Book 77: The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
Book 77: The Ghost Writer
Author: John Harwood, 2005
Genre: Gothic. Ghost story. Mystery.
Other Details: Paperback. 374 pages.
I had enjoyed John Harwood's second work, The Seance ( 2009 Book 17), and so sought out his award-winning début novel, which again is laden with Gothic elements with a metatexual aspect as late 19th century stories are interwoven with a modern narrative.
Gerard Freeman grows up in south west Australia in the late 20th century with his controlling mother, who is very secretive about her earlier life in England. He finds solace in his correspondence with an English pen friend, Alice, to whom he can confide everything. They both look forward to the time when Gerard will be old enough to visit England and they can meet. Gerard slowly begins to piece together his mother's past aided by the short stories written by his great-grandmother, Viola. These chilling tales of ghosts and supernatural events are embedded into the main narrative and provide Gerard - and the reader - with clues into the troubled history of his family. After his mother's death, Gerard finally travels to England in search of the elusive Alice and to learn more of his family. In the long-abandoned Hampstead house, which his mother inhabited years before, Gerard finally finds his answers.
I found this a haunting and highly satisfying tale weaving all the right ingredients of the Victorian Gothic into its modern narrative as well as Viola's stories. I was not surprised to read that Harwood is a poet and has taught English Literature at university level as there is a foundation of literary weight behind this and his later book. Its pace is quite slow as befits its homage to 19th century literature, yet I still found it hard to put down given its many twists and turns and disturbing elements. One reviewer described reading it as being similar to taking apart a Russian nesting doll and I'd agree that is so.
John Harwood: Meet the Author - Australian web page interviewing Harwood about the genesis of The Ghost Writer.