Quick Reviews: The Silent Companions, Forensics and The Secret Life of Cows

A completely varied assortment of books that I have read recently; between a gothic horror, an account of organic dairy farming and a book about forensics and what we can tell from the types of flies found on the deceased, at least it cannot be said that my taste is limited.

The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell

This antiquated yet chilling novel follows pregnant and widowed Elsie as she travels back to her spouse’s family estate in the 1860s to live with the housekeeper and untrained servants, who hold Elsie and her companion, Sarah, with thinly veiled contempt. Throughout, the novel switches between the present in a mental hospital with Elsie, the violent prisoner who slowly begins telling the story to her new doctor, and between Elsie living at The Bridge, and further, to her husband’s late relatives in the 1630s. It transpires that Rupert’s predecessors, in an attempt to entertain an upcoming Royal visit to The Bridge, purchased optical illusion wooden boards, which bear uncanny resemblance to a real person. Known as ‘silent companions’ these trompe l’oeil begin to torture the family, running through to Elsie. They move at night, their eyes appear to move and a disastrous series of events unfolds.

Cleverly, Laura Purcell peddles the line of uncertainty with regards to Elsie – is she truly mad, as the nurses say, or is there something more sinister to these silent companions than you would believe? Further to this, Purcell has undoubtedly created an entire family history of back story – not a single character ends the novel in a way you would have estimated at the inception. The Victorian woman and the expectations bestowed upon her are embodied in Elsie, and Purcell uses classis gothic methods to ensure for an unnerving atmosphere. My criticism would come in the way that the novel concludes – I saw it to be a little far-fetched, and didn’t quite match the foreboding teased throughout the novel.

Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime by Val McDermid

Testimony yet again to my lack of research before purchase, I was unaware that McDermid was a crime and thriller writer, however I found her non-fiction foray into forensics irresistible. The book journeys from how we can find the source of a fire, to misconceptions regarding finger printing and what a maggot can tell you about the deceased. Interspersed with stories of real cases and how they were solved, I found the book infinitely fascinating as someone who is interested in true crime. Favourite anecdotes include someone who was discovered for a brutal murder from his employee bragging at the pub that he had been paid to offer a false DNA sample and a seemingly elusive pyromaniac, who turned out to be a fire investigation officer with a hero complex. Whilst the subject matter could appear grotesque, it is presented in a respectful and interesting manner – despite the heavy subject, I actually found the book easy reading. I am determined to read again as I have found myself repeating countless cases to people. If you enjoyed Making a Murderer or are on the Wikipedia page of OJ Simpson often, then this would be an ideal read.

The Secret Life of Cows by Rosamund Young

Rosamund Young, an organic farmer, presents the case for the Secret Life of Cows, and the idea that they are social creatures who communicate on a deeply emotional and complex level. Young can taste the difference in milk between all her cows, and chronicles the friendships and sometimes nemeses with her cows. There are many anecdotes that have stuck with me even weeks after reading regarding their intelligence and communication – if you are considering vegetarianism, then this would certainly be the book to push you over the edge – however, it is not presented to have this effect in mind. Young puts forwards the arguments for organic farming in a way that would make sense to the even the ardent Asda shopper with their 20p tomatoes. However glad I am to have read this charming book, I do not think I will read it again. Whilst enjoyable, it predictably lacked in terms of plot, and I believe the fact that these animals are destined for someone’s plate should have been addressed. A charming coffee table book, or excellent to give to your friend that one day wishes to retire to the countryside with chickens.