A House of Ghosts

A House of Ghosts by W.C.Ryan

Published by Bonnier Zaffre

October 2018

Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives.

At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons who were lost in the conflict. But as his guests begin to arrive, it gradually becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends on the island, the guests will find themselves trapped. Soon one of their number will die.

For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . .

A House of Ghosts is one of those stories that is perfect for curling up in front of the fire with. Set on an island in the midst of winter in 1917, it is atmospheric and creepy (but not too scary).  We first meet Kate Cartwright and Captain Robert Donovan when they are both summoned by the Head of the Secret Intelligence Service (by a man known as C) to undertake a mission in espionage at Blackwood Abbey off of the coast of Devon.  Kate is known to the family as her parents are friends of the owner Lord Highmount, and with her (ex)-fiance Rolleson Miller-White, parents and Donovan (who is in role as a valet to Miller-White) head off for the island for a seance session in which Lord Highmount hopes to be able to contact his two sons who have been killed in France.  Kate's parents hope too to have some contact with their son Arthur, who is missing in action.

The weather, as you can imagine, is frightful and soon the islanders are cut off from the mainland.  Alongside those mentioned above, other members of the party include Madame Feda and Count Dimitri Orlov who both claim to be able to see and speak to the dead.  Little do they know that Kate also possesses the ability to see ghosts, and she is soon astounded by how many spirits are still gathered at Blackwater Abbey.  However, are the famed spiritualists all they claim to be?  The party also consists of Doctor Reid and his patient Private Albert Simms who is suffering from the effects of trench warfare.

Some plans have been stolen from the Highmounts who are responsible for manufacturing armaments to send to the front line, and it would appear that there is a person in the house who is prepared to kill to get their revenge, but who is it and can Kate and Donovan find out before their lives too are in danger? I thought this was a nice ghosts story and that it worked well.  It's been billed as a modern day Agatha Christie, and if you love her novels as I do, you won't be too disappointed by reading this I'm sure!

Happy Reading

Miss Chapters x