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#DeadEndTours #1
#DeadEndTours: St Ralph's Hospital
St Ralph’s Hospital has been closed for a while but, in its day, it was a magnet for evil. The worst aspects of society gathered in its corridors. Inexplicable deaths happened with disturbing regularity. Killers patrolled the wards.
But that was a century ago. Now, for those going on the #DeadEndTours urban exploration of St Ralph’s, the only dangers they expect to encounter are the tales of a bloody history and the lurid ghost stories that have grown around the building. None of the explorers expect St Ralph’s is still a magnet for evil.
From the Book
“Welcome to the St Ralph’s Dead-End Tour,” Billy announced. “I appreciate the building was originally called St Raphael’s. But, here at the Dead-End Tour, we like to go with the less formal name.”
It had just turned midnight. A full moon, silver and fat, hung over the hospital behind him. Ghost-like clouds trailed across its brilliant surface as the tourists shuffled closer together for warmth and companionship against the night’s autumnal chill. They were all wearing thick coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, and looked like the most middle-class gathering of British housebreakers, all dressed in sensible M&S practical winterwear. Plumes of frosty breath were visible each time one of them exhaled. Someone’s teeth were chattering near the back of the modest crowd. A whispered conversation between one couple was falling lower and lower as they tried to continue a dispute without the sound of their voices drowning out Billy’s introductory welcome.
“For God’s sake, Petronella,” a well-spoken man muttered. “I don’t want you making a scene this evening. Try to keep that foul mouth of yours under control for once in your life.”
Petronella snorted with obvious disdain. “You don’t want me making a scene?” she echoed. “And you always get what you demand, don’t you?”
“Thank you all for being here this evening,” Billy called, his voice ringing clearly through the night. He was wearing an Under Armour Challenger tracksuit in mid grey, paired with dark Puma Anzarun trainers that had seen much better days. Because of his slim build and small stature, he knew the sportswear made him look like an untrustworthy chav. But he made allowances for the negative reactions to his appearance and knew those prejudices could be used to his advantage. Because tourists were constantly expecting him to empty their pockets, they were always pleasantly surprised by any small act of kindness he performed for them. Consequently, that would make them all the more generous with tips at the end of the evening – and he always made sure there was an opportunity for them to give tips at the end of the evening.
“Thank you for the fees you’ve paid us so we can host this tour,” Billy went on. “We’re shortly going to begin but, for the sake of health and safety, and for the sake of being responsible, there are a handful of points I want to make.”
He paused for a moment, waiting until the muttering couple at the back of the crowd had finally fallen silent. Once they’d stopped talking there was only the sound of faraway traffic on the Sandalwood Road and the night’s light breeze rattling the chain link fence that surrounded St Raphael’s Hospital. With the building behind him lit only by the moon’s silver beams, Billy figured he was presenting a sufficiently authoritative figure to command consideration as he went through the rules that needed to be followed for the night’s illicit exploration.
“Firstly,” he began. “There will be two tours going on this evening. I shall be leading the historical tour. The ghost tour will be led by my colleague, Tina.”
But that was a century ago. Now, for those going on the #DeadEndTours urban exploration of St Ralph’s, the only dangers they expect to encounter are the tales of a bloody history and the lurid ghost stories that have grown around the building. None of the explorers expect St Ralph’s is still a magnet for evil.
From the Book
“Welcome to the St Ralph’s Dead-End Tour,” Billy announced. “I appreciate the building was originally called St Raphael’s. But, here at the Dead-End Tour, we like to go with the less formal name.”
It had just turned midnight. A full moon, silver and fat, hung over the hospital behind him. Ghost-like clouds trailed across its brilliant surface as the tourists shuffled closer together for warmth and companionship against the night’s autumnal chill. They were all wearing thick coats, hats, scarves, and gloves, and looked like the most middle-class gathering of British housebreakers, all dressed in sensible M&S practical winterwear. Plumes of frosty breath were visible each time one of them exhaled. Someone’s teeth were chattering near the back of the modest crowd. A whispered conversation between one couple was falling lower and lower as they tried to continue a dispute without the sound of their voices drowning out Billy’s introductory welcome.
“For God’s sake, Petronella,” a well-spoken man muttered. “I don’t want you making a scene this evening. Try to keep that foul mouth of yours under control for once in your life.”
Petronella snorted with obvious disdain. “You don’t want me making a scene?” she echoed. “And you always get what you demand, don’t you?”
“Thank you all for being here this evening,” Billy called, his voice ringing clearly through the night. He was wearing an Under Armour Challenger tracksuit in mid grey, paired with dark Puma Anzarun trainers that had seen much better days. Because of his slim build and small stature, he knew the sportswear made him look like an untrustworthy chav. But he made allowances for the negative reactions to his appearance and knew those prejudices could be used to his advantage. Because tourists were constantly expecting him to empty their pockets, they were always pleasantly surprised by any small act of kindness he performed for them. Consequently, that would make them all the more generous with tips at the end of the evening – and he always made sure there was an opportunity for them to give tips at the end of the evening.
“Thank you for the fees you’ve paid us so we can host this tour,” Billy went on. “We’re shortly going to begin but, for the sake of health and safety, and for the sake of being responsible, there are a handful of points I want to make.”
He paused for a moment, waiting until the muttering couple at the back of the crowd had finally fallen silent. Once they’d stopped talking there was only the sound of faraway traffic on the Sandalwood Road and the night’s light breeze rattling the chain link fence that surrounded St Raphael’s Hospital. With the building behind him lit only by the moon’s silver beams, Billy figured he was presenting a sufficiently authoritative figure to command consideration as he went through the rules that needed to be followed for the night’s illicit exploration.
“Firstly,” he began. “There will be two tours going on this evening. I shall be leading the historical tour. The ghost tour will be led by my colleague, Tina.”
195 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2023
17 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Lister
62 books45 followersThis author is also published under the pen name Ashley R. Lister.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 8, 2023
Full review at The Mort Report:
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/the...
There once was a man named Lister,
Who wanted to date my sister…
And now I will stop and let this thing drop,
Because I don’t want to end this with ‘fist her’.
Well, well, well – this turned out to be my favorite read from this author so far.
In this story you can expect charlatans, murderers, fornicators and other people of ill repute, who get a little more than they bargained for with…well, about everything. And don’t forget a little history lesson in there as well.
I was attracted to this story because asylums are probably the scariest places you can find yourself, whether it is haunted or not. Because who is to say that it might not be contagious, or that something might happen that makes them close the doors behind you. Once you find yourself on the wrong side of that door, nothing you say will ever be believed, which means just about anything can be done to you.
And the food is horrible. I mean, hello, would investing in a little salt kill you? Would setting a timer…ahem, of course, this is all allegedly and has nothing to do with the evils in this story, just what I heard…from a friend…of a friend…um…
The art inside this book is also superb, so it is something to look forward to.
Recommended to horror fans in general.
4.5 Stars
https://www.uncomfortablydark.com/the...
There once was a man named Lister,
Who wanted to date my sister…
And now I will stop and let this thing drop,
Because I don’t want to end this with ‘fist her’.
Well, well, well – this turned out to be my favorite read from this author so far.
In this story you can expect charlatans, murderers, fornicators and other people of ill repute, who get a little more than they bargained for with…well, about everything. And don’t forget a little history lesson in there as well.
I was attracted to this story because asylums are probably the scariest places you can find yourself, whether it is haunted or not. Because who is to say that it might not be contagious, or that something might happen that makes them close the doors behind you. Once you find yourself on the wrong side of that door, nothing you say will ever be believed, which means just about anything can be done to you.
And the food is horrible. I mean, hello, would investing in a little salt kill you? Would setting a timer…ahem, of course, this is all allegedly and has nothing to do with the evils in this story, just what I heard…from a friend…of a friend…um…
The art inside this book is also superb, so it is something to look forward to.
Recommended to horror fans in general.
4.5 Stars
October 14, 2023
A grisly, blood-soaked prologue introduces us to Harold, a doctor who has stumbled upon an obliterated body, but does he know more than he's letting on??
Skip forward to the present day and we meet Billy, tour guide for St. Ralph's mental hospital. He takes the historical part of the tour, whilst his friend and colleague, Tina, takes the ghost tour.
Billy has set up several little pranks along the way, to get the heart rates of his guests up, but they don't all go to plan. Meanwhile, Tina doesn't need to stoop to that level, the supernatural are more than happy to be of service for her part of the tour.
The Donaldson twins are on the run, they're known for letting their tempers get the better of them on occasion, and Terrence feels strangely drawn to the hospital. But why? When they get inside, the hospital takes a hold of them and they are not at all happy about it!
The story flips from the past, with people such as the Kellerman sisters, body snatchers extraordinaire, and other deceitfully murdering gentlemen, to the present, and the tour of the hospital, along with the modern day Donaldson brothers, seamlessly. With each atmosphere described perfectly, you're taken to each timeline smoothly and swiftly.
Both entertaining and educational at the same time, you feel like you're getting two stories for the price of one, and they fit so easily together, it makes for a completely gripping and intriguing read from the off! Ashley teases you along with fine and creepy little details dotted throughout the narration, and his wicked sense of humour weaves through the story brilliantly, making you chuckle aloud on several occasions.
Complete with some fantastic illustrations, I found this as fascinating as it was chilling! 🖤
Skip forward to the present day and we meet Billy, tour guide for St. Ralph's mental hospital. He takes the historical part of the tour, whilst his friend and colleague, Tina, takes the ghost tour.
Billy has set up several little pranks along the way, to get the heart rates of his guests up, but they don't all go to plan. Meanwhile, Tina doesn't need to stoop to that level, the supernatural are more than happy to be of service for her part of the tour.
The Donaldson twins are on the run, they're known for letting their tempers get the better of them on occasion, and Terrence feels strangely drawn to the hospital. But why? When they get inside, the hospital takes a hold of them and they are not at all happy about it!
The story flips from the past, with people such as the Kellerman sisters, body snatchers extraordinaire, and other deceitfully murdering gentlemen, to the present, and the tour of the hospital, along with the modern day Donaldson brothers, seamlessly. With each atmosphere described perfectly, you're taken to each timeline smoothly and swiftly.
Both entertaining and educational at the same time, you feel like you're getting two stories for the price of one, and they fit so easily together, it makes for a completely gripping and intriguing read from the off! Ashley teases you along with fine and creepy little details dotted throughout the narration, and his wicked sense of humour weaves through the story brilliantly, making you chuckle aloud on several occasions.
Complete with some fantastic illustrations, I found this as fascinating as it was chilling! 🖤
November 18, 2023
An engrossing and well-constructed Ghost Horror novel, #DEADENDTOURS: ST. RALPH'S HOSPITAL deftly interweaves past and present, in the form of late Victorian era London with contemporary urban exploration (Urbex). The novel also presents a fascinating but logical new solution to the never discovered identity of "Saucy Jack," the "madman" killer of Whitechapel [London] prostitutes in August-September 1888. Over the ensuing 135 years, law enforcement and lay investigators have postulated that Jack was a butcher; a physician; possibly a surgeon. Author Ashley Lister presents a possibility that is both logical and realistically possible. The character devolution and decompensation I think is psychologically grounded; and in the contemporary segments, the characters of Tina [Ghost Tour guide, Supernatural believer] and Billy [History Tour guide and con of tourists] serve excellently as foils to each other, with the additional point of the character triangle being Billy's imperfect assistant Callin. While the events of 1889 recreate in the present day, inside the abandoned hospital, real-life evil is inevitably magnetized to the adjacent, equally abandoned, church and to St. Ralph's [formally St. Raphael's] Hospital, with inevitably tragic consequences.
October 1, 2023
This is a fantastic novel that takes place inside an old abandoned hospital. It tells the story of what happened there through the tour guides in modern times and through flashbacks to the late 1800s where some very evil people do some very evil things.
It's this style of storytelling that really makes this such a fun engaging read. The modern tour guides are unlicensed and create an urban exploration tour for anyone with the money to do so. As they explore various rooms and floors of the old hospital, creepy things begin to happen causing some fear and suspense from the guests.
Throughout this tour we'll meet some characters who worked at this place and, from their perspective, we'll see exactly the kind of suffering and twisted desires they created at that time. Meanwhile, in the present day, paranormal events mixed with some very disturbed crashers are going to raise the fear factor and things will get bloody!
This is a fast paced and well written book that keeps you on your toes and won't let you forget that you're in a creepy haunted abandoned building. I highly recommend this book!
It's this style of storytelling that really makes this such a fun engaging read. The modern tour guides are unlicensed and create an urban exploration tour for anyone with the money to do so. As they explore various rooms and floors of the old hospital, creepy things begin to happen causing some fear and suspense from the guests.
Throughout this tour we'll meet some characters who worked at this place and, from their perspective, we'll see exactly the kind of suffering and twisted desires they created at that time. Meanwhile, in the present day, paranormal events mixed with some very disturbed crashers are going to raise the fear factor and things will get bloody!
This is a fast paced and well written book that keeps you on your toes and won't let you forget that you're in a creepy haunted abandoned building. I highly recommend this book!
February 26, 2024
Chilling, gory, fast-paced, and set in an abandoned hospital. The story flips between the history of the building and a modern-day 'urban tour'. A great read, I thoroughly enjoyed this.
September 9, 2024
Scary
#DeadEndTours keeps you engaged from the first page until the last. It is scary and just believable enough to make you want to visit St Ralphs
#DeadEndTours keeps you engaged from the first page until the last. It is scary and just believable enough to make you want to visit St Ralphs
October 2, 2023
When you read something written by this author, you are guaranteed to have an amazing experience. A truly eerie story, this book takes you from now to then building a completely engrossing story that will surround you with it's creepy atmosphere. I feel like this would be a great book to read around a campfire.
June 23, 2024
A fantastic mesh of the Victorian paired with a contemporary twist.
Remember to tag #deadendtours - the unlicensed tour guides who take you into St Ralph’s, a disused hospital with a notorious past: Victorian killers and grave robbers with a highly entrepreneurial business model await the modern day visitors - pick your tour or hide out, it caters for all types!
The writing is superb, it flows with such craftsmanship you cannot but help reading though in one sitting! The historical research is compelling and leaves you wanting more (a prequel perhaps - please 🙏). And I loved the very dry and laugh out loud humour, just positioned in the right place, which embeds contemporary realism.
This was my first read by this author, and I can safely say I will be delving wholeheartedly into his back catalogue.
The cover of # Dead End Tours: St Ralph’s Hospital by Ashley Lister shows a foreboding and abandoned building, in the dead of night.
Remember to tag #deadendtours - the unlicensed tour guides who take you into St Ralph’s, a disused hospital with a notorious past: Victorian killers and grave robbers with a highly entrepreneurial business model await the modern day visitors - pick your tour or hide out, it caters for all types!
The writing is superb, it flows with such craftsmanship you cannot but help reading though in one sitting! The historical research is compelling and leaves you wanting more (a prequel perhaps - please 🙏). And I loved the very dry and laugh out loud humour, just positioned in the right place, which embeds contemporary realism.
This was my first read by this author, and I can safely say I will be delving wholeheartedly into his back catalogue.
The cover of # Dead End Tours: St Ralph’s Hospital by Ashley Lister shows a foreboding and abandoned building, in the dead of night.
December 8, 2024
My first read of this writer and I was impressed. The writing was good and I liked the back and forth timelines that tie in with how the main characters are telling their tour stories. It wasn't as creepy as I thought it would be but I still had a blast with it.
November 1, 2024
In this dark tale the author does a great job of combining historical murder with a modern-day tour as a group of unwitting thrill seekers venture into St.Ralph’s with their tour guides. There’s a great back & forth flow as the story unfolds & having a particular interest in the true Ripper murders, I was interested to see how Lister incorporated this into the story. Absolutely five stars, can’t wait to read more.
December 14, 2025
Loved each and every one each book captivating
September 13, 2025
This book has been sat on my shelves for about 2 years. Now that I have read it and loved it and want to read the rest of this series. Am gutted that I hadn't gotten them when he was selling them and signing them in Blackpool. I loved the characters mainly billy and the Donaldson twins. The fact that there is such a diverse set of characters that were represented though out the book.
December 13, 2023
Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2023/12/13/deadendtours-st-ralphs-hospital/
With a title like #DeadEndTours: St Ralph’s Hospital, and knowing (and loving) Ashley Lister’s work as I do, I fully expected this story to score well on the creep-factor scale, and it does. What I didn’t expect was the generous amount of dark, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud humor this story has. It’s fabulous, and it’s fun.
The balance between humor and creepiness is spot-on; none of the tension or darkness is lost. Petronella is my favorite female fictional character at the moment. I love that we know just enough about her to appreciate her, enjoy her *ahem* witty way with words, but still have to consider her mystique. While she is my favorite source of brilliant humor on the St. Ralph’s tour, she is not the only one. The story is full of colorful, interesting, and wicked characters.
The story itself is a blending of the creepy tour of the abandoned hospital and a dark and twisted tale of the hospital’s first incarnation in 1889, the story the tour guides tell their patrons, and the flow is fantastic. There’s a twist or some twisted dialogue with every turn of the page. This combined with the tension, suspense, and creep factor make #DeadEndTours a riveting read.
Rumor has it there will be more #DeadEndTours books in the future, at least one seems to be in the works, and I would love to see that! This is a fun 5-star read, and I can’t recommend it enough. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And don’t forget to hashtag #DeadEndTours in your social media posts. Wink.
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2023/12/13/deadendtours-st-ralphs-hospital/
With a title like #DeadEndTours: St Ralph’s Hospital, and knowing (and loving) Ashley Lister’s work as I do, I fully expected this story to score well on the creep-factor scale, and it does. What I didn’t expect was the generous amount of dark, irreverent, and laugh-out-loud humor this story has. It’s fabulous, and it’s fun.
The balance between humor and creepiness is spot-on; none of the tension or darkness is lost. Petronella is my favorite female fictional character at the moment. I love that we know just enough about her to appreciate her, enjoy her *ahem* witty way with words, but still have to consider her mystique. While she is my favorite source of brilliant humor on the St. Ralph’s tour, she is not the only one. The story is full of colorful, interesting, and wicked characters.
The story itself is a blending of the creepy tour of the abandoned hospital and a dark and twisted tale of the hospital’s first incarnation in 1889, the story the tour guides tell their patrons, and the flow is fantastic. There’s a twist or some twisted dialogue with every turn of the page. This combined with the tension, suspense, and creep factor make #DeadEndTours a riveting read.
Rumor has it there will be more #DeadEndTours books in the future, at least one seems to be in the works, and I would love to see that! This is a fun 5-star read, and I can’t recommend it enough. I thoroughly enjoyed it. And don’t forget to hashtag #DeadEndTours in your social media posts. Wink.
October 3, 2023
Brilliant. Hauntingly hypnotic and hilarious in equal measures.
Dead End Tours tells the story of St Raphael’s Hospital and it’s history of horrors. The tour group is split into two factions - the history tour and the ghost tour and each is peppered with stories of the past. The tension builds throughout but is broken up by the Author’s fabulous and acerbic wit. He has the ability to make you switch from dreading what is coming on the next page to making you laugh out loud. It is rare I enjoy a book enough to pick it up again immediately but this definitely makes that list. The only negative was that I didn’t want it to end. From the outset the characters are equally loathsome and hilarious and I would love to have delved further (particularly professor know it all and petronella). Overall another fabulous read from Mr Lister. Like a maggot infested cheese he just gets better with age. #deadendtours.
Dead End Tours tells the story of St Raphael’s Hospital and it’s history of horrors. The tour group is split into two factions - the history tour and the ghost tour and each is peppered with stories of the past. The tension builds throughout but is broken up by the Author’s fabulous and acerbic wit. He has the ability to make you switch from dreading what is coming on the next page to making you laugh out loud. It is rare I enjoy a book enough to pick it up again immediately but this definitely makes that list. The only negative was that I didn’t want it to end. From the outset the characters are equally loathsome and hilarious and I would love to have delved further (particularly professor know it all and petronella). Overall another fabulous read from Mr Lister. Like a maggot infested cheese he just gets better with age. #deadendtours.
October 17, 2023
A very creepy story evoquing Past and present evil, both centered in the same place St. Ralph's Hospital, which is believed to draw such kind of evil. We witness flashback scenes from the end of the 19th century, being told a story of murder, betrayal, and revenge, in the present days by the guides of an illegal tour of the building mentioned before. As a bonus, there's mentions of Jack the Ripper, of which I honestly would have liked a bit more detail. I absolutely loved the story and the illustrations introducing each chapter make me want to add this book to my physical collection.
January 13, 2026
Audiobook: This story gripped my imagination from the beginning until the end and once the audiobook started, I listened to the whole story in one sitting. The author grabbed my attention by combining a tour, a history, and present-day events, which always kept me on the edge-of-my seat with a chill running up and down my back. I thought Ashley Lister's narration was particularly nuanced as his performance gave a voice to his characters. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.
November 21, 2024
Very Fun!!
Billy and Tina enjoy doing urban exploration tours as a way to combine their passion as well as make bank.
Billy does a historical tour, and Tina does a paranormal one.
However, on this particular night, it turns out very differently than they have planned.
Multi-layered story that doesn't get you lost. The past events mesh perfectly with the present storyline, and it all blends perfectly.
Enjoyed this tremendously!!
Billy and Tina enjoy doing urban exploration tours as a way to combine their passion as well as make bank.
Billy does a historical tour, and Tina does a paranormal one.
However, on this particular night, it turns out very differently than they have planned.
Multi-layered story that doesn't get you lost. The past events mesh perfectly with the present storyline, and it all blends perfectly.
Enjoyed this tremendously!!
November 20, 2023
#DeadEndTours: St Ralph's Hospital is an entertaining blend of the past and the present that asks the question Can Places Attract Evil? I feel the author does a good job of keeping the reader engaged by switching perspectives. I found the book easy to read and interesting without being too creepy or gross for those who shy away from horror.
October 26, 2023
What can I say? I absolutely loved this book! The characters are written so well. The transitions from three sides of the story, two present day, one back in Victorian times, seamless. It really draws you in, from page one and keeps you there the entirety of the book. Can’t recommend enough! Bravo!
December 27, 2023
Of you're looking for a scary, historical story, look no further! I love the way this was written; the characters are so full of life (even the dead ones!) and the world building of St Ralph's is wonderful. It's like watching your favorite ghost hunters on tv.
January 15, 2024
This book screams ASHLEY LISTER. You can immediately tell who wrote it. It's horror but with a sense of humour. The way Ashley Lister writes characters, tells a story, and weaves everything together at the end, is second to none.
March 3, 2024
DeadEnd Tours: St Ralph’s Hospital
A lot creepier than the Black Rock Lighthouse prequel, but DeadEnd Tours are really getting into their stride. Ashley Lister has taken a horror location staple of the abandoned hospital and added an extra twist, one that works.
A lot creepier than the Black Rock Lighthouse prequel, but DeadEnd Tours are really getting into their stride. Ashley Lister has taken a horror location staple of the abandoned hospital and added an extra twist, one that works.
September 24, 2023
Another incredible story from Ash, mixing a supernatural ghost story with modern-day aspects. The prologue invites you in with a sinister smile as Harold finds himself in a sticky predicament with Lord Winchester. A deal with the Devil starts a chain of events that not even Billy could have foreseen. Billy is a charismatic character so it makes sense that he is the lead. Two tours take place: the ghost tour is being led by Tina and the historical tour led by Billy.
Now call me old-fashioned, but I entered an abandoned hospital with no way to contact the outside world. I would be like erm I need a contingency plan, especially when you are not supposed to be there in the first place. But they all stroll into St Ralph without a care in the world, disregarding the fact that two criminals are also on the loose. So there isn't just the risk of unruly spirits, but for me, Ash sets the scene beautifully, weaving the tour with flashbacks to the 1800's.
Plus as always he proves time and time again that he does his research. As the story gives the reader interesting historical facts to add a realistic feel to the experience but also it helps to build tension. As we follow the tour through the hospital and learn more about its gruelling past. While flashing between tour groups, we get to see reactions from different parts of the hospital. As we move from one group to the next, piecing together history and ghost lore. In between this we also have the looming threat of Tony and Terrence lurking in the shadows. But it does raise some interesting thoughts for the reader regarding morality and the aspects around good and evil. It really shows a balance between the argument of the afterlife and also, the psychology and science of ghosts. Whether you believe or not, this story has enough tension and atmosphere to give the reader a choice on what they believe. I also liked the way Ash sneaks references from his previous work into the story, fans familiar with his work will love the way he interlocks each story. Proving that his world-building is something he is good at, his detail also brings the reader into the moment. So you feel like you are on the tour with the other characters. This means when this ghost story takes a terrifying turn, expect to be on the edge of your seat.
Now call me old-fashioned, but I entered an abandoned hospital with no way to contact the outside world. I would be like erm I need a contingency plan, especially when you are not supposed to be there in the first place. But they all stroll into St Ralph without a care in the world, disregarding the fact that two criminals are also on the loose. So there isn't just the risk of unruly spirits, but for me, Ash sets the scene beautifully, weaving the tour with flashbacks to the 1800's.
Plus as always he proves time and time again that he does his research. As the story gives the reader interesting historical facts to add a realistic feel to the experience but also it helps to build tension. As we follow the tour through the hospital and learn more about its gruelling past. While flashing between tour groups, we get to see reactions from different parts of the hospital. As we move from one group to the next, piecing together history and ghost lore. In between this we also have the looming threat of Tony and Terrence lurking in the shadows. But it does raise some interesting thoughts for the reader regarding morality and the aspects around good and evil. It really shows a balance between the argument of the afterlife and also, the psychology and science of ghosts. Whether you believe or not, this story has enough tension and atmosphere to give the reader a choice on what they believe. I also liked the way Ash sneaks references from his previous work into the story, fans familiar with his work will love the way he interlocks each story. Proving that his world-building is something he is good at, his detail also brings the reader into the moment. So you feel like you are on the tour with the other characters. This means when this ghost story takes a terrifying turn, expect to be on the edge of your seat.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews