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The Ghost
A decaying body of an eight-year-old girl is found near a sand dune on the Navarre-Pensacola Beach road. The law enforcement officers soon discover she was actually the second victim and the terror begins in Northwest Florida. Although every precaution is taken by parents and school officials, the killings continue. There is fear in the streets, in the schools, in the playgrounds and in every home. The Sheriff departments of four counties, the FDLE and the FBI seem powerless to stop it.
The Ghost, a mystery thriller about a serial killer in Northwest Florida by Mark Conte has just been released by Alpha Wolf Publishing, an imprint of Solstice publishing. Based on a true story about a serial killer who never left any evidence to identify himself. It was as if he committed his crimes and than disappeared like a ghost. The paperback is available at all book sites for 15.99. The ebook is .99.
The Ghost, a mystery thriller about a serial killer in Northwest Florida by Mark Conte has just been released by Alpha Wolf Publishing, an imprint of Solstice publishing. Based on a true story about a serial killer who never left any evidence to identify himself. It was as if he committed his crimes and than disappeared like a ghost. The paperback is available at all book sites for 15.99. The ebook is .99.
234 pages, ebook
First published November 1, 2013
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Mark Conte
11 books24 followersMark Randolph Conte has published fiction, poetry, articles, interviews and Guest Columns in 67 publications. He has eight books, Walking on Water, poetry, 1986, Delilah and Other Stories, 2001, The Judas Scroll, poetry, 2004 and Five Days to Eternity, 2005. Of Flesh and Stone, 2009, The Ghost 2013, The Easter Lamb 2015, The Death of Sherlock Holmes, 2015, Kathy's Songs, poetry, 2016.. The Winds of revolution august 2017 and A Friend of the Family due December 2017 He had short stories in the anthologies Steps in Time and Love Matters. He won Honorable Mention in the PEN American award in short fiction in 1979 and first prize in poetry in the Barbwire Theater awards. He is a member of the Academy of American Poets and the Authors Guild.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
May 13, 2018
I received an e-book of The Ghost through Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
The first thing I would say is that this book really sparked my interest as a crime story inspired by real events.
There's a lot of police procedural information the book which indicates that the author has really done his research. I found it quite interesting, however if you're not into those kinds of details it could make the book drag in parts.
The descriptions of the crimes are very graphic at points, so this book is not for the faint hearted. You're not getting an Agatha Christie here, you're getting cold, hard facts as though you're part of the police force investigating.
There is some great scene setting throughout the book, with descriptions of places being really evocative - the opening scene in particular. In general, the story could use some editing as there were some clunky sentences, some typos, mixed tense sentences, changing or erroneous details, and once or twice characters changed names a few pages on, which was confusing. However, once I worked through these minor details the story itself was really engaging and I found myself turning pages really wanting to know how things panned out. The way even the technical detail is written makes it easy to follow and you really get drawn in to the story.
I had a hard time picturing some of the characters such as James Bennett at first. However his relationship with his family was portrayed well and I did warm to him and wanted him to have a happy ending.
The relationship between Murphy and Carlucci is good, however at one point Murphy asks Carlucci if he has children which, considering he is her father's old partner and they've known each other since she was three and seemingly meet for breakfast regularly, I thought she would know the answer to.
I also thought that the serial killer's preference was very specific and wondered how realistic it was that this combination of characteristics was that common.
So aside from the points which I think could be improved on, I would definitely recommend this as a good page turner for die-hard crime fiction fans. I'll look out for more by Mark Conte.
The first thing I would say is that this book really sparked my interest as a crime story inspired by real events.
There's a lot of police procedural information the book which indicates that the author has really done his research. I found it quite interesting, however if you're not into those kinds of details it could make the book drag in parts.
The descriptions of the crimes are very graphic at points, so this book is not for the faint hearted. You're not getting an Agatha Christie here, you're getting cold, hard facts as though you're part of the police force investigating.
There is some great scene setting throughout the book, with descriptions of places being really evocative - the opening scene in particular. In general, the story could use some editing as there were some clunky sentences, some typos, mixed tense sentences, changing or erroneous details, and once or twice characters changed names a few pages on, which was confusing. However, once I worked through these minor details the story itself was really engaging and I found myself turning pages really wanting to know how things panned out. The way even the technical detail is written makes it easy to follow and you really get drawn in to the story.
I had a hard time picturing some of the characters such as James Bennett at first. However his relationship with his family was portrayed well and I did warm to him and wanted him to have a happy ending.
The relationship between Murphy and Carlucci is good, however at one point Murphy asks Carlucci if he has children which, considering he is her father's old partner and they've known each other since she was three and seemingly meet for breakfast regularly, I thought she would know the answer to.
I also thought that the serial killer's preference was very specific and wondered how realistic it was that this combination of characteristics was that common.
So aside from the points which I think could be improved on, I would definitely recommend this as a good page turner for die-hard crime fiction fans. I'll look out for more by Mark Conte.
April 30, 2019
I received this book from Voracious Readers for an honest review. I really wanted to like this book. I am a big fan of thrillers and mysteries and really wanted this to be good. The thing that makes a great thriller or mystery is the tension built between the good guys and the bad guys. IT is the development of the story in how the good guys go about building their case and the bad guys feel the strangle hold and try to continue to elude the good guys. What makes a truly outstanding thriller though, is when as a reader, you have no idea who the killer is. You have a number of suspects to chose from and you never truly know until the good guys have their AHA moment. This book had none of that. It had a fantastic premise - a child is found brutalized in a lonely area is Alaska. Then you find out that it was just one of many. The scene shifts to Florida where a child goes missing and is later found by a young couple in a deserted stretch of beach. Then children keep going missing and the police have nothing to go on. Fantastic premise. Poor execution. The story was disjointed and hard to read. At times it read like a text book. It had fantastic descriptions, but the descriptions were on things that didn't move the story forward and were just really small details that only needed mention in passing - the back story on the different people involved in the investigation as in they were so tall and weighed so much which was more then when they played football for whatever school they went to where they were the star of the team and had numerous people who admired them..... that kind of stuff. There was no other character development. There is also no story development. You are told straight out who the killer is within the first few chapters. I almost didn't finish this book. I only finished it to see if the good guys actually do win in the end. Spoiler alert - they do. This book could have been truly outstanding but ended up being a disappointment.
July 30, 2018
Based on a true story The Ghost is a crime mystery/thriller about a serial killer praying on young women in northwest Florida. The serial killer is named "The Ghost" by law enforcement because he never leaves any evidence that would implicate him at crime scenes. Eventually they realize the only way to catch this predator is through an abundance of man power and help from the people who live in the area.
I enjoyed this book. It's a good story driven by a seriesly twisted killer and suspense. The storyline moves the book along well and it's an easy read.
The book could have been much better with with more character development. Although I like the law enforcement characters they could have been fleshed out more. The reader is given a very basic understanding of the serial killer. His character development is lacking and with more detail of his past and psyche this book would have been much better.
If you are looking for a quick read with a fast moving storyline you would enjoy this book. If you are looking for a thriller that delves into the twisted mind of a killer you probably will find this book lacking.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.
I enjoyed this book. It's a good story driven by a seriesly twisted killer and suspense. The storyline moves the book along well and it's an easy read.
The book could have been much better with with more character development. Although I like the law enforcement characters they could have been fleshed out more. The reader is given a very basic understanding of the serial killer. His character development is lacking and with more detail of his past and psyche this book would have been much better.
If you are looking for a quick read with a fast moving storyline you would enjoy this book. If you are looking for a thriller that delves into the twisted mind of a killer you probably will find this book lacking.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.
July 12, 2018
I was given this book for free from Voracious Readers in exchange for a book review. I really struggled with this book. I almost didn't finish reading it. It had potential to be good. Apart from the editing errors which have previously been discussed by other reviewers, my main issues where that it got bogged down in too much detail that wasn't really relevant. I frequently found myself skimming over paragraphs. At times it felt like the author was almost quoting directly from information about organisations that he had discovered in his research. I almost expect to see references at the end of some paragraphs. I also think that the story could have been better improved by not giving away the identity of the killer at the start of the book. There was no twist or surprise at the end.
March 15, 2018
I received a free kindle version of this book through VRO. Crime thrillers are one of my favourite genres after classics and romances. As this book is based on a true story (& the genre I like) I was very inclined to read it. The story was really thrilling and easy to read except for some grammatical errors and repeated text .It would have been nice if it had some fine editing and spacing . Overall it was a gripping novel that would keep you entertained till the very end.
May 21, 2018
I like true crime stories and thought this book would be a good read.
Some parts of the book dragged for me like the information of the Police investigation. I found this to go on a little too much.
The author's description of the crime scenes does not leave much to the imagination but makes your imagination be there inside the book to the point where you get hooked.
As with other reviews the editing wasn't the best but a good read.
Some parts of the book dragged for me like the information of the Police investigation. I found this to go on a little too much.
The author's description of the crime scenes does not leave much to the imagination but makes your imagination be there inside the book to the point where you get hooked.
As with other reviews the editing wasn't the best but a good read.
June 23, 2018
I received an e-book of The Ghost through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.
The storyline had potential and peaked my interest. It’s a quick read, and while interesting, I was a tad bit disappointed it was a one sided tell, with more repetition than necessary. It reads like a bad episode of cops without so much as an inkling as to what makes the serial killer tick. What made him do the things he does? It leaves a lot open to interpretation, more than it should have.
The storyline had potential and peaked my interest. It’s a quick read, and while interesting, I was a tad bit disappointed it was a one sided tell, with more repetition than necessary. It reads like a bad episode of cops without so much as an inkling as to what makes the serial killer tick. What made him do the things he does? It leaves a lot open to interpretation, more than it should have.
July 28, 2018
I found the premise of the book to be interesting. I generally enjoy serial killer/true crime books, and while this wasn’t true crime, there were enough similarities to intrigue me. Unfortunately there were so many editing errors that I was distracted by them and had to work to finish the book. The style of writing was ok, I suppose, but not really my cup of tea. The ending seemed rushed - almost like the author couldn’t figure out how to end it.
May 27, 2018
The story had potential but ended up falling a little flat for me. The dialogue was stilted and unnatural. So much of the book was describing things that didn’t add to the story or move it forward. It read more like a recitation of facts than a story.
I received a complimentary copy from Voracious Readers in return for an honest review.
I received a complimentary copy from Voracious Readers in return for an honest review.
July 7, 2018
I really wanted to love this book. Just reading the synopsis had me intrigued by the story. The concept was so interesting, however, the writing was lacking. I felt like the book slacked on dialogue and insight on police procedures to fit in more death. I loved how we got to see from the murders point of view as that gave some depth to the murders. I always enjoy when books incorporate this point of view.
I feel like the character development fell flat for me in this book. I felt like Murphy was going to be a more dynamic character in this book, however, past linking her to Carlucci there wasn't more information about her. I actually feel like Carlucci was the most fleshed out character but that is only because people mention his book and ask about his relationship with Murphy.
I received an e-book of The Ghost through Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
I feel like the character development fell flat for me in this book. I felt like Murphy was going to be a more dynamic character in this book, however, past linking her to Carlucci there wasn't more information about her. I actually feel like Carlucci was the most fleshed out character but that is only because people mention his book and ask about his relationship with Murphy.
I received an e-book of The Ghost through Voracious Readers Only in return for an honest review.
July 23, 2018
I was given a complementary copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only. I found that the book as like reading a script of an event as it happened. It was very descriptive about where things were happening and very descriptive - maybe too descriptive- on what he did to the bodies. I felt that there was no flowing from crime to crime, the story just jumped to the next one.
March 20, 2018
2009 and a brutalised body of a young girl has been founded in Florida. She is not the first nor will she be the last.
Though based on a true story it didn't really capture my interest but I did finish the book.
Though based on a true story it didn't really capture my interest but I did finish the book.
June 14, 2018
Was given this book through VRO and it certainly delivered for my first book to read. Loved it from the start and found it hard to put down. A definite must for any crime buff would love to read more from this author.
July 31, 2018
I received this book via Voracious Readers in return for a honest review. I found this book interesting and informative. Being based on a true story about a twisted serial killer in USA, that was given the name the Ghost. If you are interested in police procedures it is the book for you.
July 31, 2018
I was fortunate to receive a complimentary copy of this book.
Once I started, couldn’t put it down, a real page turner that sucks you in & keeps the reader guessing until the end.
Sadly though, the ending was a little disappointingly abrupt.
Once I started, couldn’t put it down, a real page turner that sucks you in & keeps the reader guessing until the end.
Sadly though, the ending was a little disappointingly abrupt.
March 14, 2018
Excellent story!
March 31, 2018
Interesting read, a bit too dry in places but a good insight into a harrowing police investigation.
April 14, 2018
Well sequence and timely . Able to read consistently with no legs in the
story . Quick read and worth the time .
story . Quick read and worth the time .
April 21, 2018
I received this ebook through VRO.
Although the story was good, it would definitely have benefited from better editing. The grammar, particularly at the start, made it quite difficult to read.
Although the story was good, it would definitely have benefited from better editing. The grammar, particularly at the start, made it quite difficult to read.
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May 22, 2017Find it on Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
and on Amazon: myBook.to/easterlamb
Print version: https://www.createspace.com/5411330
In the Vianello family, a lamb is bought on Good Friday, fattened up all day Friday and Saturday, and slaughtered Saturday night to be cooked for Easter dinner. But this year, the three Vianello boys, Dante, Johnny and Carlo, along with the Irish girl next door, become fond of the lamb, which they have named Delilah, and devise a daring plan to rescue it from this fate.
An amusing and inspiring family story for all ages, by MarkConte.
4 out of 4 stars
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Easter Lamb" by Mark Conte.]
The Easter Lamb by Mark Conte is a children’s book set in 1938 about the daring plan of four children, between the ages of eleven and five, to rescue the lamb intended for Easter dinner. The Vianello family purchases a live lamb for Easter dinner every year and the book begins with the three Vianello boys helping their father select the latest lamb. The Easter lamb is purchased and the boys promptly name her Delilah because she is pretty. Once the boys have Delilah at home, all of the neighborhood children flock to their house to play with the lamb. After playing with Delilah all evening, the Vianello boys and their next door neighbor Skipper decide that they can’t allow Delilah to become Easter dinner and must come up with a plan to save her. The children enlist the help of their kind-hearted neighbor Mr. Johnson, without being entirely honest about what they need help with. All the while, they have to avoid the sharp eyes of “The Ancient One,” who always knows everything that is happening in the neighborhood.
I loved this story. The book is light-hearted with abundant humor; at one point Delilah gets into the wine. The children in the book were all really likeable children with good hearts. I could particularly relate to Skipper because she was a tomboy and was very capable of holding her own with the three Vianello boys. I would consider this to be along the lines of a fable where the main characters face adversity and then all involved learn major life lessons along the way.
The author's writing style is full of imagery and really allows the reader to picture the setting and the events as they happen. Humor is embraced which I think is important when writing a story for children. While the story has biblical undertones, they are subtle and make for a really good message at the end.
The book is probably best suited to children between ages six and twelve. I think the really young ones might be distressed by the imagery of the meat market at the beginning and the thought of sacrificing a lamb for dinner. Children beyond the age of twelve would probably find the story cute, but would not necessarily find it as interesting. It would be an excellent book for adults to read with their children because the adults will appreciate both the message and the humor.
My rating for The Easter Lamb is a four out of four stars. I loved both the story and its characters and feel it would be a great book for parents to read with their children. The only thing that may be an issue for some is the use of Italian in some parts of the story. I did not feel that the Italian distracted from the flow of the book so I did not remove any stars, but some may find it irksome.
***
Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite:The Easter Lamb by Mark Conte is an inspiring story where a lamb is brought to the Vianello family on Good Friday. They fatten up the lamb on Friday and Saturday and slaughter it for Easter dinner. This year Dante, Johnny and Carlo, the three Vianello boys, along with their Irish neighbor, start liking the lamb which is brought home. They name her Delilah and they enjoy playing with her. The family is not too happy with the kids playing with the lamb. The kids make a plan to save her from being slaughtered. Will they be able to rescue Delilah from being slaughtered? If so, what is their plan to rescue her?
The story is adorable and will make readers laugh and, at the same time, feel for the kids who do not want to slaughter the Easter lamb. Their feelings for the lamb are tangible and also relatable, and readers can identify with the kids' feelings towards the Easter lamb. These feelings evoke sensitivity and love. It's a good bedtime storybook, and parents and grandparents can read it out to their kids and grandkids. Delilah is an adorable lamb and the readers will also love her.
It's an inspiring story of love and kindness, and it's heartwarming to read how the kids try to rescue Delilah from becoming Easter dinner. The story is simple and will touch the hearts of readers in a big way.
July 31, 2018
This was my first time reading a crime novel and I had high expectations. The Ghost by Mark Conte was a good first attempt in this genre. The blurb had me hooked. The plot was great. My issue was with the writing. The characters lacked development and I felt that the book took a formula approach. I felt that every character we are introduced to is written the same way. Name, title, and height/weight. I wish we hadn't of known who the killer was right away. Would of been better to discover the clues and come to our own conclusions. I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
April 25, 2018
Premise was really good but lots of repeated text and could have done with some fine tune editing. This made it difficult to stick with the story, some of the descriptors of characters was quite repetitive (lots of former semi pro athletes in law enforcement) and the expert Carlucci speaking so openly about the case seemed far fetched.
I thought the obvious clues “the ant man” and the appearance of the killer should have triggered more profiling instinct in Murphy. Also the introduction of the National Guard seemed unrealistic. It would have been good to have understood the background of the killer a bit more before the book ended.
With a really good editor and some gap filling in places (and less over the top detailed description in others) this could have been a 4 star read.
I thought the obvious clues “the ant man” and the appearance of the killer should have triggered more profiling instinct in Murphy. Also the introduction of the National Guard seemed unrealistic. It would have been good to have understood the background of the killer a bit more before the book ended.
With a really good editor and some gap filling in places (and less over the top detailed description in others) this could have been a 4 star read.
March 13, 2018
When a serial killer threatens the children of an idyllic town, rookie FBI Agent Jody Murphy is assigned to the case and soon realises that this will be no easy task.
I was sent this book to review today and wasn't sure what to expect as it's not a genre I generally read. The first couple of chapters didn't instantly pull me in and I was sceptical of how the rest of the book would go, or if I should even continue. Given that this book is based on a true story, something I'm interested in, I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad that I did.
Once the introductions and scene-setting are out of the way and the story begins to unfold, the book definitely intensifies and keeps you on your toes. I found myself physically shouting at the FBI agents and wanting to grab them and shake them for not catching the killer when they had the chance. The level of suspense and intrigue throughout the book kept me hanging on to every word and praying that the next page would bring the killer to justice. This is definitely an intense and somewhat gruesome read that fans of Girl On The Train would like.
My rating of three stars is mostly due to the fact that the book had a lot of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which made it difficult to read at times and the repetition of words within the first couple of chapters made it hard to get through at first. The story itself is gripping and full of edge-of-your-seat moments that will keep you engaged until the very end.
I was sent this book to review today and wasn't sure what to expect as it's not a genre I generally read. The first couple of chapters didn't instantly pull me in and I was sceptical of how the rest of the book would go, or if I should even continue. Given that this book is based on a true story, something I'm interested in, I decided to give it a chance and I'm glad that I did.
Once the introductions and scene-setting are out of the way and the story begins to unfold, the book definitely intensifies and keeps you on your toes. I found myself physically shouting at the FBI agents and wanting to grab them and shake them for not catching the killer when they had the chance. The level of suspense and intrigue throughout the book kept me hanging on to every word and praying that the next page would bring the killer to justice. This is definitely an intense and somewhat gruesome read that fans of Girl On The Train would like.
My rating of three stars is mostly due to the fact that the book had a lot of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors which made it difficult to read at times and the repetition of words within the first couple of chapters made it hard to get through at first. The story itself is gripping and full of edge-of-your-seat moments that will keep you engaged until the very end.
March 31, 2018
The book is a roller coaster ride to varying emotions such as devastation, frustration, helplessness and gut-wrenching pain. The law enforcement has done a commendable job in catching the perpetrator and deserve all the praise that they get. You read this book not for any other reason but to feel the pain of parents who lost the light of their lives, little children who had their entire lives ahead of them, law enforcement who felt helpless and took extreme measures to catch the serial killer; and the mystery of a serial killer who reigned terror upon a small community. It’s a book that you cannot put down once you start with it. The pain, helplessness, and the little girls that had so much to receive from life yet do NOT ALLOW you to put down the book. It’s the kind of book that stays with you your entire life, because it’s not just a book, it’s an emotion.
The author, MARK CONTE, has done a phenomenal job. He hasn’t exaggerated any situation and presented facts, unadulterated. The story deserves an author who could present it in a way that would strike a chord with the audience and Mark Conte has done just that. Not to mention, it takes immense courage on the part of author to pen down such a haunting story, and show such level of maturity as to make the book realistic enough to give an opportunity for readers to connect with it.
The author, MARK CONTE, has done a phenomenal job. He hasn’t exaggerated any situation and presented facts, unadulterated. The story deserves an author who could present it in a way that would strike a chord with the audience and Mark Conte has done just that. Not to mention, it takes immense courage on the part of author to pen down such a haunting story, and show such level of maturity as to make the book realistic enough to give an opportunity for readers to connect with it.
May 2, 2018
Excellent story, it moved quickly. Through each chapter. The female main character shows a good combination of emotion and detective work.
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May 27, 2018DNF’d. Couldn’t get into it , wasn’t the writing style for me.
July 11, 2018
This book was complimentary from Voracious Readers Only. I enjoyed this search for a serial killer filled with details worthy of a crime scene investigator. I recommend the book to anyone who loves a great cat and mouse game. I would have loved to read it without stopping to do mundane things such as eat and sleep!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews