The Anatomy of Ghosts is the new spooky and historical novel by Andrew Taylor, set late in the 18th century it’s a tale of ghosts, privilege and abuse in Jerusalem College, Cambridge. An old fashioned crime fiction novel, the plot is cleverly intertwined with a variety of sub plots throughout building to a crescendo at the book’s conclude.
The characters, as you would expect are plentiful and Taylor spends a great deal of time ensuring that the main characters have a wonderful colour and depth.
When I first picked up the book to review for Penguin, it took me a few chapters to find the true pace of the book and all its idiosyncrasies that comes with the old English style it is written in.
With this in mind I found the beginning a little confusing and had to revisit the first two chapters to make sure I understood what had happened!
Let me assure you this is far from a negative, I have never read a period book before and I’m certain the old style confused the left side of my brain!
John Holdsworth has lost everything; his wife Maria who drowned in the Thames, child Georgie and his business – the later ruined by candlelight fire destroying the majority of his valuable books. Taylor’s magnificent narrative captures the essence of period Cambridge, the sights, sounds and smells of the time truly coming alive. Forced to lodge with the Farmer’s in the house he had previously shared with his wife, Holdsworth struggles to come to terms with his predicament.
Following publication of his very own “Anatomy of Ghosts” Holdsworth receives a curious offer from Lady Anne Oldershaw to rehabilitate her sick son Frank and to take stock of her late husband’s library. The offer sets in motion a …
