In the Book Nook Reviews The Ghost of Ravenswood Hall by H.B. Diaz
A Gloriously, Unapologetically Gothic Tale!
In the Book Nook Reviews The Ghost of Ravenswood Hall by H.B. Diaz
A Gloriously, Unapologetically Gothic tale!
How did I hear about this book?
I put out a post on Threads asking for creepy/ ghostly/ generally autumnal gothic-y reads to suit the season, and asked preferably for indie authors and ones on Kindle Unlimited. The author of this book replied to me and sent this title for me to add to my list. Given it looked a haunting tale, I went for it.
Who is the author?
I’ll let H.B. Diaz speak here, so here’s the author’s own Amazon Biography:
“H.B. Diaz is an internationally published gothic horror writer and HWA member whose short stories have been featured in publications/productions from the likes of Flame Tree Press, The NoSleep Podcast, Ghost Orchid Press, and PseudoPod, among others. Her gothic novels, THE GHOST OF RAVENSWOOD HALL (Literary Wanderlust) and WILDEFELL (Cemetery Dance) are forthcoming in 2024. She lives in a historic (and likely haunted) East Coast town. Visit her on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook (@HollyBDiaz), and Instagram (H.B. Diaz)”
Why this book?
I wanted something creepy to get me in the mood for autumn. Plus, I love ghost stories.
What’s it about?
Here’s the book’s description:
“When William Garrett’s estranged father dies under mysterious circumstances—and makes a heinous accusation against him—Will must journey to a place that has haunted him since childhood, a place he vowed never to return: Ravenswood Hall.
But memories of the past are the least of Will’s troubles. Stories of murder and witchcraft hinder Will’s efforts to settle the estate and clear his name, and at the heart of it all is a Spanish painter named Lenora Laveau. Now a fixture of the crumbling hall, she claims to have witnessed Will’s father’s leap from the widow’s walk in the throes of lunacy. Rumours in town tell a darker tale, though—that she drove him to it.
As Will falls under Lenora’s spell and tragedy strikes those nearest to Ravenswood Hall, he becomes plagued by disembodied voices and visions of the dead. After encountering a spirit who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lenora, Will questions his sanity, believing that not even the talents of his beloved daughter Lottie, a spiritualist, can save him from following in his father’s footsteps. But when Lottie attempts to communicate with the dead, Will must stave off the past—and Lenora’s charms—or he’ll risk losing his daughter and his mind.”
How I read this book
I read this on Kindle Unlimited, but it’s available to buy for kindle and paperback too.
(Always remember, if you want to read kindle books you don’t need a kindle. You can download the app for phone, tablet or computer and read there!)
Any gore, or horror themes?
Yes, there’s nothing truly horrific but there are descriptions of murdered people, an autopsy and various other grisly parts. Nothing really horrifying but if you are of a sensitive disposition it might shock you.
Scare or suspense?
All the way through, from the very beginning.
Spice or Romance?
There’s romance, but no spice.
Excitement and Adventure?
Absolutely!
What I found interesting about the book
I loved this book; it was the perfect read to kick autumn off for me. I adore gothic literature, and this book is gloriously and unapologetically gothic through to the core. The house, the setting, the mystery and the murders, are all done wonderfully, and the writing is beautiful, like poetry in places. Since it was written in an old fashioned form, using diaries and letters, it reminded me of books like Bram Stoker’s Dracula or Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, which fitted it into the gothic narrative once again, rather as if it was paying homage to such works through its structure, acknowledging the debt of those authors who came before in the genre, which I liked. And although there are parallels one might draw to other gothic novels, this one has a plot and story all its own, adding something new to the genre.
I loved the way the author plays all the way through the book with the reader’s certainties. The protagonist likes to present himself as a good man, and since the book is mostly about him and his spooky adventures, it is tempting to believe him a good man from the start, but as the book unfolds the reader comes to distrust him and everyone else. Mysteries abound, and the house itself has a character, as all the best books with creepy houses do, so that often it feels as if the house is egging on the mysteries, the violence, and encouraging the inhabitants to madness. As the book draws to a close there are several twists to take (I guessed one but it didn’t alter my enjoyment and the other was a complete surprise) pulling the reader about another curve in the ill-lit, mist-strewn road towards the lamplight of conclusion.
I’ll say again that I loved this book. It was everything I wanted in a spooky autumn read and I think it would make a fabulous movie. Five stars to the gothic delight of the season!