Sunfall Manor

by Peter Giglio

Edgar is a ghost cursed to spend his nights at Sunfall Manor, an apartment complex that was once a farmhouse in the flatlands of Nebraska. Every night he must move through five different dwellings, haunted by the living—a drunken and paranoid writer, an abused housewife, a colder-than-ice web-mistress, a two-bit drug dealer, and a crazy old man who plays with puppets—trying to unlock the secrets of who he is. But tonight is different. The lost souls of Sunfall Manor are ready to give up the ghost, and the past is ready to open its cold, unforgiving arms. ALSO Return to Sunfall with STEALING NIGHT. “Sunfall Manor is a gem of a story that reminds me of Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio...vignettes of lives lived and lost with touches of sadness, regret, and vengeance. A tale sure to send more than a few shivers up your spine...and your soul.” -Rick Hautala, author of Indian Summer and Little Brothers “Any horror fan who’s properly awake has been following the crazily productive visionary exactitude of Peter Giglio. He slings plainsong toughness pressurized by pop-eyed mania. Sunfall Manor’s not his debut, though it’s his debut A cold-trance-inducing, five-click merry-go-round about a rundown dwelling in the flatlands that feels more like a schizoid colony in outer space. This thing should be a major film, though we'll have to wake up Kubrick to do it right. A work of art that you’ll be judged for missing.” -Eric Shapiro, author of The Devoted and It’s Only Temporary “Let Peter Giglio’s odd protagonist, Edgar, take you on a surreal tour of the mysterious Sunfall Manor with its intriguing but flawed residents. Giglio’s prose is highly accessible and very engaging, his story line equally compelling. This is Giglio playing at the top of his game, shooting and making all 3s. Highly recommended.” -Gene O'Neill, author of The Burden of Indigo and Operation Rhinoceros Hornbill “Peter Giglio’s Sunfall Manor is a gripping ghost story that will possess your mind like a crazed poltergeist. Psychological horror at its best.” -Jeremy C. Shipp, Bram Stoker nominated author of Vacation and Cursed “A powerful, moving, intimate look into private lives we would rather deny, but all have lived, in one way or another. Giglio’s writing is clear, insightful, and fueled with a potent and intoxicating intimacy. To read Sunfall Manor is to take a poetic journey through truths, falsehoods, hopes, dreams and failures that comprise the human condition. And it’s truly haunting.” -Trent Zelazny, author of Butterfly Potion “Haunting and unforgettable, Sunfall Manor is Mr. Giglio’s finest work to date. Period! This vivid and revealing shocker begs to be made into a movie and further cements him as the rising star that he is.” -David Bernstein, author of Amongst the Dead and Tears of No Return “Sunfall Manor is as much a character study of lost and damaged souls as it is a horror story. Giglio is an excellent writer who is not afraid to show the bleak human condition at its ugliest. Well done!” -Tracy L. Carbone, co-chair of New England Horror Writers, author of The Soul Collector, and Bram Stoker nominated editor of Epitaphs. "In Sunfall Manor, Peter Giglio reinvents the ghost story. Life and afterlife are examined through the eyes of a dead man, and it's like looking through a dust-filled kaleidoscope. Raw human emotion and exploration of the human condition in the rural midwest are Giglio's specialty.

Genres: Horror, Ghosts, Paranormal, Ghost Stories

79 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2012

About the author

An active member of the Horror Writers Association and the International Thriller Writers, Peter Giglio is the author of five novels, four novellas, and his short fiction can be found in several books, including two comprehensive genre anthologies edited by New York Times Bestselling author John Skipp. With co-writer Scott Bradley, Peter is actively shopping a feature-length screen adaptation of Joe R. Lansdale's "The Night They Missed the Horror Show," and Sunfall Manor, one of Giglio's novellas, is currently under option with a screenwriting team based in Los Angeles. Giglio lives on the Georgia coast with his fiancé and frequent collaborator, Shannon Michaels, and he always has time for readers at www.petergiglio.com.

Reviews

[Kate Jonez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunfall Manor by Pete Giglio is an inventive tale of psychological horror that twists ghost story conventions. As soon as I finished I wanted to start again so I could experience the story unfolding in new ways colored by the unexpected ending. Edgar, a troubled soul, and the inhabitants of the rooms that imprison him are richly drawn and terrifying archetypes haunting a life gone wrong. Beautifully written. I can't wait to read more from Pete Giglio.

[Glen Krisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great, haunting read. My first Giglio, but certainly won't be my last.

[Patrick D'Orazio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunfall Manor tells the tale of Edgar, a ghost who has no memory of who he once was, living in a farmhouse divided into five apartments. This novella explores the inhabitants of those five apartments with Edgar, who is mostly repulsed by all of them, with each of them lost, sad, or sick in their own ways. We spend the night with him-a night where he has decided to intervene, to manipulate things when before he remained separated from the living, content to watch their lives fall apart night after night. Tonight will also take him on a journey of discovery about them and who he once was, and also how Sunfall Manor played a part in the life he once led.
Sunfall Manor reads like a slowly unraveling mystery, though most of the answers Edgar receives are in a sudden, dramatic burst near the end of the tale. Still, there are details to be discovered about him and about those around him before that-how perceptions can change shift in an instant as more is revealed. This is a well-crafted ghost story that is filled with sadness and regret that left me with a bittersweet aftertaste after the last page-echoes of what the story reveals on its pages.
With the author promising more tales of Sunfall in the future, I look forward to finding out more about this little town in the middle of nowhere and all its deep dark secrets.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunfall Manor is a complex divided into 5 apartments. Edgar has lost his identity but knows he is dome to haunt these pathetic people. Edgar has to make his rounds every night. Edgar has to spend an equal amount of time with each of his stop. Edgar first stop is Art, he is a writer and an alcoholic.
His second visit is to Carolyn, she is an abused housewife married to Ralph. Edgar third stop is a girl with many different names. Edgar does not know her real names.Edgar 4th stop Bobby McDonald, a drug dealer. He last stop is at Mike's place. Mike is an old crazy man who plays with puppets. After Edgar makes all his rounds he escapes to the attic. There Edgar reads newspapers. The papers on the west side he has already read. The ones on the east side he has not read. Edgar hopes one day he will be able to leave Sunfall Manor.

[G. Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunfall Manor is an interesting take on the haunted house story. Edgar is a ghost who can't remember anything about his life, so he just goes about his routine, all the while trying to figure out what it all means. He spends his time wandering between five apartments, observing the lives of the various tenants. The tenants are all fairly unlikable, but that doesn't make them uninteresting. They all have issues that Edgar tries to understand in the hope that it will help him remember. When he decides to make the move from voyeur to active participant, things get a little crazy.
This book is short - maybe too short? There really isn't enough time to develop the tenants as anything other… Read more

[Brian Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Sunfall Manor, Pete Giglio has crafted a wonderful and unique ghost story. The novella follows the exploits of Edgar, a ghost trapped in Sunfall Manor. Mr. Giglio uses Edgar with rapier skill to visit the occupants of the Manor, each being as original and dysfunctional as Edgar himself, and explore the various flaws in the human condition. I enjoyed each "occupant," though my favorite by far is The Girl with Many Names. I strongly recommend the book simply for that chapter alone, but the rest of the novella rocks just the same. Also, I loved the play on Edgar's name, which I won't reveal here since I hate spoilers.

[Douglas Castagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great criticism is that something seemed too short, or so I have been told. If that is the case this novella would fit the bill. It was just getting started when it ended. I had grown to like "Edgar" and enjoyed his visits on the residence of Sunfall. I love what the author did and how Edgar discovers his true nature. I will be reading much more of this author. Very good story, if not, short.

[Craig Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see the Sherwood Anderson comparisons, however distant they made be. The character sketches are range from a bit flat to entertaining, but the amnesiac ghost plot contrivance stands out as not much more than just that: a plot device.

If you're looking for some nice writing and view this more as a collection of character-based short sketches, chances are you'll enjoy the read. If you're looking for a bit more depth, a flowing narrative and arches over all this and ties it together like a novel would, you'll find yourself disappointed as plot is not this book's strong suit.

But it excels more often than not in what it actually sets out to do. The fact that it doesn't do more than that as more to do with reader expectations than a major failing by the author. A pleasant, quicj read; not overly scary.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

pete giglio reinvented the ghost story with this novel. an excellent read, highly recommended.

[Andre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a ghost story with a difference.

Remember how one small thing can have big consequences? See how one lost soul touches the lives of the people that live in his house... and what happens...

This is by far one of the best haunted house stories that I have read in a very long time.

Not to be missed!

[Debra Barstad · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was ok not what I was expecting but it was short and fast read

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book it wasn't like I thought it was gonna be, but that wasn't a bad thing at all. To give a brief description of the book, a ghost named Edgar is an an apartment complex where he finds himself going in and out of all the five tenants apartments unsure of who he is and why he's there. Overall I really enjoyed this book. The sheer mystery of not knowing what was going to happen next really made me enjoy and look forward to each chapter. In a way it's what helped me connect to the character because we both went into each phase and chapter unsure of what we would find or if our thoughts would prove right. Edgar is quite likable for a ghost, he's no Casper but if I did a Top 5 Friendly Ghost List, he'd make it. You feel for him, you wonder what his story is and as does he and if your like me, you read this and you wanted answers not just for yourself but for Edgar as well. Mystery and suspense were both solid and appreciation and pitying the character aside, their were some softcore horror moments. All tenants other then 1 have eerie backgrounds or issues about them. I loved how Edgar read into a person, got his first impression of them and that was all he needed as the person helped him with the rest of his affirmed assumptions. One guy named Mac who called his money his "cheese", Mac and Cheese, thought that was funny. That's the only funny thing about Mac and of all the tenant characters I disliked him the most. Aside from trying to find himself Edgar wonders if he is here to maybe somehow help the people here, I honestly thought he was going to pay it forward and it would help him move on or at the very best bring him back to life but let me just tell you, that is not the case here.

I enjoyed this book on all levels, I kept reading and didn't stop unless I reached the end of a chapter which is always a good sign that I am enjoying a book. As I stated above, I really felt for Edgar and it was because of this that it really helped the flow of the book, understanding the character and hoping he gets the answers he seeks, I really liked having that feeling. I did notice an error in one of the shorter chapters after the character Mike is revealed. In the chapter Edgar says he can "go through walls but not floors and ceilings". This left me baffled as I assumed when he visited each person that he went floor to floor but clearly upon reading his statement, I guess this isn't the case? Perhaps they were all on the same floor and I myself made the mistake by assuming it was on each floor, either way I made a note of it. Small confusion aside, I loved this book. Now the last part I will talk about in this review is my thoughts on the ending. If you know anything about me and reviews and endings you know I don't give away spoilers and I am not always happy as to how a book will end, sometimes it makes me just not appreciate it. In this case, I wouldn't say it was the way I would have liked the book to end but at the same time I understood it, accepted and appreciated it. I felt it was slightly a bit sad given all that happened but again I get that it was for good reason.

If you like your ghost nonchalant, calm with a little edge to them then you'll like Edgar as you find he really grows on you. If you like mysteries and suspense, horror within the right places and an overall very well told story with plots all at the right amounts and not mashing into one another then this is a book worth checking out. I am glad I got a chance to read Sunfall Manor and will be interested in reading another book by the author.

[Michael Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunfall Manor is an excellent and unusual ghost story. It tells the story of Edgar, a ghost doomed to wander every night in a small apartment complex. He remembers nothing of his own past, but spends each night with the mix of people in the differents apartments and there is a good variety of characters here to meet.

The book covers the last evening of Edgar's haunting and he witnesses some bizarre events and also learns of his own past.

Quite simply this is a superb read, it bounces along at a good pace, but keeps you fascinated at every turn. Every character brings something new and interesting to the mix and the writing itself is slick and carries the story well.

In fact, my only complaint is that it is too short. It fits a lot into such a short read and it's over before you realise it,. Don't let that put you off though because then you'd be missing one of the most original ghost stories I've read in a long time.

[Nev Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Way too short in a good way. Beautifully written. Could have read this for hours. Won't be the last I will read by Mr Giglio.

This review was written before I started to take my reviewing seriously. I would need to re-read the book to give it a serious and fair review so the above review was what I posted at the time.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this novella a lot up until the end. The end was not complete enough for me. I enjoyed the rest of the story though. I thought the various characters were nicely developed for a novella and the story was unique.

[Issa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Intriguing story but it felt like a lot of loose ends were left.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this until the last few chapters when the whole thing came unraveled. For a novella, the characters were nicely developed but the ending was disappointing.