The Unrecovered

Reviews / Votes

Impressive * Sunday Times * With a story that crosses the world, from Scotland to Belgium and Jerusalem, this is an intriguing literary debut * Herald * Disturbingly atmospheric and evocative, Richard Strachan's debut is a deliciously dark historical gothic mystery that will go down well with lovers of The Essex Serpent * Sunday Post * Immersive, beautifully written, and with an intriguing setting, The Unrecovered builds towards an hallucinatory climax -- Michelle Paver Ambitious... his audacious novel will give much pleasure to many people -- Allan Massie * Scotsman * The gothic richness that imbues Strachan's writing is haunting as it is beautiful, and reminiscent of the wonderfully dark tales that inspired me to become a writer. The Unrecovered is a rare gem of gothic literature, and the meticulous melding of historical fiction into the narrative makes its horror all the more captivating -- A. M. Shine Creeping unease gives way to abject horror in this dark tale of dreadful inheritance and inexorable fate. Strachan is a formidable talent, weaving virtuoso sentences and deft allusions through this compelling historical nightmare -- Martin MacInnes, author of Booker Prize longlisted In Ascension A formidable and deftly crafted nightmare, from a time of universal war, stretching backwards and forwards over the generations and across the map. The latest haunting in a classic Scottish tradition derived from Stevenson and Hogg -- Iain Sinclair In this beautifully written and compulsive debut Strachan weaves the horrors of WW1 with the shadow of a dreadful legacy. Dark, intelligent and profoundly moving, I devoured this stunning debut in two sittings. I will be thinking about this story and its characters for some time -- Rebecca Netley, author of The Whistling Mark your calendars for February - The Unrecovered by Richard Strachan is an astonishing debut. A multilayered and gripping exploration of grief, trauma and atonement taking in Robert Browning, the Crusades, Peter Pan, colonialism, and spooky hounds: complex, compelling and eerie -- Naomi Kelsey, author of The Burnings A harrowing tale of madness, illness, and inherited horror. The genteel exterior of Roddinglaw House, a converted hospital for war wounded in the First World War, belies the nightmares that are lurking within and nearby . . . a ghost story, a war metaphor, a tribute to poetry, and a literary novel all combined into one book, but above all, it is a great read -- Laura Shepperson, author of The Heroines Strachan melds historical fiction and the supernatural wonderfully. The Unrecovered is a brilliant, suspenseful novel that will move you to the edge of your seat and ensure you remain there to the very last page. Set across Scotland, India, and Jerusalem, with much of the subject matter concerning Belgium, France, Germany and beyond, the novel is as grand and far reaching as its settings. Strachan is an accomplished writer. His prose is sharp, crisp, and yet retains an air of the almost poetic. One of the main characters is a fan of the Brownings, and its easy to see the married couples' works' influence on the book. Whether you like historical fiction, the supernatural, books about war or travel or anything else, this book has something for every reader. -- Robert Welbourn A deeply felt portrayal of the suffering of war and repentance set against the backdrop of a brooding landscape and an ancient legend. The gorgeous writing aches with emotion, mystery and suspense. A mesmerising read' -- Theresa Howes, author of The Secrets We Keep and The French Affair What a fascinating, unusual and at times harrowing read it was. I loved it . . . a wonderfully mad evocation of the folly of war and its tragedy, made all the more intriguing by the gothic horror of the howling hound and the dark brooding presence of Gallondean Castle -- James Oswald