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The Ghosts of Marshley Park
*** The BookFest - First Place Award Winner ***
Jade Roberts is a modern girl with an anger management problem, and nothing makes her more mad than turning up dead. Julian Pendell is a Victorian-era ghost who wants to be left in peace. When Jade enlists Julian's aid to help solve her murder, he reluctantly agrees, if only to hasten her departure. But as Julian acquaints Jade with existence outside the living world, she in turn shows him some of what he's been missing. And, as their investigations continue, they discover they may have more in common than they realized.
"The protagonists' banter is plentiful and flirtatious, making for an absorbing love story featuring a spooky mystery." -- Publisher's Weekly / Booklife
Jade Roberts is a modern girl with an anger management problem, and nothing makes her more mad than turning up dead. Julian Pendell is a Victorian-era ghost who wants to be left in peace. When Jade enlists Julian's aid to help solve her murder, he reluctantly agrees, if only to hasten her departure. But as Julian acquaints Jade with existence outside the living world, she in turn shows him some of what he's been missing. And, as their investigations continue, they discover they may have more in common than they realized.
"The protagonists' banter is plentiful and flirtatious, making for an absorbing love story featuring a spooky mystery." -- Publisher's Weekly / Booklife
318 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2021
11 people are currently reading
6501 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 23, 2021
As others have noted, this definitely went a bit off the rails in the second half, but that didn't stop it from being a lot of fun to read.
Want to read
August 10, 2021DO I SPY A GHOST BOYFRIEND TROPE???
October 25, 2021
Julian Pendell's restful oblivion is shattered when the body of Jade Roberts is found on his grave. After her shock at finding herself dead, Jade uses her furious and unrelenting energy to enlist Julian to help her solve her murder. He thinks her rude and improper, and she thinks he uses way too many words, but they must somehow work together. The case takes some unexpected turns, and while they may already be ghosts, there are greater things to fear.
This is a marvelously well-written YA paranormal. It was told from Julian's and Jade's very different points of view, and each voice was unique. Julian having passed over a century before is an immensely different sort of teenager than Jade who is from our modern time. The author's grasp on old British life is exceptional. I loved seeing the world through ghosts' eyes, learning their rules, and how things are at the old cemetery. I especially loved the other ghosts like the Captain and Ms. Radge. The mystery threw me through a lot of twists and turns, and I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between Julian and Jade grew as they tried to navigate everything. Jade has anger issues, but thankfully Julian has immense patience!
This is a marvelously well-written YA paranormal. It was told from Julian's and Jade's very different points of view, and each voice was unique. Julian having passed over a century before is an immensely different sort of teenager than Jade who is from our modern time. The author's grasp on old British life is exceptional. I loved seeing the world through ghosts' eyes, learning their rules, and how things are at the old cemetery. I especially loved the other ghosts like the Captain and Ms. Radge. The mystery threw me through a lot of twists and turns, and I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between Julian and Jade grew as they tried to navigate everything. Jade has anger issues, but thankfully Julian has immense patience!
November 4, 2021
This was a pretty good story; I just felt like it went a little off the rails in the second half. I think maybe the novelty of 'proper-Victorian-boy-meets-angry-Generation Z'er' started to wear thin by the end.
I did enjoy the shenanigans these two ghosts got themselves into while trying to figure out who killed Jade, but I was pretty disappointed with the ending and who the killer ended up being. I can't say WHY I was annoyed without giving anything away, so I'll just leave it at that.
Overall though, this is a decent story that straddles the line between Middle-Grade and YA. There's nothing really inappropriate here; Jade gets a little obsessed with kissing in the latter half of the story, which just felt weird and desperate, but other than that, it's a solid ghost story. It just wasn't one of my favs.
I did enjoy the shenanigans these two ghosts got themselves into while trying to figure out who killed Jade, but I was pretty disappointed with the ending and who the killer ended up being. I can't say WHY I was annoyed without giving anything away, so I'll just leave it at that.
Overall though, this is a decent story that straddles the line between Middle-Grade and YA. There's nothing really inappropriate here; Jade gets a little obsessed with kissing in the latter half of the story, which just felt weird and desperate, but other than that, it's a solid ghost story. It just wasn't one of my favs.
May 15, 2025
Fun little cemetery ghosty story!
“his smile was like a needle-thin, sharp and promising pain.”
“his smile was like a needle-thin, sharp and promising pain.”
September 6, 2021
When 16 year old Jade wakes up dead in an old British graveyard she enlists the hep of a Victorian era ghost Julian to solver her murder. But the closer they get to an answer the mor of Julian’s long dead past is revealed- a history he would rather leave buried.
I went into this not knowing what to expect but was delighted with the story. It’s a quick, slightly romantic mystery that deftly melds the past with the present. I enjoyed every minute of Jade and Julian getting to know each other and solving the mystery of Jade’s death and Julian’s unfinished family turmoil. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I went into this not knowing what to expect but was delighted with the story. It’s a quick, slightly romantic mystery that deftly melds the past with the present. I enjoyed every minute of Jade and Julian getting to know each other and solving the mystery of Jade’s death and Julian’s unfinished family turmoil. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
June 28, 2022
This is a quick, easy read, but is still surprisingly hard to describe. It's a (YA?) paranormal murder-mystery romance. Which just really makes the book sound a lot more complex than it is. The premise: An American teenager wakes up as a ghost in an English graveyard, meets a teenager who'd been buried there centuries earlier, and together they work to discover who murdered her and why. The story is told through dual POV, intentionally highlighting the differences between the brash heroine and prim hero.
What Worked For Me
The Male Protagonist: Okay, this is just on-brand for me. But I love a prim, stuffy, somewhat-tragic male character. There are always going to be exceptions, but Julian absolutely made this book for me.
The Plot and Pacing: The story clocks in at under 300 pages, staying self-contained and focused on the main plot. Because the story rockets right along through all the major moments and never gets bogged down in too many unrelated subplots, it makes the experience of reading it fun and quick and easy to follow. Additionally, this is one of those indie books that make a case for its own existence by benefitting from non-traditional plotting elements. The ending wasn't really foreshadowed, which seems like it would have been seen as a weakness in a traditionally published book, but here made it impossible to guess the ending. This was a surprising breath of fresh air for me, allowing me to go on the journey without spending too much time worrying about whodunnit.
What Wasn't My Thing
The Female Main Character and Violence: As usual, I'm very aware of the "unlikability" quotient that female characters are so often measured by, ignoring the double standards applied to male characters. But in this case, the female character is frequently noted to have "anger management issues," which seem like they're meant to be funny or quirky, but just rated as uncomfortable and problematic for me. There are enough examples of this kind of female portrayal in pop culture, so it's not the single fault of this story and is more an ongoing trope, but I still didn't love it. Jade, our fMC, is always thinking about how much she wants to hit Julian. Not for anything he's actually done wrong, but just because of how he talks (formal and English?). On several occasions, she does more than imagine hitting him, and actually does.
Some Elements Were a Bit Flat: Because this book is so short and feels especially geared toward a quick, fun read, this might be nitpicky. But I thought a few aspects of world-building or character felt just a little one-dimensional.
What I Have Mixed Feelings About
The Ending: One plot ending was a little watered down. But the resolution of another storyline was something I wasn't expecting and felt really satisfying. So I'd say the ending overall wasn't a bad experience, but wasn't perfect, either.
Who This Is For
People who like cozy stories and want a quick, easy-to-follow read that doesn't ask too much of them might be served well by this book. Especially if they're intrigued by the blend of a ghost story/murder mystery/romance combo. The characters are very much teenagers, and while I've heard others say the book definitely reads as YA, I'd also caution that several of the references feel like an adult writing a teenager. I'm not sure this is something I'd actually recommend handing off to a teen, especially with the "anger management" issue mentioned above.
Content Warnings
Most content warnings that matter have probably already been referenced here or are predictable based on the story premise. But it should be noted the book itself starts off with a content warning for discussions of suicide. The suicide content didn't end up factoring into the story as intensely as I expected it to from that warning, but still, anyone who's sensitive to that should know some suicide-adjacent content exists here.
Warnings for:
Teen death, murder, mentions/discussions of suicide, underexplored violence/domestic violence, occasional phrases that could be interpreted as slut shaming or fatphobic, lots of police involvement, mention of male-on-female violence/murder, occasional light mentions of corpses and body parts. And ghosts, obviously!
What Worked For Me
The Male Protagonist: Okay, this is just on-brand for me. But I love a prim, stuffy, somewhat-tragic male character. There are always going to be exceptions, but Julian absolutely made this book for me.
The Plot and Pacing: The story clocks in at under 300 pages, staying self-contained and focused on the main plot. Because the story rockets right along through all the major moments and never gets bogged down in too many unrelated subplots, it makes the experience of reading it fun and quick and easy to follow. Additionally, this is one of those indie books that make a case for its own existence by benefitting from non-traditional plotting elements. The ending wasn't really foreshadowed, which seems like it would have been seen as a weakness in a traditionally published book, but here made it impossible to guess the ending. This was a surprising breath of fresh air for me, allowing me to go on the journey without spending too much time worrying about whodunnit.
What Wasn't My Thing
The Female Main Character and Violence: As usual, I'm very aware of the "unlikability" quotient that female characters are so often measured by, ignoring the double standards applied to male characters. But in this case, the female character is frequently noted to have "anger management issues," which seem like they're meant to be funny or quirky, but just rated as uncomfortable and problematic for me. There are enough examples of this kind of female portrayal in pop culture, so it's not the single fault of this story and is more an ongoing trope, but I still didn't love it. Jade, our fMC, is always thinking about how much she wants to hit Julian. Not for anything he's actually done wrong, but just because of how he talks (formal and English?). On several occasions, she does more than imagine hitting him, and actually does.
Some Elements Were a Bit Flat: Because this book is so short and feels especially geared toward a quick, fun read, this might be nitpicky. But I thought a few aspects of world-building or character felt just a little one-dimensional.
What I Have Mixed Feelings About
The Ending: One plot ending was a little watered down. But the resolution of another storyline was something I wasn't expecting and felt really satisfying. So I'd say the ending overall wasn't a bad experience, but wasn't perfect, either.
Who This Is For
People who like cozy stories and want a quick, easy-to-follow read that doesn't ask too much of them might be served well by this book. Especially if they're intrigued by the blend of a ghost story/murder mystery/romance combo. The characters are very much teenagers, and while I've heard others say the book definitely reads as YA, I'd also caution that several of the references feel like an adult writing a teenager. I'm not sure this is something I'd actually recommend handing off to a teen, especially with the "anger management" issue mentioned above.
Content Warnings
Most content warnings that matter have probably already been referenced here or are predictable based on the story premise. But it should be noted the book itself starts off with a content warning for discussions of suicide. The suicide content didn't end up factoring into the story as intensely as I expected it to from that warning, but still, anyone who's sensitive to that should know some suicide-adjacent content exists here.
Warnings for:
Teen death, murder, mentions/discussions of suicide, underexplored violence/domestic violence, occasional phrases that could be interpreted as slut shaming or fatphobic, lots of police involvement, mention of male-on-female violence/murder, occasional light mentions of corpses and body parts. And ghosts, obviously!
June 28, 2022
I don't usually get paranormal stuff on my review list, so when the author offered me a copy of this one, I was happy to accept!
The first thing that stood out to me was the difference in tones for the POVs. Julian spoke in very formal ways, with Jade much more informal, both adhering to the cultures they lived and died in. It made it very easy to tell who was talking, even if I skipped the name in the header at the beginning of the chapter. It also made their personalities stand out and contrast a lot more. That contrast was so pronounced, in fact, that when the romantic overtones began it was not that convincing.
Both of the characters are meant to be flawed, but Jade's character goes just that bit too far to be believable. She has anger issues and was raised in wealth, with all the brattiness that entails. But there are moments her pettiness and jealousy end up making her look unhinged. The moment another female character arrives who could theoretically even pose any threat to a relationship with Julian (that she does not have) she is willing to abandon people to antagonists in her annoyance. She also never has a moment where she truly mourns the fact she's dead or that she'll never see her family again and I was genuinely wondering if she was supposed to come across so heartless.
Julian's character arc, learning to break out of his apathy towards existence, seems much more benign by comparison. Add to that his strict adherence to being a gentleman and helping her out and it makes their entire relationship look flawed and unhealthy. There were times I genuinely hoped Julian would get away from her. Surprising someone with a kiss and then getting angry at them when they didn't want it is horrible behavior, regardless of gender. On top of that, there are two side characters that meet under incredibly toxic and unhealthy circumstances and they also end up. The relationships only make sense if you're in that heternormative mindset where every book with named male and female protagonists must have them together at the end.
The plot started out really well, with a lot of little clues sprinkled out and the mechanics of ghostliness being introduced piece by piece. There were a lot of intriguing questions and reveals. But by the third act, the plot seemed to be racing towards the end. There were hardly any suspects
introduced before the murderer was literally announcing that they did it and why. And the rest of the third act involved a lot of new information and new characters that made the pacing feel very off.
All in all, this is a quick read with pretty good ambience if you want a ghost story. Just be warned that the romance isn't the healthiest.
The first thing that stood out to me was the difference in tones for the POVs. Julian spoke in very formal ways, with Jade much more informal, both adhering to the cultures they lived and died in. It made it very easy to tell who was talking, even if I skipped the name in the header at the beginning of the chapter. It also made their personalities stand out and contrast a lot more. That contrast was so pronounced, in fact, that when the romantic overtones began it was not that convincing.
Both of the characters are meant to be flawed, but Jade's character goes just that bit too far to be believable. She has anger issues and was raised in wealth, with all the brattiness that entails. But there are moments her pettiness and jealousy end up making her look unhinged. The moment another female character arrives who could theoretically even pose any threat to a relationship with Julian (that she does not have) she is willing to abandon people to antagonists in her annoyance. She also never has a moment where she truly mourns the fact she's dead or that she'll never see her family again and I was genuinely wondering if she was supposed to come across so heartless.
Julian's character arc, learning to break out of his apathy towards existence, seems much more benign by comparison. Add to that his strict adherence to being a gentleman and helping her out and it makes their entire relationship look flawed and unhealthy. There were times I genuinely hoped Julian would get away from her. Surprising someone with a kiss and then getting angry at them when they didn't want it is horrible behavior, regardless of gender. On top of that, there are two side characters that meet under incredibly toxic and unhealthy circumstances and they also end up. The relationships only make sense if you're in that heternormative mindset where every book with named male and female protagonists must have them together at the end.
The plot started out really well, with a lot of little clues sprinkled out and the mechanics of ghostliness being introduced piece by piece. There were a lot of intriguing questions and reveals. But by the third act, the plot seemed to be racing towards the end. There were hardly any suspects
introduced before the murderer was literally announcing that they did it and why. And the rest of the third act involved a lot of new information and new characters that made the pacing feel very off.
All in all, this is a quick read with pretty good ambience if you want a ghost story. Just be warned that the romance isn't the healthiest.
October 8, 2022
This unique and creative tale has a bit of a twist: it's written from the perspective of two ghosts, one who wants nothing more than peaceful oblivion, and the other, to solve her own murder.
Julian Pendell, the son of a lord who once owned the immense Marshley Park estate, is awakened from his eternal rest by a commotion, specifically, the body of a sixteen-year-old American girl, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, which was dumped on his grave. The brash and crass ghost girl, who mightily offends Julian's Victorian sensibilities and impeccable decorum (no new residents have entered the graveyard where he was laid to rest in the mid-nineteenth century since 1904, it appears, so he's had little contact with the outside world, or even modernity, for that matter), enlists his assistance in finding out who is responsible, and for negotiating her new physical reality as a restless spirit who clearly has unfinished business.
It turns out, however, that Julian has more unfinished business than he realizes. Jade finds things difficult as she learns the rules of her new reality, when she discovers that she's sometimes solid and sometimes translucent, passing through objects with ease, but her new world comes with some limitations, specifically that ghosts are locked into the vicinity of where their corporeal remains lie. Jade also meets some of the other residents of the graveyard, who have also served as mentors to Julian, who remains separated from his family members for a tragic reason.
The premise of the story is at least a creative one: a Victorian-era ghost in an ancient graveyard who meets a loud-mouth, rude and quite puerile Gen-Z ghost who somewhat unwittingly enlists his help to solve her own murder. It takes the form of a first-person narrative which alternates between the two main characters, Jade and Julian, which keeps things interesting and not entirely linear. I won't provide too many spoilers, but Julian's demise isn't what it seems, and the mystery goes much deeper than it initially appears. This would definitely be classified as young adult literature, but it was a pleasant read in any event.
Julian Pendell, the son of a lord who once owned the immense Marshley Park estate, is awakened from his eternal rest by a commotion, specifically, the body of a sixteen-year-old American girl, the daughter of a wealthy businessman, which was dumped on his grave. The brash and crass ghost girl, who mightily offends Julian's Victorian sensibilities and impeccable decorum (no new residents have entered the graveyard where he was laid to rest in the mid-nineteenth century since 1904, it appears, so he's had little contact with the outside world, or even modernity, for that matter), enlists his assistance in finding out who is responsible, and for negotiating her new physical reality as a restless spirit who clearly has unfinished business.
It turns out, however, that Julian has more unfinished business than he realizes. Jade finds things difficult as she learns the rules of her new reality, when she discovers that she's sometimes solid and sometimes translucent, passing through objects with ease, but her new world comes with some limitations, specifically that ghosts are locked into the vicinity of where their corporeal remains lie. Jade also meets some of the other residents of the graveyard, who have also served as mentors to Julian, who remains separated from his family members for a tragic reason.
The premise of the story is at least a creative one: a Victorian-era ghost in an ancient graveyard who meets a loud-mouth, rude and quite puerile Gen-Z ghost who somewhat unwittingly enlists his help to solve her own murder. It takes the form of a first-person narrative which alternates between the two main characters, Jade and Julian, which keeps things interesting and not entirely linear. I won't provide too many spoilers, but Julian's demise isn't what it seems, and the mystery goes much deeper than it initially appears. This would definitely be classified as young adult literature, but it was a pleasant read in any event.
January 12, 2022
I don’t really remember why this was in my TBR, probably coz there’s a ghost in the title which is usually enough to lure me in, but boy, am I glad that when really short of time to dedicate to the pending ARC’s I picked this one up from Kindle Unlimited.
The cemetery of Marshley Park is quite busy, oopsie, Victorian era ghost Julian is irked to find a half dressed girl reposing on his grave, and if that didn’t spoil his mood, the discovery she is murdered and left there definitely soured him. Thus starts the bickering and bantering between two lovely individuals Julian and Jade. And of courses Jade is not happy to be dead, so there she goes stomping and marching across the grounds trying to find her murderer.
The Ghosts of Marshley Park is mostly fun with some brilliant twists and turns which came out of nowhere. Though the murderer when unveiled flummoxed me, the journey to the end was like a cart rolling down the hill. The alternate POVs thru Jade and Julian were exciting as the author clearly portrays the difference in the eras thru their thoughts and reactions. It was a fascinating study of contrasts with Julian more laidback and calm while Jade had all that fire and querulous impatient attitude reflecting the times of today.
It was just not the protagonists thou, the other ghosts and supporting characters add their warmth to the story making it a very quick fast paced read. I did wonder how the ending about these adorable ghosts would come about and thankfully the author did provide an exciting climax keeping the romantic in me happy.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
The cemetery of Marshley Park is quite busy, oopsie, Victorian era ghost Julian is irked to find a half dressed girl reposing on his grave, and if that didn’t spoil his mood, the discovery she is murdered and left there definitely soured him. Thus starts the bickering and bantering between two lovely individuals Julian and Jade. And of courses Jade is not happy to be dead, so there she goes stomping and marching across the grounds trying to find her murderer.
The Ghosts of Marshley Park is mostly fun with some brilliant twists and turns which came out of nowhere. Though the murderer when unveiled flummoxed me, the journey to the end was like a cart rolling down the hill. The alternate POVs thru Jade and Julian were exciting as the author clearly portrays the difference in the eras thru their thoughts and reactions. It was a fascinating study of contrasts with Julian more laidback and calm while Jade had all that fire and querulous impatient attitude reflecting the times of today.
It was just not the protagonists thou, the other ghosts and supporting characters add their warmth to the story making it a very quick fast paced read. I did wonder how the ending about these adorable ghosts would come about and thankfully the author did provide an exciting climax keeping the romantic in me happy.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
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April 22, 2022This supernatural mystery is told from the point of view of two young ghosts from different times and cultures. The chapters alternate between their (first person) viewpoints, and they came across as two distinct and different individuals.
The prose was easy to read, and I only noticed a couple of typos. I liked seeing the culture clash, though the moments of mutual incomprehension became belaboured after a while. Jade came over as pretty brash, given that her (presumably educated and socially savvy) father had her accompanying him to various business functions because she had such a knack for it. But no doubt finding herself dead doesn’t help her mood.
The later part of the story had me wrinkling my brow and wondering why on earth things happened the way they did. For my tastes, there was a bit much in the way of “teenage” (I can’t think of a better descriptor) concerns. I guess I’m not really the target audience.
Overall, a quick and fun supernatural mystery.
The prose was easy to read, and I only noticed a couple of typos. I liked seeing the culture clash, though the moments of mutual incomprehension became belaboured after a while. Jade came over as pretty brash, given that her (presumably educated and socially savvy) father had her accompanying him to various business functions because she had such a knack for it. But no doubt finding herself dead doesn’t help her mood.
The later part of the story had me wrinkling my brow and wondering why on earth things happened the way they did. For my tastes, there was a bit much in the way of “teenage” (I can’t think of a better descriptor) concerns. I guess I’m not really the target audience.
Overall, a quick and fun supernatural mystery.
June 28, 2022
I found this book on BookTok and while not my usual fare, decided to give it a go. Overall I was pleased. It's not heady but is a fun, quick read (most chapters are only a few pages long). It's dual POV so we read the two main characters in an "every other chapter" fashion. I thought the book was well written and edited. It didn't lag and had interesting characters for the most part. My one personal complaint was that I did not particularly like or feel for the female lead, Jade. Perhaps it's my age, but she seemed like a spoilt rich kid with little in the way of any redeeming arc.
If you're looking for spicy, you won't find it here (which suited me fine for this one). It's a YA quick, "beach read" for those tired of romance and comedy. I would feel comfortable handing it off to my 12 year old and in fact did just that.
If you're looking for spicy, you won't find it here (which suited me fine for this one). It's a YA quick, "beach read" for those tired of romance and comedy. I would feel comfortable handing it off to my 12 year old and in fact did just that.
June 30, 2022
A super fun read with a unique premise!
I love anything and everything to do with ghosts, and I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of a ghost waking to find a girl murdered on his grave. Victorian ghosts are also a favorite of mine, so I loved getting Julian’s perspective throughout the book.
My only wish is that maybe the story could have been a bit longer, with even more emotional scenes for Jade and Julian as they learned more about each other. I’m a sucker for sad backstories, and I really liked that Julian’s was not exactly as it first appears. I would have totally read more about his life at Marshley and how his “curse” affected him—maybe in flashbacks or something like that!
Overall, a very bright and sweet story with some truly memorable characters! So glad I saw someone else mention this book on booktok.
I love anything and everything to do with ghosts, and I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of a ghost waking to find a girl murdered on his grave. Victorian ghosts are also a favorite of mine, so I loved getting Julian’s perspective throughout the book.
My only wish is that maybe the story could have been a bit longer, with even more emotional scenes for Jade and Julian as they learned more about each other. I’m a sucker for sad backstories, and I really liked that Julian’s was not exactly as it first appears. I would have totally read more about his life at Marshley and how his “curse” affected him—maybe in flashbacks or something like that!
Overall, a very bright and sweet story with some truly memorable characters! So glad I saw someone else mention this book on booktok.
October 22, 2021
A different kind of ghost story
A ghost story that is more a murder mystery from the point of view of the victim than a creepy, crawly, skeletons jumping out of closets adventure. An old English aristocratic family that still has secrets a hundred years after a tragedy strikes the family. I really liked the juxtaposition of the modern girl thrown into the landscape of those whose sensibilities were formed a hundred years prior. The difference in language and way each expresses themselves was another well done aspect of the story.
A ghost story that is more a murder mystery from the point of view of the victim than a creepy, crawly, skeletons jumping out of closets adventure. An old English aristocratic family that still has secrets a hundred years after a tragedy strikes the family. I really liked the juxtaposition of the modern girl thrown into the landscape of those whose sensibilities were formed a hundred years prior. The difference in language and way each expresses themselves was another well done aspect of the story.
September 9, 2021
This book is a quickly paced and engaging read. Very unique plot! It is told from two points of view--that of Jade a self-centered spoiled rich girl who has just been murdered and left in an old cemetery and Julian the poor guy whose grave her body ends up on. She is determined to discover who is responsible for her murder and insists Julian help her. Entertaining paranormal experiences abound.
March 13, 2022
This was such a good book!! I don’t think I’ve read many (if any) where both main characters are ghosts! I really enjoyed this mystery and seeing the modern day ghost Jade interacting with the Victorian ghost of Julian. The mystery was so engaging, especially with those added twists!! I was shocked!! I really loved this book and recommend it to anyone who loves a fast-paced murder mystery! So unique!! 💙
April 18, 2022
Yes please! May I have another? I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I'm not sure if it's stand alone, but I'd be willing to read more from this world. The characters were charming, funny, interesting and flawed, and most importantly very engaging. The mystery was real, and the book was hard to put down at the end of each chapter- I wanted to know more. A few critiques have mentioned it 'went off the rails' in the second half, but I disagree. What came in the second half was not a surprise. The evidence was there in the first half, leading the way into what happens in the second half of the book. I highly recommend!
September 6, 2021
I loved this book! I absolutely adored both character POV’s. The plot kept me so entranced I finished in one day lol.
It was like a cozy ghost mystery— three of my favorite things put into one!
I highly recommend this especially for the upcoming fall season. Perfect vibes!
It was like a cozy ghost mystery— three of my favorite things put into one!
I highly recommend this especially for the upcoming fall season. Perfect vibes!
October 21, 2021
I won this book in a giveaway, and I’m really glad I picked it up. There are 2 perspectives which were enjoyable to read. One of the perspectives is from a teenager from the 1800s, and I felt the author captured the old English style well.
It’s a great read for Halloween time!
It’s a great read for Halloween time!
November 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this; probably more than I thought I would. The characters are funny and cute, the story is unique to me, and it's fast paced. It took me a minute to get into Julian's perspective due to the way he's written, but overall it's a fun novel.
June 27, 2022
Two ghosts from different eras trying to solve a murder? I'm in.
I enjoyed reading The Ghosts of Marshley Park because the dialogue and rules about ghost life were so much fun. I would recommend this to a YA reader.
I enjoyed reading The Ghosts of Marshley Park because the dialogue and rules about ghost life were so much fun. I would recommend this to a YA reader.
September 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and its unique approach.
If you are interested in the "beyond" you will find this story not only entertaining, but intriguing with a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in
If you are interested in the "beyond" you will find this story not only entertaining, but intriguing with a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in
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October 17, 2021What a wonderful book! Written with twenty-first century characters and Victorian -era ghost. It is filled with great punch lines and unforgettable characters.
July 5, 2022
Fun
This book was fun and different. It was cute and despite being about murder and ghosts was a light hearted read.
This book was fun and different. It was cute and despite being about murder and ghosts was a light hearted read.
October 22, 2022
It was a good book with an interesting story. However, it did not keep my attention like other books have. But I did enjoy reading it.
June 16, 2024
This was an intriguing setup of a ghost trying to solve her own murder with the help of a boy from a previous century. It was a fun, easy read.
June 20, 2024
this was a fun one. julian is an unbothered king. jade is a little nutty and the very last page gagged me i mean what is that girl thinking
May 9, 2023
Reasons why you should skip this one:
1. Jade is annoying and an idiot.
2. Julian is a boring caricature of a Victorian nobleman.
3. The banter between Jade and Julian was annoying to say the least. Example: Jade would say something modern, and Julian doesn't get, Jade tries to explain but not very good, and Julian still wouldn't get it. Or Julian would say something old timey, and Jade would be the confused one. And this happens A Lot.
4. The ghost powers/logic makes little to no sense, like they would disappear, become solid, and transparent for no reason other than plot convince.
5. The villain was so cheesy generic evil that the author might have just written in black marker 'I'M EVIL' on his forehead.
6. Whenbecame part of the book I was like "you've got to be kidding" at that point I just skimmed read the rest of the book.
There were probably other things that should be here, but I can't really think of anything else.
1. Jade is annoying and an idiot.
2. Julian is a boring caricature of a Victorian nobleman.
3. The banter between Jade and Julian was annoying to say the least. Example: Jade would say something modern, and Julian doesn't get, Jade tries to explain but not very good, and Julian still wouldn't get it. Or Julian would say something old timey, and Jade would be the confused one. And this happens A Lot.
4. The ghost powers/logic makes little to no sense, like they would disappear, become solid, and transparent for no reason other than plot convince.
5. The villain was so cheesy generic evil that the author might have just written in black marker 'I'M EVIL' on his forehead.
6. Whenbecame part of the book I was like "you've got to be kidding" at that point I just skimmed read the rest of the book.
There were probably other things that should be here, but I can't really think of anything else.
September 7, 2022
This book was painfully average.
I didn't dislike the story but I do feel as though it is one we have heard before.
The characters were okay, I didn't feel a connection with either of them. Their dynamic was one that I feel we see played out over and over.
I saw the plot twist with Julien coming a mile away. You could tell by the way he talked about his passing to be completely honest with you.
I also feel like who killed her was kind of a cop out and really doesn't make any sense. I also feel like it makes a weird plot hole that just gives me more questions, that I feel like the author has zero desire to answer.
I didn't dislike the story but I do feel as though it is one we have heard before.
The characters were okay, I didn't feel a connection with either of them. Their dynamic was one that I feel we see played out over and over.
I saw the plot twist with Julien coming a mile away. You could tell by the way he talked about his passing to be completely honest with you.
I also feel like who killed her was kind of a cop out and really doesn't make any sense. I also feel like it makes a weird plot hole that just gives me more questions, that I feel like the author has zero desire to answer.
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