Disturbance

Author Jenna Clake
Narrator Catrin Walker-Booth
Publisher Orion
Run Time 5 hours and 33 minutes
Format Audio
Genre Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Trauma and shock.

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What to expect

'Wonderfully witchy and emotionally astute' Chloë Ashby
'Unsettling and atmospheric' Harriet Tyce
'Bloody brilliant' Clare Pollard

Propulsive and wry, this razor-sharp debut is perfect for fans of Boy Parts and My Year of Rest and Relaxation explores all the ways that relationships and trauma can haunt our lives.

As the sun sets on a feverishly hot July evening, a young woman spies on her teenage neighbour, transfixed by what looks like an occult ritual to banish an ex-boyfriend. Desperate to expel the claustrophobic memories of her own ex that have followed, the narrator decides to try to hex herself free from her past.

She falls in with the neighbour and her witchy friend, exploring nascent supernatural powers as the boundaries of reality shift in and out of focus. But when the creaks and hums of her apartment escalate into something more violent, she realizes that she may have brought her boyfriend's presence - whether psychological or paranormal - back to haunt her.

READERS LOVE DISTURBANCE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'well worth the wait - engaging and well-written'

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'so vividly depicted that you'll feel you've met [the characters] and shared their angst . . . loved it'

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Brilliant'

Critics Review

A smart, sinister novel about how an abusive relationship – with its ominous rituals, hexes and jump-scares – can turn a home into a haunted house. Blood-curdling and bloody brilliant.
Clare Pollard, author of DELPHI
Unsettling and atmospheric with a tang of sulphur
Harriet Tyce, author of BLOOD ORANGE
When I Hit You meets The Craft – this slim, searing novel lures you in with the delicious nostalgia of teenage witchcraft before breaking you in two with its acute account of emotional and physical abuse. I was left completely breathless
Ruth Gilligan
Jenna Clake’s sun-baked novel is a sly and sharply-written portrayal of loneliness, the devastating effects of an abusive relationship and our cultural infatuation with the perceived potential of adolescence. Both bracing and compelling, muted yet blazing with undercurrents of uncanny nostalgia and female rage – a dark and shifty treat.
Shalene Teo, author of PONTI
SO beautifully written – a nuanced and raw portrayal of domestic abuse so realistic I felt like the author had been in my head and rooted through my memories. Can’t recommend enough . . . It’s also hopeful and powerful, following the narrator as she learns to trust her own judgement again and rediscovers her power.
Rose Wilding, author of SPEAK OF THE DEVIL
Told in vivid domestic details flavoured by the occult, Disturbance embodies the claustrophobic fear and denial that can haunt survivors of abuse long after the danger has passed. This book reads like a poem but hits like a horror novel. What a mysterious, painful, yet strangely delicious slice of life
Ashley Hutson, author of ONE'S COMPANY
Wonderfully witchy and emotionally astute. Disturbance hums with a tense and eerie energy and paints a powerful portrait of a young woman recovering from abuse
Chloë Ashby, author of WET PAINT
Clake’s first novel is blazingly emotionally intelligent, caustically well-observed and at times painfully funny. Shot through with the most convincingly uncanny and unsettling latent plot I’ve encountered in years. Comparisons are odious, but it feels like Normal People meets Twin Peaks
Luke Kennard
A hypnotic debut . . . the narrator’s history is delicately unveiled, and I was in awe of the nuanced way in which Jenna Clake handled such a harrowing subject
Stacey Thomas, author of THE REVELS
I enjoyed it very much. It is a beautifully written exploration of the aftermath of an abusive relationship. The prose is deceptively simple, highly sensual and sparkling with original imagery. Humorous and insightful in its depiction of teenagers dabbling in witchcraft, it is ultimately a serious story about a young woman recovering from trauma, and the psychological complexity of her story is both disturbing and – ultimately – immensely satisfying
Emma Henderson

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