Release date: 2nd January 2025
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 129
Find it: Goodreads Amazon
Source: The author kindly sent me a copy to review
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Synopsis

In this dark fable set in Victorian England, seven-year-old heiress Melissa Hawthorne is confronted with loneliness when she is uprooted from her comfortable countryside existence to a London boarding school, where headmistress Miss Grandine flatters her while harboring jealousy and dislike. A dislike that balloons into open hostility when Melissa’s father loses his fortune and dies tragically, leaving her a penniless charity pupil completely at Miss Grandine’s mercy. Little does she know that being made a servant cruelly treated by both staff and fellow pupils will be the least of her worries, as a nameless horror begins to stalk her through the school halls, something pushing through reality’s thin surface to consume her. When her brutal circumstances begin to merge with the uncanny, Melissa, left all alone in the world, must find a way to escape both before they destroy her.

Review

Second Coming is an engaging novella that follows a young woman named Melissa Hawthorne as her father enrolls her in a London boarding school. Melissa is a very wealthy student and is treated to the best of everything. When Melissa’s father passes away and his fortune is lost, Melissa is left penniless. In order to pay her debts Melissa is kept on as a charity pupil where she is expected to act as a servant to the pupils and staff. As Melissa tries to navigate her new life, something dark and sinister begins following her. Will she be able to escape before it’s too late?

This was a well written and gripping story and I ended up reading it very quickly. I thought Bachman did an excellent job of creating a strong sense of atmosphere and the sights and sounds of Victorian England definitely came to life in the story. I do feel like the latter half of the book was quite fast paced and could have done with being a bit longer to really see Melissa’s struggle with life as a penniless servant.

Melissa is a really interesting protagonist and Bachman did a brilliant job creating a complex main character that I really liked. Melissa might be the wealthiest student at the school but she is kind and thoughtful, looking after her friends and those around her. Even when her circumstances change, she tries her best to remain true to who she is. The story really focuses in on the theme of class and how different Melissa is treated when she has no money. The story comes to a thought provoking ending and overall I thought this was a compelling read. If you’re looking for a novella that mixes historical fiction and horror and one you can easily devour in a day, this one should absolutely be on your TBR.