity.
    There is a history, a family history… and the reader is kept guessing at the secrets and skeletons in the family closet.
    It is not long before disturbing things begin to occur under the shadow of tree and night… yet none of this is explicit, leaving much for the imagination to play with before the plot begins to be teased apart, little by little.
    The setting of Raven’s Gathering is well drawn without too much detail, allowing the reader to fill in the gaps rather than having everything laid out mindlessly before them. The era is accurately portrayed and familiar. The book draws you in, almost in spite of yourself; most of the characters are not, for the most part, particularly likeable, but they are real and recognisable… these are people we meet every day and the writer has drawn heavily on his own experience.
    You get the feeling that you could deduce much about the author himself from the way his characters are portrayed. This may be the one area that does not appeal to some. Coming from a business background, I recognise the techniques used by Ian and his wife. While they are pertinent to the characters, there is perhaps a little too much emphasis on their detail, though not enough to spoil the flow of the story… and they do provide an interesting secondary puzzle for the interested reader to pick apart.
    The dialogue is well written and realistic, the formatting good and the story eerily enticing. The point of view from which the story is told shifts several times… and while I know that some dislike such shifts, to me it only adds depth and gives an edge to the suspense.
    For me, the most impressive thing about Raven’s Gathering is the way that tension is allowed to build, quietly but steadily, against an apparently mundane backdrop. Financial difficulties, fractured families and fragile relationships are set against the foil of the small doings of everyday life and gossip in an English village. There is a restraint in the writing that is, to my mind, far better at creating real suspense than the current fashion for blood and gore poured over a page. The very normality of the setting stands in stark contrast to the darker psychological and supernatural elements of the story. It is believable… and all the more effective for that.
    My only real criticism is the lack of a paperback version.
    Report
  • Adam Dixon
    4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and compelling thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I very much enjoyed this book. Set in the heart of a rural hamlet in the north of England, Graeme Cummings sets the scene instantly and prepares the reader for a thrilling tale. Beginning with a child waking from a nightmare only to discover something even worse happening nearby, the story hooks you with tantalising hints of this sinister occurrence throughout the book.
    Fleshed out and realistic characters are introduced, with Cummings unafraid to delve into the more questionable aspects of individual personalities and relationships. The pace builds steadily, with the foreboding appearance of the ravens and outsiders playing on the minds of the locals. Something is happening to Ravens Gathering, and you are compelled to read on and find out just what it is.
    The pace ramps up towards the end of the book, revealing shocking supernatural occurrences, a despicable plot and, at last, the truly horrifying events of the beginning. This book is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but it certainly is for anyone who loves a mysterious thriller with an explosive reveal. Highly entertaining and recommended.
    Report
  • Holly.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very gripping read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 23, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    My Review of Ravens Gathering by Graeme Cumming.

    I read Ravens Gathering in just over two days as it was hard to put down. I enjoyed the fast-paced and gripping storyline, also the chapter sizes are good, even if you want to read it in parts. I was captivated by the way the return of a long-traveled son called Martin and the appearance of a flock of Ravens set the tone of some horrible acts and village scandals. More than that this book keeps you guessing and the clever way it does this is head jumping from character to character throughout different chapters, with each character’s thoughts throwing another’s actions into question. By the time I got to the end, even my cats seemed confused to exactly who was behind village destruction.

    The story itself follows Martin as he returns to the village to reconnect with his family, however, they are not that happy to see him and tries to block his attempts to stick around. But when Martin meets Tanya, he sees his chance to let her flirty ways gain him a bed for the night. But after a murder, a brutal accident and all fingers pointing his way. how can he leave? Is he really behind such horrible acts or is it the raven lurking in the woods? Maybe something even darker? You’ll have to read this book to find out.

    I found Tanya and Ian’s characters very intriguing because they both seemed to lack something in their relationship towards each other, yet deep down they both felt as if they wanted the same thing, love companionship, and closeness. But because of the difference in their actions and personality, it seemed they more accepted their life together instead of really felt emotionally connected.

    I also like the supernatural dreamlike feel to some parts of this story, it felt at times as if Martin was stuck in a nightmare trying to get his soul. I thought this was well written and showed a lot more to Martin’s personality as well as at times made you really feel for him, but there were also times when you don’t want to like him all. This contrast in personality made Martin a well-developed character.

    The end was very surprising and unexpected, but not at all disappointing…In fact, I liked the ending and wished for more… Would there be a return of the Ravens? Who knows. But this is well worth a read if you like: thrillers with a supernatural twist and a lot of mystery driven by the many interesting and different characters.
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  • marjorie mallon
    4.0 out of 5 stars My Kyrosmagica Review of Ravens Gathering by Graeme Cumming
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is a very ambitious first novel, and on the whole Graeme Cumming does a fantastic job, creating a novel which is both highly imaginative, and unusual in many respects. The dialogue is believable, as is the detail in the various innocuous, homely settings: the pub, the farms, and this close knit English village.

    Ravens Gathering does a shape shift through several different genres, embracing fantasy, mystery, sci-fi, police procedural, thriller, and horror.

    The main character Martin Gates returns to this community, his home after a long time abroad. Martin’s reappearance is not welcomed with open arms by his family, in fact they appear to view his reappearance as something to avoid rather than embrace. To begin with Martin is a difficult character to engage with. His character is somewhat obtuse, but there are reasons for this, which become apparent as we read the book and realise why he is the way he is. We do get a sense of his outrage about being so unloved and uncared for by his family, and yet to begin with we have no idea why this the case. We can only speculate, but there’s no way that our speculations will be correct.

    Equally, Tanya, and Ian aren’t particularly appealing either, and neither are Martin’s family. The further we get into the book it seems more and more likely that everyone in Ravens Gathering are flawed in some unique and individual way. The key words that initially come to mind are: selfish, shady, desperate for sexual diversions, or damaged in some way.

    The story unfolds slowly with a considerable amount of detail, making events more real. Shocking and disturbing revelations in the latter part of the novel don’t come as a complete surprise given the underlying sense of a community where something is terribly amiss. Nevertheless I had no idea of what was coming, and the shock factor of what did surprised, and appalled me in equal measure. This is a novel where you can’t help but go WTF!!!!!

    The characters for the most part are not particularly lovable which initially distances the reader from them but that’s not meant as a criticism, in fact under the circumstances having read the story one realises why this is the case.

    The bad guy is about as horrible, wicked, and debauched a villain as you can get.

    This is a very complicated story that remains in your psyche for some time afterwards. It winds its way stretching the believability of the fantastical elements to the max, edging the story to its conclusion.

    My recommendation: Definitely an author to watch out for, a well written, confident debut. Read if you like mysterious thrillers with a fantastical, but deeply shocking element.

    [...]
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