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The Death Chamber
Calvary Gaol, standing bleak and forbidding on the Cumbrian hillside, exerts a curious hold over Georgina Grey. For her family's history is closely bound up in its dark and terrible past. It's there that her great-grandfather worked as a prison doctor in the 1930s; where his involvement in a bizarre experiment would change the course of his life forever. TV presenter Chad Ingram is fascinated by Calvary too. For he plans to conduct a new experiment in the now-disused gaol - an experiment that will take place in the brooding desolation of the old execution chamber. Chad's experiment and Georgina's curiosity will have horrifying consequences. For someone has their own reasons for suppressing the shocking truth about Calvary. Someone who will go to any lengths to ensure the past remains buried . . .
560 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
26 people are currently reading
662 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Rayne
46 books307 followersAka Frances Gordon, Bridget Wood
After a convent education, which included writing plays for the Lower Third to perform, Sarah Rayne embarked on a variety of jobs, but - probably inevitably - returned again and again to writing. Her first novel appeared in 1982, and since then her books have also been published in America, Holland and Germany.
The daughter of an Irish comedy actor, she was for many years active in amateur theatre, and lists among her hobbies, theatre, history, music, and old houses - much of her inspiration comes from old buildings and their histories and atmospheres. To these interests, she adds ghosts and ghost stories, and - having grown up in the Sixties - good conversation around a well-stocked dinner table.
After a convent education, which included writing plays for the Lower Third to perform, Sarah Rayne embarked on a variety of jobs, but - probably inevitably - returned again and again to writing. Her first novel appeared in 1982, and since then her books have also been published in America, Holland and Germany.
The daughter of an Irish comedy actor, she was for many years active in amateur theatre, and lists among her hobbies, theatre, history, music, and old houses - much of her inspiration comes from old buildings and their histories and atmospheres. To these interests, she adds ghosts and ghost stories, and - having grown up in the Sixties - good conversation around a well-stocked dinner table.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 22, 2009
Walking into a second-hand bookstore a few weeks ago, I asked the owner for some recommendations. She handed me Sarah Rayne's Ghost Song and said confidently, 'All my customers returned asking for more of her books. You might like it. It's a mix of something historical, dark and thriller-like.' Ghost Song was a pleasurable read and true enough, when I next went to the library, I picked up another of her books.
The Death Chamber is very much like Ghost Song, which is to say that Rayne likes to move between many different time frames in telling the story, carefully unveiling bit of the puzzle. It's a clever style as I just kept reading, wanting to find out what else was going to be uncovered next.
There were moments I was glued to the pages but after closing the book, the story ends there. Similar to walking out of a blockbuster action-packed movie when one turns to his friends and says, 'Man, that was great! Now... what shall we eat for supper?'
The Death Chamber is very much like Ghost Song, which is to say that Rayne likes to move between many different time frames in telling the story, carefully unveiling bit of the puzzle. It's a clever style as I just kept reading, wanting to find out what else was going to be uncovered next.
There were moments I was glued to the pages but after closing the book, the story ends there. Similar to walking out of a blockbuster action-packed movie when one turns to his friends and says, 'Man, that was great! Now... what shall we eat for supper?'
August 7, 2016
I love when a book has a bunch of plot twists that all come together in the end. A fantastic read.
July 31, 2010
Take a creepy old hanging jail, a film crew hunting ghosts,a nutter hell-bent on keeping the past secret and a young woman seeking answers and what you - what I - expect to find is a gripping page-turner. Sadly, this isn't the case. It's a shame, too, because Rayne actually can write. The scariest thing about this book is its title and as for the cover teaser: 'THERE CAN BE A FATE WORTH THAN DEATH' I say, Oh? What would that be? What this teaser seems to imply is something otherowrldly, something perhaps, dare I hope? demonish. No such luck.
The main reason this story never quite takes off, I feel, is that Rayne has tried to tell too many stories - everyone's story is in here. The time frams switches from 1917 to the late 1030s to present day, and then, just for fun, Rayne throws in excerpts from one character's book on all things mystical.
So, with a story that has more plots than a graveyard, with none of the chills, The Death Chamber becomes a sort of Arsenic and Old Lace meets Days of Our Lives. The characters for the most part are wooden, despite Rayne's efforts to infuse them with life by heaping on the details. Main character, Georgina, who is curious to find out about her prison doctor great grandfather, is little more than a prop. And when Vincent, the secret-keeper, decides that the best way to stop Georgina reading the old letters in her posession and learning the truth, plots to kill her rather than simply use the room key he has to steal the letters, I found I just could not take this book seriously. Old Vince is certainly nutty, but surely he'd have more sense? And then he ups the ante and decides to take two of them out of the picture! From that point on I merely skip-read through to the end, just to see if Vince could carry it off. Needless to say, it was a fizzer.
The ridiculous plot only deserves 1 star, but I'll give it 2 because much of the writing is quite good.
The main reason this story never quite takes off, I feel, is that Rayne has tried to tell too many stories - everyone's story is in here. The time frams switches from 1917 to the late 1030s to present day, and then, just for fun, Rayne throws in excerpts from one character's book on all things mystical.
So, with a story that has more plots than a graveyard, with none of the chills, The Death Chamber becomes a sort of Arsenic and Old Lace meets Days of Our Lives. The characters for the most part are wooden, despite Rayne's efforts to infuse them with life by heaping on the details. Main character, Georgina, who is curious to find out about her prison doctor great grandfather, is little more than a prop. And when Vincent, the secret-keeper, decides that the best way to stop Georgina reading the old letters in her posession and learning the truth, plots to kill her rather than simply use the room key he has to steal the letters, I found I just could not take this book seriously. Old Vince is certainly nutty, but surely he'd have more sense? And then he ups the ante and decides to take two of them out of the picture! From that point on I merely skip-read through to the end, just to see if Vince could carry it off. Needless to say, it was a fizzer.
The ridiculous plot only deserves 1 star, but I'll give it 2 because much of the writing is quite good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2017
A fine example of a Sarah Rayne novel. My beloved MIL and I would agree that this is one of the best. The setting is a small town and a gaol where executions take place. The times are the present (circa 1997), WWI, WWII. The overarching theme is paranormal research. It's one big wibbly-wobbly ball of spaghetti, where nothing and no one is quite as it seems and the past continues to reverberate through the present. Just the thing for fans of Barbara Vine.
Loaner from MIL.
Loaner from MIL.
January 7, 2025
This was the first book by Sarah I read. Wonderful book. Enjoyed it immensely
August 26, 2011
Another Sarah Rayne book, written in present day and past, around the period of the first and second World War periods. This one was another good story, although, the way Ms. Rayne writes, the whole thing could have been set in the past tense. The present day setting is sometime, not specified, in the year 2000 and something. Yet some of the dialogue belongs in a museum. e.g. "You've given me an irresistible reason for getting us out of this, he said. Don't worry, Georgina darling, we'll be all right". This, from a man to a woman he met that day, who says "darling" in this context in this day and age? Apart from my minor quibble about the dialogue, the story was about an old disused prison, where executions took place back in the day, and Georgina Grey, who is looking into her great-grandfathers past, he worked there as a doctor. As is the case in most of Ms. Raynes books, the past and present are interlinked and the characters paths crisscross along the way. She tells a good story, so it's worth a read and I was never quite sure where I was being led here at times, but that made it all the better a read. Worth a look for sure.
April 29, 2011
Georgina is left some papers of her great grandfather's which relate to a time he was a prison doctor in the wilds of Cumbria. The prison is now deserted and a TV company is making a documentary there. But someone doesn't want the secrets of the prison's past revealed ad tries to put a stop to both Georgina's research and that of the film company.
This was a pretty good book. Lots of twisty bits and a bit of tension, although the actual bits where the tension built up seemed to end quite abruptly.
There are three different time frames in this book with a connection running through them, but it took quite a while for this to be revealed and I didn't work out who was who so that was good.
The author has a few other books out so I will probably try another at a later date.
This was a pretty good book. Lots of twisty bits and a bit of tension, although the actual bits where the tension built up seemed to end quite abruptly.
There are three different time frames in this book with a connection running through them, but it took quite a while for this to be revealed and I didn't work out who was who so that was good.
The author has a few other books out so I will probably try another at a later date.
October 16, 2016
Every now and again I come across a "new" author that firmly and definitely grabs my attention. When I read a second book by the same author and am still as impressed I become a fan. When I actually tell my reading friends - read this - then you know, I am in love. And I am. The books are all deceptively slow to take off with. But by book two I knew enough to start to pay very close attention to every single word. If you need a spine chiller, if you need to wonder if it is worth getting off of your bed to use the facilities, then my friends may I recommend this book.
March 18, 2012
Not really what I was expecting based on the book blurb, but a reasonable read nonetheless. Well written, but occasionally confusing as we're transported between the two World Wars, the 1960s, the present day and excerpts from a book on debunking fraudulent mystics and mediums.
I enjoyed the bleak prison setting and the recounting of the executions, but thought there wasn't enough detail on the present-day happenings and at 547 pages it is rather long.
I enjoyed the bleak prison setting and the recounting of the executions, but thought there wasn't enough detail on the present-day happenings and at 547 pages it is rather long.
January 18, 2014
Sterbenslangweilig. Habe Monate dafür gebraucht, weil ich mich ständig geweigert habe, weiterzulesen. Es zieht sich endlos in die Länge. Mehr als eine langweilige Familiengeschichte ist das nicht. Mich würde interessieren, wie die Autorin dazu kam, dies als Psychothriller zu bezeichnen ...
September 15, 2023
Based on the cover and the blurb, I expected this book to be chock full of ghosts and the paranormal. But while there are characters exploring those possibilities, this is instead largely about our unknown inheritances--the secrets passed along to us by ancestors we often do not even remember.
All of the tangled secrets are tied herein to Calvary Gaol, a place of execution in England's midlands. Here have died murderers and traitors, and likely at least a few innocents, given England's then speedy execution standards following a death sentence.
The plot folds back on itself multiple times, with a little too much reliance on coincidence and the interconnections between a few key characters whose lives span the Gaol's history from World War I through the late 1950s. The non-linear plot (not a fan of this over-used story-telling method) keeps the reader guessing as to which characters may make moral choices that will have to be answered for by their descendants.
Among those are Georgina, a descendant of one of the prison's doctors, and Vincent, archivist at a psychic research society, whose own connections to Calvary are darker by far. Toss in a television crew hunting ghosts in the execution chamber, and you get a fairly nice suspense story with a bit of horror mixed in.
There is one wrenching sequence in which a character we've been led to like makes an impulsive choice to attempt the murder by hanging of a blackmailer, in exchange for a condemned man. We get no forewarning until the act is in progress, and the ensuing plot twists owe all to this single event.
The chillingly ambivalent ending is also a nice touch. The author has a gift for suspenseful scenes that place her characters in danger, so I look forward to reading a few of her later books, now resting on my to-read piles.
All of the tangled secrets are tied herein to Calvary Gaol, a place of execution in England's midlands. Here have died murderers and traitors, and likely at least a few innocents, given England's then speedy execution standards following a death sentence.
The plot folds back on itself multiple times, with a little too much reliance on coincidence and the interconnections between a few key characters whose lives span the Gaol's history from World War I through the late 1950s. The non-linear plot (not a fan of this over-used story-telling method) keeps the reader guessing as to which characters may make moral choices that will have to be answered for by their descendants.
Among those are Georgina, a descendant of one of the prison's doctors, and Vincent, archivist at a psychic research society, whose own connections to Calvary are darker by far. Toss in a television crew hunting ghosts in the execution chamber, and you get a fairly nice suspense story with a bit of horror mixed in.
There is one wrenching sequence in which a character we've been led to like makes an impulsive choice to attempt the murder by hanging of a blackmailer, in exchange for a condemned man. We get no forewarning until the act is in progress, and the ensuing plot twists owe all to this single event.
The chillingly ambivalent ending is also a nice touch. The author has a gift for suspenseful scenes that place her characters in danger, so I look forward to reading a few of her later books, now resting on my to-read piles.
January 13, 2019
(3.5 stars) Georgina gets a letter from the Caradoc Society about a bequest that will be coming to her now that the society is closing. It was given to the society by her great-grandfather, Nicholas Kane. She is asked to come to the village with its nearby Calvary Gaol and to provide any documentation that confirms her relationship to her great-grandfather. As she arrives, she meets a group planning on doing an experiment into psychic phenomenon at Calvary, a place where many executions took place. The story goes back in time to Nicholas’ time at Calvary and his past association with it as a boy. While the plots don’t initially seem to have a connection, the stories unfold to show a complex web of connection and secrets. In the present, Georgina gets involved with the television crew, and finds herself in a scary and potentially deadly situation where someone is desperate to keep certain secrets from coming to light. The book is less supernatural than the book flap summary implies, but is an intriguing and a bit haunting tale.
April 9, 2020
I was surprised to stumble upon one of Sarah Rayne’s books that I had not heard about before. I thought this might be due to the fact that it wasn’t as good as her other novels. I was very mistaken. This was actually one of her better, deeper novels. She takes her characters and plot to a higher level. After reading the description before reading, again I felt that this particular one wouldn’t interest me. About about 50 pages in, I realized the description does a poor job on portraying what this is really about. I was pleasantly surprised. This is not a super easy/fast read like many of her other books which is a nice change from the majority of what I’ve been reading lately. Sometimes if it’s too easy or fast paced, I have zero clue or memory what the book was even about 6 months later. Is a book actually “good” if you can’t recall even reading it? This was enjoyable and a good story.
January 5, 2022
This novel promised a lot, but didn't actually deliver much in the end of what seemed to be promised in the blurb. It's a decent enough tale, and I'd throw it into the mystery genre. The times it tried to build tension didn't always deliver, and I felt there were sections that went round and round the same points too many times, when it could have been cut to a few paragraphs.
I thought the intertwining storylines were cleverly crafted, and many of the characters did come alive on the page.
If you think this is going to be a paranormal or horror story, don't bother reading. It's neither - it's basically a mystery and drama.
I thought the intertwining storylines were cleverly crafted, and many of the characters did come alive on the page.
If you think this is going to be a paranormal or horror story, don't bother reading. It's neither - it's basically a mystery and drama.
Read
April 4, 2020Oooh this was another one that held up well! I remember enjoying it very much when I read it the first time and I enjoyed it again upon re-read. The character work is interesting in this one although I think it suffers, perhaps, from a few too many characters in total. I also appreciate Rayne's characteristic "antagonist who is also somewhat sympathetic but at the same time terrifying" work. This books is particularly good in the fact the historical and present-day narratives are equally interesting which isn't always the case
April 7, 2021
Sarah Rayne is one of my 'go-to' novelists; her stories are so deliciously sinister and macabre. I did enjoy this one and I finished it quickly. The premise was creepy and I loved the way all the timeframes and characters intertwined. However it's not one of my favourites. There was something missing and I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it was the characters. I found them a little wooden especially the 'goodies'. I wouldn't recommend this as a first Rayne novel to try. I'd say pick up the Michael/Nell series which is great :)
June 26, 2018
Like so many others have said, the blurb for this book was incredibly misleading, which was a disappointment. The story had such great potential but for some reason it just fell short.
I think the author tried to tackle way too many characters, and because of that we didn't get to really 'know' any one particular character; there was no character depth or development.
Overall it was an 'okay' read, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.
I think the author tried to tackle way too many characters, and because of that we didn't get to really 'know' any one particular character; there was no character depth or development.
Overall it was an 'okay' read, but I wouldn't really recommend it to anyone.
August 6, 2018
An engaging combination of psychological horror, mystery, and romance, this novel caught my attention almost at once. Part way through, I wanted to stop reading, which, in this case, is a compliment: I was so worried about the fate of the protagonist that I wasn't sure I could continue reading. To me, the mark of a great novel is an engagement with the characters profound enough to disturb my actual real life. This was one of those books. I recommend it.
September 10, 2025
Well I was excited to read this book but it fell short for me, it was a little confusing n times as well.
Old hanging jail? A film crew hunting ghosts? A possible psycho desperate to keep the past secret?? This is was I was expecting
Unfortunately this isn't the case. I was hoping for Ghost, demons maybe some murder!? It just didn’t happen.
I’d never say not to read a book because it might be good for someone else, I just feel like I wouldn’t recommend it.
Old hanging jail? A film crew hunting ghosts? A possible psycho desperate to keep the past secret?? This is was I was expecting
Unfortunately this isn't the case. I was hoping for Ghost, demons maybe some murder!? It just didn’t happen.
I’d never say not to read a book because it might be good for someone else, I just feel like I wouldn’t recommend it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2023
This is the second of Sarah Rayne's novels that I have read. Consistently I am shocked at how fast paced and absorbing they are. I am unsure how she is not likened to Ruth Ware and Riley Sager regularly...and isn't as widely read as they are! Her novels are so well written and paced that she most definitely deserves a place among them.
March 16, 2020
Fascinating story story of a woman trying to find out about her families history in England.
She is lead to an old goal (jail) that was used as an exacution area.
Ghosts, saiances and murders. Lots of twists and turns.
If you like 'who done its' this is a good book for you. Enjoy
She is lead to an old goal (jail) that was used as an exacution area.
Ghosts, saiances and murders. Lots of twists and turns.
If you like 'who done its' this is a good book for you. Enjoy
January 2, 2021
All comes together a bit too neatly in the end. I picked the connections early on in the book which made the jumping back and forth between timelines a distraction. The cover says There CAN be a fate worse than death. It turns out that fate is nothing supernatural, its being in the wrong family 😂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2018
Slow starting out and so nearly didn't continue with it, in the end very intriguing and had me hooked trying to figure out who was who aND how they connected.
July 23, 2018
Loved this. Can’t wait to read more!
November 15, 2019
I love her other books I've read buyvi just couldn't get into this one
I found it really drawn out and a bit boring
Only got halfway through it
Her other books are so much better
I found it really drawn out and a bit boring
Only got halfway through it
Her other books are so much better
June 9, 2020
In the beginning I started to lose interest but I kept going and about halfway the story really picked up. Lots of twist and turns , I couldn’t put it down . I’m very glad I stuck with the book.
September 29, 2021
2.5 stars rounded to 3.
Read
June 13, 2023oops clicked on wrong book
June 21, 2023
I wish I could give it more stars! It isn't often that I get so absorbed in a story that I'm sad to see it end, but this was one of them. I am looking forward to reading more of her books!
March 5, 2024
A great read , good twist through the book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews