Bought this because the author's name rang a bell and it was in a antique store booth that featured lots of British imports. If the rest of the book holds up to the first 25 pages, I'm in for a treat.

At times, the book bogs down, but the writing is magical. Growing up story of London in the years before WWI. However, throw in a family obsessed with music (the mother was a concert pianist who gave up her career), a father who is completely unreliable (gambling), a poltergeist, and a famous murder. . . well, it becomes unlike anything I've ever read.

Sometimes I was annoyed, sometimes I wanted the book to be over already (or at least figure out where it was going), but every time I picked it up I was sucked in. Recommended.