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Whispers of the Forgotten: A Casey Carson Mystery
Re-Release — Newly Updated & Professionally Edited!
When Casey Carson returns to her quiet hometown after her father’s sudden and mysterious death, she expects comfort in the familiar. Instead, she finds a house steeped in dread—shadows shifting in the corners, whispers trailing through the halls, and secrets carved deep into its walls.
As chilling signs escalate, Casey discovers her father guarded something dark… something worth killing for. With the help of her childhood best friend and a group of quirky locals obsessed with the supernatural, she’s drawn into a dangerous hunt for the truth.
But the deeper Casey digs, the more twisted the mystery becomes. Between ghostly clues and deadly conspiracies, she must face the terrifying possibility that the same fate awaiting her father is now coming for her.
Some secrets refuse to stay buried – and some will haunt you forever.
When Casey Carson returns to her quiet hometown after her father’s sudden and mysterious death, she expects comfort in the familiar. Instead, she finds a house steeped in dread—shadows shifting in the corners, whispers trailing through the halls, and secrets carved deep into its walls.
As chilling signs escalate, Casey discovers her father guarded something dark… something worth killing for. With the help of her childhood best friend and a group of quirky locals obsessed with the supernatural, she’s drawn into a dangerous hunt for the truth.
But the deeper Casey digs, the more twisted the mystery becomes. Between ghostly clues and deadly conspiracies, she must face the terrifying possibility that the same fate awaiting her father is now coming for her.
Some secrets refuse to stay buried – and some will haunt you forever.
- GenresMystery
277 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 10, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 17, 2025
I was so disappointed in this book. I can tell where this author is trying to take her story. But I could not connect to her characters, they just fall flat. And they are not very likable. There is like a disconnect while I am reading. I don’t feel like I am immersed in the book.
Also read it on my Kindle and the pages seem to be formatted strange. Sadly I will be passing on other books by this author.
Also read it on my Kindle and the pages seem to be formatted strange. Sadly I will be passing on other books by this author.
February 15, 2025
Acquired Kindle edition when offered free on Amazon.
This review is based on having read only 6%. Progress updates aren't long enough to describe how truly bad this book is.
First of all, the formatting is terrible. I'm guessing the "Choices Publishing" is a front for the author's self-publishing venture, but regardless, the formatting sucks. Sorry to be so blunt, Ms. Archer, but it's the truth. If you can't even format the copyright page properly, you've got serious problems.
The Table of Contents is even worse. (Don't try the links; they don't work.)
Who knows? Maybe the whole thing is put together with AI. If so, it's about the least intelligent AI available.
The first page is enough to let you know this writer knows nothing about writing. Oh, she can string words together to form sentences, but it takes a whole lot more than that. The first two paragraphs would never have made it out of a good critique group; a competent editor would have thrown up their hands trying to fix the problems.
Block paragraphs don't belong in popular fiction. When a Kindle free book shows up with block paragraphs, it's a pretty sure bet the writer isn't also a reader. Readers know "real" books -- meaning, books written by people who know how to write -- don't have block paragraphs. Nora Roberts's books don't. Stephen King's books don't. Kristin Hannah's don't.
Okay, you say, so what if the formatting is really, really terrible? If the story is good, who cares, right?
Wrong. Because if the formatting is this bad, it means the writer doesn't read. And a person who doesn't read 999,999 times out of a million doesn't know how to write either. That's why we get two opening paragraphs like this:
The creaking front door swung open, revealing the eerie silence that enveloped my family home. A ghostly hint of my father's pipe hung in the air, an unexpected reminder of his presence; I was surprised it was still present after four days. Lucy, my faithful companion, padded along as I entered, burdened with the weight of my luggage. I had packed more than necessary, uncertain of the duration of my stay. After all, how much did one pack for their father’s funeral?
As I dropped the suitcases in the living room, my gaze fell upon Dad's pipe, resting beside his worn-out recliner, a poignant reminder of his absence. The call from Roy, Dad's second-in-command, shattered any hope of a reunion. Dad’s unexpected death required my return to Fredericksburg for his funeral and to handle everything.
Archer, Aimee . Whispers of the Forgotten: A Casey Carson Mystery (p. 5). Kindle Edition.
(Emphasis added to highlight repetition.)
What would I have said to this writer if she had brought this opening to my desk?
The opening sentence is weak. The door creaks, so any silence that existed has already been broken. When the door opens, it should reveal something visual first. The emptiness, maybe, followed by the silence that the creaking door had broken.
Second sentence is even weaker. Anyone who has lived around a smoker, especially a pipe smoker, knows the "hint" of tobacco lingers a lot longer than a mere four days. So calling it "unexpected" should be considered an error. A different reaction is called for.
Third sentence is no improvement because it doesn't give a clear impression of what's going on. "Lucy" is a faithful companion, but is she a human companion or the dog from the book's cover? Is Lucy the one burdened with the luggage or the narrator?
Fourth sentence continues this awkward beginning. How does the narrator know she's packed more than necessary? Perhaps more than probably necessary, but she's uncertain of the length of her stay, so how can she know what's "necessary" to begin with?
The fifth and final sentence of the paragraph wraps it all up with . . . . nothing. I guess it all depends on where the funeral is, when it is, what else has to be done, and so on. Since none of those issues has been raised yet, the question is nonsensical.
So, it's a very bad first paragraph. This is not looking good.
First sentence of second paragraph now brings a contrasting reiteration of a problematic sentence in the first paragraph. Now the pipe is a "poignant" reminder of the dead person's "absence." The smell is a reminder of presence, the sight is a reminder of absence. Which is it? And if it's both, a good writer would expand upon the contradictory emotions. This comes across as just bad writing from a writer who isn't paying attention to what she's writing.
Next sentence tells about the call from "Roy," and identifies his relationship to the deceased, but not the context. Second in command . . . of what? And what "hope of a reunion" was shattered? This suggests the narrator had reason to believe a "reunion" was not an assured thing, since she was only hoping for it. Had she been estranged from her father? If so, what was the reason? More important, what was the narrator's reaction to the shattering of this hope?
Final sentence of the second paragraph is another "error" sentence: Where is "Fredericksburg"?
One of the problems with using real names of real places is that readers may already have a mental image -- visual or otherwise -- of that real place. If the writer chooses to set their story in, for example, Lexington, some readers may immediately think of the Bluegrass country around Lexington, Kentucky. Others, however, may immediately conjure Lexington, Massachusetts. The writer who doesn't make clear just exactly where the story is taking place runs the risk of pushing readers completely out of the story when details emerge that are at variance with what the reader has already assumed.
Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a real place near Washington, D.C. The site of several important Civil War battles, it is home to a National Military Park enshrining those battlefields, as well as a National Cemetery.
Fredericksburg, Texas, is also a real place. It's a small (12,000 population) city in central Texas known for its German history and heritage, wineries, and National Museum of the Pacific War.
I would have advised Ms. Archer to identify which Fredericksburg she's putting into her book, because they're going to be very different places, and more people will have heard of the Virginia one than the Texas one. In fact, when I got to page 17 and it's revealed that we're talkin' about Texas, I had to go to Google to find out what the heck was going on. Non-US readers probably won't have any clue about either of the real cities, making the clarification all the more important.
At any rate, let the reader know this story is going to take place in Texas.
The last thing a writer should want to do is pull the reader out of the story. The fact that it happened so many times in just two paragraphs was enough for me to say, "Sorry, this is a badly written book." Whether there's a good story hiding behind all this bad writing is questionable. I already have too many reasons to believe there isn't.
I did read beyond the first two pages, and all I found were more and more and more instances of bad formatting, bad writing, bad plotting. Especially bad plotting, because if you're going to insist there's a good story behind the bad formatting and bad writing, I sure as heck didn't find it.
Casey is worried about finances, but she embarks on a 1700-mile drive without having any clue what the funeral arrangements are?
Her father's co-worker calls to tell Casey her father has died suddenly, but Casey doesn't even ask what happened? Saying she was "too shocked" to ask is not believable. It's not until the day after she arrives that Roy tells her her father was murdered? Are you kidding me? She tells Roy the question has been driving her nuts for a week, but she didn't bother to pick up her phone and get more details? For a whole week? She claims she couldn't drive and deal with it at the same time, but it doesn't take a week to drive 1700 miles.
She sets out on this long drive rather than flying -- because of Lucy -- but doesn't even bother to ask if she still has the legal right to enter her father's house? She walks in like she owns it. But when it's revealed that he was murdered, wouldn't there be an investigation that might involve searching the house? If Roy asks her to search through her father's belongings, that suggests there's some kind of investigation going on. Why isn't Roy doing it? Or higher up state law enforcement officials?
Why are Casey's feelings toward Trisha so contradictory? She's enormously grateful for the deputy's wife's assistance, but still thinks the woman is overly ambitious? And who really thinks a deputy sheriff in a small rural town has a shot at the governor's mansion?
This whole plot defies logic. There isn't a single element of it that makes sense.
The writing is terrible. There are multiple Kindle pages with the word "alarm" used far too often. Who cares about the alarm at this point anyway?
I'm not sure that the little bits I've revealed here are spoilers, since I never read past page 28, but there you have it. DNF, recommended for absolutely no one.
This review is based on having read only 6%. Progress updates aren't long enough to describe how truly bad this book is.
First of all, the formatting is terrible. I'm guessing the "Choices Publishing" is a front for the author's self-publishing venture, but regardless, the formatting sucks. Sorry to be so blunt, Ms. Archer, but it's the truth. If you can't even format the copyright page properly, you've got serious problems.
The Table of Contents is even worse. (Don't try the links; they don't work.)
Who knows? Maybe the whole thing is put together with AI. If so, it's about the least intelligent AI available.
The first page is enough to let you know this writer knows nothing about writing. Oh, she can string words together to form sentences, but it takes a whole lot more than that. The first two paragraphs would never have made it out of a good critique group; a competent editor would have thrown up their hands trying to fix the problems.
Block paragraphs don't belong in popular fiction. When a Kindle free book shows up with block paragraphs, it's a pretty sure bet the writer isn't also a reader. Readers know "real" books -- meaning, books written by people who know how to write -- don't have block paragraphs. Nora Roberts's books don't. Stephen King's books don't. Kristin Hannah's don't.
Okay, you say, so what if the formatting is really, really terrible? If the story is good, who cares, right?
Wrong. Because if the formatting is this bad, it means the writer doesn't read. And a person who doesn't read 999,999 times out of a million doesn't know how to write either. That's why we get two opening paragraphs like this:
The creaking front door swung open, revealing the eerie silence that enveloped my family home. A ghostly hint of my father's pipe hung in the air, an unexpected reminder of his presence; I was surprised it was still present after four days. Lucy, my faithful companion, padded along as I entered, burdened with the weight of my luggage. I had packed more than necessary, uncertain of the duration of my stay. After all, how much did one pack for their father’s funeral?
As I dropped the suitcases in the living room, my gaze fell upon Dad's pipe, resting beside his worn-out recliner, a poignant reminder of his absence. The call from Roy, Dad's second-in-command, shattered any hope of a reunion. Dad’s unexpected death required my return to Fredericksburg for his funeral and to handle everything.
Archer, Aimee . Whispers of the Forgotten: A Casey Carson Mystery (p. 5). Kindle Edition.
(Emphasis added to highlight repetition.)
What would I have said to this writer if she had brought this opening to my desk?
The opening sentence is weak. The door creaks, so any silence that existed has already been broken. When the door opens, it should reveal something visual first. The emptiness, maybe, followed by the silence that the creaking door had broken.
Second sentence is even weaker. Anyone who has lived around a smoker, especially a pipe smoker, knows the "hint" of tobacco lingers a lot longer than a mere four days. So calling it "unexpected" should be considered an error. A different reaction is called for.
Third sentence is no improvement because it doesn't give a clear impression of what's going on. "Lucy" is a faithful companion, but is she a human companion or the dog from the book's cover? Is Lucy the one burdened with the luggage or the narrator?
Fourth sentence continues this awkward beginning. How does the narrator know she's packed more than necessary? Perhaps more than probably necessary, but she's uncertain of the length of her stay, so how can she know what's "necessary" to begin with?
The fifth and final sentence of the paragraph wraps it all up with . . . . nothing. I guess it all depends on where the funeral is, when it is, what else has to be done, and so on. Since none of those issues has been raised yet, the question is nonsensical.
So, it's a very bad first paragraph. This is not looking good.
First sentence of second paragraph now brings a contrasting reiteration of a problematic sentence in the first paragraph. Now the pipe is a "poignant" reminder of the dead person's "absence." The smell is a reminder of presence, the sight is a reminder of absence. Which is it? And if it's both, a good writer would expand upon the contradictory emotions. This comes across as just bad writing from a writer who isn't paying attention to what she's writing.
Next sentence tells about the call from "Roy," and identifies his relationship to the deceased, but not the context. Second in command . . . of what? And what "hope of a reunion" was shattered? This suggests the narrator had reason to believe a "reunion" was not an assured thing, since she was only hoping for it. Had she been estranged from her father? If so, what was the reason? More important, what was the narrator's reaction to the shattering of this hope?
Final sentence of the second paragraph is another "error" sentence: Where is "Fredericksburg"?
One of the problems with using real names of real places is that readers may already have a mental image -- visual or otherwise -- of that real place. If the writer chooses to set their story in, for example, Lexington, some readers may immediately think of the Bluegrass country around Lexington, Kentucky. Others, however, may immediately conjure Lexington, Massachusetts. The writer who doesn't make clear just exactly where the story is taking place runs the risk of pushing readers completely out of the story when details emerge that are at variance with what the reader has already assumed.
Fredericksburg, Virginia, is a real place near Washington, D.C. The site of several important Civil War battles, it is home to a National Military Park enshrining those battlefields, as well as a National Cemetery.
Fredericksburg, Texas, is also a real place. It's a small (12,000 population) city in central Texas known for its German history and heritage, wineries, and National Museum of the Pacific War.
I would have advised Ms. Archer to identify which Fredericksburg she's putting into her book, because they're going to be very different places, and more people will have heard of the Virginia one than the Texas one. In fact, when I got to page 17 and it's revealed that we're talkin' about Texas, I had to go to Google to find out what the heck was going on. Non-US readers probably won't have any clue about either of the real cities, making the clarification all the more important.
At any rate, let the reader know this story is going to take place in Texas.
The last thing a writer should want to do is pull the reader out of the story. The fact that it happened so many times in just two paragraphs was enough for me to say, "Sorry, this is a badly written book." Whether there's a good story hiding behind all this bad writing is questionable. I already have too many reasons to believe there isn't.
I did read beyond the first two pages, and all I found were more and more and more instances of bad formatting, bad writing, bad plotting. Especially bad plotting, because if you're going to insist there's a good story behind the bad formatting and bad writing, I sure as heck didn't find it.
Casey is worried about finances, but she embarks on a 1700-mile drive without having any clue what the funeral arrangements are?
Her father's co-worker calls to tell Casey her father has died suddenly, but Casey doesn't even ask what happened? Saying she was "too shocked" to ask is not believable. It's not until the day after she arrives that Roy tells her her father was murdered? Are you kidding me? She tells Roy the question has been driving her nuts for a week, but she didn't bother to pick up her phone and get more details? For a whole week? She claims she couldn't drive and deal with it at the same time, but it doesn't take a week to drive 1700 miles.
She sets out on this long drive rather than flying -- because of Lucy -- but doesn't even bother to ask if she still has the legal right to enter her father's house? She walks in like she owns it. But when it's revealed that he was murdered, wouldn't there be an investigation that might involve searching the house? If Roy asks her to search through her father's belongings, that suggests there's some kind of investigation going on. Why isn't Roy doing it? Or higher up state law enforcement officials?
Why are Casey's feelings toward Trisha so contradictory? She's enormously grateful for the deputy's wife's assistance, but still thinks the woman is overly ambitious? And who really thinks a deputy sheriff in a small rural town has a shot at the governor's mansion?
This whole plot defies logic. There isn't a single element of it that makes sense.
The writing is terrible. There are multiple Kindle pages with the word "alarm" used far too often. Who cares about the alarm at this point anyway?
I'm not sure that the little bits I've revealed here are spoilers, since I never read past page 28, but there you have it. DNF, recommended for absolutely no one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
Whispers of the Forgotten is an intense page-turner. The characters were amazing, and the mystery was fraught with twists and turns. I look forward to reading more of this series.
May 8, 2025
Whispers of the Forgotten by Aimee Archer is the first book in a new cozy mystery series. I enjoy mysteries, especially if they have a hint of paranormal activity, so I looked forward to reading this book. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to get through.
I couldn't click with the protagonist, Casey Carson. Her character development was all over the place, which lead me to believe there wasn't much thought behind it. The book is written in first person and Casey's narrative is repetitive, continuously asking herself (and the reader) the same questions, usually all on the same page. I couldn't get into her voice at all.
I appreciated the overall plot of Casey working to solve her father's death with the paranormal activity happening. However, instead of one plot with subplots, it felt like each subplot fought to be the main one.
Finally, the lack of editing was the nail in the coffin for me. The book isn't formatted by the industry standard, but that's more of a nitpick than anything else. However, I don't believe Whispers of the Forgotton was developmentally edited, let alone proofread. For example, one paragraph could have two different people speaking or quotation marks would be missing at the beginning or ending of dialogue, just to name a couple.
Overall, I see the potential of this story. With another set of eyes and clear character development, this could turn into a great series. But I'm not sure if I'll pick up book two.
I received an advance review e-copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I'm leaving an honest review willingly, and all opinions are my own.
I couldn't click with the protagonist, Casey Carson. Her character development was all over the place, which lead me to believe there wasn't much thought behind it. The book is written in first person and Casey's narrative is repetitive, continuously asking herself (and the reader) the same questions, usually all on the same page. I couldn't get into her voice at all.
I appreciated the overall plot of Casey working to solve her father's death with the paranormal activity happening. However, instead of one plot with subplots, it felt like each subplot fought to be the main one.
Finally, the lack of editing was the nail in the coffin for me. The book isn't formatted by the industry standard, but that's more of a nitpick than anything else. However, I don't believe Whispers of the Forgotton was developmentally edited, let alone proofread. For example, one paragraph could have two different people speaking or quotation marks would be missing at the beginning or ending of dialogue, just to name a couple.
Overall, I see the potential of this story. With another set of eyes and clear character development, this could turn into a great series. But I'm not sure if I'll pick up book two.
I received an advance review e-copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I'm leaving an honest review willingly, and all opinions are my own.
January 29, 2026
Whispers of the Forgotten blends small-town mystery, supernatural suspense, and conspiracy-driven intrigue into a tense, character-anchored thriller. Aimee Archer uses the familiar return-home setup to unsettling effect, transforming nostalgia into dread through whispers, hidden clues, and a house that feels alive with secrets.
The novel’s strength is its layered mystery: personal grief, local folklore, and larger conspiracies converge in a way that keeps the stakes escalating without losing emotional grounding. Casey Carson’s investigation into her father’s death anchors the supernatural elements in human motivation, giving the ghostly atmosphere a psychological core. Fans of paranormal mysteries and small-town thrillers with eerie undertones will find this a gripping, compulsive read.
The novel’s strength is its layered mystery: personal grief, local folklore, and larger conspiracies converge in a way that keeps the stakes escalating without losing emotional grounding. Casey Carson’s investigation into her father’s death anchors the supernatural elements in human motivation, giving the ghostly atmosphere a psychological core. Fans of paranormal mysteries and small-town thrillers with eerie undertones will find this a gripping, compulsive read.
April 23, 2025
This book started out good but the further I read, the more I was aggravated with the FMC. She got to the point where she was whiny and yelling and it really distracted from the book. The storyline itself was really good and I could see this being a fairly long series, only if Casey gets over herself. I will read the next one because I really enjoyed the storyline and the other character, who were great. Please, please change Casey up to more likeable character!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 31, 2025
This was a great entry in the Casey Carson Mystery series, it had that mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed from this type of book. The characters had that element that I was hoping for. Aimee Archer has a strong writing style and am excited to read more in this series.
I received a free copy of this book for review and am voluntarily leaving a review
I received a free copy of this book for review and am voluntarily leaving a review
April 4, 2025
3.5 Stars Whispers of the Forgotten book 1 of Casey Carson Mystery by Aimee Archer was an okay read, kind of chaotic. Casey, the protagonist was cool at first but later became an angry, whiny shrew and yelling at her friends. I'll try the next book because it does have some redeeming qualities.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2025
I was totally pulled into the book, I feel I lived it. So much going on, so many clues and every emotion was engaged. Amazing characters, suspenseful crimes and a totally unexpected ending! I loved this book. I received this book as a gift.
February 24, 2025
Worth reading
Quick, entertaining book. The main character is darned cranky, flying off the handle, yelling at her only allies, which got old after a while. I plan on reading the next book to see what happens next, but I sure hope Casey has calmed down.
Quick, entertaining book. The main character is darned cranky, flying off the handle, yelling at her only allies, which got old after a while. I plan on reading the next book to see what happens next, but I sure hope Casey has calmed down.
February 16, 2025
Enjoyed the book
February 19, 2025
Good clean mystery. Good plot, good characters, was disappointed at ending. This ebook had more grammer mistakes than any I have ever read. Am not including other poor editing.
May 4, 2026
Ghosts
Great read and fast paced and fun with mystery to solve and ghosts to catch and a new life to start.
Great read and fast paced and fun with mystery to solve and ghosts to catch and a new life to start.
February 7, 2025
Casey Carson is back in her sleepy hometown after the death of her father.His death was mysterious and if she was thinking she’d find comfort from her family home? Yeah ,think again . It’s not enough to discover that your father is a keeper of dark secrets…no because when she discovers that her father’s demise might just have been his final sacrifice? It’s hard to take in but she’s discovered that she still has her best friend to help out. With a few quirky folks in town taking a keen interest in the supernatural too ,what’s a girl to do?Most of the town it seems are in,on these schemes of criminal intention, not to mention the cryptic messages, the clues . What has she to lose? She hasn’t a clue but knows she must try do or die .Oh my! Great writing, and perfect descriptions make this book worth the subscription.
Read
March 18, 2025This is book 1 of Casey Carson Mystery series. This book has so much going on. I feel so bad for Casey. Don't want to put any spoilers on here so, if you like a book that puts you on the edge of the seat right off the start, this is the book for you. I wanted to hug Casey and be her friend. There were times I laughed, was in shock, and needing to know more. This book covered everything I need for a cozy mystery. I look forward to reading more from this author and the series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 12, 2025
Whispers of the Forgotten is Book 1 in A Casey Carson Mystery by Aimee Archer. Casey and her dog, Lucy, are returning for her father's funeral. I found this to be an excellent cozy. Casey along with her friends are looking into her parents death and the fire. There are twist and turns and tons of the unexpected. I think this mystery is so good. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.
January 28, 2025
I really enjoyed this story. First, her mother , then her father, things like this just didn't happen here. There is so much sadness and so many questions. Reconnecting with a friend from the past made things a bit easier. This story has a lot going on, and Ms. Archer does a great job with each little story and combines it with the bigger picture. I am looking forward to more of her stories
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2025
This was so good! It was really intense. This was not a typical cozy where the main character goes running off in search of a killer, yet she was in worse danger! This is a series I’m going to definitely be reading.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews