Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 7/3/2014 + 1223 more book reviews

I really savored every page of this haunting novel. I especially enjoyed Cottam's multilayered story, his descriptions, characters, and his use of the English language to tell the story. The novel starts out at a funeral of a young girl who had committed suicide after visiting a house on the Isle of Wight with a group of other young women. The house was formerly owned and used by Klaus Fischer who was the head of a coven of spiritualists or witches. The funeral is attended by the brother of another of the young women who also attempts suicide. Cottam goes on to tell the story of the history of the house and the people who used it during the 1920's. He also tells the story of Paul Seton, who visited and was haunted by the house in the 1980's and the story of Pandora Gibson-Hoare, an obscure photographer who Seton is researching for his girlfriend. Seton finds a diary left by Gibson-Hoare that details the diabolical affairs at the Fischer house in 1927.

Members of the coven included actual historical figures such as Dennis Wheatley, Aleister Crowley, and Hermann Göring. Wheatley was a writer of occult fiction and Crowley was an occultist who was later considered "the wickedest man in the world." I had never heard of Wheatly but he was evidently a best-selling author in Britain for many years. I need to seek out and read some of his books. I would also like to read more about Crowley.

Overall, this novel really capture the imagination and has an overall tone of foreboding. I would highly recommend this one!

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