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Eddie McCloskey #1
The Unearthed
Three years ago, a father, mother, and son murdered each other at home—a bloody tragedy that would later be known as the Moriarty Massacre. Only the youngest son, Eamon, survived that horrific night.
Now the Rossellis, the family currently living in the home, are experiencing strange phenomena. The phone rings randomly, a bloodlike stain continually reappears in the dining room, and their son, Billy, is talking to someone. Someone nobody can see and only Billy can hear.
The Rossellis hire Tim and Eddie McCloskey, local ghost hunters, to investigate. As the case quickly develops, their investigation takes dark turns as they race against time to find a missing boy. And as Tim and Eddie discover some terrifying similarities between the Moriartys and the Rossellis, they realize another massacre might be around the corner, and only they can stop it.
Now the Rossellis, the family currently living in the home, are experiencing strange phenomena. The phone rings randomly, a bloodlike stain continually reappears in the dining room, and their son, Billy, is talking to someone. Someone nobody can see and only Billy can hear.
The Rossellis hire Tim and Eddie McCloskey, local ghost hunters, to investigate. As the case quickly develops, their investigation takes dark turns as they race against time to find a missing boy. And as Tim and Eddie discover some terrifying similarities between the Moriartys and the Rossellis, they realize another massacre might be around the corner, and only they can stop it.
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2014
203 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Evan Ronan
46 books25 followersI write thrillers. I've studied the masters and hopefully I've learned a few things from them.
Ideas are never in short-supply. Time and talent (or lack thereof) are my only constraints.
My stories don't always fit neatly into categories, but that's what readers seem to like about them.
Ideas are never in short-supply. Time and talent (or lack thereof) are my only constraints.
My stories don't always fit neatly into categories, but that's what readers seem to like about them.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
April 15, 2015
Meh. Wasn't terrible, but not wonderfully written -- it read on the 8th grade level imo -- with underdeveloped characters and stereotypical ghost hunter plot-line (minus the ghost-hunter as skeptic turned believer trope). Since it was free on Kindle Unlimited, I do not feel like I wasted money or time, and found it decent enough to be reading the sequel, but really, meh.
December 22, 2014
Evan Ronan told me this was a slow-burn horror, at that worried me. I thought that meant it was going to be really slow and that it wouldn't catch my interest quick enough. That was not the case, at all. I was immediately interested to this book. It was so much like all those paranormal movies I love. All that was missing was a "Based on a true story" line at the beginning.
Once I started it I really didn't want to stop reading it. That's is probably why it only took me a little over a day to read it. If I didn't have to sleep it wouldn't have taken that long.
I thought it was comical that Evan Ronan wrote his character into the book. I laughed when I first read his name in it and then laughed harder when it said he was an author. I've never read anything like that before, very unique.
It takes it's time in the beginning introducing everyone. First it introduced the members of the house that were living in the house they believed was haunted. Then it introduced the the members of the paranormal investigation team. Eddie was my favorite character, he was so likable. He was more the people person compared to his brother Tim.
The Rosselli's moved into the massacre house. A house where three members of a family were brutally killed. They call upon Tim and Eddie's paranormal investigation team to help them figure out what they're dealing with. Billy Rosselli, has found an imaginary friend since moving into the house one that tells him to do very bad things. It's up to Eddie and Tim and the rest of their team to save this family from the same fate as the last.
This is one series that I look forward to finishing.
For more book reviews check out my blog. Hyperashley.blogspot.com
Once I started it I really didn't want to stop reading it. That's is probably why it only took me a little over a day to read it. If I didn't have to sleep it wouldn't have taken that long.
I thought it was comical that Evan Ronan wrote his character into the book. I laughed when I first read his name in it and then laughed harder when it said he was an author. I've never read anything like that before, very unique.
It takes it's time in the beginning introducing everyone. First it introduced the members of the house that were living in the house they believed was haunted. Then it introduced the the members of the paranormal investigation team. Eddie was my favorite character, he was so likable. He was more the people person compared to his brother Tim.
The Rosselli's moved into the massacre house. A house where three members of a family were brutally killed. They call upon Tim and Eddie's paranormal investigation team to help them figure out what they're dealing with. Billy Rosselli, has found an imaginary friend since moving into the house one that tells him to do very bad things. It's up to Eddie and Tim and the rest of their team to save this family from the same fate as the last.
This is one series that I look forward to finishing.
For more book reviews check out my blog. Hyperashley.blogspot.com
October 10, 2014
UNEARTHED is not just a frightening Supernatural, it's also a character study, and oddly, this aspect is probably what I enjoyed most. The premise--a residence which three years ago had been the site of brutal inter-familial violence now seems to be "haunting" the newest owners--has been played before, in fiction and film (The Amityville Horror, anyone? Jay Anson' s "666"? Anne River Siddons' "The House Next Door?" and many, many more) But whether an early author, screenwriter, or playwright has couched this premise is immaterial. What we want to know is: What does Evan Ronan do with it?
Well, Gentle Readers, he gives us character study--and lots of them. He intriguingly weaves backstory, offstage story (the lives of characters away from the House), local history and local color. He gives us himself as a character in the story, and he is unafraid to be vulnerable.
The central question here is not so much "What happened? Why?" It's not even is this house/lot/land supernaturally possessed? No, the real question is: What are these characters going to do? Three years ago, the Moriarty Family chose one bloody irredeemable option. Now what will the new residents, the Rosselli Family, choose?
And what will the amateur ghost hunters they've contracted find? Will either of the ghost hunting brothers recover accurate memory of the accident which took their parent's lives?
There's a tremendous amount of resonance between the earlier family and the current family, and between the earlier family and the ghost hunters' past. Now the reader must determine who--or what--is plucking the strings of these resonations.
Well, Gentle Readers, he gives us character study--and lots of them. He intriguingly weaves backstory, offstage story (the lives of characters away from the House), local history and local color. He gives us himself as a character in the story, and he is unafraid to be vulnerable.
The central question here is not so much "What happened? Why?" It's not even is this house/lot/land supernaturally possessed? No, the real question is: What are these characters going to do? Three years ago, the Moriarty Family chose one bloody irredeemable option. Now what will the new residents, the Rosselli Family, choose?
And what will the amateur ghost hunters they've contracted find? Will either of the ghost hunting brothers recover accurate memory of the accident which took their parent's lives?
There's a tremendous amount of resonance between the earlier family and the current family, and between the earlier family and the ghost hunters' past. Now the reader must determine who--or what--is plucking the strings of these resonations.
December 8, 2017
Something a little different, and rather well written. I found it enjoyable. Nothing amazing, but it was not bad either. And it moved smoothly and kept my interest throughout. All good there.
November 25, 2018
Sadness.
I like books about ghostly spirits. I like books about the supernatural. I liked this book a lot, though l must say l would have liked it more if it didn’t have such a sad ending.
I like books about ghostly spirits. I like books about the supernatural. I liked this book a lot, though l must say l would have liked it more if it didn’t have such a sad ending.
November 5, 2014
I need half stars. This is a good 3.5 star book. I rounded up to 4 stars.
The subject matter is quite fascinating to me. I seek it out in tv shows, movies, and books. I don't know the history if this is based on a true story or completely fictional. It doesn't really matter to me. I read it to be entertained and brought to a different place. This book does that.
The characters are great. Most of them have interesting history and good development. I liked the side stories. It's an interesting and compelling story. The topic and action are what make it a good read.
The writing is meh. The sentences are short and simple. The lack of details and description would greatly enhance the writing. The style works in the action scenes, but not so much in the back story moments.
The ending is quite weak and a let down. It needed a punch or at least a better explained closure.
There are a few discrepancies in the story: two glaring ones are that at the beginning of the book, it is stated that the house was built in the early 1970s. Later in the book, a character lists families who have been living in the house since the 1960s. The second is that there is a point where the electricity is shut off in the house, yet one of the characters enters a bathroom and turns on the light. Easily fixed if the author wishes to.
What would make this a 4-5 star book? More description is needed to lengthen the sentences and give depth to the story. This would especially be nice in the beginning when the brothers are interviewing Jackie. He only describes one thing he has witnessed in the house, though the characters talk for over an hour. I was not thrilled that I didn't get to read what his other observations were. Add more detailed explanations about the paranormal things happening and the work that the brothers do. I don't know how the brothers got into the business, really. I'd like to read more about that. I'd like to read more about how the Rosellis came to be in that house. Where were they before? Does the wife have a history of cheating on Jackie? Why do they only have one son? We only know what "Billy" reveals. Is it true?
The last thing I would take out is the meeting of the author. While some may think this is a creative thing to interject one's self into the text and become a character, I do not. I almost stopped reading at this point. Simple fix: give yourself a pseudonym, Mr. Ronan. I don't find writing about yourself in the third person to be cute or a unique thing. Though as I said, others probably like it.
If you like books about the paranormal, read this. It's worth it. If you like mystery books, give this a try. The story is worth it. If you don't like ghosts, blood, scary things, you should avoid this book. Of course, you'll miss a good story!
The subject matter is quite fascinating to me. I seek it out in tv shows, movies, and books. I don't know the history if this is based on a true story or completely fictional. It doesn't really matter to me. I read it to be entertained and brought to a different place. This book does that.
The characters are great. Most of them have interesting history and good development. I liked the side stories. It's an interesting and compelling story. The topic and action are what make it a good read.
The writing is meh. The sentences are short and simple. The lack of details and description would greatly enhance the writing. The style works in the action scenes, but not so much in the back story moments.
The ending is quite weak and a let down. It needed a punch or at least a better explained closure.
There are a few discrepancies in the story: two glaring ones are that at the beginning of the book, it is stated that the house was built in the early 1970s. Later in the book, a character lists families who have been living in the house since the 1960s. The second is that there is a point where the electricity is shut off in the house, yet one of the characters enters a bathroom and turns on the light. Easily fixed if the author wishes to.
What would make this a 4-5 star book? More description is needed to lengthen the sentences and give depth to the story. This would especially be nice in the beginning when the brothers are interviewing Jackie. He only describes one thing he has witnessed in the house, though the characters talk for over an hour. I was not thrilled that I didn't get to read what his other observations were. Add more detailed explanations about the paranormal things happening and the work that the brothers do. I don't know how the brothers got into the business, really. I'd like to read more about that. I'd like to read more about how the Rosellis came to be in that house. Where were they before? Does the wife have a history of cheating on Jackie? Why do they only have one son? We only know what "Billy" reveals. Is it true?
The last thing I would take out is the meeting of the author. While some may think this is a creative thing to interject one's self into the text and become a character, I do not. I almost stopped reading at this point. Simple fix: give yourself a pseudonym, Mr. Ronan. I don't find writing about yourself in the third person to be cute or a unique thing. Though as I said, others probably like it.
If you like books about the paranormal, read this. It's worth it. If you like mystery books, give this a try. The story is worth it. If you don't like ghosts, blood, scary things, you should avoid this book. Of course, you'll miss a good story!
October 30, 2014
I borrowed this from KU. It was almost worth it.
Part of this book was quite good and based on that part I would try another book by the same author. Part of it (and unfortunately it was the last few chapters) was full of action but seemed intellectually disconnected from the earlier part of the story.
A psychical research team headed by Tim McCloskey and his brother Eddie is brought in to investigate a house where a family is experiencing some creepy phenomena. The house was the site of a family massacre where all but the youngest son was killed. The massacre happened three years ago on the evening of the 10th of October. The family currently living there are Jackie, Talia and Billy Rosselli.
The book starts out nicely creepy with what looks like blood seeping through the floor into the basement with a spooky "drip...drip." Billy is being bullied at school. There's some family tension ready to ramp up. The ghost hunters arrive.
Then the author does something that really annoys me-- he self inserts Evan Ronan a local midlist author who had collected information on the massacre, into the information gathering part of the book. He even had one of the female characters thinking that if Evan Ronan in the book were only five years younger that she could go for him. I felt embarrassed for the author.
More creepy stuff happens that keep me glued to the book.
Then it all falls apart and everything ends in a not very interesting blood bath.
The story just essentially ends with no explanation, not even really a wrap up. A ghost story can be wonderfully creepily enigmatic, but you have to have the talent of M R James to pull that off.
Part of this book was quite good and based on that part I would try another book by the same author. Part of it (and unfortunately it was the last few chapters) was full of action but seemed intellectually disconnected from the earlier part of the story.
A psychical research team headed by Tim McCloskey and his brother Eddie is brought in to investigate a house where a family is experiencing some creepy phenomena. The house was the site of a family massacre where all but the youngest son was killed. The massacre happened three years ago on the evening of the 10th of October. The family currently living there are Jackie, Talia and Billy Rosselli.
The book starts out nicely creepy with what looks like blood seeping through the floor into the basement with a spooky "drip...drip." Billy is being bullied at school. There's some family tension ready to ramp up. The ghost hunters arrive.
Then the author does something that really annoys me-- he self inserts Evan Ronan a local midlist author who had collected information on the massacre, into the information gathering part of the book. He even had one of the female characters thinking that if Evan Ronan in the book were only five years younger that she could go for him. I felt embarrassed for the author.
More creepy stuff happens that keep me glued to the book.
Then it all falls apart and everything ends in a not very interesting blood bath.
The story just essentially ends with no explanation, not even really a wrap up. A ghost story can be wonderfully creepily enigmatic, but you have to have the talent of M R James to pull that off.
October 30, 2014
"One Of The Best Paranormal Thrillers"
I'm not a big paranormal fan, but I have to say, this one really gripped me to the very end. It deals with an apparent haunted house which investigators have been hired by the current Jack Roselli. His wife is Talia, his son Billy, 13 years old. Three years ago, their house is where three people had been murdered. Investigators Eddie and Tim McCloskey had never been inside the haunted house which was previously owned by the murdered Moriarty family. The new owner, Jack, welcomes them and they unpack their equipment. Tim is the older brother of Eddie, who seem to have different opinions during their investigations While the Rosellis have only lived in the house for six months, there have been many events: Billy has heard the voice of a boy around his own age and they converse together; Talia is bothered with the randomly ringing phone with no caller identification; when Jack answers the phone, he sometimes hears hushed talking, like a bad connection. The team briefly interviews the family, does all the research on the previous Moriarty Massacre, etc., and on Saturday they will spend the night in the darkened house with hopes of verifying the paranormal events. Team member Moira will do the prior research, and Stan will be mounting and handling the cameras and other technical equipment. There's a special surprise for readers as the team interviews another renowned person to help with their case. This is a must read for lovers of paranormal stories. It's very absorbing, and the ending is stunning. This author is very cunning, his story will chill your blood, open your eyes wide, and make your heart pound. It's an edge-of-your seat exciting mystery. Make sure you keep the lights on as you read.
I'm not a big paranormal fan, but I have to say, this one really gripped me to the very end. It deals with an apparent haunted house which investigators have been hired by the current Jack Roselli. His wife is Talia, his son Billy, 13 years old. Three years ago, their house is where three people had been murdered. Investigators Eddie and Tim McCloskey had never been inside the haunted house which was previously owned by the murdered Moriarty family. The new owner, Jack, welcomes them and they unpack their equipment. Tim is the older brother of Eddie, who seem to have different opinions during their investigations While the Rosellis have only lived in the house for six months, there have been many events: Billy has heard the voice of a boy around his own age and they converse together; Talia is bothered with the randomly ringing phone with no caller identification; when Jack answers the phone, he sometimes hears hushed talking, like a bad connection. The team briefly interviews the family, does all the research on the previous Moriarty Massacre, etc., and on Saturday they will spend the night in the darkened house with hopes of verifying the paranormal events. Team member Moira will do the prior research, and Stan will be mounting and handling the cameras and other technical equipment. There's a special surprise for readers as the team interviews another renowned person to help with their case. This is a must read for lovers of paranormal stories. It's very absorbing, and the ending is stunning. This author is very cunning, his story will chill your blood, open your eyes wide, and make your heart pound. It's an edge-of-your seat exciting mystery. Make sure you keep the lights on as you read.
December 21, 2014
"Three years ago, a father, mother and son murdered each other at home...."
That’s the line that sucked me in, though it doesn’t stop there. I am amused by the family daily life as I become attached to the characters and more intrigued the more I read. There are several mysteries going on here, some of the paranormal persuasion but others of the family drama type. Between the mystery and the drama, I am unable to put this book down.
As if the mysteries & family drama aren’t enough to keep me hooked, a little boy runs away and is considered missing by those around him – the circumstances are odd to say the least and the reader is treated to rotating views surrounding this. Meaning I get a look into the missing boy’s head AND the events / thoughts of the search party.
The story gets weird; weird in a good way. As someone who unintentionally predicts the outcome of everything, I really didn’t have opportunity to speculate with this read as there was so much going on. There was some action as well and it was portrayed perfectly so that I could get a clear picture. I feel as though I’ve watched this whole book play out in front of me – a satisfying feeling. The only thing left to do was kick back and enjoy it. So many books leave me hanging at the end but this one wrapped up nicely. Overall well spoken and well edited – a great, fast read.
Am definitely interested in reading more from this author.
That’s the line that sucked me in, though it doesn’t stop there. I am amused by the family daily life as I become attached to the characters and more intrigued the more I read. There are several mysteries going on here, some of the paranormal persuasion but others of the family drama type. Between the mystery and the drama, I am unable to put this book down.
As if the mysteries & family drama aren’t enough to keep me hooked, a little boy runs away and is considered missing by those around him – the circumstances are odd to say the least and the reader is treated to rotating views surrounding this. Meaning I get a look into the missing boy’s head AND the events / thoughts of the search party.
The story gets weird; weird in a good way. As someone who unintentionally predicts the outcome of everything, I really didn’t have opportunity to speculate with this read as there was so much going on. There was some action as well and it was portrayed perfectly so that I could get a clear picture. I feel as though I’ve watched this whole book play out in front of me – a satisfying feeling. The only thing left to do was kick back and enjoy it. So many books leave me hanging at the end but this one wrapped up nicely. Overall well spoken and well edited – a great, fast read.
Am definitely interested in reading more from this author.
November 25, 2014
When I was first asked if I would like to review this book, I was unsure. But I read everything. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed and I could not put it down! And can't wait to start on the next one.
Tim and Eddie are brothers that lost their parents when they were really young. Tim is head of a paranormal investigation team. Eddie is a member of it.
Tim is the responsible brother, where Eddie is the one that has no clue what to do with his life. Tim is always looking out for him and trying to keep him out of trouble.
They get a case to figure out. The family moved into this house 6 months ago, and strange things have been happening, including their 13 year old son talking to someone. Someone that no one else can hear. Odd things, like the phone ringing and nothing on the caller ID, a dark stain appearing on brand new carpet, dripping sounds in the basement. They are sick of it and really need help to figure it out. Especially since 3 years earlier, a family murdered each other in the same house. The youngest son survived.
They need to find out who, or what, is haunting this family. This book is filled with action, surprises and twists. I was not expecting the ending at all. I actually did tear up. This is definitely a series I will continue to read.
Tim and Eddie are brothers that lost their parents when they were really young. Tim is head of a paranormal investigation team. Eddie is a member of it.
Tim is the responsible brother, where Eddie is the one that has no clue what to do with his life. Tim is always looking out for him and trying to keep him out of trouble.
They get a case to figure out. The family moved into this house 6 months ago, and strange things have been happening, including their 13 year old son talking to someone. Someone that no one else can hear. Odd things, like the phone ringing and nothing on the caller ID, a dark stain appearing on brand new carpet, dripping sounds in the basement. They are sick of it and really need help to figure it out. Especially since 3 years earlier, a family murdered each other in the same house. The youngest son survived.
They need to find out who, or what, is haunting this family. This book is filled with action, surprises and twists. I was not expecting the ending at all. I actually did tear up. This is definitely a series I will continue to read.
April 16, 2015
In Short: Brothers Tim and Eddie spend their spare time studying the paranormal. Both are stoked when given chance to investigate a haunting at the house of a gruesome triple murder. Quickly the pair enlist the help of some local friends to assist in research and on-site work. The investigation gets deadly as information surfaces and the team has to dig in. All those involved are now at risk.
What a great read! I gulped this down in one night. The plot builds fast and was so intense I couldn't put it down. Fortunately, as soon as I thought I had it figured out there was a hair pin turn. And they kept coming! Nary a boring moment.
This one is told in multiple POV. In general, I find this kind of story telling to be annoying. After completing a few chapters this problem dissipated and I was completely engaged. Characters are written to be not just likable, but also very, very normal. These aren't a bunch of people throwing around spells or such, and so it was very easy for them to become real.
I downloaded this title after the writer contacted me for an honest review. Thank you Evan Ronan for introducing me to your series. I look forward to reading the next installment.
What a great read! I gulped this down in one night. The plot builds fast and was so intense I couldn't put it down. Fortunately, as soon as I thought I had it figured out there was a hair pin turn. And they kept coming! Nary a boring moment.
This one is told in multiple POV. In general, I find this kind of story telling to be annoying. After completing a few chapters this problem dissipated and I was completely engaged. Characters are written to be not just likable, but also very, very normal. These aren't a bunch of people throwing around spells or such, and so it was very easy for them to become real.
I downloaded this title after the writer contacted me for an honest review. Thank you Evan Ronan for introducing me to your series. I look forward to reading the next installment.
December 30, 2014
4 star
The story has laughs, pain, suspense, and murder. Lots of paranormal things happening that keep the twists and turns coming during the story.
After a Massacre in a house a new family has moved in. Now they are experiencing weird things happening. With the 3 year anniversary coming up they call in a team of ghost hunters to help investigate the paranormal happenings. The two brothers and their team get right to working trying to make contact. Who is really behind all the weird things that are happening? Will the ghost hunters be able to solve the mystery before it hurts or ends up killing one or all of them?
Lots of twists and turns during this story. You really never knew what was going to happen next. All the characters were interesting but some of them also had their own little mystery that needed solved.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
The story has laughs, pain, suspense, and murder. Lots of paranormal things happening that keep the twists and turns coming during the story.
After a Massacre in a house a new family has moved in. Now they are experiencing weird things happening. With the 3 year anniversary coming up they call in a team of ghost hunters to help investigate the paranormal happenings. The two brothers and their team get right to working trying to make contact. Who is really behind all the weird things that are happening? Will the ghost hunters be able to solve the mystery before it hurts or ends up killing one or all of them?
Lots of twists and turns during this story. You really never knew what was going to happen next. All the characters were interesting but some of them also had their own little mystery that needed solved.
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next story from this author.
November 20, 2014
The Rosselli family call in Tim and Eddie McCloskey, paranormal investigators to check out the home they'd recently bought. Weird stuff had been happening: phones ringing with nobody there and no call id, blood stains the keep reappearing, their boy Billie suddenly has an invisible friend.
The house has a history.Three years before, something had caused a family to be murdered in the house, father, mother, and son killed each other at home—a bloody tragedy that would later be known as the Moriarty Massacre. Only the youngest son, Eamon, survived that terrible night.
Things quickly devolve into something even more horrific to the family and investigators.
Liked this horror novel.
The house has a history.Three years before, something had caused a family to be murdered in the house, father, mother, and son killed each other at home—a bloody tragedy that would later be known as the Moriarty Massacre. Only the youngest son, Eamon, survived that terrible night.
Things quickly devolve into something even more horrific to the family and investigators.
Liked this horror novel.
November 20, 2014
Well, what do you know, a ghost hunter story. I enjoyed this story very much, and the twist at the end threw me. I honestly did not expect that to happen, at all. I would not really call this a ghost story, in the formal sense of ghosts and spooks, but it is more about residual energy which is left behind, and obviously, the more violent and explosive the energy, the more it affects its surroundings. I found this concept in the story very, very interesting. A very enjoyable, well written story.
November 11, 2014
Tim and his brother Eddie are part-time paranormal investigators and are currently on the case of the Moriarty murders.
Jackie and his wife and son Billy moved into the Moriarty house and several weird occurrences have happened so they have asked the brothers to investigate.
This took a while to get into but worth sticking with.
Jackie and his wife and son Billy moved into the Moriarty house and several weird occurrences have happened so they have asked the brothers to investigate.
This took a while to get into but worth sticking with.
March 14, 2015
spooky!
I have never read anything by Evan Ronan until now, I love supernatural suspense filled books, this one was awesome not only had me scared but, the best part was I couldn't figure it out until maybe the last chapter and then I was doubting myself. so yes I'd recommend this and I'm off to book to I the series
I have never read anything by Evan Ronan until now, I love supernatural suspense filled books, this one was awesome not only had me scared but, the best part was I couldn't figure it out until maybe the last chapter and then I was doubting myself. so yes I'd recommend this and I'm off to book to I the series
February 18, 2015
A bit cheesy sometimes, but engaging - feels like watching an episode of supernatural, ghost hunters or ghost adventures plus some extra story/mystery ... Simply put, I liked it. I'll definitely try reading the rest of the books in the series.
December 3, 2014
Awesome
This book was a real page turner. Had me on edge. And who would have thought the ghost turned out to be........
Guess you'll have to read to find out.
This book was a real page turner. Had me on edge. And who would have thought the ghost turned out to be........
Guess you'll have to read to find out.
October 30, 2014
REVIEW to come.
October 17, 2017
I liked this! I liked the characters a lot, especially Eddie. I thought this was a well written little mystery, with some spooky thrown in for good measure.
I figured out that Eamon was involved pretty early on. Almost as soon as we learned about him. He was a creepy little boy, and I thought he might be responsible for everything. I was actually surprised to learn that his original crime was only inaction.
I didn't really understand the living haunting stuff though. Why did "Billy" leave Eamon in the first place? Why return to the old house and recreate the problems? Why did he return to Eamon when he did? HOW did he leave him again, once everything was revealed? Was Eamon possessed in the first place?? SO MANY QUESTIONS
And I hated the last page. Eddie finds out the "billy" has started bothering the family again...and Eddie is just sorry for them? It didn't sit right with me, and it made me not like Eddie so much. :(
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna read the sequel, just to see.
I figured out that Eamon was involved pretty early on. Almost as soon as we learned about him. He was a creepy little boy, and I thought he might be responsible for everything. I was actually surprised to learn that his original crime was only inaction.
I didn't really understand the living haunting stuff though. Why did "Billy" leave Eamon in the first place? Why return to the old house and recreate the problems? Why did he return to Eamon when he did? HOW did he leave him again, once everything was revealed? Was Eamon possessed in the first place?? SO MANY QUESTIONS
And I hated the last page. Eddie finds out the "billy" has started bothering the family again...and Eddie is just sorry for them? It didn't sit right with me, and it made me not like Eddie so much. :(
I'm pretty sure I'm gonna read the sequel, just to see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2015
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author, Evan Ronan, for an honest review.
This is the first paranormal adult horror book that I have read, and the first book in Evan Ronan’s The Unearthed paranormal series. This isn’t usually the genre of book I pick out first, but WOW am I glad I read it. I have seen many paranormal horror movies and they all end the same, the spirit or demon is extracted and everyone lives happily ever after. NOT THIS BOOK. This story leads you through so many twists and it just keeps going, taking the reader on a roller-coaster of murder, ghosts, and mayhem. At one point I thought I figured out who or what had “done it”, but then the story switches and goes a complete other direction. I read this book in one day, so I think we can all agree that this book is SMOTHERED in ADDICTION.
A little more depth into the Moriarty Massacre and the Rosselli Family – The Moriarty family consists of the father John, the mother Siobhan, and their two sons William and Eamon. John was a workaholic and loved to drink, he was a pretty mean father and definitely let his anger get the best of him. Siobhan was a housewife, she favored her son William over her other son Eamon, always going on about how special and artistic William is and why Eamon should strive to be more like his brother. Not only was the mother playing favorites, but it was rumored that she was also having an affair. Eamon was always more reserved and quiet, which made it easier for his brother William to beat him up and pick on him. The forensics team comes up a scenario of the massacre where the parents are fighting and the father is hurting the mother, so William (the mothers’ favorite son) stabs his father in order to protect his mother. The father turns the knife on William stabbing him several times and then proceeds to kill his wife. William is still alive and ends up having enough strength to kill his father, while Eamon supposedly is just sitting in the living room…making him the only survivor. So three years later the Rosselli family moves in, the father John (Jackie), the wife Talia, and their son Billy. The family starts to notice strange things such as a recurring blood stain on the floor, their house phone will ring twice randomly during the day with nobody on the other end, and Billy starts talking to another boy who calls himself Billy, that only he can hear or speak to. John (Jackie) is very hard on his son and tries to make him tough so he will stop getting bullied by kids at school, but it just pushes Billy farther away from his father. As the story unravels and the Ghost hunters, Tim and Eddie, start their investigation, everything starts to get out of control. Billy runs away and they have to race to find him and solve the mystery about what is making the strange things happen in the house.
Cons: 1) The author has two different styles of dialogue that he uses. The first is standard dialogue that is in a paragraph format with all the “he said” “she said” and little sentences that explain what the characters are doing during the conversation. The second style he uses is what I can only describe as an “instant messaging” style. One character says something, the next line is the other characters response and so on. At first this really irked me because if I looked up from the book and then looked back down, I would have to read back to remember who was talking on which line. It also made it harder for me to stick with the characters conversation because it goes back and forth so “quickly” that you don’t get those extra emotions or side notes from who is talking. I want to know what their body language is saying and what they are doing while speaking, I don’t want to imagine them just standing there. After a while though, I got used to it and actually enjoyed the different pace of writing because there is the standard style of dialogue in the story as well. 2) Halfway through the book I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters except Billy and Eamon. I wasn’t getting enough description and background on the other characters for me to get to know them and actually care about their well being. I have found that the more descriptive and in depth you go in writing, the better. No reader would be upset with a book that makes them feel like their watching a movie inside their head.
Overall, I loved the ending to the first book in this series. The story grabbed me from the beginning and spiked my interest, but it took a few chapters before I was completely immersed in it and could not put it down. I cannot stress enough about how refreshing it was to have so many twists in the story, and it ending on a note that I wasn’t expecting AT ALL!! I felt attached to Eamon the most, which is shocking because the reader doesn’t start to read from his point of view on his current life, until later in the book. There were a few minor grammatical errors I noticed while reading, but nothing extremely noticeable. I am definitely going to be reading the second book in this series, I need to know how it all ends! This is an addicting read for anyone that has a fascination or guilty pleasure for paranormal stories, and it has just the right amount of terror to make you shocked and leave you wanting more.
P.S. Did I mention that the author put himself in the story? Makes you wonder if it’s actually a true story…spooky huh? ;)
With love and other words,
Jenaca ♥
This is the first paranormal adult horror book that I have read, and the first book in Evan Ronan’s The Unearthed paranormal series. This isn’t usually the genre of book I pick out first, but WOW am I glad I read it. I have seen many paranormal horror movies and they all end the same, the spirit or demon is extracted and everyone lives happily ever after. NOT THIS BOOK. This story leads you through so many twists and it just keeps going, taking the reader on a roller-coaster of murder, ghosts, and mayhem. At one point I thought I figured out who or what had “done it”, but then the story switches and goes a complete other direction. I read this book in one day, so I think we can all agree that this book is SMOTHERED in ADDICTION.
A little more depth into the Moriarty Massacre and the Rosselli Family – The Moriarty family consists of the father John, the mother Siobhan, and their two sons William and Eamon. John was a workaholic and loved to drink, he was a pretty mean father and definitely let his anger get the best of him. Siobhan was a housewife, she favored her son William over her other son Eamon, always going on about how special and artistic William is and why Eamon should strive to be more like his brother. Not only was the mother playing favorites, but it was rumored that she was also having an affair. Eamon was always more reserved and quiet, which made it easier for his brother William to beat him up and pick on him. The forensics team comes up a scenario of the massacre where the parents are fighting and the father is hurting the mother, so William (the mothers’ favorite son) stabs his father in order to protect his mother. The father turns the knife on William stabbing him several times and then proceeds to kill his wife. William is still alive and ends up having enough strength to kill his father, while Eamon supposedly is just sitting in the living room…making him the only survivor. So three years later the Rosselli family moves in, the father John (Jackie), the wife Talia, and their son Billy. The family starts to notice strange things such as a recurring blood stain on the floor, their house phone will ring twice randomly during the day with nobody on the other end, and Billy starts talking to another boy who calls himself Billy, that only he can hear or speak to. John (Jackie) is very hard on his son and tries to make him tough so he will stop getting bullied by kids at school, but it just pushes Billy farther away from his father. As the story unravels and the Ghost hunters, Tim and Eddie, start their investigation, everything starts to get out of control. Billy runs away and they have to race to find him and solve the mystery about what is making the strange things happen in the house.
Cons: 1) The author has two different styles of dialogue that he uses. The first is standard dialogue that is in a paragraph format with all the “he said” “she said” and little sentences that explain what the characters are doing during the conversation. The second style he uses is what I can only describe as an “instant messaging” style. One character says something, the next line is the other characters response and so on. At first this really irked me because if I looked up from the book and then looked back down, I would have to read back to remember who was talking on which line. It also made it harder for me to stick with the characters conversation because it goes back and forth so “quickly” that you don’t get those extra emotions or side notes from who is talking. I want to know what their body language is saying and what they are doing while speaking, I don’t want to imagine them just standing there. After a while though, I got used to it and actually enjoyed the different pace of writing because there is the standard style of dialogue in the story as well. 2) Halfway through the book I didn’t feel invested in any of the characters except Billy and Eamon. I wasn’t getting enough description and background on the other characters for me to get to know them and actually care about their well being. I have found that the more descriptive and in depth you go in writing, the better. No reader would be upset with a book that makes them feel like their watching a movie inside their head.
Overall, I loved the ending to the first book in this series. The story grabbed me from the beginning and spiked my interest, but it took a few chapters before I was completely immersed in it and could not put it down. I cannot stress enough about how refreshing it was to have so many twists in the story, and it ending on a note that I wasn’t expecting AT ALL!! I felt attached to Eamon the most, which is shocking because the reader doesn’t start to read from his point of view on his current life, until later in the book. There were a few minor grammatical errors I noticed while reading, but nothing extremely noticeable. I am definitely going to be reading the second book in this series, I need to know how it all ends! This is an addicting read for anyone that has a fascination or guilty pleasure for paranormal stories, and it has just the right amount of terror to make you shocked and leave you wanting more.
P.S. Did I mention that the author put himself in the story? Makes you wonder if it’s actually a true story…spooky huh? ;)
With love and other words,
Jenaca ♥
January 8, 2018
I'm conflicted about this one. I really liked it but the writing style is juvenile and sexist. The haunting was surprising and eerie and the book was action packed. I think I'm also feeling ambivalent about the main characters. I don't think any of them are truly likable. Moving on to the next one.
October 17, 2018
now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
August 29, 2024
Great spooky stuff
The brotherly dynamic was very real, they respected each other while still seeing each others faults. The ghost aspect was very creepy I kept hearing noises around me and it was great getting freaked out. I didn't expect that twist at the end but it gave the story more things to be afraid of. I'm off to the next book and very excited.
The brotherly dynamic was very real, they respected each other while still seeing each others faults. The ghost aspect was very creepy I kept hearing noises around me and it was great getting freaked out. I didn't expect that twist at the end but it gave the story more things to be afraid of. I'm off to the next book and very excited.
May 7, 2022
The McCloskey brothers are part time ghost hunters. Tim brings the serious by the book approach, with Eddie being the more reckless but people friendly face. Good book that moves nicely along, as the team realise they are in way over there heads, but relentlessly push on.
January 25, 2018
Ghosts
This book gave me a lot to think about. Interesting characters, non-stop action, crazy twist at the end. I’ll be looking for more by this author.
This book gave me a lot to think about. Interesting characters, non-stop action, crazy twist at the end. I’ll be looking for more by this author.
November 6, 2018
Great read
I found it to be a great mini horror book with a lot of attitude. The families involved was kinda confusing but in the end it all came together. A sad but thrilling read.
I found it to be a great mini horror book with a lot of attitude. The families involved was kinda confusing but in the end it all came together. A sad but thrilling read.
June 2, 2019
So sad.
January 25, 2015
I'm glad I finished this book, as it did get marginally better at around 65%, but it was a real disappointment after reading all the 'rave' reviews both here and on amazon.
The characters are quite woeful; bad characterisation and most of the time I wished most of them would piss off - if not die; they were boring and uninteresting and a large part of this book dealt with developing completely boring and stereotypical relationships between them all. A complete dud, as far as I'm concerned, and that didn't change at all. The only saving grace is that some of them don't make it out alive.
The story itself could have done with a massive cull; a good editor should have cut out a large portion of the beginning of this book because the pacing was awful and it dragged terribly. Once the action started - in the last third of the book - it was quite well paced and interesting; that part of the book was the redeeming factor. Not too much character dilly-dallying like earlier in the book and some actual things beginning to happen.
If the whole book had been more like the last third, I'd be much more inclined to try the next book in the series. As it stands, I'll be ignoring that to the point I hope I never come across it. Poor pacing, 2/3 of the book felt like irrelevant filler, annoying whingy characters and poor editing (there's a mistake on the first page, for god's sake, never mind the rest of the way through) just make this a no-no on my list. Very nearly a one-star book, and would have been if I wasn't quite so anal about finishing every book I start because I wanted to give up from the 20% mark.
The characters are quite woeful; bad characterisation and most of the time I wished most of them would piss off - if not die; they were boring and uninteresting and a large part of this book dealt with developing completely boring and stereotypical relationships between them all. A complete dud, as far as I'm concerned, and that didn't change at all. The only saving grace is that some of them don't make it out alive.
The story itself could have done with a massive cull; a good editor should have cut out a large portion of the beginning of this book because the pacing was awful and it dragged terribly. Once the action started - in the last third of the book - it was quite well paced and interesting; that part of the book was the redeeming factor. Not too much character dilly-dallying like earlier in the book and some actual things beginning to happen.
If the whole book had been more like the last third, I'd be much more inclined to try the next book in the series. As it stands, I'll be ignoring that to the point I hope I never come across it. Poor pacing, 2/3 of the book felt like irrelevant filler, annoying whingy characters and poor editing (there's a mistake on the first page, for god's sake, never mind the rest of the way through) just make this a no-no on my list. Very nearly a one-star book, and would have been if I wasn't quite so anal about finishing every book I start because I wanted to give up from the 20% mark.
Read
January 19, 2015THE UNEARTHED is reminiscent of ‘The Amityville Horror’ as the Moriarty family is horribly murdered in their home with a lone survivor, one of the sons, Eamon. Now a new family is living in the Moriarty house and is experiencing strange and scary phenomena. There are pools of blood, strange phone calls, and a young boy who is talking to someone who isn’t seen by anyone else. The Rossellis hire the ghost-hunting McCloskey brothers to investigate the house. During their investigation, the McCloskey’s determine there are some eerie similarities between the Moriarty and Rosselli families and realize they may have another massacre on their hands. THE UNEARTHED is a classic horror story with a nice twist. I didn’t care for many of the characters, but I did like Eddie McCloskey the best. I wasn’t a fan of Eddie’s brother, Tim, who could have helped his brother instead of letting his negativity knock Eddie down. THE UNEARTHED is a chilling tale of murder, mayhem, and mystery.
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