The Soul Thief

by S.L. Howe

A brand new gothic horror for fans of Sarah Waters and Carly Reagon At the end of a long nightshift at the hospital Dr Warren Carter is offered a nightcap by a beautiful young nurse. Warren is exhausted and he knows he the consequences if he’s caught in the nurses’ quarters. He should resist, but he can’t. Rosie is very persuasive. That night everything changes for Warren and his life starts to crumble around him.

He turns to his dear friend Mitchell Bishop, a private investigator, for help – can he locate Rosie and discover the truth of that fateful night? But Mitchell can find no trace of Rosie, from what he can see she doesn’t exist. Instead, Mitchell finds a family gripped in madness.

When Mitchell sees Warren’s younger sister sectioned and his friend’s behaviour becoming increasingly erratic, he knows he must discover the truth before the whole family is lost. Mitchell is a rational man, looking for a rational explanation, but instead his investigations take him down an impossible path.

Genres: Horror, Novels

384 pages, Paperback

Published December 5, 2024

Reviews

[Mark]

Gothic horror is not my usual reading choice but it is always good to have a complete change of genre and see if you are ‘missing out’ and to experience something very different

Set in Manchester in the late 1800’s we meet a very eclectic set of characters, some shady, some ‘rum’ and some desperate for money who have in one way or another become part of a very strange set of events

The opening was very tense indeed and this continued throughout the whole story where life and the things people did to make ends meet was part of the story and not brushed under the carpet

I liked Neeraj and his tales and the look at Hindu culture, this was a unique addition to the book

It was a dark at times, scary at others and realistically of the era all the way through and for lovers of this genre you will be addicted to it, if like me its a different read you may surprise yourself how much you are drawn in to ‘The Soul Thief’ and enjoy the writing and intrigue

[Kelly (Little.shropshire.reader)]

Horror isn't my usual genre, and I'm still trying to find what type I like, but I think I've found it, gothic horror. I've read a few now, and this one has made me want to read more.

I've really enjoyed this gothic horror.i couldn't put it down. It was a compelling read. The story was intriguing and drew me completely onto it. I enjoyed how the plot unfolded, full of suspense and tension. It was dark and creepy. I held my breath a few times throughout. There were some great twists and revelations that I didn't work out. It kept me guessing.

The characters were well written and from all walks of life, a mixture of the lowest of the low and the well to do, each adding something to this story and brought it all together at the end. I loved Rosie's character. She brought the light to this dark tale.

Thank you, One More Chapter, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Page_2_Pen]

Review: I feel the author did well engaging the reader early on. It was more difficult to keep up with changing stories throughout the book, but did get easier as it went along. The story progressed a little slow, but did keep me intrigued and guessing. I enjoyed the twists and mystery of trying to figure out what was happening. Overall, the story was well told and interesting.
Summary: Mitchell grew up in India, lost his mother then father young. Returning as a young teen to England with his godfather, he moves forward, making the best of his new life. He develops and interest in detective work, falls in love, and the future seems bright. But as strange interactions occur and even stranger sicknesses with those he is close to, Mitchell begins to question parts of his reality. After expressing his experiences and worries with his close friend, the Indian servant of his godfather who moved to England with them, he is reminded of a story he was told long ago. The story is of the Indian belief of a soul thief. He begins to wonder if the mysteries surrounding his present day are somehow linked to this soul thief myth. Can he solve this supernatural mystery before anyone else gets hurt?
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Milt Theo]

I had a lot of trouble actually finishing the book. The writing style makes it very hard to keep reading the story: each chapter is interesting, polished, and drives the story forward, but taken all together it's a mess. Flashbacks destroy the pacing, the characters are acting inconsistently from chapter to chapter, the sexual scenes are cringey, and the overall plot tries to simulate familiar Gothic novels but fails miserably. It's incredible that this is not a debut novel. I cannot recommend this book.

[Faye Anne]

The Soul Thief is a gothic horror set in Manchester, UK in the late 1890s. I love reading books set in my local area, so the location, the historical period and the gothic horror genre were my initial draws to this book. It opens with a really strong, creepy start and from there I was hooked. I read this in one session. It's really fast paced, tense and eerie, and completely unpredictable. I was on edge reading it the whole time, which is I think what you want out of a gothic horror!

The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was that some of the impacts that you'd expect from a story like this one on the characters were conveniently avoided in the final chapters and the epilogue. In real life, the surviving characters would almost certainly be traumatised and/or in trouble with the police for the unexplained deaths.

[Happy Goat]

One of the reasons I tend to steer away from gothic stories is because generally, I'm not a "literary"/purple prose person and I struggle with these writing styles. One of my favourite things about this book is how accessible, yet interesting, the author's writing style is. I could enjoy the genre and the story without getting caught up on the language and the wording. Very enjoyable!

[Jo]

This was so creepy!! A young doctor in 19th century Manchester has a late night date with a nurse. Who then turns out not to exist. And then all sorts of weird stuff happens. Very much a page turner as you can't wait to find out what's happening.

[Jasmine]

I found the start of the story a little confusing but as i got into I was able to work out what was going on.
I enjoyed the story - interesting story line
Still not 100% if this is a genre I enjoy however I will keep exploring

[Kathleen]

Horrific murders, love affairs, Indian legends and bizarre changes in personality combine in The Soul Thief, a creepy and sometimes terrifying gothic horror story. Rosie, a beautiful young woman, meets Warren Carter and the disturbing events begin. Soon his family is affected and he consults a close friend, Mitchell Bishop. In a photography studio, Toby and his assistant Artie take pictures of young women for purchase. A beautiful woman begins to pose for them and their lives are changed. Neeraj, an Indian servant brought to England when Mitchell and his godfather returned, tells the story of the soul thief. This has, at the time, little meaning for Mitchell. It will.

A novel of horror is good if it draws you in slowly, making you believe in possibilities. The Soul Thief does this and more, using some sympathetic characters and the unfamiliar Victorian era and location. Read this but not at night! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK and S.L. Howe for this ARC.

[Denice Langley]

Gothic horror set with an eerie feel as the characters are drawn into a place and time that they'll not escape. My usual genre is mystery/thriller but sometimes a girl needs a little horror to stir things up a bit, and boy do they get stirred. As the web tightens around the doctor and his family, the grip of the soul thief brought this reader to a point that I had to take a break from the tension. SL Howe weaves a spell with words that leaves me wondering what else might be in his library of titles. 5 eerie stars

[Meagan]

I’m not familiar with the era that this book was based on. I have read several books in this genre, though. They seem similar, which is what I was looking for. I had a hard time following the characters and the transitions between the conversations and scenes. It is definitely a mystery and intense thriller. Overall, 4 stars.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUKOneMoreChapter for the #ARC to review. The opinions expressed are my own.
#SoulThief

[April]

Utterly loved this book as it was incredibly dark and twisty plus a large dollop of folklore horror... absolutely perfect!

The characters were great and I loved seeing how they all developed over the course of the book.

Initially, I couldn't work out where the story was about to take me as I had different theories but ultimately, I didn't see the ending coming.

Dark, twisty and utterly brilliant, this will suck you into the story and the ending will leave you floored!

[Melanie]

I really enjoyed The Soul Thief! The Victorian setting was a huge bonus for me, adding loads of atmosphere and making the story feel wonderfully gothic. The opening is eerie and gripping, and the mix of supernatural mystery and welldrawn characters kept me hooked. The only downsides were the cover and synopsis, which don’t quite match what the book actually delivers. Still, the story itself is dark, atmospheric, and very satisfying. A great pick for anyone who loves gothic horror!

[Mich Jane P]

This thriller suspense features a murder mystery that needs to be unraveled. It kept me wondering how everything would play out, and the revelation at the end doesn't fully explain certain aspects, such as why the soul thief attempted to kill her son. Overall, the story was a page-turner and quite frightening in some scenes.

[Neville Townsend]

This book draws you in from the first chapter and doesn't let you go till the last page. Well drawn characters good plotting. Warren asks Mitchell a private detective and friend for help. Lots of strange goings on. Victoirian horror at it best. Would love to see more of Mitchell and Rosie. Thanks to Harpercollins UK and Netgalley for this review ARC.

[Peter]

I enjoyed The Soul Thief, but it didn't grab me like other gothic chillers. Part of the pull of this kind of supernatural story is that the environment is as much a part of the story as the characters and the narrative. Sadly though, the setting of The Soul Thief just doesn't do that, so you're left with a competent story which (ironically) has no real depth or soul.

[Hannah]

fun wild gothic horror romp

The core plot was interesting how it all tied together in the end. I didn’t quite put the pieces all together so the mystery works really well.
Some head jumping threw me off at times so dropped a star for that.

[Sarah]

Solid 3.5. An enjoyable gothic horror with hints of Dorian Grey and Dracula.

[Kayleigh Dobbs]

I was entertained by this modern gothic and will be picking up more from this author. <3

[Steve Matthewman]

Enjoyable novel

[Chlo Hickson]

The first chapter had me hooked. It kept me wondering how everything would play out and constantly had me second guessing my own theories.

It has a unique plot, and some twists that honestly took me by surprise!

Perfect for people who love the Victorian era, horror, mysteries and romance.