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The Horror at Lavender Edge: Supernatural Terror in 1970s London

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London, October 1971:

Reluctant psychic Harry Undine has problems.

Hippies would consider his sixth sense 'cool', but Undine loathes it. More than that, he fears the soul-wrenching pain it can inflict, and the risk of people glimpsing the shameful sensitivity beneath his macho surface. Undine isn't the man he wants to be, no matter how much he pretends otherwise.

Seeking a cure has become an obsession – a secret, lonely quest more important than the paranormal research he should be carrying out for the Corsi Institute.

The last person Undine needs in his life right now is Jo Cross, a young policewoman determined to secure help for a terrified old lady.

And the last place he should visit is Lavender Edge. In that sinister house on the outskirts of London, something more ancient and more horrifying than Undine could imagine has already begun to stir.

(Content warning: adult language, death. Please note: this story is set during the 1970s and contains some language and behaviour reflecting the prevailing attitudes of the time.)

302 pages, ebook

Published November 5, 2019

5 people are currently reading
24 people want to read

About the author

Christopher Henderson

5 books22 followers
Christopher Henderson has haunted south London (UK) in one form or another ever since he was born at the dawn of the 1970s.

Only a few months earlier, human beings had walked on the surface of another world for the first time. Yet on the day Henderson arrived, and on the other side of the same city, modern Londoners were preparing to hunt and stake a vampire in Highgate Cemetery.

It was the start of a weird decade – perhaps the weirdest ever. A technological age steeped in the heady vapours of witchcraft and the occult. A time when ghosts and poltergeists could be serious news items, monsters lurked in every lake and wood, and Flying Saucers flitted through the skies. All that strangeness left its mark on a growing boy.

Henderson's first career in writing (under a different name) concentrated on non-fiction, or at least on the shadowy outer edges of fact. Occasional forays into writing fiction garnered him a smattering of local and national awards, but for the most part his articles and books, published both traditionally and independently, specialized in folklore and real-life paranormal experiences.

That person is dead.

In this incarnation, Henderson writes fiction, and especially supernatural horror fiction, in defiance of a country, a world, and a modern era he no longer wishes to acknowledge.

He is the author of Artemis One-Zero-Five – 'a really well done, character-driven sci-fi/horror story' (Kendall Reviews) – and writes the Undine and Cross 1970s-set horror thrillers, of which the first, The Horror at Lavender Edge, is 'a terrific and imaginative read' (Home Grown Horror Reviews). Acclaimed horror writer, editor and critic Ramsey Campbell described the finale of Henderson's short story Tourist Traps (published in the Diabolica Britannica charity anthology) as 'a little masterclass of understated dread'.

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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Steve Stred.
Author 88 books672 followers
November 26, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **

I discovered Henderson last year when I read his sci-fi/horror release ‘Artemis One-Zero-Five.’ I loved the mash-up that he presented and loved the ideas that moved the story along.

Now, Henderson returns, but instead of tackling future horror again, he’s now bringing us a classic haunted house tale set back in the ’70s.

I think the time period for this one is key. Growing up, I remember reading The Weekly World News and at the time, occasionally seeing some ghost shows on TV, but for the most part, paranormal related activities or past times were a fringe thing – people didn’t discuss it much out of fear of ridicule. Now as time progresses, some of society has embraced this ‘other’ world.

What really makes this tick is the idea that back then, a group of ghost hunters would set up some cameras (often polaroids) and use handheld tape recorders to try and capture phenomena.

It is with that in mind that we arrive at Lavender Edge. A house with a history, known to many.

We get thrust in quickly to the action, Police Woman Jo has stumbled on a lady dealing with substantial grief. Something else is going on at her residence and Jo wants to get to the bottom of it. She contacts a group of ghost hunters, who at first are standoffish towards her, before agreeing to investigate.

This story had some super creepy parts. Moments where I felt like stopping and going to another of my on-the-go books, but I pushed through. Haunted house stories always get to me, always make me question the noises I hear outside of the bedroom while reading. What was that that just brushed my foot? Henderson does it with the best of them.

I did struggle with some of the dialogue, specifically at the start with Jo. It ground on me that she appeared a bit unhinged when she was also a highly professional police officer. I also never once connected with the character Undine. I see now that the book is labelled Undine and Cross #1, so I’m presuming we may learn more about the backstory and what Undine exactly is, but as a single read, the character was oftentimes confusing and disruptive. I wished often that less of him would be included.

Other than that, this was a really fun ghost story. Another great haunted house tale that is sure to creep out a lot of readers and make us look differently at wallpaper for sure.
Profile Image for Catherine McCarthy.
Author 31 books319 followers
September 5, 2020
A thoroughly enjoyable read. The Horror of Lavender Edge is the story of a haunted house, crossed with elements of cosmic horror, set in London in the 1970’s. I found the very beginning a little confusing, but perhaps that was just me. Once the plot got going, though, it flowed really well.
The characters were well drawn and distinct from one another. The novel is well written and imaginative, and my favorite scenes were set at the haunted house and the local shop (which reminded me so much of life in the 1970’s).
If you enjoy supernatural fiction with lots of action you can’t go far wrong with this one.
Author 31 books83 followers
February 13, 2022
Where has this book been all my life! I loved this. The plot, the characters, the Fortean events. I thought it might be a little like Harry Price's or Maurice Grosse's real life investigations and it was a little, in the sense that it actually feels like something that could also be true. Brilliantly creepy and needs a lot more readers. This was on my TBR pile too long and that was my mistake
Profile Image for Morgan Tanner.
Author 13 books35 followers
November 12, 2020
Haunted house stories, eh? There’s loads out there. Some follow generic plot formulae, bombarding you with strange sounds and the like, none of which manage to frighten you as you’ve seen it all before.

Some, on the other hand are expertly crafted, forcing you to feel like your own house is haunted as the words on the pages grip your soul like the ghost of a long-dead strangler, or something.

Christopher Henderson’s tale manages to take all the very best things of a haunted house story then gives it an almighty twist. I’m sure the characters of this book really wished it was simply a ghost house they were investigating. But no, they’re up against an even more terrifying antagonist.

Before I mention the plot I’d like to point out the setting of this story; 1970s London. Now I’ve never lived in the 70s, but I’ve seen enough old shows and movies and news footage, and heard enough stories from those around in that time, to get some kind of idea of how things were back then. Some books and films written/made in the present day that are set in the past really try too hard to remind you of this every five minutes. (Ahem – Stranger Things).

But here you never get that forced down your throat. There aren’t countless references to pop culture, songs in the charts, programmes on TV; the whole setting in subtly crafted, and I really appreciated that.

Things like women being treated with a lack of respect, the fact that everyone’s smoking all the time, and the supposedly state-of-art and exciting technology which is very basic by today’s standards; these kinds of things make the book feel unique and real without the prose needing to constantly yell that it’s the 1970s.

So what’s going on then? Our main dude, Harry Undine, is a guy with a special talent, although he’d be loathe to call it that. He’s part of a special team of paranormal investigators who check out strange happenings in supposedly ‘haunted’ buildings.

The team are full-on ‘in this for the science’, and Undine kind of hopes it is all explainable by said science. Oh, how wrong he is.

The team are approached by a lady cop, Jo, who wants them to investigate a weird old house that she happened to visit as part of her policing ting. The old lady who owns the house thinks there’s some supernatural shenanigans going on, and wants to get to the bottom of it. The team agree to help, secretly sceptical but interested enough to check it out.

Undine’s colleagues are portrayed really well. The banter between the three of them is genuine, with each one adding something different to the team’s dynamic. The enthusiastic Archie, the excitable Ray, and the miserable Undine.

Soon enough they venture inside the intimidating Lavender Edge with their primitive investigative equipment, ready to see what exactly is going on.

The tension created was top drawer. The house itself becomes a malevolent character that’s seemingly aware of these guys trying to work out what secrets it hides. I can’t say much more than that really.

Before long Undine needs to embrace his gift to save the day. What started as a straight-up haunting story suddenly turns into a cosmic horror-fest.

The ending is fantastical and world-bending. The dark realms beneath this material world battle to take over and tortured souls, forever imprisoned, plead to be released from their torment. It’s all great stuff and really takes the story on an unexpected tangent. The other-worldly descriptions and the horrors they contain is truly the stuff of nightmares.

The only real negative I found here was the name of the house. Something a little creepier would have made things that bit more terrifying. But then if that’s all I can criticize then that’s a good thing. I suppose having the house named after a nice smelling plant does make it scarier.

So if you’re tired of haunted houses and the ghosts that occupy their creaky floorboards, take a visit to Lavender Edge. Just remember to keep hold of your soul while you’re there.


Profile Image for D.K. Hundt.
825 reviews27 followers
August 9, 2022
THE HORROR AT LAVENDER EDGE – by Christopher Henderson

Setting - London, 1971

‘Harry Undine is psychic, and it's tearing him apart.’

‘When his so-called gift kicks in, the pain can be deep and soul-wrenching – a pain nobody would understand, even if Undine revealed the truth. Which he won't. That sort of sensitivity might be considered 'cool' by hippies and New Age freaks, but it's a million miles from the tough Rat Pack image Undine aspired to when he was growing up.’

In the first half of the book, there is a hiccup or two along the way but in the second half…Oh, My—Hold On To Your Knickers!! *Chefs Kiss* Perfection!

Recommend!

‘A few inches from his face, a spider had spun a web between the old brick wall and an overhanging branch of a tree that stood inside the garden, and [he] fleetingly wondered whether a fly could ever appreciate the intricate strands of the pattern that had ensnared it.’

Source: eBook/Own
Currently A KU Book
Publisher: Shadowtime

Profile Image for Will Blosser.
49 reviews19 followers
March 21, 2020
Christopher Henderson’s The Horror at Lavender Edge is a tale of cosmic and supernatural forces inhabiting a house in 1970s London. On its surface, this is a classic, and perhaps overused, haunted house story. But as the book progresses, Henderson’s story takes twists and turns and ends up as something completely different.

Lavender Edge follows the members of a supernatural research team working for an organization vaguely referred to as The Corsi Institute. During a routine patrol, a strange old man begs policewoman Jo Cross to visit an old house called Lavender Edge and help the woman living there. When she agrees, she learns that supernatural events have been occuring in the house, and seeks the help of the subject matter experts of the Institute.

In a refreshing take, the Institute’s researchers aren’t Moulder-esque “I want to believe” types; having much more in common with the scientific and sceptical minded Scully. They approach the supernatural with a scientific and inquisitive mind, and attempt to clarify, classify and logically explain. Leading the research efforts is Professor Archie James, accompanied by fellow scientist “Sunny” Ray Buckley and Harry Undine. Undine is a rough-around-the-edges noir type antihero. In the opening scenes, we learn that Undine has some sort of psychic ability which makes him sensitive to places where extreme emotion occured. For personal reasons, Undine refuses to let his fellow investigators in on his secret. Initially, Undine’s blatant lies to his friends make him a very unlikable character. Archie and Ray are struggling to find proof of certain phenomenons, and all the while Undine has the answers they seek. As the story progresses and we learn more about Undine’s past, this initial dislike fades and he becomes a much more appreciable character.

The thing that sets Lavender Edge apart from other haunted house stories is the root cause of the ‘haunting’. I’m a firm believer that reviews should never spoil books, so I won’t get too specific. Suffice it to say that Henderson presents a wildly imaginative, terrifying antagonistic force of massive cosmic scope. The final, climactic chapters take the story in an absolutely unexpected direction. Henderson truly hits his stride in the final showdown. Here, he displays an amazing ability to visualize abstract concepts and psychic ideas. Henderson’s creatively visual metaphors for psychic attacks and defenses, and the reality-bending effects of the battle really bring the narrative to an incredible head. It seems to me that the core creative root of Henderson’s narrative is in these final chapters, and the passion he poured into them truly shows. That final showdown was by far my favorite act of the story.

The Horror at Lavender Edge is a terrific and imaginative read. Henderson’s gritty, realistic characters and interesting background and lore weave together to create an immersive narrative. There isn’t much gore or violence; the horror is much more psychological. Fans of the classic haunted house story will find a fresh take on the genre, which you’ll especially appreciate if you’re tired of the common tropes. If cosmic horror is more your speed, you’ll love it as well, though it isn’t cosmic in the classic sense either. Henderson manages to pull from a variety of genres without falling victim to the same overused plot devices so often seen. The Horror At Lavender Edge is fresh, original, and certainly worth a look.
Profile Image for Russell Smeaton.
Author 20 books18 followers
January 30, 2021
I was fortunate to receive a copy of Christopher's novel in return for a review he gave of my own book. This is a great book, one which I really enjoyed and found hard to put down. It's not a perfect book (hence the 4 stars) but one that kept me turning the pages.

The negatives then. The 70s theme didn't really work for me. It didn't put me off, but I didn't really think it added anything to the tale other than the characters reluctance to express their feeling. Also the characters started off a tad cliched.

The positive far outweigh the negatives. Those cliched characters soon develop into fully thought out characters, people I got to know and care for. The plot was well thought out, and whilst the pacing occasionally dipped, it progressed nicely, chapters ending with nice little cliff-hangers. There are some beautiful descriptions and passages to be enjoyed, making it a very enjoyable read.

Overall, I would most certainly recommend this book. It's fantastically well written, has a cracking plot and leaves it open for another adventure!
Profile Image for Nicole.
535 reviews14 followers
December 29, 2019
The story of Lavender Edge grabs you and pulls you in from the very first page! The writing is smooth and polished and incredibly easy to read. The characters are well developed, quirky but relatable and likable - not in spite of, but because of their flaws. A very enjoyable read for any horror fan!
Profile Image for Valerie.
657 reviews17 followers
November 10, 2019
Lavender Edge is a “thin place”. The Weall is what protects this place keeping a barrier of sorts up. Renovations begin within Lavender Edge putting this barrier at risk! Along came a group of three men who try to explain ghosts by using scientific ways. Certain events, angry, violent ones are supposedly imprinted on the environment in some exotic manner yet to be defined forming “ghoul zones”. When the right person comes along, they interact with the zone in such a way that they trigger the recording and see what seems to be a ghost. Along with the help of an ex police officer they take on those that are trying to cross over!

This was a good one! Ending was a little anticlimactic for me. Was left with some unanswered questions! Also when Undine(one of the three guys) was in the unknown it became unfocused for me!
Profile Image for Cindylou.
124 reviews3 followers
December 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I’m curious to what Undine and Jo have planned next. Great characters and location. The author makes you feel as if you are right beside the characters watching the horror unravel.
Profile Image for Luke Walker.
Author 55 books77 followers
September 6, 2023
Great old-school horror with a superb eye for the 70s. Looking forward to more in the series.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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