Naomi's Room

Denis McEoin a.k.a. Jonathan Aycliffe a.k.a. Daniel Easterman relies on a common theme in many of his ghostly novels, i.e. child abuse taken to the grave and beyond. "Naomi's Room" (1991) and the author's later novel, "The Vanishment" (1993) both expand on this theme and both have first-person narrators who may or may not be involved in foul deeds themselves. Jonathan Aycliffe keeps cranking out the supernatural shocks in "Naomi's Room." Even though I could sometimes guess what was coming, I had put down this book several times and tell myself, "It's only fiction," before I could keep on reading. A couple of really bad scenes: * The narrator is awakened by the thump-thump of something being dragged into the attic, and realizes that his wife is no longer in bed with him. * A news photographer shows the narrator photographs of his house in Cambridge. Yeah, there are ghosts peering out of the attic, but also the narrator's wife who he knows was not in Cambridge at the time. There is a great deal of foreshadowing in this novel, which is to be expected since the narrator is telling his story many years after it took place. In spite of all of the hints that the author drops, the book's ending is still a shock. We know that he wakes up in the darkness, night after night, hearing noises, sometimes seeing horrors that he only hints at. Why does he stay in the house? Is love or guilt chaining him to the house where so many macabre deeds were performed? Aycliffe brings in one character toward the end of the novel that I don't think he really needed--if he's already driving the plot forward through the actions of evil ghosts, why drag in evil men? Also the narrator's attempts to sidetrack the police by leaving fingerprints about from a few detached fingers he happens to have in his possession didn't strike me as something that would fool a CID man for very long. In spite of the questionable fingerprints and maybe an extra character or two, "Naomi's Room" is a very haunting story. If a movie is ever made of it, I don't think I could nerve myself to watch it, even in company with a theatre-full of other people.

This is the most amazing book I've ever read. I picked it up purely by chance - I had never heard of it or the author but I am so glad I did. I'd recommend people who like a good scare to definately get this book.

deceptively simple but with a twist that will send you through the roof. Starting out as a simple, yet frightening ghost story - the author adds a maddening twist that you just can't see coming -- but when it does -- you'll bolt up and say "damn!" -- from that point -- it just gets more and more intense.without a doubt -- the scariest, most twisted book I've ever read --- needless to say -- I LOVED IT.

One of the scariest books I've ever read. It had everything, horror, pure dread, it kept me up at night. I loved the plot twist and the unexpected ending. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

This is truly one of the creepiest, most frightening books you'll ever run across. Aycliffe is an excellent writer. I read a lot, and this is one of the best I've run across. Definitely not for the faint of heart.