17 Mar Review: The Voice Upstairs
The Voice Upstairs
Written by Laura E. Weymouth
Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023
ISBN: 9781665926836 (hardcover)
$24.99 CAD
320 pages
Ages: 13 years old and up
Review by Kyra Paquet
In 1920s England, Wilhelmina Price’s ability to see people’s deaths before they occur is more of a burden than a gift. Ever since the mysterious death of her mother, she has been an outcast in the village of Thrush’s Green. Wil’s only friend, Ed Summerfield, enlists her help one day when a maid at the Summerfield estate dies under the same mysterious circumstances as Wil’s own mother. Wil takes a job at the estate as a maid so that her and Ed can get to the bottom of this mystery. The prose in The Voice Upstairs is beautiful, and Ed and Wil’s romance is palpable. The chemistry between the two leads, who are lifelong friends, is excellent. No matter the hurdle, they always have each other’s backs. Ed values his friendship with Wil very much and struggles to repress his romantic feelings for her throughout the novel. Gothic and full of suspense (the novel takes place in a huge English manor), The Voice Upstairs is full of twists and turns that will keep readers captivated. Recommended for readers above the age of thirteen because the novel deals with topics such as sexual abuse and domestic violence. These topics are handled with empathy and care.