Rex Beaumont has died – his nephew, Patrick, entrusted with dealing with his estate, Heartsease. But Patrick is not to be trusted – he has had his heart set on his uncle's estate (or at least the money he thinks he can make from it) for a very long time.

The Beaumont Bequest is an absorbing novel, extremely difficult to put down. Lynne Jones expertly weaves a number of stories together to create a beautiful and detailed tapestry of words and worlds, and I was gripped by each.

The cast of characters are well-drawn with depth, and each is utterly believable: the pedantic, self-absorbed lawyer, Patrick Peto, who is only interested in his own wealth and wellbeing; his uncle, Rex, author and owner of Heartsease; Barbara, Rex's friend, the successful, hardworking and selfless businesswoman. And Heartsease itself – a haunted house with a difference. Haunted not by the ghosts of people past, but with ghosts of characters past, and when, after Rex's death, Patrick throws his uncle's manuscripts on to the fire, he sets in motion a chain of events that will change his life forever – assuming he manages to hold on to both life and sanity . . .

Lynne Jones has created a highly original and clever ghost story with The Beaumont Bequest, taking her readers by the hand as she leads us through the twists and turns in the lives of her main characters, making sure we see it all, yet never get lost. Highly recommended for any fans of hauntings and things that go bump in the night.

If anyone tells you that a writer's characters are not real, read this and you'll understand: every character, once created, lives – don't they have as much right to life as the rest of us?