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An Inquiry Into Love and Death
From the acclaimed author of The Haunting of Maddy Clare —and “a talent to watch” (Anne Stuart, New York Times bestselling author of Shameless)—a spellbinding ghost story set in 1920s England.
After her uncle Toby, a renowned ghost hunter, is killed in a fall off a cliff, Oxford student Jillian Leigh must rive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings. Almost immediately, unsettling incidents - a book left in a cold stove, a gate swinging open on its own - escalate into terrifying events that convince Jillian an angry spirit is trying to enter the house and is haunting the woods around Blood Moon Bay. If Toby discovered something sinister during his investigations, was his death no accident?
The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken leaves Jillian with more questions than answers - and with the added complication of a powerful mutual attraction. She suspects someone will do anything to hide the truth and begins to discover secrets that lie deep within Rothewell... and at the very heart of who she is.
After her uncle Toby, a renowned ghost hunter, is killed in a fall off a cliff, Oxford student Jillian Leigh must rive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings. Almost immediately, unsettling incidents - a book left in a cold stove, a gate swinging open on its own - escalate into terrifying events that convince Jillian an angry spirit is trying to enter the house and is haunting the woods around Blood Moon Bay. If Toby discovered something sinister during his investigations, was his death no accident?
The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken leaves Jillian with more questions than answers - and with the added complication of a powerful mutual attraction. She suspects someone will do anything to hide the truth and begins to discover secrets that lie deep within Rothewell... and at the very heart of who she is.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2013
449 people are currently reading
27109 people want to read
About the author
Simone St. James
12 books18.9k 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,333 reviews
March 29, 2020
When Jillian Leigh’s Uncle Toby dies from a broken neck after falling from a cliff, she is asked by her parents to go and collect his belongings and sort things out. She goes to the seaside village of Rothewell, where he was living. Toby was always a bit eccentric. He was also a ghost hunter. While staying at his home (Barrow House) Jillian hears strange noises in the night. Sees strange things. Jillian is starting to believe that there is a ghost living at Barrow House, or in the nearby woods. Eventually handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken arrives. He wants to know if Toby’s death was accidental, or was it murder? Jillian insists that she has encountered a ghost. And then there is the legend of the ghost of Walking John…
I have really enjoyed the books I have read by this author (“The Haunting of Maddy Clare” and “The Other Side of Midnight”). But this book didn’t seem to grab my attention as much as those books did. I didn't care for the romance between Jillian and Drew, it slowed things down a bit, and they didn't seem to have much chemistry. I wanted to get back to the mystery. I was curious to see how Toby’s death was resolved, and I found Toby’s ghost hunter story interesting. I also really enjoyed the exciting conclusion (with Walking John).
I have really enjoyed the books I have read by this author (“The Haunting of Maddy Clare” and “The Other Side of Midnight”). But this book didn’t seem to grab my attention as much as those books did. I didn't care for the romance between Jillian and Drew, it slowed things down a bit, and they didn't seem to have much chemistry. I wanted to get back to the mystery. I was curious to see how Toby’s death was resolved, and I found Toby’s ghost hunter story interesting. I also really enjoyed the exciting conclusion (with Walking John).
January 8, 2019
Too many paranormal, magical stories are for children. “The Haunting Of Maddy Clare” approached horror but brought a superb author, from our country, to my attention. I eagerly told Simone St. James she has become my new favourite. To my astonishment, she replied the next day and bestowed me her third book! I savour it, having acquired and finished her second: “An Inquiry Into Love And Death”. I am even more impressed with this masterful work! My only remark is that one thing I look forward to in paranormal stories, is the poignancy of talking with spirits. That didn’t occur. A hug would have beautifully capped-off this particular storyline; eeriness, culminating in emotional relief. This is a non-crime paranormal mystery: my favourite kind!
Spooky adventures and sinister scenarios are gripping. Appreciatively, there is no cliché wherein Jillian Leigh is disbelieved. Even inspector Drew quickly observes the haunting. This is an infinitely more personal mystery that makes Jillian’s involvement resonate strongly and there is growth. Everyone in this vividly-drawn town is changed for the better. Simone excels at creating a distinct region and community that we picture, with tones we feel. Despite a deliciously-adult romance, multiple mysteries are the driving force.
It is rewarding that Simone gives an update about how her characters are faring. Not least, she possesses unequalled giftedness at weaving modernity into her historic fiction. Settings and technology are accurate and the dialects of characters coloured-in. But her protagonists never juggle über English words or accents. Like Kevin Costner in the film “Robinhood” and Daniel Radcliffe in “The Woman In Black”: skipping the parlance of a bygone period, frees today’s audiences to relate to these heroes. I appreciate that we delve unencumbered, into Simone’s enthralling mysteries. “An Inquiry Into Love And Death” graces my favourites of all time!
Spooky adventures and sinister scenarios are gripping. Appreciatively, there is no cliché wherein Jillian Leigh is disbelieved. Even inspector Drew quickly observes the haunting. This is an infinitely more personal mystery that makes Jillian’s involvement resonate strongly and there is growth. Everyone in this vividly-drawn town is changed for the better. Simone excels at creating a distinct region and community that we picture, with tones we feel. Despite a deliciously-adult romance, multiple mysteries are the driving force.
It is rewarding that Simone gives an update about how her characters are faring. Not least, she possesses unequalled giftedness at weaving modernity into her historic fiction. Settings and technology are accurate and the dialects of characters coloured-in. But her protagonists never juggle über English words or accents. Like Kevin Costner in the film “Robinhood” and Daniel Radcliffe in “The Woman In Black”: skipping the parlance of a bygone period, frees today’s audiences to relate to these heroes. I appreciate that we delve unencumbered, into Simone’s enthralling mysteries. “An Inquiry Into Love And Death” graces my favourites of all time!
August 20, 2024
I read Simone St. James' book, The Book of Cold Cases, and rated it five stars. That compelled me to add many of her books to my TBR list. I listened to An Inquiry Into Love and Death on audiobook.
The book is set in 1924 when an Oxford student, Jillian, is asked to identify the body of her deceased uncle, Toby. Jillian's parents are in Paris and aren't able to leave to identify Toby's body. Jillian travels to Toby's home in Rothewall. Toby's occupation was ghost hunting.
The arrival of Drew Merriken, a Scotland Yard inspector, adds a new dimension because he is trying to determine if Toby's death was murder, an accident, or suicide. In the meantime, spirits begin haunting Toby's home where Jillian is staying.
This book was okay, but not great for me. The character and scene developments were terrific. I felt the pace was slow.
I encourage everyone to read Goodreads reviews on this book because many readers rated it much higher.
The book is set in 1924 when an Oxford student, Jillian, is asked to identify the body of her deceased uncle, Toby. Jillian's parents are in Paris and aren't able to leave to identify Toby's body. Jillian travels to Toby's home in Rothewall. Toby's occupation was ghost hunting.
The arrival of Drew Merriken, a Scotland Yard inspector, adds a new dimension because he is trying to determine if Toby's death was murder, an accident, or suicide. In the meantime, spirits begin haunting Toby's home where Jillian is staying.
This book was okay, but not great for me. The character and scene developments were terrific. I felt the pace was slow.
I encourage everyone to read Goodreads reviews on this book because many readers rated it much higher.
January 18, 2019
Another great thriller by Simone St. James!
I’ve been impressed by her writing along with characterization. She really knows how to write independent, intelligent and fearless women!
An Inquiry Into Love and Death is part historical fiction since it’s set in the 1920s after WWI. It also has gothic and paranormal elements along with some romance! It’s all wrote well in a complete and thrilling tale.
Oxford student Jillian Leigh finds out that her uncle has fallen off a cliff and dies. Her uncle Toby was a well-known ghost hunter.
Jillian's parents are in Paris and she’s the only living relative in England to go and pack up Uncle Toby's belongings. Toby was staying in a seaside village when he was killed. He was investigating a well known ghost known as “Walking John” who has been frightening the village for years.
I really loved the backstory of this ghost and the paranormal elements in the book.
I also enjoyed the whole seaside village and characters of Rothewell.
An Inquiry Into Love and Death even has a big plot twist that I felt was believable and really added to the overall plot!
Looking forward to reading more by St. James! I really am loving her characters and books!
I’ve been impressed by her writing along with characterization. She really knows how to write independent, intelligent and fearless women!
An Inquiry Into Love and Death is part historical fiction since it’s set in the 1920s after WWI. It also has gothic and paranormal elements along with some romance! It’s all wrote well in a complete and thrilling tale.
Oxford student Jillian Leigh finds out that her uncle has fallen off a cliff and dies. Her uncle Toby was a well-known ghost hunter.
Jillian's parents are in Paris and she’s the only living relative in England to go and pack up Uncle Toby's belongings. Toby was staying in a seaside village when he was killed. He was investigating a well known ghost known as “Walking John” who has been frightening the village for years.
I really loved the backstory of this ghost and the paranormal elements in the book.
I also enjoyed the whole seaside village and characters of Rothewell.
An Inquiry Into Love and Death even has a big plot twist that I felt was believable and really added to the overall plot!
Looking forward to reading more by St. James! I really am loving her characters and books!
January 8, 2016
"My uncle Toby died of a broken neck in the autumn of 1924, just as I was starting the Michaelmas term at Oxford."
Uncle Toby's pocketwatch was left on the very center of the kitchen table. A book was found in the stove. There was a misplaced key. And the air: at times, it was frigidly cold.
This was Jillian Leigh's welcome to Barrow House and the small village of Rothewell on the English coast.
Admittedly, this story pinched my flesh. It gave me the heebie-jeebies. I found that when I was alone reading the narrative, I heard every hum, creak, scratch and groan in our home. I kept looking over my shoulder when I heard an unexpected sound. And I was very aware of the silence.
The atmosphere and surroundings of 1920s England was spot-on. I couldn't help but think I was with Jillian riding in her motorcar. Or walking the twisted paths of Rothewell at dusk, hurrying to get to Barrow House before dark. There were some hidden secrets and the suspense was exquisitely plotted. Though it took place after WWI, the effect of the War To End All Wars intersected with the seventeenth century and a spirit whom begged for rest.
"This place dreams. It's as if it's stuck in time, looking backward, where everyone lives with the dead."
There was an enjoyable romantic element that braided itself into the mystery, too.
"I could still feel that kiss, that incredible kiss that I suspected had shifted something in me."
This was the second story I have read by Ms. St. James; I love her style of writing. I was utterly comfortable with the historical fiction's time and place. I had a few minor questions I would have liked answers to but they were small quibbles. The speech, clothes, townspeople's idiosyncrasies and delicious mystery made this a page-turner for me.
Uncle Toby's pocketwatch was left on the very center of the kitchen table. A book was found in the stove. There was a misplaced key. And the air: at times, it was frigidly cold.
This was Jillian Leigh's welcome to Barrow House and the small village of Rothewell on the English coast.
Admittedly, this story pinched my flesh. It gave me the heebie-jeebies. I found that when I was alone reading the narrative, I heard every hum, creak, scratch and groan in our home. I kept looking over my shoulder when I heard an unexpected sound. And I was very aware of the silence.
The atmosphere and surroundings of 1920s England was spot-on. I couldn't help but think I was with Jillian riding in her motorcar. Or walking the twisted paths of Rothewell at dusk, hurrying to get to Barrow House before dark. There were some hidden secrets and the suspense was exquisitely plotted. Though it took place after WWI, the effect of the War To End All Wars intersected with the seventeenth century and a spirit whom begged for rest.
"This place dreams. It's as if it's stuck in time, looking backward, where everyone lives with the dead."
There was an enjoyable romantic element that braided itself into the mystery, too.
"I could still feel that kiss, that incredible kiss that I suspected had shifted something in me."
This was the second story I have read by Ms. St. James; I love her style of writing. I was utterly comfortable with the historical fiction's time and place. I had a few minor questions I would have liked answers to but they were small quibbles. The speech, clothes, townspeople's idiosyncrasies and delicious mystery made this a page-turner for me.
October 19, 2024
An Inquiry into Love and Death is Simone St. James' second novel, written in 2013. It's a perfect ghost 👻 story for October and reminds me of Daphne Du Maurier's novel, Frenchman's Creek. It's very atmospheric and draws you in from page one.
Set in the 1920s, the story follows college student Jillian Leigh as she is called to the village of Rothwell to clean out the home of her recently deceased uncle. The longer that Jillian is there, however, she starts to suspect that her uncle's death was not an accident. She finds herself teaming up with a handsome Scotland Yard inspector, Drew Merriken, to find out the truth. The two not only have to find a killer in this community, but a local ghost, named Walking John, seems to have a deadly mission of his own.
Set in the 1920s, the story follows college student Jillian Leigh as she is called to the village of Rothwell to clean out the home of her recently deceased uncle. The longer that Jillian is there, however, she starts to suspect that her uncle's death was not an accident. She finds herself teaming up with a handsome Scotland Yard inspector, Drew Merriken, to find out the truth. The two not only have to find a killer in this community, but a local ghost, named Walking John, seems to have a deadly mission of his own.
August 28, 2022
Okay, but seriously: This book was phenomenal. It rang true throughout, and felt very authentic with its setting, period, and characters. I could easily imagine Dorothy Sayers or Daphne du Maurier writing this; so the prose gets a definite thumbs up from me. I loved the narrator Jillian's voice. The layered mysteries unfold at a crackling pace. And while I figured certain elements out before the twists were revealed, that didn't make this any less enjoyable.
Unbelievably glad that I got my hands on the Advanced Reader Copy, and will most certainly be talking this title up to my customers when it hits the stores. And now I think I'll dive into St. James' earlier offering...
Unbelievably glad that I got my hands on the Advanced Reader Copy, and will most certainly be talking this title up to my customers when it hits the stores. And now I think I'll dive into St. James' earlier offering...
May 1, 2021
England, 1924.
The 22-years old Oxford student Jillian receives message that her uncle Toby fell off a cliff in a small village by the sea. As her parents are in France she’s being sent to represent the family on site.
Uncle Toby had been a ghost hunter by profession, so it’s not surprising the the village of Rothewell has its own very active ghost and Jillian gets heavily involved in the ghost and other matters.
The story is basically meant to be a gothic ghost story, but has also strong aspects of a murder mystery and – unfortunately – a strong emphasis on the romance part. What really bothered me was, that the love story took such a prominent position in the novel and that the author presented us with an extremely silly case of insta-love.
What speaks in favour of this book is, that the author definitily knows how to create atmosphere. I’m a great fan of ghost stories and really enjoyed the eerie feeling Simone St. James did provide for me.
Also I appreciated her illustration of how women, particularly young women, had to struggle at that time to be regarded as something like a human being.
Even though this was not the perfect ghost story for me I nevertheless got quite some enjoyment out of reading it and will keep it on my bookshelf for the time being.
3 pretty good stars.
The 22-years old Oxford student Jillian receives message that her uncle Toby fell off a cliff in a small village by the sea. As her parents are in France she’s being sent to represent the family on site.
Uncle Toby had been a ghost hunter by profession, so it’s not surprising the the village of Rothewell has its own very active ghost and Jillian gets heavily involved in the ghost and other matters.
The story is basically meant to be a gothic ghost story, but has also strong aspects of a murder mystery and – unfortunately – a strong emphasis on the romance part. What really bothered me was, that the love story took such a prominent position in the novel and that the author presented us with an extremely silly case of insta-love.
What speaks in favour of this book is, that the author definitily knows how to create atmosphere. I’m a great fan of ghost stories and really enjoyed the eerie feeling Simone St. James did provide for me.
Also I appreciated her illustration of how women, particularly young women, had to struggle at that time to be regarded as something like a human being.
Even though this was not the perfect ghost story for me I nevertheless got quite some enjoyment out of reading it and will keep it on my bookshelf for the time being.
3 pretty good stars.
May 28, 2022
It is the beginning of the 1920s, and first term Oxford student Jillian receives news that she has to travel to Devon to identify the body of her uncle who has accidentally fallen off a cliff. It is going to be her first independent trip, her first dead body, maybe her first love, and, of course given the author, her first ghost. Despite having no interest in stories containing either romance of the paranormal, I keep getting drawn back to Simone St. James’ novels, and each time I am I thoroughly enjoy them. It’s a solid well-written story with good characterization, and well worth reading.
March 27, 2017
Loved it! Mystery, romance, and a little spooky
August 22, 2019
Beautiful writing, a lovely romance, history lessons, a ghost story, and a mystery all wrapped up into one. Doesn’t get much better than this.
February 6, 2020
4-1/2 stars!
“This place dreams. It’s as if it’s stuck in time, looking backward, where everyone lives with the dead.”
Jillian is a strong female lead who must travel alone to a remote village after her uncle’s death. Soon after arriving, many strange and disturbing things start happening.
This is my second book by Simone St. James and I’ve already decided she is the queen of eeriness. The atmosphere, the characters, the plot, the timeframe, it’s all perfect. This is a look-over-your-shoulder kind of read and I loved every page.
“This place dreams. It’s as if it’s stuck in time, looking backward, where everyone lives with the dead.”
Jillian is a strong female lead who must travel alone to a remote village after her uncle’s death. Soon after arriving, many strange and disturbing things start happening.
This is my second book by Simone St. James and I’ve already decided she is the queen of eeriness. The atmosphere, the characters, the plot, the timeframe, it’s all perfect. This is a look-over-your-shoulder kind of read and I loved every page.
February 22, 2025
An engaging and wonderful historical fiction ( especially in Halloween time ) from the first page to the last one. Indeed I loved it so much that I would re-start to read it again right now! 5 full stars well deserved.
To me it has been a satisfying read from all points of view and while Goodreads allows me to give a full 5 stars rating, actually my rating is a 6 out of 5 stars!! :-D
I only give the 6th star to books that I thought about continuously even when I was at work and couldn't dedicate myself to reading and of which I reread all the salient points and the final chapter last night, because I just can't tear myself away from the characters and their story.
__ A GREAT MIX OF THEMES ALL WELL DEVELOPED __
This novel is a n amazing mix of mystery and suspense (ghost stories, strange phenomena in an isolated English village, a murder and investigation, old secrets and dark shadows of war, possible espionage) and a tender and sensual love story.
In my opinion, each of the themes mentioned above has been well developed without going to the detriment of the others.
Sometimes too many themes mean that the author is unable to develop any of them well enough, but this is not the case, I discovered an author I didn't know, Simone St. James and I think her narration is simply magnificent: her words created images and characters so real and vivid in my mind that I felt like I was watching a movie. I felt and still feel fully and pleasantly captivated by this novel.
But let's start with the _____ PLOT IN BRIEF:
1924 England.
Jillian Leigh, a brilliant Oxford student, receives the news of the death of her uncle whom she had not seen for many years. For work reasons, her parents refuse to go and recognize the body and leave the burdensome task to their daughter.
Just 22 years old and still inexperienced in life, Jillian finds herself having to drive alone to a remote village on the English coast, where her uncle was hunting for ghosts...because it is said that the village is haunted by many dark presences including the angry and restless soul of an old smuggler.
Initially skeptical about paranormal phenomena and her uncle's profession, Jillian suddenly finds herself immersed in the investigation of an alleged murder and in an aura of mystery and secrets, which hovers throughout the village.
The attractive and equally mysterious young inspector of Scotland Yard, former RAF pilot in the great war, Drew Merriken, will add further thrills to Jillian's heart and life.
While together they will try to unravel the tangle of intrigues, lies and murders and attempted murders present and past, they will also have to decide if it is even worth opening their hearts to each other.
_______**______**_______
__GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT ___
Generally speaking, as I said above, mystery and love are intertwined in several aspects, each of which was well developed and had a satisfying resolution.
But another important thing that I want to add is that all the dramatic elements (such as the death of some people and the war) and dark elements (such as the malevolent presences, the mysterious and frightening noises) are perfectly balanced by other pleasant elements (such as the attraction and exciting intimate scenes between Drew and Jillian; friendly conversations with some characters in the village and moments of student life) and comforting elements (such as the friendly presence of the cat and also the dog, which give relief to both the characters and the reader on occasions of anguish and fear and of course the happy ending for all the good ones).
I'm not the type of person who loves horror or even overly gloomy themes, so this balance between darkness and light allowed me to fully enjoy the suspense without being saddened or depressed by it (as happens to me with books that only contain drama and which I avoid like the plague) and remaining with the desire to reread the book in the future.
____ THE 2 MAIN CHARACTERS ______
I loved the two main characters and while I hoped with all my heart that true love would blossom between them, I didn't know how it would actually go.
Indeed we often approach novels already knowing that they contain a love story that will have a happy ending, but here, despite the title, I was only expecting a mystery to be solved, some ghost that would turn out to be just a setup (seriously, I was really convinced it was a set up ) and just a hint of romantic interest (as in the old golden-age mysteries).
The two characters reflect real people so much, with strengths, weaknesses and internal fears (and consequent behaviors), in fact, that managing the attraction wasn't exactly easy and at a certain point it took a turn that almost made me think the worst.
---> DREW : Drew is charming, but like many guys I've met in my real life, he avoids serious emotional connections and bonds, plus he lives in 1924, he was a pilot in the war and the traumatic experience had a huge impact on his attitude towards life and people.
However, he is not one to give up on women or sex... he takes what he can while giving the minimum... all to the detriment of Jillian who is young, sensitive and easily hurt.
Like Jillian, I also felt attracted to Drew while reading, but not being Jillian, but the reader, I also occasionally thought: what an asshole he is!
Off course he also knows how to be very sweet and eventually how to correct his foolishness.
--> JILLIAN : Jillian was amazing.
So young, yet she didn't back down from any challenge: she faced unpleasant situations such as recognizing her uncle's body, in an unknown place, completely alone and without any emotional support, she spent days in a house where she spent traumatic experiences, she followed the emotions of her heart despite being afraid of them and managed to close a wrong situation with courage, when she would have liked to do the opposite.
She managed to be generous even when she suffered wrongs and extended a hand and a good word to everyone around her.
She faced a life upheaval with great intelligence and firmness, without feeling sorry for herself and without seeking pity from those around her.
An intelligent heroine, modern without being exalted or presumptuous, sensitive towards others and with the desire to find solutions where they are needed and offer forgiveness instead of definitively closing doors as people dear to her have done in the past.
I loved her sensitivity and affection for cats and dogs, I really liked this aspect included by the author, because I love all animals.
----> If you too are among those who, watching a film, are often exclaiming: "Oh God, what will happen to the cat/dog/horse/piglet etc..."?
Don't worry, in this novel the author has well underlined the happy ending for pets too.
___ SIDE CHARACTERS __
Although the supporting characters have minor roles, I found them all well drawn and essential to give the idea of the type of daily life you breathe in a small village where everyone knows everyone since early childhood and is aware of joys and misfortunes of others, where a stranger is noticed a mile away and where distrust towards strangers is the rule.
The writer was good at the deception that some of them perpetuate. For some, the friendly facade is just a mask under which the murderer or murderers hide.
I liked that the author, after solving the mystery, told a personalized ending for each of them.
___ SETTING and MYSTERY ___
The setting is perfect for Halloween, plus the mystery that unites the paranormal with the real human wickedness of the living takes place in autumn, in the month of October and the culminating event regarding the supernatural takes place on a stormy night on October 31st.
Dark places, mysterious sounds and noises, unexpected and shocking events are described so well that every sensation and emotion that arises goes straight to the reader's heart.
The same happens for the positive emotions given to us by Drew's touch and kisses for Jillian.
The mystery initially seems to only concern ghosts or the "supposedly suspicious" death of Jillian's uncle, but there is much more behind it.
The mystery is multi-layered and as the story unfolds, it deepens, confusing the shadows of the past with those of the present, both regarding the personal stories of the characters and something larger that could impact the entire nation.
The twists and heart-pounding terror alternate pleasantly with moments of sweetness and if the culprit is suspected at a certain point, it is actually difficult to understand if he/she/they is/are really guilty.
The ambiguity of some characters persists to the end and the culmination of the culprit's madness results in a truly breathtaking chapter.
:-) WHO DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO?
--> To those who love golden-age detective stories, because this one, despite being written in modern times, is similar in style and much better in certain points (more emotional impact, less slow pace, more romance).
--> To those who love clean romances (but who know how to excite the reader) made more intriguing by the aura of mystery.
--> To those who love suspense and tension, but who hate horror books and bloody scenes and prefer a type of clean and polite language (therefore also recommended for readers of cozy mystery).
--> ... Ultimately I'm so enthusiastic about it that I recommend it to everyone!
___**___**____
I will definitely try to read other novels by this author (Simone St. James) and I thank the author Lauren Willig for recommending this book in her "weekly reading roundup ( on her blogsite and on Goodreads too: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... ) which is always interesting and full of suggestions (and obviously I have already put her novels on the list too ! )
Thanks for reading my opinion (too long perhaps, but I would continue to talk about this book for hours and hours... :-D ) and sorry for my English, it is not my native language.
To me it has been a satisfying read from all points of view and while Goodreads allows me to give a full 5 stars rating, actually my rating is a 6 out of 5 stars!! :-D
I only give the 6th star to books that I thought about continuously even when I was at work and couldn't dedicate myself to reading and of which I reread all the salient points and the final chapter last night, because I just can't tear myself away from the characters and their story.
__ A GREAT MIX OF THEMES ALL WELL DEVELOPED __
This novel is a n amazing mix of mystery and suspense (ghost stories, strange phenomena in an isolated English village, a murder and investigation, old secrets and dark shadows of war, possible espionage) and a tender and sensual love story.
In my opinion, each of the themes mentioned above has been well developed without going to the detriment of the others.
Sometimes too many themes mean that the author is unable to develop any of them well enough, but this is not the case, I discovered an author I didn't know, Simone St. James and I think her narration is simply magnificent: her words created images and characters so real and vivid in my mind that I felt like I was watching a movie. I felt and still feel fully and pleasantly captivated by this novel.
But let's start with the _____ PLOT IN BRIEF:
1924 England.
Jillian Leigh, a brilliant Oxford student, receives the news of the death of her uncle whom she had not seen for many years. For work reasons, her parents refuse to go and recognize the body and leave the burdensome task to their daughter.
Just 22 years old and still inexperienced in life, Jillian finds herself having to drive alone to a remote village on the English coast, where her uncle was hunting for ghosts...because it is said that the village is haunted by many dark presences including the angry and restless soul of an old smuggler.
Initially skeptical about paranormal phenomena and her uncle's profession, Jillian suddenly finds herself immersed in the investigation of an alleged murder and in an aura of mystery and secrets, which hovers throughout the village.
The attractive and equally mysterious young inspector of Scotland Yard, former RAF pilot in the great war, Drew Merriken, will add further thrills to Jillian's heart and life.
While together they will try to unravel the tangle of intrigues, lies and murders and attempted murders present and past, they will also have to decide if it is even worth opening their hearts to each other.
_______**______**_______
__GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN DARKNESS AND LIGHT ___
Generally speaking, as I said above, mystery and love are intertwined in several aspects, each of which was well developed and had a satisfying resolution.
But another important thing that I want to add is that all the dramatic elements (such as the death of some people and the war) and dark elements (such as the malevolent presences, the mysterious and frightening noises) are perfectly balanced by other pleasant elements (such as the attraction and exciting intimate scenes between Drew and Jillian; friendly conversations with some characters in the village and moments of student life) and comforting elements (such as the friendly presence of the cat and also the dog, which give relief to both the characters and the reader on occasions of anguish and fear and of course the happy ending for all the good ones).
I'm not the type of person who loves horror or even overly gloomy themes, so this balance between darkness and light allowed me to fully enjoy the suspense without being saddened or depressed by it (as happens to me with books that only contain drama and which I avoid like the plague) and remaining with the desire to reread the book in the future.
____ THE 2 MAIN CHARACTERS ______
I loved the two main characters and while I hoped with all my heart that true love would blossom between them, I didn't know how it would actually go.
Indeed we often approach novels already knowing that they contain a love story that will have a happy ending, but here, despite the title, I was only expecting a mystery to be solved, some ghost that would turn out to be just a setup (seriously, I was really convinced it was a set up ) and just a hint of romantic interest (as in the old golden-age mysteries).
The two characters reflect real people so much, with strengths, weaknesses and internal fears (and consequent behaviors), in fact, that managing the attraction wasn't exactly easy and at a certain point it took a turn that almost made me think the worst.
---> DREW : Drew is charming, but like many guys I've met in my real life, he avoids serious emotional connections and bonds, plus he lives in 1924, he was a pilot in the war and the traumatic experience had a huge impact on his attitude towards life and people.
However, he is not one to give up on women or sex... he takes what he can while giving the minimum... all to the detriment of Jillian who is young, sensitive and easily hurt.
Like Jillian, I also felt attracted to Drew while reading, but not being Jillian, but the reader, I also occasionally thought: what an asshole he is!
Off course he also knows how to be very sweet and eventually how to correct his foolishness.
--> JILLIAN : Jillian was amazing.
So young, yet she didn't back down from any challenge: she faced unpleasant situations such as recognizing her uncle's body, in an unknown place, completely alone and without any emotional support, she spent days in a house where she spent traumatic experiences, she followed the emotions of her heart despite being afraid of them and managed to close a wrong situation with courage, when she would have liked to do the opposite.
She managed to be generous even when she suffered wrongs and extended a hand and a good word to everyone around her.
She faced a life upheaval with great intelligence and firmness, without feeling sorry for herself and without seeking pity from those around her.
An intelligent heroine, modern without being exalted or presumptuous, sensitive towards others and with the desire to find solutions where they are needed and offer forgiveness instead of definitively closing doors as people dear to her have done in the past.
I loved her sensitivity and affection for cats and dogs, I really liked this aspect included by the author, because I love all animals.
----> If you too are among those who, watching a film, are often exclaiming: "Oh God, what will happen to the cat/dog/horse/piglet etc..."?
Don't worry, in this novel the author has well underlined the happy ending for pets too.
___ SIDE CHARACTERS __
Although the supporting characters have minor roles, I found them all well drawn and essential to give the idea of the type of daily life you breathe in a small village where everyone knows everyone since early childhood and is aware of joys and misfortunes of others, where a stranger is noticed a mile away and where distrust towards strangers is the rule.
The writer was good at the deception that some of them perpetuate. For some, the friendly facade is just a mask under which the murderer or murderers hide.
I liked that the author, after solving the mystery, told a personalized ending for each of them.
___ SETTING and MYSTERY ___
The setting is perfect for Halloween, plus the mystery that unites the paranormal with the real human wickedness of the living takes place in autumn, in the month of October and the culminating event regarding the supernatural takes place on a stormy night on October 31st.
Dark places, mysterious sounds and noises, unexpected and shocking events are described so well that every sensation and emotion that arises goes straight to the reader's heart.
The same happens for the positive emotions given to us by Drew's touch and kisses for Jillian.
The mystery initially seems to only concern ghosts or the "supposedly suspicious" death of Jillian's uncle, but there is much more behind it.
The mystery is multi-layered and as the story unfolds, it deepens, confusing the shadows of the past with those of the present, both regarding the personal stories of the characters and something larger that could impact the entire nation.
The twists and heart-pounding terror alternate pleasantly with moments of sweetness and if the culprit is suspected at a certain point, it is actually difficult to understand if he/she/they is/are really guilty.
The ambiguity of some characters persists to the end and the culmination of the culprit's madness results in a truly breathtaking chapter.
:-) WHO DO I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO?
--> To those who love golden-age detective stories, because this one, despite being written in modern times, is similar in style and much better in certain points (more emotional impact, less slow pace, more romance).
--> To those who love clean romances (but who know how to excite the reader) made more intriguing by the aura of mystery.
--> To those who love suspense and tension, but who hate horror books and bloody scenes and prefer a type of clean and polite language (therefore also recommended for readers of cozy mystery).
--> ... Ultimately I'm so enthusiastic about it that I recommend it to everyone!
___**___**____
I will definitely try to read other novels by this author (Simone St. James) and I thank the author Lauren Willig for recommending this book in her "weekly reading roundup ( on her blogsite and on Goodreads too: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog... ) which is always interesting and full of suggestions (and obviously I have already put her novels on the list too ! )
Thanks for reading my opinion (too long perhaps, but I would continue to talk about this book for hours and hours... :-D ) and sorry for my English, it is not my native language.
October 25, 2018
Keeping up with the season spirits (eh a bad pun), this had the right amount of spookiness (i was seriously scared even though I tried to time my reading esp of the ghostly manisfestations during daytimes), intrigue and rest of the masala stuff to make up for the slightly thin plot line. Still... no complaints!
October 13, 2025
I discovered Simone St James and her work a couple of years ago and have since read several of her books. Suffice it to say that I am a little bit of a fangirl of her work. I love the historical settings of her stories and the overall gothic and creepy vibe all of her stories have, some of them downright scary.
The book summary introduces the two different storylines and MCs. What the book summary doesn’t say is that Toby was estranged from his family, his brother and sister-in-law and their daughter, Jillian. So much so that Jillian’s parents couldn’t be bothered to settle Toby’s affairs and instructed Jillian to do it. Jillian, a philosophy student at Oxford, hadn’t seen her uncle in eight years, but still has fond memories of him, and so she does what her parents ordered her to do. It’s there she meets Insp. Drew from Scotland Yard, who is inspecting Toby’s death to determine if it is truly an accident or “something else”. From the get-go Jillian and Drew are attracted to each other, in that proper, Victorian way.
There is also another storyline of the ghost of “Walking John” a long dead smuggler, who killed himself when his son drowned after following his father out to sea on one of his smuggling escapades. It is rumored that Walking John trolls the woods on the coast. It’s not long before I’m totally engaged by all the weird and creepy incidents that St James is infamous for creating in her stories.
While Drew starts following the leads of Toby’s death, that indeed seem suspicious, Jillian is doing her own investigation and soon discovers something that will change her life forever. The ending comes fast in a flurry of scary and intense scenes, especially for Jillian. Loved the finale!
The character development of the MC’s along with a few other characters was well done and the pacing was steady to fast (second half). The storyline was yet another one that St James is infamous for, and the writing well done in creating all those creepy vibes and scary scenes that I love. I’m thinking this is probably my fave St James story. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review.
The book summary introduces the two different storylines and MCs. What the book summary doesn’t say is that Toby was estranged from his family, his brother and sister-in-law and their daughter, Jillian. So much so that Jillian’s parents couldn’t be bothered to settle Toby’s affairs and instructed Jillian to do it. Jillian, a philosophy student at Oxford, hadn’t seen her uncle in eight years, but still has fond memories of him, and so she does what her parents ordered her to do. It’s there she meets Insp. Drew from Scotland Yard, who is inspecting Toby’s death to determine if it is truly an accident or “something else”. From the get-go Jillian and Drew are attracted to each other, in that proper, Victorian way.
There is also another storyline of the ghost of “Walking John” a long dead smuggler, who killed himself when his son drowned after following his father out to sea on one of his smuggling escapades. It is rumored that Walking John trolls the woods on the coast. It’s not long before I’m totally engaged by all the weird and creepy incidents that St James is infamous for creating in her stories.
While Drew starts following the leads of Toby’s death, that indeed seem suspicious, Jillian is doing her own investigation and soon discovers something that will change her life forever. The ending comes fast in a flurry of scary and intense scenes, especially for Jillian. Loved the finale!
The character development of the MC’s along with a few other characters was well done and the pacing was steady to fast (second half). The storyline was yet another one that St James is infamous for, and the writing well done in creating all those creepy vibes and scary scenes that I love. I’m thinking this is probably my fave St James story. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star review.
October 1, 2017
This is the first book I've tried by this author and I enjoyed it a lot. It had the creepy ghost story element to it that I loved. I do wish there had been a bit more of it though. I felt like it was overshadowed a little by the murder plot which I thought was too easy to figure out. The best thing about this book and the thing that kept me reading was the whole atmosphere of it. I enjoyed the setting, the characters, and the creepy ghosts enough to give this 4 stars.
There is a fair amount of romance in this book. I didn't mind the romance in general, but there was a certain aspect of it that I wasn't crazy about, namely the nature of the relationship from the beginning. It didn't seem too convincing as anything more than insta-love, or maybe lust in this case. I was happy with the way the romance ended up in the end though.
I've heard that the author's first book, The Haunting of Maddy Clare has more ghosts in it so I think I will try that one next.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
There is a fair amount of romance in this book. I didn't mind the romance in general, but there was a certain aspect of it that I wasn't crazy about, namely the nature of the relationship from the beginning. It didn't seem too convincing as anything more than insta-love, or maybe lust in this case. I was happy with the way the romance ended up in the end though.
I've heard that the author's first book, The Haunting of Maddy Clare has more ghosts in it so I think I will try that one next.
Review also posted at Writings of a Reader
January 3, 2016
I loved this! I can not wait to read more by this author!
June 9, 2025
Every time I finish a Simone St. James novel, it immediately becomes my favorite of hers, and this one is no different. Like other St. James novels, this one features a no-nonsense young woman thrust into a bizarre mystery complete with ghostly apparitions. Slightly different from other St. James's novel though, Inquiry is less Gothic and more of a small-town and old-fashioned murder mystery, and I loved it. For me it hearkens a bit back to my years of reading Miss Marple mysteries. Rothewell is a small coastal village miles from London and haunted by a 200+ year old cantankerous but ominous ghost named Walking John. At the start of the story, Jillian Leigh, a woman who prizes her role as an Oxford student and her unconventional upbringing as a daughter of iconoclastic academics, is called to the small and eccentric village to help identify the remains of her uncle's body. Uncle Toby was a renowned ghost hunter living during the post WWI period where paranormal studies became a social preoccupation for the lost generation. How Jillian's uncle died is resolved pretty quickly, but why and at whose hands is a much larger puzzle, which takes up the majority to the mystery. As with all St. James's stories, the evil of humans looms larger than the paranormal activity. Having said that though, the ghost in this story is rather menacing and does create a number of creepy moments.
I truly loved Jillian and admired her courage, independence and strength. She knows that she stands out in a conservative small town. She drives her own motor car, she reveres education and the importance of the intellect over instincts, and she values family ties. All of this is on display in subtle and revealing ways, and Jillian becomes more complex and developed as the novel proceeds. One of the strongest aspects of this novel revolves around Jillian's love for her parents and her fondness for the memories of growing up with a shy and reclusive uncle who was ostracized for his paranormal beliefs. Jillian is not "a believer" in ghosts, but she is open-minded to exploring all possibilities and she has an avid interest in learning more about her uncle's research and uncovering the mystery of his untimely death.
The story also features a lovely romance with a very sexy Scotland Yard detective. The novel balances romance well with the mysteries to be solved. And although the emerging love between Jillian and Drew is utterly convincing, the threat of an impending second war hovers over the story, creating tension even in the resolution. Small note of appreciate too as an animal lover for the inclusion of interesting pets that play important roles in the story. The period of post WWI is one filled with shock, trauma and anxiety, from what came to pass as well as for what was coming. Jillian and Drew seize the moment to find love even during the terror of the events of the story and despite knowing at the end of the novel that they are living in an especially uncertain moment in history.
I truly loved Jillian and admired her courage, independence and strength. She knows that she stands out in a conservative small town. She drives her own motor car, she reveres education and the importance of the intellect over instincts, and she values family ties. All of this is on display in subtle and revealing ways, and Jillian becomes more complex and developed as the novel proceeds. One of the strongest aspects of this novel revolves around Jillian's love for her parents and her fondness for the memories of growing up with a shy and reclusive uncle who was ostracized for his paranormal beliefs. Jillian is not "a believer" in ghosts, but she is open-minded to exploring all possibilities and she has an avid interest in learning more about her uncle's research and uncovering the mystery of his untimely death.
The story also features a lovely romance with a very sexy Scotland Yard detective. The novel balances romance well with the mysteries to be solved. And although the emerging love between Jillian and Drew is utterly convincing, the threat of an impending second war hovers over the story, creating tension even in the resolution. Small note of appreciate too as an animal lover for the inclusion of interesting pets that play important roles in the story. The period of post WWI is one filled with shock, trauma and anxiety, from what came to pass as well as for what was coming. Jillian and Drew seize the moment to find love even during the terror of the events of the story and despite knowing at the end of the novel that they are living in an especially uncertain moment in history.
May 26, 2024
Soooo The audio version is the same narrator as the Bridgerton series. So... the male narrative parts are slightly distracting because I can hear some Bridgerton bastard brothers in the same voice hahaha.
I love the beauty of the grasp of Gothic horror that Simone St. James portrays here and in all of her older books.
A visit back to the 1920s in rural England. A ghost hunter's death comes as no surprise, but was it an accident? Murer? Suicide?
Jillian is taken out of University to claim Uncle Toby's body (her uncle) when she becomes enraptured with finding the truth.
The time period burning romance was well done. Drew had some good sex appeal.
Overall, a solid novel, but I could have gone with MORE of the paranormal sections. 4 Stars.
I love the beauty of the grasp of Gothic horror that Simone St. James portrays here and in all of her older books.
A visit back to the 1920s in rural England. A ghost hunter's death comes as no surprise, but was it an accident? Murer? Suicide?
Jillian is taken out of University to claim Uncle Toby's body (her uncle) when she becomes enraptured with finding the truth.
The time period burning romance was well done. Drew had some good sex appeal.
Overall, a solid novel, but I could have gone with MORE of the paranormal sections. 4 Stars.
April 27, 2013
A spectacularly atmospheric mystery and ghost story, set in post-WWI England. The story and characters are worthy of being compared with the Bess Crawford/Ian Rutledge books by Charles Todd, which is pretty much the highest recommendation I can give to a book in this genre.
It is 1924, and 22-year old Jillian Leigh is of the odd new breed of academic-minded young ladies in England (a terrifying sort, for sure). She comes from an academic line, her father is a worldreknowned chemist, her mother his assistant before they fell in love. Following in their academic footsteps, she is studying at Oxford University, at the all-female Sumerton college, where she and her fellow classmates spend much of their time with their noses buried in books and not much time for anything else. Jillian suddenly receives the news of her uncle's death. Toby is the black sheep of the family, having decided to pursue a career in the ridiculed field of ghost-hunting, and as such, Toby has been estranged from her family for eight years.
Jillian is called upon to identify his body, since her parents are in Paris, and soon upon her arrival in the village where he died, she meets an inspector from Scotland Yard who tells her that Toby's death is deemed to be suspicious; it is likely to be a murder. Jillian finds herself drawn into the mystery, despite her best intentions. She survives murder attempts, some terrifying ghostly encounters, and tries to figure out the remaining clues found in her uncle's journals... for instance...who is Elizabeth?
The 1920s have been my Achilles' heel. I hate flappers. I can't stand the Speakeasy Era. What makes these and other post-WWI books tolerable is the complete lack of slang and other (failed) attempts that other authors have made in a vague aspiration to sound authentic. This book lacks all those mentioned qualities that I hate. It is just a beautifully written ghost story and compelling mystery that is terrifying at times. The description of the local ghost, Walking John, and his haunting had me shivering, and actually gave me nightmares last night. There's something about his imprint, two footsteps in the dirt with a deep imprinted V between the toes that just scares me.
I found the characters to be well-written and characterized. I found Jillian to be an excellent character. She is sheltered, academic, but reasonable and reacts well under every circumstance in which she encounters. She is not spoilt nor unreasonably foolish; while chasing ghosts (literally) she does not put herself into so much danger that one does not feel compelled to scream at her as one does with the poor virginal horror movie character to GET THE F*** OUT OF THE DAMN BASEMENT. I wish there were more characters like her in the mysteries I have read.
The characters I disliked were the inspectors from Scotland Yard. We do not get much of Inspector Merriken's partner, but from what we see of him, he's a smirking asshole who doesn't really get too much done. Merriken himself is rather unlikeable. He can be compared to Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge, without the sympathy and attachment that one feels for Ian. They were both sons of barristers who suffer from the aftermaths of the war and the resultant PTSD, but while Ian suffers privately with his own ghosts, Drew Merriken drowns his in other women's beds. I feel he belittles Jillian, and takes advantage of her, however much he tries to redeem himself in the end.
There is not so much depth as there is in a Charles Todd novel, in which the reader feels they get to know each person's soul. Miss St. James is not as talented a writer, but this book is thoroughly enjoyable, and I will be going back and reading her repertoire.
It is 1924, and 22-year old Jillian Leigh is of the odd new breed of academic-minded young ladies in England (a terrifying sort, for sure). She comes from an academic line, her father is a worldreknowned chemist, her mother his assistant before they fell in love. Following in their academic footsteps, she is studying at Oxford University, at the all-female Sumerton college, where she and her fellow classmates spend much of their time with their noses buried in books and not much time for anything else. Jillian suddenly receives the news of her uncle's death. Toby is the black sheep of the family, having decided to pursue a career in the ridiculed field of ghost-hunting, and as such, Toby has been estranged from her family for eight years.
Jillian is called upon to identify his body, since her parents are in Paris, and soon upon her arrival in the village where he died, she meets an inspector from Scotland Yard who tells her that Toby's death is deemed to be suspicious; it is likely to be a murder. Jillian finds herself drawn into the mystery, despite her best intentions. She survives murder attempts, some terrifying ghostly encounters, and tries to figure out the remaining clues found in her uncle's journals... for instance...who is Elizabeth?
The 1920s have been my Achilles' heel. I hate flappers. I can't stand the Speakeasy Era. What makes these and other post-WWI books tolerable is the complete lack of slang and other (failed) attempts that other authors have made in a vague aspiration to sound authentic. This book lacks all those mentioned qualities that I hate. It is just a beautifully written ghost story and compelling mystery that is terrifying at times. The description of the local ghost, Walking John, and his haunting had me shivering, and actually gave me nightmares last night. There's something about his imprint, two footsteps in the dirt with a deep imprinted V between the toes that just scares me.
I found the characters to be well-written and characterized. I found Jillian to be an excellent character. She is sheltered, academic, but reasonable and reacts well under every circumstance in which she encounters. She is not spoilt nor unreasonably foolish; while chasing ghosts (literally) she does not put herself into so much danger that one does not feel compelled to scream at her as one does with the poor virginal horror movie character to GET THE F*** OUT OF THE DAMN BASEMENT. I wish there were more characters like her in the mysteries I have read.
The characters I disliked were the inspectors from Scotland Yard. We do not get much of Inspector Merriken's partner, but from what we see of him, he's a smirking asshole who doesn't really get too much done. Merriken himself is rather unlikeable. He can be compared to Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge, without the sympathy and attachment that one feels for Ian. They were both sons of barristers who suffer from the aftermaths of the war and the resultant PTSD, but while Ian suffers privately with his own ghosts, Drew Merriken drowns his in other women's beds. I feel he belittles Jillian, and takes advantage of her, however much he tries to redeem himself in the end.
There is not so much depth as there is in a Charles Todd novel, in which the reader feels they get to know each person's soul. Miss St. James is not as talented a writer, but this book is thoroughly enjoyable, and I will be going back and reading her repertoire.
February 6, 2019
An Inquiry Into Love and Death, with this I have completed reading books that have been released by Simone St James. And now I have to wait with patience for the next one. Finding Simone St.James was one luck for me coz her stories cater to all my favorite tastes. Part gothic, part historical, part mystery with supernatural elements and the cherry on top the beautiful romance woven thru the book All her books have been exceptional and this one is no different.
The setting of the story is 1920's just after the WWI in a seaside village haunted by it's resident ghost. Jillian arrives in Rothewell village following her uncle's fall from the cliffs and then makes discoveries that includes ghosts, truth about her parents, German boats and what not! Superbly crafted gothic thriller.
The setting of the story is 1920's just after the WWI in a seaside village haunted by it's resident ghost. Jillian arrives in Rothewell village following her uncle's fall from the cliffs and then makes discoveries that includes ghosts, truth about her parents, German boats and what not! Superbly crafted gothic thriller.
November 5, 2024
Really enjoying Simone’s backlist. This one added a little romance which I loved and had her usually creepy ghosts.
January 18, 2017
I'd really enjoyed The Haunting of Maddy Clare (thanks to my GR friend Holly for her recommendation), this one was a great read too! A bit less intense than the previous book, although I must say that the scene in Barrow House at night was pretty scary. The characters were well drawn, I really liked our protagonist, Jillian. The setting was very atmospheric, I could really picture it my head as I read. Especially the Blood Moon Bay in moonlight :) quite creepy. I'll definitely get my hands on the author's other books as well!
April 14, 2025
TW/CW: Language, drinking, smoking, toxic relationships, scary images, death by suicide
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
After her ghost-hunting uncle Toby dies, Oxford student Jillian must drive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings. Almost immediately, terrifying events convince Jillian that an angry spirit is trying to enter the house. Is it Walking John, the two-hundred-year-old ghost that haunts the bay? And who besides the ghost is roaming the local woods at night? If Toby uncovered something sinister, was his death really an accident? The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken leaves Jillian with more questions than answersand the added complication of a powerful mutual attraction.
Release Date: March 5th, 2013
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 368
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
The creepy atmosphere
What I Didn't Like:
Way too many characters
Insta romance
Cheesy scenes
Jullian too over the top
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Odd that the inspecter would come out to the house to tell her that she didn't weep so it was odd and he believes that her uncle was killed. That he doesn't believe what the corner said.
I hate Andrew. I know it's a different time but this jerk checks out of the hotel without asking her if it's okay if he stays with her. Then she relents and now she's in the kitchen making him a sandwich while he makes sexual remarks about her body after saying he respects her modesty. I hate that they kissed. I hate that in typical fashion he uses women (having 3 numbers already and only being there a week) but now he is after this woman that's a Virgin. It's gross.
She's practically in love with Drew. It's been like 2 days!
This book is so out there.
Final Thoughts:
I did not enjoy my time with this book. I dnfed at page 150. I seriously could not handle another moment of Jullian freaking out at everything happening and Drew being the only one to calm her down. I despised that this story had that Notebook story of virtuous woman is so untouched but the man is out laying with any woman who talks to him. Drew talked about how Jullian was so different from other women and she was special just because she went to college - yes it's the early 20th century so these were less than normal things, but it didn't make her so special that he would suddenly be enthralled with her after a few days.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
After her ghost-hunting uncle Toby dies, Oxford student Jillian must drive to the seaside village of Rothewell to pack up his belongings. Almost immediately, terrifying events convince Jillian that an angry spirit is trying to enter the house. Is it Walking John, the two-hundred-year-old ghost that haunts the bay? And who besides the ghost is roaming the local woods at night? If Toby uncovered something sinister, was his death really an accident? The arrival of handsome Scotland Yard inspector Drew Merriken leaves Jillian with more questions than answersand the added complication of a powerful mutual attraction.
Release Date: March 5th, 2013
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 368
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
The creepy atmosphere
What I Didn't Like:
Way too many characters
Insta romance
Cheesy scenes
Jullian too over the top
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Odd that the inspecter would come out to the house to tell her that she didn't weep so it was odd and he believes that her uncle was killed. That he doesn't believe what the corner said.
I hate Andrew. I know it's a different time but this jerk checks out of the hotel without asking her if it's okay if he stays with her. Then she relents and now she's in the kitchen making him a sandwich while he makes sexual remarks about her body after saying he respects her modesty. I hate that they kissed. I hate that in typical fashion he uses women (having 3 numbers already and only being there a week) but now he is after this woman that's a Virgin. It's gross.
She's practically in love with Drew. It's been like 2 days!
This book is so out there.
Final Thoughts:
I did not enjoy my time with this book. I dnfed at page 150. I seriously could not handle another moment of Jullian freaking out at everything happening and Drew being the only one to calm her down. I despised that this story had that Notebook story of virtuous woman is so untouched but the man is out laying with any woman who talks to him. Drew talked about how Jullian was so different from other women and she was special just because she went to college - yes it's the early 20th century so these were less than normal things, but it didn't make her so special that he would suddenly be enthralled with her after a few days.
IG | Blog
September 2, 2024
⭐️ Summary:
It is the 1920’s in England. Jillian is a young women who is beginning her first year at Oxford. She comes from a well to do family. This young lady is strong and resilient. Think Jane Eyre. Little does she know that when she receives word that her Uncle Toby has died in a remote seaside village, that her world will change forever. Jillian is informed that she alone must identify his body and pack his things, as her parents are in Paris.
Did I mention that Uncle Toby was a ghost hunter? That he died in a small seaside village that is difficult to reach and even more difficult to leave? That maybe her Uncle was murdered?
There is a dark handsome Scotland Yard investigator. A mysterious cat. A large empty house for her to stay in.
Yes! All the things!
⭐️CHARACTERS:
Every time I read one of this woman’s books I rant about how she is sooooooo close to writing excellent characters. So close to writing a really excellent book ~ but never quite gets there. Okay, so she didn’t quite get there again BUT SO MUCH CLOSER! This one is so much closer. I did like the characters even though they did not quite leap off the page. I could feel them though.
⭐️RECOMMEND?
I’m going with 4 stars because in this book the author came so close to achieving her potential. If you like ghost stories I think you will like this one. It has all of the right ingredients. The atmosphere is amazing. The ghosting fees real!
It is the 1920’s in England. Jillian is a young women who is beginning her first year at Oxford. She comes from a well to do family. This young lady is strong and resilient. Think Jane Eyre. Little does she know that when she receives word that her Uncle Toby has died in a remote seaside village, that her world will change forever. Jillian is informed that she alone must identify his body and pack his things, as her parents are in Paris.
Did I mention that Uncle Toby was a ghost hunter? That he died in a small seaside village that is difficult to reach and even more difficult to leave? That maybe her Uncle was murdered?
There is a dark handsome Scotland Yard investigator. A mysterious cat. A large empty house for her to stay in.
Yes! All the things!
⭐️CHARACTERS:
Every time I read one of this woman’s books I rant about how she is sooooooo close to writing excellent characters. So close to writing a really excellent book ~ but never quite gets there. Okay, so she didn’t quite get there again BUT SO MUCH CLOSER! This one is so much closer. I did like the characters even though they did not quite leap off the page. I could feel them though.
⭐️RECOMMEND?
I’m going with 4 stars because in this book the author came so close to achieving her potential. If you like ghost stories I think you will like this one. It has all of the right ingredients. The atmosphere is amazing. The ghosting fees real!
September 14, 2019
Setting: 1920s England, small town. An Oxford student, Jillian Leigh, is about to begin her next term when she receives the news of the death of her uncle, a ghost hunter, in the small town of Rothewell in Devon. Simone St. James’ An Inquiry into Love and Death has all the delicious elements of gothic ghost story. The protagonist, Jillian, wonders why her parents, although in Paris, ask her to leave Oxford at the beginning of the term to go to Rothewell in Devon to gather her uncles’ things as her uncle had died very suddenly. After all Uncle Toby was her father’s brother, and Jillian had hardly seen him since she was a young child, but Jillian decides to go and retrieve Uncle Toby’s belongings. Upon arrival in Rothewell, Jillian finds disturbing facts:”a book left in a cold stove; a gate swinging open on its own”, and just who or what is Walking John? This book ‘had’ me from page one. As gothic fiction is a favorite of mine, this story was perfect for me. Atmospheric, concealed information, and fascinating! 5 stars!
June 28, 2013
I've been waiting to get my hands on this one since I read St. James' The Haunting of Maddy Clare, yet when I got my hands on An Inquiry Into Love and Death I was strangely reluctant to start it. It was one of those times when you're so excited to read a book, you don't just want to save it. I wasn't disappointed with this one, it had all the elements that I loved from St. James' first book - highly atmospheric, touch of the supernatural, dash of mystery, and a good helping of romance.
In An Inquiry into Love and Death Oxford student, Jillian Leigh receives the news that her ghosthunter Uncle Toby has died, and she has to identify the body and take care of his effects. Jillian drives down to the seaside town of Rothewell and becomes embroiled in a ghostly mystery that she never anticipated. Along the way she meets RAF pilot turned Scotland Yard detective, Drew Merriken, who is investigating some mysterious happenings in the sleepy seaside town.
What I loved about this one was the atmosphere that St. James evokes. This book is set in 1924, shortly after world war one is over and you can just feel the sadness and melancholy that you would expect people to feel after the war; after realizing all that they have lost. This same atmosphere was also present in The Haunting of Maddy Clare and I think its a perfect match for the post-war era. The setting of the novel seems to mimic this melancholy, but I also think that the investigation of ghosts (the focus of both St. James' books) also demonstrates a mentality that I think people would embrace after such a tragedy as war. I thought this atmosphere was marvelously well done and it wasn't at the expense of characters. I like a character driven novel and I liked that in An Inquiry into Love and Death we had a character driven plot that was also highly atmospheric. I find that it's difficult to find a novel that had both strong characters and a strong sense of place.
I also loved the creepiness factor that was in this one. The exploration of ghost is a major theme in this one and the way the ghostly encounters are described are terrifying. For example, one of the very first encounters Jillian has with the ghost, Walking John, hits you viscerally:
"At the top of the window - the very top - a hand was pressed to the glass.
The hand was reaching down - from God knew where - ans flattened to the glass. It was grayish white, damp. The pads of its fingers were rotted black. I glimpsed blackened fingernails and a ripped, ruined thumbnail. As we watched, the hand pressed harder into the window glass - as if being used to launch the body - and disappeared. It left behind no mark.
'Drew,' I said. 'It's climbing up the wall.'". (p. 123)
I think was also helps the scariness of the ghostly encounters is the way that Jillian reacts to them. You can feel her terror when she sees and experiences things that just couldn't possibly be real. By having Jillian narrate her reactions, the horror of her experiences are ramped up another notch.
This was a good read, and I think it will appeal to Downton Abbey fans for its atmospheric setting, but I think it will also appeal to a wider audience because it has a little bit of several genres: historical, romance, mystery etc. I will be anxiously awaiting St. James' next book! And, if you haven't read The Haunting of Maddy Clear do so immediately.
Similar Reads: The House of Velvet and Glass; The Uninvited Guests; The Dressmaker; The Anatomist's Wife.
In An Inquiry into Love and Death Oxford student, Jillian Leigh receives the news that her ghosthunter Uncle Toby has died, and she has to identify the body and take care of his effects. Jillian drives down to the seaside town of Rothewell and becomes embroiled in a ghostly mystery that she never anticipated. Along the way she meets RAF pilot turned Scotland Yard detective, Drew Merriken, who is investigating some mysterious happenings in the sleepy seaside town.
What I loved about this one was the atmosphere that St. James evokes. This book is set in 1924, shortly after world war one is over and you can just feel the sadness and melancholy that you would expect people to feel after the war; after realizing all that they have lost. This same atmosphere was also present in The Haunting of Maddy Clare and I think its a perfect match for the post-war era. The setting of the novel seems to mimic this melancholy, but I also think that the investigation of ghosts (the focus of both St. James' books) also demonstrates a mentality that I think people would embrace after such a tragedy as war. I thought this atmosphere was marvelously well done and it wasn't at the expense of characters. I like a character driven novel and I liked that in An Inquiry into Love and Death we had a character driven plot that was also highly atmospheric. I find that it's difficult to find a novel that had both strong characters and a strong sense of place.
I also loved the creepiness factor that was in this one. The exploration of ghost is a major theme in this one and the way the ghostly encounters are described are terrifying. For example, one of the very first encounters Jillian has with the ghost, Walking John, hits you viscerally:
"At the top of the window - the very top - a hand was pressed to the glass.
The hand was reaching down - from God knew where - ans flattened to the glass. It was grayish white, damp. The pads of its fingers were rotted black. I glimpsed blackened fingernails and a ripped, ruined thumbnail. As we watched, the hand pressed harder into the window glass - as if being used to launch the body - and disappeared. It left behind no mark.
'Drew,' I said. 'It's climbing up the wall.'". (p. 123)
I think was also helps the scariness of the ghostly encounters is the way that Jillian reacts to them. You can feel her terror when she sees and experiences things that just couldn't possibly be real. By having Jillian narrate her reactions, the horror of her experiences are ramped up another notch.
This was a good read, and I think it will appeal to Downton Abbey fans for its atmospheric setting, but I think it will also appeal to a wider audience because it has a little bit of several genres: historical, romance, mystery etc. I will be anxiously awaiting St. James' next book! And, if you haven't read The Haunting of Maddy Clear do so immediately.
Similar Reads: The House of Velvet and Glass; The Uninvited Guests; The Dressmaker; The Anatomist's Wife.
May 7, 2013
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. It didn't have the pervasive spookiness of The Haunting of Maddy Clare, but it's still a good creepy mystery with a healthy dose of the paranormal. The middle dragged a tad for me, but overall, not bad at all. And I loved the ending - a romance with an ending that's truly romantic always leaves me happy.
October 8, 2023
5 Stars
I re-read this book every year for Halloween season. It's the perfect ghost story with a mystery and bit of romance.
I re-read this book every year for Halloween season. It's the perfect ghost story with a mystery and bit of romance.
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