Book Review
Nov. 2nd, 2025 03:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Haunting of Maddy Clare
by Simone St. James
This horror mystery, with a bit of romance, is told from the point of view of Sarah Piper, a lonely young woman living in London in 1922. She is hired by Alastair Gellis, a ghost hunter, to help him deal with a ghost who is hostile to men. That ghost is the spirit of Maddy Clare, a 19 year old who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Even in life Maddy was something of a mystery, having shown up at the Clare's house 7 years ago, in rough shape and unable to speak. The Clares gave her a home but were never able to determine where she came from or who she was. Now in death, Maddy is angry and determined. Sarah, Alastair, and his assistant Matthew must figure out what is driving Maddy and how to bring her to a peaceful rest, even as she becomes increasingly dangerous.
I found this novel really compelling and very creepy, especially since the supernatural is not necessarily the principal horror of the story. Maddy's ghost is quite frightening, and the mystery surrounding her equally unsettling. Sarah, Alastair, and Matthew are also all dealing with their own traumas, and I really liked the way St. James handles it all. The ending is very satisfying, too.
by Simone St. James
This horror mystery, with a bit of romance, is told from the point of view of Sarah Piper, a lonely young woman living in London in 1922. She is hired by Alastair Gellis, a ghost hunter, to help him deal with a ghost who is hostile to men. That ghost is the spirit of Maddy Clare, a 19 year old who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Even in life Maddy was something of a mystery, having shown up at the Clare's house 7 years ago, in rough shape and unable to speak. The Clares gave her a home but were never able to determine where she came from or who she was. Now in death, Maddy is angry and determined. Sarah, Alastair, and his assistant Matthew must figure out what is driving Maddy and how to bring her to a peaceful rest, even as she becomes increasingly dangerous.
I found this novel really compelling and very creepy, especially since the supernatural is not necessarily the principal horror of the story. Maddy's ghost is quite frightening, and the mystery surrounding her equally unsettling. Sarah, Alastair, and Matthew are also all dealing with their own traumas, and I really liked the way St. James handles it all. The ending is very satisfying, too.
