When I’m looking for a new book, I often turn to YouTube to find a title. I only pick up a couple of thrillers a year, so I rely on vloggers who read this genre often to hear their thoughts and help me choose.
Many vloggers mentioned The Silent Companion, by Laura Purcell. It is a Gothic novel set in two time periods: the Victorian Era (1865) and the Jacobean/Charles I Era (1635)
The Victorian Era timeline introduces Elsie, who is newly widowed and pregnant. She and her husband’s cousin, Sarah, travel to her late husband Rupert’s home, which he inherited shortly before he died. Strange incidents happen when they move into the house.
You’ll also meet Anne and her family in the year 1625. She is the matriarch of The Bridge Estate, the same home where Elsie and Sarah go after Rupert’s death.
As you continue through the book, you will discover how these characters are connected. It’s atmospheric and strange. Then you encounter the companions…
Should you read it?….MAYBE
I liked the character development and the slow-burn of the storyline. I felt it impacted the book as a whole. The creep factor was minimal, yet effective. Purcell vividly describes the rooms in the dilapidated home, and the story holds a decent pace.
The book is fiction, but scenes with the companions were implausible. As descriptive as the rest of the book is, I could not picture what the individual companions looked like. So, I had difficulty grasping the significance of their aura. When I finished the book, I did some research, which gave me more insight. I should have done that as I was reading. That was my mistake.
It was an entertaining read, but not as extreme as I anticipated. Depending on your fear factor, personally, I needed more. Many YouTube vloggers I watched felt it was an intense read that stayed with them long after they finished. Personally, I didn’t feel that way.
So if you have tough skin as I do with horror books, then this one may be too passive. For all you ‘fraidy cats, this may be one you choose..lol Enjoy!
