'Dark Matter,' a ghost story by Michelle Paver (and ahem, who represents Michelle...?)

[Katie-Ellen]

Looking forward to her new book 'Wakenhyrst', out April 2019, published by Head of Zeus, whose Nic Cheetham was a special guest on Pop-Ups in September.


'Dark Matter,' was how I found Litopia, looking to see who the agent was



It's all about the quiet, inexorable building of suspense

The real horror is in the reality of what happened, that left such anger behind, in the shape of the ghost.

Such things can happen. I experienced a sad thing once, in a lovely old holiday house in Suffolk. Golden fields, high summer and hot. I was 18 and it was terrifying, no rhyme or reason. Didn't find out till many years later who and what 'it' was; a poor man called John Sparrow, and of course, such experiences are not susceptible to proof.

But as for Dark Matter, where was the nearest Bishop or Shaman when they needed them?

 

[Carol Rose]

Oh goody! Can't wait to read it!!

 

[Paul V]

'ghosts don't exist do they?' Oh Richard, Richard. So nice to see a ghost story being recommended so highly.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Richard Madeley does believe in ghosts, whatever he says here. He talked about it once on another programme. He too had a horrid experience in a hotel. I think he said it was in Paris. Woke up to see someone leaning over Judy who was asleep, described a feeling of utter malevolence coming off it, got up and chased the figure into the bathroom where it disappeared.

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

A publishing and a ghost story

Baroness Gail Rebuck, who set up Century with Anthony Cheetham (Nick's dad) had a problem keeping au-pair girls. They'd stay a night or so and then leave. Gail asked my dad if he knew anyone who could help. Dad brought down Mr Barrett (the caretaker of a spiritualist church in Bristol and a faith-healer - who he'd met originally through an author of his, Rebecca Hall of "Animals are Equal" fame). So Mr Barratt travels up to London and goes into Gail's house and locks himself in the 'haunted' room for a while. Sometime later out he comes, and announces that the problem is solved. The room was haunted by Mr Hargreaves. He hadn't realised that he'd actually died and was just sitting there waiting for someone to bring him his pipe tobacco. Everytime a new girl arrived, Mr Hargreaves tried asking them for his tobacco and his supper. Barratt finally suceeded in convincing Hargreaves that he was in fact dead and that all his friends and relatives would be waiting for him on the other side, so he should get a move on and join them. If he didn't like it, he was welcome to visit Barratt in Bristol. A few weeks later Hargreaves turned up at Barratt's flat to thank him. He'd moved on and been reunited with his loved ones.

 

[Kitty]

Dark Matter is a superb book. I’ve been to Svalbard and she captures it so well. I’ll be looking out for this new one!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

A publishing and a ghost story

Baroness Gail Rebuck, who set up Century with Anthony Cheetham (Nick's dad) had a problem keeping au-pair girls. They'd stay a night or so and then leave. Gail asked my dad if he knew anyone who could help. Dad brought down Mr Barrett (the caretaker of a spiritualist church in Bristol and a faith-healer - who he'd met originally through an author of his, Rebecca Hall of "Animals are Equal" fame). So Mr Barratt travels up to London and goes into Gail's house and locks himself in the 'haunted' room for a while. Sometime later out he comes, and announces that the problem is solved. The room was haunted by Mr Hargreaves. He hadn't realised that he'd actually died and was just sitting there waiting for someone to bring him his pipe tobacco. Everytime a new girl arrived, Mr Hargreaves tried asking them for his tobacco and his supper. Barratt finally suceeded in convincing Hargreaves that he was in fact dead and that all his friends and relatives would be waiting for him on the other side, so he should get a move on and join them. If he didn't like it, he was welcome to visit Barratt in Bristol. A few weeks later Hargreaves turned up at Barratt's flat to thank him. He'd moved on and been reunited with his loved ones.

Who was Mr Hargreaves? Had Gail Rebuck ever met him?

 

[Rachel Caldecott]

Who was Mr Hargreaves? Had Gail Rebuck ever met him?

He was totally unknown to Gail. I think he'd been the grandfather of the previous, previous owners of the building.

 

[Rich.]

Looking forward to her new book 'Wakenhyrst'...

Me too, very much! I discovered Michelle Paver through her kids' books, the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness, and only began reading some of her adult books quite recently. I am definitely a fan.