What do you think?
Rate this book
Inherited
Some family traits should never be passed down...
When Elise McGregor was only ten years old, she inherited the ability to see lost souls and help guide them to the afterlife. With the help of her sister, Sarah, Elise learns to accept her fate until a tragic incident as a young adult sends her into a self-imposed seclusion. Years later, Elise is finally able to put together the life she always dreamed of. No sooner does she settle in, though, before a disturbing entity appears in her own home. Will she risk everything in a confrontation that plays on her worst fears?
When Elise McGregor was only ten years old, she inherited the ability to see lost souls and help guide them to the afterlife. With the help of her sister, Sarah, Elise learns to accept her fate until a tragic incident as a young adult sends her into a self-imposed seclusion. Years later, Elise is finally able to put together the life she always dreamed of. No sooner does she settle in, though, before a disturbing entity appears in her own home. Will she risk everything in a confrontation that plays on her worst fears?
120 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 28, 2020
1 person is currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Cathleen Maza
28 books41 followersCathleen Maza, a multi-genre short fiction author, resides with her family in Oak Park, IL, a Western suburb of Chicago. Her stories have graced the pages of numerous literary magazines and anthologies, and she has been a proud member of the Society of Midland Authors since 2016. She currently publishes a wide assortment of story collections and novellas, all available on Amazon, including the popular Haunted Savannah cozy paranormal series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 5, 2020
Ghosts are her.
This is the ultimate ghost story. Imagine being able to guide ghosts to pass from a very young age. This is a fast paced story of just such a family. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to anyone who likes a little bit of a ghost in their story.
This is the ultimate ghost story. Imagine being able to guide ghosts to pass from a very young age. This is a fast paced story of just such a family. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it to anyone who likes a little bit of a ghost in their story.
July 10, 2020
A spooky family legacy that no one wants to talk about is explored in this easy to read page-turner. Does the ability to see through the veil come as a great burden, lesson or a gift?
The reader is given a glimpse of where this ability came from, then morphs into a modern story line where two sisters (Elise and Sarah) help each other through life and care for each other deeply.
Elise experiences extreme trauma when she tries to help lost souls of innocents "sprites" travel to the other side after something tragic happens.
Is this fair warning to not mess with things that somehow exist between the parallels?
I loved the chapter with the city of Savannah included. "Mother" freaked me out and reminded me of the darkness that hovers permanently over the Sorrel-Weed House which I used to walk by often when I worked downtown. I appreciate it when an author can talk about the surreal and the after-life in a way that is so believable that I am right there.
Love arrives to add another element to the story. I hoped for a little more with this aspect unfolding.... but I feel a series or another book may answer the questions I have about Elise's new relationship and how love can rebuild hope again after loss.
Enjoy a smooth blend of women's fiction, suspense and the paranormal with natural born ghost hunter/whisperers. I don't want to spoil the actual name, because I loved what they called themselves.
I have read quite a few of this author's short stories and never know where she will take me next. I am thrilled that she is expanding into long form fiction. Hoping and waiting patiently for the next one.
The reader is given a glimpse of where this ability came from, then morphs into a modern story line where two sisters (Elise and Sarah) help each other through life and care for each other deeply.
Elise experiences extreme trauma when she tries to help lost souls of innocents "sprites" travel to the other side after something tragic happens.
Is this fair warning to not mess with things that somehow exist between the parallels?
I loved the chapter with the city of Savannah included. "Mother" freaked me out and reminded me of the darkness that hovers permanently over the Sorrel-Weed House which I used to walk by often when I worked downtown. I appreciate it when an author can talk about the surreal and the after-life in a way that is so believable that I am right there.
Love arrives to add another element to the story. I hoped for a little more with this aspect unfolding.... but I feel a series or another book may answer the questions I have about Elise's new relationship and how love can rebuild hope again after loss.
Enjoy a smooth blend of women's fiction, suspense and the paranormal with natural born ghost hunter/whisperers. I don't want to spoil the actual name, because I loved what they called themselves.
I have read quite a few of this author's short stories and never know where she will take me next. I am thrilled that she is expanding into long form fiction. Hoping and waiting patiently for the next one.
November 20, 2021
Inherited is the first book I’ve read by Cathleen Maza, and it won’t be the last. Elise McGregor has inherited a familial gift that’s run in her family for centuries, a gift she’s reluctant to receive but one she can’t ignore. As a Soul Shephard, she guides restless spirits to their respective afterlives, into the light. A dangerous gift for a novice when dark souls deceive. A mistake drives Elise away from her gift at an early age, a gift she’ll revisit many years later when she discovers her new home’s haunted. She’s determined to clean the house of spirits. Can she do so without putting her husband and child in danger? “Ghost can’t kill, she’d been told by family. But can they?
Mrs. Maza weaves past and present seamlessly from backward thinking, eighteenth century Scotland, Ireland, and England to present-day Michigan, providing a glimpse into historical perceptions of her inherited gift which was often seen as witchery or insanity. Light and darkness, good and evil, runs throughout the fabric of the story. And a strong sibling bond between Elise and Sarah endures above all else as they support each other through many trials and tribulations.
This well-written page-turner is a quick read that engrossed me to the satisfying end. I highly recommend Inherited. Cathleen Maza, thank you for the chilling and heartwarming story.
Mrs. Maza weaves past and present seamlessly from backward thinking, eighteenth century Scotland, Ireland, and England to present-day Michigan, providing a glimpse into historical perceptions of her inherited gift which was often seen as witchery or insanity. Light and darkness, good and evil, runs throughout the fabric of the story. And a strong sibling bond between Elise and Sarah endures above all else as they support each other through many trials and tribulations.
This well-written page-turner is a quick read that engrossed me to the satisfying end. I highly recommend Inherited. Cathleen Maza, thank you for the chilling and heartwarming story.
February 3, 2021
For sisters Elise and Sarah, the topic of a family inheritance is not what you expect. An unexpected ability has been handed down through generations, cursing some to be seen as mad, and causing family angst for many as they try to adjust to the family phenomenon of being able to help earthbound spirits cross over.
Elise has a spirit that is breaking up her family and slowly driving her to question her gift and sanity. When she and Sarah return to her home to confront the spirit, events proceed that are totally unexpected as we learn the history of the spirit and the course of events that have fractured Elise's family.
Author Maza weaves an eerie tale, taking us through the generations of a family and the ones blessed, or cursed with the inherited ability. It's a chilling journey through time--will the 'gift' continue, or be the end of Elise? A page turner to the end, highly recommended!
Elise has a spirit that is breaking up her family and slowly driving her to question her gift and sanity. When she and Sarah return to her home to confront the spirit, events proceed that are totally unexpected as we learn the history of the spirit and the course of events that have fractured Elise's family.
Author Maza weaves an eerie tale, taking us through the generations of a family and the ones blessed, or cursed with the inherited ability. It's a chilling journey through time--will the 'gift' continue, or be the end of Elise? A page turner to the end, highly recommended!
May 3, 2021
I don't consider myself a reader of paranormal books, but every time I read one, I think maybe I'm wrong. In this beautifully-written book by Cathleen Maza, I read about generations of women in one family who inherited the same horrifying ability--to guide spirits to their true place of rest.
The book moves swifly and with page-turning tension. I very much enjoyed reading about the women ancestors who had gone before Elise and about the frightening spirits Elise encounters in the present. Her sister Sarah, though born without the inherited ability, plays a crucial role in Elise's quest to perform her tasks. And Elise's family's safety and security is on the line, so the sisters have to do everything necessary to see that the spirit invading Elise's home ends up in the right place. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a spooky paranormal tale with plenty of characters to root for.
The book moves swifly and with page-turning tension. I very much enjoyed reading about the women ancestors who had gone before Elise and about the frightening spirits Elise encounters in the present. Her sister Sarah, though born without the inherited ability, plays a crucial role in Elise's quest to perform her tasks. And Elise's family's safety and security is on the line, so the sisters have to do everything necessary to see that the spirit invading Elise's home ends up in the right place. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a spooky paranormal tale with plenty of characters to root for.
May 9, 2023
Having read all three books in Cathleen Maza’s Haunted Savannah series, I’m a fan of her storytelling and the myriad imaginative ways she brings her stories to readers.
In this book, Maza tells the story of a family “gift” that has been passed down through the generations: a capacity to guide lost souls to the afterlife. Unlike fine jewelry or other heirlooms, this “gift” inhabits the recipient and cannot be “re-gifted” to others, if not wanted. I was especially interested in this because I do know people who were born with certain gifts, and when I read stories like this, I recognize that there’s often a fine line between fact and fiction. If one believes …
I love the way the author introduces her readers to the family at different times, going back as far at 1790. This intriguing story reaches an exciting climax, and all is not revealed until the very end. Like her character, Elise, Ms. Maza also has a gift: that of telling wonderful stories.
In this book, Maza tells the story of a family “gift” that has been passed down through the generations: a capacity to guide lost souls to the afterlife. Unlike fine jewelry or other heirlooms, this “gift” inhabits the recipient and cannot be “re-gifted” to others, if not wanted. I was especially interested in this because I do know people who were born with certain gifts, and when I read stories like this, I recognize that there’s often a fine line between fact and fiction. If one believes …
I love the way the author introduces her readers to the family at different times, going back as far at 1790. This intriguing story reaches an exciting climax, and all is not revealed until the very end. Like her character, Elise, Ms. Maza also has a gift: that of telling wonderful stories.
November 1, 2025
Another frightening story
This was the right book to start reading last night, on Halloween, and to finish up today. The spirit world can be dangerous, at best, for those who can't understand them or what they are in need of. The readers gets to figure this out on their own.
This was the right book to start reading last night, on Halloween, and to finish up today. The spirit world can be dangerous, at best, for those who can't understand them or what they are in need of. The readers gets to figure this out on their own.
April 21, 2022
I read both books in the Soul Shepherds series back to back and very much enjoyed them. The concept of a Soul Shepherd and its responsibilities passing down through the distaff line of families provides so many intriguing possibilities for historical scenarios as well as some definitive contemporary conflicts, as modern day Elise and her sister, Sarah, discover. I will certainly continue reading future books about these characters and would also love to read more about the experiences of the past Soul Shepherds in their line.
October 22, 2022
I really enjoyed the concept of this eerie little novella. The idea of the 'Soul Shepherds' was really intriguing! There were some lovely set moments, and I came to like the split between the 'historical' narrative and the 'present' one, which alternated by chapter. I couldn't quite warm to the main character and some of the dialogue felt a little stilted and almost archaic to me in the present narrative, but overall it was a good, creepy quick read for this spoopy month!
June 11, 2024
Inherited by Cathleen Maza is a captivating paranormal thriller centered on Elise McGregor, who, at ten years old, inherited the ability to see and guide lost souls to the afterlife. Supported by her sister, Sarah, Elise embraces her unique gift until a tragic event in her youth drives her into isolation. Years later, as Elise begins to rebuild her life, a menacing entity disrupts her newfound peace, forcing her to confront her deepest fears. This 120-page Kindle edition, published on June 28, 2020, offers a gripping tale of family legacy, supernatural encounters, and the struggle to reclaim one's destiny, earning high praise from readers for its intriguing plot and emotional depth.
January 18, 2023
I loved this book, it was engaging from the start and fast paced too.
The writing is descriptive and offers various timelines as you follow a bloodline throughout many years.
The MC inherited a gift and the story of the present and the past run parallel.
I enjoyed the relationship between the MC and her sister.
The story keeps you guessing and has many plot twists too.
I would recommend this book and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
The writing is descriptive and offers various timelines as you follow a bloodline throughout many years.
The MC inherited a gift and the story of the present and the past run parallel.
I enjoyed the relationship between the MC and her sister.
The story keeps you guessing and has many plot twists too.
I would recommend this book and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews