Michael Potts's Blog: Bits and Pieces: Book Reviews and Articles on Writing, Horror Fiction, and Some Philosophy - Posts Tagged "ghost"

Smithy by Amanda Desiree

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"Smithy" is a fine horror book in the tradition of Henry James and M. R. James. The horror is a slow build to the climactic scene, and the result is well worth the wait. The thesis is unique--what if an ape in a sign language study seems to see something that is seemingly not there. Does Smithy (the nickname for Webster the chimpanzee) really see a preternatural apparition or are there other rational explanations that would fit. The use of ambiguity is skilled throughout. The book is also unusual in that, like "Dracula," is is an epistolary novel, in the form of letters and memos. I highly recommend this unique haunted house story.



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