THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE by Simone St. James (NAL Trade)

I didn't expect to like this book all that well. The ghost stories I've read are more or less the same. They tend to be superficial and obvious in their attempt to scare you.
I didn't expect anything different from this one. (You can hear the "But" coming, right?......). Well, here it is—BUT—this book was creepily enjoyable or enjoyably creepy and I found myself hooked without having to read pages and pages. It is a book set in the 1920's and I usually don't like these historical types. Here's another "BUT"—
BUT, this book was historically but definitely not dusty.

About halfway through the book, I wondered what in the world could possibly happen that would require pages and pages of writing. I felt that it had to end very soon, but the twists and turns continued to capture my attention, and by the end of the book, I had even more serious thoughts and "what if's" roiling around in my head.

I liked this book immensely. It was well-written and well-crafted. I look forward now to her next book, also, I believe, about ghosts. To me, this story creates many questions about consciousness, about life, about death, about the universe and everything, to coin a phrase.

I heartily recommend this book, even to those who don't normally tend to read "woo-woo" stuff. It isn't a book that takes you so far out that you feel you're in the outer reaches of the lunatic fringe. There is something very real that the author says in this deliciously scary novel. If you don't believe in ghosts, but still have lingering
questions, read this book. It is fast-paced and believable.

The heroine is led to a life very different from her threadbare, dismal existence in 1920's London by saying "yes" to Alistair, a ghost hunter. Maddy Clare is a 19-year-old ghost who has haunted an old barn ever since she hung herself there. Alistair is an experienced ghost hunter and realizes that she is authentic. His side-kick, Matthew, is enigmatic and has War scars that are internal and external, but Sarah, the heroine, and Matthew are drawn to each other; theirs is a torrid romance. Together they work to discover Maddy's secrets—who she was, where she came from, and what is driving her to downright terrifying revenge. They are running out of time and know that Maddy could destroy
them all.

I like this book. It's riveting, suspenseful, and real. Don't believe in ghosts? Read this.

—Diane Esterly

FTC DIsclaimer - This book was provided by the publisher.