The Haunting at Blackwood Hall

by Barrymore Tebbs

Blackwood Hall is a house shrouded in silence. Nine-year-old Alice Fenn communicates only through her music. Jonathan Fenn and his sister Judith guard a terrifying family secret. The servants refuse to discuss the mysterious disappearance of a former governess. A drawing room séance attempts to make contact with the spirit of Elizabeth Blackwood. And when a diabolic madman holds the residents of Blackwood Hall hostage to an insidious reign of terror, governess Claire Ashby finds herself in a living nightmare of drug addiction, pagan rituals, and murder.

In the tradition of the great Gothic Romances, The Haunting at Blackwood Hall is a thrilling ghost story brimming with bold new twists on the beloved conventions of a bygone era: drawing room seances, rumors of witchcraft, phantom lights in the abbey ruins, mysterious piano music in the night, and plenty of inclement weather. Perfect reading for chilly autumn nights.

Genres: Gothic, Horror, Fiction, Paranormal, Historical Fiction, Ghosts, Supernatural

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2012

About the author

Barrymore Tebbs' writing combines the brooding atmosphere of the Gothic novel with the unexpected twists and turns of the Psychological Thriller to create "historical, doom-laden creepfests about people struggling (and often failing) to make sense of the situations they find themselves in."

He is as much inspired by the garish imagery and overwrought story lines from Hammer Films and Dark Shadows as he is by the subtle finesse of 20th Century writers such as Shirley Jackson, Daphne Du Maurier, and Thomas Tryon.

He is also the owner of the weblog, The Midnight Room, where he writes occasional commentary about Gothic art, fiction, and film.

Reviews

[Ionia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a short work. That terrified me when I started reading it, as you never quite know what you are getting yourself into. However, after the first chapter I was hooked. For a book of this length, the editing is really above average. The story is creepy and chilling and because of the length, was able to develop very naturally and never felt like the author was trying to push the story in ways it wasn't intended to go. The cast of characters n this book are really something. The book is light and dark at its finest. When I was about halfway through this book I kept expecting Bella Lugosi or Frank Lagella to jump out and bite me. With a truly Gothic feel, you can feel the impending darkness overshadow you as you read this work. The humor is dark and easy to appreciate and there are some truly hilarious quotes in this book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Gothic horror/mystery. It was refreshing to see an author of genre fiction bring so many unconventional ideas to the table. This book worked. I liked it.

[Jenna Scribbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Eyre-ish

I’ve been on a ghost story kick lately. I’ve also been trying out books that are in some way similar to Jane Eyre. The Haunting at Blackwood Hall seemed to fit both of these criteria so I gave it a try. I’m very glad I did.

Governesses, ghosts, mansions on the moors… ahhhh just what I was looking for. Tebbs takes his time with the atmosphere giving the reader time to savor. If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, then this book is not for you.

Each character was presented with a clear and distinct personality. I loved the child, Alice. What a perfect addition to this spooky story.

*slight spoilers*

I took away one star for the up and down pacing. There were numerous climaxes. I wasn’t sure which were key scenes. Some story lines seemed random or incomplete – Bahktu and the reveal of Kent’s real personality. Huh? I needed more with those two.

* End spoilers*

I sure hope Barrymore Tebbs is writing more gothic tales. I will read them FOR SURE!

[s · Rating 3 out of 5]

i love gothic novels, and i enjoyed this one for the most part. all the traditional elements were there, with the notable exception of a romance (unless i'm missing something and the end was to suggest Claire and Judith found one with each other, which would be awesome) -- and i did not mind that at all, as it would have been a little too much for one story.

my favorite thing was the sudden and inexplicable appearance of the crazy, apparently bisexual foreigner who stomped around threateningly and attempted violence upon the women -- who then killed him and buried him, possibly alive, in a bog. it ended up being a bonding experience! that was so out of left field, i kind of loved it.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this free on Kindle, so I'm always a bit skeptical about what I'll be getting. This book was pretty darn good, and stuck really well with the Gothic theme of big, haunted castle on the edge of the moors with good guys and villains (but are they really?). Classic! I thought the characters were well-developed and the plot was a real page-turner (so to speak...since we don't have real "pages" any more). I thought the ending felt a bit rushed, but that was okay. This is one of the few gems that I've gotten for free.

I give bonus points for being well-written, clean language, and lack of explicit sex (see? It's actually possible to convey feeling, emotion, and atmosphere without the use of these gimmicks). I do recommend this book if you like the classic Gothic ghost story theme.

[Annk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading this latest book from Barrymore Tebbs. This is another winner and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good scare. I couldn't put it down cause I wanted to know who was doing what to whom. There are many twists and turns and you don't know who's the good guy and who isn't. I was totally faked out by one character but I won't mention which one. Suffice it to say I couldn't stop reading it until I was done. This would make such a good movie and I kept trying to picture who would play each role. I'm so glad I found Barrymore cause I am loving the way he spins a tale. More books, please Mr. Tebbs!!

[Toni NB · Rating 4 out of 5]

I discovered Mr Tebbs from a member recommendation. Enjoyed the sample of The Haunting of Blackwood Hall so much that I sprung for the full e-book. Very good story and great "atmosphere" (the dark hall, brooding moors, pretty governess, dark/stormy nights, etc). But it was not cliche; and I enjoyed reading about a strong heroine for a change! I hope the author does more psychological gothics in the future...I would look forward to them.

[Megan S Spark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was *a lot* of fun... the wafts of jasmine conjuring up memories of Collinwood! The book was well written, with excellent vocabulary; engaging, surprising, and just quite satisfying. The ebook formatted nicely and presented well. As parent of a child with autism, I cringed early on at the introduction of the strange 'savant child', but the story unfolded in a very sensitive and enlightened manner. A fast read, and entertaining from start to finish. Recommended :)

[Jolene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent little novel. By far one of the best newer Gothics I have read recently. I really wish this was part of a series. I hate to say good bye to Alice, Claire, and Judith. I look forward to reading more by Tebbs

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Haven't read gothic in a long time and this reminded me that I love the genre.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love gothic. Love ghosts. Love bad people that almost convince you they're good people but they are totally bad people.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good!! I really loved this book! I would highly recommend it to anyone who loved gothic horror like Turn of the Screw.

[Mystic Miraflores · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book because it had high ratings, but was disappointed. I thought the book started out well and had a good plot. But there were typos, punctuation errors, use of the wrong word (ladies' bizarre instead of bazaar). The Greek island of Mykonos is on the Aegean Sea, not the Mediterranean Sea (I was there last summer so quickly picked up on this error.) The characters sometimes acted too modern for the historical period. For example, the main character used the word "gimmicky". This word didn't come about until around the 1920s, later than the period the book was supposed to have taken place in. I felt there were also some loose ends with the plot. I believe that if the author had used a good professional editor, the book would have been much better.

[Trina Talma · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only reason I gave this book one star instead of no stars is that the author, unlike about 95% of authors I've read, properly used the word "led" as the past tense of "lead" -- twice. Something something broken clock something...

[Caddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yep, I was gripped.probably more 3 and 3 quarters than a four star but nevertheless it was pretty good.

Shades of Jane Eyre and Jamaica Inn but then it is a gothic novel.

[Lisa Grapes · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a creepy book and a little scary this is the book for you. It is well written and has you wanting more. I’ve read a few books from this author and have never been disappointed.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember those Gothic mysteries? Those Doubleday books you were sent, like "The Mistress of Mellyn" by Victoria Holt? Or what about those films such as Hitchcock's "Rebecca" (and the novel too)? If you are a fan of this genre, it's here again. This novel, set in the romance of 19th Century Savannah, has all the ingredients of a Gothic souffle: the innocent woman (Claire Ashby) goes to tutor a strange girl, Alice Fenn. Alice has a talent for music, but reality is not one of her strong points. And, of course, the tutoring must take place in a haunted mansion. Add events like strange footsteps in the night, skeleton hands, rumors of witchcraft, well, you get it. So, we have the ingedients, but, it takes a creative, talented author to bring all these pieces to a conclusion. As he rollsl that stone uphill, Barrymore Tebbs does a gifted job to resolve all this madness into a most satifying denoument.

[theghostwriter · Rating 4 out of 5]

a beautifully written, haunting, English gothic story with all the ingredients (according to wikipedia) for a perfect gothic storm: the virginal maiden (2), the old foolish woman, the hero (1), the tyrant (2), the stupid servant (a few), bandits, ruffians, clergy, and of course THE SETTING, blackwood hall.

here's my gripe... there was absolutely no reason to even have agnes march in the story. i felt that her introduction in the end made zero sense and she added nothing to the story.

another useless character? nigel kent, just did not need to even be in the story. period.

without those two characters, this story would have had more focus. agnes and nigel basically took away from the story and made it kind of dumb. which bummed me out, because i REALLY wanted the ending to be different.

[Linda Branham · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is okay - but maybe I have read too many JAne Eyre type novels
Claire goes to Blackwood Hall on an isolated moor to take care of Alice. Alice's mother, Elizabeth died in childbirth. Johnathan and Judith are the owners of Blackwood Hall - and are brother and sister. The characters are well developed. Claire is the governess who is there to take care of Alice - Alice has some mental issues and communicates through music and drawing. Claire is well developed - and a bit too outspoken for the times. Alice is great - everyone will love her. Judith is a bit tight lipped and unfriendly. Jonathan has medical problems and is bitter and grieves for his wife Elizabeth who died in the birth of Alice

[Alyson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Languid, overwrought gothic in need of a professional editor. Characters have stiff, indistinct voices and fail to use contractions. Passage of time is unclear (and if that is intentional, it is poorly done). The sexual, crazed foreigner came off as a creepily racist stereotype. Parts of this dragged on forever, while others felt like whiplash (I barely know this dude? I'm in love! I've spent a total of five days with this kid (or who-knows-how-long; see problems with passage of time mentioned above)? We've got a super-special bond!) Overall, the story's a decent gothic, but the craft needs work.

[Chande · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. It was an old school gothic book. It said gothis romance but I never so any romance. Maybe I missed something or this was listed wrong. If you like gothic books you will enjoy this one.

[Cynthia Maddox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story. All the elements of a classical haunting tale. The characters were well drawn, the pacing just right, and a surprise ending. I am not going to summarize this story here. It is worth the read.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spine tingling, keep you on the edge of your seat, read. The characters are somewhat outrageous but engrossing. There was an unexpected twist toward the end, that frankly was disappointing, and thrilling all at once. Would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good ghost story.

[Sherry Ledbetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read

That is the best gothic tale I have read in a long time. I would recommend it to anyone who loves old castles and the English countryside. It's all there in this wonderfully written book. Thanks Mr. Gibbs!

[Barrymore Tebbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Victoria Holt on crack.

[Kit★]

Downloaded a handful of freebies for the Kindle, this is one of 'em.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an all round good old fashioned scary book, not sure who or what was around the next corner.
I read it under the quilts!

[Heather McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Needs a little bit of error correction... Characters and places are in good balance...

[Carrie Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting gothic ghost story. While I wasn't overly invested in the characters, they were all intriguing enough to keep me guessing. I love a good haunted house story and this did not disappoint.