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3.53 AVERAGE
3.53 AVERAGE
Had to DNF at page 75. I’m so disappointed, it had all the makings of a book I would have LOVED. Too bad it’s painfully boringly written.
This book has an interesting premise, but I expected the ghosts to be of the frightening variety, and they were merely of the lurking around and watch what happens variety. The mystery was intriguing, but the romance was predictable. I don't know if this is the first book in a series, but it read like it. It was entertaining, but not enthralling.
Part of me wishes that I had waited until Fall or Winter to read this. It was a delightful cozy mystery. The supernatural elements were not center stage as much as a murder mystery. The beginning seemed to drag on a bit which almost caused me to lose interest. However, I’m glad I kept on reading.
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thrilling story, great plot and characters that keep you guessing right til the end. Great for fans of this genre. Really enjoyable.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters of Kate and Donovan, the whole “stuck on the island” scenario, the espionage aspect (a very real and tangible thing) vs. the world of the spirits. And the spirits were one of my favorite things! The distinction between fakers and true connections with the ghostly world was interesting.
I also liked the exploration of Lord Highmount and the aspect of munitions production during war. WWI was such a terrible war (all wars are terrible, but WWI introduced new war technology that had not been used before, with horrifyingly destructive effects). That he even had second thoughts as to the wisdom of what he’d chosen to go into was interesting. And while the issue with the gas-masks was hindered in part because of Rolleston, it seems like it is often the case that important, life saving devices such as that are sometimes put on the back burner for projects the government (often incorrectly) thinks are more important. The men are viewed as cannon fodder.
I’m hoping from the ending that there might be another book about Kate and Donovan.
I also liked the exploration of Lord Highmount and the aspect of munitions production during war. WWI was such a terrible war (all wars are terrible, but WWI introduced new war technology that had not been used before, with horrifyingly destructive effects). That he even had second thoughts as to the wisdom of what he’d chosen to go into was interesting. And while the issue with the gas-masks was hindered in part because of Rolleston, it seems like it is often the case that important, life saving devices such as that are sometimes put on the back burner for projects the government (often incorrectly) thinks are more important. The men are viewed as cannon fodder.
I’m hoping from the ending that there might be another book about Kate and Donovan.
I was delighted to receive this book unexpectedly a few weeks ago. The picture doesn't do the beautiful cover justice with its gold embossing. With the promise of ghosts, it seemed the perfect book to read when we were away for a week's holiday in a converted Church in Perthshire over half-term. If you can't sense the presence of spirits and lost souls in an old Church, then where can you?
A House of Ghosts takes place in 1917 on an island off the coast of Devon, in a stately home, Blackwater Abbey, which was once a monastery. Lord Highmount has invited a strange assortment of people to his home for a few days. There is a doctor, two mediums, members of the aristocracy, a butler, a shell shocked soldier and, as it turns out, government workers with an agenda to uncover some hidden secrets. Chief among the reasons for inviting these people is to hold a seance to try to communicate with his two sons who have died during The Great War.
So many families were touched by loss during WW1 and frequently with no firm evidence to say what had happened to their relatives, just the dreaded words 'missing in action'. I can understand why so many people were desperate to believe they could contact their loved ones. It was interesting to read about the doctor's theory that concussion and shell shock opens the mind to spirits of the dead. I'm not sure if this was a theory circulating at the time but can understand why people would believe it.
When the weather closes in effectively trapping everyone on the island and phone lines not working, this quickly became a closed room type of mystery. With mysterious happenings, secret passageways around the house, possible contact with the spirit world, and eventually a death, it is a murder mystery with a difference. The style and atmosphere of the book put me in mind of an Agatha Christie book but with added ghosts. I half expected Inspector Poirot to pop up!
With red herrings, misdirection, twists and revelations, this book is a perfect read for this spooky time of year with darker nights as the clocks are about to change and Halloween just around the corner.
A House of Ghosts takes place in 1917 on an island off the coast of Devon, in a stately home, Blackwater Abbey, which was once a monastery. Lord Highmount has invited a strange assortment of people to his home for a few days. There is a doctor, two mediums, members of the aristocracy, a butler, a shell shocked soldier and, as it turns out, government workers with an agenda to uncover some hidden secrets. Chief among the reasons for inviting these people is to hold a seance to try to communicate with his two sons who have died during The Great War.
So many families were touched by loss during WW1 and frequently with no firm evidence to say what had happened to their relatives, just the dreaded words 'missing in action'. I can understand why so many people were desperate to believe they could contact their loved ones. It was interesting to read about the doctor's theory that concussion and shell shock opens the mind to spirits of the dead. I'm not sure if this was a theory circulating at the time but can understand why people would believe it.
When the weather closes in effectively trapping everyone on the island and phone lines not working, this quickly became a closed room type of mystery. With mysterious happenings, secret passageways around the house, possible contact with the spirit world, and eventually a death, it is a murder mystery with a difference. The style and atmosphere of the book put me in mind of an Agatha Christie book but with added ghosts. I half expected Inspector Poirot to pop up!
With red herrings, misdirection, twists and revelations, this book is a perfect read for this spooky time of year with darker nights as the clocks are about to change and Halloween just around the corner.
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
A solid thriller, enjoyable and reads like a classic murder mystery with elements of the paranormal thrown in.
I was hoping for a bit more emphasis on the paranormal nature of the story - there was a great build up as the characters gathered at the strange and mysterious Blackwater Abbey, at the request of the eccentric Lord Highmount, in an attempt to summon the spirits of his dead sons (lost - presumed dead during the height of the First World War). We learn very quickly that the main female protagonist Kate, possesses genuine psychic powers which, while they give an edge to the story, remind me very much of the comedic way in which the ghosts are viewed and portrayed in BBC’s Ghosts (hilarious - and definitely not a sleight), which is perhaps out of place or just not quite what I was expecting.
The characters were interesting - from the eccentric to the undercover spies, and the main female Kate was a really strong, well written character.
All in all a really enjoyable read - but would have liked a bit more ‘spook’ to the mystery.
I was hoping for a bit more emphasis on the paranormal nature of the story - there was a great build up as the characters gathered at the strange and mysterious Blackwater Abbey, at the request of the eccentric Lord Highmount, in an attempt to summon the spirits of his dead sons (lost - presumed dead during the height of the First World War). We learn very quickly that the main female protagonist Kate, possesses genuine psychic powers which, while they give an edge to the story, remind me very much of the comedic way in which the ghosts are viewed and portrayed in BBC’s Ghosts (hilarious - and definitely not a sleight), which is perhaps out of place or just not quite what I was expecting.
The characters were interesting - from the eccentric to the undercover spies, and the main female Kate was a really strong, well written character.
All in all a really enjoyable read - but would have liked a bit more ‘spook’ to the mystery.