Pages: 343
Published: 16th February 2020
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Content warnings: Descriptions of suicide, misogyny
The Dean Wilson Theatre is believed to be haunted by a long-dead actress, singing her last song, waiting for her final cue, looking for her killer…
Now Dust, the iconic musical, is returning after twenty years. But who will be brave enough to take on the role of ghostly goddess Esme Black, last played by Morgan Miller, who was murdered in her dressing room?
Theatre usher Chloe Dee is caught up in the spectacle. As the new actors arrive, including an unexpected face from her past, everything changes. Are the eerie sounds and sightings backstage real or just her imagination? Is someone playing games?
Is the role of Esme Black cursed? Could witchcraft be at the heart of the tragedy? And are dark deeds from Chloe’s past about to catch up with her?
Not all the drama takes place onstage. Sometimes murder, magic, obsession and the biggest of betrayals are real life. When you’re in the theatre shadows, you see everything.
And Chloe has been watching…
The mystery of an ethereal actress killed inside her dressing room. Three teenagers intent on making contact with the dead in order to receive elusive answers or fulfil their aspirations. The return of an iconic play amid ghostly happenings in the bowels of a dilapidated theatre. Along with an ongoing romance spanning past and present timelines, these three things combine to make a fantastic concept, although the execution of it all is slightly more of a mixed bag.
With its many different elements, this book is difficult to categorise and only towards the end do you gain absolute clarity on whether it is based around magical realism or contains genuine supernatural events. It is atmospheric and haunting at times with an occasionally unreliable third person narrator, and moments that are emotionally charged, making it quite diverse in tone.
There are times where the plot is a tad slow and repetitive, mainly because of the past timeline and the frequent use of the Ouija board to communicate with Morgan and Daniel. It is frustratingly cryptic at times and you are kept waiting too long to find out anything of great interest. The present timeline was much more engaging, even if the pacing was a little ponderous there too.
Despite that ongoing issue, the story still manages to be full of intrigue from beginning to end. It is mostly down to having no way of predicting what might happen, especially with the mystery of Morgan’s death as her shadow looms large over the return of Dust. There also questions over what unusual powers Chloe may possess, the eerie messages she receives through her radio, and her amnesia.
One of the main constants is Chloe’s unrequited love for Jess, which is powerfully written and takes some unexpected turns. It is quite sad to see Chloe have her heart set on someone who does not really care for her in that way, and how Jess exploits that. The way things culminate between them is the biggest shock of all and perhaps comes across as a little extreme, but by this stage a lot of things are happening which are out of the ordinary.
The mystery of who killed Morgan in her dressing room one fateful night during Dust’s original run is definitely the best part of the plot. It takes the long way around to get to the truth but the dynamic between Chloe and Morgan’s ‘ghost’ is quite compelling. There are a few suspects and at least one red herring, but on closer inspection the subtle clues are there and I managed to work it out just before the revelation.
Chloe is an odd protagonist in a way. In the past timeline she is definitely the most rational out of herself, Jess, and Ryan, but in the present it is as though she has not matured as a character. All the same, she is fairly likeable and you are rooting for her. Jess is more frustrating than anything else, while Ryan is – initially at least – rude and selfish.
The other main characters are Chloe’s co-workers at the Dean Wilson theatre. Chester is a good friend to her but has an unsatiable appetite for speculation and gossip, Beth often speaks in riddles and comes across as somewhat suspicious, and their boss Cynthia is a bit of a jobsworth, but not in a hostile or unreasonable kind of way.
Aside from being an author, Louise Beech works as a theatre usher, and that leads to a number of authentic and fascinating insights. The atmosphere is just right for a spooky story as we get to feel the deserted auditorium at night and the impending danger of the three main characters of the past reuniting under the same roof, but a lot of the fun snippets of information come with learning how the theatre staff operate during a show.
The plot may not hit all the right notes, yet there are very few faults to be found with the writing, which at times is sparkling. We see this in particular later on where Chloe communicates with Morgan and also in the words of the show she has written; both philosophical and beautiful. For fans of the author’s other work there is sadly no mention of Bob the taxi driver, but we do at least get some of the radio station featured in Call Me Star Girl.
Overall, this book is awash with intrigue and has so much going for it with excellent concepts and an evocative atmosphere. However, the way some of the action plays out makes it seem something of a missed opportunity in the sense that it could have been so much more, and that perhaps is the abiding thought. Just a few different editorial choices, and it would be an amazing read.
Just as I say in the review, I liked this book and felt drawn to it throughout, but I expected to enjoy it a lot more.
My review: ⭐⭐⭐
Stephen Reads Books 