Well, flipping heck, if this isn’t a great book I don’t know what is. I have many a spooky story in my time and some amazing ones at that, but Frank clearly has the knack for writing ghost stories that will keep you awake at night.

But before I get to the creepy stuff, let’s talk about the rest of the book. This is not ‘just’ a ghost story. It’s set in 1917, when hundreds of thousands of men were casualties of World War I. This is significant in the book as our main character, Stella Marcham, loses her fiancée in the fighting and as a result of some twists of fate, finds herself within the walls of Greyswick.

Troubled by the death of the man she loved and expected her family to effectively ‘get over it’, Stella finds herself in the grip of mysterious circumstances in the house and vows, for her sister’s sake, to discover the truth.

This is where things get really interesting. Early on in the book, the ghostly aspect is well and truly sinister and creepy, with an awful sense of foreboding. It genuinely scared me and I ended up reading for hours one night as I couldn’t put the book down but thought I wouldn’t sleep anyway! However, as the book progresses, it becomes clear that this isn’t just about scaring the reader – it’s about fairness, justice, and bringing the truth to light.

The other aspect of the book I absolutely adored was Stella’s constant battle to prevent herself from being put in an asylum due to ‘hysteria‘. The power exerted by a particularly odious character, Dr Mayhew, is terrifying in itself and how one man’s word can lead to a woman being locked up indefinitely because she has the audacity to grieve.

I could go on about this book all day, but I will refrain from doing so! In short, I highly recommend this book not only for it being a creepy tale but also for being a commentary on a woman’s perspective of World War I and the battle faced by women because they refuse to conform to society’s expectations.

Fast-paced, multi-faceted, and absolutely outstanding – I can only hope we return to Greyswick very soon.

We firstly meet Stella, during a melancholy phase, having lost her Fiance Gerald during the First World War, her deep love for him resonates throughout the book and stretches into death.

Stella has led a good life and yet sorrow has crossed her path on more than this one occasion, the sad death of her sister Lydia at a young age from a house fire firstly creates this pain she holds.

Stella has come back from France after Geralds’s death, being unable to continue with her nursing post there. We follow her to Greyswick, where her sister Madeleine had been ensconced, home of the Brightwells. Madeleine, Stella’s sister is pregnant and has been moved from London to the safety of Greyswick to escape the bombings, by her husband Hector Brightwell. But Madelaine’s anxiety continues and it’s clear, it’s not just because of the usual pregnancy worries.

Stange toy soldiers appear in Stella’s bed and the housemaids are questioned, such behavior doesn’t sit well with Lady Brightwell, she expects a certain decorum in her household. Nonsense talk of ghosts and silly carry-ons are brought into question and Stella’s presence in the house is no longer requested.

But the ghosts won’t rest and neither will Stella in her quest to quieten them. She digs deeper and finds out secrets that will tear the household apart. Cold-icy hands of family members long since past are felt by Annie, Stellas maid and Stella feels their presence also.

How can they solve the mystery of Greyswick and lay the ghosts to rest?

Anita Frank has captured perfectly the very essence of Greyswick, the oppressive heavy drapery the house is decorated in, the scenery sumptuous and evocative and vividly imaginable in your mind’s eye. The way the characters speak and carry themselves also adds to the story and creates a grandeur resonant of the day.

The storyline is enhanced by this and so becomes even more believable with talk of ‘below-stairs’ and the manner of the way life was conducted ‘back then’. I truly enjoyed this tale of spooky goings-on at Greyswick and Stella’s fight for justice for the restless, of her and Annie’s connection and for the path she paved for the strength of will she displayed.

Mourning the death of her beloved fiance, Stella Marcham returns home, thoughts of death and destruction running wild through her mind, predominantly the loss of Gerald. The war knocked the breath from her lungs but his death has snatched the life from her body. She can barely move under the weight of her grief. Gerald was her future. They had a lovely life planned and then all of it was destroyed with one fell swoop. Her mother is frantic, concerned for her mental health but Stella has lost her fiance not her mind.

When an opportunity arises to visit her pregnant sister, Stella jumps at the chance, desperate to finally see kind, up-beat Madeleine and also to escape the watchful eyes of her mother. But when she arrives at Greyswick, a sprawling country mansion, she is greeted by cold, secretive servants and a place gripped by animosity and fear. Madeleine is much changed, she is but a shadow of her former self, jumping at noises, stumbling on her own words.

In the beginning Stella shrugs off her worries, tells herself it is nothing. Madeleine is simply concerned for the baby. But then the place starts to shift around her and events take a horrifying turn. A child’s sobs ring out and wake her in the night, the cradle swings and creaks but there is no child to cry and there is nothing to rock the cradle. When small footprints appear on the staircase, it cements Stella’s belief that the dead are still very much present inside Greyswick. As she tries to solve the puzzle of who and why, she uncovers a dark legacy of secrets and deceit burbling away and someone, something, wants her to bring the truth – all the truth – to light.

The Lost Ones is a phenomenal debut novel from Anita Frank. With an atmosphere that ripples with tension and malice, a beautiful, claustrophobic setting, awe-inspiring writing and strong, intelligent characters, this is easily a new favourite for me. Any time of the year this will unnerve, startle and capture you instantly but for me I think this will become a book I read every Halloween, discovering new and wonderful facets of the books I didn’t see before. Stella and Annie were my favourite characters. I loved them for their strength and resolve, their fearlessness and determination to find the truth. This is a stunning book about love, loss, retribution and uncovering poisonous secrets that have festered away for decades. I adored it. Please read it!!

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Lost Ones’ by Anita Frank in exchange for an honest review.

As its audiobook edition, narrated by Olivia Dowd, was published a few days in advance of the print editions, I obtained it and listened alongside reading the eARC.

This debut novel has been lovingly crafted in the tradition of classic works of Gothic fiction and proved very entertaining. Its tag line ‘some houses are never at peace’ was very evocative.

It is set in 1917 with the Great War raging on the Continent. Its central character and narrator is Stella Marcham, who has recently returned from nursing duties in France following the death of her fiancée in combat. As a result she is in deep mourning. When her brother-in-law, Hector, suggests that she goes to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at Greyswick, his country estate, Stella welcomes the opportunity.

She finds that Madeline is very stressed and full of suspicion and the house itself has an uneasy atmosphere. Stella’s maid, Annie, is sensitive to the unseen and finds herself drawn to an abandoned nursery at Greyswick. It soon appears that Greyswick is haunted by the ghost of a young boy.

Hector brings in a friend, Tristan Sheers, a former soldier with an interest in disproving the supernatural. He is convinced there is a scientific explanation for everything that has been happening or that the women are working themselves up into hysteria. Yet as the unusual events increase Tristan begins to doubt his former stance.

Frank develops the sense of wrongness at Greyswick quite slowly alongside an inhospitable atmosphere created by Hector’s mother, Lady Brightwell, and her housekeeper, Mrs Henge. It builds to a fantastic climax and I rather adored that Frank used the phrase: “he had inadvertently awakened the kraken.”

A brilliant, spooky read that is well plotted with great characters and plenty of surprises. Certainly highly recommended for those who enjoy stories of haunted houses with things that go bump in the night.

I will be looking out for future projects by Anita Frank.

In the wake of her grief over the loss of her fiancé in the war, Stella is summoned to help with her sister who has become somewhat ‘hysterical’ while awaiting the birth of her first child in her husband’s family home. When Stella arrives, she expects the usual anxiety of a young woman on the brink of motherhood but her sister is full of suspicion, unease and a certainty that all is not right at Greyswick.

After I got past the ‘oh this again’ opening, I actually thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this one. It ticks all of the standard boxes for a book of this type, it’s eerie and atmospheric, mysterious enough to be compelling and more than a little twisty but... there’s more to it than that which, for me, set it apart from a lot of the others I’ve picked up recently.

The protagonist lacks the frustrating naivety of so many of her counterparts and was instead stubborn, resourceful and capable. The depiction of Stella’s grief and the way it’s treated by those around her is beautiful and heart wrenching, had me crying for a character I hadn’t met. I loved the historical context, the fear of being branded ‘hysterical’ that hangs over the entire novel and the flashbacks that slowly break your heart. I even enjoyed the ending (was missing just one thing!) which I think is the hardest part of a spooky read to get right.

A great debut!

I am a big fan of Gothic novels especially if they involve an old manor house and a ghost or two. This novel is all of those things so it's a big thumbs up from me.

With an array of characters, from house staff to family members you are left questioning who could be behind the strange recurring events that take place within the house. Is it a malice attempt to scare the newest member of the family or a trapped spirit trying to communicate?

As the story unfolds buried secrets come to the surface and the reader is caught up trying to solve the mystery of the house and it's occupants. This book is not for the fainthearted with all the ghostly goings-on, hence why I loved it so much.

As I read the epilogue I was genuinely touched by the messages of love, loss, forgiveness and moving on that were portrayed. I had been so caught up in the 'ghost' story that I hadn't given the other themes a second glance until the end where they all came crashing down around me, making me nostalgic and adding a complete new element to the novel.

My favourite quote and one that will stay with me is: 'the past is lost, but the future is still to play for.' What a powerful sentence.

Many thanks to Anita Frank for a truly enjoyable novel, and to Netgalley and HQ Stories for allowing me to read this before publication day.

I love a good ghost story, especially one involving a haunted house, so I was very excited to start this book. Happily, I was not disappointed; The Lost Ones is one of those rare finds; a good old fashioned ghost story filled with glorious gothic gorgeousness.

Frank deftly uses her ability to write beautiful, almost musical prose, to invoke chills and raise the hairs on your neck. I was utterly consumed by the beautiful language used in this book; it made for a very atmospheric and creepy read. I read whilst surrounded by suspicion from very early on!

I was gripped by the story; shrouded in mystery and never far from the supernatural, this was a wonderfully suffocating read, which I found to be both intriguing and compelling.

What came as a surprise to me was that not only is this a spooky ghost story, perfect for Halloween, it is also a story steeped in sadness. This is a surprisingly emotional read and I was touched by the tragedy entwined therein.

Dark and shadowy, haunting and harrowing, this is a truly accomplished debut and I look forward to reading whatever Frank offers us next!

This book is different to the type of books that I usually read. Due to this, it took me a few chapters to get into this book. This book spans many different genres- historical fiction, WW1 and ghostly tales. This book is written so well and the author builds the tension so well. This book is filled with larger than life characters. I felt so sorry for Annie the maid as she was blamed for so much that wasn’t her fault.
The ending was not what I had expected and made me gasp at times.
No matter, what genre you like, this book has something for everyone. It is sad and moving along with the ghost story.

Thanks to netgalley and HQ for a copy of this book

A wonderfully spooky tale, so well written, it build the tension perfectly, is so atmospheric I find myself looking over my shoulder ! Such a fabulous gothic story, wonderful characterisation, addictive reading, you won’t want to put it down. A truly gripping debut and I look forward to more from this author, I’ll definitely be picking up her next book. Highly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Pretty much your regular ghost/hunted house novel, somewhat predictable, but I've still enjoyed it. It kept me curious and willing to turn page after page hoping for a twist that never came, but still a nice, pleasant read. Solid writing style and a good narrative progression. I've enjoyed the character's development, especially the 2 main characters: Stella and Tristan. Complex characters, yet more resilient than they give themselves credit for. Their connection was heartwarming and the potential of a budding love story was satisfying, especially seen they were two broken souls. Tristan's theories made me laugh out loud and in fact I really wanted to see a sort of twist coming out of that, I believe it would have made for a really nice surprise/development/take on a ghost story.

A perfectly spooky ghost story, this is well-paced and intriguing. Stella, still mourning the death of her fiancée in the war, goes to stay with her sister Madeleine in her husband’s country home, where Madeleine’s mother-in-law still rules the roost. It soon transpires that the house, and the family within it, are holding a dark secret, and it falls to Stella to try and bring it to light.

Anita Frank’s writing is atmospheric and the setting she creates at Greyswick house is dark and foreboding. The strange night time occurrences and spooky sounds and sightings are really well imagined and leave a sense of unease, but for me one of the book’s great strengths is that there is a dense mystery at the heart of the book, and the reader is given all the information they need to solve it alongside the characters.

A perfect read for a winter evening.

This was a complete change to my usual genre of book but when I read the synopsis it sounded really interesting.. Well I am so glad to have read this book. It was just brilliant. It was a book that I didn’t want to put down, filled with excellent characters and a mystery ghost theme through it. Perfect for thus time of year. A massive 5 stars from me..

This book was very different from my usual Thriller books i enjoy however I was really happy to receive this to review as I though the description sounded intreuging. The story is very well written I loved the main character and felt they were very well developed throughout the story. The Author really captures the imagination and really built up the tension and atmosphere throughout the book. I dont want to give away any of the plot but It was a fantastic gothic ghost story and I felt I could really feel the tension between the characters in the house. Very good book i would reccomend this to anyone.

Stella Marsham is still grieving the loss of her fiance in the war. Her sister is married and pregnant now living away but she is struggling so Stella goes out to stay with her at Greyswick. She soon discovers that the house might just be haunted. She and her sister are hearing things but no one believes them. A supposed expert arrives but he doesnt believe them, can Stella and her maid Annie who sees things convince them of the truth.

This is quite a haunting tale. A fascinating story that kept me interested until the very end. The plot is quite slow at times but it adds to the story. The atmosphere created is quite chilling at times. I really enjoyed the mystery and had figured out much of it but a few twists still took me by surprise. The ending was really good and ended the story exactly how I hoped it would. Stella's grief is well written and shes an interesting lead character. I really liked Annie too. A brilliant mystery with lots of twists.

A truly compelling read. Beautifully written book that had me gripped to the end. A mystery and ghost story beautifully put together.

England 1917. Stella Marcham is in mourning following the death of her fiance, Gerqld durning The Great War. Stella's brother-in-law asks her to visit Madeleine, (Stella's sister), who is "out of sorts". Madeleine had been sent to stay at her mother-in-laws house. Lady Brightwell is a widow. Stella and Madeleine experience strange happenings in the house. Are these happenings supernatural? Or is it human interference?

There are some characters you will like and there's some you will loathe in this story. My favourite was Annie who had second sight. With the descriptive writing, you could picture yourself there. The tension builds the more you read. Not y usual type of read but I loved it from beginning to end.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HQ and the author Anita Frank for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A superb debut novel, this gothic supernatural mystery has ensured that I will be on the lookout for future books by Anita Frank.

Set in WW1, it tells the story of Greyswick, a country mansion that holds some dark secrets. The characters all seem to be rather unpleasant and the whole feel of the book is sombre and brooding, but this sets the ideal tone for what is an irresistible storyline.

Atmospheric, compulsive, spooky, intriguing and throughly enjoyable, this is a book not to be missed!
5 stars.

Than you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

The Lost Ones, by Anita Frank is an unsettling and harrowing tale of ghosts, lies, and secrets.

Home from serving as a nurse during the war, Stella Marcham is distraught and drowning in grief due to the loss of her fiance. However, when her brother-in-law asks her to visit her sister Madeleine to help settle her nerves during her pregnancy, Stella jumps at the chance.

However, as Stella settles in, as much as she can with the dire company that the house provides, she begins to suspect that the country mansion, Greyswick, is hiding something sinister. As her sister’s terror and unease rises, Stella also begins to experience some unsettling circumstances, from crying in the night to little toy soldiers appearing, she soon realises these dark halls are hiding even darker secrets.

And she soon learns that

“Some Houses Are Never At Peace.”
This debut historical ghost story certainly hits the mark, it is a stunning debut with gorgeous and immersive writing, and interesting and in-depth characters!

— Beautiful and Immersive —
The Writing Style and The Narrative. Anita Frank’s writing style is beautiful and immersive. Her writing style is reminiscent of literary and classic fiction, it is incredibly descriptive and is filled with pathos. While some may prefer less description, I did not – I loved the descriptive writing style and felt it was the perfect choice for this particular novel. Frank’s writing is beautifully metaphoric and has an element about it that just draws you in and keeps you hooked, elements that are sad and hard-breaking are written to be hard-hitting and emotional, while moments of grief and silence are melancholic. The writing is full of emotion and really connects you with the story.

The writing style also aids the narrative. The story is told from Stella’s point of view, you get to see her thoughts, her feelings and her mindset. This was an excellent narrative choice, the character is in grief, she is mourning and you can see that, you can feel it as you read through the novel. Moreover, the weaving of the past and present is simply outstanding and shows the dreadful contrast of before and after the war, it creates a resounding affect for the books tone and atmosphere and makes you truly empathise with Stella’s grief. However, Stella is so much more than this, yes she is grieving and it affects her mind and behaviour, but it does not control her. The grief changes through the novel and the narrative shows this while also showing how logical and clever Stella is. This narrative choice helps complete the character and add to the story. It adds to the story extraordinarily well because Stella is in the dark about the mystery of Greyswick, thus the reader is as well. We learn and theorise with the character and it helps to create mystery and suspense throughout.

— Haunting and Heartbreaking —
The Plot/Story. The plot of The Lost Ones takes you back to a more classic type of ghost story. The plot itself does concede to some classic horror tropes, but they are done extraordinarily well and captures your interest throughout the whole story. Frank ties together predictable and unpredictable elements to create mix of satisfaction and shock as the story progresses, for example, some elements of the story are easy to work out and will not come as much of a surprise, but this is soon thwarted by the addition of elements that, though they make sense, the reader does not expect at all. I enjoyed this mix of shock and surprise because it kept me entertained and made me feel more included in the novel. I was delighted when I worked out what was going on but then equally delighted to find I had missed crucial elements of the story which shocked me.

However, this story is more than just a ghost story, it is a haunting and heartbreaking tale of loss, grief and personal ghosts. There is a mystery to Stella’s relationship with Gerald and his demise, adding another dimension to the story which is emotional and sweet. Moreover, there is a mystery to the Annie, Madeleine, and the past of those not of Greyswick Mansion. There are so many layers to this story, and the ghosts are not always physical – this adds so much more depth to the plot and the characters which makes this book even more enjoyable.

The supernatural elements of the story are very interesting and definitely helps to create a sense of unease, many of these scenes were truly unsettling as were the revelations and had me on the edge of my seat! The ending and revelations were truly horrifying and deeply sorrowful – It is an ending that truly works its way into your heart and sits heavy, but does a wonderful job in concluding the events.

Moreover, the portrayal of grief throughout the novel was wonderful and interesting to read about. The idea of grief added to the plot in many unexpected ways and was a source of emotion and sympathy, but also of anger and rage. The grief of Stella is used by many to dismiss her, to ignore her or to belittle her but for Stella it serves only to drive her even more. This created a unique dynamic in the story, and while it is something I have seen before, I thought this was one of the best uses I have seen as it added so much more to the story and to the characters.

Not only is the plot a delicious ghost story, it is beautifully Gothic as-well, and we all know by know that I am a sucker for Gothic elements! So, I adored the Gothic elements in this book, particularly the setting. From Greyswick Mansion to the lands surrounding it, to the graveyards – the settings in the book are magnificent. They are large, isolated, desolate, dark and inherently creepy. The mansion if imposing yet lonely, with unsettling shadows and creepy corridors. The grounds are vast and isolated, creating an island of Greyswick. And, the graveyards are grey and dark, melancholic and almost peaceful, and yet there is still the element of death and sorrow. I simply adored this and the descriptions of each are gorgeously written.

— Complex and Well Crafted —
The Characters. Each of the characters are complex and well crafted. They are diverse in terms of personality, ability- with one character even having a physical disability resulting from the war- and some other diverse elements which I will not divulge. The personalities of each character are individual and complex making you have strong feeling about each of them.

Stella. Our main character! Stella is a wonderful main character. She is determined, headstrong, loyal and dedicated. She is grieving for the loss of her love, and this grief has caused her to view her own life as pointless, she struggles to cope and is heart-broken. But, in spite of this, and people viewing her ac frail or crazy, she is loyal to her sister. Though at times she can be selfish or simply consumed by her grief, she does her best to support her sister and goes to great lengths to ensure she feels safe. She is strong and adamant in her beliefs and is not afraid to show this, though she tries to avoid intentionally hurting others feelings. Her intelligence, sympathy and logic makes her easy to connect with and relate to, she is believable and realistic. Her characters is very complex and has many layers to her, she is a woman in a world were men deem them mentally weak, easy to succumb to madness and yet she stands up to this and proves her own strength. Though not perfect and not over her grief by the end of the novel, she does progress, she does improve, little by little she does fight the grief and come to terms with it. Her personal development is well written and believable, there is no new love interest to save her, she is not magically ‘fixed’ by then end, she saves herself while she tries to save others – it is a wonderful character arc that I really enjoyed.

Annie. Annie’s character is an enigma, she is an odd girl who people notice and avoid, she is seen as weird or creepy by most characters and the reader is also inclined to see her as odd. However, Annie is much more than that and her character becomes pivotal. She is kind, but secretive and introverted. I cannot say too much without spoilers but I loved her character and her personal development was also interesting to read about. Her relationship with Stella is also a very interesting element. She is Stella’s maid, and Stella is wary of her but as the novel progresses the two form an odd almost friendship with each other that inspires fierce loyalty and it was fantastic!

Mr Sheers. Now this man is a character and a half. He is a realist, logic is his companion and ghosts are most certainly not, this is rooted in his service in the war. This man could explain away the manifestation of the devil without batting an eyelid! So, Mr Sheers is brought in to prove the home is not haunted, and every single even that occurs he blames on some psychological issue. At this moment in time I hated the man an was definitely on Stella’s side. But, there was something about him that I could not shake, an allure. After he has been at the mansion a while he begins to realise there is more going on and he becomes a character I loved! He is stubborn, determined and brutally honest but is also loyal, protective, and desperate for the truth – his development is wonderful and by the end you will surely love him.

Madeleine. Madeleine is kind, sweet and obedient, until she reaches her breaking point. She is Stella’s sister, pregnant with her husband Hector’s child, she is fearful for her baby because of the odd happenings in the home. Out of frustration and exhaustion, Madeleine can become hot-headed, brutal and angry. But, overall she is sweet, kind and caring, devoted to her sister and her family and is a lovely character whose determination equals Stella’s.

The Brightwell Household. Lady Brightwell, Miss Scott, Mrs Henge. This trio is completely and utterly against the idea of a haunting. Each seem cold and distant with complete reluctance towards helping their guests find out the truth. Lady Brightwell is bold, commanding and unlikable, until the end of the novel where you soften to her ever so slightly. Miss Scott is obsessed with the well being of Lady Brightwell, is loyal to her, kinder than Mrs Henge, but still unwilling to help. Mrs Henge is unlikable ,cold and harsh. She will not help, is stubborn and despises intrusion. The characters are well developed and I felt strongly about each of them.

Other characters include: Maisie (the gossipy maid who is sweet and kind, generally likeable), Cook (kind, homely and helpful, a sweet character that I liked), Hector (Madeleine’s husband, I flitted between liking a disliking him, but overall he is kind, noble and loyal to his wife), Gerald (sweet, noble and naive- he is a contrast to some of the other male characters), and Dr Mayhew (unlikable, cruel and sexist – the Dr has no regard for grief and is constantly trying to undermine Stella – he is a villain in his own right and adds another dynamic to the book), Lucien, I cannot say much here but keep an eye out for his story – I simply adored it and it broke my heart.

— A Tale of Loss, Love and Lies —
Overall. This story is a tale of loss, love and lies. I loved the plot, albeit rather traditional, the characters were simply divine and well crafted, the settings were deliciously Gothic, and the writing was beautiful. This is a ghost story that I would definitely recommend – emotional, heart-breaking, creepy and unsettling, it is a horrifying story based on secrets and lies.

This is, in my opinion, a must read and an absolutely stunning debut novel. A ghost story with a classic feel with themes of grief, love, family and strength, it is the perfect read for fans of horror, thriller and mystery novels.

*I received a free eARC of #TheLostOnes by Anita Frank (@Ajes74) from #Netgalley @HQStories @HQYoungAdult @HarperCollins @HarperCollinsUK in exchange for an honest review.*
Posted to Goodreads/my blog/twitter (linked)

It's the time of year for spooky, atmospheric stories set in creepy old English houses, so this definitely fit my reading mood.

I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to scary stuff, but this was fairly comfortably scary. Ghost kids and creepy toys start out terrifying, but it's one of those ghost stories where the closer you get to solving the mystery, the less scary the ghost is, so it's not going to give you nightmares like Woman In Black. Still not quite recovered from seeing the play of that one over fifteen years ago!

What I liked most about this one was the period details. Spooky stories, by some necessity, are usually set in yesteryear, but the setting of this during the tail end of World War One was a good touch. The country is full of grief and heartache for the losses it's suffered, making the emotional backdrop to the story all the more impactive. Stella's loss of her fiancé and the subsequent grieving process has left her in danger of being institutionalised - because she's a woman and 'hysterical' and holy hell medical practices for women's health were horrific back then - so her fierce need to protect her sister and solve the mystery of Greyswick house comes from a place beyond just sisterly love.

The mystery is embedded in the culture of Britain at the time, as well. The upstairs downstairs divide of the house, the secrets kept by servants and by their masters - all contribute to the deceit that lies at the centre of the mystery.

Overall, it was an enjoyably atmospheric read, with a mystery that kept twisting, just as you thought you'd figured it out. A perfect autumnal read for anyone who enjoys a little bit of spooky.

Back of the book :

Some houses are never at peace.

England, 1917
 
Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion.

Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house.

Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side…


What I think : 

The year is 1917.

Stella has just lost her fiance Gerald to the war. She is devastated.

Unable to settle, (due to her grief) with her parents at Haverton hall, she feels at odds with everything. So when her brother-in-law Hector asks her to go and stay with her sister, Madeleine, who is pregnant, at his mothers home 'Greyswick' she reluctantly agrees, taking with her, her rather strange maid, Annie.

When Stella gets to Greyswick, she finds her sister looking very pale and jumpy with no real explanation why. Stella has only been there for one night when strange things start to happen. Someone leaves a toy soldier in her bed, on her pillow. Her bedroom door is suddenly wide open when she wakes from a nap, when she knows she locked it before she went to sleep. Then she hears a child crying in the night, there are no children at Greyswick. 

When Stella tells her sister about these odd things happening, her sister tells her that she has had the same things happen to her. Madeleine goes on to say that she thinks the house is haunted by the child that once died there, Hector's half brother, Lucien. Obliviously everybody thinks that the sisters are just making up ghost stories and don't believe a word they say, especially Lady Brightwell, Hector's mother, who is a 'no nonsense' type of woman. 

Hector is worried about his wife so he decides to bring in a supernatural expert, a Mr Tristan Sheers to see, if like the sisters say, there is a ghost at Greyswick. Mr Sheers does an exorcism, and lets just say things don't go to plan, it ends up with the local vicar getting injured. 

Could it be true ? 

Is 'Greyswick' haunted ? 

I enjoyed this book immensely. I really love creepy ghost stories and this debut book is just that ! I love to read in the dark in bed and this book had me peering over the top of my book just to check that I was actually still on my own !!

I thought the characters of Stella and Madeleine were really well formed, they really seemed to love each other as sisters and wanted to lookout for each other. I also liked Madeleine's Mother-in-law Lady Brightwell with her 'no nonsense' way of looking at the world, although I do think she was like that because of the way that her husband Sir Brightwell treated her. 

All in all I thought that this is an brilliantly atmospheric, creepy ghost story that's just in time for Halloween. 

I give this book my highest award of 10/10 ( 5 Stars )