by John Harwood
This would make a good movie. The romance at the end is a bit, well not forced, but it is somewhat out of the blue. Still it was a good book.
This would make a good movie. The romance at the end is a bit, well not forced, but it is somewhat out of the blue. Still it was a good book.
I love Victorian settings! Harwood does a superb job of creating a creepy, gothic atmosphere, and I'm also a fan of literary style of writing. I enjoyed the mystery up until the ending was revealed, and then I was a bit disappointed. A good read never the less.
I enjoyed Harwood's previous novel, "The Ghost Writer", but thought it was let down by a rather unimpressive ending. "The Seance" is much more satisfying; an old-fashioned gothic-influenced mystery, slightly over-the-top but highly atmospheric. It would make a great Christmas BBC drama. Very enjoyab...
Dedication: For RobinThere is a little 'how-to' section before the book starts in earnest:To manifest a spirit, take twenty yards of fine silk veiling, at least two yards wide and very gauzy. Wash carefully, and rinse seven times. Prepare a soulution* of one jar Balmain's Luminous paint; half a pint...
3.5 stars
This was the first John Harwood read of mine. Very dry! I will probably give his books another try to see if it was this one, but the story really had a hard time keeping my interest.
Ohhh was this such a good read, think Victorian Gothic, think Wilkie Collins's "The Woman in White", think good old fashion mystery, if you like any of those then you'll love this novel! The story is told from three different points of view, that of Constance Langton, a young woman, John Montague an...
This gothic mystery story set in Victorian times has echoes of M R James. In elegant prose, Harwood conjures up the brooding presence of Wraxford Hall, a great decaying manor house in the Suffolk countryside, two of whose owners have disappeared without trace. This dark presence looms ominously over...
Like an old-fashioned Gothic tale. Suspenseful, and good at changing "voice" as various sections of the book are told by different characters. The ending was not quite as strong as the rest of the book, but still very good overall. Constance Langton lost her little sister Alma when Alma was quite yo...
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