"A gripping slice of historical narrative non fiction charting the story of a ghost hunter and his subject just before the Second World War."
A truly fascinating investigative piece focusing on journalist and ghost hunter Nandor Fodor who researched Alma Fielding in 1938 after a poltergeist attack. Described as historical narrative non fiction, Kate Summerscale opens a door into the world of spiritualism just as the Second World War was starting. Her prologue explains that she visited the Society for Psychical Research to look up Nandor Fodor and found his original papers including the dossier on Alma. It contained transcripts of her seances, interviews, lab reports, x-rays copies of her contracts, notes, sketches and photographs. The author sets out to explore the link between suffering and the supernatural. This is as much about Fodor as it is Fielding, their link at times almost disturbing. The story is laid out before you, Kate Summerscale thoughtfully relays the information without prejudice, and doesn’t judge, allowing the reader to form their own thoughts. The Haunting of Alma Fielding is a riveting read encouraging thorough yet reflective reasoning that is likely to continue long after the tale is told.
| Primary Genre | Non-Fiction Books of the Month |
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FROM BRITAIN'S TOP-SELLING TRUE CRIME WRITER
'A wonderful book' HILARY MANTEL
'Gothic, dark and scandalous' SUNDAY TIMES
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION
It is 1938. As the shadow of fascism darkens over Europe, strange things are happening in Alma Fielding's suburban home in Croydon. Crockery flies off the shelves; stolen rings appear on Alma's fingers; and white mice scuttle out of her handbag.
Nandor Fodor - chief ghost hunter for the International Institute for Psychical Research - arrives on the scene, determined to crack the case. As Fodor's obsession deepens, and Alma becomes ever more disturbed, the pair find themselves in a treacherous battle of wills . . .
'Prepare not to see much broad daylight, literal or metaphorical, for days if you read this' THE TIMES
'Nobody is better at unpicking stories of ghosts and murder than Kate Summerscale … Will stay with you for weeks' DOMINIC SANDBROOK, SUNDAY TIMES BOOKS OF THE YEAR
'As gripping as a novel. An engaging, unsettling, deeply satisfying read' SARAH WATERS
'A detective novel, a ghost yarn and a historical record rolled into one . . . Electrifying' i-PAPER
'It would be impossible to read this dry-eyed' SPECTATOR
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The Haunting of Alma Fielding features in the following genres: Non-Fiction Books of the Month, Biographies & Autobiographies, History, Mind, body, spirit, Recommendations, Biography, Literature and Literary studies, History and Archaeology, Health & Fitness
The Haunting of Alma Fielding is available in Paperback
The Haunting of Alma Fielding was written by Kate Summerscale and published by Bloomsbury an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing (UK)
The Haunting of Alma Fielding has 368 pages
£11.69
