by Linda Gillard

4*

Ghostly Goings-on

Cauldstane is the fourth novel by Linda Gillard that I’ve read and enjoyed. I like ‘cross-genre novels’ – stories that encompass different elements. In Linda Gillard’s case, they comprise mystery, romance, modern settings with a gothic atmosphere and often a haunting. But unlike this author’s other noveIs, I found Cauldstane hard to get into. It was only on the third or fourth attempt that I started to enjoy the story. What put me off was a plethora of names and several strands of a story that somehow failed to connect at first.  I was about a quarter of the way through before I was truly caught and involved with the characters, but from then on I was so gripped, I could barely put it down. In fact I finished it late at night – way past my usual bedtime. The ghost story is so well-realized, I finished the book with great admiration for an author unafraid to address the spiritual with honesty and an open mind.