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pinksy's review against another edition
5.0
Genuinely terrifying but brilliant! I need more, so much more of this story. I’m not sure I’ll get Millie out of my head any time soon
zooloo1983's review
5.0
Woah there. I have finished this book in the blazing sunshine and I have chills! The ending is so blinking unsettling I actually can’t wait for the next one to find out what happens next!
The story is told through journals, first-person experiences, dreams, third persons and from the view of the entity. The story starts off seemingly slow, as we have to build up the life of Tim and how he becomes the owner of this amazing dream house. Shame it doesn’t last too long, now when I say slow, we are talking 15% before it all goes fricking mental! And when I say mental I mean you have to read this in the sunshine and even then I was still looking over my shoulder at my house and *gulp* the cellar.
From the opening pages, I am so full of dread, you know that we are going to have a haunted house but what you don’t know at that time, is the story behind the haunting. You don’t know how much malice there is from the entity, and you don’t know the story behind it all.
We are teased the different information and the years between Tim’s experiences and the journals. Part of me would love to be in that house and experience it for what it is. Footsteps, water puddles, candles lit up in the turrets, seeing the ghosts that Tim does…BUT and it’s a big BUT I think I might stay away from that farmhouse.
One of the scariest bits for me is when Tim’s girls stay with him and he shares the bedroom with them, I was holding my breath as I was reading! It was so intense as you just did not know what was going to happen and if everyone would make it there it unscathed. I am not even going to lie, I was holding my breath and I was panicking. This was truly terrifying and I wanted to hide behind a cushion and close the book. (Still bloody loved it!)
I freaking loved this book, my favourite genre ever is horror and ghosties and this is just what I needed. It has everything that goes bump in the night, literally, the sightings, the discovery of why and then we end. Well that ending, if ever there was a time to run from the house, well it’s now! I wouldn’t take a trip there! But then a part of me really wants to visit!
Michael has written a story which will suck you in and I defy you not to get creeped out. He ramps up the tension from the get-go, and it’s too late by then to walk away. This book is perfect for anyone who loves this genre, or just wants to be scared. This is most definitely the sort of book I would love to see on the big screen. Set in the 70s, a time before the mobile phone, all add to the isolation of this property. It’s in the middle of nowhere, 23 acres of land, isolation defo adds to the tension. No neighbours nearby to hear you scream, or help when you see something coming at you, that should be dead, wielding a blood-soaked hatchett. Just a normal day no? As I say perfect, no mobile phones to call for help nor to take instant photos. Cut off from the world with only a landline, which at times hinders you especially when you are in hiding watching an “anniversary” play out and “she” does not take too kindly to being interrupted. I am not telling you who, what or why because that was the fun learning all of this while watching Tim and Holly experience it, reading Annette’s journals and being “helped” by someone, is that someone good or bad?
We are left with foreboding and more questions at the end…If anything it’s just made me want book 2!
The story is told through journals, first-person experiences, dreams, third persons and from the view of the entity. The story starts off seemingly slow, as we have to build up the life of Tim and how he becomes the owner of this amazing dream house. Shame it doesn’t last too long, now when I say slow, we are talking 15% before it all goes fricking mental! And when I say mental I mean you have to read this in the sunshine and even then I was still looking over my shoulder at my house and *gulp* the cellar.
From the opening pages, I am so full of dread, you know that we are going to have a haunted house but what you don’t know at that time, is the story behind the haunting. You don’t know how much malice there is from the entity, and you don’t know the story behind it all.
We are teased the different information and the years between Tim’s experiences and the journals. Part of me would love to be in that house and experience it for what it is. Footsteps, water puddles, candles lit up in the turrets, seeing the ghosts that Tim does…BUT and it’s a big BUT I think I might stay away from that farmhouse.
One of the scariest bits for me is when Tim’s girls stay with him and he shares the bedroom with them, I was holding my breath as I was reading! It was so intense as you just did not know what was going to happen and if everyone would make it there it unscathed. I am not even going to lie, I was holding my breath and I was panicking. This was truly terrifying and I wanted to hide behind a cushion and close the book. (Still bloody loved it!)
I freaking loved this book, my favourite genre ever is horror and ghosties and this is just what I needed. It has everything that goes bump in the night, literally, the sightings, the discovery of why and then we end. Well that ending, if ever there was a time to run from the house, well it’s now! I wouldn’t take a trip there! But then a part of me really wants to visit!
Michael has written a story which will suck you in and I defy you not to get creeped out. He ramps up the tension from the get-go, and it’s too late by then to walk away. This book is perfect for anyone who loves this genre, or just wants to be scared. This is most definitely the sort of book I would love to see on the big screen. Set in the 70s, a time before the mobile phone, all add to the isolation of this property. It’s in the middle of nowhere, 23 acres of land, isolation defo adds to the tension. No neighbours nearby to hear you scream, or help when you see something coming at you, that should be dead, wielding a blood-soaked hatchett. Just a normal day no? As I say perfect, no mobile phones to call for help nor to take instant photos. Cut off from the world with only a landline, which at times hinders you especially when you are in hiding watching an “anniversary” play out and “she” does not take too kindly to being interrupted. I am not telling you who, what or why because that was the fun learning all of this while watching Tim and Holly experience it, reading Annette’s journals and being “helped” by someone, is that someone good or bad?
We are left with foreboding and more questions at the end…If anything it’s just made me want book 2!
booksnink's review against another edition
5.0
The Patience Of a Dead Man starts off in 1965 and at the New Hampshire farm, a huge Manor House with stables and a vast amount of grounds; along with an abandoned Christmas Tree farm at the other side of the grove. The owners at the time are Henry and Annette Smith, they are a happy couple who have had many happy years at New Hampshire.
They share a love of horses and they enjoyed life together and had spent so far over 31 years in their beautiful home and had raised their now grown up children there.
One evening in November, Henry sets out with his hatchet to pick the Christmas tree for the upcoming festivities after Thanksgiving; he makes his way to the abandoned tree farm but ends up dead after a “heart attack”.
Annette who is left behind as a widow becomes a key figure for future happenings.
We then jump to 1971 and we meet Tim Russell. He has separated from his wife and is currently going through a messy divorce. Tim is trying rebuild his life and start again so when we meet him he is being shown round Hampshire Farm.
Holly Burns is the real estate agent who takes Tim round the run down home that is much needed of major renovations. So Tim ends buying the house and his life changes even more than he could ever expect.
The plan is at this point will be to make money, fix up the house and bring it back to its former glory.
It doesn’t take long for Tim to notice strange things start occurring, strange smells, strange noises, bangs and footsteps throughout the house and this is just the start.
Michael Clark writes in such a way that you really get pulled in to the book and my investment with the main protagonist was vast. Some of the events that took place literally scared the living hell out of me and others turned my stomach to the point of turning green.
The sound of a fly buzzing will now make me turn quicker than what they perhaps would have before.
This debut book for Michael Clark was executed to perfection and he had the right amount of everything included in the book. There was a romance side to the story but this didn’t overtake what the book should have been about thankfully and it was just like the cherry on the top of the most stunning cake.
As you got towards the end of the book it really picked up the pace and the tension intensified further, this book was literally on fire.
Never could I have guessed how this book would end in a million years. A woman scorned is a dangerous thing so I can’t wait to pick up the next book as I just didn’t see this particular bit happening at all.
Michael may I congratulate you on a truly fantastic book and I am honoured that you sent me this book over for review. From the cover to the content everything was simply fantastic and I couldn’t have asked for a better book to review. I highly recommend anyone to read this title and I can’t wait to get through the next book and receive the final instalment.
Of this genre this is so far my favourite book of the year
They share a love of horses and they enjoyed life together and had spent so far over 31 years in their beautiful home and had raised their now grown up children there.
One evening in November, Henry sets out with his hatchet to pick the Christmas tree for the upcoming festivities after Thanksgiving; he makes his way to the abandoned tree farm but ends up dead after a “heart attack”.
Annette who is left behind as a widow becomes a key figure for future happenings.
We then jump to 1971 and we meet Tim Russell. He has separated from his wife and is currently going through a messy divorce. Tim is trying rebuild his life and start again so when we meet him he is being shown round Hampshire Farm.
Holly Burns is the real estate agent who takes Tim round the run down home that is much needed of major renovations. So Tim ends buying the house and his life changes even more than he could ever expect.
The plan is at this point will be to make money, fix up the house and bring it back to its former glory.
It doesn’t take long for Tim to notice strange things start occurring, strange smells, strange noises, bangs and footsteps throughout the house and this is just the start.
Michael Clark writes in such a way that you really get pulled in to the book and my investment with the main protagonist was vast. Some of the events that took place literally scared the living hell out of me and others turned my stomach to the point of turning green.
The sound of a fly buzzing will now make me turn quicker than what they perhaps would have before.
This debut book for Michael Clark was executed to perfection and he had the right amount of everything included in the book. There was a romance side to the story but this didn’t overtake what the book should have been about thankfully and it was just like the cherry on the top of the most stunning cake.
As you got towards the end of the book it really picked up the pace and the tension intensified further, this book was literally on fire.
Never could I have guessed how this book would end in a million years. A woman scorned is a dangerous thing so I can’t wait to pick up the next book as I just didn’t see this particular bit happening at all.
Michael may I congratulate you on a truly fantastic book and I am honoured that you sent me this book over for review. From the cover to the content everything was simply fantastic and I couldn’t have asked for a better book to review. I highly recommend anyone to read this title and I can’t wait to get through the next book and receive the final instalment.
Of this genre this is so far my favourite book of the year
bozzi1's review against another edition
mysterious
fast-paced
3.25
Disclaimer: I’ve been in a somewhat pissy mood for a couple weeks and I think it’s having an impact on my reading. Nothing is blowing my socks off. It’s not the books, it’s me. But if I don’t write a review now I may forget completely and the author and story deserve better than that. So, with the disclaimer in mind, here’s a quick Eastwood style review.
The Good - I love the premise, the setting, the spooky scenes, and the ghosties.
The Bad - I didn’t love the divorce/new romance drama. I think it’ll work for some readers just fine, but I would have preferred if our protagonists had been a couple buying their first place together. Also, Tim is a pretty bland guy. I like Johnny, but he really isn’t needed. If Johnny was removed and Tim had the prior experience with ghosts instead, it would have made for a more well-rounded and likable character.
The Ugly - Mildred is deliciously ugly and I can’t wait to learn more about her backstory in book 2.
There’s a gem of a story here and I think a bit of editing would polish it up to an easy 4+ stars. I’d like to see a clearer distinction in the language of the characters from different timelines and some of the more mundane details cut out so the haunting elements can really shine.
The Good - I love the premise, the setting, the spooky scenes, and the ghosties.
The Bad - I didn’t love the divorce/new romance drama. I think it’ll work for some readers just fine, but I would have preferred if our protagonists had been a couple buying their first place together. Also, Tim is a pretty bland guy. I like Johnny, but he really isn’t needed. If Johnny was removed and Tim had the prior experience with ghosts instead, it would have made for a more well-rounded and likable character.
The Ugly - Mildred is deliciously ugly and I can’t wait to learn more about her backstory in book 2.
There’s a gem of a story here and I think a bit of editing would polish it up to an easy 4+ stars. I’d like to see a clearer distinction in the language of the characters from different timelines and some of the more mundane details cut out so the haunting elements can really shine.
bookish_satty's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This was a mediocre read for me. I love action packed horror books but this was quite slow with a lot of talking and less doing. Moreover the characters were dumb and whiny! Annette is the only character I liked. I didn't find the ghosts as creepy or scary just annoying.
Now I'm gonna go on a long rant so skip reading it if you want (just like Tim!) but if you want a good laugh keep reading!
The mystery was already solved for our main characters but they were too busy with their work life and budding romance to sit and read a journal which contained readymade solutions for nearly all their troubles and was handed to them without any effort on their part but sadly Tim isn't a reader and no matter how much you haunt him he wouldn't read even to save his and his daughters' lives (get it Tom!).
Moreover Holly and Tim's epic love story (insta love) developed in the span of 3 days! Yes you heard it right folks not even weeks but days! No matter how much haunted I or another person become I wouldn't let an unknown man in my house overnight after knowing him for a day. No f**king way. It took one look at scary looking ghost (a child) and they fell in undying love! Ridiculous!
All the characters even the ghost was annoying especially their motives were so ridiculous.
Tim kept his kids in the haunted house rather than rent a hotel room for the weekend visitation because he was afraid the kids will tattle to his Ex wife and she will verbally harass him. Is some snide comments important than your kids' life?
Most ridiculous thing is both Tim and Holly were so scared to return to the house because it's so haunted but Mildred just screamed a lot and popped out of nowhere to just stare at Tim and then chase after her son's ghost and both just kept returning and cowering in the house while Mildred played hide and seek and Tag with her son's ghost.
Now I'm gonna go on a long rant so skip reading it if you want (just like Tim!) but if you want a good laugh keep reading!
The mystery was already solved for our main characters but they were too busy with their work life and budding romance to sit and read a journal which contained readymade solutions for nearly all their troubles and was handed to them without any effort on their part but sadly Tim isn't a reader and no matter how much you haunt him he wouldn't read even to save his and his daughters' lives (get it Tom!).
Moreover Holly and Tim's epic love story (insta love) developed in the span of 3 days! Yes you heard it right folks not even weeks but days! No matter how much haunted I or another person become I wouldn't let an unknown man in my house overnight after knowing him for a day. No f**king way. It took one look at scary looking ghost (a child) and they fell in undying love! Ridiculous!
All the characters even the ghost was annoying especially their motives were so ridiculous.
Tim kept his kids in the haunted house rather than rent a hotel room for the weekend visitation because he was afraid the kids will tattle to his Ex wife and she will verbally harass him. Is some snide comments important than your kids' life?
Most ridiculous thing is both Tim and Holly were so scared to return to the house because it's so haunted but Mildred just screamed a lot and popped out of nowhere to just stare at Tim and then chase after her son's ghost and both just kept returning and cowering in the house while Mildred played hide and seek and Tag with her son's ghost.
rachels_creative_username's review against another edition
Interesting enough story, and the spooky bits are sufficiently spooky… but this reads like an early draft and the errors are just too distracting.
pbanditp's review
5.0
This story doesn’t let up. Right from the beginning there is tension and it haunts you throughout the book. Malicious spirits have a home at the old secluded house in New Hampshire. Tim has sunk the last of his money into buying the property after his divorce and feels that he has to do what he can to help the spirits rest.
This book deserves all the praise and I couldn’t stop listening once I got started. It is very unnerving as one of the ghosts appear seemingly at random all over the property dripping with anger and hate and willing to take it out on whom ever path she crosses.
A straight forward haunted house book that immediately moved to the top of my favorites in that sub-genre.
This book deserves all the praise and I couldn’t stop listening once I got started. It is very unnerving as one of the ghosts appear seemingly at random all over the property dripping with anger and hate and willing to take it out on whom ever path she crosses.
A straight forward haunted house book that immediately moved to the top of my favorites in that sub-genre.
johnlynchbooks's review
4.0
With his life currently in a downward spiral, freshly divorced Tim Russell throws the last of his eggs in one final basket, a fixer upper in Sanborn, New Hampshire. Contractor himself, this shouldn’t be much of a problem for Tim to sell and flip, if of course, the resident haunting doesn’t drive him out, or worse.
So Michael Clark has a great setup for his debut novel, the first of a trilogy. Does he deliver the goods?
First and foremost, I found the story brilliant in its simplicity and approach. Divorce happens to a lot of people, many times it’s not an amicable split. I could see this setup easily taking place, so off the bat, Clark gives a meaningful, very likely reason for our protagonist to find himself in his eventual predicament. I also liked that the book felt dangerous, the stakes felt very real, and very high. There are some spooky scenes that are downright frightening.
Tim’s relationship with Holly, although it comes on a bit quick, doesn’t feel forced. It felt natural, sometimes people just click. Tim and Holly clicked and I enjoyed them together.
There were some issues I had with this read. It felt like it took a while for the story to really get going, so the beginning felt slow, which is fine, but there were times that it felt slow because there was just too much description going on in the scene. Not that big of a deal, just a minor annoyance. The main gripe I had was with the dialogue and some of the character interactions. Often times, to me, the dialogue felt just a bit off. It’s difficult to put it precisely into words, but at times it felt forced and not like natural conversation. Characters seemed like they were too quick to agree on things, to quick to see the other persons point of view. I’m by no means an expert at writing dialogue, I just know that something about it didn’t feel quite right.
The book does end on a cliffhanger, which usually infuriates me to no end, but in this particular case I was ok with the Cliffhanger because it felt there was enough story here for me that I didn’t feel ripped off. It didn’t feel as if Clark was intentionally stringing me along to sell another book down the line.
When you get right down to it, Clark’s debut is a good, spooky book. I’d recommend it to fans of haunting tropes and I’m looking forward to picking up the second book in the series in the near future.
3.5 stars
So Michael Clark has a great setup for his debut novel, the first of a trilogy. Does he deliver the goods?
First and foremost, I found the story brilliant in its simplicity and approach. Divorce happens to a lot of people, many times it’s not an amicable split. I could see this setup easily taking place, so off the bat, Clark gives a meaningful, very likely reason for our protagonist to find himself in his eventual predicament. I also liked that the book felt dangerous, the stakes felt very real, and very high. There are some spooky scenes that are downright frightening.
Tim’s relationship with Holly, although it comes on a bit quick, doesn’t feel forced. It felt natural, sometimes people just click. Tim and Holly clicked and I enjoyed them together.
There were some issues I had with this read. It felt like it took a while for the story to really get going, so the beginning felt slow, which is fine, but there were times that it felt slow because there was just too much description going on in the scene. Not that big of a deal, just a minor annoyance. The main gripe I had was with the dialogue and some of the character interactions. Often times, to me, the dialogue felt just a bit off. It’s difficult to put it precisely into words, but at times it felt forced and not like natural conversation. Characters seemed like they were too quick to agree on things, to quick to see the other persons point of view. I’m by no means an expert at writing dialogue, I just know that something about it didn’t feel quite right.
The book does end on a cliffhanger, which usually infuriates me to no end, but in this particular case I was ok with the Cliffhanger because it felt there was enough story here for me that I didn’t feel ripped off. It didn’t feel as if Clark was intentionally stringing me along to sell another book down the line.
When you get right down to it, Clark’s debut is a good, spooky book. I’d recommend it to fans of haunting tropes and I’m looking forward to picking up the second book in the series in the near future.
3.5 stars
ljwrites85's review
4.0
The patience of a dead man was a fantastically spooky and enthralling read! It has the right balance of scary and creepy with that air of mystery too.
I love a haunted house story and I really enjoyed reading Micheal Clark’s different slant on the old horror trope.
The majority of the story is set in 1971 and we follow Tim who after a messy divorce that leaves him almost broke, he decides to buy a fixer-upper to try and make some money. From the very beginning there’s something not right about the property and the strange happenings grow ever more dangerous. He asks Holly, the estate agent who sold him the property to help him solve the mystery and before his investment goes down the drain.
The other parts of the story are told through journal extracts and spooky visions (I can’t say too much about these in case I give away spoilers!) and were expertly weaved throughout the story.
There were a few sudden changes of POV during the chapters which threw me off a little and I would have liked there to be a few more seventies references as parts of the story are meant to be set in the 1970’s but of course they’re just minor things.
While it does wrap up most of the story in this book, it does leave it open for a sequel which I personally can’t wait to read!
The patience of a dead man is a spine tingling ghost story that will both spook and entertain you in equal measure.
I love a haunted house story and I really enjoyed reading Micheal Clark’s different slant on the old horror trope.
The majority of the story is set in 1971 and we follow Tim who after a messy divorce that leaves him almost broke, he decides to buy a fixer-upper to try and make some money. From the very beginning there’s something not right about the property and the strange happenings grow ever more dangerous. He asks Holly, the estate agent who sold him the property to help him solve the mystery and before his investment goes down the drain.
The other parts of the story are told through journal extracts and spooky visions (I can’t say too much about these in case I give away spoilers!) and were expertly weaved throughout the story.
There were a few sudden changes of POV during the chapters which threw me off a little and I would have liked there to be a few more seventies references as parts of the story are meant to be set in the 1970’s but of course they’re just minor things.
While it does wrap up most of the story in this book, it does leave it open for a sequel which I personally can’t wait to read!
The patience of a dead man is a spine tingling ghost story that will both spook and entertain you in equal measure.