"The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall" is a well-written, though a tad formulaic Gothic horror novel set in Victorian England. Twelve-year-old orphan Florence finds herself being whisked away from the grim London orphanage run by the cruel Miss Medleycoate to an imposing manor house in the English countryside. It turns out that she has a living great-uncle, Thomas who has been searching for her since an accident claimed the lives of her parents. Florence warms to her uncle Thomas who shares her passion for reading, but is treated abominably by her great-aunt Eugenie, who can't seem to stomach her presence.
Later, Florence discovers that she had a cousin, Sophia, who died about a year ago, and was her age. There is a also a nine-year-old male cousin, James, who is very sickly and confined to his bedroom, with strict orders not to be disturbed. Though Florence likes Crutchfield Hall, and prefers it to the orphanage, she senses a sinister presence everywhere she goes. Might it be the spirit of the dead Sophia, who was considered a paragon of beauty and virtue by Aunt Eugenie, and a spoilt, sullen girl by others? Why is Sophia haunting Crutchfield Hall, and what does she want of Florence? Also, why is Sophia bent on gaining access to James who appears terrified by the specter of his dead sister?
These questions are credibly addressed in this Gothic horror story geared more to upper elementary readers. I think older readers (Grades 6 and up) might find this story to be rather formulaic and boring. There is no great secret in this story or scares that send a genuine chill through readers. The book's strength, in my opinion, is the highly atmospheric writing which conveys the menace of the lost spirit of Sophia and evokes the real fears experienced by Florence, James, and housemaid Nellie. It makes an interesting read for young fans of the supernatural genre.
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