I love a good haunted house book and this is a brilliant example of the genre. Shortly after moving into the titular house, Daniel loses his wife and is left having to care for his daughter by himself. When she starts being slightly obsessive about her imaginary friend, he is prompted to find out about the history of the house and he starts to realise her friend might not be quite so imaginary...
There isn't much original to tell about the plot of this book but it doesn't need to be original. The strength of this book comes from two things: the characters and the atmosphere. The main character is very likeable and I feel how he deals with grief about his wife is executed very well. He had a great relationship with his daughter and your investment in these characters is what brings the haunted house genre to life.
The atmosphere is also great and it hits a neat tone for a haunted house story. Rather than featuring the ghost of the house doing creepy things, most of the hauntings are related to Daniel's dead wife. You get the horror tinged with sadness and emotion, and it creates a unique, enjoyable tone. I have spent most of this month reading ghost stories and Nightingale House stood out in this regard.
Overall, there's not much else to say about this one. If you love haunted house stories, this is worth checking out. It's an enjoyable addition to the genre, if not hugely groundbreaking.
Overall Rating:
.5
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