the novel is set in a creepy Welsh castle. The main character, Gerald Woodward is a British (English) solicitor who is brought to said castle to write the last will and testament of Lord Ferdinand Elvin Mathers who is dying. When Woodward is not with him he is locked in his room in the castle with the butler, Jared, at his service. Helena, Lord Mathers’ daughter, is greatly concerned for her father but she also has a striking resemblance to the woman Woodward sees as he travels to the castle. Despite being taken ill whilst at the castle Woodward discovers how eerie and scary the place can be. He is supposed to be locked in his room but manages to find a way out to explore the labyrinth of corridors and dungeons. Lack of sleep leads to terrifying nightmares that said his strength. He is further concerned to see Mathers at death’s door one day and full of health the next. The answer to this, as Woodwards discovers, is to be found in the dungeons.
Raelyn Atherton, Woodward’s fiancée, has remained in London. She has her own terrifying storyline to tell of children disappearing and animals being mutilated which is interlinked with her fiancé. I found it interesting that although this is a historical gothic horror novel there aren’t any swooning heroines. Raelyn is a physician who does not want a male escort to assist her.
Father Malcom Issac Simpson is not only a Christian but a supernatural investigator who assists Woodward in his increasingly complicated games as he tries to draw out Xana, a supernatural individual who presents herself as a beautiful young woman in order to draw her prey into her net.
The premise, devices and ideas behind the storyline are intriguing and add a new dimension to catch the readers’ attention. I enjoyed that the storyline was based around journal entries and letters between the main characters. There are several narrators whose voices add to the growing sense of horror and fear as the storyline progresses. This device, however, could also a double edged sword because if the reader loses concentration it is possible to forget who is narrating that particular journal entry. The pacing of the book needed some work. The first few chapters dragged as Woodward is taken to the castle. I know the author has to set the scene but this, I feel, could have been achieved much more succinctly and would then evoked and created the atmosphere needed for a successful gothic horror novel much more quickly and realistically. Once I got through the first few chapters the pace sped up and the storyline grabbed my attention. The fear of Woodward trapped in the castle seemed so much more palpable and realistic. One small pedantic issue - Woodward would be an English lawyer not British.
I enjoyed parts of this novel. It isn’t perfect for the reasons outlined above. I would like to read more of Hault’s work in the future to see how his writing style develops as the ideas are there and whilst they capture the readers’ attention the execution could be refined.
I was #gifted this novel by TCK Publishing but this has not influenced the views expressed in this review.
