27 Mar Book Review: The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

Gothic horror thrives on atmosphere—the slow build of dread, the creeping sense of something being deeply wrong, and the inescapable pull of the past refusing to stay buried. The Silent Companions is a novel that understands this perfectly. It is a ghost story, a psychological thriller, and a historical mystery all woven into one, dripping with unease and the kind of terror that settles into your bones rather than jumps out at you. If you love haunted houses, unreliable narrators, and a slow, creeping descent into madness, this book delivers in spades.

What’s it about?

The story is set in the nineteenth century and follows Elsie Bainbridge, a young woman who has just lost her husband, Rupert. After his sudden death, Elsie—who is pregnant with his child—is sent to The Bridge, his family’s crumbling estate in the English countryside, to see out her mourning period. From the moment she arrives, the house is unwelcoming. The servants are wary of her, the village locals whisper about the estate, and the house itself has an oppressive, suffocating air.

As Elsie tries to adjust to life at The Bridge, she is accompanied by her only ally, Sarah, Rupert’s meek cousin, who seems just as unnerved by the place as she is. But when they begin exploring the house, they make a chilling discovery—a locked room filled with strange wooden figures, painted in eerie detail to resemble real people. These are the silent companions, an old and unsettling form of decoration.

At first, the companions seem like harmless oddities, remnants of the past. But then things begin to change. The figures seem to move when no one is watching. Doors that were locked are suddenly found open. Servants whisper of unnatural happenings, and Elsie starts hearing things at night—unexplained noises, the feeling of being watched, an oppressive presence lurking just beyond sight.

As the story unfolds, we learn more about the house’s dark history through a series of diary entries from the seventeenth century. These entries, written by one of Elsie’s ancestors, detail the origins of the silent companions and the terrible fate that befell those who encountered them before. The deeper Elsie and Sarah dig, the clearer it becomes that the companions are far more than just lifeless wooden figures. They hold secrets, they bear grudges, and they are not content to remain in the past.

Elsie’s grip on reality starts to unravel as she becomes increasingly convinced that the companions are watching her, waiting for something. But no one believes her. The household begins to turn against her, and even she begins to question her own sanity. Are the silent companions truly haunted? Or is she succumbing to the same madness that has plagued the house before?

The novel jumps between Elsie’s experiences at The Bridge and the historical diary entries, slowly weaving together a narrative of tragedy, betrayal, and supernatural horror. As the past and present collide, the story builds toward a harrowing climax where Elsie must confront not only the horrors of the house but also the truth about herself.

What This Chick Thinks

A masterclass in gothic horror

What makes The Silent Companions so unsettling is its atmosphere. The house is not just a setting; it is a presence, something lurking in the background, always waiting. The feeling of dread builds so gradually that by the time things start spiraling out of control, you are completely immersed in its claustrophobic, nightmarish world.

The silent companions themselves are terrifying

Forget ghosts or demons—this book makes wooden figures the most unsettling horror element imaginable. The idea of something so lifeless and still, yet somehow aware, is chilling. The way they appear in unexpected places, change expressions, and seem to move makes them feel like something out of a nightmare.

A story that plays with perception and sanity

One of the best things about this novel is how it leaves room for doubt. Elsie is a deeply flawed, unreliable narrator. She has experienced trauma, she is isolated, and she is constantly being told that what she sees isn’t real. Is she truly being haunted, or is she losing her mind? The novel keeps you guessing, making the horror all the more effective because you are never quite sure what to believe.

The historical mystery adds depth

The inclusion of the seventeenth-century diary entries adds another layer to the story, giving the horror a sense of history and inevitability. The events of the past don’t just haunt the present—they are woven into it, making it feel like Elsie was always doomed from the moment she arrived.

Final Thoughts

The Silent Companions is gothic horror at its finest—rich in atmosphere, deeply unsettling, and full of eerie, unforgettable imagery. It is a slow-burn psychological horror that seeps into your subconscious rather than relying on cheap scares. If you love books that feel like a ghost story told by candlelight on a stormy night, this is a must-read.

Rating: 9/10

Try it if you like

• The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson – Another psychological haunted house story that blurs the line between supernatural horror and mental instability.
• Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier – A gothic novel about an eerie house, an unsettling past, and a heroine who may or may not be losing her mind.
• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – A modern gothic horror novel with an isolated estate, a creeping sense of dread, and a protagonist who may not survive the secrets she uncovers.