Synopsis

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The bride: The dearly departed. Who could have killed her?

The groom: Is there no love lost for his would-be wife?

The medium: She speaks to the dead. She’s a fake—isn’t she?

The doctor: He swore to do no harm. Did he?

The ward: He lives in the house, but will he ever be family?

The lawyer: He’s served the family for decades. If there were secrets, wouldn’t he know them?

The housekeeper: She runs the house. What has she seen?

The maid: She knows all the gossip. What does she have to hide?

London, 1852. Genevieve Timmons has made her living posing as a spiritualist to swindle wealthy believers, until one misstep lands her in a jail cell awaiting the noose. Then a stranger, Mr. Lockhart, arrives to make her a peculiar offer. The lord he serves, Mr. Pemberton, has been grieving the mysterious death of his beautiful bride-to-be for six months. Although no foul play was ever uncovered, the young lord is convinced that she was murdered. If Genevieve can hold a séance to persuade him that his betrothed’s spirit is at peace, Mr. Lockhart promises to have the charges against her dismissed and reward her with enough money to start a new life.

But when Genevieve arrives at Somerset Park estate, she discovers that the handsome and aloof Mr. Pemberton is anything but the heartbroken lover she expected. Mr. Pemberton then approaches Genevieve with an offer of his own: together, they will stage a séance so convincing it will coax the killer out of the shadows.

Attempting to play both sides until she can determine which plan holds the key to her freedom, Genevieve prepares to stage a haunting. But when ghoulish incidents begin to plague the manor, the dogged heroine realizes her tricks may not be required after all. Somerset and its residents are hiding many deadly secrets, and its ghosts could be all too real.

Synopsis from Kobo Canada.

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What I Think

Five stars. Need I say more?

I had to stop reading five times, maybe ten, maybe more. I stopped counting when the eeriness became too real. And with each time, I tried to console myself with a heavy menthol inhaler like I always do whenever I need to soothe my nerves. Dreadful, is how I would describe this book. Dreadful is how I felt whenever I had to close the app Kobo, where I indulge myself in nightly readings. Dreadful, yes but oh, intoxicatingly so.

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Genevieve Timmons grew up participating in her mother’s choice of work, communicating with the dead. Together with her Maman, as she called her, of French descent, they live in a shabby building with women who offer “services”. She works as a charming child assistant, her presence seemingly adding to the grotesque aura they intentionally conjure. And although they claim to hear the voices and relay messages from the dead, Genevieve outrightly informs the readers that they are spiritualists who rely heavily on tricks and people-reading skills for a successful séance.

Years later, we are shown that Genevieve is now living alone. She struggles as she tries to save money to get herself out of the old apartment. But with each passing day, she comes closer and closer to the edge of becoming a service girl herself. The grieving clients have been declining, and she already had taken a few trips to the jail for being caught conning people, taking advantage of their longing for the dearly departed. Had it not been for the landlady who kept paying the police to get her out, she would’ve met her end a long time ago. Her mother has long been gone, and whatever happened that fateful day, she will take it to the grave. The truth, she promised to herself, will not see the light of day and will be buried along with her when the day comes. On top of everything, the constable Mr. Rigby is always behind her heels, handcuff ready.

After yet another unwanted jail trip, she was spotted by a solicitor Mr. Lockhart and invited her to hold yet another séance to the Somerset Park estate. According to him, the head of the household, Mr. Pemberton had been grieving for his departed would-be wife after her mysterious death on the night before the wedding. In return, Genevieve Timmons was promised support in her case, something the solicitor can guarantee as he is a practicing lawyer on the side, an offer that Miss Timmons cannot refuse. Given the reports in her police file, the constable is determined to have her hanged in the gallows.

However, Somerset Park estate is a different story. Miss Timmons eventually found herself sleepwalking in her night robe, attracting what was lurking in the shadows. The walls of the grand estate are whispering, as if trying to unearth Genevieve’s own secrets. What’s more, her nightly unintended adventures unexpectedly draw the attention of the esteemed Mr. Pemberton, heir to the title Lord Chadwick, the controversial would-be husband, supposedly mourning for the departed Audra. Or does he, really?

A Dreadful Splendour for me is a mystery with gothic nuances. Having watched the whole series of Detective Conan, my favorite anime of all time (still watching for current releases!), and being a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch for his fitting role in the Sherlock Holmes series, I would say the spookiness effects are placed exactly where they need to be, enough to doubt my own skepticism. And although I already watched too many Detective Conan episodes to believe in curses at this point, I would be lying if I say I wasn’t baffled. The breadcrumbs are definitely there but oh, Somerset mansion is a maze of whodunit! If only there were gargoyle statues.

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