The Christmas Presence

Mystery House #14

by Eva Pohler

Some houses remember. Some refuse to forgive.

When a young family inherits a stunning mountain home outside Telluride, Colorado, they believe they’ve found paradise—six thousand square feet of glass and timber perched above a snow-draped valley.

Instead, they inherit the nightmares.

Every night, armed men drag them from their beds. Every night, they are forced into the snow at gunpoint and marched into the dark.

Desperate for answers, they call Ellen, Sue, and Tanya.

What begins as a haunting rooted in restless dreams soon reveals a deeper unrest—one born during Colorado’s violent labor wars at the turn of the twentieth century. A mine manager shot dead. A union leader accused of murder. A town divided by loyalty, fear, and bloodshed. And beneath the house’s modern foundation lies the original cellar—along with the buried records of a conflict that was never truly resolved.

As the nightmares grow more vivid and the mountain itself seems to tremble with memory, Ellen and her friends must determine what really happened in 1901—and whether justice was ever served.

Because someone is still fighting that war.

And this time, the living are caught in the crossfire.

The books in this series can be read in any order.

Genres: Mystery, Christmas, Paranormal, Ghosts, Audiobook

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 30, 2024

About the author

Eva Pohler is a USA Today bestselling author of over forty novels in multiple genres, including mysteries, thrillers, and young adult paranormal romance based. Her books have been described as "addictive" and "sure to thrill"--Kirkus Reviews.

Get THE BOOKWORM BIBLE for FREE: https://www.evapohler.com/bookworm-bible.

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Reviews

[C.J. Daley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book 14 in The Mystery House series, of which I have read one before (book 8) and I don’t recall seeing anything on NetGalley signifying the fact that it was part of a series, but that may be on the site.

While I may just be spoiled by reading two of the A Christmas Tree Farm Mystery series at the right time and them giving me the exact feel I was going for—which is mostly why I requested this one, this lacked any holiday cheer, and other than the last five minutes featuring Christmas, it could have been really any month as there’s snow…but they’re in Colorado. So the name is quite the mislead.

And while I will say that I also have written a ghost hunting story myself and did some research, as well as countless hours watching the shows, that doesn’t make me any kind of expert. However, the characters here use a Ouija board and dowsing rods to communicate with the dead more than once, and aren’t those two of what’s considered to be the least reliable or “scientific” ghost hunting items? You’d think by book fourteen they’d be more professional? Oh and not that I am a believer, but with seemingly zero qualifications they attempt an exorcism?

I don’t know if the content in this book is historically accurate, but this is read much more like of a history lesson than a paranormal mystery. With its older cast and jokes, there’s probably a market for this with older readers or even those consistent with the cozy genres. Just not for me.

[Michelle Godard-Richer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though this book is quite far into the series, I could follow it without reading the other books. The concept of Ellen and her group of friends investigating a haunting cabin at Christmas drew me in. I liked the historical aspect of the story as they delved into the history of their multiple ghosts and the nearby ghost town. What I struggled with a bit was the narration of the audiobook. I think I would have enjoyed the Kindle edition more which would have brought my review to 4 stars.

[Riley Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun holiday mystery! I really loved the setting since I’m quite partial to Colorado. I loved the friend group and I enjoyed that I was able to jump into this series with this book and enjoy it just as much as if I had read all the previous books. The audiobook was amazing too and I was surprised to hear that the author also narrated!

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently this is book #14 in the series, but, it’s the first I’ve read…and it was just fine as a stand-alone!

Ellen, Tanya and Sue are all friends…old friends. AND, they have a business together. One where they attempt (and usually seem to succeed) in removing unwanted beings/ghosts from homes.

They receive a request to come to a beautiful home in the San Juan Mountains to try to remove a presence that has been haunting the family. Waking them from sleep with terrible nightmares, etc…but it all seems real while it’s happening! 😮

They accept the job and move into the home…and then the ‘fun’ begins! But they find out it’s not just ONE ghost. 😮😮😮

I’m going to end it here, as I don’t want to give anything away… but if you enjoy the paranormal, as well as beautiful townscapes, and ghosts and such…well then this one is for you! And the banter between the three of them is hysterical too!! 🤣

Oh…and don’t you just LOVE this cover??? ❤️

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

#TheChristmasPresence by #EvaPohler, and narrated nicely by the author too!

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #DreamscapeSelect, and the author for an ARC of the audiobook which is DUE TO BE RELEASED IN JUST A FEW SHORT DAYS…on 11/30/24! So, look 👀 for it then!

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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book had some really creepy supernatural moments and was pretty good. I enjoyed the supernatural elements as the women worked to solve this decades old murder mystery. The flashback dreams were terrifying and I would be terrified to have those dreams. This was a well done historical mystery.

[Shaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Eva Pohler for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC audiobook for The Christmas Presence coming out November 30, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Through Sue's blog, a young woman begs Ellen and her friends for help with a log cabin she recently inherited. Situated deep in the San Juan mountains and in pristine condition, the Colorado cabin looks like a paradise, especially in winter when it's surrounded by snow-covered fir and cypress trees. But there's an unwanted presence that has turned the cabin into a living hell for the young woman and her family. Ellen, Sue, and Tanya agree to "clean house" only to find themselves lured into a hell they didn't know existed.

How will Ellen and her friends get out of this one?

I really enjoy this author! She has fun cozy paranormal books. This was a really good Christmastime ghost story! I loved that she narrated it, so it was how the story was supposed to be read. I loved the setting at the cabin. The characters were quirky and I enjoyed how they went about solving the mystery with their research. It was a short audiobook, but I loved it. I would definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys ghost stories!

[Megan Rang · Rating 4 out of 5]

***** I received this audiobook free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A definite cozy mystery. It was a cute story. Nothing I would want to read twice. More of a fluff read. I did like the characters.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Title: The Christmas Presence
Series: The Mystery House Series #14
Author: Eva Pohler
Format: 🎧
Narrator: The Author
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery
Pub Date: November 30, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages 236

Yes this is Number fourteen in this series and my first.
I love Christmas and I do like paranormal stories – I guess started years ago with Dickins “The Christmas Story”.
Ellen is a recurring character. In this story

Ellen and her two best friends Sue and Tanya are a team and not only share having a mid-life crisis in common they share a company entitled ‘Ghost Hunters Inc.
In this story a Robin and her family needs the team to help with removing an unwanted ‘presence’ that is in the log cabin Robin she recently inherited.
The log cabin is located in the San Juan Mountains on the outskirts of Telluride, Colorado.
Only it is not a typical log cabin but a beautiful 5-bedroom home with a view that is magnificent.
and mountains and in pristine condition, the Colorado cabin looks like a paradise, especially in winter when it's surrounded by snow-covered fir and cypress trees. But there's an unwanted presence that has turned the cabin into a living nightmare.

The team does a lot of research and finds out more about what happened in this beautiful area many years ago.
In fact, I was looking forward to the author’s notes as I was sure there would be some things that really did happen. However, the ‘Author’s Notes” was not included with the
audiobook which isn’t unusual.

Story was a fun read. Love the descriptions of how inviting Telluride is during the Christmas season.

BTW -there is a teaser at the end regarding Book #15.

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for granting me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 30, 2024.

[Debra Gaynor · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christmas Presence
Eva Pohler
This is the 14th book in the Mystery House series, this is the first one I’ve read; it stands well alone.
In this series we meet three old friends and business partners Ellen, Tanya and Sue. The women are around 50 years old. Their business is to remove spirits/ghosts from homes. The women received a request to remove someone from cabin the San Juan Mountains. The family that owns the cabin are having a terrible time with nightmares that seem real. They take on the job and move into the cabin where they find not one but two spirits living there. The women researched the history of the cabin and the surrounding area. They discover why the spirits want to linger in the cabin.
This tale was a little too paranormal for me. The circle stuff is too witchy, also there is the use of an OUIJA BOARD, I am not comfortable with summoning spirts! I liked the way the women went about researching the areas history in an effort to discover why the spirits linger in the cabin and terrorize the owner.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our team of paranormal investigators are contacted by Robin, a young woman who inherited a cabin in the mountains, and whose family was being haunted by nightmares. She asked for the help of Ellen, Sue, Tanya and their side-kick Moseby in order to clear up the scary mystery. The investigators arrived and soon found themselves plunged into a mystery which was way more difficult than they had at first envisaged. They delved into the history of Telluride, and discovered that in the 1800's this had been a mining town. and that there was a strong hatred between the owners of the mines, and the miners union, which escalated to the point which led to murder. The investigators had to put to rest the toubled ghosts haunting the cabin and give a decent burial to the person who was killed. This is another of the mystery paranormal investigations which I really enjoyed reading. These investigations have their tense moments, a lot of adventure filled with fun the women enjoy on these trips, in this case a deep look at history, and so much more.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for a digital copy of the audiobook; I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This book is the 14th in the series, which was not indicated on NetGalley. However, this book can be read as a standalone without issue.

I think that the synopsis of the book is all wrong in how to describe this book. I was expecting a cozy mystery with some thriller aspects to it. Instead, I got a lot about the occult and seances and conjuring spirits (nothing wrong with that, just not my thing). Then there was a point where one of the characters prays out loud to God (again, nothing wrong with that, just not my thing).

There was some interesting historical information provided in the book when the characters read from found newspapers.

The audiobook narrator, the author, was good, but it really threw me for a loop when she said Jiy-Ro for gyro. Maybe it's a regional thing?

[SueCanaan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am sure there is an audience for The Christmas Presence, but, sadly, it doesn't include me. As an audio arc from Netgalley, I went into this one not realizing it was book 14 of a series. Good news is that according to the verbiage from author/publisher, it can be read as a standalone. The premise involves three women in their 50s with a particular set of skills to "clean" haunted houses. The description use the perfect line for the characters - Nancy Drew meets The Golden Girls.

It was a quick listen on audio and it kept me listening versus the sad DNF, but it didn't click with me. I was not drawn to any of the characters, the religious references or the supernatural. BUT, clearly, as book 14 the series has its readers. Give it a try if you like mature characters and quick reads.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 stars -- The only way I can describe this, is that this was a terrible book. I read reviews saying it wasn't great, maybe more Scooby-doo, but that was fine, I can enjoy a meh-cozy mystery or a Riley Sager-style Scooby-doo situation. However, this was not that. This was, idk what it even was -- some group of women investigating ghosts in a house in Colorado that turns into a historical dive into mining, with a smattering of pointlessness about mascara, gross food orders at who-cares restaurants, and other extraneous things that truly did not provide anything. I'm surprised this is a 14th book, as it feels like a bad debut.

The audiobook wasn't great either - the voices were weird, just read the book.

[BlueUnicorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best

This review is not just about this book but the entire series. This one of the best series I have ever read. It keeps me engaged through the entire story. I enjoy the history incorporated in each story. I am always looking forward to where Ellen, Tanya, and Sue are going next. I just would like them to ask their husbands to go everyone in awhile. 🙂 Thank you, Eva Pohler for the good reads.

[JC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this edge of your seat haunted house mystery, and was amazed at the historical way that the mining town mystery was unwound and solved. The Colorado breathtaking scenery helped move the plot along, with its great twists and turns! A great read that has me wanting more of this Mystery House series.

[S. Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical clues

I love that these ghost stories are based on actual historical events and are so well written you wonder "could this be real"? Makes me want to visit the places! Love the relationships with women and their families. Not perfect but Real! Thanks for a good read, can't wait for next one 😁

[Archee Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

four and a half stars?

i did love this book. it held my interest till the very end and came to a thrilling and satisfying conclusion. i know when 3 friends get together they can speak comfortably about everything, so basically it's under the auspices of what's said in telluride stays in telluride? i guess it doesn't have to be p.c. ...

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first of this series that I read. I loved the descriptions of the area. The history of the area was very interesting too. Made me wonder how much was based on fact. Friendship was a big theme as well. And a very chilling ghost investigation.

[Nadia Meriouli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

Didn’t enjoy this book. Very simple writing, boring plot and characters I’m not interested in. The narration was also hard to listen to and I just didn’t feel interested. I’m glad it wasn’t very long.

[Jeanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute ghost story

I loved reading this book!! If you love ghost stories and mysteries you are going to so enjoy this book. take a chance and read this fun ghost story / mystery I had to read this in a day couldn't wait to see what happened

[Jaime Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea.

[Loucille Gambill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a hit

Book 14, its another hit,love them all. The stories are always the hard to put down verity. Thank you, waiting on number 15.

[NM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love listening to the stories of Sue, Tanya, & Ellen.
Enjoyed this as much as the others in this series. Hoping for more to come.
Highly recommend

[Lori Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read...

The book was a great story, love when a new one comes out looking forward to the next chapter in the girls lives....

[Sharon Maydet · Rating 5 out of 5]

the Christmas presence

Fast reading great mystery to read first book I have read from this author can’t wait to read another book by this author

[Kandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Another interesting and entertaining addition to this series. I love the characters and storyline. The descriptions of the area are so well done that I could picture it as I read.

[Darlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. Haunted house and a trio of ghost hunting middle age ladies . It is part of a series. It can be read as a stand alone.

[Alyssa Hosto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the history in this one...and the friendly banter between the ladies. Also love the mention of Mo, as I also cant go anywhere without my furbaby. Great ghost story!

[itsybitsybookhoarder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high expectations from the synopsis and I was a little let down. I expected something more thrilling. It was cute and cozy. I did enjoy it but I was hoping for more. The author did a great job on the audio version.

Thank you net galley ARC

[Anthea Rotter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this one a little more than I did. I was amused sometimes but I didnt love the narration and kept hoping for more with the characters

3 stars

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy