How to Hear Ghosts by David Griffiths

 

How to Hear Ghosts

 by David Griffiths

How  To Hear Ghosts by David Griffiths was published on 24th April 2024 by Wrates Publishing. 

My thanks to the author and the publisher for giving me a copy to review and to

 Random Things Tours for inviting me to take part on the tour.

Synopsis

In the wake of his mother’s death, 16-year-old Ollie is thrust into the world of his uncle, Dominic Quinn, a renowned stage medium. Communing with the dead runs in Ollie’s family – or so he believes. But as he starts to hear voices in his head, he must confront the possibility that they are no more than a spiral into hereditary madness. Haunted by the mysterious letter that plagued his mum’s final days, Ollie embarks on a quest for answers. With the help of one of his uncle’s mysterious books and the support of his classmate, Hannah, Ollie delves into the secrets surrounding his mother’s past. But as he navigates the blurred line between reality and the paranormal, he must face a daunting question: will it make him famous like his uncle, or dead like his mother? In this gripping young adult novel, Ollie discovers that sometimes, the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we carry inside.

My Review

As Young Adult fiction this is a gripping, but also thought provoking read that may have you questioning what is reality and what is normal when it comes to “hearing voices”

The narrative draws you in as you hungrily want to find out if Ollie is being guided by spirits or are they just voices in his head. The contrast of the different adults in his family shows what a mess his family life is following on from the death of his mother . The only person he can genuinely rely on is Hannah who does her best to get him to see reality.

The storyline is strong and the characters are developed page by page, helping the reader to build up clear images of what each person is like and how they react in different situations. It does touch some sensitive topics with death, grief, drugs and Ollie does have to cope with more than most for a sixteen year old boy so it may be that depending on your Young Adult you may want to have a look at the book first.

However, that aside this is a thoughtful and thought provoking story and is a well thought out story with interesting scenarios.

About The Author

For many years David Griffiths has taught a variety of subjects (including English, Psychology, History and Sociology) in Further Education colleges in East Yorkshire - the inspiration for the setting for his book. More recently he has taught English and Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. David completed How to Hear Ghosts as part of a PhD in Creative Writing while attending Manchester Met University as a student. Born in Stoke-on-Trent, he now lives in Formby, Liverpool.