A Review By Zoe Boulton

Set in the fictitious Jerusalem College, Cambridge in the late 1786 this is a ghost story of sorts. Young Frank Oldershaw, a newly initiated member of the Disciples Club, becomes disturbed after seeing the ghost of recently deceased Mrs Whichcote in the college grounds. His mother employs the service of John Holdsworth, a published paranormal sceptic whose book “The Anatomy of Ghosts” was written as a reprove to those who gave his late, grieving wife false hope after the death of their child, to help her son to recover his wits. In the process of doing so Holdsworth has to navigate through the murky Cambridge underworld unravelling many secrets, whilst trying to make sense of his own ghosts.

 This was very well written, I felt as though I were walking through the hot, claustrophobic streets of Cambridge with the protagonist. Some of the minor, student characters seemed a little indistinguishable from each other to me, but other characters were very strong, such as the Master- Dr Carbury, massive, lumbering and unsteady, only thinking about his college and how each occurrence will impact on its future. My particular favourite character was Augustus, the put-upon, clumsy, but well meaning servant boy of the domineering villain Mr Whichcote. It is quite a Dickensian novel in places, with the portrayal of certain characters, such as Augustus whom I felt was very similar to Bailey in Martin Chuzzlewit, and the running and intricacies of the college also had a Dickensian feel.

 This was a very good read and, contrary to the declarations of the Observer on the front cover, it isn’t especially chilling, it’s not a ghost story of the paranormal type by any means. I’d describe it as being more of a mystery novel, a slowly revealed tale of intrigue. It is perfect for a gloomy afternoon.