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The Haunting of Gillespie House
Elle can't believe her luck; she's spending a month house-sitting the beautiful Gillespie property. Hidden near the edge of the woods and an hour's drive from the nearest town, its dark rooms and rich furniture entice her to explore its secrets. There's even a graveyard hidden behind the house, filled with tombstones that bear an identical year of death.
If only the scratching in the walls would be quiet…
The house’s dark and deadly history quickly becomes tangled with Elle’s life. At the center of it is Jonathan Gillespie, the tyrannical cult leader and original owner of the house. As Elle soon learns -- just because he’s dead, doesn’t mean he’s gone.
If only the scratching in the walls would be quiet…
The house’s dark and deadly history quickly becomes tangled with Elle’s life. At the center of it is Jonathan Gillespie, the tyrannical cult leader and original owner of the house. As Elle soon learns -- just because he’s dead, doesn’t mean he’s gone.
170 pages, ebook
First published August 15, 2015
1748 people are currently reading
13256 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Coates
69 books14.1k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,176 reviews
December 31, 2020
"You may rule the world by day, but the creatures of the night demand their privacy."
The description of this book leads one to believe that "The Haunting of Gillespie House" is the sole story being told, when in fact it is not. The ARC I received had four short stories: The Haunting of Gillespie House, Bed and Breakfast, Crawlspace, and Lights Out.
The Haunting of Gillespie House is the longest. In that story a woman named Elle accepts a month-long job housesitting job at the Gillespie House which is remote, hidden near the woods and an hour drive from town. She is excited about her job until she hears scratching at night, coupled with a creepy cemetery with all the deaths occurring between March 1884 and November 1884. As the scratching continues, she begins to see into the life of Genevieve Gillespie who lived in the home, and like her relatives, was tormented by Jonathan Gillespie, her father and cult leader. For someone who is frightened, she likes to explore the home at night with a candle to light the way - I would have had all the lights on in the house, but that is me. I would prefer to see what lurked in the dark. As she attempts to help Genevieve, we learn more about the house's history and it does become a fight between good and evil.
In Bed and Breakfast, Rory runs a ghost research blog, and stays in creepy hotels often recommended to her by her followers. Her aim is dispelling the belief that ghosts exist, while most of her followers believe in them. Armed with her camera, she is prepared to film paranormal activity if in fact it does exist. The Inn is hard to find and the woman who checks her in is odd and tells her not to leave her room after bedtime. Hmm…why is that? Will Rory do as she is told? What do you think?
Crawlspace tells the story of a family who move into a home that was once an orphanage. Her mother introduces them to their neighbors and one neighbor remembers a child who went missing. The daughter discovers a crawlspace and hears noises at night. A tree perhaps, the wind, who knows? But curiosity gets the best of her and she decides to go exploring. Apparently, no one told her that curiosity killed the cat, lucky for her she is young girl.... or maybe she will not be so lucky...…
In Lights Out takes place in a retail store that has creepy mannequins. Suddenly store clerks begin to go missing, did they forget to show up for their shifts? Are they sick? Did they quit without telling their supervisor? And what is up with the Mannequins? Have they moved? Could one have blinked?
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, but crawlspace was my least favorite. I enjoyed The Haunting of Gillespie House but found myself shaking my head at Elle and her bad judgement of searching the house at night with truly little light. I did enjoy the parts with Genevieve when we got a glimpse into the past. I also enjoyed Bed and Breakfast. I enjoyed the creepy vibe and setting of this book. Crawlspace failed to wow me for some reason. Lights Out was a nice way to end the book. I enjoyed that I-fell-like-I-am-being-watched feel of the story. Its creepy and felt like it would be a great Twilight Zone episode. When it all comes together, it was short story magic. Now, as a result of reading that book, you will not finding me standing too close to a mannequin.
This was an enjoyable book, and I was surprised to find it contained other short stories. This was also my first book by Darcy Coates, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Candlebreak and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
The description of this book leads one to believe that "The Haunting of Gillespie House" is the sole story being told, when in fact it is not. The ARC I received had four short stories: The Haunting of Gillespie House, Bed and Breakfast, Crawlspace, and Lights Out.
The Haunting of Gillespie House is the longest. In that story a woman named Elle accepts a month-long job housesitting job at the Gillespie House which is remote, hidden near the woods and an hour drive from town. She is excited about her job until she hears scratching at night, coupled with a creepy cemetery with all the deaths occurring between March 1884 and November 1884. As the scratching continues, she begins to see into the life of Genevieve Gillespie who lived in the home, and like her relatives, was tormented by Jonathan Gillespie, her father and cult leader. For someone who is frightened, she likes to explore the home at night with a candle to light the way - I would have had all the lights on in the house, but that is me. I would prefer to see what lurked in the dark. As she attempts to help Genevieve, we learn more about the house's history and it does become a fight between good and evil.
In Bed and Breakfast, Rory runs a ghost research blog, and stays in creepy hotels often recommended to her by her followers. Her aim is dispelling the belief that ghosts exist, while most of her followers believe in them. Armed with her camera, she is prepared to film paranormal activity if in fact it does exist. The Inn is hard to find and the woman who checks her in is odd and tells her not to leave her room after bedtime. Hmm…why is that? Will Rory do as she is told? What do you think?
Crawlspace tells the story of a family who move into a home that was once an orphanage. Her mother introduces them to their neighbors and one neighbor remembers a child who went missing. The daughter discovers a crawlspace and hears noises at night. A tree perhaps, the wind, who knows? But curiosity gets the best of her and she decides to go exploring. Apparently, no one told her that curiosity killed the cat, lucky for her she is young girl.... or maybe she will not be so lucky...…
In Lights Out takes place in a retail store that has creepy mannequins. Suddenly store clerks begin to go missing, did they forget to show up for their shifts? Are they sick? Did they quit without telling their supervisor? And what is up with the Mannequins? Have they moved? Could one have blinked?
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, but crawlspace was my least favorite. I enjoyed The Haunting of Gillespie House but found myself shaking my head at Elle and her bad judgement of searching the house at night with truly little light. I did enjoy the parts with Genevieve when we got a glimpse into the past. I also enjoyed Bed and Breakfast. I enjoyed the creepy vibe and setting of this book. Crawlspace failed to wow me for some reason. Lights Out was a nice way to end the book. I enjoyed that I-fell-like-I-am-being-watched feel of the story. Its creepy and felt like it would be a great Twilight Zone episode. When it all comes together, it was short story magic. Now, as a result of reading that book, you will not finding me standing too close to a mannequin.
This was an enjoyable book, and I was surprised to find it contained other short stories. This was also my first book by Darcy Coates, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Candlebreak and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 19, 2020
3.6 stars⭐
Never before have I read a horror book where the MC gets such a happy ending! 😅😂
Never before have I read a horror book where the MC gets such a happy ending! 😅😂
September 20, 2025
—— 𝟑.𝟓 ✰ stars. 🪦
📚 || 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
📖 || 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: ℙ𝕙𝕪𝕤𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜
🏷️ || 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕝, ℍ𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣
📆 || 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟡/𝟙𝟠/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟡/𝟙𝟡/𝟚𝟝
📃 || 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Near the edge of the woods, an hour's drive from the nearest town, sits a house with dark rooms, rich furniture, and dark secrets. If only the scratching in the walls would be quiet...” 」
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★½
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟹.𝟻𝟿 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: 🎃
ꜱᴘᴏᴏᴋɪᴇꜱ: ¼👻
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ᴀ ᴡᴀʀᴍ ᴄᴜᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇᴀ 🫖
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ᴄʀᴀᴡʟɪɴɢ — ʟɪɴᴋɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ
0:24 ———♡——— 3:29
╭───
┆
╰⪼ ❛crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal.
fear is how I fall, confusing what is real.❜
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🪦 ᴄᴜʟᴛꜱ
🏡 ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ ɢɪʀʟꜱ
🪦 ᴄʀᴇᴇᴘʏ ꜱʜᴏʀᴛ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ
🏡 ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ
🪦 ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
💬 || 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
❝𝑰'𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰'𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎.❞
📚 || 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬
📖 || 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: ℙ𝕙𝕪𝕤𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜
🏷️ || 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕝, ℍ𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕣
📆 || 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟡/𝟙𝟠/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟡/𝟙𝟡/𝟚𝟝
📃 || 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Near the edge of the woods, an hour's drive from the nearest town, sits a house with dark rooms, rich furniture, and dark secrets. If only the scratching in the walls would be quiet...” 」
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★½
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟹.𝟻𝟿 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: 🎃
ꜱᴘᴏᴏᴋɪᴇꜱ: ¼👻
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ᴀ ᴡᴀʀᴍ ᴄᴜᴘ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇᴀ 🫖
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ᴄʀᴀᴡʟɪɴɢ — ʟɪɴᴋɪɴ ᴘᴀʀᴋ
0:24 ———♡——— 3:29
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╭───
┆
╰⪼ ❛crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal.
fear is how I fall, confusing what is real.❜
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🪦 ᴄᴜʟᴛꜱ
🏡 ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɢʜᴏꜱᴛ ɢɪʀʟꜱ
🪦 ᴄʀᴇᴇᴘʏ ꜱʜᴏʀᴛ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ
🏡 ᴘᴀʀᴀɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ
🪦 ʜᴀᴜɴᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴏᴜꜱᴇ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
❝𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓—𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓-𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏. 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒂.❞
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
💬 || 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
❥・This is going to be a short little review for a short little book. If you’re new to the horror genre, or are just looking for a quick read with a creepy premise that’s not too horrifying, then this will be a book for you.
❥・Darcy Coates is one of my favorite authors, she can do no wrong in my eyes. But I definitely like her more current books better.
┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
❝𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚,
𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒄𝒚. ❞
September 12, 2015
www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com
I love the creepy cover of this book with that old house! I enjoyed this ghost story and it actually had a happy ending :)
Elle was so happy that she was going to get to watch the Gillespie House while Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie went out of town for a bit. She wandered through all of the rooms and found some really nice antique furniture in the upstairs rooms that no one ever went into for some reason.
She found an old cemetery that had mostly Gillespie relatives in it. She started doing research on the place and found out about some of the residents that lived there years ago.
She also found out in all of her searching that there were some ghosts still lurking around the house, one good and one bad.
She made it a mission to help out the good spirit and in so doing found out an old mystery that the owners have wanted to know for about four years now. All of this turns out good in the end for everyone involved.
I loved this little ghost story, it has all of the good stuff of a creepy house with ghosts and secrets.
I love the creepy cover of this book with that old house! I enjoyed this ghost story and it actually had a happy ending :)
Elle was so happy that she was going to get to watch the Gillespie House while Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie went out of town for a bit. She wandered through all of the rooms and found some really nice antique furniture in the upstairs rooms that no one ever went into for some reason.
She found an old cemetery that had mostly Gillespie relatives in it. She started doing research on the place and found out about some of the residents that lived there years ago.
She also found out in all of her searching that there were some ghosts still lurking around the house, one good and one bad.
She made it a mission to help out the good spirit and in so doing found out an old mystery that the owners have wanted to know for about four years now. All of this turns out good in the end for everyone involved.
I loved this little ghost story, it has all of the good stuff of a creepy house with ghosts and secrets.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2021
Whew! I galloped through this supernatural horror story about a haunted house. I was absolutely creeped out and nervous for most of the novel.
At first, I was unsure about the slow start since it’s already a short novel. However, the plot picks up and keeps at a steady pace towards the climax and big reveal. Sometimes horror stories have really stupid characters. Coates does a great job of making Elle interesting and courageous. She never made poor choices per se, but she did do things that made me squirm in my seat. It was a great move to have a solitary character in a haunted house; it definitely upped the scary factor.
Coates takes time to really paint the scene. For a shorter novel with a quick pace after the initial exposition, she doesn’t have a lot of time to waste on description. However, she sets the mood and moves the plot along with creepy and horrific imagery.
I don’t want to share too much that will give away the mystery or ruin the suspense and thrills. Suffice to say, I did get chills while reading. I could picture every dark and scary corner of the Gillespie House and the surrounding grounds. I worried about Elle and what she was up against. All in all, Coates’ The Haunting of Gillespie House is definitely worthy!
At first, I was unsure about the slow start since it’s already a short novel. However, the plot picks up and keeps at a steady pace towards the climax and big reveal. Sometimes horror stories have really stupid characters. Coates does a great job of making Elle interesting and courageous. She never made poor choices per se, but she did do things that made me squirm in my seat. It was a great move to have a solitary character in a haunted house; it definitely upped the scary factor.
Coates takes time to really paint the scene. For a shorter novel with a quick pace after the initial exposition, she doesn’t have a lot of time to waste on description. However, she sets the mood and moves the plot along with creepy and horrific imagery.
I don’t want to share too much that will give away the mystery or ruin the suspense and thrills. Suffice to say, I did get chills while reading. I could picture every dark and scary corner of the Gillespie House and the surrounding grounds. I worried about Elle and what she was up against. All in all, Coates’ The Haunting of Gillespie House is definitely worthy!
March 20, 2016
I tried but this is simply bad. The technical writing part is okay. It's just the story itself. There really isn't a story here. Everything is so forced and artificial to the point where you simply can't invest anymore. There is a lot of disbelief you have to suspend when it's horror AND more when it's ghostly in nature. This book managed to totally overflow even that huuuge lake of suspended disbelief.
Nothing the MC does is reasonable in any way. It's so bad that it throws you out of the story. It felt like the author had the story seed but simply didn't take the time to develop it correctly so everything she does is stupid. By "day 3", I truly was like 'damn it! why didn't that kill her?!'
For example, she's been in this house for 24 hours or so (she's housesitting) and she's been scared by scary noises she's heard. We're told she's TERRIFIED! So much that she flees the house and calls the homeowners.
So, hours after she flees the house (she's talked back in by the homeowner: 'old houses make lots of noises, etc.'), she is scared awake by a sound and a bad dream in the middle of the night. We're told she's scared. She can hear scary noises. Remember that scared part. So what does she do?
She decided, at 3am, to light a candle and explore this house she's supposedly scared of with ONLY A CANDLE. She was initially thinking that someone must be in the house with her. Who does this? I rolled my eyes when she's inevitably scared and drops the candle, thus losing all light. I saw this coming a MILE away. It was so forced! I rolled my eyes so hard I was afraid they'd fall out.
Or, not a couple hours later, she goes to a basement (that has no lights -- who builds a basement with no lights? Anyone? Come on now? There aren't even candle holders? REALLY?! Apparently the homeowners have EXCELLENT night vision), with only her cellphone (we apparently forgot that we have a flashlight and candles), only to see some ubber creepy occult thing that says some nonsense about the old owners.
Instead of thinking 'hey, perhaps they're just worried about all the deaths and thinking god has forsaken them like any normal family might', she decides she must go into the crypt out back to find this book that'll have secrets. This girl has literally spent only like 48 hours in this house. Only 48 or so hours and she's wanting to break into a freakin' grave for mysterious answers.
We get the knock-out scene that's an info dump of past events and on and on.
It's like one cliche after another. Horror is filled with cliche's but the fact that everything is artificial, everything is forced, and there is literally no reason for the MC to be doing anything in this book that makes it a terrible read.
Pass this one by.
Nothing the MC does is reasonable in any way. It's so bad that it throws you out of the story. It felt like the author had the story seed but simply didn't take the time to develop it correctly so everything she does is stupid. By "day 3", I truly was like 'damn it! why didn't that kill her?!'
For example, she's been in this house for 24 hours or so (she's housesitting) and she's been scared by scary noises she's heard. We're told she's TERRIFIED! So much that she flees the house and calls the homeowners.
So, hours after she flees the house (she's talked back in by the homeowner: 'old houses make lots of noises, etc.'), she is scared awake by a sound and a bad dream in the middle of the night. We're told she's scared. She can hear scary noises. Remember that scared part. So what does she do?
She decided, at 3am, to light a candle and explore this house she's supposedly scared of with ONLY A CANDLE. She was initially thinking that someone must be in the house with her. Who does this? I rolled my eyes when she's inevitably scared and drops the candle, thus losing all light. I saw this coming a MILE away. It was so forced! I rolled my eyes so hard I was afraid they'd fall out.
Or, not a couple hours later, she goes to a basement (that has no lights -- who builds a basement with no lights? Anyone? Come on now? There aren't even candle holders? REALLY?! Apparently the homeowners have EXCELLENT night vision), with only her cellphone (we apparently forgot that we have a flashlight and candles), only to see some ubber creepy occult thing that says some nonsense about the old owners.
Instead of thinking 'hey, perhaps they're just worried about all the deaths and thinking god has forsaken them like any normal family might', she decides she must go into the crypt out back to find this book that'll have secrets. This girl has literally spent only like 48 hours in this house. Only 48 or so hours and she's wanting to break into a freakin' grave for mysterious answers.
We get the knock-out scene that's an info dump of past events and on and on.
It's like one cliche after another. Horror is filled with cliche's but the fact that everything is artificial, everything is forced, and there is literally no reason for the MC to be doing anything in this book that makes it a terrible read.
Pass this one by.
March 28, 2016
This was a super quick read it was not really scared but the end was not what I expected so that was a surprise . If you like short little quick read ghost stories this book is for u . It has a bonus short story at the end about and old house that was an orphanage The author talks about the book bring based off the short story at the end but I almost think the orphanage story would've made a better ghost story. I enjoyed it anyways so give it a go if this is ur thing.
November 7, 2021
Spooky and haunting.
A small backstory:
Elle gets the opportunity to house-sit the Gillespie property, but as wonderful as the outside and inside seems to be, Elle is eager to learn why some rooms in the mansion are closed off. The owners are going to be gone for a whole month and Elle has the chance to explore the mansion. If needed, Elle has been provided a phone number to reach them just in case.
As Elle starts to settle into the place she starts hearing scratching within the walls along with whispers. The more she explores the more she is curious of why one door is locked up tight. When she decides on her own to break into the room is when things start getting strange. The house wakes up and sometimes the past wants to intrude on the present as Elle soon realizes that the cult leader, Jonathan Gillespie might be haunting the mansion and he is coming for her!
Thoughts:
This was a creepy and atmospheric haunting as I made my way through the storyline. This could have been a five star read except though it had lots of atmosphere and had some creepy vibes, I was never totally spooked out of my skin like some of the ghost books I have read by Darcy Coates.
I didn't have no breath hitching that I have had in the past when reading her books. This is still a great ghost story and it has lots of spook moments but nothing that kept me awake all night reading afraid to go to sleep. Giving this book four "Creepy and Crazy Cult Leader" stars!
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
A small backstory:
Elle gets the opportunity to house-sit the Gillespie property, but as wonderful as the outside and inside seems to be, Elle is eager to learn why some rooms in the mansion are closed off. The owners are going to be gone for a whole month and Elle has the chance to explore the mansion. If needed, Elle has been provided a phone number to reach them just in case.
As Elle starts to settle into the place she starts hearing scratching within the walls along with whispers. The more she explores the more she is curious of why one door is locked up tight. When she decides on her own to break into the room is when things start getting strange. The house wakes up and sometimes the past wants to intrude on the present as Elle soon realizes that the cult leader, Jonathan Gillespie might be haunting the mansion and he is coming for her!
Thoughts:
This was a creepy and atmospheric haunting as I made my way through the storyline. This could have been a five star read except though it had lots of atmosphere and had some creepy vibes, I was never totally spooked out of my skin like some of the ghost books I have read by Darcy Coates.
I didn't have no breath hitching that I have had in the past when reading her books. This is still a great ghost story and it has lots of spook moments but nothing that kept me awake all night reading afraid to go to sleep. Giving this book four "Creepy and Crazy Cult Leader" stars!
For more thoughts on this review, please see my blog:
https://booknookretreat.blogspot.com/...
September 28, 2015
Wow, this started out as a collection of cliches and ended as an exercise in bad writing. Yes, that's harsh, but really - the heroine in this does so many inexplicable things, it's ridiculous. She has no reason to be invested in the house or its story, and she seems to ignore common sense and even simple self-preservation with every action. This reads like a rough draft of a rough draft.
January 1, 2017
I am an enthusiastic fan of all things horror, but I have a special place in my heart for the haunted house. There's nothing quite like a good haunted house tale. I don't know why that particular genre is so attractive to me. Maybe it's because your house is supposed to be your refuge, the place you go to escape all the rest of the bad things in the world. The thought of it actually being the source for the most horrific things in your world is truly terrifying.
I thought this had some truly creepy moments. I'm officially a big chicken, and have never been good at being alone in the house. Fortunately for me, it doesn't happen often. There are prescribed steps I have to follow when staying alone, and these things allow me to sleep through the night in my suburban home with neighbors all around. The thought of volunteering to stay--alone--in an old three-story mansion in the middle of NOWHERE, with no one around for miles and the nearest help close to an hour away, is mind-boggling to me. In the same situation, I have no doubt that the first hint of dusk would find me locked in the bathroom, surrounded by knives, crosses, the Bible, and anything else I could think of that would enable me to fight whatever type of monster would show up. Surely no self-respecting monster would be able to pass up such a prime situation!
Elle is made of much sterner stuff than me. She bravely enters rooms with furniture shrouded in sheets, ventures into the pitch-dark basement, wanders the graveyard--at NIGHT!-- and just generally asks for trouble throughout the entire book. I can't imagine wandering a house that size at night with all lights blazing--she does it with a single candle. How could it NOT be spooky under those circumstances?
I guess I give it three stars instead of four because she does make such foolish choices at times. Also, although the scene in the mausoleum was pretty good, I just felt kind of--let down--by the cause. I was more creeped out BEFORE I knew the cause than after. It's still a solid scary story, and just the thought of her situation--the isolation, the slamming doors and scratching sounds--sends shivers down my spine!
I thought this had some truly creepy moments. I'm officially a big chicken, and have never been good at being alone in the house. Fortunately for me, it doesn't happen often. There are prescribed steps I have to follow when staying alone, and these things allow me to sleep through the night in my suburban home with neighbors all around. The thought of volunteering to stay--alone--in an old three-story mansion in the middle of NOWHERE, with no one around for miles and the nearest help close to an hour away, is mind-boggling to me. In the same situation, I have no doubt that the first hint of dusk would find me locked in the bathroom, surrounded by knives, crosses, the Bible, and anything else I could think of that would enable me to fight whatever type of monster would show up. Surely no self-respecting monster would be able to pass up such a prime situation!
Elle is made of much sterner stuff than me. She bravely enters rooms with furniture shrouded in sheets, ventures into the pitch-dark basement, wanders the graveyard--at NIGHT!-- and just generally asks for trouble throughout the entire book. I can't imagine wandering a house that size at night with all lights blazing--she does it with a single candle. How could it NOT be spooky under those circumstances?
I guess I give it three stars instead of four because she does make such foolish choices at times. Also, although the scene in the mausoleum was pretty good, I just felt kind of--let down--by the cause. I was more creeped out BEFORE I knew the cause than after. It's still a solid scary story, and just the thought of her situation--the isolation, the slamming doors and scratching sounds--sends shivers down my spine!
October 17, 2020
The Haunting of Gillespie House
by Darcy Coates
This was a pretty good haunted house book with an interesting backstory and unique characters. A gal is house sitting a mansion but the dead make themselves known. Good suspense and good ending!
Good narrator too!
by Darcy Coates
This was a pretty good haunted house book with an interesting backstory and unique characters. A gal is house sitting a mansion but the dead make themselves known. Good suspense and good ending!
Good narrator too!
August 11, 2023
(Tune in to my full podcast review of Gillespie House here.)
Here I am, with another Darcy Coates book, sitting down to write yet another review where I just... don't quite know what to say.
Did I like the book? Yes. Was it objectively well written, following a spectacular storyline? Well, kind of.
I am a very subjective book rater, meaning that when I like (or dislike) a story, I figure it is for reasons all my own (how I interpret the book), and not because the book is definitively good or bad. I think that is a good way to describe why I am giving Gillespie House four out of five stars.
There wasn't much mystery for me, as those parts were pretty quashed by the spoiler-filled synopsis on the back cover. I also just guessed key plot points a lot more quickly than they were revealed in the story. I don't know if the reader was meant to do this, but I read it more as solely a horror story than a mystery, even though it was perhaps meant to be both.
On the other hand, I enjoy Coates' simple but effective writing style. She isn't overly poetic. She is straightforward, and for this genre, I think that style works to her advantage. While horror can be made scarier and more gruesome with fanciful language, it can be just as bone-chilling in plain language, when the characters and plot are effective enough (as they are here).
Another thing I particularly enjoy about Coates' stories are that she always creates a haunting, vivid setting. That is a factor I often see overlooked in literature, but Gillespie House, along with her other stories, perfectly set up the creepy feeling I look for when starting a horror story.
Note: If you are not a fan of characters who talk out loud to themselves, this is not the book for you. It didn't bother me, but it was quite noticeable and I know that can be a pet peeve for some.
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | My Bookish Podcast | My Linktree | Instagram
Here I am, with another Darcy Coates book, sitting down to write yet another review where I just... don't quite know what to say.
Did I like the book? Yes. Was it objectively well written, following a spectacular storyline? Well, kind of.
I am a very subjective book rater, meaning that when I like (or dislike) a story, I figure it is for reasons all my own (how I interpret the book), and not because the book is definitively good or bad. I think that is a good way to describe why I am giving Gillespie House four out of five stars.
There wasn't much mystery for me, as those parts were pretty quashed by the spoiler-filled synopsis on the back cover. I also just guessed key plot points a lot more quickly than they were revealed in the story. I don't know if the reader was meant to do this, but I read it more as solely a horror story than a mystery, even though it was perhaps meant to be both.
On the other hand, I enjoy Coates' simple but effective writing style. She isn't overly poetic. She is straightforward, and for this genre, I think that style works to her advantage. While horror can be made scarier and more gruesome with fanciful language, it can be just as bone-chilling in plain language, when the characters and plot are effective enough (as they are here).
Another thing I particularly enjoy about Coates' stories are that she always creates a haunting, vivid setting. That is a factor I often see overlooked in literature, but Gillespie House, along with her other stories, perfectly set up the creepy feeling I look for when starting a horror story.
Note: If you are not a fan of characters who talk out loud to themselves, this is not the book for you. It didn't bother me, but it was quite noticeable and I know that can be a pet peeve for some.
My Website | My YA Thriller Books | My Bookish Podcast | My Linktree | Instagram
September 29, 2025
took too long for things to happen & Mrs. Gillespie was annoying, but I like the direction the story took by the end
September 12, 2021
This book consisted of the novella "The Haunting of Gillespie House" and 3 short stories from Darcy Coates: Bed and Breakfast, Crawlspace, and Lights Out.
While Gillespie House was just okay for me, I absolutely adored the short stories!
The Haunting of Gillespie House: After a house-sitter hears doors slamming, ghostly footsteps, and scratching in the walls, she begins having visions of a family who owned the house two hundred years prior. - 3 spooky graveyards
Bed and Breakfast: A woman stays at an unwelcoming bed and breakfast for her ghost research blog, and quickly finds herself in the middle of a nightmare. - 4 beheaded chickens
Crawlspace: A teenager learns an unsettling secret about her new house after hearing noises coming from the crawlspace in her room - 4 ghostly children
Lights Out - All hell breaks loose after a clothing store receives eight new mannequins. - 5 bottles of Tubbi Wine.
While Gillespie House was just okay for me, I absolutely adored the short stories!
The Haunting of Gillespie House: After a house-sitter hears doors slamming, ghostly footsteps, and scratching in the walls, she begins having visions of a family who owned the house two hundred years prior. - 3 spooky graveyards
Bed and Breakfast: A woman stays at an unwelcoming bed and breakfast for her ghost research blog, and quickly finds herself in the middle of a nightmare. - 4 beheaded chickens
Crawlspace: A teenager learns an unsettling secret about her new house after hearing noises coming from the crawlspace in her room - 4 ghostly children
Lights Out - All hell breaks loose after a clothing store receives eight new mannequins. - 5 bottles of Tubbi Wine.
August 15, 2018
Wow - you do not want this girl housesitting for you. There was a lot that bothered me about this book, but mostly it just felt like the author had a whole lot of ideas but no story to string them together. The result was that the protagonist did a whole lot of things with absolutely no reason and constantly jumped to conclusions because 'she just felt it and knew it was right'.
The main character is asked to house sit for a couple who are going on a month-long retreat. On her first day she explores every room in the house, including going up to the attics and opening all the boxes up there and rooting around in the contents. Now, I've housesat for a lot of people before, and I would never dream of going through their private possessions to that extent. I might sneak a peek into their bedroom, but I would never go in, open up the closet and go through their clothes, as this character does. Nor would I, on the second day, with no provocation, decide to break into their family crypt in the adjoining graveyard. Nor would I, on finding that one room had a locked door, go and get a crowbar and force the door open just so I could see what was inside, because I was super curious.
This protagonist is ridiculously unbelievable and, because of that, really unlikeable. And the ghost story was equally ludicrous and unformed. She gets flashes into the life of a girl who used to live in the house, somehow manages to leap to the conclusion that the girl wants her to find her body and bury her (no explanation as to how she knows this, she just somehow 'realises') and that she must (spoiler alert) kill the girl's father, who has for some never explained reason managed to survive in a locked room for centuries.
Beyond ridiculous storyline, not remotely spooky, and ludicrous main character.
The main character is asked to house sit for a couple who are going on a month-long retreat. On her first day she explores every room in the house, including going up to the attics and opening all the boxes up there and rooting around in the contents. Now, I've housesat for a lot of people before, and I would never dream of going through their private possessions to that extent. I might sneak a peek into their bedroom, but I would never go in, open up the closet and go through their clothes, as this character does. Nor would I, on the second day, with no provocation, decide to break into their family crypt in the adjoining graveyard. Nor would I, on finding that one room had a locked door, go and get a crowbar and force the door open just so I could see what was inside, because I was super curious.
This protagonist is ridiculously unbelievable and, because of that, really unlikeable. And the ghost story was equally ludicrous and unformed. She gets flashes into the life of a girl who used to live in the house, somehow manages to leap to the conclusion that the girl wants her to find her body and bury her (no explanation as to how she knows this, she just somehow 'realises') and that she must (spoiler alert) kill the girl's father, who has for some never explained reason managed to survive in a locked room for centuries.
Beyond ridiculous storyline, not remotely spooky, and ludicrous main character.
February 19, 2021
I so enjoyed Haunting of Gillespie House! Elle can't wait to explore the secluded Gothic style house she is watching for a month.
At first there is scratching in the walls and a door that slams throughout the night. Rooms full of abandoned furniture on the third floor. The owner explains these things as rats and loose hinges. But what's really going on?
My favorite part is Elle's adventurous spirit. She does everything you are silently screaming for her not to do. Repeatedly. She makes the most ridiculous choices for someone an hour away from anyone. At one point she explores a noise she heard in the house by a single candle - including searching all of the creepy basement! She has no qualms checking out an abandoned graveyard and mausoleum. I found her wonderfully maddening.
I was slightly disappointed by the ending but I read thrillers for the experience of suspense and confusion, not necessarily the story. A wonderful quick read!
At first there is scratching in the walls and a door that slams throughout the night. Rooms full of abandoned furniture on the third floor. The owner explains these things as rats and loose hinges. But what's really going on?
My favorite part is Elle's adventurous spirit. She does everything you are silently screaming for her not to do. Repeatedly. She makes the most ridiculous choices for someone an hour away from anyone. At one point she explores a noise she heard in the house by a single candle - including searching all of the creepy basement! She has no qualms checking out an abandoned graveyard and mausoleum. I found her wonderfully maddening.
I was slightly disappointed by the ending but I read thrillers for the experience of suspense and confusion, not necessarily the story. A wonderful quick read!
October 14, 2015
Potentially interesting, but ultimately rather boring.
May 3, 2020
I try to express only my most honest opinion in a spoiler-free way. Unfortunately, there is still always a risk of slight spoilers despite my best efforts. If you feel something in my review is a spoiler please let me know. Thank you.
I love Darcy Coates and wanted to give a better rating to one of her books, but I just had a hard time with this one. To be fair I was very distracted the last few days, but I had to force myself to focus as my mind kept wandering. The premises of this book was good, and there was once or twice that got my heart pumping. But for the most part, this book just fell a bit flat for me.
I love Darcy Coates and wanted to give a better rating to one of her books, but I just had a hard time with this one. To be fair I was very distracted the last few days, but I had to force myself to focus as my mind kept wandering. The premises of this book was good, and there was once or twice that got my heart pumping. But for the most part, this book just fell a bit flat for me.
June 27, 2024
A shorter haunted house story with an old cult leader involved. A girl is house sitting for a couple at their historic home for a few months and right after she moves in, strange things start happening.
This was just ok. It didn’t really do anything for me. I was super bored and should have just DNFed it. But I want to read her whole backlist so I kept going.
I highly recommend “Haunting of Blackwood House” and “House of Shadows” by this author though!! Those were great.
This was just ok. It didn’t really do anything for me. I was super bored and should have just DNFed it. But I want to read her whole backlist so I kept going.
I highly recommend “Haunting of Blackwood House” and “House of Shadows” by this author though!! Those were great.
February 7, 2017
THE HAUNTING OF GILLESPIE HOUSE, by Darcy Coates started out instantly grabbing my attention. The atmosphere of the old Gillespie Mansion that Ellie is "house-sitting" for the owners is a gothic-style dream. As the temporary caretaker explores the once glamorous building, she uncovers rooms full of beautiful, old-fashioned furniture--contrasting vastly to the efficient "modern" day furnishings--a library that seems out of proportion somehow, and even a graveyard in the back woods.
The little things that start setting our main character off were good at the beginning, but I couldn't help but notice that she'd be brave enough to go exploring in the middle of the night one moment, while screaming and calling up her employer moments later. It was this constant "clash" of her personality that held me back from really getting attached to her.
While the rest of the story was interesting, and had a great, creepy resolution, I think I would have rated it much higher if the character had been more consistent throughout the story.
Overall, a great idea, but needed better "flow" with the telling of the tale, itself.
The little things that start setting our main character off were good at the beginning, but I couldn't help but notice that she'd be brave enough to go exploring in the middle of the night one moment, while screaming and calling up her employer moments later. It was this constant "clash" of her personality that held me back from really getting attached to her.
While the rest of the story was interesting, and had a great, creepy resolution, I think I would have rated it much higher if the character had been more consistent throughout the story.
Overall, a great idea, but needed better "flow" with the telling of the tale, itself.
July 21, 2015
Darcy Coates is one scary author, and her newest, THE HAUNTING OF GILLESPIE HOUSE, is one SCARY story. I love supernatural fiction and nonfiction above all else, but nearly as much, I love the revelation of monstrousness in human form. THE HAUNTING OF GILLESPIE HOUSE starts with human monstrosity, horrible acts perpetrated by an evil individual, and builds until supernatural evil, an all-encompassing darkness, kicks in and takes over, in an unstoppable, aggressive, INTENTIONAL, fashion. So whether you seek pure supernatural, or human monstrosity, or some inevitable combination of both--THE HAUNTING OF GILLESPIE HOUSE has your shudders covered. Don't miss it.
November 4, 2020
I enjoy a solid haunted house story. It wasn't the scariest, but it hit some fun ghost notes and tropes.
February 5, 2017
This is a tough one. The writing itself isn’t bad, and it seems like the author had a pretty good idea for the story. The execution of the story itself felt rushed and underdeveloped. I was simultaneously drawn into the story by the intriguing concepts and characters, and pulled out by all the unbelievable behavior. The main character (really the only character) is Elle, who is so undeveloped that I think the only thing we know about her is her name. The story is told in the first person, and in such a way that it's like you're following Elle through the house, looking over her shoulder. Those two things combined make it basically impossible not to imagine yourself in Elle's shoes, and I have to tell you I wouldn't have made any of the choices she made.
Here are some questions I had as I was reading:
Why does Elle keep referring to the house as a “building”? Minor point, but it was very distracting.
What kind of a candlestick fits into a pocket? What kind of candlestick that fits into a pocket is also a good weapon you might select to protect yourself? Are there seriously no other weapons in the house? A knife perhaps?
What kind of house that has a driveway that takes “half a day” to walk down has speedy internet? Not to mention cell reception…
If you were housesitting all alone for 30 days, and you don’t want the owners to get mad at you, and you wanted to snoop around in a locked room, why is your first instinct to get a crowbar and smash the door down? Why not search for the key, or get a screwdriver and remove the hinges? Even try to pick the lock?
If you thought that there was an intruder in the house, why would you decide to explore the house at night, with only a candle?
If you want to seem reasonable and responsible, why would you keep calling the homeowner at 3am, literally for no good reason?
Why doesn’t Elle call the police when she thinks there is an intruder in the house?
Why doesn’t Elle have any friends or family she can call when she is scared, instead of the owner? Or even just in general, because she is scared? I would totally call a friend or my sister at a minimum. Probably I would beg someone to come stay with me and see/hear all the weird shit that was going on.
How do you get smashed in the head and just keep on trucking? After passing out for an unknown length of time after being smashed in the head, how do you NOT call a doctor/family member/friend, or even the homeowner? Yet when you hear a scratching that any reasonable person in the country would assume is a mouse or squirrel you hysterically call the owner at 2am?
Didn’t the homeowner screen Elle when she applied to be a house-sitter to make sure she was sane, responsible, and showed good decision-making skills?
Elle acted so outrageously and made such egregious decisions that I kept expecting to find out that she was escaped from a mental institution or something.
Here are some questions I had as I was reading:
Why does Elle keep referring to the house as a “building”? Minor point, but it was very distracting.
What kind of a candlestick fits into a pocket? What kind of candlestick that fits into a pocket is also a good weapon you might select to protect yourself? Are there seriously no other weapons in the house? A knife perhaps?
What kind of house that has a driveway that takes “half a day” to walk down has speedy internet? Not to mention cell reception…
If you were housesitting all alone for 30 days, and you don’t want the owners to get mad at you, and you wanted to snoop around in a locked room, why is your first instinct to get a crowbar and smash the door down? Why not search for the key, or get a screwdriver and remove the hinges? Even try to pick the lock?
If you thought that there was an intruder in the house, why would you decide to explore the house at night, with only a candle?
If you want to seem reasonable and responsible, why would you keep calling the homeowner at 3am, literally for no good reason?
Why doesn’t Elle call the police when she thinks there is an intruder in the house?
Why doesn’t Elle have any friends or family she can call when she is scared, instead of the owner? Or even just in general, because she is scared? I would totally call a friend or my sister at a minimum. Probably I would beg someone to come stay with me and see/hear all the weird shit that was going on.
How do you get smashed in the head and just keep on trucking? After passing out for an unknown length of time after being smashed in the head, how do you NOT call a doctor/family member/friend, or even the homeowner? Yet when you hear a scratching that any reasonable person in the country would assume is a mouse or squirrel you hysterically call the owner at 2am?
Didn’t the homeowner screen Elle when she applied to be a house-sitter to make sure she was sane, responsible, and showed good decision-making skills?
Elle acted so outrageously and made such egregious decisions that I kept expecting to find out that she was escaped from a mental institution or something.
December 6, 2022
The Haunting of Gillespie House by Darcy Coates
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)
I bought many books from Darcy Coates when they were reduced and I saw that they are quite short at times (and I like that for in between) and they had great ratings. Now this was the first book from her I‘ve read.
Ellen looks after the Gillespie House while they are away and suddenly she feels, she is not alone anymore… 😱
Sounds like a classic horror novel? That is exactly what this is… no more and no less. It has a creepy mansion, it has some strange sounds and things and it has a lot of tension. You don‘t need anything else to be drawn into the story, eager to see what comes next.
A little downside was there for me: 1.) Her strange decisions, to roam the house at night after she already heard things, 2.) that there is nothing new to the story… classic horror all the way.
I still liked that short and creepy read very much and I will for sure visit some Darcy Coats books again. 😁👍🏻
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4*)
I bought many books from Darcy Coates when they were reduced and I saw that they are quite short at times (and I like that for in between) and they had great ratings. Now this was the first book from her I‘ve read.
Ellen looks after the Gillespie House while they are away and suddenly she feels, she is not alone anymore… 😱
Sounds like a classic horror novel? That is exactly what this is… no more and no less. It has a creepy mansion, it has some strange sounds and things and it has a lot of tension. You don‘t need anything else to be drawn into the story, eager to see what comes next.
A little downside was there for me: 1.) Her strange decisions, to roam the house at night after she already heard things, 2.) that there is nothing new to the story… classic horror all the way.
I still liked that short and creepy read very much and I will for sure visit some Darcy Coats books again. 😁👍🏻
May 31, 2016
If I could give this book a negative score, I totally would. There is not one feature of this book that is even remotely interesting. The plot = been done, the characters = boring and more than slightly annoying, the pace = molasses, the "twist" = non-existent.
Trust me, friends, you want to skip this one.
Trust me, friends, you want to skip this one.
November 13, 2025
No one does a ghost story quite like Darcy Coates!! I just love her writing and am never ever disappointed! Full RTC!
November 27, 2021
Mystery > Ghosts & Haunted Houses
Mysterious old house, hidden passages, history of deceit and murder...The Haunting of Gillespie House
This story was creepy, heart pounding, had good plot and good ending.
I found myself saying "Girl, are you crazy?" more often than usual because I don't think I'd had been brave enough. But its really good to get nosy and bad-ass heroine who isn't running away but go straight into the scary events and save the day.
This was my third book by Darcy Coates and I've started to enjoy her storytelling. Her tone is inviting, the descriptions are vivid, and the writing keeps you engaged from the beginning till the end. I also enjoy that her stories feature strong female protagonist which is a nice change considering too many horror stories feature man who's the lead character.
Mysterious old house, hidden passages, history of deceit and murder...The Haunting of Gillespie House
This story was creepy, heart pounding, had good plot and good ending.
I found myself saying "Girl, are you crazy?" more often than usual because I don't think I'd had been brave enough. But its really good to get nosy and bad-ass heroine who isn't running away but go straight into the scary events and save the day.
This was my third book by Darcy Coates and I've started to enjoy her storytelling. Her tone is inviting, the descriptions are vivid, and the writing keeps you engaged from the beginning till the end. I also enjoy that her stories feature strong female protagonist which is a nice change considering too many horror stories feature man who's the lead character.
December 3, 2021
3.5
This isn’t one of my absolute favorites from Darcy, but I do like the plot and where the story ended up going in the end. Just didn’t feel as standout as some of her others.
I will say this has some of my favorite short stories included in the back though!
This isn’t one of my absolute favorites from Darcy, but I do like the plot and where the story ended up going in the end. Just didn’t feel as standout as some of her others.
I will say this has some of my favorite short stories included in the back though!
July 12, 2021
I enjoyed the plot but the ending left me a bit underwhelmed and I didn't really vibe with the writing style. It was ok but nothing mind blowing.
August 14, 2015
I do enjoy a good haunted house story.
Elle needs to get away from things for a bit. She grabs the opportunity to house sit for a month at the Gillespie’s house. It’s more of an estate with the large forests and somewhat neglected mansion.
First things first, Elle explores the house, finding rooms filled with beautiful antiques. Then she walks the grounds, surrounded by heavy brush and trees, stumbling onto a graveyard filled with crumbling tombstones. Something peculiar catches her eye. All of these people died on the same date.
Not one to pass up a good mystery, Elle explores deeper into the house, looking for some history.
It’s not long before doors start slamming, ghostly footsteps prowl the floors, and scratches from the walls interrupt her sleep.
Someone or something is in the house.
This had all the makings for a creepy haunted tale and the sense of foreboding grew throughout the book.
The run down mansion with it’s dark corners and hidden secrets.
A previous owner that dabbled in the occult.
The strange tombstones in the cemetery.
Haunting noises and terror filled dreams.
Elle was a curious character. At first I couldn’t believe she’d stay in a haunted house. You’ve seen the movies. Don’t go in the basement. Don’t go see what made that noise. Elle did all of those things. I had to keep reminding myself, if she didn’t there wouldn’t be much of a story.
And I remembered something. As a teenager, I was home alone and heard a loud crash in the basement. I did go down to see what it was. Granted, I was scared to go down those steps. But I was more scared not to. It turned out to be a cat that got in through an open window, jumping on a table and breaking something.
It’s not that simple for Elle.
There’s an Author’s Note after the end where Darcy Coates explains the origins of The Haunting Of Gillespie House. It stared out to be a short story but grew.
She includes the free short story, Crawlspace, that started it all.
If you like tales that give you the heebie jeebies, have you looking over shoulder, and make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, you��ll enjoy this book.
I received this book for my honest review.
Elle needs to get away from things for a bit. She grabs the opportunity to house sit for a month at the Gillespie’s house. It’s more of an estate with the large forests and somewhat neglected mansion.
First things first, Elle explores the house, finding rooms filled with beautiful antiques. Then she walks the grounds, surrounded by heavy brush and trees, stumbling onto a graveyard filled with crumbling tombstones. Something peculiar catches her eye. All of these people died on the same date.
Not one to pass up a good mystery, Elle explores deeper into the house, looking for some history.
It’s not long before doors start slamming, ghostly footsteps prowl the floors, and scratches from the walls interrupt her sleep.
Someone or something is in the house.
This had all the makings for a creepy haunted tale and the sense of foreboding grew throughout the book.
The run down mansion with it’s dark corners and hidden secrets.
A previous owner that dabbled in the occult.
The strange tombstones in the cemetery.
Haunting noises and terror filled dreams.
Elle was a curious character. At first I couldn’t believe she’d stay in a haunted house. You’ve seen the movies. Don’t go in the basement. Don’t go see what made that noise. Elle did all of those things. I had to keep reminding myself, if she didn’t there wouldn’t be much of a story.
And I remembered something. As a teenager, I was home alone and heard a loud crash in the basement. I did go down to see what it was. Granted, I was scared to go down those steps. But I was more scared not to. It turned out to be a cat that got in through an open window, jumping on a table and breaking something.
It’s not that simple for Elle.
There’s an Author’s Note after the end where Darcy Coates explains the origins of The Haunting Of Gillespie House. It stared out to be a short story but grew.
She includes the free short story, Crawlspace, that started it all.
If you like tales that give you the heebie jeebies, have you looking over shoulder, and make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, you��ll enjoy this book.
I received this book for my honest review.
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