Laura Purcell masterfully returns to the cursed estate of The Bridge with House of Splinters, delivering a bone-chilling gothic horror that seamlessly weaves supernatural terror with deeply personal family drama. While not quite reaching the pristine heights of its predecessor, this standalone sequel proves that some houses never truly release their grip on the living.
A Gothic Masterpiece with Familiar Echoes
In House of Splinters, Purcell revisits the malevolent estate from her acclaimed novel The Silent Companions, but this time through the eyes of Belinda Bainbridge, wife of the current heir. When her father-in-law dies, Belinda sees an opportunity to finally escape her overbearing mother’s shadow and create a happy home at The Bridge. What she discovers instead is a property haunted by both supernatural forces and devastating family secrets that stretch back centuries.
The narrative follows Belinda as she moves to The Bridge with her husband Wilfred and their young children, only to find the estate in financial ruin and plagued by whispers of mysterious deaths. Her son Freddy becomes unnaturally fixated on the wooden “silent companions” – life-sized painted figures that once belonged to their ancestors – while the arrival of Wilfred’s charismatic brother Nathan brings conflicting accounts of the family’s dark past.
Purcell’s genius lies in her ability to blur the lines between psychological horror and supernatural terror. As Belinda uncovers the diary of Anne Bainbridge, a 17th-century ancestor executed for witchcraft, the past begins to bleed into the present with devastating consequences. The wooden companions seem to move on their own, mysterious splinters appear in her baby daughter’s skin, and Freddy speaks to invisible presences that may not be imaginary at all.
Atmospheric Brilliance and Character Development
The Suffocating Gothic Atmosphere
Purcell excels at creating an atmosphere so thick with dread it becomes almost tangible. The Bridge itself emerges as a character, its decaying grandeur and shadowy corridors harboring secrets that resist revelation. The author’s background as a former bookseller shines through in her meticulous attention to period detail, from the 1774 setting’s social constraints to the authentic dialogue that never feels forced or anachronistic.
The most effective horror moments come not from jump scares but from the gradual erosion of normalcy. A child’s hair mysteriously cut in the night, splinters that seem to move beneath the skin, and wooden figures that appear in different positions create a mounting sense of unease that builds to genuinely terrifying climaxes.
Complex Character Portraits
Belinda emerges as a compelling protagonist, trapped between her merchant-class origins and her new role as lady of the manor. Purcell skillfully depicts her journey from a woman seeking independence to someone fighting for her family’s survival against forces both supernatural and all-too-human. Her relationship with her devoted maid Sawyer provides emotional grounding, while her growing suspicions about her brother-in-law Nathan create palpable tension.
The supporting characters feel authentic rather than archetypal, particularly young Freddy, whose childish innocence makes his supernatural encounters all the more chilling. Even the antagonistic forces – both human and otherworldly – are given depth and motivation that elevate them beyond simple evil.
Where the Novel Stumbles
Pacing and Plot Complexity
While House of Splinters succeeds as gothic horror, it occasionally struggles under the weight of its own ambitions. The middle section becomes somewhat bogged down in family history and political machinations, temporarily losing the momentum that makes the opening and closing sections so compelling. Some readers may find the extensive backstory of Anne Bainbridge’s 17th-century diary entries, while atmospheric, slows the contemporary narrative.
The novel also attempts to juggle multiple plot threads – supernatural horror, family secrets, potential murder, and social commentary about women’s roles in the 1770s. While Purcell generally manages this complexity well, there are moments where the various elements feel slightly disconnected rather than seamlessly integrated.
Comparison to Its Predecessor
Inevitably, House of Splinters invites comparison to The Silent Companions, and while it captures much of that novel’s atmospheric brilliance, it doesn’t quite achieve the same level of sustained terror. The horror feels slightly more predictable, perhaps because readers familiar with Purcell’s work will recognize her techniques. However, this familiarity also allows her to subvert expectations in clever ways.
Literary Strengths and Gothic Traditions
Historical Authenticity
Purcell demonstrates impressive research in recreating 18th-century domestic life, from child-rearing practices to estate management. The social restrictions faced by women of Belinda’s class feel authentic and add another layer of tension to the supernatural elements. The author’s portrayal of motherhood in this period – the constant threat of infant mortality, limited medical knowledge, and social isolation – creates additional horror that grounds the supernatural elements.
Psychological Complexity
The novel excels in its exploration of how trauma and grief can warp perception. Belinda’s post-partum anxiety, her isolation at The Bridge, and her growing paranoia create a psychological landscape where supernatural and natural explanations for events remain tantalizingly ambiguous. This uncertainty enhances rather than diminishes the horror.
Writing Style and Technical Excellence
Purcell’s prose strikes an effective balance between period authenticity and modern readability. Her sentences flow with Victorian-era rhythm without becoming overly ornate or difficult to parse. The dialogue feels natural to the period while remaining accessible to contemporary readers.
The author’s use of multiple perspectives – primarily Belinda’s, but occasionally shifting to other characters – provides depth without confusion. Her ability to maintain narrative tension across multiple timelines (the contemporary 1774 story and the historical accounts from Anne Bainbridge’s diary) demonstrates sophisticated storytelling skills.
Themes and Social Commentary
Beyond its supernatural elements, House of Splinters offers pointed commentary on women’s limited agency in the 18th century. Belinda’s struggle for independence, her mother’s anxious overprotection, and even the historical Anne Bainbridge’s persecution reflect different facets of how society constrains women’s choices. The novel suggests that sometimes the real monsters are social systems that trap women in impossible situations.
The theme of inherited trauma – both literal and metaphorical – runs throughout the novel. The sins of past generations literally manifest as supernatural threats, while family secrets continue to poison new relationships. This exploration of how the past refuses to stay buried gives the horror additional resonance.
Final Verdict
House of Splinters succeeds as both a standalone gothic horror novel and a worthy companion to The Silent Companions. While it may not achieve the pristine terror of its predecessor, it offers enough genuine scares, compelling characters, and atmospheric brilliance to satisfy both newcomers to Purcell’s work and devoted fans.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in its patient building of dread and its refusal to provide easy answers about what is supernatural versus psychological. Purcell understands that the most effective horror comes from the erosion of safety and certainty, and she delivers both with considerable skill.
For readers who appreciate gothic horror that prioritizes atmosphere over gore, psychological complexity over simple scares, and historical authenticity over convenience, House of Splinters offers a satisfying and genuinely unsettling experience.
Recommended for Readers Who Enjoyed
Similar Gothic Horror:
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
- The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
- The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
Other Laura Purcell Novels:
- The Silent Companions (the spiritual predecessor)
- The Shape of Darkness
- The Whispering Muse
- Bone China
Historical Horror with Domestic Settings:
- The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware
- The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
- The Witch Elm by Tana French
House of Splinters confirms Laura Purcell’s position as one of contemporary fiction’s most skilled practitioners of gothic horror, proving that in the right hands, traditional ghost stories can still make modern readers sleep with the lights on.