We reckon when looking through the list of new books in the library last month, you didn’t realise that one particular book has a very special connection with Ventnor.
The House of Lost Souls was written by mainland author, F. G. Cottam. It was written two years ago and we hear from the author that the inspiration for what became the Fischer House in the book occurred way back in 1994 when he was staying in Ventnor at the Harbour View Hotel with his brother on a cycling holiday.
Cottam is a regular visitor to Ventnor, he tells us it is a place that he loves and was thrilled to see that the hardback version of the book is now being stocked in Ventnor Library.
Much of the action in this dark thriller novel takes place on the Wight at a fictitious house sited in Brighstone Forest. Mr Cottam tells us that he has taken some liberties with the size of the forest but we won’t hold that against him.
Ventnor gets a much briefer and lighter hearted mention when the Spyglass Inn is cited as a place that keeps an excellent range of real ales – something that the author can testify to.
We also hear that the paperback version of the book comes out on 6 March, so if you want to pre-order your copy why not give Waterstones in Newport a call on 527927 to do just that.
