Review-The Anatomy of Ghosts, by Andrew Taylor

THE ANATOMY OF GHOSTS
Andrew Taylor
Hyperion
January 2011,
$24.99, 432 pages
978-1401302870

Book Description from Publisher

“1786, Jerusalem College, Cambridge
The ghost of Sylvia Whichcote is rumored to be haunting Jerusalem ever since student Frank Oldershaw claimed to have seen the dead woman prowling the grounds and was locked up because of his violent reaction to these disturbed visions.
Desperate to salvage her son’s reputation, Lady Anne Oldershaw employs John Holdsworth, author of The Anatomy of Ghosts—a stinging account of why ghosts are mere delusion—to investigate. But his arrival in Cambridge disrupts an uneasy status quo as he glimpses a world of privilege and abuse, where the sinister Holy Ghost Club governs life at Jerusalem more effectively than the Master, Dr. Carbury, ever could. And when Holdsworth finds himself haunted—not only by the ghost of his dead wife, Maria, but also by Elinor, the very-much-alive Master’s wife—his fate is sealed. He must find Sylvia’s murderer, or else the hauntings will continue. And not one of this troubled group will leave the claustrophobic confines of Jerusalem unchanged.

- Hyperion Books

My Review

I don’t often read mysteries, although when I picked up The Anatomy of Ghosts, I was lured into this haunting tale that took place at Jerusalem College, a fictitious campus in 18th century England. I have included the publisher synopsis above and a trailer is available at the Hyperion site,so for the sake of brevity, I will forgo a plot review.

If you have not read anything written by Andrew Taylor, you will definitely want to pick up his newest book. A new author to me, I was charmed throughout. His writing is exciting, each page adds another layer of complexity that complicates and masks the ability to unravel all the ends. There are over twenty intriguing characters who provide a continuous barrage of activity. Each unique and essential, the cast creates a perfect counterpoint to this composition. His writing adds intense clarity with distinct attention to the nuances within each scene. Highly recommended.

Disclosure: This was an ARC sent as a gift from the publisher. My review is my honest unbiased opinion.



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