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Boylan House
For nearly three and a half centuries, the Boylan House has stood at the end of Meeting House Road. And something in that house has been killing boys for centuries.
The town of Monson is a quaint and quiet New England town. Yet the house is terrifying and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Adults put the thing out of mind and ignore the fears of their children, admonishing them to stay away.
Too many boys have vanished into the swamps behind the house. Bodies never recovered. Nothing ever recovered. The families are left with their memories and the disturbing thought that the Boylan House had something to do with it.
Mason Philips knows better than that. He knows that there’s something in the house. Something evil. Something hunting children from time to time.
And Mason has decided that it’s time for the killing to stop.
The town of Monson is a quaint and quiet New England town. Yet the house is terrifying and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Adults put the thing out of mind and ignore the fears of their children, admonishing them to stay away.
Too many boys have vanished into the swamps behind the house. Bodies never recovered. Nothing ever recovered. The families are left with their memories and the disturbing thought that the Boylan House had something to do with it.
Mason Philips knows better than that. He knows that there’s something in the house. Something evil. Something hunting children from time to time.
And Mason has decided that it’s time for the killing to stop.
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2015
152 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Ron Ripley
252 books510 followersRon Ripley is a husband and father surviving in New England, a place which seems to be getting colder every day. He grew up across from a disturbingly large cemetery where he managed to scare himself every night before going to bed. Mostly because of the red lights that people put in front of the headstones. Those things are just plain creepy to a kid.
Ron enjoys writing horror, military history and driving through the small towns of New England with his family, collecting books and giving impromptu lectures on military history to his family, who enjoy ignoring him during those dreadful times.
Ron enjoys writing horror, military history and driving through the small towns of New England with his family, collecting books and giving impromptu lectures on military history to his family, who enjoy ignoring him during those dreadful times.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
November 1, 2016
I read this trilogy to cover a challenge for the Read Your E-reader read-a-thon. The challenge is to read a book about a house. In this case it was a haunted house. This is a first time read for me with this author and I really enjoyed his writing style. I did not read the bonus chapters that were included. They were along the lines of what a novella would be.
Synopsis
For nearly three and a half centuries, the Boylan House has stood at the end of Meeting House Road. And something in that house has been killing boys for centuries.
The town of Monson is a quaint and quiet New England town. Yet the house the Boylan House is terrifying and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Adults put the thing out of mind and ignore the fears of their children, admonishing them to stay away.
Too many boys have vanished into the swamps behind the house. Bodies never recovered. Nothing ever recovered. The families are left with their memories and the disturbing thought that the Boylan House had something to do with it.
Mason Philips knows better than that. He knows that there’s something in the house. Something evil. Something hunting children from time to time.
And Mason has decided that it’s time for the killing to stop.
The plot was great for this trilogy with a story that surrounds a house, The Boylan House. A house that has been responsible for the death of many boys in which the town did not want to believe. What is not to like about that? I love the imagery of this story which brings out the creepiness that I love in a book like this. It was well done. The pacing was also very good, allowing the story to flow really well.
The characters were ok, but I have to say that this was more plot driven than character driven. Not too many characters to have to remember, and the ones that were present were pretty likable. I think that both the protagonists and antagonists are written pretty well. I did not find them particularly relatable, but they were believable.
I am rating this book a 3.5 stars. I think had the characters been a bit more relatable I could have rated this a little higher. Definitely fun and worth the read though if you like to read books about haunted houses.
Synopsis
For nearly three and a half centuries, the Boylan House has stood at the end of Meeting House Road. And something in that house has been killing boys for centuries.
The town of Monson is a quaint and quiet New England town. Yet the house the Boylan House is terrifying and has been for as long as anyone can remember. Adults put the thing out of mind and ignore the fears of their children, admonishing them to stay away.
Too many boys have vanished into the swamps behind the house. Bodies never recovered. Nothing ever recovered. The families are left with their memories and the disturbing thought that the Boylan House had something to do with it.
Mason Philips knows better than that. He knows that there’s something in the house. Something evil. Something hunting children from time to time.
And Mason has decided that it’s time for the killing to stop.
The plot was great for this trilogy with a story that surrounds a house, The Boylan House. A house that has been responsible for the death of many boys in which the town did not want to believe. What is not to like about that? I love the imagery of this story which brings out the creepiness that I love in a book like this. It was well done. The pacing was also very good, allowing the story to flow really well.
The characters were ok, but I have to say that this was more plot driven than character driven. Not too many characters to have to remember, and the ones that were present were pretty likable. I think that both the protagonists and antagonists are written pretty well. I did not find them particularly relatable, but they were believable.
I am rating this book a 3.5 stars. I think had the characters been a bit more relatable I could have rated this a little higher. Definitely fun and worth the read though if you like to read books about haunted houses.
March 1, 2023
Entertaining paranormal listening 🎶🔰
Another will written paranormal fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 demon monster adventure thriller novel by Ron Ripley. The Boylan House in New Hampshire has a history of a place where young 👦boys disappear. Morse was there when a young friend of his disappeared on Halloween 🎃. Now he is going to find out why. They do but all hell breaks loose and they win out in the end. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of paranormal fantasy adventure mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀👒🏡
Great paranormal horror story. I have listened to a number Ron Ripley and Scare Street books and excellent. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
Another will written paranormal fantasy world 🌎 haunting horror ghost 👻 demon monster adventure thriller novel by Ron Ripley. The Boylan House in New Hampshire has a history of a place where young 👦boys disappear. Morse was there when a young friend of his disappeared on Halloween 🎃. Now he is going to find out why. They do but all hell breaks loose and they win out in the end. I would recommend this novella and author to 👍 readers of paranormal fantasy adventure mystery novels 👍🔰. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa read books 📚. 2023 😀👒🏡
Great paranormal horror story. I have listened to a number Ron Ripley and Scare Street books and excellent. Happy reading and have fun 🌙
November 1, 2016
This was a really good, epic ghost story that is the perfect listen for Halloween. In a small town there is an old house that has no power or water and seems never to age. The town has also had an unusual amount of children that have mysteriously disappeared during Halloween. Century's have passed and no one has been able to prove that the two are related. Thom Bowers does excellent scary voices.
February 22, 2017
This was a very good trilogy of a house that sits back off the road and devours only boys. Very fast paced and I couldn't put it down! A definite page turner as I kept wanting to see what was going to happen next. Four stars on this one.
April 3, 2017
I am usually not a fan of supernatural suspense / horror. This trilogy, however, was a great read. I purchased this book awhile back and kept glancing at it each time I looked for a new book to read on by kindle. It sounded interesting so I finally gave it a try. It was the perfect weekend read. I kept reading to find out what would happen next. I found that there were no loose ends at the end of the book. I have not read Ron Ripley before but I am certainly going to read books by him again.
September 24, 2015
Loved this trilogy!
My only complaint is that this is too short!!! I did read it all after reading part 1 first, was disappointed that it ended so soon, then saw the trilogy so I impatiently waited to go back home where my WiFi was, so I could grab it from Amazon. Recommend this true haunted house story, very fun and quick read. Very creepy villain...I couldn't wait to see what it was after the ending in book one...Loved it!
My only complaint is that this is too short!!! I did read it all after reading part 1 first, was disappointed that it ended so soon, then saw the trilogy so I impatiently waited to go back home where my WiFi was, so I could grab it from Amazon. Recommend this true haunted house story, very fun and quick read. Very creepy villain...I couldn't wait to see what it was after the ending in book one...Loved it!
October 29, 2015
Not to shabby!
Not a bad read!! A bit short but quiet good!! If you like these sorts of spooky haunted house books then this is perfect. By far one of the better ones I have read. Will be checking out more by this author. 4 stars because I did find a few grammatical errors but noting horribly erroneous.
Not a bad read!! A bit short but quiet good!! If you like these sorts of spooky haunted house books then this is perfect. By far one of the better ones I have read. Will be checking out more by this author. 4 stars because I did find a few grammatical errors but noting horribly erroneous.
February 5, 2017
Ugh I don't want to be mean but this book was not good. I received the audiobook in exchange for an honest review so I'll start with that.
The book is narrated by Thom Bowers and for the most part, he does a great job. His accents sometimes seemed a bit uneven but what he did with what he was given is great. I'd listen to another book narrated by him. I'd give his performance four out of five stars.
Now for my problems with the actual book and again I'm not trying to be mean but this is a problem with the amazon self-publishing machine that's become more prevalent with pushing consumers towards Kindle Unlimited etc.
This book reads like a first draft and that's the problem. So many of my problems with this book, even just the basic craft mistakes that are everywhere, would probably have been eliminated or at the very least pointed out by an editor or publisher before this was put out for consumers.
The characters are unbelievable one-dimensional cliches. Their dialogue is dull and each sentence is followed by Mason screamed or Boylan grunted etc. The book has very little tension or suspense. Not to mention it's the least frightening horror "novel" I've ever read.
And that brings me to the really irritating thing about this book that just screams amateur. This is not a trilogy and it shouldn't be marketed that way. It's a novella, but I'd accept calling it a short novel or novel but not a trilogy by any standards. And what are those bonus scenes? By the time I got that the end and got the "bonus scenes" I was pissed. Is Ron Ripley trying to rename or reinvent the epilogue? Or has he just never read one?
There were other issues I had with the book but that's my point if this book was actually given the time and effort of actual rewrites and edits it could be worth reading. But it wasn't and is not worth reading. 1 star.
“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
The book is narrated by Thom Bowers and for the most part, he does a great job. His accents sometimes seemed a bit uneven but what he did with what he was given is great. I'd listen to another book narrated by him. I'd give his performance four out of five stars.
Now for my problems with the actual book and again I'm not trying to be mean but this is a problem with the amazon self-publishing machine that's become more prevalent with pushing consumers towards Kindle Unlimited etc.
This book reads like a first draft and that's the problem. So many of my problems with this book, even just the basic craft mistakes that are everywhere, would probably have been eliminated or at the very least pointed out by an editor or publisher before this was put out for consumers.
The characters are unbelievable one-dimensional cliches. Their dialogue is dull and each sentence is followed by Mason screamed or Boylan grunted etc. The book has very little tension or suspense. Not to mention it's the least frightening horror "novel" I've ever read.
And that brings me to the really irritating thing about this book that just screams amateur. This is not a trilogy and it shouldn't be marketed that way. It's a novella, but I'd accept calling it a short novel or novel but not a trilogy by any standards. And what are those bonus scenes? By the time I got that the end and got the "bonus scenes" I was pissed. Is Ron Ripley trying to rename or reinvent the epilogue? Or has he just never read one?
There were other issues I had with the book but that's my point if this book was actually given the time and effort of actual rewrites and edits it could be worth reading. But it wasn't and is not worth reading. 1 star.
“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
October 12, 2016
I received the audio version of this book free from the author and purchased the Kindle version.
This was a great ghost story. Mason, the protagonist, returns to the town where he grew up and is curious about the old house. As a boy, Mason went to the house on Halloween night with a friend, Kevin and Kevin was just taken by the house. What happened to Kevin? What is the background of the house and it's owners? Why can't the property have a fence? And what does the house have to do with the disappearance of young boys in previous years. Mason goes to the library to do research and learns a lot. He also makes friends with the librarian and through her meets her brother James who is a law enforcement officer. He also gets to meet his aged great Uncle who also lost a son to the house many years before. James, Uncle Howard and Mason set out to explore and confront the "ghost". This book was very exciting. Loved the characters.
This was a great ghost story. Mason, the protagonist, returns to the town where he grew up and is curious about the old house. As a boy, Mason went to the house on Halloween night with a friend, Kevin and Kevin was just taken by the house. What happened to Kevin? What is the background of the house and it's owners? Why can't the property have a fence? And what does the house have to do with the disappearance of young boys in previous years. Mason goes to the library to do research and learns a lot. He also makes friends with the librarian and through her meets her brother James who is a law enforcement officer. He also gets to meet his aged great Uncle who also lost a son to the house many years before. James, Uncle Howard and Mason set out to explore and confront the "ghost". This book was very exciting. Loved the characters.
January 23, 2017
WHO WROTE THIS?
This cannot be a book that was professionally published. The writing is so basic and formulaic, I believe it's a story written by an ill informed pre-teen or teen, trying to write from an adult perspective, but can't because, well, teen!
The story is rushed, the characters one dimensional and unbelievable, and the ghost? A pedifile ghost, that says things like "leave me to my work!" So NOT scary, just annoying.
I've read some poorly written stories before, but The Boylan House trilogy, takes the cake!
Seriously, don't bother.
This cannot be a book that was professionally published. The writing is so basic and formulaic, I believe it's a story written by an ill informed pre-teen or teen, trying to write from an adult perspective, but can't because, well, teen!
The story is rushed, the characters one dimensional and unbelievable, and the ghost? A pedifile ghost, that says things like "leave me to my work!" So NOT scary, just annoying.
I've read some poorly written stories before, but The Boylan House trilogy, takes the cake!
Seriously, don't bother.
November 13, 2024
My first time reading Ripley.....but will most definitely NOT be the last time! I LOVED this book and the authors writing!
The Boylan House......
Yes, we all have that one haunted house in our neighborhood.....but we do NOT have this one! What lives in the Boylan House at the end of Meeting House Road is something you will never forget! Believe me....stay away from this dwelling; especially if you are a young boy! Yes, this house loves little boys and it has for almost 2 centuries!!
On the night of Halloween 12 year old Mason Philips along with some friends and his cousin dare each other to go knock on the door and say 'trick or treat'. And when Mason goes up to the door with another boy, he witnesses something SO scary and horrible it will change his life forever. There is a trap door above the porch, there are boys bodies all over the inside of this house! What is alive inside the Boylan House!?
This book had some of the most disturbing scenes of HORROR in it that I went to bed thinking about them. Yes, truly I did. The way that Ripley writes, is so realistic, quickly absorbed without all that long and drawn out character back story crap, that you get thrown into the world of this most disturbing haunted house at the end of Meeting House Road and it is quite the read! I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who LOVES a great haunted house and one that is most definitely not like any other that you have read of.
I am already half way through Ripley's book 'The Blood Contract' and OMG I am loving this one too!
Is he just going to scare me all over again.
5 SCREAMS
Remember: STay AWAY from The Boylan House; especially if is is at the end of October! This is when the Boylan house comes alive!!!
The Boylan House......
Yes, we all have that one haunted house in our neighborhood.....but we do NOT have this one! What lives in the Boylan House at the end of Meeting House Road is something you will never forget! Believe me....stay away from this dwelling; especially if you are a young boy! Yes, this house loves little boys and it has for almost 2 centuries!!
On the night of Halloween 12 year old Mason Philips along with some friends and his cousin dare each other to go knock on the door and say 'trick or treat'. And when Mason goes up to the door with another boy, he witnesses something SO scary and horrible it will change his life forever. There is a trap door above the porch, there are boys bodies all over the inside of this house! What is alive inside the Boylan House!?
This book had some of the most disturbing scenes of HORROR in it that I went to bed thinking about them. Yes, truly I did. The way that Ripley writes, is so realistic, quickly absorbed without all that long and drawn out character back story crap, that you get thrown into the world of this most disturbing haunted house at the end of Meeting House Road and it is quite the read! I would HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who LOVES a great haunted house and one that is most definitely not like any other that you have read of.
I am already half way through Ripley's book 'The Blood Contract' and OMG I am loving this one too!
Is he just going to scare me all over again.
5 SCREAMS
Remember: STay AWAY from The Boylan House; especially if is is at the end of October! This is when the Boylan house comes alive!!!
October 24, 2021
Finally finished this so called trilogy which I wouldn’t describe as such and I was most disappointed with the way this author described his evil entity as being all powerful, able to kill off the most dedicated priests, omnipresent for centuries, yet blast salt on it and yikes it flees. Remove its mantle of past victims and poof no more power? Really? This read like a YA book, certainly not a horror book for Halloween that I was looking for to spook me. For sure , it definitely pales compared to the classics. I lost no sleep from this story but I read it all and wondered why. Sheesh, complete waste of my time. Now I know to avoid this author’s books as obviously I do not appreciate his efforts. I will stick with Shirley Jackson, Mary Shelley, etc.
January 6, 2020
Now this was a good read! I have read a few Ridley books before and though I wasn’t crazy about them, this one was more to my liking. There was an excellent backstory, haunts, callings, lures- it was all there and it made me cringe every time another happening took place.
The Boylan House Trilogy isn’t one of those haunts that makes your skin go crawling away from your skin, but it does tingle. The story of a house holding a spirit that hungers for children, boys in particular, was pretty scary, seeing as I have a son. But it wasn’t just the ghost that made the book; it was our heroes. They felt real, they felt like they could easily have been people in the next county from me.
You were given just enough to think hard, but not enough to figure things out. I couldn’t do it and that made me happy.
Cheers!
The Boylan House Trilogy isn’t one of those haunts that makes your skin go crawling away from your skin, but it does tingle. The story of a house holding a spirit that hungers for children, boys in particular, was pretty scary, seeing as I have a son. But it wasn’t just the ghost that made the book; it was our heroes. They felt real, they felt like they could easily have been people in the next county from me.
You were given just enough to think hard, but not enough to figure things out. I couldn’t do it and that made me happy.
Cheers!
January 29, 2020
This short series followed an attempt to shut down the machinations of an evil presence inside a very old and abandoned house. I really liked the way it was presented and I thought the ending was well done. To me this was a sort of spiritual relative to the Berkley Street series. There isn't really any cross-over, except for one (or maybe two) characters. It had the feel of those books (which I enjoyed) as well. One thing I especially appreciate about the books I have read by Ron Ripley is the bonus chapters at the end which give a variety of background information about the conflicts you just read about. Each story comes with it's own prequel, I love it.
January 5, 2021
I read this trilogy as one book from a 4-pack of Ripley's works.
This book has horror in spades, and our monster du jour is a twist on an Irish child devourer mixed with a mind-bending terror to create something that hasn't quite been seen before.
I would have given it five stars, but some of the prose seemed almost rudimentary and didn't always flow, on top of a few glaring plot holes that left me wanting extra information.
Overall a great book for horror fans and I can't wait to see what else Ripley has in store.
This book has horror in spades, and our monster du jour is a twist on an Irish child devourer mixed with a mind-bending terror to create something that hasn't quite been seen before.
I would have given it five stars, but some of the prose seemed almost rudimentary and didn't always flow, on top of a few glaring plot holes that left me wanting extra information.
Overall a great book for horror fans and I can't wait to see what else Ripley has in store.
June 5, 2018
This was a really scary read. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. I hated for it to end so quick. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good scare. Ron keeps enthralled by his characters would make a great horror film
This was a really scary read.It keeps you on the edge of your seat. I hated for it to end so quick. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes a great horror story. This would make a great horror movie
This was a really scary read.It keeps you on the edge of your seat. I hated for it to end so quick. I would recommend this book to everyone who likes a great horror story. This would make a great horror movie
September 8, 2022
As boys keep disappearing, there is one person who knows what happened, while no one believes him. He has worked for years to forget, but the nightmares keep returning. He is determined to put a stop to it once and for all.
As Mason works with one of the local police officers and the town librarian, he finds the mystery runs much deeper - and much longer, than anyone would have cared to admit.
This was a hard read in some places, but a good book overall!
As Mason works with one of the local police officers and the town librarian, he finds the mystery runs much deeper - and much longer, than anyone would have cared to admit.
This was a hard read in some places, but a good book overall!
November 21, 2018
Reread!
I just finished last ofThe Haunting books last night, and decided to reread the Boylan House series. I'm glad I did. I think I loved it more this time around, after getting the feel of Mr. Ripley's work. I loved it the first time, but now it's on my all time favorite list. Which of his to read next? Hmmmm...
I just finished last ofThe Haunting books last night, and decided to reread the Boylan House series. I'm glad I did. I think I loved it more this time around, after getting the feel of Mr. Ripley's work. I loved it the first time, but now it's on my all time favorite list. Which of his to read next? Hmmmm...
September 12, 2021
Great Read
Another very interesting book from Ron Ripley. Loved the way the book seemed to flow, dropping little bits of information here and there to pique the interest , and further the story. Great storyline and good balance between the characters. Very enjoyable if you enjoy this genre
Another very interesting book from Ron Ripley. Loved the way the book seemed to flow, dropping little bits of information here and there to pique the interest , and further the story. Great storyline and good balance between the characters. Very enjoyable if you enjoy this genre
March 8, 2018
Great series!
No one writes quite like Ron ripley! Amazing series ! He never disappoints ! Will start another very soon .i highly recommend this series but keep the lights on! Enjoy!
No one writes quite like Ron ripley! Amazing series ! He never disappoints ! Will start another very soon .i highly recommend this series but keep the lights on! Enjoy!
September 17, 2019
My favorite part of this book was the characters. They all developed nicely, had lots of personality and I became genuinely interested in them. The overall plot left a little to be desired in my opinion but was still an enjoyable quick read. This was my first book by this author and I would be interested in checking out another.
August 21, 2020
Good quick read
Sometimes I like a good quick, yet action packed story. This one definitely didn't disappoint. The back story of the "monster" could of been a little more in depth, but was still a good read.
Sometimes I like a good quick, yet action packed story. This one definitely didn't disappoint. The back story of the "monster" could of been a little more in depth, but was still a good read.
September 27, 2020
I've been looking for some horror that wasn't Stephen King and someone recommended this author. I got this book to get a feel for his style and was not disappointed, exactly what I've been searching for. Will definitely check out his other stuff
June 5, 2021
I am really enjoying reading this author at the minute I’m currently working my way through his Haunted series. This was very creepy and a good horror although reading it in the middle of the night in the dark added to the creepy. Very good author for those that love old fashioned scary.
June 19, 2017
Great!
I love a good ghost and mystery story... Creepy but just enough murderous ghost demon and mystery Hunter to make it interesting.
I love a good ghost and mystery story... Creepy but just enough murderous ghost demon and mystery Hunter to make it interesting.
December 31, 2017
Hot young librarian falls for much older ex-marine who return to town to fight evil. Ugh.
July 9, 2018
Gripping story
My heart was rapidly beating each time a boy faced the houses chilling foe. I was trapped in the story, not able to put this down.
My heart was rapidly beating each time a boy faced the houses chilling foe. I was trapped in the story, not able to put this down.
September 26, 2018
A real page turner
I had previously read the demo to this book and was able to get the full trilogy and was able too. From the first page I couldn't stop reading the first book
I had previously read the demo to this book and was able to get the full trilogy and was able too. From the first page I couldn't stop reading the first book
September 29, 2018
Awesome read
Loved these books they are scary I would recommend them to everyone to read you will be surprised good luck
Loved these books they are scary I would recommend them to everyone to read you will be surprised good luck
January 3, 2019
Great read!
As always, another great book from Ron Ripley! Your books keep me reading at a quick pace. Can't wait to start your new series!
As always, another great book from Ron Ripley! Your books keep me reading at a quick pace. Can't wait to start your new series!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews