The House of Lost Souls
Books | Fiction / Horror
3.5
F. G. Cottam
In this supernatural thriller, a psychically sensitive man must return to the haunted house that nearly took his life.“Riveting. . . . Cottam evokes influences that range from Dennis Wheatley . . . to Shirley Jackson, and conjures a mood of paranoia perfect for Paul’s unsettling adventure. Rich in atmosphere, the book builds to a shattering finale.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)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. . . .“Skillful characterizations draw you into a relentlessly congealing atmosphere of menace and dread. A compulsive and truly disturbing read. I hope to see more from F. G. Cottam, and soon.” —F. Paul Wilson, author of the Repairman Jack series“Energetically reviving a neglected genre, Cottam delivers convincing chills alongside engrossing and highly cinematic heroics.” —Kirkus Reviews