Lingering

Chris Coppel

Great haunted house horror novel. The setting of this novel just starts off creating a ominous atmosphere. You quickly get pulled into Paul and Christy’s lives as they finally buy a new home. A “charming”cottage which Paul has to move into on his own as Christy goes to take care of her ill father. We get to follow along and learn background on Paul and Christy which I felt just made you even more drawn into the story. This is my first novel by Chris Coppel and certainly won’t be my last. I read this book in one sitting. I just had to know what was going to happen next. You will not regret reading this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

It was a great horror story with proper creepy elements and character development. Maybe the ending was a bit rushed, but overall it was a great read.

This book gave me creeps...even the front cover is giving me creeps!

The married couple, Christy and Paul move into their dream house, Croft House. Christy however had to return back to her childhood house to care for her abusive and ailing father while Paul dealt with the house. As they start a new life in the house, they realize that the house has many dark secrets inside that.

Reading this book gave me a feeling of as if I was watching a horror movie. Christy's relationship with her father, his abusive nature was interesting to read, How Paul hires a psychic to see if there are "dark" ghosts in the house was also interesting. The vivid descriptions of the house gave a creeping sense that you could actually as a reader feel like you are also in the haunted house with the characters as well. Both Chrisy and Paul have many flaws as characters. There were some twists and turns. Overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book and since this is the first time I am reading from this author, I am looking forward to read more.

Worth four stars!

Mnay thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Lingering by Chris Coppel was a haunted house tale, although the narrative was broken up a bit differently than most haunted tales.

The first part of the book we get Paul’s perspective of the haunting at Croft House. Christy goes home to care for her ailing and horribly abusive father after a stroke. We go back and forth in these two narratives. I enjoyed this a lot as the reader was immersed in the character and I felt tied to both Paul and Christy.

The second part they are back together at Croft house with the entity that haunts it. Because we learned so much about them as individuals, I felt it made them stronger as they came together to deal with the haunting.

I also have the mention Maggie the Labrador. She was a wonderful character all on her own.

Fans of horror, haunted houses and deep characters will really enjoy this book.

First up, thanks for allowing me to read this one. Sadly, I am DNF-ing it at 18% and I don't know how I got that far.

A BIG BIG reason why I couldn't continue: Christy and her dad. I would have loved some fucking Trigger Warnings so I would have known to NOT read the book. Because sexual assault, paedophilia? Avoid at all costs. And we get a pretty graphic scene in this book, not to mention several other scenes that just made my skin crawl and made me feel horrible. I just don't get why Christy would do this to herself.

Also, just to mention: If my dog/pet would act differently because I visited a place? Pooped on my clothes? Whined/barked? And if there was a room of 7 feet between walls? Bye bye house. I have read/seen too many horror shows to know where this may be going. XD

I liked the Lingering, it was an interesting gothic style ghost story and the characters worked but I did find that it read abit like a debut novel with a simplistic dialogue and it’s a shame that there were so many references to Covid as I feel this will date the story quite quickly, but I will look out for future books from Chris Coppel.

Wow, just wow - perfectly creepy! This story danced up and down my spine, giving me the heebie jeebies.
Paul and Christy are looking to move out of their apartment in the city and find a quite home to call their own. They are excited when they find a charming older home in the woods that feels warm and loving. However, once they move in with their dog, Maggie, they realize that they are not alone - and the story takes you on a ride from there.
I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end - I couldn't put it down. I was looking for a story that would give me a scare and this book delivered.
Now to check out Chris Coppel's back list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Millner Publishers for this ARC.
Release Date scheduled for June 28, 2022.

I really wanted to like this book but using ideas from iconic horror films for me was a cop out. Where was this authors own imagination in this book. I was so disappointed. I am sure other readers will enjoy it more just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

When Paul and Christy decide to buy a house, little did they know what they were getting into. Paul was the first to experience the entity in the house. He was not sure if he was having hallucinations. Meanwhile, Christy was putting closure on her life. She was glad that her father had passed and was looking forward to moving on with her life. When gets to the new house, she experiences some haunting activity before Paul can tell her what has transpired. The hire a medium to help and the situation only gets worse. This book was really good. If you want to know what happens, the. You must read this book.

This was my first book by this author and I am pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not easily scared and this book was not scary in any sense to me (I just love horror and ghost stories), but that doesn't mean it won't scare the pants off of someone else.

This is a classic gothic ghost story centering around a spirit-filled house that has been around for centuries with all these quirky add-ons bought by a couple who found it to be in their price range making an easy sell.

When Paul and Christy purchase Croft House, they are both looking forward to a new start. Christy’s abusive father is dying and she is ready to put the past well and truly behind her. But the house has other ideas. They soon realise there is something in the house, something that’s trying to communicate with them. In their fear, they ask a local psychic to remove this entity. And in so doing, release something far, far worse.

I loved this book so much. It totally blew my mind. From beginning to end it was a thrill ride. So chilling and tense… Outstanding!

This is my fourth read by the author, which I suppose makes me at least something of a fan. At least, there’s a quality control and certain expectations established. Coppel doesn’t exactly do literary horror to wow you, but he does genre’s midrange pretty well.
This book is probably his least horrific out of the ones I’ve read; it has a certain mildness of tone, a certain quaintness of all-age-appropriateness, but it’s still a pretty entertaining read. Coppel does very well with describing day-to-day activities in an engaging manner, and so here you get to follow a married couple on their step-by-step journey of acquiring their dream house, finding out it’s haunted (because, of course) and then trying to sort out their ghosts.
The haunted house scenario, is of course nothing new, and Coppel’s only original takes on the granddaddy genre staple is doubling down the haunt itself and introducing a friendly (not Casper) ghost.
At times the overall quaintness and PG-ratedness of the tone overwhelms the BOO quality, but there are a few scenes of hallucinations gone rogue and creepiness that really work. Plus, like all Coppel’s books, it’s such a quick and easy read, that you’re probably not going to want your time back. Not the author’s best, by far, but…some fun was had. Thanks Netgalley.

*Thank you to Cranthorpe Milner, Chris Coppel, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Previously published at https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/lingering/

“A day will come when certain antiques and old homes will be able to play sounds and voices of our past like record players. Technology will scan the grooves embedded within them as mediums can do without it.”

― Lorin Morgan-Richards

I first became a fan of Chris Coppel when I read The Lodge, where the animals in a hunting lodge come to life, in 2020. I loved it so much that I kept an eye out for his next book. Luckily, Lingering did not disappoint! It is as creepy and atmospheric as his last one, with the added bonus of a haunted house in the English countryside.

Paul and Christy Chappell, slightly sidelined by the Covid pandemic, have been looking for a house for the better part of a year. Despite their rather large budget, they are priced out of any offers. Their real estate agent calls with a listing that has been on the market for a while, Croft House. Croft House is a 16th century cottage with a hodgepodge of extensions and modifications, reminding the reader of a smaller Winchester mystery house. There are several things that strike them as odd, such as there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the additions. There is a lovely comforting feel to the house and while hesitant at first, especially after being told the house is not for everyone, they decide to purchase it, despite the repairs it needs.

Christy’s long estranged father has had a stroke, and though she has no kind or loving thoughts towards him, after suffering years of abuse at his hand, she must take care of him as no facilities are accepting patients because of Covid. The horror of what went on in her childhood home is much scarier than the haunted house they just bought. But Paul must move into the house on his own until she has found a solution for her father. Almost as soon as he moves in, strange things start happening. Why does the mirror steam up in all but one place? Why does the cutlery drawer open on its own? Why is Maggie, their beloved dog, obsessed with the loft-like attic?

I read this book entirely in one sitting. It was so hard to put down. It is all the things you want in a horror book; dark, disturbing, and creepy. There is one scene with cockroaches which suddenly became my worst nightmare. I haven’t read a good haunted house story in a long time and this one was perfect. Coppel’s characters are all strong, with emphatic opinions and completely relatable. The reader feels like if this can happen to a couple like the Chappells, it can happen to anyone.

Do not read this book in the dark! Trigger warnings include incest and rape.

Lingering
By: Chris Coppel

This was my first book by this author and I am pleased to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not easily scared and this book was not scary in any sense to me (I just love horror and ghost stories), but that doesn't mean it won't scare the pants off someone else. This is a classic gothic ghost story centering around a spirit-filled house that has been around for centuries with all these quirky add-ons bought by a couple who found it to be in their price range making an easy sell. The characters Paul and Chrissie each come with their own background stories, mainly Chrissie with her disturbing history of childhood/adolescent sexual assault at the hands of her abusive father which comes to play later in the book as the dark spirit in the house uses their fears against them. I found the book was a really good read that slowly developed into a nice little thrill ride towards the end when the spirits and the homeowners come to head. There is a dark element to the story with the history of abuse and murder, a little humor, great descriptive scenes but not too over the top making it unrealistic (if you consider ghosts and spirits realistic), and overall I found it to be a very enjoyable good old fashioned haunted house type story and I absolutely adored the ending.

When Paul and Christy purchase Croft House, they are both looking forward to a new start. Christy’s abusive father is dying and she is ready to put the past well and truly behind her. But the house has other ideas. They soon realise there is something in the house, something that’s trying to communicate with them.
In their fear, they ask a local psychic to remove this entity. And in so doing, release something far, far worse. Loved, loved this book. It totally blew my mind. From beginning to end it was a thrill ride. So chilling and tense… Outstanding!

I absolutely LOVED my first read by this author. It was a pulse pounding thrill ride, that not only kept me bitting my nails but scared the heck out of me at times as well. I enjoyed the twists n turns and dark side of this book. It's a wickedly scary idea for a ghost to be able to read your mind and then project your greatest fears before your eyes. I was literally sitting here thinking omg what would I do? How could I survive that, I would be a crumbling mass of uselessness! This author Chris Coppel has a gift for drawing you in on the first page and setting the hook! He made me feel for and Care about his two main characters to the point where I was giving them advice vocally and telling them what not to do, warning them & crossing my fingers that their happily ever after was in the cards so to speak.
I would totally recommend this book to anyone who likes a supernatural story, a great horror story or a good old fashioned ghost story, but most importantly to anyone who enjoys a little adrenaline rush when they are reading! I will definitely be giving this a 5/5 and I just hope my review has done his amazing book justice, I will definitely be looking to check out more books he has written due to how impressed I was with this one. I would like to thank Cranthorpe Millner Publishers & the author Chris Coppel as well as NetGalley for allowing me the honor of this ARC. #Lingering @NetGalley @CranthorpeBooks

Paul and Christy have finally found a home they love - it's a little quirky, with multiple add-ons over the centuries that don't quite match the original, but this is the home for them. While Christy is away battling her own demons and caring for her ailing father, Paul begins to notice something isn't quite right...

Lingering is a great new gothic novel where the house definitely stands out as its own character. The dual perspective shifts give us insight into both Paul and Christy while they are both adjusting to the... eccentricities... of the house. This book was captivating and drew me in immediately. I love a good ghost story and Coppel delivered. I loved that the house on its own feels so warm and inviting, but houses such a dark spirit inside.

Keeping this from a 5 star read for me was the use of Christy's trauma as a plot device, and also her main personality trait. Honestly I found both Christy and Paul's character description lacking, but perhaps that was intentional so that readers focus on the house and its haunting. Specifically with Christy though, it felt like she was the recipient of severe trauma just for the set up of the later, more malicious haunting. There was also absolutely no reason for a memory flashback with graphic details of her father sexually assaulting her. Major content warning for anyone who is thinking of picking this book up. The story was great and had so many amazing elements of horror, but I don't see myself rereading it in a few years.

Paul and Christy are house hunting and having no luck, until they come upon Croft House, which is located on some acreage, and makes me think of the Winchester Mystery House.
Several things seem odd straight out of the gate. What is with the odd edition? Why is this massive house available for such a low price? What is meant by the house not being to everyone’s taste?
The couple must separate for a time as Christy must return to her childhood home to take care of her invalid father. There were true horrors that took place in that house, but on another level.
Paul must move into the house on his own until Christy returns. Odd things start to pick up the pace. Who or what keeps opening the cupboard and cutlery drawer? What is with the steamed up bathroom mirror? What is going on with the attic? What is going on in Paul’s dreams?
The book description is what drew me to this initially. Also, I haven’t read a good horror story in a very long time. From page one, I was hooked. I became invested in Paul and Christy’s lives very quickly. Perhaps because I also recently bought a house. I had a very hard time putting this down.
Prior to reading this book, I had never heard of Chris Coppel. After reading this book, I will be looking for others by this author.

Having never heard of Chris Coppel before, it was the book description that grabbed me and the fact that I haven’t read a horror in a while. From page one, I was gripped. Every good horror needs to do that.
The signs are there for the reader. I found myself yelling at the pages about the low price, the old man telling them "the house isn’t for everyone" and more. I found myself examining their characters closely. How could a woman go to her father after what he did? How could the husband let her?
Once our characters had moved in , our author upped the ante. The horror stepped up a pace and I was gripped through the pages as the scary entities took hold.
This book is written in a unique style. Different elements of the story and how they’re told make you doubt yourself and flick back a page. Was Paul asleep? Is he dreaming?

I loved this book. I will be reading more of Mr Coppels work.

This book was the right amount of horror. By which I mean not over the top, enough to scare the reader by picturing things. With a brilliant ending.

I love dark reads so this was definitely right up my street and I read it in one sitting. Dark, disturbing, creepy and gothic with an incredibly oprressive atmosphere. I have always found woods/forests creppy places which is probably why I love them so much. Especially cabins in the woods where imaginations can run wild and the things that happen in this book are entirely possible. A gripping read.