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Ghostwriter
There’s no such thing as ghosts, right? But after the spirit of Ethan Samuels hovers over Micah Chasen’s bed and demands that the 11-year old investigate his suspicious death, Micah embarks upon the strangest adventure of his life! As Ethan’s ghostwriter, Micah and his new friend, the nerdy Savannah Bishop, hope to solve what appears to have been his ghostly friend’s murder over a 100 years ago. Will Micah be able to discover the truth behind Ethan’s death and allow the spirit to finally rest in peace? And, even more importantly, can Micah help his own family deal with their horrible grief surrounding the death of his older sister?
- GenresGhosts
230 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2013
12 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Tyan Wyss
7 books14 followersTyan Wyss longed to be a writer since the age of 14 when she wrote the first chapter of a never-ending novel still aching to be completed. Educated at the University of California with a Master's Degree in Literature she has been a teacher for over 31 years. After working 12 years in California instructing Middle and High School English she moved overseas with her family to teach in International Schools living in Saudi Arabia, Russia, Hungary, and South Africa. Tyan concentrates mostly on children's fiction, picture books, short stories and adult mysteries. She also writes romantic mysteries featuring dynamic women sleuths and heroines under the pen name of Loren Lockner. Tyan is married and has two adult children.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 1, 2015
Entertaining for all ages…
“Ghostwriter” by Tyan Wyss is a fanciful tale about Micah Chasen, an 11-year-old boy, and his quest to fill in the missing pieces of Ethan Samuels’ life story. Ethan is a ghost with haunting questions about how he reached ghost status. Over 100 years ago, while still a young man, Ethan tumbled down a flight of stairs in the Chasen residence, breaking his neck, and his spirit has been captive in the home ever since. Unafraid of Ethan’s ghost, Micah befriends him and takes on the challenge of helping uncover the mystery surrounding his death, documenting the story for a social studies project.
The tale bounces back and forth between the present and 1909, a time when Ethan was working as a young hired hand at a lodge which is now the Chasens’ home. Ethan becomes captivated by Petané, a young Indian girl also working at the lodge. Ethan meets his untimely death shortly after proposing. Adding to the intrigue, Ethan had recently discovered a vein of gold in the nearby mountains and was looking forward to sharing his life and soon-to-be fortune with Petané.
Savanah Bishop (Vanna), a classmate of Micah’s, joins him to assist in researching Ethan’s past. It helps that Vanna is the great- granddaughter of Petané. The two sixth graders dig through family memorabilia and local history books as they begin to piece together Ethan’s past. The relationship of the young students parallels that of Ethan and Petané, facing bullies, prejudice, and uncertainty.
The tale is written for young readers, with the dialogue, situations, and topics primarily targeting pre-teens, but I found the characters and storyline entertaining and applicable to a much broader audience. Frequently, the story required my complete attention to ensure I absorbed the significance of the author’s messages. The author has an artful imagination. Elements of whimsy, mystery, romance, and drama are sprinkled throughout the story and masterfully brought together in an unpredictable conclusion. And isn’t that what readers want, both young and old?
“Ghostwriter” by Tyan Wyss is a fanciful tale about Micah Chasen, an 11-year-old boy, and his quest to fill in the missing pieces of Ethan Samuels’ life story. Ethan is a ghost with haunting questions about how he reached ghost status. Over 100 years ago, while still a young man, Ethan tumbled down a flight of stairs in the Chasen residence, breaking his neck, and his spirit has been captive in the home ever since. Unafraid of Ethan’s ghost, Micah befriends him and takes on the challenge of helping uncover the mystery surrounding his death, documenting the story for a social studies project.
The tale bounces back and forth between the present and 1909, a time when Ethan was working as a young hired hand at a lodge which is now the Chasens’ home. Ethan becomes captivated by Petané, a young Indian girl also working at the lodge. Ethan meets his untimely death shortly after proposing. Adding to the intrigue, Ethan had recently discovered a vein of gold in the nearby mountains and was looking forward to sharing his life and soon-to-be fortune with Petané.
Savanah Bishop (Vanna), a classmate of Micah’s, joins him to assist in researching Ethan’s past. It helps that Vanna is the great- granddaughter of Petané. The two sixth graders dig through family memorabilia and local history books as they begin to piece together Ethan’s past. The relationship of the young students parallels that of Ethan and Petané, facing bullies, prejudice, and uncertainty.
The tale is written for young readers, with the dialogue, situations, and topics primarily targeting pre-teens, but I found the characters and storyline entertaining and applicable to a much broader audience. Frequently, the story required my complete attention to ensure I absorbed the significance of the author’s messages. The author has an artful imagination. Elements of whimsy, mystery, romance, and drama are sprinkled throughout the story and masterfully brought together in an unpredictable conclusion. And isn’t that what readers want, both young and old?
December 26, 2014
Micah is not afraid of ghosts, in fact, they don’t faze him at all. When the Chasens move into a haunted house in the San Jacinto Mountains in Southern California, the ghost of the house’s former occupant appears to Mica and asks for his help. The ghost is Ethan Samuels, who died approximately 100 years ago in the very house Micah lives in, in present day 2013, and the 11-year old precocious Micah is compelled to help the ghost. Acting as a ‘ghostwriter’ Micah simultaneously writes up a social studies report for school and documents the details surrounding Ethan’s death. In his quest to help his only ghostly friend, Micah becomes involved in current town affairs and will attempt to get to the bottom of what really happened all those years ago.
Tyan Wyss is a writer who doesn’t leave any checks unmarked in the lengthy list of novel requirements. Her story is robust. The characters are well-written and vibrant, coming alive through the story. Her descriptions are just enough to give the reader the complete picture while still leaving some parts to the imagination. The pacing is perfect. And then the ending… Wyss has a way with the climax of the story and with giving a well-rounded ending. This book in particular was so heartfelt and connected with me emotionally that I got a bit teary eyed. I was so caught up in the story that I felt the emotions coming through the story.
Ghostwriter reminds me of Holes, in that it seamlessly intertwines two stories into one novel, the story of how Ethan died and the story of how Micah helps Ethan discover his past and move forward with his death. Not all authors can work two stories together well, but Wyss is phenomenal with this aspect of the story. She would probably be a great mystery writer because she is able to mingle the stories in such a way that pieces start to fall into place, grabbing and hooking the reader with each new part of the puzzle. She also delivers a killer ending that makes sense according to the previous elements while still being not completely predictable.
Wyss also touches upon subjects like moving to a new town, being bullied, being alone, making friends, grieving for lost loved ones, and other situations that affect young teens in an expert manner that is so subtle it just blends right into the story without intruding into the main action, but rounds out the novel.
I was too involved in the story to take many notes of my reactions to elements of the story or highlight favorite passages, it was just too good to put down, even for a moment.
This story would appeal to the underdogs, those who like a well-written historical fiction mashup like Holes by Louis Sachar, or a mesmerizing YA book about a precocious boy and a ghost.
Tyan Wyss is a writer who doesn’t leave any checks unmarked in the lengthy list of novel requirements. Her story is robust. The characters are well-written and vibrant, coming alive through the story. Her descriptions are just enough to give the reader the complete picture while still leaving some parts to the imagination. The pacing is perfect. And then the ending… Wyss has a way with the climax of the story and with giving a well-rounded ending. This book in particular was so heartfelt and connected with me emotionally that I got a bit teary eyed. I was so caught up in the story that I felt the emotions coming through the story.
Ghostwriter reminds me of Holes, in that it seamlessly intertwines two stories into one novel, the story of how Ethan died and the story of how Micah helps Ethan discover his past and move forward with his death. Not all authors can work two stories together well, but Wyss is phenomenal with this aspect of the story. She would probably be a great mystery writer because she is able to mingle the stories in such a way that pieces start to fall into place, grabbing and hooking the reader with each new part of the puzzle. She also delivers a killer ending that makes sense according to the previous elements while still being not completely predictable.
Wyss also touches upon subjects like moving to a new town, being bullied, being alone, making friends, grieving for lost loved ones, and other situations that affect young teens in an expert manner that is so subtle it just blends right into the story without intruding into the main action, but rounds out the novel.
I was too involved in the story to take many notes of my reactions to elements of the story or highlight favorite passages, it was just too good to put down, even for a moment.
This story would appeal to the underdogs, those who like a well-written historical fiction mashup like Holes by Louis Sachar, or a mesmerizing YA book about a precocious boy and a ghost.
October 17, 2014
Once in a blue moon a book comes around that truly takes me out of the comfort zone that makes up my regular choice of reading material and makes me so glad that I read it. Ghostwriter is one of those gems. It is the perfect blend of paranormal, western, period piece and love story.
It is the kind of story that you give to the young adult in your life and can rest assured they are reading a quality book that will make reading such a rewarding experience. The characters are well constructed and highly thought out. I loved how Ethan struggles to makes sense of the modern world he was existing in while Micah assumed the role of the more sensible of the strange pairing. The dynamic between a young boy and a ghost that haunts his home could have gone so many ways. Taryn Wyss chose the right approach and made me fall in love with them both.
Great book all around.
It is the kind of story that you give to the young adult in your life and can rest assured they are reading a quality book that will make reading such a rewarding experience. The characters are well constructed and highly thought out. I loved how Ethan struggles to makes sense of the modern world he was existing in while Micah assumed the role of the more sensible of the strange pairing. The dynamic between a young boy and a ghost that haunts his home could have gone so many ways. Taryn Wyss chose the right approach and made me fall in love with them both.
Great book all around.
November 3, 2016
I particularly enjoyed the side-by-side scenes between modern and days-of-yore as told in 2013 and in 1906, one hundred and seven years apart. A ghost becomes unable to move on from the earthly world into the spirit world, and an eleven-year-old boy must help this ghost.
A solid young adult adventure, and the prose helps move the book along, never getting in the way. This book positively hums along, an attribute I credit this author with, having read several of her books.
A twist at the end caps off this crackling Western delight.
A solid young adult adventure, and the prose helps move the book along, never getting in the way. This book positively hums along, an attribute I credit this author with, having read several of her books.
A twist at the end caps off this crackling Western delight.
October 20, 2014
Tyan Wyss is one of my favourite authors at the moment. She has a natural ability of spinning a exciting and well developed story as well as making you engage fully with the characters. This story is the endearing tale of a young boy (Micah) and his friend Savannah as they go on an adventure to discover what happened to Ethan Samuels who appears to Micah as a spirit. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
August 12, 2018
Tyan Wyss has a light touch and a deft hand, valuable attributes when it comes to dealing with ghosts. I say Tyan Wyss, the author, when I am in fact referring to young Micah Chasen, the ghostwriter, who is awakened in the middle of the night by the melancholy ghost of Ethan Samuels – murdered a century ago in peculiar circumstances.
Terrified? Not in the least. At Ethan’s urging, the intrepid Micah sets out on a quest with bookworm sidekick Savannah Bishop to solve the heinous crime and free his own family of the misery over the death of his sister.
A compelling plot, fast paced with some exciting metaphors, amusing interchanges between Micah and Savannah and some movie like cutting between the present and complicated past. Ghostwriter is aimed at teens and this ancient teen couldn’t stop turning the pages.
Terrified? Not in the least. At Ethan’s urging, the intrepid Micah sets out on a quest with bookworm sidekick Savannah Bishop to solve the heinous crime and free his own family of the misery over the death of his sister.
A compelling plot, fast paced with some exciting metaphors, amusing interchanges between Micah and Savannah and some movie like cutting between the present and complicated past. Ghostwriter is aimed at teens and this ancient teen couldn’t stop turning the pages.
February 10, 2019
Searching for the.truth
They say that the truth will set you free and that even included ghosts too. Ghosts can you but they can be your friend that is your relative from the past. This is a great interesting read that has great characters and property. Keep writing💖💞
They say that the truth will set you free and that even included ghosts too. Ghosts can you but they can be your friend that is your relative from the past. This is a great interesting read that has great characters and property. Keep writing💖💞
September 11, 2014
I'm a big fan for saving the best for last, so let's get the negatives out of the way.
For starters, while the opening line is intriguing (as it should be!), the story quickly falls into "Tell, Don't Show," the unfortunate opposite of what a writer is supposed to do. That isn't to say the prose is poor; it's actually quite detailed and I can picture everything clearly. The problem is that both the main characters' histories are laid bare within the first few pages. Adding to that problem is that it comes in blocks of text at a time, making it a more difficult read than necessary for the age group it's aiming for.
A personal problem for me is that Micah doesn't talk like he's 11. Maybe if he was 15, his dialogue would make more sense, but he just talks... awfully well for his age. Nothing is mentioned about him being a prodigy, though the text does boast about his attention to school. I don't know; it just doesn't wholly fit the age. Another personal note is that... well, there's no real suspense. The bad guys are obvious, there's no twist at the end--it's just a narrative with no real secrets or surprises to the reader.
I'm also not a big fan of flashbacks every chapter, but it's fairly harmless to the narrative.
And, of course, the best parts:
Ethan is a pretty fun character. I can't say the ghostly companion who desperately requires the aid of a child who can see him isn't at least a little cliched, but the author portrays his struggles to comprehend modern times fairly well. I get a bit of a feel of Ichabod Crane from the TV series "Sleepy Hollow." Not in a bad way; he isn't an Ichabod clone. But the feel is still similar in an enjoyable way.
As noted before, the descriptions are great! Everything is detailed with perfect clarity. There's also a good sense of character, in that each person is very distinct from the other. I particularly enjoyed the "unladylike" Petane holding a spitting contest with Ethan.
While the conflicts of nationality and religion sometimes border on preachy, it's a solid idea to have in a YA novel for these age groups. I wish there had been a bit more exploration on Petane and the Cahuilla, but as it stands, the portrayals were just fine.
And while I'm not a fan of flashbacks/flashforwards so constantly, the flashbacks are inherently the better parts of the novel. The characters' dialogues fits better, the prose fits better, the detail and blocks of texts are far more forgivable. Personally, I think this novel could have stood at a solid 5 stars if it had just been about Ethan and his life, without Micah's seemingly less important parts littered throughout. The past holds my attention far better, and I find myself eager to find out what happens next to Ethan and Petane. This novel could easily have stood alone as a Western--not a financially sense-making choice, in today's thirst for YA literature, but as the story was, it would have worked out so much better. Hell, even advertise it as a YA Western and it could possibly have broken in a whole new genre... and I'm hardly even into Westerns! I still would have enjoyed the book thoroughly if this had been the case. But, that's only partially a personal preference. I feel the majority of the removal of one star is just because I found Micah's portions less interesting, but the four stars are all for Ethan and the portions of 1906 throughout the novel--fairly, I think, as they take up at least half.
All in all, it's a pretty good book for pre-teens. Though it has some issues, I doubt the age group it's aimed at will note them as much as I do, and will likely enjoy the tale. I definitely recommend this for the younger audience between 8-13.
For starters, while the opening line is intriguing (as it should be!), the story quickly falls into "Tell, Don't Show," the unfortunate opposite of what a writer is supposed to do. That isn't to say the prose is poor; it's actually quite detailed and I can picture everything clearly. The problem is that both the main characters' histories are laid bare within the first few pages. Adding to that problem is that it comes in blocks of text at a time, making it a more difficult read than necessary for the age group it's aiming for.
A personal problem for me is that Micah doesn't talk like he's 11. Maybe if he was 15, his dialogue would make more sense, but he just talks... awfully well for his age. Nothing is mentioned about him being a prodigy, though the text does boast about his attention to school. I don't know; it just doesn't wholly fit the age. Another personal note is that... well, there's no real suspense. The bad guys are obvious, there's no twist at the end--it's just a narrative with no real secrets or surprises to the reader.
I'm also not a big fan of flashbacks every chapter, but it's fairly harmless to the narrative.
And, of course, the best parts:
Ethan is a pretty fun character. I can't say the ghostly companion who desperately requires the aid of a child who can see him isn't at least a little cliched, but the author portrays his struggles to comprehend modern times fairly well. I get a bit of a feel of Ichabod Crane from the TV series "Sleepy Hollow." Not in a bad way; he isn't an Ichabod clone. But the feel is still similar in an enjoyable way.
As noted before, the descriptions are great! Everything is detailed with perfect clarity. There's also a good sense of character, in that each person is very distinct from the other. I particularly enjoyed the "unladylike" Petane holding a spitting contest with Ethan.
While the conflicts of nationality and religion sometimes border on preachy, it's a solid idea to have in a YA novel for these age groups. I wish there had been a bit more exploration on Petane and the Cahuilla, but as it stands, the portrayals were just fine.
And while I'm not a fan of flashbacks/flashforwards so constantly, the flashbacks are inherently the better parts of the novel. The characters' dialogues fits better, the prose fits better, the detail and blocks of texts are far more forgivable. Personally, I think this novel could have stood at a solid 5 stars if it had just been about Ethan and his life, without Micah's seemingly less important parts littered throughout. The past holds my attention far better, and I find myself eager to find out what happens next to Ethan and Petane. This novel could easily have stood alone as a Western--not a financially sense-making choice, in today's thirst for YA literature, but as the story was, it would have worked out so much better. Hell, even advertise it as a YA Western and it could possibly have broken in a whole new genre... and I'm hardly even into Westerns! I still would have enjoyed the book thoroughly if this had been the case. But, that's only partially a personal preference. I feel the majority of the removal of one star is just because I found Micah's portions less interesting, but the four stars are all for Ethan and the portions of 1906 throughout the novel--fairly, I think, as they take up at least half.
All in all, it's a pretty good book for pre-teens. Though it has some issues, I doubt the age group it's aimed at will note them as much as I do, and will likely enjoy the tale. I definitely recommend this for the younger audience between 8-13.
April 7, 2016
I’ve read a few YA titles by this author now, directed at middle school kids, and while they’ve all been enjoyable reads, this one is my favorite. Of all of them, this one is fun for the whole family, as well developed characters of all ages intermingle. I loved the dynamic between our hero, the young Micah, and his ghost friend, Ethan. The territorial Ethan has managed to scare the dickens out of anyone who’s ever tried to live on his stomping grounds and driven them out of house and home. Micah and his family are the only ones able to abide a haunted lodge in the country. Micah, because he’s not the least scared by the ghost. His father, because ghost hunter that he is, he’ll do anything to snap a picture of the disembodied spirit. But despite his forays at night in search of Ethan, Ethan refuses to appear to anyone but Micah.
Ethan is desperate to get Micah to dig into the mystery of his death. Although he died over a hundred years ago, his spirit can’t find rest until he knows who killed him and why. How a young kid goes about an investigation of this kind is no small part of the charm and wit of this story. Youthful sleuths is a genre all its own, and this author demonstrated great prowess with it.
Adding charm to the story is the fact that it is really two stories in one. We get to see Ethan’s life unfold in a parallel with Micah’s, only a hundred plus years earlier. We get to see Ethan fall in love with a girl that’s off-limits, much as Micah befriends a girl his age in this current timeline, who, incidentally is a descendent of the woman the ghost was about to marry. There’s a very real possibility that Vanna, the girl Micah is becoming fast friends with, both being fellow outcasts in their communities, is the descendent of the person who killed Ethan. Will that news, if and when it hits, shatter Micah’s friendship in the here and now, or bring them closer together? Of course, you don’t really know if the story will play out that way, but it’s one of the questions floating around your head as the author continues to lay out red herrings for us and possible suspects.
Tyan Wyss does a masterful job of handling dialogue believably, capturing the nuances of pioneer speech and the vernacular from a period of gold dust seekers and Native Americans. The struggles our young pre-teens encounter in their time and those Ethan encountered in his are both keenly felt, the antagonists standing in the way of the happiness of both are vividly drawn and leap off the page. But it was the many subtle ways that events in both timelines played off of one another that demonstrated real genius; it’s hard enough to do a story of this kind, rich with this many plots twists and details, and yet have the jigsaw pieces fit so well together.
Highly recommended as a family-friendly and middle-school read.
Ethan is desperate to get Micah to dig into the mystery of his death. Although he died over a hundred years ago, his spirit can’t find rest until he knows who killed him and why. How a young kid goes about an investigation of this kind is no small part of the charm and wit of this story. Youthful sleuths is a genre all its own, and this author demonstrated great prowess with it.
Adding charm to the story is the fact that it is really two stories in one. We get to see Ethan’s life unfold in a parallel with Micah’s, only a hundred plus years earlier. We get to see Ethan fall in love with a girl that’s off-limits, much as Micah befriends a girl his age in this current timeline, who, incidentally is a descendent of the woman the ghost was about to marry. There’s a very real possibility that Vanna, the girl Micah is becoming fast friends with, both being fellow outcasts in their communities, is the descendent of the person who killed Ethan. Will that news, if and when it hits, shatter Micah’s friendship in the here and now, or bring them closer together? Of course, you don’t really know if the story will play out that way, but it’s one of the questions floating around your head as the author continues to lay out red herrings for us and possible suspects.
Tyan Wyss does a masterful job of handling dialogue believably, capturing the nuances of pioneer speech and the vernacular from a period of gold dust seekers and Native Americans. The struggles our young pre-teens encounter in their time and those Ethan encountered in his are both keenly felt, the antagonists standing in the way of the happiness of both are vividly drawn and leap off the page. But it was the many subtle ways that events in both timelines played off of one another that demonstrated real genius; it’s hard enough to do a story of this kind, rich with this many plots twists and details, and yet have the jigsaw pieces fit so well together.
Highly recommended as a family-friendly and middle-school read.
July 29, 2015
A Ghostly Story of Love!
Ghostwriter is a creative and interesting story of a ghost who haunts the old Campbell lodge. A new family, the Chasen's come into town and purchase this house. Micah Chasen, an eleven-year old boy, is the first to see the ghost, Ethan Samuels, a handyman who lived in 1906. Ethan shares his story of how he died but thinks that someone tried to kill him by pushing him down the stairs. He is distraught also because he left behind the love of his life, Petrane, an Indian girl who also worked at the Campbell Lodge. Micah vows to help the ghost solve the mystery of Ethan's death so that he can go on to the next life.
This is a fascinating take filled with mystery, suspense, love, murder, and greed. There is something for everyone here. I found this story to be an enjoyable and quick read.
Ghostwriter is a creative and interesting story of a ghost who haunts the old Campbell lodge. A new family, the Chasen's come into town and purchase this house. Micah Chasen, an eleven-year old boy, is the first to see the ghost, Ethan Samuels, a handyman who lived in 1906. Ethan shares his story of how he died but thinks that someone tried to kill him by pushing him down the stairs. He is distraught also because he left behind the love of his life, Petrane, an Indian girl who also worked at the Campbell Lodge. Micah vows to help the ghost solve the mystery of Ethan's death so that he can go on to the next life.
This is a fascinating take filled with mystery, suspense, love, murder, and greed. There is something for everyone here. I found this story to be an enjoyable and quick read.
February 22, 2015
Ghostwriter is an enjoyable, fast-moving tale of a boy working to solve the murder of the ghost occupying the house he lives in. Wyss’ prose is very readable and keeps the plot moving along at a good click. I enjoyed the turns the plot threw as Micah continued to learn more and more facts about Ethan’s life in 1906. I found Wynn’s attention to detail much sharper in the flashbacks, when concerned with a motley crew of characters whose motivations are always suspicious as well as great descriptions of the arid nature of the old west. The present day action left a little to be desired, regarding the kids’ old-fashioned investigation techniques with the technology available circa 2013, as well as some character motivations, but overall I did enjoy this YA novel, and would recommend it!
November 19, 2014
I enjoyed this clean book very much. I was interested throughout the entire book. I liked the humor very much, and the characters were unique and well-defined. There were no dull spots for me.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews