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The Year of Past Things: A New Orleans Ghost Story
Award-winning chef Phil Randazzo, owner of the trendy Tasso Restaurant in New Orleans, and his new wife, Michelle, are as happy as can be. Michelle's kids, Cam and Nicole, want Phil to be their new father even though they still miss their first dad, A. P. Savoie, a popular Cajun musician who died in a car crash. But it's hard for Phil to concentrate because weird things are The cat suddenly has the ability to walk through locked doors, and the ghost of A. P. Savoie appears at will. Savoie's presence becomes stronger and stronger until the couple asks for help- psychics, exorcists, and local "experts" are consulted, yet no one can save Phil from this pesky ghost. Phil knows that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, but he's not ready to meet his maker yet.
362 pages, Paperback
First published January 10, 2005
46 people are currently reading
574 people want to read
About the author
M.A. Harper
13 books16 followersM. A. Harper drew pictures all during her childhood and was pretty good at it, but none of them seemed complete without a caption. When she went to Tulane University to study art, her professors praised her technical ability but labeled her an "illustrator". Wrong. She was really a novelist. Her books have been named to the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers program as well as the BookSense '76 list, and she's the author of the online FAINT GLOW BLOG as well.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 21, 2014
This was stunningly good. Deep and thoughtful and with some great moments that had me in tears. My only quibble is that I downloaded it as: "Ghost in the Bedroom",(which doesn't appear on GR) and yet it seems to have several titles which I find not only confusing but also irritating.
However, that does not detract from the beauty of this novel. The beginning is a little slow, and the reader is left to work things out for themselves, (far more preferable to the usual 'info-dump' beloved by some authors) but once into the story it flows smoothly and with enough tension to keep me reading on, desperate to find out what happens in the end. I won't give anything away, but the end was totally unexpected and yet also fairly obvious once you thought about it.
There was one moment in the story when I realised this was going to be five stars.
I was going to give this 4 stars (mostly because of the sheer difficulty finding this on Goodreads!). but I will read it again and with just as much enjoyment, so it gets 5.
However, that does not detract from the beauty of this novel. The beginning is a little slow, and the reader is left to work things out for themselves, (far more preferable to the usual 'info-dump' beloved by some authors) but once into the story it flows smoothly and with enough tension to keep me reading on, desperate to find out what happens in the end. I won't give anything away, but the end was totally unexpected and yet also fairly obvious once you thought about it.
There was one moment in the story when I realised this was going to be five stars.
I was going to give this 4 stars (mostly because of the sheer difficulty finding this on Goodreads!). but I will read it again and with just as much enjoyment, so it gets 5.
June 11, 2013
I love anything written where it is set in Louisiana. Throw in a ghost and best book for me. However this book was just plain confusing, snore fest, it ended with me not understanding the point of this book. So many little things "wrong" with the plot. But I am a reader where I read through to the end and finish. This one, I should have stopped.
July 23, 2014
Here's a book review on M.A. Harper's novel, "Louisiana Ghost Story." It's available on Kindle. Annette and I have been friends for many years. Her writing is amazing!
In an era that pours out zombie or vampire stories du jour, it's refreshing to sit down and read an old-fashioned ghost story. Much like sitting at an old wooden bar and imbibing traditional cocktails with a twist of lime or onions or olives rather than sugary swill while suffering on an over-crowded cruise.
Traditional cocktails are fine mixtures of taste, texture and collected memories best savored with sips, conversation and the knowledge that our reality and resulting stories are best told with devotion to context, foreshadowing, mixed (sometimes shaken) with the never-ending glimpse of the unknown, though ever sought after snippet of other worldly things, spirits and lost loved ones.
Enter M.A. Harper's masterpiece, "Louisiana Ghost Stories."
Harper, author of "The Worst Day of My Life, So Far," a harrowing and detailed account of parental Alzheimer's, places her readers into contemporary New Orleans where we meet newly weds Phil Randazzo and his widowed wife Michelle and children from previous marriages. On the surface, not a bad way to enter the next phase of life.
Remember, we're in New Orleans. A city and culture with a refined distinction for meandering streets and stories, well-developed personalities (known and unknown), marvelous legends and myths few American cities can imitate, much less claim. The city is breath-taking in its natural and man-made beauty, though the essence of the community reminds us that all we are witnessing is transcendental and can disappear by force of nature or the paranormal.
Slipping in and out of their lives is the otherworldly spirit of Michelle's late husband, A.S. Savoie. I won't divulge any additional details of the story; however, Harper's use of language, character development and literary pacing mixes a complex and delightful literary cocktail spilling readers onto the edge of their seats from the first pour til the closing page.
The messages of this book are thought provoking, frightening, mixing ingredients for readers to savor: what is life? Why are we contacted by loved-ones who have passed on? And why are the vagaries of visitations so widely disparaging?
Sip, don't gulp "Louisiana Ghost Stories." Hell, step away for a day or two to let the story ruminate in your mind. Then return, thirsty for more. And sip a while longer.
You won't be disappointed.
In an era that pours out zombie or vampire stories du jour, it's refreshing to sit down and read an old-fashioned ghost story. Much like sitting at an old wooden bar and imbibing traditional cocktails with a twist of lime or onions or olives rather than sugary swill while suffering on an over-crowded cruise.
Traditional cocktails are fine mixtures of taste, texture and collected memories best savored with sips, conversation and the knowledge that our reality and resulting stories are best told with devotion to context, foreshadowing, mixed (sometimes shaken) with the never-ending glimpse of the unknown, though ever sought after snippet of other worldly things, spirits and lost loved ones.
Enter M.A. Harper's masterpiece, "Louisiana Ghost Stories."
Harper, author of "The Worst Day of My Life, So Far," a harrowing and detailed account of parental Alzheimer's, places her readers into contemporary New Orleans where we meet newly weds Phil Randazzo and his widowed wife Michelle and children from previous marriages. On the surface, not a bad way to enter the next phase of life.
Remember, we're in New Orleans. A city and culture with a refined distinction for meandering streets and stories, well-developed personalities (known and unknown), marvelous legends and myths few American cities can imitate, much less claim. The city is breath-taking in its natural and man-made beauty, though the essence of the community reminds us that all we are witnessing is transcendental and can disappear by force of nature or the paranormal.
Slipping in and out of their lives is the otherworldly spirit of Michelle's late husband, A.S. Savoie. I won't divulge any additional details of the story; however, Harper's use of language, character development and literary pacing mixes a complex and delightful literary cocktail spilling readers onto the edge of their seats from the first pour til the closing page.
The messages of this book are thought provoking, frightening, mixing ingredients for readers to savor: what is life? Why are we contacted by loved-ones who have passed on? And why are the vagaries of visitations so widely disparaging?
Sip, don't gulp "Louisiana Ghost Stories." Hell, step away for a day or two to let the story ruminate in your mind. Then return, thirsty for more. And sip a while longer.
You won't be disappointed.
February 3, 2017
When New Orleans chef Phil Randazzo married Michelle, a widow with two children, he knew he would be taking on the role of stepfather. He didn't realize, however, that the ghost of Michelle's former husband, musician A.P. Savoie, would be a part of their relationship, also, both figuratively and literally. A.P. and Michelle had had a very rocky relationship, until the last few years before he died, when things finally seemed to be working out between them. Then A.P. was killed in a car accident, and the family has been trying to recover and adjust ever since. When Phil starts seeing apparitions of A.P., and both he and Michelle begin having strange dreams, they decide to see a psychic. They are able to connect with A.P. through the psychic, but are unsure if the messages they are receiving are threatening or helpful in some way.
This is a slowly unfolding ghost story about a family going through a very intense time in their lives over the course of a few months in 1996 / 1997. I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing if the ghost was trying to be harmful or helpful, and trying to determine the purpose of his visits and attempts at communication.
This is a slowly unfolding ghost story about a family going through a very intense time in their lives over the course of a few months in 1996 / 1997. I enjoyed the suspense of not knowing if the ghost was trying to be harmful or helpful, and trying to determine the purpose of his visits and attempts at communication.
June 30, 2008
I was intrigued by the premise of a modern ghost story set in New Orleans. While the book does include the local color of the New Orleans restaurant scene, many locations in the city and annual events like Mardi Gras, it seemed that the author is merely sprinkling these details and events about the book in a forced way to make New Orleans a part of the story.
I was hoping for a genuinely spooky story of a modern haunting and got a book that was more about the problems faced by a newly hitched middle-aged couple when they attempt to blend their families from previous marriages. In the hands of another writer, the combination of ghost story and family drama might have been potent but the haunting aspects of the tale weren't thrilling or eerie and I didn't find the main characters or their issues very compelling.
I was hoping for a genuinely spooky story of a modern haunting and got a book that was more about the problems faced by a newly hitched middle-aged couple when they attempt to blend their families from previous marriages. In the hands of another writer, the combination of ghost story and family drama might have been potent but the haunting aspects of the tale weren't thrilling or eerie and I didn't find the main characters or their issues very compelling.
September 16, 2013
I thought the book was more about a grieving family getting beyond the guilt and family dynamics of losing a husband and father and the transition of being able to accept what had happened, establish good memories and to move on to new experiences and an extended family.
January 14, 2009
Promising but not quite as engaging as I had hoped. I somehow never quite good hooked into the story. And I didn't really appreciate the cameo appearance of a certain New Orleans writer, or sex with ( not in) a hot tub. Neither did much for me and didn't do much to move the plot along. By the time the twists and turns of the plot came along, I just didn't care. And as someone who has a life threatening allergy myself, I can't believe that Kerri's peanut allergy was just an "oops! We forgot to mention it.!" Her father is a chef, for heaven's sake! You don't "forget things like that and stay in business.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2016
Loved it SO much!
I loved this book, #3 in the Jolie Blonde series, just as I loved the two before it. Loved the setting, New Orleans, as well as the characters, some from the previous book, along with some new ones. The writing flows so smoothly and the story line and the people are captivating. Did not want to put it down. The writer handled the supernatural aspects in a believable manner, and I eapecially enjoyed the interactions with the Psychic. I highly recommend reading the 3 books in sequential order, to get the feel of the characters and their enduring love. Sad at times, but overall good endings. If you like romance, suspense and ghost stories, this is for you!
I loved this book, #3 in the Jolie Blonde series, just as I loved the two before it. Loved the setting, New Orleans, as well as the characters, some from the previous book, along with some new ones. The writing flows so smoothly and the story line and the people are captivating. Did not want to put it down. The writer handled the supernatural aspects in a believable manner, and I eapecially enjoyed the interactions with the Psychic. I highly recommend reading the 3 books in sequential order, to get the feel of the characters and their enduring love. Sad at times, but overall good endings. If you like romance, suspense and ghost stories, this is for you!
December 5, 2014
Phillip and Michelle married to start over as much as because they were in love, but the past isn’t that easy to leave behind. Bad dreams and odd visions may be the stuff of legend in New Orleans, but they’re becoming a constant reminder to Phillip of Michelle’s 1st husband, killed in an auto accident just 2 years earlier. A chilling ghost story, this is also an exploration of what it means to survive and forgive in relationships and life. Ultimately a love story on many levels, not just Phillip and Michelle’s, and a very satisfying one.
August 14, 2013
Beautifully written, bubbling feelings of anxiety and tension, unease always simmering below the surface. All the things I look for in a ghost story. Highly appreciate the author's deft hand with description and character development. Also, while there is some sexual content and adult language, it doesn't leave me offended and feeling assaulted by tactless smut. This is what modern literature is all about. Read it!
July 22, 2013
This wasn't the kind of ghost story I was expecting. It was, however, a story of love, family, and the attachment we have to those who have passed. The story kept me interested from start to finish, and the ending was totally unexpected. The characters were all believable. You cared about them, and anticipated their actions. I would recommend this book to my friends.
September 6, 2011
I am a lover of all things New Orleanian and of food/restaurants, but not at all of the supernatural, nevertheless I really liked this book. I cared about the characters and New Orleans was so recognizable.
May 25, 2013
I rather enjoyed this book even though I don't usually read ghost stories. And speaking of which ...the title I read this under was "Louisiana Ghost Story." Confused when I searched for that title and this came up, but the synopsis was right. I guess a title change happened....
June 29, 2013
Interesting plot, well-developed characters and a smashing good ending. I loved the interplay between Michelle, Phil, & the ghost. I came to care about them and their family. Excellent mystery with supernatural element. Good story about blended families!
July 28, 2013
As a native New Orleanian, I loved all of the accurate references to all things local to the city...MA obviously knows us well. Loved the plot and enjoyed the positive nature of the supernatural occurrences.
October 31, 2014
Let down
I was expecting ghost story but could not keep on reading. I did not like the cuss words either. The book description sounded interesting but the story was wordy and boring.
I was expecting ghost story but could not keep on reading. I did not like the cuss words either. The book description sounded interesting but the story was wordy and boring.
July 16, 2018
Did not think I would like this and then as the story began to unfold and I could see what was happening and imagine what was going to happen, I could not put it down!! Very clever writing. Cried a little. Good read.
April 29, 2008
The perfect prelude to our annual trip to New Orleans for Jazzfest. A very good ghost story expanded into novel form.
October 26, 2009
There's a ghost story to get the adrenaline pumping. But there's also a story about a couple starting thier second marriage and learning how to do it right.
June 3, 2012
Very interesting book about paranormal events set in New Orleans. At times you have to think about what the author is trying to get you to think about for the afterlife.
June 5, 2013
Very disappointing. I kept waiting for it to make some sense, to become scary, for me to understand the characters and it just never happened.
June 27, 2013
A little slow in places and but when it gets rolling, a very enjoyable read!
January 23, 2014
It had moments I really enjoyed, but overall it never really came together for me. Unnecessary build up to not much. Never connected with any of the characters.
November 9, 2014
Intense
I couldn't stop reading this book. grabbed my attention and held on. even though it was sad I enjoyed it.
I couldn't stop reading this book. grabbed my attention and held on. even though it was sad I enjoyed it.
November 9, 2014
Wordy
it was very unsatisfactory for me. way too descriptive,not enough action. the descriptions?......reality? fantasy? dreams? I was very confused throughout.
it was very unsatisfactory for me. way too descriptive,not enough action. the descriptions?......reality? fantasy? dreams? I was very confused throughout.
March 22, 2018
Not for me
This book simply didn't keep me interested. If any of the characters were likable or a plot that moved may have kept me reading but 25 % is the best I could do
This book simply didn't keep me interested. If any of the characters were likable or a plot that moved may have kept me reading but 25 % is the best I could do
May 6, 2015
Interesting but confused about the name change & indication it was 2 in a trilogy - no 1 written after & the third being written...nice conclusive ending though
May 17, 2013
Wow! What a great read. Loved it.
November 20, 2013
Not a scary ghost story at all. Very good story line! Enjoyed the book a lot !
July 25, 2018
So in my opinion..... I loved the start of the book, was intrigued with some of the potential plot lines and liked the writing, once I got over the jarring NOLA accents mixed with Texan accents. By the middle of the book, I was excited, then I got so lost, there was no way for the book to get me back.... I ended reading the book, confused about the plot line of the story and wondering where it all went so wrong.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews