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A review by annieb123
A House of Ghosts: A Gripping Murder Mystery Set in a Haunted House by W. C. Ryan
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
A House of Ghosts is a paranormal murder mystery set during WWI. Originally released in 2018, this reformat was released 1st Oct 2019 by Skyhorse on their Arcade Crimewise imprint. It's 371 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
This atmospheric and very twisty country house (set on an island!) mystery has a large number of disparate threads including espionage, counter-espionage, combat fatigue (PTSD), murder, and a group of spirits betrayed to their deaths and bent on revenge which coalesce into a surprising but satisfying denouement.
The book, though written in 3rd person, follows several of the characters viewpoints in alternating chapters. It's not difficult to keep track of (the chapters are labeled clearly). The dialogue has a definite period vibe, and the different characters' accents are acceptably well done without generally being overpowering or annoying.
I absolutely love golden age country house mysteries and didn't find the plotting or tension too slow. For readers who prefer a faster pace, I can certainly understand how this one might drag a bit.
Well written and with more than a little golden age vibe.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
A House of Ghosts is a paranormal murder mystery set during WWI. Originally released in 2018, this reformat was released 1st Oct 2019 by Skyhorse on their Arcade Crimewise imprint. It's 371 pages and available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
This atmospheric and very twisty country house (set on an island!) mystery has a large number of disparate threads including espionage, counter-espionage, combat fatigue (PTSD), murder, and a group of spirits betrayed to their deaths and bent on revenge which coalesce into a surprising but satisfying denouement.
The book, though written in 3rd person, follows several of the characters viewpoints in alternating chapters. It's not difficult to keep track of (the chapters are labeled clearly). The dialogue has a definite period vibe, and the different characters' accents are acceptably well done without generally being overpowering or annoying.
I absolutely love golden age country house mysteries and didn't find the plotting or tension too slow. For readers who prefer a faster pace, I can certainly understand how this one might drag a bit.
Well written and with more than a little golden age vibe.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.