Helen and Nate have traded their comfortable city life to become homesteaders. They have purchased a large tract in the Vermont woods and are slowly building their house. They quickly discover that the land has a dark history and are blamed by superstitious townspeople for disturbing the ghost that supposedly haunts it. Though there are a few direct encounters with the supernatural, they are not overly malevolent. It wasn't the scary atmosphere that caught me, but the mystery, It was well-written and though it was not the chilling read I was hoping for, it was an enjoyable read!

I have had a long time love for a good ghost story since second grade (thank you Mary Downing Hahn and Wait Till Helen Comes) It’s a haunted house ghost story that feels very classic. There was some predictable moments, but an equal amount of twists. If you’re a fan of haunted houses, ghost stories and nothing too outlandish then The Invited is one you won’t want to pass up.

Good premise. Kind of slow for much of the story, but picked up speed toward the end. Kind of figured out the whodunit early on. It was okay. Hard to compare anything to Promise Not to Tell.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, for this free eARC.

"A chilling ghost story with a twist: the New York Times best selling author of The Winter People returns to the woods of Vermont to tell the story of a husband and wife who don't simply move into a haunted house, they start building one from scratch, without knowing it, until it's too late..."

I absolutely loved this book!!! This is the first book I have read by McMahon, and I can't wait to grab some more of hers. This book had me wanting to keep turning the pages, as fast as I could. It had me on the edge of my seat, and most books do not do that for me!

Jennifer McMahon is a master at writing the perfect ghost story. I can not recommend this book enough. It had a haunting vibe, which I loved!!  I also loved all the history that Helen wanted to learn, and what a nature nerd Nate was.

The Invited releases on April 30th!!

This was a slow moving paranormal mystery--normally not a book I would pick up. But somehow the characters kept me involved, and I really liked how two different perspectives--one of a young girl and of Helen, new in town and hoping to make a home in an old haunted house--entwined in the end.

A slow burning mystery that's well worth the read.

**NetGalley provided copy for review**

First let me just say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was the first book I've read in a while that I was actively wondering how soon I could get back to reading it.

I got a free advanced copy courtesy of#DoubleDay Books & #NetGalley.

This book is around a city couple who decide to pack up their lives and move out to the country in Vermont & build their own dream home. Helen loves home with long histories and stories -- which is a bit ironic since they're building a home and it will be brand new, therefore historyless.

However, when Helen and Nate get there they find out their new land is rich with history -- including a horrific death of "witch" from the early 1900s. (Particularly interesting since this was after a lot of the 'witch trials' we all hear of growing up.

Helen and Nate meet their neighbor Olive -- a young girl who misses her mother that left her something fierce -- under odd circumstances (no spoiler) and end up becoming friends.

Helen rapidly becomes obsessed with learning more of the history of the land, the people involved and whatever ended up happening to them. She also finds a way to bring a lot of history (albeit dark) into her home to make her new home also have stories. It was a great modern-day ghost story!

I will say, I kind of predicted one of the 'twists' in the end but not in a way where it ruined the ending for me at all.

I adored everything about this book! It was creepy and sad and heartfelt and hopeful and everything I look for in a ghosty thriller!

I chose this book to read because it was set in Vermont and involved the supernatural. It turned out to be so much more--a love story, a drama, a slice of life tale about an area of the country that is not as well know to most and an historical fiction that reads as believable. A young couple decide to ditch their life in CT and get back to nature in VT. They will build their new house, grow their food and get back to basics. Unknown to them their new property is steeped in history and not of the good kind. They begin to suspect each other and distrust each other as the story unfolds and we learn more than either one of them know separately. I enjoyed the historical aspect and the supernatural aspect as well as the mystery parts, too. Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC of #theinvited by Jennifer MnMahon. I will look for more by this author.

I have read most of Jennifer McMahon’s books, and this book had a little bit of everything, from a ghost story, someone is missing, to finding bury treasure. I love Jennifer McMahon style of writing and I’m always looking forward to her new books. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

I'm really behind on my Jennifer McMahon books.  The last one I read was The Winter People, which was an easy five stars for me.  When I saw The Invited on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it.

This author is certainly talented at creating a chilling, atmospheric setting.  Forty-four acres of rural land, very few neighbors, and creepy bog?  Oh, and someone died by hanging at the bog?  Perfect.  Throw in a main character who uses building materials from allegedly haunted locations?  Disturbing.  She also weaves in some spine-tingling visuals - nothing that kept me up at night, but I'm a horror fan, so that's a difficult task to accomplish.

The characters are likable in the beginning, but once the supernatural events begin, they're at each other's throat.  While both Nate and Helen develop individual obsessions, the reader feels the same frustrations with them as the characters do with each other.  Honestly, if I was Nate, I probably would have tossed Helen out on her keester.  They're also pretty slow to realize things aren't quite right in their neck of the woods.

Maybe it was because I read an ARC, but several things are mentioned in the book that didn't happen - events, something a character said, etc.  Like maybe the author meant to go back and add things during revisions, but forgot?

The Invited is a slow burn, supernatural tale that starts off a bit slow, but picks up around the 45% mark.  Enough hints are dropped that readers will probably figure out the twists before the ending, but it was an enjoyable read for me.  

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Like so many Millennials, Helen and Nate are ready to ditch the stress and busy-ness of city life and begin a simpler life in the countryside of Vermont. But, they struggle more than they expected in building their own house, finding a place the community, and making a life on their land. The stresses of their new life and the ghosts of the past threaten to overwhelm the couple, making them both secretive and suspicious. A local teenager is first a bain and then a balm to their existence. Will they be able to overcome the evil of the past and its hold on their land to make the life they dreamed of?

A haunting ghost story with a conclusion that leaves room for a sequel, Jennifer McMahon's The Invited will draw you in and keep you reading.

This is my first dive into Jennifer McMahon’s work. I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about her writing and boy are those claims true.
From page one I was enthralled by the story and her writing. This book was so atmospheric, and full of life.

Leaving the city and following their dreams of a quieter lifestyle in the woods of Vermont, Nate and Helen set off on an adventure that will leave them full of witches and ghosts stories. Strange events start unraveling all around them and little by little they start building their dream home that is also a haunted house of sorts. The story of the Hattie Breckinridge is uncovered on the very first chapter and you can’t help but be drawn into it. I absolutely loved the creepy woods vibe that this book has and although the characters could be very frustrating at times, I enjoyed getting to know and spending time with them.

Definitely recommend if you love atmospheric witchy reads and a good mystery. Looking forward to more of Jennifer McMahon’s work.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, DoubleDay Books, for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One doesn't always need to move into a house that is haunted, sometimes even building new the land itself could be taunted. This is what happens in the Vermont woods, when Helen and Nate leave their jobs, taking Helen's inheritance, to build a new house. What they didn't know was that this spot was the place of an horrific injustice, and a lost treasure. It soon become clear that they are not alone, and that someone wants something from the m.

I love how this author puts her stories together, outwordly happenings mixed with human greed. Although some of this was predictable, other parts weren't, and the ghostly vibes kept me reading. The past is never completely past, not in a person's mind and maybe the spirit world can reach put and attach itself to things. Or at least this author makes it seem possible. She always gives the reader someone to root for, and in this one it is a you g girl who needs some answers to some very serious questions. At the end one can't help but thinking that the humans are scarier than the ghosts. Or at least their motives less than pure. This was just spooky enough for this reader.

Once I started reading the Invited, it was super hard to put down! This book is filled with ghost stories, mystery, betrayal and murder. This was actually quite a refreshing read, as it was a bit different than what I am used to reading. I have read other books by Jennifer McMahon and I have to say I've never been disappointed yet.

Helen and Nate move to Vermont in search of a simpler and happier life. They search many properties but fall in love with 44 acres of "haunted land". They buy it all for a steal and Helen soon begins her work on uncovering the history of the land. While they begin building their own dream home, strange things begin happening. Through the whispers of town, they learn that Hattie Breckenridge is who supposedly haunts their land. Helen begins piecing the Breckenridge family tree together.
She even goes as far as bringing pieces of the Breckenridge women's property into her own home. Helen begins seeing Hattie's spirit, warning her. Hattie needs Helen to save someone, but who? Soon Helen and Nate get the feeling someone is trying to hurt them...starting with the vandalism of their new home, to someone going as far as turning on the gas in the trailer their staying in. Helen needs to figure out what's happening and fast, before it's too late.

If you love a good thriller with a ghost/mystery twist, I would give this one a read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yet again, McMahon has absolutely blown me away.

The Invited follows Helen and Nate Wetherell, a couple from Connecticut that took a leap of faith and moved to Vermont in the hopes of returning to a simpler life. After searching all over Vermont without success for a colonial-era home seeped in history that could be updated with greener initiatives, they decided to purchase a plot of land to build their dream home, incorporating Helen's love for history and Nate's commitment to sustainability. The land included a bog (or a fen, per nature Nate), and plenty of acreage, but the couple knew something had to contribute for the low price and the urgency of the sale. It took little time to learn the legend of Hattie Breckenridge, who supposedly haunted the property. Curious and eager to connect with her new home, Helen delves into researching Hattie's past, finding clues that help reveal Hattie's family tree. As the couple's progression on their home continues, the ghostly activity stirs, leaving Helen determined to find out what message Hattie is trying to send.

Meanwhile, Olive isn't sure that she's ready to have new "flatlander" neighbors. As a fourteen year old freshman whose family troubles have become a source for public ridicule, Olive is determined to continue her mother's quest to find the Breckenridge buried treasure. Local legend says that it was hidden in the bog, and Olive doesn't want her new neighbors to find it before she does, as she's sure that if she finds it, it will bring her mother back and save their family. However, after she's confronted by Nate and Helen, they become fast friends, working on the house together. It becomes a perfect distraction for Olive, and in turn, Olive introduces her aunt, Riley, whose vast knowledge on Hattie becomes extremely beneficial to Helen's research.

The Invited is AMAZING. I couldn't stop reading. Every page revealed another piece of Hattie's life and death. Even when I thought I knew what would happen, something else would fall into place, totally throwing me off the path of predictability. McMahon's novel is gripping, haunting, and perfectly paced. She weaves a sensational web, allowing the readers to get tangled up as they try to figure out what will happen next- only to shock them in the very last chapter! I always love a good ghost story, and this one is both gruesome and eerie- just enough to creep you out, but not enough to give you nightmares. With themes such as family bonds, small town bias, ghost legends and witch folklore, there's plenty of dramatic allure to pull any reader into the novel.

On a personal note, I also love that McMahon chose Vermont, my home state, for her setting. It's nice when little Vermont gets to be in the spotlight of a novel. She definitely gives readers the quaint feel of a rural small town, as well as show it's seedier underside with it's colonial roots and prejudice, and at times, dark history.

I am so honored and gratified that the Doubleday publishers granted my request to read The Invited, because it has easily worked it's way to the top of my favorite reads of 2019. Every twist and turn has left me with more adoration for McMahon's work, and I can't recommend her reads enough (for more, check out my reviews of her other novels, Burn Town and The Winter People). I could go on and on, but I just cannot recommend her enough, so make sure you pre-order The Invited now or snag it when it hits shelves at the end of this month! I'm already anticipating what McMahon comes up with next!

Best Ghost story I’ve read! It had that eerie, creepiness to it that I just loved. It was very well written Jennifer McMahan did an outstanding job! I was taking my time with this one didn’t want it to end. 5 amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley

The Invited, by Jennifer McMahon, is an eerie, richly atmospheric gothic tale shrouded in mystery, blending the present and the past, the real and the supernatural. We follow a husband and a wife who abandon their home and lifestyle in a Connecticut suburb and decide to follow their dream on a whim. They purchase a plot of land in rural Vermont and begin building their dream home, only to find that things aren’t as they seem. The history of the land and the specific pieces they select to build their home with, have a tale to tell and a purpose to fulfill. As the couple encounter some unusual happenings, they become consumed with finding out the truth of the tragic tale of what happened to the woman who lived on the land as well as the ruinous misfortunes of her descendants.

I will admit that I found the beginning of this story a bit slow. It was creepy and eerie, but I had a hard time finding momentum with the plot and buying into it. There was a considerate amount of information regarding building materials and process that I wasn’t particularly interested in and the darker paranormal content left me a bit uncomfortable. But as the chapters alternated character perspectives allowing the reader increasing insights into the various points of view, and we got to know the characters more, I became more invested in their stories. The latter half of the book became much more compelling, building in a crescendo towards the climactic conclusion. I would have liked to have been given a bit more at the ending. It did conclude on an intriguing note, but it left me feeling somewhat unsatisfied, wanting just a bit more.

All-in-all, The Invited was a uniquely entertaining, and creatively creepy story, steeped in tragedy and town history, blending mystery, ghost story and folklore into one bewitching tale. In my opinion, everything Jennifer McMahon writes is one-of-a-kind and her stories are in a genre of their own.

A special thanks to NetGalley, Doubleday Books and Jennifer McMahon for my free copy of this book for an honest review.

Pub date: April 30th
This seems to be billed as a horror story, but it's more of a paranormal mystery. Set in a small town, Helen and Nate are building their dream house but the location is somehow connected to long ago murders. Haunted by a legendary local witch, Helen has to figure out what she wants her to know before it's too late. For fans of paranormal mystery and Carol Goodman.

This was an interesting ghost story/mystery. It felt sort of slow burning at first but it built until you couldn't help but race to the end to find out how it ends. I could so see the setting and the characters in my own mind.

Helen and Nate leave their jobs in the city to buy property in the countryside so they can build their own dream house. Only this piece of property is haunted by the witch that once lived and died there. Things go all weird when instead of building their dream house Helen begins to build their own haunted house filled with haunted objects.

I have loved other books by Ms. McMahon and this one is no different!

Loved this ghost story. I thought it was well written and I liked the characters Nate and Helen and Olive. Nate and Helen decided to build a house in Vermont and live in a trailer on the land while they are building. During this time they found out the land is haunted by its former owner, Hattie, who was hung on the property. Helen spends time researching Hattie and her descendants and compiling information. All kinds of "ghostly" things happen and the story is suspenseful. I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Jennifer McMahon and Doubleday Books through Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.