The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall

Two months ago, J. Ann Thomas released her adult debut, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall. This modern gothic follows Elegy Thorne, a young woman whose family has managed a haunted estate for over a century. Fifteen spirits are trapped in Thorne Hall, and once Elegy’s father passes, it will be up to her to care for the ghosts and prevent mayhem. But she longs to be free of this place and these spirits, and when she meets Atticus, son of their preservationist, she starts to plan her escape and a life with him instead.

Why I Chose This Book:

This book wasn’t on my radar, but when I saw its cover and comparisons to Jane Eyre and Starling House (two novels I love), I was instantly excited to read it. I love anything gothic and involving ghosts and hauntings. Also the author lives really close to me, and I love supporting local authors.

What I Liked:

• Ghosts and a house stuck in time. Fifteen spirits have been residing in Thorne Hall since the Gilded Age, and the mansion, too, has remained a relic of the past. Nothing about it has been modernized in the last century, and even the clothes Elegy wears must be the wardrobe of her ancestors of the time. I loved the whole atmosphere of this novel.
• Music as a way to soothe and control. While Elegy’s father has his own methods of managing the spirits, her best resource is music. Like everything else, she sings only the oldest songs, especially the Child Ballads. I really enjoyed the lyrics of some ballads included at the end of chapters!
• Plotting her escape. Elegy isn’t content to stay in Thorne Hall, surrounding by spirits, for the rest of her life. But the ghosts can’t be banished and they can’t be left alone. What choices does she truly have? Through getting to know Atticus, though, Elegy starts to believe there is a way forward… and that she absolutely must find it before it’s too late.

Audiobook:

The author narrates her own novel, which is a rare treat! We get to hear it how she intended, and she does a wonderful job of infusing the gothic character of the story. Like Elegy’s century-old style of dressing and speaking, J. Ann Thomas speaks in a formal and regal manner that befits our protagonist. Her intonation is almost haunting, mirroring the spirits bound to Thorne Hall. This was an excellent listen, and I’m so happy I read the book in this format.

Final Thoughts

If you want a modern gothic that’s a little spooky, a little romantic, and a lot of ghostly atmosphere, The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall is a must-read. The story sucks you in, and if you opt for the audiobook, the story feels especially entrancing. I truly enjoyed this novel and look forward to reading more from J. Ann Thomas.

Special thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Get the Book

You can buy The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall here – it’s available as a hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

The Spirit Collection of Thorne Hall by J. Ann Thomas
Audiobook Narrator	J. Ann Thomas
Audience	Adult
Genre	Gothic Fantasy
Setting	Berkshires, Massachusetts
Number of Pages	320
Format I Read	Audiobook (NetGalley ARC)
Original Publication Date	February 11, 2025
Publisher	Alcove Press; Dreamscape Media

Official Summary

A young woman forced to live with ghosts in a mansion frozen in time must decide between forbidden love and the price of freedom in this gothic fantasy where Jane Eyre meets The Haunting of Bly Manor, perfect for fans of Starling House.

At Thorne Hall, a grand estate nestled in the Berkshires, fifteen restless spirits roam, bound within the mansion’s walls since the Gilded Age. Elegy Thorne bears the weight of her family’s curse to preserve the mansion as it was in the 1890s, using ancient folk songs to keep the spirits secret and silent in order to avoid deadly consequences.

When a mischievous child spirit wreaks havoc on the manor, the Thorne family calls upon their trusted preservationist to restore the mansion. He brings along his son, Atticus – a vibrant man full of life and ideas of modernization – and Elegy is captivated by him, igniting a longing for freedom she’s never dared to embrace.

Torn between her desire to follow her heart and her duty to her family and its legacy, Elegy begins searching for a way to release the spirit collection back to the afterlife and set both herself and the ghosts free. With century-old secrets, peculiar magic, and spirits both whimsical and deadly, Thorne Hall will haunt and enrapture readers—and you might just not want to leave.