Passing Through Veils by John Harrison

Part psychological thriller and part ghost story, John Harrison’s Passing Through Veils is a novel that will keep you guessing till the end. Set in Georgetown, Washington DC, the book begins by introducing wealthy former model and socialite Rebeca Wright, who appears to have the perfect life. She has fame, success, a nice home, and a loving family. What more could any girl want?

Readers meet Rebeca on a day in 1984 when she and her husband Robert are celebrating their wedding anniversary. By the end of the prologue, Rebeca is dead, her throat slit in the street outside her Victorian townhouse. The only witness to the crime is her one-year-old son, Jack, who has clambered onto the table in front of an upstairs window.

The rest of the book skips forward to 2013 and for the first time in nearly four decades, the townhouse has a new owner. Now a successful businessman, Jack has sold it to troubled lawyer Kathryn Fields, who plans to return the house to its former glory.

Recently recovered from a mental breakdown, Kathryn has also landed a new job at one of Washington’s leading law firms and is busy trying to return to the top of her game and reinvent herself.

It’s pretty fair to say Kathryn has a lot on her plate and her life is further complicated by indications her new home may be haunted. Right from the start, she feels someone is watching her and has problems with doors that won’t remain shut. Then she begins hearing unexplained clicking noises and ghostly music.

As the story progresses, the music is accompanied by ghostly parties, adding further confusion to Kathryn’s life, causing her to question her mental health and have doubts about the suitability of her medication. On a brighter note, a romance develops between her and Jack, who gives Kathryn his mother’s car, along with all the original furniture from the house, both of which he has been keeping in storage.

However, Kathryn’s relationship with Jack is a strained one, as is her relationship with her mother. Fortunately, her relationship with her boss, Alex, is built on more solid ground. They’ve been friends for years and Alex genuinely appears to have Kathryn’s best interests at heart.

Passing Through Veils is a well-crafted story with some interesting characters and subplots. As a horror novel, it’s not unduly dark and isn’t a story that sent shivers down my spine. Reading it was a little like taking an interesting bus ride. I just hoppped on board and waited to see where it would take me. It was a good trip and the last few stops contained surprises I didn’t see coming.

I enjoyed reading Passing Through Veils. John Harrison grabbed my attention at the start of the book and kept hold of it right until the end. If you choose to read it, you’ll find it isn’t a novel that will allow your mind to wander and, at only 236 pages (prologue to epilogue), it’s not overly long.

If you like stories about ghosts or haunted houses, this one won’t disappoint. It should also appeal to readers who enjoy a good mystery. Passing Through Veils isn’t a horror novel that relies on shock tactics or contains overly graphic descriptions of blood and gore. Instead of these things, Harrison employs good, old-fashioned storytelling, making his book an equally good choice for those who don’t normally read genre fiction.