I was nervous to read this, as I loved the sound of it so much, I thought there was no way it could fully live up to my expectations. But not only did it surpass them, its at the top of my books of the year. It goes from giving you chills, to checking over your shoulder, to heart palpitations, to choked up with tears, to full on spit your tea out laughing. All of the emotions!

The story of The Spirit Engineer is so fascinating and rich with gorgeous lines, but for me the strength are its characters, particularly William Jackson Crawford. I loved him from the first page. He made mistakes and went about some things in questionable ways, and I did find myself wanting to shake him and give him a bit of a talking to! But it was clear his intentions were always good, and it was all to seek approval and respect from his peers, and the love of his wife and family.

There are ghosts, there are plot twists, and there are some of the funniest one liners I have ever read. It's a perfect Halloween read. I can't wait to re read it during spooky season. And I'm so excited to read more from this talented debut author

Many thanks to Duckworth and Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review

1914, Belfast, two years after the sinking of the Titanic, spiritualism seems to be taking off amongst high society. William Jackson Crawford is an engineer, a man of science, a sceptic.
When Elizabeth, Williams wife, joins Kathleen Goligher's circle, William is drawn in only to hear voices that appear to come from nowhere. William doubts himself and soon an obsession to find the truth takes over. Is it simply parlour tricks or....is it real?

Wow, wow, wow, what a debut from AJ West!

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year and I am so glad it didn't disappoint.

The Spirit Engineer had me hooked from the first page. I was totally captivated by the style of the writing, I felt like I was taken back in time so much so, I could smell the smells and kept checking over my shoulder. This book is spooky, it gets inside your head but not only that, there are some one liners that had me chuckling.
I absolutely loved this book, it kept me reading long into the night. Its engaging, spooky, funny and I will thinking about that ending for a long time.

I can't wait to read more from AJ West.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
Amazing. Phenomenal. Astounding. Fantastic and all the other words!

Until a couple of weeks ago I had no idea that this book was coming out this year. I hadn't heard anything about, I hadn't seen anything about it. When I saw it available on NetGalley I just thought it sounded interesting and thought it was worth requesting.
Best thing I have ever done! This book is my favourite book of 2021 so far and honestly might be one of my favourites of all time!

I actually finished this book a couple of days ago but didn't write my review straight away because I wanted to give myself some time to find something, ANYTHING, wrong with it... and I failed. This book is a 5 out of 5 in all aspects.

The scene was perfectly set. Every single character in the book managed to be completely fleshed out and beautifully written even if they only appeared a couple of times!
The suspense and the horror involved were amazing as well and I actually found myself a bit creeped out at night sometimes while reading it, which is just perfect.
This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read and I can't wait to see more from A.J.West!

3 things that happened after this book that just prove its excellence:
1. I gave it 5 stars. Extremely rare for me, I never rate a book as being 'perfect' ... I will nitpick until the cows come home, but here we are.
2. It scared me! I've been reading horror for the better part of 2 years now and I'm constantly complaining that I'm bored and not scared enough but this managed to get there.
3. I ORDERED A PHYSICAL COPY! - I never do this if I've already read the e-book but I just need to have this on my shelves!

This review is all just one big ramble but I have a lot of feelings about this book and no idea how to get them all out.

No notes! If you do anything this year, read this book!

AJ West’s The Spirit Engineer is an uncomfortable read in places. William Crawford is a Professor of Engineering at the Municipal Technical institute in Belfast, living with his wife Elizabeth and their children: Margaret, Helen and Robert. Despite his (presumably well-paid) job, the family struggle for money. The novel is narrated by William and I cringed at his refusal to admit they’re slowly starving. Elizabeth is in mourning for her brother, who was on the Titanic. William thinks he was probably locked away below decks – primarily because William sent a telegram to the authorities, alerting them to William’s criminal activities.

There is mystery from the start of the novel: why did the housemaid, Hazel, leave so suddenly? Why don’t they eat well? Why don’t William and Elizabeth share a bedroom anymore? Why is William so self-absorbed and wilfully blind? He doesn’t help his wife; he doesn’t take the children off her hands, claiming that he’s busy with his work. I really felt for his wife, with her sad drudgery. She seeks solace at her church but then we overhear another woman saying to her, “We have missed you at our church meeting these last few weeks”.

William finds out where Elizabeth has been going and becomes acquainted with Kathleen Goligher, a young medium. William’s world is all precision engineering and facts. Surely all mediums, spiritualists, etc. are fakes, aren’t they? You just need to find out how they perform their tricks, don’t you? And if a Professor of Engineering with access to precision instruments and with a scientific method can’t find a trick, doesn’t that imply the spirits are real? Hence the world’s first Spirit Engineer.

I didn’t enjoy this book, but I don’t think it was meant to be “enjoyed”. I did, however, find it gripping, enthralling, shocking and, in one episode prior to the gala dinner, funny. Don’t read this book if you like your world cozy, innocent and where everything has a happy-ever-after story.

#TheSpiritEngineer #NetGalley

Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism. In their collective grief they are attempting to reach their departed through séances.

William Jackson Crawford is a man of science and a sceptic, but one night with everyone sitting around the circle, voices come to him seemingly from beyond the veil, placing doubt in his heart and a seed of obsession in his mind. Could the spirits truly be communicating with him or is this one of Kathleen's parlour tricks gone too far?

Based on the true story of William Jackson Crawford and famed medium Kathleen Goligher, and with a cast of characters that includes Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, West conjures a haunting tale that will keep you guessing until the end.

All I can say is this author has gained a forever reader with me!

I initially chose this book based on it description. In the description, Sir Author Conan Doyle is mentioned and I was instantly intrigued, although his role in the story is very small. I have been reading another book which talks about his fascination with the spirit world, and this book drew me in very quickly,

I started this book unsure of what to expect but was not disappointed at all! Set in 1914 Belfast, Ireland, two years after the sinking of the famed ship, the Titanic. Spiritualism has captivated the high society of the time. William Jackson Crawford, a man of science, an engineer, a skeptic. When he follows his wife one night suspecting her of an affair, he is transported into a world of voices and shadows, is it real or is it all just one big con?

After following his wife and discovering what she was up to, he is immersed into the world of spiritualism, even donning the name The Spirit Engineer, his name a marriage of his two sides. The once skeptic is determined to show others the proof he has of the spirit world being real. Can he prove his theories or will he discover more than he bargained for before all is said and done?

This book was beautifully written, immersive with vibrant descriptions that transport you directly to the 1900's. I even found some era appropriate music to stream while reading to complete my immersion. The story flows well and I found that I was dying to see what would happen next. I absolutely did not see the ending coming. I love a good twist ending! I cannot wait to see more from this author!

It’s no secret that this book has been one of the most anticipated reads of the year. There has been a frenzy building around this book with some very clever marketing. Naturally this makes you excited to read it but also worried it’s just hype; I’m happy to report it most certainly is not hype - it’s beautiful.

Based on a true story we begin in Belfast post the demise of the Titanic where we meet Professor William Jackson Crawford, a man of science, his wife Elizabeth and their three children. Although a clever man the Crawford’s are not exactly the wealthiest family with financial sponsorship from Aunt Adelia, (not an Aunt at all) poking her nose in and being a perfect snob - some brilliant exchanges between William and Adelia! What was interesting to learn was that a lot of people turned to seances post titanic with the huge loss of life. This was taboo and often thought to be going against god. Being a man of science William sets out to disprove ghosts and to debunk Mediums with experiments of his own making. What he discovers is the biggest surprise of all.

The writing style was fluid, sympathetic to the time period and well researched. The author managed to use humour appropriately without ruining an otherwise serious story. There was sadness, pity and tragedy to contend with. Clever writing providing clues throughout the book that all came together at the end magnificently.. It was a perfect penny drop moment where everything became crystal clear and left you paused in your own thoughts while you cast your mind back over the story to piece everything together - genius!

The author has documented his research and I would urge you to watch this along with the book, it’s fascinating to see the institute where William worked along with other pieces of evidence that appear in the book.

Anyone who follows me will know that more often than not I’m let down or left deflated by an ending. Impatient with a need for closure that I often don’t get…I am thrilled to say this ending took me by the hand, slapped me round the face several times only to give me a gentle kiss goodbye. An absolute dazzler of an ending.

Please pre-order this book. The author has created a masterpiece and one which I think will be talked about for a long time to come.

First of all, can we all just agree that this is one of the best debuts - nay books - I’ve ever read.

However you can get hold of a copy - buy it, rent it, borrow it, read it over someone’s shoulder, steal it (don’t do that) - you must read this book before 2021 is out. It’s not out until October but I was lucky enough to receive an early copy and I’m so glad I did, I’m not sure I could wait another two months to receive what I now know to be an absolutely stupendous book.

For someone who hates scary movies, I’ve never found myself being frightened by a book before. So when reviews said you should only read this during the day and with never alone, I thought that was an exaggeration. I tell you now - it definitely wasn’t. For someone who believes in ghosts and spirits, it takes a very special writer to get under my skin with them, but AJ does just that with his debut novel.

It may be the e-book version I had, but the illustrations in it are so gorgeous and so clever, I can only imagine what they look like in a hardback copy, and I may have to buy one for myself just so I can hold them in my hands.

The characters that AJ has created feel so familiar, and yet so new and fresh. They feel like friends, but ones we haven’t seen for many years. Whilst it’s not a main plot point, the infrequent mentions of WW1 and the horrors and injuries experienced are done so with sensitivity and respect, avoiding using them as mere entertainment devices.

Considering this is set 100 odd years ago, it is amazing how little things have changed in the world of ghosts and spiritualism. Yes it may be more accepted to believe in it now, but you still get the skeptics determined to damn anyone who dare believe anything different.

Once the twists and turns start coming, they come thick and fast, they are mind blowing and mind boggling, and that epilogue! Wow. I can’t see a sequel happening so I will read this again and again, wishing it was the first time again. And the fact it’s based on a true story just adds to the mystique.

Oh, one more thing. When this is inevitably made into a film, please can Tom Hiddleston be cast as the main protagonist as I saw him from page one. Oh and obviously with me playing his wife, for reasons I don’t really need to get into here, but you know why.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The Spirit Engineer will be available October 7th.

I will be honest: I didn’t know much about William Jackson Crawford going into The Spirit Engineer, so everything written was a surprise to me. That being said, if I had been an expert on his life, I still would have been engrossed. The Spirit Engineer is an engrossing book that delves deep into the subjects of loss, paranoia, belief, and what can happen when a person’s beliefs are questioned.

Professor William Jackson Crawford is a man of science who doesn’t subscribe to paranormal nonsense, thank you very much. He thinks himself too smart to fall for any trickery and is preoccupied with dreams of rising far in his field. However, William learns that his wife has been visiting mediums and takes it upon himself to disprove the idea of communicating with the deceased. Thus, the Spirit Engineer is born.

I don’t usually comment on the characteristics of those that are based on real people, but William is not likeable at all. Nor is he relatable. At most, I could say he’s pitiable, and even that is a stretch. William is condescending and feels he is superior to others. He is a man who desperately wants to be in control of himself, of his work, of others. The more he feels his orderly life slipping away, the more paranoid and desperate he becomes. Things go in unexpected directions when, instead of proving the medium is a fraud, William sees and hears the spirits himself. Is he deceived? Or has he stumbled upon something otherworldly? Of course, I don’t need a character to be likable or relatable to enjoy a book. Instead, he was fascinating, which is much more important to me.

The writing was fantastic. It was smart and engaging. I’m assuming that there was some embellishment, but the author obviously tried to stay close to the sprit (pun intended) of the facts. The story developed well and the pacing was perfect. It didn’t skip over details, but it also didn’t drag. I raced through this book because I just couldn’t put it down.

The Spirit Engineer is a riveting book. While it’s interesting from a historical standpoint, what really drew me in was the exploration of the human psyche because, when it comes right down to it, that’s much more fascinating and mysterious than anything supernatural.

I had to read parts of this during the day because at night it gave me a really creepy feeling!


Set in 1914 in Belfast. We follow William Jackson Crawford, the main character who despite his flaws at the beginning is rather funny in his own way. William is a highly respected member of science. He finds out his wife has been going to seances and he joins her to prove if they are real or not , hence the name The Spirit Engineer.


I cannot say too much more about the book as it would ruin it for anyone wanting to read it. But oh my goodness! That ending was not what I expected at all and while reading it I was saying ‘What! oh my god’
I loved this book and when I can get a hold of a physical copy I will be so I can keep it and re read it again.


Highly recommended but just one tip … read during the daytime!

The Spirit Engineer - AJ West

Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism, attending séances in the hope they might reach their departed loved ones.

William Jackson Crawford is a man of science and a sceptic, but one night with everyone sitting around the circle, voices come to him – seemingly from beyond the veil – placing doubt in his heart and a seed of obsession in his mind. Could the spirits truly be communicating with him or is this one of Kathleen Golighers parlour tricks gone too far?

This is in a way an interesting study of the human psyche and one man’s experience - that of Professor William Jackson Crawford.
It starts quite slowly as we learn about this sceptical man of science, his Edwardian stand off ish nature with his family, his suspicions of his wife’s behaviour, his intolerance of his children, yet you do get a real sense of the love he has for them all.
Elizabeth, his wife, attends seances to contact her brother, drowned on the Titanic, but when William attends he hears voices and is tasked with investigating the Goligher medium Kathleen.
Crawford seems to relish his new celebrity, he goes from an almost meek man to one who feels confident in his new role as Spirit Engineer. He becomes controlling, overbearing and almost monstrous in nature, beholden to the power of celebrity and money.
With modern day eyes and a scientist background you can clearly pick holes in his ‘experiments’ , this is a rollicking read.
The author draws you in setting the scene with little tell tale clues as to what may happen, it is well done - much as the Golighers must have done to the real Crawford. With cameos by Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle, which were fabulous, the story races to its shocking conclusion, there are a few twists I can tell you!

It is difficult to comprehend the importance of Spiritualism to Edwardian society, a way of making sense of the world, a need to be able to cope with what was thrown at them at the time of the Great War and having the huge Titanic disaster occurring just prior to this too.

This is a tense, paranoid tale of how suggestible the human mind can be and will haunt you…read it at night…if you dare!

Parlor tricks…or something more? The Spirit Engineer takes a fictional look at real people in the hopes of filling in the blanks as to what really went on.

Spiritualism had its hey day in the early part of the 20th century. After all, with the tragedies of The Titanic (which impacts this story), WWI, and the Spanish Flu, it is understandable as to why so many grieving families would want to reach out to their deceased loved ones. And into the void entered many schysters and schemers (and a few well meaners). To which camp Kathleen and her family belonged in, well, dear reader, that is up to you to surmise. (I think we can all agree which camp William was a member of).

This is a haunting story (pun sorta intended) that shows not everything is what it seems, not everyone is who they say they are, and if you wait until about 75% in, the dynamic duo of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini make a chapter long cameo.

Recommended.

PS - watching the videos the author has on YouTube was fascinating and I highly recommend watching them in conjunction with reading this book.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
I absolutely loved this book!
I may be a bit biased as I live near Belfast and I've never read anything based there before.
I loved all the descriptions of Belfast in the 1900's it really transported me there.
I also really loved the Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle cameo!
This book was spooky and I definitely think it would be perfect for Halloween and I highly recommend it!

Very authentic Victorian Gothic novel -I felt transported back in time. I loved the story and I loved the detailed Victorian pen and ink illustrations at the beginning of each section of the book.
The protagonist, who teaches Engineering in Belfast, Ireland at the turn of the 19th century, after World War 1, is well developed. We get to know exactly the type man he is and how he reacts to events beyond his control
It is interesting that this straight laced man of science becomes completely enamored of the spiritual world - he has suffered some personal losses and after the sinking of the Titanic, his reaction to the rising popularity of seances to commune with dead friends and relatives, causes him to become a famous spiritualist himself with a wealthy sponsor.
An unexpected twist at the end was a little confusing to me, but otherwise this was an enjoyable read.

I was excited to receive this ARC and as I had read so many glowing reviews I bumped it up my TBR list. I will admit to then being a little concerned that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations but I loved it!

To me, the book has been well thought out and I enjoyed the writing style. It has some humour with some very funny descriptions which made me laugh out loud so it’s not all scary. Don’t get me wrong though it does have sadness and gets very dark and creepy at times.

The main character William is very complex and I did swing to and fro between liking and disliking him numerous times but that’s what makes it interesting.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher #DuckworthBooks for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. #TheSpiritEngineer #AJWest

The Spirit Engineer was a surprise for me in so many ways. It is a debut novel written with such confidence, and the level of research (and resulting historical accuracy) into the world of spiritualism in the early 1900’s, creates an unsettling atmosphere, which perfectly represents the struggle between the desperate need to believe in the paranormal phenomenon and the scientific and logical arguments which counteracted it.

The encounters between William and Lady Carter were hilarious – having this dark and dry sense of humour running throughout the book was unexpected but brilliant. It broke up some very intense scenes, ensuring that what could have been a heavy and dark storyline was lessened and made the characters more believable.

I love the fact that one book can make you want to laugh, cry and hide behind a cushion in one sitting. Split into four parts, the first three were interesting and well written, but the fourth part was something else! Knowing that the book was based on a true story, I deliberately avoided looking into the characters before reading it and the final scenes were so explosive and hard-hitting as the truth was revealed. I could barely bring myself to read on as it suddenly dawned on me the way in which the story was heading, while at the same time I was unable to put it down. An authentic, engrossing and emotional novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Duckworth Books for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this without knowing anything about this family or its history. I chose the book based on its description and other reviews. I was not disappointed at all. It did start off a bit slow for me but quickly took off and I was hooked. You will find yourself going back and forth between is it real or staged. I did figure out a central plot point early on but it in no way altered my experience. Put this book on your reading list! Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The year is 1914 in Belfast.

William Jackson Crawford thinks the height of his problems are suddenly losing his housekeeper for his upper-middle class family, but little does he know. Since the Titanic disaster two years prior, the upper elite of society have begun dabbling in the occult, driven by grief to try and contact their dearly departed - including his wife. William prides himself on being a man of logic and science, a proud skeptic, but there are things even he cannot explain when he meets a young medium named Kathleen.

He is driven to find the facts behind the strange and spiritually occurances - is this just a cruel trick, or is something else lurking just behind the veil?

Based on the true story of William Crawford and the famous mystic Kathleen Goligher, along with familar characters such as Houdini and Doyle, this fictional retelling of a chilling story is one to read with the lights on.

The Spirit Engineer opens up to scenes of upper-middle class domesticity, a beautiful family with less than beautiful pride. The man of the house, William Crawford, is immediately thrust into the spotlight and never steps out of our view the whole time. He is sexist and classist, such as you would expect with the times and his status, but it made for a strange feeling - how odd it is to go through the story loathing the main character for their attittude but being so intruiged in their life and still hoping for their success along the way.

Victim or Villian? That's up to you to figure out.

The other characters, from his family, to the friends he meets along the way were so full of life - so brilliantly crafted that it feels the reader could reach out and touch them.

This might be a ghost story, but it's about the ghosts that haunt us in real life too - about loss, family and the pressures we face in the world of the living.

Written in period language, there was a small adjustment period with this book but after a few chapters I was completely immersed in the story - it started off slow, almost mundane, before descending into utter, spine-chilling chaos in the most unexpected ways.

It's no secret this book has been highly anticipated, so I was definitely concerned this wouldn't live up to the hype around it's name - but I was not disappointed. Atmospheric, eerie and otherworldly - this was like if 'The Greatest Showman' was set in a graveyard during the witching hour and I loved every page of it.



"A mystery is only a fact in disguise."




RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A startlingly brilliant debut from AJ West. A Spirit Engineer is a wonderful tale - full of mystery, intriguing characters and also a surprising amount of humour.
William Crawford is such a complex man - clever, naive at times, obsessive and often not very likeable - he is certainly a character to stir up emotions. I loved how the writing was in the first person, and felt that this meant I experienced everything William did first hand.
The short chapters made the story zip along brilliantly and I loved it.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Based on real historical figures, William Jackson Crawford and famed medium Kathleen Goligher have an extraordinary relationship.

A creepy, gothic (and clean) ghost story that kept me guessing until the end. Good read!

4☆

When I first read about "The Spirit Engineer" I was a little nervous about requesting to review it by NetGalley. The fact that this book is based on a true story intrigued me and I am honored that I was chosen to read it. Thank You.

A. J. West is extremely talented at storytelling with laugh out loud humor as it creeps into eerie and suspense. There is a wonderful cast of characters. William Jackson Crawford is a professor of engineering in Belfast, Ireland in the early 1900's. He is a man of science and a sceptic of spiritualism. He meets Kathleen Goligher who is a spiritual medium. William becomes obsessed with experiments to prove or disprove Kathleen's abilities.

This story is full of twists that are so well crafted by the writing and the story keeps you guessing, even when you didn't realize you were guessing, until the very end. The novel includes moments from the sinking of the Titanic and a visit with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini.

I give this book a 5 star because it is brilliant. It had me feeling many feelings and thinking many thoughts throughout. This is a well told haunting story.

Based on a true story of William Jackson and Kathleen Goligher, based in Belfast in 1914. The Titanic is still in the news. People are searching for lost loved ones.

The spirit engender, named by his daughter, is searching for his beloved son Robert who has passed on. Not convinced that the seaces aren't rigged in someway he beginning to do experiences with the seer and those around the table. As his experiments begin to be known he receives public acknowledgement. He writes a book explaining his theory.

With such public notice he is receives a request to meet with Arthur Conon Doule and Harry Houdin which provides the reader with historical balance.

Excellent read. Readers will get a feel for the time period, the spiritual movement which will come to the United States.

A. J. West's The Spirit Engineer is a slow boil of a book. The first 30-40% of the novel is set-up. After that, the pace quickens steadily, and readers become increasingly unsure about the motives and actions of its characters. The plot centers around a family, a medium, and an investigation of paranormal abilities.

The Spirit Engineer opens in the early 20th Century with a family in turmoil and consistently short on funds:
• William, the husband, is an engineering instructor at a boys' school who hopes the textbook he's writing will change their economic outlook and will win him the respect he's convinced is due to him
• Elizabeth, the wife, overwhelmed by their three children—especially their restless, energetic young son—and the household responsibilities that have fallen on her shoulders since their cook/maid left unexpectedly, and who is still mourning the death of her brother on the Titanic
• "Aunt" Adelia, a wealthy widow who has "taken the family under her wing," helping them manage economically while consistently proving an unwanted, disruptive presence

The family, particularly William, become increasingly involved with a young medium. At first, William is determined to prove her a fraud; then he becomes a supporter, gaining fame by publicizing her abilities and his scientific proof that these are genuine.

That, in a nutshell, is the plot. As the family becomes wealthier, William's behavior becomes more controlling and self-serving. What develops from these changes in William provides the real momentum for the novel—and I don't want to say any more for fear of letting slip key moments in the plot.

Near the end, the novel contains some significant violence—not described in detail, but the sort of thing that some readers might choose to avoid. Ultimately however, that violence is contextualized and doesn't become the key element of the novel.

The Spirit Engineer is based on a real-life medium and the engineer investigating her powers. If you want to read more before you pick up this book, you can go here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Goligher
You may, however, prefer to leave the actual history until after you've spent time in West's version of these events.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

It goes without saying - given the topic matter, this deals heavily with bereavement and the after affects on those left behind - so affected readers beware.

Well what a rollercoaster of a ride this was as West manages to make you feel both sympathy for the very flawed main character William, and then detesting him. This is a character who makes very questionable choices, but despite this I was still gripped and desperate to learn how it ends. And boy what an ending - I honestly didn’t see that end coming and those plot twists really came out of the blue.

West’s writing was immersive for me as it felt like I really was in Belfast in the early 1900s, surrounded by all those supporting characters. I really did feel for these characters as they’re all affected by the experiments undertaken to prove the authenticity of the spirit medium.

What a cracking read! I was really impressed given this is a debut. West’s writing really makes you feel like you’re in the 1900s, with some memorable characters, each with their own nuances. I’m looking forward to more books from West!!

"The Spirit Engineer" by AJ West evokes the early 20th century perfectly. Based on the true story of Professor William Jackson Crawford and his encounters with medium Kathleen Goligher. It is fascinating to read about spiritualism, the exploration of sham and "real" mediums, plus guest stars Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini who were both involved with spiritualism at the time. The story itself is written really well and it turned out that I suspected the same character as William in meddling with the experiments. Great plot twist at the end too! Perfect reading for the darker winter months.

The Spirit Engineer is the story of a scientifically minded man attempting to prove or disprove the existence of the afterlife. The main character, William, is at times unlikable and others sympathetic. He is a man waiting for his chance at recognition and success. It appears he is deserving of it based on merit but lacks the connections of others. He is very over confident and frequently day dreams of success at delusional levels. He also seems to be unaware of those around him. Locked into his own viewpoint missing what is going on around him and with other characters. He will acknowledge that his wife has had a more difficult time recently, and when presented with the opportunity to be helpful he will openly critize her. All of his contradictions make the twists and turns hard to see coming, and increase the entertainment of the story.

I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Set in Belfast 1914, two years after the sinking of the Titanic and right at the start of World War I, as high society's obsession with spiritualism was reaching a peak, this novel is a fictionalized version of the true story of William Jackson Crawford and famed medium Kathleen Goligher, which I knew nothing about before reading this novel.

The first chapter starts with a bang as it flashes forward to 1920 and the end of the novel. Unfortunately though, the rest of Part 1 (about 30% of the novel) dragged for me. This section mostly followed William through his day to day life to set up the plot and I did not really find William a likable protagonist. So while I was intrigued to see how he'd get to where we see him in Chapter 1, I found him rather insufferable and self-centered and did not enjoy being in his head. And potentially because the story is in first person, none of the other characters felt substantial enough to be engaging either. My favorite aspects of Part 1 were the tidbits of life in Edwardian Belfast (mentions of the Titanic, unrest in Ireland, unrest in Europe, etc.) but there wasn't enough of that to keep me interested in Crawford himself.

That being said, after the spooky stuff starts happening at the end of Part 1 and going into the rest of the novel I was thoroughly engrossed. The rest of the story moved at a fairly fast clip and got progressively creepier while still maintaining some moments of humor and levity. While I hated being in first person POV in Part 1, I think it worked really well for the rest of the novel because we got to experience the events through the eyes of Crawford and it made his journey into spiritualism more visceral. I loved the journey of sceptic to publicly endorsing séances and the cameos by Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini were quite clever.

I think this novel is a really solid debut and the perfect spooky season read, especially for those who already have interest in historical fiction and/or spiritualism and séances. Throughout the novel, it is clear that A.J. West has done his research into the era and these people. He also has all sorts of extra information about the real-life Crawford and Goligher on his website and even made a Spotify playlist that really helped set the mood for the story!

This story is powerful and gripping. It drags you into a world of spiritual curiosity. The story follows William, an engineer who is charming and intelligent. He is a rational man and is curious of the after life. He wants to look after his family and provide for them. He must however, investigate the curious things he sees and hears. I highly recommend this book.

At the turn of the summer season, there is nothing better than a ghostly tale to prepare us for autumn and Halloween. But, don't get me wrong, The Spirit Engineer is by no means a ghost story.

Set in 1914, after the sinking of the Titanic, The Spirit Engineer is a fantastic work of historical fiction based in fact. One of my favourite things about the book, was not even in the book itself (Although the cover is gorgeous, and I definitely need to get my hands on a hardcover copy for my bookshelves!). Having finished the story, and wanting to source the validity of the tale, I googled William Jackson Crawford and was directed to A.J West's very own website, detailing his research for the book! Check it out for yourself here.

[Link included on Goodreads]

I was also very interested to learn that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was an outspoken spiritualist! Having read all of the works surrounding Sherlock Holmes that I have been able to get my hands on, I found it the ultimate irony that Sherlock's creator believed in the supernatural! I was also fascinated to learn that Harry Houdini debunked spiritualists.

I spent the entire read pondering my own views on spiritualism. I am still undecided what I believe, but thoroughly enjoyed the ride this question and - by extension - the book, led me on.

Spirit Engineer
Sep 7 2021

I am speechless. I can truly say I have never had a final chapter of a book punch me so endlessly, over and over, with such satisfying conclusions and reveals.

JUST FOR THE EPILOGUE TO COME IN AND MAKE ME FEEL INSANE AGAIN.

My only beef was how long it took me to truly be interested. I am a type who suffers through exposition—I know it has to be there, but I rarely enjoy it. It took me about 100 pages of Spirit Engineer to be all-in, but I’m so glad I got there.

The atmosphere was completely delicious, and despite my constant frustration and dread surrounding our protagonist, I really loved the characters and the pacing (after the initial 100 pages.)

I absolutely love a “is it supernatural or are they all bonkers or frauds” vibe, and if that’s your thing too, then this one is very for you.

*many thanks to netgalley for this arc*

When you start a book late at night and wake up with your glasses on and kindle in hand, you know it’s a good one as you literally couldn’t put it down.

This fantastic debut needs to be added to everyone’s list, and being released in October, it is THE spooky book to read this Halloween.

I loved the start of the book, learning about Crawford and family life before following his journey into spiritualism (look out for some recognisable character). The seance scenes were so eerie to read about, such atmospheric writing.

Throughout the book, you can clearly understand the amount of research that AJ West has undertaken to make this book what it is. Make sure you check out his website for more information on the characters.

This is screaming to be made into film (to be watched with the lights on tho! 😂)

Thank you to @netgalley @duck_books for the advanced readers copy in exchange for a honest review.

This was one of the spookiest books I've read recently. It's about ghosts but also family, loss, greed and the pressures society puts us under. Haunting, deeply moving and overall very well researched. Really brilliant stuff!

A stunning novel and worthy debut, that examines grief and guilt, that descends into madness and delusion.
Tragically based upon real life protagonists, William Jackson Crawford, and medium, Kathleen Goligher, this is set in Belfast 1914, two years after the sinking of the Titanic. There was so much grief and guilt following this disaster, that many people turned to spiritualism, in the form of churches or taking part in seances, in an attempt to contact their loved ones.
William Crawford is an engineer, and he set up experiments to prove that spirit mediums are frauds and use trickery, then he becomes convinced that souls do live on after the body has died, due to a set of tragic family deaths.
There are ghosts, crafty plot twists, red herrings galore, and enough chills and shocks to keep a person intrigued, but read in the daylight!!
This excited and scared me in equal amounts, and when it also involved Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was a genuine believer, and Harry Houdini, a genuine sceptical person, it made this story even more clever. At times the action was like a staged play, there were plenty of clues, but I missed them all. I was like a fish, hooked and unable to let go of these pages. I didn’t see the ending and it was a complete shock, and made me question all I had understood before.
Wonderful! A five star read. I will recommend the life out of this one ( sorry!), and it will find its way onto my actual bookshelf this October, birthday treat for myself.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Duckworth publishers for my ARC, in return for my honest and unbiased review, freely given. I will post reviews to other retailers later.

“There is an ocean of souls coming, Professor, can you feel them? So many dead. More of them every day. Listen to your lost ones, before their voices are drowned in the flood.”
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Never has a terrible spiral that plummets into lunacy and darkness been so entertaining.

Absolutely gripping from the first page until the last, The Spirit Engineer was a surprising read that drags you along with the ride all the way through with its fantastic plot, impeccable atmosphere, and impressive writing style that manages to balance humor and tension perfectly.

I was completely hooked, breathlessly following this despicable specimen of a main character with so much pleasure, horror, and morbid curiosity.
I would definitely recommend to everyone who is a fan of gothic horrors and has a strange little pull towards the paranormal world of seances. An absolute gem for the spooky season. Don’t miss out.

<i>“Imagine all those lost souls trapped beyond the veil, watching us as we go about our lives. I think I should like to die a grizzly, unavenged death in a hotel room, wouldn’t you? Imagine the scandalous things one would see, floating above the bedrooms.”</i>

The Spirit Engineer by A.J.West is a haunting-pardon the pun-novel.

It's based upon real people: William Jackson Crawford, and the medium, Kathleen Goligher, and is set in Belfast 1914, two years after the sinking of the Titanic. Coupled with the war that came too, it was a peak time for spiritualism and seances in an attempt to contact loved ones.

William Crawford is an engineer who becomes embroiled in a local family's seances after his brother-in-law and son die, and his wife is desperate to speak to them.

Aided by investors, William sets up experiments to prove Kathleen, the spirit guide, and her family are frauds. Instead, William starts to believe souls do come back and that's where the danger lies.

I loved this book. It's full of ghosts, twists, secrets, chills, and surprises. No one and nothing is as it seems.

Beautifully written and the progression of William's character and how being the spirit engineer affects him is brilliant.

A novel I won't forget in a hurry.

The perfect book to read leading up to Halloween. Published 7th October.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
Okay, if you have this book in your hand you're in for a treat. The story takes place in the 1920s , after WWI, when Spiritualism swept the world by storm. It's the story of an engineer who, thanks to his wife, gets involved in seances. At first a sceptic, he soon sees and hears things that make him a believer in the afterlife and communication with the dead. It kept me reading and kept me guessing. Highly recommended!

Thank you @Netgalley and @duck_books for this ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Two years after the sinking of The Titanic, when the world is on the cusp of war, Professor of Engineering William Jackson Crawford a man of science and sceptic finds himself living in a house he can’t afford with a family who misunderstand him.

When he discovers his wife Elizabeth has gotten herself entangled in the world of séances and shadows, Professor Crawford is tasked to investigate the physical phenomena of Kathleen Goligher and the group around her, known as the Goligher Circle.

Based on the real life story of Crawford and set in Belfast in the early 20th century, this is a spooky, atmospheric read, well crafted and imaginative. Crawford as a protagonist is quite unlikeable, arrogant and full of his own self importance, however the author very cleverly mixes this unpleasant personality with plenty of intelligent wit and a sufficient amount of human suffering so as to make him possible to bear.

The writing is really good, the story plot driven and fairly well paced. It is shaped into IV parts, each one more eerie and sinister than its predecessor, emphasizing the unravelling of the human mind when faced with the unbelievable.

The ending is a mammoth I failed to see coming. Its the type of ending I love and applaud, making me rethink all the little clues I could recall but failed to connect. A great choice for this spooky time of year.

This wonderfully gothic twisty novel reads like a classic. Set during the height of the spiritualist movement, this novel draws on the human need to cling on to what is lost and explores the lengths that the bereaved would go to in the hope of making connections with loved ones. Full of creepy atmosphere, and featuring cameos from Conan Doyle and Houdini, this book is perfect for fans of Laura Purcell. I loved it!

The Spirit Engineer is a fascinating book. Spiritualism, paranoia, loss and hope are all explored. The characters and premise are engaging throughout. I highly recommend it.

A creepy and very gothic feeling that keeps you reading, and on the edge of your toes. Some great cameo moments from some high profile names of the time. The language, on occasion did irritate me with "Farfur" and sadly I struggled to get past it.

This was a fascinating story about spiritualism in the early 1900's.. William Jackson Crawford who initially is an unbeliever. However through his wife Elizabeth he becomes involved in seances with the medium Kathleen Golightly. Crawford is a respected engineer however it soon becomes clear that he has a pompous and bullish attitude. Although dark and disturbing in parts this was excellently written by the author.

<b>Subjective rating:</b>4/5
<b>Writing:</b>4/5
<b>Plot:</b>4/5
<b>Characters:</b>4/5
<b>Themes:</b>5/5
<b>Content Warnings:</b>death, betrayal, abuse (includes breaking fingers), nightmares

This book is haunting. In the best way.

Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism in the form of seances that attempt to contact the spirits of loved ones lost at sea.

Historical horror/paranormal? Everyone, sign the f*ck up.

William Jackson Crawford, aka The Spirit Engineer, is one of the most complex characters you will read about. Especially in a genre like this. In the reader’s eye, he is sweet, smart, mad, stupid, lovely, disgusting. All of these fit him from point to point throughout the story. And this, my friends, is really storytelling.

The writing is beautiful, probably because of the elegant phrasing and dialogues. It has a flow that keeps the reader involved. It made me think back to The Great Gatsby.

The characters are peculiar, complex and mostly annoying. Their opinions and ways of doing things are fascinatingly original. I hated most of them in the best way. The author also captured the connections between historical context and events and the character voices. Social classes and different genders’ roles in the society were well done.

However, the book has flaws. The plot in the first half seemed to miss things. Some characters did not necessarily need to be there. They added nothing to the story, which felt like giving too much attention to the wall behind our characters. Yet, the author is still new and jus like everyone else -maybe even more than everyone else-, has the great potential of improving.

Overall, a fantastically written spooky story that will keep you at the edge of your seats.

I instantly fell in love with this book when I saw it on here and to actually have gotten approved for it was amazing.
The cover is so beautiful and the art inside is stunning.
The first chapter of the book was immensely gripping. And had me hooked in no time. It has short chapters which I absolutely loved. It was an immensely engrossing story, with alot of gothic and spooky elements.
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and I had never read anything that even remotely touched the incident of Titanic, I haven't even watched the movie so I was very keen and fascinated to read a book that involved this incident. We were
also taken back to WWI and many known key figures were a part of this riveting tale, which was a pleasant surprise and frankly added to its allure.
Its true, this book had me on the edge of my seat, guessing late into the night. The narration and the plot were both hilarious and witty, and oh eerie.
The protagonist William did annoy me at times and his stubbornness to prove the spiritual guide wrong was a bit grating but hey if he hadn't felt like proving him wrong we wouldn't have had a tale woven with twists and turns.
And that ending, My God!! How will I ever recover from that ending?
I highly recommend this book.

A good book about a man trying to work out whether ghosts exist or not. Intermixed with his scientific attempts to prove it one and for all are questions about his own past, his misgivings and pride. The beginning gives a sense of foreboding to the story and it rattles to its inevitable conclusion, but along a route is quite unexpected.

Thanks to the published and Netgalley for an eARC version of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Okay. First off, I *almost* DNF this one. I had a very difficult time connecting with William, the MC—he was so intensely unlikable to me. I was not invested in him, and read to the halfway mark hoping that he was proved wrong in his beliefs. He was a cruel, stupid man who was clearly narcissistic and selfish and I was hard pressed to keep reading.

I am SO glad I stuck with it. The ending was worth the grumbling. This book has a really great plot, and once the ball gets rolling it’s fantastic. Very creepy, very intelligently presented—ghosts and specters, unbelievers and skeptics.

And then to find out it’s all based on actual historical events? Yes, I enjoyed it. The ending brought everything full circle, and although you may have an idea of where the story is headed, the ending is wonderful closure. AJ West did a great job crafting this story.

This book is going to live rent free in my mind forever. It’s based on a true story about a spiritualist medium in the early 1900s and a professor who sets about to expose her as a fraud. What he finds instead is that maybe death is only the beginning and questions everything he’s believed in up to this point. ⁣
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We get seances, the Titanic, WWI, cameos by Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle, plot twists galore… It’s sinister, it’s creepy, it’s enticing and haunting and I’m absolutely obsessed.⁣
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What I loved most is that at no point did I have any idea what was going to happen next. William Jackson Crawford is such a dynamic character and I absolutely hated him in the best way possible. ⁣
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The story is written in the literary style of the era it’s set in and that was an adjustment for me; however, the dialogue and imagery was so authentic and vivid that it was easy to become completely submersed. West does a fantastic job of reflecting the times for what they were and not romanticizing what life was like back then. I’ve never read a book and been compelled to research the historical facts the story was based on but my morbid curiosity was piqued. I found myself scouring google and wikipedia, exploring The Goligher Circle and Crawford’s works. I’ll be going on a deep dive of the author’s website as well to see what the descendants of these families had to say and I’m particularly interested in their opinion on how William Jackson Crawford has been portrayed (because he is literally horrible).⁣
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I can’t wait to buy this book and add it to my shelf, it’s definitely one of my top reads for the year and will probably remain a favorite for years to come. I can’t wait for more of my mutuals to get their hands on it so I have people to talk about it with! Congrats to A.J. West on this enthralling debut.⁣

*I'm giving The Spirit Engineer 4.5 stars rounded up to 5

It's turn of the century Belfast, Ireland, and engineering teacher William Crawford prides himself on being skeptical of everything. He's also a self-absorbed twerp who seems to be thoroughly unpleasant towards his beloved wife, his children, students, even his fellow teachers. When they lose a child, his wife Elizabeth connects with a family of spiritualists. She's also mourning the death of her brother, recently deceased in the sinking of the Titanic. But are the spiritualists legit or is it all a scam? William can't quite tell, but as he becomes convinced that they really are in touch with "the other side" he begins to promote them and becomes The Spirit Engineer, to global acclaim. But what if he has been duped after all?

An interesting twist on a ghost story, apparently based on a real incident, but I felt that A.J. West's writing style and characterization of Professor Crawford was so endlessly negative and dismissive that he became a caricature and thereby unbelievable. Which ruined the denouement at the end (which was all pretty obvious to this reader, at least).

Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism in the form of seances that attempt to contact the spirits of loved ones lost at sea.

This book has a very creepy and gothic feeling that keeps you reading, and on the edge of your toes. This is the perfect book for October if you read to the seasons or would also work very well curled up by an open fire! I thought this book was well written and the author really captured the era of the story.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I requested this book from Netgalley purely based on the cover. I didn’t even read the blurb… so I only learned when it came to the acknoledgements that it is based on a true story. Which then again lead me to the author’s website and his interview with the descendants of both William and Kathleen, alongside a whole heap of research he has done for this book. Which only made me more intrigued by this fascinating story.

A reoccuring message throughout the book is Death is a beginning, and so we start the book of with William’s suicide. So we know the story isn’t going to end well… But it doesn’t spoil anything. Although we do get an inkling throughout the book as to the why, we are never certain of it till about 90% into the book. And it is still unclear as to why the real William killed himself (Arthur Conan Doyle actually speculates that it was his final big experiment regarding the realness of spiritualism).

Then we move back in time to his introduction to spiritualism. William isn’t a very nice person to begin with, but more in a realistic product of his time kind of way. (From the interview with his descendants I also understand that he probably had Asperger’s… which doesn’t necessarily make him an unlikeable person but does explain his obsessiveness). Starting as a true sceptic of spiritualism, and in need of money, he starts of a host of experiments to find out if these seances are real and the science behind them. We follow his grow in fame and decline into madness.

Now I need to put in some content warnings for the book. Like I said there is suicide on the page. There is also some sexual inappropriatness (with lack of a better word… It isn’t quite abuse but it is enough to make one feel quite uncomfortable), as well as talk of domestic violence.

The writing in this book is stunning. It is beautiful yet very effortless, and managed to suck me in right from the start. I can struggle with a short attention span (especially when reading on my phone), but had no problem reading this book for hours on end.

The atmosphere was spot on, with the the feeling of unease and minor hauntings slowly seeping in from the start, perfectly leading towards that very dramatic ending. And there is a good sense of its time as well, both in William’s ideas and his experiments, the treatment of women, the rise in interest in spiritualism around the first World War and the sinking of the Titanic.

I absolutely adored this book, which is a fascinating character study that just sucked me in right from the start. One I would highly recommend.

The Spirit Engineer by A J West
Genre: Historical Fiction/Mystery & Thriller
Publisher: Duckworth Books
Publish Date: 07 October 2021

Star Rating 5/5

Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres and I love discovering new people in history through it! In this book, we meet real-life Professor William Jackson Crawford (The Spirit Engineer) and real-life medium Kathleen Goligher. West tells their story in a compelling fictional story but like all the best Historic Fictions I ended up googling the real-life characters and felt disappointed there isn’t as much as I would like out in the World Wide Web which, makes me like this author's dedications more. True imagination and research through dusty archives must have been done.

The characters' interactions and dialogue were musical the atmosphere darkening and the journey of descent into madness perfect. It made me wonder at certain times who was sane and if I was… I loved the connection to the titanic and how West made me love and despise characters as the plot thickened. Unfortunately, I can't go into a rant without spilling spoilers but there was one character in particular that made my stomach churn with its selfishness and ego.

I am really interested in seeing what this author produced next, especially as this is a debut novel. I have my fingers secretly crossed that West turns his attention to Harry Houdini. I would love to read his take on him especially as the character appeared in this book, briefly, but with a large impression. I desperately hope Houdini is next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Duckworth Books, for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.