Member Reviews
Creepy, a little romance, a woman just trying to make a living for herself. I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t all that scary but it did have some graphic descriptions so be aware of that!
Quick read that was dark and interesting. I really want to read more about Beatrix and this world. It was perfect for the season and I enjoyed it immensely. Cant wait to see what we have next in stored from these authors.
This book was a quick read, and I enjoyed the story throughout. It was written by three talented authors and is divided up into seasons and episodes instead of chapters. The storyline is interesting throughout the book as the three authors take turns telling the story. I was surprised by the ending and was excited at the climax. The characters were also likeable.
I like dark, haunting stories about conjuring ghosts in haunted Victorian mansions, so this story was entertaining and thrilling to me, especially right before Halloween. What could be spookier than being locked in at a seance at night with the ghosts of a murdered child, his murderess mother and demons in a dark mansion? I am also interested in psychic mediums, so I really liked the main character, even if she was a fake one at the beginning. I also happen to like stories about con artist psychic mediums, so this was perfect and the main character interested me from the beginning. There was even a love story thrown in there, which gave it a feel good ending. It was well written and the imagery was dark, gothic, vivid and frightening. This book was not a disappointment!
I did it! I read my first horror genre book and actually finished it. The Haunting of Beatrix Greene had a great storyline with believable characters enriching the story. I knew I was delving into a touch of the spirit world, but, “oh my word”, the paranormal activity was insane! I found myself envisioning a specific scene from the 1973 movie, The Exorcist, while encountering an onslaught of ghastly ghouls. If you enjoy a touch of romance, suspense, mystery, and can stomach a little horror than this book is for you! The authors did a great job co-authoring this book. I highly recommend The Haunting of Beatrix Greene and look forward to reading further collaborations.
Thank you to Netgalley and Serial Box for choosing me to read and review this book. All thoughts are my own.
A delightfully spooky and short gothic haunted house adventure.
Beatrix Greene is a fake medium who uses her perception and acting talents to develop an impressive reputation as a leading spiritualist in London by convincing people she is communicating with their deceased loved ones. Dr. James Walker, a wealthy skeptic and researcher, hires her to accompany him and a few others to a reportedly haunted house to definitively determine if it is indeed haunted.
Upon arriving, Beatrix sets up her usual farcical séance and prepares to put on a show. However, something does, in fact, answer her, and it is angry and violent and will not let them leave until it is finished.
The plot moves along at a good clip and it is engrossing. Speaking of gross, there is one particularly gross and gruesome scene that will make horror fans darkly chuckle and turn up their nose. My only complaint is the instant romance that occurs, which felt rather unlikely and out of place. (To illustrate, when my husband and I were newlyweds we lived in a tiny and disgusting apartment with mice, and knowing there mice in the room with you at night is a bit of a mood-killer. I imagine having a ghost/demon in the house would similarly douse the romance.)
Overall, I enjoyed it and would read a sequel.
This is being realized by SerialBox as a weekly serial, but I read it all at once. I believe it would be easy to read weekly, however, because the chapters are clearly delineated and the plot is not overly complicated.
This is really a 4.5 stars. I truly enjoyed this short and page-turning respite into the world of Victorian spiritualism. Beatrix Greene is providing a service to the bereaved, at least that's how she justifies the living she makes as a medium. She feels she's helping mend broken hearts just a little bit by pretending to speak with the dead. Beatrix doesn't consider herself a scam artist, as she doesn't use fake props or charge exorbitant fees, even lowering them when she can see people cannot truly afford her services. After attending a demonstration by Dr. James Walker debunking such methods of chicanery, she is given an offer she can't refuse to visit Ashbury manor with Dr. Walker and the renown spiritualist and author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Beatrix brings a friend as a chaperone (which I didn't understand how another male would be a chaperone, but I digress) and James has acquaintances and friends, some uninvited along as well. They quickly run into trouble after the first séance. I don't want to give anything away, so read the book if this is type of story you like. I deducted a 1/2 star for two reasons. First, I was excited to see Sir Arthur, but was let down since he immediately left. I've personally done research on him and thought it would be very interesting to see how he would fit in the story. Second, through most of the book the changing between authors was seamless, but then a third author either showed up late in the book (didn't check) or all of a sudden the characters didn't sound like themselves when the third author wrote, which briefly took me out of the story. It quickly shifted back and returned to easy flowing reading.
This was such a fun and interesting read! I loved how short it was so that way it got right to the plot aka the spooky scary house!
I also enjoyed how most people said this first volume is somewhat a first season and I can’t wait to read more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Serial Box for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
Well who doesn’t love a haunted house story around Halloween time?
This is a very fast paced story and I absolutely flew through it. So much so that I think the pace could have been slowed in some places to allow more tension to build. It also felt that the romance involved in this story was a bit insta-love.
I did still enjoy it though and found the characters well formed. I absolutely adored the Victorian setting and I would recommend
This is a fun but fairly typical haunted house story. Its serialized so the ending of each section is exciting enough to bring the reader back for the next section making the pacing of the book very fast (but it a good way). This doesn't do anything special or new but that didn't make it any less fun to read. A great palate cleanser.
There is some really good, on point and funny feminism for an added bonus.
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene Vol. 1 is a series on Serial Box that is absolutely perfect to dive into this spooky season (in case it wasn't obvious, I read this right around Halloween).
Beatrix Greene has done an excellent job of making a name and reputation for herself. She came from nothing, and built her way up to this point. How? By reading people and telling them the things they needed to hear in over to help move on from the loss of a loved one.
Yes, Beatrix fully believed that she is a con artist, like many others out there. The biggest difference is that she won't delve into silly tricks and flash moves. Her class brought her name to the attention of James Walker, and a haunted house he desperately needed answers about.
“It was...inconvenient, then, when she had these little moments of, if not shame, exactly, but something akin to regret.”
I went into The Haunting of Beatrix Greene with pretty high expectations if I'm being truthful here. So far, I've loved everything that has come out of Serial Box, and thus assumed that it would be the same here.
Thankfully, I wasn't wrong! While Beatrix is not my favorite of the series available (Jessica Jones: Playing With Fire has that honor), it was still a highly entertaining story. One that delved into the more graphic side of things, making it a perfect read for the Halloween season.
Right from the first introduction of this world, I knew that it was going to be a captivating one. I adore this aesthetic – haunted houses and horrid creatures roaming around in this time period. Beatrix's grit and determination helped to carry the story, while James' tortured history added all of the raw emotion one could ever hope for.
“So much of Beatrix's success lay in reading people correctly.”
I'll admit that I was a bit surprised by just how dark (and graphic) this first season ended up getting. That isn't a bad thing! While not expected, it did fit in nicely with what the story was trying to show and tell us.
Meanwhile, the romantic subplot helped to balance out all of the more daunting edges, adding a little spark of hope in what was otherwise a fairly dark story. On that note, I can't wait to see how the second season of this series develops (I have no doubt that there will be a second season!).
Thank you, NetGalley, Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, Vicky Alvear Shecter, and Serial Box Publishing for the opportunity to read this book!
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Rachel Hawkins, Ash Parsons, and Vicky Alvear Shecter caught my eye while browsing through NetGalley. With Halloween looming, I knew I had to read it! Beatrix Greene brings comfort to those who lost loved ones by pretending to communicate with their spirits. When a scientist named James Walker asks for her to come to Ashbury Manor to hold a seance she is skeptical. He is known for trying to discredit mediums but she can’t refuse the generous payment she will receive. Beatrix is immediately concerned upon entering the manor. Something isn’t right, there is an evil that lurks here that no one can imagine.
This is definitely a unique horror story. It is laid out in “episodes” rather than chapters. It feels as if I am reading a Netflix series. In fact, I just finished watching The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor and I felt the same vibe in this book. It is similar in the sense that the house itself is corrupted and evil. The ghosts there are just trying to help. This story had some extremely creepy moments. I got the chills during the scene where hands are reaching out grabbing them as they run down a hallway.
I really loved the characters. Beatrix and Harry have a wonderful friendship that reminded me of some of my friendships. However, this book is all about Beatrix and Amanda. In Victorian times, it is always pleasant to see fierce women. My only complaint is the lack of development. While I loved the characters, there could have been more, but I also wanted more plot development with the plot and background. It felt very thin at times. However, if these authors ever collab again, I will definitely check it out. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book is available on October 28th!! Read it to get into the Halloween mood!
This is a very short and spooky read that can be finished in one or two sittings. The beginning is very gripping, as it shows a medium at work, frauding her customers, but also offering them comfort and peace of mind. It’s definitely a thrilling topic for skeptics and believers alike, and some touches were familiar from another NetGalley book I read and reviewed this year.
Beatrix is also rather likeable as a character, especially since she’s an independent woman earning her own keep and isn’t afraid to stand up to anyone who might want to challenge her.
Structurally, each of the chapters, or “episodes” is written by a different author, but they do flow into one another seamlessly. The POVs also alternate between Beatrix and James, but each change propels the story forward instead of dwelling too much on the same event from different perspectives. This helps the plot advance faster, which is appropriate for such a short book.
Somehow I liked the story better up until the point where the characters all travel to the mansion. It may be that I expected Beatrix to ponder on the offer for a bit longer or for us to see her at work one more time; somehow it all happens too fast. At the mansion, the book delivers some chilling scares, and the concept and the solution to the secret are quite scary indeed.
We even meet a famous real person from Victorian times, which is a real treat, even though he unfortunately doesn’t stay with the readers for too long. There are also hints of social criticism, especially regarding people who profit from crime and turn other people’s personal tragedies into burlesques.
There’s a strong focus on romance among all the creepy things that occur, which will probably sit well with most readers. I thought it was sweet, if a little rushed. I have to admit I felt somewhat let down by the resolution, but the very ending holds the promise of more to come, and I really wouldn’t mind reading more.
Gothic setting? Ghosts? Mediums? Creepy House? Check! This was the perfect book for Halloween and truly anytime anyone wants a spooky read! I loved the romantic aspect of the book, Beatrix, James, and some gore for fun.
Beatrix is a medium, at least, that’s what her clients think she is. So when she’s sought by James to work with others to confirm if Ashbury Manor is haunted, she readily agrees. The pay will open doors for her that weren’t previously possible. But it might all be more than any of them can handle.
The gothic setting is perfect for holding a seance. The characters were wonderful, and I loved that even in this Victorian age women were willing to stick together. We’re given mystery and horror in a fast-paced read. Hawkins did a superb job of leaving the readers wanting more. A fun and quick read from start to finish. I’m looking forward to the next one. Thank you, Serial Box, for sending this along.
I guess this book just wasn't for me because I really struggled to read it. I felt this fell flat.
I know maybe some people would enjoy it but I just didn't.
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a special treat and definitely perfect for the Halloween spooky season. All the chills and all Tbilisi spooky vibes! This is a great book for any supernatural lover.
This is a quick read featuring a spooky Victorian manor—and an instalove romance that I did NOT sign up for.
I don’t buy into the contrived romance of this story because, quite frankly, I didn’t see anything romance-worthy about either of the parties—Beatrix OR James—beyond the fact that they’re both oh-so-attractive. (Not to mention, James was kind of caveman-possessive of Beatrix, which was especially off-putting since he’d known her for all of like a day.) I think if the story had taken the arc at even a SLIGHTLY slower pace, I could’ve found the romance more believable and thus enjoyable.
There are also some details that baffled me. For example, how did James Walker—the man who’s made a living out of exposing fraudulent mediums—immediately know that Beatrix was a “real” one? I don’t doubt her powers, just his uncanny ability to detect them (and the book’s lack of elaboration on this highly convenient plot point). It was also weirdly convenient that Harry had left the manor to traipse to the town bar and thus missed the bulk of the action; that felt kind of random.
Otherwise, the horror elements of this story were pretty decent. Not particularly subtle, but ominous all the same—especially the gruesome action at the end. It’s just unfortunate that it took me until the 70% mark to really feel invested in the horror/mystery plot.
Bottom line: I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t mind (or dare I say even enjoys) generic romances, and doesn’t mind the action only picking up in the latter half. (TW for gore!)
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene is a mystery thriller with a hint of romance that is sure to keep you turning the pages. A captivating story that is will stay with you long after reading.
The Haunting of Beatrix Greene by Ash Parsons, Rachel Hawkins and Vicky Alvear Schecter.
I really enjoyed this book! Set in Victorian England, Beatrix Greene has made a name for herself as an honest, reputable spiritual medium. When she accepts a job from skeptic James Walker in the daunting Ashbury Manor, her talents are put to the test.
I can safely say there was nothing that I disliked about this book, I really enjoyed the historical element, the atmosphere and the characters.
The authors do an amazing job of describing the environment, I could so easily envision the misty London town, the daunting and overwhelming Ashbury Manor.
I enjoyed the way the book was laid out as seasons and episodes. I felt although it was a shorter read, the characters and their personalities really came through.
I liked the romance too. I felt it was just enough, I don't think it would hinder your enjoyment of the book.
There's a solid feeling of dread that envelops the reader during the characters time in Ashbury castle.
I think it's slightly obvious that for me, this book was 5 stars, I just really enjoyed it!
This lovely is out tomorrow, thank you to Serial Box Publishers, NetGalley and the authors for this eArc in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, this is a really quick read (about 200 pages) that’s half romance, half horror, with decent amounts of spookiness to get you in the mood for Halloween.
I will readily admit that I found the romance to be pretty formulaic. The scenes between Beatrix and James read like a cheesy romance novel. They’re instantly smitten by each other, love at first sight, and James “growls” with jealousy and possession when his womanizer friend Stanhope leans in for a kiss of her hand. None of the characters are really fleshed out; it’s a short novel, so they all act pretty stereotypically for a romance/thriller. The horror aspects were pretty spooky (some body horror, ghost action, and possession) but not so much that I was ever scared to go to turn the lights off or go to sleep. I think this would be a pretty good book for scaredy cats like myself or people who just want a haunted house story without being completely terrified.
This was written by three authors so it definitely felt disjointed at times. Occasionally something was said or a character’s actions wouldn’t line up with what had previously occurred (referring to an event happening “tonight” when it actually occurred the previous night), so I think the editing could have been a lot better. Hopefully I was reading an uncorrected proof and the final published copy was fixed.
Thanks to Netgalley and Serial Box for allowing me to read this in time for Halloween!