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Haunted Ballad #3
Matty Groves
Ringan Laine has a prized invitation to perform with his band at the Callowen House Arts Festival and he’s been asked to bring his longtime lover, actor-producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, along as an honored guest. At the prestigious two-week annual festival, artists not only perform to a handpicked audience, but enjoy every luxury their host has to offer.
For Ringan and Penny, it’s a mixed blessing. The couple has already held two terrifying exorcisms for ghosts whose stories are told in songs, and Callowen House is known to be haunted by the pretty young wife of a seventeenth-century Leight-Arnold. A famous traditional song, “Matty Groves,” tells her story, a straightforward one that Miles Leight-Arnold is very proud of. Ringan and Penny decide to attend; after all, this story has no mystery for them to solve. But from the first night it becomes clear that the tragic Lady Susanna is not the only spirit haunting Callowen House. Something else is awake, moving through walls and nightmares, growing stronger as it feeds on Penn’s sensitivity and on the very fear it creates: Andrew Leight, a man as twisted and violent in death as he was in life. Lord Callowen insists that Ringan and Penny rid Callowen House of the dangerous Leight but leave Lady Susanna’s ghost untouched.
As the pair searches the mansion’s ancient ledgers, Ringan and Penny begin to suspect that Lady Susanna’s death was not as simple as the song suggests, and that the truth may expose a four-hundred-year-old lie.
The third entry in this series, Matty Groves is another bewitching tale of how mysteries thought dead and buried can still return to threaten the living.
For Ringan and Penny, it’s a mixed blessing. The couple has already held two terrifying exorcisms for ghosts whose stories are told in songs, and Callowen House is known to be haunted by the pretty young wife of a seventeenth-century Leight-Arnold. A famous traditional song, “Matty Groves,” tells her story, a straightforward one that Miles Leight-Arnold is very proud of. Ringan and Penny decide to attend; after all, this story has no mystery for them to solve. But from the first night it becomes clear that the tragic Lady Susanna is not the only spirit haunting Callowen House. Something else is awake, moving through walls and nightmares, growing stronger as it feeds on Penn’s sensitivity and on the very fear it creates: Andrew Leight, a man as twisted and violent in death as he was in life. Lord Callowen insists that Ringan and Penny rid Callowen House of the dangerous Leight but leave Lady Susanna’s ghost untouched.
As the pair searches the mansion’s ancient ledgers, Ringan and Penny begin to suspect that Lady Susanna’s death was not as simple as the song suggests, and that the truth may expose a four-hundred-year-old lie.
The third entry in this series, Matty Groves is another bewitching tale of how mysteries thought dead and buried can still return to threaten the living.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2005
45 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Grabien
29 books26 followersDeborah Grabien is a world traveller, retired medieval historian, and lifelong rocker chick. Her short fiction, reviews, and essays can be seen in many diverse venues.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 17, 2008
The darkest of the Haunted Ballad series so far (this is three, there are five) and perhaps the most mesmerizing. One can never hear that haunting ballad again without connecting it to this tale, which has quite a different take on the events recounted.
September 21, 2007
Grabien keeps the tension turned up in the ballad series while at the same time letting us hang out with an amusing cast of characters. Here we have TWO ghosts, one of which the rich and powerful owner of the mansion wants kept secret. Grabien can make you believe in what the Irish call ¨the dark ones¨.
February 6, 2008
MATTY GROVES (Para. Mystery-England-Cont) – VG+
Grabien, Deborah – 3rd in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2005, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312333897
First Sentence: On a warm wet day in April, Ringan Laine came home to Somerset from a long, grueling few weeks in London to a piece of spectacular news.
Ringan Lane and his band of traditional musicians have received a much coveted invitation to perform at the Callowen House Arts Festival. He and his long-time lover, actor-producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, are thrilled but a bit apprehensive. Penny is a sensitive who has attracted the attention of ghosts before and Callowen is purported to be haunted by the spirit of Lady Susanna Leight-Arnold, about which whose murder the song “Matty Groves” is the subject. Once at the house, the ghost of Lady Susanna isn’t the problem but there’s a much darker entity who is able to take over Ringan to cause harm. In order to rid the house of this ghost, they must first find out who he is.
Grabien has twice before used traditional folk songs as the catalyst for her stories and while I thoroughly enjoyed them, I was concerned this would be more of the same. It was, as the song was central to the story, and it wasn’t, as part of the mystery was realizing the lyrics of the song were completely wrong to actual history. For the curious, both the traditional and more modern (used in the story) lyrics of “Matty Groves” can be found at http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyri... and you can hear it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2YYJE....
The series characters are interesting, although you should read the series from the beginning to really know who they are. However, two characters in this story are wonderful; Charlotte Leight-Arnold, daughter of the house, and Walter Hibbert, Rector of the local church. Grabien creates excellent sense of place and the book was creepy enough I wanted the lights on. The history was fascinating but didn’t overwhelm or slow down the story. For me, there is nothing better than a good mystery, ghosts, music and history all set in a very old English environment. This book had it all and was a straight-through read.
Grabien, Deborah – 3rd in series
Thomas Dunne Books, 2005, US Hardcover – ISBN: 0312333897
First Sentence: On a warm wet day in April, Ringan Laine came home to Somerset from a long, grueling few weeks in London to a piece of spectacular news.
Ringan Lane and his band of traditional musicians have received a much coveted invitation to perform at the Callowen House Arts Festival. He and his long-time lover, actor-producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, are thrilled but a bit apprehensive. Penny is a sensitive who has attracted the attention of ghosts before and Callowen is purported to be haunted by the spirit of Lady Susanna Leight-Arnold, about which whose murder the song “Matty Groves” is the subject. Once at the house, the ghost of Lady Susanna isn’t the problem but there’s a much darker entity who is able to take over Ringan to cause harm. In order to rid the house of this ghost, they must first find out who he is.
Grabien has twice before used traditional folk songs as the catalyst for her stories and while I thoroughly enjoyed them, I was concerned this would be more of the same. It was, as the song was central to the story, and it wasn’t, as part of the mystery was realizing the lyrics of the song were completely wrong to actual history. For the curious, both the traditional and more modern (used in the story) lyrics of “Matty Groves” can be found at http://www.chivalry.com/cantaria/lyri... and you can hear it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2YYJE....
The series characters are interesting, although you should read the series from the beginning to really know who they are. However, two characters in this story are wonderful; Charlotte Leight-Arnold, daughter of the house, and Walter Hibbert, Rector of the local church. Grabien creates excellent sense of place and the book was creepy enough I wanted the lights on. The history was fascinating but didn’t overwhelm or slow down the story. For me, there is nothing better than a good mystery, ghosts, music and history all set in a very old English environment. This book had it all and was a straight-through read.
February 20, 2011
I find it really difficult to try to rate some types of books versus other types: in particular mysteries which I love, can barely put down until finished (read this one in one day abed recuping) - and yet they don't seem as "heavy" or important and "big literature" as some others that should obviously be 4's or 5's. I really did enjoy this book and highly recommend it to other fans of mystery stories, especially the British setting variety. I think I'd be happier giving this a 3.5 and actually did have it 4 stars initially. Then I look back and see others that I rated similarly (4's) which seem somehow deserving to stand out more...
This is the 3rd in a series I was unfamiliar with: the Haunted Ballad Series. I did like it enough to seek out the first two. It's set in modern times, and I have to admit I've enjoyed some of the other British mystery writers because of the historical settings, older times (a weakness). Also, it's different from some of the other series I've enjoyed in that it's not really about "detectives" per se or murder victims in the usual sense. The protagonist couple are a talented musician and his theatre companion, both very well-known and successful in their fields (his band tops internationally, her theatre and troupe highly respected); and yet somehow they manage to be the equivalent of ghost busters, she being a "sensitive" who apparently tends to draw them out.
It's a story with interesting characters, unusual twists, and imaginative complications. Depth of character and issues of philosophical import and study is not what you'll find. That said, it's a fun read and certainly intriguing and difficult to put down.
This is the 3rd in a series I was unfamiliar with: the Haunted Ballad Series. I did like it enough to seek out the first two. It's set in modern times, and I have to admit I've enjoyed some of the other British mystery writers because of the historical settings, older times (a weakness). Also, it's different from some of the other series I've enjoyed in that it's not really about "detectives" per se or murder victims in the usual sense. The protagonist couple are a talented musician and his theatre companion, both very well-known and successful in their fields (his band tops internationally, her theatre and troupe highly respected); and yet somehow they manage to be the equivalent of ghost busters, she being a "sensitive" who apparently tends to draw them out.
It's a story with interesting characters, unusual twists, and imaginative complications. Depth of character and issues of philosophical import and study is not what you'll find. That said, it's a fun read and certainly intriguing and difficult to put down.
February 20, 2016
Matty Groves is the third book in the Haunted Ballad mystery series. Ringan Lane's traditional folk song band has been invited to a prestigious music festival at Callowen. Callowen is home to a famous ghost, Lady Susanna, who is featured in the famous folk song Matty Groves. According to the song, her older husband caught her in bed with a young village boy and killed them both. However, as the music festival continues, the Ringan and his ghost sensitive girl friend, Penny, realize that there may be another presence at Callowen that is not as harmless as Lady Susanna. In order to rid Callowen of the malevolent presence, they must first discover the truth of what really happened at Callowen hundreds of years ago.
This was an interesting historical mystery. I liked that all the present day characters were interesting and likable. Having mysteries inspired by traditional folk songs is a great premise for a series. I was not able to get the first two books in the series because they are out of print and unavailable at my library. Although there were times that I felt like I was missing a bit of background about the main characters, it was not necessary to have read them in order to enjoy the story. The story did involve a bit of sexual violence, so if you are sensitive to that you may want to try one of the other books in the series and skip this one.
This was an interesting historical mystery. I liked that all the present day characters were interesting and likable. Having mysteries inspired by traditional folk songs is a great premise for a series. I was not able to get the first two books in the series because they are out of print and unavailable at my library. Although there were times that I felt like I was missing a bit of background about the main characters, it was not necessary to have read them in order to enjoy the story. The story did involve a bit of sexual violence, so if you are sensitive to that you may want to try one of the other books in the series and skip this one.
February 3, 2012
Another great story in this series! This time, the song proves to be wrong and as the true story begins to come clear, Ringan and Penny wonder how to stop this ghost.
"Ringan Laine has a prized invitation to perform with his band at the Callowen House Arts Festival and he’s been asked to bring his longtime lover, actor-producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, along as an honored guest. At the prestigious two-week annual festival, artists not only perform to a handpicked audience, but enjoy every luxury their host has to offer. For Ringan and Penny, it’s a mixed blessing. The couple has already held two terrifying exorcisms for ghosts whose stories are told in songs, and Callowen House is known to be haunted by the pretty young wife of a seventeenth-century Leight-Arnold. A famous traditional song, “Matty Groves,” tells her story, a straightforward one that Miles Leight-Arnold is very proud of. Ringan and Penny decide to attend; after all, this story has no mystery for them to solve. But from the first night it becomes clear that the tragic Lady Susanna is not the only spirit haunting Callowen House."
"Ringan Laine has a prized invitation to perform with his band at the Callowen House Arts Festival and he’s been asked to bring his longtime lover, actor-producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes, along as an honored guest. At the prestigious two-week annual festival, artists not only perform to a handpicked audience, but enjoy every luxury their host has to offer. For Ringan and Penny, it’s a mixed blessing. The couple has already held two terrifying exorcisms for ghosts whose stories are told in songs, and Callowen House is known to be haunted by the pretty young wife of a seventeenth-century Leight-Arnold. A famous traditional song, “Matty Groves,” tells her story, a straightforward one that Miles Leight-Arnold is very proud of. Ringan and Penny decide to attend; after all, this story has no mystery for them to solve. But from the first night it becomes clear that the tragic Lady Susanna is not the only spirit haunting Callowen House."
July 24, 2011
This is the third book in the Haunted Ballad series. Ringan and his fellow Broomfield Hill performers have been invited to perform at the excusive Callowen Festival. One of Penny's performers has a bitter history with the Hall as his wife was attacked by a malevolent presence there and died not long after. Penny and Ringan find there are 2 ghosts at the Hall and one may be the victim of the other. They work hard to solve the mystery and the associated song which appears not to be the true story of the murder of the Lady of the house. The evil spirit is much stronger and darker than the previous spirits and has targeted no only Penny, but Jane, a member of the Broomfield Hill players who has a striking resemblance to the murdered woman. This was an intriguing and more violent tale than the previous two, and was well done.
January 18, 2012
One of my hobbies is learning and singing folk ballads, so I was psyched to see that there is a series of mysteries based on them. Unfortunately, not enough people were reading this at my library so I had to weed our copy. But I figured that it was a good opportunity for me to indulge in mystery-reading.
While Grabien does an admirable job with atmosphere, the actual mystery-solving part was a little... boring. And I say this as someone who loves archives. It's not a whodunit, really, it's a why-is-whodunit-a-demon, and while there is tension galore, it's all provided by the weather and the ghost and not by the plot.
That being said, I'll never hear Matty Groves the same way again.
While Grabien does an admirable job with atmosphere, the actual mystery-solving part was a little... boring. And I say this as someone who loves archives. It's not a whodunit, really, it's a why-is-whodunit-a-demon, and while there is tension galore, it's all provided by the weather and the ghost and not by the plot.
That being said, I'll never hear Matty Groves the same way again.
February 12, 2008
Another winner, this one about how much events and people can get twisted around as they come down through history, and how legends are sometimes completely off the mark. Again, spooky and detailed, the atmosphere is so perfectly and deftly created and maintained. You really feel badly for Lady Susanna. Though I was a bit confused as to whether or not they actually laid her ghost to rest alongside Andrew Leight's, as Grabien built up the fact that they were supposed to try to keep her there while getting rid of the nasty ghost. She never says whether or not they succeed, and it even seems like they lay her to rest. A small quibble, though - a great read.
July 19, 2010
Ringan's folk band is invited to the exclusive festival of the year at Callowen's. Callowen's mansion is rumored to be haunted by the very late (died in the 1600s) Lady Susanna, who tales say had an affair with young Matty Groves. A folk song was even written about the indiscretion. Unfortunately, a more sinister ghost appears on the scene, injuring partygoers, and threatening Lord Callowen--one person has even died from this ghost. Can Ringan and Penny exorcise the house before someone else falls victim?
I found myself spooked a few times!
I found myself spooked a few times!
September 15, 2012
Reading this reminded me of why I enjoy this series so much - it's an intelligent well researched ghost story. I love the theme of haunted ballads, and the way the story unfolds both in present day and in the past as the facts behind the story of the ballads are revealed.
I like the main characters: Ringan and Penny are well educated, passionate and in love. Enjoying the supporting cast too; they're well rounded individuals in their own right.
I like the main characters: Ringan and Penny are well educated, passionate and in love. Enjoying the supporting cast too; they're well rounded individuals in their own right.
July 17, 2014
The series concept: that traditional folk songs contain an old mystery and a current ghost at their core, makes for tremendous fun. The banter between Penny, Ringan, and their friends is amusing, and the whole thing is a delightful sort of Nancy Drew series for adults.
January 2, 2009
During week of the Calloween House Arts Festival, Ringan, Penny, Albert and members of Broomfield Hall (Ringan's band) exorcise a ghost from the Hall. Good read.
March 9, 2009
A fun mystery, although with a certain amount of gratuitous emotion. Good thing I was willing to suspend my disbelief in the presence of ghosts in our lives.
December 16, 2009
main characters Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes a theatre director, Ringan Laine a folk musician and architectural historian/restoration consultant
January 5, 2010
Pretty good book about supernatural mysteries.Not great.The characterizations are not very deep but for an easy,superficial read you can't do much better.
March 31, 2011
Powerful ghost tale and history mystery
December 5, 2012
Quit halfway through. I thought I'd love a book about murder and music set in a stately English country house. It never jelled.
December 31, 2013
Much darker than the first two titles in the series, but still a page turner. I bought my copy used from a public library's Friends, and was surprised to find it autographed by Grabien.
March 28, 2011
I love these books. I've only two more to read and when I'm done, I will miss these people...
April 27, 2015
I'm enjoying this series.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews