The good bits -
Well researched and sympathetic to the period it took place in.
-Style and quality of writing, well the author had worked hard.
-Marketing from the book tour organizer and the publisher was excellent. This book got so much hype and was all over Instagram and I saw the author in many book shops doing book signings. Hats off to them.

The not so good bits
-I am not a fan of this era nor of this style of story or subject material
-I found it confusing and dull.
-I didn’t like any of the characters and in particular found William to be a vile man. The way he spoke to his wife and children was quite awful and put me off the book from the beginning.

So this one is not for me I am afraid. But thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ecopy to read

Only managed to read a few chapters, which is a shame because I loved the premise. I really really love the prologue, so I was expecting more of it from the actual book. But I was faced with a very unsympathetic main character who made it very hard to root for him. I tried to hold in it and see whether things would improve, but when it was obvious they wouldn't, I simply stopped caring.

Firstly, I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Upon reading the synopsis, I was intrigued by the mention of real life figures, William Crawford, spiritualism and occult. Its a historical fiction blends with mystery horror. The premise looks promising but I was lett unsatisfied with how the story goes.

I'm probably in the minority side here. The writing was easy to read. However, I found it a bit sluggish to get through as I didn't keep my attention much while reading. It can be attributed to myself as I wasn't in the right mood while reading this. The aspect of spiritualism, occult or seance to communicate with the dead did feel unsettling. The death and grief by the main characters here are heartbreaking.

Overall, if you like historical fiction with mystery horror, you could have a try.

What a creepy book!

First of all, A.J West has such a great style of writing! It's so rich & atmospheric that I felt like I was there.

It's definitely an eerie setting too. During a lot of the spooky scenes I felt nervous and had chills! I read this on nights and genuinely felt I was creeped out.

More interesting is that while this book is historical fiction, it's based on true events and that becomes even more unbelievable as read on.

I highly recommend this book, it will grab your attention from the first page and keep you hooked ( and spooked).

I gave it 4 stars⭐

Thank you A.J West, NetGalley & Duckworth Books for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review

William Crawford, an engineer and a man of science, is a teacher at a prestigious school in Belfast, 1914.
The city is still reeling from the sinking of the Titanic, an event that has touched his own family too with his wife’s brother being on board the ill-fated ship, and World War One is just about to hit. Crawford is struggling to provide for his family during these sad years, and has very little time to spare. On top of this his young son Robert is becoming increasingly unwell and the family’s maid has upped and left without warning. When his wife starts acting strangely and lying about her whereabouts he decides to investigate, following her to what turns out to be a seance. After yet more tragedy befalls them, Crawford is drawn in to the supernatural meetings himself and becomes embroiled in a scientific investigation into the existence of a spirit world.

I struggled with this one to start with but got in to it as time went on. I didn’t enjoy all of the school based scenes that started the novel but appreciate they were necessary for setting up later aspects of the plot. The fact that this is based on a true story is incredible and I can see why someone wanted to write about it, I’d be interested to know how much or this version is fiction though and will definitely be going down a rabbit hole to find out!
The descriptions of the seances were excellent and the stage show sections put me in mind of Derren Brown shows. Speaking as someone who loves spooky films I think it would make a great movie as the twists are great too.

The only thing that puts me off it is that I couldn’t stand the main character, including the way he talks or ‘thinks’. It’s an odd sensation rooting for someone and their family whilst also really disliking them and being irritated by their inner monologue - it makes for difficult reading when that character is the protagonist and narrator!

That said it is a good story and I did enjoy the resolution. It didn’t blow me away in the same way that some other spooky books have done recently but it’s still worth reading if you like gothic historical fiction with a twist!

Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fabulous Book. Gripping from the start.
A real page turner. A J West has a way with words that really draws you in to the story.
Set in Belfast, not long after the Titanic has sank, and it’s obvious that much research has gone into the book. Also the inclusion of well known historical figures from the time just really makes this book something special.
The book is fast paced and I'm really glad I was able to read this book!
100% recommend to EVERYONE!

The Spirit Engineer is a spooky gothic historical fiction set in 1914 Northern Ireland about William Crawford begins an investigation into the validity of mediums and the paranormal but gets caught up in it. I thought this book was incredibly eerie and atmospheric and I really enjoyed reading about all things paranormal in 1914. Both West's writing and plot are skillful, however, this book was a bit too dark and upsetting for me. I'd definitely read another one of his books though.

A dark and compelling tale of science, spiritualism & madness set in Belfast during WWI as we follow a professor of engineering named William Crawford as he gets more and more involved with the world of mediums and spirits after the death of his younger son. A sinister drama full of menacing twists and turns with a very unexpected ending that will definitely leave many readers utterly gobsmacked...

Blessed with a cast of unforgettable characters (real and fictional) this wonderful novel based on a true story deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Duckworth Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel!

This is a book full of mystery, paranormal occurrences and betrayal. It was an interesting concept and I didn't mind the writing however it definitely wasn't my favourite novel I've read lately. I liked the idea of having an engineer coming to terms with the existence of an afterlife and being haunted by people who died both in his past and his present. I really hated the ending though, I feel like it didn't add to the really interesting first three quarters of the novel. What exactly did having the main character essentially molest the woman he thought was a psychic for years add to the story in any way? I wish the author had just left it at William essentially having a split personality when he was awake vs when he was asleep as that would have been a really great twist by itself.

3/5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this copy to review

This book sounded so intriguing, but I feel like it didn't live up to its full potential. William, the main character, is so unsympathetic that I just could not root for him. There was nothing redeeming about him at all.

The other characters, for the most part, were much better rounded - not the greatest either, but a few of them sparked an interest to learn more.

I saw the end-twist coming, but it was still one of the more interesting parts of the book. If you can look past William's constant whining, the last parts of the book are worthwhile.

It's a quick read, so if you are looking for something that will get you through a rainy day, this would work.

This book actually left my pretty speechless when I finished it. It is a spooky story about the possibility of communicating with the dead with a medium and the main character, William, is an engineer and does not believe in the afterlife at all, until he finds out his wife has secretly been attending seances in the hopes of communicating with her dead brother. William reluctantly goes to one to prove they are frauds but the complete opposite happens and he is enthralled into a life of believing in the dead.
This was very cleverly done and I was fully intrigued throughout, even though it got a bit slow in the middle, it soon picked up the pace again and the ending was full of shocking plot twists that made my jaw drop! This is a very intriguing and dark story.

This was a thrilling and entertaining read that left me questioning everything that happened inside it. The writing was done really well and i liked how it mixed the science and the magic of the situation. The one area of this I didn't like is that this is based on a real person and if this had been a new creation based on William Jackson Crawford without using his name but rather using his experiences.

Synopsis: Professor William Crawford is a man of science .When he bumps into one of the famous mediums of all times , Ms. Kathleen Goligher amidst a seance ; he believes it to be a hoax. He gets funded to conduct an investigation on the Goligher circle ; what he discovered has become history.
Review:
The bookcover: The cover was irresistible and the prime reason for requesting the arc. The illustrations before each part is equally beautiful.
The beginning: The prelude gives a glimpse into the eerie nature of this historical fiction/horror thriller. About 30 to 40 percent deals with setting up the backdrop for the story, hence is a tad bit slow.
The middle: Once the setting has been done, the author plunges us into a compelling atmospheric storyline. The seance, the odour and the images creep into our minds like an unforgettable recent memory.To top it all, glimpses of conversation between the protagonist and some historical figures as Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are shed light on. Though intriguing, some parts of the story were too uncomfortable; like the treatment of women which was insensitive at times that I almost felt like DNFing.
The end: My curiosity kept me hooked till the end and man! I was rewarded. The climax was top-notch and pitch perfect .The twists and turns were fascinating. Every shattered piece of the jigsaw puzzle fell into the right place. My irksomeness and indignation towards the protagonist was transformed into sheer empathy and I realized that this debutante author is a masterful storyteller! The story is a speculative fiction based on real people whose history is partially lost and the research done on their lives by the author has payed off well rendering justice to both the main characters .
Rating 3.9/5

This book was great! I had no idea about the back story and the truth of it, it really gives some insight to how convincing the spiritualist movement was, even to an engineer. The book had its heartbreaking moments and its spooky moments! A very worthy read for spooky season.

The Spirit Engineer by AJ West

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5🌟s

Thank you to Andy for my giveaway win of a signed copy of his marvellous book and to Netgalley and Duckworth Books for my ARC e-copy of the book!

I have to set that it was an honour and a privilege to meet Andy last week! Honestly the nicest and most genuinely kind man! And a friggin awesome writer aswell!!

I downloaded the audio copy of the book because I couldn’t/wouldn’t put it down and therefore needed to be able to hear William Jackson Crawford’s story whilst one my commute and whilst going about my chores at home.

This book! I loved that it was written from William’s perspective throughout.

The story is very well researched and quite frankly made me feel like I was right there, with William as he investigated the claims of the Goligher’s and came to terms with the losses of his own and his families.

The narrator, Dickon Farmer, is fantastic is every way! As most know, the narration can really make or break an audio book. And Dickon certainly made this fantastic book to life.

Once I had started to listen to the audio, the switch to reading the physical book meant that it was Dickon’s voice was the one I heard in my head.

The writing is sharp, eloquent and perfectly in keeping for the time period. I did also find myself chuckling along with the humour and rolling my eyes at the misogyny within the story. The balance of all these elements is done to perfection.

AJ’s writing captures William, Kathleen, Elizabeth and the rest of the characters beautifully. I felt like I really got to know each of them and took them into my heart in their own ways.

I was NOT expecting the ending at all. So many threads pulled together so unexpectedly and forming a crystal clear image was definitely well delivered and I do not think anyone who reads the book will suspect what is coming.

What I loved the most about this story is that it is based in truth. I am still thinking about this book days later and it has become one of my firm favourites that I have already been recommending to all my reader friends.

I can’t wait to see what comes next from A. J. West but after this, my expectations are high.

Whether you like eerie and spooky tales or not, or whether you believe in the after life and/or spirit world or not, this book is not one to be missed.

I am incredibly impressed by this debut - a perfect spooky read for anyone who is into ghost stories, but isn't into horror or jump scares.

Those who, like me, are drawn to weird, macabre segments of history, atmospheric and moody period dramas (think of a sort of The Alienist or The Knick aesthetic) should definitely add this one to their TBR-pile. Full of sharp witticisms, initeresting historical cameos and gothic eeriness, its a wonderful read based on a harrowing true story. For full effect, read on a dark night, under a cozy blanket and surrounded by candle light.

If you're looking for a creepy read for spooky season, look no further! The Spirit Engineer is a wonderfully crafted tale that will haunt you and chill you to the bone.

Based on a true story, the book is narrated by William Jackson Crawford, a man of science trying to carve his place in early 20th-century Belfast society who scoffs at the masses' recent obsessions with seances following the tragedy of the Titanic. He soon discovers however that his own wife frequents a medium, Kathleen Goligher, in a desperate attempt to contact her brother, lost at sea. When William joins her, intent on exposing the medium for the fraud she most certainly is, something terrible happens that forces him to doubt all his convictions and wonder: could the spirits really be trying to communicate with him?

What follows is a masterclass in characterisation and unreliable narration, aided by the author's rich prose. All characters and events are filtered by William's perception and, as we follow him on his journey to becoming the famed Spirit Engineer, we witness first-hand the level of his obsession, and the depths he will sink to in his quest for the truth.

All the characters are beautifully drawn, each with their own individual flaws and with the full acknowledgement from the readers' part of how their circumstances (social, of gender, sexuality and so on) affect and guide their behaviour. Most of the characters are profoundly dislikeable and each operates their own deceptions, both of themselves and of those around them, and I hated them in the best possible way.

The plot itself is simple yet intricate enough to have kept me guessing right until the end. Looking back, some of the answers had clearly been foreshadowed but, like the great Houdini, the author worked a gorgeous misdirection that I completely fell for. It had been a while since I had been so completely surprised by a book, and I enjoyed it greatly. That being said, there were some parts where the narrative lagged a bit, which made it feel heavier than it was, but that's probably due to personal taste more than anything else.

Overall, The Spirit Engineer is a fantastic debut, which easily earns its place as one of my favourites this year so far. I'm greatly looking forward to seeing what A.J. West will bring us next, and in the meantime I will be planning my re-read of this book for the next spooky season!

This book is a fantastic read you enjoy,you love it compelling thriller you love. I love the writing style loved every page. I loved the investigation side between the characters very spooky feel you love. It’s a very haunting feel to the sprit world perfect for a Halloween read you love.

This was a struggle and I gave up on it. I tried! Was 60% in (took me daaaays to get to that point) and was both bored by the story and irritated with William. I just decided no, enough time spent on this book already. I did read the last chapter though. Thanks anyway Duckworth Books.

Let me prepare you – this book is gripping, thrilling, and mind-twisting. To know that it’s based on a true story makes it even more interesting. I was completely hooked and couldn’t put this book down until I was done (and yes, I read it with the lights all on).

The plot is fast and evenly-paced. Part of the reason that I couldn’t stop reading this book is because there is always something chilling, or hectic, or haunting happening. There are several twists near the end that just left me gasping (one of which I saw coming a mile away but one that completely blind-sided me!) It had me thinking about the story long after I had finished reading it.

The main character, William Jackson Crawford, is an engineer and very much scientifically minded. After a family tragedy, his wife tries to deal with her grief in a more spiritual manner and William, understandably is upset and tries to prove to his wife that her beliefs are misguided.

William starts off being a full skeptic of the young medium Kathleen Goligher and her seances and goes to extreme lengths to prove that she is a fraud. But along the way certain events convince William that the spiritual world is possibly real and he changes his tune and becomes Kathleen’s strongest supporter. Was he a charlatan himself, trying to make a quick dollar, or a gullible dupe who wanted desperately to connect with his own ghosts?

William’s character is written so deftly that I found myself feeling both sympathetic and disgusted at his actions. You can almost feel the tension of the situation and see William’s mental state deteriorate from logical scientist to obsessive fanatic. It was that macabre sense of ‘I can’t look away at this inevitable train wreck’ that is part of the gripping feel of the story.

It wasn’t just William who was well-written. All the characters brought something to the story. Kathleen was the vulnerable young medium who was possibly an experienced con artist. Williams’ wife was a desperate mother trying to come to terms with her grief. Even the brief cameos of Doyle and Houdini came alive on the page as believer and skeptic respectively.

But honestly, this is William’s story. And it is brilliant.

I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read something outside of my usual genres. It was the perfect spooky read for October, but honestly, West may have triggered a hidden love of dark gothic stories in me. I’ve already added a bunch of new books to my TBR in the genre – I just hope that some of them are even half as gorgeous as The Spirit Engineer – it’s going to be a tough act to follow.

*** Thank you to publisher, Duckworth Books, for providing me with an e-copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.