Emma's Ghost

by Kat Karpenko

In the scenic seaside town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada, Laura discovers love letters, dated 1918, in the closet of her grandmother's house. She is driven by visitations from the resident spirit to write the story of the lovers, Emma and Andrew. Caught in the turbulent WW1 era, they were brought together in Halifax during the disastrous aftermath of the largest man-made explosion in history before Hiroshima.

As turmoil threatens Laura's failing marriage, and a new love emerges, hauntings become more ominous. The question she still needs to answer is - why is the ghost dominating her life. When mysteries unravel, discoveries lead to an illumination of the past, a transformation of her present, and a future with a new twist.

275 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2016

About the author

Kat Karpenko has spent most of her life in Nova Scotia and learned to love the forests, the ocean and the history of this beautiful province. She has also lived in England and Australia and travelled through areas of Europe, the USA and Thailand.
Of Ukrainian descent, she has been a teacher in the ancient craft of pysanky, the intricately designed Easter eggs of Ukraine.
Her writing portfolio contains newspaper and magazine articles, technical manuals, short stories and two historical novels.
She was employed in various administrative positions at Mount Saint Vincent and Dalhousie Universities while living in Nova Scotia. Now retired, she focusses on creative writing and divides her time between Mazatlan, Mexico and Canada.

Reviews

[Mahone Bay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the novel Emma’s Ghost by Kat Karpenko. It was very interesting to read a story taking place in Mahone Bay, which included places that were recognizable. The main character, Laura, reflected the lifestyle of Mahone Bay very well, living in a historic home and making frequent trips to Halifax. This made the story more realistic. The characters are also relatable and likable.

Emma’s Ghost jumps between two storylines, one during the first World War and one in the 1980’s. The duel plots are similar, providing foreshadowing without giving too much away. The two stories are written in a way that is easy to follow, and despite the similarities it is not hard to jump from Emma in 1918, to Laura in 1985.

The combination of mystery, history and supernatural events add to the story. I really enjoyed the chapters about the Halifax Explosion. There is a lot of accurate South Shore history, slang and common names mixed into the story. The fictional places like the “Dockside Pub” are also very believable. The mystery of the ghost haunting Laura is not fully explained until the end of the book, adding to the suspense. Emma’s Ghost is an action packed story with great history!

-Reviewed by Mahone Bay Museum Staff Member, Caylee

[Nathaniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book had potential but it was the ending that really sold it. It was a one to two star read but the ending made my happy. I don’t know if I’ll read her future books, which sucks because this book is signed and personalized. I met her...

[Marni · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting first book. I liked the story very much.

[Gene Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kat Karpenko has created a fascinating story of 2 women living in different generations yet experiencing similar problems in their relationships. They are both caught up in the restrictions of their time. The story is driven by the relentless efforts of Emma's Ghost whose tragic story is finally revealed. I especially enjoyed the segment during the Halifax explosion of 1917 which brought to life a history that was new to me.