Help for the Haunted

by John Searles

John Searles’s Help for the Haunted is an unforgettable story of a most unusual family, their deep secrets, their harrowing tragedy, and ultimately, a daughter’s discovery of a dark and unexpected mystery.

Sylvie Mason’s parents have an unusual occupation—helping “haunted souls” find peace. After receiving a strange phone call one winter’s night, they leave the house and are later murdered in an old church in a horrifying act of violence.

A year later, Sylvie is living in the care of her older sister, who may be to blame for what happened to their parents. Now, the inquisitive teenager pursues the mystery, moving closer to the knowledge of what occurred that night—and to the truth about her family’s past and the secrets that have haunted them for years.

Capturing the vivid eeriness of Stephen King’s works with the compelling quirkiness of John Irving’s beloved novels, Help for the Haunted is that rare story that brings to life a richly imagined and wholly original world.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Thriller, Book Club, Suspense

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2013

About the author

John Searles is the best-selling author of the novels Her Last Affair, Help for the Haunted, Strange but True and Boy Still Missing.

Hailed as “riveting” by The New York Times and “hypnotic” by Entertainment Weekly, Boy Still Missing, inspired Time magazine to name him a “Person to Watch,” and the New York Daily News to name him a “New Yorker to Watch.” His second novel, Strange but True was praised as “sinister and complex” by Janet Maslin of The New York Times, “extraordinary” by Publishers Weekly, and was named best novel of the year by Salon. John’s most recent novel, Help for the Haunted, was named a Boston Globe Best Crime Novel of the Year, an Entertainment Weekly Top 10 Must List, and won the American Library Association’s Alex Award.

In 2019, Strange But True was adapted for film by the producers of La La Land and released in theaters nationwide by Lionsgate. Now streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime, the film stars the award-winning ensemble cast of Amy Ryan, Greg Kinnear, Brian Cox, Blythe Danner, Nick Robinson and Margaret Qualley. The movie was praised as “suspenseful and haunting” by The Hollywood Reporter and “a twisty tale of tragic secrets” by the Los Angeles Times.

John has appeared regularly on morning programs like NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, Live! With Regis & Kelly, NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and CNN to discuss his books.

The longtime books editor of Cosmopolitan, John also served as the magazine’s brand director, executive editor, and editor-at-large. His personal and travel essays, book and restaurant reviews have been published in the New York Times, Washington Post and numerous other magazines, newspapers and websites. He has a master's degree in creative writing from New York University and lives in New York.

Reviews

[Delee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diabolical forces are formidable. These forces are eternal, and they exist today. The fairy tale is true. The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow.
Ed Warren

I didn't know a lot about HELP FOR THE HAUNTED going in-except that it had very high ratings on Goodreads...but I somehow had the feeling- after reading the description, that the parents of the main character were based on The Warrens- involved in such cases as "The Lutz's" Amityville Horror, "The Snedeker House"- The Haunting in Connecticut, and "The Perron Family"- The Conjuring.



and the further I got into reading it, I was sure I was right...



I love being right...



February 1989- The novel starts on a snowy night, when 13-year-old Sylvie Mason’s parents are woken up by a phone call from their other daughter- Rose (jr.)- asking them to meet her at an old church. Sylvester and Rose Mason are used to strange phone calls in the middle of the night...they are experts in the paranormal, but this phone call will be their last- after packing up Sylvie and heading to the destination they are gunned down inside the church, and young traumatized Sylvie is the only witness.

One year later, Sylvie -under the care of her older sister Rose- is still dealing with police investigations. Who killed their parents and why? Sylvie is determined to find out the truth. The book moves back and forth in time as Sylvie tries to piece together what really happened that horrible night.

HELP FOR THE HAUNTED by John Searles is a wonderful, sometimes creepy read- especially for fans of the paranormal.

[Clarice · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Help for the Haunted" started out as a real page turner with great story telling and excellent character development. Then at about the 90% mark, it just fell apart, and a book that was a 4-star read for me until then turned into a 1-star read. That really weak finish just sucked all the awesome out of the first 90% of the book and made it just an "OK" 2-star read for me overall.

***SPOILERS BELOW***

Having a new character pop up near the end of the book to be revealed as the murderer is lame enough, but Searles just didn't seem to know how to "end" the story. After the murderer was revealed, the writing just meandered. The struggle/fight between Frankie and Sylvie in the basement was not just unrealistic - it was ridiculous. Then we get detail after boring detail regarding what happened to Sylvie after she was "rescued". It was the sort of "happily ever after" information a reader would naturally be interested in, but somehow Searles, who kept me on the edge of my seat the first 90% of the book, managed to make the ending drag.

[Biblioblond · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was extremely intrigued by the premise of this novel; I thought it would make for a perfect spooky book to read around Halloween. In the end, I struggled through it only to be bitterly disappointed by an implausible conclusion. The beginning was spooky and well written enough to hook me but then after that the moments of interest were few and far between (the doll moving around, the wooden horses being broken as well as the descriptions of Abigail). Although I liked the main character of Sylvie, the secondary characters and her relationship with them seemed flat and unbelievable (with the exception of Abigail). Despite struggling through the bulk of the novel, I was determined to make it to the end (so good was the hook from the first chapter). In suspense novels, there are surprise endings that leave the reader reveling in their brilliance while there are surprise endings that leave the reader thinking "What the ...???" This novel's ending was the latter. The conclusion was albeit a complete surprise but that neither seemed clever nor plausible. It left me feeling bitterly disappointed that I had invested so much of my time in this novel. I gave this book two stars for its interesting premise and the intriguing characters of Sylvie and Abigail. I was wishing that it could have been so much more...

[Beverly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Help for the Haunted is trying to be many things, but never resolves itself into being a great story. It starts out with a bang, Sylvie and Rose are teenage girls whose parents are murdered in a church, while Sylvie waits for them in the car. Rose, who had run away, had called them and said she would meet them there. Sylvie lies to the police about Rose's involvement, but never really believes that Rose had any part in their killing. This is mostly Sylvie's story, as she tries to figure out who killed her parents.

I thought the author was good at making the family into fully fleshed and tangible real people. You really care about Sylvie and want to solve the mystery, but the actual telling of that story meanders and you feel like much of it could have been left out. The ending was a disappointment and a bit ludicrous as well. It's as if the writer did not have a plan from the beginning of who the killer is and just made something up, on the spur of the moment, in order to wrap it all up.

[Mandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really expected more from this story.. it left me with more questions than answers. Halfway through I realized that I wasn't going to enjoy it and that I felt like it was going nowhere. The ending for me started to get better and I wish the author had elaborated more on Rose and her distorted life. I wouldn't recommend this one and I am sorry I wasted my time on it.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Help for the Haunted
by John Searles
What an excellent, page turning thriller! Wow! So many unknowns, secrets, mysteries, scary situations, and possibilities! Had me gripping the page to the very last page!

Our young gal just a young teen, barely, and has an older and wilder sister who fights with the over domineering religious parents who are also famous Demonologists.

This is a flash back and forth between present and past telling the history of various episodes in their lives coming up to the parents murder that the sister may or may not have had something to do with. That same sister who has custody of her now, and that our gal lied to the police for to keep her out of trouble. But things aren't adding up.

Then there is the paranormal activity. How much can she explain away? Her parents kept the cursed objects in the basement in a special room. A doll called Penny is down there in a cage too because she was moving around the house.

I loved this book. It kept me entertained and thinking. Multiple puzzles to solve, I love that! The ending was great! But when you thing back, not all was solved....wiggling scary fingers!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creepy, disturbing, and compelling, with gothic overtones and well-drawn characters. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to older teens. Definitely one of my favorite suspense novels of the year. It would also make a terrific movie.

[Ruth Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just an okay read for me.

My interest was caught at the beginning, but the more I read the less it intrigued me.

It's well written and the characters are interesting, but I found the story dragged at times.

The ending was disappointing and seemed contrived, almost as though the author didn't quite know how to end it.

I finished the last page and it was kind of...Huh?...So that's it? Disappointing.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding, suspenseful, unique. One of the best books I've read this year.

Full review:

I loved this book so much. I had a hard time tearing myself away and wish I had had the sense to start this on a weekend so I didn't have to! Searles has created a thoroughly sympathetic heroine in Sylvie. Her (his) voice is authentic and believable as a teenager in a very unusual home situation. Every element of the plot is revealed in exactly the right place. The characters are all complex and how I felt about some of them at the beginning (very strongly), I felt very strongly in a completely different way at the end. I rarely see this in books and I was fascinated as things were revealed that made me change my mind. In short, Help for the Haunted simply blew me away. It's the best book I've read so far this year. I will be purchasing this for my library and recommending it to fans of Chris Bojalian, Christopher Buehlman and anyone who enjoys a well-written, suspenseful and emotional story. Outstanding.


SPOILER ALERT


P.S. And OMG, she-who-shall-not-be-named in her cage with that sign on it? SOOO creepy. A+++

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book to fill the “Haunted Houses” square of my 2017 Halloween Bingo card.

As in any good ghost story, there is a lot of ambiguity in this tale of family strife and striving. Can Sylvie’s father see ghosts or not? What are her mother’s capabilities? Are they helping people or just fooling their clients and themselves?

Sylvie is a typical “good kid.” She is co-operative, obedient, studious—even when she doesn’t want to be any of those things. And her sister Rose is the typical “bad kid.” She questions everything, does what she wants to, and makes life as miserable as possible for the rest of the family. Rose and their father clash a lot—probably because they are a lot alike. That’s generally how these things work. My father & I butted heads occasionally because we were both quiet people with strong ideas and more that our share of stubbornness. Other than that, I was pretty much the stereotypical good kid, so I could relate to Sylvie quite well.

I had to wonder about what kind of person would choose a career of helping those with supernatural difficulties. Why would you put your own family into such a situation, where your own children often took a backseat to the children of others? It’s almost a truism that preacher’s kids will get in trouble, often as a way to plead for attention from their parents and that seems to hold true with any of the religious & quasi-religious professions.

In the end, it seemed that it maybe wasn’t the house that was haunted, but the family. Haunted by things left unsaid, paths left untrod, people left behind.

[Brittany Mclain · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a good suspense story. But I don't know if I am just desensitized or this book was just that boring because I trudged through the whole thing waiting for it to get good and when I flipped the last page I wish I had spent my previous two evenings doing something else. Well written, good character development but I definitely never felt the need to double check the door locks or felt nervous venturing into the basement later that night as the author blurbs all suggested. Very meh.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and the main character. The narrative--a teenage girl struggling to deal with the death of her parents, who were sort of ghost hunters/conductors of exorcisms/spirit guides. The book actually isn't very clear what the parents do, which is my biggest complaint. Sometimes the parents are just praying over people who have demons inside. Sometimes they are retrieving haunted items? There are definitely some encounters with angry ghosts? I wanted more descriptions of what the parents did exactly, and what the stories of hauntings were. In DETAIL.

The older sister is clearly supposed to be an unlikeable character, but she was so unlikeable I found it hard to read scenes with her in them. And the younger sister is so passive about so many aspects of her life. I wanted to reach into the book and shake the both of them as hard as possible.

Recommended if you want an engrossing novel that doesn't *quite* deliver on all its early promises, but has such a forward-propelled plot that you kind of don't care.

[Yodamom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got to 40 % and just couldn't go on. It is not a bad story I just did not connect to the characters in anyway. I also did not care for the back and forth in timelines. I found my mind drifting while listening to it.

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Help for the Haunted is an extraordinary book that defies categorization. It revolves around the murder of Sylvie Mason's parents and with an elegant construction takes place both in the present and through a series of flashbacks that bit by bit reveal all the mysteries surrounding the Masons and their lives.

The first person narrative voice of Sylvie is marvellously realized as an intelligent, sensitive and deeply troubled teenage girl, not surprising considering her upbringing and the fact that she was the only witness to her parents' killing. They had been ambitious members of the paranormal community, paid to deal with hauntings and possessions and increasingly prominent on the supernatural lecture trail with a basement full of spooky souvenirs and possessions including a very scary rag doll confined to a locked cage.

Almost every object and character in the book have their own air of menace and nothing and no one is entirely what they seem. The atmosphere is beautifully drawn and the air of danger and menace as Sylvie gets closer to the truth is beautifully realized.

Somewhat to my surprise (I am about as far away from being a teenage girl as you can get) I loved this book from the very first page. Read it, you'll be glad you did.

[Karin Slaughter · Rating 5 out of 5]

In addition to being adorable, John is a really engaging and skillful writer. I have always been a fan but this latest one was a real treasure to read. The quality of the writing is just amazing. Some of the phrases still stick with me, which is always what you want with a good book.

Also, of note, I recently found out that John's dad was a long-haul truck driver, and John used to ride along with him and read books, which makes me respect John even more because I get really car sick and would've puked my way across the country.

This is what audio books are for.

[Donnelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty much impossible to fit under the umbrella of just one genre, as it is alternately a paranormal quasi-thriller (that both debunks and lightly supports some aspects of the goings-on in the mystical realm); a murder mystery; a character study of a young girl finding answers and her way in the world; a cautionary tale of what can happen when one has too much or too little faith; a story where one person's short-sighted, selfish vision for the future has disastrous consequences; and a drama about a controversial family whose extraordinary professional adventures mask a deep, all-encompassing sadness and dysfunction.

So, there's a lot going on, and matters are not helped by the fact that the narrative is not linear - one second, we're in the present day, the next, Sylvie is recounting events that happened years before, and then a month before, and then back to the present day, and characters pop into the story and then disappear for a long while. In short, the murky-factor in this one is high; it does take some patience to get through.

While one is slogging through everything, there are some paranormal elements that show up, and they are interesting and even veer into eerie territory, but they are far from scary (in my view). The murder mystery is intriguing, and that's largely what kept me reading until the end: Mr. Searles did a good job of making sure that readers cannot guess the culprit's identity. However, I have to say that the revelation of just who that person was didn't come out of nowhere, per se, but I don't feel as though enough of a foundation was laid that made the ending feel earned - there were basically just a couple of hints spaced through a couple of hundred of pages, and then...there it was. And then, after one scene, it was all wrapped up.

On the plus side, Sylvie was a very sympathetic character - the good daughter who always obeyed, made good grades, and put up with her overbearing, misfit older sister. She's the one that is followed throughout the story, as she struggled with the aftermath of the murder, the stigma that came part and parcel with her parents' profession and followed her around even after their deaths, and the quest to figure out what really happened. Along the way, she encountered a kind counselor, a mostly kind detective, and (yup, you guessed it) a kind former boyfriend of her sister's. While it was good that she had that support, those characters weren't developed beyond that point. In fact, there wasn't all that much in the way of character development for anyone. The other main character, big sister Rose, spent a vast majority of the book being absolutely horrible to everyone; very late in the story, her behavior was explained, and while what happened to her was absolutely vile and horrible and I felt sorry for her, it wasn't enough to completely erase the myriad terrible things she had done over the course of the preceding 350 pages. (I want to reiterate that what was done to her was inexcusable, and I absolutely hate that that kind of thing happens to kids all-too-often in the real world. It's just that, in this case, when you're constantly hit over the head with countless examples of Rose's bad, selfish, destructive behavior and how it hurt every single person around her, including Sylvie, time and time again, it can be very difficult to sweep all that aside once the truth is revealed.)

All in all, I went into the book expecting more of a creepy, disturbing, chilling kind of a story, but the main thing I took away from it was sadness because Sylvie lost her parents, her family was in disarray even before their deaths (with her parents making numerous, huge mistakes that negatively and irrevocably impacted all of them), and she was virtually abandoned by her sister and everyone else. As a family drama, it worked; as a main character, Sylvie worked; as a murder mystery, it worked until it was resolved. For those reasons, I gave this one 3 stars. I think that with a clearer focus and some editing out of plodding, repetitive scenes, the book could have been amazing. As it was, though, the story was just okay for me.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I thought it was well-written, the characters were interesting and unique and had depth, and the plot, though it is basically a whodunit, was told in such a special way. It is told by young teenager, Sylvie, who is smart, sensitive, and sensible. The parents of Sylvie, and her older sister, Rose, are an unusual couple, who help people who are haunted or possessed. The parents are murdered in a church one night, during a blizzard, and Sylvie has identified a man from their past as the murderer, and this man is getting ready to be tried, and the detectives are re-interviewing her. The whole book switches back and forth from this point, to the months leading up to this. The story is told so poignantly by this young girl, who is navigating living alone with her unbalanced and neglectful sister as her guardian, being ridiculed and teased by schoolmates, and is trying to learn the whole truth about the murder. In doing so, she learns hard truths about her parents and her sister, but Sylvie has a light inside her. I just fell in love with her. This was just an excellent read.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you believe in haunted souls? No? You might just change your mind after reading this eerie, tension filled account of the Masons. Somewhat evangelistic, The Masons are out to save tortured beings much to the perplexity of one daughter and the questioning of the other. Sylvie, the daughter who wants to believe and hope, life is shattered one icy evening when she is dragged along with her parents to church where a reconciliation is to take place between her parents and her sister Rose. A gunshot rings out and Sylvie's life is changed forever. Mine has been a bit too! Slow, creepy, with a gothic mood, this psychological head game builds to an interesting climax.

My sincere thanks to William Morrow Pubishing for providing an e-galley of Help for the Haunted to be published September 2013

[Mir]

At page 80, just as I was about to give up, whatever was down there turned the lights back on. Ah, the ominous basement, where would horror be without you?

We don't go to the basement, though. We go back to the past again, to another story about her and her awful sister and her parents.

The author keeps teasing just enough to keep some readers going, wanting to find out if something supernatural is actually going on. Not this reader, though. I've never been a fan of this is-there-or-isn't-there approach, and I've encountered it too many times. And I'm not enjoying time spent with any of these characters.

So unless a trusted friend drops by to tell me that there are in fact monsters in the cellar or some other fascinating development, I'm not finishing this.
ymmv

[Mauoijenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story plot but I couldn't help shake loose the feeling of The Ghost Whisperer while reading it. Of course its different in a couple of ways and the characters are very well developed. I felt it got a little muddled in the last fourth of the book but it ended quite like I thought it would.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The genius of Help For The Haunted is that Searles successfully combines so many genres. He gives you a heroine to care about and empathize with, some scares and chills along the way, a dysfunctional family with a secret, all the while trying to solve a murder mystery. The solution to the mystery is surprising, and I doubt that many people will have figured it out before the big reveal.

Sylvie is an intriguing young heroine; she belongs up there with Stephen King’s Carrie, Roald Dahl’s Matilda and even Harper Lee’s Scout Finch. Searles has written such a real, honest, believable character. Her outsider status is one that many readers can identify with.

All of the characters are richly developed here. Even a minor character, like Dereck, an old high school boyfriend of Rose, is so fully realized and I admit to a little bit of a crush on him. Uncle Howie is an interesting character as well; we don’t really know what the deal is with him. Does he love his brother or despise him?

With Halloween on the way, this is the perfect time to read Help For The Haunted. If you like a brilliantly written scary book, one with interesting characters and a puzzle of a mystery, pick this one up. Just be sure to leave all the lights on while you read. And lock the basement door.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

...even though three stars seems a wee bit generous.

Just the facts, man: John Searles writes prose well. But he tends to rehash the same ideas and events, and drags out the story too much. He also needlessly bounces around in time, and that just doesn't make for a very cohesive read. And here's my biggest beef: plot holes the size of craters. Massive, moon-surface-like plot holes. You can't miss them. They are fantastic in size.

I had the audio, and one of my very favorite narrators, Emma Galvin, delivered another stellar performance. This is what kept me going. She's one of the best in the biz. And like I mentioned before, the prose was good. So it lent itself well to narration.

Also, I was in the market for a good, summer ghost story. This turned out to be an anti-ghost story (you'll know what I mean if you read this book), so not exactly what I was looking for. I might try another by John Searles in the future, but he needs to tighten up his work a bit. That's just my humble opinion.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best supernatural thriller I’ve read in 2013

I loved this book! I’m intrigued with the supernatural yet so often it can come across as just plain silly. Not so in “Help for the Haunted” and not only is this a fascinating tale well told but the ending is amazing. Searles kept me guessing throughout most of the book yet he still gave ample hints about the resolution to chew on along the way. Sylvie Mason is born into a supernatural family in that both her parents earn their living by helping people who feel they’re being haunted or who are suffering from things they can’t control or find answers to. The Mason’s are the last resort for these sufferers.

Since this is all Sylvie’s ever known she barely stops to question what goes on around her until she’s forced to do so. Her older sister, Rose, is both a help and a hindrance yet she has no one else to help her in her quest so Sylvie is forced to rely on Rose. The action in “Help" is unrelenting and consistently interesting as well as right on the cusp of believable. Searles is excellent at helping the reader see things through Sylvie’s early teenage eyes without talking down to his audience. I can’t wait to read his follow up book to “Help”. In my opinion “Help for the Haunted” is the best supernatural thriller I’ve read in 2013.

This review is based on an advance reader's copy provided by the publisher.
(Disclaimer included as required by the FTC.)

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this beautifully written, haunting and evocative novel about two sisters and their strange childhood and coming of age, growing up in a house with parents who are not by any means normal and whose career lends itself to some strange and sometimes scary goings on…

Exquisitely constructed, the story opens on that fateful night at the old church, then moves backwards and forwards in time telling the tale of Sylvie and Rose as they grow up and slowly but surely revealing the background and events leading up to the time that everything changes. It is truly compelling throughout and highly addictive – as Sylvie struggles to make sense of her life and the lives of those around her you will be enthralled, immersed into their world and barely able to look away. Often horrifying, definitely upon occasion very creepy and yet with an elegance and depth to it that will resonate, this is absolutely one of the best books I have read this year.

Sylvie provides our eyes and ears – she is the “good” daughter, the one who is accepting and who never causes trouble. She has a love/hate relationship with her sister Rose, who is a completely fascinating character, not so willing to forgive or understand and who has her own inner demons to fight..as such I found her enthralling and often eminently dislikeable yet more fragile than she cares to admit. Extremely well drawn both, they provide the anchor around which all else flows, in a tale that is at turns enchanting and alarming.

I kind of don’t want to give anything else away. How they cope, what happens, where and why – these are all things to discover as things unfold…at its heart it is the tale of one family, the author simply allowing his characters to speak, and the reader to draw their own conclusions. An intelligent and very appealing novel, with some surprising twists and turns, a complete tale which lends itself well to allowing the readers imagination to have full flow, I’m very sorry to say goodbye to this one. And without doubt I shall be reading more from this author. Preferably VERY soon.

[Dan Radovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Searles has created a masterpiece of contemporary fiction with HELP FOR THE HAUNTED. The hair on the nape of your neck begins to bristle and stand stiff early on in this new work and it does not lay flat and straight once you finish reading. Sylvie is a fantastic narrator, a beautifully written fleshed out young girl. Every character fits perfectly into the story. Every plotline is woven smoothly into the story which is filled with Searles' wit as well as wonderful creepiness. Excellent demonstration of his superior storytelling skills.

[Crystal Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting more and something different from John Searles', Help for the Haunted. With it's interesting title and nice cover art, I was surprised when I finished that the book wasn't more scary. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading about young Sylvie and Rose Mason. Sylvie was a delight and Rose was often quit comical. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Annie Danstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new novel by an already beloved author is wonderful. Creepy, funny with fantastic characters, I love this book!

[H. Dair Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the back of this book there are blurbs from Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl), Jodi Picoult (Second Glance), Sara Gruen (Water for Elephants), Chris Bohjalian (The Light in the Ruins), and Robert Goolrick (A Reliable Wife). I've read books by each of these authors and really enjoyed the experience (Goolrick and Gruen, in particular), so I was sold!

Fortunately for me, I didn't read what they actually said about the book.* I recommend you don't either. Some of the reviews there are misleading as to what *kind* of a story it is and could leave you disappointed if you go looking for something that it just isn't. Only Publisher's Weekly's review ("unsettlimg....keeps the reader on edge while Sylvie bravely uncovers her family's many secrets.") actually gets close.

While this book doesn't measure up to some of those by the authors listed above, there is some page-turning happening, for sure. There was never any question as to whether I would finish this one.

*In ON WRITING, Stephen King suggests (and I paraphrase here) that you don't read the blurbs and the summary if you can help it. Just start with that first paragraph and see where it takes you, as the author intended. I've found I really like doing it this way. I make up my own mind about what I think it was about and after finishing it THEN read the reviews, blurbs, etc. It's like my own little book club experience (like a teeny bookclub-in-a-teacup). Don't judge me.

[Valentina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining book, a great literary read with a touch of mystery to keep readers turning the pages.
The book’s structure, I think, was cleverly done, with chapters moving backwards and forwards in time. This gives us access to certain events while keeping some other ones hidden, creating in this way even more tension in the narrative. This technique also doesn’t allow us to become too complacent with the storyline, which works very well in a novel like this where suspense is a key element.
The main character, Sylvie, is nicely written, as is her sister Rose. I also enjoyed how their parents were presented. Since they are seen through Sylvie’s eyes, we don’t really know if they are accurately represented. We start getting little clues from other characters, but they don’t really come to life until late in the story, adding to the tension.
The writing itself is clear, with a unique voice that I found refreshing in a suspenseful novel such as this one. The topic is not necessarily the most groundbreaking, but the way it is handled makes all the difference.
I do recommend this one to all lovers of literary novels that have a touch of psychological mystery.

[Mary Kubica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, what a terrific book. I have never read one quite like this (a ghost story!), and thoroughly enjoyed it. I absolutely loved the character of Sylvie, as well as many of the other truly unique characters in the novel. The telling of the story itself was quite distinct as well, and I couldn't wait to get to the end and discover the truth of what happened that night in the church. I'm looking forward to reading much more by John Searles!