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My Name is Marnie
After the brutal, senseless murder of her husband, Marnie Clifford tries to pull the threads of her out-of-control life back together. She flees from her painful past and looks to start a new life in a small, ramshackle but affordable cottage in a remote idyllic New England town, in hopes of finishing out her pregnancy in peace. But something isn't quite right with her new home- not with the cottage itself and its vague familiarity; not with her new neighbor, a disheveled wild-eyed man with a limp and questionable motives; and certainly not with her unsettling visitor…a silent, restless, and very dead little girl. As the spectre’s visits become more and more frequent, Marnie begins to unearth the horrible secret of the cottage. A secret better left buried deep…
***
“As enthralling a spectral mystery as anything written by Jennifer McMahon, with My Name is Marnie not only has Tracy Carbone risen to the top of my writers-to-watch list, she has also ensured I will never look at dolls or apples the same way again. This one quite literally had me double-checking the doors and windows before bed, and I’m still not quite recovered. A well-written and unsettling piece of work that gets my highest recommendation.”
- Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning
author of The Turtle Boy, Kin, and Jack & Jill.
***
“As enthralling a spectral mystery as anything written by Jennifer McMahon, with My Name is Marnie not only has Tracy Carbone risen to the top of my writers-to-watch list, she has also ensured I will never look at dolls or apples the same way again. This one quite literally had me double-checking the doors and windows before bed, and I’m still not quite recovered. A well-written and unsettling piece of work that gets my highest recommendation.”
- Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-winning
author of The Turtle Boy, Kin, and Jack & Jill.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2014
2 people are currently reading
323 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 23, 2015
MY NAME IS MARNIE is not so much a ghost story as it is a story about hauntings, both physical and emotional. Author Tracy Carbone takes what could have been a bland and pedestrian idea in lesser hands and turns it into an eerily effective novel which stimulates her readers mentally as much as jarring them emotionally. This is not a "Wow!' novel full of shocking scenes of gore that leaves one gasping for breath but, rather, it is a work of fiction that inspires the reader to consider people more deeply, and why they do what they do.
The story is simple and straight forward, involving the many-years-later aftermath of child abuse. But rather than creating a simple revenge story, Carbone delves into the deeper issues of damage and recovery and how all of the players, abuser and abused alike, are affected. Yet Carbone never devolves into psychobabble, nor does she present her story in a haze of overly gratuitous emotionalism. Her examination of the scars left on her characters is brisk, matter-of-fact and, ultimately, far more satisfying than overtly contrived attempts prey on our sympathies.
Her characters are crafted simply, strikingly devoid of the obvious complexity that one would expect in this kind of book. The angst they feel become evident only as Carbone slowly peels back the layers to display the rawness underneath. It is this unmasking, this revelation of deep wounds where none are initially apparent, that partly infuses MY NAME IS MARNIE with its creepiness.
Carbone tries out some innovative ideas when it comes to her characters. Some of their distinguishing "quirks" eventually prove to be well-founded manifestations of the experiences they've suffered through. It's a nice touch and not only helps hold the reader's interest, but it also helps blur the lines between those characters who are "good" and "bad." I was particularly fond of the way Carbone structured her ultimate villain but I shan't say any more for fear of creating a spoiler.
If I have any criticism of the book, it is a minor one. Every so often, the plot slows a bit, sacrificed at the expense of the lovely ominous atmosphere of dread that Carbone creates. In addition, at least in this reader's opinion, the book's timeline starts a trifle too late in the story. The novel opens with the protagonist being fired from her job and being forced to move. While we can intellectually appreciate the upheaval this causes in her life, we're not yet emotionally invested -- simply because we don't yet know who this woman is. But, it is a small bone to pick and, though mildly frustrating, it manifests only in that it takes a dozen or so pages more than would otherwise be necessary for the reader to become involved in the main character's plight.
In sum, if you're looking for a "cold winter night" book to read that is as disturbing as it is intriguing, check this one out.
The story is simple and straight forward, involving the many-years-later aftermath of child abuse. But rather than creating a simple revenge story, Carbone delves into the deeper issues of damage and recovery and how all of the players, abuser and abused alike, are affected. Yet Carbone never devolves into psychobabble, nor does she present her story in a haze of overly gratuitous emotionalism. Her examination of the scars left on her characters is brisk, matter-of-fact and, ultimately, far more satisfying than overtly contrived attempts prey on our sympathies.
Her characters are crafted simply, strikingly devoid of the obvious complexity that one would expect in this kind of book. The angst they feel become evident only as Carbone slowly peels back the layers to display the rawness underneath. It is this unmasking, this revelation of deep wounds where none are initially apparent, that partly infuses MY NAME IS MARNIE with its creepiness.
Carbone tries out some innovative ideas when it comes to her characters. Some of their distinguishing "quirks" eventually prove to be well-founded manifestations of the experiences they've suffered through. It's a nice touch and not only helps hold the reader's interest, but it also helps blur the lines between those characters who are "good" and "bad." I was particularly fond of the way Carbone structured her ultimate villain but I shan't say any more for fear of creating a spoiler.
If I have any criticism of the book, it is a minor one. Every so often, the plot slows a bit, sacrificed at the expense of the lovely ominous atmosphere of dread that Carbone creates. In addition, at least in this reader's opinion, the book's timeline starts a trifle too late in the story. The novel opens with the protagonist being fired from her job and being forced to move. While we can intellectually appreciate the upheaval this causes in her life, we're not yet emotionally invested -- simply because we don't yet know who this woman is. But, it is a small bone to pick and, though mildly frustrating, it manifests only in that it takes a dozen or so pages more than would otherwise be necessary for the reader to become involved in the main character's plight.
In sum, if you're looking for a "cold winter night" book to read that is as disturbing as it is intriguing, check this one out.
January 14, 2015
This story starts out a little slow and has a couple of editing problems, But I loved it. I got caught up in it trying to figure out "whodunit", and actually lay awake thinking about it. Has a good deal of suspense and mystery and ghostly charm, and my heart got caught up in it as well.
September 21, 2014
This is a good read. Not too long and with a gripping plot. Engaging characters and a well crafted plot that comes together. A ghost story that is more murder mystery than horror.
February 24, 2022
It was okay. Very convoluted and some typos.
November 12, 2014
Again never read anything by Tracy L Carbone before but was recommended this by a certain Kealan Burke so had to give it a go.
Marnie's life is in turmoil. Her husband has recently been murdered. She is pregnant. She isn't coping. She has felt for years that someone has been watching her with no idea why. For this reason she is convinced it was the same person who has been watching her all her life that murdered her husband. She decides to move away to get her life together again. When she moves into her new cottage she is visited by the ghost of a little girl, Jennie. Jennie is trying to tell her something but Marnie can't figure out what. This is the start of a harrowing journey for Marnie as she discovers things about her past that had been deeply buried for many years.
Superb. I can't describe it any other way. The writing is beautiful. Labelled as a horror I would describe it more as haunting. Without giving too much away, the build up in this story is fantastic. Things that happen in Marnie's present life seem unbelievable to her because she can't remember her early life but as things start to come back to her everything becomes clear and more terrifying.
There are so many twists and turns in this story that one minute you will think you have it sussed followed by thinking where the hell did that come from in the next breath. So many things happen that I just did not see coming at all. Perfect suspense. Perfect atmosphere. It reminded me a lot of the way Gillian Flynn wrote Gone Girl. You have no idea who or what to believe until the very end.
I have to agree with Mr Burke and say I reckon Tracy L Carbone will be one to watch.
A very easy 5 stars.
Marnie's life is in turmoil. Her husband has recently been murdered. She is pregnant. She isn't coping. She has felt for years that someone has been watching her with no idea why. For this reason she is convinced it was the same person who has been watching her all her life that murdered her husband. She decides to move away to get her life together again. When she moves into her new cottage she is visited by the ghost of a little girl, Jennie. Jennie is trying to tell her something but Marnie can't figure out what. This is the start of a harrowing journey for Marnie as she discovers things about her past that had been deeply buried for many years.
Superb. I can't describe it any other way. The writing is beautiful. Labelled as a horror I would describe it more as haunting. Without giving too much away, the build up in this story is fantastic. Things that happen in Marnie's present life seem unbelievable to her because she can't remember her early life but as things start to come back to her everything becomes clear and more terrifying.
There are so many twists and turns in this story that one minute you will think you have it sussed followed by thinking where the hell did that come from in the next breath. So many things happen that I just did not see coming at all. Perfect suspense. Perfect atmosphere. It reminded me a lot of the way Gillian Flynn wrote Gone Girl. You have no idea who or what to believe until the very end.
I have to agree with Mr Burke and say I reckon Tracy L Carbone will be one to watch.
A very easy 5 stars.
October 9, 2014
My Name is Marnie came to my Kindle through a recommendation from Kealan Patrick Burke, and I'm so glad I've read it. It's a seriously creepy story. I'm not even going to search images of what apple dolls really look like, I'm too scared of never being able to unsee them if they're worse than what I imagine.
While the plot unveils little by little and there is no real big reveal despite some good twists here and there, the whole reader experience lies in the creepy atmosphere of the story. A story of revenge, of trauma, of personal interests, and of remorse. It's not your usual story of ghosts seeking revenge. No, sometimes, humans are worse. And still, even that is not black and white either.
Definitely one I would recommend if you fancy a good story for Halloween :)
While the plot unveils little by little and there is no real big reveal despite some good twists here and there, the whole reader experience lies in the creepy atmosphere of the story. A story of revenge, of trauma, of personal interests, and of remorse. It's not your usual story of ghosts seeking revenge. No, sometimes, humans are worse. And still, even that is not black and white either.
Definitely one I would recommend if you fancy a good story for Halloween :)
May 4, 2017
The truth is that I really wanted to like this book more. I had seen this book on a couple of "must read" horror book lists and went into it with tons of enthusiasm but, once through, I walked away feeling a little disappointed. I just couldn't get a feel for Marnie and her terrible choices. They seemed silly to me. Another thing that I didn't care for was why so much attention was put on a particular characters weight and what she was eating. It certainly didn't add to the story and seemed completely unnecessary. With that being said there is a mystery in here and I'll admit to not figuring it out so it does have that going for it. Unfortunately the mystery, once wrapped up, was too implausible for me to really appreciate.
September 26, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. From numerous plot twists and flawed and interesting character's I would recommend this to anyone looking for something outside the box and a little morbid. There were a few problems though, mainly with the spacing dividing many words. This happened many times throughout the book. The ending could have used an epilogue, but the ending that was given was nice. I found this fast pace and hard to put down in the beginning, it did slow down and speed back up again but not as much as I would have liked but definitely worth the read.
December 5, 2014
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed this, the ending left me a little cold. However, I will be reading more by this author.
March 28, 2015
Great ghost story.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews