The Ghost Finders
Adam McOmber
Journal Stone (June 4, 2021)
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Henry Coxton begins the novel THE GHOST FINDERS attempting to sort together a group of individuals with particular skills to help him form his occult detective firm. His first target is a local medium known around London as Lady Death. Violet Asquith is not nearly as horrible as her nickname, and she is more than happy to join Coxton in his new venture. As a legitimate medium, she is well aware that London is full of spirits both benevolent and malevolent.
Coxton does not use the term ‘ghosts,’ but prefers to refer to these spirits as ‘abnaturals,’ a term he found in a book of stories named Thomas Shadow: The Ghost Finder. Another key member of his team is the being known simply as Christopher X, a monster of dubious origins. Together the team, with a few other human supporters, are about to face a case that will threaten all they believe and possibly all of mankind.
Part of the problem may lie in Violet’s own past. Her powers specifically came from a mirror or magician’s glass she had been given. When the glass shattered into three pieces, all were located except for one piece. That missing piece might be playing a part in the increasing amount of dangerous evil spirits that the area is now exposed to. Coxton and his newly found agency take on this mystery while trying to plug up the spiritual dam that is threatening to break all around them.
Adam McOmber’s novel is full of atmosphere of old London during a time when believing in ghosts and all sorts of spirits was commonplace. THE GHOST FINDERS harkens to the works of classic masters of the horror genre such as Algernon Blackwood and M.R. James. We can only hope that this will be the start of a series featuring this eclectic team of ghost hunters as it seems the ideas for possible plots could be endless.
