really enjoyed this read.
Ghost of New York book one.
As we meet NYPD Homicide Detective Maria Miller and her partner Frankie Conroy, on the trail of a large Homicide at West 10th Street a suspect in the new apartments, walking up the creaky stairs, then that coppery smell hits Maria and its not a pretty sight.
This book also takes us back in time to 1952 in West 10th Street and Emilia Carter these two stories bond together.
A powerful book that I was hooked reading, excellent right through

Well first off it’s not really a haunting, as haunting are ghosts. I didn’t get into this book until all most the middle. It starts off right away with a murder and than instantly changes narrative to a different year and person. I found it hard to keep track at first and you don’t have a chance to know who’s involved with what. Once you get into the rhythm and start to know the characters it gets easier to be involved in the story. I’m not sure if I would recommend it or not. #TheHauntingonWest10thStreet #NetGalley

Although I am not a huge fan of the Horror genre, each year I choose a horror book to read during the weeks leading up to Halloween. This year I chose The Haunting on West 10th Street, written by Helen Phifer, which is set to be published by Storm Publishing in October 2023. The story line is pretty much told by the title. The author spent a good deal of time on character development, which I appreciated. Characters were complex, strong with lots of baggage. I especially love the way she handled the protagonist Maria and her partner Frankie of the New York City Police Department. The author also did a good job of interweaving the crimes of the past with those of the present.

What the story lacked however was any real ‘scare’ factor. Yeah, the house was haunted . . . yeah, there were gruesome murders . . . and of course, there were monsters both human and non, but after closing the book all I felt was “meh”. I had no tense moments or shivers, no need to turn all the lights on, and there were no nightmares. Am I being too harsh? Maybe. But reading a horror book with no real scares is like reading a romance with no love or sex – why bother?

Rating: 2 Stars

p.s. I am grateful to the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read this Advanced Readers Copy. The opinions expressed in this unpaid book review are solely mine.

This felt really different from the other books over read by the author and I wasn't as hooked as I usually am but on saying that, her books have always been amazing so whilst this wasn't quite up there for me, it's still a really good book! I guess I just expect a lot from the author at this point lol.

I love a good creepy story that gets the hairs standing on end and this definitely I'd that! It's not scary but there's definitely creepy atmosphere but up. The characters were well written and it had a good pace, it felt quite a short book but I can't wait to see how the series plays out

This one was not my favorite read and I'm a little disappointed 😔. The blurb really got me pumped and I was so glad I was approved by Netgalley and Storm Publishing but this fell flat for me.
The characters I did not connect with. I didn't find Frankie and Maria's relationship to be realistic and the dynamic between them was off. The dialogue was a bit strange to me too and felt a little clunky. What was supposed to be scary did nothing for me unfortunately as I'm a girl who likes to be spooked when reading. I like to feel like I'm right there with the characters in all the chaos and this book did not pull me in. Although it was short it still felt like it dragged on and by the end I just wanted it to be over.
I don't like leaving reviews like this but I also need to be completely honest whilst being respectful.
I can see how others would love this but it just wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for my free eARC copy of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

A detective story with a difference, New York detectives Maria Miller and Frankie Conroy attend what is possibly the worst crime scene they've attended. And in an upmarket area of Greenwich Village, its the last place you'd expect such a heinous crime. And from the beginning there's an eerie feeling about the room. Fast forward 3 years and the detectives are tasked with trying to solve the cold case when new information comes to them, 60 years previously a similar crime happened, and the house hasn't forgotten there's a dark force operating.
This is a creepy,spine tingling paranormal thriller, It is very atmospheric and descriptive. It's very different from Helen's Morgan Brookes series and I loved it. Just don't read it in the dark. A fabulous book that's perfect for fans of the supernatural and an ideal Halloween read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced copy, I'm not obliged to leave my review

Detective Maria Miller and her partner are assisting on a cold case. Three years before, a brutal murder of a woman took place, and her head was missing. The woman was never identified. The murder took place at a house on West 10th Street.
In 1952, a murder took place that was definitely similar, a young woman killed in a house on West 10th street.
There is much more than meets the eye in these killings, a very dark and evil force is at work.

I do not like supernatural books, and did not read the blurb before accepting the book from Storm Publishers.

However, I read only during the day - yes - I am a scaredy cat!! And enjoyed the novel. I kept reminding myself that it IS a novel!!
I liked the fact that Maria and Frankie are good friends as well as partners at work, and that the feelings between them could go deeper than just a love between friends.
They trust each other and depend on each other, but I think if they get into an actual relationship, it could ruin the story line.

I recommend this book to those who like horror and supernatural books, but I don't personally want to read another one.

I love Helen Phifer's police procedurals and would prefer to read those!

Having said that I do not like supernatural books, I will still give this a 4/5 rating as it is entertaining and I liked the way the story flowed. It is a good book, even though the subject line did not appeal to me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

What a spine chilling read! Loved it. Definitely not for the faint hearted. This was my first read by Helen Phifer and most definitely not the last. She succeeded in keeping me glued to the story from the first page.

With all the ingredients for an excellent read, Detective Maria Miller stands out as the no nonsense police woman who fears nothing - except maybe to choose between the men in her life. Would love to read more about her in the future.

The brutality of the murders are horrific and the pure evil inside the haunted home will let you sleep with the lights on. It kept me on the edge of my seat. Great read!

The story was really fast paced -perhaps a little too much- but it passed the creepy vibes check. It wasn’t scary, but it was definitely a little spooky. The detective work took a back seat rather fast and the book really focused on the paranormal investigation.

Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could have. While I liked how it did its work as a first installment and set everything up for an upcoming series, the dialogues were awkward, the slang too modern for the 50’s and the resolution rather anticlimactic.

Would I read the next book? Probably. I do enjoy the author’s Morgan Brookes series and I’m a sucker for paranormal investigations. But would I recommend this book as a standalone? Most likely not, the appeal really rests on future novels.

Detective Maria Miller is used to crime scenes, but the one that she’s walked into today is enough to make her ill. It’s also strangely reminiscent of another murder that occurred 60 years earlier, with both scenes showing signs of Satan worship. Even the most experienced police officers were sickened, both then and now by the removal of body parts from the victims. There’s no way the same killer could be walking around all these years later, so is this a copycat or something from beyond this realm? An entertaining if unimaginative read.

I had shivers down my spine throughout .if you like the frightening stuff you must read this book.excellent read now.... Helen has absolutely captivated me again, loved Maria and Frankie as much as all her other characters really hope that there is more to come from these two. Really wish that I could give more than five stars as this was so amazing.

This was something really different from Helen Phifer and I really did enjoy it but also the best part is this is book 1 of a brand new series and I’m really looking forward to the next instalments.
So although this is a mystery thriller it also has a supernatural element which worked well for me and it most certainly was creepy without being a full on horror story. I loved the two main characters of Marie and Frankie both were very likeable and well written and I can’t wait to read more about the two of them and their ongoing story. The book is written in two timelines past and present with these two timelines coming together as the book drew to a very exciting conclusion.
I loved that this read was something different I raced through it and for me that’s always a sign of a great read and it was! So what more can you ask for it’s one not to be missed and a read I would highly recommend, many thanks to Helen Phifer …please write quick I need the next book !!
My thanks also to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If Helen Phifer writes it I will read it! Yet another strong start to a brilliant new series I loved it. I adored Maria and Frankie their relationship was my favourite part. This is different but a good different. I absolutely loved it

I have a feeling that I’m going to get hooked on this series. Maria and Frankie are two regular NYPD detectives who get involved in a seriously creepy case. With strong Mulder-Scully vibes, Frankie is more practical and down to earth so when Maria has disturbing feelings about their latest crime scene, he tries to investigate it as any other murder. Maria is not so sure. Along with the present day action, some chapters are set in 1952, when the horror started. There are several twists that kept me at the edge of my seat. I also enjoyed the romantic tension between Frankie and Maria. He is married, though not happily, and she may just have found the man of her dreams. Some plot points were not completely explained to my satisfaction, but I was enjoying the book so I didn’t really notice until the end. My other gripe is that the dialogues sound too British for these American characters. Those are minor details, I really loved the novel and can’t wait for the next one.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Storm Publishing!

Wow! I do not normally read books like this..this book caught my attention from the first page. Very fast and intense read. I could not put it down. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book I’ve added a bunch more of hers to my to be read list! Excited for the next!

The Haunting on West 10th Street by Helen Phifer is a supernatural crime thriller featuring Detective Maria Miller.

The story was a bit slow for me. I did really like Maria and Frankie, but I didn't like the back-and-forth with the timelines. There were a few good surprises.

When Detective Maria Miller walks up creaking stairs into the attic of the old brownstone, she senses this isn’t an ordinary crime scene.

The story started off well enough; it just got a bit tedious and slow in parts. I really like Helen Phifer's other books. This book was good, and the story was okay, I just may not be the right audience for this supernatural thriller.

I would check out more by this author, though, and I would recommend this book for those who like horror and supernatural elements. I would rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars (rounded to 4).

#TheHauntingonWest10thStreet #NetGalley @Stormbooks_co

Possible spoilers


Rounding up to three stars


Not really my cup of tea.
None it came across as believable, and I found the difference in story telling, from torn limbs, to slightly twee lunches at beginning just a bit weird.

This just didn't work for me, try as I might. The dialogue felt a little clunky, and the phraseology was awkward and didn't ring true. The relationship between the two cops didn't feel realistic to me, either. This wasn't bad or horrible, it just didn't click with me.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was a thrilling start to a new series. I would definitely categorize it more in the mystery/thriller than horror though.
It had some great surprises and the writing was very well done. It was fast paced and fun to read. I’ll for sure be keeping my eyes peeled for sequels.

I flew through the pages of this book! It has everything - mystery, suspense, plot twists and turns. Most of all, it has scares! This is not a book to read before bed. It looks like this is a planned series with Detective Miller; I’m eagerly awaiting the next one!