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Eliza
Caine lives with her widowed father in London, and works as
a teacher. After his death she has to move but has nowhere
to go, so she accepts the position of governess in rural Norfolk.
She arrives there in the evening to discover that apart from
her two charges there are no other people present at Gaudlin
Hall, although she is soon to discover that there is certainly
something else there. Something malign, unseen and very dangerous…
I do
love a good ghost story, one that conjures up visions of dark
and stormy nights, unearthly presences and awful secrets.
This book is fortunately such a one, and calls to mind the
works of such writers as Susan Hill, Henry James, Daphne du
Maurier and Charlotte Bronte. Told in Eliza's own words, the
author is adept at evoking a feeling of growing dread at the
mysteries she encounters and also in creating a realistic-sounding
young Victorian lady. From its beginnings in foggy London
the stage is set for a true gothic novel and is just the right
length not to lose its momentum. Nor does the author swerve
from his one narrative which serves to keep the reader on
their toes as discovery follows discovery about the secrets
of Gaudlin Hall. A lot of ghost stories tend to disappoint
as there is only so much terror a modern person can feel for
a ghost but there is plenty more in here to think about, such
as the nature of human evil and how events can be put in motion
by actions in the past. One to enjoy as you draw the curtains
and curl up in your favorite chair.
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