Graves Gate: A Novel of Possession featuring Arthur Conan Doyle

by Dennis Burges

This chilling novel set in post–World War I London, traverses the strange and often frightening intersection between Spiritualism and early psychiatry, featuring a murderous psychiatrist named Dr. Bernard Gussmann, whose occult experiments include a dark practice he dubs "subgnostic possession." Spiritualists of the day included the famous author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who here has an opportunity to legitimize his unusual beliefs when he receives what seems to be a letter from the supposedly long-dead doctor extending an offer Doyle cannot refuse: communing with the deceased in exchange for a small favor. Doyle must bring any one of three people named in the letter to visit a woman in prison awaiting execution for murder. Each is a former patient of Gussmann's. Is the letter a hoax? Is Dr. Gussmann really somehow still alive? Doyle seeks help from his American journalist friend, Charles Baker, who teams up with Adrianna Wallace, wife of a prominent Member of Parliament. As the trio uncover the backgrounds of the three people listed in the letter and follow the ethereal track of Gussmann, they soon learn that they are accomplices to a deadly game of musical chairs.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Ronn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pastiches in which Arthur Conan Doyle appears as a character are usually not particularly satisfying. This one, while not great, is better than most. It is decently written, but the solution of the mystery is completely implausible. But I will indulge the author; after all, it's HIS book. That's about all I can say without spoilers.

[Jeannie Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grave’s Gate by Dennis Burgess
4 star review


Diabolical and Macabre!!! Graves Gate is an excellent blend of historical mystery & horror novel. Set in the early 1920s in London, famous author of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, hires Associated Press news journalist Charlie Baker to investigate a hand delivered letter he received, signed by a early pioneer of hypnotism. Trouble is, this renowned doctor has been dead for 20 years! To save his reputation and avoid a scandal, Sir Arthur needs to find out the meaning behind this cryptic letter while at the same time feed his new interest in Spiritualism. Is the letter calling out to him from the dead?

Dennis Burges' first novel is intriguing, inventive and although a bit far fetched, a jolly good fun and entertaining read that allows the reader a mysterious chase, a few good frights, and a well executed polished debut novel. Grave's Gate is creative and clever. It's too bad that the book didn't pan out into a series. The character of Charlie Baker is well developed and a man who is down-to-earth believable. With a little help from some of England’s prominent socialites, Charlie soon becomes knee deep in murder, kidnapping, grave robbing, and is soon hunted by Scotland Yard, putting himself on the top of their most wanted list. The hunter becomes the hunted, leaving the reader unable to flip the pages fast enough trying to figure out this ingenious puzzle. The plot is a doozy and the ending has a creative twist I haven't come across before, which always puts an author high on my "destined for greatness list".

[Leslie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up because, well, Arthur Conan Doyle, and enjoyed most of it thoroughly. The end was a bit weak and seemed contrived and I found that I wasn't caring much about the characters before it was over. Well written, certainly, and an intriguing plot twist. I think the writer tried something unusual at the end and just couldn't quite pull it off. I'd probably try another novel by Burges, just to see how he improved.

[Brittany (Lady Red) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one reminded me of The Alienist, if you replace the psychologist with Arthur Conan Doyle. Same oddly masculine writing same “oh you thought it was supernatural but it was just murder and human evil “ same black and white hat character development. Same plucky female heroine. Also as someone who is madly in love in her age gap relationship, that was also very offensive. I didn’t really care about the good guys and the bad ones were just evil. There was no nuance.

[Maggie Stewart-Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not have to prop up Graves Gate with Strunk & White. Burges knows how to write. It was a smooth read. One would expect this from a man who has an MFA and teaches English, though. Yes, yes, I know. Some people with MFAs seem to have purchased the parchment rather than study, but not in this case.

Burges told a good story, except:

1. Key questions brought up in the story line were left uncomfortably unanswered.

2. There were holes in the explanations of certain elements and characters.

3. Detail regarding 1920s psychiatric study was poorly presented when mentioned at all.

4. Objects, people and situations appeared and disappeared with no bearing on the story line.

In the beginning, the story was so rich with detail that it ran through my head similarly to an old 1920s black and white film, complete with costume, hissing sound and the voices of Constance Bennett and William Powell. Lifestyle, politics and culture seemed to appear clearly before me.

It lost its magic as the story became more complicated. I grew tired of secondary characters. It bothered me that, for those who know very little about psychiatric history during that time period, the asylum’s environment was glossed over. It seemed to me that Burges assumed people would know these things before reading the book. In truth, the farther we get into the 21st Century, readers will know and understand less and less of such details.

I enjoyed the story immensely up until the last 70 or so pages. When the final secondary character came to the forefront of the story and we were past the concept of “musical chairs”, I could almost hear the balloon hiss as it deflated. The end was disappointing. The grip was gone. It was a matter of turning pages, hoping it would pick up again. I got to the end and thought, “That’s it? This is the end?” I was sure there were pages missing.

Apparently there is a series in the offing, which is the reason (really?) Burges chose to end it in this way. I was depressed and disheartened. This is not the way to end a book going into a sequel. The reader is supposed to care so much for the characters that they must pick up the next book to see what happens. About 25 pages from the end, I no longer cared about Baker and Wallace. Wallace was the killer nurse. Okay. Baker lost his job. Okay. Doyle? Well, others have written about him.

Still, I will pick up the next book anticipating a good read and hope for a better ending. For Graves Gate, though, I will have to grudgingly agree with the reviewer from Publishers Weekly who said, “What begins as a promising, atmospheric tale of interwar London slowly degenerates over the course of this…novel into a muddy hybrid of old Sherlock Holmes routines mixed with contemporary psych-horror schlock.” …minus much-needed detail, of course.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

An American journalist finding his way in London is brought in by a famous man to help solve a mystery of a life time, perhaps even a mystery beyound life. A letter has been sent from seeminly the grave, a dead man tells tales only he should know leading this jounarlist on a hunt for the truth. Starting at a jail with a woman set to hang,speaking with one of 3 people mentioned in the 'dead mans' letter. Soon he finds himself in a relationship more of gossip than reality with a royal wife living a life of scerets behind the wealth and power. They dwell in a shared hotel room twisted in times past and present, leading to a world of control creating lost reality.
They find themselves in the mental game of controling another person. As the hunt for the Dr thought passed away years prior thier lives change not only phyically but mentaly to the bitter end. In the end the game of change and control isn't all its made out to be.

While it seemed to take a bit to get into this book. There is a lot going on, which makes the story at times, but scatters a bit too much at other times. The ending was wonderful while it seems all wrapped up, it still leaves me wondering.

[Darlene Larkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grave's Gate was a wonderful book! Mysterious, intriging, kept me guessing throughout the whole book. The author has a unique style of writing that makes you want to keep reading. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys mysteries and a little super-natural.

[Lin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good twists and turns mystery! Can we have another, Dennis? (Course, I could be prejudiced - the author is married to my cousin!)

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

An historical novel with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle involving mystery, the occult, and musical chairs.

[Julie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's a petty thing, I know, but I gave up on the book, Charlie, when every third thing, Charlie, out of one character's mouth, Charlie, was "Charlie."