The Silent Companion by Laura Purcell

The Silent Companions, Laura Purcell, 2017

My favorite quote: “Sometimes, the brain cannot cope with the information it has to process. It makes sense of trauma in odd ways.”

Notable characters: Elsie Bainbridge, co-manager of a factory; Rupert, her recently (and mysteriously) deceased husband; Sarah, Rupert’s unusual cousin

Most memorable scene: When the locked door of the attic room opens on its own and Elsie sees the Bainbridge family’s vast and strange collection of silent companions. Talk about creepy stuff. Who knew there even were such things??

Greatest strengths: Laura Purcell’s prose in The Silent Companions is absolutely beautiful without being evasive or over-flowery. She knows how to paint a picture vividly and beautifully without compromising the pace of the story

Standout achievements: I’d put this Victorian ghost story right up there with the best of them — Turn of the Screw, A Christmas Carol, you name it — in my opinion, The Silent Companions is worthy to stand beside any one of them. And I’m glad I discovered Laura Purcell. She’s just what this world needs

Fun Facts: While there are a few theories about the purpose of dummy boards, aka silent companions (a practical joke? A form of home security? Combatants against loneliness?) I’m not convinced anyone really knows quite what the European elite were thinking when they began this curious trend. And that makes it all the more fun for me. I like not knowing 

Other media: None — but Netflix or Prime needs to get in contact with Laura Purcell ASAP and make a deal. The Silent Companions would make a great series 

What it taught me: The Silent Companions taught me that anything — and I mean ANYTHING — can be creepy. It’s all about the delivery (not that painted wooden figures of Victorian children need any help being creepy, but still)

How it inspired me: Even before I’d finished reading it, I suspected that The Silent Companions would leave an indelible impression on my writer’s mind, and I wasn’t wrong. There’s a LOT of interesting stuff here. For one thing, this was the first time I’d ever even heard of dummy boards. I was fascinated, and after learning about them, I began exploring other strange, lesser known Victorian traditions. This led to a whole slew of spooky new story ideas. So thank you, creepy Victorians — and Laura Purcell — for that

Additional thoughts: If you’re looking for gothic horror at its finest, you’ve just arrived. Guys, I’d like you to meet Laura Purcell …  

Hit or miss: The Silent Companions is a very hard hit

Haunt me: alistaircross.com

Read Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions