The Salvation of Henry Maxwell is a masterful descent into gothic suspense, where reality blurs with cinematic nightmares in a twisting, unforgettable story.

As a fan of Gothic-themed books, The Salvation of Henry Maxwell by Lee Lindauer captivated me right from the start. This haunting tale blends mystery, dark secrets, and intense emotions, all set against a richly atmospheric backdrop. The gothic elements, foreboding landscapes, morally complex characters, and the exploration of inner darkness are masterfully done, creating an eerie yet engaging atmosphere that fans of the genre will appreciate.

Gothic Horror with heart and depth. I found this a moving and compelling exploration of grief, old Gothic horror movies, mania, and different kinds of love.

A young attorney strives to help a haunted elderly horror actor in his isolated castle. Passions from Old Hollywood and the many people affected by long-ago events come to life.

The suspenseful scenes, and the California setting with many creepy places are cinematic.

Although the pacing meandered occasionally, it kept my interest due to the strong characterizations and the emotional and perceptive depth. The atmosphere and the journey shared by the main characters are beautifully developed.

The author finesses dread and delivers chilling scenes. Suspense, danger, and shocks intensify. The many layers come together in a satisfying finale.

Highly recommended for Horror fans.

Thank you, Wild Rose Press for the review copy via NetGalley. These are my opinions.

“The Salvation of Henry Maxwell” by Lee Lindauer is an enjoyable Gothic Horror Thriller based on the golden era of B-horror movies. The story revolves around an 85 year old horror movie super star suffering from severe depression. He is haunted by his past and his beloved wife’s mysterious death. A young female attorney who has been appointed his conservator is sent to take care of him and she is tasked with assessing his psychological competence. She moves in to his spooky Castle complete with underground passageways, his collection of first edition scripts and horror movies. Not only does she face the mystery of the wife’s death but also the mystery of an infamous script that seems to be predicting the current real life grizzly murders happening around her.
There are multiple storylines happening that come together in a creative way at the end, with some paranormal and supernatural elements. The novel is a bit creepy and has a few descriptive grizzly scenes which just add to the fun if you are a fan of this genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Wild Rose Press Inc. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

When I was growing up, Saturday afternoon kiddies’ matinees were a staple of my moviegoing experience. These shows often featured Vincent Price/Roger Corman horror films produced by American International Pictures. I loved Price’s sinister presence and commanding voice and followed him for the remaining 30 years of his career. Author Lee Lindauer pays tribute to those bygone B-horror movie days with his new thriller, “The Salvation of Henry Maxwell.” The title character is a fictional contemporary of Price, now 85 years old, who gets involved in a fascinating, multi-layered mystery spanning the decades from Maxwell’s heyday to 2013. Both Agatha Christie and H. P. Lovecraft would find much to enjoy in this story.

Time has not been kind to Henry Maxwell. He’s been retired since 1968 when his wife Lillian died, and his last movie was never completed, both under mysterious circumstances. He lives in an actual castle he bought at the height of his cinematic fame. Both the castle and Maxwell have fallen into disrepair, and the former actor has had a conservator appointed to handle his affairs. Jessica Barrow, an attorney with the law firm overseeing Maxwell’s conservatorship, moves into Maxwell’s castle so she can evaluate the actor and report on his competence. This task proves difficult, since Maxwell is cantankerous and fully capable of putting on a show. He’s also determined to find out the actual cause of his wife’s death decades earlier.

“The Salvation of Henry Maxwell” has two other mysteries besides how Lillian actually died. Maxwell’s last film, “Lady Julia’s Sarcophagus,” was never completed, and almost all copies of the film seem to have disappeared. David Grovene, a college professor who specializes in collectible film stock, tries to find the last remaining copy after the collector he was scheduled to meet was apparently murdered. Not only is the physical film and its ending a mystery, but the source novel is long out of print and also hard to find. The story’s final mystery is less esoteric and far grislier. Somebody revisits the filming locations for some of Maxwell’s movies and re-enacting gruesome murders from those films with live victims.

At times, the author juggles multiple storylines in “The Salvations of Henry Maxwell,” but the book is easy to follow. Further, the author ties all the loose ends together by the end of the book. The various storylines are related, but not in the ways most readers will guess. The ending is a bit ambiguous, with the possibility of some supernatural elements. Regardless of whether the book has a touch of the paranormal, it’s got many creepy sequences. Characters spend a lot of time finding their way in the dark on stairways and tunnels beneath the Maxwell castle and in other tunnels under the streets of Los Angeles through the abandoned subway system. Not surprisingly, for a book about vintage B-movie cinema, “The Salvation of Henry Maxwell” could make a great movie.

Beyond all the mystery elements, this book is a character study of an older man who is, in many ways, still haunted by the past. The police believe Maxwell may have committed one or more murders, and the extent, if any, of his guilt is one of the book’s more interesting puzzles. At times, his behavior makes little sense, but the ultimate explanation brought it together for me most satisfyingly.

Henry Maxwell was famous for Gothic horror, and the author incorporates elements of that writing genre in the book. Many chapters begin with excerpts from the fictional novel, “Lady Julia’s Sarcophagus,” and the author sometimes adopts that overwrought style. This bogs the book down, especially in the first few chapters. Fortunately, once the plot turns to the disappearing film copies, the pace picks up, and the book becomes much more enjoyable. “The Salvation of Henry Maxwell” could have also used more judicious editing at the end. The last few chapters were slow going.

Readers often say they’ve never read anything like the book they just finished. This is usually a sign of a somewhat limited reading history. But “The Salvation of Henry Maxwell” was a fresh experience for me. It has romance, mystery, suspense, and a love of a particular movie subgenre that went out of style around the time Henry Maxwell did. Despite occasional pacing issues, the book is a definite page-turner. My only regret is that Henry Maxwell didn’t leave me any real movies to watch.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

Just fantastic. The main character is one you will love to hate and there is just so much depth to how he has been created. I loved his back story as well as seeing how he interacted with others in his later years. It’s an unusual perspective and an even more unusual plot, but so reflective and dark that I couldn’t put this book down.

The Salvation of Henry Maxwell is a well written combination of gothic horror and suspense. The author catches your full attention from the get go and holds it throughout the book. Never a spoiler from me just that I definitely recommend.
Thank you Wild Rose Press, Lee Lindauer and NetGalley for this advanced reading copy.

335 pages

4 stars

This is a wonderful book. Henry Maxwell is eighty-five years old. He is a now retired horror film star. He literally ruled the genre back in the day.

He is slowly slipping into despair and perhaps insanity. His beloved wife, Lillian, passed away some forty years earlier. His psychological deterioration centers around her loss. He believes she is calling for him, he hallucinates, wanders Lillian’s gardens at night and has let his gothic mansion go to ruin.

His attorney team of conservators are worried about him and send young attorney Jessica Barrow to stay with Henry for a few days, or perhaps weeks to assess his condition. The curmudgeonly old man essentially dismisses her presence.

This makes for interesting interactions between the two.

This is a remarkably well written and plotted. Some of the transitions are a little shaky; sudden shifts in topic. I liked Henry in spite of himself and Jessica seems competent and likable. I enjoyed reading this novel and will look for other books by this author.

I want to thank NetGalley and Wild Rose Press, Inc. for forwarding to me a copy of this very good book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions cited in this review are solely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy the story, as well as the character of Henry Maxwell, who I could just picture so well, in his castle. I loved the old Hollywood gothic horror theme that surrounded the story and enjoyed the ending too. I’m not sure the writing style was for me, but I was intrigued and kept wanting to read more to find out what would happen.

The Salvation of Henry Maxwell by Lee Lindauer is a captivating blend of gothic horror and suspense. I found Henry's journey through loss and madness intriguing. The dark atmosphere and well-drawn characters made the story deeply emotional and gripping. A unique, haunting read.

Wow. Shades of a Vincent Price movie. What is going on at Maxwell Castle? Is Henry Maxwell hallucinating or is he haunted? And why, after all these years, is he looking into his beloved wife's supposed suicide? This story starts slowly but picks up velocity quickly, so quickly it is impossible to put down. Lots of twists and turns as the king of movie Gothic horror plays out his own story to the benefit or detriment of others.

A gothic and dark story that kept me reading
Due to health issues cannot write a proper review now even if I enjoyed this book. as it's well plotted, twisty and entertaining. I liked the good storytelling
A more extensive review will follow
Recommended.Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Wow. What an amazing book. The characters were so real that I pictured them as people I know in my life. The story kept me hooked and I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s a gothic mystery written like a literary book with characters I cared about. The epilogue is wonderful. It’s one of the best books I ever read.

The Salvation of Henry Maxwell by Lee Lindauer is a beautifully written novel that pulls you into a gripping mystery from the first page. The story of Maxwell's search for the truth behind his wife's murder is both haunting and suspenseful, keeping you on edge until the very end. Lindauer's evocative prose and intricate plot make this book a captivating read. If you're looking for a new book that has elements of suspense, mystery, Gothic romance and even old time Hollywood, then this needs to be your next read.

The Salvation of Henry Maxwell is a gripping and atmospheric read that hooked me from the start. The dark and Gothic elements, combined with the evocative backdrop of old Hollywood, create a rich, immersive experience. Henry Maxwell's emotional journey, haunted by his past and the ghostly presence of his wife, is both haunting and compelling. The suspense and twists kept me on the edge of my seat, and the intricate plot kept me guessing. This book masterfully blends sorrow and mystery, making it a must-read for fans of suspenseful, emotionally charged stories. I highly recommend it!

"The Salvation of Henry Maxwell" pulled me in with its eerie story of Henry Maxwell, a former horror star haunted by his past. At eighty-five, he wrestles with his wife's mysterious death and echoes of his movies in real-life events. Lee Lindauer tells this story with suspense and emotion that kept me hooked. I loved how it blends psychological intrigue with a supernatural twist—it's a must-read for anyone who enjoys a chilling, thought-provoking tale.

The interplay between Henry, young attorney Jessica Barrow, and film professor David Grovene adds depth and intrigue. This book is a deeply satisfying read for those who appreciate well-crafted, character-driven stories with a touch of the macabre. Lindauer's rich, atmospheric prose brings the decaying mansion and its haunting secrets to life.

As a retired movie buff, I found Henry Maxwell's tragic journey through fame, loss, and the eerie specters of his past incredibly compelling. It is a masterful blend of gothic horror and mystery, echoing the classic tales of old.

I can't wait to buy this book. *The Salvation of Henry Maxwell* by Lee Lindauer is a gripping gothic thriller that pulls you into the eerie world of a faded horror movie star. Henry Maxwell's descent into madness after his wife's death is intense, and the mystery surrounding his unfinished film keeps you on the edge of your seat. The creepy old mansion and dark secrets make for a chilling atmosphere. Jessica Barrow and David Grovene's investigation adds a cool detective vibe to the story. It's a haunting tale that blends horror, mystery, and psychological drama perfectly. Definitely a must-read if you love spooky and suspenseful stories!

It moves me and I feel how the tormented life of a former horror star Henry Maxwell, is haunted by the death of his wife and dark hallucinations. When he finds himself trapped in a life of grief and severe depression following the tragic death of his wife, Lillian, I can feel how his deteriorating grip on reality comes.

What a great turn of events specially when his lawyer and David became involved in his life. The way Lee described the mansion with full gothic ambience took me right in the middle of it.

It's a mix of sorrow, mystery, and redemption.

Compelling read indeed!

If you love a good mix of suspense, emotion, and gothic vibes, you’ll want to dive into this book. Just maybe leave the lights on while you read. The characters are well-developed, and the tension builds perfectly until the shocking finale.