Sunday, 27 November 2016

Review - The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co, #1) by Jonathan Stroud




Title: The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co, #1)
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Pages: 467
Publisher: RHCP Digital
Release date: 2014

Blurb from Goodreads:
 
When the dead come back to haunt the living, Lockwood & Co. step in . . .

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions.

Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood. When one of their cases goes horribly wrong, Lockwood & Co. have one last chance of redemption. Unfortunately this involves spending the night in one of the most haunted houses in England, and trying to escape alive.

Set in a city stalked by spectres, The Screaming Staircase is the first in a chilling new series full of suspense, humour and truly terrifying ghosts. Your nights will never be the same again . . .











My Review: 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley*



 
For over fifty years ghosts have been causing chaos and the young are the only ones that can see them. There are agencies that deal with the sometimes-deadly apparitions.
Lockwood & Co is a small agency with only three agents: Anthony Lockwood, Lucy Carlyle and George.
Lucy came to London hoping to make a name for herself but was turned away from every agency except Lockwood & Co. With their agency in trouble after a case goes wrong, the threesome are given an opportunity to secure their futures, but they might not make it out alive.
Will Lockwood, Lucy and George solve the case and escape in one piece?
Do Lockwood & Co have a future?


The Screaming Staircase was a solid beginning to the Lockwood & Co series. I found it interesting that only the young can see ghosts and that they only starting appearing fifty or so years ago. Hopefully that will be explained or elaborated on in the following books.
I had to keep reminding myself that the book was set in modern times because with the rapiers and ghost lamps I kept on imagining a Victorian setting.
I liked Lockwood, Lucy and George and their dynamic.
The plot was good and the writing style was easy to follow.
The book held my attention but I wasn't gripped.


Overall this was an interesting and solid start to the series.



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