Looking for a twisted horror novel that takes you on a psychological journey full of twists and turns? Then When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is the book for you. Author Jennifer Anne Gordon weaves a dark and twisted conclusion to her The Hotel series. This novel will draw you in little by little and leave you reeling.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk beckons to readers with a cover speckled with reds and blacks setting the background. An image of the hotel sits center stage of the cover. Slightly above the hotel is the face of a young woman. She appears to be asleep, but could it be that she is no longer of this world? Towards the front of the hotel are a pair of hands. They appear to be clasped either in prayer or holding a gem that sparkles. Towards the base of the hotel is a cross and what could be a pile of cloth. Underneath all of this is part of a man’s face. Half of his face is hidden in shadow, but visible is one bright eye, part of his mouth, and half his nose.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk begins author Gordon greets readers with Francis. He’s at the hotel, and just waking from his sleep. What unfolds in these early pages are his waking moments. Author Gordon depicts Francis in a crooked room. Marbles are rolling under his bed along with a mostly empty bottle of whiskey. It seems like a normal day, but everything is about to change.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is an interesting story that focuses on Francis as he struggles with the loss of a woman he believed that he loved. While he helps to escort her body home, it triggers something inside of him that causes him to lose time. He goes back to his childhood home, leaving the hotel situated on Dagger Island, but it seems that it is a place that he is not meant to leave permanently.
Author Gordon weaves a dark and cryptic story. Francis is a peculiar character, but the more you learn about him, the more bizarre the story becomes. One minute he’s at his childhood home, and it’s summer. Then the next thing you know – he’s back on Dagger Island, back in the hotel and the seasons have shifted into early winter. It’s enough to make even the reader feel like they have lost time themselves.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is cryptic and haunting. There is an air of mystery as Francis goes through each day at the hotel and he is constantly interacting with Isabelle. The twist? Isabelle is no longer of the living. Is she real? Is the Isabelle that Francis talks to and interacts with a ghost? Or is she just a “figment” of his imagination? Has she become a part of him with her passing?
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is the second book in the Hotel series. This duology focuses on the individuals who call the hotel their “home.” When reading this book you can either choose to read book one first for the complete experience, or you can take a chance and read book two on its own. Francis is the focus of this installment.
Francis is a complex character. His intent, when escorting Isabelle’s body home to her family, is to say goodbye to the island forever. However, something causes him to return to the island. There isn’t a return trip for readers to bear witness. Instead, we are shown scenes that appear innocuous at first, but author Gordon has more than one twist in mind for later on in this novel.
Francis isn’t alone at the hotel. He’s there with Dr. Hughes, his daughter, Agnes, and the maid – Daisy. Author Gordon paints a picture of complexities that ensnares all of the characters in this story. Each character has a complicated aspect of their life that will draw readers in piece by piece. Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering the truth behind Francis’s loss of time.
Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and the things that he believes to be true. But what is true and what are memories that belong to another? Why does he remember things that he could never have borne witness to? When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a strange story with just the right amount of details to paint pictures to pique the reader’s curiosity.
What is it about the trauma that haunts Francis? Who are the mysterious children that he believes he hears crying? There are many questions that will persuade readers to keep digging deeper for the answers hidden within these pages. While Francis clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes happened, Dr. Hughes is intent on uncovering who Francis “really is.”
Doctor Hughes is someone who wishes to help Francis and uncover his secrets, thereby making him Francis’s tormentor. Doctor Hughes is his own twisted character. He appears innocent enough at first, but the more that readers discover about him, we learn that he has his own dark secrets. Truth be told he has something in common with Francis’s past. It’s a twisted element that will shock readers and make him someone you’ll despise.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is a slower-paced horror novel. There aren’t any spooky apparitions, monsters, or demons that go bump in the night. This book weaves a more psychological tale that swirls around Francis and explores his nature. When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk delves back into Francis’s childhood and the reason for his arrival at Dagger Island in the first place.
This gothic tale weaves back and forth in time as Francis gradually remembers things long forgotten. He clings to his memories of Isabelle and what he believes to be true. However, we, the readers can’t help but question…how much is real and how much of this is imagined? Author Gordon reveals secrets and revelations little by little to expose the truth concerning Francis.
As When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk draws to a close, everything becomes shockingly clear. Author Gordon gives readers a revelation that will both shock and horrify them at the same time. It will all work together to explain why these memories were locked away. It will also give readers a glimpse at the heavy burden that Francis’s mother and Father Bertrand carried for many years.
While as When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk is not a thrill ride of a horror novel, author Gordon ensures that it still does its job. This book will draw readers in and lure them deeper into Francis’s story to discover his secrets. Little by little all will be revealed not just concerning him, but the truth behind the sudden death of Isabelle.
When the Sleeping Dead Still Talk can be read as a standalone novel, but readers will more than likely get a better and more full experience by reading From Daylight to Madness first. Readers who enjoy psychological horror novels this will be a book that you don’t want to miss out on. It will draw you and leave you floored.
Pros:
- Detailed storytelling
- Imaginative
- A truly twisted story
- Can be read as a standalone
- Psychologically horrific
Cons:
- Pacing tends to be slow and winding
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