The Curse of Whitehall Manor

The Towry Family #2

by L.V. Pires

For months Anne Towry has lived at Whitehall Manor with the hope that the past has been put to rest but nothing could be further from the truth. Not with a legacy of madness that swirls around the Towry family.

As the seasons change and spring arrives, the marigolds once again come into full bloom and with them the haunting echoes of the past that work their way into destroying Anne's perfect world. Murder and madness lurk around every corner driving some to the point of no return.

Find out what happens in the second book of the captivating Towry family saga.

Genres: Horror

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2023

About the author

With several books in the top 100 U.S. Horror Fiction and Horror Classics categories, award-winning novelist and short-story writer, L.V. Pires is the author of terrifying tales that are sure to keep readers up late into the night. Mystery and suspense climax into total terror in this author's latest releases, including THE WAITING MORTUARY, VIGIL BLACK, and DEATH WATCH.

For more information about this author or to join the mailing list, go to www.lisavpires.com

Reviews

[Rosh (on a medical break) · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: Almost as horrifying as the first book of the series, though I couldn’t connect as much with the characters this time around. Works as a sequel and not a standalone novel.

Story Synopsis:

Anne is now a resident of Whitehall Manor, and trying to restore the historical house and open it for events in a bid to clear the Towry name. Her now-fiancé Terran is there to lend a hand. However, it's soon clear that Whitehall Manor isn't rid of all its ghosts, literal and metaphorical.
The story comes to us mostly in the first person perspective of Anne, with some historical letters filling in the rest of the gaps.

Bookish Yays:
👻 Though the horror elements take some time to begin, they are quite macabre and left me jittery.

👻 The above also means that I kept flipping the pages as fast as I could. Quite a short book at 236 pages (eighty-six pages shorter than Book One of the series), it feels even faster because of the writing style.

👻 Once again, the premise incorporates an intriguing combination of mental health and horror, and dilutes the partition between the two distinct elements. It also combines paranormal horror and mortifying human behaviour, and I am not sure which shocked/scared me more.

👻 The ending. I hate cliffhanger endings with all my chicken-hearted heart, especially in the paranormal thriller genre, so I was relieved to see a satisfying (though not necessarily complete) resolution for all the main arcs. The ending also hints at where the next book in the series will take place, and I am sure the very nature of that place will lead to more terrifying thrills and chills.


Bookish Mixed Bags:
😖 Some of the story comes to us through historical letters dated more than a century ago. But the language in these felt quite contemporary. That said, the letters were super-creepy and added a lot to the tension of the contemporary timeline.


Bookish Nays:
☠ The initial section felt a bit repetitive. This is primarily due to Anne, whom I found tough to connect with this time around. A part of her behaviour could be attributed to her current tribulations at Whitehall, but a part was also because she refused to communicate her worries with Terran, and relying instead on assumptions. I'm still not sure how many of Anne's thoughts in the book were accurate and how many were just a figment of her imagination. Basically, though I was rooting for Anne, I wasn’t waving my flag of support with as much gusto as the first time around.

☠ The depiction of Anne’s pregnancy felt too simplified, and sometimes, unrealistic.


One track in the book seems inspired by a famous classic tale, the name of which I won’t reveal to you as it is a major spoiler. But this track has the best potential, and though I could see where things were going at the finale, I was invested enough to seek (and find) closure. Now looking forward to read the next book of the series.
(I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be the last book of this series because there are just SO many scary paranormal horror novels I want to read in my lifetime.)

Recommended to those who have read Book One: The Haunting of Whitehall Manor as this works excellently as a sequel but might lead to plot gaps if you dive directly into this volume.

3.75 stars.


My thanks to author L.V. Pires for providing me with a complimentary copy of “The Curse of Whitehall Manor” at my request. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

The book is available for free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.




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[Paperwitches ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

First and foremost, thank you Story Origin for an ARC. I am willingly leaving this unbiased review.

It is so short, I feel like there was no need to make it a series. It could have easily been merged with the original book. You definitely have to have read the previous book in order to connect to this one. I did dislike that a lot of the lore and plot comes from letters, it felt like there was too much weight in the letters. Other than this I really enjoyed the story and the idea of a haunted manor with traditional manor accessories and storytelling!

[Lex · Rating 1 out of 5]

If ChatGPT wrote its own version of The Yellow Wallpaper/Monster House ripoff, except bad.

[Molly · Rating 1 out of 5]

somehow worse than the first one.

[eiei · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the first book in the Towry series but I must say that I found this book somewhat disappointing. While the first book set up an intriguing premise filled with potential, this sequel fell short of my expectations.

The story continues to follow Anne Towry as she navigates the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of Whitehall Manor. The promise of uncovering more about the Towry family's legacy of madness and the mysteries of the manor kept me turning the pages. However, the plot felt repetitive at times, and the suspense that was so gripping in the first book seemed to wane as the story progressed.

One of the strengths of L.V. Pires' writing is her ability to create a chilling and immersive setting, and this book is no exception. The descriptions of the manor and the haunting echoes of the past are vivid and atmospheric. Unfortunately, the character development did not match the quality of the setting. Anne's struggles and emotional turmoil felt underdeveloped, making it hard for me to fully connect with her journey.

Overall, it is a decent read with some genuinely spooky moments, but it didn't quite live up to the standards set by the first book in the series. While it has its flaws, it may still be worth a read for fans of the genre who are looking for a quick, atmospheric horror story.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 picks up where the first one ended.
Again, I struggled in the beginning. I didn't like Anne very much, she's a bit changing in her feelings all the time, and it was a bit repetitive with the "important auction".
Also, if I remember correctly she inherited about 1 million which I don't think would be enough for all her restoration work as well as accomplishing it in this short time frame.

While book 1 was more a murder mystery, this one is a full ghost story with very gruesome details.
A lot of details are told in letters from the ghost which especially in the end, I'm not sure if they were real, they always felt very much like a figment of Anne's imagination or someone else fooling her. But that was probably intended and worked well (until the end). I at least couldn't put it down.

One more thing that irked me: if there's a prophecy you don't want to become true, just choose a different name for your child!!

The end is a slight cliffhanger but of course I want to see the next story of Whitehall Manor but I hope it's a wrap then.

[PelicanFreak · Rating 4 out of 5]

After ‘The Haunting of Whitehall Manor’ proved pretty addicting, I thought this one might be fun. … turns out I was right. But don’t go into it expecting it to be anything like book 1—this one has a paranormal twist.

This was a quick, addictive read which would make a great horror movie. It was mysterious, semi-plausible and mostly fast-paced. I hope to read on into the series.

4 stars.

Audio:
While the narrator has a pleasant voice, her narration is poor, and there was an issue with the sound quality. It wasn’t crisp and clear—there was an odd ‘she’s in a tin can’ sound throughout. And, unfortunately, she sounds robotic—I’m struggling to believe an actual human narrated this, as I’ve heard AI-narrations sound less robotic than this.

[Rose Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book, but a must read. I listened to the audio version of this book and it was nice to hear the same narrator as the first book. She's really good and she became the voice of Ann Towry. I'm glad they used the same person as the narrator. I don't know if it would have worked if it was another voice. This is the continuation of the Towry curse. In this book you will find out all the gory details of this cursed family. There is rape, and incest involved so beware if that's a sensitive topic, but the storyline is really good. Pires does a wonderful job pulling you into the story and into Ann Towry's life. I can't wait to listen to the last book of this series. It leaves you wanting more.

[Lori Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received as an audio review from Story Origin, this is an honest review. Gorgeously narrated by Mackenzie Welz, The Curse of Whitehall Manor harrowingly deepens the twisted secrets buried within Anne Towry's family that will leave you with shivers. After experiencing so much sadness and pain, Anne is determined to make Whitehall the talk of the town you want to hear through a much anticipated charity event. At the same Anne discovers the fears and joys of becoming a new mother; but this well deserved happiness cannot last forever as once an old journal of a dead ancestor comes to light, Anne becomes frightened that J. B. Towry demented desire to lay claim to the mansion will be fulfilled. And nothing or no one will stand in this ghost's warpath; forcing Anne, Teran and even their trusted servants to battle shadows and their own sanity to keep this dark past where it should belong.

A great series that's keeps getting better with each installment.

Highly recommended.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting take on the curse and where it came from. You really need to read the first book in the series for most of this to make sense. Still not thrilled with the narrator. Didn't like the characters as much this time either. Why was so much of the history and reason for the curse coming from letters? That was just disappointing. Wasn't thrilled with the ending either. The first book spent more time developing characters and getting to know them. This one spent time on the upcoming auction and remodeling of the home. Not sure if I'll listen to the 3rd one.

I received the audiobook from StoryOrigin and this is my honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook: I thought book two of the "Towry" series was as good as the first one. Anne Towry has become the mistress of Whitehall Manor, and she worked to change the family's reputation. Things were not working out quite the way she hoped. The story was good. I liked the complicated mystery that threaded throughout the book. I just had a hard time connecting with the characters. Mackenzie Welz's narration was fine as she was easy to understand. I was given a free copy of the audiobook, and I have voluntarily posted this review.

[Todd Mika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second entry in L.V. Pines' Towry horror series amps up the intensity as we discover the history of the Towry family curse in visceral detail. I clung white-knuckled to the covers of The Curse of Whitehall Manor as the story unfolded like a fever dream. Riveted to the book, I read it in two afternoons. It is fiendishly well-written, keeping the reader wondering when and how it will all end. I am starting the third book immediately!

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the opening book in the series but the over the top fun continues, despite sloppy editing. The antagonist is outrageous and so are the set pieces but I enjoyed the ridiculous turn of events. Expect no realism here - it’s pure hysteria and hyperbole but it fulfils its promise of gothic horror.

Please note that you definitely can’t explore this series out of sequence. This book would be impossible to follow without having read its predecessor.

[Letsreadagoodbook · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know! I'm going to take a star because why would you do that to Ann! She deserves a little happiness!! That was just rude!

All together I love the book!! Great great story! Just like 1st book i was sucked in and didn't wanna stop listening until the book was finished

[Kayleigh Adelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book in October and it was a wild ride, this one was even better! It’s not often that the sequel of a book is better than the first but i enjoyed this one more probably due to the paranormal nature of it. I love a good ghost story!

[Christina Frøkjær · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was not for me.

[Pamela S Inskeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series. It is well-written Gothic horror, one of my favorite genres.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book. Another empty grave. Still good, don’t get me wrong, but I think a stand alone would have been better. Maybe I’ll feel differently after the next book.

[Vicky Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book…bad ending

I suppose not all books have happy endings. I guess it depends on how you look at it. I’ll have to read the next one to get the happy ending.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely if not more scary than the first book. Impossible to put it down before you find out the truth

[chadd · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow

Awesome book had me gripped from the first word to the last! Just as good as the first book wow

[Elle Patritti · Rating 4 out of 5]

almost as dark and horrifying as the first book, but I still couldn’t stop reading.

[Raymond Craddock · Rating 4 out of 5]

recommend

If you read the first book, read this one too. I liked the continued story and will read book three.

[Juliana Poulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the suspense build up but the ending seemed so rushed. Especially with two additional books in the series. I would have loved an equal amount of time in the ending.

[Matthew Melton · Rating 1 out of 5]

In case you didn’t know, she’s hosting a charity event. This is a critical piece of knowledge. So critical, in fact, that the words “charity event” appear three times on the same page.

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as dark as the first book, which truly made me feel a tad ill. This was more of a ghost/horror story.