Book Review: Let the Ghosts Speak

If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you probably know one of my longtime favorite authors is Bryan Davis. His books first lifted me on the wings of dragons when I was twelve or thirteen, and I’ve been following his writing ever since. (Wow, I guess that’s half my life.)

So when I got the chance to read his latest book early and provide a review, you bet I jumped on it!

Unlike many of his previous books, there are no dragons to be found here. But there are ghosts. And plot twists. Murder, too.

Introducing… Let the Ghosts Speak.

Let the ghosts speak—but will the sane heed their counsel?

In 19^th century Paris, Justin Trotter, an immigrant from England, is making his way as a book translator while paying for his blind twin sister’s care. One evening, Marc Noël, Justin’s well-to-do friend and fellow thespian, invites him to a masquerade party at an abandoned schoolhouse. Justin hopes this will be an opportunity to get to know Marc’s lovely though sharp-tongued sister, Francine.

At the event, Justin meets four ghostly strangers—two adults and two children—who warn him that the party guests are in danger, and they must leave at once. True to their prediction, a murder takes place, and Justin is the prime suspect. He escapes and becomes a fugitive, hiding in the Paris catacombs.

Mystery and intrigue swirl as the ghost of Joan of Arc and other martyrs guide Justin on a lonely journey to prove his innocence and protect his sister from an abusive caretaker. Who really committed the crime? Marc? Francine? A ghost? And does seeing these ghosts mean he is going insane? Maybe he really is the murderer after all.

There is only one way to find out, to let the ghosts speak as they reveal the mysteries within Justin’s mind.

This a real genre-bender in the best way possible. Is it historical fiction? Is it suspense? Murder mystery? Supernatural thriller? (Depends on your opinion of ghosts, I’d say.) Whatever category it may fall under, this might be one of my favorite Bryan Davis books yet!

Why, you ask? LET ME TELL YOU.

Historical Setting

First of all, it’s 19th century Paris. Whether in a creepy abandoned schoolhouse, flooded city streets, or the dark catacombs below, it’s an intriguing place to be.

Unreliable Narrator

Our protagonist, Justin Trotter, isn’t exactly… in the best frame of mind for most of the story. As his situation worsens and his backstory creeps into the light, the veracity of his claims is called into question. You’re left wondering whether to mistrust him like everyone else in the story does or to take him at his word. Or perhaps the real truth lies somewhere in between.

I have forgotten love. My chains have driven it from me. Loneliness has leached it from my bones and left behind only regret.

It is daylight once again, and I am sane today. This time I am certain of it, though the hauntings of the night continue to test my confidence. Therefore, while my mind is clear, I must take pen and ink, so kindly provided by my only friendly visitors, and begin my story. I cannot say how long this season of sanity will remain with me, so I will write quickly and continue during every day of clarity until I finish this account for the court.

Let the Ghosts Speak by Bryan Davis

I love unreliable narrators and stories with some trippy “who’s right, who’s not?” stuff going on, so this was very much my cup of tea!

Joan of Arc

If you’ve read the Oracles of Fire series, you’ll know this isn’t the first time the “Maid of Orléans” has appeared in Bryan’s books. She has quite the fascinating role in this story—I won’t give it away, but it’s both admirable and bittersweet. She was my favorite character besides Justin!

Fast Pacing

I read this in three days, which is fast for my usual ebook speed (I don’t prefer reading on my computer). The plot moves along quickly, taking turns both puzzling and deadly right till the end!

Stirring Themes

Can a martyr forgive her persecutors? What does it mean to make one’s life a sacrifice of love? How far will you go to find and defend the truth? How do you rectify the message of a loving God with the hypocrisy of many of His followers?

Through the gloom and tragedy of multiple deaths, Justin and other characters wrestle with these questions, sometimes blatantly in the roles of teacher and student, other times more privately in the turmoil of inner thoughts.

The Ending

It took some unexpected twists for sure! In fact, the ending was actually somewhat open-ended, leaving me much to chew on. I’ll have to reread it to piece together a few loose threads that weren’t spelled out (that’s what I get for reading so fast), but that just means the book will be even richer the second time around.

In Short…

Some readers may find the tone a bit heavy-handed at times, though I could argue that the context and deep first-person point-of-view necessitated that approach.

Regardless, this unusual and thought-provoking story of murder, insanity, and redemption will haunt you long after the final page. Five ghostly stars from me!

Let the Ghosts Speak is releasing April 15th, so be sure to snap it up!

Note: Due to several death scenes and an accusation of incest, I’d recommend generally for readers of mid-YA and up.

Find the Book

• On Amazon.com
• On Goodreads

About the Author

Bryan Davis is the author of the Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of Fire, Children of the Bard, Reapers, Dragons of Starlight,Tales of Starlight, and Time Echoes series, contemporary/fantasy books for young adults and adults. The first book, Raising Dragons, was released in July of 2004, and several books in the series have hit various bestseller lists, including Eye of the Oracle, which hit number one on the CBA Young Adult best-seller list in January of 2007.

Find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or his author website.