Tag: shortstories

Throwback Thursday: The Visitor at Anningley Hall by Chris Thorndycroft

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ThrowbackThursday

Throwback Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Renee at It’s Book Talk.  It’s designed as an opportunity to share old favourites as well as books that we’ve finally got around to reading that were published over a year ago.  If you decide to take part, please link back to It’s Book Talk.

Today I’m reviewing a short story published in 2015 – The Visitor at Anningley Hall by Chris Thorndycroft. I came across it because I took part in the blog tour for one of Chris’s other books, Lords of the Greenwood.  You can read all about that book and a fascinating guest post from Chris here.

This is also my book for this month’s The BookBum Club theme – ‘Short and Sweet’ (books under 200 pages).

The Visitor at Anningley HallAbout the Book

In 1904, M. R. James published ‘The Mezzotint’, a macabre short story about a picture that has a chilling tale of its own. This novella explores the horrifying events told within that picture.

Anningley Hall – a large country house in Essex – is home to Arthur Francis and his wife Elisa. Arthur is obsessed with his new printing press and so consumed by his desire to make a name for himself as a mezzotint artist that he is oblivious to his wife’s increasing desperation and loneliness. Elisa is convinced that something sinister is coming for their infant son and will stop at nothing to protect him. When she discovers a disturbing secret pertaining to her husband’s past, she begins to question the safety of their home as a refuge from evil. And their three-year-old son is in contact with a dark presence that seems intent on entering Anningley Hall…

Format: ebook (46 pp.)         Publisher:
Published: 2015                     Genre: Short Story, Ghost Story, Horror

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Visitor at Anningley Hall on Goodreads

My Review

I am a big fan of M. R. James’ ghost stories and, in my household, Christmas is not complete without a repeat viewing of one of the stories adapted for television by the BBC in the 1970s (available on DVD from The British Film Institute). So naturally I was excited when I came across this short story which describes itself as a prequel to one of those stories, ‘The Mezzotint’.

In ‘The Mezzotint’, one of the most well-known of M. R. James’ ghost stories, Mr Williams, the curator of a University art museum, is sent what appears at first to be a rather undistinguished engraving of an unidentified country house.  However, the picture proves to have quite remarkable properties, revealing bit by bit the chilling story of a tragedy.    The Visitor of Anningley Hall goes behind the scenes of the picture to recount and enlarge upon the events eventually discovered by Williams and his colleagues in The Mezzotint.

The author has fun recreating the style and language of M. R. James, complete with some of James’ trademark deprecating asides about golf and what he regards as ‘lowbrow’ culture (“Tess of the D’Urbevilles?…it’s not a book I could ever read myself.”)  For instance, this from The Mezzotint:

‘…tea was taken to the accompaniment of a discussion which golfing persons can imagine for themselves, but which the conscientious writer has no right to inflict upon any non-golfing persons.’ 

And this from The Visitor at Anningley Hall:

‘Some discussed the vicar’s sermon, others the weather, and some rather dull gentleman shared anecdotes from the links which the golfing reader will have to imagine.’

There were just a couple phrases – ‘six months in the loony ward’ and ‘off her rocker’ – that, although they might have been around in M. R. James’ day, I wasn’t sure would have been common usage in 1805 when the story is set.

If ruined cottages, shadowy figures glimpsed through a window and what appear to be bundles of rags crawling slowly across a lawn get your spine tingling, then you will not be disappointed by The Visitor at Anningley Hall.  It is an accomplished homage to M. R. James by an author who clearly admires the work of that doyen of the ghost story.   However, since by the end, the reader knows everything about the events depicted in M. R. James’ original story, this prequel does make ‘The Mezzotint’ itself largely redundant.  On the other hand, it is not necessary to be familiar with ‘The Mezzotint’ to enjoy this short story.  And, if it does whet your appetite, there are lots of other fantastic ghost stories by M. R. James to be discovered.  Some of my favourites are ‘The Ash-Tree’, ‘Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad’ and ‘Number 13’.

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In three words: Creepy, chilling, suspenseful

Try something similar…Collected Ghost Stories by M. R. James

Chris ThorndycroftAbout the Author

Chris Thorndycroft is a British writer of historical fiction, horror and fantasy. His early short stories appeared in magazines and anthologies such as Dark Moon Digest and American Nightmare. His first novel under his own name was A Brother’s Oath. He also writes under the pseudonym P. J. Thorndyke.

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Book Review: Manipulated Lives by H. A. Leuschel

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ManipulatedLivesAbout the Book

Five stories. Five lives.

Manipulators are everywhere. At first these devious and calculating people can be hard to spot, because that is their way. They are often masters of disguise: witty, disarming, even charming in public – tricks to snare their prey – but then they revert to their true self of being controlling and angry in private. Their main aim: to dominate and use others to satisfy their needs, with a complete lack of compassion and empathy for their victim.

In this collection of short novellas, you meet people like you and me, intent on living happy lives, yet each of them, in one way or another, is caught up and damaged by a manipulative individual. First you meet Tess, whose past is haunted by a wrong decision, then young, successful and well balanced Sophie, who is drawn into the life of a little boy and his troubled father. Next, there is teenage Holly, who is intent on making a better life for herself, followed by a manipulator himself, trying to make sense of his irreversible incarceration. Lastly, there is Lisa, who has to face a parent’s biggest regret. All stories highlight to what extent abusive manipulation can distort lives and threaten our very feeling of self-worth.

Format: ebook (273 pp.)     Publisher:
Published: 8th June 2016    Genre: Short Stories, Contemporary Fiction

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk  ǀ  Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Manipulated Lives on Goodreads

My Review

In this collection of compelling short stories, the author puts the reader inside the minds of five people who have either suffered psychological manipulation at the hands of another or been responsible for it.  The book persuasively illustrates that anyone – young or old, male or female – can fall prey to manipulation.  For instance, in the story ‘Tess and Tattoos’, we meet Tess, a charming, kind old lady, who was unlucky enough to form a relationship with someone who abused her physically and psychologically.  Incidentally, I was so glad that Tess found a friend to provide comfort to her as she unburdens herself of her traumatic memories.

In all the stories, the reader is witness to the internal dialogue of the characters as they reflect on their experiences and try to make sense of how they were manipulated or, in one case, to justify (unsuccessfully to my mind) their actions.  At times, I felt this self-analysis seemed a little too like reading a psychology textbook.  I also found myself feeling rather worn down by the bleak nature of their experiences.  By the time I got to the story of ‘The Narcissist’, which I’ll confess I found quite disturbing, I felt myself in sympathy with the thoughts of his psychiatrist: ‘It is tiring, exhausting, and in cases like this, downright gruelling to observe the human mind at its worst.’

The author clearly has a gift for creating memorable characters, believable situations and stories that often have a surprising sting in the tail.  Readers with an interest in psychology or who like to inhabit the minds of characters (and don’t mind if some of these are unlikeable) will find Manipulated Lives a fascinating and compelling read.   I also think the book might be helpful for anyone trying to understand the experiences of someone who has been subject to coercive control or manipulation.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

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In three words: Dark, intense, thought-provoking

H A LeuschelAbout the Author

Helene grew up in Belgium where she gained a Licentiate in Journalism & Communication, which led to a career in radio and television in Brussels, London and Edinburgh. She now lives with her husband and two children in Portugal and recently acquired a Master of Philosophy with the OU, deepening her passion for the study of the mind. When she is not writing, Helene works as a freelance journalist and teaches yoga.

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