Winterbay Abbey

by John Bladek, Davonna Juroe

Will Larson has one last chance to save his stagnant career as an design a grand restoration for a long-abandoned abbey. Looming above the breathtaking, windswept coast of Maine, Winterbay Abbey offers a picturesque spot for a charming hotel. But the locals harbor a peculiar distaste for the ruined Gothic convent.
After witnessing a drowning within sight of the abbey, Will wonders why the police seem disinterested in the case. He begins looking deeper into the incident, gradually uncovering chilling secrets behind the old nunnery’s walls. Will’s wife, Emily, becomes convinced the drowning is a ghostly replay of a past tragedy. But their investigation into the abbey’s frightening history soon becomes a desperate struggle to escape Winterbay’s dark curse.
Inspired by classic ghost tales, "Winterbay Abbey" is a contemporary Gothic thriller, reminiscent of Susan Hill’s "The Woman in Black".

Genres: Horror, Ghosts, Fiction, Gothic, Mystery, Paranormal, Historical Fiction

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2016

About the author

John Bladek grew up in Washington State (named for a dead president, but unfortunately not haunted by him). He’s always been fascinated by scary stories. The first story he can remember reading on his own was called “Spook’s Bones”, a tale of two boys who grant a ghost’s last wish to have his bones properly buried, and then enjoy sandwiches in celebration. He also liked listening to ghost stories on the radio and sneaking into the basement on Friday nights to watch the scary TV show, “Ghost Story”, which his mom did not approve of. Every day on his way home from school in 3rd grade, he visited a haunted house. Since then, John has stopped hiding under his pillow when listening to spooky stories, but he still enjoys a good scare. To fuel his cravings, John earned a PhD in History, where all ghosts come from. He loves to play trivia and wonders why he doesn’t run into haunted houses anymore.

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars!

WINTERBAY ABBEY is a beautifully written Gothic style ghost story and I adored it, from start to finish!

When I saw this being compared to Susan Hill's THE WOMAN IN BLACK, I was a bit hesitant because, to be honest, I did not like that tale AT ALL. It was repetitious and I felt it lacked the Gothic, quiet horror atmosphere that I love so much. I needn't have worried because this book was much better than that one and it had the added advantage of Matt Godfrey's narration.

This is the story of a man and his wife, Will & Emily, getting over a recent accident where the wife nearly lost her hand. They've also just discovered that Emily is pregnant. Her damaged hand has affected her ability to contribute to the family's financial resources and times are tight. When Will's boss offers makes him take a job in Maine drawing up architecture plans to turn an abandoned abbey into a resort hotel, he jumps on the chance to secure his family's financial future. At the last minute, he decided to invite Emily to meet him there. Will their plans work out? Will they succeed in having a happy and healthy family? You'll have to read this to find out!

I do love me a quiet horror story. What does that mean? For me, it means atmospheric, inspiring feelings of dread and fear, without spilling a lot of blood and guts. This must be difficult to write, because, to be honest, I haven't read that many good, quiet horror stories. This one is better than good, it's fantastic! There were a few instances where I thought Will made a bad decision or two, but overall, I also felt that it was realistic in the telling, and I was rooting for our couple to make it through.

With the always rich narration of Matt Godfrey, I felt this couple come to life. I hope that you give it a chance and let Will and Emily come alive for you.

Highly recommended! Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

*Thanks to narrator and friend, Matt Godfrey, for the audio copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. This is it!*

[Evelina | AvalinahsBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad Gothic horror story,although I'm awfully pissed about the ending. Even though I understand they were going for a Gothic story ending, I don't see any point to ending it like this, ugh.

The tension is built well, but since the story isn't very long, it develops quite fast and is quite predictable, to be honest. Not necessarily a bad thing, if you're looking for a fast read. The narrator (and the main character) is an insufferable idiot though. It takes him forever to arrive at conclusions, and he's also not the best in making decisions. But I suppose that's understandable because he's not in a good place in his life. Or perhaps it's also meant to make you feel better about yourself cause you're sharper than the guy in the story.

Anyway, it's a fast read, a real thriller, but you will probably hate the ending and it surely won't leave you in a good mood. The story doesn't resolve in a meaningful way either. Three stars.

[Asia Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

YES!! If you're looking for a quick spine chilling mystery, look no further than Winterbay Abbey. I just read the last page 6 minutes ago and I still have a cold chill lingering up my back & neck. I loved everything about this book. It was a refreshing break from all of the violence and gore that are in a lot of recent scary stories. The scary parts of this tale come from such detailed accounts of what is truly frightening; the unknown. What's around that corner? What was that sound? Did I see something move over in that corner? These things PLUS a great tale of an old abandoned Abbey on the sea side of Maine, where for decades, many frightening & mysterious things have been happening. Another part that I love about this story is the research and reveal of what is happening. I always need some sort of an explanation in my haunted tales, that's where the true scary parts are! They lie in why these things are happening. No matter how disturbing the facts may be, we crave that knowledge.
Such a great ghost story and will most likely be an annual Halloween time read for me!

[Chris Torretta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting gothic story but the characterization killed the rating.

Full review coming soon.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a grand ghost story. Winterbay Abbey by John Bladek and Davonna Juroe takes place in Maine, a very favorite place of mine. Once I started Winterbay Abbey in was next to impossible to put down. A 'a tale of Gothic horror' which the two authors certainly enjoy, and they wrote a dynamite telling of this ghost story. I could not believe when I read the last five sentences that they were the last five sentences. I turned the page ready to begin the next chapter, and I saw at the top of the page "Authors' Notes". I said to myself,"Don't do this to me. It cannot be the end.", but it was. Wow! What an ending! My congratulations to the authors! 4.5 Beautifully done!

[BRT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little gothic ghost story. Just enough to get your heart skipping but not so much that you have to sleep with all the lights in the house on, a Bible under your pillow, and a rosary clutched in your hand...again. Would have liked a slightly happier ending for the protagonist though.

[Tori Thurmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

So spooky! Nuns. Maine. Ghosts. Heartbreak. What more could you want?

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll love this story If your looking for a summer ween spooky story, Halloween cozy read or even a winter read. This is it! This was actually my third time reading this book. I own a physical copy and a Kindle copy as well. Each time I read it I still get the chills. I'll be reading more in the future by the Authors.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read horror often, pretty much never, but when I do, this is exactly what I want. It was a great gothic style ghost story. There is no need to muddy a story with blood and guts, when you can supply the jumps and chills with sidelong glances and shadowy movements. The characters are well developed and relatable, which is key in a story like this where you are meant to feel your skin crawling with them. Great for fans of Poe, or dark classics like Frankenstein or Dracula.

[Renee Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Gothic Ghost Story

This book never had a dull moment. I cared about the main character from page one. Highly atmospheric, creepy, eerie, haunting, and tragic. If you enjoy a good ghost story, you'll love this one!

[Amber Mangum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winterbay Abbey was an amazing and thrilling story that gave me the chills. If you like a good ghost story this is your book. an absolutely exceptional tale.

[Katie Ponte · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOAH! This book was so so good. Honestly, I was not expecting much from it. I needed a book to fit the PopSugar Reading Challenge "takes place in an abbey", and this one was recommended. I was blown away by this book! It was so creepy and definitely an awesome horror novel/ghost story. I would HIGHLY recommend. I wish I read it during Halloween time!

[Hellcat Mental · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little story- not the best ghost story I've ever read, but I liked the visuals and it did not go as I expected, which is always a nice surprise!

[Briana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Liked it a lot until the end. I needed a happy ending and didn't get one. Oh well.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern Gothic tale that revivals the atmosphere of many much older works. I enjoyed this story quite a bit. Both authors truly have a knack for conjuring a perfect ghostly setting. I think the book would've been more powerful had the protagonist been female. The ending was a bit abrupt as well. All in all though, this should be a must-read for any Gothic horror fan.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that keeps you up at night because you want to keep reading it. It's a very well written ghost story and reminded me of "The Woman In Black." I got caught up in the main character's story. Then I got caught up in the abbey's history. The ending was a little disappointing, but I enjoyed getting to that point.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid Gothic ghost story with an atmospheric setting. A great read for people who want to be too scared to look behind them while getting lost in a dark building but not find a pile of bloody corpses.

[Jeanine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spooky story that builds and builds then ends flat.. Disappointing.

[Beth Roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, here we go. My first DNF of the new year. I've had this one since 2016 and decided to pull it out for a wintry read. I've been seeing ads for it on IG and remembered I had it. Sounded good.

I don't like the first person narrative, for starters. Secondly, the main character is just whiny. I whine a lot in my head, too, but I don't make others read it. He's an educated architect, which is an admirable career, and I would imagine makes decent money. In the beginning, he's in trouble at work because his boss and a co-worker are assholes, apparently. He may lose his job. He never admits to screwing up in any way.

His wife is pregnant. They were in an accident that severely damaged her hand. He is freaked about the impending baby. While he was the driver during the accident, he does blame himself for his wife's handicap. However, HE is the one suffering PTSD and flashbacks. The wife is trying to move forward with her art and is excited about the baby.

My first red flag came when he was angry she didn't want to return to work right away. She's recovering, she's pregnant, and she soon learns, with twins. He needs her to be a breadwinner. He's been wanting to just quit his job because of those assholes.

So, he gets sent as a one-last-chance to restore an old abbey on the Maine coast. Drama ensues. He hurts his head, not badly, and whines. He's supposed to meet his new bosses at Abbey, so he shows up 30 minutes late.

They're initially pissed because Drama involved their new investment, and they're not impressed with our guy right off the bat. Neither am I. He explains the situation, and they "soften" towards him, resulting in a sudden dream job offer of a lifetime. Even though he hasn't shown them even a sketch at this point.

There's a ghost. I hit the 50% mark. I'm willing to overlook the fact I don't like this guy and the fact that the plot is obvious from a mile away.

UNTIL.

He and his wife are in the library researching the history of the Abbey. He sees a photo of the person involved the earlier Drama in a news article. She's been dead since 1961. Well, duh.

So, he and his wife have a little tiff in the library. He wants to leave. She doesn't. HE says, "This has been without a doubt the worst day of my life."

WAIT. WTF????!!! You caused an accident that handicapped your wife, and supposedly you have PTSD resulting in frequent flashbacks, but discovering you MAY have seen a ghost is the worst day of your life???!!!

The librarian comes over and tells them to hush or leave. Our dashing hero says, "Uh, I'm really sorry. I think my wife hasn't been. . .feeling well."

Just like that, I'm out. No sympathy for that guy. He's a wimpy, whiny, misogynistic, self-indulgent, lazy piece of crap.

It took two people to write this?

[Rebecka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always looked for the best in any project, and what others thought of as "brooding", I liked to call "charm".

Will is an architect, struggling to support his growing family while staying true to his creative vision. He is hanging on by a thread at his firm and his boss has given him a final chance to prove himself. Wealthy developers have purchased the abandoned Winterbay Abbey in order to develop it into a hotel. Will must travel from Seattle to Maine to check out the site and begin designing, but it fast becomes obvious that the abbey is more than just an abandoned building and that it is not quite as empty as it first appeared.

I very much enjoyed this book and its modern, Gothic horror atmosphere. The setting was fascinating. Winterbay Abbey perfectly conveyed the isolated, foreboding vibe of the story which was further enhanced through the Maine location, Will's distance from home, and the foggy, stormy weather.

We got to see the abbey through the eyes of an architect which is a unique touch. I feel like we could have explored more of the location, but we did see the most important rooms and Will's vision of what it could be in the future was fun.

Speaking of Will, he was an interesting character. It was easy to sympathise with him and his situation, and both he and his wife are relatable and realistic. I found myself wanting the best for them.

As far as the haunting goes, it was tragic and steeped in history, again adding a further layer of realism and empathy. Watching the mystery unfold and Will and Emily's reations to it was satisfying.

Information about the location and haunt was trickled in through multiple avenues, preventing any repetition or boredom. Alongside the events that occur within the story, we discover information through conversations with locals, research in the library (which I am a sucker for), and revelations provided by involved individuals.

I was not disappointed when all the pieces came together and we discovered the truth of Winterbay Abbey. The ending, while not what I expected, was satisfying and fit the overall tone of the story. It is worth nothing that, while Winterbay Abbey was written by two authors, I did not find any discordance in the writing style.

If you are looking for a thoughtful, Gothic ghost story that examines true tragedies of the past through an interesting haunting and realistic, sympathetic characters, I highly recommend Winterbay Abbey.

[Gmr · Rating 5 out of 5]

We started off on a high note, getting to know our lead characters, and diving head first into the history of Winterbay from the locals. Let's just say that "colorful" doesn't do it justice. From a convent to a home for wayward girls to the severely creepy shell that remains today, aside from the location having a great (and dangerous!) view...it's beyond me why anyone would want to set foot there. Certainly not Will Larson, especially after everything he learns AND experiences.

We are shown echoes of the past as Will explores the Abbey for all its worth. He's trying his best to secure a good life for both himself and his growing family, but while he's plagued by his own missteps, these new intrusions are seriously making him question his sanity. Strange additions to his drawings, mysterious blankets with a rather familiar signature, figures on the beach calling out for...help? Revenge? Justice? Just WHY was he the one reached out to? Was there no other soul to connect with that would understand the strangeness of what was going on...the lingering hurt from generations of bad deeds done in the name of good? There was much to puzzle and several leaps of imagination to take as the story twists and turns, binding you to its bones like so much cement in a foundation. I will admit that the seagulls outside my work totally had me flashing back to the Abbey and not in the most pleasant of ways after having finished a fairly precarious scene before having to pause things and head into work. *-*

In the end, though certainly not in a format I favor, the story itself was definitely a winner! If you're a fan of gothic horror or simply love a good spooky story, this one's for you. The characters are memorable for so many reasons and the perilous nature of everything as it currently stands will keep you on the edge of your seat. Try to guess along the way just how things will turn out...and even if you're a stickler for details thinking you might rival the great Holmes himself, I bet you don't see everything coming.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The setting and scenery descriptions of this tale really are of the Gothic horror genre - it's hard to go wrong with a haunted abbey. The characters though, were not so satisfying. I found it difficult to care about either of them, there was no chemistry between the two, and the fact you're planted straight into their marital stress without much reason as to why (other than money troubles) makes it difficult to muster up sympathy for them.

The actual ghost story was good and a good story behind the haunting and the ghost. It could've been built on a bit more, but what was there was a good enough story. I liked the added layer of the scepticism of the main character - that was a nice touch. The build up of the haunting until the final event was decent enough and kept me reading.

The ending felt a bit flat. It just seemed quite rushed and although it's an enormously sorrowful ending, it's hard to feel sad for the main character because he's not very likeable. He seemed very plain and not much depth to him. His wife wasn't featured enough to really care about her either. Also the very end didn't make much sense to me.

However, it's a decent enough short read, the environment/scenery setting is beautifully done and well accomplished, just a shame the characters weren't that good. I did like Duncan and his dog though.

Would I recommend this? Yes, if you're bored and fancy an atmospheric story, go for this.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this 3 stars because it was a quick read with some decent atmosphere and some interesting backstory but the ending - ugh - so I'd say 2 1/2 stars.

I'm not sure how the ending could have been written without being trite and still being a happier ending but man, the ending is just terrible and unsatisfactory. The main character is whiny and kind of self-centered, which didn't help.

I also didn't understand the ghost's motivation, even when explained. Just didn't make sense to me.

But like I said it had some good atmosphere and the story of the abbey was interesting.

I thought for sure Will was going to end up being Pamela's long lost baby and glad that didn't happen. But that would have explained why a man saw her ghost. It doesn’t make sense that the ghost clearly targets pregnant women but now is targeting a husband of a pregnant woman and makes a blanket materialize to possess her. I also don't understand how blowing up the abbey means the ghost is gone. She died in the ocean, and yes the abbey was a place of trauma but not sure why the building itself would give her "power." Also, I get that the ghost was traumatized and unhinged when she died but to suddenly turn into a murderer and decide to kill pregnant women? It was definitely a twist I didn't see coming but it made no sense.

[Julia Bell · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly good ghost story, although I did think poor Will Larson was a bit of a nervous wreck right from the beginning and I wondered if the events at Winterbay would send him over the edge.
I would have liked a longer book with more history about the car accident and Will's life in Seattle. Also I wanted to know details about the nuns in the abbey and perhaps more elaboration about Duncan, the lighthouse keeper.
It was a creepy story especially the incident on the beach and the way Will surveyed the inside of the abbey on his own. Dark, derelict and spooky houses with an unseen menace have always intrigued me more than the blood and gore stories.
I've always wondered how books are written by two authors although I didn't pick up on who wrote what, but I'm not familiar with these authors.
I'm happy to give three stars for Winterbay Abbey.

[Jessica Burchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gothic ghost story set on the rocky coasts of Maine? How could I say no?

Was this the most original story ever, of course not. That's not why I would reach for a Gothic ghost story. But it kept my interest through-out. I feel like Will was a little on the melodramatic side, despite his self-delusion that he was not. I also felt like the connection between Pamela and Emily could have been a little more drawn out.

But all in all, it was a good little haunting book. I was particularly fond of Duncan. I thought his character was the most well drawn-out. I also appreciated the continuous ambience of the weather. Bladek is not overly-descriptive but it was just enough to create that almost-winter northeastern chill. 3.5 out of 5 stars rounded up to 4 for taking place in Maine. ♥

[Marloes D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will Larson is architect in Seattle. Hij heeft problemen op de zaak en met zijn zwangere vrouw Emily. Op een dag geeft zijn baas hem een laatste kans door hem naar een verlaten abdij in Maine te sturen: Winterbay Abbey. Als Will bij de abdij gaat kijken meent hij te zien hoe een jonge non verdrinkt in de baai hoewel de abdij al decennia leeg staat. Dan komt Emily en gebeuren er meer enge dingen.

Het verhaal is soepel geschreven en de vaart zit er in. De karakters zijn plat maar dat is in een kort gothic verhaal te verwachten. De spookachtige setting is mooi en ondersteunt wat er gebeurt. De ontknoping is onverwacht maar wel bizar: die had ik niet zien aankomen. Een aanrader voor iedereen die van spookverhalen houdt.

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a fan of Gothic fiction, I was excited to read this New England ghost story. Under duress, Seattle-based architect, Will Larsen travels to the coast of Maine to work on the restoration of a historic abandoned abbey. When he arrives in town Will hears vague local warning about the curse of Winterbay Abbey. When Will witnesses frightening happenings at the Abbey, the police dismiss his concerns and he feels like he is going crazy. He wants nothing more than to leave Winterbay, but his wife insists he needs to stay to both solve the mystery and complete the project. The plot had much promise. However, other than a few chilling sequences, the writing, and both the character and plot development left much to be desired. The ending is hopelessly tragic and unsatisfying.

[Andrea Flavell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

This is a gothic ghost story and had all the right ingredients for a chillingly good read. Sadly the storyline did not flow well, being clunky and often repeating the same thing in different ways. Ghost stories do of course require a little imagination however this storyline left too many questions unanswered, too many mysteries raised were not, I felt, addressed. The sequence of events felt muddled and sadly for me it was very evident that two people were contributing to this book; indeed it often felt like I was reading the same thing twice in two different styles. Personally I have to say the standard of writing felt below par and I would not recommend.

[Cecilie Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, haunting!

True horror of this excellence is difficult to find these days without reaching back to the old masters like Shelley or Poe.
Written without the titillating sexual or gory bloodbaths of most ‘modern’ horror, Winterbay Abbey is an exceptionally good read.
The authors’ initiation challenge for each other to write a good gothic tale is certainly met in this classic ghost story.
The protagonist’s angst is perfectly introduced and becomes more profound with the increasing intensity of the haunting.
I will look for more of these authors’ works.
A Very Haunting Read!

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

More of a short story than a book. The last 10% is all notes from the authors and information about the authors. I was slightly irritated by the over the top scene setting in Seattle....let’s put oh, 5 references per page of Seattle street names, neighborhoods, etc so it’s clear where we are....just say Seattle and be done with it already. Geez.

This overall was just ok. I didn’t totally get the background story of the couple, could have explained it more I think. I didn’t find the characters reactions to situations all that believable.