What do you think?
Rate this book
Black Hotel: A Supernatural Thriller
Welcome to Black Hotel. A haunted hotel... with no ghosts When overweight dreamer Jack stumbles on work at Black Hotel, he believes he has found the perfect job. With no guests, the hotel pays him to sit about all night and do nothing. He doesn't even mind when he discovers the hotel is haunted. But why won't anyone believe him? Black Hotel has a secret. The past and future are colliding. Can Jack figure out what's going on before it's too late? You love this spine-tingling terror ride, because of its blend of humour, horror and heart. Get it today.
- GenresHorrorParanormalFiction
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2018
142 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
About the author
Renee Wakefield
3 books2 followershi! my name is Renee and I write supernatural thrillers.
people often ask me how I come up with such spooky, creepy tales. Well, every word I write is true. At least Alice tells me they are as she whispers them in my ear while I sleep. Alice would know. As well as being my dead twin sister, Alice is a very prominent ghost in the under community. Or so she tells me. But who can say for sure? You know what they say about us Wakefield women, if our lips are moving, we are lying.
as for me, I’m am somewhat of a recluse, with a fondness for ellipses… I live in my head mostly, but when you can find me on the beach in the south-east corner of Australia, living with my two cats named Spencer and a dog.
people often ask me how I come up with such spooky, creepy tales. Well, every word I write is true. At least Alice tells me they are as she whispers them in my ear while I sleep. Alice would know. As well as being my dead twin sister, Alice is a very prominent ghost in the under community. Or so she tells me. But who can say for sure? You know what they say about us Wakefield women, if our lips are moving, we are lying.
as for me, I’m am somewhat of a recluse, with a fondness for ellipses… I live in my head mostly, but when you can find me on the beach in the south-east corner of Australia, living with my two cats named Spencer and a dog.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 13, 2019
THE BLACK HOTEL: A Supernatural Thriller, is the first book I have read by Renee Wakefield. Jack, a 38 year old, unambitious, lazy man, is content to play video games with his roommate and work a series of dull jobs that don't require him actually "doing" much.
". . . all of his friends had evolved, and he hadn't. Like he missed the memo . . . "
While wandering aimlessly one day, he literally stumbles upon the door of what was once a gorgeous gothic structure, the Black Hotel. Although the hotel is empty most of the year, its eccentric owner keeps it open at all times, "just in case". To Jack's delight, they are in need of an overnight attendant. Aside from the off-chance of a guest wandering in, he just has to sit there.
". . . The sense of being drawn inside . . . the hotel had a powerful sense of significance . . . "
I have to admit that this character is not one that appealed to me. He had an almost "childish" attitude most of the time, and yet at others he would have a thought that seemed a little too deep--making him inconsistent with the information we were already given. His own mother dismisses him as "too imaginative".
". . . you made the boy who cried wolf seem like a reliable source of information . . . "
There were some comical moments, mostly at Jack's expense--but otherwise the first three-quarters seemed to have little to do with the "ghosts" that Jack believes he sees in the hotel.
The problem is, nobody else sees them, which makes for the unreliable narrator part.
"It was much harder to come up with witty effective comebacks when the person you're arguing with is probably right."
One thing this novel had going for it was the atmosphere. The beautiful gothic-style hotel and its furnishings were enough to capture my attention for a while. It was able to take me back to a time when the hotel saw a steady stream of visitors, and the luxurious surroundings fit in with the fashion of the day. This, fueled by the remembrances of the elderly owner and heir of the estate, made the existence of these "ghostly sightings" at least "possible".
". . . it's like the entire world knows the secret. A secret I just don't get."
Overall, I will admit that while the first three quarters kept me in solely based on the atmosphere of The Black Hotel, the author made great use of the final quarter. It was here that we finally encounter several twists that I never saw coming, and these impressed me enough to raise my rating to three stars. The unreliable narrator didn't work for me, personally, in this story; however, I know that other readers may enjoy it much more so. Myself, I loved that last quarter, where things honestly shocked me--in a good way.
"Hauntings never end well . . . "
This was a very different style of haunting, that some readers will love much more than others.
". . . all of his friends had evolved, and he hadn't. Like he missed the memo . . . "
While wandering aimlessly one day, he literally stumbles upon the door of what was once a gorgeous gothic structure, the Black Hotel. Although the hotel is empty most of the year, its eccentric owner keeps it open at all times, "just in case". To Jack's delight, they are in need of an overnight attendant. Aside from the off-chance of a guest wandering in, he just has to sit there.
". . . The sense of being drawn inside . . . the hotel had a powerful sense of significance . . . "
I have to admit that this character is not one that appealed to me. He had an almost "childish" attitude most of the time, and yet at others he would have a thought that seemed a little too deep--making him inconsistent with the information we were already given. His own mother dismisses him as "too imaginative".
". . . you made the boy who cried wolf seem like a reliable source of information . . . "
There were some comical moments, mostly at Jack's expense--but otherwise the first three-quarters seemed to have little to do with the "ghosts" that Jack believes he sees in the hotel.
The problem is, nobody else sees them, which makes for the unreliable narrator part.
"It was much harder to come up with witty effective comebacks when the person you're arguing with is probably right."
One thing this novel had going for it was the atmosphere. The beautiful gothic-style hotel and its furnishings were enough to capture my attention for a while. It was able to take me back to a time when the hotel saw a steady stream of visitors, and the luxurious surroundings fit in with the fashion of the day. This, fueled by the remembrances of the elderly owner and heir of the estate, made the existence of these "ghostly sightings" at least "possible".
". . . it's like the entire world knows the secret. A secret I just don't get."
Overall, I will admit that while the first three quarters kept me in solely based on the atmosphere of The Black Hotel, the author made great use of the final quarter. It was here that we finally encounter several twists that I never saw coming, and these impressed me enough to raise my rating to three stars. The unreliable narrator didn't work for me, personally, in this story; however, I know that other readers may enjoy it much more so. Myself, I loved that last quarter, where things honestly shocked me--in a good way.
"Hauntings never end well . . . "
This was a very different style of haunting, that some readers will love much more than others.
August 2, 2019
3.5*
Black Hotel is a ghost story that kept me guessing. Jack gets a job at the almost always empty hotel, to do nothing but sit at the front desk. He's even ok with it when the hotel turns out to be haunted but no one believes him. Like Jack, i had no idea if the hotel was really haunted or what was going to happen next. The ending was good. I was surprised and i liked it! The story is well done and the writing is good. I would read more by this author.
I listened to the audio book. Caleb Dust read it and he did a great job. i would listen to more books he narrates.
** I would like to thank Renee Wakefield for the chance to listen to the audio book in exchange for a honest review. **
Black Hotel is a ghost story that kept me guessing. Jack gets a job at the almost always empty hotel, to do nothing but sit at the front desk. He's even ok with it when the hotel turns out to be haunted but no one believes him. Like Jack, i had no idea if the hotel was really haunted or what was going to happen next. The ending was good. I was surprised and i liked it! The story is well done and the writing is good. I would read more by this author.
I listened to the audio book. Caleb Dust read it and he did a great job. i would listen to more books he narrates.
** I would like to thank Renee Wakefield for the chance to listen to the audio book in exchange for a honest review. **
January 6, 2019
At 38 years of age, Jack was an overweight, underachiever. Jack bounces for job to job, with no goal set for himself. Jack works at a factory, folding and unfolding papers. Jack is the type of character, who would not stand out in a crowd. Fed up with his boring job, Jack decides to walk out and never return. Jack stumbles upon The Black Hotel. He comes to the conclusion, this would be a great place to work. Jack enters the hotel and runs into the day manager Hector. He offers Jack, a nighttime shift and he accepted the position. Hector says, I hope you are still around in another week. Jack looked at him strange, and said why. Hector tells Jack, that the other workers at night, just disappeared. Hector told Jack, that the hotel had no customers and most likely, wouldn't get any. Jack had to sit at the reception desk, and do whatever he wanted to do. Jack decides to take a look around this old gothic hotel. He is fascinated by the building and all the pictures that hung on the wall. While wander one night, Jack see a little girl, playing with her toy car on the second floor. Jack calls out to the little girl, and she vanishes. Jack doesn't have a problem, with hotel being haunted. His friend and his boss, do not believe him. Hector tells Jack, you are one of a kind. Hector tells Jack, that the hotel, isn't haunted. Jack continues to see the little girl, her father and a demented magician. Jack could not understand, why other people who work in the hotel, have not seen these spirits. Jack knows that the hotel is empty and maybe his imagination is playing tricks on him. The story was OK! Jack was the missing piece to this puzzle.
December 19, 2018
BLACK HOTEL is a novel of a really Feckless Hero, the overweight, purposeless, yet endearing Jack. He is the type of personality who is almost always either "invisible" to others, or else the brunt of all jokes. He really does try hard, though. At age 38, he has never realized his potential and is not even sure what his potential is. Finally one day he runs out of work (yet another dead-end) job and just walks and walks, till he comes on a lovely Gothic hotel in the midst of industrial estates. He goes in, applies for a job, and soon becomes the Night Clerk. All is fine and Jack manages not to get into any trouble--until he starts experiencing what he expects are ghosts: visual, auditory, and so forth.
I really liked and empathized with Jack's character despite his obvious deficiencies. He does seem to be one of those individuals whom everything is stacked against. But he perseveres, and that's important.
I really liked and empathized with Jack's character despite his obvious deficiencies. He does seem to be one of those individuals whom everything is stacked against. But he perseveres, and that's important.
November 14, 2018
Hard to get through as the story didn't seem to forward much.
July 12, 2019
what do you get with an impulsive, spur of the moment type of guy and a very old hotel, An astonishing great story by Renee Wakefield A must read for all. I loved it!! Get it Now!
December 4, 2018
There's a lot to like about this book. Especially if you give points for uniqueness. The story revolves around Jack, an over-weight under-achiever who bounces from one dead end job to another. Things begin looking up when he gets the job of night clerk at an old decrepit hotel. The job is perfect for him because the hotel only has guests a few days a year. So his job involves doing nothing all night while dressed in a bellman's outfit. All is well till Jack begins seeing and hearing things. A little girl playing on the stairs. A demented magician. Screams. But he knows the hotel is empty. This could be just another haunted house story, but it's not. Things are not what they seem and the twists and turns in the plot are pure pleasure. Excellent book.
November 17, 2018
Quirky spooky fun!
Black Hotel was not what I expected but in a good way. At first I thought it would be a traditional ghost but it was so much more. The main character of Jack was well written and funny. Black Hotel isn’t the scariest book I’ve ever read but sometimes a ghost story doesn’t need to be terrifying or even have ghosts to be a truly great book.
Black Hotel was not what I expected but in a good way. At first I thought it would be a traditional ghost but it was so much more. The main character of Jack was well written and funny. Black Hotel isn’t the scariest book I’ve ever read but sometimes a ghost story doesn’t need to be terrifying or even have ghosts to be a truly great book.
September 7, 2019
( Format : Audiobook)
"No-one ever gets less haunted."
Surprisingly, the synopsis is very thorough, giving a good idea of the story and it's main protafgonist, Jack, so no need for further description.
Black Hotel is a ghost story, even a bit of a thriller, and there are some gruesome bits, a few chills and bumps in the night (literally), but mostly it's funny. It's a great story, a bit predictable, but it's the gorgeous characters that inhabit it which gives it it's charm. It is so easy to picture, too, so nicely sketched out were the surroundings, the old fashioned hotel and the inhabitants of the book as a whole. This picturing was ably assisted by the narrator, Caleb Dust, whose Australian accent only adds to the character as he individually voices protagonists and reads the story with gusto and full understanding. A fun and good performance.
This is a debut novel by author, Renee Wakefield. Pictorial, funny, quirky and even a little bit scary at times, this is definitely one to recommend. Hope we don't have to wait too long until the next.
"No-one ever gets less haunted."
Surprisingly, the synopsis is very thorough, giving a good idea of the story and it's main protafgonist, Jack, so no need for further description.
Black Hotel is a ghost story, even a bit of a thriller, and there are some gruesome bits, a few chills and bumps in the night (literally), but mostly it's funny. It's a great story, a bit predictable, but it's the gorgeous characters that inhabit it which gives it it's charm. It is so easy to picture, too, so nicely sketched out were the surroundings, the old fashioned hotel and the inhabitants of the book as a whole. This picturing was ably assisted by the narrator, Caleb Dust, whose Australian accent only adds to the character as he individually voices protagonists and reads the story with gusto and full understanding. A fun and good performance.
This is a debut novel by author, Renee Wakefield. Pictorial, funny, quirky and even a little bit scary at times, this is definitely one to recommend. Hope we don't have to wait too long until the next.
November 3, 2018
I enjoyed the story, and the main character, Jack, was a bit off the usual track, which was interesting. Unfortunately, there were so many editing errors that it was beyond irritating. Often extra words as though the author put in both and didn’t decide which to use. This gets so old with all of the new books coming out, and though we continue to complain they just don’t EDIT!! I’d recommend it for the story, but if you’re as sick of the lack of editing as I am don’t bother. If this were a school paper it’d get a D at best even though the story is compelling. I still gave it 2 stars because the story kept me going to the end.
July 4, 2019
Very enjoyable!
I read this in one sitting, i couldn't put it down. Poor Jack, thinks he landed a dream job in a gorgeous old hotel that rarely, if ever, gets guests. He is experiencing something paranormal and no one believes him. Things ramp up and just as he's about to throw in the towel, things make sense and then all hell breaks loose! Excellent story pace, lovely descriptions, and a well thought out ending. I hope I get to read about Jack again sometime soon!
I read this in one sitting, i couldn't put it down. Poor Jack, thinks he landed a dream job in a gorgeous old hotel that rarely, if ever, gets guests. He is experiencing something paranormal and no one believes him. Things ramp up and just as he's about to throw in the towel, things make sense and then all hell breaks loose! Excellent story pace, lovely descriptions, and a well thought out ending. I hope I get to read about Jack again sometime soon!
October 17, 2019
Audible:Jack finds his perfect job,finally!He is just supposed to sit around and do nothing.He is not supposed to explore the things that go bump in the night.He enjoys his job,no matter how weird it gets,until something better comes along. Caleb Dust was a fine narrator. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.'
October 30, 2018
Hello?
I couldn’t tell whether I liked the book at first until the end. The characters seemed off maybe they were meant to be. Once read I figured I liked it. Some things didn’t seem to add up to me or else I forgot how to add. Essentially a good nook and recommend.
I couldn’t tell whether I liked the book at first until the end. The characters seemed off maybe they were meant to be. Once read I figured I liked it. Some things didn’t seem to add up to me or else I forgot how to add. Essentially a good nook and recommend.
July 6, 2019
Really good, enjoyed it.
Man who changed jobs all the time, finally found one to his liking. At a hotel, where he had to do nothing. He started seeing ghosts, or what he perceived as such. Things happen.
Man who changed jobs all the time, finally found one to his liking. At a hotel, where he had to do nothing. He started seeing ghosts, or what he perceived as such. Things happen.
June 15, 2020
An okay story.
It was okay. I found Jack a little irking. He only wanted a job where he did very little work. He sees ghosts at the hotel, but no one else does. He knows there is danger, and tries to warn everyone. I never saw the ending coming.
It was okay. I found Jack a little irking. He only wanted a job where he did very little work. He sees ghosts at the hotel, but no one else does. He knows there is danger, and tries to warn everyone. I never saw the ending coming.
Read
September 13, 2020What a gloriously fun read!
Wasn't sure what to expect from this but certainly not this delightful read. Funny, emotional, suspenseful and wonderful, this book surprised me at every turn.
Wasn't sure what to expect from this but certainly not this delightful read. Funny, emotional, suspenseful and wonderful, this book surprised me at every turn.
January 8, 2023
This book has an annoying amount of missing words/typos (especially during the first half), but the overall story made up for it. I had several guesses of what could happen, but the author managed to surprise me. Nicely done.
March 1, 2023
Silly, creepy, fun
Jack is every person’s lack of impulse control on a boring day. It took me a minute to warm up to the story, but once I did, the payoff was in the interesting twist.
Jack is every person’s lack of impulse control on a boring day. It took me a minute to warm up to the story, but once I did, the payoff was in the interesting twist.
December 20, 2018
Good 👍
I enjoyed reading this book, it held my interest all the way to the end. Jack is an interesting character .
I enjoyed reading this book, it held my interest all the way to the end. Jack is an interesting character .
January 12, 2019
Amazing
This is a must read! I loved Jack, he was like so many dreamers out there. This book was beautifully written.
This is a must read! I loved Jack, he was like so many dreamers out there. This book was beautifully written.
March 2, 2019
Awesome
This book kept my interest First book I have read in months so that should tell you something. Twists and turn plot
This book kept my interest First book I have read in months so that should tell you something. Twists and turn plot
July 6, 2019
Not so scary
Not the "scare. Me to Death" that I was expecting but a charmingly told story. Poor Charlette! Would have liked to see the old place!
Not the "scare. Me to Death" that I was expecting but a charmingly told story. Poor Charlette! Would have liked to see the old place!
January 15, 2020
A good scary haunted house story with a twist. Don’t read this book alone. I highly recommend this book.
November 13, 2023
I liked it and didn't like it at the same time. Could have used a little more fleshing out plot wise.
November 28, 2023
Black Hotel
This was a wonderful scary book. I
love a good haunted hotel story but this one has an unexpected twist to it
This was a wonderful scary book. I
love a good haunted hotel story but this one has an unexpected twist to it
March 27, 2024
Well, this was definitely entertaining. Maybe not the best writing but the concept was fun. The atmosphere of the hotel was excellent. Jack is quite a character. The less said the better.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews