Publishers Weekly
In five wonderfully chilling short stories, Noyes (Red Butterfly; Gothic!) pays homage to Edith Wharton's ghost story "Kerfol," about the wealthy Anne de Barrigan-terrorized by a husband who murders her dogs and then is himself murdered by their ghosts. The first entry retells the story from the point of view of the chambermaid Perrette; the following stories march forward chronologically from the original's 17th-century setting but remain at the Kerfol chateau. In suspenseful prose that evolves from Perrette's antique speech ("I kept close by [Milady], especially when the moon swelled and paw prints dotted the mud round the moat come morning") to a contemporary perspective, Noyes follows four more unsuspecting and vulnerable victims as they enter Kerfol, now filthy with neglect, where their thoughts are overtaken by the voices and visions of those long dead. Ghost dogs appear from nowhere; the evil, twisted Yves de Cornault inspires terror from the grave; and the still beautiful spirit of Anne haunts the estate. Readers will be eager to know how next this house and its ghosts wreak havoc-and even death-on those unlucky enough to darken its doorstep. Ages 14-up. (Aug.)
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School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up
Beginning with a gothic tale set in 17th-century France and culminating with a modern, spine-tingling horror story, Ghosts is a collection of five short stories that center around one haunted house. Based on Edith Wharton's "Kerfol," the first one features the young wife of an abusive, older lord who also showers her with gifts, one of which is a sapphire necklace that appears in the subsequent tales. Although the master kills his wife's dogs one by one, the story ends with him found dead, mysteriously mauled by canines. The second tale takes place in the Napoleonic era with the new heir to Kerfol, nephew to a childless great-aunt, beset with nightmares about his father's death and haunted by a nonexistent pack of dogs. Both the following story, featuring a 1920s flapper, and a modern tale include some suggestive sexual scenes, but they in no way diminish the value of these creepy ghost stories that are reminiscent of Shirley Jackson's work. The first story is the longest and most difficult and may be a hard sell for less-sophisticated readers. If they can hang in, however, they will be rewarded with some great gooseflesh and an exciting read.-Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School Library, Loveland, CO
Kirkus Reviews
Drawing inspiration from Edith Wharton's ghost story "Kerfol," this collection of five linked stories follows the mysterious and frightening events at a French estate over the centuries. The first story retells the events of Wharton's original, in which a young woman is convicted of murdering her husband, the aging lord of the manor. Subsequent stories feature a visiting artist, a spoiled rich girl, an American couple and a deaf gardener. All are visited by the various spirits that haunt the estate: Dead dogs roam the property, frightening visitors; a murdered lord seeks revenge for his untimely death; a beautiful maiden mourns her lost love in the orchards. Told from a variety of perspectives, each story builds on the last, drawing the reader deeper into the passion and misery that wind their way through the estate. Beautiful and genuinely frightening. (Fiction. 12 & up)
From the Publisher
Unique, mesmerizing tales…dark sensuality.
—Booklist (starred review)
MARCH 2011 - AudioFile
Noyes’s five ghost stories were inspired by Edith Wharton’s 1916 story “Kerfol.” The link among Noyes’s stories is their setting, a French chateau, where in 1613 a young woman was convicted of murdering her jealous elderly husband. Her defense: He was mauled to death by a pack of dogs, dogs he had killed over time because of their devotion to her. In the following stories, set in 1802, 1926, 1982, and 2006, visitors to Kerfol on the anniversary of the lord’s death encounter the ghosts of the dogs and the characters from the first story. Justine Eyre gives distinct voices to the various characters and effectively conveys their emotional responses to the events that unfold. Eyre’s compelling narration unifies this collection of thrilling ghost tales. C.R.A. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
