Dominic is sure something is fishy with his teacher, Mr. Noble. At first it was just his teaching style and how he encouraged them to question authority, which in early 1950s England was not exactly encouraged. But then Mr. Noble's oddities become more unsettling, especially his outings in the local graveyard. Soon word gets around that Mr. Noble is helping people bring back their dead loved ones, but this gift soon becomes a curse to those involved. When Mr. Noble takes Dom's class on a field trip to WWI battlefields in France, Dom and his friend Jim witness something they can't ignore, no matter how hard they try. Dom becomes determined to expose Mr. Noble for his blasphemous and terrifying activities and drags his best friends Jim and Roberta (Bobby) into his schemes. The only problem is that the adults don't take Dom seriously and would rather turn a blind eye than disturb the rules of polite society. Even worse is that Jim and Bobby seem more aligned with the adults than him at times. It isn't surprising that Dom finds himself in over his head. Ramsey Campbell has delivered a quiet cosmic horror packed with commentary in The Searching Dead. This book examines coming of age in post WWII England and what it was like to question the status quo at a time when normalcy and fitting in was highly valued. It also touches on the relatable feelings of exclusion, betrayal, and loneliness that occur when you and your childhood friends begin to grow apart. Campbell's prose are slow but rich and detailed, and he is a master at building a sense of creeping dread. The Searching Dead reminded me of times and events in my own childhood. I felt the same sense of adventure, curiosity, and purpose when I was a nosy teenager in my small town as Dom does in this book. And while The Search Dead does not have rapid-fire plot points, it certainly ends in a manner that has me incredibly excited for the next book in this trilogy. If you enjoy cosmic horror, historical fiction, and coming of age tales, absolutely pick this one up.

A new novel from one of the greats of British horror is always something to welcome, even more so when it’s the first in a trilogy. Ramsey Campbell’s ‘The Searching Dead’ pretty much lives up to its own promise. It’s not the best horror novel I’ve ever read, but it does have a lot of good ideas and a richly satisfying coming of age story at its heart.
It’s that coming of age element that I enjoyed the most. This blend of nostalgic reminiscence and horror seems pretty popular, with notable entries from the pens of Stephen King and Robert McCammon over in the USA. It’s pleasing to see a British entry in the sub-genre, especially one as well executed as this. The book paints an affectionate picture of 1950s Liverpool (Campbell’s birthplace). I’m almost 30 years younger than him and grew up at the opposite end of the country, but much of what he describes is very familiar. Attempts to get into the cinema to see films I was underage for, borderline psychotic school teachers, parents who believed children should be seen and not heard, the escape from everyday drudgery that the written word provided.
That’s not to say that the horror is lacking here though. The story follows three school friends who suspect that one of their teachers is communing with the dead. There is a subtle malignancy to a lot of the scenarios, especially the relationship between the teacher and his daughter. As the story progresses, that chill ramps up to a crescendo of cosmic horror that is satisfyingly effective.
Ultimately, what shines through in this book is the simple quality of the writing. Campbell has been doing this since the 1970s and those decades of experience are evident on every page. He writes about the commonplace and the incredible with the same effortless grace and the result is a thoroughly engaging read.

The Searching Dead by Ramsey Campbell is the first in a trilogy. I’m so excited to keep reading this story. Ramsey Campbell writes horror in a way that is so inspiring. I feel like this is how horror should be!

This is a slow building story that builds tension as you read. I feel like this allows us to get to know the characters, and understand the plotline. The characters are really well written and I think they felt real.

This is a coming of age story along with horror. As said, this is a slow build, but when the story gets going, it gets going.

Overall, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it. I’m looking forward to reading more!

Rating:

4/5☆

*I received a free copy of this book from Random Things Tours to review honestly on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

Dominic is starting out at a new school when some nefarious things begin happening around town that all seem to be linked to one of his teachers. Dominic, and his two best friends, immediately begin investigating what Mr. Noble is up to, only to discover that what he’s mixed up in is not of the world we know. 

This was an interesting story that had me curious about the characters and the over all plot, but I found the pacing to be quite slow. I am a reader who enjoys a slow build, but something about this one continued to throw me out of the story. It didn’t loose me fully, as I did continue to read and finish the book, but at times I wasn’t compelled to continue. 

I will take some responsibility here because I was having a bad month, so maybe it was the wrong time for this book. Also, I believe this is going to be a trilogy so that could be a factor in the pacing of this first instalment. With that being said, I did like the book and thought the writing and plot were good.

Ramsey Campbell is a well known writer and I have read a couple other books by him and really enjoy his work. I will definitely continue to read his books, and I may continue with this trilogy when the time comes. 

Overall, if you’re into Ramsey Campbell and like slow paced creepy stories, then I suggest picking this book up.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. This review was posted on NetGalley, Goodreads, Instagram and a more detailed review is on my personal blog (chaptersxthepage.ca).

In 1952, while on a school trip to France, Dominic Sheldrake believes something is not quite right with his teacher. When they return home to Liverpool, Christian Noble’s strange behavior continues and concerns not only Dominic and his best friends Jim and Bobby (Roberta), but also their parents and the headmaster of the boys’ Catholic school. There are also rumors that Mr. Noble is a Spiritualist and has begun leading a congregation to believe that he can help them communicate with their dead loved ones. And when the church tires of him, Noble announces his intention to begin a church of his own.

Dominic, Jim, and Bobby investigate Mr. Noble. They watch his house, follow his movements, and even fake a chance meeting in a park with his wife to try to get information from her. Once his church is established, Dominic makes a discovery more monstrous and dangerous than they ever dreamed possible.

The Searching Dead is my first Ramsey Campbell book, and I didn’t really know what to expect from his writing. When I chose it, I was not aware it was the first book in a series of three. Initially I had difficultly and even considered DNF-ing it because it felt very slow to me. Now I know that the story was so slow because he was building a world and a backstory that will carry over to the other books in the series.

There are some creepy and chilling moments that raised chill bumps as I read. It does not have loud, grotesque scares; instead, it relies on quiet horror to keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. To me, those are my favorite kind of scares.

Mr. Campbell did an excellent job building his world, his descriptions of post-war Liverpool make you feel like you are their seeing the bombed-out buildings, dealing with the difficulties of rationing, and the excitement of new advancements in technology as they were in 1952. I love that he created characters that are easy to identify with, the relationship between Dominic and his parents, the strict structure of the priests at the all-boys Catholic school, and the sinister way Mr. Noble interacts with his own family, particularly his young daughter Tina. Above all, I love the camaraderie between Dominic, Jim, and Bobby, or as they refer to themselves, the Tremendous Three. I am hoping they are still close in the later books.

I was not the biggest fan of this book in the beginning, but now I am looking forward to seeing how Mr. Campbell carries this saga forward in the next two books.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Flame Tree Press for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“The Searching Dead” is a creepy, suspenseful horror that had me wanting more!

The one thing which I like about Campbell’s novels is the slow burn suspense. The author does not disappoint in this book either! The buildup is slow but worth it. I felt like I was right next to Dominic as he tries to figure out the truth behind Mr. Noble. Dominic is a likable character who you root for from the get-go. Moreover, some moments had me at the edge of my seat, like what Dominic experiences in the cinemas’ mirror. Another memorable scene is when they are all hiding in the confession booth.

Similarly, Mr. Noble played the villain wonderfully. He is charismatic and charming but hides many secrets. But, it was his daughter Tina that unnerved me. There is something very creepy and odd about that child. I also enjoyed the scenes revolving around Ms. Norris and felt sorry for her.

The author also does a beautiful job setting up the people’s theme and lifestyle from the 1950s. He includes various highlights, like the Queen making her first address to the nation in 1952. Also, The author nicely makes numerous movie references to Kirk Douglas and Charlie Chaplin.

However, probably the only minor gripe I have about the story is the ending. While the climax was thrilling and horrific, I wished it had ended with more of a bang. For all the buildup, the conclusion was not as effective as I had hoped.

Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel! The story is the first in a series and ends on a suspenseful note. I can’t wait to start reading the next one and find out how it continues. Overall, “The Searching Dead” is a gripping start to the series.

I received a free copy to review from Netgalley below is the blurb

"1952. On a school trip to France teenager Dominic Sheldrake begins to suspect his teacher Christian Noble has reasons to be there as secret as they're strange. Meanwhile a widowed neighbour joins a church that puts you in touch with your dead relatives, who prove much harder to get rid of. As Dominic and his friends Roberta and Jim investigate, they can’t suspect how much larger and more terrible the link between these mysteries will become. A monstrous discovery beneath a church only hints at terrors that are poised to engulf the world as the trilogy brings us to the present day…"

I have one of Ramsey Campbell's books before so had heard of the author, I can't really remember what the other book was apart from he co-wrote it, perhaps this should have given me the hint that this wasn't for me but the blurb sounded so interesting.

What I would say is at first I really enjoyed reading the book, up to a point. I found it easy to read, and liked the characters, however, I kept waiting for the book to build up to something and it didn't. Having read some of the other reviews this book is the first in a trilogy so maybe all the action happens in subsequent books.. Towards the end I was finding it difficult to keep going as I had lost interest. I wanted to know more about what Mr Noble was doing and his daughter Tina. To be honest there are a lot of good reviews so if you are a fan of Ramsey Campbell you will probably like this book a lot. For me, it was far too subtle and there was too little explanation or action, but this might be explained by the fact that this is the first of three books. It didn't grab me enough to want to read them unfortunately.

I read some of the author’s work a few years ago and didn’t like it very much. Sorry, to nay hardened fans out there. My reading tastes have changed a lot since then and I’ve enjoyed his work in recent years. This sounded like a good read and I’m delighted to take part in the #BlogTour. This is the first in a trilogy and I will likely read the other two books at some point because I really enjoyed this. Apparently some aspects of this book are autobiographical but as I’m not a die-hard fan I have no idea what these are. I really enjoyed the world-building in the book and the way the author brings 1950’s Liverpool to life in a very enjoyable and vivid way. This is the kind of horror novel I like, slow-burning menace and unease rather than in-your-face OOT gore which I hate. There’s something very unsettling going on here and look forward to the next segment in the trilogy.

I received an advance reader copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Searching Dead is the story of Dominic Sheldrake, a British teenager growing up during the 1950s who discovers one of his teachers is more than he seems.

The horror in this book is of the slow burn variety, restrained as the scope of the horror is revealed bit by bit. The book is very evocative of its 1950s setting, and could easily be interpreted as a memoir except for the horror elements.

I gave The Searching Dead four stars on Goodreads. The level of description caused the plot to move at a slow pace. The book held my attention, but I wasn't enthusiastic enough about it to give the fifth star.

I found the beginning of The Searching Dead a little slow and rather uninteresting. The characters weren't really drawing me in and already knowing the story will span decades, I wanted to get to the action.

Campbell put a lot of effort into aligning this story with it's time in 1950s England. We read a fair amount about Dom's fathers political opinions, the new Queen and the working class ways of life back then. Although this contributes massively to setting the scene and tone of this part of the novel, I found it a little tedious - give me the horror already! I've always been an impatient one.

The words 'cosmic horror' were the hook for me, but after a week I'm still only three quarters through The Searching Dead and finding any excuse not to read it. I honestly would have given up sooner if not for my request to review on tour for the lovely AC.

However, for those who enjoy post war England and muted creepy vibes, this book could be for you.

I should also note that many of my most trusted reviewer pals highly rated this book, different strokes and all that. Don't let me put you off!

I was very taken by the Liverpudlian location and first person story-telling in this tale of horror. Dominic is a sympathetic character, trapped in his adolescent grammar school life, longing to be a writer. I wasn’t sure what to make of Mr Noble, the schoolmaster whom he discovers is raising the dead. His murmurings to his precocious baby daughter in her pram are disturbing and I enjoyed the appalling trip to the war graves in France which climax in a horrible entity rising from the earth. It is a slow-paced novel that could have done with a sharp edit, but nevertheless has some memorable creepy scenes that will certainly stay with me.

It’s a great chilling recent-history horror story, creating shudders in this reader, and I recommend it as one of the scariest British ghost stories of recent years It left me looking forward to the second volume. My full review is up at https://www.horrifiedmagazine.co.uk/.

Ramsey Campbell has written some great books in the past, and while I do not feel this one was quite up to some of his classics, it's always nice to see a new book by him.

Campbell is a master of slow-building horror and his talents are on full display here. You may read for a bit without that unnerved feeling, but fear not reader (or perhaps fear very much) it will hit. This book was a return to Lovecraftian horror for Campbell: which he has played with a bit throughout his career, especially in the early years, It's nice to see this return... for a long time fan, it's like coming home.

Thank you Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for giving me a copy of this book in return for a review.

Fun note: Apparently this was released prior in 2016 and is actually the first in a trilogy. Hopefully we will see the others soon as well.

4 Stars!

Ramsey Cambell never lets me down. His novels are dark and dense and can take some time to read, but they are always worth the effort. I was happy to receive a review copy of The Searching Dead and settled, or unsettled, in for another dark read from one of horror’s best.



LIverpool in the 1950’s was not anyone’s idea of an exciting place to live. The scars and rubble of World War II are still present as the city slowly rebuilds. Dominic Sheldrake was feeling the effects of his boring childhood when a rare break was offered: A trip to France to visit some of the battlefields from World War II. The history teacher, Mr. Noble, agrees to take a group of the students. When they are on their outing, though, Dominic discovers that there may be more to Mr. Noble than he had noticed before.



There is something sinister about Mr. Noble. When Dominic and his friends start to notice a change in one of his neighbors, they suspect that whatever it is that hangs around Mr. Noble may be spreading and decide to keep an eye on the man. When the teacher is excused from his teaching post, this becomes a much harder task. Even as his friends begin to get distracted by their ascent into puberty, Dominic is determined to uncover the mystery. The teacher’s journal leads him to a destroyed chuch that still harbors something dark within. Something dark that may not only be a threat to him but to the entire world should it ever get free.



Ramsey Campbell has always scared me with his subtle brand of horror that seems almost innocent on the surface but has an infinite pool of darkness lying beneath the veneer of the story and The Searching Dead is no different. In fact, this is one of the most disturbing of his novels that I have read. Campbell sets up the story perfectly with the innocence of youth that is slowly blossoming into adolescence while battling against the structure of society that seems hellbent to break that innocence. It has the feel of a coming-of-age story and yet the reader knows there is something much darker at play here. It is clear that there is something wrong but Campbell keeps the reader guessing with a subtle slight of hand so that even as the end approaches it almost seems unreal. Then it hits, the climax that is sure to leave the reader a bit perplexed at what really happened. And what happened? That is the beauty of story. It comes to a crashing end that leave the reader wondering what just happened and what may come next.



And what comes next may be the true genius of this story. As good as The Searching Dead is, Campbell has said that this is just the opening stanza of a trilogy of semi-biographical novels about his youth with Lovecraftian undertones and it does not disappoint. The story does build slowly, maybe a bit too slowly for a single novel, but then more than makes up for it in the second half of the novel. And when taken in the scope of a larger body of work, the setup may not be slow at all as it helps set the stage for three novels and not just one. Ramsey Campbell is, in my opinion, a very underrated horror writer and this novel is a great example why. For those seeking high action and violence, this is not the book for you. For those who like the type of horror that takes up residence in your mind and holds you in its cold grip for days, maybe weeks, after reading the first word of a novel, The Searching Dead is sure to leave you shining a flashlight into the corners of your bedroom before you go to bed. Fortunately for us, the darkness that Campbell gives us in the novel is much worse than anything we may find lurking beneath our beds.



I would like to thank Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for this reading copy. The Searching Dead is available February 16, 2021.

If you want to know Horror, or if you want to study to write Horror, delve into the oeuvre of GrandMaster of Horror Ramsey Campbell. I can think of no other author who can so intensely effectively chill my every bone, nor frighten me so subtly. I found his newest,THE SEARCHING DEAD, inexpressibly terrifying and metaphysically far-reaching in its scope. Interweaving early 1950's postwar England coming of age with the advance of a Monstrous evil older than time, now embodied, and frequent hints of an even more terrifying future, this novel reminds us that indeed the dead are all around us, in the billions; and we are watched.

Great book by him as always. I have enjoyed his writing for as long as I can remember. This was no different. The characters seemed real to me,. and I enjoyed the book from the first chapter to the end of the book.

About:

THE SEARCHING DEAD is set in Liverpool, England, in 1952-1954, and is centered around three friends—a.k.a. The Tremendous Three—Jim Bailey, Bobby (short for Roberta) Parkin, and our narrator, Dominic Sheldrake.

Shortly after Jim and Dominic begin their journey at Holy Ghost Grammar School, their history teacher, Mr. Christian Noble brings in a guest speaker to talk about World War I, followed by a field trip to France. Rather than the promised adventure, the boys get an eye-opening glimpse of what’s in store for the world.

‘Dominic used to write tales of their exploits, but what they face now could reduce any adult to less than a child...’

My Thoughts:

I didn’t know that THE SEARCHING DEAD is book one of a trilogy (Yeeeessss!!) Which has me wondering if books two and three will be re-released, and perhaps, a book four is in the making?

The pacing is a slow build; however, I like the time Campbell lets the reader spend getting to know his characters—three friends whose relationship gets taxed by the day-to-day navigation of grammar school, love interests, and, of course, the darkness that stirs in the shadows of Liverpool.

If you like cosmic horror, coming-of-age stories, then I think you will like this book!

Recommend!

Scheduled For Re-release – February 16, 2021 (Subject To Change)

Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an eGalley of THE SEARCHING DEAD in a request for an honest review.

Up Next By Campbell – Reread of WISE FRIEND

I received a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily...

The Searching Dead is about the adventures of Dominic and, to a lesser extent, his friends Jim and Roberta (Bobby). Dominic believes something is very off with his History teacher, Christian Noble and is determined to find out what secrets Mr. Noble is hiding. Simultaneously he's investigating the claims of his neighbour, Mrs Norris, about the new church she's attending where a spiritualist is helping the congregation bring back their dead relatives. He eventually realizes both of his investigations have a similar link, Mr. Noble.

I've heard people describe this book as a slow burner. However, I think that's a bit of an understatement. I'll be honest and admit it took me quite some time to finish this book. The entire book focused on Dominic following Mr. Noble. I suspect this was done to set the tone for the series this book is beginning. In my humble opinion, maybe the first and second book should have been merged together.

I must say that the author was quite adept at building the world this series would take place. I felt like I was part of this post-war Britain he wrote about especially with the descriptions and language used throughout the book.

I also felt like a bit more character development could have been done. Maybe more would take place further within the series. For now the characters felt a bit disconnected.

This series has a great amount of potential and I'm interested to know what the author did with it in the following books.

Due to some frightening imagery used, this book should be read by teens and adults.

I've been reading Ramsey Campbell for years and have always been entertained by his stories, but The Searching Dead is not living up to that legacy for me.
I try to always give a new book time to get there, to show what I can expect but I have read over half of this book and still do not know what it is about, other than some kid following his Spirtualisti teacher who may or may not be raising the dead.
It is taking forever to even suggest its point let alone get to the point.
I just cannot finish this.
I hope this is what someone else is looking for but it is just not doing it for me.

I received this book free in exchange for my honest, unbiased opinion. I think I have given that here. Thank you NetGalley

Horror laced with religion, but leaning away from most of the usual Satanic tropes into different territory altogether.
I found this a strange mix of horror and coming of age. It's a mix that can work really well but in this case I didn't feel the factors clicked together all that successfully. The kids growing up, along with nostalgic pictures of post-war Britain, often slowed the pace of the real action. The age of the protagonists and the setting certainly had their places in the narrative, but those factors could have been whittled back to produce of more suspenseful novel.
The main story is certainly very interesting, and I wasn't tempted to stop reading the book, but I didn't enjoy it the way I thought I would, or could have with some pruning. It's a slow burn book almost all the way through. For some readers it won't be an issue but it left me unsatisfied with the read.