Helen Power (1)
Author of The Ghosts of Thorwald Place
For other authors named Helen Power, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Image credit: From: https://helenpower.ca/about-me/
Works by Helen Power
Associated Works
The Lost Librarian's Grave: Tales of Madness, Horror, and Adventure (2021) — Contributor — 2 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Education
- Western University of Ontario (MLIS)
Queens University, Kingston, Ontario (MES)
Trent University (BSc in Forensics) - Occupations
- librarian
- Short biography
- Helen Power is a librarian living in Saskatoon, Canada. In her spare time, she haunts deserted cemeteries, loses her heart to dashing thieves, and cracks tough cases, all from the comfort of her writing nook. She has over ten short story publications, including ones in Suspense Magazine and Dark Helix Press’s Canada 150 anthology “Futuristic Canada”. Her debut novel, a supernatural thriller, The Ghosts of Thorwald Place, was released October 5, 2021 with CamCat Books.
- Nationality
- Canada
- Places of residence
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Associated Place (for map)
- Saskatchewan, Canada
Members
Reviews
I was about to write that I have always wanted to read a book by Helen Power, when I read on the blurb, just now, that this is a debut novel by a GR Friend...I realize now that I thought I was reading a book by Helen Cooper. I still want to read one by Helen Cooper, but I am blown away by the fact that this is a debut novel by Helen Power – and it is unlikely I will confuse this author with another in the future. I thought the book was brilliant, so, to coin an expression in Yiddish, show more "Skoyach" (Bravo)!
There are quite a few ghosts roaming around Thorwald Place, an exclusive and pricey apartment complex in downtown Toronto. Our MC, Rachel (aka Kae), a recluse hiding out from the person who murdered her husband two years’ earlier, chose to live in Thorwald Place because of the Doorman and the reputed highest level of security. Aside from CCV cameras throughout, the posh building boasts a library, work-out room, and numerous other attractive amenities. Rachel is a translator who can work from her laptop. Never, or infrequently, leaving the building is a non-issue for her. She has almost no contact with her neighbors. Her only contacts with people from outside of the building, are with her best friend Catalina, the company that sends her texts for translation, and Luke, a colleague from the victim’s hotline where she volunteers her time, four hours a night, counselling callers and dispensing information on where and how to get help. Her last two calls were from a battered housewife in distress and a mysterious threatening call, stating that the caller knew who she was, identifying her by her true name.
Rachel is not about to wait around for the caller to discover where she lives and within minutes, she has packed her bags and is out the door, traveling the elevator to the basement to flee the building. She never makes it out of the building because she is murdered as soon as she exits the elevator.
Now, you might think that is a spoiler, but it is not. It happens right in the first few chapters of the book. For the rest of the book Rachel is, for the most part, invisible to the living, and trapped inside an impenetrable transparent bubble with a height as tall as the elevator shaft and a furthest circumference that does not exceed the boundaries of the building. She is somehow linked to the elevator, and while inside the bubble she has free access into all apartments of the building, provided she is on the floor where the elevator has dragged her. She cannot communicate (i.e. she cannot warn those in need of help, nor can she take action to prevent harm), she cannot move items including push the elevator buttons to control where she needs to be; she cannot be seen nor can she be heard or felt.
Soon she sees that her husband’s identical twin brother, Will, has moved into her apartment, and is busy searching through her possessions. Next, Catalina, who also happens to be a police detective on leave, shows up and eventually links herself with Will as the two attempt to track down the person/s who murdered his brother Jay and, most recently, his wife Kae, Catalina’s best friend. Rachel/Kae watches as the two of them work together to try and uncover the murderer/s. While this is happening, Rachel is dragged by the elevator from floor to floor, and she learns about the lives and trials of all her neighbors.
There is at least one other ghost in the building at any given time, a part-time ghost, and a demon. There is also a wife-beater, a bat-crazy mother/part-time widow, a teenage goth, a bereaved mother and widow, a psychic, a hit-man, an aging socialite, and a doorman with some peculiar pastimes.
Everything about this book is perfect – the characters, the plot, the writing style. I loved it and read almost uninterrupted. The narrator, Rachel Fulginiti, was also excellent, although I did have to listen at 1.25 speed. Over the past two years I notice that nearly every audio I listen to has to be sped up, so as not to lag. I think there must be some kind of (slow) speed requirement narrators are forced to adhere to (LOL).
Thank you NetGalley and CamCat Publishing for an audio of this book, and Kudos to GR Friend Helen Power. It was my pleasure to listen to every minute!
P.S. Dear NetGalley Friends and Colleagues. This book is currently available on NG as Listen Now. show less
There are quite a few ghosts roaming around Thorwald Place, an exclusive and pricey apartment complex in downtown Toronto. Our MC, Rachel (aka Kae), a recluse hiding out from the person who murdered her husband two years’ earlier, chose to live in Thorwald Place because of the Doorman and the reputed highest level of security. Aside from CCV cameras throughout, the posh building boasts a library, work-out room, and numerous other attractive amenities. Rachel is a translator who can work from her laptop. Never, or infrequently, leaving the building is a non-issue for her. She has almost no contact with her neighbors. Her only contacts with people from outside of the building, are with her best friend Catalina, the company that sends her texts for translation, and Luke, a colleague from the victim’s hotline where she volunteers her time, four hours a night, counselling callers and dispensing information on where and how to get help. Her last two calls were from a battered housewife in distress and a mysterious threatening call, stating that the caller knew who she was, identifying her by her true name.
Rachel is not about to wait around for the caller to discover where she lives and within minutes, she has packed her bags and is out the door, traveling the elevator to the basement to flee the building. She never makes it out of the building because she is murdered as soon as she exits the elevator.
Now, you might think that is a spoiler, but it is not. It happens right in the first few chapters of the book. For the rest of the book Rachel is, for the most part, invisible to the living, and trapped inside an impenetrable transparent bubble with a height as tall as the elevator shaft and a furthest circumference that does not exceed the boundaries of the building. She is somehow linked to the elevator, and while inside the bubble she has free access into all apartments of the building, provided she is on the floor where the elevator has dragged her. She cannot communicate (i.e. she cannot warn those in need of help, nor can she take action to prevent harm), she cannot move items including push the elevator buttons to control where she needs to be; she cannot be seen nor can she be heard or felt.
Soon she sees that her husband’s identical twin brother, Will, has moved into her apartment, and is busy searching through her possessions. Next, Catalina, who also happens to be a police detective on leave, shows up and eventually links herself with Will as the two attempt to track down the person/s who murdered his brother Jay and, most recently, his wife Kae, Catalina’s best friend. Rachel/Kae watches as the two of them work together to try and uncover the murderer/s. While this is happening, Rachel is dragged by the elevator from floor to floor, and she learns about the lives and trials of all her neighbors.
There is at least one other ghost in the building at any given time, a part-time ghost, and a demon. There is also a wife-beater, a bat-crazy mother/part-time widow, a teenage goth, a bereaved mother and widow, a psychic, a hit-man, an aging socialite, and a doorman with some peculiar pastimes.
Everything about this book is perfect – the characters, the plot, the writing style. I loved it and read almost uninterrupted. The narrator, Rachel Fulginiti, was also excellent, although I did have to listen at 1.25 speed. Over the past two years I notice that nearly every audio I listen to has to be sped up, so as not to lag. I think there must be some kind of (slow) speed requirement narrators are forced to adhere to (LOL).
Thank you NetGalley and CamCat Publishing for an audio of this book, and Kudos to GR Friend Helen Power. It was my pleasure to listen to every minute!
P.S. Dear NetGalley Friends and Colleagues. This book is currently available on NG as Listen Now. show less
TW: Violent deaths, ghosts, domestic violence, brief reference to severe self harm by a child; pet death
The Ghosts Of Thorwald Place combines a murder investigation and a ghost story into a fascinating tale that examines clues in the physical and astral planes.
A man is murdered, and his widow is murdered a few years later. The police force, a rogue cop, and a long-lost relative are all working toward the resolution of the widow’s case. Meanwhile, the widow’s ghost is using her limited show more access to her apartment building to discover who killed her and what her purpose is now that she’s dead.
Like the movie Rear Window, our protagonist is limited where she can go and how she can interact with the building’s residents. She’s trying to figure out who killed her while learning dark secrets about the residents and other ghosts inhabiting the Thorwald Place building. I loved the narration by the ghost, especially since the author gave her sensible limitations that kept me guessing. Unwrapping each resident’s secrets added a rich complexity to the tale.
The biggest test in a mystery is whether the resolution makes sense. Are the loose ends reasonably tied up? Is the killer(s) plausible based on the clues? Was the investigation interesting enough to keep my attention? In The Ghosts Of Thorwald Place, the answer is a resounding yes.
The book is not for the faint of heart. The trigger warnings at the top of this review must be respected. The secrets of Thorwald Place are warped enough to make you question your faith in humankind. Side effects of this book include agitation from noises in the dark, diminished interest in your Ouija board, refusal to learn Latin, and an overwhelming urge to avoid the basement.
I heartily recommend this book to fans of well-written murder mysteries, ghost stories, and Hitchcock movies. It has the feel of a detective novel, but the ghostly investigation makes it rise above. Pardon the pun. show less
The Ghosts Of Thorwald Place combines a murder investigation and a ghost story into a fascinating tale that examines clues in the physical and astral planes.
A man is murdered, and his widow is murdered a few years later. The police force, a rogue cop, and a long-lost relative are all working toward the resolution of the widow’s case. Meanwhile, the widow’s ghost is using her limited show more access to her apartment building to discover who killed her and what her purpose is now that she’s dead.
Like the movie Rear Window, our protagonist is limited where she can go and how she can interact with the building’s residents. She’s trying to figure out who killed her while learning dark secrets about the residents and other ghosts inhabiting the Thorwald Place building. I loved the narration by the ghost, especially since the author gave her sensible limitations that kept me guessing. Unwrapping each resident’s secrets added a rich complexity to the tale.
The biggest test in a mystery is whether the resolution makes sense. Are the loose ends reasonably tied up? Is the killer(s) plausible based on the clues? Was the investigation interesting enough to keep my attention? In The Ghosts Of Thorwald Place, the answer is a resounding yes.
The book is not for the faint of heart. The trigger warnings at the top of this review must be respected. The secrets of Thorwald Place are warped enough to make you question your faith in humankind. Side effects of this book include agitation from noises in the dark, diminished interest in your Ouija board, refusal to learn Latin, and an overwhelming urge to avoid the basement.
I heartily recommend this book to fans of well-written murder mysteries, ghost stories, and Hitchcock movies. It has the feel of a detective novel, but the ghostly investigation makes it rise above. Pardon the pun. show less
This was a super intriguing and inventive novel. Rachel lives in isolation at Thorwald Place, a luxury apartment building in Canada. She has fled there to live in seclusion following the brutal murder of her husband. When her past catches up with her, Rachel is murdered too, in the elevator. What follows is a ghost story: Rachel is stuck in the elevator and its proximity - she has the ability to venture into apartments close to the elevator and thus begins to explore the lives of the people show more who lived around her. And man, what lives do they lead and what secrets they have!
Like nothing I’ve read before, I was really immersed in this one. The narrator did an amazing job of bringing Rachel to life and I could not stop listening to this one. Would highly recommend! show less
Like nothing I’ve read before, I was really immersed in this one. The narrator did an amazing job of bringing Rachel to life and I could not stop listening to this one. Would highly recommend! show less
In a Nutshell: I didn’t expect scary paranormal elements to be a part of this ‘mystery-thriller’. But despite some scenes that were a tad too spooky for this scaredy-cat, I enjoyed the book. Entertaining, though somewhat slow. Better enjoyed without overanalysing.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me: show less
Story Synopsis:
Rachel Drake, who is hiding from someone, has not stepped out of her apartment in the two years she has lived in Thorwald Place, a doorman building for those who can afford it. When Rachel gets a phone call oneshow more
night, she knows that she has been found and decides to run away. She gets murdered in the lift while on her way to the garage.
Now Rachel’s ghost is stuck in Thorwald Place, tied to the lift. Her reach is limited to the apartments near the elevator. As she gets a glimpse of the residents of the building, she realises that all of them have some dark secret. Could any of them have been her killer? Or was it the person she had been hiding from?
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Rachel.
Where the book worked for me: show less
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 2
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 92
- Popularity
- #202,475
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 7
- ISBNs
- 10
