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As the widowed master of an elegant house in Victorian-era London slips slowly into madness and his tyrannical housekeeper takes on more power, a ghostly presence distracts a teenaged maidservant with clues to a deadly secret.
User reviews
LibraryThing member BookPurring
Gothic, mysterious and a historical setting. All of my guilty pleasures, so it's no surprise that I absolutely loved this book. The book follows Abi Tamper as she discovers the truth about the death of her mother and some other secrets in Greave Hall. The pacing of the book is very good, as a
I very rarely read mysteries outside my obsession with Agatha Christie, but I really l iked that I had the same spooked ~feeling while reading this book and it's the first book in a while that I can't absolutely put down. I liked the characters, the setting and I am definitely open to reading more of Michael Ford's books. There is, however, a very sad, sad, sad passage involving kittens. And I mean it. Very sad. If anyone is looking for romance, there isn't one. As a read-a-like I would suggest The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell, though there isn't any romance in The Poisoned House.
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reader you're given clues so you can complete the puzzle. I was very happy when my guess turned out to be correct that doesn't happen to me very often. Abi's voice is very age and era appropriate, as well she's a very smart character and even when you want to shake her and tell her Ms. Cotton, the evil housekeeper, is not the source of ALL evil you understand why she feels that way. I very rarely read mysteries outside my obsession with Agatha Christie, but I really l iked that I had the same spooked ~feeling while reading this book and it's the first book in a while that I can't absolutely put down. I liked the characters, the setting and I am definitely open to reading more of Michael Ford's books. There is, however, a very sad, sad, sad passage involving kittens. And I mean it. Very sad. If anyone is looking for romance, there isn't one. As a read-a-like I would suggest The Vespertine by Saundra Mitchell, though there isn't any romance in The Poisoned House.
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LibraryThing member booktwirps
Fifteen-year-old Abigail is a servant in Greaves Hall. Her mother died of cholera just one year ago, leaving her an orphan. With nowhere to go, she is left to serve in the house she and her mother have lived in since she was born. Abi's life is miserable and she dreams of running away to escape the
To say any more about the synopsis of this book would ruin the experience for the reader. With The Poisoned House, Mr. Ford has crafted a truly creepy, gothic ghost story. He perfectly captures the setting of 1850's London with vivid detail. The characters are all richly drawn, especially the devious Mrs. Cotton, who gives Mrs. Danvers of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca a run for her money. This is a quick and easy read, and one that shouldn't be missed, especially by fans of good old-fashioned ghost stories.
(Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
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wrath of Mrs. Cotton, the head housekeeper, who, for some reason, insists on making Abi's life a living hell. When Samuel, the son of the lord of the house returns home, gravely injured after serving in the war, strange things begin taking place around Greaves Hall. Mysterious hand prints appear on windows, rooms in the house are trashed, and Abi can't shake the feeling she is being watched. As the lord of the house slips further into madness, and Samuel's life hangs between life and death, the ghostly incidents come more frequently. Abi believes someone is trying to tell her something. Could it be her mother, reaching out to her from the grave, or is it something more sinister?To say any more about the synopsis of this book would ruin the experience for the reader. With The Poisoned House, Mr. Ford has crafted a truly creepy, gothic ghost story. He perfectly captures the setting of 1850's London with vivid detail. The characters are all richly drawn, especially the devious Mrs. Cotton, who gives Mrs. Danvers of Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca a run for her money. This is a quick and easy read, and one that shouldn't be missed, especially by fans of good old-fashioned ghost stories.
(Review based on an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley)
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LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
I have a love/hate relationship with ghost stories. I love the thrill I get from reading them, and I hate the “over the shoulder” compulsion I get. I do not like spooky things, so I read The Poisoned House by the light of the day.
What I got was pure entertainment. No, the story wasn’t really
So while the book really didn’t have much that I could go on and on about, it did provide me with a fun few hours of enjoyment and, really, isn’t that what you want from a good ghost story?
What I got was pure entertainment. No, the story wasn’t really
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anything knew and I guessed at the outcome about 1/3rd of the way through the book, but still – I wanted to read because I was being entertained, spooked and it felt good. I loved the atmosphere of the house, the cast of characters and the Cinderella feel that Abi had.So while the book really didn’t have much that I could go on and on about, it did provide me with a fun few hours of enjoyment and, really, isn’t that what you want from a good ghost story?
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LibraryThing member lilibrarian
Abby is an orphan - her mother died the year before. She lives as a servant in the house where she was raised, her mother having been nurse of Lord Greave's son, Samuel. The housekeeper is cruel to her, and she awaits Samuel's return from the Crimean War to ease her life. Strange things begin
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happening in the house, and she realizes that her late mother was murdered and is trying to warn her of something. Show Less
LibraryThing member tammydotts
London in the mid 1850s. A manor house governed by a stern housekeeper while the Lord of the house slowly goes mad. A soldier who loses a leg upon his return from the Crimean War. Secrets and strange bumps in the night. Clothes and furniture that move when no when watches. And at the center of it
Michael Ford’s The Poisoned House trots out nearly every trope found in a Gothic novel. The target young adult reader may be new to the genre of haunted Victorian families and may not wince every time Mrs. Cotton, the housekeeper, threatens young Abigail Tamper, the book’s heroine. Older readers, however, will recognize the stereotyped characters and plot twists long before they occur. And if younger readers have been exposed to Algernon Blackwood or Henry James, they may wonder if Ford deserves a place among them.
The Poisoned House sticks to the Gothic formula without straying. This is both an asset and detriment for the book. The formula lays the groundwork for the story, and readers should have an easy time following along. The main plot twist carries enough foreshadowing on its shoulders that young readers can congratulate themselves for figuring it out ahead of the big reveal, even if the reveal depends on one character’s complete change in personality that may dumbfound older readers.
Abigail, or “Abi” as she is called by other characters, is an amalgam of every young Gothic heroine. She is plucky. She has hidden intelligence and taught herself to read from the books in her employer’s library (although she cops to having poor handwriting and her use of the word “pumps” to describe her footwear could throw older readers out of the story into a search for the words etymology). She enjoyed a special sibling-like relationship with the young master of the house (now the aforementioned war hero). She was the daughter of a servant and given special privileges while raised in the house she now serves.
Ford could have deviated from the formulaic road map now and then and elevated the story: Did the parlormaid have to become pregnant by her footman boyfriend; was it necessary for Mrs. Cotton to abuse her position as housekeeper and the lord’s sister-in-law so obviously; why did no one talk about the supernatural activities at the house?
It is when Ford turns his attention to the supernatural that the story takes hold of the reader. Are the strange events the result of a ghost or a human? A medium visits Mrs. Cotton and manages to convey a garbled message to Abi. A strange figure appears in a daguerreotype image.
Abi, however, is far too accepting of what she interprets as supernatural events. Even without a 21st-century cynicism, the scullery maid doesn’t question what is happening around her, even when events seem to tell her to mistrust everything she knew about the people with whom she’s spent her life.
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all, a 15-year-old scullery maid, unaware of the secrets that surround her.Michael Ford’s The Poisoned House trots out nearly every trope found in a Gothic novel. The target young adult reader may be new to the genre of haunted Victorian families and may not wince every time Mrs. Cotton, the housekeeper, threatens young Abigail Tamper, the book’s heroine. Older readers, however, will recognize the stereotyped characters and plot twists long before they occur. And if younger readers have been exposed to Algernon Blackwood or Henry James, they may wonder if Ford deserves a place among them.
The Poisoned House sticks to the Gothic formula without straying. This is both an asset and detriment for the book. The formula lays the groundwork for the story, and readers should have an easy time following along. The main plot twist carries enough foreshadowing on its shoulders that young readers can congratulate themselves for figuring it out ahead of the big reveal, even if the reveal depends on one character’s complete change in personality that may dumbfound older readers.
Abigail, or “Abi” as she is called by other characters, is an amalgam of every young Gothic heroine. She is plucky. She has hidden intelligence and taught herself to read from the books in her employer’s library (although she cops to having poor handwriting and her use of the word “pumps” to describe her footwear could throw older readers out of the story into a search for the words etymology). She enjoyed a special sibling-like relationship with the young master of the house (now the aforementioned war hero). She was the daughter of a servant and given special privileges while raised in the house she now serves.
Ford could have deviated from the formulaic road map now and then and elevated the story: Did the parlormaid have to become pregnant by her footman boyfriend; was it necessary for Mrs. Cotton to abuse her position as housekeeper and the lord’s sister-in-law so obviously; why did no one talk about the supernatural activities at the house?
It is when Ford turns his attention to the supernatural that the story takes hold of the reader. Are the strange events the result of a ghost or a human? A medium visits Mrs. Cotton and manages to convey a garbled message to Abi. A strange figure appears in a daguerreotype image.
Abi, however, is far too accepting of what she interprets as supernatural events. Even without a 21st-century cynicism, the scullery maid doesn’t question what is happening around her, even when events seem to tell her to mistrust everything she knew about the people with whom she’s spent her life.
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LibraryThing member gwenythlove
Michael Ford did a brilliant job writing a realistic story placed in Victorian times. It is so easy to immerse oneself into the daily comings and goings of Greave Hall, following the actions and duties of Abi as she rises in the morning to stoke the fires, as she rushes about from room to room
The story itself however was very slow to start. I mentally had to force myself through the first 1/3 of the book, anxious not to give up on it without a fight. The hook at the beginning of the book was weak. I found myself only mildly curious as to why Abi ran away from Greave Hall, and not really interested enough to care why she was refusing to return.
Around the 1/3 mark (100 or so pages into the novel) the pacing finally started to pick up a bit. The plot was predictable, as were the character's actions. I feel the author tried too hard to pinpoint certain characters in their evil role and other characters in their helpful roles. So many things occurred in the book that were merely thrown in as misdirection and had no real merit to the story as a whole. There were points in the book where I wanted to yell at the characters, specifically Abi, for being so stupid and naive. It just wasn't realistic that she would believe, not notice, and fall for some of the things that she did.
The title was well suited to this story, and has an underlying double meaning referring not just to the murder of the mother (mentioned very early on so not a spoiler!), but also to the house itself and the people that reside in it - the fact that secrets not only poison people to sometimes do horrible things, but sometimes just the knowledge of some secrets can poison the people themselves.
I really I did like that this was a stand alone novel, no horrible cliffhanger or half-hearted sequel to try and string the story along even more. It has a beginning, a middle, and a nicely tied up ending. Everything does finally make sense in the end, but it takes a really long time to get there with not a lot of help along the way. I especially enjoyed the realistic feel the author tried to give the book by referring to diary pages at the beginning and an obituary for Abi at the end. I think it was a perfect way to round out everything that happens to Abi after her ordeal without having to write a second novel.
I would recommend this book to older readers with lots of patience. There are no real romantic plot-lines that many YA readers are so fond of. The action is there, but rare, and the spaces in between can drag on. I don't think there is enough to keep younger, more hyperactive minds engaged in the story for long.
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scrubbing the windows clean, and as she finally retires to her tiny room tucked up in the far corners of the attic, away from sight of the prominent members of Greave Hall. The characters and the world are alive and breathing, realistic and easy to believe.The story itself however was very slow to start. I mentally had to force myself through the first 1/3 of the book, anxious not to give up on it without a fight. The hook at the beginning of the book was weak. I found myself only mildly curious as to why Abi ran away from Greave Hall, and not really interested enough to care why she was refusing to return.
Around the 1/3 mark (100 or so pages into the novel) the pacing finally started to pick up a bit. The plot was predictable, as were the character's actions. I feel the author tried too hard to pinpoint certain characters in their evil role and other characters in their helpful roles. So many things occurred in the book that were merely thrown in as misdirection and had no real merit to the story as a whole. There were points in the book where I wanted to yell at the characters, specifically Abi, for being so stupid and naive. It just wasn't realistic that she would believe, not notice, and fall for some of the things that she did.
The title was well suited to this story, and has an underlying double meaning referring not just to the murder of the mother (mentioned very early on so not a spoiler!), but also to the house itself and the people that reside in it - the fact that secrets not only poison people to sometimes do horrible things, but sometimes just the knowledge of some secrets can poison the people themselves.
I really I did like that this was a stand alone novel, no horrible cliffhanger or half-hearted sequel to try and string the story along even more. It has a beginning, a middle, and a nicely tied up ending. Everything does finally make sense in the end, but it takes a really long time to get there with not a lot of help along the way. I especially enjoyed the realistic feel the author tried to give the book by referring to diary pages at the beginning and an obituary for Abi at the end. I think it was a perfect way to round out everything that happens to Abi after her ordeal without having to write a second novel.
I would recommend this book to older readers with lots of patience. There are no real romantic plot-lines that many YA readers are so fond of. The action is there, but rare, and the spaces in between can drag on. I don't think there is enough to keep younger, more hyperactive minds engaged in the story for long.
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LibraryThing member Krista23
After I finished reading a couple of thoughts about the story were: It really is amazing how much people can endure and still stand up to fight for what's right. And it's also amazing how cruel others can be to each other.
It's a great gothic story that will keep you up at night. Abi is a great main
Ms Cotton is one of the most evil characters you will come across. She seems to take out on the servants her own confusion of what is happening in the house. She thinks she is losing control, so she focuses her attention on the servants, especially Abi.
There are several mysteries happening at once, and the conflict between Abi and Ms Cotton really has you rooting for Abi. The secrets that the house holds leads up to a very fitting ending.
It's a great gothic story that will keep you up at night. Abi is a great main
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character, she is a fighter and the surmounting need to find out what is going on in this house pushes her to endure the cruelty from Ms Cotton.Ms Cotton is one of the most evil characters you will come across. She seems to take out on the servants her own confusion of what is happening in the house. She thinks she is losing control, so she focuses her attention on the servants, especially Abi.
There are several mysteries happening at once, and the conflict between Abi and Ms Cotton really has you rooting for Abi. The secrets that the house holds leads up to a very fitting ending.
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LibraryThing member susiesharp
Young Abi is an orphaned servant girl in the house of Lord Greave, the head of the household staff Mrs. Cotton, is the sister of the late lady of the house who rules with an iron fist. It has been a year since Abi lost her mother who was nurse/governess to Lord Greave’s son Samuel, Abi and Samuel
I really enjoyed this book it was hard to put down; it had just the right amount of spookiness and mystery. The build up to the reveal was great and what you think is going on is actually quite different then you are led to believe. The whole atmosphere of the story really took you back to 1856 Victorian England, the big house with its ghosts plus a little upstairs/downstairs. Abi was a great character as were the rest of the household staff I ended up really liking them and thought the postscript was a great touch!
If you like Victorian gothic with ghosts give this book a try!
I received this book from netgalley.
4 stars
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grew up together and were closer than master & servant should be. In the year since her mother died Lord Greave has been slowly losing his mind and Samuel went off to war and came back injured. The worst thing is that Abi is seeing the ghost of her mother but what is she trying to tell her.I really enjoyed this book it was hard to put down; it had just the right amount of spookiness and mystery. The build up to the reveal was great and what you think is going on is actually quite different then you are led to believe. The whole atmosphere of the story really took you back to 1856 Victorian England, the big house with its ghosts plus a little upstairs/downstairs. Abi was a great character as were the rest of the household staff I ended up really liking them and thought the postscript was a great touch!
If you like Victorian gothic with ghosts give this book a try!
I received this book from netgalley.
4 stars
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LibraryThing member AnnaKay21
Abi Tamper has lived at Greave Hall her entire life, ever since her Father died and her Mother become the nanny for Lord Greaves' son Samuel. Her Mother died not that long ago, seemingly of cholera and Abi is an orphan at the mercy of Mrs. Cotton, Lord Greaves' cruel sister-in-law who is fast
VERDICT: 3/5 Stars
*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*
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taking over the house as he descends into madness. The staff's only rebellion against her is to further her belief that the house is haunted with her dead sister, Lady Greaves', angry spirit. But then a spirit actually starts haunting Abi - the ghost of her Mother, who is trying to tell her something important about the way she died. The chilling truths of the way events actually unfolded could change the lives of Abi and every other servant in the house forever in unexpected ways. But with the help of her fellow scullery maid Lizzy, coal delivery boy Adam and stablehand Rob maybe she'll come through it relatively unscathed. Even after the shocking revelations that come to light after the Lord's son Samuel comes home from the Crimean War wounded and not quite the man Abi thought he was. I really had some spine-chilling moments with this book but it ended up being sort of predictable. The whole things about Abi's parentage was something I saw coming a mile away. It was enjoyable historical fiction and it was worth reading. That said, it definitely wasn't the best book, or even ghost story I've ever read. I'd recommend it to true-blue fans of historical, slightly paranormal fiction. Only if you're okay with semi-predictable endings though. VERDICT: 3/5 Stars
*No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book is now available in stores and online.*
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LibraryThing member Melanie_McCullough
This one gets 4 stars for the simple fact that I began reading it right before bedtime and stayed up until after 2am to finish. I really should start rating books based upon how many hours of my precious sleep time I'm willing to sacrifice.
The Poisoned House, had me turning pages into the wee
Still, I have to admit that this one is hard to review because it's not like there was anything about it that was over-the-top ah-Maaaz-ing. It's a simple ghost story. But I loved the fact that I wasn't overburdened with a complex plot, a large cast of characters, or an author trying to change my view of the world. It was just pure, fun, entertainment.
It's fast-paced with a very likeable main character. Abi was endearing-if a little naive-and I couldn't help but find myself invested in her story. The setting is creepy with a few chilling moments where Abi encounters the ghost. Nothing too overtly scary, although there is a particularly disturbing incident involving kittens.
The ending felt a little rushed, but it wrapped everything up nicely. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a good ghost story.
The Poisoned House, had me turning pages into the wee
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hours of the morning because even though there were enough clues for me to figure out who was responsible, I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. And to be honest, I didn't want it to be true so I kept hoping I was wrong. Still, I have to admit that this one is hard to review because it's not like there was anything about it that was over-the-top ah-Maaaz-ing. It's a simple ghost story. But I loved the fact that I wasn't overburdened with a complex plot, a large cast of characters, or an author trying to change my view of the world. It was just pure, fun, entertainment.
It's fast-paced with a very likeable main character. Abi was endearing-if a little naive-and I couldn't help but find myself invested in her story. The setting is creepy with a few chilling moments where Abi encounters the ghost. Nothing too overtly scary, although there is a particularly disturbing incident involving kittens.
The ending felt a little rushed, but it wrapped everything up nicely. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone in the mood for a good ghost story.
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LibraryThing member VykiC37
Find this review and more at On The Shelf.
With this book, I was hoping for something scary that might keep me from sleeping soundly since I am trying my best to find a book to scare the bejeezus out of me, unfortunately, that was not the case with this book. Though it was an OK, mostly enjoyable
The book was well-written and the author did well portraying the more formal language of the older days of London. I also thought the imagery the author created was very strong, but I really would have liked creepier ghost scenes. If I had been able to sit and read it (work got in the way), I would have zoomed right through this book even though it was a slower story.
Another unfortunate negative for this book is that it was very predictable. One of the major secrets of the book I guessed within the first few pages I read. I hate to say that the book was a letdown for what I was trying to find, but it just didn’t satisfy what I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong, it was a mostly enjoyable read, but it wasn’t overly so.
Predictable, slow, not so creepy, well-written, good imagery.
With this book, I was hoping for something scary that might keep me from sleeping soundly since I am trying my best to find a book to scare the bejeezus out of me, unfortunately, that was not the case with this book. Though it was an OK, mostly enjoyable
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read, it wasn’t what I wanted. The book was pretty slow and it wasn’t scary at all. The main point of the book wasn’t even the ghost, it was more of what happened to her, and she seldom showed up.The book was well-written and the author did well portraying the more formal language of the older days of London. I also thought the imagery the author created was very strong, but I really would have liked creepier ghost scenes. If I had been able to sit and read it (work got in the way), I would have zoomed right through this book even though it was a slower story.
Another unfortunate negative for this book is that it was very predictable. One of the major secrets of the book I guessed within the first few pages I read. I hate to say that the book was a letdown for what I was trying to find, but it just didn’t satisfy what I was looking for. Don’t get me wrong, it was a mostly enjoyable read, but it wasn’t overly so.
Predictable, slow, not so creepy, well-written, good imagery.
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LibraryThing member SDPogue
The copy of this book that I received was an unedited galley so I won't talk about any errors I found since they may not exist in the finished book.
This wasn't the best writing I have ever written but the story kept me enthralled until I reached the end. I could barely put this book down.
The story
This book is Young Adult and quite simply written so that the younger audience can easily read it. The story is set in the mid-1800's so the behavior is modest (there is an unplanned pregnancy and an affair but no real talk about sex).
The ghost is somewhat frightening but the suspense is what pulled at me. I couldn't wait to read what was going to happen next.
This wasn't the best writing I have ever written but the story kept me enthralled until I reached the end. I could barely put this book down.
The story
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follows Abigail Tamper as she uncovers why her mother is haunting the house that they both worked in. Every little clue led to another until Abigail discovers that everything she knew as truth was a lie.This book is Young Adult and quite simply written so that the younger audience can easily read it. The story is set in the mid-1800's so the behavior is modest (there is an unplanned pregnancy and an affair but no real talk about sex).
The ghost is somewhat frightening but the suspense is what pulled at me. I couldn't wait to read what was going to happen next.
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LibraryThing member Tiffy_Reads
A easy smooth read that has plenty of murder, mystery, ghosts, and drama. With a huge plot twist I didn't see coming and a great ending this book was a fun read.
Physical description
7.72 inches
ISBN
1408804506 / 9781408804506