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A House of Ghosts

The perfect haunting, atmospheric mystery for dark winter nights . . .

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A House of Ghosts

By: W. C. Ryan
Narrated by: Jot Davies
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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 Crime Thrillers Fiction Ghosts Horror Thriller Thriller & Suspense Haunted Scary Crime Exciting Mystery
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Critic reviews

If you are feeling brave, A House of Ghosts is one to read by candlelight with a large gin and tonic on standby. Almost unbearably creepy and beautifully written, the claustrophobic atmosphere will have you running into open fields as soon as dawn breaks. Bravo!
W. C. Ryan makes the familiar World War I country-house setting feel immediate, with a tough but principled hero and a rogue's gallery of villains of all classes and kinds. Hugely enjoyable, A House of Ghosts has the bones of a taut thriller wrapped up in the gorgeous romance of its ghostly island setting
A truly creepy and ingenious ghost story and murder mystery with an irresistible setting. From the first page you know you are in the hands of an excellent writer
A splendid tale of wartime skullduggery, featuring both kinds of spooks - perfect fireside reading
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
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
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!
The perfect Autumn read which people just won't be able to put down. Brilliant and utterly engaging
Shiver inducing beautifully written and immersive story - think Agatha Christie meets M.R. James but done in Mr Ryan's own indomitable style
An elegantly constructed take on a historical spy novel, one that has just the right touch of the gothic
A new twist to an old tale ... I hope that we will get to see what happens in their next adventure - the ending left some room for a sequel, which I would very happily read!
A stunning novel, a thoroughly absorbing read that combines a chilling ghost story ... As the evenings draw in, A House of Ghosts is the perfect read. It's so easy to lose yourself in it. It's beautifully written ... impossible to put down (Kate Atherton)
A captivating read . . . classic crime that lovers of Christie will lap up
An enjoyable ghostly whodunnit.
A multi-layered, gothic masterpiece . . . entertaining, thought-provoking and utterly captivating
A captivating read ... classic crime that lovers of Christie will lap up
A classic murder mystery set in a haunted house - this stylish tale will be a perfect read for this winter
A haunting tale, beautifully told. Blackwater Abbey ranks with Satis House and Manderley as a great house of gothic fiction.
An intelligent, absorbing, exquisitely spooky mystery
All stars
Most relevant
Firstly, excellently read by Jot Davies. He did a grand job, not only with the various accents, but with the female characters too. NO waily limpness.

I did enjoy the audiobook as well, but the latter half of the story could, and should, have been tightened up at the editing stage. It went on ... so I've marked it down a star. I got through it rather quickly, though, waiting for the next plot development - so that's a recommendation.

And, there are actual gjosts in it!

just that bit too drawn out

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It was a spy/crime/ghost story mashup and I thoroughly adored it! It had suspense, intrigue and genuine heart-felt moments! Really enjoyed!

Genuinely loved it!

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Given the strong reviews of other listeners my hopes were extremely high when I set out to listen to House of Ghosts and perhaps that is why I was doomed to almost certain disappointment. There was nothing specifically bad about it but, for me, it fell a little short in every respect. The pale echoes of Christie in the mood, setting and romance all felt a bit watered down and the characters flat and undeveloped. Perhaps this is why the denouement failed to deliver a satisfying conclusion. I just didn’t give a monkeys about any of them. On the plus side, what’s not to like about seances in a mansion on a remote island? With secret passages, hokey psychics and a storm preventing escape it has all the ingredients for a rollicking good pot boiler. Just don’t expect too much.

Murder mystery with not much of either

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I don't know how this book came to be in my audible library. Perhaps it was on the included list. One night when insomnia got the better of me I was idly scrolling through the library and was attracted by the title. I didn't know what to expect. Had I read the introduction I would probably not have been drawn to the subject matter; war and spies don't interest me. But,I was gripped from the very first page. I couldn't stop listening. The plot was intriguing. The characters were interesting. It was fast paced, tension filled, easy to follow.

Espionage. Ghosts. Country house. Murder.

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This is the first book by this author I have listened to. It won’t be the last. Excellent stuff.

Excellent read

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