A good gothic story set after WWI. When he goes to visit Hern Hall, he comes with a letter of the oldest son of the family who had died in the war. A lot of creepy senses and a history of sadness at the hall is overwhelming at times. Good story and one I high recommend.

A Gothic horror story, The Haunting of Hern Hall takes place in the aftermath of The Great War. John, an army chaplain who's lost his faith, travels to the manor of the family of his good friend and fallen comrade in arms, Will, to deliver a package. While there he learns of the historic and tragic family history, or possibly even curse, as he battles his own demons and encounters the cursed family sentinel and a spiritualist he believes to be a charlatan.
The narrative was skillfully written, and had an intense quality that makes you want to keep reading to see where the story goes next. It had a very deeply plotted element of historical and mythical beliefs, though towards the end they became a bit too fantastical. My only other issue with the book was the a bit too much of religious dogma and questions of faith that eventually felt overdramatic. But on the whole, it was a very enjoyable period piece.

John Elliot is a broken man after serving as an Army chaplain in WW1, both in body and spirit. The only thing he has held onto through his recovery is a package his friend Will Chiddingstone gave him, to hand deliver to his sister, Lucy, after Will’s death. Upon his arrival, John finds Will’s ancestral home, Hern Hall, to be in a perpetual state of mourning and haunted by numerous stories and legends. Lucy, Will’s blind and beautiful sister, tries to keep a positive outlook but she seems to be fighting against a strong tide. When the pair feel they have unlocked a way to bring some peace back to Hern Hall, they must risk everything to do so, even at the peril of their own lives.

This was an amazing gothic thriller that I just loved. The atmosphere was absolutely perfect right from the very beginning. The description of Hern Hall, the characters, the legends and lore, it all put you in the perfect mood for just snuggling in with this book and enjoying a spooky tale. Which is just what this book promised.

Plus, there’s a nice subplot in there with a little romance that I’ll admit, I fell for. But what can I say, I’m a sap. I can’t help it - I was just on tenterhooks waiting for the moment, if you know what I mean!

I won’t spoil all the spooky ooky stuff, but this one has all the perfect ones and I enjoyed them to the fullest. The ending was amazing as it all came together perfectly. It was like a campfire tale that wrapped up nicely and wholly, with a satisfying sigh.

I’d recommend this one for a great weekend in with a ghostly book and a nice drink by your side! You won’t regret it!

This is like Haunting of Hill house 2.0

Scare factor I would maybe give this a 2/5, but it's a quick and entertaining story for the upcoming spooky season

Set in the days following World War I, when spiritualism was on the rise as those left behind tried to contact their loved ones on “the other side “, this story follows a war vet suffering from PTSD. Determined to deliver a last message from a fallen comrade to his family, an army chaplain gets caught up in seances and spooky doings at an English country manor

3.5 stars. This book was fairly cut and dry. There was not anything wrong with it, but it was not amazing either.

3.5 ✨


An enjoyable tale.
The two main themes were well balanced.
The grief and aftermath of the war AND the spiritual aspect of the story.
John and Lucy were good main characters, and there was just the right amount of menace snd mystery running through the whole story.
I was not so keen on Lady Chiddingstone, who I felt needed a good slap 😁

All in all a goodread!