SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) - , reviewed The Haunting of Maddy Clare on + 1062 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
This was my first St. James book, but it most certainly will not be my last. Very well done! A spooky ghost story with interesting characters and an intelligent, gripping story line. I enjoyed it all the way through!
Helpful Score: 4
No, I don't believe in ghosts but I do believe in strong human connections, sensitivity, and intuition. The author does a phenomenal job of building a ghost story that will linger in the reader's mind. Maddy Clare is an unusual ghost whose actions affect those around her. Due to her experiences in life, including being buried alive, she cannot rest. A researching team has been recruited to uncover the mystery surrounding Maddy's life and death and, hopefully, put a halt to her haunting. It was hard to put this one aside as the suspense builds with each page. While I did determine what had happened before the author revealed it, I eagerly continued. It's an awesome read and but for a historical error would have given it five stars. Can't recommend it enough.
Helpful Score: 2
An intelligent and satisfying "old fashioned" (i.e. no gore or unpleasant images presented) ghost story, with a plucky heroine, unconventional hero(oes), and no trick ending. Nicely set in England soon after W.W.I when many people were haunted by that as well. [My favorite ghost story is "The Uninvited" by Dorothy Macardle and while this book won't knock that one off the top of my list, it is up there in the top ten (joining "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Elementals," "Hell House" and others. Only a slight quibble: the actresses the author mentions were probably not well known to ordinary English citizens at the time the story takes place. One had not made any movies outside her native Sweden until 2 or 3 years later and the other had only made a few shorts, been an extra and had fifth or sixth billed roles in undistinguished Hollywood productions. All this is easy to determine with the Internet.)]