Reviews

The Haunting of L. by Howard Norman

krobart's review against another edition

4.0

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2021/01/05/review-1598-the-haunting-of-l/

wendyclinch's review against another edition

3.0

The concept is an interesting one -- a photographer who arranges accidents so he can photograph them for a sick-o client, and the affair that's going on between his assistant and his wife. But the book just didn't do much for me. I found the characters and their reactions to things a bit odd. I mean, why didn't the assistant and the wife just run off together? It made no sense. Wished I liked it better.

thaydra's review against another edition

3.0

I picked this book up at a thrift store before everything closed down. It sat on my shelf for awhile, and I just wasn't as interested as I was when I picked it up. When I finally got around to reading it, it started slow and I didn't think it was going to hold my attention.
Until it did.

It is a slow build, and has an underlying creepy atmosphere to it that just kind of creeps up like a fog. It was a bit predictable, but still wound up being a much more entertaining read that I had anticipated.

mslaura's review

5.0

I am a huge fan of Howard Norman, and this book is one of my favorites of his to date. I found myself almost mesmerized by the story, with its omnipresent sense of gloom and gothic undertones. The characters were complex and compelling, and though this is at its core the age-old story of a love triangle, the elements of spirit photography and the sinister orchestration of disasters for photographic purposes provided a brilliant backdrop which made it feel altogether unique. Loved it.