Hmmm… No tribute. I realise that when I flick through the first few pages of a book, expecting to find a tribute and not finding one, I double-check just to make sure and then feel a little disappointed that there isn’t one. It’s as if I’m feeling sorry for the people in the author’s life who are left untributed. It’s very strange and I really need to get out more.
Anyway, back to the book. This is part of the Hammer series published by Random House. It is a reworking of a Hammer horror film from the 70’s. It is about an elderly psychologist named John whose wife is recently deceased. Her spirit haunts him and he visits a medium, recommended on by one of his students, Shaun (you find out why this is important later). He sees Aida Golding performing as a spiritualist and is taken by a young woman whom Aida transmits messages to from her dead child. John is intrigued by her and frequently visits Aida’s show, even though he has suspicions that Aida is a fake and that the young woman is a plant. He is invited to a private seance with a select few, including the young woman. During the seance, a man gets killed after the spirit of a mass murderer nicknamed the Ripper gets evoked.
I don’t want to give the story away, but it is a gripping book. Like the previous book, it isn’t a masterpiece – it is just an entertaining read. It doesn’t make any apology for the fact that there is no insight into why the Ripper is a murderer, nor for the way the current murderer’s mental illness is portrayed as stereotypical and simplistic. What worked well is how Aida’s thoughts are portrayed and the way she manages to manipulate people. Also, one of the few devices that the author uses is to interrupt the story with a glimpse into Shaun’s sad life and to show his part in the story. There are also subplots that are vividly portrayed and alluded to by other characters. There is the typical climatic ending that had me turning the pages.
This is a classic horror book with ghosts, seances, murder and mystery. What more could you possibly want?
Oh and by the way, I found some very interesting images when I searched online for this book (including the author’s name). Go on, I dare you.
The Reading Marathon 