A House of Ghosts: The perfect haunting, atmospheric mystery for dark winter nights . . .

by W. C. Ryan

A gripping mystery with a classic feel: And Then There Were None meets The Silent Companions

Winter 1917. As the First World War enters its most brutal phase, back home in England, everyone is seeking answers to the darkness that has seeped into their lives.

At Blackwater Abbey, on an island off the Devon coast, Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons who were lost in the conflict. But as his guests begin to arrive, it gradually becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends on the island, the guests will find themselves trapped. Soon one of their number will die.

For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . .

An unrelentingly gripping mystery packed with twists and turns, A House of Ghosts is the perfect chilling read this winter.

'Almost unbearably creepy and beautifully written' Liz Nugent, bestseller author of LYING IN WAIT

'A splendid tale of wartime skullduggery, featuring both kinds of spooks - perfect fireside reading' Mick Herron, CWA Gold Dagger Award Winning author of DEAD LIONS

'Hugely enjoyable, A House of Ghosts has the bones of a taut thriller wrapped up in the gorgeous romance of its ghostly island setting' Jane Casey

'Perfect for a dark and stormy evening: a truly creepy and ingenious ghost story and murder mystery with an irresistible setting' Ragnar Jonasson

'A thoroughly enjoyable novel that seemed to combine all my favourite things - history, crime, entertainingly spiky romance and an eerily evocative setting. An absolute treat' Elly Griffiths

'Spooks, spies, seances, things that go bump in the night - A House of Ghosts has it all. A tremendously enjoyable, ingeniously-plotted take on the haunted house mystery. Best read before dark!' Tammy Cohen

'An atmospheric, hugely entertaining mystery that offers all the pleasures of a classic ghost story - with an appealing dash of romance. William Ryan is a wonderful storyteller and A House of Ghosts will keep you up reading (and shivering) deep into the night' Antonia Hodgson

• ISBN10: 1785766511
• ISBN13: 9781785766510
• Publish Date: 4 October 2018
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 15 April 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Zaffre
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

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.