‘In Darkness, Shadows Breathe’ will make you never visit the hospital again

Nobody is a fan of the hospital. It’s a place that you never want to end up. If you were willing to admit it, there’s a part of you that will always associate them with death. So what does reigning queen of gothic horror Catherine Cavendish do? Writes a novel about the restless ghosts in a hospital. In her newest novel, In Darkness, Shadows Breathe, Cavendish once again flexes her writer muscles and provides a time traversing possession tale.

In a luxury apartment and in the walls of a modern hospital, the evil that was done continues to thrive. They are in the hands of an entity that knows no boundaries and crosses dimensions – bending and twisting time itself – and where danger waits in every shadow. The battle is on for their bodies and souls and the line between reality and nightmare is hard to define. Through it all, the words of Lydia Warren Carmody haunt them. But who was she? And why have Carol and Nessa been chosen?

There’s no denying Cavendish’s ability to make anything creepy. It’s her skill and a gift as a writer. With a strong sense of character–whether it’s the meek Carol or the strong, suffering Nessa–Catherine makes you care. I genuinely wanted to protect Carol. Her quiet nature and fear of losing control of her body made my blood run cold. The first half allows you to follow Carol as she tries to fight the evil vying for her soul. However, with the strong Nessa, Cavendish shines like never before. There’s clearly a very personal tale being told through our hero. Nessa has two fights on her hands–cancer and a spirit determined to take her soul. Who’s to say which is more frightening.

The settling of a modern hospital, intercut with a hospital from the past are a great way of exploring not only gender politics, but attitudes to mental health and women in two era’s. One of Catherine Cavendish strengths as a writer is her ability to create a fully fleshed threat for her protagonists. This  is no exception. Lydia Warren Carmody and another entity (who I won’t name) are a fantastic combo for our heroes Carl and Nessa to survive against.

Language and structure always always earn Cavendish praise. Her command of the English language, as a reader, is phenomenal (and as a writer, enviable). This novel is no different. Whether describing a door that shouldn’t be, or the heart breaking struggle of surviving cancer, Cavendish paints a vivid picture with her words. There’s a sense of power in her confidence with language and setting, allowing the time jumping portions of the novel to be believable and pose a real threat. In a lesser writers hands, they might have come across as cheesy and lose their importance.

Catherine Cavendish released a number of novels the last couple of years. Each one has gone from strength to strength. She whisked us to Scotland to deal with angry spirits. She dealt with witches and haunted board games. Now she can add demons and time travel to her list of creepy adventures. If you’re looking for a short, sharp read. I highly suggest treating yourself to ‘In Darkness, Shadows Breathe‘.

‘In Darkness, Shadows Breathe‘ is published by Flame Tree Press and available from Amazon and all good bookstores.