Slade House by David Mitchell

Having read and loved David Mitchell's The Bone Clocks last year, I eagerly snatched up  (the much smaller) Slade House.  What a good decision, because this creepy little ghost story is brilliant! Originally published as a series of twitter stories, Slade House is unfeasibly large and grand given it's surroundings, and is found behind a small black iron door  down a  tiny hard to find  alley.  Various people visit the house every nine years from 1979 to 2015, never to be seen again. Mitchell seems to like putting in small references to his previous novels almost like  small in-jokes for the observant and faithful reader.
Characters visiting Slade House include a down on her luck pianist and her unusual son; an amorous detective; a group of paranormal enthusiasts; and a journalist looking for her sister.
The plot builds over each chapter and it feels like Mitchell enjoyed himself writing this book; drawing the reader into the expertly woven and inventive story.

Posted by Katrina

Catalogue link: Slade House