Hey there, book lovers!
As per usual, I’ve been going against the seasonal grain the last few weeks: the sun has finally been shining, so I chose to read a creepy thriller set in the middle of nowhere with ghosts galore! You know me, always a mood reader. When the spooky mood strikes me, there’s no point fighting it! So I read one of Simone St. James’ older novels: ‘Silence for the Dead’ and lost myself in post-war horror.
What is ‘Silence for the Dead’ about?
In an effort to escape her dead-end life in the city, Kitty Weekes obtains a job as a nurse at Portis House, a hospital for shell-shocked soldiers – a job she is not prepared for at all in terms of nursing experience or what she will be met with!
Kitty soon discovers there is much more to Portis House than meets the eye. The building itself is falling down, despite being relatively new; the soldiers have horrific nightmares that cannot be explained even by their war experiences; and why exactly did the previous owners leave so suddenly?
Whilst there, she meets Jack Yates, who is somewhat of a celebrity being hidden away from the public eye after his wartime experience. They form an alliance that proves unpopular amongst the other staff but when disaster strikes at the hospital, Kitty doesn’t know who to trust or how they can escape the many ghosts haunting this particular hospital.
Should you read ‘Silence for the Dead’?
This was a very interesting read for me. If you have ever read any of Simone St. James’ more recent novels, you’ll find this one a very different style of book. Her superb historical fiction skills shine through as always, with plenty of research clearly having been done into post-war PTSD and the attitudes towards men suffering from this. However, it doesn’t have the modern narrative running alongside it that I’ve become used to. This was not an issue at all though! The story itself was compelling enough with one narrative to keep me hooked, and flashbacks to Kitty’s own journey up to this point were perfectly placed to keep me guessing.
In terms of characters, I really liked the contrasts between the different soldiers staying in the hospital. There were quite a lot of them but St. James gave them all absolutely unique personalities. Whilst Kitty and the nurses in the hospital were all relateable, and realistically flawed as they struggled through the incredibly difficult job they were doing – again, something I imagine was very true to the reality of this time period.
Now let’s talk scares: Simone St. James never disappoints with her creepy atmospheres! This old manor house converted into a hospital, complete with abandoned library and grounds surrounded by impenetrable forests, was no exception. There were some very spooky moments and enough mystery to keep me on my toes – what more could you ask for?!
Final thoughts
All in all, a creepy historical horror with a superbly atmospheric setting and enough red herrings to keep you guessing right to the end.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Back soon!
Bookish Blonde x
Bookish Blonde 