A psychic who dreams of a different life.A police constable who just wants to protect an old lady.A haunted house that could destroy them all.London, October 1971:Some people think psychics are cool, but paranormal investigator Harry Undine disagrees. The Rat Pack were cool. They still are, despite what this new generation thinks. But having his emotions ripped to shreds whenever he encounters a … having his emotions ripped to shreds whenever he encounters a so-called ghost is definitely not cool, thank you very much, and his work at the Corsi Institute had better help him get rid of his unwanted ‘gift’.
If only.
When WPC Jo Cross visits the Institute and begs them to help an elderly lady whose house in Mitcham appears to be haunted, of course they have to assist her, even if everything in Undine screams that they should stay as far away as possible. He can’t tell their boss why he’s so frightened, not without revealing his secret. And Jo Cross is a good woman, just doing her job. But are her determination, all the Institute’s expertise, and Undine’s own abilities going to be enough when they face the horror at Lavender Edge?
There’s only one way to find out – and they are going to find out, whether Undine wants it or not.
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Lavender Edge is a “thin place”. The Weall is what protects this place keeping a barrier of sorts up. Renovations begin within Lavender Edge putting this barrier at risk! Along came a group of three men who try to explain ghosts by using scientific ways. Certain events, angry, violent ones are supposedly imprinted on the environment in some exotic manner yet to be defined forming “ghoul zones”. When the right person comes along, they interact with the zone in such a way that they trigger the recording and see what seems to be a ghost. Along with the help of an ex police officer they take on those that are trying to cross over!
This was a good one! Ending was a little anticlimactic for me. Was left with some unanswered questions! Also when Undine(one of the three guys) was in the unknown it became unfocused for me!
Christopher Henderson’s The Horror at Lavender Edge is a tale of cosmic and supernatural forces inhabiting a house in 1970s London. On its surface, this is a classic, and perhaps overused, haunted house story. But as the book progresses, Henderson’s story takes twists and turns and ends up as something completely different.
Lavender Edge follows the members of a supernatural research team working for an organization vaguely referred to as The Corsi Institute. During a routine patrol, a strange old man begs policewoman Jo Cross to visit an old house called Lavender Edge and help the woman living there. When she agrees, she learns that supernatural events have been occuring in the house, and seeks the help of the subject matter experts of the Institute.
In a refreshing take, the Institute’s researchers aren’t Moulder-esque “I want to believe” types; having much more in common with the scientific and sceptical minded Scully. They approach the supernatural with a scientific and inquisitive mind, and attempt to clarify, classify and logically explain. Leading the research efforts is Professor Archie James, accompanied by fellow scientist “Sunny” Ray Buckley and Harry Undine. Undine is a rough-around-the-edges noir type antihero. In the opening scenes, we learn that Undine has some sort of psychic ability which makes him sensitive to places where extreme emotion occured. For personal reasons, Undine refuses to let his fellow investigators in on his secret. Initially, Undine’s blatant lies to his friends make him a very unlikable character. Archie and Ray are struggling to find proof of certain phenomenons, and all the while Undine has the answers they seek. As the story progresses and we learn more about Undine’s past, this initial dislike fades and he becomes a much more appreciable character.
The thing that sets Lavender Edge apart from other haunted house stories is the root cause of the ‘haunting’. I’m a firm believer that reviews should never spoil books, so I won’t get too specific. Suffice it to say that Henderson presents a wildly imaginative, terrifying antagonistic force of massive cosmic scope. The final, climactic chapters take the story in an absolutely unexpected direction. Henderson truly hits his stride in the final showdown. Here, he displays an amazing ability to visualize abstract concepts and psychic ideas. Henderson’s creatively visual metaphors for psychic attacks and defenses, and the reality-bending effects of the battle really bring the narrative to an incredible head. It seems to me that the core creative root of Henderson’s narrative is in these final chapters, and the passion he poured into them truly shows. That final showdown was by far my favorite act of the story.
The Horror at Lavender Edge is a terrific and imaginative read. Henderson’s gritty, realistic characters and interesting background and lore weave together to create an immersive narrative. There isn’t much gore or violence; the horror is much more psychological. Fans of the classic haunted house story will find a fresh take on the genre, which you’ll especially appreciate if you’re tired of the common tropes. If cosmic horror is more your speed, you’ll love it as well, though it isn’t cosmic in the classic sense either. Henderson manages to pull from a variety of genres without falling victim to the same overused plot devices so often seen. The Horror At Lavender Edge is fresh, original, and certainly worth a look.
I discovered Henderson last year when I read his sci-fi/horror release ‘Artemis One-Zero-Five.’ I loved the mash-up that he presented and loved the ideas that moved the story along.
Now, Henderson returns, but instead of tackling future horror again, he’s now bringing us a classic haunted house tale set back in the ’70s.
I think the time period for this one is key. Growing up, I remember reading The Weekly World News and at the time, occasionally seeing some ghost shows on TV, but for the most part, paranormal related activities or past times were a fringe thing – people didn’t discuss it much out of fear of ridicule. Now as time progresses, some of society has embraced this ‘other’ world.
What really makes this tick is the idea that back then, a group of ghost hunters would set up some cameras (often polaroids) and use handheld tape recorders to try and capture phenomena.
It is with that in mind that we arrive at Lavender Edge. A house with a history, known to many.
We get thrust in quickly to the action, Police Woman Jo has stumbled on a lady dealing with substantial grief. Something else is going on at her residence and Jo wants to get to the bottom of it. She contacts a group of ghost hunters, who at first are standoffish towards her, before agreeing to investigate.
This story had some super creepy parts. Moments where I felt like stopping and going to another of my on-the-go books, but I pushed through. Haunted house stories always get to me, always make me question the noises I hear outside of the bedroom while reading. What was that that just brushed my foot? Henderson does it with the best of them.
I did struggle with some of the dialogue, specifically at the start with Jo. It ground on me that she appeared a bit unhinged when she was also a highly professional police officer. I also never once connected with the character Undine. I see now that the book is labelled Undine and Cross #1, so I’m presuming we may learn more about the backstory and what Undine exactly is, but as a single read, the character was oftentimes confusing and disruptive. I wished often that less of him would be included.
Other than that, this was a really fun ghost story. Another great haunted house tale that is sure to creep out a lot of readers and make us look differently at wallpaper for sure.