As part of my confidence-building in the style in which Persistent Spirit is written, I am currently reading Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist.

It is written in a similar language style to Persistent Spirit. It is set in a pseudo-Victorian England, with fictitious place names and social structures, but very clearly Victorian in nature.

The story follows several characters, each packed with mystery, as they romp through their various adventures, and we quickly realise all are in some way interconnected. The pace is relentless and there are thrills on almost every page.

The only negative for me is there are a lot of names to remember, and it can be tricky to keep track of who's who, particularly on the switch in viewpoint from one main character to another.

This is not enough of a problem to damage enjoyment of the boo, however. It is great fun and although it is lacking in 'spooks' compared with Persistent Spirit, there is an underlying mystery and puzzle that will make me read to the end in order to unravel it.

neil...