Haunted (David Ash, #1)

Title: Haunted (David Ash, #1)

Author: James Herbert

Published in: 1988

Date read: 3rd April 2007

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Supernatural

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Haunted" by James Herbert is a chilling supernatural horror novel that delves into the terrifying consequences of a skeptic's encounter with genuine paranormal activity.

The protagonist is David Ash, a professional parapsychologist known for debunking supernatural phenomena. He approaches his work with a scientific, dispassionate mindset, always seeking rational explanations for supposed hauntings. He is contacted by the Misses Mariell, sisters who own the ancient and isolated Edbrook House in the English countryside. They claim their ancestral home is haunted and request Ash's expertise.

Upon arriving at Edbrook, Ash quickly establishes a rapport with the eccentric, almost childlike Mariell sisters and begins his investigation. He sets up his equipment, meticulously searching for wires, projectors, or any trickery that might explain the reported phenomena. Initially, he finds nothing conclusive, and his skepticism remains firmly in place.

However, as night falls and Ash spends more time alone in the eerie house, the manifestations begin. These are not subtle creaks or cold spots. He experiences increasingly terrifying and undeniable phenomena: disembodied voices, ghostly apparitions (including a young girl and a distorted, malevolent face), violent poltergeist activity, and bone-chilling drops in temperature. The hauntings are intensely personal, often seeming to target Ash's own deep-seated fears and guilt, particularly related to a tragic event in his childhood involving his younger sister.

As the supernatural events escalate, Ash's scientific detachment crumbles, replaced by genuine fear and a dawning realization that Edbrook House is truly, profoundly haunted by something malevolent and powerful. He tries to rationalise, to find an escape, but the house seems to hold him captive, feeding on his terror and his past.

The novel builds to a horrifying climax as Ash uncovers the dark history of Edbrook House and its previous inhabitants, particularly the previous male head of the family, a disturbed individual who committed horrific acts of abuse and murder. The ghosts, it turns out, are not just passive remnants of the past, but tormented, vengeful spirits reliving their suffering, and possibly trapped by the very evil that created them. Ash finds himself in a desperate struggle for survival against the malevolent entities, battling not only the external supernatural forces but also his own resurfacing psychological demons. "Haunted" is a masterclass in atmospheric horror, known for its visceral scares and its unflinching exploration of psychological terror.

Comments:
I love a good ghost story and the David Ash trilogy are some of the best that I have ever read. I have not, however, seen the 1995 film based on this book and I hope that it won't disappoint,

Books that we've read by James Herbert (20):
The Rats (Rats, #1) (1974), The Fog (1975), The Survivor (1976), Fluke (1977), The Spear (1978), Lair (Rats, #2) (1979), The Dark (1980), Jonah (1981), Shrine (1983), Domain (Rats, #3) (1983), Moon (1985), Magic Cottage (1986), Sepulchre (1987), Haunted (David Ash, #1) (1988), The Ghosts Of Sleath (David Ash, #2) (1994), Others (1999), Once... (2001), Nobody True (2003), The Secret of Crickley Hall (2006), Ash (David Ash, #3) (2012)