What do you think?
Rate this book
Silence for the Dead
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Horror (2014)“Portis House emerged from the fog as we approached, showing itself slowly as a long, low shadow....”
In 1919, Kitty Weekes, pretty, resourceful, and on the run, falsifies her background to obtain a nursing position at Portis House, a remote hospital for soldiers left shell-shocked by the horrors of the Great War. Hiding the shame of their mental instability in what was once a magnificent private estate, the patients suffer from nervous attacks and tormenting dreams. But something more is going on at Portis House—its plaster is crumbling, its plumbing makes eerie noises, and strange breaths of cold waft through the empty rooms. It’s known that the former occupants left abruptly, but where did they go? And why do the patients all seem to share the same nightmare, one so horrific that they dare not speak of it?
Kitty finds a dangerous ally in Jack Yates, an inmate who may be a war hero, a madman… or maybe both. But even as Kitty and Jack create a secret, intimate alliance to uncover the truth, disturbing revelations suggest the presence of powerful spectral forces. And when a medical catastrophe leaves them even more isolated, they must battle the menace on their own, caught in the heart of a mystery that could destroy them both.
In 1919, Kitty Weekes, pretty, resourceful, and on the run, falsifies her background to obtain a nursing position at Portis House, a remote hospital for soldiers left shell-shocked by the horrors of the Great War. Hiding the shame of their mental instability in what was once a magnificent private estate, the patients suffer from nervous attacks and tormenting dreams. But something more is going on at Portis House—its plaster is crumbling, its plumbing makes eerie noises, and strange breaths of cold waft through the empty rooms. It’s known that the former occupants left abruptly, but where did they go? And why do the patients all seem to share the same nightmare, one so horrific that they dare not speak of it?
Kitty finds a dangerous ally in Jack Yates, an inmate who may be a war hero, a madman… or maybe both. But even as Kitty and Jack create a secret, intimate alliance to uncover the truth, disturbing revelations suggest the presence of powerful spectral forces. And when a medical catastrophe leaves them even more isolated, they must battle the menace on their own, caught in the heart of a mystery that could destroy them both.
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2014
About the author
Simone St. James
11 books16.1k followersSimone St. James is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Book of Cold Cases, The Sun Down Motel, The Broken Girls and The Haunting of Maddy Clare, which won two RITA awards from Romance Writers of America and an Arthur Ellis Award from Crime Writers of Canada. She wrote her first ghost story, about a haunted library, when she was in high school, and spent twenty years behind the scenes in the television business before leaving to write full-time. She lives outside Toronto, Canada with her husband and a spoiled cat.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,669 reviews
June 16, 2018
Silence for the Dead by Simone St. James is a 2014 NAL publication.
Haunting in more ways than one-
An old mansion converted into a medical facility for ‘shell-shocked’ soldiers is the perfect, atmospheric backdrop for a spooky ghost story. But, this book is more than just a chilling paranormal tale- it is a mystery, a story of friendship, and a sweet, poignant love story.
Porits House is the perfect place for a young woman on the run to hide out, and Kitty Weekes desperately needs a place to lay low. She falsifies her resume to find work as a nurse, but right away ‘Madam’ calls her out on it. But, her boss is very desperate for nurses, so much so, her own job is on the line. So, she allows Kitty to stay, despite her lack of training.
But, Kitty will soon discover she has her work cut out for her, not only with the men she is to care for, but with the house itself. Thankfully, she finds an unlikely ally in Jack Yates, a war hero, whose identity is being kept secret from the other patients, and most of the staff. As Kitty and Jack get to know one another, they begin unraveling a puzzling mystery involving the former owners of Portis House,and a strange evil force effecting the patients. While danger lurks around every corner, Jack and Kitty discover they are kindred spirits in many ways.
Naturally, as a huge fan of Gothic mysteries and romances, this book appealed to me on every level. I love historical settings, old crumbling mansions, and dangerous romantic elements. But, nothing is spookier than an old asylum, or hospital, and boy did this book have atmosphere!! The paranormal aspects are quite effective and despite the uplifting conclusion, it still leaves the reader feeling very unsettled, like a good ghost story should.
This is a very well- constructed mystery, with a terrific cast of characters, with a wonderfully sweet love story rounding things out. I only recently discovered Simone St. James, but she has left a big impression on me! I can’t wait to read more of her books!!!
4 stars
Haunting in more ways than one-
An old mansion converted into a medical facility for ‘shell-shocked’ soldiers is the perfect, atmospheric backdrop for a spooky ghost story. But, this book is more than just a chilling paranormal tale- it is a mystery, a story of friendship, and a sweet, poignant love story.
Porits House is the perfect place for a young woman on the run to hide out, and Kitty Weekes desperately needs a place to lay low. She falsifies her resume to find work as a nurse, but right away ‘Madam’ calls her out on it. But, her boss is very desperate for nurses, so much so, her own job is on the line. So, she allows Kitty to stay, despite her lack of training.
But, Kitty will soon discover she has her work cut out for her, not only with the men she is to care for, but with the house itself. Thankfully, she finds an unlikely ally in Jack Yates, a war hero, whose identity is being kept secret from the other patients, and most of the staff. As Kitty and Jack get to know one another, they begin unraveling a puzzling mystery involving the former owners of Portis House,and a strange evil force effecting the patients. While danger lurks around every corner, Jack and Kitty discover they are kindred spirits in many ways.
Naturally, as a huge fan of Gothic mysteries and romances, this book appealed to me on every level. I love historical settings, old crumbling mansions, and dangerous romantic elements. But, nothing is spookier than an old asylum, or hospital, and boy did this book have atmosphere!! The paranormal aspects are quite effective and despite the uplifting conclusion, it still leaves the reader feeling very unsettled, like a good ghost story should.
This is a very well- constructed mystery, with a terrific cast of characters, with a wonderfully sweet love story rounding things out. I only recently discovered Simone St. James, but she has left a big impression on me! I can’t wait to read more of her books!!!
4 stars
June 19, 2024
Well I was 100% invested until it all fizzled out. The beginning was so catchy but if you’re all about the spooky stuff and love a good haunting, be prepared for a detour into romance that might not be your thing. The ghost house syndrome was spot-on, but the romance? It just killed the vibe.
September 20, 2013
This book started on track for 3 stars, basic but a nice quick read. Sadly the last half didn't measure up to the promise of the first. I stuck with it because it has a lot of things I like: mystery, gothic-style scares, etc. The suspense from the beginning doesn't quite hold up and the plot just gets a bit tired near the end.
January 5, 2023
The year is 1919 and Kitty Weekes is dropped off at Portis House, a Hospital for the mentally ill in England. The hospital is on a remote island with nothing else around and the only way off is a bridge into town.
The house was not always a hospital though. It was originally built by a wealthy Swiss family, The Gerbachs. It was beautiful and lavish and was just deserted one day with no answers or idea as to where the family had gone. The house was just put on the market by the town’s magistrate and purchased by Mr. Deighton, the new owner of Portis House.
Kitty came to work at the hospital as a nurse taking care of mentally ill soldiers who served in World War I. This is the first time Kitty has worked with emotionally unstable patients. Well really any patients at all, because she faked her work experience and her previous and true occupancy was as a factory worker.
Portis House is so understaffed and desperately needs another body that Mrs. Hilder, head nurse otherwise knows as Matron keeps Kitty on, even after discovering she is not really a nurse.
Kitty starts her job and she notices almost immediately something is not right with the house/hospital, and It’s not just her nerves from treating unwell men. She feels unexplained cold drafts in certain parts of the house, and sees a shirtless man walking the halls that is not a patient or resident. Every night a number of men lay screaming in their beds about an unnamed man coming to get them. Kitty has felt their terror because she also feels the sinisterness of Portis House. None of the other staff have witnessed the ghostly manifestations and chalk the patients visions up to ramblings of mad men.
As the strangeness escalates at the institution, Kitty turns to patient and war hero Jack Yates for help on solving the mysterious and disturbing events at Portis House.
“This house was a vampire, feeding on the pain, the insecurity, the despair of these men.”
This quote alone explains the power Portis House held over all of the soldiers/patients and how much it pulled them even further down into their misery. Not knowing if their visions were real or what they heard was just a part of their sickness or something more ominous.
I think this is the first Gothic Book that I didn’t think was just OK. All the oher Gothic books I’ve read were slow paced and not very scary. Silence For the Dead isn’t that scary, to me at least, but it definitely was atmospheric and had a good creep factor, and it stayed interesting throughout the book.
I think Kitty’s backstory and getting to know about some of the men’s lives held my interest as well. All of the men were very likable even with their mental illness, but there was one patient that I could not stand, Creeton. He becomes a threat to the everyone when he is under the influence of the house, but even before that he was still a serious asshole all on his own. Grabbing Kitty’s butt the day she arrived at Portis House and some other disturbing things. He was just not a good guy.
I think the one thing I wanted answers too and that I had a with problem was the story between Kitty and her brother and father. Kitty has a quick reunion of sorts with her brother after being apart for years. He becomes angry and combative and leaves and that’s it. I wanted to know more of that back story and what happened after.
This was my first book by Simone St.James, but I doubt it will be the last. I enjoyed Silence For the Dead quite a bit and would like to check out her other books. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and/or gothic horror and enjoys a story with dark ambiance and an excellent creep factor as opposed to a obvious thriller.
The house was not always a hospital though. It was originally built by a wealthy Swiss family, The Gerbachs. It was beautiful and lavish and was just deserted one day with no answers or idea as to where the family had gone. The house was just put on the market by the town’s magistrate and purchased by Mr. Deighton, the new owner of Portis House.
Kitty came to work at the hospital as a nurse taking care of mentally ill soldiers who served in World War I. This is the first time Kitty has worked with emotionally unstable patients. Well really any patients at all, because she faked her work experience and her previous and true occupancy was as a factory worker.
Portis House is so understaffed and desperately needs another body that Mrs. Hilder, head nurse otherwise knows as Matron keeps Kitty on, even after discovering she is not really a nurse.
Kitty starts her job and she notices almost immediately something is not right with the house/hospital, and It’s not just her nerves from treating unwell men. She feels unexplained cold drafts in certain parts of the house, and sees a shirtless man walking the halls that is not a patient or resident. Every night a number of men lay screaming in their beds about an unnamed man coming to get them. Kitty has felt their terror because she also feels the sinisterness of Portis House. None of the other staff have witnessed the ghostly manifestations and chalk the patients visions up to ramblings of mad men.
As the strangeness escalates at the institution, Kitty turns to patient and war hero Jack Yates for help on solving the mysterious and disturbing events at Portis House.
“This house was a vampire, feeding on the pain, the insecurity, the despair of these men.”
This quote alone explains the power Portis House held over all of the soldiers/patients and how much it pulled them even further down into their misery. Not knowing if their visions were real or what they heard was just a part of their sickness or something more ominous.
I think this is the first Gothic Book that I didn’t think was just OK. All the oher Gothic books I’ve read were slow paced and not very scary. Silence For the Dead isn’t that scary, to me at least, but it definitely was atmospheric and had a good creep factor, and it stayed interesting throughout the book.
I think Kitty’s backstory and getting to know about some of the men’s lives held my interest as well. All of the men were very likable even with their mental illness, but there was one patient that I could not stand, Creeton. He becomes a threat to the everyone when he is under the influence of the house, but even before that he was still a serious asshole all on his own. Grabbing Kitty’s butt the day she arrived at Portis House and some other disturbing things. He was just not a good guy.
I think the one thing I wanted answers too and that I had a with problem was the story between Kitty and her brother and father. Kitty has a quick reunion of sorts with her brother after being apart for years. He becomes angry and combative and leaves and that’s it. I wanted to know more of that back story and what happened after.
This was my first book by Simone St.James, but I doubt it will be the last. I enjoyed Silence For the Dead quite a bit and would like to check out her other books. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction and/or gothic horror and enjoys a story with dark ambiance and an excellent creep factor as opposed to a obvious thriller.
September 7, 2023
Star Rating: —> 5 Stars
No one does it quite like Simone St. James! Damn!
No one does it quite like Simone St. James! Damn!
August 18, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up for Fabulous narration by Mary Jane Wells. In 1919 England, at a lonely mansion where moors meet sea, 21 "mad" soldiers convalesce from WWI, suffering PTSD. But ghosts that reek of rot whisper sweet suicide in the patients' ears, inhibiting their recovery.
To this bleak place comes Kitty Weeks, age 20-ish, masquerading as a nurse, fleeing her own murderous father. She's resilient and courageous, but not foolish. She knows something is wrong, and immediately recognizes the mysterious "patient 16" — incognito and hidden away. Soon they put their heads together. Crazy or not.
Engrossing, this dark gothic suspense novel. Not totally predictable. Some plot twists. Not too grisly for me, and I'm squeamish. A happy ending for many characters. There's even a lovely bit of romance. Heartwarming in a few scenes, as the "madmen" bond against evil spirits and remember who they are.
Quibble: The characterization of the hospital matron shifted midstream. What? Also, why couldn't the other nurses see the ghosts?
Some reviewers felt it faltered in the second half. Not so for me. Maybe Wells' narration made the difference. Plus, in the second half we got some heartwarming soldierly scenes and some tender love scenes.
4.5 stars!
To this bleak place comes Kitty Weeks, age 20-ish, masquerading as a nurse, fleeing her own murderous father. She's resilient and courageous, but not foolish. She knows something is wrong, and immediately recognizes the mysterious "patient 16" — incognito and hidden away. Soon they put their heads together. Crazy or not.
Engrossing, this dark gothic suspense novel. Not totally predictable. Some plot twists. Not too grisly for me, and I'm squeamish. A happy ending for many characters. There's even a lovely bit of romance. Heartwarming in a few scenes, as the "madmen" bond against evil spirits and remember who they are.
Quibble: The characterization of the hospital matron shifted midstream. What? Also, why couldn't the other nurses see the ghosts?
Some reviewers felt it faltered in the second half. Not so for me. Maybe Wells' narration made the difference. Plus, in the second half we got some heartwarming soldierly scenes and some tender love scenes.
4.5 stars!
July 28, 2023
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Simone St. James for my copy of this book. It was about Kitty, a girl running away from her past. She decides to get a job as a nurse at Portis House, a mental hospital for men who were left broken in the war. The patients suffer from tormenting dreams and panic attacks, but that’s not the only thing going on. Portis House is crumbling, and there are strange noises and cold chills haunting the halls. The patients all seem to share the same dream, but no one will talk about it. When Kitty meets Jack, she can’t tell if he is a war hero or madman. They decide to work together to uncover the truth about the house and the secrets that are hiding in the closed down West Wing.
Thoughts: This was classic Simone St. James, full of mystery, history, a little romance, and lots of eerie ghosts. Portis House was a great setting and very unsettling. The house is a person in itself, feeding on the inmates inside. This book was gothic and dark and even though it wasn’t a thriller, it was a historical mystery. I like the unsettling feeling of creepiness that hovered over the house and that each of the inmates had interesting backstories.
I’m not a fan of romance in thrillers, but since this is a mystery it was okay for me. I loved Kitty as a main character, and thought she was a lot of fun. It was easy to get into this book, but it was slow in the middle and nothing much really happened. The ending was great when everything came together, so in the end I gave it 4 stars!
Thoughts: This was classic Simone St. James, full of mystery, history, a little romance, and lots of eerie ghosts. Portis House was a great setting and very unsettling. The house is a person in itself, feeding on the inmates inside. This book was gothic and dark and even though it wasn’t a thriller, it was a historical mystery. I like the unsettling feeling of creepiness that hovered over the house and that each of the inmates had interesting backstories.
I’m not a fan of romance in thrillers, but since this is a mystery it was okay for me. I loved Kitty as a main character, and thought she was a lot of fun. It was easy to get into this book, but it was slow in the middle and nothing much really happened. The ending was great when everything came together, so in the end I gave it 4 stars!
February 24, 2022
I have not read this author before. Here I realize that I am in the minority, I did not like the book and would not have read it had I not already been halfway done with it. The reader on the book is fantastic....the story has me yawning. I really enjoy the time period but nothing about the characters or the setting has grabbed me until the last 2 hours of the book. This could have been a short story with an epilogue. I will try a different book by the author has she has many great reviews.
July 29, 2021
This is a ghost story set in Portis House, an English mental hospital for shell-shocked veterans of WWI. The protagonist is Kitty Weekes, a 20 year old woman who, in need of both a job and a way to escape her family, pretends to be a nurse and is hired by the hospital. Portis House used to be the home of an expatriate Swiss family who mysteriously disappeared. The Portis House staff consists of a stern matron, her authoritarian assistant and several over-worked nurses and orderlies. These people are charged with the care of 19 patients who receive very little in the way of treatment other than some rudimentary and ineffective attempts at behavior modification by withholding privileges. Most of the patients and staff are well drawn and stand out as interesting individuals.
From the beginning, there is a general aura of menace. The patients notice a ghostly presence and have strange dreams, but say nothing because it would be viewed as a symptom of their illness and a cause to withhold privileges from them. The staff pretends not to notice that things aren't right at the hospital in order to keep their jobs. Kitty, as the outsider, is the only person who acknowledges the strangeness. However, nothing really happens during the first two thirds of the book other than crumbling walls, black slime (in a really frightening scene) and things that go bump in the night. It's in the last third of the book that things really get exciting. I could have lived without the obligatory love story and the way in which all loose ends were so neatly tied up at the end of the book, but overall it was entertaining and I recommend it.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher.
From the beginning, there is a general aura of menace. The patients notice a ghostly presence and have strange dreams, but say nothing because it would be viewed as a symptom of their illness and a cause to withhold privileges from them. The staff pretends not to notice that things aren't right at the hospital in order to keep their jobs. Kitty, as the outsider, is the only person who acknowledges the strangeness. However, nothing really happens during the first two thirds of the book other than crumbling walls, black slime (in a really frightening scene) and things that go bump in the night. It's in the last third of the book that things really get exciting. I could have lived without the obligatory love story and the way in which all loose ends were so neatly tied up at the end of the book, but overall it was entertaining and I recommend it.
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher.
July 6, 2023
ATTENTION! I have an announcement to make: THIS IS THE BEST @simonestjames BOOK. PERIOD.
The new cover is perfection. The story is eerie, there’s romance, asylum vibes and it’s all taking place in the early 1900s, so you already know there’s ghosts involved. This is a must read!
The new cover is perfection. The story is eerie, there’s romance, asylum vibes and it’s all taking place in the early 1900s, so you already know there’s ghosts involved. This is a must read!
March 18, 2015
After reading Ms. St. James first book, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, I made a note to keep reading her books. I was that impressed. I am quite fond of the early 20th Century period in a fictional setting, and this seems to be a particular area of interest for her as well. With this book, she focused on the troubled homefront of Post-WWI England, when veterans are coming back from the war damaged, both in body and in mind. Kitty Weekes is desperate for a job, desperate enough to take a job at Portis House, an isolated mental health facility for veterans. She lies about being a nurse, and she's caught in her lie, but the Matron allows her to keep the job anyway, as she's that desperate for another 'nurse'. Kitty soon realizes just how wrong things are at Portis House, but it's not like she has anywhere else to go.
"Silence for the Dead" is Gothic fiction, and the author does choose a fearsome setting in a haunted mental hospital. Unfortunately, this book lacked the degree of authentic and effective atmosphere that this story cried out for. I expected to be really unsettled by this story, considering its setting in an asylum with a troubled history as a family home whose family disappeared under decidedly strange circumstances. It seems to suggest some very powerful emotions of fear of isolation, abandonment and entrapment. However, I felt that things just didn't come together very well. I thought that some unsettling events that occur in the house would be explained or tie more strongly into the story and origin of the haunting, but they weren't in a satisfactory way. Don't get me wrong. There were some parts that were quite eerie. However, I think that this story could have been a lot more frightening than it was, considering the subject matter.
One of the things I liked most about this novel was the authentic characters, most of whom are veterans who suffer from profound mental illness as a result of the horrors of the war. It was quite sad how they were viewed by the public and their families as a whole. As cowards in that they were emotionally and mentally affected by the events occurring on the Front. Only a veteran can truly attest to the statement "War is Hell," and one would think that their loved ones would respect that they had survived and came home, even if they were tormented by their experiences. It was a slap in the face at how some of this men were treated, as if their surviving the war was an affront, as opposed to dying as "heroes". This aspect of the book spoke strongly to me, and gave me a lot to think about, as we still deal with veterans and how their lives are profoundly impacted by their war experiences. It's a good reminder to me to show sensitivity and to pray for their healing and restoration from their wounds.
This story has a strong romantic element that I did appreciate, although it did seem kind of crammed into the story around the Gothic and paranormal suspense elements. I really liked Jack and Kitty both. They were strong characters who had both suffered and understood what rejection and isolation was. In Kitty's case, she was very wise beyond her young years, and carried her own set of battle scars. She actually keeps my interest the most and remains a rootable character throughout this novel. I do have to say that the veterans did grow on me and I hoped for their well-being over the course of the novel.
I wish I liked this book more than I did, quite simply. For me, it failed to attain the potential the setting and story seems to promise. However, it was a good book, and I certainly did appreciate Kitty and Jack, and the setting and time period. For what it's worth, I think this would make a good movie.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
"Silence for the Dead" is Gothic fiction, and the author does choose a fearsome setting in a haunted mental hospital. Unfortunately, this book lacked the degree of authentic and effective atmosphere that this story cried out for. I expected to be really unsettled by this story, considering its setting in an asylum with a troubled history as a family home whose family disappeared under decidedly strange circumstances. It seems to suggest some very powerful emotions of fear of isolation, abandonment and entrapment. However, I felt that things just didn't come together very well. I thought that some unsettling events that occur in the house would be explained or tie more strongly into the story and origin of the haunting, but they weren't in a satisfactory way. Don't get me wrong. There were some parts that were quite eerie. However, I think that this story could have been a lot more frightening than it was, considering the subject matter.
One of the things I liked most about this novel was the authentic characters, most of whom are veterans who suffer from profound mental illness as a result of the horrors of the war. It was quite sad how they were viewed by the public and their families as a whole. As cowards in that they were emotionally and mentally affected by the events occurring on the Front. Only a veteran can truly attest to the statement "War is Hell," and one would think that their loved ones would respect that they had survived and came home, even if they were tormented by their experiences. It was a slap in the face at how some of this men were treated, as if their surviving the war was an affront, as opposed to dying as "heroes". This aspect of the book spoke strongly to me, and gave me a lot to think about, as we still deal with veterans and how their lives are profoundly impacted by their war experiences. It's a good reminder to me to show sensitivity and to pray for their healing and restoration from their wounds.
This story has a strong romantic element that I did appreciate, although it did seem kind of crammed into the story around the Gothic and paranormal suspense elements. I really liked Jack and Kitty both. They were strong characters who had both suffered and understood what rejection and isolation was. In Kitty's case, she was very wise beyond her young years, and carried her own set of battle scars. She actually keeps my interest the most and remains a rootable character throughout this novel. I do have to say that the veterans did grow on me and I hoped for their well-being over the course of the novel.
I wish I liked this book more than I did, quite simply. For me, it failed to attain the potential the setting and story seems to promise. However, it was a good book, and I certainly did appreciate Kitty and Jack, and the setting and time period. For what it's worth, I think this would make a good movie.
Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 stars.
November 27, 2023
4.25/5
Silence for the Dead is a novel by Simone St. James that has been re-released both with a new cover and a new audiobook narrator, and I can't say I'm mad about how gorgeous this cover is now that it matches the author's more recent books. This was first published in 2014 and while I can tell it is one of St. James's earlier creations, it still hits just as well, and I loved the mix of ghosts, romance, and mystery. This is a very gothic and atmospheric story, and the hospital aspect was both sad and slightly terrifying. I enjoyed the way a lot of these characters grew on me as the book went on, and this is a creepier storyline without being downright scary or super gory.
I listened to the new version of the audiobook which is narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown, and not only did I think she did an excellent job, but she really helped covey our MC Kitty's naivety as well. The audio is just over 12 hours long, but it didn't really feel like that, and I was glad the story moved at a pretty steady pace even though it was still a bit on the slower side overall. It had all of the paranormal aspects that I have come to expect and love from St. James, but I did find myself wishing there was even more of it. What there was, created a very eerie setting at times, and I couldn't wait to find out where things were going to lead. There is a little romance and I actually loved it even more than what has been in other books so far! The end was action-packed and perfectly satisfying at the same time, and if you are a fan of this author, Silence for the Dead can't be missed.
👻😴🐗
Silence for the Dead is a novel by Simone St. James that has been re-released both with a new cover and a new audiobook narrator, and I can't say I'm mad about how gorgeous this cover is now that it matches the author's more recent books. This was first published in 2014 and while I can tell it is one of St. James's earlier creations, it still hits just as well, and I loved the mix of ghosts, romance, and mystery. This is a very gothic and atmospheric story, and the hospital aspect was both sad and slightly terrifying. I enjoyed the way a lot of these characters grew on me as the book went on, and this is a creepier storyline without being downright scary or super gory.
I listened to the new version of the audiobook which is narrated by Billie Fulford-Brown, and not only did I think she did an excellent job, but she really helped covey our MC Kitty's naivety as well. The audio is just over 12 hours long, but it didn't really feel like that, and I was glad the story moved at a pretty steady pace even though it was still a bit on the slower side overall. It had all of the paranormal aspects that I have come to expect and love from St. James, but I did find myself wishing there was even more of it. What there was, created a very eerie setting at times, and I couldn't wait to find out where things were going to lead. There is a little romance and I actually loved it even more than what has been in other books so far! The end was action-packed and perfectly satisfying at the same time, and if you are a fan of this author, Silence for the Dead can't be missed.
👻😴🐗
February 5, 2017
Another wonderful book by Simone St. James. This one follows a young woman on the run from an abusive father, as she takes a job in a mental hospital after WWI. But of course, not everything is as it seems. With twists and turns, and a completely eerie setting, I devoured this book. Great read!
August 11, 2016
Simone St. James seems to be almost single-handedly revitalising the genre of the gothic historical romance, and her latest book, Silence for the Dead proved to be a very enjoyable example indeed.
It’s 1919, and twenty-year-old Kitty Weeks has been running away from her abusive father for the past four years. That means going from job to job, often under assumed names, and never staying in one place too long. She’s gutsy and independent, and even though she can never completely shake them off, she refuses to allow her past experiences to beat her down. Her latest position, in the wilds of the north of England, is as a nurse at Portis House, an imposing mansion-turned-asylum for men suffering from shell-shock. She’s not a nurse, of course, but she needs the job and wants to be somewhere she’ll be difficult to find. With falsified references of her previous experience at a London hospital, Kitty blags her way in.
The work is arduous and the days are long, as the place is terribly understaffed, but Kitty soon gets into the swing of things. Her lack of real nursing qualifications does not hinder her, and she quickly strikes up friendships with two of her fellow nurses, Martha and Nina. They gossip together and moan about sore feet and matron’s edicts. I really enjoyed the dynamics of their relationship.
An element of mystery is introduced when Kitty hears about the enigmatic “Patient Sixteen,” who never comes out of his room and whom, she discovers, one has to have special clearance to visit. Being one to take the opportunity to flout the rules, Kitty manages to meet him – and is astonished by what she discovers.
The author gradually builds a sense of menace. We hear about strange noises, the patients’ nightmares, and ghostly apparitions. There is clearly some sort of corruption going on which involves the visiting doctors and the house’s owner. There are also questions surrounding the treatment (or rather, non-treatment) of the patients at Portis House and speculation as to why the previous owners disappeared so suddenly. Bumps in the night, a patient who shouldn’t be there, possible conspiracies… Ms. St. James develops and intertwines her plot threads very cleverly, and I was utterly engrossed in the story from start to finish.
Speaking as someone who has a particular interest in the history of First World War, I found the setting (a mental institution for soldiers suffering from shell-shock) to be the novel’s true strength. Ms St. James has clearly done her homework on the way these men were viewed, treated, and so badly misunderstood: returned from one horror only to be plunged into another. Removed from family and friends and branded insane, they were locked away like criminals. All of them are well-rounded, engaging characters, and she skillfully evokes sympathy for their situations.
The writing and pacing of the story are excellent. The action begins very slowly in the sense that the supernatural element is not introduced until we’re well into the book, but I was so caught up in the relationships between Kitty and the other nurses, the stories of the various patients, and speculating as to the identity of “Patient Sixteen” that I never had that feeling of wanting things to get moving. I was happy to savour it all. I loved that the author takes her time establishing her characters and setting. I found her exploration of the way in which the men at Portis House were treated to be both informative and poignant. Ms. St. James has created such a fascinating set of characters and backstories, and established so well the conflicts between them, that the ‘gothic’ element was almost surplus to requirements! I would have been quite happy had the story been a straight mystery.
I’ve read a few reviews stating that the story seemed to lose impetus in the second half, but I disagree. I found myself just as riveted by the later part of the story as the beginning, which is in no small part due to the superb performance given by Mary Jane Wells. Ms Wells is a new-to-me narrator, but she has guaranteed herself a place on my “narrators to trust” list based on this performance alone.
Ms Wells’ narration is well-paced and the character voices are sufficiently distinct in tone that there was never any question as to whether I was listening to speech or description. She has a pleasant, youthful-sounding voice, used to very good effect in her interpretation of Kitty, the chipper, cockney heroine. Dedicated, optimistic Martha is given a perfectly executed Scottish accent, and laconic, wry Nina has a lower-pitched, northern-accented drawl which suited her sardonic nature very well indeed. The male patients and orderlies are all clearly differentiated, too. Paulus, the head orderly, is South African, and Ms. Wells’ accent is (mostly) spot on. Captain Mabry is given the slightly clipped tones one would expect from an officer, and she does a superb job with Archie, who has an unusual stammer. She adopts a slightly lower pitch to portray Jack, who, like Mabry, is often quite softly-spoken. Yet she also impeccably conveys his underlying sense of authority and cheeky insouciance as the story progresses.
There are a few glaring Americanisms in the text. Closets instead of cupboards, suspenders instead of braces (believe me, the image of a man wearing what we call suspenders is not a particularly attractive or masculine one!) and an odd pronunciation of Passchendaele stuck out like sore thumbs, but these were very minor irritations.
All in all, Silence for the Dead is a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. The highlights for me are the setting and the stories and characterisation of the patients, but the principal story and narration are superb, too. I have no hesitation in recommending it very highly indeed.
It’s 1919, and twenty-year-old Kitty Weeks has been running away from her abusive father for the past four years. That means going from job to job, often under assumed names, and never staying in one place too long. She’s gutsy and independent, and even though she can never completely shake them off, she refuses to allow her past experiences to beat her down. Her latest position, in the wilds of the north of England, is as a nurse at Portis House, an imposing mansion-turned-asylum for men suffering from shell-shock. She’s not a nurse, of course, but she needs the job and wants to be somewhere she’ll be difficult to find. With falsified references of her previous experience at a London hospital, Kitty blags her way in.
The work is arduous and the days are long, as the place is terribly understaffed, but Kitty soon gets into the swing of things. Her lack of real nursing qualifications does not hinder her, and she quickly strikes up friendships with two of her fellow nurses, Martha and Nina. They gossip together and moan about sore feet and matron’s edicts. I really enjoyed the dynamics of their relationship.
An element of mystery is introduced when Kitty hears about the enigmatic “Patient Sixteen,” who never comes out of his room and whom, she discovers, one has to have special clearance to visit. Being one to take the opportunity to flout the rules, Kitty manages to meet him – and is astonished by what she discovers.
The author gradually builds a sense of menace. We hear about strange noises, the patients’ nightmares, and ghostly apparitions. There is clearly some sort of corruption going on which involves the visiting doctors and the house’s owner. There are also questions surrounding the treatment (or rather, non-treatment) of the patients at Portis House and speculation as to why the previous owners disappeared so suddenly. Bumps in the night, a patient who shouldn’t be there, possible conspiracies… Ms. St. James develops and intertwines her plot threads very cleverly, and I was utterly engrossed in the story from start to finish.
Speaking as someone who has a particular interest in the history of First World War, I found the setting (a mental institution for soldiers suffering from shell-shock) to be the novel’s true strength. Ms St. James has clearly done her homework on the way these men were viewed, treated, and so badly misunderstood: returned from one horror only to be plunged into another. Removed from family and friends and branded insane, they were locked away like criminals. All of them are well-rounded, engaging characters, and she skillfully evokes sympathy for their situations.
The writing and pacing of the story are excellent. The action begins very slowly in the sense that the supernatural element is not introduced until we’re well into the book, but I was so caught up in the relationships between Kitty and the other nurses, the stories of the various patients, and speculating as to the identity of “Patient Sixteen” that I never had that feeling of wanting things to get moving. I was happy to savour it all. I loved that the author takes her time establishing her characters and setting. I found her exploration of the way in which the men at Portis House were treated to be both informative and poignant. Ms. St. James has created such a fascinating set of characters and backstories, and established so well the conflicts between them, that the ‘gothic’ element was almost surplus to requirements! I would have been quite happy had the story been a straight mystery.
I’ve read a few reviews stating that the story seemed to lose impetus in the second half, but I disagree. I found myself just as riveted by the later part of the story as the beginning, which is in no small part due to the superb performance given by Mary Jane Wells. Ms Wells is a new-to-me narrator, but she has guaranteed herself a place on my “narrators to trust” list based on this performance alone.
Ms Wells’ narration is well-paced and the character voices are sufficiently distinct in tone that there was never any question as to whether I was listening to speech or description. She has a pleasant, youthful-sounding voice, used to very good effect in her interpretation of Kitty, the chipper, cockney heroine. Dedicated, optimistic Martha is given a perfectly executed Scottish accent, and laconic, wry Nina has a lower-pitched, northern-accented drawl which suited her sardonic nature very well indeed. The male patients and orderlies are all clearly differentiated, too. Paulus, the head orderly, is South African, and Ms. Wells’ accent is (mostly) spot on. Captain Mabry is given the slightly clipped tones one would expect from an officer, and she does a superb job with Archie, who has an unusual stammer. She adopts a slightly lower pitch to portray Jack, who, like Mabry, is often quite softly-spoken. Yet she also impeccably conveys his underlying sense of authority and cheeky insouciance as the story progresses.
There are a few glaring Americanisms in the text. Closets instead of cupboards, suspenders instead of braces (believe me, the image of a man wearing what we call suspenders is not a particularly attractive or masculine one!) and an odd pronunciation of Passchendaele stuck out like sore thumbs, but these were very minor irritations.
All in all, Silence for the Dead is a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. The highlights for me are the setting and the stories and characterisation of the patients, but the principal story and narration are superb, too. I have no hesitation in recommending it very highly indeed.
January 22, 2020
From here I could see the thicket of trees, clustered like a crowd of commuters on a busy train platform, that were solid land’s last gasp before the marshes began their march to the sea. The grass grew thicker there, tangled with brush and undergrowth, uncut by any visible path. Beyond the trees, the marshes stretched like patchwork, mossy and silvery, their colors strange even in the workaday summer sunlight. They faded into an impenetrable horizon that must be the sea, though I saw no sign of any boat or mast in the long moments I searched for them.
Alas, I have finished my final unread Simone St. James book and must now wait for them to be released. A sad day, indeed.
Alas, I have finished my final unread Simone St. James book and must now wait for them to be released. A sad day, indeed.
June 21, 2020
I enjoyed this. World War I is over, Kitty Weekes, pretending to be a nurse, and on the run from something, arrives at a manor house in the countryside. The house has been transformed into a nursing home for former soldiers suffering from shell shock, and Kitty is quickly put to work caring for the men, despite her complete lack of experience, thanks to a staffing shortage. The lack of sufficient nurses and orderlies is soon explained by the odd noises, terrifying nightmares the men suffer from, the voices and the odd glimpses of a young man Kitty starts seeing.
Soon, Kitty’s investigating, along with one of the soldiers, a celebrated war hero, Jack Yates, who’s there secretly, as the government would never want the public to know that their hero Jack fell apart.
The lack of treatment for the men’s trauma and variety of resulting mental health issues thanks to their terrible experiences was a shameful outcome of the war, along with, in some cases, their families’ shame and disgust.
Even with my horror at the men’s “care”, I enjoyed the developing friendships between Kitty and these former soldiers, and the way she just kept poking at the problems at the house until, with Jack’s and a former nurse’s help, she figured out what was the cause of all the creepiness.
There’s a nice mix of historical detail, mystery, ghost story and romance here, as well as some good characterization. This book was a welcome respite from some of the heavier material I’ve been reading this month.
Soon, Kitty’s investigating, along with one of the soldiers, a celebrated war hero, Jack Yates, who’s there secretly, as the government would never want the public to know that their hero Jack fell apart.
The lack of treatment for the men’s trauma and variety of resulting mental health issues thanks to their terrible experiences was a shameful outcome of the war, along with, in some cases, their families’ shame and disgust.
Even with my horror at the men’s “care”, I enjoyed the developing friendships between Kitty and these former soldiers, and the way she just kept poking at the problems at the house until, with Jack’s and a former nurse’s help, she figured out what was the cause of all the creepiness.
There’s a nice mix of historical detail, mystery, ghost story and romance here, as well as some good characterization. This book was a welcome respite from some of the heavier material I’ve been reading this month.
September 18, 2023
I'm always on board for a good ghost story and this book delivered. Loved the creepy setting, the mysterious characters and the plot twists.
September 4, 2023
Silence for the Dead is set in 1919 and is centered around Kitty Weekes. Kitty is escaping from a traumatic past when she begins working as a nurse at a psychiatric hospital for shell-shocked soldiers called Portis House. Soon after Kitty begins working, she discovers that not only are all of the patients having the same reoccuring nightmare but strange breaths of cold air and eerie noises are all around her.
Kitty befriends Jack Yates who is a patient at Portis House and also a famous war hero. They soon find themselves solving a mystery that could destroy them both.
As a long-time reader of St. James, I love how she always combines historical fiction with an atmospheric mystery. In Silence for the Dead, she creates the perfect eerie atmosphere setting in an isolated 1919 mental institution. I really liked both of the main characters, Kitty and Jack and I really liked the fact that the story centered around WWI veterans suffering from PTSD. Unfortunately, I did find the story to be a bit too slow-paced and lengthy, but overall I did enjoy this one.
I listened to the audiobook version which was read by Billie Bulford-Brown, and I highly recommend the audiobook. Silence for the Dead by Simone St James is available now in all formats! Many thanks to Berkley pub and Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copies!
Kitty befriends Jack Yates who is a patient at Portis House and also a famous war hero. They soon find themselves solving a mystery that could destroy them both.
As a long-time reader of St. James, I love how she always combines historical fiction with an atmospheric mystery. In Silence for the Dead, she creates the perfect eerie atmosphere setting in an isolated 1919 mental institution. I really liked both of the main characters, Kitty and Jack and I really liked the fact that the story centered around WWI veterans suffering from PTSD. Unfortunately, I did find the story to be a bit too slow-paced and lengthy, but overall I did enjoy this one.
I listened to the audiobook version which was read by Billie Bulford-Brown, and I highly recommend the audiobook. Silence for the Dead by Simone St James is available now in all formats! Many thanks to Berkley pub and Penguin Random House Audio for the gifted copies!
November 6, 2021
Rating 4.5
Great read, loved the creepy setting
Great read, loved the creepy setting
November 11, 2023
2.5⭐ The first half of the book was very fast paced and interesting which slowly draggedddd and ended up being very basic. This missed her usual 2 timeline plot too which I quite liked.
September 10, 2016
This could have been an excellent little ghost story. The buildup of tension and mystery was very well done and the characters were intriguing, but I was disappointed in the final third of the story. Perhaps I should have expected the romance, but it felt forced and implausible, and it was incredibly inappropriate for the two main characters to be playing striptease and grab-ass when patients that the “heroine” was responsible for were dying, unattended, of influenza in another part of the building, and another patient that she was responsible for was missing and known to be dangerous. Yes, I know she was not a real nurse, but she had assumed the role and the responsibility. I was dissatisfied with the trite happily-ever-after marriage ending, where the heroine is suddenly over all her childhood trauma because of the hero’s magic lovemaking. And the attitude of “BTW, four patients died, but that’s a pretty good death rate, so that’s cool” really chapped my sensibilities.
This book touched on the real tragedy of WW I soldiers who dealt with “shell shock”, the absolute lack of medical and psychological care available to them at the time, the stigma of cowardice, weakness, and unmanliness attached to its victims, and the awful state of psychiatric care at the time. But it used it too lightly for my taste, using it as a mere backdrop, and really dropped the ball in wrapping the story up with the characters who suffered from it. The “good” characters were able to miraculously just reintegrate to their homes and families (happily ever after!) and the “bad” and anonymous others were just shipped off to another psych hospital (out of sight, out of mind).
Audiobook version, borrowed from my public library. Mary Jane Wells provided an excellent performance. I will look for her again as an audio narrator.
I read this book for the 2016 Halloween Bingo, Ghost Stories and Haunted Houses square.
This book touched on the real tragedy of WW I soldiers who dealt with “shell shock”, the absolute lack of medical and psychological care available to them at the time, the stigma of cowardice, weakness, and unmanliness attached to its victims, and the awful state of psychiatric care at the time. But it used it too lightly for my taste, using it as a mere backdrop, and really dropped the ball in wrapping the story up with the characters who suffered from it. The “good” characters were able to miraculously just reintegrate to their homes and families (happily ever after!) and the “bad” and anonymous others were just shipped off to another psych hospital (out of sight, out of mind).
Audiobook version, borrowed from my public library. Mary Jane Wells provided an excellent performance. I will look for her again as an audio narrator.
I read this book for the 2016 Halloween Bingo, Ghost Stories and Haunted Houses square.
November 17, 2023
3,5/5
Pues me ha gustado bastante, pero no tanto como El motel Sun Down.
A diferencia de los demás libros que he leído de esta autora, este está ambientado en 1919, con solo una línea temporal, la cual le da un toque histórico interesante, ya que se narran hechos de la Primera Guerra Mundial desde el punto de vista de los soldados que sobrevivieron y que quedaron psicológicamente mal. Todo esto se mezcla con una línea paranormal que guarda un misterio y que influye en cada uno de los personajes.
También me ha gustado bastante la protagonista, aunque sí es cierto que he echado en falta más desarrollo en cuanto a su pasado; me ha parecido que se solucionaba muy rápido. Pese a eso, su evolución es bastante buena.
Una historia que engancha desde las primeras páginas, con momentos de tensión (aunque hubiera preferido más momentos de estos) y un lado de postguerra bastante oscuro.
Pues me ha gustado bastante, pero no tanto como El motel Sun Down.
A diferencia de los demás libros que he leído de esta autora, este está ambientado en 1919, con solo una línea temporal, la cual le da un toque histórico interesante, ya que se narran hechos de la Primera Guerra Mundial desde el punto de vista de los soldados que sobrevivieron y que quedaron psicológicamente mal. Todo esto se mezcla con una línea paranormal que guarda un misterio y que influye en cada uno de los personajes.
También me ha gustado bastante la protagonista, aunque sí es cierto que he echado en falta más desarrollo en cuanto a su pasado; me ha parecido que se solucionaba muy rápido. Pese a eso, su evolución es bastante buena.
Una historia que engancha desde las primeras páginas, con momentos de tensión (aunque hubiera preferido más momentos de estos) y un lado de postguerra bastante oscuro.
February 21, 2024
I love this author but I'm sitting by the pool in a Punta Cana resort - the music is blasting so loud and while my feet and heart are pumping to the beat (as are my fingers) I can't hear myself think...will return sometime in the future to tell you what I loved about this novel.
July 6, 2023
It is 1919 and Kitty Weeks has been running away from her abusive father. When she hears about a position at Portis House, she falsifies her background and claims that she is a nurse. Portis House was once a beautiful estate belonging to the Gersbach family, who suddenly left one day. Now, it is a hospital for men that are suffering from the effects of the Great War. While in the house, Kitty learns that these men are suffering from more than the just the War itself. The house makes strange noises and the men appear to be scared at night and have haunting dreams. Kitty soon befriends Jack Yates, also known as patient sixteen. They quickly become attached and together try to figure out what is really happening in Portis House.
SILENCE FOR THE DEAD grabbed me from the start. I love that it took place in 1919. I have always loved historic homes and the stories that go with them. The mystery of what happened to the Gersbach family was something I just had to know. I loved how Kitty was so brave and determined to find out what was happening to these men. Her friendship with Jack grew quickly and I didn't quite know what would happen with them. In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It was something different than my typical book choice and I can see why it was up for a Goodreads Choice Award in 2014.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy.
This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
SILENCE FOR THE DEAD grabbed me from the start. I love that it took place in 1919. I have always loved historic homes and the stories that go with them. The mystery of what happened to the Gersbach family was something I just had to know. I loved how Kitty was so brave and determined to find out what was happening to these men. Her friendship with Jack grew quickly and I didn't quite know what would happen with them. In the end, I really enjoyed this book. It was something different than my typical book choice and I can see why it was up for a Goodreads Choice Award in 2014.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy.
This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
April 9, 2017
I read Lost Among the Living last year and loved it. Since then have I tried to get hold of Simone St. James other books. Silence for the Dead intrigued me with its stunning cover and interesting blurb. What is Kitty Weekes hiding? What's wrong with Portis House? And, what's Jack Yates, the war hero doing there? And, his the place really haunted?
Silence for the Dead is an interesting book about a haunted hospital and patients that have mentally broken down by the war and basically are sent away since it's shameful to have a nervous breakdown. I was curious to see how it all would end, what haunted the hospital. However, I have to admit that even though the story was interesting did it lack thrilling elements and I never felt that I connected with any of the characters. It's a good book, just not so thrilling that I had hoped it to be. And the mystery, well, I was not overwhelmed by it, to be honest.
This is not one to read if you want a chilling storyline. it felt more like a tragic gothic story with some romance. However, I think that the setting of the hospital, the brutal reality of the effect of the war had on the soldiers is what really captured my interest. If the book had been more about that and less about ghost had I perhaps liked the book more, which is strange since I did read it because I wanted a ghost story...
Silence for the Dead is an interesting book about a haunted hospital and patients that have mentally broken down by the war and basically are sent away since it's shameful to have a nervous breakdown. I was curious to see how it all would end, what haunted the hospital. However, I have to admit that even though the story was interesting did it lack thrilling elements and I never felt that I connected with any of the characters. It's a good book, just not so thrilling that I had hoped it to be. And the mystery, well, I was not overwhelmed by it, to be honest.
This is not one to read if you want a chilling storyline. it felt more like a tragic gothic story with some romance. However, I think that the setting of the hospital, the brutal reality of the effect of the war had on the soldiers is what really captured my interest. If the book had been more about that and less about ghost had I perhaps liked the book more, which is strange since I did read it because I wanted a ghost story...
March 19, 2023
Another fantastically plotted thriller from Simone St. James. I love how abused, destitute Kitty becomes the strongest character in the giant cast. Truly, a heroine who rises to show fierce bravery while the walls are literally crumbling around her.
I love how a romantic subplot is gently inserted into this story.
I love how a romantic subplot is gently inserted into this story.
August 3, 2023
This is a good look at the consequences of war for men who fought. We follow a ‘nurse’ who’s just gotten a job at a mental house for men. As usual with St. Jones, we have a paranormal twist. I enjoyed this novel. Apparently I can do historical if it has ghosts. Haha.
May 26, 2017
I found this book to be Simone St. James's most tightly written and plotted book. The plot is deft and intricate and at the end, all threads are woven together, and some in ways that I did not foresee. There are numerous themes that interlink with other themes too, and it takes until the end of the novel for the bigger picture to emerge, and for this reason alone, I found Silence for the Dead utterly engrossing. There are plenty of other reasons though why I loved this book.
Kitty Weekes is perhaps St. James's most resilient heroine. I'm deliberately avoiding patronizing adjectives like "plucky" or "spunky" because Kitty is just heroic, plain and simple. Her backstory as a survivor of abuse weaves its way into the present moment of the ghost story in admirable ways. In less ghostly ways though, Kitty is quick on her feet and able to find ways to survive a highly discriminatory job market where she has few skills to exist outside of a father's income or marriage. It's thrilling though to watch her simultaneously dodge danger, of both the ghostly and non-ghostly kinds, and thrive in a setting that would doom most people.
The setting here too is one of the best I've encountered in a St. James books, and it reminded me at times of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None where inhabitants gradually become more and more aware of the danger they are in as well as the difficulty of getting out alive. The violent storm in the penultimate scenes further imperil the inhabits that is straight out of the classic Christie mystery novel too. At the start of the novel Portis House has been renovated from a grand English mansion into an asylum for soldiers suffering PTSD. The mansion's isolation from the closest small village atop cliffs overlooking the sea makes it especially atmospheric and claustrophobic and lends itself to the danger from the hauntings that take place there. After Kitty schemes and lies her way into a position as a nurse in this remote place, she quickly learns that her sanctuary may not be quite the refuge she had hoped. The danger to the residents piles on as more is discovered about the mystery behind Portis House and why it has been abandoned. I have to say too that the metaphors of decay are as powerful as the literal decay at the center of the story.
The hero is revealed slowly in this story but the revelation adds to the mysteries. Once his story is revealed, it becomes apparent how perfect a foil he is to Kitty's intrepid and sometimes impulsive behavior. Mental illness is also a big part of the hero's story and the story at large, and I found this issue so well developed here because it is importantly contrasted with aberrant behaviors like misogyny and narcissism, which cannot be accorded the same sympathy or clumped together. Mental illness is always a theme in St. James's books, which are set post WWI and attends to the harm inflicted on an entire generation of young men returning from the horrors of modern warfare. The injustice done to them after their return parallels that done to them in battle, and that theme intersects with the many stories within the larger one here.
One final thought: the last line of this book is just haunting. Unlike other books she's written, the mystery is a bit more open ended and the resolution, or what there is of it, is chilling. Now I have to wait until 2018 for another new book from this wonderful author.
Kitty Weekes is perhaps St. James's most resilient heroine. I'm deliberately avoiding patronizing adjectives like "plucky" or "spunky" because Kitty is just heroic, plain and simple. Her backstory as a survivor of abuse weaves its way into the present moment of the ghost story in admirable ways. In less ghostly ways though, Kitty is quick on her feet and able to find ways to survive a highly discriminatory job market where she has few skills to exist outside of a father's income or marriage. It's thrilling though to watch her simultaneously dodge danger, of both the ghostly and non-ghostly kinds, and thrive in a setting that would doom most people.
The setting here too is one of the best I've encountered in a St. James books, and it reminded me at times of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None where inhabitants gradually become more and more aware of the danger they are in as well as the difficulty of getting out alive. The violent storm in the penultimate scenes further imperil the inhabits that is straight out of the classic Christie mystery novel too. At the start of the novel Portis House has been renovated from a grand English mansion into an asylum for soldiers suffering PTSD. The mansion's isolation from the closest small village atop cliffs overlooking the sea makes it especially atmospheric and claustrophobic and lends itself to the danger from the hauntings that take place there. After Kitty schemes and lies her way into a position as a nurse in this remote place, she quickly learns that her sanctuary may not be quite the refuge she had hoped. The danger to the residents piles on as more is discovered about the mystery behind Portis House and why it has been abandoned. I have to say too that the metaphors of decay are as powerful as the literal decay at the center of the story.
The hero is revealed slowly in this story but the revelation adds to the mysteries. Once his story is revealed, it becomes apparent how perfect a foil he is to Kitty's intrepid and sometimes impulsive behavior. Mental illness is also a big part of the hero's story and the story at large, and I found this issue so well developed here because it is importantly contrasted with aberrant behaviors like misogyny and narcissism, which cannot be accorded the same sympathy or clumped together. Mental illness is always a theme in St. James's books, which are set post WWI and attends to the harm inflicted on an entire generation of young men returning from the horrors of modern warfare. The injustice done to them after their return parallels that done to them in battle, and that theme intersects with the many stories within the larger one here.
One final thought: the last line of this book is just haunting. Unlike other books she's written, the mystery is a bit more open ended and the resolution, or what there is of it, is chilling. Now I have to wait until 2018 for another new book from this wonderful author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,669 reviews