The Haunting of Beatrix Greene- Book Review

 The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, Vicky Alvear Shecter

Publication Date: 28th Oct 2020
Genre: Historical Horror, Romance

3.8 stars

In Victorian England, Beatrix Greene has a reputation for being a trustworthy spiritual medium. She doesn’t believe in theatrics and keeps a low profile to avoid too much attention. James Walker, a scientist who’s been exposing fraud mediums, manages to get her attention. He offers her a proposal- stay with him (and two others) in the Ashbury Manor for a night to prove whether ghosts are real or not.

Beatrix, being a non-believer, feel wary of taking up James’s offer but goes ahead with it. She goes to the Manor with her childhood friend Harry, a smalltime actor, who’s acting services she uses from time to time for extra effect. She gets tiny bits of information about the terrible past of the Manor and the evil that resides in it. James has his own dark past and is desperate for answers.

What happens in the manor? Are ghosts real? Does evil have the power to control a person and their thoughts? What will happen to the blooming romance between James and Beatrix? Can James be rid of the weight of his past? Does Beatrix really have spiritual powers?

The book answers all these questions and more. I was quite torn when it came to deciding the rating. A part of me wanted to give it 4, and another wanted to keep it at 3.5. I found a midpoint and settled at 3.8 stars.

Reading a book written by three authors that has the narration from two points of view (J&B) in alternating chapters can be a mess. But this book makes it effortless. If not for the headings mentioning who wrote what, it would have been almost impossible to identify the parts written by different writers.

The POV shifts are smooth. There are hardly any jerks in the tone or the narration. I truly appreciate the authors and the editors who worked on this piece. I do wish they cut down a few adverbs.

Coming to the story, it’s quite predictable but still manages to hold interest. How will I know if my prediction is right or wrong unless I read it? The gore quotient is higher in the second half of the book. It is justified too, considering the storyline.

The descriptions are vivid (if you have a habit of imaging the scene, you might be a bit uncomfortable). The story reaches the end in stages, and that keeps us hooked. The climax is very well written, and I love the development of Beatrix’s character.

The ending (epilogue of sorts) hints at a solid happy ever after, which made me happy. The secondary characters are interesting, though it’s Beatrix who plays a crucial role. That leads me to the title. Though I was intrigued by it and the subtle cover image, I’m not sure how it fits the story.

Overall, it’s a well-written, fast-paced, historical fiction with a good dose of horror and enough elements of romance.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley and Serial Box. 

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