When Alex Easton is invited to his sick friend’s manor, he is a bit nerved by the haunted
landscape that surrounds what seems to be an even more haunted house. What’s even stranger
are the hares that roam the lands, animals that don’t run off but instead maintain a walk that
resembles a stiff human. Easton then meets with Roderick, who is overcome with nerves for his
sister, Madeline. He also meets with an American doctor who is supposedly tending to her
sickness. Madeline is in terrible shape, pale and too thin for someone her age. But she also
sleepwalks late at night, speaking words that are odd to the human ear. Easton also has the
chance to meet with Ms. Potter, a fungal expert who paints all sorts of dangerous mushrooms
that are embedded in the land around the manor. It isn’t long that Easton’s stay at the manor soon
results in the death of Madeline. While Easton is saddened by this, he is also curious as to what
she looked like and when to see her casket. Alarmingly, he discovers that Madeline’s neck was
broken. With two highly unlikely suspects in the manor, Easton soon launches his own
investigation. But the next time he goes to see the body, Madeline has already disappeared. With
foul play and his own life on the line, Easton is determined to figure out the murderer, even if
they aren’t human.
While this book was noticeably shorter than an average novel, I really did enjoy it. What Moves
the Dead was originally inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s, “The Fall of the House of Usher.” The
book maintains an ominous feel throughout the chapters and does well in the descriptions. There
was also good humor- which is weird, considering the book is about poisonous mushrooms and
death, but it executes the humor well! In other words, the book makes sure to have some
moments of happiness instead of being a gloomy mess the entire time. I especially liked the parts
with the hares, as they were creepy and sinister. I also liked the characterization of everyone,
including the side characters. Which is pretty impressive, that a book with a total of 176 pages,
the novel accomplishes what Colleen Hoover can only dream of. The novel also touches on
traumatic experiences, whether that’s war or the childhood that the twins had to endure, it shows
the different outcomes of each character. Easton doesn’t rely heavily on his trauma but he is still
slightly effected by it, whereas the Usher siblings live in a house that is mainly built on their
trauma. I really liked this book, it wasn’t as boring as many books I’ve read and it was a good
read!