A haunting theme: The Echoes, by Evie Wyld, reviewed

Evie Wyld’s powerful fourth novel opens from the perspective of Max, a ghost who haunts the south London flat where he lived with his girlfriend Hannah. A ghost story is new ground for Wyld, the multi-award-winning Anglo-Australian writer, but her signature traits are immediately evident – poetic observations of unusual details; a pervasive sense of grief and palpable trauma, leavened with a wry sense of humour (Max notes his ‘strong urge to file a complaint’ about being a ghost); and an intricate plot that compels readers to delve into complex past events.

As the book progresses, Wyld alternates sections from Max’s perspective, entitled ‘After’, with others: ‘Before’, Hannah’s perspective on her life with Max prior to his death; ‘Then’, describing the events of Hannah’s childhood in rural Australia; and ones that explore various characters’ backstories. As ever, Wyld handles multiple narratives with impressive dexterity, teasing us with opaque details in contemporary chapters that gradually become clear as she drip-feeds us reasons for their resonance in sections set in the past.