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When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk
Critically acclaimed Author Jennifer Anne Gordon's conclusion to The Hotel Series, with the sequel to From Daylight to Madness.
It one startling moment in the late summer of 1873 a tragedy fell like summer sun on the gray jagged shores of Dagger Island. Francis loses everything he thought his life was, and what it could have become. His heart breaks and his feet run, all the way back to his childhood home, he reaches for a past that may not exist.
He is there, in the little house in Dorchester Neck. A place haunted with missing time. He feels the comfort from walls that lean in too close, but then …He feels the trauma that ripped his life in two and in a blink of an eye he is back at the hotel. He can feel the memories fade as the cold fingers of winter wrap around him. He does not know how he got there, or indeed if he ever left.
Francis has lived his whole life veiled in the memories that are more alive than his present. The current days fade away before he can hold on to him. Everything he was or thought he could have been is gone. He realizes he may be a monster, and the person he has fallen in love with may not even exist. Francis holds onto the memories he thinks are real …until he is almost consumed by them.
Francis is isolated in a world of mesmerism, with his tormentor and healer Doctor Hughes.
Francis is a guest in this hotel with his past, his present, and who he believes to be his future. Isabelle. His world is a labyrinth … he feels her hand in his. The fingers intertwine and there is nothing left but her …
She is a memory, a ghost, and a hallucination.
He can almost remember the moment when his father’s glass shattered into his face…he can almost remember who he was before he was broken in two.
He can almost remember…
He can almost…
He can…
He…
It one startling moment in the late summer of 1873 a tragedy fell like summer sun on the gray jagged shores of Dagger Island. Francis loses everything he thought his life was, and what it could have become. His heart breaks and his feet run, all the way back to his childhood home, he reaches for a past that may not exist.
He is there, in the little house in Dorchester Neck. A place haunted with missing time. He feels the comfort from walls that lean in too close, but then …He feels the trauma that ripped his life in two and in a blink of an eye he is back at the hotel. He can feel the memories fade as the cold fingers of winter wrap around him. He does not know how he got there, or indeed if he ever left.
Francis has lived his whole life veiled in the memories that are more alive than his present. The current days fade away before he can hold on to him. Everything he was or thought he could have been is gone. He realizes he may be a monster, and the person he has fallen in love with may not even exist. Francis holds onto the memories he thinks are real …until he is almost consumed by them.
Francis is isolated in a world of mesmerism, with his tormentor and healer Doctor Hughes.
Francis is a guest in this hotel with his past, his present, and who he believes to be his future. Isabelle. His world is a labyrinth … he feels her hand in his. The fingers intertwine and there is nothing left but her …
She is a memory, a ghost, and a hallucination.
He can almost remember the moment when his father’s glass shattered into his face…he can almost remember who he was before he was broken in two.
He can almost remember…
He can almost…
He can…
He…
156 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2020
About the author
Jennifer Anne Gordon
13 books239 followersJennifer Anne Gordon is a Gothic horror novelist. Her work includes Beautiful, Frightening and Silent (2020) which won the Kindle Award for Best Horror/Suspense for 2020, and From Daylight to Madness (The Hotel book 1), and When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk (The Hotel book 2).
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
She had a collection of her mixed media artwork published during spring of 2020, entitled Victoriana: mixed media art of Jennifer Gordon
Jennifer is one of the hosts as well as the creator of Vox Vomitus, a video podcast on the Global Authors on the Air Network, as well as the Co-Host of the You Tube Channel “Talk Horror to Me”. She had been a contributor to Ladies of Horror Fiction, as well as Horror Tree.
Jennifer is a pale curly haired ginger, obsessed with horror, ghosts, abandoned buildings, and her dog "Lord Tubby".
She graduated from the New Hampshire Institute of Art, where she studied Acting. She also studied at the University of New Hampshire with a concentration in Art History and English.
She has made her living as an actress, a magician's assistant, a "gallerina", a comic book dealer, a painter, and burlesque performer and for the past 10 years as an award-winning professional ballroom dancer, performer, instructor, and choreographer.
When not scribbling away (ok, typing frantically) she enjoys traveling with her fiancé and dance partner, teaching her dog ridiculous tricks (like 'give me a kiss' and 'what hand is the treat in?' ok these are not great tricks.) as well as taking photos of abandoned buildings and haunted locations.
She is a leo, so at the end of the day she just thinks about her hair.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 13, 2020
I can not say enough wonderful things about the writing and Imagination of Jennifer Gordan. I do not want to go into deep, as I am afraid to give away any spoilers and let me tell you, You may think your ready, but you’re not. At least I wasn't.
I dove in and couldn’t t wait to see what would happen next; I love Isabelle and Francis. The hotel, of course, is haunting and creepy. So many times, I had the chills. And that doesn’t happen that often to me. As much as this is fiction, you can’t help but feel so many emotions, especially how mental illness is treated in the 1800s.
Jennifer Gordon gave me a suspenseful, bone-chilling ride, and that ending! Wow!!!! I didn’t see that coming. I am adding Gordan to my favorite horror author and very much look forward to her future books.
I dove in and couldn’t t wait to see what would happen next; I love Isabelle and Francis. The hotel, of course, is haunting and creepy. So many times, I had the chills. And that doesn’t happen that often to me. As much as this is fiction, you can’t help but feel so many emotions, especially how mental illness is treated in the 1800s.
Jennifer Gordon gave me a suspenseful, bone-chilling ride, and that ending! Wow!!!! I didn’t see that coming. I am adding Gordan to my favorite horror author and very much look forward to her future books.
November 19, 2020
After finishing From Daylight To Madness I couldn't wait for this book - for Francis' book - and it's been worth the wait!
I wasn't prepared for what I read.
I wasn't prepared for Francis.
I thought of him as a strong supporting character as Isabella in the first book.
But here we get to know him better and he was a more damaged and broken person as I thought.
After devouring page after page I've been asking myself, what was true? What happened and what not. I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
I couldn't put this book down, because I just need to know what's going on! Even as I had to put the book down it's been in my mind and couldn't wait to continue reading.
It's been written poetical, eerie, mysterious and hauntingly beautiful. You outdone yourself with this one, Jennifer!
♤I kindly received the ARC in exchange for an honest review.♤
I wasn't prepared for what I read.
I wasn't prepared for Francis.
I thought of him as a strong supporting character as Isabella in the first book.
But here we get to know him better and he was a more damaged and broken person as I thought.
After devouring page after page I've been asking myself, what was true? What happened and what not. I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.
I couldn't put this book down, because I just need to know what's going on! Even as I had to put the book down it's been in my mind and couldn't wait to continue reading.
It's been written poetical, eerie, mysterious and hauntingly beautiful. You outdone yourself with this one, Jennifer!
♤I kindly received the ARC in exchange for an honest review.♤
November 24, 2020
When The Sleeping Dead Still Talk
By
Jennifer Anne Gordon
In the first part of Hotel series, Isabella lost her son Oscar who cried for three minutes after being born and then he went into forever silence. In the second part of Hotel series, Oscar's cries are still heard accompanied by the cries of other little ones. Francis who was sent to Dagger Island three years ago has earned a little freedom at the hotel because he helped bury the little ones and he is the bearer of the Hotel's darkest secret.
But when Isabella's Casket was being carried to her family, Francis thought he would no longer bear silent witness to children's graves.
Overall, the story is good but I had to re-read few pages in the beginning to understand what is going on with Francis and the things he is seeing or imagining. Language of the book is fine. This book needs to be read with full attention so I won't say that it's an easy read. It's best recommended for avid readers who love gothic horror genre. This is the last book in the Hotel series. Length of the book is fine so readers can finish this one in a single sitting or two. Spooky cover!! Jennifer has done great work in the Hotel series and I am looking forward to read more of her novels in future.
Rating 4/5
By
Jennifer Anne Gordon
In the first part of Hotel series, Isabella lost her son Oscar who cried for three minutes after being born and then he went into forever silence. In the second part of Hotel series, Oscar's cries are still heard accompanied by the cries of other little ones. Francis who was sent to Dagger Island three years ago has earned a little freedom at the hotel because he helped bury the little ones and he is the bearer of the Hotel's darkest secret.
But when Isabella's Casket was being carried to her family, Francis thought he would no longer bear silent witness to children's graves.
Overall, the story is good but I had to re-read few pages in the beginning to understand what is going on with Francis and the things he is seeing or imagining. Language of the book is fine. This book needs to be read with full attention so I won't say that it's an easy read. It's best recommended for avid readers who love gothic horror genre. This is the last book in the Hotel series. Length of the book is fine so readers can finish this one in a single sitting or two. Spooky cover!! Jennifer has done great work in the Hotel series and I am looking forward to read more of her novels in future.
Rating 4/5
November 22, 2020
Unbelievably Amazing!
WOW! The mystery, suspense and spin tingling revelations had me utterly hooked on this story. There is so much being slowly revealed that I have been in a complete state of shock since finishing the book. It’s darkness and eeriness had my pulse racing with anticipation of what would happen next. I think I have bitten off all of my nails as the suspense was killing me.
The vivid imagery that every word evoked in this amazing story blew me away. It’s brilliantly written with hauntingly beautiful and poetic writing.
”Tears in a silent room, they sound like splinters of glass hitting a floor.”
This is one eerie but thrilling rollercoaster ride that will leave you shocked and completely blown away by the end.
Highly recommend.
WOW! The mystery, suspense and spin tingling revelations had me utterly hooked on this story. There is so much being slowly revealed that I have been in a complete state of shock since finishing the book. It’s darkness and eeriness had my pulse racing with anticipation of what would happen next. I think I have bitten off all of my nails as the suspense was killing me.
The vivid imagery that every word evoked in this amazing story blew me away. It’s brilliantly written with hauntingly beautiful and poetic writing.
”Tears in a silent room, they sound like splinters of glass hitting a floor.”
This is one eerie but thrilling rollercoaster ride that will leave you shocked and completely blown away by the end.
Highly recommend.
January 11, 2021
This book wrapped me in it’s reality. In walking with Francis and his love. I got caught up in the shadow world they inhabited. I could not stop reading. I could not sleep without knowing the end. Brilliant writing from the author Jennifer Anne Gordon. Must read.
October 21, 2024
Looking for a twisted horror novel that takes you on a psychological journey full of twists and turns? Then When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is the book for you. Author Jennifer Anne Gordon weaves a dark and twisted conclusion to her The Hotel series. This novel will draw you in little by little and leave you reeling.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk beckons to readers with a cover speckled with reds and blacks setting the background. An image of the hotel sits center stage of the cover. Slightly above the hotel is the face of a young woman. She appears to be asleep, but could it be that she is no longer of this world? Towards the front of the hotel are a pair of hands. They appear to be clasped either in prayer or holding a gem that sparkles. Towards the base of the hotel is a cross and what could be a pile of cloth. Underneath all of this is part of a man’s face. Half of his face is hidden in shadow, but visible is one bright eye, part of his mouth, and half his nose.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk begins author Gordon greets readers with Francis. He’s at the hotel, and just waking from his sleep. What unfolds in these early pages are his waking moments. Author Gordon depicts Francis in a crooked room. Marbles are rolling under his bed along with a mostly empty bottle of whiskey. It seems like a normal day, but everything is about to change.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is an interesting story that focuses on Francis as he struggles with the loss of a woman he believed that he loved. While he helps to escort her body home, it triggers something inside of him that causes him to lose time. He goes back to his childhood home, leaving the hotel situated on Dagger Island, but it seems that it is a place that he is not meant to leave permanently.
Author Gordon weaves a dark and cryptic story. Francis is a peculiar character, but the more you learn about him, the more bizarre the story becomes. One minute he’s at his childhood home, and it’s summer. Then the next thing you know – he’s back on Dagger Island, back in the hotel and the seasons have shifted into early winter. It’s enough to make even the reader feel like they have lost time themselves.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is cryptic and haunting. There is an air of mystery as Francis goes through each day at the hotel and he is constantly interacting with Isabelle. The twist? Isabelle is no longer of the living. Is she real? Is the Isabelle that Francis talks to and interacts with a ghost? Or is she just a “figment” of his imagination? Has she become a part of him with her passing?
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is the second book in the Hotel series. This duology focuses on the individuals who call the hotel their “home.” When reading this book you can either choose to read book one first for the complete experience, or you can take a chance and read book two on it’s own. Francis is the focus of this installment.
Francis is a complex character. His intent, when escorting Isabelle’s body home to her family, is to say good-bye to the island forever. However, something causes him to return to the island. There isn’t a return trip for readers to bear witness. Instead, we are shown scenes that appear innocuous at first, but author Gordon has more than one twist in mind for later on in this novel.
Francis isn’t alone at the hotel. He’s there with Dr. Hughes, his daughter, Agnes, and the maid - Daisy. Author Gordon paints a picture of complexities that ensnares all of the characters in this story. Each character has a complicated aspect to their life that will draw readers in piece by piece. Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering the truth behind Francis’s losing of time.
Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and the things that he believes to be true. But what is true and what are memories that belong to another? Why does he remember things that he could never have borne witness to? When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a strange story with just the right amount of details to paint pictures to pique the reader’s curiosity.
What is it the trauma that haunts Francis? Who are the mysterious children that he believes he hears crying? There are many questions that will persuade readers to keep digging deeper for the answers hidden within these pages. While Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes happened, Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering who Francis “really is.”
Doctor Hughes is someone who both wishes to help Francis and to uncover his secrets, thereby making him Francis’s tormentor. Doctor Hughes is his own twisted character. He appears innocent enough at first, but the more that readers discover about him, we learn that he has his own dark secrets. Truth be told he has something in common with Francis’s past. It’s a twisted element that will shock readers and make him someone you’ll despise.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a slower paced horror novel. There aren’t any spooky apparitions, monsters or demons that go bump in the night. This book weaves a more psychological tale that swirls around Francis and explores his nature. When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk delves back into Francis’s childhood and the reason for his arrival at Dagger Island in the first place.
This gothic tale weaves back and forth in time as Francis gradually remembers things long forgotten. He clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes to be true. However, we, the readers can’t help but question...how much is real and how much of this is imagined? Author Gordon reveals secrets and revelations little by little to expose the truth concerning Francis.
As When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk draws to a close, everything becomes shockingly clear. Author Gordon gives readers a revelation that will both shock and horrify at the same time. It will all work together to explain why these memories were locked away. It will also give readers a glimpse at the heavy burden that Francis’s mother and Father Bertrand carried for many years.
While as When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is not a thrill ride of a horror novel, author Gordon ensures that it still does it’s job. This book will draw readers in and lure them deeper into Francis’s story to discover his secrets. Little by little all will be revealed not just concerning him, but the truth behind the sudden death of Isabelle.
As When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk can be read as a standalone novel, but readers will more than likely get a better and more full experience by reading From Daylight to Madness first. Readers who enjoy psychological horror novels this will be a book that you don’t want to miss out on. It will draw you and leave you floored.
Pros:
• Detailed storytelling
• Imaginative
• A truly twisted story
• Can be read as a standalone
• Psychologically horrific
Cons:
• Pacing tended to be slow and winding
Cover Score: 8.5
Overall Book Score: 8.6
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk beckons to readers with a cover speckled with reds and blacks setting the background. An image of the hotel sits center stage of the cover. Slightly above the hotel is the face of a young woman. She appears to be asleep, but could it be that she is no longer of this world? Towards the front of the hotel are a pair of hands. They appear to be clasped either in prayer or holding a gem that sparkles. Towards the base of the hotel is a cross and what could be a pile of cloth. Underneath all of this is part of a man’s face. Half of his face is hidden in shadow, but visible is one bright eye, part of his mouth, and half his nose.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk begins author Gordon greets readers with Francis. He’s at the hotel, and just waking from his sleep. What unfolds in these early pages are his waking moments. Author Gordon depicts Francis in a crooked room. Marbles are rolling under his bed along with a mostly empty bottle of whiskey. It seems like a normal day, but everything is about to change.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is an interesting story that focuses on Francis as he struggles with the loss of a woman he believed that he loved. While he helps to escort her body home, it triggers something inside of him that causes him to lose time. He goes back to his childhood home, leaving the hotel situated on Dagger Island, but it seems that it is a place that he is not meant to leave permanently.
Author Gordon weaves a dark and cryptic story. Francis is a peculiar character, but the more you learn about him, the more bizarre the story becomes. One minute he’s at his childhood home, and it’s summer. Then the next thing you know – he’s back on Dagger Island, back in the hotel and the seasons have shifted into early winter. It’s enough to make even the reader feel like they have lost time themselves.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is cryptic and haunting. There is an air of mystery as Francis goes through each day at the hotel and he is constantly interacting with Isabelle. The twist? Isabelle is no longer of the living. Is she real? Is the Isabelle that Francis talks to and interacts with a ghost? Or is she just a “figment” of his imagination? Has she become a part of him with her passing?
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is the second book in the Hotel series. This duology focuses on the individuals who call the hotel their “home.” When reading this book you can either choose to read book one first for the complete experience, or you can take a chance and read book two on it’s own. Francis is the focus of this installment.
Francis is a complex character. His intent, when escorting Isabelle’s body home to her family, is to say good-bye to the island forever. However, something causes him to return to the island. There isn’t a return trip for readers to bear witness. Instead, we are shown scenes that appear innocuous at first, but author Gordon has more than one twist in mind for later on in this novel.
Francis isn’t alone at the hotel. He’s there with Dr. Hughes, his daughter, Agnes, and the maid - Daisy. Author Gordon paints a picture of complexities that ensnares all of the characters in this story. Each character has a complicated aspect to their life that will draw readers in piece by piece. Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering the truth behind Francis’s losing of time.
Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and the things that he believes to be true. But what is true and what are memories that belong to another? Why does he remember things that he could never have borne witness to? When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a strange story with just the right amount of details to paint pictures to pique the reader’s curiosity.
What is it the trauma that haunts Francis? Who are the mysterious children that he believes he hears crying? There are many questions that will persuade readers to keep digging deeper for the answers hidden within these pages. While Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes happened, Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering who Francis “really is.”
Doctor Hughes is someone who both wishes to help Francis and to uncover his secrets, thereby making him Francis’s tormentor. Doctor Hughes is his own twisted character. He appears innocent enough at first, but the more that readers discover about him, we learn that he has his own dark secrets. Truth be told he has something in common with Francis’s past. It’s a twisted element that will shock readers and make him someone you’ll despise.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a slower paced horror novel. There aren’t any spooky apparitions, monsters or demons that go bump in the night. This book weaves a more psychological tale that swirls around Francis and explores his nature. When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk delves back into Francis’s childhood and the reason for his arrival at Dagger Island in the first place.
This gothic tale weaves back and forth in time as Francis gradually remembers things long forgotten. He clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes to be true. However, we, the readers can’t help but question...how much is real and how much of this is imagined? Author Gordon reveals secrets and revelations little by little to expose the truth concerning Francis.
As When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk draws to a close, everything becomes shockingly clear. Author Gordon gives readers a revelation that will both shock and horrify at the same time. It will all work together to explain why these memories were locked away. It will also give readers a glimpse at the heavy burden that Francis’s mother and Father Bertrand carried for many years.
While as When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is not a thrill ride of a horror novel, author Gordon ensures that it still does it’s job. This book will draw readers in and lure them deeper into Francis’s story to discover his secrets. Little by little all will be revealed not just concerning him, but the truth behind the sudden death of Isabelle.
As When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk can be read as a standalone novel, but readers will more than likely get a better and more full experience by reading From Daylight to Madness first. Readers who enjoy psychological horror novels this will be a book that you don’t want to miss out on. It will draw you and leave you floored.
Pros:
• Detailed storytelling
• Imaginative
• A truly twisted story
• Can be read as a standalone
• Psychologically horrific
Cons:
• Pacing tended to be slow and winding
Cover Score: 8.5
Overall Book Score: 8.6
February 21, 2021
The Review
A haunting, beautiful, and engaging sequel, author Jennifer Anne Gordon continues to wow and amaze me. A fantastic story that continues to explore the concept that our pasts can be just as haunting as the ghosts that roam in and out of our lives, the story really does a fantastic job of delving into Francis’s character.
A supporting character in the first novel, this book expertly highlights the impact the loss of a major character from the first novel has on him, while also showcasing the profound impact his past has had on him physically and emotionally. The psychological deep-dive into his psyche makes for some thought-provoking scenes.
What really stands out to me is the gothic horror-style writing the author employs here, utilizing atmosphere heavily to build suspense in a wholly original yet iconic way all at once. As a fan of recent series like The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, the author has done a great job of capturing the essence of that style of storytelling while creating a story that draws the reader in and characters that highlight how sometimes the past and ourselves can be a whole lot scarier than the ghosts themselves.
The Verdict
A memorable, emotional, and deeply thought-provoking read, author Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “When The Sleeping Dead Still Talk” is a must-read gothic horror novel. The author does a wonderful job of crafting a narrative that draws the reader in deeper and deeper into the world they have crafted, while giving emotionally-charged scenes that highlight the depth of the protagonist, Francis, making for a complex and detailed read that fans of the genre will absolutely love. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of this memorable read today!
A haunting, beautiful, and engaging sequel, author Jennifer Anne Gordon continues to wow and amaze me. A fantastic story that continues to explore the concept that our pasts can be just as haunting as the ghosts that roam in and out of our lives, the story really does a fantastic job of delving into Francis’s character.
A supporting character in the first novel, this book expertly highlights the impact the loss of a major character from the first novel has on him, while also showcasing the profound impact his past has had on him physically and emotionally. The psychological deep-dive into his psyche makes for some thought-provoking scenes.
What really stands out to me is the gothic horror-style writing the author employs here, utilizing atmosphere heavily to build suspense in a wholly original yet iconic way all at once. As a fan of recent series like The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, the author has done a great job of capturing the essence of that style of storytelling while creating a story that draws the reader in and characters that highlight how sometimes the past and ourselves can be a whole lot scarier than the ghosts themselves.
The Verdict
A memorable, emotional, and deeply thought-provoking read, author Jennifer Anne Gordon’s “When The Sleeping Dead Still Talk” is a must-read gothic horror novel. The author does a wonderful job of crafting a narrative that draws the reader in deeper and deeper into the world they have crafted, while giving emotionally-charged scenes that highlight the depth of the protagonist, Francis, making for a complex and detailed read that fans of the genre will absolutely love. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of this memorable read today!
November 30, 2020
Return to Dagger Island after the shocking finale of the first part of this two-part series, From Daylight to Madness, this time in the shattered mind of Francis, the enigmatic priest who became Isabelle's companion at The Hotel. Gordon's masterful gothic prose creates vivid imagery, delicately painting the world where Francis finds himself a prisoner--whether of his own mind, memory, or the lies he's been fed his entire life. This will hold you in its thrall until the thunderous ending.
June 16, 2021
A poetic, haunting tale.
From the first word the book breathes, the reader is plunged into the depths of the ocean of the main character's, Franics', mind. Emotion drips from the page, gripping th heart of the reader with cold hands.
A beautiful, lyrical weaving of words that capture the sorrow, loss and struggles of an endearing character.
From the first word the book breathes, the reader is plunged into the depths of the ocean of the main character's, Franics', mind. Emotion drips from the page, gripping th heart of the reader with cold hands.
A beautiful, lyrical weaving of words that capture the sorrow, loss and struggles of an endearing character.
February 15, 2021
This book really got me drawn in. After reading The Hotel part one, I wasn't sure where the story would go. I was impressed by the descriptions and details, and the storyline blends reality, dreams, and hallucinations perfectly into one. Beautifully written, and very engaging.
December 11, 2020
Just like the first book in this two book series, Jennifer Anne Gordon’s beautiful writing style causes readers to lose themselves in the world she has created. While I greatly enjoyed the first book, this story went to another level of enjoyment for me. Living inside the mind of Francis, as well as getting to know Hawthorne and Agnes so much better, was an amazing experience. I highly recommend both books (From Daylight to Madness being the first). I cannot wait to see what this author does next.
November 19, 2020
This deliciously dark tale was the perfect conclusion to this haunting series and the level of detail and imagery in this story was absolutely mind blowing. Yet Gordon does not stop there she also developed these complex characters that truly show we all have secrets, and many will blur that line between love and hate for readers. She was even able to give the hotel itself a life and all of this to me shows that she is a true master of the written word. I also have to say from the little cliffhangers to the uncertainty of what was truly real or just the ramblings of a broken mind this book kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, I could not put it down. I highly recommend this to all readers especially if you love gothic literature.
December 29, 2020
Originally reviewed here, for Reedsy Discovery: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/whe...
A troubled priest mourns a loss and uncovers the ghastly truth about his traumatic past in the second installment of "The Hotel" series.
Sometimes, the mind is the most terrifying place of all--especially when we keep secrets from ourselves. Sussing out the truth from the lies, the facts from the fiction, is the predicament at the heart of Jennifer Anne Gordon's second novel in the historical Gothic horror "The Hotel" series, When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk.
The first book, From Daylight to Madness, introduced readers to Isabelle--a young woman who's forced into a rest cure on Dagger Island after the death of her newborn son. At the island's malevolent hotel, Isabelle meets a mysterious priest named Francis. When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk picks up right at the cliffhanger where the last book left off: a shocking incident has occurred that will change Francis' life forever.
The rest of the novel explores Francis' shattered and fragmented mind, as he briefly returns home to Boston, the site of his appallingly abusive childhood. When Francis cycles inevitably back to the hotel, he realizes that he's lost days of time, and he's unsure if he can trust his own thoughts. The island's strange Doctor Hawthorne Hughes insists that mesmerism is the answer to these problems. After frightening deep dives into Francis' psyche, we learn what exactly led Francis to the hotel in the first place--as well as why the supposedly childless island has so many small cemetery plots.
This hallucinogenic novel reads like 200 pages of pure nightmare, with crooked rooms warped by the sea's moisture and grotesque crabs crawling from the mouths of drowned ghosts. In author Gordon's chilling world of "The Hotel," nothing can be taken at face value: family can love and help you, but they can also cause unthinkable harm and trauma; medical professionals can both cure your disease and bring about your illness in the first place; time can be reliable and constant, or it can shift and morph and hide your worst confidences. And, perhaps worst of all, you could find someone to love. Or, it could all be inside your head.
A troubled priest mourns a loss and uncovers the ghastly truth about his traumatic past in the second installment of "The Hotel" series.
Sometimes, the mind is the most terrifying place of all--especially when we keep secrets from ourselves. Sussing out the truth from the lies, the facts from the fiction, is the predicament at the heart of Jennifer Anne Gordon's second novel in the historical Gothic horror "The Hotel" series, When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk.
The first book, From Daylight to Madness, introduced readers to Isabelle--a young woman who's forced into a rest cure on Dagger Island after the death of her newborn son. At the island's malevolent hotel, Isabelle meets a mysterious priest named Francis. When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk picks up right at the cliffhanger where the last book left off: a shocking incident has occurred that will change Francis' life forever.
The rest of the novel explores Francis' shattered and fragmented mind, as he briefly returns home to Boston, the site of his appallingly abusive childhood. When Francis cycles inevitably back to the hotel, he realizes that he's lost days of time, and he's unsure if he can trust his own thoughts. The island's strange Doctor Hawthorne Hughes insists that mesmerism is the answer to these problems. After frightening deep dives into Francis' psyche, we learn what exactly led Francis to the hotel in the first place--as well as why the supposedly childless island has so many small cemetery plots.
This hallucinogenic novel reads like 200 pages of pure nightmare, with crooked rooms warped by the sea's moisture and grotesque crabs crawling from the mouths of drowned ghosts. In author Gordon's chilling world of "The Hotel," nothing can be taken at face value: family can love and help you, but they can also cause unthinkable harm and trauma; medical professionals can both cure your disease and bring about your illness in the first place; time can be reliable and constant, or it can shift and morph and hide your worst confidences. And, perhaps worst of all, you could find someone to love. Or, it could all be inside your head.
January 8, 2021
Set in 1873, Gordon’s second and final installment in The Hotel series takes readers back to Dagger Island as Francis finds himself swallowed into a downward spiral of darkness while trying to come to terms with Isabelle’s shocking death.
Desperate and broken after Isabelle’s death, Francis longs to leave the confines of the Dagger Island, setting for his childhood home, but the fate has other plans for him. As he finds himself back in the Hotel, under the care of Dr. Hawthorne, he must prepare himself for unraveling of long-dead secrets of his past.
Gordon writes with exquisite sensitivity as she explores themes of love, longing, and childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Through her female protagonists’ stories, Gordon makes a mother’s wrenching loss palpable. The little Oscar stays alive through Isabelle’s story.
Weaving together many subtly interrelated narratives, she brings her varied cast of characters to life. Isabelle and Francis are the main protagonists of the story, but it’s Agnes who steals the show. Readers will find themselves rooting for her by the time the ending arrives. Hawthorne is thoroughly despicable antagonist. Francis’s dark backstory may shock the returning reader, but Gordon’s fine writing and nuanced insight into human nature make it thoroughly realistic.
The moments of gothic horror are visceral, and Agnes’s attempts to find some kind of normalcy as she longs for Francis’s love are heartbreaking. This one is a page-turning.
Desperate and broken after Isabelle’s death, Francis longs to leave the confines of the Dagger Island, setting for his childhood home, but the fate has other plans for him. As he finds himself back in the Hotel, under the care of Dr. Hawthorne, he must prepare himself for unraveling of long-dead secrets of his past.
Gordon writes with exquisite sensitivity as she explores themes of love, longing, and childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Through her female protagonists’ stories, Gordon makes a mother’s wrenching loss palpable. The little Oscar stays alive through Isabelle’s story.
Weaving together many subtly interrelated narratives, she brings her varied cast of characters to life. Isabelle and Francis are the main protagonists of the story, but it’s Agnes who steals the show. Readers will find themselves rooting for her by the time the ending arrives. Hawthorne is thoroughly despicable antagonist. Francis’s dark backstory may shock the returning reader, but Gordon’s fine writing and nuanced insight into human nature make it thoroughly realistic.
The moments of gothic horror are visceral, and Agnes’s attempts to find some kind of normalcy as she longs for Francis’s love are heartbreaking. This one is a page-turning.
November 30, 2020
I love reading gothic horror novels. After reading "From Daylight to Madness" first book in the Hotel series I was much excited to read its sequel.
"When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk" by Jennifer Anne Gordon will take readers to a totally different world. Story starts with Francis in his hotel room on the second floor. In his childhood, he used to believe in God. But now, he knew that God is not listening but he knew that something is listening. He found the answer he was looking for when he saw Isabella. Since then, he believed only in her. He like to give books to Isabella but now with Isabella dead, to whom he would give.
He hallucinates about seeing Isabella's shadow, seeing her with Oscar in her hand, hearing her singing her sad song. When Isabella's casket was taken away from Dagger Island in the ship, Francis accompanied others. Story gets intriguing when Francis was in his little house in the Dorchester Neck.
It is a gripping tale. Narration is smooth and strong. Plot of the story is well constructed. Pace of the story is medium with a complex world. When Francis's father has shattered glass on his face, he got a permanent scar. Francis's character is complex and author must have put great efforts in writing it so nicely. Storyline is unique and readers who love gothic horror can't put this book down without finishing it.
"When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk" by Jennifer Anne Gordon will take readers to a totally different world. Story starts with Francis in his hotel room on the second floor. In his childhood, he used to believe in God. But now, he knew that God is not listening but he knew that something is listening. He found the answer he was looking for when he saw Isabella. Since then, he believed only in her. He like to give books to Isabella but now with Isabella dead, to whom he would give.
He hallucinates about seeing Isabella's shadow, seeing her with Oscar in her hand, hearing her singing her sad song. When Isabella's casket was taken away from Dagger Island in the ship, Francis accompanied others. Story gets intriguing when Francis was in his little house in the Dorchester Neck.
It is a gripping tale. Narration is smooth and strong. Plot of the story is well constructed. Pace of the story is medium with a complex world. When Francis's father has shattered glass on his face, he got a permanent scar. Francis's character is complex and author must have put great efforts in writing it so nicely. Storyline is unique and readers who love gothic horror can't put this book down without finishing it.
November 23, 2020
𝑻𝒊𝒕𝒍𝒆: When The Sleeping Dead Still Talk
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Jennifer Anne Gordon
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk by the author Jennifer Anne Gordon is a horror fiction. It is the second and the final book in the Hotel series. Here we get to know more about Francis, the father who arrived at the Dagger Island three years ago. Most of the time he is hallucinating the things around him making the readers to wonder for a moment he is hallucinating or this is happening in real. When he met Isabella, he only believed in her. He doesn't even believe in God. He often hear the cries of the child when they were barely out of the nappies. When Isabella was in a casket and was taken to the church, Francis met Henry and Mother Minnie. He wanted them to die. Jennifer has taken readers on a rollercoaster ride in this book. Language of the book is medium and story is full of horror and Francis's mental anxiety. Jennifer has done great work in building the Gothic horror world. Cover of the book is scary. Title of the story is apt and I liked the way the series has concluded.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5/5
𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓: Jennifer Anne Gordon
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘:
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk by the author Jennifer Anne Gordon is a horror fiction. It is the second and the final book in the Hotel series. Here we get to know more about Francis, the father who arrived at the Dagger Island three years ago. Most of the time he is hallucinating the things around him making the readers to wonder for a moment he is hallucinating or this is happening in real. When he met Isabella, he only believed in her. He doesn't even believe in God. He often hear the cries of the child when they were barely out of the nappies. When Isabella was in a casket and was taken to the church, Francis met Henry and Mother Minnie. He wanted them to die. Jennifer has taken readers on a rollercoaster ride in this book. Language of the book is medium and story is full of horror and Francis's mental anxiety. Jennifer has done great work in building the Gothic horror world. Cover of the book is scary. Title of the story is apt and I liked the way the series has concluded.
𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 5/5
November 29, 2020
I am beyond and utterly shocked by this revelation of this amazing book in The Hotel Series! 😳 This takes off from book 1, in case you have not read it, I highly recommend it because the impact of reading this will hit you hard 🥺
I was not expecting such a deeply impacted storyline of Francis Coyle..ok maybe a little bit but with so much trauma in his past to the present, I'd never expected such darkness in the heart of this broken soul! I was not fully prepared for this! 😭
Francis holds a deep devotion to Isabelle, they have such an unspoken love story in book one that into book two he continues to have that...whether you think it's real or not; delusional mixed with reality, you can't help but love him in such a deep level. If you're like me and Jennifer, we both love him so very much…Broken soul yet with beautiful and dark intentions in mind.
I can't tell you how much I reacted to this so much while reading this. This is on my top list of best 2020 reads! 🖤 If you're a horror lover and love poetic writing, pick this up! 🙌🏼
Thank you Jennifer and Booksnmoods for this digital arc for honest review! Apologies on such a late one!! 🙏🏻
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
I was not expecting such a deeply impacted storyline of Francis Coyle..ok maybe a little bit but with so much trauma in his past to the present, I'd never expected such darkness in the heart of this broken soul! I was not fully prepared for this! 😭
Francis holds a deep devotion to Isabelle, they have such an unspoken love story in book one that into book two he continues to have that...whether you think it's real or not; delusional mixed with reality, you can't help but love him in such a deep level. If you're like me and Jennifer, we both love him so very much…Broken soul yet with beautiful and dark intentions in mind.
I can't tell you how much I reacted to this so much while reading this. This is on my top list of best 2020 reads! 🖤 If you're a horror lover and love poetic writing, pick this up! 🙌🏼
Thank you Jennifer and Booksnmoods for this digital arc for honest review! Apologies on such a late one!! 🙏🏻
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
December 30, 2020
Gordon crafts a solid piece of gothic horror in this atmospheric finale of The Hotel, a two-part series.
Francis Coyle, the enigmatic priest, leaves for his childhood home in Dorchester Neck after losing Isabelle to an eerie accident on the Dagger Island, but coping with her death becomes too much, and Francis finds himself in the Hotel under the care of Dr. Hughes.
Readers who fell in love with the enigmatic, troubled Francis in the first book will be devastated to know he is not the man they thought him to be as his backstory unravels. Gordon does a great job of generating suspense with sections containing Francis’s conversations with Agnes and his monologues that fill a large segment of the narrative.
With great dexterity and subtlety, Gordon brings the gothic setting of the Dagger Island to life, and her lyrical, subtle prose beautifully captures the eerie darkness of her story.
Haunting and beautiful, the novel hits hard.
Francis Coyle, the enigmatic priest, leaves for his childhood home in Dorchester Neck after losing Isabelle to an eerie accident on the Dagger Island, but coping with her death becomes too much, and Francis finds himself in the Hotel under the care of Dr. Hughes.
Readers who fell in love with the enigmatic, troubled Francis in the first book will be devastated to know he is not the man they thought him to be as his backstory unravels. Gordon does a great job of generating suspense with sections containing Francis’s conversations with Agnes and his monologues that fill a large segment of the narrative.
With great dexterity and subtlety, Gordon brings the gothic setting of the Dagger Island to life, and her lyrical, subtle prose beautifully captures the eerie darkness of her story.
Haunting and beautiful, the novel hits hard.
December 2, 2020
Essential piece of literature. Words cannot express the grandeur of this book. Full, flawed and fantastic characters that you hate but love at the same time. Atmosphere and scares that makes your skin crawl. Mystery and surprises weaved throughout. While gothic horror is known to be slow burn, there is not a dull moment. Don't try to read this book if you havnt read From Daylight to Madness which is equally a masterpiece.
January 24, 2021
Loved the hauntingly beautiful and sad continuation to From Daylight to Madness. Father Francis is not who he seems to be or who he thinks he truly is. Has he chosen to forget the past or have the ones around him taken his past from him? In this finale of The Hotel series, our minds are played with into thinking what is real and what are the memories that possibly have been planted to hide the horrific truth of the monsters lurking in The Hotel.
January 31, 2021
This book wrapped me in it’s reality. In walking with Francis and his love. I got caught up in the shadow world they inhabited. I could not stop reading. I could not sleep without knowing the end. Brilliant writing from the author Jennifer Anne Gordon. Must read.
January 31, 2021
This ghost story totally reeled me into the strange world on Dagger Island. I loved this book and wish there were going to be more stories in this series. Jennifer Gordon is a terrific writer. I can’t wait to read more of her work. Check it out!
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