The Haunting of Abram Mansion

A Riveting Haunted House Mystery #11

by Alexandria Clarke

A riveting new haunted house mystery that will keep you guessing until the end!

When Peyton and Benjamin Fletcher inherit a dilapidated house in the quiet town of Falconwood, Connecticut from Peyton’s grandfather, all they want to do is get rid of it. Unfortunately, the will stipulates that the couple must live in the house for a minimum of six months before they sell it. As Peyton and Ben try to make the best of the situation, Peyton discovers the house is inhabited by ghosts, and they aren’t happy with the mansion’s new occupants.

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Paranormal, Ghosts, Ebooks

333 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 3, 2019

About the author

Alexandria Clarke is a writer, cat lover, and all-around optimist. She loves to immerse her readers in mystery and intrigue, meaningful friendships, and the worlds of characters who learn by doing. When she's not writing, Alex enjoys playing guitar, watching Wynonna Earp, and spending time with her family. She currently lives in Orlando, Florida with her partner and their four pets.

Reviews

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Haunting of Abram Mansion
A Riveting Haunted House Mystery
By: Alexandria Clarke
Narrated by: Gwendolyn Druyor
I received this book from freeaudiblecodes and the review is my own opinion.

This paranormal ghost story was more a few interlocking mysteries that just happened to have a couple of ghosts in them. The ghosts weren't scary but ones you felt sorry for.
A couple is getting a divorce and they want to make it easy on each other, not your average divorce, and at the last minute there is a new issue. They have inherited a big house and they have to stay in the house for six months or they get nothing.

There are so many mini mysteries to uncover in this house and town, about the people who lived there, and more! I really enjoyed it! Just when I thought I had something figured out, another clue would make my guess null and void! It was fun! I enjoyed the mental ride, the characters, and the plot! I went back to freeaudiblecodes to look for more by this author.
The narrator was great too!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

The small town of Falconwood and the descriptions of the crumbling old mansion are sure to draw in the reader. The house comes with a murky history that includes the suicide of the last owner and the disappearance of his wife and child. Throughout the story we get hints of what might have taken place, but full disclosure doesn’t come until near the end. Peyton was one of the main characters of the story, but it took me a long time to warm up to her. She came across as selfish at the beginning of the book, especially in her relationship with Ben. I didn't have to wonder why they were getting a divorce though. I love spooky, haunted house stories, but this is not really one of those despite the title. It's more of a mystery set in a house with hauntings. While it certainly held my interest, there were things that I found frustrating. The entire plot with Theo’s drug-addled ex could have been eliminated and never missed. Also, the things regarding the home’s original owner, and Peyton’s grandfather, didn’t sound to be exactly realistic. Small things maybe but they made a good story get a 4 instead of a 5-star rating. I have to say that the writing was good but as has been the case with several books that I have read lately, there were so many editing problems throughout...especially with misspelled words and typos.

[Tammi · Rating 1 out of 5]

DRAMA not HORROR. Please read.

Okay, I very seldom write a review and am just unable to finish this book. I made it 67% of the way, however, I just cannot bring myself to do it.

First and foremost, I don't blame the author; however just because you throw in a creepy old mansion and a ghost does not necessarily mean in belongs in the horror genre. This book mainly focuses, in my opinion, on the main character's feelings, her impending divorce, what the characters endure going through a divorce, etc. And frankly I felt like the main character was self entitled, inconsiderate (especially considering she still loved her husband), and just an overall unlikable flake. This book just wasn't something I enjoyed reading.

Although there were little inconsistencies with the writing and several typos/editing errors, the book is just blah. What little I was able to accomplish reading (well over half the book) was VERY predictable and cliche. Please note that I can usually finish a 400 page book within 2-3 evenings of reading, I've been reading this book for almost a week. The words flowed like reading a detailed book of someone's feelings watching a plant grow.

If you're a huge horror, mystery, or ghost fan please be aware this is more of a love gone wrong because someone needed to follow their dreams/finding yourself/recreating yourself/follow your dreams/going through a divorce in a creepy old mansion DRAMA.

I feel this book spends chapters after chapters describing her feelings and then in other chapters very little description and writing of when a ghost is actually present. If you enjoy those type of books, this is the book for you.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The biggest issue I had with this book was the authors bizarre need to recount details and events frequently throughout the book. It was irritating and took away from the story telling.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! A classic haunted house tale with a nice twist at the end! 4 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would have given it five stars except for 2 things:
- The book seemed longer than it needed to be. Parts of the novel could have been cut and it wouldn’t alter the plot whatsoever. This did not detract from my enjoyment, just an observation.
- My bigger issue: Author randomly recaps events we just recently read about and reintroduces us to characters that we’ve consistently interacted with. Please have faith that readers can keep track of plot and characters without annoying segments that feel like a “previously on...” tv recap.

[Sherry Bledsoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better

Better proofreaders, editing and it might have been a better book but the ending needed work. It just didn't work logically.

[C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this creepy house-ghost story-mystery. Quite a few twist and turns,and the 6 year old Sammy is such a precious character.

[Barefoot Gypsy Jimerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little more SCREAMING

Like the author says haunted house mystery, A who donit, A detective story, an not a scary one. You know like heart racing scared to turn the page or slide the page over, jumping out of your chair or omgch did you hear that. I for one wouldn't mind a bump in the night

[Troy Burbank · Rating 2 out of 5]

All about her divorce

Not worth reading, nothing happened for over half the book. It's mainly Peyton complaining about a divorce that doesn't make sense. Not thrilling at all.

[Dot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read!

I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more from this amazing author! Loved the characters, (with the exception of two in particular) and I’m sure other readers will feel the same way!

I do have to wonder whatever became of the mansion itself? Truly enjoyed ‘exploring ‘ it, and all of its fascinating treasures within! Rather hoping there is a sequel! I am going straight to Amazon to find out if one has been written. If not, I’m sure I will find something else delightful from this author.

Thanks for the excellent read!

[Michelle Dinkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is AMAZING!!! The main character kept me enveloped in the story by her damn stubbornness with her "husband." The plot thickens when they move into this old mansion... Love how all the characters end up tying into solving a 40 yr mystery. I can't wait to read more books from this author.

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it.

[Dawn M. Gillen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whodunit?

What a great mystery with a twist, are you afraid of ghosts? If not this is a great read for you.

[Jennifer Goliash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

The book was a pretty good read. Less supernatural than I anticipated but it worked. It's more like a thriller with some ghosts. I predicted most of it but that happens with most books I read. A couple errors in the book the editors seemed to have missed but worth the read.

[Mary Stenvall · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 70% of this book is very good - characters, setting and story. The last thirty? For me, not so good.
SPOILER * SPOILER* SPOILER*

I don't think a ghost can kill. Otherwise, they'd just kill the one who killed them and go on about their business. Clunky ending with added characters didn't work for me.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are good things and bad thing about this book. On the plus side: I like that the events in this story take place over a six month period. No quick possession of some run down mansion that takes place over a weekend where the protagonist figures out a hundred years of history and manages to banish the evil ghost where generations before were unable to. This had a complex set of characters with real life events going on while the main characters happen to live in a haunted house.
On the negative side: There were a lot of weird side stories that were thrown in to escalate the drama and then just as quickly resolved. Did there have to be the druggie ex-boyfriend stalker and the mystery stalker? Also, the writing seemed to be broken up into sections like a serial novel. The author would end a chapter with a big reveal and the next chapter would start out summarizing the entire book up to that point as if I hadn't just read it. Some of the characters traits also seemed to change as time went on and it wasn't just personal growth kind of changes. More like they needed to become someone else for the story line to work. I definitely don't believe that Peyton actually went traveling and became the photographer she always wanted to be. From what I saw throughout the entire book she wanted to hang out at the coffee shop all day and drink coffee and be served breakfast. Only one time was she actually taking photographs. In no way do I believe she didn't want to have someone take care of her so her longing for a divorce was so out of character according to her actions. I do not believe the ghost would just be allowed to leave with the death of the bad guy. What was keeping them here in the first place? There was also a lot of I know this but I can't tell you, you have to go figure it out yourself Peyton.
Ultimately it was entertaining but not spooky in any way.

[Montana Cefalu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely predictable plot with an unlikable, whiny main character. I started to hate it whenever Peyton would spend time convincing us that her shallow reasons for wanting a divorce were justified (really, she’s just extremely childish and selfish). I half expected her to come to her senses by the end and learn to compromise (after all, Ben had made a lot of great suggestions about traveling and coming home to him) but they still ended up separated and basically Theo became her new husband. Really what difference would it have made? Especially because the author spent too many scenes teasing that Peyton was still interested in staying married to Ben, that she still loved him, etc. Oh, and the “I don’t want to crush his hopes” trope, but she repeatedly asked him if she was making a mistake asking for a divorce. The big reveal of the bad guy at the end was also no big surprise, but the author still wasn’t very tactful about it. Another two minute wrap-up with a villainous spiel recounting his whole plan. So disappointed.

[Sarah Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried to like it, but the characters never really developed for me. Halfway through it I almost quit, but it’s such a long story and I already committed two days to it that I just wanted it done.

[Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the The Haunting of Winchester Mansion Omnibus that I decided to read other books by this author starting with the Haunting of Abram Mansion. I loved Bailey and Bodhi from the Winchester Mansion book but hated Peyton with a vengeance. She is self-centered, thoughtless, and callous towards her long time partner. There was absolutely nothing wrong with her husband, as a matter of fact he seemed to be the ideal partner. He takes good care of her, thinks of her comfort before anything else, and is very thoughtful. But Peyton wants to divorce him to pursue a career in photography. It's not clear why she can't do this while they are together, and it did say there that she was not all that good at it. She still loves him but divorces him and I find the reason petty. Peyton is...



So, there they are in court but they find out they cannot sign the divorce papers yet because they were both left Abram Mansion by her estranged grandfather and the condition is they need to live in it for 6 months together before they are allowed to sell it. Ben grabs this opportunity to prolong being with Peyton and hopes that staying together there will bring them closer and maybe rebuild their marriage.



So while in the mansion we will see ghostly manifestations here and there but nothing too scary. And because of this I am left feeling that I am not reading a horror novel, it's more of a drama, tbh. Even the other characters' lives are full of drama (looking at you Theo, Della and Alex!) . Like I mean, full of it. I did figure out the twist around 70% in. And as with the previous book by this author that I read, I don't know if I am glad I guessed correctly or if I prefer to have been surprised.

I also find it a waste of time and effort that there was a part where there was an unnecessary recap of something I just finished reading. And an introduction of the characters again when we haven't really left them yet anyway. It would have been appropriate if it was book 2 of the series or something, but it's not. Sooo... You know...



Anyway, I will still the other books a chance so I will read a third book by this author and hope for the best.

[Mae Clair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peyton and Ben are ready to sign their divorce papers when Peyton inherits the Abram Mansion from her maternal grandfather. His will stipulates they must live the mansion for six months before they can sell. It’s not an ideal situation, especially for Peyton who wants the divorce finalized as quickly as possible so she can move on with her life. What Peyton doesn’t expect is to encounter in the home are ghosts.

I loved the small town of Falconwood and the descriptions of the crumbling old mansion. The house comes with a murky history that includes the suicide of the last owner and the disappearance of his wife and child. Throughout the story we get hints of what might have taken place, but full disclosure doesn’t come until near the end.

I also really liked Peyton’s friendship with Theo, a young woman she meets in Falconwood, and Theo’s son Sammy. Della and Basil, an older couple, plus Mason, who runs the Black Cat Cafe were also excellent characters, and I really liked Ben. It did, however, take me a long time to warm up to Peyton. She came across as selfish at the beginning of the book, especially in her relationship with Ben.

This is not really a spooky haunted house story so much as a mystery set in a house with hauntings. The book held my interest but there were points that frustrated me. I felt the entire plot thread with Theo’s drug-addled ex could have been eliminated, and several things (especially regarding the home’s original owner, and Peyton’s grandfather) didn’t ring true. I also had issues with how the school responded to Sammy’s consent forms.

Although the writing was good, there were editing problems throughout--missed words and typos---but not enough to ruin the story. The book could have used a better edit. Finally, the author had a weird habit of summarizing parts of the story every now and then, as if a new reader had just stepped into the story and needed to be told what happened previously. It made me wonder if the novel had been stitched together from a serialized work.

The Haunting of Abram Mansion is part of the “Riveting Haunted House Mystery Series” books written by different authors. This novel, despite the issues I mentioned, was certainly enjoyable enough for me to try others in the series.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peyton and Ben have been together pretty much throughout High School and ever since.

As they attempt to finish the divorce mediation they agreed on, an inheritance from her maternal grandfather comes to light.

A mansion - six months, Ben and Peyton living together - and then it can be sold.

Ben would like things to stay more or less the same as they are, and would rather not divorce. Peyton would like to go off on a great adventure - or even a little one. For her, this is just a delay of the divorce she wants. For him, one more chance to try and keep them together.

They really do make great friends, but the massive old mansion holds many dark secrets, as well as some unwelcome wild life, bats and ghosts.

Always awkward when you can see the ghosts, some of your friends and family can see them, and your beau cannot.
Lethally dangerous in some instances too.

For the ghosts, as well as Ben and Peyton, to move on, some of the darkness needs to be resolved, and old wounds healed.

Lots of things that go bump in the night, changes to relationships, and relationships that reveal some dark intentions.

My honest opinion? Awesome KU read!

I read this book on Kindle Unlimited, and also received a free advance copy.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the day of their divorce, Peyton and Benjamin Fletcher are surprised to find out that they have inherited a house from Peyton’s estranged grandfather. The stipulation is that they must live together in the home for six months before they can sell it. So they put their divorce on hold and head to Falconwood, Connecticut to set up residency and try to put the mansion in order.

But things are more than they could imagine when strange things happen within the house, Ben is injured, and Peyton discovers ghosts in the house that can’t leave without her help. Peyton soon finds herself in the middle of aiding the ghosts, keeping them a secret from Ben, and forming a friendship with 6-year-old Sammy who has befriended one of the ghosts.

While a bit slow moving at the beginning as you are being introduced to all of the characters and getting a past history on the house, once the strange occurrences happen and the mystery unfolds, I found myself glued to reading until the very end. I found the last few chapters a complete surprise and loved how the author brought the story full circle.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tamarah Evanko · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read and good ghost story

The story was really well told. O Peyton was a character that you could quickly learned to like and love. You saw her go through the trials of figuring out what the next step is. It is difficult to go through a divorce and be the asking person knowing that things are not going to work out. I think that the author explored this idea in an amazing Lee happy yet poignant way. I do believe that there were times that the descriptions a former events were related to often for the reader. For example, there were times that the author would say that someone had had an injury in the past and explain it as if this was booked to as opposed to only a couple of chapters previous. That was annoying to read. However, there are plenty of opportunities to really become acquainted with the characters. I did predict the protagonist and antagonist in this particular book. However I am the type who can do that easily. The other twists and turns caught my bu surprise. I would recommend this book.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the ghost story and the mystery but the majority of the book just made me sad. With abusive spouses, getting away too often ends in death. But with loving spouses, "growing away" from them is a selfish effort. My opinion. But on to the story. The story of abuse is heartbreaking and there were a few things - like 1st graders do not do multiplication tables (that's maybe the end of the 2nd grade or in the 3rd grade). The description of the house was exquisite. The mystery - who is who and what is what - is very mysterious. Impossible to figure out until the end. Surprise! Great job. Though we disagree on the sanctity of marriage (also called her grandmother homophobic for worrying her husband was having an affair with a man - really? That's not supposed to bother you? Cheating on you is painful no matter who your spouse is cheating on you with) this book is totally enjoyable

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Payton and Ben are getting a divorce, at least that is the plan. Unfortunately they have to live in a house she just inherited from her grandfather before they can sell it. They try to make the best of it and Ben sets about fixing the mansion up. What they don’t anticipate is that Payton would be able to see ghosts and that she is the key to setting them free.

This is a great haunting story. The author weaves the suspenseful storyline with surprises, eerie twists, dangerous turns and amazing characters that ends in an intense climax. The characters are very well developed and are full of personality. The narrative creates the creepy scene. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters, especially between the living and the dead. The mystery was interesting and kept me reading to see the what was next. I think you will like this book if you enjoy a great haunting mystery.

[Susan]

I wanted to like this book. I think they forgot to edit it. Weird recaps or summaries of what has happened in prior chapters. Apparently their are unlimited funds to restore a Victorian mansion that has a collapsed roof among other major issues. Sorry but this needed to be explained. Given the characters are in their late 20’s and only have one car and the husband is an independent technical writer and the wife had a failed photography business. Much longer then it needs to be. Very slow moving plot. The main character is clueless about her role in her marriage, and both fast and slow to admit the house is haunted depending on the scenario. We are told the husband is a polite, caring, gentleman but then he answers for his wife at restaurants without knowing what she wants? Makes no sense. Close - but not ready for publication.

[Karen Hatch · Rating 3 out of 5]

*ghosts
*find a path in life
*family
Peyton is not happy, she feels like she is stuck in a boring life. She is married to her high school sweetheart, Ben, and he is perfect but she wants more.

At the end of a several months of separation, in which they still lived under the same roof, Peyton is ready to finally sign their divorce papers and get on with her life. But a twist happens that neither of them saw coming. Her grandfather has left her an old mansion that they have to live in for six months before they can make their divorce final. But the mansion has fallen into disrepair and is not habitable.

While they begin repair work on the Abram Mansion Peyton gets to know many of the townsfolk of the small town of Falconwood. But there are more than just the living that Peyton comes to know...

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't engage with the female lead. Peyton is self absorbed beyond all reason and narcissistic to boot. Nothing that is wrong with her life is her fault and she denies any and all accountability for the emotional pain and scarring she inflicts.

She insists that she gave up everything for Ben and he gave up nothing for her. She doesn't want to be managed but falls apart often and always finds herself perfectly comfortable with having Ben protect her in his arms, reminding him every time that they are still going to be divorcing.

Peyton is the kind of female that makes me glad to be alone and not using the men in my life as punching bags, to shoulder the blame for her not being who or what she wants to be.

The spoiler here is that Peyton is a colossal BITCH, through and through, from beginning to end! I won't be recommending this one to ANYONE!!

[Wayne D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book...

My one complaint has nothing to do with the book. This review format is extremely annoying. Many times I give up on writing a review because whenever I try to make a correction, the page closes and I have to rewrite the entire review.

Now, the book...it was terrific. There are many "The Haunting of..." books on Amazon. Some are good, but this book by Ms. Clarke was really enjoyable. There is laughter, sarcasm and some sections that really got my heart pounding. Had a touch of the Mary Stewart novels from back in the 1960s. The characters were well rounded and especially loved Peyton and Sammy. The author put a lot of thought into her storyline and her characters. I look forward to reading more of her work.

[Patrice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have never given a one star review to a book before, but unfortunately I think this book deserves it. Although, the premise of this book is right up my alley - haunted house, new owners, unsettled ghosts. A quick, easy, entertaining read. However, there were so many mistakes between spelling and grammatical errors, incorrect words due to oversight (antic instead of attic, closer instead of closet), words missing in sentences (to, the, this, it) to inconsistencies in the story line made it difficult to finish. I will admit, I was curious to see how it ended hence the reason I stuck with it until the end. Like I said the premise of the story was intriguing, but the lazy writing and editing made it one of the worst books I’ve ever read.