Such a handsome cover! And it's supplemented by a series of simple line drawings at chapter headings, each symbolising a different character. And a map at the beginning. Altogether a beautifully presented book.
This was my first encounter with the work of W C Ryan and I was a little perplexed by the novel's refusal to fit a specific genre. But that just makes the experience richer. It's set one hundred years ago in England during World War I. It encompasses spying, undercover work, lies, secrets, the miltary, sabotage, violent crime and sudden death. It also has a genteel house party in a remote country house, servants, the class divide, ghosts (of course), seances and some paranormal incidents, memories of battle and a very atmospheric setting.
The main characters are the quick-witted Kate Cartwright and a tough ex-soldier going under the name of Donovan. They are not alike but as a reader you warm to them both. By the end I was rooting for them to appear together in a sequel. Which I sincerely hope is the author's intention.
For an absorbing twisty mystery with many heart-stopping moments and some stand-out bravery, you can't do better than 'A House of Ghosts'.
This was my first encounter with the work of W C Ryan and I was a little perplexed by the novel's refusal to fit a specific genre. But that just makes the experience richer. It's set one hundred years ago in England during World War I. It encompasses spying, undercover work, lies, secrets, the miltary, sabotage, violent crime and sudden death. It also has a genteel house party in a remote country house, servants, the class divide, ghosts (of course), seances and some paranormal incidents, memories of battle and a very atmospheric setting.
The main characters are the quick-witted Kate Cartwright and a tough ex-soldier going under the name of Donovan. They are not alike but as a reader you warm to them both. By the end I was rooting for them to appear together in a sequel. Which I sincerely hope is the author's intention.
For an absorbing twisty mystery with many heart-stopping moments and some stand-out bravery, you can't do better than 'A House of Ghosts'.