The Animals of Lockwood Manor is the perfect book for the spooky season. The story moves slowly through this house - it's very much a gothic mystery, in which Lockwood Manor plays a major role. It often feels like the house itself is another character, which is one of my favorite elements of gothic mysteries.
The plot fails at some points, and the actual mystery is not as strong as it could be. However, the prose really makes up for these failing. It's a slow-moving, spooky story that's very enjoyable even though it's kind of easy to guess the solution to the mystery. The characters are compelling and engaging. Jane Healey has a real way with words, and the best part of the book is her description of the objects in the house and the house itself. It really creates a strong sense of place, and makes the reader feel present in the story and the setting.
The plot fails at some points, and the actual mystery is not as strong as it could be. However, the prose really makes up for these failing. It's a slow-moving, spooky story that's very enjoyable even though it's kind of easy to guess the solution to the mystery. The characters are compelling and engaging. Jane Healey has a real way with words, and the best part of the book is her description of the objects in the house and the house itself. It really creates a strong sense of place, and makes the reader feel present in the story and the setting.