Helena by Claire L. Smith #BookReview
Helena Book Review
4 stars
Helena is a fun fast-paced mystery horror book set in the 1800s and staring a strong female protagonist. Helena Morrigan is a mortician and funeral home director who can see ghosts. Unfortunately, her circumstances lead her to take up residency in an old home on the brink of a graveyard. While this creates obstacles for Helena, it weaves a fun mystery for readers as Helena finds herself in the web of a serial killer and his victims.
The gothic elements great a dark and macabre tone, set from the opening chapter where we are first introduced to Helena and her unique ability. Her arch starts as a woman with little self-confidence and blossoms into a heroine who courageously battles evil. She’s a bold character with many likeable and relatable traits. In fact, all the female characters were extremely well developed and came alive from the page. Since this plot was set in the 1800s, it would have been easy to create females more stereotypical of how females were perceived in that time period, but these women challenge those conventions, and thank goodness for that!
I enjoyed the horror elements of this book but I’m not sure I would classify it as a horror novel. The mystery elements outweigh the horror, and while there are stark and vivid horror descriptions, those who enjoy a strong dose of horror might be a little disappointed. However, those who enjoy atmospheric horror without the overwhelming guts and gore will find a pleasurable read in the handful of disturbing imagery and themes. (Think more along the lines of The Alienist and Penny Dreadful in terms of horror.)
Overall, it was a fun quick read with some unsettling scenes and a solid mystery plot. Thank you for the free ARC!
