I loved this. It was an easy and riveting read. The characters were natural and nothing felt forced. Unfortunately the story is not a happy one, but neither is everything in life. The setting was unique and I was grateful that the time period was not modern. This would make a really great tv series.

Therapist Beatrice Bird has a gift: she sees ghosts, and after dabbling with LSD, that gift drives her away from her doctor boyfriend and seek isolation on an island off the Northern California coast. Meanwhile, a woman on the run, haunted by terrible memories and regret takes shelter on the same island. When their paths cross, at the hand of a wise religious sister, it's a chance for both to find redemption and friendship.

The novel is a gentle suspense story with a deeply-felt respect for therapy and the people working for the good of everyone. If credulity is strained –– a pair of resident cows that needs to be milked pose only the slightest of obstacles to Beatrice moving into the house –– it is at end, a <I> ghost </i> story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for my unfettered opinion!

I wouldn’t classify this under sci-fi fantasy as the publisher has done instead saying supernatural. Beatrice Bird is a psychologist who has known since childhood she has a special ability to know the unknowable about people. When we first meet Bea she’s living an isolated life on a tiny island with two cows and very few people. The story takes us back in past timelines to see her life unfold. Beautifully written with a very interesting plot this is an author I’d like to read more of her work.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was eloquent, and I felt connected to the characters. It is a very good story with creepy vibes. I enjoyed the real life tie in with real problems. I will be sure to pick up this authors other books. Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for my review. 4 star

I wasn't a huge fan of Louisa Morgan's popular novel A Secret History of Witches, but thought I would give this one a try. It wasn't my favorite, but I think it will be popular in our collection.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for this amazing opportunity to give my rating and this arc in exchange for my personal opinion on this arc which will be available November 21,2023!

Beatrice Bird has an affliction. A haunting if you will. She can see ghosts and has been able to since childhood. It has gone from just flashes to unbearable physical manifestations of ghosts so she flee everything for an island with nuns and cows. She has peace until she meets a lady who needs help. The ghosts that plague this woman and Beatrice are dark and ominous.

This was a very good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It felt historical in the way it was written even though it’s set in modern times. I connected with the characters. I really connected with the story

I love a spooky ghost story. This book has the spooky vibes with a well written story of friendship and redemption. The story drew me immediately and I couldn’t put it down.

I read and enjoyed the author's prior novels. Still, this book was a surprise. I read it in one sitting.

I was enthralled from start to finish. It is a ghost story and mystery that takes place in the 1960s-70s. At it's core it is also a story of female friendship.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I picked this book up because I had read both [book:A Secret History of Witches|33785695] and [book:The Age of Witches|51024058] by Louisa Morgan and enjoyed them both. This, to me, is the best yet!

Description:
Beatrice Bird is plagued by ghosts. It’s a gift she’s had since she was a small child. Unfortunately, it’s a gift that has grown more intense, shifting from flashes and feelings to physical manifestations she can’t escape.

In a desperate attempt for relief, Beatrice flees her home, her partner, and a psychology practice in San Francisco for a remote island with only nuns and a few cows for company. She sees as few people as she possibly can. She doesn’t call home. Then she meets Anne Iredale, a timid woman who has lost everything that matters to her.

For the first time in a long time, Beatrice's gift will be called on to help someone in need. The path to healing awaits both of them—if Beatrice can find the courage to take the first step.

My Thoughts:
The story is told from three points of view: Beatrice, Anne, and Anne's son Benjamin. The story moves between the present and past experiences of Beatric and Anne. Beatrice is a has the gift of "second sight" which allows her to see ghosts, but her gift becomes stronger to the point of overwhelming to her. She retreats to live on an island cutoff from everyone. Anne has traumatic experiences she is trying to escape and finds herself on the same island. When Beatrice and Anne are thrown together by circumstance, they each find strengths in each other to help them deal with their situations. This is a story of friendship and redemption - overcoming and dealing with difficult hurdles.

Thanks to Redhook Books through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on November 21, 2023.

I found this book to be really engaging and I loved the premise. I'm a sucker for ghost stories so this story was right up my alley. I am looking forward to reading other books by the author.

This book was nothing like what I expected from the description and I absolutely loved it. Trigger warnings for spousal and child abuse, and please take those seriously.
That said, this is Morgan is both an excellent storyteller and an excellent writer and I enthusiastically recommend THE GHOSTS OF BEATRICE BIRD to anyone who feels they can read it without becoming triggered. If you don’t understand cozy horror, this is it perfected, with real pathos, fantastic character development, and extremely thoughtful discussion of but only the supernatural but the very real horrors women face from the most dangerous of monsters: their own intimate partners.

The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird is a riveting new novel from Louisa Morgan, the acclaimed author of A Secret History of Witches. Beatrice Bird, a woman born with special empathetic abilities, flees her psychology practice to seek solace on a sparsely populated island in the Pacific Northwest. Since trying acid at the suggestion of a patient, Beatrice’s empathy has begun to manifest in the form of “ghosts” that trail behind the people she sees, and she hopes to escape the pain and turmoil of feeling other people’s trauma. When a young woman named Anne Iredale arrives on the island hoping to escape her own traumatic past, Beatrice and Anne become partners in solving a mystery which helps to bring both of the women peace.

The novel unfolds with alternating focuses on Beatrice, Anne, and Anne’s five-year-old son Benjamin. The plot bounces between the present day on the island and the women’s past experiences. Readers learn how Beatrice’s gifts develop from her childhood, and they understand Anne’s trauma through the lens of her own early experiences. Although some of the shades that Beatrice sees are ghosts, others are simply manifestations of fears and feelings that hang upon the living who have not yet processed their emotional pain. The novel is both a haunting story about two women’s lives and a commentary on the way we all carry pain with us even after we believe we have recovered.

I loved The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird. I found the characters engaging and the ideas insightful. Although Beatrice has been blessed with the fairy gift of “second sight”, the book has a real-world and true crime feel that grounds the fantasy elements in reality. The book’s message about overcoming trauma is admirable, and the relationship between the women who help each other to process the past and look toward the future is inspiring. If you like novels that delve into human psychology while offering a touch of mystery and Gothic detail, The Ghosts of Beatrice Bird is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in exchange for a fair review.

Splendid. A beautifully written and atmospheric page turner. I’ll be looking for more of Morgan’s work!

A woman’s ability to see ghosts draws her into a journey of redemption and unexpected friendship in this unforgettable story from the acclaimed author of A Secret History of Witches.

Fantastic. Louisa Morgan is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.