[BOOKS OF THE DEAD] The Spirit Engineer - A.J. West
- Victoria
- Oct 3
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 27
The Spirit Engineer - Books of the Dead Review
Welcome to Books of the Dead. A monthly series by published author and founder of The Readers in the Rue Morgue Book Club Victoria Brown where she deep dives into some her favourite (and not so favourite) authors and books.
Auhtor: A.J. West
Publication Date: 07/10/21
Synopsis: Belfast, 1914. Two years after the sinking of the Titanic, high society has become obsessed with spiritualism in the form of seances that attempt to contact the spirits of loved ones lost at sea. William is a man of science and a sceptic, but one night with everyone sat around the circle something happens that places doubt in his heart and a seed of obsession in his mind. Could the spirits truly be communicating with him or is this one of Kathleen’s parlour tricks gone too far. This early 20th century gothic set in Northern Ireland contains all the mystery and intrigue one might expect from a Sarah Waters novel. Deftly plotted with echoes of 'The Woman in Black', readers will be thrilled to discover West’s chilling prose. Based on the true story of William Jackson Crawford and famed medium Kathleen Goligher, and with a cast of characters that include Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, 'The Spirit Engineer' conjures a haunting tale that will keep readers guessing until the very end.
Thoughts:
Fiction novels set in Belfast, Northern Ireland are few and far between, but one that explores the supernatural side of the city is even rarer. Author A. J. West explores exactly that in his telling of real-life spiritualism investigator William Jackson Crawford in his debut novel ‘The Spirit Engineer’.
West is a writer through and through, writing features and articles for numerous newspapers and magazines, as well as appearing regularly on TV and radio. While at university, he became enamoured by Thomas Hardy, M.R. James, and E.F. Benson, and their influence is evident throughout ‘The Spirit Engineer’. His desire to explore William Jackson Crawford’s story, one largely swept under the rug, is a testament to his dedication to telling tales of lives that are often left forgotten.
Relatively little is known about William Jackson Crawford. He grew up in New Zealand before moving to Glasgow for university, then became a scientist, and moved to Belfast to teach. What made him choose the shipbuilding capital of the world is unclear, but his presence gives Belfast a unique place in paranormal history.
‘The Spirit Engineer’ explores Crawford’s time investigating the Goligher circle, particularly young Kathleen who claims to be a conduit for lost spirits. Belfast was still grieving the loss of the ill-fated Titanic and had been hit hard by the First World War, so the city was ripe with people desperate to reach their lost loved ones. Crawford was a man of science, and, in the novel, he immediately butts heads with the Golighers when he discovers his grieving wife has been going to seances in an attempt to contact her dead brother, a decidedly unchristian and unscientific past time that he did not approve of. Determined to prove them frauds, he begins investigating the seances, but his research quickly changes his mind – Kathleen is the real deal. The evidence is undeniable. Or is it?
West explores this well-established trope of science vs the supernatural through real people, using his gothic prose to create an atmospheric tale of belief, scepticism, grief, and life after death. His portrayals of Crawford, his family, and the Golighers is refreshing because he does not romanticise them. He presents them as real, often unlikable or frustrating characters who have numerous faults. Crawford, in particular, is an interesting character in that his determination to prove the seances are fake and his grappling with the evidence in front of him is often overshadowed by how simultaneously insecure and over-confident he is. His behaviour towards Kathleen, which is explored in the novel, is unsettling and uncomfortable at times but West’s portrayal of him is of someone who always had the best intentions. It is rare to see so complex a character in a gothic, historical fiction, and West does it in a way that makes Crawford both frustrating and sympathetic.
The settings are described with such accuracy that it is easy to picture where you are, and it’s clear West did his research into pre- and post-war Belfast to ensure his descriptions were as close to reality as possible. He also portrays the class attitudes in the city perfectly, fully capturing the essence of the time period.
The plot is a bit of a slow burn, but anyone experienced with the likes of M. R. James will know that the payoff is worth it. ‘The Spirit Engineer’ has numerous twists and turns that feel earned, and the rather bleak bookended opening and beginning of William’s ultimate demise leaves us with no definitive answers, reflecting how William may have felt when his story ended.
‘The Spirit Engineer’ is the perfect spooky autumnal read, full of history, classic gothic themes and prose, and genuine chills. Hats off to A. J. West!
Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-Victoria Brown, Author of The Death Ship: Recovering The Bodies of Titanic's Dead