A slasher movie turns real when two young actors are brutally murdered on a remote island film set. Their severed heads and arms are posed in macabre homage to a nineteenth-century pirate massacre.
Two years later, survivor Vanessa Loren is drawn back to South Bimini by a documentary being made about the storied region. Filmmaker Sean O'Hara aches to see how the unsolved crime haunts her…and Sean knows more than a little about ghosts.
Lured by visions of a spectral figurehead, Vanessa discovers authentic pirate treasures that only deepen the mystery. Are the murders the work of modern-day marauders, the Bermuda Triangle or a deadly paranormal echo of the island's violent history? As Vanessa and Sean grow closer, the killer prepares to resume the slaughter…unless the dead can intervene.
New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.
Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.
She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.
Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.
A good enough book, although I thought I would have liked it more. It started with the murder of an actor and actress on the set of a slasher movie that was set on a small island named Haunt Island. Two years later, a documentary is being filmed about mysteries in Key West. Sean O’Hara and his best friend are making the documentary. Vanessa Loren, who was the filmmaker for the slasher movie, seeks out Sean and convinces him to explore the mystery of Haunt Island in his documentary and the unsolved murders that happened on her film set. She also asks Sean to hire her on to help with the documentary hoping to find answers as to who did the killings. There were interesting things in the story that I enjoyed--the great Key West setting, pirate legends, ghosts, the Bermuda Triangle. But the cast of characters just wasn’t all that exciting to me and I never found myself drawn into the story as much as I hoped I would be. I loved book 1 in the series, Ghost Shadow, but this one was just average.
Suspend your reality, ignore the plot holes and just enjoy this book as an escape from reality. I'm an escapist reader. Give me a glass of wine, a scented candle and a book that takes me away from reality and I am a happy camper. These books do that, and I love them. The plot of this book is based on a legend that everyone accepted as true, but just like the legend, things are not as they first appear.
Two years ago, Vanessa Loren was a part of a low budget slasher film based on an 18th century pirate legend where two of the cast really did end up slashed. The murderer was never found and that has haunted Vanessa. When Sean O'Hara begins preparation to film a documentary on various pirate legends, Vanessa sees an opportunity to revisit the tragedy that took place on Haunt Island and maybe find some answers as to what happened there.
Sean O'Hara is a documentary film maker and he and his partner and future brother-in-law, David Beckett. are planning a film about various legends that took place around Key West, FL. When he is approached by Vanessa Loren, he balks at both her presence and her ideas for the legend she wants him to explore. When other members of the original crew also approach him, he is very wary of this being a set up. But Vanessa is beautiful and sincere and his attraction to her grows, even when he feels she is being less than honest.
The second book in the Bone Island Trilogy finds Sean O’Hara and partner David filming a documentary about strange events around Haunt Island, near Key West. There have been murders for several years in a row near Haunt Island. When the film crew from the original murders sign onto Sean’s project, he is suspicious and wary as they all travel back to the Island to try to figure out the mystery.
I really didn't like this book nearly as much as I did the first in the Bone Island Trilogy, Ghost Shadow. I think it's because I didn't like the characters. Sean was annoying and I didn't care for anyone in Vanessa's crew. It was bizarre to me how excited they were to be going back to the island where their friends were killed on minute and then sad and scared the next. This one was also a little too supernatural for me. The writing seemed off compared to the last one. I guess I just didn't really care for it at all!
*This is a review of the entire Bone Island Trilogy*
I promised myself no more Heather Graham after last year's ultra-disappointing "Flynn Brothers" trilogy. But I caved, yet again. As always, the premise of the book sucked me in. I had no expectations and thought this might be something light to read while recovering from an illness. I was actually pleasantly surprised. "Ghost Shadow" is genuinely creepy, even if the killer is somewhat obvious. The second book in the trilogy, "Ghost Night" is the weakest of the three, much less creepy and not as campy and fun. The last in the trilogy, "Ghost Moon" is a fun read, with some scary moments. There's definitely something to be said for light reading, and Heather Graham fits decidedly into that category. However, I must say I did learn some things about the ghostly legends of Key West. Which proves my theory that we learn something from everything we read. No matter how "light" it may be. I guess I can't promise myself I will never read another Heather Graham novel. I will just approach with caution and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.
This book is in the Bone Trilogy and it's the second one - a couple of the main characters were in the first book - so it was nice to already have some knowledge of the characters - this is a mystery/ghost genre and the three books are set in Key West, Florida. It was a great book with a lot of mystery right up to the end - it surprised even me the ending of this book cause I was not expecting the "who" did it, till the last few pages. Great book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a little ghost with your mystery.
Not as good as the last one, it doesn't even connect to the last one besides the fact that the same characters are in both and it takes place in Key West. This was very very juvenile, the characters acted like teenagers and nothing like themselves from the first book, there wasn't any character development, there was an inst-love factor that didn't work, there was no chemistry between the pair they were just stuck together to add a romance plot and it was bad, very forced and not natural. These characters are supposed to be early to mid or even late 30's and they came off as 13 or 14 in behavior, thinking, and speech as well as personality. The main MC female Vanessa was a moody, bitchy, tantrum-throwing, brat with zero personality, zero self-preservation and was not that intelligent. Lastly, she was a hypocrite.
The dialogue was not great either but that goes along with the characters acting like teenagers. Lots of repetitiveness that doesn't need to be there, poor word choice, and poor punctuation. Lots of ... or I -I -I think and ! all over the place. I felt like I as well as the characters had regressed in age reading the dialogue. Everyone was excited all the time about everything, the speech patterns were that of preteens who were in need of an education. Needed some editing in places too, like halfway through the structure fell apart as well as whatever plot idea the author had. The first chapter was good then it's just blah with nothing of interest until the last chapter and a half. I put this down several times and had to force myself to finish I was so annoyed.
Also, the main job the characters were doing for the plot didn't work well at all. The author may have done a lot of research on the location but not on the profession of the characters and it shows very much. It was annoying in that it kept pulling me out of the ghost story which was also not that great as it took a back seat for most of the book to the character's poorly researched job and forced romance.
The pacing sucked and the plot left a lot to be desired. Almost nothing happened in this book except diving. The scenarios that came up during the diving was ridiculous. Besides the crappy romance that wasn't interesting or natural, there wasn't any action, no depth of characters searching for something within themselves or with their situation. Once the little plot there was got going about halfway through the book the villains were obvious. But the reasons for their being bad were utterly ridiculous and unbelievable to the story ruining what little set up there had been or observations of ghost behavior or rules set out in the first book.
I'll give the next book a try because it's the last in the trilogy but if it reads the way the first did, these are almost stand alones loosely linked together and you could have skipped this one.
Edit for 3/4 finished. I had rated this 2 stars but it went down to 1 star when all the characters started to gang up and gaslight the main male MC Sean when he got upset and suspicious of the rest for setting him up, which was true they did. They feel angry and hurt that he is upset for what they did to him and taking it out on him saying he's crazy and doesn't have the right to his feelings for something they did to him that he didn't like. It annoyed the hell out of me that this was seen as okay and righteous behavior by the other characters and therefore the author since they are of her mind. Bulling, gaslighting, and setting someone up and telling them they are awful for feeling angry and betrayed is not okay!
Last note there are two recipes at the back of this book which goes along with the growing feeling that these books are almost as much a tourist/travel book offering up the glory of Key west as much as it is a crappy romance with a tiny bit of the supernatural.
I like the way Heather Graham mixes mystery, suspense,and romance. Her characters seem a bit bland, however, and some of her scenarios are a little far-fetched. Every once in a while I'll feel myself yanked out of the story (pop!) and be like, "Really?" Ghost Night is the continuation of the short story Ghost Memories and Katie & David's story in Ghost Shadow. This installment is about Katie's brother Sean and film script writer and diver Vanessa. A brutal slaying at a movie filming causes repercussions years later when events begin to repeat themselves... To be followed by Liam's story: Ghost Moon
I was disappointed in this one for many reasons and I’m afraid that is all this review will be about. Most of my issues relate to how it fits in with the first book. I was looking for Shawn’s story but he takes a back seat to Vanessa who in all actuality is not a great character. I didn’t buy the romance or feel the chemistry between the characters.
Also, the MC of the last book Katie seemed to be dumbed down in this book to a chirpy keep everyone happy girl. I did like the linkage through the books via Bartholomew but I wanted this book to me more about his past. The first book seemed like the trilogy was going to involve Bartholomew’s past and it was disappointing that it wasn’t.
I listened to the audiobook which is a little over nine hours. You have about 8 1/4 hours of nothing happening. I mean that literally – great opening of the horror and intense climax. The build-up in between has no tension or suspense to it at all. This made for a very boring book.
I had no issues with the narrator and the voices seemed consistent with the first book.
Similar to Book One But With Pirates and Treasurer
A Bermuda Triangle/ Pirate Mystery
I’m few chapters into this second instalment of The Bone Island trilogy.
And our favourite characters from the first book are back
Katie O’Hara and David Beckett ( now a couple )
Katie’s brother, Documentary Filmmaker, Sean
David’s Cousin, Police Officer, Liam.
And the AMAZING ghostly presence of Bartholomew 😍
This story continues, with the setting still steeped in the history of the Key West/ Bermuda area. In particular the Islands of Bimini, and all the Bermuda Triangle mystery’s
Where this story begins, with a horrendous double murder on the set of a Teen Slasher movie on the aptly named, “ Haunt Island”, it then moves to two years into the future, the present, as the young scriptwriter, Vanessa Loren who discovered the murdered actors bodies in the sand, is desperate to find out what happened.
She NEEDS closure.
I wrote this part down two chapter in….
“So far, Vanessa Loren, probable love interest for Sean O’ Hara, is a LOT!…
She is pretty FULL ON in her attempts to get film makers David Beckett ( from the first book mystery) And Sean O’Hara on board with her desperate need to resolve the brutal murders of Georgia and Travis ( the actors ) so she can finally end her nightmares
She is OBSESSED!
Okay!
I understand that she has been suffering some kind of PTSD after what she went through, discovering the grizzly murder scene.
But!
Her full on maniac behaviour at this point in the story is a bit much.”
Yeah.
I don’t know, at this point, if I really like her very much, which is a problem for me while I try to connect and immerse myself in the story as a whole.
It seems odd as well,that we now come to learn that Vanessa, and Katie had a past together while at school
She is now Katie’s constant, pushing Clarinda ( from the first book) to a background character. There to help out at Hara’s, and fill in for Katie at Karaoke, while the Scooby Gang set off to make a documentary and crime solve.
Look.
This isn’t a bad second book. The premise about the alleged evil pirates Mad Miller and Kitty Cutless, rising from theirwatery graves to create at havoc, and maim the living was terrifying!!!
But.
As far as the relationship went with Sean and Vanessa, …
Well, I think I would have been more “ on board “ ( wink ) with it IF! I had read this instalment as a “ stand alone “
Having read the first book this relationship had a little bit of the “rinse and repeat” about it.
Sean and Vanessa were like a poorer version of David and Katie.
Vanessa even had the same ability to see ghosts!!!
I felt as if Heather ( author) was at great pains to hurry these two into bed, (or shower as it happened.) this made it very predictable as they conveniently, just happened, to keep bump into each other.
Then Sean makes the obvious suggestion that,,,cough… that Vanessa move into to his large house because he was “ worried about her safety “
Hmmm!
The timeline for how quickly Vanessa recovered from her uncomfortable feelings, at forcing herself onto Sean & Co, subsided quickly, allowing her to go straight to jumping Sean’s bones..
I thought, OKAY get their intimate moments out the way already so we can get back to the main plot. ( which I was enjoying by the way )
But NO! We had to keep coming back to Vanessa’s and Sean, sexual exploits night, after night, after night. Sean just longed to have something like what Katie’s and David had.
A serious relationship.
In between we got pirates…
LOTS & LOTS of PIRATES!
Stories about pirates, Pirates in dress up roaming the streets, for “ Pirate Fest “
Plays about pirates,
Songs about Pirates
Then, more of Sean and Vanessa, hands all over each other, being overly attentive and obsessive
It was then I began to realise in this second book, that Heather has a well oiled formula for writing these stories, and it’s a template she doesn’t deviate from to much. Which is a pity, because the repetition detracts from the spooky, almost paranormal settings, which are engaging, but its pattern of the relationships that let the story down.
And, I suspect this formula to continue into the third book, “Ghost Moon” with Liam
The best part about these books is Bartholomew, and his wonderful repartee. With Katie in the first book, and now Sean in this one.
(Vanessa also ended being able to see Bartholomew as well Btw…annoying ! )
So, after reading these two books I think I’ll probably bypass book three.
Don’t get me wrong, like I said they are well written, and very immersive allowing us to indulge in the Key West life, it’s just the relationship situation between main characters is a little… Same, same, but different scenario..
This was a pretty good read. It had me guessing until the very end! I was not expecting it to be the characters that it was.
page by page:
so I am sorry about if my page by page is off. I only had access to a large print copy.
page 25: my first theory about the murders is that it was locals that want the people gone.
page 40: So Sean got hit on the head and that is why he now sees Bartholomew. Page: 117: Is Sean already protective if Vanessa??? Awe!!!! Page 141: Oh look the Scooby gang! Page 159: So there are other people who can see spirits like Katie? The woman reacted to the lady in White. So she had to have seen her! Page 159: Will Liam be the next to see Bartholomew? Page 167: Sean do I sense a little green monster? Page 169: Sean has known Vanessa for two (book). days. He needs to calm down. Btu based off the passage, he is at least aware that he needs to don so
Page 169: I love that I try to apply real life relationship rules to fiction.
Page 179: It was a safe place for Mad Miller. So could the killers be psycho treasure hunters
Page 187: Is the pendant what they found?
Page 193: I noticed that the author is more focused on Sean and Vanessa. I feel that we have barely scratched the surface on the mystery.
Page 193: Hey! Pink is a manly color!
Page 195: The necklace won't be there in the morning.
Pat 205: Good Job Bartholomew!
Page 205: I want to say that Jay is the killer. He is just setting off all kinds of red flashing signs. But it is also tooo soon to tell.
Page 215: Did he take the sleep my dear line from Bartholomew?
PAge 219: I think he tried to follow Bartholomew's speech patterns.
Page 239: My theory is that all of this is over pirate treasure.
Page 249: Does Vanessa see ghosts now?
Page 287: For the life of me I can not read Vanessa's dream dialogue correctly. I for some reason read it like they are saying it sarcastically
Page 309: Vanessa just saw Bartholomew!
Page 317: Sean: I don't hold this thing that is not your fault against you. *Me stomps foot on the ground: Bullshit! If you really didn't hold it against her, you would not be having this conversation!
Page 323: Since th body is not Dona Isabella's, Could it be Kitty Cutlass?
Page 383: I still don't like Jay!
Page 437: I called it!
Page 439: Is Liam's bump going to cause him to see ghosts?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Al igual que la primera entrega de la trilogía Bone Island, he leído esta novela prácticamente en dos sentadas.
En esta ocasión, seguimos a Sean O’Hara, hermano mayor de Katie (protagonista de la primera novela). Sean y David Beckett deciden grabar un documental que explora las leyendas locales de Cayo Hueso (Key West). Vanessa Loren, cineasta y amiga de Katie, llega a la isla para rogarles que la contraten, ya que desea utilizar sus recursos para investigar el horrible asesinato no resuelto en que se vio involucrada dos años antes.
Esta novela ha sido, en mi opinión, tan buena como la primera. La autora ha sabido mantener el mismo ritmo veloz y la misma trama atrapante que me gustaron tanto de la primera. Además, esta vez no adiviné quién era el culpable, lo cual considero un punto a favor de la creatividad.
Me gustaron mucho los protagonistas, Sean y Vanessa. Siento que fueron personajes interesantes, así como su dinámica, que fue algo distinta de la de David y Katie. Tanto Sean como Vanessa me parecieron personajes de carácter fuerte, decididos, proactivos y centrados. Esto es algo que me agrada, ya que no sentí que ninguno de los dos se volviese un cliché con patas, aunque su romance haya caído un poco en el cliché del “instalove”.
Sin embargo, debo decir que Batholomew fue, nuevamente, mi favorito. Disfruté de todas las escenas en las que apareció. Además, me gustó la forma en que la autora logró que él pueda tener un papel activo en la trama y no caiga en el olvido. Tengo la sensación de que este mismo recurso será utilizado para lograr su participación en la última historia de esta trilogía, pero esto no me molesta en lo absoluto.
Una cosa que sí me molestó un poco fue que la autora se dejó un par de cosas en el tintero referentes a Kitty Cutlass y al destino del famoso baúl. Me hubiera encantado que se mencionase algo al respecto al final. Sin embargo, no es algo que me quite mucho el sueño.
En general, esta fue una historia entretenida, llena de momentos de tensión y con una ligera dosis de romance que disfruté mucho leyendo.
Ahora tengo muchas ganas de leer el fin de la trilogía. Tengo las expectativas altas.
I'm a big fan of Heather Graham but this was, in my opinion, not one of her best.
Two small-time movie producers set out to film a horror flick on an island off the coast of Bimini called "Haunt Island." There is a lot of pirate lure about this island (which is how it got its name), so it seems the perfect place to set a horror movie. At the very beginning of the book, the shocking murder of two of the cast members, with a grisly display of their dismembered bodies, sets the reader up for a high-tension plot. Unfortunately, that event presents the highest tension in the book.
From there on the plot seems to level off and drift. When another producer (the hero) sets out to film a documentary in the same location, the members of the original movie crew all show up and elbow their way into the production. The goal? Find out who murdered the two cast members, of course, a case which was never solved. But that's pretty much it--and there isn't enough of a buildup to keep the reader in suspense. By the time they do discover the identity of the murderer, I as a reader really didn't care anymore. A minor romance element between the hero and one of the original movie producers is watery as well.
As far as the "ghost" element, aside from a comical pirate ghost, a side kick of the hero, this one won't give you nightmares. The big climax moment consists of two ghosts duking it out to break the evil spell over the Bermuda Triangle . . . really?
I know it's paranormal, but this story just didn't do it for me, either as a ghost story or a murder mystery. Not one of Graham's best . . . although it's the first of hers I've read that has disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in an anthology series, can be read as standalone, no cliffhanger understanding series types: dynamic, static, anthology - source 1, source 2
Review/Notes Story was okay, romance was definitely lackluster...This is the 2nd in a series where the H & h seem to just kind of come together & decide they're in love over the course of like a week while not really knowing each other. A weird combo of dull connection that seems tenuous & bland with sappy comments. The story, as with all of Graham's ghost books, is far-fetched, but fun enough, as it's filled with ghosts & history. The actual motivation behind the murders is not very believable, but at least it's somewhat inventive? This book is much more diving/sea focused than the previous one in the series.
Ghost Night by Heather Graham is at it again! Her cast of characters from the previous book are meet once more in this second installment. I love the O'Haras and their significant others. Hearing and seeing ghosts adds to the fun and mystery. This time, however, is Sean O'Hara and ghost Bartholomew's turn at adventure and maybe, romance. A woman comes seeking Sean's help. She once acted for a film until people were murdered. Then, more people were being killed. Sean isn't convinced but with his sister, uncle, best friends, and a ghost, he can't ignore the quest. History there seems to be nothing but dark, haunting, and deadly. I felt shivers down my spine. The intensity of the deadly situation kept building up with every page. It was thrilling. The cast of new characters are enjoyable to follow. A new crime to solve and new ghosts to meet. Heather Graham has just proved to be the best writer. Overall, I recommend this book to all.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
Ghost Night took me a bit to get into. I at one time put it down because I couldn't get into the story and recently decided to revisit it. While it wasn't my favorite Graham book the ending picked up a lot to keep me engaged.
Vanessa Loren is filming a slasher movie with fellow friend, Jay Allen on the remote island of Haunt Island. They with a small crew soon find themselves in the middle of a real life pirate massacre.
A few years later Vanessa is drawn back to South Bimini by filmmaker Sean O'Hara, who is filming a documentary on the region. Vanessa convinced Seam to hire her as an asset to his team. Soon they discover they have more in common then just filmmaking.
As they are diving Vanessa is lured by visons that helps her to discover true pirate treasures. Could the treasures be linked to fhe unsolved murders taking place around Haunt Island. The closer Vanessa and Sean get the stakes raise, which could be their lives.
This one was so hard to get through. The constant reminders of the area and surrounding events resulted in massively wasted pages. More pages were wasted with Vanessas feelings that she was losing her mind and a forced relationship between her and Sean. Rehashed page after page the same stuff. Reading this book I felt like I was talking to someone who had a tendency to repeat stories they had already told me a thousand times before and I just had to grin and bare it. Besides all that, into the actual storyline, this book felt more like an adventure from the Scooby Doo gang. You literally have to wait almost 300 pages in before they finally depart to Haunt Island after they had been talking about it since the first few chapters. And when you get there it's such a cheap and unfulfilling unmasking. I honestly dont know if I am gonna continue on to book 3, but I hate leaving things unfinished, so who knows.
Ok so this is the 2nd book in the Bone Island Trilogy and this story brings back several f the characters from book one like David and Katie and Liam and Sean as well as their ghost friend Bartholomew in this story you are introduced to Vanessa Loren who along with her friend and producer Jay and the rest of the film crew all return to Haunt Island where they were filming a slasher movie about pirates and a famous Spanish women by the name of Dona Isabella who was centuries ago kidnapped by 2 pirates name Kitty Cutlass and Mad Miller and her ship was sunk and she was killed later on so the legend goes on Haunt Island..Anyways so they return to figure out how the 2 actors Travies and Georgia were murdered and only their heads and arms were displayed..Vanessa keeps finding treasure which leads them to more clues and interesting stuff..in the end Sean figures it is someone from the crew that killed them and he is correct but u got to read it to find out..
I always enjoy Ms. Graham's books. I love her characterization of Key West and its colorful past. I also adore Bartholomew. There was a tremendous amount of potential here, then the story broke. Technically, the mystery was solved and the romance was set... but it seemed rushed, as if a new director came to finish a "based on the book adaptation". The bones of the story, both mystery and supernatural thriller, are clearly present. They simply need to be fleshed out a bit, especially the romance between Sean and Vanessa. I feel like there are a few missing chapters/scenes, which is a little disappointing. Over all, I liked the story of the actual pirates and Bartholomew best of the whole thing.
As someone who reads a decent amount from this author, I'm not sure what happened here. I consider Graham's books to be something of a guilty pleasure, but a pleasure to read none the less. This was easily the worst book of hers I have read. The first 50 pages and last 50 pages were OK, not great, the story is still pretty ridiculous, but tolerable. The middle 200 pages or so however, are absolutely dreadful. The characters all fall flat, the story plods around aimlessly, phrases, sentences and even whole stories are repeated over and over AND OVER. Was there no editor on this book? The storyline is pretty absurd, and only gets more incredible as things progress. All and all this one was a mess, and I certainly don't recommend it.
Bahamian and Key West Lore at its finest! This being the 2nd book in the series, I'm getting a tad bit sad thinking that these stories are ending after one more book! I am keeping the series in my library, specifically because of the delish recipes Graham has added in the back of each book... If ANYONE has ever been to the Keys, you know how yummy their conch chowder is... OMG delectable! I love these characters so much, I don't want their stories to end. Graham has so many other books and series, I have to give in to her talent and fall victim to a new character lineup and plot. You really won't see me complaining ;)