Lead Review (The Ghost of Seagull Cottage)

• Book: The Ghost of Seagull Cottage
• Location: Guernsey
• Author: Anne Allen

Review Author: tripfiction

GUERNSEY

The Ghost of Seagull Cottage by Anne Allen

The Guernsey Novels No. 9. This novel can be read as a standalone.

Annabel Easton is recently widowed and the novel opens as she is viewing Seagull Cottage, back in Guernsey. She grew up on the island. She is looking for somewhere to live with her young daughter, Emilia, and she has hardly set foot in the house when she experiences a strange whooshing sensation. The estate agent reluctantly suggests the building might be haunted by the original owner, Captain Daniel Gallienne; he surmises correctly, and soon Annabel and Daniel are in conversation, she is not in the least fazed by his ghostly presence.

He turns out to be a straight-talking mariner, anticipating an “Arr, me hearties” at any moment. He saw out WW2 but, in my mind, early on, I could only visualise him as a swashbuckling and essentially altruistic Captain Hook character. That image of course pales as the story of his life comes to the fore

She is an artist and asks him to sit for her, he in turn is keen she should write his memoir. And they settle into a co-existence as Annabella (as Daniel calls her) rebuilds her life, with some emotional ups and downs, in and around her new home. Familiar characters from previous novels pop up to add continuity.

There is a nice sense of place, with visits to St Peter Port, Castle Cornet and over to Herm, the sense of the sea pervasive at every turn – which of course is underlined by the resident ghost.

Back to book