Dark Between

by Sonia Gensler

A supernatural romance about the powers that lie in the shadows of the mind, perfect for fans of Sarah Rees Brennan, Alyxandra Harvey, and Libba Bray.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Spiritualism and seances are all the rage--even in the scholarly town of Cambridge, England. While mediums dupe the grief-stricken, a group of local fringe scientists seeks to bridge the gap to the spirit world by investigating the dark corners of the human mind.
Each running from a shadowed past, Kate, Asher, and Elsie take refuge within the walls of Summerfield College. But their peace is soon shattered by the discovery of a dead body nearby. Is this the work of a flesh-and-blood villain, or is something otherworldly at play? This unlikely trio must illuminate what the scientists have not, and open a window to secrets taken to the grave--or risk joining the spirit world themselves.

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, Mystery, Ghosts, Fantasy

ebook

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

I am a former high school teacher turned full-time writer living in Oklahoma with my husband and my cat.

My books include THE REVENANT (Knopf 2011), a ghostly mystery set at a Cherokee girls' school, THE DARK BETWEEN (Knopf 2013) a Gothic murder mystery set in Cambridge, England, and GHOSTLIGHT (Knopf 2015) a contemporary MG mystery about a haunted house film project.

PLEASE NOTE: I'm not assigning stars to book reviews anymore. I'm really not writing reviews, either. Mostly I'm just tracking my reading, and rest assured that if a book shows up on my Goodreads list, it was a worthwhile read.

Reviews

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to wait to review this since a student grabbed it out of my hands as soon as I read it. She just finished and the two of us have promised to buy all the copies at our local bookstore IF Sonia Gensler starts working on the sequel. NOW! Yesterday!!

Kate, Asher, Elsie. No more different three young people, and yet here they are, at Summerfield College in Cambridge. Each has a connection to the popular world of Spiritualism, and each is trying to run from a painful past.

The atmosphere of Summerfield is a character in and of itself -- mysterious, evocative. Menacing and nurturing. Sonia creates mood through setting as well as any author I know.

We see the concept of Spiritualism from several different points of view, and we are left to make up our own minds about the truth of messages from the dead. I love the plausibility of the explanations and discussions.

I gravitate to character, and there are so many to love. Kate...alone in this world, willing to work hard, no-nonsense. Kate, who thinks the best of everyone, even though she's been treated badly by this world. Kate is smart and sassy and willing to take risks.

Asher, so sad and confused. Running away from a father whose ideas Asher must reject, just as he rejected the man. Uncertain of his appeal, dazzled by the wrong girl for the wrong reason. Unbending in his beliefs, but so willing to help a friend.

And Elsie...maddening, fragile Elsie. Her own mother drugs her rather than believe Elsie's claims of being able to communicate with the dead. Love-sick Elsie who doesn't see her own power and influence. Whose self confidence has been destroyed by the very people who should be building it up.

Add some amazing street urchins and you have a rip-roaring story with intrigue, mystery, suspense...and even romance. Kind of. Maybe.

An original story with so much going for it.

[Chelsea B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book sounded so interesting. A gothic young adult mystery set in the past?! Ummm...YES, PLEASE.
I was even on board with the first half being all character development and no action.
But then it kind of just...continued to be character interactions and no action. Even when the plot of the mystery came together it just felt...incomplete, and anticlimactic. I almost wonder if a sequel is in the works.
I just wanted more from the characters we learned so much about, and more from the plot that could have been really amazing and tense but fell short.
The Dark Between just never really came together for me, and I hate that. I will say the writing was great, and each POV was distinct.
I just wanted more.

[Evie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1901 Cambridge, England, The Dark Between is a beautifully written and delightfully atmospheric Gothic murder mystery that follows the adventures of three extraordinary teenagers as they investigate the mysterious death of a friend.

Sonia Gensler's new book is a magnificent work of fiction. I loved every page of it. Revolving around spiritualism and seances - two subjects I find extremely fascinating - The Dark Between is quite eerie and dark, but also very fun to read. And the fabulous cast of colorful characters makes this book even more entertaining and absorbing. Kate, Elsie and Asher are so very different from each other, and yet they make such an awesome team! I can't tell you which one of these wonderful characters I liked the most. One thing for sure, I connected with all of them. Kate's background story was probably the most heartbreaking one and I often found myself wanting to hug her, protect her, comfort her (not that she needed that, she was so tough and brave!). The beautiful and fragile Elsie was equally fascinating, though not nearly as strong and sassy as Kate. Asher was the perfect gentlemen - at least until you got under his skin - charming, protective and chivalrous. They all have dark pasts filled with secrets, they're all running away from something, and they're all real and three-dimensional. I loved watching them interact with each other and thought the dynamics of their relationship was crackling with sweet chemistry!

I loved, loved, loved the historical backdrop, as well as the lushly described settings! Sonia incorporated enough period detail into her story to make you feel like you were there, right in the middle of it all, breathing the same air as her characters. At the same time, though, she kept the story fresh and entertaining by weaving in the paranormal elements and spooky situations (loved reading about the psychic phenomena and spirit photography, as well as witnessing Elsie's disturbing and blood-chilling visions!). I found the historical content to be portrayed realistically and accurately, without overwhelming the plot line or taking away from the pacing. Sonia herself admits that doing research for her books is her favorite part of the writing process, and it's really no surprise that The Dark Between's setting is so rich and flavorful. In other words, this story is a real treat!

If you enjoy Gothic fiction, spooky settings and intricate plot lines, you'll definitely fell in love with The Dark Between.

[Ashley Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really can't tell you how surprised I was at The Dark Between. I picked it up on a whim and it held me captive from beginning to end! I really, really enjoyed reading this book. The writing was fluid, the characters were likable, but not cookie cutter and the historical setting was pretty fascinating! I especially enjoyed that the characters seemed to grow during the course of the novel.

I gave this 4 stars because for me, it's clearly a book that needs a sequel. The ending, without a sequel, seems unfinished. Regardless, I still had a great time reading this book and will surely read it again sometime!

[Sara Pouladi · Rating 1 out of 5]

نه داستانش ترسناک بود نه کلا ایده جالبی داشت
تهشم واقعا نفهمیدم چی شد دقیقا؟ نمی دونم ادامه داره یا نه
اگه نداشته باشه که کلا یه ستاره هم نمی خوام بدم چون هیچی مشخص نشد... حداقل من نگرفتم
اگه ادامه داشته باشه هم باز پایانش ضعیف بود
در کل هم نه شخصیت پردازی خوبی داشت نه فضاسازی
روند داستان هم شدیدا خسته کننده بود

[Mahdi · Rating 1 out of 5]

دراپ شد

[Hana · Rating 1 out of 5]

📚کتاب: در میان ظلمت | اثر : سونیا گنسلر
• مترجم : فرنوش فرجادی راد
• نشر : باژ
• چاپ اول : 32,000 تومن

📖 در آغاز قرن بیستم، معتقدان به ارواح و احضارکننده‌های آن در آشوب‌اند، حتی در شهر دانشگاهی کمبریج انگلستان. در‌حالی‌که واسطه‌ها از افراد سوگوار سوءاستفاده می‌کنند، گروهی از دانشمندان علوم ماورایی با جستجو در زوایای پنهان مغز، به دنبال پر کردن فاصله‌ی بین دنیای ارواح و دنیای مادی هستند.
کیت، اشر و السی که از گذشته‌شان فراری هستند، به دیوارهای دانشکده‌ی سامرفیلد پناه می‌برند؛ اما با کشف پسری مرده در آن حوالی خیلی زود آرامش‌شان به‌هم می‌خورد.
آیا این کار یک شرور ساخته شده از گوشت و خون است یا چیزی خارج از این دنیا نیز در آن دخیل است؟ این گروه سه نفره باید چیزی را که دانشمندان موفق به کشفش نشده‌اند، روشن کنند و پنجره‌ای به رازهای فراموش‌شده باز کنند یا خطر کرده، خودشان به دنیای ارواح بروند.

⚠️نظر شخصی : خسته کننده. بی نهایت خسته کننده.

هیچوقت پیش نیومده بود قبل از اینکه کتابی رو کنار بزرام بزارش ریویو بنویسم. ولی امروز مجبورم اینکارو بکنم.
طبق محاسبات گودریدز ۶۳٪ کتاب رو خونده م و تا اینجا هیچ اتفاق جالب و هیجان انگیزی در کار نبود. تعداد کاراکتر ها زیاد و گیج کننده ست و نباید انتظار شخصیت پردازی و فضا سازی خوبی رو داشته باشید و البته یه سری ایرادات ویراستاری توی کتاب وجود داره. واقعا دندون روی جیگر گذاشتم و صبوری کردم تا یه اتفاق هیجان انگیز بی افته، فقط
یدونه، ولی هیچی....

98/04/09

[Antoine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So amazing! This book has been such a thriller. Imagine Gothic romance, murder mystery, and Victorian characters and settings all piled into one book. This is the ultimate mystery for teens equipped with paranormal scene and dark relationships. One of the main things that hit me was that the problems weren't solved easily and the conflicts were deep and kept getting more complicated--the characters actually had to search for the answers to their questions and sometimes found information in dangerous and risky ways. The idea that every new character could be the murderer the protagonists were searching out made everything more startling and exciting. This wasn't just the type of light and fluffy book where there are a bunch of simple problems and the characters don't need to work hard to solve them. It was quite exhilarating--especially in the end, and the characterization was great and deep.

[Chelsea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poorly written with a non-ending. Libba Bray did the creepy 19th century thing way better in her Great and Terrible Beauty series.

[Tory Wagner · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed reading about the popular movement often referred to as Spiritualism, I had a hard time connecting to the characters in this story.

[Chelsea Hagen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book writes beautifully. The story however dragged on and I found myself just wanting it to end. It needed a bit more interesting spikes to keep it interesting.

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

It starts strong, especially in the first chapter, but I quickly lost interest in the characters.

[Michelle M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/6
Kate was the best character in my opinion. Asher was ok and so was Elsie. The story was the best when they were all together. The mystery wasn’t so vague, I was able to figure it out before the end. It wasn’t a bad story, but I felt like I was forcing myself through it so I could be done. Disliked the very end. Elsie should e told the truth to her friends.

[Joni Sensel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at an interesting, mystical topic and the real-life history that surrounds it, which makes the historical setting perfect. The mystery does a good job of providing surprises, too.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

One look at this cover and I knew it was going to be a creepy read. But knowing this was a supernatural romance, I was intrigued to see how the whole supernatural ghost thing would mix with a romance and couldn't wait to dig into this story.

It's 1901 in Cambridge, England and scientists are intrigued by the idea of the supernatural world. Seances and speaking to ghosts in the spirit world are mysterious mental powers these scientists are determined to master. Kate, Asher, and Elsie find themselves in the middle of the spiritual world as they all stay at Summerfield College. Soon, though, each of them are personally affected by the repercussions of the scientists' obsession to uncover the mysteries of the mind's ability. As bodies start popping up around Cambridge, the three come together to find out who's behind those murders, and uncover along the way just how much they're all involved in the dark world they hadn't even known existed.

I normally don't read that much supernatural, but this book was just too intriguing to pass up. I absolutely loved the three main characters and how different they all were. Kate is an orphan trying to make it on her own in the world, Asher is running from a rocky past with his father, and Elsie is hiding out because of her illness that her family is ashamed of. Despite their differences, they all form a friendship and come together to uncover the mystery of the supernatural world they've found themselves in.

The whole supernatural element was really cool in this book. Elsie has no idea why she has spells where she passes out and sees strange things, but she's discovers that she may not be as crazy as her family made her believe. Trying to understand her mind and the spirit world is definitely a struggle, and I really liked how Elsie used that to try and discover who was murdering innocent people, and what it had to do with her powers.

Not only was this a supernatural romance (there ended up being a bit of romance, but not a whole lot), but it was also a mystery. The three characters go on their own dangerous adventures to uncover secrets and figure out who is behind the murders and why they're killing people. You end up not knowing who to trust or what motives anyone has in the story.

What had to be the best part of this book, though, was the setting. I actually visited Cambridge when I was in London this summer, so I absolutely loved all of the detail that went into describing the scenes and where they were living. Not to mention this is a historical novel as well, so it was fun delving into life in 1901.

Overall, this was a really cool book that dipped into many different genres. You had the supernatural, romance, historical, and mystery all wrapped up into one very entertaining story. If you want a unique read that will definitely keep your attention, then I'd recommend checking out The Dark Between. You're in for a mystery even you won't know what to think of until the very last page.

[Fiction_TheNewReality · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Well this was a depressing book. And I should have seen it coming with all the ways it was similar to Cat Winters's In the Shadow of Blackbirds. However, while Cat's book made my list of top 10 read in 2013, I'm not sure if The Dark Between was on the same level as In the Shadow of Blackbirds.

Characters: Out of the three main characters that are introduced in this novel (Asher, Elsie, and Kate), Kate was definitely my favorite. She was wild and adventurous, daring and independent. Elsie was the complete opposite. I could not stand her! Elsie was obnoxious and desperate, throwing herself at every man that gave her a second glance. If she had half the amount of smarts and vivaciousness that Kate possessed, The Dark Between would have been a much better novel. Asher, on the other hand, was just an annoying, typical teenage boy. It was very clear that he was in LUST with Elsie, and was not thinking with his head if you know what I mean...

Storyline/Plot: One of the reasons I could not give The Dark Between a higher rating is because of the multiple storylines that just do not connect and flow as smoothly as a reader hopes. There were a lot of intertwined plot lines that just didn't work for me. Also, another huge problem was the amount of DEATH in this novel. It felt like everyone just DIED (like Les Miserables). Granted, no one major was killed off in this novel, but minor characters that I sort of grew attached to were suddenly gone. And that sucked. Big time. In some cases, death is essential to the novel, but I felt like the author just killed off WAY too many people in The Dark Between.

Writing: The Dark Between is told in an old-fashioned, Victorian style with lyrical writing. I think it was a good contribution to the novel, and the author did run the risk of the dialogue becoming a bit TOO confusing, but this didn't really happen. What did happen, however, was the lack of continuation. When I say continuation, I mean that the author did not finish or solve a problem, and instead, left the reader wondering what was going to happen, while more and more issues appeared. This bothered me because it gave The Dark Between a feeling of being unfinished.

Conclusion: The Dark Between definitely fell flat of both my expectations and my horror novel standards. If you are willing to give this book a try, I recommend checking it out from the library, or borrowing it from friend. The Dark Between was poorly executed in many ways, and not really worth the money you would spend on buying a book.

[Elise Edie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonia Gensler's engaging mystery takes place in Cambridge and concerns the adventures of three very different teenagers, thrown together unexpectedly in the midst of a turn-of-the-century paranormal research investigation. Each tries to uncover the truth behind a series of mysterious deaths, and all are led to members of the Metaphysical Society, a learned group of men dedicated to the scientific investigation of psychic phenomena.

Gensler creates a tight mystery and a whole host of attractive characters. Her three protagonists are delightfully diverse: Kate, steely and practical, a street-wise urchin, with a sweeping set of skills; Elsie, romantic and addicted, an epileptic, with otherworldly talents; and Asher, wealthy and at loose ends, only just coming into his own as a man of substance. How these three form an unlikely friendship in the midst of a spine-tingling mystery is deftly and beautifully handled.

The plot is skillfully constructed, with lots of action, twists, turns, revelations, romance and high jinks. It has been a long time since I've read a YA novel that didn't broadcast every plot point well in advance. It felt like a rare delight to read Gensler's work--focused, tight and wonderfully lively.

The Spirtualism movement is an interesting, sometimes sad and certainly weirdly wonderful era in history. Gensler manages to capture all of it--the cynical cons who preyed on grief-stricken innocents, the researchers who struggled to make authentically scientific strides into the spirit world, the wide-eyed believers who took risks with body and mind, in their attempts to communicate with metaphysical realms.

Since this book only neatly wraps up one portion of the overall mystery, I expect a sequel (or two, or three) in the coming years. I look forward to more. Gensler has managed to create a truly gripping set of circumstances and a finely wrought trio of main characters.

[Suad Shamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I got a little excited with this book, but I just LOVE ghost stories! And good ones at that!

It is so rare that you find a proper ghost story that keeps you hooked all the way. The only other one I can think of right now is Maureen Johnson's Name of the Star (brilliant book, highly recommended, go buy it NOW!), but Sonia Gensler succeeded in writing a very successful ghost story - i.e. interesting and spooky all at the same time.

A good ghost story is one that has an interesting story line, a group of strange, unfit, very different characters that have been pushed together due to random unrelated (or are they?) circumstances, and a lot of history and facts that back up the world of Spiritualism. You have the believer, and you have the skeptic, but then...you have the gifted.

Kate, Elsie and Asher are three very different people who find themselves stuck in the Thompson's household due to different series of events that led them there. What starts out as a very awkward, and at times, antagonistic friendship blooms into a wonderful shared bond between the three.

It's been a while since I found myself invested in a story this way. On goodreads as I tracked my reading progress, I was so engrossed that I kept writing down how I felt and what I thought with every entry.

Gensler knew how to keep the readers guessing. I thought I had it all figured out, and I was sure I knew who was behind all the murders, only to be shocked by the revelation at the end. I also appreciated (in a I hate it yet love it kind of way) the open-ended ending of the book.

And the romantic in me is rooting for Kate and Asher (despite the age difference). I am definitely hoping there is a sequel, this story is far from over.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to caveat this by saying I know the author. But even with that, I honestly loved this book. And I'm impressed with the leaps and bounds by which her writing has progressed.

The setting was really interesting. I really felt transported back to this era on England. And while I could tell she did a ton of research, it was woven into the story so delightfully that I was constantly surprised by interesting tidbits that were revealed by the narrative without it feeling in any way like a history book.

Interesting characters. A great mystery. A little gothic spookiness without descending into horror.

I was riveted and devoured it.

[༺Kiki༻ · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:

✱ In the Shadow of Blackbirds
✱ A Drowned Maiden's Hair

[DeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling story of three teens in 19th Century Cambridge, England. From different backgrounds, they try to solve a paranormal mystery while navigating friendships, love interests, and parental troubles. Historical fiction, mystery, and spooky ghost story all skillfully all rolled into one!

[Rian Angeli · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an interesting book but it wasn't really my type of book. There was a lot of suspense as you get further into the book. I would recommend it to people who are into Mystery and suspense and who are advanced readers.

[Joy (Cheery♡Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg, my heart is still pounding. It simply cannot end like this. This NEEDS and MUST have a sequel.

[Elaine]

Umm. Sarah Rees Brennan, Libba Bray, Alyxandra Harvey.
Yeah, consider me sold.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up. I was planning to un-haul this book after reading it, but it's earned a spot on my shelves.

I was presently surprised at how much I enjoyed this YA historical fiction story steeped in the supernatural. Set in Cambridge, England in 1901, the story opens with a séance put on by a con-woman. Kate, an orphan, is employed as the specter during the ceremony, but finds herself fired and on a new path. She travels to the home of Mr. Thompson, the man she feels responsible for having her fired. There she meets Asher, an American boy who has family ties to the Thompsons. The trio is quickly rounded out by Elise, the Thompson's niece who has been sent to their home after contracting a disease similar to epilepsy and for behaving in a way that is not approved by her parents.

The trio find themselves involved in a mystery when several bodies are found under bizarre circumstances. This is much less a whodunnit as it is an exploration of attitudes toward the supernatural in the early 20th century, which I found refreshingly different. The young people discover more about The Metaphysical Society, of which they all have some connection. As someone who was fascinated by paranormal experiences and history as a teenager, and while my beliefs have drastically changed, I loved the historical aspect of this novel! There was discussion of early theories of telepathy, spiritual realms, electroshock therapy and more.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Contains: some gruesome details about murders and drug use, a sex scene and other allusions.

I don’t think there’s a sequel to this but I wish there was—the storyline was okay but I was REALLY in it for my ship for Kate and Asher, okay, I know it seems obvious because we met them both before we met Elsie, but like, I knew he wouldn’t be happy with a trophy wife okay. I also a little bit shipped Kate and Tec but for other obvious reasons that could never work out... sigh. Poor boys always have the disadvantage. But I just loved Asher’s character development by the end and I know it would have been too much to ask for a kiss but I think it could’ve worked if Kate had initiated, because she’s independent, but nooooo she had to think “love is for dummies so I’m just gonna be friends with this smart, level-headed boy who I’m physically attracted to” lol. Anyway.

I liked that the story fit nicely into a slot in history, like, this couldn’t really have taken place anywhere else or in another era. The spiritualist movement was wild yo, and while the novel doesn’t delve into many details of the movement or historical context that aren’t relevant to the plot, it was still pretty interesting.

And man, props to the Thompsons. They have weird hobbies but otherwise they’ve got life figured out and are just really good people. #couplegoals

[Mohammad · Rating 3 out of 5]

با توجه به حرفایی که راجبش میزدن انتظارم رو کاملا آورده بودم پایین
میشه گفت ایده داستان پتانسیل بالایی برای ارائه داشت اما متاسفانه نویسنده نتونست تمام این پتانسیل رو به کار بگیره
از اون گذشته شخصیت پردازی زیاد خوبی نداشت و وقتی اسم یک شخصیت میومد حتی توی صفحات اخر کتاب عملا احساس خاصی رو توی وجودم ایجاد نمیکرد مثل این میمونه که حتی من با خوندن کل کتاب هنوز شخصیت ها و خصوصیاتشون رو نمیشناختم
میتونست خیلی بهتر باشه میتونست خیلی هیجان انگیز تر باشه اما متاسفانه نبود
حتی اینکه توی رده بندی ژانر ترسناک قرار بگیره رو واقعا درک نمیکنم چرا
دیده بودم خیلیا از پایان بندی کتاب شکایت داشتن اما من مشکل زیادی باهاش نداشتم و چیزایی که میخواستم بفهمم رو فهمیدم
بازم میگم کتاب میتونست خیلی بهتر باشه و شگفت زدمون کنه توی بعضی صفحه ها اما راستش تنها انگیزه من برای خوندن و به پایان رسوندنش دنبال کردن شخصیت ها بود نه روند به اصطلاح ترسناک یا حتی معمایی داستان که حرف چندانی برای گفتن نداشت واقعا
در کل بخوام بگم خوندن این کتاب تجربه آنچنان بدی نبود مخصوصا برای من که قبلا جلد اول تیمارستان رو دراپ کرده بودم و اینم تا حدودی شبیه اون بود.

[Shelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book takes place in the early days of seances. The main character is a young girl who is employed by a medium that has her pretend to be a ghost during her "performances". The woman also uses a group of young homeless boys to gather information about her clients. When the girl is discovered to be a fake during one of the seances, she is tossed to the street and makes her way to the local college in order to find some connection to her father.

She meets a young woman here who takes her under her wing, and is offered a job so she can earn her keep. Then, one of her friends from the street disappears and she finds herself trying to either find him or uncover what really happened to him.

This book was a slow burn for me. It took a while to get going but it was an okay book. I think I was also distracted because it was written for a much younger audience and I found myself wondering if some of the content would be over their heads.

[Doug Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author creates a credible story combining the historically secretive British metaphysical society with stuffy university elite culture resulting in a great mystery for YA and adults to solve along with the trio of troubled teens. Ms. Gensler addresses the accepted view where the privileged few inflict abuse on the street urchins in the same manner as Dickens, and the story she weaves leaves the reader with much the same conflicting emotions. The main characters are complex and manipulative which keeps the truth hidden and the prospect of finding love dangling just out of reach.

A well told tale of suspense and the angst of youthful endeavors. I've got to admit, the ending took me by surprise and knowing writers feed the reader a diet of red herrings and unexpected culprits, I had others in mind as the villain. I'm sure if a sequel develops accomplices will be divulged.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a solid tale for YA paranormal enthusiasts. Set in an older era, setting and characters build an entertaining narrative.

I do feel that there were way too many character names thrown around, especially male ones. It was a little difficult to keep them all straightened out, especially ones who were mentioned in name only and never actually appeared in the story.

I also personally think the final chapter was a bit of a let down. It should have stopped a chapter earlier. (Though some readers may find it gives more closure and is deserved.)

Not sure if the author intended to create a series or at least a sequel, but there is room for it. However, this does work well as a stand alone book.

As far as horror, this book did not provide any “scares”. But it has a darkened atmosphere which I enjoyed.