The Poisoned House

Plot Summary

"Every gothic trope is put to use here: the silent butler, a seance gone wrong, messages via Ouija board, secret alliances, out-of-wedlock pregnancies (two of them), and a last-minute will that changes everything. This ghost story is light fare, chillling, and suspenseful. Readers who ask for 'more like this book' might well be primed for something more substantial, like Henry James himself." STARRED, School Library Journal



Life can be cruel for a servant girl in 1850s London. Fifteen-year-old Abi is a scullery maid in Greave Hall, an elegant but troubled household. The widowed master of the house is slowly slipping into madness, and the tyrannical housekeeper, Mrs. Cotton, punishes Abi without mercy. But there's something else going on in Greave Hall, too. An otherworldly presence is  making itself known, and a deadly secret will reveal itself—a secret that will shatter everything Abi knows.

Reviews

"A scullery maid, a great house, whispered evil and a ghost populate this first-person tale of mid-19th-century London....In all, scary, compelling and atmospheric enough for a satisfying chill."

Kirkus Reviews

"Takes readers on a a thrilling, shilling journey to a place where nothing is quite as it seems. Ghostly and gothic, The Poisoned House will keep readers up late turning pages--and very likely sleeping with the lights on!" Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times Bestselling Author

"The Poisoned House is a good, old-fashioned ghost story complete with gothic atmosphere, an evil matron, an innocent serving girl, plot twists and turns, and an eerie presence." Mary Ann Lewis, Librarian

"I love books with footnotes and when The Poisoned House started with a 'note' from the curator telling how the following papers had been found in the attic, I was instantly intrigued....the ride of discovery that Abi is taken on is both engaging and a lot of fun. I read the book in one sunny afternoon as I was unwilling to put the book down to go outside. Mr. Ford does an excellent job of staying true to the era in language and decorum without the overwrought writing that can be a hallmark of older Gothic novels." Emily Hartman (http://booksandthreads.blogspot.com)

"Because it wasn't at all as I expected, I was constantly guessing around every corner, which I really liked. I love being caught off guard and when the author drops bombs that I don't see coming. It puts twists and turns in the story and The Poisoned House is full of them." Crystal Grant

"Part Agatha Christie and part The X-Files, the story is a mystery with a twist. It combines the typical elements of a Victorian period drama set against the backdrop of mysterious events. The characters show a depth that is always hinted at if not fully explored, and there is a sense that the people and activities of the household could have been spun into an entire series rather than one novel....There are just enough plots and subplots to keep the story interesting, but not so many that it gets bogged down in the details."
Ashley Oldham, Armchair Review of Books (http://armchairreviewofbooks.wordpress.com)

"I'm all about scary stories and this is a good one for the younger kids....It was a page turner and I think that girls and boys alike will take to this book. There are different elements in this story--apparitions, freezing cold rooms, and hidden secrets that keep the book moving right along and keep the reader in suspense throughout. There is always a villian too--this one was unexpected!"
Kristie Worrell, Family Scrapbooks and Coffee (http://needcoffeeplease.blogspot.com/)

"Ford's ghost story, framed as a historical document from 1855, is a quick, suspenseful read but a decidedly gentler brand of humor....The strength of the novel is the girl's perseverance despite her disbelief, and the reward for Abi at the end will be just as great for the audience rooting her on."
Booklist

"Every gothic trope is put to use here: the silent butler, a seance gone wrong, messages via Ouija board, secret alliances, out-of-wedlock pregnancies (two of them), and a last-minute will that changes everything. This ghost story is light fare, chillling, and suspenseful. Readers who ask for 'more like this book' might well be primed for something more substantial, like Henry James himself."
STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

"This snugly plotted novel for readers over the age of 13, which purports to be Abigail's private papers from 1855, would serve as an excellent introduction to the adult tradition of ghost stories set in the same era."
Wall Street Journal

"This supernatural tale actually has enough elements of historical fiction to satisfy readers of both genres, giving it even broader appeal, and is sure to be included on every future list of young adult ghost stories." VOYA

"Readers who can't bear any unfinished threads will appreciate the epilogue in the form of an obituary that traces Abi's whole life from murderer-revealer to benefactor to her own death decades later." RECOMMEND, The Bulletin

"There is just the right mix of normality, violence, and psychic upheaval to make this novel exciting. Despite numerous clues, readers won't see the clever twist ending coming." Library Media Connection

Associated Keywords
ghost, ghosts, ghost story, ghost stories, Victorian, Victoriana, teen, young adult