I am not a fan of historical mysteries. Or ghost mysteries. Or anything to do with WWI really. All of which are part of A House of Ghosts. And I loved it. Reminiscent of the best of Agatha Christie, but fresh. One of the main characters is a strong, modern female; but modern for her time, not modern for ours, an anachronism that too many authors today seem to fall prey to. There are ghosts and spies and ghosts and above stairs and below stairs. With a satisfying mystery to boot. All in all, a delightful read. Call it 4.5 stars.

Winter 1917. The middle of World War I. A group of people show up at an isolated mansion to take part in a seance intended to contact their dead relatives, many of whom are presumed dead from the war. But soon people are being attacked and someone winds up dead. Are the many spirits who inhabit the mansion to blame? Or is the real culprit composed of flesh and blood?

I loved this book! It's a good, old-fashioned, slow-burn murder mystery / ghost story. I say slow-burn not to imply that the story moves slowly, but that the author deftly increase the sense of dread a bit at a time. Not with big scares, but with a steady undercurrent of creepiness, until you start to feel as if you're trapped on the island with the characters in the book. I'm not a big fan of historical fiction but this book pulled me right in and I could not put it down. The ghosts in this book are characters unto themselves, and presented in a way I've not seen done before. Typically, in novels, ghosts are either presented as scary or trying to help. In this book, however, the ghosts are neither. Most are simply curious, observing the living and inexplicably drawn to scenes of tension and violence. But their presence in the background of many of the scenes is effective and VERY creepy!

An added bonus: There was no sex, extreme violence, or even cursing (not enough that I noticed, at least). That's practically unheard of in contemporary, mainstream fiction, and it was a breath of fresh air for readers like myself who are sick of writers packing their books full of rubbish because they think "that's what sells." The author is such a good writer that he doesn't have to rely on any of those tired old tropes just to make sales. I wasn't familiar with any of W.C. Ryan's other works prior to reading A House of Ghosts, but I was very impressed with his writing and would absolutely read more books by him in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy!

Creepy, atmospheric A House of Ghosts by W.C. Ryan is the perfect book for fans of historical fiction with a supernatural element.

Here’s what you need to know:

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 next winter.

This crime story appealed to me right away because I always love the idea of a remote setting with a group of people, one of which may or may not be a killer, kind of like an Agatha Christie type scenario.

I enjoy historical crime drama and I think you will too!

Due out on October 4.

I love ghosts. Point blank period but good ghost stories are hard to find and unfortunately this was the case of that. The story dragged and I found myself drifting while reading. It has more crime elements than haunted which also probably contributed to me not liking it as much.

Thanks very much to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

I am very into ghost stories. I am also very particular about them, and this author did a wonderful job with this one. Very Agatha Christie like which a paranormal twist. This book does not dance around with the fact that ghosts exist. It is very real in this story and I really enjoyed that. I enjoyed the atmosphere that W.C Ryan set up and how he kept the mystery alive in this one.

*Thanks so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A House of Ghosts by W.C. Ryan, William Ryan is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary. This book features a haunted house and it does have plenty of ghosts but the main story is the many mysteries! The ghosts are just there and watch the show! Lol! There is an island just off the mainland and several people are invited. It's a big mansion and the year is 1917. Miss Cartwright is asked to come with her fiance but she has called off the wedding so is asked to go with Mr Donavan. They both work for C, a secret organization for the war dept.
Everyone at the house has there own reasons for being there. There is also supposed to be a famous psychic doing a seance at some point.
The author really sets the atmosphere for the year, (speach, styles, war related themes, etc), and mysterious mansion.
I love that two of the ones that arrive at the mansion can really see ghosts but one pretends not to. Also lots of many fascinating and curious mysteries happen and they just keep piling on before anyone can solve one, another happens!
I like the simple and charming romance that starts to bud between Donavan and Cartwright!
Although I hoped for a good scary haunting book when I picked this book, I am glad it is just like it is! The evil was the living and the harmless ghosts enjoyed the show

ghosts, paranormal, war-is-hell, WW2, murder, England, fraud, military-intelligence, romantic *****

It was a dark and stormy winter solstice in 1917 on the island off the Devon coast.
Despite all the ghosts, it's all very business-like til the last quarter when a bit of romance wriggles in. Kate is rescued from an important but boring job in decoding by the head of a rather sketchy government department and told to rescind both her invitation regrets and her recently dropped fiance to join her parents and attend a house party/séance in hope of reassurance regarding those missing in action in France. Kate knows she can see ghosts and things but it's not spoken of. Despite the evil winter storm there are several people there for the séance as well as another undercover person. The mansion was once an abbey, and the hidden passages figure highly in this twisty plot full of red herrings. I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Skyhorse Publishing/Arcade via NetGalley. Thank you!

A House Of Ghost by W.C. Ryan, is a interesting story that pulls the riveted reader in, and holds their attention to the very last page !
Great chemistry between protagonist.
4 Stars !


I received this ARC through Netgally for a honest review.

My favorite aspect of this book is the assumption that ghosts do exist. There is no dancing around whether what the characters are experiencing could indeed be ghosts or not. It is understood that they are surrounded by ghosts, and it is both exciting and terrifying. I found the two main characters extremely likable, and I was rooting for them until the end. While I felt that some conversations were repetitive and the pace could have been a bit faster, the story was full of surprises and I enjoyed the book overall.

If the blurb doesn’t get you itching to take a sneak peek at the first chapter then I hope this review will.

Firstly, it’s a brilliant murder mystery with a lot of emphasis on mystery – and to top it off with ghosts, well, don’t put too much expectation into the latter bit. Being biased and having read way too many Cliff Barker novels, I often make the mistake of putting unnecessary hype on a name and not really paying that much attention to the blurb the authors write up.

Even if the ghosts merely act as decoration in the novel and serve convenient plot points by enhancing certain moments or situations, I would really commend Ryan for putting so much focus on the gravitas of the story’s setting and the ominous atmosphere which heavily occupies almost every chapter. This is a perfect example of a character study as he expertly acquaints the reader with every characters inner thoughts and intentions, especially when he keeps concealing every idea I had of who the final culprit of this intricate puzzle might be.

If I was surprised in not reading about malicious ghosts actively getting involved with the living (Jonathan Janz does this in a fantastic way) or poltergeists not making in appearance in a house with such a deep history, then I’m absolutely pleased to declare that Ryan more than made up for this slight absence.

After all, I don’t think a writer of his skill would try and copy a current idea in the vain hope of rewriting it to resemble something original when in fact ripping off others is such a common thing in the creative industry.

Ryan also keeps us well-informed about all of the subplots and the affairs of the outside world as (I became so riveted in this book that I actually forgot about it at times) the setting of the story is still in the thick of things with various war efforts, espionage, and double agents. Using clever dialogue and dropping tidbits of information here and there, this is an author who doesn’t leave his reader in the dark.

That said, you can add A House of Ghosts to your mental list of you’re looking for a great read on a cold day or, even better, if you really want to treat yourself to a fantastic book.

This was a good mystery with supernatural elements thrown in also. There is a large creepy house which is supposedly haunted, and atrocious weather to be had. I loved the characters of Kate and Donovan and hope there are more adventures to come for them.
Many thanks to Skyhorse Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel. Excellent writing and enjoyable characters with a little history and espionage. A good time.

I enjoyed this book. It's not the type I usually read, but I was hooked from the beginning. I would definitely recommend it to others.

One would expect that a book called "House of Ghosts" would be about, y'know, ghosts. The house is, in fact, filled with ghosts, but they actually don't matter to the story even a little bit. Instead, this is a locked-room mystery where we need to figure out which of the guests is a would-be killer and why that person has it in for several others in the house.

There's a lot of confusion and pointing fingers. The story isn't that compelling and the book drags on unnecessarily.

Via NetGalley.

I waivered between a 4 star or 3 star review on this one. Great story telling by the author but I was not a fan of the loose ends in the final three quarters of the book. The touch of the supernatural loomed darkly over the perfect setting of isolated Blackwater Abbey. The book centered around the gathering of mediums, parents and sisters that had lost their sons or brothers to WWI (and a house full of ghosts). Along with that there are two agents working to solve some kind of spy shenanigans for the British army, the plot as a whole was intriguing. I recommend to mystery buffs that are not looking for a complex murder investigation but enjoy creepy settings with a touch of the paranormal. I settled for a 4 star rating as I would read the next installment to this story by the author.
Thank you to Net Galley for the chance to read and review.

Sublimely written, elegantly composed and deftly delivered, A House Of Ghosts is unlike any kind of traditional ghost story I've read. Its keenly drawn wartime backdrop, complete with an emotional retelling of the melancholy of the era, lifts it far above a mere spooky story, and provides a rich period tale that thrills, provokes and entertains.

Title: A House Of Ghosts

Author: W.C.Ryan

Pages: 432

Genre:Historical mystery

Oct 1,2019

Shortlisted for the Irish Book Award, a classic cozy big-house mystery haunted by the specters of World War One—for readers of Agatha Christie and Simone St. James.

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, armaments manufacturer Lord Highmount has arranged a spiritualist gathering to contact his two sons, both of whom died at the front.

Among the guests, two have been secretly dispatched from the intelligence service: Kate Cartwright, a friend of the family who lost her beloved brother at the Somme and who, in the realm of the spiritual, has her own special gift; and the mysterious Captain Donovan, recently returned from Europe. Top secret plans for weapons developed by Lord Highmount’s company have turned up in Berlin, and there is reason to believe enemy spies will be in attendance. As the guests arrive, it becomes clear that each has something they would rather keep hidden. Then, when a storm descends, they find themselves trapped on the island. Soon one of their number will die. For Blackwater Abbey is haunted in more ways than one . . .
An unrelenting, gripping mystery, packed with twists and turns and a kindling of romance, A House of Ghosts is the perfect cold-weather read.


My thoughts:

Rating:5

Would I recommend it?Yes

Would I read anything else by this author? Yes

Dark and spooky with a gothic feel to it even though the story takes place in 1917, because there is something about the atmosphere of the story that gives you goosebumps and make you want to stay up all night and read, it's a historical mystery with a touch the paranormal . As for the setting of the story there would be no way in the world would I go there and stay , and it's because of that as well as how atmosphere of the story kept pulled.into the story as well as the different characters you meet.So if you love a story that is dark, and spooky as well as gloomy with a touch of the paranormal ,and characters who are not what they seem to be then check this one out .With that said I would like to thank Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my honest opinion.

A quick read with an interesting twist that took me a bit by surprise. Overall, a good read - a bit contrived in a few spots.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. I took a risk this book and it wasn’t really for me. I do think it was well written.

Oh, how I just adore books like this! The author gives us a lush mystery/thriller with the paranormal and historical aspects that makes for a brilliant read.