For Sale: Old Manor House

by Merabeth James

Gothic collides head-on with 21st century high tech in the isolated Cornish manor house hunkered on the cliffs above the restless sea, where the dead have their own plans for the living, as American paranormal investigator, Caitlin McLeod, is about to find out, when she accepts the assignment of ‘debunking’ a haunting at Mor Alys Manor. Growing up with paranormal entities in all shapes, sizes and species in the Victorian mansion of her eccentric Aunt Penelope Trevelyan, who probably would have been burnt as a witch in another time, Caitlin had been told countless times that she was fated to travel to Cornwall “when the time is right” and find? Her aunt had said it would be love with a happy ending, but Caitlin had her doubts. So far, she hadn’t found any man she was willing to spend more than a few hours with let alone a lifetime. But when she opens the letter from Thane Edmunds requesting her help, she feels a strange, intense pull that shoots a shiver of awareness through her entire being. Deep down, all the way to her toes, she knows the time was finally “right” and destiny had come banging on her door. Caitlin’s knack for ghost hunting had started in her college years, when she founded North East Paranormal Investigative Services, largely to protect her Goth friend and then roommate, Moira Smoot, from her own inept dabblings in the occult…something that had almost cost her more than her life. Since then, rules had been set up to help guard their safety in a setting, where anything could happen. Rules an excited Caitlin seems to forget, when she arrives in Cornwall ahead of her team and disregards NEPIS’ first rule of ghost hunting….”never go in alone”… by driving out to the site for a quick look around before night fall. Expecting a caretaker, she is disappointed to find the dilapidated manor locked up tight and no one there, at least no one living, for she senses more than one pair of ghostly eyes witness her arrival. Circling the outside, listening to the pound of the surf on the rocks below the cliffs, she finds the lock broken on the kitchen door and enters. Looking around the fast darkening, cavernous room, she notices that a cot had been set up in one corner and the swing door to the rest of the manor both padlocked and painted with a crudely drawn red cross. Knowing that can’t be good…knowing she should get her keister out of there, but fast, and head back to the safety of the village, she finds herself battling an inexplicable compulsion to spend the night…and losing. All alone in the dark, she begins to think she may have made a “horror”ble mistake, when she senses not only the usual ghosts and spirits that go ‘bump in the night’, but also the distant presence of Colin, the long dead fifth Earl of Eastwythe, now a restless incubus who plots to ensnare her in his delicious web of dark sexuality, since feeding his lust has been his sole antidote to an eternity he finds both “ducedly boring” and very lonely. But, listening to Caitlin moving about in the kitchen from his attic lair, he feels a twinge of conscience and decides to leave her “unmolested”…at least for the night. And so Caitlin, wrapping herself in the comforting memories of the past…cold…hungry…and more than a little scared, waits out the long, dark night unaware she has been given a short reprieve. One that Colin already regrets. But when Thane Edmunds arrives in the morning, and hears Caitlin knocking out the hinge pins in his kitchen door in order to satisfy yet another compulsion to see the rest of the manor before she leaves for the village, the atmosphere heats up quickly in the old manor.

Genres: Romance, Supernatural, Paranormal

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2011

About the author

I began my actual writing career as a journalist and then a TV scriptwriter, but loved putting words together to form images/thoughts/feelings almost as soon as I could grasp a pencil.
There are six things important to me...well, most important to me: To love unconditionally, to always keep a sense of 'wonder', to always be kind, to find joy in simple things, to never take myself too seriously, and to make sure I don't leave this earth with a list of "if only I hads" trailing behind me.
I've taken many 'leaps of faith' in my time and, so far, have landed on my feet or, in one case, on a dilapitated houseboat with my dog, and a lot of enthusiasm. I named her 'Sanctuary Annie' and hoped for the best. I knew nothing about boats, couldn't swim and wondered how long she would stay afloat.
In the middle of the night, when my dog jumped up to join me on the antique Victorian bed I had moved on board, I would check to see if he was wet, knowing, if so, we were both in big trouble. But Sanctuary Annie hung in there, even surviving a hurricane, when others around her were not so fortunate.
Living in the small marina, with the sea as my back yard, I found a profound sense of peace..and the love of my life....my Jim, captain of 'Wings', a beautiful racing sloop that flies across the water, when the wind fills her sails.
I often think how much I would have missed out on, if I hadn't taken that leap of faith and followed my heart. Life is meant to be lived and I intend to keep on doing just that.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I liked the story but I was lucky to find a single correct sentence - author needs a class in basic punctuation. I wasn't gane to review this book on Amazon as the author's friends attack people who say the book needs editing. It sure does need punctuation! I did like the story, but it was hard to read with the dreadful lack of even the most simple punctuation.

[BookAddict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story - not my usual genre. A light romance/ghost story with likable characters and a flavor of "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir." Caitlin McLeod goes to Cornwall to find out whether a manor house is haunted or not and meets the handsome owner and the sexy ghost. As a grammar nut the comma craziness," mis-spellings and really long run-on sentences made me nuts but it all got a little better towards the middle of the book so I could relax. This is a good summer beach read. I will probably read more of Merabeth James.

[L.W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this book. I liked the whole ghost hunting premise. I liked the house description and where it was located. I liked the energy, good and bad...it was a fun read.

AND...I really liked the twist at the end.

[Sarah Collier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bleck. While I enjoyed the descriptions of the house and Cornwall, the characters were flat and uninteresting.

[Linda Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very exciting ghostly story

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and love the characters … except for a couple that are definitely ones you dislike. Kept my interest really well and it’s definitely worth reading. Off to read the next book!!!

[Laura Surman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gothic romance?

This story was a bit of a hidden gem! With a lot of character description and a few grammatical errors, you are transformed into a world where ghosts and humans live side by side! Must read to find out who finds love first, the ghost or the girl!

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful

Merabeth James what a wonderful story. It was funny, sad ( made me cry a bit) laugh and fall in love with amazing characters.

[Jenna Scribbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 - Could Have Been Great

I was in the mood for a ghost story with a touch of romance. This title definitely has both elements. I'd say there is more focus on romance.

Ms. James can write nice, friendly characters. I liked everyone. I think I even liked the bad guys. :) There are even a few animals to love.

Things started to fall apart for me around 40%. There are so many punctuation errors I was becoming frustrated once I hit the halfway point. The pacing of the story was slow in a few places. Wordy. Wandering. So my rating falls closer to a 3.5.

This is a fun romance with a pleasant cast of people and spirits. I sure hope this author discovers an editor and maybe a skilled beta reader to help her tighten things up. She has talent. Her stories are close to being great.

[Gigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book a higher rating but for a few things. First, this is a really easy and quick read. Great for a vacation. Don't expect more than that. Second, the typos drove me crazy, as did the way the Kindle spaced some of the sentences. Lastly, it was a fun story. Who doesn't like the idea of a haunted castle? I just wish the author had flushed out the story more and added some depth. And if the main character can see ghosts, I thought it odd that once she arrived in England, she didn't "let herself?" see them until her friends arrived. A week later. But I will definitely give this author another try.

[Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was a disappointment, it was more romance than learning the truth aboutthe mystery surrounding Colin and Sarabeth. Caitlin McLeod and Thane Edmunds meet under the pretext of learning if his old manor house is actually haunted. Of course, Thane and Caitlin go at it and then wind up having sex. They fall in love then play cat and mouse until Caitlin's life is in danger. Of course, you can figure out who the bad person is and ho hum it drags on to its final conclusion. Briefly we are told about Colin and Sarabeth, only to explain Colin's presence in the house. The story of Colin and Sarabeth would have made a better story than the romance of Thane and Caitlin.

[Melanie Pietrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

starts off Extremely slow, picking up about 1/3 of the way through and it only get better from there. I'm so glad that Colin finds his Sarabeth, and that Pamela is found to be the wack-a-doodle I had hoped she'd turn out to be! Love the ending... Thane & Caitlin a great match I must say, and how fitting to name their first child Colin!

[Nanci de Suffren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This storyline is in many books but it's not the beginning and ending that makes the story fun, it's the twists and turns in the middle. I enjoyed the characters, live and ghostly and the exchange between the "lord of the manor" and the independent, no nonsense woman.

[BuDom · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was a fun read but I can't help feel that maybe I missed things. Here and there whole sentences (or maybe even paraghraphs) were missing. So I pretty much assummed through some of the story.
The love stories in it are cute though.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this 2 book series. It was fun, exciting, scary in parts and made me cry in parts. I wish the story continued.... I've read them three times and I guarantee there will be a fourth reread of these books. 😁❣️

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It was a fun easy read. It had ghosts and ghost hunting and evil entities and good friends. She fell hard for the right man and became friends with an unlikely ghost.

[Mysterygal3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ready had me on my toes, lots of twist and turn's A great read!! I just load my kindle with her other three books. Happy reading y'all

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now one of my favorite books that I have read. It is a romance but with a hint of ghosts going about. Loved it!

[Giselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not one to read paranormal books, this one captured my attention from the beginning. Some parts took too long to get through, but I enjoyed the story. Will look for other books by this author.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book, and tho I had my suspicaians about a certain female charecter I never saw that comming! what a great ending. This is a nice weekend read!

[jackie frye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun to read book. Take a haunted manor house, a dark and handsome Earl, an equally dark and handsome ghost, throw in a little mystery and romance and you have an enjoyable afternoon read.

[Ericka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read but not incredibly intellectual. I do like her stories though and recommend them to those who like this genre as I do.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book...multiple love stories...forbidden love and ghosts make this a great read. I read it in about a day (between classes and work)

[Tera (TheBookishAbyss) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple, quick story. Fun plot, but not too original. A few turns and twists, but not many surprises. I enjoyed it.

[Mary Ruth Phares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a "Fun Read"

I've actually read this book twice now - and enjoyed it both times. I like both the romance and the paranormal aspects of the book.

[Catomo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. Fun, a little mystery, some good banter, twist ending.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It was a fun ghost book set in a great location. Well worth the price.

[Coralyn]

Although this was an enjoyable read, the book blurb led me to believe it was going to go in another direction so there was an element of anti-climax to the storyline.