Book Review: Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins

Title: Morgwel Hall

Author: Michael Hutchins

Genre: Paranormal Fiction
Release Date: December 18th, 2018

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Scarred both physically and mentally from the horrors of WWI, specifically Passchendaele, the third battle of Ypres, Captain Williamson decides to make a new life for himself in Cornwall and 'escape the real world'. On his first viewing of Morgwel Hall manor house he sees a young girl dancing on the battlements of the adjacent ruined castle but she simply disappears. Is she real, a spirit, or a figment of his tormented mind? His quest to find her, and unravel the tragic story behind the wall, twists and turns before reaching a thought provoking conclusion. Using the stunning Cornish coast and county, as a backdrop, Morgwel Hall will keep you guessing to the very end and stretch your imagination to the full.

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MY REVIEW:

I love books about ghost stories, so when I got the chance to read Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins, I didn't think twice. The synopsis definitely piqued my interest. Luckily, I was not disappointed.

I really enjoyed the plot for Morgwel Hall. Captain Williamson sees a girl dancing on the battlements of the ruined castle he is about to purchase. He is instantly mesmerized by her. He learns her name is Anna and begins to fall in love with her. The only problem is she's a ghost. However, there's a bit more paranormal happenings going on at Morgwel Hall. Desperate to learn the history of the place, he seeks out two locals who tell him of the horrible history of Morgwel Hall and of Anna's demise. I wouldn't say the plot was scary. It was spooky and a bit creepy at times, but it wasn't overly scary which I didn't mind. It was still very interesting! I didn't really read any major plot twists, but that didn't take away from the story. All of my questions and wondering were answered by the end of the book even my questions about Williamson's cat and dog which was a nice touch. I wish there was more detail as to why Anna took a shining to Captain Williamson and what made her fall in love with him though. The world building was done very well as well. The story takes place almost completely in Cornwall not long after World War I. It was definitely believable.

The characters of Morgwel Hall were very well written and realistic. Captain Williamson is a great character although sometimes it was hard to tell if he was supposed to be an older man or a younger man. It would have been nice to know his actual age in the book because I struggled to picture him in my mind age wise. Other than that, everything about Williamson was great. It was interesting learning with Williamson about Morgwell Hall. Albert and Nancy were also fantastic characters. I really liked Nancy for some reason. I guess it was just how humble she was. Dougy was my absolute favorite though. He sounded like such a sweet dog! 

The pacing in Morgwel Hall was set decently. There were a few times when the story got a bit too wordy and descriptive which would slow the pacing down a little, but for the most part, the pacing stayed strong, and I was desperate to learn more about Morgwel Hall and the history.

Trigger warnings for Morgwel Hall include alcoholism (Captain Williamson came across as being addicted to whiskey), minor profanities, death, suicide, and implied murder. 

Overall, Morgwel Hall is a very interesting read. The plot is written very well, and the characters are interesting to read about. I would definitely recommend Morgwel Hall by Michael Hutchins to those aged 15+ who are fans of ghost stories but don't want to be too scared.

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(A special thank you to the author for providing me with a paperback of Morgwel Hall in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michael started work as a journalist in the 1970’s, but then at the age of 21 started his own clothing business. Born in London, Michael now lives in the Hertfordshire countryside in a small village with his wife, two Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs, a pony and a horse. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. Michael is a volunteer and founder member of a museum in the village of Nuthampstead dedicated to the USAF 398th bomb group who were stationed there in WWII. He also enjoys country Walks, is a Parish Councillor and the Treasurer of the village hall committee.