Book Review: Behind the Veil, E J Dawson

Title: Behind the Veil
Author: E J Dawson
Published: 1st October 2021, Literary Wanderlust
Pages: 252
Source: Book Sirens
Format: Kindle
Rating: 3/5
Can she keep the secrets of her past to rescue a girl tormented by a ghost?

In 1920s Los Angeles, Letitia Hawing reads the veil between life and death. A scrying bowl allows her to experience the final moments of the deceased. She brings closure to grief-stricken ward widows and mourning families.

For Letitia, it is a penance. She knows no peace.

For Alasdair Driscoll, it may be the only way to save his niece, Finola, from her growing night terrors. But when Letitia sees a shadowy figure attached to the household, it rouses old fears of her unspeakable past in England.

When a man comes to her about his missing daughter, the third girl to go missing in as many months, Letitia can't help him when she can't see who's taken them.

As darkness haunts Letitia's vision, she may not be given a choice in helping the determined Mr Driscoll, or stop herself falling in love with him. But to do so risks a part of herself she locked away, and to release it may cost Letitia her sanity and her heart.

Behind the Veil is a very spooky ghost story set in 1920s Los Angeles following Letitia, a medium, who has recently moved from England. This was a very quick read for me and really did get my heart going at times.

Although set in LA, to me it could have been set in any city in 1920s America. I couldn't find anything that would identify LA as the setting (however, I have never been so it's possible I missed references). The setting did relate well to Letitia's story though as a city is probably the best place to forget your past and start a new life. There's not the nosiness of a small town.

I felt that the main characters were likable enough. Letitia and Alasdair clashed enough that it kept the story interesting, but it was also obvious that feelings were growing. The one character that did get on my nerves was Abby, and I think the story could have been the same or better without her.

The story is mainly told via the POV of Letitia, with a few ghost POV flashbacks. This worked really well at helping me understand Letitia and how she operates her business. I wouldn't say the plot is predictable, as I was never sure what was going to happen next. There were plenty of plot twists. But I did sense that it was a HEA early on.

The ending was very climatic and had me on the edge of my seat. However, I also felt like I needed slightly more explanation regarding Calbright as he almost appeared out of nowhere, but this could have been what E J Dawson was going for.

Overall, I found Behind the Veil to be an interesting read. It isn't my usual genre, but the cover pulled me in and I'm glad I took the chance on it. I just wish the setting was a bit clearer and there was more explanation in parts. I'd still recommend Behind the Veil to those who like spooky reads and are looking for a quick easy one.

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E J Dawson / Goodreads / Twitter

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