- Paperback: 480 pages
- Publisher: Michael Joseph (2 Sep 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0718156595
- ISBN-13: 978-0718156596
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 15.2 x 4.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,770,277 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Anatomy of Ghosts
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Not the obvious ghost thriller but more a tale of hauntings that have more impact than bumps in the night. This sophisticated feel to the story gives credit to Andrew Taylor's new novel The Anatomy of Ghosts.
It is the sighting of Lady Whichcote, recently drowned in the grounds of Jerusalem College, Cambridge, which sends Frank Oldershaw into the asylum. Desperate to salvage her son's reputation, Lady Anne Oldershaw hires the services of John Holdsworth, author of a book discrediting the spirit world, to make sense of the matter. When Holdsworth discovers there is more to Sylvia Whichcote's death and that she is not the only young lady to die upon College Grounds, the mystery unravels. The realisation that it is not just the physical sighting of ghosts that can haunt the human soul is a lesson learned by both men.
Taylor creates the perfect backdrop to this haunting tale in the confined colleges of 18th Century Cambridge. As we follow the character's movements around the streets and waterways, a world of secrets, power struggles and the darker side of privileged life emerges. The language, the characters the setting all add to the mood of the novel making it not only an entertaining read but will grip you in suspense throughout.
It is the sighting of Lady Whichcote, recently drowned in the grounds of Jerusalem College, Cambridge, which sends Frank Oldershaw into the asylum. Desperate to salvage her son's reputation, Lady Anne Oldershaw hires the services of John Holdsworth, author of a book discrediting the spirit world, to make sense of the matter. When Holdsworth discovers there is more to Sylvia Whichcote's death and that she is not the only young lady to die upon College Grounds, the mystery unravels. The realisation that it is not just the physical sighting of ghosts that can haunt the human soul is a lesson learned by both men.
Taylor creates the perfect backdrop to this haunting tale in the confined colleges of 18th Century Cambridge. As we follow the character's movements around the streets and waterways, a world of secrets, power struggles and the darker side of privileged life emerges. The language, the characters the setting all add to the mood of the novel making it not only an entertaining read but will grip you in suspense throughout.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Andrew Taylor is a very prolific author with over forty novels under his belt but he didn't come to my attention until 2003 with the publication of his first historical crime novel, The American Boy which was one of the Richard and Judy Book Club choices. I have been a fan ever since and equally enjoyed Bleeding Heart Square published in 2008.
In The Anatomy of Ghosts we are plunged into the murky, quirky world of Cambrige University in 1786, focussing particularly on the goings on at Jerusalem College (modelled, structurally anyway, on the actual Emmanuel College). Hedonism is the order of the day with the lavish excesses of the paying students contrasting sharply with the deprived, straitened circumstances of the scholarship pupils aka "sizars". John Holdsworth, recently widowed and down on his luck, has been employed by Lady Anne Oldershaw to recover and rehabilitate her son Frank who seems to have experienced a nervous breakdown following high jinks at the Holy Ghost Club. There are two suspicious deaths, rumours of ghosts, much political manoeuvring amongst lecturers and not much real studying going on in this academic environment!
In Taylor's previous historical novels, I was very impressed by his fluid storytelling and how he completely immerses the reader in the sights, sounds and smells of the period. I'm pleased to report that these skills are equally at play here to the extent that even the less pleasant smells are vividly recreated, for example Tom Turdman, the night soil man who collects the excretions of the students. None of the characters are particularly likeable and one has the impression that everyone is strongly in favour of self-advancement by whatever means necessary. It is a predominantly male cast as befits the era and environment, with the exception of Elinor Carbury, much suffering wife of the Master but then again she doesn't entirely gain our sympathies given that she, like her male neighbours, is equally set on personal gain.
This is a real page turner of a novel, the 480 pages flew by in a couple of sittings and I really felt I had an insight, however brief, into the curious world of Cambridge in the late 18th century. It is reminiscent of Tom Sharpe's excellent Porterhouse Blue and although obviously in a much earlier setting, it confirms the unofficial power of the porters and "gyps" (college runners) - yet another example of profiteering and self-gain! Considering I've been experiencing a bit of reader's block recently it is yet further recommendation of this novel as it has pulled me out of the literary wilderness - highly recommended.
In The Anatomy of Ghosts we are plunged into the murky, quirky world of Cambrige University in 1786, focussing particularly on the goings on at Jerusalem College (modelled, structurally anyway, on the actual Emmanuel College). Hedonism is the order of the day with the lavish excesses of the paying students contrasting sharply with the deprived, straitened circumstances of the scholarship pupils aka "sizars". John Holdsworth, recently widowed and down on his luck, has been employed by Lady Anne Oldershaw to recover and rehabilitate her son Frank who seems to have experienced a nervous breakdown following high jinks at the Holy Ghost Club. There are two suspicious deaths, rumours of ghosts, much political manoeuvring amongst lecturers and not much real studying going on in this academic environment!
In Taylor's previous historical novels, I was very impressed by his fluid storytelling and how he completely immerses the reader in the sights, sounds and smells of the period. I'm pleased to report that these skills are equally at play here to the extent that even the less pleasant smells are vividly recreated, for example Tom Turdman, the night soil man who collects the excretions of the students. None of the characters are particularly likeable and one has the impression that everyone is strongly in favour of self-advancement by whatever means necessary. It is a predominantly male cast as befits the era and environment, with the exception of Elinor Carbury, much suffering wife of the Master but then again she doesn't entirely gain our sympathies given that she, like her male neighbours, is equally set on personal gain.
This is a real page turner of a novel, the 480 pages flew by in a couple of sittings and I really felt I had an insight, however brief, into the curious world of Cambridge in the late 18th century. It is reminiscent of Tom Sharpe's excellent Porterhouse Blue and although obviously in a much earlier setting, it confirms the unofficial power of the porters and "gyps" (college runners) - yet another example of profiteering and self-gain! Considering I've been experiencing a bit of reader's block recently it is yet further recommendation of this novel as it has pulled me out of the literary wilderness - highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Mr Hollingsworth has suffered afew unfortunate events, namely the loss of both his son & wife as well as the loss of his livelihood. He accepts an invitation from a wealthy old lady to travel to Jerusalem College, Cambridge and investigate her son's sudden mental decline supposedly a result of his having seen seeing a ghost. Once there he meets a cast of unique characters all invariably acting in their own self-interest which only serves to complicate matters further.
I had hoped this book would be a good ghost story, complete with spooky goings-on and veiled women floating down old corridors but I was to be disappointed. Ultimately the book reads more like a `Whodunit' that ends with the slightly flat revelation of who the killer is. That said, the characters are well drawn and I was quite impressed by the dialogue, it can't be easy to recreate the rhetoric of 200 years ago but Taylor succeeds. I also loved the love story between Hollingsworth and the Master's wife and this is despite my normally loathing love stories. It was very deftly done with some truly delicate scenes between the two characters beautifully drawn.
Overall a decent work of fiction that's main highlight for me was the exhibition of the snobbery of young rich men and the struggle not to mention servitude of their poor fellow students.
I had hoped this book would be a good ghost story, complete with spooky goings-on and veiled women floating down old corridors but I was to be disappointed. Ultimately the book reads more like a `Whodunit' that ends with the slightly flat revelation of who the killer is. That said, the characters are well drawn and I was quite impressed by the dialogue, it can't be easy to recreate the rhetoric of 200 years ago but Taylor succeeds. I also loved the love story between Hollingsworth and the Master's wife and this is despite my normally loathing love stories. It was very deftly done with some truly delicate scenes between the two characters beautifully drawn.
Overall a decent work of fiction that's main highlight for me was the exhibition of the snobbery of young rich men and the struggle not to mention servitude of their poor fellow students.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not a ghost story exactly, but.........
This was indeed more of an 18th century detective novel than a ghost story, but none the worse for that! I loved it! Read more
Published 2 months ago by The Woolly Monkey
Madness...secrets...scandals
1786, Jerusalem College Cambridge.
The ghost of Sylvia Whichcote is rumoured to be haunting Jerusalem since disturbed fellow-commoner, Frank Oldershaw, claims to have... Read more
The ghost of Sylvia Whichcote is rumoured to be haunting Jerusalem since disturbed fellow-commoner, Frank Oldershaw, claims to have... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ruby
A good story, well written
This was an extremely well-researched, intriguing and unusual story that I enjoyed from beginning to end. Difficult to put down.
Published 5 months ago by R. Strode
Not a ghost story
I bought this book hoping that it would be a ghost story. I was disappointed. However, it is an excellent whodunit. Read more
Published 8 months ago by G Grannum
perservere!
This book was hard to get into because it wasnt what I expected it to be. For starters its not a ghost story at all. Its mroe of a 'whodunit'. Read more
Published 10 months ago by belledesm
`It is strange how soon a life can collapse if the foundations are...
After the drowning death of their son Georgie, John and Maria Holdsworth reacted in very different ways, Maria spent all of her time with a woman who claimed that she was in... Read more
Published 13 months ago by J. Cameron-Smith
I loved this historical mystery novel!
The Anatomy of Ghosts is an entertaining historical mystery set in and around Cambridge University in the late 18th century. Read more
Published 13 months ago by H. Skinner
anatomy of ghosts!
A slow burner initially but improving as it progressed, with excitement, anticipation, query all gripped by the twists and turns of what proves ultimately to be an excellent read.
Published 13 months ago by J. Stretton
What a waste of time
Sorry, have read American Boy and Bleeding Heart Square which were both really good, this however is NOT. How anyone can review it as a Chilling read is beyond me. Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. Jones
Beautiful, haunting, lyrical prose
I won't re-tell the story; others have done that, but I will say that I started this novel on Monday evening, had to be prised away from it that night and the next, and stayed up... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Manda Scott
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