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Greyhaven #1
Someone in the House: A Gothic Novel of Desire, Fear, and Unearthly Passion
An English Gothic mansion, transported stone by stone to the isolated Pennsylvania hills, Grayhaven Manor calls to Anne and Kevin. Here is the ideal summer retreat—a perfect location from which to write the book they have long planned together. But there are distractions in the halls and shadows of the looming architectural wonder luring them from their work—for they are not alone. Something lives on here from Grayhaven's shocking past—something beautiful, powerful, and eerily seductive—unlocking the doors of human desire, of fear ... and unearthly passion.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
83 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Michaels
95 books692 followersBarbara Michaels was a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Elizabeth Peters, as well as under her own name.
She was born in Canton, Illinois and has written over fifty books including some in Egyptology. Dr. Mertz also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Egyptology.
She was born in Canton, Illinois and has written over fifty books including some in Egyptology. Dr. Mertz also holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Egyptology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
December 14, 2024
4 Stars
Re-read 12/13/2024
I first read this years ago, in the early 1990s, so I'd forgotten most of it. It's held up well, as Barbara Michaels, AKA Elizabeth Peters, was a talented writer.
Re-read 12/13/2024
I first read this years ago, in the early 1990s, so I'd forgotten most of it. It's held up well, as Barbara Michaels, AKA Elizabeth Peters, was a talented writer.
February 7, 2017
There are some authors who have a special something that’s hard to put your finger on, an indefinable quality that’s impossible to deny yet just as difficult to describe. Barbara Michaels is one of those authors, not necessarily a horror writer, but one who possesses instead a more gothic style that’s rich with mystery, legend, and history. I have read most of her books, and am ashamed to say I haven’t reviewed one until now. Turning over a new leaf, I figured I’d start with my more recent re-read there’s something about Michaels that is easily re-readable Someone in the House.
As is characteristic with almost all her books under this pen name (she writes under three), Someone in the House centers around an old house. Anne, an average looking, young school teacher, accompanies her friend Kevin to his parent’s new house, a place bought from lottery winnings Grayhaven Manor. The elderly couple is on vacation for the summer and need someone to watch the place for them. The two figure this peace and quiet would be the perfect opportunity to work on their co-authored textbook together, but of course work never really gets done. Once they arrive at the beautiful, English Gothic mansion, strange things ensue quickly. Aunt Bea comes to stay with the young couple after a recent divorce, and with her new boyfriend Roger, all four of them veer off into different paths surrounding the mysteries of the old house.
First it’s noticed that Kevin seems to have a ‘night time guest’, someone he’s sleeping with but that’s never seen. They can tell by, err, noises coming from the room, unmistakable indications of what act they’re involved in. Strange thing is, he never has a memory of it the next morning. The other three, unbeknownst to Kevin, begin to investigate the history of the house, and what they find is as chilling as it is strange. The plot plays the revolving door game throughout, keeping things interesting, all the while drenched in Michaels’ trademark lethargic, relaxed pacing. All her books are on the slower side, but this makes them more interesting, and she somehow manages to slip into your head almost instantly. It’s impossible to put the book down, yet it’s definitely not action thrillers most people are used to.
On the gore and horror side, there’s not much here. Nothing gruesome, and not much overtly frightening. Instead, it’s bleak and gothic, mysterious and captivating. Don’t go into this one expecting too many frightening moments, because there aren’t any and the book doesn’t apologize for it. The characters are richly written, with their own quirks, personalities, and sense of humors. I cared what happened to each when they experienced trials, my heart ached with them, and when they succeeded and met victory, I cheered them on. Anne especially was great, as she wasn’t the typical main character/heroine you’d expect. She’s as human as all of us, with weaknesses that fit into the plot nicely, but then surprised me by opposing them.
You can never tell what would happen next a sense of suspense does exist. The pacing, while slow, is even and never bores. The atmosphere is sunny and at the same time bleak and psychologically strong. In the end, the reader can be left with a bitter feeling from the events, something that made me feel a little empty (this was the intended purpose, though), and it made me think long after the last page was closed, what every good book should seek to accomplish. On the downside, it could have been a little more interesting in parts, especially compared to her other works, and Kevin wasn’t focused on much until the middle toward the end, something I feel harmed the book slightly.
Barbara Michaels really is an amazing writer. This isn’t her best book out there, but it’s a great one and a good place to start for an introduction to the author. If you enjoy mysteries with your horror, haunted houses, or gothic style writing, this one’s right up your alley, because no one does it as good as Michaels.
As is characteristic with almost all her books under this pen name (she writes under three), Someone in the House centers around an old house. Anne, an average looking, young school teacher, accompanies her friend Kevin to his parent’s new house, a place bought from lottery winnings Grayhaven Manor. The elderly couple is on vacation for the summer and need someone to watch the place for them. The two figure this peace and quiet would be the perfect opportunity to work on their co-authored textbook together, but of course work never really gets done. Once they arrive at the beautiful, English Gothic mansion, strange things ensue quickly. Aunt Bea comes to stay with the young couple after a recent divorce, and with her new boyfriend Roger, all four of them veer off into different paths surrounding the mysteries of the old house.
First it’s noticed that Kevin seems to have a ‘night time guest’, someone he’s sleeping with but that’s never seen. They can tell by, err, noises coming from the room, unmistakable indications of what act they’re involved in. Strange thing is, he never has a memory of it the next morning. The other three, unbeknownst to Kevin, begin to investigate the history of the house, and what they find is as chilling as it is strange. The plot plays the revolving door game throughout, keeping things interesting, all the while drenched in Michaels’ trademark lethargic, relaxed pacing. All her books are on the slower side, but this makes them more interesting, and she somehow manages to slip into your head almost instantly. It’s impossible to put the book down, yet it’s definitely not action thrillers most people are used to.
On the gore and horror side, there’s not much here. Nothing gruesome, and not much overtly frightening. Instead, it’s bleak and gothic, mysterious and captivating. Don’t go into this one expecting too many frightening moments, because there aren’t any and the book doesn’t apologize for it. The characters are richly written, with their own quirks, personalities, and sense of humors. I cared what happened to each when they experienced trials, my heart ached with them, and when they succeeded and met victory, I cheered them on. Anne especially was great, as she wasn’t the typical main character/heroine you’d expect. She’s as human as all of us, with weaknesses that fit into the plot nicely, but then surprised me by opposing them.
You can never tell what would happen next a sense of suspense does exist. The pacing, while slow, is even and never bores. The atmosphere is sunny and at the same time bleak and psychologically strong. In the end, the reader can be left with a bitter feeling from the events, something that made me feel a little empty (this was the intended purpose, though), and it made me think long after the last page was closed, what every good book should seek to accomplish. On the downside, it could have been a little more interesting in parts, especially compared to her other works, and Kevin wasn’t focused on much until the middle toward the end, something I feel harmed the book slightly.
Barbara Michaels really is an amazing writer. This isn’t her best book out there, but it’s a great one and a good place to start for an introduction to the author. If you enjoy mysteries with your horror, haunted houses, or gothic style writing, this one’s right up your alley, because no one does it as good as Michaels.
July 23, 2019
Barbara Michaels (who also writes as Elizabeth Peters) is a writer of consistently entertaining romantic thrillers, usually with supernatural overtones. After reading Someone in the House several times over the years since it was published, I've come to think that it's one of her best.
Anne and Kevin are English professors, planning to write a textbook together. When Kevin's parents win the lottery and buy a country manor (transported intact from England at the beginning of World War II), he and Anne decide to spend the summer there, writing. Soon after they arrive, strange things start to happen, and Anne begins to feel that there is an inexplicable presence in the house.
The story is full of Michaels' signature suspense, romance, and humor, but the utterly unexpected ending is what, for me, lifts this book above many of her others (though I note upon reading reviews at Amazon that my opinion isn't shared by most Michaels fans, so your mileage may vary).
Anne and Kevin are English professors, planning to write a textbook together. When Kevin's parents win the lottery and buy a country manor (transported intact from England at the beginning of World War II), he and Anne decide to spend the summer there, writing. Soon after they arrive, strange things start to happen, and Anne begins to feel that there is an inexplicable presence in the house.
The story is full of Michaels' signature suspense, romance, and humor, but the utterly unexpected ending is what, for me, lifts this book above many of her others (though I note upon reading reviews at Amazon that my opinion isn't shared by most Michaels fans, so your mileage may vary).
May 29, 2010
Hooray! A Barbara Michaels book I actually liked better upon rereading than I did as a teen!
Barbara Michaels's books generally fall into the category of romantic suspense, although some of the earlier books are pure Gothic in tone. In Someone in the House, the two genres are well blended; the novel is set in present day (which, when it was written, was 1981), but takes place in a transplanted Gothic mansion, where the heroine Anne has come to write an English textbook with her friend Kevin. Evidence soon surfaces that there may be a ghostly presence in the house, specifically haunting Kevin's bedroom at night. Is it a human lover? A ghost? Some other kind of supernatural presence? Different suggestions are made by Anne herself, Kevin's pious aunt Bea, her skeptical suitor Roger, and the kindly Father Stephen. Can the group figure out the true nature of the haunting spirit? Is it benign, or is Kevin's very life in danger?
It's so funny to reread these books I first read in my teens, because my perspective on the characters has changed so much. I have always liked that Michaels writes strong and intelligent heroines, and Anne is one I probably like even better now that I've been an academic myself. And I really liked Bea, who was also strong (when her ex-husband socked her, she punched him right back!) but demure enough to be embarrassed when she hears a woman's voice in her nephew's room. If there's any character who suffered upon this rereading, it was probably Kevin, whom my teenage hormones probably elevated more than he deserved. Don't get me wrong, he still sounds quite sexy, but struck me as rather feckless this time around.
I can't really tell you what I disliked about this book when I read it as a teen. That is to say, I can't tell you without spoiling the ending; I remember quite well what I didn't like about it. I will tell you that my romantic sensibilities were upset, and that a lot of the books Michaels wrote in the '80s made me fear she was suffering some kind of depression; they just felt a bit sadder than her usual fare. But when I reread Someone in the House, this time the resolution didn't bother me, but instead felt rather thought-provoking. There were plenty of false leads planted (or were they?), but I can also see how the seeds were sown, particularly through the depiction of Anne's personality and past relationships. By its nature, it made me sad, but I'm not railing at its unfairness this time.
Barbara Michaels's books generally fall into the category of romantic suspense, although some of the earlier books are pure Gothic in tone. In Someone in the House, the two genres are well blended; the novel is set in present day (which, when it was written, was 1981), but takes place in a transplanted Gothic mansion, where the heroine Anne has come to write an English textbook with her friend Kevin. Evidence soon surfaces that there may be a ghostly presence in the house, specifically haunting Kevin's bedroom at night. Is it a human lover? A ghost? Some other kind of supernatural presence? Different suggestions are made by Anne herself, Kevin's pious aunt Bea, her skeptical suitor Roger, and the kindly Father Stephen. Can the group figure out the true nature of the haunting spirit? Is it benign, or is Kevin's very life in danger?
It's so funny to reread these books I first read in my teens, because my perspective on the characters has changed so much. I have always liked that Michaels writes strong and intelligent heroines, and Anne is one I probably like even better now that I've been an academic myself. And I really liked Bea, who was also strong (when her ex-husband socked her, she punched him right back!) but demure enough to be embarrassed when she hears a woman's voice in her nephew's room. If there's any character who suffered upon this rereading, it was probably Kevin, whom my teenage hormones probably elevated more than he deserved. Don't get me wrong, he still sounds quite sexy, but struck me as rather feckless this time around.
I can't really tell you what I disliked about this book when I read it as a teen. That is to say, I can't tell you without spoiling the ending; I remember quite well what I didn't like about it. I will tell you that my romantic sensibilities were upset, and that a lot of the books Michaels wrote in the '80s made me fear she was suffering some kind of depression; they just felt a bit sadder than her usual fare. But when I reread Someone in the House, this time the resolution didn't bother me, but instead felt rather thought-provoking. There were plenty of false leads planted (or were they?), but I can also see how the seeds were sown, particularly through the depiction of Anne's personality and past relationships. By its nature, it made me sad, but I'm not railing at its unfairness this time.
April 4, 2012
I ran hot and cold on this one. At times, it seemed to be a mystery, at times a stupid romance. It also seemed very "dated" to me - with issues that seem so irrelevant or settled today. After leading up to some very otherworldly, fantastic possible solutions, the storyline just stops and the book ends - very unsatisfactory.
July 29, 2009
I liked this book but the ending was disappointing. It almost felt like she was tired of writing so she just wrapped it up really quickly. I don't feel like the haunting was resolved or we ever figured out what was going on there. I am now reading Black Rainbow which is about Grayhaven Manor back when it was in England. I've read it before but I don't remember the details. I'm hoping that reading this will help clear some things up from Someone in the House.
October 9, 2008
After an engaging tale it seemed at the end that the author just ran out of gas and ended it. I thought the ending very unsatisfactory.
September 2, 2025
A Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters that somehow I never read? Yes, please :)
March 22, 2016
This is a Michaels book I think I skipped during my Teenage Barbara Michaels Reading Binge because the book is pretty heavily into paranormal/supernatural (nothing wrong with that - it's just not my usual jam...). This is a companion book to Black Rainbow, and takes place in the present day (well, present day 1980-something when it was first published). Second-wave-feminist heroine and a nice juxtaposition between "young people" mores (the hero and heroine) and "older folks" (the hero's aunt especially).
The story itself was OK. It dragged a bit in spots for me, but that could be chalked up to paranormal ghost-story, haunted house "stuff" not being in my usual wheel-house. Good Gothic atmosphere (of course, this is Michaels), and I happened to like the ending, which I could see some readers not caring for since it's not entirely neat and tidy. While Michaels certainly wrote romances in a lot of her Gothics, this is one book that I think romance readers wouldn't find terribly satisfying on that front. But if all you want is Gothic? This one delivers.
A nice listen on audiobook.
The story itself was OK. It dragged a bit in spots for me, but that could be chalked up to paranormal ghost-story, haunted house "stuff" not being in my usual wheel-house. Good Gothic atmosphere (of course, this is Michaels), and I happened to like the ending, which I could see some readers not caring for since it's not entirely neat and tidy. While Michaels certainly wrote romances in a lot of her Gothics, this is one book that I think romance readers wouldn't find terribly satisfying on that front. But if all you want is Gothic? This one delivers.
A nice listen on audiobook.
March 13, 2008
I just got this through ILL. I like all of Barbara Michaels' books, and there are only a few I haven't read, so I'm trying to find them all and read them. Some are better than others, but her wit and good characters are always part of her novels.
This one is set in rural PA in a transplanted castle. :) It is good so far and will probably be a fairly quick read for me.
***
I'm done with it. :) I really enjoyed the intellectual depth of this book-- lots of theology and history in a romantic suspense novel. No one does this like Michaels-- at least no one I've read... I also wanted to add so I'd remember later that this had one of the saddest endings I've ever encountered in a Michaels book. That's why I respect her so much as an author; she doesn't follow the formula of romance here...
This one is set in rural PA in a transplanted castle. :) It is good so far and will probably be a fairly quick read for me.
***
I'm done with it. :) I really enjoyed the intellectual depth of this book-- lots of theology and history in a romantic suspense novel. No one does this like Michaels-- at least no one I've read... I also wanted to add so I'd remember later that this had one of the saddest endings I've ever encountered in a Michaels book. That's why I respect her so much as an author; she doesn't follow the formula of romance here...
December 14, 2012
This spooky story is told in first person from Anne’s perspective and she had spunk. I enjoyed her intelligence and identified with her insecurity about her looks. She felt very real to me and if Anne saw a ghost then I believed her. Kevin was a hot guy who everyone woman desired, maybe even Anne, to her disgust. I liked Kevin and his easy-going nature, but did find him a bit shallow.
There was a considerable amount of history and I did love the way the three differing opinions were shown. This book was haunting and I really want to visit a gothic mansion to see if I can detect ghost activity.
I did feel like the end was a little rushed and I was a bit disappointed, but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the book.
there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/201...
There was a considerable amount of history and I did love the way the three differing opinions were shown. This book was haunting and I really want to visit a gothic mansion to see if I can detect ghost activity.
I did feel like the end was a little rushed and I was a bit disappointed, but not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the book.
there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/201...
August 3, 2021
I went into this expecting a spooky Gothic mystery with atmosphere and romance. What I got was the script for a reality-TV ghost-hunting parody show, in which the characters don't stop chattering, the plot goes nowhere, and the mystery doesn't get solved. This is also probably the first book I've read that turns the idea of the romantic hero on its head and instead makes him into an unwitting damsel in distress, and it only adds to the parody. I really liked the smart, snarky heroine, and I feel like she belonged in a better story, and deserved a much better ending than the non-ending she got here.
April 16, 2020
Another comfort read, modern(ish) gothic paranormal mystery. Not her best work, but a good distraction.
August 8, 2016
The ending is the most important part of any story. In this case it's the ending that saves it. For the most part it appears to be just a simple ghost story. The haunted house in one of its many variations. It never gets scary, though.
Anne joins a fellow teacher, Kevin, for a summer holiday at his parents' recently acquired manor house, hoping to get some work done on a novel they plan to write together. The parents are on vacation themselves and Kevin is asked to be the housesitter. It's an amazing house, very big, very beautiful, very old, and transported "from the topmost chimney pot to the stones in the cellar", from Warwickshire, England, to Pennsylvania, USA, somewhere in the 1920s. Kevin's aunt Bea, newly divorced, moves in as well. The other important players are Roger, aunt Bea's beau, and Father Steve. Early on they find out the house is haunted, obviously aiming its "glamour" at Kevin, so most of the time Kevin isn't part of the ghosthunting ventures. Each participant has another view while trying to explain the ghosts (science, religion, witchcraft, cults), so there's a lot of discussion going back and forth about it. Books and paperwork are studied to find out about the former residents of the manor. It appears a small part of the house chapel may even be two thousand years old. You wouldn't expect to find hidden objects in a house that has been moved stone for stone from one continent to another, would you? And how about having dead bodies, buried in the crypt, included in the move? Ridiculous, right?
I wonder at the purpose this move has for the story. Why not have the house remain in England? Ah yes, Warwickshire... I see. But it seems the house move created more incongruencies than necessary plot parts.
Writing a ghost story is probably easier for an author than writing about a bad person hiding his real nature while attempting to do evil unto others. Ghosts aren't logical; you may even argue they don't exist. So the author is free to have the ghost act any way she wants. I myself do not care very much for these kinds of stories, let alone the ones that do not even try to be scary. I wish for a logical story that can be explained from beginning to end. The author sometimes even forgot logic in the day-to-day normal occurrences: Where did that crowbar come from all of a sudden?
Barbara Michaels isn't very good at creating likeable characters, so I'll not complain about that this time. Her heroine again is very feministic, which can be seen as a funny touch. I liked the incorporation of house pets in the story. And of course I loved the house. It was very well described and I could see everything clearly in my mind. I did not care for all the theories concerning the haunting. Lots of talk and little action. So giving my verdict I need to consider many pros and cons, ultimately resulting in a 4 out of 10.
Anne joins a fellow teacher, Kevin, for a summer holiday at his parents' recently acquired manor house, hoping to get some work done on a novel they plan to write together. The parents are on vacation themselves and Kevin is asked to be the housesitter. It's an amazing house, very big, very beautiful, very old, and transported "from the topmost chimney pot to the stones in the cellar", from Warwickshire, England, to Pennsylvania, USA, somewhere in the 1920s. Kevin's aunt Bea, newly divorced, moves in as well. The other important players are Roger, aunt Bea's beau, and Father Steve. Early on they find out the house is haunted, obviously aiming its "glamour" at Kevin, so most of the time Kevin isn't part of the ghosthunting ventures. Each participant has another view while trying to explain the ghosts (science, religion, witchcraft, cults), so there's a lot of discussion going back and forth about it. Books and paperwork are studied to find out about the former residents of the manor. It appears a small part of the house chapel may even be two thousand years old. You wouldn't expect to find hidden objects in a house that has been moved stone for stone from one continent to another, would you? And how about having dead bodies, buried in the crypt, included in the move? Ridiculous, right?
I wonder at the purpose this move has for the story. Why not have the house remain in England? Ah yes, Warwickshire... I see. But it seems the house move created more incongruencies than necessary plot parts.
Writing a ghost story is probably easier for an author than writing about a bad person hiding his real nature while attempting to do evil unto others. Ghosts aren't logical; you may even argue they don't exist. So the author is free to have the ghost act any way she wants. I myself do not care very much for these kinds of stories, let alone the ones that do not even try to be scary. I wish for a logical story that can be explained from beginning to end. The author sometimes even forgot logic in the day-to-day normal occurrences: Where did that crowbar come from all of a sudden?
Barbara Michaels isn't very good at creating likeable characters, so I'll not complain about that this time. Her heroine again is very feministic, which can be seen as a funny touch. I liked the incorporation of house pets in the story. And of course I loved the house. It was very well described and I could see everything clearly in my mind. I did not care for all the theories concerning the haunting. Lots of talk and little action. So giving my verdict I need to consider many pros and cons, ultimately resulting in a 4 out of 10.
July 1, 2016
A trama deste livro, apesar de ter sido escrita antes, é uma sequência de Black Rainbow. A história, escrita em 1981, se passa na mesma época. A protagonista é a jovem professora Anne, que, em parceria com o amigo Kevin, pretende escrever um livro sobre literatura.
Os dois acabam em Grayhaven Manor porque os pais de Kevin, após ganharem na loteria, haviam comprado a mansão e saído de viagem, deixando o filho como responsável pelo lugar e pelos animais. Fazendo companhia a eles está
Tia Bea (tia de Kevin) uma divorciada muito divertida e corajosa e, após algumas páginas, seu novo namorado, Roger.
A dupla de jovens consideram que a mansão é o local ideal para trabalharem em seu livro, mas isso acaba jamais acontecendo. Assim que eles chegam a bela mansão sempre parece haver algo mais interessante para fazer ao invés de trabalhar no livro.
A Mansão tem muitos séculos de idade, algumas partes mais antigas que outras, então, quando começam a aparecer evidências de que há uma presença sobrenatural na casa, não é uma surpresa.
Primeiro Tia Bea e Anne percebem que Kevin está recebendo uma visitante noturna, mas o rapaz parece não lembrar destas visitas. As duas, em companhia de Roger, começam a pesquisar a história da casa (além de investigar o tal fantasma) e o que eles descobrem é interessante, estranho e assustador. A história é desenvolvida lentamente, mas de forma tão interessante que eu não conseguia parar de ler e, quando precisava parar, ficava pensando com carinho na hora em que poderia retomar a leitura.
Não pense que ao ler este livro você vai encontrar uma leitura repleta de sustos. Não é o caso. É um romance com mistério, mas suave, cativante e, de certa forma, poético. As personagens são ricamente escritas, com personalidades bem definidas e grande senso de humor. Eu gostei tanto de cada um, que me preocupava com eles, torcia por eles.
Sobre a história, a paz descrita no livro e a forma que os dias passam - lentamente - jamais é entediante. A atmosfera é ensolarada, alegre, mesmo tendo algo desconhecido os espreitando das sombras. O final, no entanto, deixa um gosto amargo e uma sensação de vazio, o que me fez ficar pensando na história por muito tempo após terminar a leitura.
Barbara Michaels foi uma escritora fantástica. Embora este não seja seu melhor livro, é um dos melhores. Se você gosta de mistério com horror, casa assombradas ou o estilo de escrita gótico, esta é uma boa escolha.
http://arismeire.blogspot.com.br/2014...
Os dois acabam em Grayhaven Manor porque os pais de Kevin, após ganharem na loteria, haviam comprado a mansão e saído de viagem, deixando o filho como responsável pelo lugar e pelos animais. Fazendo companhia a eles está
Tia Bea (tia de Kevin) uma divorciada muito divertida e corajosa e, após algumas páginas, seu novo namorado, Roger.
A dupla de jovens consideram que a mansão é o local ideal para trabalharem em seu livro, mas isso acaba jamais acontecendo. Assim que eles chegam a bela mansão sempre parece haver algo mais interessante para fazer ao invés de trabalhar no livro.
A Mansão tem muitos séculos de idade, algumas partes mais antigas que outras, então, quando começam a aparecer evidências de que há uma presença sobrenatural na casa, não é uma surpresa.
Primeiro Tia Bea e Anne percebem que Kevin está recebendo uma visitante noturna, mas o rapaz parece não lembrar destas visitas. As duas, em companhia de Roger, começam a pesquisar a história da casa (além de investigar o tal fantasma) e o que eles descobrem é interessante, estranho e assustador. A história é desenvolvida lentamente, mas de forma tão interessante que eu não conseguia parar de ler e, quando precisava parar, ficava pensando com carinho na hora em que poderia retomar a leitura.
Não pense que ao ler este livro você vai encontrar uma leitura repleta de sustos. Não é o caso. É um romance com mistério, mas suave, cativante e, de certa forma, poético. As personagens são ricamente escritas, com personalidades bem definidas e grande senso de humor. Eu gostei tanto de cada um, que me preocupava com eles, torcia por eles.
Sobre a história, a paz descrita no livro e a forma que os dias passam - lentamente - jamais é entediante. A atmosfera é ensolarada, alegre, mesmo tendo algo desconhecido os espreitando das sombras. O final, no entanto, deixa um gosto amargo e uma sensação de vazio, o que me fez ficar pensando na história por muito tempo após terminar a leitura.
Barbara Michaels foi uma escritora fantástica. Embora este não seja seu melhor livro, é um dos melhores. Se você gosta de mistério com horror, casa assombradas ou o estilo de escrita gótico, esta é uma boa escolha.
http://arismeire.blogspot.com.br/2014...
August 4, 2023
I enjoyed this, but I'm really not sure how I feel about the ending.
This feels very much like a pretty standard Barbara Michaels book. We have the hints of romance, we have a haunted house, we have weird and unexplained things going on, we have a potential family secret (or possibly several), and we have a character who gets to play the general non-believer who helps to crack the whole thing open.
The characters were interesting, though I never felt completely invested in any of them. Some of them were decidedly odd, and the romance fell completely flat for me.
I was intrigued by what was going on in the house, and it was legitimately creepy in several places. I'm a sucker for unexplained paranormal events, and I adore haunted houses (in fiction only, admittedly), so I was hoping to be really awed.
The ending was...odd. I admittedly didn't see it coming, and it was (as far as I have read) unique among Barbara Michaels books, and I like the idea
but in the end I didn't really feel satisfied. I enjoyed the build-up a lot more than the culmination of the story, which always leaves me a bit annoyed.
It is a solid entry into Barbara Michaels' gothic fiction, though, so if you are a fan it is worth a read.
June 30, 2025
“Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth.” – Ludwig Borne
Anne and Joe had shared an apartment for six months now. They were two young people trying to balance a new relationship (moving in together had been a spontaneous decision), with career ambitions. He was a research scientist, and she a college English instructor.
At some point before Anne and Joe moved in together, he’d applied for a prestigious science research grant, which if he were successful, would take him from the U.S.A. to Europe. Joe was hoping he’d get the grant, as it would be a big boost for his career, Anne, on the other hand, despite putting on a brave face, was secretly hoping that Joe would not win the competition for the grant, because she knew that he would leave for Europe, and she also knew that even if he asked her she would not put her life, career and friendships on hold in order to join him in Europe. Their relationship was just too new to make that serious of a decision at that point.
Then one day Joe received notice that he’d won the grant, and that he was to leave in short order. They both prepared for his departure, and as they did, the plan was for Joe to finish the project in Europe, then after the summer he’d come back to Anne in America. She’d told him that she’d have to finish the instruction year at the college, even though, as mentioned before, there was much more to it than that.
They’d verbally agreed to come together again after the grant project was finished, but they both knew it was unlikely to be the way it would work out. Joe knew that once he finished the project in Europe, that he’d make connections there, and have better opportunities than he’d have in the States. Anne for her part, had a strong suspicion that once she and Joe were separated for a longer period of time, that they would both come to realize that while they’d enjoyed the passionate spontaneity of their short time living together, that the relationship was not mature enough for them to seek each other out once they’d been separated for any length of time.
And so, before Anne knew it, Joe was off to Europe, and she found herself alone in her apartment, a situation that caused her to think about how she might spend her summer without Joe as part of the plan.
It was late spring now, and soon the school year would be over, and just as Anne started thinking about what she was going to do for the summer, one of her fellow English instructors, at the college, a man named Kevin Blacklock, reminded her that they’d earlier talked about writing an English textbook together, and since Joe was away for the summer, this might be the perfect opportunity for them to tackle the ambitious task. Kevin and Anne were not just work colleagues, they’d become friends, so Kevin felt comfortable pitching the idea of them doing summer textbook project together.
Anne for her part, had told Kevin only the “Joe and I will reunite once the summer is over” version of the plan.
Anne told Kevin she’d think about it, and as the days passed, Anne found herself unsure if she was ready to commit an entire summer to this project, she also wondered how she and Kevin would get along, being they would be spending so much time together.
Meanwhile, Kevin perceived Anne’s reluctance, and since he was enthusiastic about the project, and since he was sure that he couldn’t do it as well without Anne, he decided to tempt her by sweetening the plan he’d previously proposed to Anne.
He then told Anne that his parents had won a half million dollars, (a serious amount of money in the early 1980s) in the State lottery, and that his father then invested the money and multiplied it many times over! He added that his parents recently purchased a ten-bedroom manor house in Pennsylvania, one with a wonderful library, a pool, tennis courts, and lovely grounds.
Anne was shocked to hear this unexpected news, and just as she was catching up to Kevin’s telling of these unbelievable events, Kevin mentioned that his parents were going to Europe for the summer and that they’d asked him to watch over the house.
“We wouldn’t have to work here,” Kevin explained, “We could use my parent’s place for the summer.”
Anne seemed to pause, then Kevin mentioned that his Aunt Bea would be staying at the house as well…
Two weeks later, Anne found herself heading to Grayhaven Mansion, tucked away in the rural hills of Pennsylvania…
This in itself was a very promising start to the story, and when added to the dust jacket mentioning that the house was rumored to be haunted, well, this only added to my intrigue, so I read on…
By the end I’d encountered a number of unexpected, but enthralling situations, including ancient graves under the floor of the basement, an apparition of a young woman who has a penchant for engaging in behind closed-door lovemaking while making pleasure sounds that are described as “pianissimo singing.” An intensive effort to capture the image of this sexually confident apparition on film, there was Pettibone the spitting cat, and the powerful presence of Grayhaven Manor, a nearly fully formed character in and of itself.
Also, there were more than a few interesting terms, names, and sayings that were new to me, some of these included:
“Knocked into a cocked hat” – To destroy completely; render unachievable.
“Brass Rubbing” – The reproduction of monumental brasses onto paper.
“Portcullis” – A strong grating of iron, made to slide along vertical grooves, in the sides of a gateway of a fortified place, and let down to prevent passage.
“Ethelfleda” – An Anglo-Saxon female name meaning “noble beauty.” The most notable person with this name was Ethelfleda, Lady of Mercians, a powerful ruler in the 9th and 10th Century England, and daughter of Alfred the Great.
Finally, the one that caused me to chuckle was “slugabed” which is defined as a lazy person who stays in bed long after the usual time for arising.
Overall, I was fascinated by this intriguing story, my first Barbara Michaels book, but based on this wonderful experience, not likely my last.
Anne and Joe had shared an apartment for six months now. They were two young people trying to balance a new relationship (moving in together had been a spontaneous decision), with career ambitions. He was a research scientist, and she a college English instructor.
At some point before Anne and Joe moved in together, he’d applied for a prestigious science research grant, which if he were successful, would take him from the U.S.A. to Europe. Joe was hoping he’d get the grant, as it would be a big boost for his career, Anne, on the other hand, despite putting on a brave face, was secretly hoping that Joe would not win the competition for the grant, because she knew that he would leave for Europe, and she also knew that even if he asked her she would not put her life, career and friendships on hold in order to join him in Europe. Their relationship was just too new to make that serious of a decision at that point.
Then one day Joe received notice that he’d won the grant, and that he was to leave in short order. They both prepared for his departure, and as they did, the plan was for Joe to finish the project in Europe, then after the summer he’d come back to Anne in America. She’d told him that she’d have to finish the instruction year at the college, even though, as mentioned before, there was much more to it than that.
They’d verbally agreed to come together again after the grant project was finished, but they both knew it was unlikely to be the way it would work out. Joe knew that once he finished the project in Europe, that he’d make connections there, and have better opportunities than he’d have in the States. Anne for her part, had a strong suspicion that once she and Joe were separated for a longer period of time, that they would both come to realize that while they’d enjoyed the passionate spontaneity of their short time living together, that the relationship was not mature enough for them to seek each other out once they’d been separated for any length of time.
And so, before Anne knew it, Joe was off to Europe, and she found herself alone in her apartment, a situation that caused her to think about how she might spend her summer without Joe as part of the plan.
It was late spring now, and soon the school year would be over, and just as Anne started thinking about what she was going to do for the summer, one of her fellow English instructors, at the college, a man named Kevin Blacklock, reminded her that they’d earlier talked about writing an English textbook together, and since Joe was away for the summer, this might be the perfect opportunity for them to tackle the ambitious task. Kevin and Anne were not just work colleagues, they’d become friends, so Kevin felt comfortable pitching the idea of them doing summer textbook project together.
Anne for her part, had told Kevin only the “Joe and I will reunite once the summer is over” version of the plan.
Anne told Kevin she’d think about it, and as the days passed, Anne found herself unsure if she was ready to commit an entire summer to this project, she also wondered how she and Kevin would get along, being they would be spending so much time together.
Meanwhile, Kevin perceived Anne’s reluctance, and since he was enthusiastic about the project, and since he was sure that he couldn’t do it as well without Anne, he decided to tempt her by sweetening the plan he’d previously proposed to Anne.
He then told Anne that his parents had won a half million dollars, (a serious amount of money in the early 1980s) in the State lottery, and that his father then invested the money and multiplied it many times over! He added that his parents recently purchased a ten-bedroom manor house in Pennsylvania, one with a wonderful library, a pool, tennis courts, and lovely grounds.
Anne was shocked to hear this unexpected news, and just as she was catching up to Kevin’s telling of these unbelievable events, Kevin mentioned that his parents were going to Europe for the summer and that they’d asked him to watch over the house.
“We wouldn’t have to work here,” Kevin explained, “We could use my parent’s place for the summer.”
Anne seemed to pause, then Kevin mentioned that his Aunt Bea would be staying at the house as well…
Two weeks later, Anne found herself heading to Grayhaven Mansion, tucked away in the rural hills of Pennsylvania…
This in itself was a very promising start to the story, and when added to the dust jacket mentioning that the house was rumored to be haunted, well, this only added to my intrigue, so I read on…
By the end I’d encountered a number of unexpected, but enthralling situations, including ancient graves under the floor of the basement, an apparition of a young woman who has a penchant for engaging in behind closed-door lovemaking while making pleasure sounds that are described as “pianissimo singing.” An intensive effort to capture the image of this sexually confident apparition on film, there was Pettibone the spitting cat, and the powerful presence of Grayhaven Manor, a nearly fully formed character in and of itself.
Also, there were more than a few interesting terms, names, and sayings that were new to me, some of these included:
“Knocked into a cocked hat” – To destroy completely; render unachievable.
“Brass Rubbing” – The reproduction of monumental brasses onto paper.
“Portcullis” – A strong grating of iron, made to slide along vertical grooves, in the sides of a gateway of a fortified place, and let down to prevent passage.
“Ethelfleda” – An Anglo-Saxon female name meaning “noble beauty.” The most notable person with this name was Ethelfleda, Lady of Mercians, a powerful ruler in the 9th and 10th Century England, and daughter of Alfred the Great.
Finally, the one that caused me to chuckle was “slugabed” which is defined as a lazy person who stays in bed long after the usual time for arising.
Overall, I was fascinated by this intriguing story, my first Barbara Michaels book, but based on this wonderful experience, not likely my last.
November 22, 2008
Barbara Michaels is a favorite of mine for suspense stories. It's easy to be caught up in her stories, which at the time, 20-30 years ago, were probably modern suspense.
The story is written from the point of view of Anne, a graduate student who is writing her about experiences during a summer spent at Greyhaven, a house that was moved brick by brick from England to Pennsylvania during the Roaring Twenties by a very rich man. Sixty years later, lottery winners are now the owners and they've left their son Kevin as the caretaker while they travel in Europe. Anne and Kevin intend to write a history textbook together; they are joined by Kevin's recently divorced Aunt Bea.
The house is several centuries old, parts of it appear to date back as far as the days of William the Conqueror, so when mysterious events begin to take place, it's not a terrible surpise. However the cause of the events is fairly unique. To say more would likely spoil the enjoyment for future readers.
I recommend this for people who like their suspense with a touch of the supernatural.
The story is written from the point of view of Anne, a graduate student who is writing her about experiences during a summer spent at Greyhaven, a house that was moved brick by brick from England to Pennsylvania during the Roaring Twenties by a very rich man. Sixty years later, lottery winners are now the owners and they've left their son Kevin as the caretaker while they travel in Europe. Anne and Kevin intend to write a history textbook together; they are joined by Kevin's recently divorced Aunt Bea.
The house is several centuries old, parts of it appear to date back as far as the days of William the Conqueror, so when mysterious events begin to take place, it's not a terrible surpise. However the cause of the events is fairly unique. To say more would likely spoil the enjoyment for future readers.
I recommend this for people who like their suspense with a touch of the supernatural.
March 31, 2014
Very fun premise for a book. It's a haunted house story that sort of turns the concept on its head, making from some good creeping unease. Anne, a feminist English professor, spends the summer at a giant old house (imported stone by stone from England no less!) that her co-worker's parents recently bought. The two of them, plus a newly-divorced aunt and a local guy who soon becomes her beau, move in. Things are scary, but mostly they're...pleasant. Maybe too pleasant.
It's kind of the opposite of the Overlook Hotel, which was a nice idea. It also has what I've come to expect in Michaels, which is a streak of second wave feminism and 1970s mentality that seems really strange to a modern reader. The heroines have sex, but are always very aware of some middle aged person's reaction to the sex, and also very aware of whether or not they're letting the sex lead to unfeminist things. There's a real time capsule quality to her books that's educational in itself!
It's kind of the opposite of the Overlook Hotel, which was a nice idea. It also has what I've come to expect in Michaels, which is a streak of second wave feminism and 1970s mentality that seems really strange to a modern reader. The heroines have sex, but are always very aware of some middle aged person's reaction to the sex, and also very aware of whether or not they're letting the sex lead to unfeminist things. There's a real time capsule quality to her books that's educational in itself!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2015
Barbara Michaels heroines are usually from an interesting cusp of time. They are part of the feminist revolution and are trying to figure out how to be independent and have equality both professionally and romantically. With the latter, sometimes over-compensating. (At least from a point of 30 years later, it feels that way.)
This story is a meta of that theme, in a way. Is it okay to be happy without being independent? Can one be happy without having independence?
For me there were elements of Lost Horizon and Greywalker, of all things, to it.
This story is a meta of that theme, in a way. Is it okay to be happy without being independent? Can one be happy without having independence?
For me there were elements of Lost Horizon and Greywalker, of all things, to it.
February 22, 2015
Barbara Michaels is one of the nom de plumes of Barbara Mertz alias Elizabeth Peters, author of the Amelia Peabody mysteries. I’m not quite sure what to say about this book. It boasts the author’s usual combination of humor and spunky female protagonist, but university instructor Anne is considerably more reflective than most of Peter's heroines and parts of the book are powerfully written. Not what I was expecting. Moreover the ending... well I’d better not tell you that. Let’s just say, along with an old school paranormal cozy you get a thought provoking read. I’m still on the fence as to whether the juxtaposition works.
May 8, 2011
Another Barbara Michaels mystery set in the VA countryside - an ancient mansion transported from England with strange happenings. Two young academics and 2 middle aged people find they each have a different version of the specters at night. Perhaps one could be possessed. It was a very good story with a different ending than I anticipated.
March 9, 2014
Alternately creepy and cozy, this was a fascinating read. What, exactly, is going on at Grayhaven? Ghosts? Worship of an ancient religion? A bizarre psychic phenomenon? Or are the residents all losing their minds? It's a compelling mystery, in a fascinating location, with a nice mix of history and literature.
March 26, 2008
My latest audio download.
Barbara Michaels is one of the pen names for Barbara Mertz. She also writes as Elizabeth Peters (the Amelia Peabody series).
I enjoyed the story, even though it was a little outside my genre. I thought it was a gothic romance, but it was a little light horror.
Barbara Michaels is one of the pen names for Barbara Mertz. She also writes as Elizabeth Peters (the Amelia Peabody series).
I enjoyed the story, even though it was a little outside my genre. I thought it was a gothic romance, but it was a little light horror.
July 8, 2008
This book was very intellectual and fun to read for its historical and literary mentions, however I was disappointed by the overall plot and expected a little more horror out of this acclaimed "horror" novel.
March 9, 2009
This book is TERRIBLE!!! I only read it the whole way through because I kept thinking, "Surely this will get better eventually," but it never did. It was boring, poorly written and just plain awful. I hated it. If you want to torment yourself and you want my copy I'll give it to you for free.
June 2, 2017
I listened to the audiobook and the person reading was very good with the voices so that you could also tell who was speaking. Very creepy story, even though it starts out very ordinary/slice of life.
March 30, 2016
I generally really like this author's books, even the older Gothic romances like this one. But this one is so heavy with raging feminism of the 1970's that it overshadows and eventually destroys the romance that is the center of the novel, and I ended up not liking the main character very much.
January 24, 2014
I have read better Barbara Michael's books, but when it is cold outside there is no one better to read while under a blanket, fireplace going with a cup of tea close by. "Sometimes it is cold out here in the big wide world." Barbara Michaels Someone in the House
March 12, 2020
What do you know, a Barbara Michaels book I've never read. It was both exactly what I expected and also not what I expected. It was middle of the road in the end. Not very satisfying and filled with male characters you just wanted to bash upside the head. Sexist pigs are not sexy.
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