The Hoarder tells the curious and entertaining tale of Maud, a young care worker, who is assigned to support the eccentric, difficult Cathay Flood, who has a reputation for seeing off his carers. His vast, chaotic home is a treasure trove of mystery - both in the areas blocked off to everyone except himself and in his troubled past which slowly unfurls.
Maud is a psychic and receives messages from something in the house that this mystery needs to be solved. She is fascinated and determines to pursue the truths hidden within.
I find it hard to pigeonhole this book, but no matter, I liked it a lot. I didn't quite understand why Maud is accompanied everywhere by various saints who seem to keep her company, but are not allowed to explain anything to her, and I reduced my rating by one star because of this. But as a whole the book completely drew me in and I found myself really wanting to find out what had happened at the house. The richly-drawn characters and intriguing plot line meant that I could not put the book down, especially as the pace quickened towards its end.
Jess Kidd draws a great cast of eccentric characters, from Maud's boss, the calculating Biba Morel, a 'social-care Cupid, dressed in a stretch-waisted suit and floral scarf' to Maud's landlady, the kaftan-wearing Renata Spark, drag queen with 'brutal' cheekbones and three wigs called Liza, Rita and Lauren.
All in all, it was a great read. I haven't read JessKidd's first book but now look forward very much to doing so.
Many thanks to Canongate books and NetGalley for a copy of this great book in return for an honest review.

The Hoarder is a lovely quirky read which manages to be heartwarming and engaging without resorting to schmaltz and sentimentality.

Care worker Maud Brennan is assigned to look after aged curmudgeon Cathal Flood, the Hoarder of the title whose home is full of years’ worth of belongings, collectors’ items and general rubbish. Cathal has managed to alienate and offend everyone who’s been sent to care for him previously but after a rocky start Maud reaches a delicate but mutually beneficial understanding with the elderly eccentric. As she gets to know him better it becomes clear that his past and his fractured family relations are not as clear cut as they first appear.

Maud herself is an unusual and engaging character, prone to visions of dead saints who guide her through her daily dilemmas with a plethora of (not always) welcome advice. Throw in a transgender agoraphobic, crime-solving landlady who is determined to get to the bottom of the mysteries surrounding Cathal Flood, and you’ve got a warm and funny cast of very colourful characters. There are a number of strands to the story – the mysterious death of Cathal’s wife, his estrangement from his son, the disappearance of Maud’s sister when they were children in Ireland – and they’re blended together beautifully into a very enjoyable read.

An ancient, once-grand home? A feisty, resourceful young woman taking on a grumpy, lonely old man? Sarcastic saints? All of those things sound awesome and I wish more books put together this exact combination of random yet brilliant elements. As you can see, The Hoarder seemed right up my alley, promising generational bitterness and dark mystery. And The Hoarder delivered on many levels, if perhaps not on all of them. Thanks to Canongate Books and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Hoarder beautifully walks the line between a contemporary mystery and a Magical Realism-adjacent fiction book. I had not read anything by Jess Kidd before although I had seen other bloggers raving about her previous work, and after reading The Hoarder I can see why they were so excited. Kidd has that gift that makes something utterly odd seem utterly natural, while something perfectly normal becomes eerily terrifying.Whether it's Cathal Flood's mansion, that goes from imposing to terrifying within seconds, or the saints, who effortlessly go from handing out sarcastic comments to fore-spelling danger, Kidd's The Hoarder will keep you on your feet.

Maud Drennan is a fascinating protagonist. She is a seemingly no-nonsense, straightforward woman who just wants to get the job done, even if that means entering a spooky house haunted by a cantankerous old man. She lives with a delightful if troubled landlady who provides many of the most humorous phrases in the book. But Maud isn't all that she seems. She has her own secrets, buried away so far even the reader doesn't know if they'll ever be uncovered. And then there are the saints that keep appearing, at once helpful and distracting to Maud's mission to declutter Cathal Flood's house and her own mind. Kidd crafts her carefully, never making her too perfect to be relatable, while also dipping into the trope of the unreliable narrator. How much can we trust what Maud is telling us? She is only one person in this tale, after all, and every tale has at least two sides, no? There are some heartbreaking moments in this novel when it comes to family and the history one crafts for oneself. What I mean by that is the tragedy of when we have to face that the life we have crafted for ourselves may not be based on fact, that every family has a closet containing a skeleton or two. The way Kidd allows Maud to confront herself in this novel, gently but determinedly, losing and finding her way as she goes, was fascinating to read.

As I said above, Jess Kidd's writing has a particular magic that makes everything uncanny and beautiful at once. I was gripped by the novel almost immediately, loving the way Kidd crafted her narrative. The Hoarder is filled with absolutely stunning imagery. Whether it's Cathal Flood's mansion, its winding corridors or Maud's childhood memories, Kidd crafts these scenes in delicate and emotive detail until I genuinely felt I could picture them if I closed my eyes. Kidd brings an Irish charm to her novel, largely in Maud's characterization, that made me want to dig deeper into Irish literature as well. One thing that did leave me a little disappointed was that I figured out the "mystery" part of the novel relatively quickly, about a hundred pages before the main character did. Although this didn't lessen my enjoyment of the novel's beauty, it did mean that some parts exploring the mystery dragged a little bit. However, towards the end of the novel there were still a number of twists that made for an exciting finale.

I raced through The hoarder at an unbelievable pace. Even though I figured out parts of the plot beforehand, I wanted to know exactly where Kidd was going to take this story. Full of touching and beautiful moments, The Hoarder has made me determined to get my hands on her next book as soon as I can!

I absolutely loved this book! It tells the story of Maude, a care worker assigned to the cantankerous Mr Flood, who lives in a Victorian mansion that is packed to the gills with 25 years worth of never throwing anything away. Add clairvoyants, transsexual neighbours, being pestered by dead saints and the investigation of a mysterious disappearance and you have what, in my mind, is a pretty perfect combination. The voice throughout was absolutely spot on. Maude is sarcastic, kind, self-deprecating and funny and we follow her through the narrative as she investigates the Flood family. Renata is a joy and very well drawn. In fact, all of the characters are really believable and Kidd has the ability to paint an instant picture of a person in a few simple lines. Some of her descriptions are fantastic - I particularly liked the great wall of National Geographics and the aversion to espadrilles - and although this is a supremely funny novel, there is a real poignant quality to the prose that ensures the reader has all of their emotions worked. There are a couple of plot holes and conveniences that I could point out if I was being picky, but to be honest, I really don't care! I will put this book into many hands and champion it wherever I go. Loved it!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

When requesting this book, I had only acknkowedged Jess Kidd's name and the ghostly elements and knew I wanted to read this. I truly enjoyed the gothic elements and the excellent characters presented in the novel; our protagonist, the ghosts, Renata and Cathal kept me hooked, entertained and intent on seeing the story through until the end. A very enjoyable mystery novel.

<i>Time wavers and retreats at Bridlemere, coughing and shambling. Here is history mutely putrefying and elegance politely withering.</i>

Two weeks it took me to read The Hoarder by Jess Kidd. Two weeks of beautiful, poetic writing, which ambled along at a pace slower than I normally would like. That said, the speed at which this story unfolds was exactly how it should be. I devoured every sentence, re-read many paragraphs, I wasn't itching for a conclusion or big reveal, I was deep in the moment, sucked in by incredible writing.

I loved everything about the story, the writing style, the characters, the humour, the sadness and poignancy. Whilst reading, I felt as though I was transported to Bridlemere, the aromas of a once grand mansion seeped into my senses, the quirky characters had my undivided attention, and the paranormal elements adding an unusual and often amusing twist.

<i>Sometimes the wind dropped down and hid behind the dunes, sometimes it sent playful handfuls of sand skipping. Sometimes it raised colossal storms to scour your arse all along the strand.</i>

I'm not entirely sure whether I've read anything with Irish protagonists before, if I have, it's gone unnoticed or forgotten. The sometimes slightly crass dialogue brought smirks and smiles, just breaking up the flow enough to give it an edge, perfectly placed, no profanity for the sake of it.

The Hoarder is faultless, I am finding it difficult to review in all its perfection. I didn't read too much about it prior to starting it, and went in blind. I just had a funny feeling it would blow me away. And it certainly did.

<b>Huge thanks to the author, Jess Kidd, the publisher, Canongate Books Ltd and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</b>

The Hoarder is my first introduction to Jess Kidd. I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy to review in exchange for an honest review.

Maud Drennan is an Irish carer living in Wests London. Her latest assignment is to cook and clean for Cathal Flood, a bitter and belligerent pensioner living in a huge old house, within which he has managed to amass a collection of junk. From general rubbish to walls of National Geographics, as well as certain macabre curiosities, the hoarder's home is swelling with oddness. Within the walls of this once-grand house, also lie deep hidden secrets, stories of the Flood family, from a dead wife to a missing child. Immediately I was intrigued.

Adding to strangeness surrounding Cathal, we soon learn that Maud is a psychic of sorts. Throughout the story she communicates with and gets help from a number of Catholic saints (dead, obviously), but only she can see them. As Maud begins to look into the history of Cathal's home, she enlists the saints, along with her glamorous but agoraphobic landlady, Renata, to help her uncover the truth. As the plot moves forward, we also delve into Maud's past, learning about her sister, Deirdre, who disappeared at the beach one summer in Wexford.

Kidd's strength as a writer lies in her incredible imagination and ability to evoke the most vivid accounts of the supernatural and eerie. Some scenes in this novel genuinely frightened me, they were presented with such terror and clarity. Ghosts are often difficult to conjure in a realistic manner, but Kidd's ghosts are truly believable. She also has a knack for writing wonderful characters. Maud herself is instantly likable, while Cathal is lovable despite his cantankerous nature, purely owing to his comic interactions with our protagonist. Renata is a sheer scene-stealer, making every moment of the pages she graces memorable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The story is wonderful, the premise is both thrilling and addictive. I loved the Gothic, paranormal feel to it and how Kidd effortlessly blends the frightening with the funny. Brilliant wit, excellent characters and a perfect pace. I am deducting one star for the saints: they cluttered the story a little and were often distracting. But, for that, Kidd can be forgiven. Recommended.

Jess Kidd’s first novel Himself was a huge success so expectations are high for The Hoarder.

Meet Maude Drennan, Irish lapsed Catholic, and care worker, living in a rented flat in London. She is the last in a long line of care workers sent to Bridlemere to look after the cantankerous and notoriously difficult Cathal Flood.

Whats she finds is a ramshackle mansion full of rubbish and cats and a huge giant of a man who clearly doesn’t want her there. As Maud begins to clear the rubbish so she begins to uncover a house full of secrets, secrets that bring out the worst and the best in the characters she encounters.

And what a set of characters Kidd has created.

Maud, is just wonderful. You get the feeling that she puts her heart and soul into the people that she cares for and Cathal Flood is no different. I loved her no nonsense approach, and her unwillingness to give up on him where others had failed. The changes in their relationship are beautifully emotive and touching, as she slowly breaks down his defences and reveals the awful family secrets. But Maud has secrets of her own. Told in flashbacks Kidd writes of Maud’s troubled childhood in Ireland and her struggles to reconcile and come to terms with the events in her own life. There is a funny side to Maud, its not all doom and gloom and I laughed out loud as Maud wrestled with the Catholic Saints who visited her. There is Saint Dympna, patron of those suffering for nervous and mental afflictions and Saint Valentine, patron of love all trying to warn Maud not to dabble in Flood’s secrets or to do something right for a change.

Cathal Flood himself, is portrayed as a huge lumbering giant. A man who is unwashed, unkempt and cannot bear to throw anything away. He has a penchant for other people’s cats who run amock in his hovel of a mansion and collecting weird and wonderful antiquities. As we learn more about Flood and his family so you begin to feel sorry and have huge empathy for him, this man who has lost so much, carrying such unbearable grief and sorrow that he expresses with anger and vitriol to those try to care for him.

Renata is Maud’s landlady and best friend. An ageing transvestite and agoraphobic, ex magicians assistant, she is the wonderful foil to Maud’s reluctance to uncover Flood’s secrets. Renata fancies herself as a detective, finally finding something to lift the mundanity of her everyday existence, even if she gets more than she bargained for. The relationship between Maud and Renata is one based on loneliness, both seeking solace from the other, but also one of deep friendship.

Gabriel Flood, son of Cathal Flood, plays the archetypal villain of the story and you just know that he cares little for his father, intent on only making sure he get what he wants no matter the cost to others.

The writing is superb, perfectly placing you, the reader, in Mr Flood’s rubbish strewn mansion. I absolutely loved Kidd’s description of his wall of National Geographics,

‘The Great Wall of National Geographics is the gateway to the rest of the ground floor, the staircase and beyond. This remarkable structure is not only a barrier to my progress but also a fitting monument to compulsive collecting. It is over twelve feet high and formed by close packed strata (yellow spines aligned uniformly outwards) of the widely informative magazine. Each copy has been placed carefully, with aptitude and instinct, so that the whole has the arcane strength of a dry stone wall.’

The novel is littered with lots of other such brilliant imagery and descriptions that just let your imagination run wild.

The balance between light and dark, funny and serious was just right. One moment your sharing a characters despair, the next laughing out loud at their antics, Renate and the Saints providing much of the comedy moments.

There was never a lull, as secrets unraveled, and you slowly began to piece together all the pieces of the complex jigsaw.

I experienced a myriad of emotions with a real tug at the heart strings in some places as I felt a real connection with the characters, testament to Kidd’s wonderful writing.

It is not a novel I will forget in a hurry, it is one that will linger, always a sign of a truly wonderful book.

I received a proof copy after attending the Canongate proof party at Cheltenham Literature Festival in October 2017. It was a real pleasure to listen to Jess Kidd read from the novel and talk about the mechanics behind the writing of The Hoarder

About the author

Jess Kidd’s debut novel Himself was one of my favourite books of 2017, so I was equal parts excited and nervous to read The Hoarder. The nervousness wasn’t necessary because The Hoarder lives up to all my expectations.

Maud Drennan is a carer with a difference; she spends her days surrounded by the ghosts of saints and being far more psychic than she would like. When she meets her newest client, Cathal Flood, she finds herself drawn to the secrets his house full of junk might hold. But Cathal’s temperament mean it’s best not too ask him too many questions. So, it’s up to Maud and her agoraphobic landlady, Renata, to get to the bottom of why Cathal is living the way he is.

The Hoarder is a wonderfully strange tale full of secrets, betrayal and humour.

Maud Drennan is a care worker. Her latest client is the elderly and ornery Cathal Flood, a client unlike any she has had to deal with before. But then Maud isn’t the usual sort of care worker and Cathal holds no fears for her. As she starts to tackle the piles of junk that have accumulated around him she discovers a hidden world of secrets and mysteries that she determines to unravel. It’s an original and quirky novel with original and quirky characters, but for me it was just a bit too quirky and the supernatural elements were…well, too supernatural. I thought Kidd’s debut novel Himself a small masterpiece but this one didn’t quite live up to it. The writing is excellent and much of the characterisation is too, and Kidd certainly has a way with words, but overall I was a little disappointed and remained somewhat unengaged.

At times it felt as though I was reading this book backwards in the mirror, such was the strange, detached quality to the writing. This isn't a criticism though, because for this story, the technique really worked.
Maud is an intriguing character, who it becomes clear, has never recovered from an incident in her childhood. At that moment she was reading an illustrated book of saints, and in her adult life she engages with the very same saints that dog her every move. Her closest friend is her eccentric agoraphobic landlady, and together they imagine up a gothic murder mystery that revolves around Maud's new client, the eccentric and volatile OAP, Cathal Flood. He is the titular hoarder and a fascinating character. In fact, all the characters are sublimely brought to life, as is the house of Cathal Flood, which is almost another character in its own right.
This is a book full of feeling and empathy, the supernatural, the power of the imagination, mystery, love and hate and family ties. I would urge anyone to pick up a copy when it is released. It's going on my best reads of 2018 list.

Thanks to the publishers and netgalley for the advanced copy in return for an honest review

Maud Drennan is a forty-something carer. Originally from Ireland, she now lives in London and finds herself taking care of Cathal Flood, a man it isn’t easy to like. He frightened his last carer away, and the ones before that. Somehow, though, Maud is holding on, slowly making her way through Cathal’s house and the years of dirt, grime and chaos he has accumulated.
Whether it’s her grit, or their shared Irish roots, Cathal begins to let her in – and so does his rambling, shambolic house. Because, as well as being a carer, Maud is psychic and, pretty quickly, it becomes clear that the house – or it’s former residents are trying to tell her something.
The question is what? Her agrophobic landlady thinks it’s that Cathal killed his wife, and possibly a girl whose photos Maud finds but whose face she can’t see because they’ve been defaced. Maud isn’t so sure. Despite his grumpiness and general unfriendliness, she is warming to Cathal and finds it hard to believe he is capable of murder. She can’t be sure though, and with ghosts and saints whispering in her ear (along with her neighbour), she feels she has no choice but to find out, even if it puts her in danger – and it does.
If it all sounds little crazy and a little strange, it is, but in such a good way. Just like last year’s Himself, Jess Kidd has created a wonderful, off-the-wall world, that I absolutely fell in love with. It’s dark, slightly scary, but also fascinating, with saints and ghosts wandering the halls of the house and the pages of the book, popping up randomly to impart wisdom or move the story along. Then there’ a back story about Maud’s childhood, adding to the intrigue.
It could easily fall apart with so much going on, but Kidd holds it together and keeps it on the right side of weird. At the core, there is a good, old-fashioned mystery but what makes it different is the way Kidd writes. She has a wonderful way of weaving a story around a group of unlikely characters (the landlady is brilliant) and a wonderful way with words (“In Renata’s eyes there is the creek and pitch of a thousand ships and the moon on the water and the song of a sad drunken deckhand.”).
The whimsical nature of the language won’t suit everyone but it suited me and it suited the story. Everything fit perfectly, leaving me loving the book – though (if there is a downside) perhaps not quite as much as Himself.

Maud Drennan has been tasked with caring for the unpleasant and reclusive Cathal Flood who lives in a large house filled from floor to ceiling with the detritus of his life. Yet despite Cathal's initial enmity towards her, they begin to develop a testy friendship. With it comes the knowledge that something has happened in Cathal's history which echoes through to the present. As Maud gradually begins to explore the junk-filled rooms, she slowly unravels the past with the help of her agoraphobic landlady, Renata and some rather judgemental ghosts of saints. But will she come to regret what she unearths?
The Hoarder is essentially a crime novel, but one full of wonderful description, astute turns of phrase and wickedly keen observations of people's inner worlds and their interactions with others; all with a paranormal twist. In the case of the author's debut book Himself Mahony saw ghosts. In The Hoarder the much-put-upon Maud communes with obscure, self-opinionated saints with distinctive personalities, who are not afraid to dish out their own particular brand of advice.
As with Himself, the main protagonist (in this case Maud) finds herself taken under the wing of a beautifully crafted, but completely eccentric protector, the flamboyant Renata. Jess Kidd's cast of characters is both engaging and entertaining as well as displaying a vast collection of human weaknesses and strengths. These are people who shift in aspect as the author's writing shines a different light on them at key points in the story, creating characters of great depth and subtlety.
All this fits in beautifully with the plot which is not one to play second string to the characters as it twists and turns its way through a narrative that steers the reader first one way then another through this well-conceived crime novel, in which past and present need to be reconciled.
If Jess Kidd's writing is anything to go by so far, she is carving out a unique niche in which the best of literary and crime writing comfortably combine to create a story you will want to return to when the days are dark, and you need the comfort of a good book.

First grown up book I’ve read for a while and this was a slow burn read for me that picked up momentum and grabbed me about a third of a way in. Main protagonist Maud’s character came through well and I enjoyed the increasing sense of menace that built during the story but personally felt that the ending was a bit of an anticlimax. Beautiful prose however, very well written and I’m glad I stuck with it.

When I requested this title for review, I had no real idea what would expect me within the pages of this book. I had never heard of Jess Kidd before and I mainly wanted to read her, as I am trying to read more Irish authors in general. I thought I would get literary fiction with some mystery in it. And it was that to an extent, but it was also a totally strange, weird and so, so compelling book.

Now, I have to say that I do like a weird book, but normally I struggle with magical realism and "ghosts" (in the broadest possible context for this book) yet in The Hoarder, I loved it.

Maud is a care worker and she has been assigned to look after Cathal Flood, who lives in a rambling old house that is full of stuff. He keeps everything, the downstairs area is blocked off from the upstairs area by the great wall of National Geographics. Now Maud, is not ordinary, she is at all times (well when she is not at work) surrounded by Saints only she can see, she is also a form of psychic, that's hard to describe, she has not even figured it out.

Clues start appearing at work and it becomes clear that there is a 30 year old mystery waiting to be solved and so Maud and her transgender neighbour, who is unable to leave her flat, set out to solve this mystery.

If you like the weird, the strange, yet compelling narratives, then this might be for you. I loved it.

The hoarder is a fantastic book, full of dark secrets and betrayal, it was not the read I was expecting. At first I found it hard to get into as it flicks between timelines and stories but as soon as I was in I didn't want to put it down.
I think one of the main reasons why I enjoyed it so much was the characters personalities, from the cantankerous, potty mouthed old man, to the empathic care worker, even the antagonist was one I liked to hate. This book is well written and I rate it 5 out of 5.

Where do I even begin??!! I loved Himself and it made it on to my Top Books of 2017, so I've been so eager to read this and was lucky to have been sent an early copy from the publisher.

I just couldn't put this down!! I read it in one sitting!! That pretty much tells you my thoughts on this book! I frigging loved it!! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it even made me forget to breathe at times as the tension started to build and the mysteries began to be revealed! A pretty comprehensive and perfect reading experience all wrapped up in one book!!

It starts off quite quietly as we get acquainted with Maud Drennan who has the unenviable job of 'helping' the prickly Mr Flood who has a serious hoarding problem. Of course he doesn't see it as a problem so does all he can to prove as unhelpful as humanly possible, but there is something slightly different about Maud who doesn't flinch at the abuse he throws her way, and Cathal Flood slowly responds to her in the way where others have given up and been forced out. During their time together he starts to share stories and opens up to her. Maud has her own secrets too and she becomes fascinated by the stories she hears, and the house itself begins to give up its' secrets as she clears things out and she finds herself involved in mysteries going back many years.

Maud also shares the stories she hears with her landlady, the wonderful Renata who is agoraphobic, and the ghostly Saints that follow Maud wherever she goes, and a world of intrigue soon opens up that maybe they should have left well alone. Even the Saints warn her off from exploring more - if only she listened to them!!

All the characters in this book were so different and complex but lovable in their own special ways. Maud had her own difficult and secretive past and that was quite obvious at times, but that helped her put on a front especially when she first entered the world of Cathal. Renata is a delight to read about - the way she took on trying to solve the mysteries was hilarious and there were many touching scenes involving her where it was obvious how much Maud and her were devoted to each other. And as for Cathal, despite his abuse and prickly demeanour, you get to see different sides to him through his concern for a fox, his hatred for his son and the sadness over losses he has suffered over the years.

This book had it all for me - it was so cleverly paced so there were never any dips in where the story was heading, and it just had me captivated from start to finish! I became so attached to all the characters that I've not really stopped thinking about them since I put the book down so can't wait to pick this up again and enjoy all the dark humour, mystery, supernatural twists and human drama all over again!! More please Jess!!

Thank you to the publishers and author for the advanced reading copy in return for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book, although it was not my style. Here is the plot in short: Maud is a social worker who went to a mansion to take care of the house, which is dirty and flooded with everything our hoarder collected. Cathal Flood, is a grumpy old man living in the mansion among the rubbish he created over the years, lots of cats and an interesting collector's items.
As Maud explores the house, she finds out that there's more than just junk and weird items. What does the grumpy Mr. Flood hide among this chaos; dead parents, missing siblings or even more, murder?
My favorite part of this book is Maud. She's a character you want to read about. She's very charming and interesting. I also liked Renata a lot. She's a transvestite who loves oddities and mysteries. Aside from the other characters, there are sarcastic saints and ghosts that noone but Maud sees around, which I found really imaginative and quirky.

So, different from other mystery books, this book is driven by its interesting characters and imaginative narrative. One thing missing for me was the pace. I wish it was a bit more dynamic. But, all in all, good read.
Thanks to NetGalley, and the publisher for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jess Kidd returns with The Hoarder after her sublime and outstanding debut, Himself. There is much that echoes Himself in this story, its Irish background, the writing style with its themes of the supernatural and fantastical, its quirkiness, eccentric elements along with a dark gothic tale. It features rabid, volatile, relcalcitrant and cadaverous geriatric pensioner, Cathal Flood, who resides in the huge house, Bridlemere, heaving with the detritus of the Flood family history, spirits, ghosts, cats, a fox, macabre curiosities and so much more. Cathal has seen off all those sent to sort out the house and care for him, including Sam Hebden by assaulting him with a hurley stick. Psychic Maud Drennan, his latest carer, is made of much sterner stuff as she battles to clean and access the main parts of the house, impeded by Cathal and the Great Wall of National Geographics. Maud is caught by the Flood family drama, like the accident that killed Mary, but her nosiness is not appreciated by Cathal. Little by little, Cathal and Maud begin to connect as Cathal paints her portrait and tells her stories.

Maud is often in the company of coterie of saints only she can see, such as St Dymphna, who on occasion offer valuable advice, warnings and insights at critical times. Maud's colourful agoraphobic, transgender landlady, Renata, is convinced murder has been done in Bridlemere, and whilst Maud is unconvinced, soon an investigation board is set up charting the progress of their investigation. Maud meets Cathal's estranged son, and finds herself getting involved with Sam Hebdon. Maud is surrounded by a web of deceit, betrayal, loss and the increasing presence of danger swirling all around her, where not everyone is as they appear. Bridlemere is a home overflowing with grief, loss and pain. Running parallel in the narrative is the dark and haunting past of Maud in Ireland, when as a 7 year old child, her sister, Deirdre, disappeared.

This was a great read, but it fails to climb the heights of the magical brilliance that is Himself. There are similar themes, characters and style present here, but it somehow lacks the same alchemy of Kidd's debut. There were occasions when the writing felt a little more laboured and perhaps there was an absence of greater creativity. Don't get me wrong, I still loved it enough to give it 5 stars, and Jess Kidd is undoubtedly imaginative, I just hope she either has something more to offer or she takes on something significantly more different in her next book. In any case, I will be wanting to read her next book as soon as it becomes available! I did absolutely adore the characters of Cathal and Renata. A wonderful read that I recommend highly! Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

Thanks Canongate Books and netgalley for this ARC.

Strange, freeing, psycho, and mad- this makes a great novel!