The Ghost of Blackwood Lane

by Greg Enslen

For years, the witness protection program has kept Gary Foreman safe from the horrors he left behind. He’s got a new career and new friends, but they can never know his real name or where he comes from. But the program can’t protect him from the relentless dreams of a young woman in danger. It’s the same dream, night after night, and Gary is helpless, unable to stop the dream’s inevitable and horrifying conclusion. The woman seems strangely familiar…is she someone from his dark past? Is she even real? All he knows for certain is that she needs his help, or she will die.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Suspense, Fiction, Ebooks, Fantasy

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2010

About the author

Greg Enslen is an Ohio author of twenty-seven books, including four books in the “Frank Harper Mysteries” series and three other novels. He also writes original screenplays and guides for popular TV shows such as “Game of Thrones” and “Mr. Robot.” His books are available from major retailers and on his Amazon Author Page at http://bit.ly/geauthor.

Greg lives in southern Ohio with his wife, three children, three dogs and an indeterminate number of cats. His interests include travel, reading, film and television, and yelling at various sports franchises. Greg enjoys writing late at night, after everyone else has finally trudged off to bed and the house is quiet. For more information, visit his website at gregenslen.com or check out his Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/gregenslenswriting.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this was a waste of time. Not an atrociously terrible book per se, just so uninteresting and predictable. Greatest crime here is that it's completely misrepresented in the description as a potentially exciting thriller romance or romantic thriller, when in fact it's an utterly nonthrilling sort of story, at least half of which is dedicated to mafia intrigue (and I do so hate mafia stories) and very detailed and graphic scenes of wife beating. Not to mention the constant repetitive reminders of how amazing Midwestern values are and how nice Midwesterners are comparing to LA, but presumably all major hubs of civilization. Of the values and niceness, the main examples here seem to be marrying straight out of high school, because hey nothing says one knows exactly how and with whom to spend the rest of their life as being 18 and overlooking (for years) a systematically abused young woman. Hurray for Midwest. Not a single original thought or character here. Had there actually been a ghost, it might have been an improvement, but no...not even that. Waste of time.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa, this was a gripping story. Real life gangsters, turmoil within la familia? Sure thing. This was obviously set before the tech craze or else things would have been different, but man what a story. I really liked the details (without going too crazy) and how everything tied together. Good story and great read!

[Angela Benoit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. As another poster stated, the tile of the book and blurb is very misleading. I was wanting a "Ghost" story, but other than the title it isn't. Supposedly, the road that Judy and Vincent live on, "Blackwood Lane" is haunted, this is mentioned several times, but that is the extent of it. No hauntings or ghosts are seen or mentioned and the title is totally irrelevant to the story. I found the book.....not slow per say, but not terribly well written maybe. It wasn't a bad story, but not really too deep and not anything new...very stereotypical. It was a quick read and I was glad to finish it so I could move on to something else.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense read

To be honest, I was hesitant when I started this book because of a review I had read. I really enjoy ghost stories, and one reviewer was disappointed to discover this wasn't about ghosts. But actually it was. Maybe not literally, but certainly symbolically. So I was surprised to realize how much I enjoyed it. This book got more and more intense, as I neared the end, and I found myself rooting out loud for the protagonists.

My only minor complaint would be around some editing errors that would interrupt my flow, to question what was missing, and why it wasn't caught by the editor(s).

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful

Interesting premise and definitely a page turner. Read it in just a few sittings. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

[Kayla Jury · Rating 4 out of 5]

not terrible but not great. I feel like everything was all twisted and they should of stayed with one character. I feel like the tried to include a bunch of different people but it still left me with questions.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written story that kept me interested from the first page.
My only negative of this this book is the very descriptive violent domestic scenes.

[Martha · Rating 2 out of 5]

Deceptive title. Not a ghost story at all. Mafia story with a lot of graphic violence, especially domestic. Some fantasy/paranormal aspects thrown in. I would recommend this to people who like crime/mafia stories, but they might be thrown off by the fantasy part.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not at all what I expected but it was really great. I was hooked from the first chapter. I like books that let you see the world from the eyes of different characters and allows you to get into the charachter head to see what they are thinking and feeling, why they behave the way they do. This author did a great job of letting you the mind of each character and made you care about some and really hate others (read the book to see what I mean). I really enjoyed this book and since I got it for free on my kindle it was even better.
Just a quick side note: the premise of the story, a kid get his memory of his girlfriend (and his real name) completely blocked in order for him and his dad to into witness protection is a little unrealistic and silly but hey I love books about vampires so who am I to say what is silly. Don't discount a GREAT read because the idea seems far fetched. It really is a good read. I sat up all night reading.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our book club selection for the month. We thought we were getting something scary. This was not anything like what I was expecting, but that is not a bad thing.

When the book first started I felt like I had walked into the middle of a conversation and I was completely confused. I felt like I had to pay very close attention at first to figure out all the characters and their multiple names.

Once I got into the book, I couldn't put it down. The story line sucked me in and made me stay up very late one night trying to get it finished.

I won't talk about plot and spoilers, but if you are looking for a great suspense this is your book. Give it a try.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an exciting story even though the title could be misleading. An urban legend about a ghost haunting Blackwood Lane does tie into the story but not in the way you would normally expect it to. I really enjoyed the story, almost like two separate stories even though they were tied together in the beginning and at the end, and was not disappointed by it. Although, I was surprised by the action of Chris/Gary at the car wreck scene. The ending afterwards seemed a bit rushed and the epilogue seemed unnecessary.

[Randy Grossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Indestructible!

Vincent Luciano is one of the most brutal thoughtless selfish bad guys I have ever rooted against. You will read this book looking forward to his demise. And yet..... wonder. This was a impressive read and I personally appreciated Mr Enslen's minimal use a foul language, despite there being several characters who could have fit a role where a lot could have been uttered. Positive proof that an EXCELLENT story can be written without using gutter talk. I would absolutely read more of his books if given opportunity.

[Cheryl Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Gary and his father are placed in witness protection but Gary doesn't want to go. He's engaged to Judy and doesn't want to leave her. Gary is hypnotized by his uncle to have his memories repressed. Years later he starts having dreams about a woman in trouble. Be warned there are some graphic scenes of domestic abuse. The story alternates between Gary, then Judy, and then Vincent the abusive husband/mafia head. I thought this book was well written and a real page turner.

[Janet Reus · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring

I could not finish this book. Everything about this book was annoying.
The characters are shallow. It's just not worth staying in for the finish. I almost always finish a book and if this had been a literal book instead of an ebook I would have thrown it out the window. I think this was a free book so I don't feel so bad. I don't think it deserves 1 star.

[Bonita Heisey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost of Blackwood Lane by Greg Enslen

This was a great and exciting read. It was very suspenseful and I couldn't put it down as it kept getting more interesting with every page. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys suspense and excitement.
I will be looking for more books to read by this author.
Good job.

[Jan Hayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book, not because of the story line, but because it was set in and around my hometown. The author used a lot of detail about the St. Clair County Illinois area. Some of it was accurate and some things/names were changed in order to make the story work.

[Erin Plouzek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy thriller to read

Thought the book was good. Held my interest. Several of the scenarios got me thinking about "what if that happened, what would I do?" Some parts are a little hard to believe but that's what literature is all about.

[Donna Michaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting ending

The plot of this book came across as believable, with some interesting information about the mafia thrown in. Good reading with an exciting ending.

[sandy mcginnis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Abrupt ending.

Good story line. Ending too abrupt. Book ending reads like a sequel will be forthcoming. Otherwise, would have rated five stars.

[Shannon Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Quick Read

I had a long flight and needed an easy read, and this book was perfect. The story caught my attention from the very beginning and I had trouble putting it down.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good plot, a bit too much domestic violence, suppressed memory part was good.

[Roger Coates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written




Good plot and a book that makes you want to keep reading until the end.
Ending not what I expected.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Page Turner!

Loved this book, couldn't put it down.
Different characters in different chapters always kept me wondering what was going on!

[Bonnye Reed]

The fussy librarian

[Kimberley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing in places

Some of the characters who seem to be of at least average intelligence do some really, really stupid things. For one example, Judy's first escape attempt seemed poorly planned: She should have had more supplies. There was no reason for her to leave her clothes on the lake shore - who gets undressed before drowning themselves?
Why swim in the lake? Why not just walk a distance in the shallow area along the shore? She could avoid the exertion and heat loss that her damaged body couldn't afford, and keep her belongings safer and dry.
She shouldn't have been so picky about where the driver she caught a ride with was going, just taken the first opportunity to put distance between herself and Vincent that didn't seem obviously dangerous.
She shouldn't have gone into the truck station buildings if she could avoid it - anyone who saw her could've chosen to sell her out. The less people who saw her, the less people who could snitch. As she realized later, she should have just climbed into the trailer of one of the trucks.
Then there's Gary and the fight at the end. It should long since have been clear to Gary that Vincent was at least intending to kill Judy, and probably Gary too. One can't afford to be delicate with someone who's trying to kill them unless they really know what they're doing, or they know their assailant's abilities and they greatly overpower their assistant. Gary didn't have any of those advantages, so he needed to be more aggressive when defending Judy and himself. When Vincent was trying to drag Judy out of the car, instead of hitting Vincent in the arm, he should have grabbed a makeshift weapon - maybe a rock - and bashed him in the head, and KEPT bashing until Vincent was unconscious.
When Vincent managed to push his way into the house while Gary was waiting for Judy, instead of standing there waiting for him to get all the way in, Gary should have hit Vincent's head or the wrist of Vincent's weapon-bearing arm or his knee or ankle as soon as they were available poking into the doorway. The way the scene was written, it felt like Gary hesitated between his "attacks", such as they were. It seemed like he'd hit Vincent and wait for Vincent to come after him again before Gary would hit him again, instead of pressing whatever advantage Gary gained from whatever blow he'd just struck.
Also, how did Judy manage to retain the ring and the letter from her parents after she got caught at the truck stop? I think Vincent would have been sure to check whatever Judy had taken with her and confiscate or destroy whatever items of value he found.

[doreen elixman · Rating 3 out of 5]

John O’Toole worked for the Luciano’s doing their accounting for several years. After finding discrepancies, he brought this to his boss, unknowing of their dirty business deals. When it came time to go to trial, his wife had been blown up by a car bomb, in front of their son, Chris, who’d dropped his hat and run back to pick it up, otherwise he’d have been in the car as well. Chris and his father are put in the Witness Protection Program and relocated.

Years later, Gary Foreman is having dreams of an unknown woman being beaten by an unknown man. When these dreams begin to have an adverse effect on his day to day life, he’s determined to find out who these unknown people are and why he’s having these dreams.

Meanwhile, Tony and Vincent Luciano are doing their best to get their family business back on track after their father’s been tried and convicted of various illegal acts, due to what John O’Toole had found in his accounting books. When Vincent goes to California attempting to find the father and son to kill them, his attempts are futile and therefore he’s removed from the family business. After years of not being a part of his family’s business and becoming more angry, Vincent makes his own way with another venture, getting his life on track. His brother Tony now wanted him back in the family to do some dirty dealings. They decided to get into the cocaine business and step on other dealers toes, slowly taking up their territory.

Judy Nelson has had a rough time since Chris left. She has no idea what happened, why he left so suddenly without saying goodbye or even so much as a letter in the last several years. Since she’s been married to Vincent, it’s been nothing but regular beatings and insults. How she wishes things had been so different, but when Chris left, Vincent had been there, showing her attention and taking her out. She never should’ve gone on that very first date...

I read this book pretty quickly, it held my attention for the most part, aside from some repetitious parts that I felt were unnecessary. But I didn’t write the book, obviously he felt it necessary to put those things there for a reason. I was actually looking forward to a horror story, not some kind of love story...but hey, it was alright. Suspenseful and on the edge of my seat kind of exciting, I did like it. I would recommend it.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an interesting read that mostly follows Gary Foreman as he tries to deal with and understand vivid and disturbing dreams that have begun to haunt him. These are linked to his past and the upheaval caused by his father's testimony and subsequent relocation within the Witness Protection Protective programme and some of the drastic measures that ended up being taken in an effort to protect him and his family. Added to this is the Luciano family and their re-entry into the criminal underworld after fidning that going straight doesn't pay as well as they thought. This is led by Vincent after he spent years convincing his brother, the head of the family, that crime really does pay. Of course Vincent is not the nicest of people and uses violence and anger to get what he wants. This is fairly well written although I did find some bits slightly convoluted and a few aspects of the story were a little far-fetched and didn't quite knit together. But on the whole this was a good read that is fairly well engrossing, although the title is rather misleading, unless of course it applies to living ghosts as much as ghosts past then it could work for how Judy's life has gone.

[Joan Williamson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry Greg

What a long winded ridiculous book. It was like something out of a Boy's Own comic. About 50% too long and so far fetched it was beyond belief. It suggested that most of the Police Department was corrupt which meant that the rest must have been stupid. Known gangsters driving round with cars packed with coke, gun and dynamite battles on the riverside with a very belated police intervention, a riverboat out of control on the river after slamming into a massive tugboat, a young woman been badly beaten most nights again with no police or public intervention and then to finish off with the badly injured husband, spitting blood and with a broken arm, managing to attack the hero, flying him through the air with force, a blazing room but no smoke inhalation and finally the big escape by the young lovers with a satchel containing three million or so dollars. Hurrah. A happy ending!!! The one star awarded for the author's vivid imagination.

[Cheryl Leslie]

This book wasn't bad, it was okay. I had an issue with the author putting in too much backstory for most of the characters. It is disappointing that the first characters we meet don't stay central to the plot and wish the author would have stayed with the father and son longer than was written. The bad guy wasn't really bad enough. He was an abusive spouse but rather one-dimensional and stereotyped as a wiseguy. The antagonist's wife was just as shallowly portrayed. And for the main character to all of a sudden become this strong person at exactly the time it was needed was a little too over the top. The end comes too quickly after the denouement to be exciting.
The premise of the story was a good one, but the title of the book is very misleading. I think the title should have been something more representative of what was the book about. I don't think it is a bad book, but I do think the author could have done much more with his premise.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ghost-style story, with a blend of atmospheric eeriness, and a dark thriller, held together with a strong and windy plot. Enslen is a strong writer who draws the reader in to the story with his strong storytelling, his usage of deep atmospheric descriptiveness, and complex, and deep characters. I really enjoyed this book. Its been a while since a modern day author has been able draw me into a story so much. No corny dialogue or superficial characters in this book!:-) I also love the tinge of nostalgia for earlier, simpler lifestyles in 80s or 90s regional USA. I had a similar simpler down to earth life in the 80s and 90s in both the UK and Australia although I now live in Sydney, a mini-Los Angeles now with 5 million. Look forward to reading more of his books.