A Haunting: The Horror on Rue Lane

by L.I. Albemont

Fleeing a troubled past, Sarah Faust has found the perfect place to begin a new life. Tucked away on a charming side street and surrounded by lush grounds, the neglected 300-year-old townhouse in the port city of Charleston offers a refuge and a place to start over. But all is not as it seems at Five Rue Lane, and she soon finds that her new house harbors something that has been there for a very long time. Something that refuses to stay buried. In A Haunting, L. I. Albemont brings us parallel tales of old and modern horror, weaving colonial era events into a modern ghost story you won't soon forget.

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Audiobook, Paranormal, Supernatural, Historical Fiction, Thriller

Audible Audio

First published May 21, 2012

Reviews

[The Badger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah buys a haunted house in Charleston (despite gut feelings and concrete evidence that she should buy a nice non-haunted condo instead). Also, Sarah is dead broke and unemployed, but thinks to herself, "This is a great fixer upper! Since I'm broke and unemployed, I'll start by buying granite countertops)."

The problem with buying and having granite countertops installed, is that when you find children's remains in your basement (behind the shackles neither you nor your home inspector noticed), you're like, "I can't leave this house--I have granite countertops." But when plates go flying, ghosts come for tea, try to murder the neighbor kids, cause an east coast El Niño, and polish your wood flooring, Sarah has to search deep within herself and ask, "If I do an exorcism, will the ghosts still clean my hardwood floors?"

In the end, Sarah has no choice, thanks to a minor character and two minuscule characters who force her to summon a demon. A demonic Satyr ends up stepping on their heads with his hooves, but Sarah is directed by an actual ghost how to chain him up into a friendly garden gnome version of a satyr statue. Interestingly, the Charleston police don't consider the three bodies with hoof-marks on their crushed skulls suspicious. "Uhm. A tree fell on them. In my house. El Niño..." explains Sarah. "That's cool. You're white so we don't really need to investigate this anyway. You probably want to get started cleaning all the blood of those gorgeous hardwood floors," say the police.

Interestingly, the guy you think is going to be the love interest isn't (ahem: poor!). Sarah actually meets another guy ($$$) who turns out to be a cousin--but not a first cousin--so it's all good.

Overall, this was still a decent read. Most of the loose ends were tied up. The satyr lawn ornament was loaded into a boat by two Mexicans (the perfect accomplices; because if you can't speak English you're obviously blind, deaf, and mute) and Sarah and a friend who specializes in landscaping and demonic lawn ornaments toss the satyr into the Atlantic so it can catch a current back for a sequel.

Note: Sarah is an awful animal owner.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars
This was a very classic haunted house story that didn’t really bring anything new to the subgenre. The audiobook narration was good, but the book itself was rather forgettable.

[Kim Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

It isn't often that I say this, but I really wish this book had been longer. There are just too many plot points that were not fully developed and explained. The story was very interesting but certain things seemed too easy. I don't usually give spoilers, so don't read on if you don't want hints about the story line.

The beginning of the book, dealing with the husband didn't have anything to do with the rest of the story, so I wish it had been simplified. All we needed to know was that she had to leave and get away from all the people who knew her before, to get a fresh start. Picking Charleston could have been explained a little more. It would have been more interesting for her to have been drawn there somehow. Maybe as a chance to get to know her mother's background as an exploration of finding herself and a continuation of starting over. We were told nothing about her relationship with her parents, and at one point I was confused- were her parents still alive? Maybe I missed that. It was way too coincidental for her to find this house. A little more story here would have been better. Her relationship with Angela and David was too fast, and another coincidence that David lived right behind her! David and his relationship with his daughters could have been explored more. And David's ex was a bitch and a horrible mother! Why was he even sad about losing her? And his attraction to Sarah, and her interest in him was not explored enough. The old residents in the town could have been used in Sarah's search for information about her house and ancestors, instead of that very convenient article that Sarah didn't seem to have enough time to finish in one sitting. Why wasn't Sarah more freaked out at seeing and experiencing all this craziness? And there were too many spirits so I was not sure how many were actually lingering around. More information about them would have been helpful. Lil could have provided that through her friendship with The ghost girl. The ending was way too convenient, I mean, all of a sudden it is all figured out? And help me understand how Lil was suddenly all better! Nobody seemed concerned that she was possessed in the hospital! Another part that needed more attention was her extended family in town. Why didn't Michael's family have any knowledge of the house and help her more? They were actually family! Why couldn't she have met Michael earlier, which led her to learn more of her family, which led her to the house? See? This book could have easily been three books and been so much better for it! Hmmm.... Why did it get a four star rating? It was interesting and had such potential! I didn't think it was scary like other reviewers mentioned. There needs to be much more build up and tension. This would have been a good book club book only to discuss all the things that could have been changed to make it better! Haha!

[Catalina Soltero · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a couple of quibbles here. One, the hints of romance seem forced and superfluous. Two, there was more opportunity for creepiness in the book but it was mostly saved for the last 5-10% of the story. And my biggest beef is the kitten. He was just added to cause emotional grief later. Don't add pets just so you can kill them off to upset the readers. I mean, don't kill cats or dogs in your book anyway, but especially don't put them in a story just to show us their body later.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was fantastic! Independently published, an unknown author to me, this book packed a punch. This was one spooky, rather scary book.
Chock full of history, fiction or no. Takes place down in the south, in an old historic neighborhood. A recently, "to be divorced" middle aged lady buys and moves into an old Victorian home. Obviously we know its haunted by the title of the book, but by whom and why, surprised the heck outta me.
I deff recommend this to ghost story lovers and as a bonus "to be read" on Halloween!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book got better when Little K, Tiny Zion and Little J White moved into the yard.

[M.J. Belko · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had some genuinely creepy moments in it but lost me with the plot holes and loose ends.

[Dani Wrafter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great example of a slow-burn supernatural thriller. Very likeable characters, well written and very atmospheric. Albemont’s storytelling is both poetic and terrifying.

[Alex H · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Michelle Only Wants to Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is pretty decent, and I loved the setting in Charleston. It made me Google the city, the neighborhoods, and explore the culture of the place.

I was hoping it would be scary, but it wasn't, really. There was the paranormal activity and storyline, but I didn't feel it would get too intense. Some passages were more romantic and--even though I liked them--it felt out of place.

The writing is good, the characters were likeable and well drawn. I just wasn't wowed, and too many plot lines stayed unresolved. I don't mind a few, but I wish there would have been a few more chapters.

[Doreena · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book left so many unanswered questions. Too many loose ends for me and the whole book felt forced and rushed. It just didn't really flow.

[Kimber Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This story was actually very nostalgic for me in some ways. It feels like a true classic suspense interwoven with historical fiction and paranormal occult themes that just sing together. Flashbacks can get pretty annoying and confusing at times, but the way this author wove the present timeline with information from the past essential to the plot made it feel like a black and white private investigation type of narration. And I am honestly kind of shocked. Without any spoilers, let’s be clear. I expected one of the respectable pillars of the community to turn up evil but the characters that turned on her left me in shockwaves! My only real problem is it almost felt anticlimactic for such a betrayal, but in a way it also felt like Justice being leveled?

**SPOILER ALERT**

To be willing to kill someone for power over something ancient and evil that you so clearly don’t understand and then immediately be snuffed out by that same powerful being so nonchalantly was almost the definition of Poetic Justice! And the epilogue with the whole cycle coming back around for some other poor soul was just the perfect cherry on top of one of my favorite type of horror novels. Chef’s Kiss!

If you are not a slow burn suspense type with an appreciation for historical and paranormal dramas, this might not be for you, but I still recommend highly to all my old school ghost story lovers!

[Kristy Dyer Sherrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story begins as a promising haunted house story set in picturesque Charleston, SC. However, by the last fourth of the book, it turns into a less than believable story involving stereotypes of witchcraft and a sensationalized exorcism/spell/something that would’ve fit in not even a B horror flick. It was poorly researched, in my opinion, regarding the aspects of this, and even the mentions of what one would see in Charleston or the culture in the low country were not well done at all and read more like something from a poorly written tourist guide than from someone who had done their research on the area. Also— *don’t read if you like animals*

The instances of animal slaughter or simple animal deaths were entirely unnecessary to the plot or even the sensationalized ending. Again, this is a point to the clearly poor research done by the author on the entire subject of the book.

[Sarah Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the little scares and creepiness that I got from this book. It was a fun read. The main character's name is Sarah and her ancestor is Elizabeth so of course I am going to love this book. Was it a 5 star read for me, no. I don't think I will read this book again and I don't think I am going to seek out the author's other books.
I did like that the book had some historical facts in it. I got a little lost towards the end so I had to reread a chapter to understand what I read. I didn't like that we'd sometime fallow Sarah and sometimes David. I wish they had just stayed with one character.

[Jessica McDonough · Rating 5 out of 5]

While not the scariest book I've ever read it was an easy and quick read. I didn't want to stop reading it after I started and I loved all the witchy and a cult imagery that they packed in to the story. I love all the characters as well they all bring something fun and unique to the story even the little Street has its own personality and I always love when I placed in a story becomes its own sort of person. Well the spooky imagery wasn't scary in my opinion it was on its own and I will definitely be thinking about some of the imagery on its own for days. If you like the occult people with big personalities and a spooky house you'll love this.

[Bryna Adamo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Haunting: The Horror on Rue Lane is a story about Sarah whom after the devastating blow of her husband's criminal and unfaithful acts she leaves New York for a fresh start in her deceased mother's home town. Sarah purchases a beautiful old fixer upper for an affordable price but quickly begins to realize that there was a reason for how easily it came into her possession.

I thought the novel and the narrator were excellent. It was a great creepy listen, having all the great nasties of an old evil horror.

Highly recommend to any one looking for the heebee jeebees and the mildly grotesques.
4.25 stars

[Joe Bogue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed A Haunting: The Horror on Rue Lane. It was an overall well written 'haunting' story and it had great pacing. Both those things being said, I wish it had either been longer. Then the author could have flushed out the characters or the house's history more. By the time you get to the end, you realize some of the events/details are rather superfluous. Or the author could have left out some detail, and focused completely on the storyline. The story itself would have made a really solid novella, though it as a novel it is still very entertaining.

[Krys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. The storytelling was fabulous, and though nothing major really happened for most of the 10 hour audiobook, I wasn’t bored or disinterested at any point. The climax did get kinda muddy, where events started happening with little explanation, followed by-up, or even really any reaction form characters.

Friggen Jumanji. Why does everyone throw cursed shit into bodies of water? Why do saps find something odd half buried in the sand and think nothing of bringing it home? Poor fish.

[Rebecca Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts out well and we get to know the characters but it felt rushed to a solution at the end. Also, if you love animals and can't read about deaths of pets, this isn't for you. Also, I personally don't like books that have a last minute teaser that it isn't over yet. I like it to wrap up completely and when they want to start a new book they can explain how that happened to link together. (Just in case they never write the next in a series.) This isn't an exact spoiler but I marked it as one just in case.

[K Kriesel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters are very 2-dimensional. To be fair, I don't usually mind 2-dimensional characters when their few qualities are exceptionally interesting or entertaining. But these were uninteresting characters moving through the plot that was somehow both predictable and erratic. I was nevertheless enjoying the suffering of the protagonist, who was irrational but at least consistent, up until the shallow and unsurprising romance began.

[Tiffany Lynn Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Haunting didn't start out strong but had promise. The paranormal events came about quickly and the protagonist Sarah is pleasantly openminded, setting out to solve things almost immediately. Sadly that manages to be the only likeable thing about her. She proves herself to be a horrid pet owner and makes multiple mind-numbingly bad decisions. Things also move along to fast at times while other moments felt unnecessary. The ending also feels very anticlimactic.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this started out as a bit of a cozy mystery to me, which I didn’t mind! I love all things historic and Charleston, and really liked the characters. The ending took the turn to horror I thought the whole book would be, and it escalated quickly. However, it wasn’t a new twist on the classic haunted house tale so don’t expect to be surprised. I still enjoyed it and didn’t want it to end. Trigger warning for animal abuse. It’s the one thing I can’t stand reading and the end had a lot of it.

[Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not a bad book, but it has trouble deciding what it wants to be. Is it a story about rebuilding a life after a tragedy. Is it a haunted house book, a southern gothic story, A love story? All the non haunted house parts of the book get brought up and then just sort of resolve without any action done by the main character. Stuff just kind of happens to the main character, characters pop up and just go away.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got about half way through this book and my main complaint is that it drags on so slowly. I did like the writing and the author has a talent for creating creepy atmosphere I just wish that the story would move forward and get on with the plot instead of trailing along like snail. I'll probably skim the rest of the book to see what happens but unfortunately the story just lost me.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved all the historical reference..

I love an old house that pulls the main character in and I loved the surprise connection with the house but I wanted more of that - there were many good ideas being pushed into one end and I felt disappointed - what happens with David ?! Was Mr tumbnas her familiar ?? Are Elizabeth and her children at peace ?? .....

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I you haven't read this yet, go grab it!
It's not what you expect at all, though it's a ghost horror-themed themed it's not cheesy and predictable! I absolutely loved the characters, the story builds up and the surprise ending... Crossing my fingers that the L. I Albemont decides to give us a sequel to this!

[Lori Stevens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm very happy I didn't purchase this book. I listened to it for free on Audible. It started out as promising but quickly devolved into a childish melodrama. Poor plot. Reminds me of a pulp Gothic romance paperback of the 60's and 70's. Not a good Gothic either. I don't recommend this book. I wasted my time listening but parts were good for a belly laugh.

[Delia Tannino · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, as I appreciated the whole historical research and going through the archives thing; unfortunately the main character is flat, there’s too much focus on everyday basic tasks and not enough on the haunting; even when it comes to the haunting, apart from the last three chapters, there isn’t really any atmosphere built around it.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought there was a weird lack of description between dialogue, so that often I did not understand a character's tone. Thought it was a little too demonic-focused for my taste, and didn't delve much into the purpose of the character's history with the house.