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Convalescence
Who will protect the children? Fourteen-year-old James has seen his family wiped out by tuberculosis in the England of the 1960s. When he is sent to the country to convalesce with his Uncle Thomas it seems a welcome respite. But his uncle is strange, and clearly has a dark secret. The huge house is secretive too, with whispers and cries in the night. Gradually James meets other children, some real, some apparently ghosts, but all of whom have been hurt by the uncle. Will James be next? In an eerie novella of repressed depravity, Maynard Sims conjures nightmares from the fears of childhood.
- GenresHorror
87 pages, Unknown Binding
First published November 3, 2015
About the author
Maynard Sims
63 books36 followersMAYNARD SIMS www.maynard-sims.com
The DCI Jack Callum series of crime novels - No Evil,Prime Evil and For Her Sins with The Detective Jack Callum Trilogy. The Bahamas series of thriller novels - Touching The Sun, Calling Down The Lightning, and Raging Against The Storm. The Department 18 series of supernatural crime novels - Black Cathedral, Night Souls, The Eighth Witch, A Plague Of Echoes, and Mother Of Demons. The crime novels Let Death Begin, Through The Sad Heart, and Falling Apart At The Edges. The supernatural novels, Shelter, Demon Eyes, Nightmare City, Stronghold, and Stillwater. The erotic romance novels, under a pseudonym, - The Love Project and The Romance Project.
One screenplay, based on the first two Department 18 books, won the 2013 British Horror Film Festival Award for Best New Screenplay.
Numerous stories have been published in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Collections include, Shadows At Midnight, 1979 and 1999 (revised and enlarged), Echoes Of Darkness, 2000, Incantations, 2002, two retrospective collections of their stories, essays and interviews, The Secret Geography Of Nightmare and Selling Dark Miracles, both 2002, Falling Into Heaven 2004, The Odd Ghosts, 2011, and Flame And Other Enigmatic Tales, and A Haunting Of Ghosts, both 2012. Their tenth collection of ghost stories and strange tales – Death’s Sweet Echo – which includes all their recent and new stories, many of them previously unpublished, is 2016.
Novellas, The Hidden Language Of Demons, The Seminar, His Other Son, and Convalescence have been published in 2002, 2003, 2013 and 2015 respectively. All their stories and novellas have been reprinted in eight uniform volumes through The Maynard Sims Library in 2014. An erotic romance novella, First Time Love, 2015 and First Time Arousal, 2016. Devil is a 2016 crime novella..
They worked as editors on the nine volumes of Darkness Rising anthologies. They co-edited and published F20 with The British Fantasy Society. As editors/publishers they ran Enigmatic Press in the UK, which produced Enigmatic Tales, and its sister titles. They have written essays. They still do commissioned editing projects, most recently Dead Water, and the Capital Crimes anthology for the ITW. They do ghost writing commissions.
Email contact can be made at ms@micksims.f9.co.uk
Find Maynard Sims on most social media - links are on the website
The DCI Jack Callum series of crime novels - No Evil,Prime Evil and For Her Sins with The Detective Jack Callum Trilogy. The Bahamas series of thriller novels - Touching The Sun, Calling Down The Lightning, and Raging Against The Storm. The Department 18 series of supernatural crime novels - Black Cathedral, Night Souls, The Eighth Witch, A Plague Of Echoes, and Mother Of Demons. The crime novels Let Death Begin, Through The Sad Heart, and Falling Apart At The Edges. The supernatural novels, Shelter, Demon Eyes, Nightmare City, Stronghold, and Stillwater. The erotic romance novels, under a pseudonym, - The Love Project and The Romance Project.
One screenplay, based on the first two Department 18 books, won the 2013 British Horror Film Festival Award for Best New Screenplay.
Numerous stories have been published in a variety of anthologies and magazines. Collections include, Shadows At Midnight, 1979 and 1999 (revised and enlarged), Echoes Of Darkness, 2000, Incantations, 2002, two retrospective collections of their stories, essays and interviews, The Secret Geography Of Nightmare and Selling Dark Miracles, both 2002, Falling Into Heaven 2004, The Odd Ghosts, 2011, and Flame And Other Enigmatic Tales, and A Haunting Of Ghosts, both 2012. Their tenth collection of ghost stories and strange tales – Death’s Sweet Echo – which includes all their recent and new stories, many of them previously unpublished, is 2016.
Novellas, The Hidden Language Of Demons, The Seminar, His Other Son, and Convalescence have been published in 2002, 2003, 2013 and 2015 respectively. All their stories and novellas have been reprinted in eight uniform volumes through The Maynard Sims Library in 2014. An erotic romance novella, First Time Love, 2015 and First Time Arousal, 2016. Devil is a 2016 crime novella..
They worked as editors on the nine volumes of Darkness Rising anthologies. They co-edited and published F20 with The British Fantasy Society. As editors/publishers they ran Enigmatic Press in the UK, which produced Enigmatic Tales, and its sister titles. They have written essays. They still do commissioned editing projects, most recently Dead Water, and the Capital Crimes anthology for the ITW. They do ghost writing commissions.
Email contact can be made at ms@micksims.f9.co.uk
Find Maynard Sims on most social media - links are on the website
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 3, 2015
Review copy
Maynard Sims is actually a "they." Len Maynard and Michael Sims have been writing together for more than forty years. In addition to supernatural thrillers, like Convalescence, they also write stories in the thriller, mystery, and suspense genres.
Although short on words, coming in at only 87 pages, Convalescence is long on story.
James Bently, fourteen, is the only member of his family to survive an outbreak of tuberculosis. Sent to live with his uncle Thomas, at his sprawling estate, it's not long before he hears what sounds like a child crying. Later, he begins to communicate with a mysterious entity on the property. With the aide of a house maid, sixteen-year-old, Amy, the riddle is eventually solved only to reveal a horrifying truth about what had taken place at his uncle's house.
Reading Convalescence was like stepping briefly into another time and place. The prose was lyrical and I loved the bits with James' little transistor radio, his only link to the outside world and British pop music of 1965. All in all, this was a truly wonderful ghost story.
From Samhain Horror, Convalescence will b available as an e-book on November 3, 2015.
If you are a fan of ghost stories you don't want to miss this one.
Maynard Sims is actually a "they." Len Maynard and Michael Sims have been writing together for more than forty years. In addition to supernatural thrillers, like Convalescence, they also write stories in the thriller, mystery, and suspense genres.
Although short on words, coming in at only 87 pages, Convalescence is long on story.
James Bently, fourteen, is the only member of his family to survive an outbreak of tuberculosis. Sent to live with his uncle Thomas, at his sprawling estate, it's not long before he hears what sounds like a child crying. Later, he begins to communicate with a mysterious entity on the property. With the aide of a house maid, sixteen-year-old, Amy, the riddle is eventually solved only to reveal a horrifying truth about what had taken place at his uncle's house.
Reading Convalescence was like stepping briefly into another time and place. The prose was lyrical and I loved the bits with James' little transistor radio, his only link to the outside world and British pop music of 1965. All in all, this was a truly wonderful ghost story.
From Samhain Horror, Convalescence will b available as an e-book on November 3, 2015.
If you are a fan of ghost stories you don't want to miss this one.
November 12, 2020
It is 1965 and tuberculosis has decimated James’ family – killing his parents and sister – and leaving him weak and sickly. He is sent to convalesce at his Uncle’s house in Dorset. The house is large and seems to hold many secrets. James’ father and his uncle had become estranged, so James had never before met his uncle Thomas. Creepy and eerie goings on in the house capture his childish imagination. He hears crying and music at odd hours.
He befriends Amy, a young maid at the house who tells him of her time in an orphanage. How during the summer holidays James’ uncle would invite some of the orphans to stay at his house. It seems Thomas Bentley is “a pillar of the community” and prone to altruistic endeavors.
Since James is in a weakened state he is more susceptible to the spirits that reside within the property. He gradually comes to meet some of these ‘ghosts’. Children – like him – who are doomed to reside there forevermore. Why? What could have happened to these poor children…?
James takes his book out to the summerhouse to read and get some fresh air. But the summerhouse has secrets of it’s own…
With a delightfully gothic feel this novella speaks to the child reader I once was. This is absolutely the type of book I would have relished as a preteen – which is about the age of James in the story. I’ve always loved stories of children who are alone in the world and are sent to large houses…. I’m thinking “The secret garden” and the like.
This is the first work by Maynard Sims that I have read. A supernatural thriller of only 87 pages, it should appeal to all ages who love traditional ghost stories.
He befriends Amy, a young maid at the house who tells him of her time in an orphanage. How during the summer holidays James’ uncle would invite some of the orphans to stay at his house. It seems Thomas Bentley is “a pillar of the community” and prone to altruistic endeavors.
Since James is in a weakened state he is more susceptible to the spirits that reside within the property. He gradually comes to meet some of these ‘ghosts’. Children – like him – who are doomed to reside there forevermore. Why? What could have happened to these poor children…?
James takes his book out to the summerhouse to read and get some fresh air. But the summerhouse has secrets of it’s own…
With a delightfully gothic feel this novella speaks to the child reader I once was. This is absolutely the type of book I would have relished as a preteen – which is about the age of James in the story. I’ve always loved stories of children who are alone in the world and are sent to large houses…. I’m thinking “The secret garden” and the like.
This is the first work by Maynard Sims that I have read. A supernatural thriller of only 87 pages, it should appeal to all ages who love traditional ghost stories.
August 27, 2015
Review: CONVALESCENCE by Maynard Sims
Each time I receive the opportunity to review a new Maynard Sims title, I want to leap to the rooftops for excitement. The author duo who comprise Maynard Sims are super-fantastic, churning out one excellent story after another. Their newest offering is CONVALESCENCE, and oh what a story it is! Coming from Samhain Horror on November 3, CONVALESCENCE will knock your socks off. I often say that the best horror combines the supernatural and the human; and this book features two of the sorriest human monsters I never want to meet! Maynard Sims confronts serious evil, without ever dwelling on sordid, gruesome, details, yet elicits a reaction of revulsion and horror nonetheless. CONVALESCENCE is don't-miss terror as only Maynard Sims can deliver.
Each time I receive the opportunity to review a new Maynard Sims title, I want to leap to the rooftops for excitement. The author duo who comprise Maynard Sims are super-fantastic, churning out one excellent story after another. Their newest offering is CONVALESCENCE, and oh what a story it is! Coming from Samhain Horror on November 3, CONVALESCENCE will knock your socks off. I often say that the best horror combines the supernatural and the human; and this book features two of the sorriest human monsters I never want to meet! Maynard Sims confronts serious evil, without ever dwelling on sordid, gruesome, details, yet elicits a reaction of revulsion and horror nonetheless. CONVALESCENCE is don't-miss terror as only Maynard Sims can deliver.
August 20, 2015
I love a great ghost story – and Maynard Sims certainly deliver. The premise is classic. A young orphan boy is convalescing from tuberculosis in his uncle’s large, country house, but someone is trying to communicate with him. The ghost of a young boy needs his help to right a terrible wrong. But what is he trying to tell him? What is the secret of the west wing? And, above all, who can James trust in this house of secrets and dark shadows? Set in the late 1960s, atmosphere dripped off the pages. I loved this gripping tale. More please!
September 11, 2015
The latest release from Maynard Sims, the pseudonym for long time writing partners Mick Sims and Len Maynard, is Samhain Horror’s Convalescence, a classic ghost story novella. The foundation of the story is traditional but entertaining, and the slow build to the revelation at the story’s end is engineered with great finesse. Sims and Maynard chose to focus on character development and atmosphere instead of cheap thrills and exploitation and the result is a classic ghost story that almost demands to read in one sitting.
The characters are backbone of the story and that begins with the narrator, Jimmy. He’s a 14 year old who has, over the past few months of 1965, lost his entire immediate family to an outbreak of tuberculosis, a disease he barely managed to survive a bout of himself. He’s sent to his only living relative, an uncle he’s never met named Thomas. In grand ghost story tradition, Jimmy is sent to a mysterious mansion in the countryside in care of an uncle more mysterious than his home.
As Jimmy is convalescing he comes to know the cast of supporting characters who populate the mansion. The harsh and unforgiving housekeeper Mrs. Rodgers sees to Jimmy’s immediate needs and seems to act as a sort of gatekeeper for Uncle Thomas, a man who seems nearly inaccessible. Young maid Amy is close to Jimmy’s age and seems to genuinely care his wellbeing, but Mrs. Rodgers warns Jimmy away from Amy. She thinks that Amy will fill Jimmy’s head with all sort of fantastic tales, tales that slowly unfold for Jimmy though not at Amy’s prompting. Eerie sounds, a girl crying and a seemingly self-starting gramophone prompt Jimmy to ask Amy about the history of the family and the house.
Amy fills in the history of the mansion and it’s connection to the orphanage she grew up in and how it all relates to Uncle Tom. The mystery is rounded out through Hughie, Mrs. Rodgers’s son who fled the house when he turned 16, and Michael, an orphan whose ghost is trying desperately to connect with Jimmy. What unfolds is a traditional ghost story told through fresh and innocent eyes by two writers at the top of their game.
The characters are backbone of the story and that begins with the narrator, Jimmy. He’s a 14 year old who has, over the past few months of 1965, lost his entire immediate family to an outbreak of tuberculosis, a disease he barely managed to survive a bout of himself. He’s sent to his only living relative, an uncle he’s never met named Thomas. In grand ghost story tradition, Jimmy is sent to a mysterious mansion in the countryside in care of an uncle more mysterious than his home.
As Jimmy is convalescing he comes to know the cast of supporting characters who populate the mansion. The harsh and unforgiving housekeeper Mrs. Rodgers sees to Jimmy’s immediate needs and seems to act as a sort of gatekeeper for Uncle Thomas, a man who seems nearly inaccessible. Young maid Amy is close to Jimmy’s age and seems to genuinely care his wellbeing, but Mrs. Rodgers warns Jimmy away from Amy. She thinks that Amy will fill Jimmy’s head with all sort of fantastic tales, tales that slowly unfold for Jimmy though not at Amy’s prompting. Eerie sounds, a girl crying and a seemingly self-starting gramophone prompt Jimmy to ask Amy about the history of the family and the house.
Amy fills in the history of the mansion and it’s connection to the orphanage she grew up in and how it all relates to Uncle Tom. The mystery is rounded out through Hughie, Mrs. Rodgers’s son who fled the house when he turned 16, and Michael, an orphan whose ghost is trying desperately to connect with Jimmy. What unfolds is a traditional ghost story told through fresh and innocent eyes by two writers at the top of their game.
September 5, 2015
This book follows the old style of terror, where things are slowly revealed, allowing the reader to wait in suspense for what is going to happen next. From the beginning it is hinted that there is something strange going on in the large house where the main character has been sent to recover from an illness, but it is not said exactly what.
For the most part, I thought this was a really interesting book with just enough suspense and unusual qualities to keep me excited about turning the pages. It isn't a terribly long book, but that serves it well. The reader has enough of a chance to get to know the characters, without the length seeming oppressive.
The one thing that bothered me about this book, is that I felt like due to the repeated use of the word "almost," that things were only kind of happening or about to happen, rather than actually happening. Some examples are "almost palpable," and "almost tangible." I like it when my characters just go ahead and do things, rather than when they almost do.
Otherwise, I thought this was a good read and that it was worth the time to check out. Recommended for those who like mysterious, spooky tales.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
For the most part, I thought this was a really interesting book with just enough suspense and unusual qualities to keep me excited about turning the pages. It isn't a terribly long book, but that serves it well. The reader has enough of a chance to get to know the characters, without the length seeming oppressive.
The one thing that bothered me about this book, is that I felt like due to the repeated use of the word "almost," that things were only kind of happening or about to happen, rather than actually happening. Some examples are "almost palpable," and "almost tangible." I like it when my characters just go ahead and do things, rather than when they almost do.
Otherwise, I thought this was a good read and that it was worth the time to check out. Recommended for those who like mysterious, spooky tales.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
September 19, 2015
Convalescence by Maynard Sims is a charming historical young adult story with a mysterious touch!
I found myself quickly getting lost in Jimmy's world! Poor boy just lost his entire family to tuberculosis -- the setting is England, 1960. Slightly ill himself, Jimmy is sent to the country to convalesce with his Uncle Thomas whom he'd never met before. Jimmy is understandably upset and a little lonely; his new caretakers seemed not to like him very much.
The only person James gets along with from the start is Amy, a young maid close to Jimmy’s age. Soon after moving in his uncle's mansion Jimmy has a couple of weird encounters with something beyond his comprehension.
I liked the mystery and ghostly activity and thought it was well done. Simple but great storytelling; highly recommended!
Many thanks to the Publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
I found myself quickly getting lost in Jimmy's world! Poor boy just lost his entire family to tuberculosis -- the setting is England, 1960. Slightly ill himself, Jimmy is sent to the country to convalesce with his Uncle Thomas whom he'd never met before. Jimmy is understandably upset and a little lonely; his new caretakers seemed not to like him very much.
The only person James gets along with from the start is Amy, a young maid close to Jimmy’s age. Soon after moving in his uncle's mansion Jimmy has a couple of weird encounters with something beyond his comprehension.
I liked the mystery and ghostly activity and thought it was well done. Simple but great storytelling; highly recommended!
Many thanks to the Publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and impartial review.
November 28, 2015
Set in the mid-60s, England, James is sent to convalesce in the country with his estranged uncle who he has never met. He has lost his parents and younger sister to TB. Once he arrives at his uncle's house he immediately experiences unusual activities that are spooky, but he befriends Amy, a maid who tells him about the house and its current inhabitants but beyond what she tells him is a secret that refuses to remain uncovered.
This page turner is my first from these two authors and I loved it. Reminiscent a little of Susan Hill in the beginning, I found this book one of the best horrors I have read recently. Sinister and chilling this is definitely a must read for horror thriller fans who can do without the gore.
This page turner is my first from these two authors and I loved it. Reminiscent a little of Susan Hill in the beginning, I found this book one of the best horrors I have read recently. Sinister and chilling this is definitely a must read for horror thriller fans who can do without the gore.
November 3, 2015
I received a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review. This is in no way reflected in my opinion of this novella.
Convalescence is a spooky tale of justice from beyond the grave. I really enjoyed this chilling novella! The story was atmospheric and well written with a cast of characters that fit perfectly. I really liked Jimmy, and Amy. It was easy to care about Jimmy especially, a boy who lost his family and everything he knew yet still remains hopeful and determined to do what's right. The secrets hiding in the old house are horrifying and make the ending one you can cheer over. This is a fantastic 4 star read.
September 16, 2015
A haunting novella
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/conval... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/conval... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
August 3, 2023
This was a solid "children's gothic" book, and I enjoyed reading it.
I unfortunately guessed early on what was actually going on (I'm not sure if that says something about the book industry that this is almost passé or if it says something about me?), but it was still...I don't want to say a "fun" read, but a good read, certainly. I enjoyed getting to the ending and seeing how everything was wrapped up.
Jimmy is a comfortable sort of main character in that he isn't brilliant, but he isn't an idiot, either. He behaves in a rational manner throughout, is worried about the things he should obviously be worried about, and even those things he does not wish to believe are rational things for him to reject. He never deeply impressed me, but he never annoyed me, and I did feel something for him regarding his past.
The side characters were a little more faintly sketched, although there was little time to really fill them out, and the focus was absolutely on Jimmy and on his attempts to figure out the secrets of the house in which he found himself. I might have liked to see more of the other supporting characters, but it was a tightly-written story that didn't have time for subplots that didn't lead to further information on the main story.
The best aspect of the whole novel was definitely the atmosphere--Maynard Sims nailed that, and the eeriness in which the house was presented and the apparent kindliness of characters that turn out to be complete snakes made for a fun read. I read it straight through without coming up for a breath, and it is always nice to have something to do that with.
In the end, it was a fun, quick read that is probably worthwhile for those that enjoy children's/middle-grade horror/thrillers.
This book was provided to me for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I unfortunately guessed early on what was actually going on (I'm not sure if that says something about the book industry that this is almost passé or if it says something about me?), but it was still...I don't want to say a "fun" read, but a good read, certainly. I enjoyed getting to the ending and seeing how everything was wrapped up.
Jimmy is a comfortable sort of main character in that he isn't brilliant, but he isn't an idiot, either. He behaves in a rational manner throughout, is worried about the things he should obviously be worried about, and even those things he does not wish to believe are rational things for him to reject. He never deeply impressed me, but he never annoyed me, and I did feel something for him regarding his past.
The side characters were a little more faintly sketched, although there was little time to really fill them out, and the focus was absolutely on Jimmy and on his attempts to figure out the secrets of the house in which he found himself. I might have liked to see more of the other supporting characters, but it was a tightly-written story that didn't have time for subplots that didn't lead to further information on the main story.
The best aspect of the whole novel was definitely the atmosphere--Maynard Sims nailed that, and the eeriness in which the house was presented and the apparent kindliness of characters that turn out to be complete snakes made for a fun read. I read it straight through without coming up for a breath, and it is always nice to have something to do that with.
In the end, it was a fun, quick read that is probably worthwhile for those that enjoy children's/middle-grade horror/thrillers.
This book was provided to me for free by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2015
To read my entire review, go to: https://onebooktwo.wordpress.com/2015...
I absolutely love this time of the year, and Halloween is definitely my favorite. I like horror stories anytime of the year but this season makes me crave them. I was excited to begin Convalescence by Maynard Sims. What could be scarier than a huge old mansion where you never can tell what will go bump in the night?
I loved the characters. They were well written and jumped off the page at you. I could feel James’s grief and worry. I loved how Amy presented sweet yet strong, and I knew that Mrs. Rogers was evil from the moment she stepped into the story. I loved the buildup of the story and the fun, scary shivers I would get down my back when I found out another creepy secret.
My disappointment came in the last quarter of the story. The author had done such a marvelous job creating the characters and the story that the quick rushed ending left me in a little bit of shock. I wish the author had taken more time to tie up all the loose end. I felt like we were slowly going up the hill to the climax of the story and once we reach the top, it dropped off like a cliff and the story ended. I felt the characters deserved more than that.
Overall, I would recommend Convalescence. It is a deliciously scary short story that makes this time of the year extra fun. Just be prepared that while the ending does effectively answer many questions, it may leave you wanting more.
Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely love this time of the year, and Halloween is definitely my favorite. I like horror stories anytime of the year but this season makes me crave them. I was excited to begin Convalescence by Maynard Sims. What could be scarier than a huge old mansion where you never can tell what will go bump in the night?
I loved the characters. They were well written and jumped off the page at you. I could feel James’s grief and worry. I loved how Amy presented sweet yet strong, and I knew that Mrs. Rogers was evil from the moment she stepped into the story. I loved the buildup of the story and the fun, scary shivers I would get down my back when I found out another creepy secret.
My disappointment came in the last quarter of the story. The author had done such a marvelous job creating the characters and the story that the quick rushed ending left me in a little bit of shock. I wish the author had taken more time to tie up all the loose end. I felt like we were slowly going up the hill to the climax of the story and once we reach the top, it dropped off like a cliff and the story ended. I felt the characters deserved more than that.
Overall, I would recommend Convalescence. It is a deliciously scary short story that makes this time of the year extra fun. Just be prepared that while the ending does effectively answer many questions, it may leave you wanting more.
Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2015
Review from HorrorUnderground.org
Convalescence
Samhain Publishing
Authors: Len Maynard, Mick Sims
In the newest book from the writing duo known as Maynard Sims, we meet James, a fourteen year old boy whose family has been decimated by a tuberculosis outbreak in 1960 England. After being shipped off to live with his estranged Uncle Thomas, James is in search of rest and recovery, but what he finds is a deep, dark secret hidden within the walls of his Uncle’s estate.
Told in the tradition of an old style horror story, this gothic tale of murder and mystery is done in a quick fashion with a huge amount of character development and ambiance. Maynard and Sims are able to sum up years of mystery in quick breaths and handle an aggressively complicated and vile subject matter without ever being vile themselves. The way in which the mystery unravels is a sight to behold. I am new to this duo’s writing style and I have to say that this is the perfect introduction.
This brisk read presents an intriguing ghost story that builds on gradual growth. The end result is chilling, but the way we get there is where the real fun is. The use of atmosphere plays in all the right ways to give us a story that is classic in nature, but fresh in the way it is delivered. If you are new to Maynard Sims books, this is the perfect place to start. I will definitely be seeking out more from this writing duo.
September 26, 2015
In this excellent Maynard Sims novella, fourteen year old orphan James goes to his estranged uncle’s estate to recuperate from TB in 1965. Looking for his health, he finds much more, including a wayward spirit, a secret room and the awful truths about all who live at the estate.
A classic ghost story in the British mold, this quick read still finds time to paint individual characters with depth and precision. It also tastefully deals with the truth that often the living are scarier than the dead.
A classic ghost story in the British mold, this quick read still finds time to paint individual characters with depth and precision. It also tastefully deals with the truth that often the living are scarier than the dead.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews