In 'The House Of Lost Souls' by F.G. Cottam, journalist Paul Seaton is reluctantly drawn back to a haunted house after a group of young students meet with death and madness after visiting it with a professor of the paranormal. The mingling of time periods and flashbacks, as well as glimpses into the life of Pandora Gibson Hoare, kept readers wanting to read more. The book weaves a clever and creepy horror tale that ratchets up tension throughout, featuring ghosts, black magic, loves lost, and redemption, all set in a haunted mansion on the Isle of Wight.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed and evoke empathy, with a mix of fictional and real historical figures, adding richness and authenticity to the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The prose is richly descriptive and atmospheric, effectively building suspense and integrating historical figures, resulting in an engaging and immersive reading experience.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a haunted house entwined with dark secrets dating back to the 1920s. It revolves around students whose exploration of the house leads to tragic consequences, revealing a blend of past and present connected by themes of black magic and rituals.

Setting:

The setting primarily revolves around Fischer House on the Isle of Wight, enriched by evocative depictions of early 20th-century decadence and dark rituals.

Pacing:

Pacing begins slowly but intensifies throughout the story, although the climax may feel rushed compared to the build-up in earlier sections.

Nick Mason thought it ironic that he had always been so skilled at the covert aspect of the craft. Not so much skilled, really, as talented. He had a natural aptitude, an instinct for concealment. He ...

Notes:

The story is set in the 1920s and features a mansion built by Klaus Fischer.

The Fischer House is portrayed as a place of debauchery that catered to hedonistic desires.

In 1995, four university students and their professor visit the derelict Fischer House for a class study.

After their visit, one student commits suicide and the others descend into madness.

The protagonist, Nicholas Mason, seeks to save his sister after she is affected by the house.

Paul Seaton, a man haunted by his past encounter with the house, returns to help Mason.

Pandora Gibson Hoare, a photographer, kept a journal during her dark experiences at the Fischer House.

The presence of historical figures like Aleister Crowley and Dennis Wheatley adds to the story's intrigue.

The book intertwines multiple timelines, shifting between past and present events.

The horror unfolds subtly, with psychological rather than overtly gory scares dominating the narrative.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book contains content warnings for suicide and mental illness.

From The Publisher:

Just weeks after four students cross the threshold of the derelict Fischer House, one of them has committed suicide and the other three are descending into madness.

Nick Mason's sister is one of them. To save her, Nick must join ranks with Paul Seaton—the only person to have visited the house and survive. But Paul is a troubled man, haunted by otherworldly visions that even now threaten his sanity. Desperate, Nick forces Paul to go back into the past, to the secret journal of beautiful photographer Pandora Gibson-Hoare and a debauched gathering in the 1920s, and to the dark legacy of Klaus Fischer—master of the unspeakable crime and demonic proceedings that have haunted the mansion for decades.

Because now, the Fischer House is beckoning, and some old friends have gathered to welcome Paul back. . . .

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The House Of Lost Souls

F.G. Cottam