This is a great little novella for fans of Gothic or even some light cosmic horror. I love Kingfisher's sense of humor that she instills into all her protagonists even in the face of terrible circumstances. It could get a tad slow but not enough that I lost interest. The setting and overall vibes were just the right kind of spooky for me. So really a delightful read!

Merged review:

This is a great little novella for fans of Gothic or even some light cosmic horror. I love Kingfisher's sense of humor that she instills into all her protagonists even in the face of terrible circumstances. It could get a tad slow but not enough that I lost interest. The setting and overall vibes were just the right kind of spooky for me. So really a delightful read! ( )

A retelling of The House of Usher, without the baroque language with a cast of characters rather than place holders and a mycologal motivator for the deceased sister. It gives a different set of worries to the original's horror, less of a family curse and more of a genus loci. And the sworn soldier with the Gallian proliferation of pronouns is picante. ( )

4.75/5

The dead don’t move… well, here they do. WOW this book was incredible. What an amazing reimagining of Poe’s vision. Kingfisher is hysterical and vivid in her descriptions and has gained a fan in me. ( )

What Moves The Dead is an engaging, atmospheric re-telling of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall Of The House Of Usher." I re-read "Usher" immediately before starting What Moves The Dead, which certainly enriched the reading experience.

The characters are compelling: Lieutenant Easton, our narrator, is wry and amusing; Miss Potter, an English mycologist, is erudite and knowledgeable; the Ushers are overwrought, fraught, ill, Gothic. The atmosphere is damp, mouldering, foreboding. What Moves The Dead is very tactile and rich and immersive.

The answer to the mystery of the story is sort of broadcast by certain elements of the book, aided by a certain 1960s Japanese horror movie I watched recently. But although for me the big idea became quickly clear, it's the details and the science-fictiony science, well written, well thought out, that really sell the premise. There's even an element or two of the tale that gave me a bit of a Lovecraft vibe.

I have two quibbles, and quibbles only, about the story. The ending felt a bit rushed, not terribly so, but noticeably. There's a water-source revelation that's dropped in rather abruptly. And there's a section where a door, a very important door, is described as being locked and barred. Later, that same very important door is barred only. The door-lock continuity was a bit unclear.

But, as I say, quibbles. Overall, What Moves The Dead is a very good book by a newly-discovered favorite author. ( )

Oh....my.....goodness. This was such a fun novella!!! The wit and charm Kingfisher dishes out is just delightful. I will be reading the next in this series!!! ( )