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The Wayfarer House
Six years after he was sentenced to prison for beating a man to death with a guitar, Ryan LaFaye finds himself back at the scene of the crime: a quiet, unassuming house on the Arkansas River. Ryan’s goal is to settle in for a few weeks with his laptop and guitar and write an album that will reignite his career as a singer-songwriter. What better subject matter than the past he has to face, anyway?
But there is a malevolent spirit inside the house that has no intention of letting Ryan LaFaye leave with his life.
And that is only the beginning of the horror.
“Mitch Sebourn delivers a haunted house story that enthralls the reader with each turn of the page. A wondrous, brilliant, and downright masterfully horrific symphony.” —Ross Jeffery, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Tome
But there is a malevolent spirit inside the house that has no intention of letting Ryan LaFaye leave with his life.
And that is only the beginning of the horror.
“Mitch Sebourn delivers a haunted house story that enthralls the reader with each turn of the page. A wondrous, brilliant, and downright masterfully horrific symphony.” —Ross Jeffery, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Tome
186 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2022
About the author
Mitch Sebourn
34 books23 followersMitch Sebourn is currently working his way through law school while (not so) secretly focussing most of his attention on trying to write The Great American Classic. He has published three novels and a collection of poetry in paperback, as well as a new novel, Watershed, available as a Kindle eBook.
He enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and is looking forward to being married next July.
When he is not sitting atop Tikaboo Peak spying on the inhabitants of Area 51, or scaling the slopes of Colorado's 14ers, he can typically be found calling the Hogs in central Arkansas.
He enjoys reading, writing, hiking, and is looking forward to being married next July.
When he is not sitting atop Tikaboo Peak spying on the inhabitants of Area 51, or scaling the slopes of Colorado's 14ers, he can typically be found calling the Hogs in central Arkansas.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 3, 2022
I’ve read a bunch of novellas by Sebourn before, so I knew to expect a good quality of writing and was very interested to see how he’d handle a genre staple as tried and true as a haunted domicile. And sure enough, he didn’t disappoint.
Literary and character-driven, this novel follows a protagonist trying for a second chance. His first chance was ambitious enough, a shot at rock stardom that paid off, a hit song, a hit album, fame, money…and then he beat a man to death with his guitar and went to serve time for it.
Sure, the man deserved it, but that’s another story.
Now, freshly free, our protagonist needs some new material, something authentic. And what’s more authentic than revisiting the scene of his crime – something apparently every murderer longs to do? So he rents out the place that used to belong to his victim and is now owned (for reasons never explained) by a local millionaire lady and starts trying to write. Only the songs don’t come. Too many distractions…things like mobsters showing up with his guitar/weapon of choice or a disconnected phone ringing in the middle of the night.
What’s a guy to do? Well, he can only do his best…while hanging out with the owner of the place, an attractive older woman who appears to be intrigued by him.
Slowly, but surely the mystery unravels and it turns out to be infinitely more interwoven with our protagonist’s past and his family that he ever thought. In fact, there are two mysteries here, of natural and supernatural origins. Does it make for a good song writing atmosphere? That’s questionable. But will it sing to you as a book? Likely. It did to me. The chords of a rock song and the moodiness of blues.
An enjoyable atmospheric tale well told. Just the right length too. Very nice find. I even grabbed it as a freebie. Definitely makes one read more of the author’s work. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Literary and character-driven, this novel follows a protagonist trying for a second chance. His first chance was ambitious enough, a shot at rock stardom that paid off, a hit song, a hit album, fame, money…and then he beat a man to death with his guitar and went to serve time for it.
Sure, the man deserved it, but that’s another story.
Now, freshly free, our protagonist needs some new material, something authentic. And what’s more authentic than revisiting the scene of his crime – something apparently every murderer longs to do? So he rents out the place that used to belong to his victim and is now owned (for reasons never explained) by a local millionaire lady and starts trying to write. Only the songs don’t come. Too many distractions…things like mobsters showing up with his guitar/weapon of choice or a disconnected phone ringing in the middle of the night.
What’s a guy to do? Well, he can only do his best…while hanging out with the owner of the place, an attractive older woman who appears to be intrigued by him.
Slowly, but surely the mystery unravels and it turns out to be infinitely more interwoven with our protagonist’s past and his family that he ever thought. In fact, there are two mysteries here, of natural and supernatural origins. Does it make for a good song writing atmosphere? That’s questionable. But will it sing to you as a book? Likely. It did to me. The chords of a rock song and the moodiness of blues.
An enjoyable atmospheric tale well told. Just the right length too. Very nice find. I even grabbed it as a freebie. Definitely makes one read more of the author’s work. Recommended.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
February 2, 2022
‘Mitch Sebourn delivers a haunted house story that enthrals the reader with each turn of the page, playing a subtle melody of horror that enraptures and entertains. The key to this story is the dread that permeates and bleeds through the pages, it forms the base note that carries us through this most beguiling of stories. Each slice of horror is dropped with pinpoint accuracy and pacing, and if we look at this book like a piece of music each note Sebourn places builds to a wondrous, brilliant and down right masterfully horrific symphony.’
Bloody brilliant!
Bloody brilliant!
February 14, 2022
Sebourn excels at crafting formerly prosperous characters who have fallen on bad times. And in THE WAYFARER HOUSE it is no different…
Centering around a house where our main character committed a violent act of revenge, it is an intimate story that manages to tackle a plethora of subjects.
Mysterious entities.
The creative process of an artist.
The influence of music.
Family.
Mobsters.
Desperation.
Betrayal.
It’s all here, and Sebourn somehow threads all this into an engrossing tapestry of subdued horror.
I implore you to start reading Mitch Sebourn, if you haven’t already.
And THE WAYFARER HOUSE is a great place to start.
Centering around a house where our main character committed a violent act of revenge, it is an intimate story that manages to tackle a plethora of subjects.
Mysterious entities.
The creative process of an artist.
The influence of music.
Family.
Mobsters.
Desperation.
Betrayal.
It’s all here, and Sebourn somehow threads all this into an engrossing tapestry of subdued horror.
I implore you to start reading Mitch Sebourn, if you haven’t already.
And THE WAYFARER HOUSE is a great place to start.
July 17, 2022
What a spooky, superbly written haunted house tale! With THE WAYFARER HOUSE, my first dive into Mitch Sebourn's work, he delivers an intriguing mixture of gritty, relatable characters, crisp prose and dialogue, and a horrific plot that moves with the perfect amount of acceleration. Felt pulled in from the get-go and thought about it long after the end, which are two aspects I find true in some of the best told stories. Highly recommended.
February 20, 2022
An Eerie and Unforgettable Tale.
This is a haunting, electrifying story. Sebourn shows a critical eye for detail, with prose that never veers into verbosity. The writing feels natural, poetic, even lyrical at times, and the dialogue rings with authenticity. But make no mistake: THE WAYFARER HOUSE is a horror story, filled with palpable tension and exquisite dread. It's also an instant classic, in my opinion. Highly recommended!
This is a haunting, electrifying story. Sebourn shows a critical eye for detail, with prose that never veers into verbosity. The writing feels natural, poetic, even lyrical at times, and the dialogue rings with authenticity. But make no mistake: THE WAYFARER HOUSE is a horror story, filled with palpable tension and exquisite dread. It's also an instant classic, in my opinion. Highly recommended!
February 10, 2022
A musician whose family were heavily involved in the mob is released from prison. Although he was not involved himself in the mob activities, he went to prison for committing a murder when the mob tore his family apart. Now back out of prison he returns to the house where the crime occurred to start his music career again with a new album and also face the demons he’s left behind. The demons it seems are also ready to deal with him.
This book is dark, well written and well paced, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat till the end.
This book is dark, well written and well paced, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat till the end.
February 22, 2025
The author has a talent for telling a good story, with a minimum of words. The characters' actions and dialogue are incredibly real and believable. With one exception, noted below.
However, the novel's brevity is a detriment at times. Many of the horrific moments feel too rushed. I wish the author would have lingered longer during these moments.
Lastly, I feel the ending is much too rushed, contrived, and thus unbelievable. A disappointment after everything that had come before.
However, the novel's brevity is a detriment at times. Many of the horrific moments feel too rushed. I wish the author would have lingered longer during these moments.
Lastly, I feel the ending is much too rushed, contrived, and thus unbelievable. A disappointment after everything that had come before.
October 7, 2022
Sebourn at his best.
I was looking for a classic haunted house book for Halloween and this was perfect for me. With all the classic twists that you expect from a Sebourn novel it kept me enthralled throughout.
Loved the feel of the main characters music and the way is was woven into the story. Great read.
I was looking for a classic haunted house book for Halloween and this was perfect for me. With all the classic twists that you expect from a Sebourn novel it kept me enthralled throughout.
Loved the feel of the main characters music and the way is was woven into the story. Great read.
February 9, 2023
Good writing, satisfactorily creepy. Pulled me in and wanted to keep going. Wrapped up well but maybe in an unexpected way that didn't quite have all the punch I wanted? Anyhoo, an enjoyable novella.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews