An atmospheric, chilling, and riveting ghost story that’s perfect for Halloween.
In this horror novel, a dream house turns into a nightmare when a woman encounters a spirit.
Nora Bliss and her beloved husband, Dex, are living a comfortable life in Washington, D.C. But when Nora barely avoids being hit by a train, they decide it is time to leave the big city to enjoy the safety of idyllic, small-town living. Little do they know that they will confront an entirely new trial when the plot they buy—lot 16 of a larger property called Windy Hill Farm in Boulder, Pennsylvania—turns out to be the site of a haunting and other unexplained phenomena. The ordeal starts slowly, with Nora experiencing disarming and increasingly dangerous brushes with the ghost of a teenage girl. The apparition tries to communicate with Nora, leaving the message “FIND THEM” written across surfaces. Convinced that the ghost needs her help and against Dex’s more pragmatic take, Nora starts to investigate the history of the farm, delving into local lore, archives, and the diaries of members of the prestigious Williams family, which once owned the property. She eventually finds that the spirit may well be linked to the 70-year-old cold case of a vanished girl. Ash’s haunted house tale/murder mystery is a moody, melancholic, slow-burning story peppered with genuinely terrifying moments and classic horror elements, including jump scares and the use of a Ouija board. Other standout facets are Nora’s close relationship with her sister, Madeline, and the protagonist’s resolute, self-imposed mission to solve the case and save her home: “My days of being immobilized in the face of danger were gone. My determination was fierce. The only unknown was if my newfound resolve could prevail over spirits from the afterlife. The living versus the dead.” The novel runs a bit long, with a protracted resolution, and some readers may question the nonchalant acceptance of ghosts and the paranormal displayed by every character when told about Nora’s experiences. Still, the tale is a gripping, scary read.
An atmospheric, chilling, and riveting ghost story that’s perfect for Halloween.Pub Date: July 25, 2023
ISBN: 979-8218218041
Page Count: 314
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Sept. 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A standout in the series.
The sixth adventure of Harvard symbology professor Robert Langdon explores the mysteries of human consciousness, the demonic projects of the CIA, and the city of Prague.
“Ladies and gentlemen...we are about to experience a sea change in our understanding of how the brain works, the nature of consciousness, and in fact…the very nature of reality itself.” But first—Langdon’s in love! Brown’s devoted readers first met brilliant noetic scientist Katherine Solomon in The Lost Symbol (2009); she’s back as a serious girlfriend, engaging the committed bachelor in a way not seen before. The book opens with the pair in a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons in Prague. It’s the night after Katherine has delivered the lecture quoted above, setting the theme for the novel, which features a plethora of real-life cases and anomalies that seem to support the notion that human consciousness is not localized inside the human skull. Brown’s talent for assembling research is also evident in this novel’s alter ego as a guidebook to Prague, whose history and attractions are described in great and glowing detail. Whether you appreciate or skim past the innumerable info dumps on these and other topics (Jewish folklore fans—the Golem is in the house!), it goes without saying that concision is not a goal in the Dan Brown editing process. Speaking of editing, the nearly 700-page book is dedicated to Brown’s editor, who seems to appear as a character—to put it in the italicized form used for Brownian insight, Jason Kaufman must be Jonas Faukman! A major subplot involves the theft of Katherine’s manuscript from the secure servers of Penguin Random House; the delightful Faukman continues to spout witty wisecracks even when blindfolded and hogtied. There’s no shortage of action, derring-do, explosions, high-tech torture machines, attempted and successful murders, and opportunities for split-second, last-minute escapes; good thing Langdon, this aging symbology wonk, never misses swimming his morning laps. Readers who are not already dyed-in-the-wool Langdonites may find themselves echoing the prof’s own conclusion regarding the credibility of all this paranormal hoo-ha: At some point, skepticism itself becomes irrational.
A standout in the series.Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780385546898
Page Count: 688
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.
A woman fears she made a fatal mistake by taking in a blood-soaked tween during a storm.
High winds and torrential rain are forecast for “The Middle of Nowhere, New Hampshire,” making Casey question the structural integrity of her ramshackle rental cabin. Still, she’s loath to seek shelter with her lecherous landlord or her paternalistic neighbor, so instead she just crosses her fingers, gathers some candles, and hopes for the best. Casey is cooking dinner when she notices a light in her shed. She grabs her gun and investigates, only to find a rail-thin girl hiding in the corner under a blanket. She’s clutching a knife with “Eleanor” written on the handle in black marker, and though her clothes are bloody, she appears uninjured. The weather is rapidly worsening, so before she can second-guess herself, former Boston-area teacher Casey invites the girl—whom she judges to be 12 or 13—inside to eat and get warm. A wary but starving Eleanor accepts in exchange for Casey promising not to call the police—a deal Casey comes to regret after the phones go down, the power goes out, and her hostile, sullen guest drops something that’s a big surprise. Meanwhile, in interspersed chapters labeled “Before,” middle-schooler Ella befriends fellow outcast Anton, who helps her endure life in Medford, Massachusetts, with her abusive, neglectful hoarder of a mother. As per her usual, McFadden lulls readers using a seemingly straightforward thriller setup before launching headlong into a series of progressively seismic (and increasingly bonkers) plot twists. The visceral first-person, present-tense narrative alternates perspectives, fostering tension and immediacy while establishing character and engendering empathy. Ella and Anton’s relationship particularly shines, its heartrending authenticity counterbalancing some of the story’s soapier turns.
A grim yet gleefully gratifying tale of lost innocence and found family.Pub Date: Oct. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781464260919
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Poisoned Pen
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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