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  • The Silent Companions

  • By: Laura Purcell
  • Narrated by: Katie Scarfe
  • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (1,137 ratings)

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The Silent Companions

By: Laura Purcell
Narrated by: Katie Scarfe
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Summary

Inspired by the work of Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill and set in a crumbling country mansion, The Silent Companions is an unsettling Victorian Gothic ghost story that will send a shiver down the spine....

Newly married, newly widowed Elsie is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband's crumbling country estate, The Bridge. With her new servants resentful and the local villagers actively hostile, Elsie only has her husband's awkward cousin for company. Or so she thinks.

Inside her new home lies a locked room, and beyond that door lies a 200-year-old diary and a deeply unsettling painted wooden figure - a Silent Companion - that bears a striking resemblance to Elsie herself.

As Elsie's suspicions about her husband's family grow, she discovers that those around her believe a very different story - a story of just what Elsie did to end up where she is now....

©2017 Bloomsbury (P)2017 Audible, Ltd
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What listeners say about The Silent Companions

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wow! So creepy

This book is one of the best ghost stories I have either read or listened to. It’s very, very, creepy and gripping right to the end!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping and chilling

Absolutely hooked after first chapter it’s a real thriller and chilling to the bone at times! Great story and scene setting throughout with clever present and past stories culminating into brilliant ending. Any fans of women in black or ghostly tales will love this.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

Loved it!!
captivating and unsettling. Loved the different time settings. Really want to listen again!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

so effing good

couldn't turn off my lights to sleep after this. deffo recommend, as long as you aren't home alone! amazing story telling, I loved how it switched from elsie to anne.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Very disjointed at times

Didn't really enjoy this. I found it disjointed and confusing. It was well read though.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Not great narration

It’s hard to comment on the initial story, I suspect it would be quite good as a book, however it’s difficult to identify the characters due to the narration and therefore hard to follow the storyline easily.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Chilling, more horror than period drama - perhaps supernatural psychological thriller is more apt

In the main well written and narrated. The idea of it reminded me of the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who. I thought I was listening to a period drama/suspense novel, but it was definitely more insidious. I wouldn’t have read it if I’d known, but once I start reading a book, I have to finish it.

There were times when I was confused which character was speaking - one male character sounded more like a woman and some of the women had deeper voices than the men.

The ending was a little bit predictable, but chilling, nonetheless.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

So glad it’s finished

This book has a surfeit of horrible events, I wanted to know how it was all resolved, but it was an effort to go with the story, especially the way women are treated in it, (accurate for the period) which is more scary than the Companions themselves.
Anyway, if you like the thrill of spiralling horror, this is for you.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well written gothic horror story

I really liked this book, I think this could become a horror classic. The gothic atmosphere, the old house, the village and villagers are set perfectly. There were bits I found unnecessary, like the resemblance of the silent companion to the protagonist, but if there is a follow up book explaining that I am happy to forget it!
It was very creepy to listen at dark, really made me scared.
I think this book resembles Jessie Burton's The Miniaturist in many ways- check this out if you enjoyed it. You can find a full review on my blog: excusemyreading.com
Also I must say the narration was pretty good too!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thrilling don't wanna put down story!

Really loved this book! Scary & gruesome at times but this added to the text and was not sensationalism. With some books that swap between differing periods of time I can become confused/ frustrated. Not with this book as it was early to follow & added to the suspense. Will happily get another book by this author or narrator.

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2 people found this helpful