Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2008), Edition: First Edition, Hardcover, 304 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. HTML: A haunting tale of apparitions, a cursed manor house, and two generations of women determined to discover the truth, by the author of The Ghost Writer Sell the Hall unseen; burn it to the ground and plow the earth with salt, if you will; but never live there... Constance Langton grows up in a household marked by death, her father distant, her mother in perpetual mourning for Constance's sister, the child she lost. Desperate to coax her mother back to health, Constance takes her to a s�ance; perhaps she will find comfort from beyond the grave. But the meeting has tragic consequences. Constance is left alone, her only legacy a mysterious bequest that will blight her life. So begins this brilliant and gripping novel, a dark mystery set in late-Victorian England. It is a world of apparitions, of disappearances and unnatural phenomena, of betrayal and blackmail and black-hearted villains�and of murder. Constance's bequest comes in two parts: a house and a mystery. Years before, a family disappeared at Wraxford Hall, a decaying mansion in the English countryside with a sinister reputation. Now the Hall belongs to Constance, and she must descend into the darkness at the heart of the Wraxford mystery to find the truth�even at the cost of her life..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member mckait
Too much
That is what comes to mind. Too much to the story. The story is too convoluted. Too many twist and turns. It strikes me that more depth could have been provided rather than more characters. It became difficult to keep track of who was who.
Some characters seemed to simply drop out of the
A running theme was the appearance both desired and undesired of spirits, or ghosts. There were fraudulent mediums and gifted ones. Marriages not blessed by love, broken families and blackmail. It was exhausting rather than entertaining. I cannot think of a single person that I would recommend this book to.
That is what comes to mind. Too much to the story. The story is too convoluted. Too many twist and turns. It strikes me that more depth could have been provided rather than more characters. It became difficult to keep track of who was who.
Some characters seemed to simply drop out of the
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story without explanation.They did reappear, abruptly and just as abruptly brought the threads of the story together.To me this story is reminiscent of Wilke Collins, THE WOMAN IN WHITE, but not quite uo to that standard. I had high hopes for this book up until the halfway point, when the meandering of the story seemed to get out of hand.A running theme was the appearance both desired and undesired of spirits, or ghosts. There were fraudulent mediums and gifted ones. Marriages not blessed by love, broken families and blackmail. It was exhausting rather than entertaining. I cannot think of a single person that I would recommend this book to.
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LibraryThing member ruinedbyreading
The Seance is interesting with lots of plot twists and turns. I was actually expecting the book to go in an entirely different direction after reading the first part. I was expecting some ghost story of mystery about the seances that the main character, Constance, attends. Instead, it follows
In the end, everything seems to come together and there’s a mostly happy ending for all involved. I actually kind of wish it weren’t such a picture-perfect ending, but the truth about Wraxford Hall was clever and it wasn’t something I saw coming.
If you’re looking for a good mystery novel, or a good intro to gothic mysteries, I would recommend The Seance. It was a very enjoyable book.
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several other characters in the telling of the mystery and tragedy surrounding Wraxford Hall. I also really liked how the story was told from different people and their different perspectives, although it did make things complicated and a bit confusing at some points.In the end, everything seems to come together and there’s a mostly happy ending for all involved. I actually kind of wish it weren’t such a picture-perfect ending, but the truth about Wraxford Hall was clever and it wasn’t something I saw coming.
If you’re looking for a good mystery novel, or a good intro to gothic mysteries, I would recommend The Seance. It was a very enjoyable book.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
"sell the Hall unseen; burn it to the ground and plough the earth with salt if you will; but never live there." This is the advice to Miss Constance Langton from John Montague, the solicitor who as advised Miss Langton of her inheritance of Wraxford Hall.
The Seance is set in Victorian England, and
This book was so good that I started it on an airplane and was really upset when the plane landed. And I hate to fly, so that says a lot. Once you get started, you won't put it down. The characters are all drawn very nicely; the atmosphere is quite creepy and gloomy, and the writing itself is quite good. Someone else who reviewed this book said that the reader must be ready to suspend disbelief, and that's probably true, but it is well worth it. I found it to be a bit predictable, but after all is said and done, I really didn't mind.
I'd definitely recommend it to people who like creepy atmosphere, a Victorian setting, stories about large gloomy houses, and people who enjoy gothic-type novels. The blurb on the back of the cover says something along the lines that the book is for fans of Wilkie Collins, and that may be correct. This is a fine piece of writing, and John Harwood is an excellent author. I was sad when the book was over; here's hoping Harwood won't keep us waiting long for the next one.
The Seance is set in Victorian England, and
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Constance Langton has lost her mother and her cold and distant father has moved away. Living with her uncle, she notices an advertisement asking her to reply. It is then that she learns she has inherited Wraxford Hall, and along with it, papers relating to the Hall and its tragic history; it seems that the place is not only haunted, but the scene of a tragedy -- the disappearance of Eleanor Unwin, her baby and her husband, Magnus Wrexford. Constance feels that the story has relevance to her own life, and she feels she must get to the root of the events leading to the tragedy so that she can perhaps find the answers to questions she has about herself and her own life. The story is structured as a story within a story, but as usually happens in this sort of thing, the two tend to mesh at some point. This book was so good that I started it on an airplane and was really upset when the plane landed. And I hate to fly, so that says a lot. Once you get started, you won't put it down. The characters are all drawn very nicely; the atmosphere is quite creepy and gloomy, and the writing itself is quite good. Someone else who reviewed this book said that the reader must be ready to suspend disbelief, and that's probably true, but it is well worth it. I found it to be a bit predictable, but after all is said and done, I really didn't mind.
I'd definitely recommend it to people who like creepy atmosphere, a Victorian setting, stories about large gloomy houses, and people who enjoy gothic-type novels. The blurb on the back of the cover says something along the lines that the book is for fans of Wilkie Collins, and that may be correct. This is a fine piece of writing, and John Harwood is an excellent author. I was sad when the book was over; here's hoping Harwood won't keep us waiting long for the next one.
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LibraryThing member bibliobeck
The back blurb says read it if you like being scared out of your wits. I can't say I found the book scary at all, however this didn't lessen the enjoyment factor for me. It really was a fabulous story. It put me in mind of Wilkie Collins' The Woman in White, which is one of my favourites. This
I'd love to see this made into a drama, I'm certain it would absolutely hook the viewer as the book had me hooked from start to finish. I love the writing style and read this book far too late into the night than is sensible on a weekday. I had this book on my wish list for ages before finally buying it and I can't believe I waited so long - I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author.
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novel has all the essential ingredients of a classic Victorian tale: the is-she-isn't-she mad scenario, the is-he-isn't-he really menacing husband, a spooky mystery, threats of the madhouse, disapproving mothers, diamonds disappearing under mysterious circumstances... what a treat! I'd love to see this made into a drama, I'm certain it would absolutely hook the viewer as the book had me hooked from start to finish. I love the writing style and read this book far too late into the night than is sensible on a weekday. I had this book on my wish list for ages before finally buying it and I can't believe I waited so long - I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author.
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LibraryThing member ocgreg34
Constance Langton always felt like an outsider in her own family, even moreso when her younger sister Alma dies. Her Mother shuts down, lamenting on and on about Alma so Constance takes her to see a séance. When things go too well and her Mother sinks deeper into her depression, shutting herself
While in his employ, she receives a strange letter that she has inherited an old estate known as Wraxford Hall. But she's warned by the Hall's attorney, John Montague, to sell the place...as soon as she can. He gives her a handful of letters from the last known owner of the Hall, but won't say much more about the place. Even her Uncle can only offer little information. Through those letters, however, she learns of the dark history of the Hall, of the mystery surrounding the disappearances of two of its previous owners and of a young woman and her child. Intrigued, Constance sets out to discover just what happened at the Hall and what exactly her ties are to the mysterious Wraxford family.
If you're a fan of gothic mystery/thrillers, John Harwood's "The Séance" is the perfect tale for you. It contains all the elements: a dark, crumbling manse with a mysterious past, a surrounding forest haunted by an ethereal monk who is rumored to cause death to anyone who sees him, people disappearing, a mesmerist, séances and mediums -- all set in Victorian England. The intertwining tales of Constance and of the happenings at Wraxford Hall kept me enthralled as I read on and on, and the way Harwood presented the tale allowed me as a reader to play along as detective, piecing the story together along with Constance rather than remain outside the story. I also enjoyed the characters, especially that of Dr. Magnus Wraxford, the mesmerist. He contains a very quiet evil which at first happily draws you in, but as time goes on, you can tell something isn't quite right by a facial expression or the measuring of his words. Very creepy, and just what a gothic story needs.
An excellent read from beginning to end.
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off completely from her family, Father decides to leave home because he doesn't want to deal with his wife. Left to fend for herself, an Uncle takes her in as a housekeeper.While in his employ, she receives a strange letter that she has inherited an old estate known as Wraxford Hall. But she's warned by the Hall's attorney, John Montague, to sell the place...as soon as she can. He gives her a handful of letters from the last known owner of the Hall, but won't say much more about the place. Even her Uncle can only offer little information. Through those letters, however, she learns of the dark history of the Hall, of the mystery surrounding the disappearances of two of its previous owners and of a young woman and her child. Intrigued, Constance sets out to discover just what happened at the Hall and what exactly her ties are to the mysterious Wraxford family.
If you're a fan of gothic mystery/thrillers, John Harwood's "The Séance" is the perfect tale for you. It contains all the elements: a dark, crumbling manse with a mysterious past, a surrounding forest haunted by an ethereal monk who is rumored to cause death to anyone who sees him, people disappearing, a mesmerist, séances and mediums -- all set in Victorian England. The intertwining tales of Constance and of the happenings at Wraxford Hall kept me enthralled as I read on and on, and the way Harwood presented the tale allowed me as a reader to play along as detective, piecing the story together along with Constance rather than remain outside the story. I also enjoyed the characters, especially that of Dr. Magnus Wraxford, the mesmerist. He contains a very quiet evil which at first happily draws you in, but as time goes on, you can tell something isn't quite right by a facial expression or the measuring of his words. Very creepy, and just what a gothic story needs.
An excellent read from beginning to end.
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LibraryThing member Laurenbdavis
ell, THAT was fun! A terrific Victorian ghost-story thriller! Clearly Harwood is giving a tip of his cap to Wilkie Collins and perhaps Arthur Conan Doyle, but the work isn't derivative. It is genuinely spooky, well-constructed and beautifully paced. The complicated structure of narratives within
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narratives might have failed were Harwood not such an accomplished teller of tales. There are more twists and turns here than the maze at Hampton Court. Harwood creates a Victorian setting brilliantly, and from the first pages this reader was utterly absorbed, reading as fast as I could, and enjoying every minute. Show Less
LibraryThing member kmaziarz
Wraxford Hall, a decaying ancestral manse deep in the foggy woods of England, is the epicenter of this gothic Victorian tale of love, murder, and the supernatural. Half-orphaned lady Constance Langston—a woman with a more than passing familiarity with spiritualism and the supernatural
Filled to the brim and over with stock tropes of the genre—mysterious deaths, spiritualist seances, the decaying mansion itself, recurrent strong lightning storms, hidden journals and confessionary letters, mesmerism and alchemy—“The Séance” is nevertheless every bit as captivating as its literary forebears. A treat for fans of the gothic and the Victorian.
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herself—inherits the Hall from a distant aunt she never knew. The lawyer handling the inheritence warns her to sell the Hall immediately, without ever living there or even visiting. When she presses him for details, he sends her a packet of papers concerning the Hall’s creepy and sordid history, provided by a variety of characters whose own veracity may well be suspect. Wraxford Hall, it seems, has been the site of numerous deaths, most of them unexplained. One of the previous owners had a reputation as an alchemist, and his body has never been found. The next owner, Magnus, was killed in a sensational fashion by his young wife Eleanor, whose own fiance had died at the Hall years before. But as Constance reads through all the papers sent to her, she becomes increasingly convinced that Eleanor was innocent of the crime and that, in fact, Magnus may still be alive—and that she herself may well be the long-lost child of Eleanor and Magnus, fostered out after Eleanor’s disappearance and Magnus’s supposed death. Despite the personal danger it places her in, Constance disregard’s the lawyer’s advice and sets out to unravel the decades-old mysteries of Wraxford Hall.Filled to the brim and over with stock tropes of the genre—mysterious deaths, spiritualist seances, the decaying mansion itself, recurrent strong lightning storms, hidden journals and confessionary letters, mesmerism and alchemy—“The Séance” is nevertheless every bit as captivating as its literary forebears. A treat for fans of the gothic and the Victorian.
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LibraryThing member madamlibbytellsall
Constance Langton grows up in an unhappy home with a distant father and a mother who has lost herself in mourning. When she is sixteen her father leaves them and Constance is left to run the house and tend her mother. She turns to spiritualism and seances in an effort to reach through the fog of
This is the kind of atmospheric, creepy story that made me fall in love with the things that hide under the bed. John Harwood takes the small idea of the unhappy, ignored child and uses it to explore the lengths people will go to to find love and acceptance. The ending is much better than in his other novel "The Ghost Writer," but it's a little too expected. I'm still giving it 5 stars though for everything that comes before. A real treat - highly recommended.
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her mother's grief. This is the kind of atmospheric, creepy story that made me fall in love with the things that hide under the bed. John Harwood takes the small idea of the unhappy, ignored child and uses it to explore the lengths people will go to to find love and acceptance. The ending is much better than in his other novel "The Ghost Writer," but it's a little too expected. I'm still giving it 5 stars though for everything that comes before. A real treat - highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member CasualFriday
Harwood is a new practitioner in the "classic ghost story" genre. You've got your English manor house, your ill-fated love affair, your mysterious occultist, your tangled family tree. Like his first book, The Ghost Writer, there are stories within stories here, but the main structure of the book is
It's an entertaining ride, and Harwood has the atmosphere down pat. The ending felt a little rushed, with too much exposition, but I would still recommend this for an easy-chair and afghan day of reading.
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a young woman, briefly involved with fraudulent seances, who inherits a decrepit mansion with a disturbing history of mysterious deaths and disappearances. It's an entertaining ride, and Harwood has the atmosphere down pat. The ending felt a little rushed, with too much exposition, but I would still recommend this for an easy-chair and afghan day of reading.
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LibraryThing member JaneSteen
A nice spooky gothic novel complete with clairvoyance, cruel parents, a monk, lightning rods and a suit of armor. A book to be read by lamplight in a darkened room with the wind howling outside. And yet the author is not merely writing within the gothic genre; he is to some extent standing outside
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and using this format to explore several historical/literary themes and structures. A book that shouldn't be taken at its face value. Show Less
LibraryThing member ehines
Opinion on this novel is quite varied, and I can see why. Very much a period piece, using a lot of period technique (memoirs from different perspectives for instance). For those who absolutely do not care for the Victorian gothic, this novel will be a bit of a pill. For those who are somewhat
The ending is a bit flawed in my opinion, but much more elegantly done than Harwood's previous novel. And the high points of that novel--the ability to create atmosphere and mood, the feel he has for the period, the deft hand with the stories within--are all once again apparent here.
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ambivalent or positively receptive to that form, this modern, less mannered rendition may be just your ticket.The ending is a bit flawed in my opinion, but much more elegantly done than Harwood's previous novel. And the high points of that novel--the ability to create atmosphere and mood, the feel he has for the period, the deft hand with the stories within--are all once again apparent here.
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LibraryThing member cmbohn
Themes: family heritage, the supernatural, curses, love,
Setting: a good old Gothic story, Victorian England
Constance Langston is drawn into a creepy little series of events when she learns that she has inherited a 'haunted house.' Wraxford Hall has been the scene of a few disappearances and
I enjoyed this book. It didn't start exactly how I expected, but it was a compelling and creepy read. 4 stars.
Setting: a good old Gothic story, Victorian England
Constance Langston is drawn into a creepy little series of events when she learns that she has inherited a 'haunted house.' Wraxford Hall has been the scene of a few disappearances and
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mysterious deaths, and now the house is falling down. But it has a horrible history, and the book jumps back into time and explores some of those events. What really happened and who was to blame is the real question of the book. Is there a supernatural force at work, or is there a more logical, but still sinister explanation? As the book continues, it revolves around the story of Magnus and Eleanor. Which one was the murderer? Constance wants to get to the bottom of things, but it may be much more dangerous than she expects.I enjoyed this book. It didn't start exactly how I expected, but it was a compelling and creepy read. 4 stars.
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LibraryThing member SimoneA
The Seance is not a book I would have picked up myself, because I don't normally read ghost stories/mysteries, but as a gift, I appreciated it very much. The atmosphere of the book is very good; you wouldn't say it has been written in this century. The story itself is quite nice, with likable
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characters and a not very predictable story line. I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member thiscatsabroad
Strong writing, very evocative of the period, loses steam quickly, very predictable denouement.
LibraryThing member phoebesmum
Almost the best thing I can say about this book is "I liked the cover". It's a pastiche of the great Victorian Gothic novel, with overtones of Wilkie Collins. Sadly, the great Victorian public had more patience and more time on their hands than I do, and had also been less exposed to popular
To be fair, I quite enjoyed the first section, the saga of poor, sad Constance with her unloving father and her melancholic mother and how her urge to help said mother leads her to the fatal path of spiritualism, but as disaster and woe piled on disaster and woe I was, once again, irresistibly reminded of Edward Gorey. When the perspective shifted and the next narrator took up the story I found myself skipping and, in the end, just read the last section, in which Constance picks up the narrative again, and found that, actually, I had missed almost nothing at all.
I will give it credit for this. On learning that her nursemaid's mother had had five children die, Constance naturally assumes that she must have been even more grief-stricken than Constance's own mother, who had lost only one child. "But no, said Annie, there had been no time for mourning; her mother had been too busy looking after the rest of them." Melancholia was and, I suppose, still is, strictly a middle-class privilege.
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culture (there having been less of it around at the time) and were thus possibly less able to predict every. Last. Word of the storyline. There are no twists and no surprises: it does exactly what it says on the tin.To be fair, I quite enjoyed the first section, the saga of poor, sad Constance with her unloving father and her melancholic mother and how her urge to help said mother leads her to the fatal path of spiritualism, but as disaster and woe piled on disaster and woe I was, once again, irresistibly reminded of Edward Gorey. When the perspective shifted and the next narrator took up the story I found myself skipping and, in the end, just read the last section, in which Constance picks up the narrative again, and found that, actually, I had missed almost nothing at all.
I will give it credit for this. On learning that her nursemaid's mother had had five children die, Constance naturally assumes that she must have been even more grief-stricken than Constance's own mother, who had lost only one child. "But no, said Annie, there had been no time for mourning; her mother had been too busy looking after the rest of them." Melancholia was and, I suppose, still is, strictly a middle-class privilege.
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LibraryThing member PirateJenny
The story of the terrible and mysterious Wraxford Hall, inherited by Constance Langton. The story is told by three people: Constance herself, John Montague, who is the executor of Wraxford and friend of Magnus, who inherits the hall, and Eleanor Unwin, who, well, that's best left unsaid.
Like all
The novel is dark and atmospheric in the same way as The Ghost Writer and while the idea of a haunted building is similar, the two novels are quite different. This one is also excellent though.
Sadly, though, it's only available as an import until next year. Still, it's worth it if you can get your hands on it. Very much so. Perfect for those dark thunderstorms of summer.
Like all
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good haunted houses, Wraxford is surrounded by a dark, forboding wood, Monk's Wood, where even schoolchildren are afraid to play.The novel is dark and atmospheric in the same way as The Ghost Writer and while the idea of a haunted building is similar, the two novels are quite different. This one is also excellent though.
Sadly, though, it's only available as an import until next year. Still, it's worth it if you can get your hands on it. Very much so. Perfect for those dark thunderstorms of summer.
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LibraryThing member adpaton
After the somnambulistic Eleanor Unwin falls down a staircase and cracks her head while asleep, she starts to see strange visions - more specifically, she sees dead people. But is she actually seeing ghosts, or are these hallucinations brought about by her fall?
Constance Langton on the other hand
When Constance inherits the ruined and notorious Wraxford Hall from an unknown relative, lawyer John Montague advises her to have nothing to do with it and gives her his private memoir to explain the background to the hall and his connection to Eleanor Unwin - who married then, supposedly, murdered both Magnus Wraxford and her baby daughter.
The story is told in the form of complimentary narratives: memoirs, diaries and letters with alternating points of view give all sides of the story; a device that mirrors the techniques of several Victorian writers, including Wilkie Collins, and Harwood handles it very well. So well in fact that the reader forgets exactly how subjective and misleading [deliberately so or not] reported speech and personal accounts can be.
Suffice it to say the story is not what one expects at the start - more Northanger Abbey than The Mysteries of Udolfo - and while some plot points are predictable, these are more than outweighed by the delightfully Gothic twists and turns of an excellent Victorian pastiche.
Constance Langton on the other hand
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has no doubt she is NOT able to communicate with the dead, but her mother's insane grief at the death of her youngest child leads Constance to pretend to go into a trance and talk to spirits in an attempt to bring her parent comfort.When Constance inherits the ruined and notorious Wraxford Hall from an unknown relative, lawyer John Montague advises her to have nothing to do with it and gives her his private memoir to explain the background to the hall and his connection to Eleanor Unwin - who married then, supposedly, murdered both Magnus Wraxford and her baby daughter.
The story is told in the form of complimentary narratives: memoirs, diaries and letters with alternating points of view give all sides of the story; a device that mirrors the techniques of several Victorian writers, including Wilkie Collins, and Harwood handles it very well. So well in fact that the reader forgets exactly how subjective and misleading [deliberately so or not] reported speech and personal accounts can be.
Suffice it to say the story is not what one expects at the start - more Northanger Abbey than The Mysteries of Udolfo - and while some plot points are predictable, these are more than outweighed by the delightfully Gothic twists and turns of an excellent Victorian pastiche.
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LibraryThing member alexann
Constance, a young woman, living in the 1890s in England, believes she is not the true daughter of her uncaring parents. Her discontent with her life leads her to explore the spiritual world by attending the seances which were so popular at that time. She has visions, and begins to think she has
This was not a quick read for me. Especially the part narrated by John Montague, the solicitor, required some slogging. He tells the history of Wraxford Hall and the people whose lives were connected to it in such a dry manner (like the man he was) that it was very hard to stick with it.
Although Constance is a sympathetic character, she spends too much time on the sidelines. There certainly are some good old-fashioned horrifying parts to this story, but not enough to truly pull the reader in.
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special spiritual gifts. When an attorney appears at her door unexpectedly, with the news that she has inherited an estate in Monks Wood, her life suddenly changes. He leaves her a journal he has written, about his past experiences at and with Wraxford Hall. After reading his journal, Constance is more convinced than ever that she is connected to the Hall and the family that owned it, and goes along with her young friends to conduct a final seance in the doomed hall.This was not a quick read for me. Especially the part narrated by John Montague, the solicitor, required some slogging. He tells the history of Wraxford Hall and the people whose lives were connected to it in such a dry manner (like the man he was) that it was very hard to stick with it.
Although Constance is a sympathetic character, she spends too much time on the sidelines. There certainly are some good old-fashioned horrifying parts to this story, but not enough to truly pull the reader in.
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LibraryThing member katiebobus
I'm totally enjoying this fast read, but I was actually hoping for something as scary as his first novel, The Ghost Writer. This only has moments of creepiness so far. Coming up on the climax, though, so hopefully I will be spooked to the core. It is better organized than his first. Each novel has
Update: No, not scary. It's a clever story though.
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a fascinating crux of a Victorian device - a literal device - that really adds a unique touch. I think Harwood promises to be a fine mystery/thriller writer. I'll definitely buy his next and hope it comes out close on the heels of this one! Update: No, not scary. It's a clever story though.
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LibraryThing member bhowell
Fabulous. I love it almost as much as I loved The Ghostwriter. Like Wilkie Collins, Mr Harwood draws you in and his characters spin long tales of breathless suspense. I am waiting breathlessly for his next book.
LibraryThing member shirley8
Really enjoyed this book.
LibraryThing member aquinaught
There is a good story here but it is buried beneath the tedium of excessive Victorian pleasantries and feints too clever for their own good. The late Nineteenth Century setting is perfect for this sort of story as superstition and mystery are still commonplace although being gradually worn away by
The story is told from the eyes of three different speakers, each one more depressing than the last. They are layered like an onion (abcba) in such a way that by the time the reader returns to Constance's time (a in the onion), it is very easy to forget who she was! The sheer number of meaningless characters introduced in each section makes following who did what a chore. This can be desired in a more mundane whodunit, but the promise of something fantastical renders them annoyances. Couple this with a thoroughly unsatisfying ending and I'm afraid I cannot recommend or appreciate this work in its current form.
This is an enticing early draft of what could have been a solid homage to Doyle's Holmes. Another pass or two, including a weaving of the narratives rather than the current bookending of Constance's current timeline, would have created a much more immersive and enjoyable read.
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the advance of science and technology. The characters attempt to provide rational and scientific explanations for phenomena but retain the hopes or beliefs that something supernatural may account for the goings-on, providing a fertile ground for charlatans and showmen to prey upon their imaginations. Things we take for granted today--and even those we don't yet understand--were easy pickings as avenues for knowledgeable people to control those with less inquisitive minds.The story is told from the eyes of three different speakers, each one more depressing than the last. They are layered like an onion (abcba) in such a way that by the time the reader returns to Constance's time (a in the onion), it is very easy to forget who she was! The sheer number of meaningless characters introduced in each section makes following who did what a chore. This can be desired in a more mundane whodunit, but the promise of something fantastical renders them annoyances. Couple this with a thoroughly unsatisfying ending and I'm afraid I cannot recommend or appreciate this work in its current form.
This is an enticing early draft of what could have been a solid homage to Doyle's Holmes. Another pass or two, including a weaving of the narratives rather than the current bookending of Constance's current timeline, would have created a much more immersive and enjoyable read.
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LibraryThing member 68papyrus
The Seance started off great but lost steam midway through the book. The writing was clunky and confusing at times and the ending was a disappointment.
LibraryThing member rwilliab
Deliciously creepy tale with a bent that will appeal to the semi-sadistic Victorian aesthetic of Brontë lovers. Engaging and for the most part well constructed and realized, though Constance and Nell's voices are so similar that it becomes difficult to keep them distinct in one's head. My main
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issue with this book is that the ending and resolution, while mainly satisfying, seem a little too pat for the convolutions of the plot. For me, the mark of a good mystery is that the clues are there and only need a bit of creative thinking to put them together, but here what's needed is imagination and the ability to read minds. Fun but probably not a reread. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kasthu
In 1888, Constance Langton inherits Wraxford Hall from a distant relative, and she is told by her solicitor, John Montague, to burn the Hall sight unseen. He, and the journal of Eleanor Wraxford, tell a story that features mysterious ghosts, a sinister suit of armor, several owners of Wraxford
I enjoyed this novel, much more than I did The Ghost Writer. The creepiness factor of this novel was enough to set me at the edge of my seat, reading on in anticipation of what would happen next. Highly atmospheric and disturbing, this book features all the best of Victorian ghost stories—an ancient, abandoned house, overwhelming fog, lightening, and that creeping sensation the reader gets when evil lurks.
My only problem with this otherwise excellent novel is that the ending is a little bit expected—the reader is practically told early on what the outcome will be. And what about the legend of the mysterious ghost that is said to haunt Monks’ Wood at night? I felt that that plot element was abandoned a bit by the end of the novel. But in all, a deliciously creepy novel. Definitely don’t read this book before going to bed at night!
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Hall, who go missing under bizarre circumstances, and murder. Constance then goes to the Hall to take a look about—and to take part in a séance in order to find out what really happened in the old house many years ago. I enjoyed this novel, much more than I did The Ghost Writer. The creepiness factor of this novel was enough to set me at the edge of my seat, reading on in anticipation of what would happen next. Highly atmospheric and disturbing, this book features all the best of Victorian ghost stories—an ancient, abandoned house, overwhelming fog, lightening, and that creeping sensation the reader gets when evil lurks.
My only problem with this otherwise excellent novel is that the ending is a little bit expected—the reader is practically told early on what the outcome will be. And what about the legend of the mysterious ghost that is said to haunt Monks’ Wood at night? I felt that that plot element was abandoned a bit by the end of the novel. But in all, a deliciously creepy novel. Definitely don’t read this book before going to bed at night!
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Awards
Aurealis Award (Winner — 2008)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Horror — 2010)
Original publication date
2008
Physical description
304 p.; 8.58 inches
ISBN
0224081861 / 9780224081863