Dr Janet Palmer has commenced a new career as a psychologist based at HMP Halvergate in the sparsely populated and bleak Norfolk countryside. This is an institution where inmates are incarcerated due to criminal or sexual crimes and it is hoped that their period of internment will allow the authorities, and in particular the staff, time to address, and hopefully in some way cure this deviant behaviour.
Apart from the prison chaplain Steven Finch the staff at Halvergate are not very welcoming towards Dr Palmer and she begins to feels somewhat isolated not helped by the news that her boyfriend Arun is soon to depart on a work placement in America. As the good doctor begins to acquaint herself with the residents she soon shares their concerns of an apparition stalking the walls and corridors; a sinister white presence, a lady with dark eyes. One patient in particular, Michael Donovan, greatly disturbs Janet, she will soon discover a connection between this evil man and her sister Izzy who died tragically many years ago.......
There is no doubt that using a Gothic institution such as HMP Halvergate adds a sinister tone to the story telling. The reader can certainly sense and feel the great uneasiness that permeates each chapter of this short ghostly tale. However, the telling of the story and the shallow characters involved, from a self centred boyfriend to a confused gay vicar, did little to endear me to the outcome, no matter how shocking the author intended that to be. Many thanks to the publisher Mulholland for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
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