The Ghost of Gosswater: a spooky, gothic chiller from Waterstones-prize shortlisted author Lucy Strange

Ever get so wrapped up in a story that you forget that you are reading? That’s what The Ghost of Gosswater will do as you follow the life of twelve-year-old Lady Agatha Asquith, who has just lost her parents and is struggling to accept an alternate reality that is thrust upon her. The year is 1899 and Cousin Clarence the earl has not only inherited everything that Agatha holds dear, he shatters what Agatha knows about herself, forcing her to try and make sense of who she is and where she has come from. If that isn't enough, a supernatural force is trying to tell her something, but can she trust it? Sometimes what you think you want isn’t what you need or what will truly make you happy. The twist at the very end had me spellbound. At one point, I was on the edge of my seat. This is my first Lucy Strange book, but I can assure you, it won’t be my last.

Seems strange to call something a charming thriller, but that’s what this is. Wonderful writing and a historical story that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The Ghost of Gosswater was the first book I've read by Lucy Strange. It was just fantastic. It had great characters, an interesting storyline, a dastardly villain, and, of course, a ghost. It reminded me a bit of Victorian ghost stories. It wasn't too scary, but just spooky enough to be thrilling. The setting was quite eerie and played perfectly with a ghost story. There were some scenes that kept the reader on the edge of their seat and Strange doesn't shy away from threatening the lives of children. Towards the end of the book, the intrigue and suspense really stepped up and I ended up staying up way too late to finish it, always the sign of a good book.

Gripping story about a girl who has to discover the truth about herself and her family. Beautifully written, spooky and atmospheric. Engaging and believable characters. Very much enjoyed the backstory which could be another book in itself.

This story is proof that a good book can and should be, enjoyed by all ages. I bought a couple of books from Amazon with the thought of reading the other one first as this isn’t a normal read of mine as aimed at a younger audience. I thought I’d look at the first couple of pages to get a feel of the book and simply kept going! My imagination kicked in with each section that I read which is what I used to do when I read books as a child. You will get drawn into the whole scenario and wonder and hope that the good will overcome the bad. The gentle warmth and love that grows within the characters is wonderful and it is truly a book for all ages as a must read.

When twelve-year-old Lady Agatha Asquith is thrown out of her family home, Gosswater Hall, by her evil Cousin Clarence, who has inherited the family title and who has discovered that Agatha has been adopted and is not an Asquith at all, the poor, bewildered Agatha is forced to leave all that she has ever known behind her. Collected from Gosswater Hall by Thomas Walters, a man she has never seen before and who claims to be her father, Agatha moves to a tumbledown cottage on other side of Gosswater Lake and struggles to settle down to a life that is very different to her life as Lady Agatha; however very angry with her cousin, before she left Gosswater Hall she secretly took the black opal known as the King Stone from the family shield - a stone that is precious not just for its monetary worth but for the significance it holds for the Asquith family. Befriended by Bryn, a young boy who helps the sexton on Skelter Island (a mist-enshrouded islet and the site of the graves and crypts of the local gentry), Agatha tries to make sense of the situation she finds herself in - surely her adoptive parents would not have left her penniless? And is Thomas Walters really her father? And when for a dare she rows out with Bryn to Skelter Island on New Year's Eve, a time when spirits are said to fall through the crack in time and visit the living, and she sees a strange, silvery apparition in the shape of a girl, Agatha's life becomes even more puzzling than before - and when Clarence realizes the King Stone has gone and becomes very threatening towards our young heroine, Agatha's ability to cope with all that has happened to her is put very much to the test. There is more, of course, but that is for prospective readers to discover for themselves.Set in the beautiful location of the Lake District, which the author atmospherically describes to her young readers, Lucy Strange's 'The Ghost of Gosswater' has both an eerie and, at times, a more comforting feel to it - which prevents the story from becoming too frightening for younger readers, but also not too tame for older middle-grade readers. As a heroine, Agatha, or Aggie as she calls herself once she has left Gosswater Hall, is an engaging character and although when we first met her she may seem a little precious and is rather unkind to Thomas, we have to take into account that Aggie is only twelve years old and her whole world is changed when her cousin inherits the family estate, so it is understandable that she should find it difficult to adjust and takes her resentment out on the nearest person to her. And Aggie certainly makes up for her initial behaviour later and, as the story progresses, we see her develop into a stronger and more interesting character and one who learns to see other people's points of view. So, in summary, an enjoyable story which looks at family, friendship and the importance of appreciating and making the most of what you have, and one that I found an entertaining read from beginning to end.4 Stars.

This is wholly enjoyable read, well written and researched. The descriptive language draws the reader in and the main characters evoke the readers' interest. This book is Lucy's 3rd and is the best so far. It will be enjoyed by young adult readers but also adult readers will be drawn in to the gothic imagery and themes. Highly recommended.

I've read several of Strange's books before and loved her way of writing about families. This book stands proudly in that same tradition. The Ghost of Gosswater is far spookier than her first two novels, but is it the human characters which provide true malevolence. A wonderful read, I now wish I had waited to read it nearer Christmas! It would be a fantastic read around a fireplace on a dark winter's night.I heartily recommend this book.