I read this one after The Ghosts of Sleath which features the same central character, this is a physic investigator called David Ash. This book however is actually the first featuring this character and as such I read them in the wrong order, this however wasn’t detrimental to the story but it did have a bearing on my expectations. As I had thoroughly enjoyed “The Ghosts of Sleath” I probably approached this book expecting more of the same, unfortunately it didn’t live up to these expectations, perhaps if Id read it first that might have been different.

Anyway, back to the story. Ash is a strong character who claims that there is no such thing as the “unexplained” and sets out to prove it with a truly cynical attitude. In this story he is called in to investigate reports of hauntings in a family home called Edbrook.

As the story develops Ash is confronted with situations that even he cant explain and is soon forced into revisiting his own past, James Herbert does an excellent job in this sense of developing the character to such an extent that you feel as if you know him personally. He also builds up the other characters involved in the story in such a way that you feel elated at one point over how the story seemingly ends only to be devastated as James Herbert throws in one of his characteristic twists.

In summary a very good read if not quite as enthralling as The Ghosts of Sleath, if you do get the chance its well worth reading before you move onto that one.




Recommended: Yes