Daniel Farson - Clifton House Mystery

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Daniel Farson - Clifton House Mystery: A Modern Ghost Story (ITV Books / Arrow, 1978, 160 pages)

Philip Hood

Blurb:

Two strange ghosts are trapped in a sealed-off room in a rambling old mansion. Three children and an eccentric ghost-hunter solve the secret of the ghosts' entombment ... not before an alarming series of eerie disturbances ... resulting in a long terrifying night.

Another day, another sucker who's bought a haunted house thinking he's landed a bargain. Meet Timothy Clare, conductor of the Bristol Chamber Orchestral and would-be world-touring pianist. It has to be stated clearly at the very beginning that it's Tim who decides to buy the house (sure, a big house for a (future) big-time artist), not his timid, nervous, moody wife Sheila. She would never do that. And the children (Steven, Ben and Jenny) have no say in the matter, of course.

The ghosts waste no time in manifesting themselves (the brothers see the face of a soldier appearing in the old helmet Steven has bought at the house contents auction; Jenny sees a kind but sad old lady; Tim's fingers are possessed to play a regimental march he's never heard before etc), but still it takes 60 pages before Sheila finally asks his husband, "Do you think this house is haunted?" and that happens only after a skeleton has been found in a secret room. And what does Tim say when asked about the bones? "The skeleton will have to wait."

It has to wait indeed, because the Americans are coming! An American promoter and his wife have arrived at Bristol, and if things go well between them and the Clares, Tim may land an American tour, thus fulfilling his dream and making a lot of bucks.

The Clares invite the Americans to dine at Clifton House. Perhaps not such a good idea? It's haunted, remember?

Poltergeist activity sees to it that the soup tureen jumps up and its contents spill all over the American's pants. And what's been dripping from the ceiling? Certainly looks like blood. The Americans flee. Can you blame them? Bye-bye American tour.

Things having come to a head, what do the boys spot in the newspaper? An ad about some ghost hunter called Milton Guest who's arrived at Bristol to give a lecture on the paranormal. The boys go and enlist his help. Author of More Things in Heaven and Earth (with a flattering blurb written by himself), Guest has never actually seen a ghost (though not for want of trying), so he jumps at the chance ...

Have never seen the TV show, so can't compare it with the novel.