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I went into A Plethora of Phantoms expecting a story centred on a haunted house, something contained within its walls and tied neatly to its past. What I didn’t expect was how much the narrative would extend beyond that, or how naturally it would balance its mystery with a relationship that develops alongside it, shaped by the same uncertainty and pull.
At first, everything feels grounded in Lanyon Park. Freddie returns to a space that is already heavy with expectation, stepping into a role that seems defined long before he fully understands it. The house feels lived in, familiar, and structured by routine. It gives the impression of stability, of something that has endured. But even within that, there is a quiet suggestion that not everything belongs entirely to the present.
Because the story does not stay contained for long.
What begins as something localised gradually widens, drawing Freddie—and by extension the reader—into a trail of connections that lead elsewhere. The investigation takes them beyond the house, into other locations and histories that begin to piece together a much larger picture. The trip to Bath in particular stands out, not just as a change of setting, but as a shift in understanding. It reinforces the idea that what is happening cannot be explained by the house alone, and that the past has left traces in more than one place.
The mystery is not presented as something waiting to be solved in a single moment, but as something that has to be followed carefully, step by step. Objects, records, and fragments of information all play a part, each one adding a little more clarity without ever giving the full answer too quickly. The dressing case becomes central in this process, acting as a thread that connects different parts of the story together. It is not just significant in itself, but in what it leads to, guiding the characters towards something they would not otherwise have uncovered.
Alongside this, the haunting continues to evolve. It does not remain static or predictable, and it becomes clear that what is being encountered is more complicated than a single lingering presence. There are moments where the atmosphere feels almost controlled, and others where it becomes far more immediate and difficult to ignore. That variation keeps the tension consistent, even as the focus of the story begins to shift outward.
Running parallel to all of this is the relationship between Freddie and Marcus, which develops within the same sense of movement and uncertainty. It doesn’t unfold separately from the mystery, but alongside it, shaped by everything they are uncovering. There is a gradual shift from distance to trust, from hesitation to something more certain, and that progression feels tied to the story as a whole rather than existing outside it. Their connection never feels easy or untouched by what is happening around them, which gives it a quiet intensity that builds rather than rushes.
As the narrative moves towards its conclusion, the separate strands begin to draw together. What initially feels scattered—locations, histories, unexplained events—starts to align, revealing something more cohesive beneath it all. The answers do not arrive abruptly, but through accumulation, allowing the resolution to feel earned rather than imposed.
By the end, there is a sense not just of explanation, but of completion. The past is not erased, but understood, and that understanding allows for a kind of stillness to return. At the same time, the relationship at the centre of the story settles into something more certain, shaped by everything it has had to withstand.
A Plethora of Phantoms begins as a story about a place, but becomes something much broader—a narrative where mystery and connection develop side by side, each giving weight to the other.
Penny lives with her family in Oxfordshire, and when she is not writing, she enjoys reading, walking, swimming, and the odd gin and tonic (not all at the same time).
If you’ve enjoyed any of Penny’s books please leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub, or Goodreads, and let other readers know!
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Thank you for taking the time to read and review A Plethora of Phantoms! 📖
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Thank you for taking the time to read and review my book. I'm delighted that you enjoyed it!
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