Yay, Ally Wilkes! Wilkes’ previous spooky novel of cold desolation, All the White Spaces, is an absolute favorite of mine, so I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on Where the Dead Wait.
William Day returns from a failed and horrifying Arctic expedition to accusations of cannibalism. Men will do unspeakable things to survive, and Day did just that. Over a decade later, Day returns to the scene of his undoing, in an attempt to find his missing former shipmate (and clandestine lover), Jesse Stevens. In all these years, Stevens has been Day’s the unwelcome voice in his head, a flicker in the corner of his vision. To make things extra awkward, Day is joined on the journey by Stevens’ wife, a renowned medium.
Where the Dead Wait is a cracking novel of creeping dread. Switching between timelines from an episode of complete desperation to Day’s current fraught mental state, the reader is constantly on-edge. As if the Polar atmosphere isn’t surreal enough, there are a few truly disturbing and uncanny moments that I won’t be forgetting in a hurry.
And poor William Day. I loved this character so much. Placed under an enormous amount of pressure at such a young age, and spending the rest of his life reeling from it, not to mention suppressing his sexuality, would be enough to push anyone over the edge.
I would have loved to see more from Mrs. Stevens; she seemed like a fascinating character. Her final interaction with Day was especially touching.
Wilkes belongs among the ranks of Michelle Paver as a master of “Polar Gothic”. This is a slow burn of a novel, which perfectly reflects the slow progress involved with such voyages. Perfect for winter nights in front of a fire.
California Reading 