What do you think?
Rate this book
The ghost merchant #0.5
Alma's Story - A Ghost Merchant Novella
In the heart of Ringwood, a peculiar shop peddles the souls of the departed. Souls like James Lavender, who ended up in the store after someone cut short his life.
When Matron Lily of Whitewood Asylum buys James, intending to use him to aid in tormenting a patient named Alma Edwards, he embarks on a perilous quest to sever his contract.
As James delves deeper into the secrets of Whitewood Asylum, he forms a secret bond with Alma, who’s struggling to hold on to her sanity amidst the torments.
But time is running out, and as Matron Lily’s grip tightens with every passing day. He must confront a string of disappearances from the depths of the Asylum and beat Lily at her own game.
When Matron Lily of Whitewood Asylum buys James, intending to use him to aid in tormenting a patient named Alma Edwards, he embarks on a perilous quest to sever his contract.
As James delves deeper into the secrets of Whitewood Asylum, he forms a secret bond with Alma, who’s struggling to hold on to her sanity amidst the torments.
But time is running out, and as Matron Lily’s grip tightens with every passing day. He must confront a string of disappearances from the depths of the Asylum and beat Lily at her own game.
- GenresFantasy
139 pages, Paperback
Published August 10, 2024
4 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 11, 2025
I devoured this book in a sweet evening absolutely loving the combination of fantasy and horror notes. It features the interesting premise of ghosts being avaliable for purchase, and follows the soul of James as he is sold to a matron who works in an asylum. I feel that the book is set in the Victorian times due to the portrayal of the asylum and the poor treatment offered to the inhabitants, which added to the ghost story atmosphere.
The plot premise had me engrossed throughout- having the ghosts set to "work" before passing on, is an interesting depiction of a kind of purgatory that I haven't seen before. The characters were surprisingly well developed for such a short novel - Lily was the clear villain of the tale, and the twist at the end was a nice touch. I am intrigued by the shop owner Quill (what an awesome name!), and am all geared to read the Ghost Merchant's full novel to find out more about this character and his tale.
On that note; it was a great introduction into this author's series; particularly as it is so short, you can give this one a go first before commiting to the full novel, as its the perfect snap shot into the Ghost Merchant's world (and is a complete story in itself).
The plot premise had me engrossed throughout- having the ghosts set to "work" before passing on, is an interesting depiction of a kind of purgatory that I haven't seen before. The characters were surprisingly well developed for such a short novel - Lily was the clear villain of the tale, and the twist at the end was a nice touch. I am intrigued by the shop owner Quill (what an awesome name!), and am all geared to read the Ghost Merchant's full novel to find out more about this character and his tale.
On that note; it was a great introduction into this author's series; particularly as it is so short, you can give this one a go first before commiting to the full novel, as its the perfect snap shot into the Ghost Merchant's world (and is a complete story in itself).
May 14, 2025
After reading this I can’t wait to read The Ghost Merchant.
What a fantastic and unique story.
Part of me wanted it to be longer but that’s just because I absolutely adored James, Alma & Quill.
I was not prepared for the sinister aspect to this story but I loved it. And that twist was brilliant!
This can be read after The Ghost Merchant but I would highly recommend reading it before.
1, you’ll get an introduction to what The Ghost Merchant is and
2, a couple of the characters from Alma’s Story feature in TGM.
Official rating ~ 4.5 ⭐️
What a fantastic and unique story.
Part of me wanted it to be longer but that’s just because I absolutely adored James, Alma & Quill.
I was not prepared for the sinister aspect to this story but I loved it. And that twist was brilliant!
This can be read after The Ghost Merchant but I would highly recommend reading it before.
1, you’ll get an introduction to what The Ghost Merchant is and
2, a couple of the characters from Alma’s Story feature in TGM.
Official rating ~ 4.5 ⭐️
March 27, 2025
i found the premise for this novella intriguing enough to start reading and it was a pretty average read for me. it’s definitely small and easy enough to read in one sitting which means finishing it is really easy and i’m glad i did (finish it one go, that is) to be frank. it wasn’t a bad novella by any means, in fact it’s even written quite well and flows very nicely, there was just nothing exceptional about it for me
there’s a lot of coverage on grief, loss, selfishness (this is just the actions of one character (and eventually another) but there’s A LOT of it) and corruption which fit right into the setting and made my heart sad for alma :( but on that same note, these aren’t explored outside of that once the characters get their end. like alma’s ending was very anticlimactic. the whole story builds to it but then when it happens it’s both off-page and very much a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it type. does she have peace in her decision even though she won’t be able to see her husband again (when that’s all she wanted)???? and it’s obvious that lily was the character we were supposed to completely loathe, but what happened after? was there some sort of justice or was that simply it???? james’ story definitely had the best conclusion out of all
this was sort of a head empty, no thoughts read for me born out of curiosity and the want for a short story when many of my other books are monsters to get through. i guess the cat’s been fed now 🤷🏼♀️
there’s a lot of coverage on grief, loss, selfishness (this is just the actions of one character (and eventually another) but there’s A LOT of it) and corruption which fit right into the setting and made my heart sad for alma :( but on that same note, these aren’t explored outside of that once the characters get their end. like alma’s ending was very anticlimactic. the whole story builds to it but then when it happens it’s both off-page and very much a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it type. does she have peace in her decision even though she won’t be able to see her husband again (when that’s all she wanted)???? and it’s obvious that lily was the character we were supposed to completely loathe, but what happened after? was there some sort of justice or was that simply it???? james’ story definitely had the best conclusion out of all
this was sort of a head empty, no thoughts read for me born out of curiosity and the want for a short story when many of my other books are monsters to get through. i guess the cat’s been fed now 🤷🏼♀️
July 20, 2024
This book was not exactly what I was expecting, which is always a good thing. This short story is such a good campfire story. It has hints of all the aspects of a good ghost story. I loved James and Alma. Their story is a very good one. The thing that bugged me most about the book is wondering how true the treatment of the patients are. The aspect of this book is very interesting. The narrator was amazing for this book and really did the characters' justice. Overall, it was a very good short, and I recommend if you're looking for a short, spooky, interesting read.
July 26, 2024
I've read thousands of novels in my 29 years, and very few of them have given me the pause Alma's Story gave me upon its conclusion. This novella is a tale of love, loss, and corruption that shows how easily a good intention can spiral out of control.
Alma's Story is a wonderful, well-written introduction to the Ghost Merchant series that promises a unique universe begging to be discovered.
Alma's Story is a wonderful, well-written introduction to the Ghost Merchant series that promises a unique universe begging to be discovered.
July 19, 2024
A very well written novella. I really enjoyed it. It makes you think about the afterlife. Looking forward to reading The Ghost Merchant.
August 3, 2025
A good little novella that sets the scene for the main book - The Ghost Merchant.
This book enables the reader to understand the concept of how the Ghost Merchant shop works - by trading in peoples souls - you follow James Lavender (the ghost) & Almas story & how their paths cross over. It begins with James being purchased by Lilly a matron in Whitewood Asylum where Alma is a patient, Lilly uses Alma's soul as currency to purchase James for companionship & from there you follow the story through a web of secrets, self-discovery, murder, past family revelations & what deep-rooted loneliness does to a person.
I would definitely recommend reading this before going onto book 1, as I felt it set-the-scene really well, gave you a sneak peak into this new world, so now I'm excited to read The Ghost Merchant.
This book enables the reader to understand the concept of how the Ghost Merchant shop works - by trading in peoples souls - you follow James Lavender (the ghost) & Almas story & how their paths cross over. It begins with James being purchased by Lilly a matron in Whitewood Asylum where Alma is a patient, Lilly uses Alma's soul as currency to purchase James for companionship & from there you follow the story through a web of secrets, self-discovery, murder, past family revelations & what deep-rooted loneliness does to a person.
I would definitely recommend reading this before going onto book 1, as I felt it set-the-scene really well, gave you a sneak peak into this new world, so now I'm excited to read The Ghost Merchant.
May 21, 2025
This beautifully written little Novella, which is part of the upcoming release of The Ghost Merchant, gives us a view into Quil and his shop and how Alma's soul came to be at the shop. This was a raw and heartbreaking read in only 137 pages that leaves a lasting impression and will have you desperate to read the next book.
We meet James Lavender, whose soul is bartered for by a sinister matron from the asylum. There, he meets Alma Andrews, and here they form a bond that absolutely tugs at your heart & shows the deep resilience that our spirits have even in the deepest of despair.
In 137 pages, Ben managed to cover grief, loss, despair, resilience, a plot twist & the power of love and friendship
Stunning book which pairs so well with The ghost merchant !
We meet James Lavender, whose soul is bartered for by a sinister matron from the asylum. There, he meets Alma Andrews, and here they form a bond that absolutely tugs at your heart & shows the deep resilience that our spirits have even in the deepest of despair.
In 137 pages, Ben managed to cover grief, loss, despair, resilience, a plot twist & the power of love and friendship
Stunning book which pairs so well with The ghost merchant !
May 9, 2025
Set in the late 19th century, Quill runs a Ghost Merchant shop where he trades in human souls. We follow James as he is purchased by a hardy matron using one of her patient's souls as collateral. James uses his time with the matron working at the asylum to befriend Alma (who's signed away her soul for his) and in the process he discovers some dark secrets and tries to bring Alma some justice.
This was a really quick read but didnt feel like a novella at all during reading, it really kept you hooked into the macabre story and made you root for the lovely Alma. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the characters in the full Ghost Merchant novel!
Themes
☠️Death 👻Ghosts 🏫Spooky Asylum
This was a really quick read but didnt feel like a novella at all during reading, it really kept you hooked into the macabre story and made you root for the lovely Alma. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the characters in the full Ghost Merchant novel!
Themes
☠️Death 👻Ghosts 🏫Spooky Asylum
October 13, 2024
I understand this is a prequel to another book and having read this, will definitely look out for ‘The Ghost Merchant’ when it comes out.
It’s a simple story of a woman named Alma who has been living in an asylum. Despite her husband’s efforts she is slowly deteriorating and only a ghost named James can help after being purchased as a companion by her captor.
Although a novella this book packs a punch and has so much emotional attachment to the reader with an ending that feels right but not necessarily fair.
I would read this again, in fact I will when the full book comes out.
It’s a simple story of a woman named Alma who has been living in an asylum. Despite her husband’s efforts she is slowly deteriorating and only a ghost named James can help after being purchased as a companion by her captor.
Although a novella this book packs a punch and has so much emotional attachment to the reader with an ending that feels right but not necessarily fair.
I would read this again, in fact I will when the full book comes out.
October 12, 2025
Spellbinding and sorrow
Alma's Story takes you on a journey into a realm of death and life, sorrow and hope. Not yet having read the main book, The Ghost Merchant, I didn't know the world built here, but had no trouble as the author brought this novella to life.
It is a heartbreaking story, and wirhout saying too much, I felt the sorrow of the characters being held in the cruel world of thrle asylum, and those souls held or kept in the afterlife. This story was a great mix of mystry and magic.
I'll be reading the main novel next.
Alma's Story takes you on a journey into a realm of death and life, sorrow and hope. Not yet having read the main book, The Ghost Merchant, I didn't know the world built here, but had no trouble as the author brought this novella to life.
It is a heartbreaking story, and wirhout saying too much, I felt the sorrow of the characters being held in the cruel world of thrle asylum, and those souls held or kept in the afterlife. This story was a great mix of mystry and magic.
I'll be reading the main novel next.
July 7, 2025
4✨️
I enjoyed this novella. I read it as a second book, and it was very interesting to see how Alma and Quill met and what happened in her life. The "murder mystery" aspect was really fun, and I have to admit I did not expect the little plot twist at the end. However, I don't really understand why Lily would purchase James. She didn't really have a strong reason for it, and it felt a little forced just to make the plot happen.
I enjoyed this novella. I read it as a second book, and it was very interesting to see how Alma and Quill met and what happened in her life. The "murder mystery" aspect was really fun, and I have to admit I did not expect the little plot twist at the end. However, I don't really understand why Lily would purchase James. She didn't really have a strong reason for it, and it felt a little forced just to make the plot happen.
March 11, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this novella having never read this authors work before, yet I still managed to be pleasantly surprised. The relationship between Alma & James is beautiful, and it definitely leaves you wondering how exactly people are really being treated in places like Asylums!
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this novella having never read this authors work before, yet I still managed to be pleasantly surprised. The relationship between Alma & James is beautiful, and it definitely leaves you wondering how exactly people are really being treated in places like Asylums!
November 14, 2025
A really interesting idea that’s well written, easy to follow and a bit addictive! It felt quite cosy but also there was tension and pain, that I was willing the characters to work through. Highly recommend and looking forward to reading the full Ghost Merchant book next!
August 3, 2025
An easy novella read about doing something that breaks the rules for the right reasons
September 11, 2024
This novella introduces a truly intriguing concept - a ghost merchant whereby anyone can purchase a soul in exchange for another.
In this story the soul of James Lavender is purchased out of a character's loneliness and isolation. The book also introduces Quill, the ghost merchant who brokers the trade. The contract is levied against the life of Alma, a patient at an asylum. Through James' eyes we get an over-the-shoulder point of view of the matron, Lily, a real Nurse Ratched type that'll have you gnashing your teeth.
I also liked how the book looked at loss and grief in a beyond-the-grave way. James is given the opportunity to seek much-needed closure in an appropriate manner. His arc is the strongest in the book and delivers a satisfying conclusion to his story.
For me personally, there's a twist nearer to the end that didn't quite hit me hard enough. It led to the book pinning a heavy guilt on one solitary character whereas another, who was equally guilty in my view, seemingly gets a free narrative pass.
All in all, the excellent pacing of the story and the concept contributed to an enjoyable read.
In this story the soul of James Lavender is purchased out of a character's loneliness and isolation. The book also introduces Quill, the ghost merchant who brokers the trade. The contract is levied against the life of Alma, a patient at an asylum. Through James' eyes we get an over-the-shoulder point of view of the matron, Lily, a real Nurse Ratched type that'll have you gnashing your teeth.
I also liked how the book looked at loss and grief in a beyond-the-grave way. James is given the opportunity to seek much-needed closure in an appropriate manner. His arc is the strongest in the book and delivers a satisfying conclusion to his story.
For me personally, there's a twist nearer to the end that didn't quite hit me hard enough. It led to the book pinning a heavy guilt on one solitary character whereas another, who was equally guilty in my view, seemingly gets a free narrative pass.
All in all, the excellent pacing of the story and the concept contributed to an enjoyable read.
June 16, 2025
Entrancing Novella That Makes Me Excited For Full Novel
From start to finish, this was a well written and unique story that hooks you. Vibrant characters are created with a story that is full of emotion and intrigue. This novella is setting up the full novel, The Ghost Merchant (which I can't wait to read when it comes out in July!). The premise is unique and I'm looking forward to reading more.
From start to finish, this was a well written and unique story that hooks you. Vibrant characters are created with a story that is full of emotion and intrigue. This novella is setting up the full novel, The Ghost Merchant (which I can't wait to read when it comes out in July!). The premise is unique and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews