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The Restoration
Inspired by the author’s overnight stay in a historical haunted house, The Restoration is a thrilling tale of intrigue, murder, and family secrets that refuse to stay buried.
It was the perfect opportunity…or so she thought. When Terri Foxworth is hired to spend a year restoring a crumbling manor house, she believes she’s hit the jackpot. She moves in with her young daughter and high hopes for the project’s success. As the restoration begins to go terribly wrong, she realizes dark forces won’t let her leave the house until its horrible secrets are revealed.
This job could very well be the death of her.
It was the perfect opportunity…or so she thought. When Terri Foxworth is hired to spend a year restoring a crumbling manor house, she believes she’s hit the jackpot. She moves in with her young daughter and high hopes for the project’s success. As the restoration begins to go terribly wrong, she realizes dark forces won’t let her leave the house until its horrible secrets are revealed.
This job could very well be the death of her.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2021
12 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
About the author
J.H. Moncrieff
33 books260 followersJ.H. Moncrieff's City of Ghosts won the 2018 Kindle Book Review Award for best Horror/Suspense.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
Reviewers have described her work as early Gillian Flynn with a little Ray Bradbury and Stephen King thrown in for good measure.
She won Harlequin's search for “the next Gillian Flynn” in 2016. Her first published novella, The Bear Who Wouldn’t Leave, was featured in Samhain’s Childhood Fears collection and stayed on its horror bestsellers list for over a year.
When not writing, she loves exploring the world's most haunted places, advocating for animal rights, and summoning her inner ninja in muay thai class.
To get free ebooks and a new spooky story every week, go to http://bit.ly/MoncrieffLibrary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
May 15, 2022
THE RESTORATION, by J.H. Moncrieff, is the author's latest book coming to Flame Tree Press. I confess, haunted house/ghost stories have long been a favorite of mine, and this book hit all the right chords for me. At under 300 pages, the action moves forward quickly. Terri takes her daughter for the summer on a restoration project--not only for the money the job represents, but also to form a bond with her ten-year-old daughter who seems to becoming more distant to her, emotionally.
Right from the start, the unease slams into you as you meet Henrietta--the elderly owner of the dilapidated mansion. She comes across as untrustworthy, to say the least. The revelation that several contractors before Terri had been there--and abandoned--it, was something not disclosed before she was on site. You get the idea that there is a lot more that the woman is holding back--especially with her haughty denials and obvious lies.
"It must have been the wind." (Henrietta)
Right. Wind in a closed-up room . . ." (Terri)
The ghostly manifestations start shortly after. Between her daughter being reluctant to leave, and Terri desperately needing the job, there is a LOT that she comes to adjust to. There were theories and twists in this novel that I never anticipated, and even the ones I did were executed so well.
As for the ending--which you have to read for yourself--left me speechless at 3:00am!
Recommended!
*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are uniquely my own.**
**Re-read 5/15/22**
Right from the start, the unease slams into you as you meet Henrietta--the elderly owner of the dilapidated mansion. She comes across as untrustworthy, to say the least. The revelation that several contractors before Terri had been there--and abandoned--it, was something not disclosed before she was on site. You get the idea that there is a lot more that the woman is holding back--especially with her haughty denials and obvious lies.
"It must have been the wind." (Henrietta)
Right. Wind in a closed-up room . . ." (Terri)
The ghostly manifestations start shortly after. Between her daughter being reluctant to leave, and Terri desperately needing the job, there is a LOT that she comes to adjust to. There were theories and twists in this novel that I never anticipated, and even the ones I did were executed so well.
As for the ending--which you have to read for yourself--left me speechless at 3:00am!
Recommended!
*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are uniquely my own.**
**Re-read 5/15/22**
January 28, 2022
Restoration is a creepy haunted house story that gives away some of its secrets just a tad too soon, imo. The mom made some questionable choices in sticking around with her young daughter but really who am I to judge? I’d probably do the same because evil little ghosts with sharp teeth? A crumbling old house filled with secrets dark and dastardly?! Come ON! Tell me you wouldn’t have to poke around at your own peril as well.. I might write a real review or I might not but if you like ghost stories this is a good one.
May 13, 2022
Being a bit pressed for time at the moment, I will keep this review brief.
This book was a ton of haunted house fun wrapped up in an historical mystery. For the last hour and a half or so, my eyes were completely glued to the pages and I didn't realize it was nearly 2:00 am!
Every time I think the "haunted house" trope is overused and not much fun anymore, a book comes along to change my mind. This is one of them!
Highly recommended!
This book was a ton of haunted house fun wrapped up in an historical mystery. For the last hour and a half or so, my eyes were completely glued to the pages and I didn't realize it was nearly 2:00 am!
Every time I think the "haunted house" trope is overused and not much fun anymore, a book comes along to change my mind. This is one of them!
Highly recommended!
November 14, 2021
Terri is divorced and sees her latest renovation project as a way to re-bond with her 10-year old daughter. They move into the old, crumbling 3-story brick manor house and immediately things start to go south. There's a reason why all of the prior contractors hired for this project left. The manor house is haunted!
This is the first book by J.H. Moncrieff that I've read. I will definitely be reading more! OMG -- this story is so atmospheric and creepy! And, it doesn't build slowly. Moncrieff whips out the horror immediately and keeps it at creep factor 10 all the way through the 200 pages. Some very creepy horror action....twists.....and lots of suspense! Great story! I love a good haunted house tale!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
This is the first book by J.H. Moncrieff that I've read. I will definitely be reading more! OMG -- this story is so atmospheric and creepy! And, it doesn't build slowly. Moncrieff whips out the horror immediately and keeps it at creep factor 10 all the way through the 200 pages. Some very creepy horror action....twists.....and lots of suspense! Great story! I love a good haunted house tale!
**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Flame Tree Press. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
February 15, 2022
If you're looking for a chilling ghost story wrapped within a dark mystery, you've found it. The Restoration is a haunted house tale where the stakes are higher than bleeding walls or angry disembodied voices. Inspired by an actual haunted, historical house, this one kept me reading long past my bedtime. Another excellent read from one of the best writers in the horror genre.
June 9, 2023
2 stars
A formulaic horror-lite with head-scratching characters, I can't recall how I ended up with a copy of The Restoration on my Kindle, but decided to give it a go as I was in the mood for a haunted house story. Unfortunately this one turned out to to be very similar to the work of Darcy Coates: too silly and tame for my preference.
The depiction of the supernatural was an immediate red flag: matter-of-fact and unadorned. The spirits, just regular people but in 1900s wardrobe, were also absurdly 'chatty', constantly bantering and carrying on lengthy conversation with the human characters. To make the experience even more off-kilter, the dialog was inconsistently written, sometimes with antiquated turn of phrase, but most of the time just in plain modern English. The absence of foreboding atmosphere and the unintimidating humanoid ghosts gave The Restoration a young readership feel, which was extremely jarring when suddenly we had a scene of a spirit fondling a female character's breasts...
The human character was another underdeveloped aspect of The Restoration, feeling half-baked and lacking cohesive characterization. The protagonist Terri was unintelligible, making illogical decisions and constantly bickering childishly with everyone, even her own 10-years-old daughter (by giving her the silent treatment...). The novel also had a tendency to insert critical character trait on a whim, and never followed up again. The daughter was mentioned to be 'on the spectrum' once, but all the author did was writing her like a grown adult. Another female character was descried in passing as "not wanting a man and wishing her mother understood who she really was", but never clarify further if this was regarding her sexuality or how was it relevant to her character arc at large.
Apparently The Restoration was conceived after the author's overnight stay in a historical haunted house, unfortunately I didn't find this firsthand encounter coming through, as the novel was filled with tired horror tropes, shallow mystery, and incomprehensible characters—probably not the right pick for experienced horror readers.
A formulaic horror-lite with head-scratching characters, I can't recall how I ended up with a copy of The Restoration on my Kindle, but decided to give it a go as I was in the mood for a haunted house story. Unfortunately this one turned out to to be very similar to the work of Darcy Coates: too silly and tame for my preference.
The depiction of the supernatural was an immediate red flag: matter-of-fact and unadorned. The spirits, just regular people but in 1900s wardrobe, were also absurdly 'chatty', constantly bantering and carrying on lengthy conversation with the human characters. To make the experience even more off-kilter, the dialog was inconsistently written, sometimes with antiquated turn of phrase, but most of the time just in plain modern English. The absence of foreboding atmosphere and the unintimidating humanoid ghosts gave The Restoration a young readership feel, which was extremely jarring when suddenly we had a scene of a spirit fondling a female character's breasts...
The human character was another underdeveloped aspect of The Restoration, feeling half-baked and lacking cohesive characterization. The protagonist Terri was unintelligible, making illogical decisions and constantly bickering childishly with everyone, even her own 10-years-old daughter (by giving her the silent treatment...). The novel also had a tendency to insert critical character trait on a whim, and never followed up again. The daughter was mentioned to be 'on the spectrum' once, but all the author did was writing her like a grown adult. Another female character was descried in passing as "not wanting a man and wishing her mother understood who she really was", but never clarify further if this was regarding her sexuality or how was it relevant to her character arc at large.
Apparently The Restoration was conceived after the author's overnight stay in a historical haunted house, unfortunately I didn't find this firsthand encounter coming through, as the novel was filled with tired horror tropes, shallow mystery, and incomprehensible characters—probably not the right pick for experienced horror readers.
October 14, 2021
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
4.5/5
Any new release from J.H. Moncrieff is a cause for celebration and when it’s another dark piece through Flame Tree Press, it’s even more cause for cheering, clapping and happy dancing.
Since discovering Moncrieff’s work a number of years back now, it’s always apparent at the mastery at work when reading her writing. She can craft a dark story while creating fantastic, deep relationship dynamics, even in the most inhospitable of locations (think Return to Dyatlov pass).
But here, we get something “new.” And I put new in quotations because if you’ve read any of her Ghost Writers Series you’ll know she travelled to the most haunted Island in the world to research one of her books. No, I put it in quotations, because this is Moncrieff’s first (at least in my opinion) really dark haunted house story – and the kicker – it’s based around the events that happened when she and other writers spent the night in a haunted house.
What I liked: The story follows a mother and daughter as they move into an old house. The mother, Terri, has been hired to restore the house. She has a fantastic reputation for doing just that. But what they don’t know is that Niles, a boy who once lived there, has returned and he’s not too happy Terri and her daughter Dakota are there.
The story drips with dread and creepiness and it was fascinating to watch the struggle between what Terri wanted to believe and what she understood was happening. We get a number of great twists and turns as well as some fantastic backstory. I really enjoyed it when we were introduced to other people who’d been in the house at one point and how things had gone for them.
Moncrieff does such a great job of using the house itself as a character too, ensuring that nothing feels safe and you never know what will be awaiting the reader in the next room.
The highlight for me here was the mother-daughter relationship. They really were a team and it was great seeing how they had each other’s backs, even as things progressed.
What I didn’t like: Minor thing, but I found we went from 0-60 really quickly at the opening of the book. I think I would’ve loved a bit more time to see Niles be a bit of a trickster before revealing himself, but once he does there’s no going back.
Why you should buy this: Moncrieff has delivered a really great, dark piece, about a mother who wants to provide for her daughter and a daughter who loves her mom more than anything. And we get to see them put to the test when Niles arrives and decides that he’s not so happy they’ve moved in.
Another excellent release from Moncrieff who just keeps getting better and better.
4.5/5
Any new release from J.H. Moncrieff is a cause for celebration and when it’s another dark piece through Flame Tree Press, it’s even more cause for cheering, clapping and happy dancing.
Since discovering Moncrieff’s work a number of years back now, it’s always apparent at the mastery at work when reading her writing. She can craft a dark story while creating fantastic, deep relationship dynamics, even in the most inhospitable of locations (think Return to Dyatlov pass).
But here, we get something “new.” And I put new in quotations because if you’ve read any of her Ghost Writers Series you’ll know she travelled to the most haunted Island in the world to research one of her books. No, I put it in quotations, because this is Moncrieff’s first (at least in my opinion) really dark haunted house story – and the kicker – it’s based around the events that happened when she and other writers spent the night in a haunted house.
What I liked: The story follows a mother and daughter as they move into an old house. The mother, Terri, has been hired to restore the house. She has a fantastic reputation for doing just that. But what they don’t know is that Niles, a boy who once lived there, has returned and he’s not too happy Terri and her daughter Dakota are there.
The story drips with dread and creepiness and it was fascinating to watch the struggle between what Terri wanted to believe and what she understood was happening. We get a number of great twists and turns as well as some fantastic backstory. I really enjoyed it when we were introduced to other people who’d been in the house at one point and how things had gone for them.
Moncrieff does such a great job of using the house itself as a character too, ensuring that nothing feels safe and you never know what will be awaiting the reader in the next room.
The highlight for me here was the mother-daughter relationship. They really were a team and it was great seeing how they had each other’s backs, even as things progressed.
What I didn’t like: Minor thing, but I found we went from 0-60 really quickly at the opening of the book. I think I would’ve loved a bit more time to see Niles be a bit of a trickster before revealing himself, but once he does there’s no going back.
Why you should buy this: Moncrieff has delivered a really great, dark piece, about a mother who wants to provide for her daughter and a daughter who loves her mom more than anything. And we get to see them put to the test when Niles arrives and decides that he’s not so happy they’ve moved in.
Another excellent release from Moncrieff who just keeps getting better and better.
July 29, 2021
Just turned in my review for the October SCREAM mag issue. This book is perfect for cozy-horror fans. Think Darcy Coates meets Murder She Wrote with Angela Lansbury
September 22, 2021
Terri and her 10 year old daughter Dallas move into a dilapidated old manor house. This is summer vacation for Dallas and meant to be "their summer" since she does not live with her mother full time. It's a working summer for Terri who is there to restore the house. Immediately upon moving in she finds out not only that she wasn't the owner's first choice for the job, but that there have been many others before her that either quit or were fired due to their "imaginations" and that there is one former employee in particular she is to watch out for, Gertrude, who is obsessed with the house.
Cue the strange noises and the daughter who knows more than is possible to know about the house's long dead former occupants and you have the set up for a typical haunted house story that also is a bit of a whodunit.
I found the murder mystery aspect a bit too easy to solve, and the relationship between Terri and her daughter seemed odd. Dallas seemed to go back and forth between being too mature for her age and then too immature for her age. Terri made some weird choices that you would not expect a normal mother to make. That and the fact that I could not really connect with any of the characters made this just an ok read for me.
I read an e-copy from Netgalley with no obligation to write a review.
Cue the strange noises and the daughter who knows more than is possible to know about the house's long dead former occupants and you have the set up for a typical haunted house story that also is a bit of a whodunit.
I found the murder mystery aspect a bit too easy to solve, and the relationship between Terri and her daughter seemed odd. Dallas seemed to go back and forth between being too mature for her age and then too immature for her age. Terri made some weird choices that you would not expect a normal mother to make. That and the fact that I could not really connect with any of the characters made this just an ok read for me.
I read an e-copy from Netgalley with no obligation to write a review.
September 17, 2021
Restoration was a new twist on the haunted house horror trope. As a single mom to an 11 year old daughter, the characters of Terri and Dallas really resonated with me. I found myself going back and forth with the decisions Terri made. Why keep exposing your daughter to an unsafe situation? And then the father showed up and I was 100% on Terri’s side, cheering her on.
The story was tight and had lots of twists. The antagonists of ghost teen Niles and his elderly sister Henrietta were monstrous and nightmare inducing. I didn’t have all the plot figured out by the end which I loved. It led me down a path, only to pull the rug out.
I love haunted house stories and this one was original and had lots of suspense and terror!
Thanks to NetGalley and FlameTreePress for an ARC!
The story was tight and had lots of twists. The antagonists of ghost teen Niles and his elderly sister Henrietta were monstrous and nightmare inducing. I didn’t have all the plot figured out by the end which I loved. It led me down a path, only to pull the rug out.
I love haunted house stories and this one was original and had lots of suspense and terror!
Thanks to NetGalley and FlameTreePress for an ARC!
October 27, 2021
Continuing with my spooky reads for October, this was another winner. Everyone loves a haunted house story and this was no exception. Terri Foxworth comes to Glenvale House as a renovator; she's been hired by the elderly Henrietta Vandermere to spend a year onsite restoring the delapidated house and bringing it back to its former glory. Her ten year old daughter, Dallas, joins her but starts to get bored and lonely as her mother becomes absorbed with the painstaking restoration work.
The loneliness doesn't last for long as Dallas soon realies that they aren't alone in the house. There's a young boy hanging around. It takes a while for Terri to believe her daughter but when she finally does all hell breaks loose…
I really enjoyed the style of this book, it felt a little different from other ghost/haunted house stories as the ghosts were so real. And at first, I must admit, I was sceptical as to whether or not it would be my thing. But I quickly became invested in the story and raced through it. Well written with some very chilling and fascinating characters and a wonderfully atmospheric setting. The characters made it for me - everyone of them played a relevant part and a few of them were just so creepy they enhanced the story enormously. And finally, a brilliantly clever ending wrapped this story up perfectly! With Halloween just round the corner this was a dream (or should I say nightmare?) read!
The loneliness doesn't last for long as Dallas soon realies that they aren't alone in the house. There's a young boy hanging around. It takes a while for Terri to believe her daughter but when she finally does all hell breaks loose…
I really enjoyed the style of this book, it felt a little different from other ghost/haunted house stories as the ghosts were so real. And at first, I must admit, I was sceptical as to whether or not it would be my thing. But I quickly became invested in the story and raced through it. Well written with some very chilling and fascinating characters and a wonderfully atmospheric setting. The characters made it for me - everyone of them played a relevant part and a few of them were just so creepy they enhanced the story enormously. And finally, a brilliantly clever ending wrapped this story up perfectly! With Halloween just round the corner this was a dream (or should I say nightmare?) read!
February 13, 2025
Terri and her ten year old daughter, Dallas is moving yet again, because Terri renovates houses while living in them. This time she is renovating Glenvale. The owner Henrietta has hired her to fix the house she grew up with her parents and her siblings. The family was wealthy and well known in the community.
But it doesn't take long before they discover strange things happening and Dallas keeps mentioning someone named Niles, which was Henrietta's brother. Terri brush it off at first but Dallas keep bringing him up in conversations. Other things happen that is hard to explain and it makes Terri question if it is safe to live there and do her job or not.
Moncrieff was inspired to write this story when she stayed at a haunted house with some other authors and slept inna room where someone has died. Which is cool and how I picture horror authors work. But The Restoration ended up to be a typical horror. Some of the supernatural elements that happened is something I've read many times before. And the relationship between Terri and Dallas got annoying because the mother and the daughter constantly mentioned that Dallas acted older than her real age. It was brought up many times and their conversations wasn't realistic at all. She wasn't realistic to be ten years old or older. It felt like she was trying to be someone she wasn't.
And the ending was very typical too and forgettable. It was hard to care about the characters or the plot. I liked Those Who Came Before by Moncrieff better.
But it doesn't take long before they discover strange things happening and Dallas keeps mentioning someone named Niles, which was Henrietta's brother. Terri brush it off at first but Dallas keep bringing him up in conversations. Other things happen that is hard to explain and it makes Terri question if it is safe to live there and do her job or not.
Moncrieff was inspired to write this story when she stayed at a haunted house with some other authors and slept inna room where someone has died. Which is cool and how I picture horror authors work. But The Restoration ended up to be a typical horror. Some of the supernatural elements that happened is something I've read many times before. And the relationship between Terri and Dallas got annoying because the mother and the daughter constantly mentioned that Dallas acted older than her real age. It was brought up many times and their conversations wasn't realistic at all. She wasn't realistic to be ten years old or older. It felt like she was trying to be someone she wasn't.
And the ending was very typical too and forgettable. It was hard to care about the characters or the plot. I liked Those Who Came Before by Moncrieff better.
May 22, 2022
"The Restoration" is a haunted house book that didn't quite do much for me. I really didn't find it spooky, or nerve-wracking, or filled with any sense of dread or fantasy. The thoughts and actions of the characters, in particular the restorer Terri Foxworth, weren't credible to me, and as a result I lost both patience and interest early on. I found myself skimming large swaths at the end, unfortunately.
November 3, 2021
It is no secret that I love haunted house stories and when I learned that this one had been inspired by the author's own experiences of staying in a much-haunted building, it appealed even more strongly.
Terri's messy divorce from her husband left her unable to financially provide for her daughter to the extent that the child - Dallas - is largely in the custody of her father and his new wife. But this is summer, Terri's chance to have her daughter to herself for the entire school holidays.
Their summer will be spent staying in an old house that Terri has been contracted to restore. The house, owned by the sole remaining member of the wealthy Vandemere family, has a curious past. A 16-year-old boy - Niles - died there in questionable circumstances. some eighty years earlier. His sole surviving sister - Henrietta - is now the 100-year-old owner who doesn't live there but seems to have an uncanny way of knowing everything that goes on within its walls.
Terri and Dallas have, at best, a strained relationship and Terri desperately wants this summer to make things right. Sadly things do not go according to plan. Someone, within the house, has other ideas. Someone who isn't alive anymore.
The plot is laid, the tension ratchets up at just the right pace. The characters all play vital roles, and the unravelling of the house's secrets makes The Restoration the perfect ghostly read. Another first class creepy, haunted novel from J.H. Moncrieff. I'm already making space on my shelf for the next
Terri's messy divorce from her husband left her unable to financially provide for her daughter to the extent that the child - Dallas - is largely in the custody of her father and his new wife. But this is summer, Terri's chance to have her daughter to herself for the entire school holidays.
Their summer will be spent staying in an old house that Terri has been contracted to restore. The house, owned by the sole remaining member of the wealthy Vandemere family, has a curious past. A 16-year-old boy - Niles - died there in questionable circumstances. some eighty years earlier. His sole surviving sister - Henrietta - is now the 100-year-old owner who doesn't live there but seems to have an uncanny way of knowing everything that goes on within its walls.
Terri and Dallas have, at best, a strained relationship and Terri desperately wants this summer to make things right. Sadly things do not go according to plan. Someone, within the house, has other ideas. Someone who isn't alive anymore.
The plot is laid, the tension ratchets up at just the right pace. The characters all play vital roles, and the unravelling of the house's secrets makes The Restoration the perfect ghostly read. Another first class creepy, haunted novel from J.H. Moncrieff. I'm already making space on my shelf for the next
August 13, 2021
Well, I love a ghost story, and I also love rennovation of old properties, so, of course, I was perfect for this book.
It is the story of a mother and her daughter who move into an old home in order to renovate it for the owners. Of course, they aren't aware of the "complicated history" of the family who lived there.
Moncrieff does an excellent job of giving us glimpses of the past while weaving them into present events. The reader and the characters are never sure who to trust, and there are danges from both the living and the dead. I really love the layers of this story and how it unfolds to reveal motivations you may not have guessed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good ghost story.
It is the story of a mother and her daughter who move into an old home in order to renovate it for the owners. Of course, they aren't aware of the "complicated history" of the family who lived there.
Moncrieff does an excellent job of giving us glimpses of the past while weaving them into present events. The reader and the characters are never sure who to trust, and there are danges from both the living and the dead. I really love the layers of this story and how it unfolds to reveal motivations you may not have guessed.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good ghost story.
August 1, 2021
The Restoration is not your average run of the mill ghost story! Definitely one for adults only , with some refreshing new twists on ghost behaviour!
But it's not just a ghost story, it's also a murder mystery, with family relationships playing a huge part in the storyline.
This is an exciting combination of ghost story, murder mystery and psychological horror. Rapidly gaining pace from the first chapter it is compelling reading from start to finish. The ending may well surprise you!
So, if you like spooky and supernatural tales The Restoration is a must to add to your 'want to read' list. J.H has come up with the good stuff yet again. Wow!
But it's not just a ghost story, it's also a murder mystery, with family relationships playing a huge part in the storyline.
This is an exciting combination of ghost story, murder mystery and psychological horror. Rapidly gaining pace from the first chapter it is compelling reading from start to finish. The ending may well surprise you!
So, if you like spooky and supernatural tales The Restoration is a must to add to your 'want to read' list. J.H has come up with the good stuff yet again. Wow!
April 24, 2022
3.5. Quick easy read with some good scary twists
October 16, 2021
For someone who is not a huge fan of horror, I have yet to be disappointed in this author's work.
This was a scary good book. I could not read it at night but looked forward to continuing it during the day. Much like the mother and daughter in this book, the daytime is only a reprieve from the torment that comes in the night. Part of me feels that a major unspoken theme of this story is the folly of pride. The characters, the monsters, of this story only exist because other people let their pride keep them from seeing things for what they were and for not taking proper action at the right time. This is scary because anyone can fall victim to their own pride. In this case, pride allows monsters to grow and thrive.
There isn't a lot of gore and overly descriptive scenes of brutality, but the gore and violence is felt in the atmosphere the author has created. While some scenes are played out in detail, subtlety is the most frightening aspect of this story. It's the difference between knowing something horrible has happened and seeing it happen, or perhaps imagining how it happened. Everything seems simple on the surface but then you realize the characters in this story are trapped in their circumstances with few to no ways of escape.
The ending is what really lingers with me well after putting the book down. I hope there will be more. I can't imagine being left with that kind of suffering, though it was an ideal end to a pretty messed up story (which is a compliment).
Disclaimer: I read a free digital ARC of this book which has in no way affected my review.
Highly recommended to fans of horror and ghost stories.
This was a scary good book. I could not read it at night but looked forward to continuing it during the day. Much like the mother and daughter in this book, the daytime is only a reprieve from the torment that comes in the night. Part of me feels that a major unspoken theme of this story is the folly of pride. The characters, the monsters, of this story only exist because other people let their pride keep them from seeing things for what they were and for not taking proper action at the right time. This is scary because anyone can fall victim to their own pride. In this case, pride allows monsters to grow and thrive.
There isn't a lot of gore and overly descriptive scenes of brutality, but the gore and violence is felt in the atmosphere the author has created. While some scenes are played out in detail, subtlety is the most frightening aspect of this story. It's the difference between knowing something horrible has happened and seeing it happen, or perhaps imagining how it happened. Everything seems simple on the surface but then you realize the characters in this story are trapped in their circumstances with few to no ways of escape.
The ending is what really lingers with me well after putting the book down. I hope there will be more. I can't imagine being left with that kind of suffering, though it was an ideal end to a pretty messed up story (which is a compliment).
Disclaimer: I read a free digital ARC of this book which has in no way affected my review.
Highly recommended to fans of horror and ghost stories.
December 29, 2021
So you've taken on the job of restoring (and moving into) this dilapidated old house with lots of spooky rooms, bringing your ten-year-old daughter, and then the kid tells you that she saw a possibly disturbed person roaming the corridors. Do you:
a) call the police
b) hightail it out of there
c) both, or
d) give it some thought, then shrug it off, because, well, who knows *what* that kid saw, right?
This is one of those books where d) is not only considered un-crazy but actually the logical choice: "If (mom Terri) saw him herself, she'd ask him to leave. No sense calling the police on a kid, especially a kid with a mental illness. Hopefully he'd get bored and leave on his own."
Um. Maybe it's just me, but I think I'd have a slight problem with a mentally unstable teen hiding in the same house where I live with my child.
Then again, it's not like calling the police would change anything, because that boy Terri's daughter Dallas (yes, Dallas) saw is actually a ghost, who proceeds to wreak a little spooky havoc (not that spooky, mainly annoying) before telling the girls that he's mad because he was murdered, in this very house, by a member of his own family, and they're supposed to get him justice. Or something. Things took a bit too long for me and it all felt a little Idiot Plot, so I started skimming; also, I couldn't stand dumb daughter Dallas who is 10 going on 15 when she's not behaving like a toddler. I don't know if the author has ever spent much time around kids, but this girl did not seem plausible to me. I mean, how many 10-year-olds do you know that pat their mom's arm and say: "It'll still be our summer, Mom. Don't worry."
Also, Terri. Terri likes to think, and to over-think, but she's not all that great at problem-solving, ironically enough. Terri is one of those whiney hand-wringers who find lots of Reasons but not much backbone, yet who like to think of themselves as mama bears nevertheless. A Terri is not my favorite character as a rule. I found it exhausting spending 250 pages (that felt like 400) stuffed into the head of a Terri.
Then, the Mystery of the Ghost Boy. Could have been interesting, if he hadn't been up against a Terri; a Terri flies into an impotent rage or goes into hand-wringing mode before toodling off to ask Someone Who Might Know, but there's never any real tension or excitement. Things get a bit icky, and there are a few red herrings thrown about, and this one lady turns out to be improbably, freakishly old, because apparently the author did some quick mental calculating halfway into the manuscript and went "oh f*ck", and at the end it gets full blown dramatic, but all in all it was just... meh. If you do haunted house, you need atmosphere and sense of place, both of which I didn't feel here.
Sadly, not for me.
a) call the police
b) hightail it out of there
c) both, or
d) give it some thought, then shrug it off, because, well, who knows *what* that kid saw, right?
This is one of those books where d) is not only considered un-crazy but actually the logical choice: "If (mom Terri) saw him herself, she'd ask him to leave. No sense calling the police on a kid, especially a kid with a mental illness. Hopefully he'd get bored and leave on his own."
Um. Maybe it's just me, but I think I'd have a slight problem with a mentally unstable teen hiding in the same house where I live with my child.
Then again, it's not like calling the police would change anything, because that boy Terri's daughter Dallas (yes, Dallas) saw is actually a ghost, who proceeds to wreak a little spooky havoc (not that spooky, mainly annoying) before telling the girls that he's mad because he was murdered, in this very house, by a member of his own family, and they're supposed to get him justice. Or something. Things took a bit too long for me and it all felt a little Idiot Plot, so I started skimming; also, I couldn't stand dumb daughter Dallas who is 10 going on 15 when she's not behaving like a toddler. I don't know if the author has ever spent much time around kids, but this girl did not seem plausible to me. I mean, how many 10-year-olds do you know that pat their mom's arm and say: "It'll still be our summer, Mom. Don't worry."
Also, Terri. Terri likes to think, and to over-think, but she's not all that great at problem-solving, ironically enough. Terri is one of those whiney hand-wringers who find lots of Reasons but not much backbone, yet who like to think of themselves as mama bears nevertheless. A Terri is not my favorite character as a rule. I found it exhausting spending 250 pages (that felt like 400) stuffed into the head of a Terri.
Then, the Mystery of the Ghost Boy. Could have been interesting, if he hadn't been up against a Terri; a Terri flies into an impotent rage or goes into hand-wringing mode before toodling off to ask Someone Who Might Know, but there's never any real tension or excitement. Things get a bit icky, and there are a few red herrings thrown about, and this one lady turns out to be improbably, freakishly old, because apparently the author did some quick mental calculating halfway into the manuscript and went "oh f*ck", and at the end it gets full blown dramatic, but all in all it was just... meh. If you do haunted house, you need atmosphere and sense of place, both of which I didn't feel here.
Sadly, not for me.
September 11, 2021
Having read several of J. H. Moncrieff's books commencing with the classically titled, The Bear Who Wouldn't Leave, I was expecting an enjoyable ride through her upcoming novel, The Restoration, and I was not disappointed.
The Restoration reads like a modern gothic novel with ghosts, unexpected happenings and an interesting mother-daughter relationship. I enjoyed the way scenes, and especially the house's interior and exterior were described. There was always that sense of forboding present within the story which kept me wanting to read more even though it was past my bedtime and I had to go to work the next day. The signs of a very good book.
4 stars out of 5. Recommended reading.
I would also like to thank the author and publisher for forwarding me an ARC of the novel.
The Restoration reads like a modern gothic novel with ghosts, unexpected happenings and an interesting mother-daughter relationship. I enjoyed the way scenes, and especially the house's interior and exterior were described. There was always that sense of forboding present within the story which kept me wanting to read more even though it was past my bedtime and I had to go to work the next day. The signs of a very good book.
4 stars out of 5. Recommended reading.
I would also like to thank the author and publisher for forwarding me an ARC of the novel.
October 26, 2021
Terri is a restorer hired to restore the old Glenvale House and brings her 10 year old daughter along for the ride.
It's not long before a ghost from the past visits them during their stay and his presence isn't always friendly.
I did enjoy this, but I felt like I figured it all out and I wasn't really a fan of Terri.
I also felt like more description of the house would have made me be able to picture the environment and create the spooky atmospheric vibe that goes really will with a ghostly story.
It's not the scariest but it is a quick easy read to get your ghostly fix.
It's not long before a ghost from the past visits them during their stay and his presence isn't always friendly.
I did enjoy this, but I felt like I figured it all out and I wasn't really a fan of Terri.
I also felt like more description of the house would have made me be able to picture the environment and create the spooky atmospheric vibe that goes really will with a ghostly story.
It's not the scariest but it is a quick easy read to get your ghostly fix.
October 26, 2021
Oh this book! I don’t know where to start, this is amazing and it needs to be in your hand ready for a halloween read.
All of the characters are fantastic, through both timelines you really get to know what has happened to them and caused their actions. Even the house was a great character and gave such a creepy and atmospheric setting.
There are some dark parts, Nile’s and Gertrude and Nile’s in the crawl space, and the ending!
I would love there to be a follow up, but in the meantime I will be adding the authors other work to my to buy list.
All of the characters are fantastic, through both timelines you really get to know what has happened to them and caused their actions. Even the house was a great character and gave such a creepy and atmospheric setting.
There are some dark parts, Nile’s and Gertrude and Nile’s in the crawl space, and the ending!
I would love there to be a follow up, but in the meantime I will be adding the authors other work to my to buy list.
January 26, 2022
Suuuuper creepy, with great twists!
July 10, 2022
I stopped reading this after 100 pages. This book is guilty of so many sins.
The characters were poorly written, their motivations were confused, a lot of the "facts" made no sense (such as a restoration designer having just finished a murder crime scene clean up? Um no, you need specialist licensing for that).
There were a lot of instances of "why didn't you just ask a follow up question? That would have resolved all the confusion"
Just ask in all frustrating, and the prose was not enjoyable enough to carry it through for me.
The characters were poorly written, their motivations were confused, a lot of the "facts" made no sense (such as a restoration designer having just finished a murder crime scene clean up? Um no, you need specialist licensing for that).
There were a lot of instances of "why didn't you just ask a follow up question? That would have resolved all the confusion"
Just ask in all frustrating, and the prose was not enjoyable enough to carry it through for me.
October 29, 2021
Oh this one was straight in the with the ghoulish action!
Sometimes with Horror, the action is best on screen and the build up of scary suspence is better in the book. BUT... here it works really well.
The way the supernatural is introduced is so matter of fact, that I experienced some nervous giggles! I was like.. Oh bloody hell... That's happening.
I think when kids are involved in haunted house stories or in any horror really, it's just always that extra bit eerier.
I enjoyed this one, I liked that feeling of 'oh god what's coming around that corner next' (usually a ghost or two)
And Miles! What a character!
The action didn't stop, you know when watching a film when you've got a cushion over half hour face... will it was like that, but at the same time, I didn't want to miss a word of it. The Ouji board scene was very well done.
A top read for Halloween!
Sometimes with Horror, the action is best on screen and the build up of scary suspence is better in the book. BUT... here it works really well.
The way the supernatural is introduced is so matter of fact, that I experienced some nervous giggles! I was like.. Oh bloody hell... That's happening.
I think when kids are involved in haunted house stories or in any horror really, it's just always that extra bit eerier.
I enjoyed this one, I liked that feeling of 'oh god what's coming around that corner next' (usually a ghost or two)
And Miles! What a character!
The action didn't stop, you know when watching a film when you've got a cushion over half hour face... will it was like that, but at the same time, I didn't want to miss a word of it. The Ouji board scene was very well done.
A top read for Halloween!
July 12, 2021
'The Restoration' feels like a very classic, go-to haunted mansion story. It's an easy read and sets the tone pretty early. Due to its length of 250 pages the story moves at a rapid pace. Conflict escalates too fast to appear genuine. I'm missing desciptions of the house and the environment; I have no idea how the house looks and the book therefore couldn't create a great atmosphere for me. Sadly this novel isn't very spooky, it quickly develops into a mýstery with slasher elements. The ghosts also just come by and tell the characters all they need to know. The main character stays pretty one dimensional and becomes more and more insufferable over the course of the story. I like the exploration of the mother-daughter-relationship though.
If you seek a simple ghost story, you might still be entertained by this novel. For me it missed the mark and I give it a 2.5 stars.
If you seek a simple ghost story, you might still be entertained by this novel. For me it missed the mark and I give it a 2.5 stars.
August 3, 2021
I'd actually happily give this book 4 1/2 stars were in possible, I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it!
When Terri takes a job restoring the old, dilapidated (but rather beautiful!) Vandermere Manor, she and her daughter move into the Manor for a year, whilst restoration is underway. With a rather unusual employer adding to the mix, it isnt long before Terri and her daughter begin to experience some rather strange happenings at the Manor.
The Restoration immediately draws you in, and wastes no time with getting the scaring underway! A whole host of interesting characters feature in the book, I especially loved the character of Terri - although being far from perfect, and making a few questionable choices - for me, this occasional self doubt, and flawed decisions helped in making her more likeable to me. I especially loved her witty one liners and sarcasm that featured throughout,
If I were to be extremely picky, I would've enjoyed just a wee bit more back story in places, even of our main characters Terri & Dallas - it's difficult, because the quick pace and no nonsense is one of things I actually enjoyed about the book ... I didnt hang around waiting for the action to start - we got straight into it! (A little Stephen King / Susan Hill esque potentially?) But at the same time, I would've loved to get maybe a little more feel of some of the characters, particularly The Vandermere's.
Overall, I've really enjoyed this - this will be perfect dark evening reading with your feet tucked under a blanket and ambient lighting! I'm excited to read more from J H Moncrieff.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press & Netgalley for the eARC copy of The Restoration, I've really enjoyed exploring the events of Vandermere Manor!
Trigger Warnings - N/A - an easy read horror with very mild gore
When Terri takes a job restoring the old, dilapidated (but rather beautiful!) Vandermere Manor, she and her daughter move into the Manor for a year, whilst restoration is underway. With a rather unusual employer adding to the mix, it isnt long before Terri and her daughter begin to experience some rather strange happenings at the Manor.
The Restoration immediately draws you in, and wastes no time with getting the scaring underway! A whole host of interesting characters feature in the book, I especially loved the character of Terri - although being far from perfect, and making a few questionable choices - for me, this occasional self doubt, and flawed decisions helped in making her more likeable to me. I especially loved her witty one liners and sarcasm that featured throughout,
If I were to be extremely picky, I would've enjoyed just a wee bit more back story in places, even of our main characters Terri & Dallas - it's difficult, because the quick pace and no nonsense is one of things I actually enjoyed about the book ... I didnt hang around waiting for the action to start - we got straight into it! (A little Stephen King / Susan Hill esque potentially?) But at the same time, I would've loved to get maybe a little more feel of some of the characters, particularly The Vandermere's.
Overall, I've really enjoyed this - this will be perfect dark evening reading with your feet tucked under a blanket and ambient lighting! I'm excited to read more from J H Moncrieff.
Thank you to Flame Tree Press & Netgalley for the eARC copy of The Restoration, I've really enjoyed exploring the events of Vandermere Manor!
Trigger Warnings - N/A - an easy read horror with very mild gore
November 13, 2021
Haunted house is my favourite horror trope so I was excited to read this. This book has the right ingredients for a spooky ride - a dilapidated mansion, a newcomer hired to fix the house, characters with agendas, dark family secrets and plenty of opportunities for scary moments. The supernatural element is immediately obvious which is a nice change from the usual "is there or isn't there?" question.
However, I found the main character difficult to root for because she behaves in inexplicable ways. She admits that she has a difficult relationship with her daughter due to her past and this project is an opportunity for them to bond. But her expectations and attitude towards her child were hard to swallow because she puts her own desires first. A conversation with her ex-husband leads to her trying to fight him rather than thinking about the best for her daughter. This leads to implausible scenes where they still remain in the house even when their lives are in danger. The family secrets storyline end up being disappointingly predictable. The ending left a lot to be desired where it seems to flout the previously established supernatural rules. I've read similar stories so this book ends up being pale in comparison, but I think new horror readers and those who love ghost stories would enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
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However, I found the main character difficult to root for because she behaves in inexplicable ways. She admits that she has a difficult relationship with her daughter due to her past and this project is an opportunity for them to bond. But her expectations and attitude towards her child were hard to swallow because she puts her own desires first. A conversation with her ex-husband leads to her trying to fight him rather than thinking about the best for her daughter. This leads to implausible scenes where they still remain in the house even when their lives are in danger. The family secrets storyline end up being disappointingly predictable. The ending left a lot to be desired where it seems to flout the previously established supernatural rules. I've read similar stories so this book ends up being pale in comparison, but I think new horror readers and those who love ghost stories would enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
June 9, 2022
Many thanks to NetGalley, Flame Tree Press, and J.H. Moncrieff for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #FlameTreePress #JHMoncrieff
Terri Foxworth is hired to restore an old mansion and, well…you can see where I’m going with this. The Restoration is a creepy haunted house tale. Is there such a thing as “cozy horror”? I can’t think of a more perfect description of this book. So, if there isn’t, maybe there should be.
Thank you to the author for the simplicity of this book. This is something that tends to be absent in today’s entertainment. I love, love, love a good ghost story. It’s my very favorite type of story. There’s nothing more frustrating to me (sorry, Shirley Jackson), than when a story either debunks the ghost or leaves it to the imagination or leaves unclear as to whether the answer is supernatural or mental. I HATE that!!! It’s so common that I pretty much assume that that’s what I’m getting when I read a ghost synopsis. This book is a ghost story. That’s it. I won’t go into spoilers other than that, but I know that if I were reading a review, I would appreciate the heads-up. That way I could relax and enjoy instead of waiting for the ax to drop and the ghost to become a mental illness or a hallucination.
The characters in this story were a little frustrating. Terri, the main character, was very wishy-washy. Her character was weak and had trouble making decisions. I spent a lot of the book mentally screaming at her to pick a lane!!! The ghosts were wonderful though. That’s really the important thing anyway.
#NetGalley #FlameTreePress #JHMoncrieff
Terri Foxworth is hired to restore an old mansion and, well…you can see where I’m going with this. The Restoration is a creepy haunted house tale. Is there such a thing as “cozy horror”? I can’t think of a more perfect description of this book. So, if there isn’t, maybe there should be.
Thank you to the author for the simplicity of this book. This is something that tends to be absent in today’s entertainment. I love, love, love a good ghost story. It’s my very favorite type of story. There’s nothing more frustrating to me (sorry, Shirley Jackson), than when a story either debunks the ghost or leaves it to the imagination or leaves unclear as to whether the answer is supernatural or mental. I HATE that!!! It’s so common that I pretty much assume that that’s what I’m getting when I read a ghost synopsis. This book is a ghost story. That’s it. I won’t go into spoilers other than that, but I know that if I were reading a review, I would appreciate the heads-up. That way I could relax and enjoy instead of waiting for the ax to drop and the ghost to become a mental illness or a hallucination.
The characters in this story were a little frustrating. Terri, the main character, was very wishy-washy. Her character was weak and had trouble making decisions. I spent a lot of the book mentally screaming at her to pick a lane!!! The ghosts were wonderful though. That’s really the important thing anyway.
August 14, 2021
Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy for review! I am a sucker for haunted house books and this one was no different. Terri and her daughter Dallas move into the Vandermere home to restore it. As Terri begins her work, the secrets of the house start to show themselves. While the premise of this novel isn't new, I really enjoyed the direction the author took with it. About halfway through the story started to take a dark turn that I wasn't expecting. The end....wow! I was expecting- while not a happy ending- but an ending that wrapped the story up. However, this was not the case. I was shocked by the events of the ending of the novel and it ramped up my review to a 5/5. This is a book that would make a great foray into horror for a non-horror reader. I will certainly be recommending this!
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