Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott

I know I said I don’t like ghost stories but this one is better than most and Rebecca Stott writes nicely. It’s a sort of thriller where a friend is found dead and the woman takes on the job of completing the friend’s research and writing work. This is where the ghosts come in and they are malignant, so it’s creepy enough. Interwoven with all this is the main character’s love affair with a charismatic scientist and the involvement of a group of animal rights protestors. However this novel is so complex that it gets a bit murky – Stott never really resolves things quite clearly and it’s a bit like those religious fundamentalists I was listening to at the Writers’ Festival who said the explanation of faith is faith itself. So it’s an entertaining enough read, especially if you’re interested in 17th century history and she has a good turn of phrase. 3 stars.