Sep: He publishes his first book on his Goligher research, titled, The Reality of Psychic Phenomena (Raps, Levitations, etc)

It’s clever, it’s quirky, highly entertaining, but carries a chill as cold as the grave' Annie Garthwaite, author of Cecily This story is full of twists that are so well crafted by the writing and the story keeps you guessing, even when you didn't realize you were guessing, until the very end. The novel includes moments from the sinking of the Titanic and a visit with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini. As the book went on, I found myself theorising what was coming, all of which turned out to be wrong. By the ending, I had no idea what I believed. Part of me was bracing myself for an ambiguous ending, but I needn’t have worried. The book was wrapped up in a way that truly made me want to throw it across the room, and I mean that in the best way possible. This is like nothing I have read before - a dance around the outskirts of the spirit revolution of the early 1900s - when parlour seances were all the rage, and charlatans duped the wanting-to-believers.William was the oldest of seven children. I managed to find a list of his s iblings, which are verified by the family: He was a professor of engineering at the old Belfast Municipal Technical College and Queen's University. Crawford was part of an aspiring class in the busy industrial metropolis of Belfast. William Crawford is such a complex man - clever, naive at times, obsessive and often not very likeable - he is certainly a character to stir up emotions. I loved how the writing was in the first person, and felt that this meant I experienced everything William did first hand.

I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to read something outside of my usual genres. It was the perfect spooky read for October, but honestly, West may have triggered a hidden love of dark gothic stories in me. I’ve already added a bunch of new books to my TBR in the genre – I just hope that some of them are even half as gorgeous as The Spirit Engineer– it’s going to be a tough act to follow. Read The Spirit Engineer for yourself The author has documented his research and I would urge you to watch this along with the book, it’s fascinating to see the institute where William worked along with other pieces of evidence that appear in the book.There is a good idea for a book in The Spirit Engineer. Unfortunately, I found that precious little about it landed for me. It's clever, it's quirky, highly entertaining, but carries a chill as cold as the grave." - Annie Garthwaite Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism. In their collective grief they are attempting to reach their departed through séances. The suspense and the horror involved were amazing as well and I actually found myself a bit creeped out at night sometimes while reading it, which is just perfect. Best thing I have ever done! This book is my favourite book of 2021 so far and honestly might be one of my favourites of all time!

Set in Belfast, 1914, this haunting historical fiction centres on high society’s obsession with spiritualism following the sinking of the Titanic, attending seances in the hope they might reach their departed loved ones. I won’t pretend I wasn’t disarmed by the initial tone of this novel, with something of Mr. Pooter from The Diary of a Nobody (one of my favourite books) in the scientist narrator. There is a clumsy charm and warmth displayed by William Crawford in early family relations. But with a skilful misdirection that any Edwardian spirit medium would be proud to demonstrate, A.J. West soon turns the screw in this fascinating novel. This was a rather creepy read, made even more chilling after finding out that it's based on real history and events!! Is there something out there?! It scared me! I've been reading horror for the better part of 2 years now and I'm constantly complaining that I'm bored and not scared enough but this managed to get there.This is a haunting story (pun sorta intended) that shows not everything is what it seems, not everyone is who they say they are, and if you wait until about 75% in, the dynamic duo of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini make a chapter long cameo. West has mixed fact with fiction and shrouded it all in a gothic veil of mystery. There are some disturbing subjects and ideas to come from this book. Of course, seances and dabbling in ‘ the other side’ are not going to be easy experiences. I just loved the way you are invited to belief or not, but to experience the world of those trying to understand it all. There is nothing in the book which would entice this reviewer to a seance. It's a grotesque abuse of the vulnerable and there are many vulnerable characters in this particular story. First of all, can we all just agree that this is one of the best debuts - nay books - I’ve ever read.