The Silent Companions, Laura Purcell. Paperback.

Gothic, dark, unnerving.

The Silent Companions is the perfect October read for anyone who likes a good old-fashioned ghost story. Purcell will keep you guessing, in the gothic spirit of The Turn of the Screw, as to whether the protagonist is the victim of a malicious haunting or has merely lost her mind. I enjoyed this as a creative, creepy, and richly historic read that toggles back and forth between protagonist Elsie Bainbridge in 1865 and the diary of her late husband’s ancestor in 1635. The diary reveals the secrets of the manor house Elsie has inherited, but may not be able to protect her from what lurks silently in the shadows.

Favorite Quotation: “If you’re too squeamish to talk business with a lady, you had better leave now.”